our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20. 21. Repentance respects God as our End and Faith respects Christ as Mediator as the only way of returning to God from whom we have strayed by our own folly and sin 2. In the exercise of this Repentance and Faith there must be a forsaking the Devil the World and the Flesh and a giving up our selves to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier For the former there are three great Enemies to God and us the Devil the World and the Flesh reckoned up Ephes. 2. 2 3. In time past yâ— walked according to the course of this World after 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 There all your Enemies appear abreast the Devil as the grand Deceiver and principle of all wickedness The World with its Pleasures Honours and Profits as the Bait by which the Devil would deceive us and steal away our Hearts from God and divert us from looking after the one thing necessary The Flesh as the corrupt inclination in us which entertaineth and closeth with these Temptations to the neglect of God and wrong of our own Souls this is importunate to be pleased and is the proper internal cause of all our mischief for every Man is enticed and drawn away by his own Lusts. Now these must be renounced before we can return to God by Jesus Christ for as Ioshua told the Israelites so must we say to all of you Iosh. 24. 23. Put away the strange Gods which are among you and incline your Heart to the Lord God of Israel 1. There must be a renouncing of our Idols before our Hearts can incline unto the true God We must be turned from Satan to God Acts 20. 18. And the World must be renounced Titus 2. 12. Denying all ungodliness and worldly Lusts. And we must not look upon our selves as Debtors to the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Rom. 8. 10. God will have no Copartners and Competitors in our Hearts And then the second part in exercising of our Faith and Repentance is giving up our selves to God the Father Son and Spirit as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier And therefore in Baptism which is our first entrance and initiation into the Christian Religion we are baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. which implieth a dedication and giving up our selves to them according to their personal Relations To the Father as our Creator to love him obey him and depend upon him and be happy in his love as dear Children To Christ as our Redeemer to free us from the guilt of Sin and the wrath of God To the Holy Ghost to guide and sanctify us and comfort us with the sense of our present interest in God's Love and the hopes of future Glory Secondly As to our Progress and Perseverance which is our walking in the narrow way Three things are required And that 1. As to the Enemies of God and our Souls As there is a renouncing required at first so at length there is requisite an overcoming the Devil the World and the Flesh Rev. 2. 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God We overcome the Devil when we keep up our Resistance and stand out against his Batteries and Assaults 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the Faith We overcome the World when the terrors and allurements of it have less force and influence upon us 1 John 5. 4 5. Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World And this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God and Gal. 6. 14. But God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the World is crucified unto me and I unto the World We overcome and subdue the Flesh when we have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5. 24. When we get the mastery over the passions and affections thereof and tho we be sometimes foiled yet the drift and bent of our lives is for God and our Salvation 2. As to God to whom we have devoted our selves We must love him above all and not put him off with what the Flesh can spare or the World will allow or the Devil will suffer us to go on contentedly with but we must serve him sincerely in Holiness and Righteousness all our days Luke 1. 75. The love and patient service of our Creator is our great and daily work 3. As to our End We must live in the hope of the coming of Christ and our everlasting Glory Titus 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. And Iude vers 21. Keep your selves in the love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternal Life Well then as we did at first thankfully accept of our recovery by Christ and did at first renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and consented to follow his direction and use his means in order to our final Happiness so we must still persevere in this mind and resolution till our Glory come in hand This is God's Wisdom Secondly Let us now see how this Counsel of God is entertained by the carnal World 't is there despised slighted and contradicted The World is a distracted World some neglect God's Counsel and never lay it to heart Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation and Mat. 22. 5. But they made light of it and went their ways one to his Farm another to his Merchandize Some laugh at these things and make an holy and heavenly life the matter of their scorn and derision Luke 16. 14. The Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him And Acts 17. 32. Some mocked and others said We will hear thee again of this matter Howbeit certain Men clave unto him and believed There are others who fasten odious reproaches on the godly And tho the Christian Religion be so holy and innocent in its design so agreeable to the nature of God and Man so well contrived to remedy our Miseries and to secure our true and proper Happiness yet the strictness of it is distasted by the World By the prophane who have nothing to excuse their wickedness 't is counted hypocrisy As deceivers yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. because they cannot condemn the Life they judg the Heart By them who affect the Vanities of the World and
and will you not rejoice that God hath found a Ransom and provided an Intercessor for you Surely it cannot be imagined that you are sensible of your case if you be not thankful for your Remedy 2. You are not affected with the great Love which Christ hath shewed in your Deliverance nor the Felicity accruing to you thereby 'T is said Ephes. 3. 19. That you may know the Love of God which passeth knowledg Before he had pressed them to make it their study to comprehend the heighth length and breadth and when they have all done the Love of Christ passeth Knowledg Christ would pose Men and Angels with an heap of Wonders in delivering us from Misery and Sin Now should not we rejoice and make our boast of this Surely we vilify and bring down the price of these Wonders of Love if we entertain them with cold Thoughts and without some considerable Acts of Joy and Thankfulness Shall Angels wonder and we the Parties interessed not rejoice Certainly we are not affected with the great Felicity accruing to us Felicity cannot be sought after without the highest Affections and Endeavours Now if we can rejoice in Trifles and not rejoice in the Love of God How can we be said to mind these things 2. A Man's Joy distinguisheth him There is a seeking Joy and a complacential Joy Psal. 119. 14. I have rejoiced in the Way of thy Testimonies as much as in all Riches 'T is good to observe what it is that putteth Gladness into our Hearts The Love of God and his Goodness in Christ. Every Man is discovered by his complacency or displiciency Psalm 4. 7. Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased 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 To rejoice in the Creatures as accommodating or pleasing the Flesh is the Joy of the Carnal To rejoice in outward Ordinances and Privileges without other things is the Joy of the Hypocrite and common Professors Let us carry it a little farther The Devils and Damned are out of all hope and possibility of Joy The Angels and glorified Saints rejoice in the full fruition of God There is Gaudium Viae and Gaudium Patriae there is the Joy of the Way and the Joy of our Home at our Journey 's End The latter is set forth Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence is fulness of Ioy at thy right Hand are Pleasures for evermore The other is in Christ and the use of his healing and recovering Methods and the desires and hopes of the Glory to come This is the Joy or well-pleasedness of mind which is proper to us in our Journey 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory The Comfort of Travellers differeth from that which a Man hath in Heaven 'T is a Joy that he hath as he is going Home and therefore how should the serious Christian be described but by his rejoicing in Christ Jesus Vse 1. To reprove those that cannot keep up their Rejoycing in Christ Jesus as soon as they are mated with any Calamity or Affliction in the World Is not Grace better than any natural Comfort taken from us Heb. 12. 11. No chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Surely when we have such cause of rejoycing in Christ to be dejected with every little Adversity sheweth weak Faith Have you Peace with God and Communion with him at every turn and shall a blasting of the Creature destroy all your Comfort Have you hope of Glory and cannot you bear a Disappointment in the World Are you assured of the Care of your Heavenly Father and his particular Providence over you and yet so full of grudging and repining Thoughts when he retrencheth you a little and blasteth your worldly Probabilities Surely it argueth too much addictedness to present Comforts and love of the ease of the Flesh Have you a due sense of the World to come and that better and enduring Substance and yet complain so bitterly of Worldly Losses Have you a God in Covenant with you who hath engaged all his Love Wisdom and Power to help you and to turn all things to your Good Rom. 8. 28. What though the tryal of your Faith and Patience be very sore Did you capitulate with God and bargain with him how much you would suffer the Flesh to be crosâ—ed and that in such sharp Afflictions you would be excused that your Gourd should not be altogether smitten and dried up You can bear any other Cross but this but was this excepted out of your Resignation 2. It reproveth those that cherish a carnal Rejoicing A Believer should rejoice in Christ Jesus Luke 10. 19 20. Behold I give unto you Power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and over all the Power of the Enemy c. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your Names are written in Heaven Rejoice not in this that you are in Dignity and Honour This is not your Felicity nor the direct way to your Felicity the higher you climb your Station is the more dangerous They are safer that stand on the Ground than those that are on a Pinacle Rejoice not in that you have abundance of earthly Riches but that you have a taste of higher and better things Be not affected so deeply with lower Mercies as to overlook the special Mercies that accompany Salvation Rejoice not in this that you have convenient Habitations in this World but in that you have a Building of God an House not made with Hands Eternal in the Heavens In that you have comely Bodies but that you have hopes of a better Resurrection when this mortal shall put on Immortality Not in the Nobility of your Birth but that you are born of the Spirit John 1. 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name which were born not of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God Rejoice not in that you have great Friends to stand by you but that in the New Covenant you are made a Friend of God as Abraham was Not in that you have costly Accommodations to please the Flesh No this may be the bane of your Souls Rom. 8. 13. They that live after the Flesh shall die And Luke 16. 25. Son Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things Dives fared deliciously every day and Lazarus was full of Sores and desirous to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the Rich Man's Table Thou hast received thy good Things and Lazarus evil Things but now he is Comforted and thou art
and Joy as the capacity of it is able to contain There will be 1. A compleat Vision of God and Christ 1 Cor. 13. 12. No desire of the Mind shall be unfilled or unsatisfied with the Knowledg of God in Christ. 2. A compleat Possession and Fruition of God Here we are in a waiting expecting longing Posture but there is a plenary Fruition we are filled up with all the Fulness of God Ephes. 4. 19. and 1 Cor. 1. 20. God is all in all 3. A compleat Similitude and Transformation in the Image of Christ 1 Iohn 3. 2. Psal. 17. 15. Here Grace is mingled with Corruption we are like God by the first Fruits of the Spirit but unlike him by the Remainders of Corruption But in Heaven we shall be wholly like him Here we resemble Christ but we also resemble Adam yea and often shew forth more of Adam than Jesus But there we only shew forth the Holiness and Purity of Christ His Image shineth in us without Spot and Blemish 4. A compleat Delectation arising from all the rest The Vision Fruition and Likeness of God Psal. 16. 11. Those Delights are full and perpetual Our great Business will be to love what we see and our great happiness to have what we love This is our never-failing Delight we enter into our Master's Joy Mat. 25. and 1 Pet. 4. 13. That when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with an exceeding Ioy. The Lord hath reserved the fulness of his People's Joy until that time when Sorrow will be no more Vse 2. Are we perfect that is grown Christians in the way to Perfection The Notes of it are 1. When there is such a base esteem of worldly Things that our Affections are weakned to them every day One half of Religion is dying to the World as the other half is living to God the mortifying of Self-love and the strengthning and increasing our Love to God Self-love is gratified by the Pleasures Honours and Profits of the World so love to God aimeth at the enjoyment of God when we get above the Hopes and Fears of the World and the Delights of Sense I am crucified to the World Gal. 6. 12. when every thing is loss and dung for Christ's sake 2. When more unsatisfied with present Degrees of Holiness with a constant endeavour to grow better Our maimed and defective Service is a real trouble to us we bewail our Wants and Imperfections I cannot do what I would Oâ— wretched Man that I am Who shall delivâ—â— me from the Body of this Death 'T is the grief and shame of your Hearts that yoâ— serve God no better you are still groaning longing striving after greater Perfection but when you allow your selveâ— in your Imperfections and digest Failing without remorse you are Weaklings iâ— Christianity A true Christian desireth the highest degree of Holiness and to bâ— freed from every thing that is Sin cannoâ— sit down contented with any low degree of Grace 't is a trouble to him that he knoweth and loveth God no more and serveth him no better his smallest Sins are a greater burden to him than the greatest bodily Wants and Sufferings Rom. 7. 23 24. 3. Such are more swayed by Love than Fear Weak Christians are most obedient when most in fear of Hell but the more we love the Lord our God with all our Hearts the more we advance towards our final Estate At first our Pride and Sensuality beareth sway and rule in us and have no resistance but now and then some frightnings and uneffectual checks from the fears of Hell such they are not converted yet And if the sense of Religion do more prevail upon us yet our Condition is more troublous than comfortable and all our business is to escape the everlasting Misery which we fear and so we may forsake the practice of those grosser Sins which breed our Fears or perform some Duties that may best fortify us against them but this Religion is animated by Fear alone without the Love of God and Holiness that 's only preparative to Religion near the Kingdom of God But when really converted we have the Spirit of his Son inclining us to God as a Father Gal. 4. 6. But as yet the Spirit of Adoption produceth but weak Effects we differ little from a Servant 'T is perfect Love casteth out Fear 1 John 4. 18. When the Soul loveth God mindeth God and is inclined to the Ways of God delighteth in them as they lead to God then we are in a better progress and more prepared for our final Estate His great Motive is Love his great End is perfect Love For the present he would serve him better because he delighteth in his ways O how I love thy Law Psalm 119. 97. and vers 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it They are willing and ready for God these are throughly setled in a Christian Course 4. The grown Christian is more humble he seeth more of his Defects than others do Weak Christians are more liable to be puffed up than the wiser and stronger for the more Men increase in Grace whether Knowledg or Holiness the more they know their Emptiness Unmortifiedness and manifold Sins and Failings The more they know of the Jealousy of God's Holiness of the Evil of Sin of the Strictness of the Covenant have a deeper sense of their Obligations to God and have more experience of their own slippery Hearts Sin is more a burden to them than ever they see they have more difficulties to grapple with and all this keepeth them humble and low in their own Eyes All this is spoken to press you to look to this growth and progress which is our Perfection By the way He that thinketh he hath Grace enough to be saved and careth for no more dealeth more niggardly with God than he would do in the World if a Man hath Bread enough to keep him from starving would he be content There is no Truth where no care of growth if our Condition be safe 't is not sure to us A Perswasive to Unity in Things Indifferent PHIL. 3. 15. As many as be perfect be thus minded and if in anything ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you I Now come to the other part of the Text 1. As many as be perfect be thus minded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 think the same thing with me that is forsaking all other Confidences cleave to Christ alone whatever it cost you Mind this take care of this be thus affected let us actually perform that to which Circumcision was designed let us worship God in a spiritual manner trusting Christ as the substance of all these Ceremonial Shadows depending upon him for his renewing and reconciling Grace and adhering to pure Christianity without mingling with it the Rudiments of Moses 2. If in any thing ye be otherwise minded know not the abolition of the Ceremonies through weakness of Faith or an affected
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Concision who instead of circumcising themselves did cut asunder the Church of God But the sound Believers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Circumcision indeed as being circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flâ—sh by Christ Câ—ll 2. 11. They were the true Children of Abraham who did indeed perform that for which Circumcision was intended For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh. In the words we have a three-fold Description of the True Circumcision How they stand affected To God Christ Self I. They worship God in the Spirit II. They rejoice in Christ Jesus III. They have no confidence in the Flesh. I. They worship God in the Spirit This Clause may be interpreted 1. In opposition to the Legal Ordinances So 't is taken Iohn 4. 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Jewish Worship is in a sense called Carnal the Christian Spiritual Heb. 7. 16. A Carnal Commandment Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the Time of Reformation And Shadows Heb. 10. 1. Now the Lord would have a Spiritual Worship and the Truth of what was in these Shadows these external Forms he allowed instituted in the Infancy of the Church so that they worship God in the Spirit is they have embraced the true Worship of the Gospel and serve God not by the Carnal Rites of the Law but by the pure rational Worship of the Gospel This is part of the sense 2. It implieth worshipping God with the inward and spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear Worship flowing from Grace engaging the Heart in God's Service is that which God prizeth Therefore a Christian should not rest in an External Form God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit Rom. 1. 9. 3. It doth also imply the Assistance and continual Influence of the Holy Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And Iude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost The Doctrine is this That a True Christian is known by his Worship or is one that doth worship God in the Spirit Here I shall shew you 1. What is Worship 2. What a true Christian 1. doth worship 2. Why in the Spirit 1. What is Worship 'T is either Internal or External The Internal consisteth in the Love and Reverence we owe to God The External in those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed 1. Internal The Soul and Life of our Worship lieth in Faith and Reverence and delight in God above all other things Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Such a delight as will become the greatness and goodness of God Worship hath its Rise and Foundation in the Heart of the Worshipper there it must begin In our high thoughts and esteem of God especially two things Love and Trust. 1. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is Superlative and Transcendental far above the Love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may sâ—oop and give way to our respect to God 2. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust which is the other Foundation of Worship Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all Times pour out your Hearts before him Delightful adhesion to God and an intire dependance upon him if either fail or be intermitted our Worship faileth If Delight Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he always call upon God Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that love God and delight in him cannot be long out of his company They take all Opportunities and Occasions of being with God So Dependance and Trust Heb. 3. 12. Take Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God James 1. 6 7. Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed For let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Dependance begets Observance They that distrust God's Promises will not long keep his Precepts If we look for all from him we will often come to him and take all out of his hands Be careful that we do not offend him and displease him 2. External In those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed As by Invocation Thanksgiving Praises Obedience God will be owned both in Heart and Life In all these prescribed Duties by which our Affections towards him are acted If God did not call for outward Worship why did he appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Praying singing Psalms Baptism and the Lord's Supper God that made the whole Man Body and Soul must be worshipped of the whole Man Therefore besides the Inward Affections there must be External Actions In short we are said to worship God either with respect to the Duties which are more directly to be performed to God or in our whole Conversation 1. With respect to the Duties which imply our solemn Converse with God and are more directly to be performed towards him such as the Word Prayer Praise Thanksgiving and Sacraments Surely these must be attended upon because they are special Acts of Love to God and Trust in him And these Duties are the ways wherein God hath promised to meet with his People and appointed us to expect his Grace Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee And Mark 4. 24. 'T is a Rule of Commerce between us and God With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given 2. In our whole Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That we should serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives A Christian's Life is a constant Hymn to God or a continued Act of Worship ever behaving himself as in the sight of God and directing all things as to his Glory He turneth Second-Table Duties into First James 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the
King saith the Lord of Hosts Slight Worship argueth lessening thoughts of God Do you know to whom you speak 'T is a contempt of God if you think any thing will serve the turn you have mean thoughts of him and do not consider him as you ought to do So our vileness Gen. 18. 27. Who am I that am but Dust and Ashes that I should speak unto God Dust as to the business of his Original and Ashes by the desert of Sin In our nearer Approaches to God thus should we think of our selves 2. With Delight and Affection as our reconciled Father in Christ. So he is to us as the Well-spring of all Grace and Goodness The great Work of the Gospel is to bring us to God as a Father Gal. 4. 6. God as a Judg by the Spirit of Bondage driveth us to Christ But Christ by the Spirit of Adoption bringeth us back again to God as a Father This is the Evangelical way of worshipping that in a Child-like manner we may come to God 3. With Trust Hope and Confidence He knoweth all our Wants can relieve all our Necessities Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high who performeth all things for me Worship would be a cold Formality if we had to do with one that knew us not or had not Sufficiency and Power to help us But God is Omniscient and All-sufficient and hath promised to hear and help us in our straits He knoweth our Necessities when we know them not II. We come now to the second Character And rejoice in Christ Iesus Thence observe Doct. That the great Work of a Christian is a rejoicing in Christ Iesus or a thankful sense of our Redeemer's Mercy In opening this Point I shall use this method 1 st Shew you What is this rejoicing in Christ. 2 dly I shall prove That Christ is matter of true Rejoicing in his Person Offices Benefits 3 dly That Christians are not sound and sincere in their Profession unless they do keep up this Rejoicing in Christ. 1 st What is this Rejoicing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Original word implieth such a degree of Joy as amounts to glorification or boasting or such an exultation of Mind as breaketh out into some sensible expression of it There are in it three things 1. An apprehension of the Good and Benefit which we have by Christ For otherwise how can we rejoice and glory in Him 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. But of him ye are in Christ Iesus who of God is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption That according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord Christ is All. That our whole Rejoicing may be in him who hath enlightned us with the Knowledg of the Gospel and shewed us the way of Salvation and is the Author of our Justification and Sanctification and of our deliverance from all Calamities and from Death it self These Benefits are the cause of our rejoicing namely the Promises of the Gospel sealed by his Death and the Graces conveyed to us by his Spirit We rejoice and glory in him as the only and all-sufficient Saviour They that gloried in Circumcision gloried in their entrance into the Legal Covenant They became Debtors to the Law but Christ hath ratiâ—ied it in the New Covenant by his Blood therefore here is more abundant cause of rejoicing 2. Due Affections of Contentment Joy Love Exultation of Heart that followeth thereupon A blessing our selves in our Portion that this great Happiness is fallen to our share offered to us at least if not possessed by us The very Knowledg of Christianity breedeth Joy Acts 8. 8. And there was great joy in that City That is upon the tendency of the Gospel much more when we believe in Christ and embrace his Religion and resolve to become his Disciples They received his Word gladly Acts 2. 41. His Doctrine must be welcomed with the Heart with all Love and Thankfulness 'T is said of the Jaylor Acts 16. 34. That he rejoiced believing in God and all his House He was but newly recovered out of the Suburbs of Hell ready to kill himself but just before so that a Man would think 't were easier to fetch Water out of a Flint or a spark of Fire out of the bottom of the Sea than to expect or find Joy in such an Heart yea though still in danger of Life for treating those as Guests whom he should have kept as Prisoners yet he rejoiced when acquainted with Salvation by Christ More especially should we rejoice when the Comfort is sealed up to our Consciences Rom. 5. 11. Not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement The Eunuch when he was baptized He went on his way rejoicing Acts 8. 39. 3. An expression of it by an open Profession of Christ's Name both in Word and Deed what-ever it costs us They are said to rejoice in Christ Jesus who in those Times could profess his Name though with hazard and self-denial As the Thessalonians who received the Word with much Affliction and much Assurance and Joy in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1. 6. And 't is expressed by the Parable of the Man that found the true Treasure and for joy thereof sold all that he had to buy the Field Matth. 13. 44. They are willing to lose all other Contentments and Satisfactions for this Christ is enough They needed this Joy to encourage them against the Tryals which they then underwent for Christ's sake and the Gospel's sake 2 dly That Christ is matter of true Rejoicing for they are Fools that rejoice in Bawbles and Trifles A Christian's Joy may be owned and justified When Christ's Birth was celebrated by Angels 't is said Luke 2. 10. Behold I bring you glad tydings of great Ioy. Here is Joy and great Joy in Salvation by Christ And Mary Luk 1. 46 47. My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour Surely there is no cause of Joy wanting in God and in God coming as a Saviour In short In Christianity all is fitted to fill our Hearts with Delight and Joy 1. The wonderful Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ. Thereby 1. A way is found out for our Reconciliation with God and how that dreadful Controversy may be taken up and Heaven and Earth may kiss each other 2 Cor. 5. 19. Surely this is glad Tidings of great Joy to self-condemned Sinners who stood always in fear of the Wrath of God and the Flames of Hell What Joy is it to a condemned Man that is ready every day to be taken away to Execution to hear that his Peace is made that Pardon may be had if he will seek it and sue it out 2. A distinct Relation of a defeat of the great Enemies of our Salvation Death Hell the Devil and the World He hath not only made our Peace with the Father by the
Blood of his Cross but vanquished our Spiritual Enemies and triumphed over them Col. 2. 14 15. Long enough might we have lain in Prison before the utmost Farthing had been paid or done any thing to procure our deliverance if our compassionate Redeemer had not taken the Work in hand had he turned us to any Creature we had been helpless 'T was he purchased Grace to overcome the Devil the World and the Flesh that quickned you when you were dead in Sin that put Satan out of Office and delivered us from the present evil World Gal. 1. 4. And is not this matter of rejoicing to us 3. That hereby he hath not only abolished Death but brought Life and Resurrection to Life 2 Tim. 1. 10. By entring into that other World after his Sufferings He hath given us a visible Demonstration of the Reality of the World to come and in his Gospel discovered a Blessedness to us which satiateth the Heart of Man and salveth the great Sore of the whole Creation If God had made nothing richer than the World the Heart of Man would have been as Leviathan in a little Pool 2. In the Promises of Christ there is matter of Joy In the general God is your God and that 's more than to have all the World to be yours compare Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and thy Seed after thee With Psal. 144. 15. Happy is that People whose God is the Lord. We have an Eternal and Allsufficient God to live upon and from whom to derive our Joy and Comfort A God infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness to be our Portion And where is Matter of Joy and Comfort if not in God Behold the difference between Carnal Men and the Children of God The World is their Portion and God is ours and who is better provided for More especially we are told 1 Tim. 4. 8. That Godliness hath the Promises of this Life and that which is to come Heaven and Earth are laid at the Feet of Godliness what would you moreâ— Surely we have full Consolation offered to us in the Promises of the Gospel He can want nothing to his Comfort whoâ— hath an Interest in them To instance in the lowest Blessings those which concern this Life God is our God that can cure all Diseases overcome all Enemies supply all Wants deliver in all Dangers and will do it so far as is for our good and desires of any thing beyond this are not to be satisfied but mortified Psal. 84. 11. But then for the more Excellent Promises of the New Covenant which concern another World such as the pardoning of our Sins the healing our Natures and the glorifying of our Persons 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through lust The pardon of all our Sins which are the great trouble and burden of the Creatures Who will rejoice like the pardoned Sinner who is discharged of his Debt eased of his Burthen and hath his Filth covered Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin iâ— covered O the blessedness of the Manâ— He is like one fetched back from Execution Then the taking away of the stony Heart and the giving of an Holy and Heavenly Heart Oh what Matter of Joy is this to have all things necessary to Life and Godliness What 's the trouble of a gracious Heart but the Relicts of Corruption Rom. 7. 24. Paul groaneth sorely but yet blesseth God for his Hopes by Christ Vers. 25. Renewing Grace is dearly bought and plentifully bestowed Titus 3. 5 6. and graciously offered to those that will seek after it Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my Reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you And this promise to be fulfilled by a Divine Power 2 Pet. 1. 3. Oh what a Comfort is the Redeemer's Grace to a Soul that hath been long exercised in subduing Sin 'T is true it groans while 't is a doing yet the very groans of the Sick shew that Life and Health is sweet Healing renewing Grace maketh other Things sweet as your whole Duty to God It maketh it become your Delight But the great Promise is Eternal Life 1 John 2. 25. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life That 's a Matter of Joy indeed What! to live for ever with God! the fore-thought of it reviveth us the fore-taste of it is a kind of Heaven upon Earth 1 Pet. 1. 8. The certain hope of it will swallow up all Grief and Sorrow Rom. 5. 2 3. So that there is no question but that in the Promises of Christ there is Matter of great Joy 3. The Enjoiments of Christianity are very pleasing I add this to shew you that it is not all in expectation if we consider not only what we shall be but what we are For the present 1. We have peace of Conscience Rom. 5. 1. Mat. 11. 29. Phil. 4. 7. Rest for our Souls is anxiously sought after in other things but only found in Christ's Religion and living according to the Precepts and Institutions thereof As Noah's Dove found not a place whereon to rest the sole of her Foot so we flutter up and down but never have any firm peace of Heart and Conscience till we submit to Christ and take his counsel 2. A sence of the Love of God Rom. 5. 5. Because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Spirit given unto us And 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 3. God's Presence with us and our Communion with him 1 Iohn 1. 3 4. And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ that your Ioy may be full And Iohn 8. 29. 4. Access to God with assurance of Welcome and Audience John 16. 24. Whatsoever ye ask in my Name ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full 5. The Fore-tastes of the Life to come Rom. 8. 23. and 2 Cor. 3. 5. So that all is to stir up this Delight and Joy in the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. The Precepts of Christ shew that we have Matter of Rejoicing in him What are the great Duties required To love God! Now what pain is it to delight in the Lord as our All-sufficient Portion To be mindful of him and meditate of his Excellencies and Benefits Psal. 104. 34. My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Is it any toilsome thing to come in a childish manner and unbosome our selves to him and beg the renewed Testimonies of his Love to us especially when set awork by the Holy Ghost Gal. 4. 6. To believe in Christ 't is difficult but pleasant to consider
be fed and increased in us as the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Word Psal. 119. 102. I have not departed from thy Iudgments for thou hast taught me Then Prayer suing out of our Right John 11. 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full So for the Sacraments Baptism Acts 8. 39. When they were come up out of the Water the Spirit caught away Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing The Lord's Supper it is our Spiritual Refection 4. Sincerity of Obedience 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old Leaven neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Practical Delight is the chiefest above that of Contemplation a more intimate sense We come now to the last part of a Christian's Character And have no Confidence in the Flesh. To understand it consider there are two things called Flesh in Scripture 1. External Privileges belonging to the worldly Life such as Wealth Greatness and worldly Honour Now to glory in these is to glory in the Flesh and to trust in these is to trust in the Flesh which should be far from Christians Jer. 9. 23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the mighty Man glory in his Might Let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me that I am the Lord c. Where the Prophet laboureth to beat them off from their vain Confidences that they might not rely upon their Power Policy and Wealth but a saving Knowledg of and Interest in God whose Goodness and Faithfulness could only secure them against all Evils and procure them all manner of Blessings 2. The outward Duties and Performances of Religion especially the Ceremonies of Moses Those consisting in External Observances are called Flesh And to have confidence in the Flesh is to place our Confidence in External Privileges and Duties For the Apostle explaineth himself Vers. 4. Though I might also have Confidence in the Flesh if any other Man thinketh he may have confidence in the Flesh I more He was not any whit inferior to any of the Judaizing Brethren in outward Privileges and Duties yea had greater cause of glorying in the Flesh than any of the Pretenders among them And then instances in his Jewish Privileges Circumcision his Family his Sect a Pharisee his Partial Obedience or External Righteousness as to the Law blameless To rest on these things then for our Acceptance with God is to have Confidence in the Flesh. And elsewhere he saith Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the Flesh. When they reverted to the Ceremonies of the Law This is called Flesh because they consist in outward things Corrupt Nature is pleased with such things and doth plead and stand for them Doct. That a good Christian doth not place his Hope and Confidence of acceptance with God in External Privileges and Performances In the first Character a Christian is described by his Worship in the second by his Joy in the third by his Confidence In handling this Point I shall shew you 1 st What are these Externals which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence 2 dly That naturally Men are for a meer external way of serving God and place their whole Confidence therein 3 dly Why a good Christian should have no Confidence in this External Conformity to God's Law 1 st What are these Externals in Religion which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence They may be referred to two heads They are either commanded by God or invented by Man God 's Externals or Man's Externals 1. God's Externals Such as he hath instituted and appointed either in the Law of Moses or in the Law of Christ. In the Law of Moses such as Circumcision with all the appendant Rites these are called Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the time of Reformation These were to be observed while the Institution of them was in force and stood unrepealed which was done at the coming of Christ Iohn 4. 23 24. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth These made great trouble in the Infancy of the Church for the Jews and Judaizing Christians were loth to depart from the Rituals under which they were bred and brought up Though Christ fully evidenced his Commission from Heaven to repeal those Laws and his Apostles strongly pleaded the Ancient Prophecies which foretold it But these are no more of concernment to us except to direct us how to behave our selves in like cases 2. There are Externals in the Law of Christ such as the Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Hearing of the Word External Prayer and the like Now the Rule is that they must be used but the outward Act not rested in as a sufficient ground of our Acceptance with God used they must be in Faith and Obedience because God hath justified them under great Penalties As Circumcision while the Command was in force Gen. 17. 14. The Man-child whose Flesh is not circumcised shall be cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant So Baptism Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Not want but neglect or contempt Therefore all these Duties must be used as Means of Salvation and as Expressions of the inward Truth of our Faith in God and Obedience to him we must not cast off Ordinances but yet they must not be rested in as sufficient Grounds of our Acceptance with God While Circumcision was in force they relied on it as it distinguished them from other Nations as the genuine Seed of Abraham and so reckoned to be within the Covenant But the Servants of God did always disprove this vain Confidence Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God They rejoiced in a shadow when they wanted the thing signified if there were no mortification of Sin or putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. But not only the Apostle but the Prophet long before disproveth their vain Confidence Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the days come when I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Edom with the Children of Ammon and Moab are uncircumcised in Flesh and all the House of Israel is uncircumcised in Heart God would proceed against wicked Persons and People circumcised as well as uncircumcised
the strong and confirmed can bear though we cannot love their Weakness yet we must love the Weak and bear with the Infirmities of the Weak not break the bruised Reed Infants must not be turned out of the Family because they cry and are unquiet and troublesome though they be peevish and froward yet we must bear it with gentleness and patience as we do the frowardness of the Sick if they revile we must not revile again but must seek gently to reduce them notwithstanding all their Censures to entertain them with contempt is to prejudice them quite against all Instruction Iob would not despise the Cause of his Man-servant or Maid-servant when they contended with him Iob 31. 13. 2. The Weak But who will own this Title and Appellation Because in Controversies of Religion all seem to stand upon the same Level and another differeth from me as much as I do from him their Opinion is as far from mine as mine from theirs who then shall be accounted weak I Answer 1. Our Rule is plain and as it distinguisheth Error from Truth so Weakness and partial Christianity from that which is more perfect and thorough Besides 't is clear some have not the Gifts of Knowledg and Experience that others have nor such advantages of Education and Study and helps of knowing the Truth and though they are not to captivate their Understandings to the Dictates of others yet they should search and search again and again and have double Light when they are by the seeming Evidence of Truth forced to differ 2. Christianity teacheth us to think meanly of our selves and not to be wise in our own Conceits Phil. 2. 3. In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves at least we should have such a sense of our Imperfections as to make us tractable and teachable 3. If you will not own your selves Weak do the part of the Strong meekly hold forth your Light produce your Reasons to convince others but if you have nothing to produce but your Obstinacy and Ignorance surely you are not only a weak but a perverse Brother But what are the Weak to do not to rend and cut off themselves from the rest of Christians or be strange to them upon every lesser dissent nor to raise Troubles by your Censures but to be humble teachable diligent in the use of Means to lay aside obstinate Prejudices to examine how it cometh to pass that the rest of the Godly and you differ to leave room still for the discovery of God's Mind where your Grounds are not clear and certain and to count it no shame to retract that former practice which a future Conviction disproveth II. The Reasons 1. From the Necessity Excellency and Utility of Union What more clear in the Scriptures than that Christians should endeavour to be united Christ prayed for it Ioh. 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be One that they may be One as we are One that they may be perfect in One. And the Apostle enforceth it by the most vehement Intreaties that can be used Phil. 2. 1 2. If therefore there be any Consolation in Christ if any Comfort of Love if any Fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels of Mercy fulfil ye my Ioy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one Accord and of one Mind Who can withstand such an adjuration and powerful beseechings as these that if ever they found any comfort by his Ministry and ever had any Hope by Christ ever any Influence of the Spirit ever any Pity and Compassion over Souls that they would look after Unity in Judgment Love and Affection and lay aside their Differences and Carnal Emulations Again they caution us against those that cause Divisions Rom. 16. 17 18. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own Belly and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple They press Unity upon us by very cogent Arguments that carry the highest Reason with them Ephes. 4. 4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Seven uniting Considerations are there heaped up together 1. There is one Body of Christ whereof all are Members The whole Church maketh but one Body knit by Faith to Christ their Head and by the Bond of Love among themselves and the meanest Christian is a Member in this Body Now 't is unnatural if the Members of the same Body should tear and destroy one another and that the Body of Christ should be rent and torn and wo be to them by whom it is so 2. This Body is animated by one Spirit that if any be a Member of this Body it 's necessary that he have the Spirit of God abiding in him to renew and quicken him Now this one and the self-same Spirit as the Apostle calleth him 1 Cor. 12. 13. worketh in all the Saints if his Gifts be various they proceed from the same Author and they are variously dispensed to preserve Society and Communion that one may not say to another I have no need of thee However there is but one new Nature in all the Sanctiâ—ied 3. One Hope of Glory We are all joint Heirs of the same Kingdom we all expect one End and Happiness where we shall meet and live together for ever Now those that shall meet and live together in Glory hereafter should live together in Peace and Concord here 4. There is one Lord one Mediator and Blessed Saviour Now shall the Servants of one Master fall at odds with themselves neglect their Master's Work committed to them beat their fellow-Servants and eat and drink with the Drunken 5. One Faith Fides quae creditur he meaneth the Doctrine of Faith in the Gospel We agree in the same Fundamental Truths of the Gospel as the only Object of saving-Faith and shall we strive about Things of less Importance and Moment there is but one Gospel which is the Seed of our New Birth the Rule of our Faith and Lives the Foundation of our Hope the Food of our Souls 6. One Baptism that is the same New Covenant sealed and confirmed by Baptism and when our Father's Testament is clear do we quarrel about petty and mean Things 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all We have one common God and Father whose Eminency is above all Creatures whose presence and powerful Providence runneth through all Creatures but his special Presence by the gracious Operations of his Holy Spirit is in the Regenerate Surely this is a strong Bond of Union to be one in God he is the common Father of all Believers through
and tho if I be left to my choice I should chuse that course of life in which there are least Temptations yet when God by the posture of our temporal Interests or the course of our Education or the nature of my Employment and usefulness hath determined me to a life more incident to a throng of Temptations I may the better venture upon them and must not leave my Service for supposed Snares Affectation of privacy may be a slothful retreat from publick Business and 't is more glorious to beat an Enemy than to fly from him and Grace is seen in overcoming rather than in shunning Difficulties Well then learn from the whole That true Mortification consists in a change of the frame of Heart in a resolution against the baits of sense rather than removing our presence from them in being not of the World tho we are in the World not in casting away our injoyments but in an equal mind in all Conditions Iames 1. 9 10. That to be poor in Abundance humble in high Places temperate and godly in the freest course of life is to imitate the life of Christ. That then we are properly mortified when our esteem value and affection is mortified That Grace sheweth it self more in choice than in necessity In an abstinence from the delights of the Flesh when we have them rather than when we want them that we may follow our business and yet be godly that the overcharging of the Heart is the great Evil that we should beware of that we may use Company but not to partake of their Sins yea to make them better and to purify them by our example I now proceed to the last Clause But Wisdom is justified of her Children We have observed 1. The different form and course of life wherein Iohn and Jesus appeared 2. Their Censures of both 3. The receiving of the Gospel by the Unprejudiced In this last observe 1. The exceptive Particle But tho undeserved Censures are cast upon the Ways of God yet at length there is a Wisdom found in them Ignorant Men mistake them carnal Men slight them the Prophane snuff at them few or none entertain them with that respect they ought to do yet this Wisdom will not want Advocates 2. The thing spoken of Wisdom By Wisdom is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel called elsewhere the Counsel of God as appeareth by the parallel place Luke 7. 29 30. And all the People that heard him justified God being baptized with the Baptism of John But the Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves The Gospel method of Salvation is there called the Counsel of God because 't is the Counsel he giveth Men for their good as here Wisdom because 't is the result of God's eternal Wisdom and Decrees And elsewhere the Doctrine of Christ crucified is called the Wisdom of God And again 1 Cor. 2. 7. The Wisdom of God in a Mystery 3. What is said of it or how it is used 't is justified Justification is a Râ—lative word as 't is opposed to Crimination so to justify is the work of an Advocate as to Condemnation so 't is the work of a Judg. The Children of Wisdom discharge both parts chiefly the first they bear witness to â—heir Faith or the Doctrine of God concerning Salvation by Christ by their Profession and godly Life and ready Obedience and exalt it so much as others decry it and every way manifest they hold it for good and right only this pleading is real not by Word but Deed Sapientia non quaerit vocis testimonium sed operam saith Hierom. Divine Wisdom is justified more by Works than by a verbal Plea Wisdom's Children hear her Instructions follow her Directions and Institutes and with diligence observe the way of Salvation prescribed by God tho others slight it and so justify it against the Exceptions and Reproaches of the carnal World 4. Of whom Of her Children The Children of Wisdom are the Professors of it those who are begotten by God by the Word of Truth Iames 1. 18. and are willing to attain the end by the ways and means wherein God affordeth it These are Wisdom's Children begotten bred up and instructed by her 't is an Hebraism as Children of Corah Children of Light Children of this World and the like the Professors and Followers of the Gospel The Point that I shall insist on is this That the Wisdom of God leading Men to Salvation in the ways and means pointed out in the Gospel is and should be justified of all the sincere Professors of it In managing this Point I shall shew you First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel Secondly That this Wisdom is despised slighted and contradicted by the carnal World and why Thirdly How and why it must be justified by the sincere Professors of the Gospel First What is the Wisdom of God in the way of Salvation prescribed by the Gospel The sum of the Gospel is this That all thâ—se who by true Repentance and Faith do forsake the Flesh the World and the Devil and give up themselves to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier shall find God as a Father taking them for his reconciled Children and for Christ's sake pardoning their Sins and by his Spirit giving them his Grace and if they persevere in this course will finally glorify them and bestow upon them everlasting Happiness but will condemn the Unbelievers Impenitent and Ungodly to everlasting punishment That this is the sum of the Gospel appeareth by Mark 16. 15 16. Go preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Where you have all the Christian Religion laid before you in one short view and prospect It concerneth either the End or the Means 1. The End The Apostle telleth you That God hath brought Life and Immortality to light in the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. or clearly discovered an Happiness and a misery in the World to come 2. The Means He hath pointed out a sure way for obtaining the one and avoiding the other As to the Means Christian Religion is considerable either as to the entrance or the progress of it Our Lord telleth us Mat. 7. 14. Streight is the Gate and narrow is the Way which leadeth unto Life He speaketh of a Gate and a Way The Gate noteth the Entrance the Way the Progress therein In other Scriptures we read of making Covenant with God and keeping Covenant with God The Covenant must not only be made but kept So again we read of Dedication and Use of devotedness to God and faithfulness to him of our Purpose and Progress Choice and Course all which expressions tend to the same effect 1. As to the way of entring into Covenant with God there is required 1. True Repentance and Faith Repentance towards God and Faith in
take from them what they resign to him but they are not prepared for a submission to all Events Like those that make large Promises to others when they think they will not take them at their words So their Hearts secretly except and reserve much of that they resign to God But this is false-dealing and is shewn in part in murmuring when God taketh any thing from us 1 PET. 1. 9. Receiving the End of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls THE Apostle here giveth a reason why Believers rejoice in the midst of Afflictions they are qualified thereby to receive Salvation yea in part have it already Receiving the End of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls In which words observe 1. The Benefit The Salvation of our Souls 2. The Grace which qualiâ—ieth us for that Benefit Faith 3. The respect between the Benefit and the Grace 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or Reward 1. The Benefit Which may be considered as consummated or as begun And accordingly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be interpreted If you consider it as to Consummation and actual Possession so we receive it at Death when our Self-denying Obedience is ended And for the present we are said to receive it because we are sure to receive it at the close of our days We believe now that we shall at length have it and therefore rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 2. If you consider it with respect to Inchoation or begun Possession We have an undoubted Right now and some beginnings of it in the Consolations of the Spirit Now we receive it in the Promises we receive it in the first Fruits which are some forerunning Beams of the day-light of eternal Glory 2. The Grace which qualifieth and giveth us a Title to this Benefit is Faith The word Faith is taken in Scripture sometimes for fides quae creditur sometimes for fides quâ creditur for the Doctrine or Grace of Faith The first Acceptation will make a good sense here namely that the whole Tenor of Christian Doctrine leadeth us to the expectation of and diligent pursute after eternal Salvation 'T is the whole drift of the Christian Religion But I take it rather for the Grace This is the prime Benefit which Faith aimeth at as I shall shew you by and by 3. The Respect between Faith and Salvation 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the End or the word signifieth the Fruit and the Reward As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for an End and Scope the Scripture favoureth that Notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I press towards the Mark or Scope Phil. 3. 14. And 2 Cor. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Salvation of our Souls is the prime Benefit which Faith is not only allowed but required to aim at A Believer levelleth and directeth all his Actions to this end that at length he may obtain eternal Life Sometimes 't is put for the Fruit or Reward Rom. 6. 22. Being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end everlasting Life The issue of all the final result was your Salvation The Point that I shall inâ—ist on is this Doct. That the End and Reward of Faith is the Salvation of our Souls I shall open the Point by explicating three Questions 1. What is this Salvation of our Souls 2. What Right the Believer hath to it 3. What is that saving-Faith which giveth us a Title to it The last is most important 1. What is the Salvation of the Soul 'T is not meant of temporal Deliverance or an escape from Danger as some would affix that sense upon it but of eternal Life or our happy Estate in Heaven This belongeth to our whole Man the Body as well as the Soul but the Soul is the chief part of Man and that which is first glorified When Men come first into the World first the Body is framed and then the Soul cometh after As we see in the Creation of Adam first his Body was organized and then God breathed into him the Spirit of Life And we see it in common Generation when the Body is first framed in the Womb then 't is quickned by a living Soul This lower Region of the World is properly the place of Bodies therefore Reason requires that the Body which is a Citizen of the World should first be framed that it may be a receptacle for the Soul which is a stranger and cometh from the Region of Spirits that is above But when we must remove into these heavenly Habitations then 't is quite otherwise for then the Soul as a Native of that place is presently admitted but the Body as a stranger is forced to recide in the Grave till the Day of Judgment and then for the sake of the Soul our Bodies also are admitted into Heaven This is the ordinary Law for all private Persons Christ indeed who is the Head of the Church and the Prince of this World and that which is to come his Body as well as his humane Spirit was made a Denizon of Heaven as soon as he ascended He entred into Heaven not as a private Citizen but as King and Lord of the Heavenly Jerusalem and therefore carried both Body and Soul along with him But as to us first the Soul goeth there as into his ancient Seat and proper Habitation and afterwards the Body followeth Well then 1. at Death our Souls go to Christ and enter into a state of Happiness Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. The Soul is not annihilated after Death nor doth it sleep till the Resurrection nor is it detained by the way from immediate passing into Glory but if it be the Soul of a Believer as soon as it is loosed from the Body it is with Christ Luke 23. 43. Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise He asked to be remembred when Christ came into his Kingdom and Christ assureth him of a reception there that day as soon as he should expire 2. In due time the Body is raised and united to the Soul and then Christ will be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thess. 1. 10. Such glory and honour will be put upon those who are but newly crept out of Dust and Rottenness the Saints themselves and all the Spectators shall wonder at it 3. There is another Period in this Happiness Our everlasting habitation in Heaven near unto the Throne of God and in the presence of his Glory John 14. 2. In my Father's House are many Mansions There we shall also have the company of Angels and blessed Spirits and make up one Society with them Heb. 12. 23. To the general Assembly and Church of the first Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudg of all and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect This is the
upon the security of his Word that so doing I shall obtain it This intitleth us to the Reward Heb. 3. 6. Whose House we are if we hold fast the Confidence and rejoicing of Hope firm unto the End And Vers. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the End And Heb. 10. 35. Cast not away your Confidence which hath great recompence of Reward The Happiness which Christ promiseth us is spiritual and for the most part future an lieth in an unseen and unknown World but whilst we are ingaged in the pursuit of it we must depend upon his â—aithful Word That must be security enough to us to engage us to continue with patience in the midst of manifold Temptations till we obtain what he offereth to us These three must be often renewed Assent Consent and Affiance 2. 'T is a believing in Christ. I make Christ the special Object of this Belief not as exclusive of the Father or the Spirit but because of the peculiar reference which this Grace hath to the Mediator in this New and Gospel-Dispensation which was appointed for the Remedy of the collapsed estate of Mankind So Acts 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. He speaks of Repentance as respecting God and Faith as respecting Christ. These are the two recovering Graces Repentance is necessary because of the Duty we owe to our Creator and supream Lord and Faith respects our Redeemer who principally undertook our recovery to God Christ is believed in in order to the Salvation of our Souls 1. Because he purchased and procured this Salvation for us as Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 9. 5. He is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Covenant they which are called might receive the Promise of the eternal Inheritance By the intervention of his Death Sins are expiated that penitent Believers might have everlasting Life 2. Because 't is by him promised or in his Name 1 John 2. 25. This is the Promise which he hath promised us even eternal Life Christ's great Business as a Prophet is to discover with certainty and clearness such a blessed Estate that it may be commodious for our acceptance laid at our doors if we will take it well and good He is Amen the faithful Witness Rev. 3. 14. who came with a Commission from Heaven to assure the World of it and to confirm his Message he wrought Miracles died and rose again and entred into that Happiness which he spake of that our Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Guilty Man is fallen under the Power and Fear of Death and strangely haunted with Doubts about the other World Now he that came to save us and heal us did himself in our Nature rise from the Dead and ascend into Heaven that he might give a visible demonstration both of the Resurrection and Life to come which he hath promised to us And when he sent abroad Messengers in his Name to assure the World of it their Testimony was accompanied with divers Signs and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3 4. that the stupid World might be alarum'd to regard the offer and by this Evidence be assured of the Truth of it therefore still 't is a believing in Christ. 3. Because as King he doth administer and dispense the Blessings of the New Covenant and among them as the Chief and Principal this Salvation unto all those who are qualified And therefore 't is said Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect through Sufferings he is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Every Effect must have some Cause and this noble and glorious Effect of eternal Salvation could have no other Cause but Christ and he as perfected and consecrated is the Author and efficient Cause of it for as King he sendeth down the Holy Ghost to reveal the Gospel and work Faith in the Hearts of Men to qualify them for Pardon and Salvation and all those that sue for Pardon and Salvation in his Name by the Plea of his Blood before the Throne of God and promise obedience to his Laws and Institutes he actually bestoweth Pardon and eternal Salvation upon them There be many other ministerial and adjutant Causes which conduce to this effect But he is the Principal and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Cause in general is fitly by our Translation termed the Author of eternal Salvation So that still you see a new Reason why saving-Faith should be described to be a believing in Christ. 3. The prime Benefits which Faith respecteth I make to be two Reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory 1. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed and regarded by the guilty Soul 1. Because there hath been a breach by which we have lost God's Favour and Happiness We have to do with a God whose Nature ingageth him to hate Sin and whose Justice ingageth him to Punish it And before we can be induced to treat with him such a Reconciliation is necessary for all Mankind as that he should be willing to deal with them upon the term of a New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life might be offered to penitent Believers This Reconciliation is spoken of 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses and hath committed unto us the Word of Reconciliation that is upon the sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice Ransom and Satisfaction there was so much done towards an actual Reconciliation with God that he offered a conditional Covenant to as many as were willing to enter into his Peace He provided a sufficient Remedy for the Pardon of Sin if Men would as heartily accept of it as it was freely given them And the Office of Ambassadors was appointed to beseech Men so to do And unless this had been done a guilty Soul could never be brought to love an holy sin-hating God ingaged by Justice to damn the Sinner But it must be a loving reconciled God that is willing to forgive that can be propounded as an Object of Faith and Love or as an amiable God to us Psalm 130. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 2. Reconciliation is necessarily eyed by the penitent Believer because this Reconciliation and Recovery by Christ consists both in the Pardon of Sin and the Gift of the Sanctifying Spirit 1. One branch of the actual restitution of God's Favour to us is the Pardon of Sins without which we are not capable of Life and Happiness Ephes. 7. The possible conditional-Reconciliation consists in the offer of Pardon and the actual Reconciliation in the actual pardon and forgiveness of our Transgressions and then the Man beginneth to be in a blessed Estate Psal. 32. 1 2. 2. The other Branch is the Gift of the Sanctifying