but Christ saith indefinitely the Rich. 3. What is spoken of Entering into the Kingdom of God It is Salvation and Eternal Life not a trifle Christ doth not say He shall do no worthy Exploits in the World or arrive at no great Degree of Grace but he shall not enter into the Kingdom of God 4. How it is spoken It is represented by a Similitude that implyeth impossibility or at least an extraordinary difficulty without a Miracle of peculiar Grace Then look about you Sirs such speeches of Christ were doubly entertained with Wonder as by the Disciples in the next Verse They were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved or with Scorn Luk. 16.14 The Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and derided him For the reverence you bear to Christ I hope you will not entertain it with Scorn but rather with Wonder holy Fear and Solicitude I expect now you will say What shall we do to prevent this Mischief 1. Remember your Condition in the World You are not a Free-holder but a Tenant at will Luk. 12.20 Thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee then whose shall all those things be which thou hast provided You are not Owners but Stewards not Lords and Masters of what you have but only must improve it for God and you must give an account Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship for must be no longer Steward You are not Citizens but Strangers 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul The World is our Inn where we abide but for a Night our Dwelling is there where we live longest 2. Judge of your Estates to be good or bad to you not as they do accomodate the Flesh but as they help or hinder you in your way to Heaven Make Heaven your End and consider all things else as Means and Helps Ordinances are the next means Riches and Estates are remote helps to Heaven All things are measured by the great and last End therefore you are to judge of all things as they help you on in Heavens way Better to be preserved in Brine and Pickle than to rot in Honey 3. Devote your Wealth to the Lord Luk. 12.21 So is he that â—aâ—eth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Riches are Snares and will certainly prove means of our Damnation if we do not so That is the best Condition for us in which we may do most Service to God and not to the Flesh Gal. 6.8 For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soâ—eth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting SERMON XIII ON MARK X. v. 26. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved IN this Verse you have the Entertainment of Christ's Doctrine concerning the Difficulty of Rich Men's being saved The Effects of it are two 1. A great Wonder or deep sense of this difficulty They were astonished out of measure 2. An anxious Question And they said among â—â—â—mselves Who then can be saved For the first Branch their great Wonder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were struck at Heart astonished out of measure We meet with it before at the first Proposal of this difficulty â—â—â—y were astonished at his words but now when Christ had rendered the reason and reassumed the former difficulty It is easier for a Camel c. this doth encrease the astonishment and it is not barely said they were astonished but out of measure so Let us a little enquire into the Reason of this Wonder why should the Disciples be so troubled at this speech they were poor or however had lest all and followed Christ as it is in the next words 1. Some say it was for Others to see so great a part of the World cut off from all Hopes of Salvation Tho' all have not Wealth yet there are few but do desire it and that Desire may hinder as well as the Enjoyment therefore they being solicitous for the Salvation of others they were astonished and said Who then can be saved Certainly it is good not only to work out our own Salvation but to affect the Salvation of others We have a saying Omne bonum est sui diffusivum all good seeks to propagate it self as Fire turns all things about it into fire This is the Disposition of God's People when they have found any Comfort and Benefit by Christ themselves they desire others should share with them and be partakers of the same Grace and Heirs of the same Promises David after many roarings and disquiets when he had found that Penitent Confession of sin was such a notable way for the easing of his own Conscience and had seen the fruit of humble dealing with God he Pens the 32 d. Psalm which is Maschill a Psalm of Instruction and so is willing to teach others the way So Andrew calls Peter when he had found Christ Iohn 1.41 and Philip calls Nathanael v. 45. Carnal things are possessed with Envy They that are rich and great in the World would shine alone and when they are gotten to the top themselves they are loth to teach others the way to climb up after them But it is not so with spiritual things Grace is Charitable and Communicative Indeed where any take up Religion out of Faction and Carnal Aims they would inclose the Common Salvation and Envy the Profession and Hope of it to others that they may be the better esteemed and respected themselves It is observed of Mules and other Creatures that are of a mixt and Bastard Production that they never Procreate and Beget after their kind Mungril Christians are envious rather than Communicative But those that have really tasted of the sweetness of Christ themselves are glad of Company and it is a great satisfaction to them to hear that others are in a towardly or hopeful way of Salvation 1 Ioh. 1.3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us â—nd truly â—ur fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ The Apostle had Fellowship with Christ and therefore was so Zealous to bring others to the Enjoyment of that Priviledge therefore this might be one reason why the Disciples that were safe as to their own particular and had left all and followed Christ were troubled to hear that it was so hard for rich Men to be saved Surely this Charitable Disposition becomes us well and answers the great Patterns we have in the World We read of some that were so zealous for the Salvation of others that in some sence they preferr'd it before their own Blot me out of thy Book that thou hast written saith Moses Exod. 32.32 And Paul I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the
and with least defaults in his Duty and blots in his Fidelity to Christ. Would you know then whether your Faith be strong or weak know it by this The more you can adhere to Christ whatever Temptations you have to the contrary if you can venture not only some but all things upon the Account of the Promise of Eternal Life 1. Deny the sinful Pleasures of the Flesh they were never worth the keeping If I cannot deny a little vain Pleasure what can I deny for Christ surely momentary Delight is bought too dear if it must be bought with the loss of Eternal Joyes Esau is represented as a Prophane Person that sold his Birth-right for one morsel of Meat Heb. 12.15 If the vain Delights of the World prevail so with Men that all the Promises of the Gospel cannot reclaim them these comply with the Motions of the Flesh which is importunate to be pleased but have no sense of the Offers of Christ who calleth upon us to save our Souls The true Christian is a Stranger and Pilgrim on the Earth whose Mind and Heart is set upon better things which are to come 1 Pet. 2.11 Upon the security of God's Word he is taking his Journey into another World 2. We must be willing to Sacrifice all our Interests Matth. 16.24 If any Man will come after me and be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me If God be trusted as our Felicity Worldly Felicity must be no Impediment to our Duty therefore if we cannot incur blame and shame with Men yea damage and loss that we may be faithful with God our Faith is worth nothing 3. If God call you not to Sufferings yet there are some Expencefull and Self-denying Duties which ever are incumbent upon you Matth. 25.35 Visiting the Sick Cloathing the Naked Feeding the Hungry Luk. 12.33 Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves Bags which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not Can you trust Christ upon such Promises and be at some loss for the Gospel for a Religion that costs nothing is worth nothing most Men love a cheap Gospel and the Flesh ingrosseth all Faith gets little from them to be layed out for God These Men run a fearful hazard of being rejected for ever they Sow to the Flesh Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 4. If your Faith maketh you to submit to Providence When we first entred into Covenant with God we entirely and absolutely gave up our selves to God to be governed by his commanding Will and to be ordered by his disposing Will You cannot shift your selves out of his Hands but your voluntary submission to any thing if you may have Christ and Heaven at last is the Tryal of your Faith Iob 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord Phil. 1.20 So Christ be magnified in my Body whether it be by life or death He was come to a Point Nothing should be reserved so Christ may be glorified and you may have his saving Grace let him give or take the more willingly you do this the stronger is your Faith Certainly to deny all is an essential Property of Faith 3. The third Evidence of a growing Faith is when our Light is turned into Love For Faith is not a bare Knowledge but a sound a savoury and affective Knowledge a knowing things as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8.1 2. A Knowledge with a Taste for such a difference as there is between the sight of Meat and the tasting of it such a difference there is betwen speculative Knowledge and the Apprehension of Faith 1 Pet. 1.3 You may dispute him out of his Belief that Seeth but you can never dispute him out of his Belief that Tastes for you cannot make him go against his own sense The stedfastness of unlearned Christians cometh mainly from their Taste and Love They adhere more closely to Christ than those that have only a dead Opinion because they received the Truth not only in the light but love of it 2 Thes. 2.10 Now the more Taste we have of the things we know and believe the stronger is our Faith Now besides the manner of Apprehension the Truths apprehended tend mainly to raise our Love to God that we may love him that loved us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 We know God that we may Love him and Faith is nothing else but a beholding the Love of God in the Face of Jesus Christ that our Hearts may be warmed attracted and drawn to God Faith is the Bellows to enkindle the Fire of Love in our Souls and therefore Faith the more sound and sincere it is the more it worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 Faith is required sub ratione medii Love sub ratione finis The End of the Gospel Institution is Love 1 Tim. 1.5 Well then when you make it your great Business to love God and count it your great Happiness to be beloved by him then may you best judge of the Growth of your Faith The Gospel representeth the Goodness and Amiableness of God that he may be more lovely to us and be beloved by us For this was the end of Reconciling and Saving Man by Christ his Incarnation Life Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession is all to reveal the Love of God in Christ and to work our Hearts to love God again To this end also tend his merciful Covenant and Promises and all the Benefits given to the Church all the Priviledges of the Saints his Spirit Pardon Peace Glory all these to warm our Hearts and fill them with a sense of the Love of God Now if we slightly reflect upon these things with cold and narrow Thoughts we have not the true Faith certainly not a grown Faith SERMON IV. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly THe Fourth Essential Property of Faith is its Respect to the Word of God That I may explain this with more full satisfaction I shall open Four things 1. The Relation of the Word to Faith 2. The Acts of Faith about the Word 3. The Effects of Faith thus exercised 4. The Notes whereby we may discern a strong or grown Faith 1. The Relation of the Word to Faith 1. 'T is a Means to beget and breed Faith Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Every part of the gradation hath its weight First What I am bound to Adore and Invocate I must believe in him as a Divine Power For the Second How shall Men believe in Christ as a God unless they have heard of him Faith is a believing such things as God
and Grace they will lose their Savour and Relish of these things It is an ill Sign when we have not lost our Savour and Taste of carnal things it is a Sign we are not much acquainted with Christ. It is no wonder for a Man that knows no better Fare to love coarse Diet and so it is no wonder that one that never tasted of the Sweetness of hidden Manna should long for the Garlick and Flesh-Pots of Egypt 2. Grace goes to work by way of Opposition it planteth opposite Principles in the Heart and maketh Use of an opposite Power It planteth opposite Principles We have a new Divine Nature and so escape the Corruptions of the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be Partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust. Lusts follow the Nature as the Nature is so are the Desires The Old Man is full of deceitful and carnal Lusts and the New Man is full of spiritual and heavenly Desires then it makes Use of an opposite Power of the Help and Supply of the Spirit of God Gal. 5.16 Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh. There are two Principles Flesh and Spirit that are always warring one upon another and that weaken one another The Spirit as a never-failing Spring of holy Thoughts Desires and Endeavours doth dry up the contrary Issue and Spring of Corruption So Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live The mortifying of the Body of Sin must be done through the Spirit a natural Man may see better but without the Spirit 's Help he can do nothing All the Reason in the World will not tame Lust We may declaim against it but nothing in Heaven or Earth will change our Dispositions or work out our Corruptions but only the Spirit of God We have by the Spirit not only Direction but a continued Influence and Supply of Power 3. Grace goes to work by way of Argument and Perswasion Grace out-reasons and out-pleads Lust and so it cannot obtain a Grant from the Soul but is denied The chief Argument which Grace urgeth is the Unsuitableness of Lust to our Condition that so it may shame the Soul Those things that become us while we are Children as Toys and Rattles will not become us when we are Men so certainly those things that suited well enough with us while we were mere Men become us not when we are Christians 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. He that hath suffered in the Flesh hath ceased from Sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the Flesh to the Lusts of Men but to the Will of God For the time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the VVill of the Gentiles when we walked in Lasciviousness Lusts Excess of VVine Revellings Banquettings and abominable Idolatries Rom. 13.11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of Sleep It is high time to leave worldly Lusts. For a Man after Grace to be addicted to Lusts it is a Relapse into a spiritual Disease and in all Diseases Relapses you know are dangerous as a Man that falls into a distempered Heat is recovered out of a Feaver 1 Pet. 1.14 As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance These were your former Lusts when you were under spiritual Distempers and were only fit for you then But how are they unseemly and unsuitable to our Condition 1. They are unsuitable to our Privileges and to our Interest in the Death of Christ Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein He argues not ab impossibili but ab incongruo it is an unfit thing for such to live in Sin We disparage the Death of Christ when we are not the better but the worse for it Hath he redeemed us from Sin that we might yet serve it Did he humble himself for our sakes that we should be proud Did he put such Contempt on the World that we should loosen the Reins to worldly Lusts Was he at all this Pains to make us worse You hereby put a Contumely and Reproach upon Christ's Death and disparage his Purchase 2. It is contrary to the Example of his Life We do not worship the God of this World nor Mammon but Christ Christ by his own choice hath put a Disgrace on the World he chose a mean Estate not out of Necessity but Design He came not in worldly Pomp Matth. 8.20 The Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head John 18.36 My Kingdom is not of this VVorld Who is more able to judg what is best We or Christ Iohn 17.14 They are not of the VVorld even as I am not of the VVorld Who is fitter to chuse or wiser to chuse Christ or We Who is in an Error Christ or We If there was so much in the World as we fancy Christ was in an Error to despise it 3. It is contrary to our Hopes we look for better things It is a most lamentable thing to see a Christian that professeth the Assurance of a better Life to lie digging like a Mole in the Earth 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly Lusts that war against the Soul Worldly Men are fastned to things present but the Children of God do bend and tend to things to come Worldly Men do not look for better things and therefore they are more to be excused We have Cause to blush every time we think of our Condition What are you Whence came you Whither are you going You are Passengers to Heaven why do you stick and linger by the way Something we may take for our Refreshment as Men that pass through a Field of Corn rub the Ears as they go As the Angel roused Elijah 2 Kings 19.7 Arise and eat for the Iourney is too great for thee You that affect to tarry in a foreign Country have you a Father in Heaven Would a Traveller hang his Room in an Inn Will he buy such things as he cannot carry with him Such things as we can carry with us to Heaven should take up our Time and Thoughts Piety out-lives the Grave but Honour and Wealth must be left behind us 4. It is contrary to our Vows We renounced them in Baptism In Baptism there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Answer to God's Questions Believest thou with all thy Heart Renouncest thou with all thy Heart 1 Pet. 3.20 Baptism saves not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God You break your baptismal Vows if you do not deny worldly Lusts. Christ doth not only call us off from Sin but from the
saw that any thing was good he uttered and declared it and said it was good Gen. 1.4 God saw the Light that it was good He said it first of Light then of other Creatures God would be no Author nor Example of smothering the due praise of Good Actions That Man hath little Goodness in himself that will not own it in others Indeed we are forbidden to call good evil and evil good Isa. 5.20 as the World is usually guilty of this Misnomer none are good but those that flatter them in their Sins and none are evil but those that are zealous for God This preposterous Judgment is forbidden but it is no where forbidden to call good Good and to own the Graces of others that were enviously to defraud the Vertuous of their due Respect Secondly Positively How is it then true that no Man is good Ansâ— Three ways No Man is of himself good nor perfectly good nor good comparing him with God 1. No Man is of himself Good but only by participation of God's Goodness As all the Stars derive their Light from the Sun so do we derive our poor weak Ray wherewith we shine from the Father of Lights Iam. 1.17 Every good Gift and every perfect Gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights It is God that makes us to do good and receive good For he worketh all our works in us Isa. 26.12 and hath a greater share in the good that we do than we have our selves All the Tribute that we pay him we have it out of his own Exchequer for we have all and every part from God he giveth the Will the very first Motion and Inclination to any good and he giveth the Deed and the final accomplishment Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Our good Works are more God's than ours we may say of them as Austin of his Illegitimate Child In â—o nihil habuâ— praeter peccatâ—m Lord I had nothing in this Child but my Sin So it is true of the Fruit of our Souls as well as of our Bodies nothing is ours but the deâ—â—ct all the good is Gods yea as he sweetly saith in another place speaking of this very Case in his Comment upon the 137 th Psalm Opus tuum vide inâ—me Domine non meum nam meum si videris damnas me tuum si videris coronas me nam quecunque sunt opera mea abs te sunt ideo tua magis quam mea sunt Regard O Lord in me not my work but thine own if thou regardest my Work thou damnest me if thine own thou crownest me since whatsoever good I have I have it from thee and therefore it is rather thine than mine Well then no meer Man is good that is good of himself 2. No Man is Good that is absolutely and perfectly Good The perfection of Righteousness so as to do good without Sin is not to be found in any Man no not in the best Man upon Earth In Heaven indeed they are made perfect Heb. 12.23 To the Spirits of just men made perfect But here upon Earth there is not a just man that doth good and sins not Eccl. 7.20 but either at one time or other he will Sin or in the same action none doth Good and Sins not Noah Abraham Lot Moses David Peter they had all their naevos their Blots and Blemishes nay in all things in their best Actions there is somewhat faulty and defective Nehemiah where he doth appeal to God for the Remembrance of his great Works he desireth God to spare him according to the greatness of his Mercy Nehem. 13.22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that they should come and keep the Gates to sanctifie the Sabbath-day Remember me O my God! concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy And we read of Aarons bearing the Iniquity of the holy things Exod. 28.38 And in many things we offend all James 3.2 Some in all things and all in some things either by way of Omission or Commission This is true of Regenerate and Unregenerate 1. As to the Unregenerate When God looked upon his Creatures as they pass'd his hands he saw all was Good Gen. 1.31 But when he looked down from Heaven upon Men in their Natural Condition and as they had made themselves and defiled themselves so they were altogether become filthy and abominable and there is none that doth good no not one Psal. 13.3 And there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 That is pleasing and acceptable with God it is true of them none is Good 2. As to the Regenerate none is Good that is wholly free from Sin Paul complains I know that in me that is in my Flesh dwells no good thing Rom. 7.18 And Christ saith to his own Disciples those who were the Children of God those to whom he makes a Promise of the Spirit Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children c. even the Children of God are evil in this sence that is not perfectly Good In optimis non nihil est pessimi There is some Evil in the best 1. There is Evil in their Natures there are the Reliques and Remainders of much sinful Corruption the Flesh and Spirit like Hannah and Peninnah always vexing and thwarting one another Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh. The most of the Sanctifying Grace which we have is the least part of that which we want and that we should have In the best Sin is like a wild Fig-tree cut off the Boughs and Branches yet still there will be some strings that will be sprouting out again or like the Leprosie in the House that could not be cured by scraping till it was pulled down to the ground There is a Tincture of the old Leaven which remains in the best Heart 2. There is Evil in their best Actions Isa. 64.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags Not only our Sins but our Righteous Operations the productions of the Soul cannot exceed the force of our Principles and if there be a double Principle there must be a double Operation 3. There is new Evil which we contract by our Actions Iohn 17.10 He that is washed needeth not save to wash his Feet He that is purged from Sin and washed contracts new Soyl In bono itinero pulverem colligis saith Bernard In the good we do we contract filth as we gather new dust in our walking up and down So that none is perfectly throughly Good 3. No Man is Good in Comparison with God That goodness that we have in participation from him will appear no Goodness in Comparison with him If the Heavens themselves the purest part of the World are not clean in his sight how much more evil is
it is the great Work of Grace to cure this Disposition to take us from the World first our Hearts then our Bodies It is made an Effect of the new Birth 1 Iohn 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World And 2 Pet. 1.4 By which we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. Heavenliness follows Grace there is something Divine a higher Birth than that we receive from Adam else we should live as other Men do There is the Spirit of the World and the Spirit of God now natural Men are endowed with the Spirit of the World they use their Souls only as a Purveyor for the Body to turn and wind in the World to feed high to shine in worldly Pomp to affect Honours and great Places these things we learn without a Master we bring these Dispositions into the World with us Therefore to deny worldly Lusts is to row against the Stream to roul the Stone upward to go quite contrary to the Course and Current of Nature When the Apostle speaks of the new Nature he calls it a putting off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Ephes. 4.22 2. Custom which is another Nature Carnal Affections are not only born with us but bred up with us we are acquainted with them from our Infancy and so they plead Prescription Religion comes afterward and therefore very hard it must needs be to renounce our Lusts because they have the start of Grace The first Years of humane Life are merely governed by the Senses which judg of what is sweet and not of what is good whence it cometh to pass that when a Man is come to that Age wherein he beginneth to have the Use of Reason he can hardly change his Custom and alter his Course of Life and therefore continueth to live as he hath begun still the Senses act in the first place Earthly Contentments are present to our Sense the other only to our Faith these are before our Eyes and we still see the Need and Use of them We know how hard it is to break a Custom especially if it yield any Pleasure or Profit Ier. 13.23 How can ye do Good that are accustomed to do Evil 3. Example increaseth Sin though it doth not cause it At first Sin is natural it is not caused by Imitation but yet Imitation doth much encrease Sin Isa. 6.5 I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips that 's a Snare certainly So we are born worldly and the greatest part of those Men with whom we do converse they are all for present Satisfaction There are many that say Who will shew to us any good Psal. 4.6 The Multitude are for worldly Wealth and Profit A mortified Man is rare one that renounces Interest and Contentments is a Wonder in the World 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to the same Excess of Riot Therefore this is a great Snare to the Soul we are in Danger to miscarry by Example as well as by Lust for Men will say Why should not we do as others do there are but a few that are otherwise given and the World thinks them to be mopish precise and singular The greatest part seek worldly Good We easily contract Contagion and Taint one from another and learn to be carnal and worldly There are few heavenly and mortified Christians and Men think these do thus and thus and hope to be saved we that have the same Nature learn the same Manners surely there is some what in the World or else these wise Men would not follow it so earnestly 4. Satan he joins Issue with our Lusts and makes them more violent he finds the Fire in us and then blows up the Flames Therefore carnal Men are said to walk after the Prince of the Power of the Air in fulfilling the Will of the Flesh and the Mind Ephes. 2.3 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past in the Lusts of the Flesh fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind Satan hath a Hand in it he presents Objects poisons the Fancy and stirs up those corrupt and carnal Motions therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.5 Lest Satan tempt you for your Incontinency He marks our Temper and to what we are flexible and pliable what is our Sin and then he joins Issue with it when Satan seeth our carnal Affections run that way he makes an Advantage of it As when the matter of a Tempest is prepared the Devil joins and makes it more terrible and violent so he doth deal here with our Corruptions when he seeth our Hearts strongly carried out either to the Delights Pleasures or Honours of the World he blows up the Fire he finds in us into a Flame Well then to deal with Nature Custom Example Satan this is hard All these plead for worldly Lusts. IV. Upon what Grounds and Encouragements are we to deny worldly Lusts How doth Grace teach us to deny them partly by way of Diversion partly by way of Opposition and partly by way of Argument Discourse and Perswasion 1. By Diversion acquainting us with a better Portion in Christ. The Mind of Man must have some Oblectation and Delight Love is a strong Affection and cannot remain idle in the Soul it must run out one way or another Look as Water in a Pipe must have a Vent therefore it runs out at the next Leak So we take up with the World because it is next at hand and we know no better things Well then Grace for Cure goes to work by Diversion Why should we look after these things when better are shewed to us in Christ Grace acquainteth us with Pardon of Sin with the Sweetness of God's Love in Christ with the Comfort of Forgiveness with the spiritual Delight that is in Communion with God with the Hopes of Glory And look as the Woman of Samaria John 4.28 when she was acquainted with Christ left her Pitcher so when Grace acquainteth us with Christ and draws out the Stream of our Affections that way the Course of them is diverted and turned from the World why should you look after these things when you have a better Portion Rom. 13.14 There the Apostle describes this Diversion or turning the Stream another way Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof If Christ be put on and take up the Heart if he be delighted in as the Treasure of the Soul Lusts will not engross so much of our Care and Esteem Get Christ as near the Heart as you can for those that are acquainted with him and his Sweetness with Pardon Peace
We were all forfeited to God but all the Elect have an Interest in the same Redeemer This will somewhat explain the Mystery 2. In that Law there was another Redemption that was to be made to Man and so there was a two-fold Redemption figured in the Legal Dispensation 1. There was a Redemption of the Inheritance or of the Person of the Brother that was waxen poor and so through Poverty had sold himself or sold his Land Levit. 25.25 If thy Brother be waxen poor and hath sold away some of his Possession and if any of his Kin come to redeem it then shall he redeem that which his Brother sold. And ver 47 48. And if a Sojourner or Stranger wax rich by thee and thy Brother that dwelleth by thee wax poor and sell himself unto the Stranger or Sojourner by thee or to the Stock of the Strangers Family After that he is sold he may be redeemed again one of his Brethren may redeem him The Goel or the next of Kin was to redeem both the Land and Person so sold. All this noteth our State by Nature we forfeited our Inheritance and sold our selves to work Iniquity there was a voluntary Forfeiture on our Part and we could not redeem our selves for we were waxen poor And when we had sold our selves all of the Kindred were altogether waxen poor and could not redeem us Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him For the Redemption of their Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Therefore Jesus Christ comes from Heaven and takes Flesh that he might be of our Blood and Kin and so jure Propinguitatis as being next of Blood he had a Right to redeem and help us when we had forfeited our selves and were become Slaves and Vassals of Sin and Satan 2. There was the Redemption of Captives I confess I do not find express mention in the Law of this kind of Redemption though some Types of this Captivity there were and therefore here we must allude to the Customs of all Nations Therefore I shall shew First To whom we were Captives Secondly The manner of redeeming Captives both among the Jews and all Nations First To whom we were Captives to God to Satan to Sin 1. To God We were the Prisoners of his Justice and Wrath and therefore called Prisoners in the Pit in which there is no Water Zech. 9.11 It is a Description of our natural Bondage In our Original State we were God's Creatures but in our degenerate and fallen Estate we are God's Prisoners 2. We were Captives to Satan as God's Executioner given up to his Power that he might blind harden and lead us to all manner of Sin by a just Tradition 2 Tim. 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his Will Natural Men are at the Will of another as Christ told Peter John 21.18 Another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not So Satan leads and carries us up and down but it is there where we would our selves be we consent to this Bondage and are acted by the Spirit of the Devil and are at his beck Nay that is not all but we are also given up Captives to Satan that we might be tormented by him therefore he is said to have the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 The Devil as God's Executioner hath a great Power over carnal Men to stir up Bondage and Fear and Horrors of Wrath and to take them away to Torment though not as he will but as God willeth Satan is our Keeper as God is our Judg and Conscience which was made to be God's Deputy is as it were Satan's Under-keeper stirs up Fear and holds us in Chains of Darkness 3. We are Captives to Sin Every natural Man is a Slave to his own Lusts Tit. 3.3 Serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Man in his natural State is a Slave to his own Affections For the explaining of which let me tell you while Man was in his Original State and Condition his Actions were to be thus governed the Understanding and Conscience were to prescribe to the Will and the Will according to right Reason and Conscience was to stir up the Affections and the Affections according to the Counsel and Command of the Will were to move the Spirits and the Members of the Body This was the Order setled in Man's Nature before the Fall But now by Corruption there is a woful Change and Disorder and the Head is where the Feet should be the bodily Spirits move the Affections the Law in the Members prescribes many times to the Law of the Mind carnal Pleasures move the Affections and the Affections carry away the Will by Violence and the corrupt Bent of the Will blinds the Understanding and so Man is led headlong to his own Destruction and therefore the Apostle saith that carnal Men are sold under Sin Rom. 7.14 I am carnal sold under Sin As Captives in War were sold to be Drudges to those that bought them so Man by Nature is sold to be a Drudg to his own Lusts and to be at the Beck of every carnal and unclean Suggestion Here is the Captivity of Man by Nature there is the Judg and that is God to whose Wrath we are subject there is the Prison that is Hell there is the Keeper of the Prison that 's Satan and there are the Ropes and Chains by which we are bound and they are partly our Sins Prov. 5.22 His own Iniquities shall take the Wicked himself and he shall be holden with the Cords of his Sins And partly the Terrors of Conscience for the Devils are said to be reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Iudgment of the great Day Jude 6. which signifies the Horror that is upon the damned Spirits expecting more Judgment from the Wrath of the Lord and at the Judgment of the Great Day The Devils that are most sensible of their Estate as being actually in Torment are said to be held in those Chains of Darkness and we as their Fellow-Prisoners are held in the same Chains though in the time of God's Patience we do not feel it Secondly Let us come to the way of redeeming these Captives Among the Nations there 's a four-fold way of redeeming Captives either gratuitâ manumissione by free Deliverance or else Permutatione by way of Exchange or else violentâ ablatione by way of Force and Arms or else soluto lutro by paying the Price or Ransom The two last are most proper to this Case taking away by Force or paying a Ransom though to me the former also have their Place 1. By free Dismission on God's Part that holdeth in the present Case we are freely dismissed namely as there is nothing done on the Captive's Part to free himself It is said Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in
I would Gal. 5.17 Go to Christ for help he was sent for this purpose to redeem you from Iniquity and dissolve the Devil's Work 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil It is his Office to purge the Church to set us at Liberty to destroy Satan's Power to free us from our Passions and Corruptions therefore go complain to him of the strength of your Sins for he will help you Vse 4. Comfort in our Conflicts You are sure of a final Victory before you enter into the Combate e're long we shall be out of the reach of Temptation and the Spirit shall be all in all Vse 5. Examination 1. Art thou sensible of thy natural Bondage so as to grieve under it As the Apostle Rom. 7.23 24. I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my Mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in my Members O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death If it be not thus with thee Redemption by Christ will never be precious there is sighing and weariness they lay their sad Estate to Heart as the Church hung their Harps upon the Willows it is the Grief of their Souls that their Lusts held them in Captivity The Children of God complain more of the Relicks of Sin than wicked Men do of the full Power of it 2. Hast thou any Freedom Sense of Bondage is a good Preparative but it is not enough All Christ's Subjects are Kings they rule over their own Lusts though not freed from them altogether they strive against them and keep them under And there is not only a freedom from Ill but a freedom to Good Psal. 110.3 Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power They do not serve God by Constraint but are free to Good and serve God with a great chearfulness as before they served their Lusts. Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man They consult with the Word of God which was before their Bondage and Terror they have an Ability and Strength to do that which is Good there is a new Life in them yet so as they are still excited by the Spirit Vse 6. It informeth us what is true Liberty not to live at large John 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free you shall be free indeed Not to have Power and Sovereignty over others not to exercise Command and Authority over others but to subdue our Lusts not to be left to our selves to do what we please that is the greatest Bondage Rom. 6.20 VVhen ye were the Servants of Sin ye were free from Righteousness but to do the Will of God 1 John 3.5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sins and in him is no Sin He died to take away Sin and to make us like himself that the World might know that he was a pure and holy Saviour SERMON XXI TITUS II. 14 And purifying unto himself a peculiar People c. IN this latter Branch I observed Christ's Act and then his Aim His Act he gave himself His Aim and Intention And here is the privative part of Deliverance To redeem us from all Iniquity This I have finished I come to the Positive part And purify to himself a peculiar People zealous of good VVorks He never communicates his Blessings where he doth not bestow his Grace He did not only free us from Hell but from Sin It is well for the Godly that Christ came to take away the proud and carnal Heart to take away Corruption and Iniquity which is their greatest Eye-sore But this is not all there is a positive Blessing Christ did not only come to deliver us from Sin but communicate Grace That he might purify to himself a peculiar People Two Points I shall open to you I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People he first purifieth them or by purifying them maketh them his People II. Those that are purified are reckoned his Treasure or peculiar People Doct. I. That whomsoever Christ maketh his People he first purifieth them or by purifying maketh them his People Here I shall shew you 1 st The Necessity 2 dly The Manner of it First The Necessity of this Purification 1. In regard of God Father Son and Holy Ghost Every Person in the God-head in the dispensation of Grace hath a distinct personal Operation Election is ascribed to the Father Redemption to the Son and effectual Application to the Holy Ghost Now every one of these Operations respects Holiness Election Ephes. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we might be holy and without blame before him in Love Redemption Ephes. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word Sanctification 2 Thess. 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth It is for the Honour of every Person that their Intention may not be frustrate and chiefly upon this ground because by this means they would justify and honour their personal Operation to the World Those that are chosen by the Father must be of a choice Spirit Christ will not be the Head of an ulcerous Body he will not be like Nebuchadnezzar's Image whose Head was of fine Gold his Breast and his Arms of Silver his Belly and his Thighs of Brass his Legs of Iron his Feet part of Iron and part of Clay Dan. 2.32 33. A beautiful Head upon a Negro's Body is monstrous We are Vessels formed and set apart for the Master's use Those that are under his forming come new out of the Forge Unclean Vessels can never be used to any good purpose unless they be washed and sweetned They are to be looked upon as God's Choice Christ's Purchase and the Spirit 's Charge Or if you will have it in other Relations they are God's Children Christ's Members and the Spirit 's Temples God's Children must resemble their Father Christ's Members must be like their Head and the Holy Ghost will not dwell in a defiled Temple 2. With respect to themselves and their relation to one another they must be purified 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing that ye have purified your selves in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently The Purification of our own Souls maketh us to love Purity in others for Similitude is the ground of Delight and Complacency No Man can delight in the Purity of others unless he be in some measure purified himself Holy Men are only fit for this Communion and Society others go in the way of Cain Jude v. 11. Who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother And wherefore slew he him because his own
Spirit worketh it for he is the Comforter Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of Heaven is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Nay it is not only God's Allowance but his great Aim the solemn Assurance that is given by his Covenant is that you may grow up in believing to a strong Consolation and be able to laugh at Fears and Sorrows 1. You may pray for it when you want it Psal. 90.14 O satisfy us early with thy Mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our Days 2. Nay when you have lost it by your Default it is not Boldness to ask Grace and Comfort again when you have wasted Conscience and weakned your Hopes as David Psal. 5.12 Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation When your Candle is put out you may get it lighted again 3. You may wait for Comfort and still continue your Attendance upon God Psal. 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace to his People and to his Saints 4. You may entertain it when it comes Comfort is a Fruit of the Spirit as well as Grace he which is the God of Grace is also the God of Consolation and the same Spirit which works Grace witnesseth for our Comfort and it is as great a Crime to smother his Witness as to resist his Work Whatever we think God would have us not only to be holy but to be chearful Would you make the Heart of Christ glad See Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy may remain in you and that your Ioy may be full Christ rejoiceth most in his Heritage when they live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for them in the Gospel The Devil envieth our Comfort he knows how useful it is in the Christian Life to make us thankful for Mercies chearful in his Service to wean us from carnal Delights and make us willing to do and suffer for God he seeks to weaken our Confidence as knowing the Joy of the Lord is our Strength he would either keep us from Grace or from a Sense of it and make us either wicked or sad and keep us from a comfortable Feeling and Apprehension of Grace 2. If strong Consolation be a Fruit of Certainty upon God's Oath then it informs us that it is a false Comfort and Peace which is not the Fruit of Certainty and Confidence in Christ which ariseth either from a Neglect of Duty or carnal Pleasure and all that wicked Men have comes from one of these Grounds It is good to look to the Fountain and Spring of our Joy and Comfort that we may be able to say with the Psalmist Thy Comforts delight my Soul Psal. 94.19 We should look to the Ground and Reason of our Peace and Security Why am I thus quiet Is it because God is reconciled to me in Christ because of Assurance from him under his Oath upon my taking Sanctuary in Christ The Devil â—ulls Men asleep by other means Carnal Men their Comfort ariseth from Carelesness and Negligence in the spiritual Life they do not trouble the Devil nor he them When a strong Man armed keeps his Palace his Goods are in Peace Luke 11.21 The Devil lets us alone when we let him alone when we do not exasperate Lusts nor trouble his Kingdom in our Heart Look as the Sea is very calm when Wind and Tide go together so when our Corruptions and Satan's Temptations run the same way all is calm and quiet As a Man feels not the Sickness that grows upon him till the Humours are stirred by Exercise So when there is a Spirit of Slumber and Security and Men are neglectful and careless in the spiritual Life and let Satan alone to possess the Heart they sleep but their Damnation slumbers not Then for carnal Pleasure this will not give them leave to think of their Condition Their whole Life is nothing but a knitting of Pleasure to Pleasure and a Diversion from one Contentment to another so they put far off from themselves the Thoughts of their own eternal Condition The outward Man is gratified and the inward Man hath no time they fill the Soul with Work that it may not fall upon it self as a Mill grinds not it self as long as it hath something to work upon as the Prophet observes of those that drink Wine in Bowls and put far away the evil Day Amos 6.3 They melt away their Days in Pleasure and charm and lull their Souls into a deep Sleep with the Potion of outward Delights lest Conscience should awake and talk with them Therefore look to the Ground of your Comfort and Security whence it cometh Psal. 94.19 Thy Comforts delight my Soul Ever now and then we should be making Experiments and try the Strength of it Can you venture your everlasting Estate upon the present Confidence Would I be thus found of God 1 Iohn 2.28 Little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Coming In Afflictions and Sickness Men are wont to be serious Is your Faith found to praise and honour 3. It informs us that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights A Man of a great Estate and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life may seem to live a merry Life O but a Believer hath strong Consolation such as when it is put to the Trial will bear him out in Life and Death Wicked Men may rejoice as a Bird sings in the Fowler 's Snare they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while but in their latter End they will be Fools Alas your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colick or Head-ach nor give you a good Night's Sleep Small Comfort that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress nor ease the Conscience Solomon saith Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath Riches many times prove our Burden and none lie so obnoxious to publick Displeasure as rich Men the Comfort is soon lost it lieth without us An Estate cannot be carried about you though it be in Jewels it is liable to hazard The rich Jews were carried captive when the Poor were left to till the Land So in the Day of Man's Wrath it falls most upon worldly great Men they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Heb. 10.34 Though with Ioseph they lose their Coat yet they keep a good Conscience and this makes amends for all their outward Losses But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience and in the Pangs of Death Christian as sure as the Lord liveth there will a
trouble us no more but that the World should not be a Snare to us He came not to exempt us from Trouble but to save us from our Sins Mat. 1.21 To deliver us from Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 We have the Victory which he purchased for us if the Devil and the World do not hinder the Fruition of eternal Glory Our Victory over Satan is mostly gotten by Patience even to the Death and so those that are killed all the Day long are more than Conquerors through him that loved them Rom. 8.35 36 37. Satan's main Spight is not at your worldly Interests but your Souls God may give him sometimes a Power over your worldly and bodily Interests but he doth not give him a Power over your Souls Though he get his Will over your Bodies yet if he get not his Will over your Souls it is you that conquer and not Satan Therefore in the Christian sense Suffering is Conquering If he do not draw you away from God and Christ though he and his Instruments have great Power over you it is your Heel only is bruised but your Head is safe 2. It is not a total Exemption from Sin Necessary vital Grace is only absolutely secured you shall receive no deadly Wound to destroy your Salvation The Godly sometimes may be foiled Satan stirred up David to number the People 2 Corinth 11.2 3. I am jealous over you with a godly Iealousy for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ. For I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty so your Minds should bâ— corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ. 1 Cor. 7.5 That Satan tempt you not for your Incontinency Yea God may imploy Satan in punishing his People as when the Israelites murmured he sent evil Angels among them Psal. 78.49 and they were destroyed of the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10.10 Because careless Souls are apt to fall asleep God permitteth him to be the Executioner of his Indignation Vse 4. To animate and incourage Christ's Servants in their War against Satan's Kingdom at home and abroad within and without Not to give place to the Devil Ephes. 4.27 Christ whom we serve is more able to save than Satan is to destroy 1. The Devil is a Creature but Christ is the Sovereign Lord who hath Power over him and all Creatures The Devil 's tempting is by Leave Iob 1.12 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy Power Luke 22.31 And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat He could not enter into the Herd of Swine without Leave from Christ Matth. 8.31 So the Devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine When we are in Satan's Hands Satan is in God's Hands 2. The Devil is an Usurper Christ is the Heir of all things Satan is the God of this World by Usurpation but by lawful Ordination Jesus is both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ. 3. The Devil hath only a perswasive Force no constraining Efficacy He cannot change the Heart or create any new Principles and Habits there which were not before But God can put his Law into our inward Parts and write it in our Hearts Jer. 31.35 He can only propound alluring Baits or Objects to the outward Senses and Fancy but God worketh immediately on the Heart 4. If the Devil be vigilant and assiduous in his Temptations he is matched and overmatched Christ is always mindful of the Affairs of his People he doth ever make Intercession for us before God And he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psal. 121.4 Satan daily bloweth the Bellows inflaming our Corruptions suggesting Temptations but the Spirit is as watchful in our Hearts maintaining his Interest there 5. The Devil's Malice is restrained for he is held in Chains of Darkness 2 Pet. 2.4 If God spared not the Angels that fell but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment Meaning thereby not only the powerful Restraints of Providence but the Horror of their own despairing Fears Chains imply Restraint but Chains of Darkness Horror he himself believeth and trembleth Iames 2.19 Thou believest that there is one God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble 6. The Lord Jesus doth often give out Demonstrations of his Power and Providence Partly in protecting strengthning assisting his People and prospering their just Endeavours for the Advancement of his Kingdom so that all the Machinations of the Wicked against them come to nought Partly in making fearful Havock and Destruction in Satan's Kingdom In protecting his People sometimes he destroyeth their Enemies Isa. 27.4 Who would set the Briars and Thorns against me in Battel I would go through them I would burn them together Sometimes infatuateth their Counsels Iob 5.12 13 14. He disappointeth the Devices of the Crafty so that their Hands cannot perform their Enterprise He taketh the Wise in their own Craftiness and the Counsel of the Froward is carried headlong They meet with Darkness in the Day-time and grope in the Noon-day as in the Night Sometimes he hideth his People in the Secret of his Presence Psal. 31.20 Thou shalt hide them in the Secret of thy Presence from the Pride of Man thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion from the Strife of Tongues He smiteth his Enemies by an invisible Curse Job 20.26 All Darkness shall be hid in his secret Places a Fire not blown shall consume him it shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle He divideth them 2 Chron. 20.23 The Children of Ammon and Moab rose up against the Inhabitants of Mount Seir utterly to slay and destroy them and when they had made an end of the Inhabitants of Seir every one helped to destroy another Christ is the Assailant and makes fearful Havock in the Devil's Kingdom The Word of Truth is come into all the World and pulleth down Idolatrous and False Worship Coloss. 1.6 The Word of Truth is come unto you as it is in all the World and bringeth forth Fruit as it doth also in you since the Day ye heard of it and knew the Grace of God in Truth Sermon on Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out to meditate in the Field c. SERMONS ON THE XXIV Chapter OF GENESIS SERMON I. GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide THE Context is spent in describing the Journey of Rebecca with Abraham's Servant and the Text sheweth the occasion of the first interview between Isaac and Rebekah he goeth out into the Fields to meditate and of a sudden he seeth the Camels coming I cannot pass by this Accident
hanging upon a Tree We should look upon Christ crucified as if the thing were now a doing before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified before you Though it be past long ago it is present to Faith For he is lifted up that by the Eye of Faith we should look to him and see not only the thing but the end use and vertue of this Mistery The Brazen Serpent was a sufficient Remedy for the stung Israelites none that looked towards it perished the Cure never failed and Jesus Christ lifted up and being eyed is sufficient to cure the guilt of Sin and pain of Conscience through Sin and to heal our Diseased Souls and free them from the power of Corruption For being made a Curse for us the Blessing cometh freely upon the believing Gentiles even the gift of the Spirit Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed 2. The Superexcellency of Christ above this and all the Shadows and Types of him The Type doth express the thing signified but yet the Truth doth much exceed the Shadow The Brazen Serpent was but a Sign of Salvation so called in the Book of Wisdom chap. 16.6 But Christ is the Author of Salvation Heb. 5.9 The Serpent benefitted only the Israelites but Christ all Nations both Iew and Gentile Isa. 11.10 In that day there shall be a root of Iesse which shall stand for an ensign of the people to it shall the Gentiles seek and his rest shall be glorious It freed them from present Death but yet so that they might dye by other means but Christ hath freed us not only from the Death of the Body but of the Soul and this for ever as in the Text That they should not perish but have everlasting life So Iohn 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye There Natural Life is preferred but for a while here Eternal Life obtained This benefit might last for a day or two but Iesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Christ ever retaineth his healing Vertue This was but a piece of Brass while they lodged it in the Temple but Christ is a Mediator to all Eternity It was a great wickedness to worship the Brazen Serpent therefore Hezekiah broke it in pieces when once he understood the People to be guilty of that Idolatry 2 Kings 18.4 He brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the children of Israel did burn incense to it and he called it Neâ—ushâ—an or a piece of Brass but it is our Duty to worship Christ All men must honour the Son as they honour the Father Iohn 5.23 And Heb. 1.6 Let all the angels of God worship him Phil. 2.9 10. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow When the Israelites worshipped the Brazen Serpent it was broken in pieces but they shall be broken in pieces themselves that deny Christ his due Worship Psalm 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel Dan. 2.44 And in the dayes of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and shall stand for ever The Kingdom that will not submit to him shall be broken in pieces Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring them hither and slay them before me Thus it sets forth Christ. 3. Faith is set forth or the Way and Means how we come to have benefit by Christ. It is not enough to look to what Christ hath done but what we must do that we may be partaâ—ers of him The way of Cure was by a look so it is believing in him that bringeth home the Blessing to our Souls From this Type we learn 1. The necessity of Faith None had benefit by the Brazen Serpent but those that looked on it The Promise was made to those that observed the Command Numb 21.8 Every one that is bitten when he looketh upon it shall live If a Man turned away his Eyes and refused Gods Remedy the biting was Mortal to him As there is a necessity Christ should die so there is a necessity you should believe for besides Impetration there must be Application and the work of the Spirit is as necessary to apply Grace as the work of the Mediator to obtain Grace for us A deep well will do you no good without a Bucket nor the purchase of Salvation unless you apply it 2. An Incouragement of Faith 1. To broken-hearted Sinners if you are stung with Sin you may look to Christ. It was ground enough for any bitten Israelite to look to this Brazen Serpent because he had need he found himself bitten and thirsted for cure by this appointed means A felt Sense of Sin is warrant enough to look to Christ as the offered remedy Look not altogether to your soar to your sins but to Christ as the means of healing Indeed there must be a feeling and a sense of Sin or else there is no work for Christ to do what should an hail Israelite do with the Brazen Serpent Their looking began in a sense of pain none troubled their Thoughts about it till they were stung Compunction goeth before Faith The Israelites cryed out Oh! What shall we do for these fiery Serpents So Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do An impoisoned dagger was flung into their Souls and then What shall we do The Goaler came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Acts 16.29 30. And they said verse 31. Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Only look upon the Serpent A Sinner must first feel himself a Sinner before he will or can come to Christ but then come The son of man is lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Some that know not themselves believers have been welcome to Christ but never any that know not themselves Sinners 2. To lapsed Believers The Serpents were left to sting the Israelites while they were in that place only the Brazen Serpent was lifted up God did not presently take away the Serpents only he gave a Remedy for such as were bitten Sin is not abolished but whilest we are in this Station the Remedy is still offered we are never so cured but we may be bitten again The disobedient Israelites needed this Motive and Chastisement to keep them in
We are never prepared till our State be altered Heart altered and Life altered 1. Our State must be altered For naturally we are Children of Wrath condemned by the Sentence of the Law and under the Curse and doth it become condemned Men to rejoyce and go to their execution dancing No you must take hold of another Covenant the hope that is set before you and then you provide matter of joy yea of strong consolation Heb. 6.18 By taking Sanctuary at the Lords Grace the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into Gods Covenant by Baptisme He went on his way rejoycing Acts 8.39 By Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we enter into the New Covenant and that is a State of Peace Life and Joy In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father Christ your Saviour and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier are you willing to consent to this And then Why should not you rejoyce in the Lord For you have enough in God 2. Our Heart must be altered For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Know his complacency what it is that a Man is pleased with most and you know the Man An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight it self in God 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But those that have a Divine Nature put into them cannot satisfie themselves in the World 2 Pet. 1.4 Ye may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh and leave these husks for Swine to feed on A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights when you have a New Understanding and a New Heart then you will discern and relish Spiritual things 3. The Life must be altered For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy Iohn 15.10 11. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost The Godly Life is the only sweet Life 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God and the belief and hope of Life Eternal and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort If you fall into great and wounding Sins no wonder if your rejoycing in God be disturbed Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin but it will cost them broken Bones and broken Hearts 2. Act it continually Partly for that the grounds of rejoycing are Everlasting an Eternal God an Unchangeable Covenant Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever a Kingdom that cannot be shaken an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory Now these things should ever be thought of by us that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually to enliven our Duties to sweeten our Crosses and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow or our Hearts will be apt to be insnared by sensual delights unless we remember that we are continually to rejoyce in God and Heavenly things Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul unless it be continually exercised by constant acting it we keep it and increase it till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul and able to controul our Affection to other things It is said of Iohn Baptists Hearers That they were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season Iohn 5.35 And of the stony ground Luke 8.13 That they received the word with joy and believed for a while but in time of temptation fall away Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly for a while Mark 6.20 Gods offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present but this rejoycing faileth being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it and increase it that it may be firm to the end it must be continually acted and exercised 3. Take heed you do not forfeit it or damp it by any great and wounding Sin As David speaketh Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Sin cloudeth the Face of God wasteth our Comfort and Joy Psalm 32.3 4. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption When the Comforter is offended he sheweth his dislike and withdraweth when we grosly omit any known Duty or commit any soul Sin he will shew himself displeased with it and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence Isa. 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth On such occasions he is wroth and smiteth he is wroth and hideth himself and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit neither grieving him by the omission or intermission of necessary Duties nor by the commission of any hardning Sin by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty or the irascible or eschewing faculty by Sins of the Tongue which most easily bewray corruption or by words which discover the temper of the Heart I observe that grieving the spirit Ephes. 4.30 is put in the middle between a disswasive from corrupt Communication verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying When Men endeavour to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights and is contrary to rejoycing in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks and on the other side verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from
1. Here is represented the State of the Body after Death 2. The State of the Soul 1. The State of the Body it shall be resolved into the Matter out of which it was made Dust it was in its Composition and Dust it shall be in its Dissolution Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was 2. The State of the Soul in the other World And the Spirit shall return to God that gave it Where 1 st The Nature of it or what kind of Substance the Soul is it is a Spirit or an immaterial Substance 2 dly The Author of it who is God he gave it he gave us the Body too but the Soul in a more especial manner 3 dly The Disposal of it or in what State it remaineth after Death it returneth to God It is not extinguished when the Body is dissolved into Dust nor doth it vanish into the Air but returneth to God All true Wisdom consisteth in the Knowledg of God and our selves We cannot know our selves unless we know the Parts of which we do consist This Text giveth you a right Notion of them both for it telleth you what they are and what shall become of them They are conjoined but distinct And therefore when the Union betwixt them is dissolved they go several ways We are concerned in them both but more in the Soul which hath the Preheminence above the Body The one is visible and therefore its Changes are known but the other is invisible and therefore more unknown but the State of both is equally certain for as certainly as the Body returneth to the Dust so doth the Soul return to God First For the first Branch Then shall the Body return to the Earth as it was I shall not stay upon it 1. It giveth you the right Notion of the Body it is but Dust moulded up into a comely Shape which is an Effect of God's Wisdom and Power to make such a curious Frame out of the Dust of the Ground We read in the History of the Plagues of Egypt that the Magicians were not able so much as bring forth Lice out of the Dust of the Ground Exod. 8.18 19. But God could raise such a beautiful Structure as Man's Body is But though it speaketh God's Power yet it sheweth our Frailty Our Body is here called Dust it is not Brass or Iron or Stone or stiff Clay but Dust and shall return to the Earth as it was Dust hath no Coherence or Consistence but is easily scattered with every Puff of Wind so is our earthly or dusty Tabernacle with every blast of God's Displeasure Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes Isa. 40.15 Behold the Nations are as a Drop of the Bucket and they are counted as the small Dust of the Ballance 2. What shall become of it It shall return to the Earth as it was Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return Psal. 104.29 Thou takest away their Breath they die and return to their Dust. Psal. 146.4 He returneth to his Earth Which should teach us to take Care for a better Estate 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens The Soul dwelleth now in an earthly House it should look out for a more glorious Mansion Secondly Of the Soul three things are spoken which are so many Arguments to prove its Immortality which is the Subject I mainly intend 1. The kind of it it is a Spirit The Matter of which the Body is made is the Earth and so it is still maintained He bringeth forth Food for them out of the Earth Psal. 104.14 And so breedeth and casteth out Corruption every Day but the Soul is a simple Substance not compounded of corruptible Principles and therefore cannot be resolved into any The Body liveth by the Soul and from the Soul but the Soul dependeth upon nothing but God The Argument is good it is incorporeal and immaterial therefore immortal for Mortality hath Reference to some compounded Substance which hath in it self some Principle and Cause of Motion as well as a material and passive Part that may be moved by that Principle and signifieth no more but a Capacity of the material and passive Part to be deprived of the inward and active Principle of its Motion In short if the Soul die it must be from the Violence of some external Power or some Principles of Corruption within not by Violence without Matth. 10.28 And fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul And it hath no Principles of Corruption whereby it should destroy it self for it is a Spirit 2. The Author God gave it our Bodies are also his Workmanship but the Soul is immediately framed by God both in the first Creation and the continual Propagation of Mankind At the first Creation we read the Body was created out of the Earth or the Dust of the Ground but the Soul out of nothing but immediately breathed into Adam by God Gen. 2.7 And the Lord formed Man out of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul And still the Soul is immediately created by God Zech. 12.1 He stretcheth forth the Heavens and laid the Foundation of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The creating of the Soul is reckoned among the Works of his Omnipotency Heb. 12.9 Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits The Fathers of our Flesh are distinguished from the Father of Spirits Our natural Parents under God are the Instruments of our natural and earthly Being as they procured the Matter out of which our Bodies were derived they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers of our Flesh but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of our Spirits The Spirit of Man runneth not in the material Channel of fleshly Descent it is not educed out of the Power of the Matter but immediately made by God 3. The Disposal of it When it flitteth out of the Body it returneth to God that is to God as a Judg to be disposed of by him into its everlasting Estate God challengeth Souls as his or belonging to his Government as universal King and Judg of the World Ezek. 18.4 All Souls are mine He will give to every one according to his Works adjudging and sentencing them either to Heaven the Mansion of the Blessed or Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12.23 or to Hell the Place where damned Spirits are kept in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 He went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison The Body is not said to return to God but to return to the Earth as it was but