Labour and Charge the more Resistance the more Glory God's Children are glad that they may not serve God with that which cost them nothing as David professeth 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord my God of that which did cost me nothing Certainly Men are not zealous and their Hearts are not set upon the Ways of God when every slight Excuse will serve the turn and every little Profit draws them away and every petty Business doth hinder them and break off Communion with God and every slender Temptation doth interrupt and break off all their Purposes and Resolutions to Duty and Obedience be it Prayer Charity or Acts of Righteousness We must be resolute for Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing 3. To be zealous of good Works imports Diligence and Earnestness to advance Piety to the highest pitch when we are not contented with any low degrees of Obedience but would fain carry out a godly Conversation to the uttermost to do it with all our Heart Is he zealous that is contented with a little Charity with a little Worship only Sloth and Idleness will not stand with Zeal Rom. 12.11 Not slothful in Business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Thus it will be when we are seething hot in Spirit as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies A large Affection cannot be contented with mean things and low degrees of Holiness nor lay a dead Child in the room of a living one This the Apostle calls being rich in good VVorks 1 Tim. 6.18 One or two Acts will not serve the turn Thus Dorcas is said to be full of good VVorks Acts 9.36 How full It is not an Allusion to the fulness of a Vessel that is full of Water or a Chest full of Clothes but to the fulness of a Tree loaden with Fruit James 3.17 Full of Mercy and good VVorks Those that are planted into this noble Vine Jesus Christ are full of good Works 4. To be zealous of good Works is to be constant to the End The Fire on the Altar never went out but it was always maintained and kept in so we must never let the Fire of Zeal go out Zeal is not like Fire in Straw Alas sudden Fervours are soon spent they are but Freewill-Pangs the Birth of an unrenewed Will but it is like Fire in Wood that casts a lasting Heat Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always Not at first only for a Fit or Pang that doth not come from Sanctification therefore you should keep up your Fervour Watch against all Decays especially in Age. The Motions of Youth are very vehement for Youth is full of eager Spirits and seems to be all on fire but many times these Motions are not so sincere but the Actions of Age are more solid tho many times they want Vigour and Heat Therefore strive to keep up your Zeal Gal. 5.7 Ye did run well who did hinder you Carnal Men when their first Heats are spent give over they grow cold careless and indifferent in Matters of Religion But shall all these Heats and Desires of Reformation be in vain and shall we give over at length In worldly things we will not give over when we have been at great cost but shall all that is past in Religion be in vain Gal. 3.4 Have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain His meaning is It is not like to be in vain it will but tend to your greater Condemnation An Adulteress is punished more than an Harlot It is more Dishonour and Ingratitude to God to tire at length III. The Respect and Place of Zeal in good Works it is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Death 1. It is a Note of God's People Vnumquodque operatur secundum suam formam There is in the New Creature a Propensity and Inclination to good Works As all Creatures are created with an inclination to their proper Operations such a willing tendency is there in the New Creature to those Actions which are Heavenly As Sparks fly upwards and a Stone moves downward so the New Creature is carried to Obedience and Holiness from a free Principle within The Nature of every thing is the Principle of its Motion Faith will discover it self therefore we read of God's fulfilling the VVork of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1.11 Hope is called lively from the Effect 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath begotten us to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead Love constraineth 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us Good Works are a Note of the New Creature We are the Workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good VVorks Ephes. 2.10 As an Artificer sets a Mark upon his Workmanship that he might know it so God sets a visible Mark upon his Servants he doth not make a new Creature for old Works Good Works are Christianae Fidei quasi testes Witnesses that you can bring to evidence the Truth and Power of Grace Luther saith Good VVorks are Faith incarnate that is Faith is manifested by them as the Son of God was manifested in the Flesh. They are Witnesses to the World to your selves and unto God that you are his They are Signs and Witnesses to the World This is the Badg by which God would have his peculiar Children known not by Pomp and worldly Splendor not by any outward Excellency Riches Greatness and Estate but by Zeal to good Works There are no barren Trees in Christ's Garden it is not for the Honour of God for our heavenly Father would be glorified in his Servants bringing forth much Fruit John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples God standeth much upon his Honour Now it is for the Honour of God that all which are planted and grafted into Christ should be full of good Works And they are Testimonies to our selves 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Some Copies add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make your Calling and Election sure by good VVorks certainly it may be collected from the Context he bids them ver 5. add to their Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledg c. and so they might come to make their Calling and Election sure Graces are not discerned by their Habits but by their Acts and Exercise Look as in a Tree the Sap and Life is hid but the Fruit and Apples do appear so Zeal of good Works is that which appears and so it manifests and clears up your Condition This is the great Note of Difference between us and the Prophane they are zealous for the Devil's Kingdom Factors for Hell Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father you will do They are known by their Works they are earnest for Satan zealous for the Devil follow Sin with earnestness and do Evil with both hands
Love and Grace have less Constraint It should not be so yet there is more recorded of the Piety Zeal and Devotion of the Saints of the Old Testament than we can imitate And have we a greater measure of Comfort to carry us out against Discouragement Have we a more full Joy to bear us up against all the Afflictions of this present Life now there is more Grace discovered Joh. 15.11 These things have I spoken to you that my Ioy might remain in you and that your Joy might be full Is there a greater measure of Charity in doing good to them that need it as more of the Bounty of God is discovered to us in these days of Grace Under the Law all things were set down in so many positive Precepts the exact Proportion what they should give and lay out the tenth part was the Lord's But under the Gospel it may be there was no such Precept tho that be a great Question whether the Tenth be not the Lord 's still but God knows Love will not be backward for it is trusted much in the days of the Gospel In short are we more acquainted with God's Covenant Can we subdue Corruptions more bear Afflictions better and have we a greater Ability and Willingness to good Works Which bringeth Salvation to all Men. That is to all that accept of Grace bond or free and that Salvation is taken for our compleat Happiness for eternal Life and Salvation is clear enough The Point then is Doct. 3. That the Grace of God revealed in the Gospel is the great means of Salvation or a Grace that tends to Salvation The Gospel is called the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God to Salvation that is a powerful Instrument which God useth Therefore it is called the Arm of the Lord Isa. 53.1 Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed It s Force is not in Letters and Syllables but it standeth in the Co-operation of the Spirit by which God owneth and honoureth it It is said to Cornelius when Peter came to preach the Gospel to him Acts 11.14 That he should tell him words whereby he and all his House should be saved There 's no other way to bring Men to God but this this will teach you how you and your little ones should be saved Now the Gospel or the Grace of God in the Gospel is a means of Salvation because it hath a moral Tendency that way and because it hath the Promise of the Spirit 's Work and Assistance 1. It hath a moral tendency that way for there is the History of Salvation what God hath done on his part there are the Counsels of Salvation what we must do on our part and there are excellent Enforcements to encourage us to embrace this Salvation 1. There is the History of Salvation what God hath done on his part there all things are ready there you here of the Love of God that he hath given his only Son and of the free Election of those whom he means to save in Christ. There you hear of the Person of the Mediator his Mission and sending into the World his Incarnation his Unction or anointing to his Office his Abasement his Obedience his Death his Burial his Satisfaction for Sin his Purchase of Life and then his Exaltation with all the Fruits and Effects of it to wit his Intercession at the Right-hand of God his Effusion and pouring out of the Spirit to be his Deputy here on Earth and there you read of his Collection and manner of gathering of a Church by the Institutions of the Word and Sacraments There we hear of the Humiliation of Christ by which Salvation was purchased and of his Exaltation whereby the Graces that accompany Salvation are distributed and dispensed and how Christ by his Spirit applies this Salvation 2. There is the Counsel of Salvation what Man must do on his part that he may partake of the Righteousness and Spirit of Christ according to the good pleasure of God which Christ purchased by virtue of his Humiliation and dispenseth and distributeth by virtue of his Exaltation I call all this the Counsel of God because thus it is called in Scripture Luke 7.30 The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves If you will be saved here is God's Counsel thus you must do It is dangerous for a sick Man to alter the Physician 's Method and Receipt to be tampering to be taking out and putting in so it is very dangerous to alter the Counsel of God which he hath set down how we may be brought to Salvation Do not as the young Man that came to Christ and said Matth. 19.16 Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life and yet when Christ puts him to the trial it 's said he went away sad So a natural Man his Heart is raised up to hearken after Salvation but he goes away sorrowful when he cannot win Heaven in his own way to enjoy Christ and the World Christ and carnal Liberty and Christ and his carnal Pleasures therefore you must not only look to the History of Salvation what God hath done but to the Counsel of Salvation what you must do And Peter sums it up and gives an Abridgment of the Gospel Acts 2.37 38. Men and Brethren what shall we do And Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the Remission of your Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Repentance that implies true and lively Grief because of Sin and Misery by which a Man feeleth the Wrath of God grieveth because he hath offended God acknowledgeth that he hath deserved Condemnation hungreth and thirsteth after Christ and then waiteth till his Heart be settled in the Comfort of the Gospel and he possessed of the Righteousness of Christ. Nay Repentance implies more you must lay down the Weapons of Defiance and study Thankfulness to God and walk in new Obedience and love God and love your Neighbour and bear the Cross quietly waiting for eternal Life This is the Counsel of God to you if you would be saved And then he saith Be baptized by which Peter understands a religious use of the Seals and all the Means of Salvation in which God is wont to meet us and give us the Supplies of his Grace by his Spirit 3. There are excellent Enforcements to encourage us to imbrace this Salvation God is very impatient of being denied now he speaks in the Gospel and useth all kind of Methods As a Man who cannot undo a Door and having a bunch of Keys in his Hand tries one after another till the Lock doth fly open So the Lord tries all kind of Methods beseecheth threatneth promiseth that the Heart of the Sinner might fly open He beseecheth God falls a
from the Acts of Sin when their Hearts boil with Lusts and carnal Desires and Thoughts of Envy and proud Imaginations therefore we must deaden the very Root prevent the breaking out of the Lust Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts. We are to mortify the inward Affections that if it be possible we may not so much as have a Temptation or Lust stirring As Luther said He had not a Temptation to Covetousness Prevention is the Life of Policy and better than Deliverance He deserves great Praise that freeth a City from the Enemies when they have beleaguered it but he deserveth greater that so fortifieth a Place that the Enemies dare not assault it It is somewhat to keep off Lusts but it is more to keep them down so to deaden the Affections and exercise our selves unto Godliness that it cannot have room to work She is chaste that doth check an unclean Sollicitation but she is more worthy of Praise whose grave Carriage hindreth all Assaults so should we be constantly mortified and exercise our selves to Godliness and deaden the Root of Sin that the Devil may despair of entrance and be discouraged from making his Approaches It is a step to Victory to hope to prevail Possunt quia posse videntur Resistance is good but yet utter Abstinence is a Duty and falls under a Gospel-Precept as much as we can we should prevent the rising of any carnal Thought or disobedient Desire 2. The next degree is timely to suppress them to conquer Lusts when we cannot curb and wholly keep them under We must keep a watchful Eye and a hard Hand over our Lusts dash Babylon's Brats against the Wall take the little Foxes smother Sin in the Conception and disturb the Birth as the Apostle speaks of the conceiving of Sin Iam. 1.15 When Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin Look as it is a great Sin to quench the Spirit 's Motions so it is also to be negligent in watching over your Hearts not to take notice of the first thoughts and risings of Sin The little Sticks kindle first and set the great ones a fire so Lusts kindle first and then they break out into a Flame and make way for greater Sins to come in upon the Soul When a Country was infested with hurtful Birds and they consulted the Oracle how to destroy them it was answered Nià os eorum ubique destruendos their Nests were to be destroyed We must crush the Cockatrices Eggs and not dwell upon Sin in our Thoughts If there arise a wanton Thought a lustful Glance a distrustful or revengeful Injection it should be cast out with Loathing and Detestation Every Lust should have a Check from the contrary Principle Gal. 5.17 The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh. We have often Experience that the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit we should have Experience also of the Spirit 's lusting against the Flesh deny it Harbour We cannot hinder the Bird from flying over our Heads but we must not suffer it to rest and nestle So many times Corruption will get the start tho we mortify it never so much but we must not suffer it to root in the Heart to encrease and grow there If Carnal Thoughts and Desires arise in the Heart they must not rest there let it be only a Motion let it not gain Consent David chides away his distrustful Thoughts Psal. 11.1 In the Lord put I my Trust how say ye to my Soul flee as a Bird to your Mountain It is a Rebuke to his own Thoughts and Fears no other Speaker is introduced With such Indignation should we rise up against every carnal Suggestion Avaunt evil Thoughts distrustful Fears fleshly Counsels Remember these very intervening Thoughts are Sins before God tho no Effect should follow therefore do not give them Harbour and Entertainment For a Man to have thoughts to betray his Country or to have Communication with the Enemy is a Crime punishable with Death though it come not to Execution It is done in God's sight if it be resolved on as God accounted Abraham to have offered up Isaac because he intended it Heb. 11.17 By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac 3. Let not Worldly Lusts be put in Execution if thou hast neglected Mortification and deadning thy Affections if Sin hath got the start of thee and gained the Consent of thy Soul yet at least restrain the Practice If the Conception be not disturbed the Birth will follow Iames 1.15 Then when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin There are the Works of the Flesh that follow the Lusts of the Flesh Gal. 5.19 Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest c. Therefore it is good to put a stop at least not to suffer Lusts to break out Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live We should mortify the Lusts of the Soul but if that cannot be then prevent the Deeds of the Body Tho Lust grieves the Spirit or God yet the Work besides the Grief brings Dishonour to God gives an ill Example brings Scandal to Religion makes way for an habit and proneness to Sin therefore to act it is the worst of all See what the Prophet saith Mich. 2.1 Wo to them that devise Iniquity and work evil upon their Beds when the Morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their Hand Mark it is naught to harbour the Motion to plot to devise Evil to muse upon Sin but it is worse to practise because every Act strengthneth the Inclination as a Brand that hath been once in the Fire is more ready to burn again and we know not how far Lust may carry us when we give it scope and leave to work Therefore it is good to interpose by a strong Resolution and to cry out for Strength and to continue fighting that we may not be utterly foiled III. To shew the Difficulty of this Denial of deadning suppressing and hindring the Execution of worldly Lusts. There are many things which will sollicite for Lusts and plead hard so that we have need of a great deal of Grace to give them the Denial there 's Nature Custom Example and Satan 1. Nature that is strongly inclined to close with worldly Lusts a carnal and worldly Disposition is very natural to us as for a Stone to move downward or Fire to move upward Now the Course of Nature is not easily broken and diverted if it be hindred a while it will return again That these worldly Lusts are rooted in our Nature is clear from many Scriptures Ever since Adam turned from the Creator to the Creature he hath left this Disposition in all his Children that come of his Loins that their Hearts hang off from God toward the Creature The Nature we have from Adam is a carnal Nature which savours and affects things that are here below And therefore
subdue our own Lusts but because we are negligent of that Work God is forced to lay on heavy Crosses Secondly Let me now deal with these Lusts in particular Pride Sensuality and Covetousness these are immediate Issues of corrupt Nature the Apostle calls them Lusts of the Flesh Lusts of the Eye and Pride of Life 1 st Sensuality or the Lust of the Flesh. Let me begin there because we live first by Sense before we live by Reason These Lusts are deeply rooted in the Heart of Man Other Sins defile a part Covetousness and Pride defile the Soul but sensual Lusts defile Soul and Body too they leave Guilt upon the Soul and Dishonour upon the Body By Gluttony and Drunkenness the Body which is God's Temple is only made a Strainer for Meats and Drinks to pass through and by Adultery it is made the Sink and Channel of Lust. In short that you may know what these Lusts of the Flesh are Sensuality is an inordinate desire of soft and delicate Living an intemperate use of Pleasures of what kind or sort soever an undue liberty of Diet Sports and other Appurtenances of Life There is allowed a due care of the Body to keep it serviceable and there is allowed a Delight in the Creature for he that created Water for our Necessity created Wine for our Comfort The Body must not be used too hardly that it may be serviceable to the Purposes of Grace But then what is this inordinate Desire this intemperate Use this undue Liberty How shall we trace and find out the Sin Different Natures and Tempers make Rules uncertain but the two general Bounds which God hath set to our Liberty in this kind are the Health of our Body and the Welfare of the Soul But when bodily Health is overturned and the Soul clogged and perverted then your Lusts have carried you too far 1. When bodily Health is overturned Too much care for the Body destroys it As the Romans were wont to have their Funerals at the Gates of Venus's Temple to shew that Lusts shorten Life When Health is destroyed or the Vigour of Nature is abated as too much Oil puts out the Lamp then you sin Hos. 4.11 it is said Whoredom and Wine and new Wine take away the Heart The Heart that is the generousness and sprightliness of Man When gallant and active Spirits are effeminated and brave Hopes are drowned and quenched in excess of Pleasures and we lose our masculine Agility and Vivacity all is melted away then we sin against the Bounds and Limits God hath set us Thus there is a Restraint that ariseth from the Body 2. When the Soul is clogged or unfitted for Duty or disposed for Sin 1. Then we are unfitted for Duty when there 's less aptitude for God's Service The Matter of carnal Pleasure is burdensome and gross it oppresseth the Soul that it cannot lift up it self to God and Divine Things because it is bowed down and humbled to Pleasures and the Heart is overcharged Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Men drive on heavily and Duty grows burthensome and irksome by turning out our Affections to present Contentments and Delights we cannot pray with that readiness The strength of our Delight should be reserved for Communion with God and for those chaste Pleasures that flow in his House and are to be had in his presence 2. When there is more aptitude for Sin Tit. 3.3 We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Lusts and Pleasures are fitly coupled and put together The Soul waxeth wanton when natural Desires are too far indulged If we do not watch over our Senses but the Heart grows wanton and libidinous and restraints of Grace grow weaker and carnal Motions are more urgent then Pleasure becomes a Snare Grace is disturbed and Nature is distempered and the Heart is more free for Sin Deny these Lusts of the Flesh do not indulge them suffer them not to grow wanton By way of Argument consider 1. Sensual Men have little of God's Spirit Iude v. 19. Sensual having not the Spirit The Spirit is a free Spirit and they are Slaves to their Lusts the Spirit is a pure Spirit and their Desires are unclean and gross the Spirit is active and they are heavy and muddy and of a Nature dull and slow Sensual Men quench the vigour of Nature much more the Efficacy and radiancy of the Graces of the Spirit The Spirit works intellectual Delights and they are all for Sensual They love Pleasures more than God 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God those dreggy Delights whereas the Comforts and Consolations of the Spirit are Masculine and they are got by Exercise Look as the manly Heat gotten by Exercise is better than that which is gotten by hovering over the Fire So the Comforts of the Spirit gained by much Communion with God by being instant and earnest in Prayer is better than that Delight which is gotten by hovering over the Creature Well then which will you chuse will you live at large and ease and wallow in earthly Delights and Contentments or would you be stirred up by the active Motion of the Spirit of God Would you dissolve your precious Hours and Spirits in Ease and Pleasure or else be employed in the solemn and grave Exercises of Religion Frogs delight in Fens and the worst Natures are most sensual they are not fit for any worthy Action or any great Exploit 2. It is the first thing you must do if you mean to do any thing in Religion to renounce Pleasure and therefore it is put in the first place the Lusts of the Flesh. It is below Reason to live in Pleasure therefore much more below Grace Alas you will do nothing if this be not done but will lie open to every Temptation If a carnal Motion arise that bids you neglect Duty or practise Sin you lie open to it therefore it is said Prov. 25.28 He that hath no rule over his own Spirit is like a City that is broken down and without Walls He that bridles not his Appetite is like a City whose Wall is broken down When a Town is dismantled it lies open for ever Comer so where the Appetite is unruly there is no room for the Spirit but for every Temptation Ezek. 47.11 But the miry Places thereof and the Marishes thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to Salt The Waters of the Sanctuary could not heal the miry Places which is an Emblem of a sensual Heart Pleasure brings a Brawn and Deadness upon the Conscience a Cloud upon the Understanding and a Damp upon the Affections Daniel that had the high Visions of God lived by Pulse he was a Man temperate Those that mortify Pleasure are of the clearest Understanding And Iohn the Baptist which had most eminent Revelations of the Mysteries of the
The Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night Here is our Day because God affords Time to us as a Space and Season of Repentance and Reformation but the Day of Judgment that is the Lord's Day the Day of Recompence Rewards and Punishments Vse 1. To reprove them that delay the Work of Repentance and their Change of State There is nothing more usual than Delays and Put-offs Some are full of Imployment and after their Business is a little over then they will think of saving their Souls Luke 9.59 Suffer me first to go and bury my Father still there is something in the way Others when they have arrived to such a Degree of Wealth and made such Provision for their Families then they will look after their Souls Others when their youthful Heats are spent then they dream of a devout Retirement and a religious Age there is nothing more usual The Lord knows these are our inward Thoughts still there is something in the way when we should act holily righteously and godly This is Satan's last shift to elude the Importunity of a present Conviction by a future Promise As a bad Debtor promises Paiment for the future to be rid of the importunate Creditor though he means no such matter so we make Promises for the future Felix when his Conscience boiled dreams of a more convenient Season Acts 24.25 Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient Season I will send for thee And Matth. 22. when they were invited to the Wedding the Answer is not scornful but civil it is not non placet but non vacat they do not deny but make Excuse they had present Business and were not at leisure to comply with God's Will Always God comes Unseasonably in the Sinner's Esteem Reckoning and Account and Satan's usual Clamour is when we begin to be serious and mind our Salvation Art thou come to torment us before our time Matth. 8.29 The Devil would fain have a little longer Possession and therefore something is pleaded by way of Bar and Hesitancy You find it in particular Cases when you go to perform any thing that is good to pray to meditate to renew your Communion with God something is in the way if such a Business were over then I were at leisure Thus we dream of another time a more convenient Season and we linger and draw back as Lot in Sodom O consider the Work must be once done or you are for ever miserable and you will never have a better Season than now when you are under Conviction and the warm Impulses of the Spirit of God David takes hold of the present Season when his Heart was ingaged and he had a religious bent towards God Psal. 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments So when there is such a strong bent in your Souls strike while the Iron is hot you may have more Hindrances but never more Helps Again we owe more than we are worth already and why should we run more in Debt The longer you continue in Sin the higher will your Accounts rise A Tenant that cannot pay the Rent of one Year if he let it run on how will he be able to discharge the Rent of two Years So if it be so troublesome now do you think it will be more easy hereafter when the Heart is hardned by a constant Resistance If there were a sound Conviction you would not delay A sensible Sinner is always in haste Heb. 6.18 He flies for Refuge to lay hold upon the Hope set before him It is an Allusion to the Man pursued by the Avenger of Blood he that hath Wrath at his Heels he runs as for Life to Jesus Christ. It is but a slender and insufficient Touch upon the Conscience He that knows the Danger can never make haste enough to come to Christ as the pursued Man could never make too much haste to get into the City of Refuge that is before him Nay it argues little Love to God and a great deal of Disingenuity of Spirit to continue in Rebellion against God and think to come in at last when you can stand out no longer This is meerly Self-love when you care not how much God is dishonoured and his Spirit grieved provided at length we be saved The Lord did not so deal with us his whole Duration and Existence is for our sakes from Eternity to Eternity he is God and from Eternity to Eternity his Loving-kindness is great to them that fear him Psal. 103.17 The Mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him If God thinks of us from one Eternity to another before the World and after the World can we be content to thrust him into a narrow Corner of our Lives Can you satisfy your Hearts when you have nothing to give God but the Rottenness Weakness and Aches of old Age and Sickness Consider once more Sin leaves thee in Sickness thou dost not leave Sin it is not a Work of Choice but of Necessity as a Merchant throws his Goods over-board in a Storm tho he loves them well enough At least it is a very suspicious Act a natural Aversation from our own Misery and a desire of our own Happiness it is a yielding upon force when a Man never yields to God but when God hath him under and he can sin no longer And what assurance have we that we shall have a Heart to mind Salvation at all and turn to God hereafter When all our Distractions are out of the way is Grace at our beck There is an offer of it to day Heb. 3.15 While it is said To day if ye will hear his Voice harden not your Hearts Nay there 's a shrewd Presumption to the contrary that Obduracy Hardness of Heart and Despair will grow upon us Long use makes the Heart more obdurate and long Resistance grieves the Spirit of God and makes him more offended with us By putting off the Change of your Lives you put your Souls into Satan's hands by Consent for a while He that delays his Conversion doth as it were pawn his Soul into the Devil's Hands and saith if he do not fetch it again at such a day it is his for ever Again it is a great Honour to seek the Lord betimes Mnason was an old Disciple Seniority in Grace is a very great Honour The Apostle saith Rom. 16.7 Salute Andronicus and Junia who were in Christ before me And the Lord saith Ier. 2.2 I remember thee the kindness of thy Youth and the love of thine Espousals God prizeth these pure Virgin-Affections when before our Hearts be prostituted to the World we apply our selves to seek his Face You lose the Advantage of much early Communion with God whenever you are called to Grace and if ever you taste of the Sweetness of Grace it will be your Grief that you were acquainted with it no sooner and all the time that remains
Christ Iesus Mark there is a Redemption in Christ a Price paid but no humane Satisfaction made Free-Grace found out the Remedy not excited by any Works of ours 2. For Deliverance by way of Exchange that seems to have some Place here for Christ was substituted into our Room and Place so far as would stand with the Dignity of his Person and he was made a Captive that we might go free from the Wrath of God though he was never in Bondage to Sin so it is said 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made Sin for us that is a Sin-Offering and he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us He was substituted into our Room and Place saith Austin Suscepit sinâ— malis meritis poenam ut nos sine bonis consequeremur gratiam He did not deserve the Punishment as we do not deserve the Glory only he took our Chains and our Bonds upon himself In Ecclesiastical Story mention is made of one Pambo a Monk a charitable Man after he had given all his Goods for the Redemption of Captives and had nothing left but his Bible Nay says he I will give this away also that hath taught me to give other things and when that was gone Socrates reports of him that he gave himself he went in their stead to stay as a Pledg for them This I have brought as a Shadow and some kind of weak Adumbration of Christ's Love to Men he himself would become the Ransom and be put in our Place and Room that we might go free 3. Another way of Deliverance is by Force and powerful Rescue and thus Christ hath redeemed us as we were under Satan's Power and held under Sin As Abraham rescued Lot when he was taken captive Gen. 14. So did Christ make a Rescue of us when we were led captive by our own Lusts or rather for this was the Type of it as God by a mighty Hand recovered Israel out of Egypt Egypt signified the Kingdom and Power of Darkness so we are said to be snatched and recovered out of the Kingdom of Darkness Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness By a powerful Rescue hath God snatched and taken us out of our spiritual Egypt out of our natural Bondage The Blood of the Passover was sprinkled on the Door-Posts as the Blood of Christ on our Hearts which is a Mark of Preservation On the Devil's Part our Captivity was a mere Tyranny and Oppression for when God was once satisfied Satan had no more Power by Right over us and therefore Christ redeems us from the Devil by Force and Violence he needs not make Satisfaction to him Therefore it is notable that in the Sufferings of Christ there was not only the Lord 's own Hand and Counsel but also the Powers of Darkness had a hand in them therefore it is said Luke 22.53 This is your Hour and the Power of Darkness Though the Devil did not immediately afflict Christ as some Divines hold though I dare not positively assert it yet by his Instruments the Jews he crucified him and therefore justly for this Injury done to Christ was his Power made void When Christ did something to God he was doing something to the Devil he triumphed over Principalities and Powers by his Cross Col. 2.15 Having spoiled Principalities and Powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it Thus the Elect the Prisoners of Hope are called out and set free 4. Another way is by paying a Price and Ransom 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a Ransom for us Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood His Blood was the Price paid to God Tho Satan held us Captive yet the Satisfaction must be made to God because Man had not sinned against the Devil but against God and therefore to him it belonged either to condemn or absolve us and let us go free therefore Christ gives Satisfaction to God and by that means he dissolves the Power of Satan for God being satisfied Satan hath no Power over us Thus you see we are several ways redeemed freely as to our selves by way of Price and Satisfaction as to God Christ being substituted in our room and place but by way of Power and Force as to Satan Thus I have discovered our Redemption by Christ with Allusion to the Figures of the Law and Custom of Nations II. I shall more particularly shew you how we are redeemed from Iniquity We were under a double Bondage of Sin the Guilt of Sin and the Power of Sin both which made our Condition slavish The latter is chiefly understood yet I shall speak a little of both we are redeemed from the Guilt of Sin by Christ's Satisfaction from the Power of Sin by his Spirit First From the Guilt of Sin Redemption is made mainly to consist in Remission of Sins Col. 1.14 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sin So Eph. 1.7 The Apostle in both places explaineth wherein it mainly consists Now concerning this part I note 1. That it is the Ground and Pledg of all the rest Sin being pardoned the Power of the Devil is abolished the Wrath of God removed the Guilt of eternal Death is taken away Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his Right-hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sin So Luke 24.47 And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name Repentance is the beginning of all new Obedience and Remission of Sins is the Seed of eternal Life all Duties are included in Repentance and all Blessings in Pardon The Gospel is nothing else but a Doctrine of Repentance and Remission so that the Devil cannot hold us as his Captives nor Sin rule in us as in Slaves This is the Ground and Pledg of the rest 2. Sin being pardoned we are freed from the Penalties of Sin viz. the Evils after Sin Sin hath a long train of Judgments all which are done away when Sin is pardoned It will not stand with the Honour of his Mercy to forgive the Debt and yet to require Payment it is a mocking to say I forgive the whole Debt and yet to expect part of Payment Certainly God forgiveth us our Debts as we are bound to forgive others so we are bid to pray Mat. 6.12 Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors Now we are bound to forgive them wholly and not in part It would not stand with God's Justice to exact the Debt twice of Us and of our Surety Isa. 53.4 Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows Obj. But we are still subject to Corruption and Misery the Miseries of the present Life and Death hereafter Answ. 1. As to Miseries The Afflictions of God's People seem to be Punishments but are not and differ as much as a Punishment and a Medicine God acts
earnestly Micah 7.3 It is the difference between us and civil Men but unregenerate they are like Cypress Trees fair and tall but fruitless of a comely Life but none of these good Works are to be found in them It is the difference between us and Hypocrites A Hypocrite like a Carbuncle seems to be all on a fire but when you touch it it is quite cold so they pretend to Religion talk much but have no true regular Zeal no spiritual Warmth It is notable our Lord himself proves his Divine Original by his Works Iohn 10.38 Tho ye believe not me believe the VVorks that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him So is this the sensible Evidence you are in Christ and Christ in you Graces are not always evident in feeling but in Fruit the Effects cannot be hid Then they are Signs and Evidences to God himself the Lord will look upon them as Marks and Evidences of his People Look as the destroying Angel was to be guided by a Sign Exod. 12.12 13. by the sprinkling of the Door-posts not that he needed it but because God would have it to be so So the Lord sutes his Dispensations and guides them by a Sign It is true God in his Gifts is arbitrary but in his Judgments he proceeds by Rule according to our Works At the last Day God will judg you not by your Profession but by your Practice what you have done he will not say You have prophesied in my Name you have eaten and drunk in my Presence but you have fed me clothed me visited me That the Faith of the Elect might be found to Praise and Honour he will have Works produced Not that God wants Evidences of our Sincerity but he will have all the World know we have not been unfruitful A Man that expecteth to be posed is preparing to answer and would give somethink to know the Questions aforehand Christ hath told us what are the Questions upon which we shall be examined and taxed at the Day of Judgment he will say Have you fed and clothed my People have you ministred to their Necessities have you relieved them with spiritual Counsel and Admonition have you been good holy and just Therefore let us provide to give an Answer that we might not be ashamed at the last Day Thus this Zeal for good Works hath the place and room of a Witness to God as the Rule and Measure of his Process to our selves as the ground of our Assurance and to the World as the great vindication of the Honour of our Profession 2. It is a Fruit of Christ's Death partly by way of Obligation for certainly God hath not been at all this cost and labour for nothing he did not project the sending of Christ and Jesus Christ did not so give up himself in the Work of Redemption for nothing but to inflame us to a great height of Piety They that live at a low rate of Holiness cross and disgrace the whole Design of the Gospel they are not apprehensive of the Love of God in giving Christ nor the Love of Christ in giving himself Our Redemption was carried on in such a way not only that the Comfort but also the Duty of the Creature might be raised to the highest Partly again as Christ hath purchased the Gift of the Spirit to fit us for good Works yea to make us zealous in them Titus 3.5 6. According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Now the Spirit dwelleth in our Hearts to set our Graces a working Iohn 4.14 The Water that I shall give him shall be in him a Well of VVater springing up into everlasting Life So Iohn 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture saith out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living VVater This spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him shall receive The Spirit is not a Fountain sealed up but flowing forth The Spirit of God is a mighty Spirit and comes in upon the Soul not only as a gentle Blast but as a mighty rushing Wind he comes not only in the appearance of a Dove but of cloven Tongues of Fire Acts 2. He comes as a Spirit of Power to quicken and awaken the Soul to great heights and fervours in Obedience Look as Men acted by Satan the unclean Spirit are restless in Evil and carried headlong as the Herd of Swine into the Sea so those that are acted by the Spirit of God are much more carried on with great Earnestness in the Ways of God The Devil hath not such Advantages to work upon his Instruments as the Spirit of God hath upon us The Devil works and operates in all the Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2.3 The Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience But the Devil cannot work but by Man's Consent neither can he work immediately upon the Soul but only by the Senses and by the Fancy but the Spirit of God can work immediately upon them in whom he acts Therefore being acted by him they must needs be zealous and earnest for the Spirit of God nescit tarda molimina knows no slow Motions The Soul in it self is dead and slothful and apt to yield to Laziness and Delays but when we are acted and quickened by the mighty Spirit then draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 When the Spirit puts forth its Force upon the Soul such as are drawn by the Holy Ghost they are not in jest as carnal Men are but in earnest they do not dally with Religion but make it their great business to surprize Heaven and carry on constant Communion with God Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by force Vse 1. Information 1. That Grace is no Enemy to good Works Libertinism is ancient and natural Christ died to improve Piety not to lessen it but to raise it to the highest to make us zealous of good Works that we might be carried on to Heaven with full Sails Therefore he that grows looser less watchful against Sin less diligent in the exercise of Holiness less frequent in Communion with God less humble and penitent after committing of Sin offers the greatest Abuse to Grace that may be and perverts its natural Use. There is no freezing by the Fire we may freeze indeed by painted Fire that may make us contract Chilliness and Drowsiness but true Grace is a Fire that warms and inflames our Affections Christ came to make us more chearful and lively but not slack careless and cold 2. It informs us what little Reason the World hath to cry out upon Zealots for Christ died to make us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zealous of good VVorks Men that are only contented with a brain Religion speculative Notions they cannot endure Heats and Fervors they would have
as the only Saviour to bring us to God VSE This may humble us that we go not so far and to caution us that we do not rest here First To humble us Alas most men go not so far as this young rich man that comes thus seriously to Christ about a Question of Eternal Life It is a saying of Athanasius Vtinam omnes essent Hypocritae Would to God all men would go so far as Hypocrites He means it not as to Dissimulation but partial Obedience It were a blessed thing for the World if all men went so far as this Young man so as 1. To have their Thoughts taken up about Eternal Life The most part of the World never consider whence they are nor whither they goe nor what shall become of them to all Eternity We busie our Thoughts about our Temporal Interests and are carking how we may live in the World and maintain our selves but never take care how we shall live for ever If you go from house to house you will find this Question very rare What shall I do to obtain Eternal Life Go up and down among People every where and you meet with no such Language as this go to Young and Old Poor and Rich Great and Small We have many thoughts in us how to dispose of our present Affairs but few think of the World to come Should a mans thoughts be taken up about furnishing his Inn where he tarries but a Night and neglect his Home Thus we busie our selves about the Affairs of this Life when to morrow we must be gone and mind not the World to come where we must abide for Ever not once a Year doth such a thought run in our Minds we never ask or speak about it nor will we suffer any to do so so far are we from being diligent and Earnest to get it resolved This is the least part of our care 2. To be sensible it is no slight matter to have an Interest in the World to come Most men think they shall do well enough for Heaven a small matter will serve the turn for that and there needs not such great solicitude about it This was a moral man no debauched Person yet he is troubled and makes enquiry after Eternal Life Many think a slight saying God have Mercy upon me or a little overly trust upon the Mercy of God will serve the turn 3. To have such a sense as to choose fit Means He had heard the Pharisees long but was not satisfied their Doctrine was cold without any spirit and life and their Zeal was all for Externals and Bodily Exercise that was of little Profit Eternal Life was a thing sparingly spoken of by them but more plentifully by Christ therefore he goes not to the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests who arrogated to themselves the Knowledge of Mysteries Many heap up Teachers to please their own Lusts. 4. To be so concerned as to be Earnest in the Means This man ran after Christ when he missed him in the house and they will not come to the Congregations of the Faithful where this great Question is discussed What they shall do to inherit Eternal Life Eccl. 5.1 Be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of Fools And Iames 1.19 Be swift to hear but we are cold slack and negligent Many are even ready to thrust the Means from them and say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the Knowledge of thy ways Job 21.14 Those Means that should do them good are tedious and irksome therefore this should humble us that we go not so far as this Pharisee Secondly To Caution us do not rest in a Common work 1. In a desire of Heaven as your only Happiness Alas this is a Common thing both to Regenerate and Unregenerate Ioâ— 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this Bread Is any Man such an Enemy to himself as not to wish it Numb 23.10 Let me dye the death of the Righteous and let my latter end he like his A Natural Man may discern that true Happiness lyes not in outward things but in Eternal Life as this Man did and accordingly may have a desire as he had 2. Do not rest barely in a Desire that moveth us to the use of some means unless it bring us to a perfect Resignation to God This Man had a good mind to Heaven he cheapens it but is not willing to go thorow with the price Many have good Desires and Intentions but will not sell all for the Pearl of price Matth. 13.44 They will not come up to Christs terms namely to lay every Affection and Lust at Christs feet and wholly resign themselves to be guided by him in his own way to Happiness and so they may go to Hell notwithstanding all their Desires 3. If we would not rest in a Common work then two things we must take care of which are opposite to the double defect of this Young Man Brokenness of Heart and unbounded Resignation of our selves to the Will of God bring your selves to that and the thing is done 1. Brokenness of Heart this Young Man hath a great Opinion and Conceit of his own Righteousness Being full of his own Righteousness he came to be approved by Christ rather than be directed Here lay his great Fault he enquires the way to Heaven but yet believes himself to be in the way already yea far gone in that way holy in his own estimation therefore you must cherish an humble sense of your own nothingness for Christ bid him do that 2. Resignation of your selves to God's Will Have a care of the Love of Riches or any Carnal Affection If you be wedded to any Temporal thing it will be your bane and destroy all Religion and make you go away sorrowful after many fair offers and many good meanings It is difficult for the Rich but even the Poor have their difficulties too He that starves as well as he that surfeits hath his difficulties in the way to Heaven Every Man hath a tender part of Soul some carnal Affection that he doth allow reserve and is loth should be touched therefore till there be an unbounded resignation and we fully throw our selves at Christs feet it is impossible ever we should come to the Kingdom of Heaven The Soul is never right with God whilst we stand hagling and dodging with God no give up your selves to him without Reservation to be guided and ordered by him at his Will and Pleasure as Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do They that are sincere do not dispense with themselves in any thing and say Thus far they will go and the Lord be merciful to me in this But they absolutely follow Christ see Luke 9.59 to the end Herod did many things this Young Man had a forwardness and urgent desire Thus it is with many Heaven must fall into our Lap or we will have none of it if it put us to pains or cost it is
gave Christ honourable Titles Hail King of the Iews but buffeted him and spit upon him and so here Why callest thou me good 2. He takes occasion to draw him from his Error of conceiving him as a meer Man the Attribute of Good belongeth truly and properly to none but God Now saith Christ Is that thy meaning to acknowledge me for such Our Lord was now about to try his Obedience by a special Precept and therefore it was first necessary that he should be apprehended and acknowledged as God and Law-giver to the Souls of Men. Meer moral Goodness could not qualifie him for that Christ will be known to be God by those that come to him or else they cannot worship him aright 3. Our Lord would teach us by his own Example to cast all the Honour we receive upon God We may own Goodness in Creatures but not to the wrong of God at least all must be acknowledged to be transferred by him and we may be faithful to the Supream Giver This is a Common Sin that when God doth any good by the Creatures the minds of Men stick in the Creatures and never look up to God and from thence came Idolatry first into the World Therefore to cure this Evil when we receive any Praise and Commendation we should referr it to the Father of Lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift James 1.17 The Apostles that did not set up a Trade for themselves but went abroad as Factors for Christ were very jealous of usurping Divine Honour When Peter had made a Lame Man walk Acts 3.12 Why look ye so earnestly on us as thô by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk He was loth that the Glory of God should be hidden So Acts 14.14 15. When the men of Lystra would have worshipped them they rent their Cloaths and ran in among the People crying out and saying Sirs why do you these things we also are men of like Passions with you On the contrary it cost Herod dear for owning the applauses of the People Acts 12.22 23. The People gave a shout saying It is the voice of a God and not of a Man And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the Glory and he was eaten of worms and gave up the Ghost The Receiver is as bad as the Robber and therefore Herod was smitten for taking what the People ascribed to him We should be very tender in this Point when good is done by us or ascribed to us to referr all to God who is the Author of all that little good we do for him This is the constant practice of humble and Self-denying Spirits Luk. 19.16 He doth not say My Industry but Thy pound hath gained ten pounds And when Paul had been much in Labours much in Afflictions and mighty in Spirit he said 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am and Not I but the Grace of God that was with me So Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me As the Heathens were wont solemnly to cast their Crowns and Garlands into their Fountains this is to Crown the Fountain of all our Mercies God's Children that are seen in the Work disappear in the Praise that God only may be acknowledged and therefore they are rather buffeted than pleased with their own Praises Look as Ioab when he had conquered Rabbah sent for David to wear the Honour of the Conquest 2 Sam. 12.27 28. so should we deal with God cast all our Crowns at his feet If we do any thing let God have all the Glory Christ himself hath taught us so to do Why call you me Good there is none good but one that is God 4. I suppose the chief Reason was to beat down this Pharisaical Conceit This Young man was too highly conceited of his own and others External Goodness and Righteousness before men Good Master what good thing must I doe Not looking to the inward Power of Grace in the Heart The Pharisees whose Leven he was tainted with had this Conceit as if men were of themselves good and perfectly good and therefore to teach him Humility and Self-annihilation he takes this Advantage from the Compellation given him to inform him that in proper Speech God only is good and that Humility and Brokenness of Heart doth better become men than the Conceit of their own Goodness and Righteousness and Self-sufficiency and therefore Why callest thou me Good Secondly I come to Christ's Instruction of him There is none good but one that is God and there you have two Propositions 1. That in some sence there is no man good 2. That God only is good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put not Exceptively as if God were a Man but Adversatively no man is good but there is one good that is God 1 Doct. There is no meer man that is Absolutely and Perfectly good It will be needfull to Explain this I shall do it Negatively and Affirmatively First For the Negative part 1. It is not to be so understood as if in no sence Man were good for it is said in Luk. 6.45 A good man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good Some degree and kind of Goodness may be ascribed to Men And it is said of Barnabas That he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 And Ioseph of Arimathea was said to be a good man and jâ—st Luke 23.50 Therefore certainly in some sence a man may be said to be good 2. This is not so to be understood as if there were no distinction between men but they were all equal in Sin No but as Ieremiah had two Baskets of Figgs some very good and some very bad so there are two sorts of Men in the World some good some bad some that walk after the Spirit and others that walk after the Flesh some that mind Earthly things and others that mind Heavenly things This is an everlasting distinction between Man and Man that will out-live Time the distinction of Great and Small ceaseth at Death but the distinction of Good and Bad lasts for ever and issueth it self into these two places Heaven and Hell It is a misconceit for any to go away with this Thought that because Christ says there is no Man good therefore there is no distinction between the State of Nature and the State of Grace between the Regenerate and Unregenerate There are some that are totally wicked that make a Trade to do evil there are others that have a Principle of Goodness infused into them Some whose Spot is not the Spot of God's Children Deut. 32.5 and others who thô they have Sin remaining in them yet it reigns not over them 3. It is not so to be understood as if it were unlawful wholly to acknowledge that Goodness that is in others We have God's own Example to warrant us God as soon as he
which is very perswasive and pressing take it as it works only in a Moral way as Herod heard Iohn Baptist and did many things and heard him gladly Mark 6.20 Or else they may have this Common Grace by Experience of the Providence of God over the Church or themselves when they see God's Interest stands out against all Assaults Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth Now may Israel say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth yet have they not prevailed against me When they observe that all those that dash against the Corner-stone are broken in pieces that many good men thô molested and troubled yet visibly have a Blessing and a Providence that attends them and that the prophane are overtaken in their Sins by pursuing Judgments that it is never better with them than when they own that which is Good This cannot but move them to something that is amiable to some sense of Religion and siding with the better Party Or they may have the Common Gifts of the Spirit Heb. 6.4 5. they may be enlightened may have Gifts of Prayer and Preaching some vanishing Tastes of the Goodness and Sweetness of Evangelical Doctrine some Motions and Impulsions and Excitations to good These are the Reasons I. VSE It shews us how inexcuseable they are in the sight of God and how just their Condemnation will be that have nothing lovely in them Certainly they might have had something or other lovely in them even while they were Natural if they would give their Heart to it either Wisdom or Valour Meekness or Zeal Humility or Charity Every Temper yieldeth some Way and Means of Glorifying God and it is their own Fault if they have not some Endowment or other I speak this not as to Spiritual Grace only which they do not only neglect but reject the Means whereby to get it they put away the Word of God from them shut the door upon themselves Acts 13.46 Ye put the Word from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal Life and esteem Spiritual Grace nothing worth yea it is Folly to them 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Yea they think it as dishonourable and prejudical to them But also in respect of Moral Endowments I say certainly some Crown or other they might have if they did not uncrown themselves by Sin Natural Men may have brave Wits but they besot themselves and quench them in Luxury and Riot and pervert those Moral Inclinations those Seeds of God that were in their Nature while they Drink Whore and play away their Consciences There are none but have a Conscience till they get the Victory of it and smother it and outgrow the feelings and checks of it and lose all sense Eph. 4.19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness They might have lived Vertuously and Morally till they brought upon themselves the Tyranny of evil Custom and then no wonder if they are wholly given up to Sensual Lusts and to walk in a sinful way They have lost all former Advantages they have spoil'd their Natural Temper they have lost the Benefit of their Education despised Instruction and the Discipline of Parents lived in defiance of Laws received the Grace of God in vain 2 Cor. 6.1 In a word they have slighted God's Judgments quenched their Gifts checked the Motions of God's Spirit Therefore certainly they are altogether without Excuse that out-sin these Helps Natural Conscience Temper Education Laws Ordinances Providences and the Spirit 's Motions they are all helps and God forsakes men in none of these till they first forsake him and by some notable Sin provoke him to withdraw such Helps And therefore what will you say for your selves that have not any of these amiable Qualities and Moral Endowments Will you say you would fain be better but cannot That cannot be for many of these Amiable Qualities are found in Natural Men and you have had many Helps and Advantages either to get or increase them in your Souls If many Moral Heathens go to Hell that had not half those Helps and and yet were Exemplary in so many Amiable Qualities what will become of you if you refuse all the Helps which God hath vouchsafed to you in his Providence and yet run into enormous Evils II. VSE If there may be Amiable Qualities in Unregenerate Men then do not rest in these things Mat. 5.46 If you love them that love you what reward have you do not even the Publicans the same And Verse 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What do you more than others What over and above A Natural Man may have all these You may live orderly and yet if you have not Faith you cannot please God Heb. 11.6 For without Faith it is impossible to please God You may be Blameless yet if you be not born again you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Iohn 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Therefore do not rest in this that you have some Good Qualities which are Amiable and Praise-worthy before God and Men but labour for the sanctifying Vertue of God's Spirit and the Power of Godliness that you may be partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 for if thy Heart be not yet truly changed thy Person may be odious to God It is not mine but the Advice of Jesus Christ Make the Tree good and his fruit good Mat. 12.33 A man may carry the Fruits of Canaan as the Spies did upon a dry Staff but learn to bear them from a living Root To be Harmless Meek Chast Just Temperate all this is good but it is much better when they flow from a renewed Heart then they are gracious Evidences to you A Good Nature without Grace makes a fair shew with the World but it is of little Respect with God as to your Salvation All this may be from Temper and awe of Men. How may a Man mistake a still Nature for Meekness Fervency and heighth of Spirit for Zeal want of Affection to holy Things for Discretion Stupidity for Patience Obstinacy for Constancy but God knows how to distinguish Will Complexion and Temper ever pass for Grace in God's Account And usually if a Natural man hath one Good Quality he hath another Bad One to match it It is observed in History of Alexander that he was an Enemy to Uncleanness but extreamly given to Drunkenness Iulius Caesar was not given to Drunkenness but exceedingly addicted to Uncleanness Natural men if they have their Amiable Qualities they have some domineering Bad Quality to match them Nay a Good Nature once corrupted doth prove the worst of all others as the sweetest Wine makes the tartest Vinegar Augustus at first was of a good merciful Nature Suetonius observes of
Christ forgave you so also do ye We are of touchy spiteful revengeful Spirits and cannot pass by the least wrong and think it a Disgrace so to do we think a Man is a Dolt and hath no Mettle in him if he be not presently heated into a Distemper but Solomon says Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferrs his anger and it is his glory to pass over a Transgression This was the Temper of Christ to exercise Love and tender Affection to his Enemies Now if we imitate Christ in these things then are we Christians and Disciples indeed SERMON VIII ON MARK X. v. 21. And take up the Cross. 3 Doct. ALL those that follow Christ should prepare their Shoulders for the Cross. Here I shall shew 1. What it is to take up the Cross. 2. The Reasons why they must so do I. What it is to take up the Cross. 1. Negatively 1. Not to devise a voluntary Affliction to our selves as Baal's Priests gashed themselves 1 Kings 18.28 They cryed aloud and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancers till their blood gushed out upon them and the Pharisees had their Self-Disciplines Christ is a lover of Humane Nature and he hath put no such severe Penance upon us This is to make the Cross not to take it up Origen that was too Allegorical in plain Texts was too literal when he castrated himself upon that Text Matth. 19.12 There be Eunuchs which have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake Christ only intended power over our Natural Affections 2. Not to draw sufferings upon our selves by our own Rashness and Folly Iames 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations He saith when ye fall into them not when ye draw them upon your self It was Tertullian's Error to say That Afflictions are to be sought and desired Man is never satisfied with his present Condition sometimes we question God's Love when we have no Afflictions and anon when we have nothing but Afflictions In all these things we must referr our selves to God's Pleasure not desire Troubles but bear them and improve them when he layeth them on us Christ hath taught us to pray Lead us not into Temptation it is but a fond Presumption to cast our selves upon it Philastrius and Theodoret speak of some that would compell Men to kill them out of an Affectation of Martyrdom this was a mad Ambition not a true Zeal And no less fond are they that seek out Crosses and Troubles rather than wait for them or by their own Violence and Miscarriage draw a just hatred upon themselves Christ would not that for his sake we should run headlong into Dangers and without Necessity there is a Medium between Faintness and Rashness Christ himself did not take up the Cross till it was laid upon him If a Man set fire on his own House he is liable to the Law if it be fired by Accident he is pitied and relieved Therefore we are not to seek the Cross or make it but bear it and take it up not to fill the Cup our selves but to drink it off when God puts it into our hands to take it up when we cannot avoid it without Sin or a breach upon our Consciences we are not to shift then or avoid it by unlawful means 2. Positively To bear it patiently and willingly when we cannot avoid it without Sin When we are brought into a Necessity of either Suffering or Sinning in such cases there must be a chearful free voluntary submission of our selves to suffer the whole Will of God To take up the Cross implyeth 1. Faithfulness and Integrity without shifting 2. Patience and Submission without murmuring 3. Joy and Chearfulness without fainting 1. Faithfulness and Integrity without Shifting Many distinguish themselves out of their Duty and when God calleth them to suffering put a Fallacy upon their Souls Gal. 6.12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be Circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. They cannot live without Honour and Ease and Plenty and therefore turn and wind themselves to shift the Cross. Our Lord Jesus offered himself Psal. 40.7 8. Then said I lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy Law is within my heart So should we resign our selves when the Will of God is so and give up the Comforts of our Lives when we can hold them no longer and be glad we have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ. The Apostle speaks of some who are Enemies of the Cross of Christ whose God is their Belly whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Phil. 3.18 19. Multum interest inter Theologum gloriae Theologum crucis Men that have no love to God but only serve their fleshly Appetites and look no higher than Riches and Honours and Pleasures and Applause will never be faithful to Christ. There are a sort of Men that study to save themselves not from Sin but from Danger and accordingly accommodate themselves to every Interest As the men of Keilah dealt with David they entertained him for a while but when Saul pursued him they resolved to betray him they would come into no Danger and Trouble for him so they deal with Religion 2. Patience and Submission without Murmuring We shew our Obedience to God in suffering his Will as well as doing his Will He is Soveraign in his Acts of Providence as well as in his Laws And this we must do without murmuring or repining against God as if he did us wrong or did deal hardly with us Isa. 30.15 In quietness and confidence shall be your strength that is in Faith and Patience humbly submitting to Gods Will and depending on his favour and gracious Protection There must be a submissive Attendance upon God Psal. 62.1 Truly my Soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my Salvation Psal. 39.9 I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it not uttering impatient words God's Will silenceth all 3. Chearful Behaviour under the Cross Rom. 5.3 And not only so but we glory in Tributation also James 1.2 My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Afflictions to God's People do not only minister occasion of Patience but great Joy 2 Cor. 7.4 I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I overflow with Joy A dejected Spirit doth not behave it self answerably to its Principles Priviledges and Hopes Are you at peace with God and have you Communion with him at every turn And have you Hopes of Glory and are you so troubled when you are a little cut short in your Temporal Comforts A Christian should be at an indifferency to rejoyce as if he rejoyced not and mourn as if he mourned not Dejection of Spirit argueth too great addictedness
like Men be strong let all things be done with Charity And therefore that qualification which entituleth us to the Priviledges of the New Covenant is made to be Faith working by Love Gal. 5.6 The one Grace without the other is not saâ—ing and sincere Faith without Love is dead Iam. 2.17 and Love without Faith is but a little good Nature or facile Inclination to others not derived from the Spirit of God nor built on our Belief of his Grace in Christ they depend upon one another as the Effect upon the Cause Faith produceth Love as it sheweth the true grounds of Union and from a sense and apprehension of God's Love to us causeth us to love others In short both Graces are recommended by the same Authority 1 Ioh. 3.23 And this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement He that maketh Conscience of the one will make Conscience of the other also Again the one referreth to God the other to Men Faith for God Charity for our Brethren The one keepeth us from defection from God the other preventeth a Schism and a Breach with our Fellow Christians Well then here was the Commendation of those Thessalonians their Adherence to the Faith was very Constant and they lived in Unity and Amity with one another There is no surer Argument of Sincerity and Proficiency in Christianity than this growth of Faith and Love they are the Fountain of all other Duties and if you would be accounted thorough and growing Christians you must excel in both these Graces for true solid Godliness is rooted in Faith and acted by Love towards God and Men which is the All of Christianity 5. This Growth and Proficiency was found in all Not only some among them were Eminent for Faith and Love but all If the Apostle had only said The Charity of you all aboundeth it might seem to refer to the Church that there was no Schism there but he saith of every one of you all towards each other In other Epistles the Believers to whom the Apostle wrote have all the Style of Churches or men sanctified c. but afterwards notorious and particular miscarriages are reproved which sheweth that the Denomination was a potior parte from the better part but here he mentions all and every one they were a choice sort of Christians where shall we find their Fellows It is our Duty to be such and it should be our Care for here we see what the Grace of God can do if we be serious and what an Advantage it is to be in good Company and to have good Examples about us and how much living Coals do inkindle one another when they lye together 6. He saith Faith groweth but Love aboundeth Love must not only increase but abound to each other A thing may be increased Intensivè or Extensivè Intensively when it is more rooted when there is a greater Fervour and Vigour of Faith and Love Extensively either as to Effects or Objects as to Effects in doing more good as when we abound in Works of Mercy or as to Objects by doing good to more Persons not confining our Love to one only or a few but extending it to all This was the Case of those Thessalonians their Love was not a lank or lean Love but an abounding Love full of all good Fruits and this not to some but to all even the meanest Christians among them If we would give others occasion to Bless God for us let us imitate their Example Occasions are many Objects are many to whom we may be beneficial therefore our Charity must not be streightned but abounding 1. The Internal Affection must increase Phil. 1.9 This I pray that your Love may abound yet more and more that is both their Love to God and their Neighbours especially to those who are God's There are so many things to extinguish it or make it grow cold that we should always seek to increase this Grace that it may be more fervent and strong and not grow cold and dead 2. The external Expressions should abound both as to Acts and Objects 1. As to Acts In Duties of Charity we should not be weary Now we may be weary upon a double Occasion either because we meet not presently with our Reward to that the Apostle speaketh Gal. 6.9 Be not weary of well-doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not Duties of Charity have their Promises annexed which are not presently accomplished but in their season they will be either in this Life or in the next Or because of continual Occasions when there is no end Heb. 6.10 11. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope unto the end Meaning that formerly they had a Courage to own Christ and his despised wayes and to be Charitable to poor Christians now he desireth them to be so still as long as the Occasion continueth so long should the Charity continue that at length they might reap the Reward Ye have ministred and do Minister This is tedious to Nature and to a Niggardly and base Heart but Love will be working and labouring still and ever bringing forth more Fruit. Where this Heavenly Fire is kindled in the Soul it will warm all those that are about them but Love is cold in most it will neither take Pains nor be at Charge to do any thing for the Brethren But Christian Love is an Immortal Fire it will still burn and never dye therefore we should continue the same Diligence Zeal and Affection that formerly we had 2. As to Objects Christ telleth us The poor ye have always with you Matth. 26.11 As long as God findeth Objects we should find Charity and the Apostle saith Gal. 6.10 As we have opportunity let us do good to all Men. Expensive Duties are distastful to a Carnal Heart it may be they would part with something which the Flesh can spare and will snatch at any thing to excuse their neglect they have done it to these and these but as long as God bringeth Objects to our View and Notice and our Ability and Affection doth continue we must give still If our Ability continueth not Providence puts a barr and excuseth but if our Affection doth not continue the Fault is our own Now I come more particularly to speak of the Growth of Faith Your Faith groweth exceedingly Doct. That 't is well with Christians when their Faith groweth and doth considerably increase The Scripture speaketh of a weak Faith and a strong Faith therefore it concerneth us to consider whether our Faith be weak or strong in the wane or in the increase Now we shall best Judge of the growth of Faith 1. By
and with least defaults in his Duty and blots in his Fidelity to Christ. Would you know then whether your Faith be strong or weak know it by this The more you can adhere to Christ whatever Temptations you have to the contrary if you can venture not only some but all things upon the Account of the Promise of Eternal Life 1. Deny the sinful Pleasures of the Flesh they were never worth the keeping If I cannot deny a little vain Pleasure what can I deny for Christ surely momentary Delight is bought too dear if it must be bought with the loss of Eternal Joyes Esau is represented as a Prophane Person that sold his Birth-right for one morsel of Meat Heb. 12.15 If the vain Delights of the World prevail so with Men that all the Promises of the Gospel cannot reclaim them these comply with the Motions of the Flesh which is importunate to be pleased but have no sense of the Offers of Christ who calleth upon us to save our Souls The true Christian is a Stranger and Pilgrim on the Earth whose Mind and Heart is set upon better things which are to come 1 Pet. 2.11 Upon the security of God's Word he is taking his Journey into another World 2. We must be willing to Sacrifice all our Interests Matth. 16.24 If any Man will come after me and be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me If God be trusted as our Felicity Worldly Felicity must be no Impediment to our Duty therefore if we cannot incur blame and shame with Men yea damage and loss that we may be faithful with God our Faith is worth nothing 3. If God call you not to Sufferings yet there are some Expencefull and Self-denying Duties which ever are incumbent upon you Matth. 25.35 Visiting the Sick Cloathing the Naked Feeding the Hungry Luk. 12.33 Sell that ye have and give Alms provide your selves Bags which wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not Can you trust Christ upon such Promises and be at some loss for the Gospel for a Religion that costs nothing is worth nothing most Men love a cheap Gospel and the Flesh ingrosseth all Faith gets little from them to be layed out for God These Men run a fearful hazard of being rejected for ever they Sow to the Flesh Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 4. If your Faith maketh you to submit to Providence When we first entred into Covenant with God we entirely and absolutely gave up our selves to God to be governed by his commanding Will and to be ordered by his disposing Will You cannot shift your selves out of his Hands but your voluntary submission to any thing if you may have Christ and Heaven at last is the Tryal of your Faith Iob 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord Phil. 1.20 So Christ be magnified in my Body whether it be by life or death He was come to a Point Nothing should be reserved so Christ may be glorified and you may have his saving Grace let him give or take the more willingly you do this the stronger is your Faith Certainly to deny all is an essential Property of Faith 3. The third Evidence of a growing Faith is when our Light is turned into Love For Faith is not a bare Knowledge but a sound a savoury and affective Knowledge a knowing things as we ought to know them 1 Cor. 8.1 2. A Knowledge with a Taste for such a difference as there is between the sight of Meat and the tasting of it such a difference there is betwen speculative Knowledge and the Apprehension of Faith 1 Pet. 1.3 You may dispute him out of his Belief that Seeth but you can never dispute him out of his Belief that Tastes for you cannot make him go against his own sense The stedfastness of unlearned Christians cometh mainly from their Taste and Love They adhere more closely to Christ than those that have only a dead Opinion because they received the Truth not only in the light but love of it 2 Thes. 2.10 Now the more Taste we have of the things we know and believe the stronger is our Faith Now besides the manner of Apprehension the Truths apprehended tend mainly to raise our Love to God that we may love him that loved us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 We know God that we may Love him and Faith is nothing else but a beholding the Love of God in the Face of Jesus Christ that our Hearts may be warmed attracted and drawn to God Faith is the Bellows to enkindle the Fire of Love in our Souls and therefore Faith the more sound and sincere it is the more it worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 Faith is required sub ratione medii Love sub ratione finis The End of the Gospel Institution is Love 1 Tim. 1.5 Well then when you make it your great Business to love God and count it your great Happiness to be beloved by him then may you best judge of the Growth of your Faith The Gospel representeth the Goodness and Amiableness of God that he may be more lovely to us and be beloved by us For this was the end of Reconciling and Saving Man by Christ his Incarnation Life Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession is all to reveal the Love of God in Christ and to work our Hearts to love God again To this end also tend his merciful Covenant and Promises and all the Benefits given to the Church all the Priviledges of the Saints his Spirit Pardon Peace Glory all these to warm our Hearts and fill them with a sense of the Love of God Now if we slightly reflect upon these things with cold and narrow Thoughts we have not the true Faith certainly not a grown Faith SERMON IV. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly THe Fourth Essential Property of Faith is its Respect to the Word of God That I may explain this with more full satisfaction I shall open Four things 1. The Relation of the Word to Faith 2. The Acts of Faith about the Word 3. The Effects of Faith thus exercised 4. The Notes whereby we may discern a strong or grown Faith 1. The Relation of the Word to Faith 1. 'T is a Means to beget and breed Faith Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Every part of the gradation hath its weight First What I am bound to Adore and Invocate I must believe in him as a Divine Power For the Second How shall Men believe in Christ as a God unless they have heard of him Faith is a believing such things as God
God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities There the Blessing is Interpreted Secondly That Eternal Life is included in it also is evident from the Nature of the Thing For this being the chief Blessedness it cannot be excluded and may be farther proved from the double reasoning of the Apostle from this Covenant 1. Because the Patriarchs sought it by vertue of this Promise Heb. 11.13 14 15. All these died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey And truely if they had been mindful of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned But now they desire a better Countrey that is an Heavenly The Argument is They did not think themselves to be at home in Canaan but sojourned there as in a strange Countrey The Apostle is speaking of Abraham Isaac and Iacob who were Heirs of the same Promise namely of Blessedness in the Seed of Abraham they still sought another place 2. Because else God could not act suitably to the greatness of his Covenant-love and Relation and did not make good his Title Verse 16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God having made so Rich a Preparation for them may be fitly called their God Note our Saviour's reasoning Matth 22.31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the Dead have ye not read that which was spoken to you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living II. Come we now to the Strength of his Faith That is seen in Two Things 1. His Clear Vision 2. His Deep Affection 1. His Clear Vision and Sight of Christ He saw my Day The Eagle-Eye of Faith will see afar off and through many Impediments and draw Comfort not only from what is present visible and sensible but from what is distant and future and but obscurely revealed The sight of Faith may be Illustrated by Bodily Sight Three Things argue the Strength of Bodily Sight 1. When the things are afar off that we see for a weak Eye cannot see afar off 2. When there are Clouds between though the things be clear To pierce through these Clouds argueth the fight is strong 3. When there is but a little sight to see by To see a thing at a distance either in the Morning or Evening-Twilight argueth a strong fight All these concurr here 1. The things to be seen were at a great distance not to be accomplished in their time nor a long time after Thousands of Years and many Successions of Ages intervened e're the Messiah was Exhibited to the World and came in the Flesh to Erect his Gospel kingdom yet they went to the Grave in Assurance of this Promise That in due time the Redemption of sinful Man should be accomplished Well then we see the Nature of Faith that it can look upon things absent and future as sure and near And without it Man looketh no farther than present probabilities 2 Pet. 1.9 But he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Purblind Man cannot see things at a distance from him But Faith surmounts all Successions of Ages and can fly over many Thousands of Years in a Moment to the Object expected as the Apostle Iohn Revel 20.12 I saw the Dead small and great stand before God He saw it in the Light of Prophecy but the Light of Faith and Prophecy differ little They agree in the general ground viz. Divine Revelation they differ only as the general Revelation is the ground of Faith a particular Revelation is the ground of Prophecy They agree in the manner of Perception by Divine Illumination the Spirit inlightneth Believers and the Spirit inlightned the Prophets for they were moved by the Holy Ghost But only Believers by that general way of Illumination which is common to all the Saints the special Illumination is peculiar to Prophets They agree in the Object things absent and future and at great distance here there is no difference They agree in the certainty of Apprehension only by Prophecy they may define particular Events by the other the accomplishment of general Promises They agree as to the Affections of the Heart but they differ in the degree the one hath more Extatick Motions the other is a more Temperate Confidence So that you see by this comparison a strong Faith can see things at a distance and we are affected with them in some manner as if they were present 2. When Clouds come between Faith and the Object to be seen When the Promise was given to Abraham he was Childless and so remained a long time In the Course of Nature his own Body and Sarah's Womb were dead and after he had a Son God commands him to slay him and Offer him in Sacrifice A Command not only against his Natural Affection but Hope And then afterwards his Seed was few in number for a long time and when they did multiply they were oppressed which was revealed to Abraham Now to strive against all these difficulties was to believe in Hope against Hope Rom. 4.18 But this I must reserve to the next time However it is said of Abraham He saw my Day he rested in the Truth and Power of God and by it resolved all difficulties To see through such Natural Impossibilities argueth a strong sight of Faith 3. For their Light to go by it was but a little the Revelation was but obscure the Patriarchs had only that Promise Gen. 3.15 And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Abraham's was a little clearer all that he had was but this In thy Seed all Nations shall be blessed Yet this was but a small glimmering Light in Comparison of what we enjoy far short in clearness and plainness of the many precious Gospel promises which are made to us The Day-light is not only broken out but it draweth â—igh to high Noon Though they saw not Christ so nearly and clearly revealed as we do yet they could do more mighty things with their Faith than we can do with ours and did more excell both in Comfort and Holiness You will say What is this clear Vision of Christ to us How shall we judge of the strength or weakness of our Faith by this Answ. 1. As to Christ there is a sight of Christ past present and to come which still belongeth to Faith 1. Past To see him whom we have not seen that is so to be affected with his
without some Remark and Observation Isaac goeth to meet with God and he meeteth with God and Rebekah too Godliness hath the promises of this Life and that which is to come there is nothing lost by Duty and Acts of Piety and Worship Seneca said The Iews were an unhappy People because they lost the Seventh part of their Lives meaning the time spent in the Sabbath This is the Sense of Nature to think all lost that is bestowed on God Flesh and Blood snuffeth and cryeth What a weariness is it And what need all this waste Oh let me tell you by serving God you drive on two cares at once Worldly Interests many times are cast into the way of Religion and besides the main design these things are added to us Wonderful are the Providences of God in and about Duties of Worship some have gone aside to pray and escaped such as lay in wait to destroy them and Luther tells a story of one that balked a Duty and fell into a danger passed by a Sermon and was presently surprized by Thieves Others there are that thought of nothing but meeting God in his Worship and God hath made their Duties an occasion of advancing their outward Comforts Certainly it is good to obey all impulses of the Spirit there may be somewhat of Providence as well as Grace in it Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide and he lift up his eyes and saw and behold the camels were coming In the Words you have several Circumstances The Person Isaac his Work he went out to meditate the Place in the Field the Time at even-tide 1. For the Person Isaac I need not say much because I would not digress He was Abraham's Son and God said of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Good Education leaveth a Savour and Tincture upon the Spirit at least an Awe and a Care of Duties and Exercises of Religion and therefore it is no wonder to hear of Abrahams Son that had been trained up in the way of the Lord to go out to meditate it is a Seal of the Blessing of Education Again Isaac was now in his Youth certainly he could not be very old Sarah was Ninety years old when the Promise was first made to her of a Son Gen. 17.17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear Now Sarah was but One Hundred Twenty Seven old years when she dyed Gen. 23.1 And this Match was immediately after her Death for just as he received Rebekah he left off his Mourning for Sarah Gen. 24.67 And Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarahs tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her And Isaac was comforted after his mothers death Probably Isaac now was a little above Thirty Isaac a Young Man that was now entring into the World goeth out to meditate Usually we make Religious Exercises the Work of Gray Hairs and after we have spent the heat and flower of our Spirits in the vanities of the World we hope to make amends for all by a Severe and Devout Retirement Young and Green Heads look upon Meditation as a dull melancholly work fit only for the phlegme and decay of Old Age vigorous and eager Spirits are more for Action than Thoughts and their Work lyeth so much with others that they have no time to descend into themselves But the Elder World was more Innocent the Exercises of Isaacs Youth were pious he went out into the Fields to meditate 2. To open his Work to you to meditate or as it is in the Margin to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word used in the Original is indifferent to both Senses it properly signifies muttering or an imperfect and suppressed sound the Septuagint sometimes renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing but here they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to exercise himself and most properly a Sportive Exercise as if his going abroad had been only to sport and recreate himself after the toyl of the day But that is not so probable the Holy Ghost would not put such a Mark upon such a Circumstance Therefore I suppose the Septuagints word must be taken more largely to comprise also a Religious Exercise But how is it To Pray or Meditate I would not recede from our own Translation without weighty Cause most other Translations look that way Symachus renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discourse as with others that is with God and his own Soul and so it suiteth with the force of the Original Word which properly signifies to mutter or such a speaking as is between Thoughts and Words So that the meaning is he went aside privately to discourse of God and the Promises and of Heavenly Things 3. The Place in the field Partly for Privacy deep Thoughts require a Retirement Many of Davids Psalms were penned in the Wilderness He that would have the Company of God and his own Thoughts had need go aside from other Company and be alone that he may not be alone that the Mind being sequestred from all Distractions may solace it self the more freely in these Heavenly Thoughts Exod. 3.1 Moses led the flock to the back-side of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. He goeth aside from the other Shepherds that he might converse with the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls and there he seeth the Vision of the burning Bush. When God would communicate his Loves to the Church he inviteth her into the Wilderness Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her The most familiar and intimate Converses between God and the Church are in private So the Spouse inviteth the Bridegroom Cant. 7.11 Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages In these Solitary and Heavenly Retirements to which no Eyes are conscious and privy we have most Experience of God and of our selves Duties done in Company are more easie by ends and Mans Eye and Observance may have an influence upon our Worship and therefore Meditation is difficult and tedious because it is a work of Retirement that hath approbation from none but our Father that seeth in Secret Partly because the Field is an help to Meditation fancy and invention being elevated and raised by the sweetness variety and pleasure of it there being on every side so many Objects and lively Memorials of God However in this sense the Circumstance is not binding some do better in a Closet than in a
Breasts and there she should be satisfied with his Love The Palm-tree hath a long naked bark and carryeth all its Leaves Branches and Fruits upwards it noteth the Religious Ascent of the Soul in Spiritual Exercises when the thoughts do not run out in under-wood and lower branches in Earthly Thoughts and Carnal Distractions Well then in the top of the Palm-tree there we taste the sweetness of Christ and the Soul is ravished and spiritually made drunk with the Clusters of his Grapes 5. These Experiences where God seeth fit to give them are given to Persons of much Holyness and Religion Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Those bright and clear Souls are more fit to enjoy the sight of God when by constant and dayly Exercise the Heart hath been subdued to a Religious frame the Lord may then give in those ravishing sweets and those gazes upon his Beauty and Glory There are degrees in the sense of Gods Love Hypocrites have but a taste and a little sip as the Merchant that selleth Wine will give a taste to those that do but cheapen it Christians whose Spirits are not defecated or cleared from the Clouds of Passion or purged from the dreggs of Carnal Interests seldom meet with those sweet and rich Experiences to such an intimate discerning the Senses had need be exercised The Lute had need be rightly strung and tuned that maketh a ravishing Melody easy lazy and gross Hearts feel none of these rapt motions and strong qualms of Affection God usually gives them to those that are purged and purified 6. These rich Experiences are very fleeting and vanishing and but now and then bestowed We have not such high Experiences under Lock and Key and at the Command of our own Endeavours God gives them when he seeth fit and when he pleaseth they pass away again If they were constant and God should continually pour in the Vessel would break and the Soul could not sustain it self under the burden of it The Disciples in the Transfiguration were astonished and fell down for fear they could not bear the Glory though but for a little while Matth. 17.6 And when the disciples heard it they fell on their faces and were sore afraid Our present State is not capable of these Transports long the Soul is not extended and enlarged to such a Capacity and Fitness neither is the Body qualified We are in the Animal State now the deliberate Contemplation is our Portion in Heaven when Sin and Weakness is done away and when we have that which the Apostle calls a Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15.44 That is a Body fit for those high Communications and for the continual Presence of God This is an extraordinary Indulgence which if continued would destroy and abrogate the Oeconomy and Dispensation of Grace This pause of Reason upon the Majesty of God and the Glory of Heaven is somewhat like the Suns standing still in Ioshua's time which if it were so alwayes would burn up the frame of Nature therefore God hath ordained that it should rowl hither and thither Motion and Change is fitter for this State to which God hath subjected us 7. Such ravishing Experiences are not to be sought for but referred to the good pleasure of God We cannot pray for them in Faith having no promise of them and we must not be too hasty to eat of the Fruits of Paradise before our time It is enough for us to go to Heaven in the usual Road-way and not like Elijah in a Fiery Chariot Look as in outward things we are not to desire Riches but a Competency if God casteth them in upon our Endeavours we should be thankful so in Meditation we must mind those Enjoyments which are more Temperate and leave other things to God It is good to content our selves with Grace and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost though we have not those Transports and high Extasies of Love and Affection We must not tempt God with immodest Requests and Expectations but sit down humbly and quietly and if the Master of the Feast bid us to sit higher and call us to a more choice Dispensation well and good These Experiences are not to be ranked among Duties but among Enjoyments we shall not be called to an account for the want of them for we are not obliged to pursue them they are Acts of Gods Magnificence and Indulgence to the Soul Many times Christians oppress their Souls by their indiscreet aims it is good to keep an even hand that we may not vex our selves with the disappointment of a rash and foolish Trust. Some are altogether careless and content themselves with any frame of Spirit in Worship others are not satisfied but with extatick and rapt Motions Look as it is with a Lute-string if it be too slack it doth not sound at all if it be too high stretched it is hoarse and screeking so it is with our Souls in Duty when we are careless there is no Melody made to God but if we be too high strained then the Soul is oppressed with its own Aimes and with a pursuit of things above our reach the temperate middle way should be our aim 8. Upon all such Experiences we should be careful and watch our Hearts because many times herein we delude our selves we call that a Rapture which is but the suppositions of a troubled Fancy or some Fanatick Delusions by which Satan abuseth an over-credulous and superstitious Soul Dotage many times passeth under the pretence of Vision and the Extravagancies of a wild Zeal seemeth Rapture Alwaies observe their End and Scope if they end in Pride and prove a Temptation they are from the Devil and not from God Experiences from God enlarge our Hearts for Service and make us more humble as the highest flames tremble most These Souls that are called to the highest enjoyments are most humble It is true we are apt to be pufft up with a Revelation from God as Paul was pufft up with the abundance of Revelations but there was a subsequent Dispensation some cross to humble him 2 Cor. 12.7 And least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me least I should be exalted above measure This is through the Corruption of our Nature which God preventeth in his Children by such Dispensations But if it tendeth to make us neglect Piety and to be above Duties it is against the Nature of Religion which presseth us to wait upon God with the more encouragement because we have already discerned his Beauty and Glory Psal. 63.2 To see thy power and glory so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary Thus I have done with this Case in which I have been in the high Mountains I shall come to the Valleys which as they are more easie of ascent so usually they are more fruitful What follows will be more plain
Faith Some Christians know not all things which are contained in the Prophets and Apostles and yet in a sense they do believe by an implicite Faith As Agrippa believed the Prophets Acts 26.27 King Agrippa Believest thou the prophets I know that thou believest Yet he was ignorant of some things revealed by them So all Christians own the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets as the Rule and Warrant of Faith yet they do not discerne every Truth therein contained They do believe that whatever the Prophets and Apostles say and have written is true and so are ready to believe all things which shall be demonstrated to them to be written or said by them But by an explicite Faith they believe all Fundamental Truths such as are absolutely necessary to Salvation and usually most other Truths which are next to Fundamentals The Fundamentals are set down Iohn 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent That God is to be known loved obeyed worshipped and injoyed and that the Lord Jesus is our Redeemer and Saviour to bring us home to God with his gifts of Pardon and Life to be begun by the Spirit here and perfected in Heaven Thirdly The Act believing It is not enough not to deny or not to contradict but we must actually and positively believe The Reason why the generality of People living in the Christian World feel so little force of their Faith is from their inadvertency they leap into the Christian Faith by the advantage of their Birth but do not consider what they believe nor why they should believe it and how they are concerned in it and so may be rather said not to contradict than to believe But true Faith is a positive firm assent excited in us by the Spirit of God As the Apostle saith of some that were zealous for the Law Vnderstanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 1.7 So the Rabble of Common Christians may be zealous for the Gospel yet are not instructed in the Nature and Grounds of it what and why they should believe A sound belief requireth a thorough understanding of what we believe and a deep consideration of the Grounds and Reasons why we are to believe it And then it is such a fixed assent as is not perplexed and haunted with doubts about the truth of it And such a close adherence as is not discouraged with difficulties and oppositions It would be much better with the Christian World if every one that carryeth the name of a Christian could say I believe all that is written in the prophets and the apostles In short To a sound belief there is necessary 1. A Knowledge or full Instruction in the things which we believe for it is said 1 Iohn 4.16 We have known and believed the love that God hath to us first known and then believed 2. A due Conviction of the Certainty of them Luke 1.4 That thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed And Iohn 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God And Iohn 17.8 They have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me 3. This Faith doth not only imply a bare intellectual assent but a practical trust and affiance For the Nature of the Object requireth so much Christianity doth not only propound bare Truths to be assented unto but joyful comfortable Truths suitable to our necessity and desires and therefore we must depend upon them seek our Happyness in them in the way appointed by God which is nothing but practical trust and affiance Therefore it is not a bare Opinion but a relyance upon God that he will make good his word to us whilest we continue with Patience in well-doing Therefore we are said to belong to Christ if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Heb. 3.6 4. Those Truths which are contained in the word are to be considered with application that we may know them for our good Iob 5.27 Hear it and know thou it for thy good Every Doctrine which upon search we find to be sound and good we must make application of it to our selves that it may affect our own Hearts if Threatnings that we may escape the Curse if Comforts or Promises Rom. 8.32 What shall we say to these things The promise of Pardon to all Believers is so universal that it includeth you as well as others Christ is offered to every Creature that he may be yours as well as anothers and the offer of Heaven and Eternal Life is so propounded that you should ingage your Hearts to seek after it and closely to adhere to it till you obtain it But to apply it so as to be perswaded that your own Sins are already pardoned that you are an Heir of Glory that you are Christs as to actual Interest you must have good Evidence for that from a Spiritual Sense of your own Qualifications but it belongeth not to Faith simply taken Thus we have set forth a Christian in his first part as a Believer II. The Apostle asserts his Hope And have hope towards God which they themselves allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust 1. Mark that he propoundeth his hope as the immediate effect and product of Faith for when I believe then I must look and long and prepare for the Blessedness offered otherwise my Faith is but a cold Opinion not such a Faith as will subdue the inclinations and Interests of the Flesh nor make the Labours and Sufferings of the Spiritual Life tolerable And that is true Faith which breatheth and longeth after the end of all Religion and looketh for it What will it do me good to believe the Doctrines of the Prophets and Apostles if I expect no good from thence Faith would be vain and Religion vain Only note here that Hope is two-fold 1. One the Fruit of Regeneration or the immediate effect of Conversion to God 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope And this is nothing else but a seeking and looking for an Happiness in another and in an unseen World with a longing desire and diligent care to obtain it It is Faith to place my Happiness so high and so far from sense now when my desires and delights are there and my daily care is to get thither and to live in a continual preparation for it and desirous expectation of it and to deny my self and suffer any loss and pain to get thither this is the work of Hope 2. There is an Hope built upon experience Rom. 5.4 5. And experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost
Iehovah so saith Ieroboam Now where the Devil can get such a Party in the Church as shall not only set up but be mad upon Image worship who do more visibly promote his interest than they 3. That which is ascribed to Satan is bloody cruelty or seeking the destruction of Christ's most faithful Servants For he is called a Murderer from the beginning John 8.44 And Cain is said to be of that wicked one and slew his Brother And wherefore slew he him Because his own works were evil and his Brothers righteous Iohn 3.12 Enmity to the power of Godliness came from Satan and where ever it is incouraged and notoriously practised they are a party and confederacy of men governed and influenced by Satan Now where shall we find this Character but in Antichrist's confederacy Rev. 13.15 He caused that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed And again Rev. 17.5.6 The woman whose name was Mystery was drunken with the blood of the Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus And it hath been eminently fulfilled in the blood-shed of Germany France England and other Nations and all this to extinguish the Light and suppress the truth of Christ. O how many seeming Christians hath Satan imployed in these works of cruelty When once he had seduced the Church to errours and corrupted the Doctrine and Worship of Christ he presently maketh the erroneous Party Instruments of as cruel and bloody persecutions as were ever commenced by Infidels and Mahometans Witness their Murders upon so many thousands of the Waldenses and Albingenses whom they not only spoiled but slaughtered with all manner of hellish cruelty Some of their own Bishops complained they could not find Lime and Stone enough to build prisons for them nor defray the charges of their food The World was even amazed at their unheard of cruelties smoking and burning thousands of Men Women and Children some in Caves others at the Stakes and many other ways butchering them proclaiming Croisades against them and preaching the merit of Paradise to such bloody Butchers as had a mind to root them out Driving also multitudes to perish in Snowy Mountains What desolations they wrought in Bohemia what horrible Massacres in France What fires they kindled in England What cruelties they executed in Ireland and Piedmont If we should be silent Histories will speak and tell all Generations to come how little this Faction of Christians have of the Lamb-like Spirit of Christ Jesus and how unsatiable their thirst is for the blood of upright righteous men And then consider where the Sathanical Spirit ruleth and whether we have cause to be inamoured of Blood and Fire and Inquisitions 4. That which is ascribed to Satan is that he is the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 And again the Prince of this world John 12.31 John 16.11 He playeth the God and Prince here and sensual and worldly Souls are easily seduced by him The riches honours and wealth of this world are the great Instruments of his Kingdom And the men of this World whose portion is in this life are his proper Subjects As Christ is head of the Saints So is Satan of the wicked ungodly ambitious world St. Austin distinguisheth of two Cities of Ierusalem the City of God and Babylon which is the Incorporation which belongeth to Satan And therefore when you find any party of Christians who are of the World speak of the world and the World heareth them 1 Joh. 4.5 They that are to try the Spirits may soon see what to chuse and what to forsake Certainly the case is not doubtful where the head of that State without any warrant from Christ and with the apparent detriment and loss of Christianity exalteth himself above all that is called God and affecteth an ambitious tyranny and domineering over the Christian world both Princes Pastours and People And to uphold this Tyranny careth not what havock he maketh of the Churches of Christ and where the whole frame of their Religion is calculated for secular honour worldly Pomp and greatness 3. That it is God's purpose to set up one Kingdom and demolish the other not only in the hearts of particular men but in Kingdoms and Nations and Publick Societies Jesus Christ was appointed to be not only King of Saints Rev. 15.3 but King of Nations Jer. 10.7 And therefore not onely erect to himself a Throne and a government in the hearts of his People but to have his Religion owned and countenanced and supported by Nations and Kingdoms and publick Societies of men When Christ was promised to Abraham it was said Gen. 18.18 All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him not only Persons but Nations So Isa. 55.5 Nations that knew not thee shall run to thee Isa. 60.12 The Nations and Kingdoms that would not serve thee shall perish Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. When Christ sent abroad the Apostles he said Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations They were not only to gain upon single persons but bring Nations to a publick owning of Christ. There is a personal acknowledgement of Christ when we receive him into our hearts Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God An Ecclesiastical acknowledgement of Christ when the Church as a Society is in visible covenant with him Ezek. 16.8 I sware unto thee and entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine A National acknowledgement of Christ when his Religion is countenanced and supported by nations and befriended with the Laws and constitutions of Civil Government This is a great advantage Christ pray'd for it Iohn 17.21 23. That they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may believe that thou hast sent me I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me By believing there is meant common conviction He had promised it before Iohn 16.8 When he is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgement It is a great advantage when the Potentates of the Earth set open the doors to Christ and are careful of his interest in the world 4. When true Religion is thus received such an advantage should not be lost or carelessly looked after Partly because it is with much adoe that Christ gets up in the World not only by the labours of his Servants but by their deep sufferings As the Chief Captain said to Paul With a great sum obtained I this freedom Act. 22.28 So this Liberty was not only purchased by the Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 19. But with the expence of many oâ— his Servants lives who counted not their interest dear
fourth rank is of those things which are evil in themselves and good only by accident in order to some greater good which may be procured by them as War to make way for a lasting Quiet and Peace the cutting off an Arm or Leg to preserve the rest of the Body burning the Harvest to starve an Enemy In a Theological Consideration Afflictions have this use which are not things to be desired and chosen but endured and suffered when sent by the wise God for our good Well now a Christian should love all things according to their value and as they approach nearer to his last end and chief good He valueth all things as they more or less let out God to him the nearer means more than the remote subservient helps Thus he delighteth in the Ordinances more than the Creatures because the Ordinances discover more of God and exhibite more of God to him He valueth Graces more than Ordinances because by the Graces of the Spirit he is brought into more Conformity to God and Communion with him than by the bare formality of a Duty And he delighteth in Jesus Christ more than in Created Graces as being by him nearer to God and God nearer to us Here is the method and order of our value and esteem then First God next Christ as Mediatour next the Graces of the Spirit next the Ordinances next the Creatures and Comforts of this Life 3. A Godly mans Judgment is rectified about the difference between things spiritual and temporal Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich cease from thine own Wisdom 1 Cor 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me Counsel my Reins also instruct me in the night season He counteth that Condition beâ—â— wherein he may be most serviceable to God and best helped to Heaven The natural understanding valueth all things by the Interest of the Flesh for it looketh only to present things 't is the Spirit of the World But one to whom God hath given Counsel he is of another temper seeth things by another light and liveth to another end and scope His End enlightneth him and the Spirit of God enlightneth him The Spirit sheweth him the reality and worth of Heavenly things Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints There is no Prospect of the other World by the light of a natural Spirit but by Faith 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off A meer naturaâ— man acteth at little a higher rate than a Beast A Beast seeth things before him tasts what is comfortable to his Senses is guided by Fancy and Appetite But the Spirit of Faith maketh a Man live as in the sight of God and under a sense of another World His end enlightneth him for Mat. 6.22 The light of the Body is the Eye if thine Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light When a man hath fixed his end he will the sooner understand his way Finis est mensura mediorum The End is the measure of the means A good end and scope inlightneth and governeth a man in his whole course As a Man's end is so he judgeth of Happiness and Misery If a Mans end be to live well in the World then Happy are the People that are in such a Case If his end be to enjoy God then Happy is the People whose God is the Lord Psal. 144.15 It is a blessed opportunity to be waiting upon him So he judgeth of Liberty and Bondage If his end be to please God then Corruption is his Yoak if to please the Flesh Duty is his Yoak So he judgeth of Wisdom and Folly A carnal man counteth himself wise when he has made a good Bargain then he applaudeth himself Psal 10.3 The wicked boasteth of his Hearts desire and blesseth the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth The Godly Man then counteth himself wise when he has redeemed time for spiritual uses Eph. 5.15 16. Not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days are evil And the Eunuch when he was instructed by Philip went on his way rejoicing Acts 8 39. Vse 1. If these things be so then it informeth us how chearfully we should pass through our Sabbath Duties Isa. 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy Pleasure on my Holy Day and call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord honourable and shalt Honour him not doing thine own work nor finding thine own Pleasure nor speaking thine own Words c. It followeth naturally from the Point in hand for if a day in Gods house be better than a thousand elsewhere then a Christian should be in his Element when he is wholly at leisure for God His Sabbath time should not hang upon his hands nor should he count this day as a melancholy Interruption Few are of this Spirit they are out of their course Amos 8.5 When will the Sabbath be gone that we may set forth Wheat They are weary of Sacred Meetings and long to have them over that they might follow their gain and satisfie their worldly Humour They make the World and their Gain their great Errand and look upon Attendance upon God as a matter by the by and therefore are soon weary of it Vse II. Let us reflect the Light of this Truth upon our own Hearts have we this love and affection to the means of Grace If we profess it the Truth of it is best known to God but in some measure it should be known to our selves also if we would take Comfort in it Therefore let us a little state it 1. This Affection and Respect to Ordinances is to them as pure to those meetings where God is sincerely and purely worshipped As new born Babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 The new Nature is suited to Gods Institutions As the puking Infant when he sucketh a Stranger doth in Effect say this is not my Mothers Milk Christ is there where he is worshipped in his own way Mat. 28.20 Teaching them all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World The Church hath nothing to do about ordaining or instituting but only about ordering the natural circumstances of Worship 2. It is not the empty formality which the Saints prize but meeting with God Psal. 81.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord
have preached unto you let him be accursed 3. Extraordinary means will do no good where ordinary prevail not But man is never satisfied with the present Dispensation Psal. 78.22 23. But they believed not in God and trusted not in his Salvation tho' he had commanded the Clouds from above and opened the doors of Heaven Whatever means â—od useth man is man still There were Carnal Wretches when there were Miracles and so there will be still when the Heart is out of order bare means will not set it in frame 4. Though we live not in the Age of Miracles and Oracles yet if we have valuable Testimony of them it is enough to beget Faith Psal. 78.5 6 7. He commanded our Fathers that they should make them known to their Children That the Generation to come might know them even the Cildren that should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children That they might set their hope in God It were endless to attest former Miracles with a new supportation of Miracles report is enough to convey them to us and if we cannot contradict them why do we not believe Use I. To check the dream of the Efficacy of extraordinary means above the ordinary which God seeth fit to give us Our Lord impersonateth our thoughts Luke 16.30 31. If one went unto them from the Dead they would repent And he said unto them They have Moses and the Prophets if they hear not them neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the Dead We think the Word is an Antiquated State Dispensation that hath lost all its force If God would assure us and invite us to Faith and Repentance some other way it would be more successful as if one came from the other World or an extraordinary Messenger from Heaven or Hell Let us argue the Case It must be either because he is supposed to bring a more necessary Doctrine to work men to Faith and Repentance or can urge better Arguments or with more Perswasiveness or propound these Truths with more Certainty or convey a Power greater than is ordinarily dispensed by the Word It must be one of these four things but neither the one nor the other can be 1. Not a Doctrine more necessary to convince men of their Misery and Remedy Sin and Duty The Son of God is a sufficient Teacher of all Divine things for he lay in the Bosom of God John 1.18 And he came on purpose to reveal what was necessary to mans Salvation 2. Not better Arguments to enforce it What would we have an hotter Hell or a better Heaven More direful Threatnings or sweeter Promises Or more powerful Motives Surely nothing can be added What is beyond Eternal Misery or Eternal Happiness 3. Not propound these things with more Certainty For these things are offered to our understandings by a full and fair Credibility Christ being fore-described by Prophesies Authorized by Miracles mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the Dead requiring nothing of us but what is suited to Gods Nature and our Necessity What certainty would a Spectre or Ghost or an Angel or Apparition give above this 4. Nor convey a greater Power and Force to affect the Heart of man What is of greater Efficacy than the Spirit of God Surely he is able to change the Heart of man when nothing else can Now the Gospel is the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 See these Heads more inlarged in the Sermon on Luke 16.30 31. Use II. If God hath so settled the way of Salvation in the new Covenant as to leave no cause or occasion of Doubting or suspecting of the Truth or Certainty of these Blessings he hath promised to us then we should not live in Jealousies and Doubtfulness as if we were not upon sure Terms with God If we transact with another about certain Benefits the Transaction may prove to no purpose if the matter about which we contract with them hath no being or the Terms be impossible or the conveyance be not so firm and strong as to hold good in Law Now none of these can be imagined in our entring into Covenant with God For 1. Eternal Life is not a Chimera or a thing that hath no being Then you might run uncertainly 1 Cor. 9.26 If it were a Dream or a well devised Fable No it is the greatest reality that can be thought of Iohn 14.2 In my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you Christ would not flatter us into a Fools Paradice 2. It is not upon impossible Terms but such as are performable by the Grace of God as Faith Eph. 2.8 For by Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God And the Apostle telleth us Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed Consider the Conditions that concern either the making or keeping Covenant The Conditions for making Covenant Ier. 24.7 I will give them an Heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my People and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole Heart And Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of flesh Then for keeping Covenant for this is a Covenant that keepeth us as well as we keep it Ier. 32.40 41. I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me Yea I will rejoice over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul So there is a Promise of Influences to prevent danger of discovenanting Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them 3. If the conveyance be not so strong and firm to make a Plea in Law but this is conveyed by Gods Word and confirmed by his Oath Heb. 6.17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of Promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation It is assured to us by his own Son Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom and sealed to us by Christs Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Therefore the conveyance will bear a Plea both now in Prayer and before the Tribunal of God If there be
for God First Let us open this looking First It implieth Faith or a believing the reality of these Invisible things That there are eternal and glorious things to be enjoy'd after this life Certainly an Object though never so glorious cannot be seen without eyes Now Faith is the eye of the Soul without which we can have no prospect of the World to come Therefore Faith is defined to be Heb. 11.1 The substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Without Faith Reason is short sighted and there is a deep mist upon Eternity 2 Pet. 1.9 Reason is acute enough in discerning what is noxious and comfortable to the present life Good for Back and Belly but it seeth little of any thing beyond this present World so as to quicken us to make any preparation for Death and Eternity The Mind hath no eyes to look beyond the mists and clouds of this lower World but such as the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation is pleased to give us and cannot believe the reality of the unseen glory 'till in his light we see light Ephes. 1.17 18. Alass The wisest part of Mankind are taken up with Toys and Childish Trifles in comparison of these Invisible things The sweetness of Honour VVealth and Pleasure is known easily by feeling and therefore known easily and known by all but few can see the reality and worth of these unseen things Though Heaven and Glory be talked of in their hearing yet they know it not 'T is quite another thing when it is represented to us in the light of the Spirit None discern the worth of these things but those that have the Eagle-eye of Faith that can pierce above the Clouds to the Seat of the Blessed Faith is like a Prospective-glass by which we see things at a distance Others onely mind things at hand things that may be seen and felt Compare Lumen Fidei the light of Faith with the light of Sense That one degree of light the light of Sense can onely discern things near us present with us and before our eyes Those things which lie out of the view of Sense make no Impression upon them They see nothing but these corporeal things which even Dogs and Horses see as well as they As for Instance That it is good to eat well and drink well and sleep well To be at liberty and enjoy our pleasure or mind our business here in the World and thrive and prosper and do well according to hearts desire But the light of Faith will discover that there is no such danger as perishing for ever no such worth in any thing as there is in Salvation by Christ no such business of Importance as seeking after Eternal Life That all the gay things of Sense are but as so many May games to this happiness All the terrible things in the VVorld but as a Flea-biting All the business of the VVorld but as a little Childish sport at Push-pin in comparison of working out our Salvation with fear and trembling Much of Christianity lieth in opening the eye of Faith and shutting that of Sense Faith can look through all the clouds and changes of this VVorld To those eternal perpetual solid good things which God hath prepared for them that love him and so can the better contemn all those perishing vanities which the VVorld doteth upon This is that which is called in the Text looking and not looking c. The next degree of light is Lumen Rationis Reason can onely guess at future contingencies or at best see things in their causes and that it is probable if nothing letteth that such and such things will fall out but Faith can look through all distance both of time and place and the mist of contrary appearances to things promised with such certainty and sure perswasion as if the things we are perswaded of were at hand Heb. 11.13 These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad Still it can believe in hope against hope and see Sun-shine at the back of the Storm and Heaven and Happiness in the midst of deep Afflictions Compare the Lumen Fidei with the Lumen Prophetiae Rev. 20.12 They agree in the common object such things as are revealed by God They agree in the same common nature That they see things future and to come with such clearness and certainty as if they were in being They differ because Faith goeth upon the common Revelation which God hath made to all the Saints in Scripture The other some special Revelation made to certain chosen persons The light of Faith affects the Heart with great joy and comfort The other is usually accompanied with rapture and extasie Yea let us compare it with Lumen Gloriae The Beatifical Vision that worketh a change in Body and Soul 1 Iohn 3.2 This in Soul 2 Cor. 3.18 There we see him Face to Face 1 Cor. 13.12 Here as in a Glass Though we are not so higly affected with the light of Faith yet as truly That nullifieth all sin and misery This exasperateth the Heart against sin and fortifieth it against misery Though the light of Faith giveth not as full an enjoyment of God yet as sure and proportionably affecteth the Heart as if we saw Christ in the midst of his Holiness and Paul with his Crown of Righteousness It puts the Believers Head above the Clouds in the midst of the glory of the World to come Once more this Lumen Fidei is somewhat like that sight which God hath of things Scientia Visionis simplicis Intelligentiae God seeth all things that may be in his own All-sufficiency all things in his own Decree Faith acts proportionably It sheweth all things that may be in the All-sufficiency of God and though it be not sure of the event yet our God is able Dan. 3.17 18. It seeth all things that shall be in the Promises of the Gospel wherein his Decree is manifested it realizeth them as if they were already They have a pledge of the Blessing when they have the Promise Now if we had such a Faith could thus look to things unseen it would produce notable effects A Man would be another manner of Christian Secondly It implieth an earnest Hope as well as a lively Faith Hope implieth Two things First A frequent Meditation Secondly A desirous Expectation 1 Frequent Meditation For Faith is acted by serious Thoughts Carnal Men are described to be those who mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 And again Who mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8.5 As a Man is in the constitution of his Heart so are his musings and meditations For thoughts being the genuine birth and immediate off-spring of the Soul do discover the temper of it But those that
another World they would sooner discern their mistake How miserably will you bewail your selves when you have lost Eternity for poor Temporal things What comfort will it be to you that you have been Merry lived in Pomp and Ease It is better to believe than try To prevent the misery than experiment it Now for means to help you Vse I. Frequent Recollection For thereby you come to your selves Luke 15.17 And when he came to himself he said How many Hired Servants of my Fathers have Bread enough and to spare and I perish with Hunger Many are so busie about their vanities that they cannot find that they are Men or think what business they have to do in the World nor where they must dwell for ever Self-communing would be an hopeful means to undeceive them Isa. 46.8 Remember this and shew your selves Men bring it again to mind O ye transgressors And elsewhere the Prophet sheweth what reasonings we should use with our selves Isa. 55.2 Surely this would be one means to wean you from Carnal Vanities and to deaden the Gust and Tast of them to your Souls most men debase their reason to the service of their Appetites and Lusts their pleasure and business is the pleasing and gratifying of the Flesh Rom. 13.14 All their care is to Eat well and Drink well to be well Fed and well Clad and to make a fair shew in the Flesh and live in Worldly Pomp All their business is to gather in provision for the satisfying of their present Lusts they spend their days and cares for nothing else which is that living after the Flesh Rom. 8.13 That sowing to the Flesh Gal. 5.8 which the Scripture condemneth And what is the reason of all this Because they are inconsiderate Never consider whence am I whither am I a going What shall become of me to all Eternity Psal. 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies They are like Children hunting after Butter-flies and when they have them their gawdy Wings melt away in their Hands and there remaineth nothing but an ugly Worm The Worm of Conscience the Worm of Disappointment Oh recollect thy self is this to make Eternal things our scope 2. Let us often compare together the condition of the present and of the future Life All things that are liable to the view of Sense soon pass away whether Comforts or Crosses The Good and Evil of the present World are soon over accordingly should be our carriage towards them 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. Now consider how unreasonable it is the Soul should be drawn away by Transitory things from those which are Eternal The things we doat upon are not worthy to be compared with the greatness and duration of those things to which we are invited by the Promises of the Gospel It may be you have Health and Strength and Wealth now but how long will you have it We are not sure of the enjoyment of these things the next day How soon may they be withered The prosperity of the wicked is cut down as Grass withered as the Green Herb Psal. 37.2 But things unseen will be yours to all Eternity God is an everlasting Portion Psal. 73.26 My Flesh and my Heart faileth But God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Christ's Redemption is an everlasting redemption Heb. 9.12 He entred in once into the Holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us God and Christ will be yours to day and will be yours to all Eternity Those things which are seen if they do not perish may be taken from you Mat. 6.19.20 We are not sure to get it but you are sure to leave it Iob 1.21 But these other things cannot be taken from you Luke 10.42 One thing is needful and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her The Devil cannot and God will not take it from you 3. Improve your experience of the vanity of this World Psal. 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Vain light Hearts pass over these things and get no profit by them They find the Creature vanity and vexation of Spirit yet run out as greedily after it as they did before Psal. 49.13 This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings They are sensible of the folly of their Ancestors but are not mended by it they have Eyes to see but not an Heart to see Deut. 29.2 3 4. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your Eyes in the Land of Egypt unto Pharaoh and to all his Servants and to all his Land The great Temptations which thine Eyes have seen the Signs and those great Miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to Hear unto this day 4. Be sure when you are tempted to revive this meditation upon your Hearts That things seen are Temporal and things unseen are Eternal As 1. When any Temptation cometh to draw your Hearts to give contentment to the Flesh for a season As for Instance when you are tempted to please your Eye your Taste your Sensual Desire or to wrong your Souls for Wealth and Honour remember these are not Eternal Pleasures Riches Honours And shall I dare run the hazard of wronging God or my Soul for a little present satisfaction Leave my fatness and sweetness to rule over the Trees What! hazard Eternal things for Temporal trifles 2. When tempted by the bitterness of the Cross to relent in Gods Cause Say as Basil's Forty Martyrs that were kept naked in the open Air in a cold Night to be burn'd next day Sharp is the cold but sweet is Paradice Troublesome is the Way but pleasant is the end of the Journey Let us endure a little cold and the Patriarchs Bosom will soon warm us Stephen saw Heaven opened and that fortified him against the Showers of Stones from the People Act. 7.51 'T is for such a season 5. Beg the light of the Spirit 'T is necessary for us both with respect to things seen and unseen 1. Seen That we may apprehend the vanity of the Creature Psal. 90.92 So teach us to number our days that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom Psal. 49.4 I will incline mine Ear to a Parable I will open my dark saying upon the Harp David is describing the vanity of Worldly prosperity And also to see things unseen Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the Hope of his â—alling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints Our Wisdom Natural is Carnal and Sensual Iam. 3.15 Either for Riches Pleasures or Honours Prov 23.4 Labour not to be Rich cease from thine own Wisdom Reason catereth for the Body
saving of his house by which he condemned the World But you justifie the World as Israel is said to justifie Sodom Ezek. 16.51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy Sins but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done You differ more in your Pretences than in your Conversations whilst you are weak and not thoroughly moulded and commanded by Religion If you are overcome by Sensuality Pride Worldliness Envy and Malice wherein do you differ from the ungodly World but only in the Name and some little Grace which is buried under an heap of Sin 7. Your Hearts will never serve you to do any excellent things for God but you will betray his Honour upon all occasions by your Weaknesses and Infirmities either by foolish Opinions vain Desires carnal Projects or turbulent Practices These are only mastered by growth in Grace and God hath most Honour from the strong and fruitful Christian Iohn 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit Produce the genuine Fruits of Godliness and produce them in Plenty and you will mightily honour God in the World A Man acts most zealously and self-denyingly when the Love of God beareth Rule in his Heart 2 Cor. 5.13 14. For whether we be besides our selves it is for God or whether we be sober it is for your sakes for the love of Christ constraineth us There is none of us but might have acted much better and wiser and carried on our Profession more to the Honour of God if we had yielded more to the Sovereign Power and Empire of Grace 5. Use. Try whether God's Grace be decayed or increased in you If according to our years and standing we are advanced in the way to Heaven if for every year of our Lives we have passed a station of the Wilderness to Canaan if with the decaying of the Natural Life there hath been a growth of the Life of God in us 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Thus do God's People do go on from strength to strength 1 Thes. 4.1 Furthermore we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Iesus Christ that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more As you are nearer to the Grave are you a step nearer to Heaven Are we every day more careless than another or more serious What hath been our Proficiency A Man may be long at Sea yet make a short Voyage So it is with most Men they live long in the World but they make little progress Are we stronger in resisting Temptations to Sin from the Devil the World and the Flesh 1 Iohn 2.14 Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one In bearing Afflictions and Molestations of the Flesh upon the hopes of another World Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small In promptitude and readiness of Obedience Do you serve God with that readiness of Mind that will become Love to God and Faith in his Promises Heb. 13.21 The Lord make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. 2. Doctrine From the term of this Motion Those that go on from strength to strength shall at length appear before God in Zion Here observe 1. The place Zion that is Heaven in this accommodative sense wherein I handle it Heb. 12.22 But ye are come unto Mount Zion the City of the living God the heavenly Ierusalem and unto an innumerable Company of Angels c. Now this is a glorious Place Ierusalem below was a beautiful City but much more Ierusalem that is above This World is a Valley of Tears wherein rueful Spectacles are presented to our Eyes woful News possess our Ears here is Sorrowing and Sinning but no such thing there all is quiet beautiful and glorious no woful Sound or sad Spectacle no dismal Rumors nor evil Tydings Sense will tell you what the outside is this spangled Roof over our Heads is but the Pavement of that Palace 2. The Company Every one They were travelling to Zion in distinct Troops but they all meet in one Assembly and Congregation So here we have but little Company by the way a straight Gate and a narrow Way and but few that find it But when all meet together there is an innumerable Company of Angels and the Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12.22.23 All joyning as in one Choice to land and bless God in a Consort of Voices 3. Their Blessedness There they appear before God That is their Happiness They appear not in order to Doom but Fruition Not only before God as a Judge but as a gracious Father 1 Iohn 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Cor. 13.12 For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know even also as I am known Here we know God by hear-say but see him not The fulness of our Joy is from the Vision and Sight of God All Sight of God transforming here 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord but there much more Here we are like him in Holiness and there in Happiness There is in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. something happy something good and we shall be there like him in both Use. Let this beget Patience Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us Heaven will pay for all And let it also beget diligence 1 Cor. 15.58 Be ye stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Be always pressing on because of the high Price of your Calling The thought of the Prize should excite us to diligence A Sermon on 1 Cor. xi 26 For as oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lord's death till he come I Shall fall directly upon the Words without any Preface In them observe I. A Duty supposed II. The Purpose and End of it declared 1. The Duty supposed In it you may observe two things 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As often implieth a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it must be often for he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as often it should be very often Seldom Communions came into the Church upon the decay of Zeal 2. Both Elements are supposed to be used As often as
Heart be well furnished the Tongue will not be barren and empty 2. Having your Furniture get those Graces which may quicken you to imploy it as Zeal for the Glory of God and love to Souls Fire turns all about it into Fire Mules and all Creatures of a Mungrel Race do not procreate 1 Iohn 1.2 3. For the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iâ—sus Christ. And David's Maschill Psal. 32. Title is A Psalm giving Instruction True Good is diffusive of its self When Philip was called he inviteth Nathanael to come to Christ Iohn 1.45 and Andrew Simon Vers. 41. True Zeal sheweth its self by a Zeal to promote the Kingdom of Christ and the good of Souls And the new Nature seeketh to multiply the kinds and they who are really brought to Christ will be careful to invite others 3. We have need to pray to God that he will touch our Tongues with a Coal from the Altar that is by his Spirit purifie our Speech Isai. 6.6 7. Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live Coal in his Hand which he had taken with the Tongs from off the Altar And he laid it upon my Mouth and said Lo this hath touched thy Lips and thine Iniquity is taken away and thy Sin is purged That we may shew forth nothing of pride and passion and carnal affection but speak upon all Occasions with a pure Zeal for him And again that he would open our Lips Psal. 51.15 O Lord open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise That he would cast out the dumb Devil The habit of Grace without continual influence to act it effectually will not do its work the habit is a Gift and the bringing forth of the habit to exercise is another Gift 4. Watchfulness and heed is necessary otherwise Corruption will break out There is a quick intercourse between the Heart and the Tongue Pride will shew its self in a vain Ostentation of Parts Passion in some heat of Words Worldliness and Sensuality will bewray themselves and divert us from holy Conference to that which is Carnal and Worldly Discontent in some unseemly Expressions of God's dealings with us Indiscretion and Folly in a multitude of impertinent talk Psal. 141.3 Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth Keep the Door of my Lips The Tongue must be watched as well as the Heart all watching will be to little purpose unless God bridle and curb our Tongues that nothing break out to his dishonour but this constant Guard is necessary Second Sermon I Come to the second Branch But the Heart of the Wicked is little worth Doct. That an Vnsanctified Heart is a Drossie Heart of no value and use as to Heavenly Things 1. Let me explain this Aphorism 2. Confirm it by Reason 3. Apply it 1. To open it 1. What is meant by the Wicked Man 2. What by his Heart 3. In what sense it is little worth 1. What is meant by the Wicked Man Answ. One that is not regenerate or renewed by the Holy Spirit They are of several sorts some are more gross in the out-breakings of sin others please the Flesh in a more plausible and cleanly manner the one are usually called wicked and prophane Persons but others are comprized also Psal. 14.3 They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one They are all in the state of Nature and their corrupt Hearts are vile and loathsom in God's sight 1. Some have great Natural Abilities and Gifts as Achitophel 2 Sam. 16.23 And the Counsel of Achitophel which he counselled in those days was as if a Man had enquired at the Oracle of God yet his Heart was nothing worth as to God's acceptance and his own Salvation as the issue declared 2. Some have plausible shews of Piety and external Worship yet while the Heart is unrenewed that will not help the matter Matth. 23.27 28. Our Lord compareth them to whited Sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward but are within full of dead Mens Bones and of all Vncleanness Even so ye also appear outwardly righteous to Men but within are full of Hypocrisie and Iniquity 3. Not only the gross Dissemblers but those that are brought so far as to a partial Obedience yet this availeth not if the Heart be not cleansed and renewed as it is said of Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.2 He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect Heart It was right in the matter and he did many things right but his Heart was nothing worth 4. Though Men act like themselves and have no condemning disallowing thoughts within themselves as conscious to any partiality and defect in their Obedience yet God still looketh to the Heart to see whether it be drossie or pure Gold Prov. 16.2 All the ways of a Man are clean in his own Eyes but God weigheth the Spirits He puts the Heart into the Balance of the Sanctuary Men blinded with self-love are partial in their own cause and when the action is fair over-look an unsanctified Heart but the Lord considereth it exactly quo animo with what spirit every thing is done 2. What is meant by the Heart Not that fleshy part which is in the midst of the Breast but the Soul with all its Faculties Understanding Will and Affections And this considered not as to its Natural Capacities and Properties but as corrupted by Sin Now great is the Pravity and deep is the Corruption of Man's Heart by Nature and that not only as to the Disorder and Disobedience of the Inferiour Faculties but as to the leading part of the Soul First In order to God Secondly As to Inferiour Things First In order to God 1. In the Understanding there is not only Ignorance but Indisposedness to know the Truth set forth by the Notions of Darkness and Blindness Ephes. 5.8 Ye were sometimes darkness 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off He hath no Spiritual discerning This is worse than bodily blindness because Men are not sensible of it Revel 3.18 And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and because they seek not fit Guides to lead them Acts 13.11 And now behold the Hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind not seeing the Sun for many days And immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand But these cannot indure them 2. Vanity and Slightness and Folly Matth. 22.5 They made light of it Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so
before the endless fruition of God Now he is Sanctified when his worldly Love is cured and he is brought back again to the Love and Obedience of God Those that are Healed of the over-love of the World are Sanctified as the inclinations of the flesh to worldly things are broken 2. Why this Appropriation 1. Because the Relation is only reckoned to those that have benefit by it Now none but the Sanctified have benefit by Christ's Incarnation As Christ told Peter Iohn 13.8 If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Without this Soul washing Men can prove no Interest in Christ. This is the great evidence If no Interest in him no Communion with him no share in the Inheritance purchased by him and so it doth them no good to hear of a God in their nature Alas if the secure world did mind this they would more seriously study Holiness and not so easily presume on the Grace of God in Christ. 2. Because there the Relation holdeth of both sides Christ is born of a Woman and they are born of God Iohn 1.13 And he is a Kinsman doubly ratione incarnationis suae regenerationis nostrae as Macarius He taketh Humane Nature and we partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 They that have not this new Birth the Kindred is not reckoned to them It is between Sanctifier and Sanctified There is a conformity between Head and Members of the Mystical Body an unity of Nature Spiritually as well as outwardly The Sanctified are of one as well as the Sanctifier they are of the Spirit 3. The Captain of Salvation and the Heirs brought to Glory are an Holy Society whereof he is the Head and they the Members He Sanctifieth and they are Sanctified A living Head and rotten Members will not suit As a Prince instituteth a noble Society suppose of the Garter whereof he is Head all the Members that call one another Brethren are in their degree of answerable Nobility with himself So Christ hath instituted a Society where all shall be Brethren but he the Head He gave himself for it Eph. 5.27 Christ is the head of the Church and Saviour of the Body 4. These suit with Christ's ends of coming into the World and assuming Humane Nature Two ends there were of his Humiliation and mean condition in the World 1. One by way of Merit to procure the Sanctifying Spirit to restore us to a state of Holiness and to purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 Eph. 2.25 26. The Spirit begets us to the Image of God and it is by Christ that we are possessed of the Spirit and renewed according to his Image in Righteousness and true Holiness 2. His mean condition whereby he became our Brother and did partake of flesh and blood because his Brethren did partake of the same is a testimony against the Pride Carnality and Worldliness of Men which is the true Impurity of their Souls He was in the form of a Servant and made himself of no Reputation Phil. 2.7 8 9. to draw off deluded Men from over-loving the Pleasures and Riches and Honours of the World and so to cure them of that perverse Love wherein impurity and unholiness doth consist and to teach us a setled contempt of all these Vanities in comparison of God and Heaven and that inclination and affectedness we should have to him 5. These are qualified for the Inheritance suited to the everlasting Glory and Happiness which belongeth to the Brethren Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God God is an holy God and Heaven is the place where his Holiness dwelleth If God will be now sanctified in all that draw nigh unto him surely they must be sanctified that dwell with him hereafter unless we be washed by the Blood of Christ and sanctified by his Spirit of Grace how can we dwell in his â—ight We must be consecrated before we can minister in his Heavenly Temple God will not divest himself of his Holiness to gratifie impure and unholy Creatures and admit them to dwell in his Presence upon other Terms 1 Use. To press you to labour after holy Hearts and holy Lives The more you increase in Holiness the more you increase in the favour of God Prov. 11.20 Such as are upright in the way are his delight A Man is made truly amiable by Holiness the more God loveth him and it is the greatest Testimony of God's love to us to give a new Heart and a right Spirit within us Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is given to us 2 Use. It shews who they are that may take comfort in that Christ calls them Brethren even the Sanctified such as have the Spirit of Christ dwelling and working in them and do purifie themselves yet more and more They that have not this double Union and Communion with Christ are not Brethren though they be Men as Christ was For though Christ assumed their Nature yet they do not assume Christ's Nature Though he was the Son of Man yet they are not the Sons of God Therefore try 1. Are you Sanctified Is there a Principle of Grace set up in your Hearts Another Spirit than the Spirit of the World Is there a new Spirit as God has promised Ezek. 36.26 27. 2. Does that Work go on It is compleat in Parts at first but are you growing in degrees as an Infant doth Is there more Love more Zeal Faith Fear Reverence Watchfulness Are you more fixed more cleaning your selves 2 Cor. 7.1 More humbâ—ing your selves for out-breakings of Sin â—s there more fitness and suitableness to God's Will more pressing towards the Mark as it was with Paul Phil. 3.14 4 Point That this Sanctification which is required of us proceedeth originally from Christ. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that Sanctifyeth and therefore said to be made unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 That is a Fountain of Holiness Now Christ sanctifyeth us 1. Partly by his Merit Flee to the Blood of Christ as the meritorious and procuring Cause When God's Image was lost there was no way to recover it but by paying a Price to provoked Justice and no less price would serve the turn than the Blood of Christ. Therefore it is said Eph. 5.26 He gave himself for the Church that he might cleanse and sanctify it meritoriously And this he hath done sufficiently on the Cross Heb. 10.14 By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified That is done enough for the perfect reconciling of all that are sanctified 2. By his Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified ye are cleansed in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Whatever the Spirit of God doth he doth as Christ's Spirit as being purchased by him as dwelling first in him who is the Head and then in the Members and for his Glory and as we
forsake their Sins and fly unto him for Mercy He seeks for Pardon for them that sought it not and considereth not so much what they deserved as what became himself and the Riches of his Grace They curse and he blesseth they vomit our Scorns and Slanders but he poureth out Prayers to God for them 2. That all Sins even the greatest except that against the Holy-Ghost are pardonable What greater Sin could there be than crucifying the Lord of Glory yet upon Repentance it is forgiven That it was capable of Pardon appeareth by this Prayer of our Saviour and that it was actually Pardoned appeareth by the Second of the Acts when they were touched to the quick with the sense of this Crime and asked what they should do Peter adviseth them to this Remedy Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and they found it effectual upon the use of it Ver. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls And that it is so in the general Case our Lord assureth us Mat. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men There is no exception of any Sin though it go so high as Blasphemy but the malicious blaspheming the Operations of the Holy-Ghost those by which he testified manifestly and sufficiently that he was the true Messiah and their imputing these Operations to the Devil But of other Sins there is no exception speaking against the Son of Man was not believing him to be the Messiah that may be forgiven but Blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost is resisting his Manifestations affirming them to be done by the Devil rather than God and this shall never be forgiven Well then let us conceive of God's Mercy according to the Infiniteness of his Nature and of Christ's Merits according to the Dignity of his Person an Ocean of Water will wash one Sink or filthy Hole clean 3. That Remission of Sins is the free Gift of God and the Fruit of his Pity and Grace Christ asketh it of his Father Father forgive them He must be sought to we cannot merit it of our selves David addresseth himself to God and useth no other Plea but Grace and Mercy Psal. 51.5 Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Our Work lieth with the Father of Mercies and the God of all Compassions that he may be reconciled to us and seal up his perfect Pardon to our Souls 4. That Pardon of Sins is a special Benefit Christ asked no more than Father forgive them It is a special Benefit because it freeth us from the greatest Evil Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 And it maketh us capable of the greatest Blessing Eternal Life Tit. 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life It is purchased at the dearest rate even the Blood of Christ Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God It is brought about by the highest Power the finger of God or his all-conquering Spirit who by converting us or giving us Repentance maketh us capable of Pardon Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins It openeth the Door to the choicest Priviledges the favour of God and communion with him in the Spirit therefore David pronounceth the Pardoned blessed Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity 5. That Love of Enemies and those that have wronged us is an high Grace and recommended to us by Christ's own Example Sure it is needful that we should learn this Lesson to be like God Luke 6.36 Be ye merciful as your father also is merciful That we may obey God who hath required this at our hands Therefore we must consider not what others have been to us but what God will have us to be to them meek patient and merciful Again we hereby shew the Purity and Sincerity of our Love Nature will teach us to love those that love us but Grace only teacheth us to love Enemies This is Love with Self-denial they who love us indear themselves to us the other alienate themselves from us yet for God's sake we can love them and seek to draw them out of the Snares of the Devil that we may restore them to God 2 Use. Reproof of those that are Cruel and Revengeful How different are they from Christ who are all for Unkindness and Revenge and solicite Vengeance against God's suffering Servants with eager Aggravations Oh! how can these Men look upon Christ's Practice without shame How can they look upon these Prodigies of Love and Grace and not blush Can there be a greater Crime and Wrong done to any than was done to Christ And yet when he was whipped Crowned with Thorns pierced with Nails lifted up upon the Cross he doth not pray for Revenge but Pardon he doth not cry Justice Justice but Mercy Mercy Father forgive them he doth not by captious Queries and Expostulations aggravate the Offence but he alleviates it by a sweet Interpretation They know not what they do It is strange to think what bloody Principles many Christians have espoused of late that we rage against our Brethren upon every Offence especially in Matters of doubtful Apprehension where Men are more liable to Mistakes Oh! it is sad when God is but a little displeased to help onward the Affliction I wonder where Men learn that cruel and fell Spirit into which we are commenced of late it was wont to be good Doctrine Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful What is become of all those good Lectures of Charity and Meekness and Gentleness which are commended to us in the Rule of the Gospel and the Example of Christ Certainly when the Spirit is exulcerated it argues some loss of Peace with God David was never more cruel than when he had violated the Peace of his own Conscience 2 Sam. 12.31 And he brought forth the people that were therein and put them under saws and under harrows of iron and under axes of iron and made them to pass through the brick-kilne Certainly Matters are not right between us and God when Men's Principles and Practices grow bloody and cruel 3 Use. To exhort us to imitate Christ in being meek patient merciful void of Malice doing Good for Evil bearing the worst Usage
lifted up his Eyes being in Torments He had a pompous Funeral here upon Earth for it is said he died and was buried which is not said of Lazarus These are Truths not spoken of once or twice but every-where 2 dly The Covenant sheweth it which is God's solemn Transaction with his Subjects and consists of Precepts or Laws invested with the Sanction of Promises and Threatnings Christ argues thus Luke 20.37 38. Now that the Dead are raised even Moses shewed at the Bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob For he is not the God of the Dead but of the Living He proves the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body 1. His Commands all of them imply such an Estate and some of them express it All imply it as Faith in Christ we believe in his Name to obtain eternal Life Joh. 20.31 But these things are written that you might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing you might have Life through his Name And Joh. 5.24 He that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting Life Repentance Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the Times of Refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. Therefore it is called Repentance unto Salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 And Repentance to Life Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life So new Obedience Heb. 5.9 He became the Author of eternal Salvation to all that obey him Acts 26.7 Vnto which Promise the twelve Tribes instantly serving God Day and Night hope to come And some express it He hath commanded us not to labour for the Meat that perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life John 6.27 Not to lay up Treasures upon Earth where Moth and Rust doth corrupt and Thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven Mat. 6.19 20. And strive to enter in at the strait Gate Luke 13.24 Now if there were no such thing all these Commands would be in vain Would God flatter us into a Fool 's Paradise and command us to look after a thing of nought 2. The Sanction And there 1. The Threatning which is Damnation or the second Death Mark 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned Is this a vain Scarcrow and need God govern his Subjects by a Cheat or a Lie 2. The Promises he promiseth Eternal Life to them that obey the Gospel and seek after this Immortality Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful to Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Be faithful in making good your Baptismal Vow improving Talents withstanding Temptations So to comfort us against Fears Losses and Sorrows Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you a Kingdom Now would God over-reach us and lead us with Chimera's and vain Hopes 3 dly The Mediator of the New Covenant sheweth it his coming from Heaven the Place of Souls the Region of Spirits and his going thither again at his Ascension 1. His coming from Heaven Wherefore was Christ incarnate and clothed with our Flesh but that we might be apparrelled with his Glory Iohn 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly To lay a Foundation for our eternal Happiness 2. His going to Heaven his entring into that Glory he spake of and so giving a visible Demonstration to the World of the Reality of it 1 Pet. 1.21 Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope may be in God There he remaineth at God's Right-Hand to open Heaven to all Believers Christ when he died recommended his Spirit to the Father Luke 23.46 Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit And so do Believers to Christ Acts 7.59 Lord Iesus receive my Spirit If the Soul did perish with the Body why should we commit it to Christ 4 thly The Holy Spirit is given to form and prepare us for this Estate therefore by consequence to assure us of it 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit 1. Look to the Graces of the Spirit we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature to draw us off from the World to Heaven 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to 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. Now will God fit the Soul for such a blessed Estate when this Life is ended and shall we never enjoy it If we consider the Soul not only as being an inward Principle of Life and Sense but also of Reason it proveth the Immortality of it much more as sanctified and enobled by Grace Rom. 8.10 The Body is dead because of Sin but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness Believers have a Life wrought in them by the Spirit which is the Pledg and Beginning of Eternal Life for they are sanctified and purified and fit to be brought into the Sight and Presence of God The Apostle doth not draw his Argument there from the Immortality of the Soul for that is common to Good and Bad the Wicked have a Soul that will survive the Body but little to their Comfort their Immortality is not an happy Immortality but he taketh his Argument from the New Life wrought in us by the Spirit which is the Beginning and Earnest of a blessed Immortality the New Life is an eternal Principle of Happiness 2. Look to the Comforts of the Spirit from the Love of God and the Hopes of Glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory Rom. 5.2 And rejoice in hope of the Glory of God Now is it a Fancy that holy Men rejoice in Look as the Terrors of a wounded Conscience are the Foretastes of Hell-Torments called somewhere the Pains of Hell so the Comforts of the Spirit are the first-Fruits of Heavenly Joys to set us a longing for more Rom. 8.23 And not only they but our selves also which have the first-Fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body Now by all these things let us rouse up a drousy Faith and triumph over that Carnal Atheism and Unbelief that worketh in our Hearts Is the whole Scripture false and the Christian Religion a well-devised Fable our Redeemer an Impostor and the Covenant of God a Dream and the Comforts of the Spirit Fanatical Illusions And were they all
Son of God Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead The true Messiah and Judg of the World Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the dead If he had been an Impostor neither could he have raised up himself being a mere Man nor would God have raised him up for we cannot imagine that Divine Providence would cooperate to countenance a Lie or Cheat. As then you would not be found Enemies to Christ in his Imperial Day give him Glory and Dominion If you slight him you despise one that is evidently declared to be the Son of God and there is no Medium either he must be your loving Saviour or your terrible Judg. If you neglect him he will not be the first-born from the dead to you nor the first-Fruits to you The first-Fruits did not bless the Tares or the Cockle or Darnel or filthy Weeds but only the good Corn though raised again you shall be by his Judicial Power Again he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and therefore highly to be respected Respect to great Ones and fawning upon great Ones is the practice of all the World all will seek the Ruler's Face As all Rivers run to the Sea so do all the Respects of the World to the Great and the Mighty And is not the Son of God worthy of our Respects that is sat down at the right Hand of Majesty above all If we did live by Faith as much as by Sense we would see it is our Interest as well as our Duty to honour Christ we would not fear a mortal Man that can threaten us with a Prison but Christ who can threaten us with Hell nor be dismayed at the Frowns of Men when Christ smiles Who would not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy Name Rev. 15.4 We would yield up our selves to be his willing Subjects and obey his Laws who can reward us not with Temporal Dignities but Eternal Life The Authority and Power that all others have is but derived from Christ and subordinate to him therefore if he smiles whose Frowns need we fear He is the one Law-giver that hath Potestatem Vitae Necis Power of Life and Death he is able to destroy absolutely and you may be safe in his Protection Well then if we consider what he is he deserveth everlastingly to be honoured II. What he hath done for us He loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood And there we begin First With the Fountain and Bosom-cause of all and that is Christ's Love To him that loved us 1. Christ's Love is the Ground of Man's Redemption that stirred all the Causes and set them a-work that concurred to this End Other Attributes were manifested in the Redemption of Mankind as God's Wisdom Power Justice Holiness but they are all subservient to Love but Love is at the upper end of all Causes subservient to nothing but it self If you ask a reason of other things it may be assigned but if you ask a reason of his Love that cannot be given but from it self If the question be Wherefore did God discover such Riches of Wisdom Goodness and Power for the saving poor worthless Creatures He loved us Iohn 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Wherefore did Jesus Christ submit to such bitter Agonies such an accursed Death He loved us Ephes. 5.2 Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour Ephes. 5.25 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it And Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me But now put the question Wherefore did he love us Love only is the reason of it self He loved us because he loved us Deut. 7.7 8. The Lord did not set his Love on you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any People c. but because the Lord loved you 2. As it is the Fountain-Cause so it was that Property that shined forth most conspicuously in the Work of Redemption Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his Love toward us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And therefore this is that which we should most admire and be ravished with in our Thoughts Here next to the Description of the Excellency of Christ's Person the first thing mentioned in the Doxology it self is this To him that loved us This is a comfortable Word as if Jesus would be described and known by nothing so much as by his Love What was the Son of God but Love incarnate Love born of a Virgin Love conversing in the World and preaching Salvation to poor Sinners Love going about and doing Good Love relieving the Diseased and the Possessed curing the Deaf and the Dumb and the Blind and the Lame and finally Love dying and hanging on the Cross God is Love 1 John 4.8 The Angels in Heaven adore this Love tho Spectators not Parties interested he came not for their sakes but ours only We have a little notional knowledg of it but could we once find the saving Effects of God's Love in Christ impressed upon our Hearts by the Spirit how would you be melted and ravished and ever be thinking what Glory and Honour you might bring to him that thus loved you You and I may discourse of it it is not a few cold Thoughts of the Love of Christ will work on us but the shedding of this Love abroad in your Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 There is no Knowledg like the experimental Knowledg which ariseth from the felt and known Effects of this Love this would awaken your Hopes fill you with solid Comfort excite you to your Duty 2 Cor. 5.14 For the Love of Christ constraineth us However till you have this the Means you must use are sound Belief and serious Consideration 1 st Imbracing by Faith the Love of God in Christ and the good things prepared by it as they are revealed and offered in the Gospel That is the way to get this fuller Insight and experimental Knowledg and Feeling of this Love for so the Apostle prayeth Ephes. 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith that ye being rooted and grounded in Love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg 1 John 4.16 We have known and believed the Love which God hath to us God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 2 dly The serious Contemplation and