The Scripture declares both the first This is love to keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous The second Psal. 97 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil When we are fearful of committing or omitting any thing may be a violation of his Law a grief to his Spirit or a dishonour to his Name then we are said to love God What ever lofty and luscious strains of devotion we may otherwise please our selves with here will our Trial rest He doth not love God that can most accurately discourse of his Attributes or soar aloft in the nice speculations of contemplative Divinity or pretences of Secrecy with God but he that is most awful serious and consciencious in his Duty 2. It is a Transcendental Love we owe to God we must love him above all other things For he must be loved as our Felicity and End He must have the chiefest place in our Hearts and our principal design must be to please serve and glorify him If we seek God in order to other things we do not love him but our own Lusts nay if all other things be not sought after in order to God we do not set him up as our chief good or last end He that loves Father and Mother more than me is not worthy of me Luke 14. 26. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Many have a partial half-love to God but a greater love to other things then God's interest will be least minded For there is something nearer and dearer to us than God which will be soon preferred before the Conscience of our Duty to him No all must be subordinated to our supream Happiness and last end or else God is not loved as God But now the second thing propounded is the nature of that influence upon Love which is exprest here by the Apostle in the word direct The Lord direct your Hearts in the Love of God What doth this Imply 1. It implies that God works upon us as Rational Creatures He changeth the Heart indeed but he doth it by Direction he draws us to himself but it is with the Cords of a Man he teacheth while he draws Joh. 6. 44 45. None can come unto me but those whom the Father draws and he proves it by this because they shall be all taught of God God's drawing is teaching it is both by the attractive force of the Object and the internal Efficacy of his Grace the Spirits conduct is sweet yet powerfull accomplisheth the Effect but without offering violence to the liberty of Man We are not forced but directed There is not a violent compulsion but an inclination sweetly raised in us by victorious Grace or the overpouring sweetness of his Love For we love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. And this love is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost who by giving us an esteem and serious remembrance of his Benefits blows up this holy flame in our Hearts We do not love God we know not why or wherefore An account can be given of all the Spirits operations Look as in an impression there must be a Seal and Wax to the Seal and the hand that stamps it so all concurr here The Word doth its part that is the Seal and the Heart of Man receives the Impression but to make it effectual and durable the hand of God concurs or the power of his Spirit The Object is the Gospel wherein God commends his Love to us by the Incarnation Death and Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ as also by the new Covenant because he will work upon Man after the nature of Man by Love he will work upon Love Beside all this there is an internal powerful Agent the holy Spirit The external objective means cannot do it without the inward cause Though God's Love doth so gloriously and resplendently shine forth in the Gospel yet the Heart of Man is not affected with it till it be shed abroad by the illuminating sanctifying Spirit The Heart of Man is dark and dead to these things till changed by Grace and when that is once done that Impression is according to the Stamp 2. The Inclination to God as our Felicity and End which is the Fruit of this Grace is the inclination of a reasonable Creature so the Inclination is necessary but the Acts are voluntary therefore you must keep them up still There is an Inclination put by God into inanimate things as in light and airy Bodies to move upwards and in heavy Bodies to move downwards as a Stone falls to the Earth but Fire and Smoak ascend they cannot do otherwise because they have no choice But now in Man there is an Inclination to God and Heaven which is the Fruit of Grace The Inclination is necessary why because all those whom the Spirit sanctifies he sanctifies them not in vain he certainly begets this Tendency in them towards God therefore so often they are said in Scripture to be converted or turned to God Their Hearts were averse before but then they tend and bend towards him but the Acts are voluntary There is a Duty lying upon us to stir up the Gift of Grace that is in us the Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 6. When this holy Fire is kindled in our Bosoms we must blow it up and keep it burning We must not be negligent and secure for we cannot reasonably imagine the idle and diligent should fare alike that the Holy Ghost will direct our Hearts into the Love of God whether we will or not therefore not only as we are rational Agents but as we are new Creatures we are obliged to use the Means and then expect his Help and Blessing What is a Prayer in the Text the Lord direct your Hearts into the Love of God to the patient waiting for Christ is an Exhortation Iud. 21. Keep your selves in the Love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto everlasting life There is both again you must look to your Love that your Hearts be kept streight and bent towards God and not distracted with worldly Vanities The Blessing is from God but you must use the Means this Direction is not to encourage Slothfulness but Industry We must charge it upon our selves as our main Work and Duty the Spirit stirs and quickens we must rouse up our selves 3. It implies there are many things would writhe and crook and turn our Hearts another way the Devil the World and the Flesh. The Devil seeks to draw us off from God to abate the Fervor of our Love towards him therefore we are bidden to flee youthful Lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. that we may not be taken captive by him at his will and pleasure Some tamely yeeld to his Temptations and he doth unto them as he listeth but there is more tugging
be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Col. 1. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work And also to glorify him is their end and use Phil. 1. 21. 1 Cor. 10. 31. This is the Dedication by which a Christian becomes a spiritual and an holy Sacrifice unto God Now we must be sincere and real in this partly 1. Because the Truth of our dedication will be known by our use many give up themselves to God but in the use of themselves there is no such matter they carry it as though their Tongues were their own and had no Lord over them Psal. 12. 4. They speak what they please they use their Hearts as their own to think and covet what they please their Hands as their own to do what they please their Bodies as their own to prostitute them to all excess and filthiness and their Wealth and Strength and Time as their own either to spare it or lavish it according as their lusts guide and incline them No no a sincere Christian makes Conscience of his dedication to God the reality and sincerity of it is seen in the use of themselves and if he be tempted to do any thing contrary to this vow and dedication his Heart riseth against the Temptation 1 Cor. 6. 15. Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid In point of fidelity to God as we are in Covenant with him we must be careful that we employ and use what is God's for the Glory of God we must make conscience of alienating that that is sacred that that is the Lord's your thoughts your affections your time your strength do all belong to him 2. Because God will one day call us to an account Luk. 19. 23. He will demand his own with Usury We shall be called to a reckoning what we have done for God what part and portion he hath had in our time our strength our parts our interest therefore every prudent and wise Christian should himself keep a faithful and constant reckoning how he lays out himself for God for he must have a share in all things that we have or do 3. We must be very sincere in this because we are under the Eye and inspection of God who considers whose business we do his or our own Luk. 1. 75. That we should serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our Life We are ever before him and though he doth not presently call us to an account yet many times now he punisheth us for our neglect and mindlessness of his Interest Ezek. 16. 8. Ye entred into a Covenant with me and became mine That was the reason of his Judgments against them When those that are his do not carry themselves as his when that that is Sacred is profaned by a common use then a Judgment is coming upon a Nation if dedicated to God and it warps from him or upon a Person if his ways be not upright with him II. The next thing I am to do is to prove that the grace of Mortification is the true Salt wherewith this Offering and Sacrifice should be seasoned There is some dispute what is meant by the Salt which Christ recommends to his Disciples and what was figured by the Salt in the Sacrifice whether Wisdom or Zeal in general it is the grace of the Holy Spirit by which Sin is subdued and prevented and the meaning suits exactly with the Emblem and representation For 1. Salt preserves Flesh from putrefaction by consuming that superfluous and excrementitious moisture which otherwise would soon corrupt and so the Salt of the Covenant doth prevent and subdue those Lusts which would cause us to deal unfaithfully with God Alas Meat is not so apt to be tainted as we are to be corrupted and weakned in our resolutions to God without the mortifying grace of the Spirit That which is lame is soon turned out of the way unless it be healed Heb. 10. 13. And nothing is so unstable and mutable as an unmortified Soul therefore we can never behave our selves as a Sacrifice and an offering to God unless we mortify our Members which are upon Earth inordinate Affections Covetousness and the like Col. 3. 5. In short the Flesh is that which is apt to be corrupted and therefore the grace that doth preserve us must be something that doth wean us from the interests of the Flesh and what is that but the mortifying Grace of the Holy Spirit The Apostle saith Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Iesus in Sincerity or in Incorruption There are many crooked Lusts which are apt to corrupt us and withdraw our love to other things but when these are mortified and subdued that we may have a greater amplitude of affection towards God and Christ then we are said to love him in sincerity and in incorruption 2. Salt hath an acrimony and doth macerate things and pierce into them and so the grace of Mortification is painful and troublefome to the carnal nature how healthful and useful soever it be to the Soul no Question it is distasteful to curbe our Affections and govern our Hearts in the fear of God and to row against the stream of Flesh and Blood but yet it is wholesome it is a crucifying of the Flesh to handle it as Christ suffered on the Cross to give it Vinegar and Gall but yet this is necessary this is the thing which our Lord intends here in the Context that the Sacrifice must be consumed or macerated we either must suffer the pains of Hell or the pains of Mortification we must be salted with Fire or salted with Salt 'T is better to pass to Heaven with difficulty and austerity than to avoid these difficulties and run into Sin and so be in danger of eternal Fire The strictness of Christianity is nothing so grievous as the punishment of Sin The Philosophers when they speak of the nature of Man observe that in the concupiscible part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something like moisture inclines to pleasure in the irrascible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something like Cold inclines to fear this Salt is to fetch out both by checking our sensual inclination and also our worldly fears We must crucify the Flesh with the Fassions and Lusts thereof they that are Christ's have done so We should rather displease our selves and displease all the World than displease God or be unfaithful in our duty to Christ. No profit no pleasure or secular concernment is so necessary so comfortable so useful to us as Salvation 3. Salt makes things savoury so Grace makes us Savoury which may be interpreted with respect either to God or Man 1. Acceptable to God when seasoned with this Salt for God would accept of
the Offers of Pardon and Life by him The main Foundation of Comfort lies in the general Truths your Hopes are not built chiefly upon the Sense of your own Interest but the Ransom which Christ hath paid for you Is it nothing to you that God should become Man and your Judge your Kinsman Ioh. 1. 14. Surely Goodness and Mercy is nearer to us in our own Nature than it was in the Divine Nature We have an apparent Demonstration of it to us that Christ would come among us to bring home Souls to God Heb. 16. 17. 18. Again Is it nothing that in this Nature of ours he would pay our Ransom that none should perish for want of a sufficient Satisfaction to God's Justice but for want of a willing Heart to accept and own his Redeemer Ioh. 3. 16 17. Rev. 3. 24 25 26. We are so far onward in our way Again Is it nothing to us that our Redeemer will rescue us out of the hand of the Destroyer 1 Ioh. 3. 8. It is his Office This should prevail with us not to tie the Cord the faster but to wait upon him with the more Hope if you desire his Aid to this end and purpose for it is his Office Again Is it nothing to you that this Redeemer liveth that Christ in your Nature rose again and is now at God's right-hand to manage the Causes of poor Sinners Rom. 8. 34. St. Paul's Triumph hence ariseth Lastly Is it nothing to you to know this that God hath sent the Gospel to you and given you Faith of these things 1 Ioh. 5. 20. We know the Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding that we may know him that is true Is this Favour nothing These are the Truths you must live upon 2dly To those that question whether Christ be our Redeeemer whether they may look upon themselves as having an actual Interest in the Benefits of his Death and Intercession I answer This is evident 1. By their own Act. 2. By God's Act. 1. Their own Act. General Grace must some way be made particular else it cannot profit us All are not justified nor adopted nor saved There is the same merciful God the same all-sufficient Saviour the same gracious Covenant Some apply this Grace others do not Christ doth not save us at a distance but as received into our Hearts as a Plaister doth not heal at a distance but applied to the Sore Ioh. 1. 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God If you heartily consent and accept of the Redeemer's Grace to heal your wounded Souls you shall partake of Salvation 2. There is an Act on God's part What have you to shew that God is reconciled to you This is not evident till we have the Pledg of our Reconciliation with God the Gift of the holy Spirit This affords infallible Assurance of God's Favour Other things may be given in Wrath but the Spirit is the Earnest of his Eternal Love God loved Christ and gave him the Spirit without measure Joh. 3. 34. By the Spirit his Love is applied to us Rom. 5. 5. This is the Evidence from whence we may conclude our actual Communion with God It holdeth good Exclusively Rom. 8. 9. Inclusively 1 Ioh. 4. 13. The Spirit first works and then witnesses he is first a Guide and Sanctifier then a Comforter As a Guide he leadeth us to all Truth Ioh. 16. 13. When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God As a Sanctifier he breaketh the power of fleshly Lusts Rom. 8. 13. conformeth us to the Image of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Then as a Comforter he witnesseth our present Interest and our future Hopes Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit beareth witness to our Spirits that we are the Children of God 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given us the Earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Eph. 1. 13. In whom also after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise SERMON XIII 1 TIM 6. 8. And having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content THe Apostle hath mentioned some in the 5th verse that counted Gain was Godliness that is suited their Godliness with their wordly Ends or made a trade of it to live by Their Religion must bear all their charges they would be at no cost about it at all The Apostle takes occasion to shew that their notion may be right if well interpreted though extream wrong in the Sense they mean it It was impious in them to make Christianity a means to Secular advantages but interpret it aright Godliness with Contentment is great Gain much better than all the Wealth in the World By Godliness he means the Christian Religion because it prescribeth and delivereth the true way of worshipping and serving God and they gain fairly that gain Christ. A Man that is acquainted with God in Christ is the true rich Man this with Contentment is great Gain Our worldly desires make us poor You have enough if you be contented with the Condition wherein God places you Paul retorts their own Notion upon them He is a rich Man that doth not possess much and hath need of little Any thing above a competency is needless to us who must shortly pass out of this Life into another Nature is contented with a little and Grace with less because it is manifest that as we brought nothing into this World so we can carry nothing out and all that we have above what we spend or use is lost to us In the Text he inferreth his Inference Having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content The words are plain and afford this Observation Doct. That one great Point of Godliness is to be content with what we have though it be but Food and Rayment In handling this Point I shall enquire I. What Contentment is II. What Considerations are most apt to breed it III. That it is a high Point of Christianity I. What Contentment is It is a quiet temper of Mind about outward things and so it is opposite to three things Murmurings distracting Cares and covetous Desires 1. Murmurings Iude ver 16. Murmurers Complainers the word signifies Blamers of their Portion they are always picking quarrels at God's Dispensation and entertain Crosses with anger and Blessings with disdain But now when our Minds are satisfied with the fitness and sufficiency of our present Condition there is no repining against God no fretting and tearing our selves the Mind is framed to the estate be it never so mean 2. Distrustful and distracting Cares Men are full of troubles especially when they are in a hazardous strait and low Condition therefore God forbids this Mat. 6. 25. Take no thought for your Life what you shall eat or what you shall drink or yet for the Body what you shall put
nor from the failings of a single Person conclude the whole Party 3. By imposing false Crimes Prov. 10. 18. He that uttereth a Slander is a Fool that is a wicked Person As Mephibosheth saith of Ziba 2 Sam. 19. 27. He hath slandered thy Servant unto my Lord the King The most godly and innocent Persons cannot escape the Scourge of the Tongue and unjust Calumnies II. The Hainousness of the Sin 1. In General that is evident from what is said already I shall urge two Arguments more 1. That Men shall be called to an account for these Sins as well as others they are not passed by in the Judgment Jud. 15. God will execute Iudgment upon all ungodly Sinners not only for their ungodly Deeds but for all their hard Speeches Now if injurious and contumelious Language come into the Judgment how should all beware of the least accession to this Guilt So 1 Pet. 4. 4 5. They speak evil of you who shall give an account to him that is ready to judg the Quick and the Dead The Mockers as well as Persecutors were to give a strict and sad Account It is no slight and light Sin to divulge and spread false Calumnies to hurt the Credit of our Brethren God takes notice of a Thought in our Heart against them a Word in our Mouths and will exact a strict Account thereof 2. It is the Property of a Citizen of Zion one that shall be not only accepted with God now but dwell with God for ever not to be given to Backbiting Psal. 15. 3. He that backbiteth not with his Tongue nor doth evil to his Neighbour That is that makes strict Conscience of Backbiting or Calumniating and abstaineth from doing any kind of Wrong or Reproach to his Neighbour 2. More particularly It is the more hainous 1. Partly from the Person against whom it is committed As suppose the Godly and Irreprovable for the main who by their Life and Conversation have the best right to Honour and Esteem to do it against them is most unjust Psal. 64. 3. They whet their Tongues as a Sword they shoot their Arrows even bitter Words that they may shoot in secret at the perfect suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not That is their Slanders and Calumnies are shot like poysoned Darts and Arrows secretly or clancularly without any desert or notice of the Party against whom they are intended Or else against Persons publickly employed and in the special Service of God as Magistrates Numb 12. 8. Were ye not afraid to speak against my Servant against Moses So in the Ministry 1 Tim. 3. 1. He must have a good Report from them without lest he fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil Against these it is not only unjust but noxious and hurtful to God's Service 2. From the Persons before whom the Slander is brought as suppose Kings and Princes so that they are deprived not only of private Friendships but the Favour and Countenance of these under whose Protection they have their Life and Service Thus Haman whispered against the Iews Esth. 3. 8. It is not for the King's profit to suffer them to live Doeg against the Priests Psal. 52. 1. Why boastest thou in Mischief O mighty Man The Goodness of God continueth for ever It is a strange matter of Pleasure and Joy to some Persons in Power to be able to mischief those that deserve it least God is eminently great and good This Sort of Pride is diametrically opposite to his Nature Alas To trouble a few Persons how irrational is it But such are our depraved Natures Some are never pleased with those things that alone veeld durable Pleasure but to be able with their Counsel as with one poysonous Vapour to blast a Multitude of innocent Persons 3. From the End of it If it be done with a direct Intention of hurting anothers Fame it is worse than if out of a rash Levity and Loquacity Some Men have no direct Intention of Mischief but are given to Tatling It is a great Sin in them and an unprofitable Mispence of Time but it is a greater in those that make it their Business to disgrace others or sow Discord These are the Bane of Human Society 4. From the Effect or great Hurt that followeth be it it Loss of Estate as in the Case of Mephibosheth or a general Trouble and Persecution on the People of God When their good Names are buried their Persons cannot long subsist afterward with any degree of Service And all this may be the Fruit of a deceitful Tongue The Use is To shew how good-natured Christianity is and befriendeth human Societies it condemneth not only Sins against God but Sins against our Neighbour It bindeth its Professors to the Practice of the Apostle Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of Offence towards God and towards Men. Phil. 4. 8. Whatsoever things are honest just good and true if there be any Vertue or any Praise think of these things The World hath taken up this Prejudice that Religion makes us ill-natur'd Of it self there is nothing more benign it only condemneth those that are good-natur'd to others but not to God Use 2d Let us not speak Evil of others behind their Backs but tell them their Faults plainly in Love and Wisdom nor encourage others in this Sin Prov. 25. 23. As the North Wind drives away the Rain so doth an angry Countenance a backbiting Tongue They that receive Tales and delight to hear other Mens faults encourage others in their Sin and are accessary to or Partakers of the Guilt It brings an evil Habit and Custom in our own Souls In short Let us keep up an humble Sense of our own Faults and looking at home it will not only divert us from slandering of others but make us compassionate towards them and breed Comfort in our own Souls SERMON XI GAL. 5. 16. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh. IN these Words Observe 1. A Duty enforced 2. The Consequent and Fruit of it 1. The Duty is to walk in the Spirit which is the sum of all Christian Piety 2. The Motive is taken from the consequent and fruit of it and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh. Let us fix the Sense 1. For the Duty to walk in the Spirit Walking implyeth the tenour and course of our Actions in all which we should follow the direction and inclination of the Spirit But what is meant by the Spirit That it may be known both the contrary Principles must be explained together 1. Flesh is sometimes taken for the Body as Eph. 4. 29. For no Man yet ever hated his own Flesh it is brought as a reason why Husbands ought to love their Wives as their own Bodies ver 28. and Spirit is taken for the Soul Eccl. 12. 7. But this is not the Sense here for every Man hath Soul
one is infinite and he hath paid an infinite Price for thee purchased an infinite Happiness to thee His Love to thee was without measure and bounds so must thy Thankfulness be to him without stint and limit Though he died for others as well as thee yet thou art bound to love him no less than for thee alone he shed his whole Blood for thee and every Drop was poured out for thy sake 2. By a fiducial Owning and Appropriation challenging his Right in him So doth Thomas Joh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God Faith appropriates God to our own Use and Comfort The Devils know that there is a God and a Christ for they confessed Thou art Iesus the Son of the Living God But they can never say with Comfort My God and my Christ. This Application is the Ground of our Love to Christ and our Comfort in Christ. Our Love to Christ. Things that concern us affect us This is the quickning Motive to the spiritual Life Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. And 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he loved us first A particular Sense and Experience of God's Love to our own Souls doth most quicken and awaken our Love to him again When we see that he hath thought of us and taken Care of our Salvation that our Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life So for our Comfort in Christ. It is the Propriety a Man hath to any good thing that doth increase the Comfort of it It is a Misery to a Man to see others enjoy a Benefit which he hath as much need of as others and he can enjoy no part of it I may allude to that Prov. 5. 15. Drink Waters out of thine own Cistern and running Waters out of thine own Well The greater we know the Benefit the greater will be our Trouble to want it A poor Man that sees a large Dole given and Multitudes relieved and he can get nothing is the more troubled So here to see Christ ready to save Sinners and we have no Comfort by him is very afflicting Ephes. 1. 13. After ye heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation It is not sufficient to know that the Gospel is a Doctrine of Salvation to others but every one should labour by a due Application of the Promises to their own Hearts to find it to be a Doctrine of Salvation to themselves in particular The seeing of Meat though never so wholesom doth not nourish but the eating of it The beholding of Christ revealed in the Word as a Saviour in general is not sufficient to give full Comfort without applying him to be my Christ my Saviour my Redeemer We must make sure of our Share in this universal Good We read of Blood shed and Blood sprinkled Atonement made and Atonement received But no Man hath satisfying Comfort by the Blood of Christ till it be sprinkled upon his Heart and applied to him by the Spirit of God and thereby assured that it was shed for him 3. The next Ground of Comfort is That our Redeemer liveth This is true of Christ whether you consider him as God or as Man 1. As God So he is Co-eternal with the Father the First and the Last the Beginning of all things and the End of them So he saith not he hath or shall live but he liveth In my Flesh shall I see God He speaks of the Redeemer's Life without any distinction of Time past present or to come So that he is altogether with the Father and the Spirit from everlasting to everlasting one living God 2. As Man after his Resurrection Rev. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen And have the Keys of Hell and of Death Now in this Sence I take it for his Life in Heaven after his Resurrection from the Dead and that is of great Comfort to us For the Apostle telleth us that If we were reconciled by the Death of Christ much more shall we be saved by his Life The Comfort is great that arises from the Life of the Redeemer 1. It is a visible Demonstration of the Truth of the Gospel in general and in particular of the Article of Eternal Life The Truth of the Gospel in general Acts 17. 31. Hath given Assurance that is a sufficient Evidence to induce a Belief of the Gospel in that he hath raised him from the Dead Christ came from Heaven as a faithful Witness to beget Faith as well as to give us Knowledge sealing his Testimony with unquestionable Proofs to make it the more sure and credible to us for he hath confirmed it by a Life of Miracles and chiefly by raising from the dead Himself and ascending visibly to Heaven His Resurrection from the dead is Proof enough to justify his Doctrine and to evidence the Certainty of his Testimony for God by his Divine Power would not countenance a Deceiver and raise him from the Dead and receive him into Glory with Himself Particularly it proves the State of unseen Glory Life and Immortality are more fully brought to light in the Gospel than by any other Means 2 Tim. 1. 10. By the Resurrection of Jesus Christ there is not only a clear Revelation of it but a full Confirmation because Christ is entred into the Glory that he spake of and promised to his Disciples He is gone before us into the other World that he may receive us unto himself and that we might with a more steady confidence wait for it in the midst of Fears and Uncertainties of the present Life 2. His Living after Death It was the solemn Acquittance of our Surety from the Sins imputed to him and a Token of the Acceptation of his Purchase when Christ rose again from the Dead our Surety was let out of Prison Isa. 53. 8. And it is a Ground of Confidence to us for when the Debtor sees the Surety walk abroad he may be sure the Debt is satisfied Therefore it is said Rom. 4. 25. Who was delivered for our Offences and raised again for our Iustification Christ is sometimes said to rise from the Dead and sometimes to be raised from the Dead His taking up his Life again argued his Divine Power but as Man he was raised So it is said Heb. 13. 20. The God of Peace who brought again from the Dead our Lord Iesus Christ. God the Father brought him again from the Dead as an Evidence of full Satisfaction Our Surety did not break Prison but was solemnly brought forth The Disciples said Acts 16. 37 38 39. Let them come themselves and fetch us An Angel was sent from Heaven to roll away the Stone to shew that Christ had a solemn Release and Discharge 3. His Living implies his Capacity to intercede for us and to relieve us in all our Necessities Heb. 7 24 25. But this Man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Therefore he is able to save
in Jest and for fashion sake I am sure most live as if there were no such matter and the many Impostures and Cheats of Christendom and the divisions and scandals amongst us have weakned the Faith of many that were it not for shame they would turn professed Infidels There could not be such Boldness in sinning such Coldness in spiritual and heavenly things such Neglect of Christ and Heaven if Men were true and sound Believers Others content themselves with a negative Sense they do not question or contradict these Articles of Faith because they do not consider them but take up the common Opinion Hand over Head and were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary they do not doubt of it say they but are they rooted and grounded in the Faith Col. 7. 23. Their not doubting comes from their non-attention Others have a speculative Assent there is a Certainty of Evidence and a Certainty of Adherence The former consisteth in the Conviction of the Mind the latter in the Bent of the Will and Affections An Object rightly propounded extorteth the former from the Understanding not expecting the Consent of the Will the latter followeth Imperium Consensum Voluntatis The former arises from the Evidence of the Thing the latter from the Consideration of the Worth Weight and Greatness of it 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful Saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners They must not only be apprehended by us as true but seriously considered as the highest and most important Things so as that we may adhere to them with all our Hearts It is such a Belief of the Gospel as produces a firm and cordial Adherence otherwise it will not serve the End and Purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to crucify our Lusts sacrifice our Interests and perform those things which are unpleasing to Nature upon the Hopes it offereth to us and with confidence and joyfulness to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions If your Adherence were more firm you would find your Comfort more lively fresh and constant your Obedience more uniform you would not be so shaken with Temptations and Assaults and the Incursion of worldly Cares and Sorrows In great Temptations the Children of God see the need of a firm and cordial Assent to the main Gospel-Truths Heb. 6. 1 2. Nay in ordinary Practices in every Prayer you make to God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting 4. Endeavour to arrive at the highest Degree of Assent Faith is or should be strongly perswaded of what it believeth It is an Evidence not a Conjecture not a Surmise but a firm Assurance We should certainly know what we believe We know thou art a Teacher sent from God Joh. 3. 2. We know and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the Living God Joh. 6. 69. 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that we have a Building of God 1 Joh. 5. 2. We know that we shall see him as he is 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord knowing that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Invisible things revealed by God should be certainly known because God hath told us such clear firm Apprehensions become us Faith is not a bare Conjecture but a certain Knowledge not we think we hope well but we know is the Language of Faith It is not a bare Possibility we go upon nor a probable Opinion but a certain infallible Truth I put you upon this partly because we have a great Argument in the Text If Iob could see it so long before it came to pass should we not now see it Believers of old make us ashamed who live in the clear Sun-shine of the Gospel Iob lived long before the Gospel was revealed the Redemption of Souls was at that time a great Mystery being sparingly revealed to a few But one of a thousand could bring this Message to a condemned Sinner that God had found a Ransom Iob 33. 23. Partly to put you upon earnest Prayer to God and other holy Means The Spirit opens our Eyes and inclines our Hearts Eph. 1. 17 18. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my Prayers that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of Him The Eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints II. I exhort you to apply and improve it to your particular Comfort I shall speak 1. To the Careless 2. To the Sensible 1. To the Careless who do not give diligence to make their Interest clear that they may be able to say I know that my Redeemer liveth Some are contented so they may be well in the World and live in Peace Credit and Mirth here but never look after an Interest in the Redeemer or to get a sure Hope of a Sentence of Absolution from him at the last Day They content themselves with a general Belief that Christ died for Sinners and only make use of it for the Increase of their carnal Security and Boldness in sinning We must not only consider what Christ hath done but what we are to do that we may be Partakers of the Benefits The general Work of Redemption Christ hath performed for us without any Consent on our part he took our Nature fulfilled the Law satisfied the Justice of God merited Grace but we must thankfully receive him live in him and to him before this is applied to us or we can have the Comfort of it 2 Cor. 5. 17. 2 Cor. 13. 5. They content themselves to think and hope well but do not make it sure upon good Grounds And when Questions and Scruples are raised in their Hearts there is not a full hearing of the Matter the Court is broken up ere things are well determined and so they run the Hazard of Uncertainty and live and die venturing their Souls upon the bare possibility of being saved never put it out of doubt nor assure their Hearts before God 1. Ioh. 3. 19. 2. To the Sensible To live upon this Truth in the midst of their Calamities especially that they may enjoy the Comfort of it in a dying Hour Obj. You will say we could take comfort in this if we knew we had a Redemer at God's right-hand but alas after all our Profession of the Name of Christ and long waiting upon God I cannot make this close Application to say My Redeemer liveth or My Spirit rejoyces in God my Saviour Joh. 1. 47. Answ. But cannot you bless God for the Gospel and
care not how they trample upon their own Brethren hate and pursue them with all that is evil It is hard to avoid this Snare when we are in Power Men forget God and abuse their Power and many times by a strange Providence they are brought to suffer the like hardness themselves When we see the oppressions of the innocent and things carried so perversely we are apt to say Lord who shall call these Men into question Who shall accuse them Why the Sighs and Groans of the oppressed before God's Tribunal upon all Persons depend every moment these will be more Authentick Witnesses than any matters of Fact can be produced in a lower Court 2. It implieth this and it inlargeth the Rule that whatsoever usage we expect to meet with at God's Hands the same in some measure we should dispence and deal out to others He is willing to give all provided you are willing to do to others as you would be done unto All the Mercy and Goodness we expect from him that must sway our Practice and Conversation with Men. What ever need others have of us the same need have we of God Eph. 6. 8. Whatsoever good thing any Man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free So for other Relations In the Practice of this Rule Christians are to consider not only how they would be dealt withall by Men but with God himself for Christ's sake which carrieth the Precept far beyond the Heathen Latitude and mightily inlargeth the Rule Alas from God we have nothing but undeserved Mercy pardon of Sins c. So we are to practise this Rule not only to those that love us but to our Enemies we must shew Mercy to the worst for Christ's sake Strict Justice by the light of Nature requires the injurious should suffer according to the wrong is done to me I but what do I expect from God Therefore I am to consider how God will deal with me if I am rigid severe exact and stand upon all things to the uttermost 3. Another Consideration which mightily inforceth the Rule is that if you do such things to others as you would not have them do to you God will do that to you which you have done to others for Vengeance is his They are not to do the same to you again nor exact nor desire it but God will It is good to consider God's Judgment of Counter-Passion or Retaliation As thou hast done so shall it be done to thee thy reward shall return upon thine own Head Obad. ver 15. They that were Pitiless Merciless to their Brethren in the day of their flight from Ierusalem God will pay them home in their own Coin And with what Measure you meet it shall be measured to you again Mat. 7. 1 2. Gen. 6. 6. Whose sheddeth Man's Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed It is not only a Law what is to be done but a Rule of Providence what God will do What more usual than Malefactors to be dealt withal according to their own Wickedness There are many Instances of this Judgment of Counter-Passion God doing to them what they have done to others Adonibezeck when the People caught him and cut off his Thumbs and his great Toes said Threescore and ten Kings having their Thumbs and their great Toes cut off gathered their Meat under my Table as I have done so God hath requited me And they brought him to Jerusalem and there he died Usually this is the dealing of God The Israelites had their Children drowned in the Water by Pharaoh what then Pharaoh and all his Host within a little while all his Nobility and Men of War were all drowned in the Water Ahab's Blood was lapped up by Dogs in the place where they shed the Blood of Naboth and Iezebel being more guilty was devoured with Dogs Ahab only permitted this Contrivance but Iezebel acted it Ahab humbled himself therefore he was buried with Honour but Iezebel was intombed in the Belly of Dogs and her Flesh devoured by them A Gallows we read was made for Mordecai and Haman was hanged on it himself Henry the third of France in that very Chamber where the Massacre was contrived against the Protestants there he was slain and his Brother before him Charles the ninth was found flowing in Blood in his Bed who had shed so much of the Blood of God's Saints Iudg. 9. 18 19. compared with ver 23 24. When the Men of Shechem had done great injury to the House of Ierubbaal Ye are risen up against my Fathers House and have slain his Sons threescore and ten Persons upon one Stone what then ver 23. Then God sent an evil Spirit between Abimelech and the Men of Shechem and the Men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech that the cruelty done to the threescore and ten Sons of Jerubbaal might come and their Blood be laid upon Abimelech their Brother which slew them So also the Observation of Austin is not to be past by upon the Parable of the rich Man he that denied a Crumb could not find a Drop to cool his Tongue But you will say It is so with good Men also the Children of God if they should break his Law doth the Lord give them according as they have done to others Yes God observes the same Justice though he doth pardon the Eternal Punishment and take it off yet here in this World as to Temporals they shall have like for like Iacob supplanted his Brother he came to Isaac as the Elder the Younger instead of the Elder and Laban brings him the Elder instead of the Younger Leah instead of Rachel Asa which put the Prophet into the Stocks we read of him that he was diseased in his Feet Nay I shall give you greater Instances than that Ioseph's Brethren they were not flexible to their Brother and did not hear his cry at length they came to Egypt upon an honest Errand for Corn in time of Famine and the Man is inexorable Gen. 42. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us What was the matter How comes this to work In a Storm things at Bottom we see come up to the Top so ever Sins in trouble will bubble up and we shall see that we saw not before How come they to remember the Trouble of their Brother for they knew not Ioseph and twenty years were past since they sold him They found the Man as inexorable as they had been to their Brother God's Judgment of Counter-Passion sets their Conscience a-work A greater Instance we have of Paul that consented to the stoning of Stephen and was present too at his Execution and it is said They laid down their Garments at Paul 's Feet and he himself takes notice of it Acts 22. 20. with great remorse afterwards Well what then after his
qualified for these Priviledges or he that thankfully and humbly accepts of the offered Saviour and consents to the Covenant made with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit he is washed from his Sins in the Blood of Christ reconciled adopted into God's Family and made an Heir according to the hope of Eternal Life Tit. 3. 7. This first Faith by which we believe and consent to the Covenant implieth both a dependance on God's Mercy and Christ's Merits and also a consent of Obedience or hearty Subjection to God 4. When we have consented to accept Christ and his Benefits and do give our selves to him then Works or new Obedience follow as necessary to continue our right to Pardon and Life For none have benefit by God's Covenant but those that keep his Covenant as well as make it and without this we cannot have Communion with God 1 John 1. 7. If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another Nor evidence the reality of our Faith and Repentance St. Paul was sent to Preach to the Gentiles That they should repent and turn to God and do works meet for Repentance Acts 26. 20. Besides we cannot preserve our claim and right if we do not still go on to do good 1 Tim. 6. 18. Ezek. 18. 24. When the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity shall he live all his Righteousness shall not be mentioned in his Trespasses that he hath trespassed and in his Sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die It is true of the Hypocrite without Scruple and of the real righteous Man if you suppose the one you may suppose the other Well these things must not be confounded nor opposed not confounded but we must distinctly consider what is proper to the Grace of God proper to the Merit of Christ proper to Faith proper to Works not opposed so as to make the one exclude the other As the Grace of God to exclude the Merit of Christ or serve instead of it nor the Merit of Christ his Blood and Righteousness to exclude Faith and Repentance nor be instead of them nor Faith to exclude good Works 5. All the applying Grace is from first to last wrought in us by the Spirit He doth renew and heal our Natures as coming to us from the Grace of God and Merits of Christ. Tit. 3. 5 6. According to his Mercy he saveth us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour By the Holy Spirit working in us habitual Grace and exciting it we believe repent obey do whatever is necessary to be done to obtain Eternal Life Therefore this must not be omitted but acknowledged as a great part of this Grace III. Use. To exhort us if we would shew our selves to be new Creatures indeed to be full of good Works The Arguments to move us are 1. It is a necessary fruit of inward Grace and so doth plainly shew that you are partakers of Heavenly Wisdom Iames 3. 17. The Wisdom which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easy to be intreated full of Mercy and good fruits The carnal Worldling all his Wisdom is to grow rich to himself which indeed is but Folly Luke 12. 21. His business is to live to the Flesh Gal. 6. 8. He layeth out all his Strength Time and Care and Wealth for the feeding his own carnal Desires but the other soweth to the Spirit layeth out himself in works of Piety and Charity 2. External Acts which flow from an Internal Principle increase the Habit the more you do good the more you are inabled to do good as bodily Strength is increased by Exercise Why is the right Hand more agil stronger and bigger than the left it is oftner exercised and so fuller of Blood and Spirits So in Grace the more you act Faith the more is Faith increased Love groweth more fervent being kept in a constant Exercise and Hope more lively and affective Always Actions increase the Principles which did produce them partly of their own Nature 1 Iohn 2. 5. Whoso keepeth his Word in him verily is the Love of God perfected The more acts of Love he puts forth towards God the more doth his Love increase in him partly by Divine Reward Heb. 6. 10. He is not unrighteous to forget your labour of Love which ye have shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister God rewards them temporally 2 Cor. 9. 12. God is able to make all Grace abound towards you that you always having all sufficiency in all things may aboud to every good Work That is to give you to be liberal at all times And when he saith God is able it not only implieth that God is the Fountain of all Plenty and Sovereign Disposer of it and so hath power to make you the richer rather than the poorer by your Liberality to make every Alms you give like the Oil in the Cruse to multiply as you pour it out that there shall be enough for every Object and every Occasion but also he is sure to make it good for he quotes it again in the next Verse as it is written He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the Poor his Righteousness remaineth for ever It is taken out of Psalm 112. where there are signal Promises of Wealth and Riches in the House of the liberal Alms-giver God rewards them eternally 2 Cor. 9. 6. He which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Now is the Seed-time hereafter is our Harvest and Crop we shall have a liberal reward from God in the general Resurrection God also rewards his obedient Servants Spiritually Internally and that not only with more Comfort and Peace but by increasing the Grace it self for God that punishes Sin with Sin doth reward Grace with Grace Wells are sweeter for draining on the other side a Key that is seldom turned rusts in the Lock An intermission of good Works makes us more unable and unready for them 3. It is a greater Honour to God John 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that you bear much Fruit. Phil. 1. 11. Being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness which are by Iesus Christ unto the Glory and praise of God 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. Wherefore we pray for you that our God would count you worthy of this Calling and fulfil all the good Pleasure of his Goodness and the work of Faith with Power that the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him Christ's Religion is not a barren Religion but full of good Works It is a mighty credit to Religion in you that profess it when Goodness is the Constitution of your Hearts to do good the business of your Lives 4. It edifieth others and provoketh an holy Emulation Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works We provoke them most by our Example when they are cold negligent and backward to Works of Piety and Mercy In all things we should be an Instance of Divine Vertues 5. This is the fruit which God expecteth from us that the Trees of Righteousness should bear the Fruits of Righteousness If we frustrate his expectation he will hew us down and cast us into the Fire Mat. 3. 10. Therefore good Works are not needless things The means to enable us are 1. Be sure that you are renewed The Dead cannot do the works of the Living Neither do Men gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figgs of Thistles Mat. 7. 16. Our first business is to look to our Conversion to God All outward Duties begin in the Heart they are valued no further than they come from it sanctified 2. Keep your Hearts under a Sence of God's Authority that you may feel something in your own Bosoms that may tell you you are bound to obey him and may plead God's right with you This is done by a frequent Meditation upon your Creation and Redemption Your Creation giveth God a full right to you and Redemption maketh it comfortable by both you see you are his Acts 27. 23. There stood by me this Night the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve 3. You are intrusted with his Talents and of their improvement you must give an account Mat. 25. 14. A Lord called his Servants and delivered to them his Goods in order to Improvement 4. What encouragement we have from a gracious God and Covenant which takes not advantage of involuntary Weaknesses but accepteth their endeavours who sincerely do their best Mal. 3. 17. I will spare him as a Man spareth his Son that serveth him 5. Remember often your great obligation to God you can never do so much for him as he deserveth of you Psal. 116. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits towards me 6. Do all as in God's Eye and with a constant dependance upon him Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me Make him your Pay-master Governour and Judg and it will not only keep you sincere but diligent in good Works The work is not sincerely done when you look to Man nor throughly done Such have their reward only here Mat. 6. 7. Love your Work A little thing will stop him that doth it unwillingly Psal. 119. 47 48. I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved And I will lift up my Hands to thy Commandments which I have loved 8. Account your selves much beholden to God that he will employ you in any Service for his Glory FINIS ERRATA PAge 5. line 3. for Condemned read Contemned P. 41. l. 18. f. Love r. Fear P. 79. l. 31. f. it r. the Promises P. 92. l. 24. f. that r. if P. 104. l. 8. f. Hearty r. Heart P. 125. l. 3. f. External r. Eternal P. 128. l. 26. after they were r. not P. 150. l. 17. after Obedience dele partly P. 168. l. 17. f. Conversations r. Consolations P. 181. l. 23. f. of Cognisance r. of our Cognisance P. 212. l. 33. after ever-blessed add Life P. 113. l. 17. f. overaweth r. outlaweth P. 252. l. 20. f. them r. him P. 167. l. 11. dele partly P. 289. l. 9. f. to evince r. towards its ruine Gal. 5. 24. Gen. 3. 7 10.