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
Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World Heb. 13. 16. To do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Ephes. 5. 21 22. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God Now a true Christian maketh Conscience of all this as of Internal Worship so External As of Solemn and Sacred Acts so of a constant Awfulness of God Secondly The Reasons 1 st Why a true Christian doth worship God 2 dly Why in the Spirit 1 st For the Worship it self 1. Because they have a deep sense of his Being and Excellency impressed upon their Hearts 1. His Being These two Notions live and die together That God is and that he ought to be worshipped and served Heb. 11. 6. The one immediately floweth from the other The first Commandment is Thou shalt have no other Gods before me The second Thou shalt not worship a graven Image If 〈…〉 Worship is certainly 〈…〉 They that have no 〈…〉 they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atâ—â—ism by that Psal. 14. 1. The Fool hath said 〈…〉 Heart There is no God And vers 4. They call not upon God 2. His Excellency They have a cleareâ— sight of God than others have and are more acquainted with him than otherâ— are and therefore are more prone to worship When God had proclaimed his Name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. He made haste and bowed himself to the Earth and worshipped None so ready and forward Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee 2. Because they have a Principle within them which inclineth them to God Their Hearts are carried to him as light Bodies are carried upward There is such a Grace as Godliness 2 Pet. 1. 6. and distinct in the Notion from Righteousness and Holiness 1 Tim. 6. 11. Follow after Righteousness Godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness What is the Notion then of it 'T is Tendentia mentis in Deum An Impression left upon their Hearts which causeth a bent and tendency towards God as the Fountain of their Mercies the Joy of their Souls and the Center of their Rest. There is such an Inclination in some stronger in others more remiss but in all that are made Partakers of a Divine Nature in some good Degree so as ordinarily to prevail over the Inclinations of the Flesh As Holiness noteth purity of Life so Godliness an Inclination to God 3. Because of their Relations to God which they own God pleadeth his Right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father Where is mine Honour If I be a Master Where is my Fear A Father must have Honour and a Master must have Fear And God who is the common 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Master of all must have both A Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy Or as the owning of a King implyeth submission to his Government so the owning of a God Adoration and Worship 2 dly Why in the Spirit 1. Because Worship without the Spirit is like a Body without the Soul 't is but the Carcase of a Duty The Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in this Business Mat. 15. 8. This People draweth nigh to me with their Mouths and honoureth me with their Lips but their Hearts are far from me There is no Love to God rather an habitual aversion from him 2. External Worship is but a Means to the Internal as Prayer Hearing Reading Receiving tend to promote Love Trust Heavenly-mindedness Self-denial Mortification purity of Life and Conversation Now as the Means are only valuable with respect to their End so are these Duties of Hearing Reading Singing Diligence in the use of Means is good but those Acts that are conversant about the End are better such as the Love of God and Delight and Trust in God for Finis est nobilior mediis Nay amongst the Internal Acts as they are Means to one another so the nearer respect they have to the last End the more noble they are As Faith is more noble than bare Knowledg because Knowledg tendeth to Faith Psalm 5. 10. Love than Faith because Faith tendeth to Love Gal. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 13. 13. Faith causeth Love and serveth as the Bellows to in-kindle this Holy Fire and in Love Desire maketh way for Delight as its noblest Act. And accordingly must all things be valued as they suit the great End which is the injoying of God 3. A Man doth not partake of the Gospel-Blessing till he doth serve God in the Spirit that is till he be made partaker of the Regenerating Grace and actual Influence of the Holy Spirit 1. Of his Regenerating Grace Rom. 7. 6. That we should serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the Letter New Life is the principal of Evangelical Obedience and when we are renewed by the Holy Ghost we walk in newness of Conversation The Gospel is a Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. It not only requireth Duty but giveth Power to perform it The Letter of the Law requireth but giveth no Principle or Inclination to do it that is from Regenerating Grace or the Law written upon our Hearts John 3. 6. That which is born of Spirit is Spirit that is suited inclined disposed fitted for a Spiritual Life 2. Actual Influence He still worketh in us what is pleasing in God's sight Helpeth to mortify Corruption Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live To perfect Holiness Heb. 13. 21. that so we may serve God in all purity of Life We cannot get nor keep nor act nor increase Grace of our selves if forsaken by the Spirit of Grace The foulest Sins would become our Pleasure and the most unquestionable Duties our Burden If he withdraw his quickning Influences you can do nothing Vse 1. It reproveth those that either do not worship God or by halves or not worship him in the Spirit 1. It disproveth their Confidence that do not worship God There are an irreligious sort of Men that neither call upon him in publick or in private in the Family or in the Closet but wholly forget the God that made them and at whose expence they are maintained and kept 1. Let me reason with you as Men Wherefore had you reasonable Souls but to praise and honour and glorify your Creator and Preserver If you believe there is a God why do you not call upon him The neglect of his Worship argueth a doubting of his Being If there be such a supream Lord to whom you must one day give an account how dare you live without him in the World All the Creatures glorify him Psal. 145. 10. they passively but you have a Heart and a Tongue to glorify him actually Man is the Mouth of the Creation to return to God
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
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
Believing by Tradition giveth us but cold thoughts of these Mysteries but believing by Inspiration warmeth the Heart and reviveth it with an unspeakable Joy and is called tasting the good Word which is the privilege of those who are enlightned by the Spirit Heb. 6. 4. And a tasting that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. which much differeth from the common reflection upon those things which Flesh and Blood may give us or the bare reports of Men stir up in us The Spirits light is lovely and ravisheth and traâ—sporteth the Soul And where it is permanent and rooted it effectually changeth the Soul Someâ— are altogether careless not affected at all with these things as the habituated worldly Sinner 1 Cor. 2. 14. They are folly to him For Spiritual Things must be spiritually discerned Some are to a degree affected by the common Work of the Spirit Heb. 6. 4 5 6. but 't is not rooted 't is not predominate so as to control other Affections and Delights they have a rejoicing in the Offers of Pardon and Life but 't is a Joy that leaveth some darling Sin still predominant But there is a third sort that have such a taste of these things that they are renewed and changed by it Heb. 3. 6. Now then if you would have this rejoicing in Christ Jesus you must apply your selves to Christ in the use of the appointed means for the renewing of your Natures for Love and Delight are never forced nor will be drawn forth by bare Commands and Threatnings yea and not by the proposal of Promises though the Injoiments be never so great and glorious This may a little stir us and this is the Matter of Joy but not the Cause of Joy But this Joy proceedeth partly from the Inclination when the Heart is suited and partly from the attractive goodness of the Object and both are powerfully done by the Holy Spirit as the Heart is renewed and the Object is most effectually represented by him Ephes. 1. 17 18. And this we must wait for 3. 'T is received and believed by Faith This is often told us in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 18. In whom believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory And Rom. 15. 13. The God of Hope fill you with Ioy and Peace in believing We cannot be affected with the great Things Christ hath done and purchased for us till we believe them There is in Faith three things Assent Consent and Affiance 1. Assent or a firm and certain belief of the Truth of the Gospel concerning Christ as the only sufficient Saviour by whom alone God will give us the pardon of Sins and Eternal Life John 4. 42. We have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World And Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ thâ— Son of the Living God When we are verily perswaded of this as we are of any thing that appeareth true to us this stirreth up Joy Others have but an hear-say Knowledg not a Believing Assent Surely Christ is a delectable Object what hindereth then but that we rejoice in him Nothing but want of Faith For if this be true we so Necessitous and he so Al-sufficient a Remedy why are we not so affected with these things as the worth of them doth deserve Nothing can be rationally said but that we are not soundly perswaded of the truth of it 2. A Consent This Grace is dispensed by a Convenant which bindeth mutually assureth us of Happiness and requireth Duty from us Therefore an unfeigned Consent or a readiness to fulfil those terms expressed in the Promise is required of us or a resolution to repent and obey the Gospel Christ hath Offices and Relations that imply our Comfort and other Offices and Relations which imply our Duty Or rather the same do both He is our Teacher and King as well as our Priest and we must submit to be ruled and taught by him as well as depend upon the Merit of his Sacrifice and Intercession Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of Etâ—â—nal Salvation to all them that obey him And they are so taught the Truth that is in Jesus that they put off the Old Man and put on the New Ephes. 4. 20 21. True Believers must be Scholars daily learning somewhat from Christ yea his Priesthood implieth Duty Dependance humble Addresses A broken-hearted coming to God by him As his Kingship and Prophetical Office implieth privilege also His defending and teaching us by his Spirit 3. There is Affiance Which is a reposing of our Hearts or a relying upon God promising remission of Sins and Eternal Life for Christ's sake alone that he will be as good as his word while we diligently use the Means ordained to this end Rom. 2. 7. And this Confidence hath an influence upon this Joy Heb. 3. 6. or a delightful sense of our Redeemer's Grace 4. 'T is improved by Meditation For the greatest things do not work unless we think of them and work them into our Hearts The natural way of Operation is That Object â—tir up Thoughts and Thoughts stir up Affections Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. The more frequent and serious Thoughts we have of the Love of God in Christ and the more deep and ponderous they are the more do they blow up this Holy Fire into a Flame Now for this end was the Lord's Supper instituted where the whole Gospel is applied and sealed to us that this delight might be afresh acted and stirred in us at the Lord's Table while our minds are taken up in considering Christ the great Apostle and High Priest of our Confession Heb. 3. 1. Surely it should not be an idle and fruitless Contemplation it should stir up Love and what stirreth up Love stirreth up Delight I come now to the last part of the Description 5. The particular Affection caused by this sense is mentioned We delight in the Grace of the Redeemer more than in all other things whatsoever Where 1. Take noice of the Affection it self Then 2. The Degree of it 1. The Affection it self Which is Delight or a well-pleasedness of Mind in the Grace that is brought to us by the Knowledg of Christ. This inlargeth the Heart and filleth it with a Sweetness and Contentment and the Vent of it is Praise for the Heart being inlarged cannot hold and contain it self Psal. 33. 14. I will shew forth all they Praise in the Gates of the Daughter of Sion I will rejoice in thy Salvation Joy cannot be kept within doors it will break out in all suitable ways of Expression The Heart doth first Rejoice and then the Tongue doth overflow The Heart is filled with Joy and then the Tongue with Thanksgiving So Psal. 35. 9. My Soul shall be joyful in the Lord it shall rejoice in his Salvation Nothing disposeth the Heart to praise
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
So in other Cases old Men they say dote young Men are too rash some they find fault with because they are so facil and easy with others because they are obscure and deep People are always unsatisfied 4. That neither the Severity of the Law nor the glad Tydings of Salvation will of themselves work upon Men unless God set in by his Spirit For both the Dispensation of Iohn and Jesus was without its effect 5. Though some obstinately refuse the Gospel yet others accept of it and live accordingly Wisdom hath her Children who justify and defend her ways as much as others impugn and oppose them Acts 17. 34. God seldom lighteth a Candle but he hath some lost Groat to seek All these Points might be profitably insisted on But I shall make use of this Text to give you this Observation That Iesus Christ when he came to set up the Gospel did not tie himself to a Wilderness-life of austerity in total abstinence from common Meat and Wine as John the Baptist did and as they thought that he that professed extraordinary Sanctity should have done In the prosecution of this Point I shall use this Method 1. I shall shew you That the Censures of the two Things disliked in Christ were not just 2. Give you the Reasons why he lived and chose this form and sort of Life 3. The profitable Observations that we may build thereon 1. That the Censures of the two things disliked in Christ were not just The two things disliked in Christ were 1. His Diet. 2. His Company 1. His Diet He came eating and drinking He did eat and drink as other Men but with great piety and with great temperance and soberity His Piety was remarkable Iohn 6. 11. And Iesus took the Loaves and when he had given Thanks he distributed them among the Disciples And vers 23. Nigh unto the place were they had eaten Bread after the Lord gave Thanks All our Refreshments should be sanctified They are great Mercies though ordinary They come down from Heaven and direct us to seek the Blessing thence from whence we have the Comforts themselves Though we have but slender provisions we should be thankful Christ gave Thanks for five Barley Loaves and two Fishes Mark here he doth not mention the Miracle but the Thanksgiving Christ had expressed himself in such a way as made deep Impression on the standers-by and would fully convince us that the blessing of all Injoyments is in God's Hand 2. His Temperance and Sobriety is observable Five Barley Loaves and two Fishes were carried about as the standing Provision for Himself and Family Luke 9. 13. Christ's Provision is such as may teach sobriety and contentment with a mean condition unto all At another time he beggeth a draught of Water to quench his Thirst Iohn 4. 7. And therefore the Exceptions against his Diet were not just 2. Against his Company They accused him of eating with Publicans and Sinners in the Text. So Luke 15. 2. This Man receiveth Sinners and eateth with them Because he went to them as a Physician to heal their Souls Luke 5. 30. He conversed with the meanest and refused not familiarity with the poorest and worst as was needful for their Cure The Pharisees thought it to be against all Decorum that he would spake and converse with all sorts of People Publicans and Harlots not excepted But Christ coming to save all sorts of People it was necessary that he should Converse with all sorts of People 2. The Reasons why he lived and chose this sort of Life 1. Because he would not place Religion in outward Austerities and Observances Men superstitiously appoint to themselves unnecessary Tasks and forbid themselves many lawful Things and this they call by the name of Holiness When Satan who is usually a Libertine pretendeth to be a Saint He will be stricter than Christ Himself As the Pharisees were in the choice of their Company and outward Observances Christ foresaw this Spirit would be working in the World Touch not taste not handle not after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men Col. 2. 21 22. That Men were apt to place Religion in a simple abstinence from the common Comforts of Life under a pretence of more than ordinary mortification neither eat nor taste nor touch over-doing in Externals is usually an undoing in Religion The Quaker's Spirit and the Monkish Spirit is an Apochryphal and bastard sort of Holiness a Spirit that suiteth not with the Temper of the Gospel and the example of Christ. 2. Christ would live a strict but sociable and charitable Life and did not observe the Laws of proud Pharisaical separation but spent his time in doing good and healing all manner of bodily Diseases and instructing the Souls of Men upon all occasions There is a disposition in Men by a foolish singularity to stand aloof from others The Prophet toucheth it Isa. 65. 5. They said Stand by thy self come not near me for I am holier than thou Some then though impure and prophane would seem holier than others and counted all unclean and polluted besides themselves This Spirit rested in the Pharisees in Christ's time Luke 5. 30. The Scribes and Pharisees murmured against his Disciples saying Why do you eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners So Luke 7. 39. If this Man had been a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of Woman this is that toucheth him for she is a Sinner And afterwards the whole People of the Jews were possessed with this Spirit and would not endure that any should converse with the Gentiles as fearing to be defiled by them Now Jesus Christ would not countenance this inclosing Spirit coming to do good to all he would converse with all 3. Jesus Christ coming into the World as to redeem us to God so to set us an example would take up that course of Life which was most imitable by all sorts of Persons and calculated as for the Honour of God so for the Benefit of Humane Society He intended his Religion not only for Recluses and Votaries but for Men of all Conditions Professions and Employments and therefore would not fright us from Religion by affected Austerities but invite us to it by a sanctified converse with all kind of Companies And no Man now can excuse himself saying That he cannot imitate the form of Christ's Living since it is competent to all kind of Persons even those who are not shut up but whose Callings ingage them to be abroad in the World For 't is Religion that puts us upon the discharge of all Duties to God and Man The sum of it is comprised in the Love of God above all and our Neighbour as our selves We love all even Enemies with that common Love which is due to Humanity and all that fear God with a special Love Now this may be exercised in the Shop better than in the Cloyster and solitudes and where-ever we go we may go about doing good And this may
be done by all sorts of Persons Princes and Peasants Noble-men or Tradesmen as well as Ministers and People of a more retired Life 4. Coming into the World to set up the Kingdom of God it was sit his Form of Life should suit with the Nature of that Kingdom Iohn Baptist telleth them The Kingdom of God is at hand and Christ himself That the Kingdom of God was come and was among them Now what is the nature of this Kingdom of God The Apostle telleth you that Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meat and Drink but in Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost There are two expositions of that place and both equally probable the one more general the other more limited and restrained to the Context More general That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience and Peace for peace of Conscience resulting from the rectitude of our Actions and joy in the Holy Ghost for that supernatural comfort which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts by reflecting upon our Privileges in Christ and the Hopes of the World to come Now Christianity consists not in eating or not eating such or such Meats or such kind of Observances but in solid Godliness or in the practice of Christian Graces and Vertues The more limited sense is That by Righteousness is meant just dealings by Peace a peaceable harmless inoffensive sort of living by Joy in the Holy Ghost a delight to do good to one another to advance and build up one another in Godliness not dividing hating excommunicating censuring one another for lesser Things and meer Rituals but pleasing our Neighbour to edification Rom. 15. 2. and 1 Cor. 10. 31 32 33. Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God give no offence neither to Iews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved This meek holy charitable converse to the Glory of God without offence and scandal is that which promoteth God's Kingdom And this would Christ teach us in his own form and course of Life conversing in a sanctified manner with all sorts of Persons to their profit and benefit 5. Because Christ would not gratify Humane Wisdom As he would not gratify Sense by chusing a pompous Life so he would not gratify Humane Wisdom by chusing an austere Life There are two sorts of Men in the World who are not of God the Men of the World and the Saints of this World The Men of the World are brutish Sensualists who are all for Pomp and Glory Christ would not gratify these but came meek and poor to teach us Humility Self-denial and Contentation Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart He did not bustle in the World for Respect and Honour His Complaints of his Enemies and his Answers to them were full of Meekness and stood not to abase himself for the Father's Glory and Mens Good so he did not gratify the Men of the World The Saints of this World are such as are strict in outward Observances in eating or not eating in marrying or not marrying in forbearing such Company in such a number and tale of Devotions in abstaining from such lawful things These things the Apostle saith have a shew of Wisdom Col. 2. 23. The World is mightily taken with bodily Exercise and outward Strictness As the Men of the World love to pamper the Body so the Saints of this World needlesly afflict and dishonour the Body This hath a shew and nothing but a shew but Christ would not gratify these neither he used a free but an holy Life and so was censured and traduced as a Wine-bibber and a Glutton to teach his Followers to be contented to be judged according to Men in the Flesh and live to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4. 6. He came to preach and to give inward Regeneration and Renovation To shew the proper way of Mortification which is not by a severity of Life but by deadning the mind to the esteem of the World That kind of Life which consists in outward Rigors hath some honour and reputation in the World and maketh a fair shew in the Flesh but he would teach us the Life which consists in Faith Holiness Sobriety Humility of Mind Charity Obedience to God Joy in the Spirit and comfort of the Promises which the World liketh not so well outward and rigorous Observances are more plausible but the Power of Godliness and a true sense of the World to come the World hateth 6. To shew us the true nature of Mortification which consists not in a bare abstinence and shameful retreat from Temptations but in a Spirit fortified against them not in a monkish discontent with the World but an holy contempt of it when we most freely use it And in bridling and governing the Appetite and Desire rather than in scrupulous refraining from the Object it self In an using of the World but not abusing of it 1 Cor. 7. 31. Not so much scrupling the Comforts of the present Life as a valuing and esteeming the Comforts of a better Life prising more the Christian Vow than any by-Laws of our own The Apostle telleth us 1 Tim. 4. 8. That bodily Exercise profiteth little but Godliness is profitable to all things Abstinence from daily Meats Wines Marriage is an act of Self-denial but a very small one for all the good it doth is to tame the Members of the Body and its external Motions and Actions without sanctifying the Heart and inward part as a lively Faith Fear and Love of God doth The profit of bodily Exercise is little in comparison of inward Piety which is necessary to a comfortable Life here and a blessed hereafter Thirdly The Observations which we may build thereon 1. We may observe the Humanity Goodness and Kindness of that Religion which we do profess both with respect to our selves and others 1. Our Selves Man consists of a Body and a Soul and hath respects for either else he were unnatural The Body indeed we are apt to overprize and therefore we need not â—â—â—pur but a Bridle for our Affections to the bodily life And therefore Religion in the Precepts of it interposeth by way of restraint rather than exhortation Titus 2. 12. That we should live soberly c. And Rom. 13. 14. Make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Do not cherish carnal Desires The Apostle telleth you No Man ever yet hated his own Flesh Ephes. 5. 29. but nourisheth and cherisheth it Our usual fault is an excessive pampering of the Flesh Some have hated their own Souls at least by consequence and interpretation therefore we dare not let loose the Reins and give either incouragement or allowance to Men to indulge their carnal Desires yet to avoid prejudice we must grant what may be granted for Men are
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
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
amiable Thus how Wisdom is to be justified I now come to shew you 2. Why. 1. Because of the charge that is put upon us to testify for God and justify his Ways Isa. 43. 10. Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord. They that are most acquainted with God can most witness for him So Wisdom's Children can most justify Her They are acquainted with her Promises and Precepts and have experience of the virtue and power of them in comforting and changing the Heart A report of a report is a cold thing they that have felt somewhat in their Hearts that which they have seen and felt they can speak of The World needeth some Witnesses for God some Testimony and preparative inducement to invite them to embrace the ways of God Miracles served for that use heretofore Acts 5. 32. And we are his witnesses of those things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him And in the place of Miracles there succeeded good conversation or the wonderful effects of his Spirit Grace in the Heart and Lives of his Children this is apt to beget wonder as Miracles did 1 Pet. 4. 4. When they can renounce the Lusts which most are mastered by and grow dead to worldly Interests live in the World above the World in the Flesh contrary to the Flesh. A Miracle strikes a little wonderment at first but this sinketh and soaketh to the Heart When Men are so strictly Holy so ravishingly Heavenly and bear up upon the hopes and incouragements of the other World and are so conscientious in all Duties to God and Man you shew that Religion is not a Notion or an Imagination 2. Wisdom deserveth to be justified by us What is there in all the Christian Religion but what is justifiable or that we should be ashamed of Is it the hopes of it The hopes of it are such as are fit to be propounded to Man sought after by all the World but no where discovered with such certainty and distinctness as in the Gospel Nothing doth resine and enâ—ble the Heart so much as these hopes the heavenly Spirit that can support it self with the hopes of an unseen Glory is the only true sublime Spirit an earthly Spirit is a base Spirit so a sensual the dregs of Mankind Amongst Men the ambitious who aspire to Crowns and Kingdoms and aim at perpetual Fame by their Heroick Virtues and Exploits are judged Persons of far greater Gallantry than covetous Muckworms or brutish Epicures yet they are poor base spirited People in their highest Thoughts and Designs to that noble and divine Spirit which worketh in the breast of those who sincerely and heartily seek Heavenly Things For what is the honour of the World to approbation with God temporal Trifles to an everlasting Kingdom Is it the way and means the first the terms of setling our Souls in the way of Faith and Repentance What more Rational Should we return to our Creator's Service without acknowledging our Offence in straying or humbling our selves for our Errors and purposing for the future to live in his Love and Obedience Or can we expect Mercy without returning Reason will say our case is not compassionable Or should God quit his Law without satisfaction Or should we not own our Benefactor the 〈◊〉 satisfying certainly there is 〈…〉 reasonable So also for new 〈◊〉 Therefore Wisdom deserveth 〈…〉 by us 3. Those that condemn Wisdom yet do in some measure at the same time justify it They condemn it with their Tongues but justify it with their Consciences They hate and fear strictness Mark 6. 20. Herod feared John because he was a just Man and an holy and observed him They scoâ—f at it with their Tongues but have a fear of it in their Consciences They revile at it while they live but what mind are they of when they come to die Then all will speak well of an holy Life and the strictest obedience to the Laws of God Numb 23. 10. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his And Mat. 25. 8. Give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out Oh that they had a little of that holiness and strictness which they scoâ—fed at whilst they were pursuing their Lusts How will they desire to die As carnal and careless Sinners or as mortiâ—ied Saints They approve it in Thesâ— and condemn it in Hypothesi All the opposers and scoffers at Godliness within the Pale of the visible Church have the same Bible Baptism Creed and pretend to believe in the same God and Christ which they own with those whom they oppose All the difference is the one are real Christians the other are nominal some profess at large others practise what they profess the one have a Religion to talk of the other to live by they approve it in the Form but hate it in the Power A Picture of Christ that is drawn by a Painter they like and the forbidden Image of God made by a Carver they will reverence and honour and be zealous for but the Image of God framed by the Spirit in the Hearts of the Faithful and described in the lives of the heavenly and the sanctified this they scorn and scoff at 4. If we do not justify Religion we justify the World It must needs be so for these two are opposites the carnal World and Wisdom the carnal World must be condemned and Religion justified or Religion will be condemned and the World justified Some condemn the World Heb. 11. 7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Some justifie the World as Israel justified Sodom Ezek. 16. 51. But thou hast multiplied thy Abominations more than they and hast justified thy Sisters in all thine Abominations which thou hast done Their Sin seemeth more excusable you either upbraid their security and carelesness or countenance it by your own practice your seriousness is a real rebuke to the carnal World your working out your Salvation in fear and trembling upbraideth their security and carelesness your rejoicing in God condemneth their carnal delight When you are troubled about a vain Thought and are watchful against a light Word you condemn them for their loosness and wallowing in all silthiness but if not you justify the World and harden the Wicked in their Prejudices and cause them to hold up their course with the greater pretence When you are wrathful proud sensual turbulent self-seeking you are an occasion of stumbling unto them Cyprian in his Book de duplici Martyro bringeth in the Heathens thus speaking Ecce qui jacâ—ant se Redemptos à Tyraâ—â—idae Sathanae qui prâ—â—dicant se mortuos mundo nihilo minus vincuntur à cupiâ—itatibus suis quam nos quos dicunt teneri sub Regno Sathanâ—e quid
therefore he should have done what he could Job 15. 6. Thine own Mouth condemneth thee yea thine own Lips testify against thee That 's the strongest Conviction which ariseth from a Man 's own Bosom that 's the reason why there are so many Appeals to Conscience in Scripture 1 Cor. 10. 15. I speak as to wise Men judg ye what I say Your own Hearts tell you ye ought to be better to mind God more and the World less to be more serious in preparing for your eternal estate 3. Nothing can be a reasonable Excuse which reflects upon God as if he had made an hard Law which none can keep especially if urged against the Law of Grace This is to say the Ways of God are not equal therefore there can be no excuse for the total omission of necessary Duties 4. No Excuse can be reasonable but what you dare plead at the Bar of Christ for that is Reason which will go for Reason at last Then the weight of all Pleas will be considered and all negligent Persons that have not improved the Light of Nature or have not obeyed the Gospel will be left without excuse What doth it avail Prisoners to set up a Mock-Sessions among themselves to acquit one and condemn another He is in a good condition that shall be excused in the last Judgment and in a bad condition that shall be condemned then I now proceed to the second Point Secondly That those who are called to follow Christ should follow him speedily without interposing any delays Consider 1. Ready Obedience is a good evidence of a sound Impression of Grace left upon our Hearts There is slighter Conviction which breedeth a sense of our Duty but doth not so strongly urge us to the performance of it And there is a more sound Conviction which is accompanied with a prevailing efficacy and then all Excuses and Delays are laid aside and Men kindly comply with God's Call Cant. 1. 4. Draw me I will run after thee Run It noteth an earnest and speedy motion the Fruit of the powerful attraction of the Spirit Mat. 4. 20. They straightway left their Nâ—ts and followed him The scoffing atheistical World thinketh it easiness and fond credulity but it arguâ—th a sound Impression The impulsions of the Holy Spirit work in an instant for they carry their own evidence with them Gal. 1. 11. Immediatly I consulted not with Flesh and Blood In Divinis non est deliberandum When our Call is clear there needeth no debate or demurring upon the Matter 2. The Work goeth on the more kindly when we speedily obey the sanctifying motions of the Spirit and the present influence and impulsion of his Grace You have not such an advantage of a warm conviction afterward When the Waters are stirred then we must put in for a cure Iohn 5. 4. To adjourn and put it off as Foelix did Acts 24. 15. doth damp and cool the Work you quench this holy Fire or to stand hucking with God as Pharaoh did the Work dieth on your hand 3. There is hazard in delaying and putting off such a business of concernment as Conversion to God Certainly this is a business of the greatest concernment and the greatest Work should be first thought of Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and most thought of Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord. Now if we delay it is left upon great hazards Life is uncertain for you know not what a day may bring forth Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy sâ—lf of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth If God had given leave as Princes sometimes in a Proclamation for all to come in within a certain day so if God had said Whosoever doth not repent till thirty of forty Years be out there were no great hazard till the time were expired we might entertain Sin a little while longer But we know not the day of our death therefore we should get God to bless us er'e we die A new Call is uncertain 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. It may be he will treat with us no more in such a warm and affectionate manner If he call yet not vouchsafe such assistances of his Grace if peradventure God will give them repentance unto Life 2 Tim. 2. 25. 'T is an hazard or uncertain if the Spirit of God will put another thought of turning into your hearts when former Grace is despised Isa. 55. 6. Call upon the Lord while he is near and seek him while he may be found 4. Consider the mischiefs of delaying every day we contract a greater indisposition of embracing God's Call We complain now 't is hard if it be hard to day it will be harder to morrow when God is more provoked and Sin more strengthned Ier. 13. 23. Yea it may be our natural Faculties are decayed the vigor of our Youth exhausted When the tackling is spoiled and the Ship rotten it is an ill time to put to Sea Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth And besides consider the suspicion that is upon a late Repentance The most prophane would have God for their portion at last 5. The Reasons for delay are inconsiderable Suppose it be our satisfaction in our present estate The Pleasures of Sin are sweet and we are loth to forgo them but those Pleasures must one day be renounced or you are for ever miserable Why not now Sin will be as sweet to the carnal Appetite hereafter as now it is and Salvation is dispensed upon the same terms you cannot be saved hereafter with less ado or bring down Christ and Heaven to a lower rate If this be a Reason now it will for ever lie as a Reason against Christ and against Conversion The Laws of Christianity are unalterable always the same and your Hearts not like to be better Or is it That you are willing now but you have no leasure when such encumbrances are over you shall get your Hearts into a better posture Oh no 't is hypocrisy to think you are willing when you delay Nothing now hindreth but a want of Will and when God treateth with thee about thine eternal Peace it is the best time but God always cometh to the Sinner unseasonably in his own account But consider it was the Devil that said Mat. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time The Vse is 1. To reprove that dallying with God in the Work of Conversion which is so common and so natural to us The Causes of it are 1. Unbelief or want of a due sense and sight of things to come If Men were perswaded of eternal Life and eternal Death they would not stand hovering between Heaven and Hell but presently engage their Hearts to draw nigh to God But we cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh
these things is blind and cannot see afar off 2. Another cause is Security They do not take these things into their serious thoughts Faith sheweth 't is sure and Consideration bringeth it near Amos 6. 3. Ye put far away the evil day Things at a distance do not move us We should pray and preach and practise as if Death were at our backs And remember that all our Security dependeth upon the slender Thread of a frail Life 3. Another cause is Aversness of Heart they have no mind to these things Rom. 8. 7. The carnal Mind is enmity against God The Heart is inclined to worldly Vanities set against God and Godliness Now let us consider the hainousness of this Sin 'T is ingratitude and unthankfulness for God's eternal Love Psal. 103. 17. The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him 'T is also disingenuity we would be heard presently Psal. 102. 2. Lord hear me speedily To day is the season of Mercy to morrow of Duty We are always in haste would have the Lord to tarry for our sinful leisure when we will not tarry his holy leisure 'T is also base Self-love we can be content to dishonour God longer provided at length we may be saved Lastly It is great injustice to keep God out of his Right he hath been long enough kept out of his Right already 1 Pet. 4. 3. The time past of our Life may suffice to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles Therefore let us no longer delay but speedily address our selves to entertain the Motions of the Holy Spirit Looking back ill becomes those that have set their face Heavenward WE are now come to the third Instance wherein we are instructed how to avoid Miscarriages in following Christ. The first Instance teaches us to beware of hasty and hypocritical Profession which is the Fruit of Resolution without Deliberation or sitting down and counting the Charges this was the fault of the Scribe The second Instance cautioneth us against dilatory Shifts and Excuses The most necessary Business must not be put off upon any pretence whatsoever The third Instance forbiddeth all thoughts of compounding or hopes to have Christ and the World too As this Man hoped first to secure his worldly Interest and then to follow Christ at leisure Whether this Man were called or uncalled it appeareth not 'T is only said in the Text Another also said the middle Person was only called by Christ the other two offered themselves The first was forward upon a mistaken Ground to share the Honours of the Kingdom of the Messiah which he supposed to be Temporal This last offereth himself but his Heart was not sufficiently loosned from the World From both we see That it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but God that sheweth Mercy Rom. 7. 16. For neither of those that offered themselves are accepted In the words you may observe 1. His Request 2. Christ's Answer 1. His Request This third offereth himself to be a Disciple of Christ but with an Exception That he might take his farewel at home and dispose of his Estate there and so secure his wordly Interests I will follow thee but let me bid those farewel which are at home in my House You will say what harm is in this Request Elijah granted it to â—lisha 1 Kings 19. 21. When he had laid his Mantle on him thereby investing him in the Office of a Prophet Elisha said Let me I pray thee go and kiss my Father and my Mother and then I will follow thee Which the Prophet grantâ—th and gave way to Elisha to go home and salute his Friends I Answer 1. The Evangelical Ministry exceedeth the Prophetical both as to Excellency and Necessity and must be gone about speedily without any delay The Harvest was great and such an extraordinary Work was not to be delayed nor interrupted 2. If two Men do the same thing it followeth not that they do it with the same mind Things may be the same as to the substance or matter of the Action yet Circumstances may be different Christ knew this Man's Heart and could interpret the meaning of his desire to go home first He might make it a pretence to depart clean away from Christ. We cannot distinguish between the look of Abraham and the look of Lot One is allowed the other forbidden Abraham is allowed to look towards Sodom Gen. 19. 28. And Abraham got up early in the morning and looked towards Sodom and behâ—ld the smoke of the Country went up as the smoke of a â—urnace Yet Lot and his Family are forbidden to look that way Gen. 19. 17. Look not â—ehind thee We cannot distinguish between the laughter of Abraham and the laughter of Sarah Gen. 17. 17. And Abraham â—ell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a Child be born to him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old â—ear Now compare Gen. 18. 12. 't is said And Sarah laughed within her self saying After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my Lord also being old Yet she is reproved For the Lord said Wherefore did Sarah lâ—ugh The one was Joy and Reverence the other Unbelief and Contempt We cannot distinguish between the Virgin Mary's Question Luk. 1. 34. How can this be and the Question of Zachary Iohn's Father Luke 1. 18. How shall I know this â—or I am an old Man Mary was not reproved but he was struck dumb for that Speâ—ch But though we cannot distinguish God that knoweth the secrets of all hearts can distinguish 3. Those that followed Christ on these extraordinary Calls were to leave all things they had without any farther care about them Matth. 10. 21. Sâ—ll all that tâ—ou hast and follow me and thou shaâ—t have Treasure in Heaven So Mat. 4. 19 20. He sâ—ith unto them Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men and they straitway left their Nets and followed him So Matth. 9. 9. As Iesus passed forth from thence he saw a Man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom and he saith unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him Therefore it was preposterous for this Man to desire to go home to order and dispose of his Estate and Family before he complied with his Call 4. In Resolution Estimation and Vow The same is required of all Christians when Christ's Work calleth for it Luke 14. 33. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple 2. Christ's Answer Which consists of a Similitude and its Interpretation joined together 1. The Metaphor or Similitude Taken from Ploughmen who cannot make streight Furrows if they look back So to look back after we have undertaken Christ's Yoke and Service rendreth us unfit for the Kingdom of God Putting our hands to the Plough is to undertake Christ's Work or to resolve to be his Disciples Looking
observe 1. That Faith looketh mainly to Heaven or the saving of the Soul as the prime Benefit offered to us by Jesus Christ. For all attend to this 1 Tim. 1. 16. For a Pattern to them who should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting This was that they chiefly aimed at and therefore called the End of our Faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. For this end were the Scriptures written John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name The Scriptures are writâ—en to direct us to know Christ aright who is the Kernel and Marrow of all the Scriptures who is the great Subject of the Gospel and that the chief Benefit we have by him is eternal Life by which all our Pains and losses for Christ are recompenced and from whence we fetch our Comfort all along during the course of our Pilgrimage and upon the hopes of which the Life of Grace is carried on and the Temptations of Sense are defeated so that this is the main Blessing which Faith aimeth at 2. That the sure grounds which Faith goeth upon is God's Promise through Jesus Christ and so it implieth 1. That there is a God who is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him for the Apostle pursuing this Discourse telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That a Man must believe God's Being and Bounty before he can do any thing to the purpose for him 2. That this God hath revealed himself in Jesus Christ as willing to accept poor Creatures who refuse not his New Covenant and remedying-Grace to Pardon and Life For the guilty Creature would stand at a distance and not receive his Offers with any comfort and Satisfaction had not God been in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. But now they may be invited to come to him with hope vers 20. And his gracious Promises standing upon such a bottom and foundation are the sooner believed 2 Cor. 1. 20. For the Promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen to the Glory of God by us that is the Promises of God propounded in Christ's Name are undoubtedly true they are not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen They do not say Yea to Day and Nay to Morrow but always Yea so it is and Amen so it shall be because they stand upon an immutable Foundation the everlasting Merit and Redemption of Christ. 3. It implieth That the Scriptures which contain these Offers and Promises are the Word of God For though God's Veracity be unquestionable how shall we know that we have his Word 't is laid at Pledg with us in the Scriptures which are the Declaration of the Mind of the Eternal God The Promises are a part of those Sacred Scriptures which were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and sealed with a multitude of Miracles and bare the very Image and Superscription of God as every thing which hath past his Hand hath his Signature upon it even to a Gnat or Pile of Grass and have been received and preserved by the Church as the certain Oracles of God and blessed by him throughout all Generations and Successions of Ages to the convincing converting sanctifying and comforting of many Souls And carry their own Light Evidence and Recommendation to the Consciences of all those who are not strangely perverted by their brutish Lusts and blinded by their worldly Affections For the Apostle saith By the manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every Man's Conscience For if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to those who are lost The God of this World having blinded their Eyes lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. Upon these grounds doth Faith proceed which I have mentioned the more distinctly that you might know how to excite Faith for besides praying for the Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination to open our Eyes we must use the means both as rational Creatures and new Creatures And what Means are more effectual than those mentioned 1. Is there not a God If there be not a God How did we come to be Thou wer 't not made by chance And when thou wer 't not thou couldst not make thy self Look upon thy Body so curiously framed Whose workmanship could this be but of a Wise God Upon thy Soul Whose Image and Superscription doth it bear Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's Nay look upward downward within thee without thee what dost thou see hear and feel but the Products and Effects of an eternal Power Wisdom and Goodness Thou canst not open thine Eyes but the Heavens are ready to say to thy Conscience Man there is a God an inâ—inite eternal Being who made us and all things else Now for the second Hath not this God revealed himself gracious in Christ Nature declareth there is a God and Scripture that there is a Christ. As there is one God the first Cause of all infinitely powerful wise and good therefore 't is but reasonable that he should be served and according to his own Will But we have faulted in our Duty to our Creator and therefore are in dread of his Justice Certainly reasonable Creatures have immortal Souls and so die not as the Beasts therefore there is no true Happiness in these things wherein Men ordinarily seek it Is it not then a blessed discovery that God hath brought Light and Immortality to light by Jesus Christ that he sent him into the World to be a Propitiation and to satisfy his Justice and to redeem us from our guilty Fears And shall we neglect this great Salvation brought to us by Jesus Christ or coldly seek after it Surely God is willing to be reconciled to Man or 〈◊〉 he would presently have plunged 〈◊〉 into our â—ternal Estate as he did the Angels upon their first sinning But he waiâ—eth and beareth with many 〈◊〉 he beseecheth us and prayeth 〈◊〉 to be reconciled And how shall we 〈◊〉 if we neglect so great Salvation whiâ—h wâ—s first spoken by the Lord and then confâ—â—mâ—d unto us by them that heard â—im God also bearing them witness both with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own Will Heb. 2. 3 4. Would Holy Men cheat the World with an Imposture or would God be accessory in lending his Power to do such marvellous things It cannot be And then for the third Is not this a part of the Word of God which Holy Men have written to consign it to the use of the Church in all Ages 1 Iohn 2. 45. This is the Promise which he hath promised us Eternal Life Is not this God's Promise And will not God be mindful and regardful of his Word He was wont to be tender of it Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name above
sum of the Salvation which we expect or our everlasting Happiness with God in Heaven 2. What is the Right of Believers or the Interest of Faith in this great Benefit I Anser 1. It doth not merit this Reward for it is not a Reward of due Debt by virtue of any intrinsick Righteousness in us or any thing that we can do and suffer but of mere Grace and Favour Ephes. 2. 8. For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God The Apostle is very tender of the Honour of Grace and the Interest of Grace in our Salvation From the first step to the last period all is of Grace and this Glory of his free Grace God must not be robbed of neither in whole nor in part We have all from his Elective Love we have all from the Merit and Righteousness of Christ and all from the almighty Operation of the sanctifying Spirit Faith it self is a Gift and Fruit of God's Grace in us To you 't is given to believe Phil. 1. 29. Therefore surely 't is God's free Grace Favour and Good-will which doth freely bestow that Salvation on the Elect which Christ by his Merit hath purchased and that very Faith by which we apply and make out our actual Claim and Title is wrought in us by the Spirit so that there is nothing in the Persons to whom all this is given to induce God to confer so great Benefit on us 2. Tho it be an undeserved Favour upon which our Works have no meritorious Influence yet Believers have an undoubted Right by the Grant and Promise of God wherein they may comfort themselves and which they may plead before God John 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Life Everlastingly And Iohn 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my words and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from Death to Life And in many places where the Believer is qualified as the Heir of Glory He that entertaineth Christ's Doctrine and receiveth and owneth him as the True Messiah and Saviour of the World and dependeth upon him and obeyeth him this Man hath a full right and new Covenant-Title to eternal Life 3. He hath not only a new Covenant-Right but a begun Possession We have some small Beginnings Earnests and Foretastes of it in this partly in the Graces partly in the Comforts of the Spirit 1. In the Graces of the Holy Spirit For Salvation is begun in our new Birth Titus 3. 5. And therefore Sanctifying Grace is called Immortal or incorruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. There is an eternal Principle put into them which carrieth them to eternal Ends. The Life is begun in all that shall be saved and it is still working towards its final Perfection The Apostle telleth us That he that hateth his Brother hath not eternal Life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3. 15. Whereby he implieth That he that loveth his Brother or hath any saving Grace he hath eternal Life begun in him 2. As to Comforts so they have some foretastes of that sweetness which is in Heaven by the Life and Exercise of Faith which is followed with Peace and Joy Rom. 15. 13. Or in their approaches to God in the Word and Prayer where Cod most familiarly manifests himself unto his People 1 Pet. 1. 3. or upon some apprehensions of his favour or the exercise of Hope and Love 2 Pet. 1. 8. By these or the like ways the Spirit of God giveth us the foretaste Surely such an Author such an Object must needs put ravishing and heavenly Joy into the Heart of a Believer 4. They are also made meet to partake of the heavenly Inheritance Col. 1. 12. There is Ius Haereditarium and Ius Aptitudinale The difference is as between an Heir grown and in his nonage when a Child in the Cradle As their Natures are more renewed and purified and their Souls weaned from the delights of sense they are changed into the Divine Nature 3. What is that saving-Faith which giveth us a title to it This deserveth to be cleared that we may not deceive our selves with a false claim Saving-Faith is such a believing in Christ for reconciliation with God and the everlasting Fruition of him in Glory as maketh us to forsake all things in this World and give up our selves to the conduct of the Word and Spirit for the obtaining of it 1. The general Nature of it I express by believing There is in it Assent Consent and Aâ—â—iance 1. Assent That leadeth on the rest when we believe the Truth of God's Word Acts 24. 14 15. especially those practical Truths which do most nearly concern our recovery to God as concerning Man's Sin and Misery that we have broken his Laws and are obnoxious to his Justice and have deserved punishment for our Sins Rom. 3. 23. And concerning Christ his Person and Office that he is the Son of God and that he came from God to bring home Sinners to God and what he hath done to reconcile us to him 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for our Sins the Iust for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit And also concerning your Duty and Happiness the End and the Way There is no other End and Happiness but God no other Way but the Mediator and the Means appointed by him Iohn 14. 6. Now these and such-like Truths must be believed that is in the sense we are now upon assented unto as faithful Sayings and worthy of all acceptation and regard 2. There is a Consent in Faith whether you apply it to the Word or Christ. If Christ be propounded as the Object of it 't is called a receiving Iohn 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God So the word Acts 2. 41. They gladly received his Word that is embraced the Gospel-Covenant being really affected with what he had spoken concerning their Sin and their Duty Without this the Assent is but Intellectual and Speculative not Practical An Opinion not an Act or Motion of the new Nature I am to receive the Christ offered to embrace the Covenant propounded To accept of the Blessings offered for my Happiness and to resolve upon the Duties required as my Work This is Consent or an hearty accepting of Christ or the Covenant of Grace offered to us in his Name 3. There is Affiance Trust Dependance or Confidence which is a quiet repose of Heart in the Mercy of God or Fidelity of Christ that he will give me Pardon and Life if I seek after it in the way that he hath appointed This cometh in upon the former for when I consent to seek my happiness in God through Christ I depend