Believers happincss Page 353. Vid. Believers the Church preserved in the midst of them Page 26 †of the Church their folly Page 37 †44 †Gods promise to his Church a comfort against all their designs Page 39 †to the Church the fiercest who Page 43 †design her destruction Page 44 †the nearer her deliverance the fiercer God's judgements on them Page 44 †destroyed by the same means whereby the Church is preserved Page 44 †in what times God destroys them Page 44 45 46 †why in those times Page 47 8 9 †how then destroyed Page 49 50 51 †Enmity to God unworthy Page 354 Enoch's Faith in Christ Page 1164. Essence of God not communicated in Regeneration Page 101. Evidences should be cleared up why and how Page 52 3 4. Eve her Faith in Christ Page 1165 6. whose sin greatest Adam's or hers Page 78 †Exaltation of Christs divine Nature in what sense Page 329. 1090 1 2. of his humane Page 329 1092 1093 1094 1095. the act of the Father Page 330 386. the reward of his death a Page 331 ad 334 863. very fit and congruous Page 334. the ends of it a Page â—34 ad 337 386 1099 1118 1334. the manner and nature of it Page 337. an encouragement to Faith Page 338. Vid. Faith comfortable to Believers Page 340 1. a 1102. ad 1106. terrible to the wicked Page 341 2 1102. the greatness of it Page 386. 1096 1097 1098. whether merited by Christ Page 1074 1075 6. necessary Page 386. a 1077. ad 1098. to be meditated on and why Page 1106 7. Vid. Glory of Christ Self Examination pleasant to a renewed man Page 113 114. will quicken him to praise Page 126. in the power of a natural man Page 185. a necessary duty Page 825 6. diligence requisite in it Page 827 8 9. men backward to it and why Page 828. the neglect of it folly Page 830. urged ibid. directions for it Page 831 832 833. 1365 1366. a means to cast out evil thoughts Page 16 †Self Examination before the Supper universally necessary a Page 793. ad 796. the object of it Page 777. a 796. ad 813. Examples good discourage sin and promote holiness Page 132. Excommunicated persons not to be debarred from the word Page 792. Experience Vid. Mercies received of the new birth want of it makes it hard to be conceived Page 69. Extremities the time wherein God saves his people Page 27 †46 7 8 †of the Church often very great 44 †Exhortations Vid. Commands Eternity of Punishment Vid. Punishment Events ungrounded imaginations about them sinful 4 †F. FAith God gives sufficient grounds for it but forces none to it Page 1. implanted in Regeneration Page 78 9. man naturally an Enemy to it and all its attendants Page 144 714 715 716 718. how far it could be exercised by Adam in innocence Page 189. whether purchased by Christ Page 212. encouragements to it Page 298 315 323 339 655. necessary to Salvation Page 319 349 700. pleasing to God and Christ Page 319 350 624 629 673. its firm foundation Page 323 327. 338 339. 347 348. 672 673. 1088. its nature and adjuncts Page 349 671 2. a 798 ad 802. qualifies for reconciliation with God Page 372. a low and reasonable condition Page 374. can 't be without knowledge Page 405. its seat Page 428. accompanies a saving knowledge Page 428. and knowledge encrease one another Page 430. should be much exercised Page 596 7. 1373. the choicest Grace Page 604. 671 2. may be where there are interruptions of its acts and doubtings Page 605 6. why made the condition of the New Covenant Page 646. due to Gods revelations a dictate of Nature Page 647 8. the root of all other Graces Page 649. weak the patience of God towards it wonderful Page 653. means to engage us to seek it Page 662. to be prized and God blessed for it Page 664. that God only can work it no excuse for an Unbeliever Page 706. motives to seek it Page 708. 1108 1153. humane not true Faith Page 720. 1 2. purifies the heart Page 723 4. the Devil a great Enemy to it and why Page 740. we should examine whether we have it Page 741 2. should be prized and strengthned because 't is so rare Page 745. the design of all Gods actions to promote it Page 744. necessary in a communicant Page 781. to be enquired after before he receives Page 797 8. and acted by him when he receives Page 753. 802 3. direct acts of it when to be exercis'd Page 832. how establisht Page 844. 1107. to be exercis'd as oft as we sin Page 1114. what keeps Life in it Page 1177. not required of all in an equal degree Page 1179. to be exercis'd before and under Temporal evils Page 1291. 84 5 †without it no pardon Page 106 †tho' weak interests us in pardon Page 113 †Faith its object God in Christ Page 349 â—50 1159. God the principal Page 1160 1 2. Christ the immediate Page 373. 1163. Christ was of the ancient Believers tho' not so distinct as of ours Page 848. 1163. ad 1171. of old exprest by waiting and trusting Page 1169. is in his person Page 1171. as sent and commission'd by God Page 305. 1172. in all his Offices Page 342. 1173. 1182. as crucifyed the more immediate object of it Page 870. a. 1173. ad 1177. such a Faith urged Page 854. 872. 904. 913. 1210. only as eying that justifies Page 1210. as risen and exalted Page 67. 1177. to be examin'd by its object Page 1179. in Christ urg'd Page 1179 80. in him solely wholly always Page 1181 2. Faithfulness of Christ to his charge Page 1335. 1360. Fall made man unfit unwilling unable to good Page 10 11 175. sadly depraved him Page 44. 143. the misery of man by it Page 197. 754. sense of the corruption by it a means of the new birth Page 62 3 135. and of Mortification Page 1321. insensibleness of it the cause of unbelief Page 731 2. an occasion of the greater discovery of God Vid. Attributes since it man not able to know God by the Creatures as he ought Page 483. Fall into sin upon it how 't is with a renewed man Page 98 99 †of others Vid. Sins of others Familiarity with God causes delight in Prayer Page 60 †God the Father the Author of Reconciliation Page 251 2. a. 258. ad 262. necessary he should be so a. Page 252. ad 262. his Agency in Redemption a. Page 262. ad 338. his special love to Christ as Mediator Page 673. Favour of God lost by sin regain'd by Regeneration Page 29 30. the fruit of Christ's Death Vid. Death of Christ follows upon pardon Page 110 †Fear of God can't be without knowledge Page 407. what caused by the Spirit in Conviction Page 570. 577. a preservative from Judgments Page 71 †of sin a sign of Pardon Page 116 †the duty of a pardon'd
1102. can 't be by our works Page 1115. a 1203. ad 1208. the matter of Christ's Intercession Page 1141 2. what God eyes in it Page 1175. when compleat Page 1197. 1113. continued Page 1209. Vid. own Righteousness Justice of God in punishing fallen man vindicated Page 178. not blemisht by his commands and promises when he denies special Grace Page 191 192. honoured by Christ Page 250. 306. 508. 837. 883. and mercy united in Christ Page 499. 506. can't but punish an unbeliever and seen in so doing Page 681. 704. ad 707. insensibleness of its severity a cause of Unbelief Page 732. to be reverenc'd Page 757. requires satisfaction Page 860. 869. 926. 928. Vid. Satisfaction its plea against fallen man Page 929. seen in destroying the Churches Enemies Page 47 †51 †in Pardon Page 105 †K. KIngdom of God the Gospel state why so call'd Page 7 8. those of the world overturned Page 25 †Kingly Office of Christ required his Death Page 943. and Exaltation Page 1086. secures Believers and the Church Page 1354. 34 5 †Knowledge literal may be without saving Page 4. alone not sufficient to salvation Page 45. speculative Page 392 3. practical Page 393 4 5. experimental Page 395 6 7. of interest Page 397. of God and Christ necessary to happiness grace and peace Page 390 ◠a 398. ad 411. not immediate nor comprehensive Page 411 12. 13. not perfect here Page 414. 454. saving its effect a Page 415. ad 433. its manner a Page 433. ad 437. of other things besides God and Christ insufficient Page 437 8 9. of a true Christian the best Page 440. 448. sad to abuse it Page 440 1. men opposite to it and negligent of it Page 443 4. saving very comfortable a Page 448. ad 452. should be tryed whither saving Page 452. no other but saving to be rested in Page 453 4. growth in it urged and directed a Page 455. ad 457. they that want it urged to seek it a Page 457. ad 464. 1371. hindrances of it Page 4. 439. a 464. ad 466. helps to it a Page 466. ad 473. saving of God only by Christ Page 474. natural of God by implanted notions Page 478. by the Creatures Page 478 9. under the Law Page 485 6. by Christ most excellent Page 481. ad 492. Christ only capacitated to give it Page 492 3. necessary the highest should be by him Page 494. purchased by him Page 496. Christ the necessary medium of it Page 497 8. of all Gods perfections by Christ and how a. Page 498. ad 512. of God in Christ men are Enemies to Page 514 15. deserves praise Page 518. to be sought and how Page 518 19. should be attended with sutable affections Page 519. natural and acquir'd stir'd up in conviction Page 573 4. punishment proportion'd to it Page 689 690 1. 797 8. of a mans Estate possible Page 777. 829. what qualifies for the Sacrament Page 784 5. L. LAW of God studying it advantagious Page 63. 599. 1321. written in the heart by Regeneration what a Page 96. ad 100. of it self doth not convert but irritate sin Page 169 231. not so powerful as the Gospel Page 235. alone can't throughly convince Page 565. an instrument in conviction Page 571 2 3. unbelief a sin against it Page 647 8 9. strengthens the sentence of an Unbeliever Page 684. silenced by Christ's Death Page 839. difference between it and the Gospel Page 1179. knowledge of God by it Vid. Knowledge Laws natural and positive their difference Page 772. who can repeal them Page 772 3. Liberty of the will what is lost by sin Page 176 7. some still in man Page 178 9. 180. spiritual the fruit of Christs death Page 852. Life uncertain Page 60. Light of Nature all from Christs interposition Page 138 175 6 476. discovers God but dim and weak Page 478 486 491. cannot throughly convince Page 557 8 563. 4 568 569. Likeness to God perfect the reward of Heaven Page 41. 114. in the new Creature a Page 100 ad 104. fervent longings after it a sign of Regeneration Page 119. should be the object of our love Page 129. Love of God in Christ great Page 257 269 307. 314 a 359. ad 363 688 836 1148. secures a Believers standing Page 1325. to Believers not hindred by their corruptions Page 1364. the Church the peculiar object of it Page 32 †Love to God a duty in Heaven Page 40. implanted in Regeneration Page 79. not without knowledge Page 406. necessary in the Supper Page 806 7. how to try it Page 807 8 9 10 68 †75 †abated by forgetfulness of mercies Page 1371. a menans to raise good thought Page 12 †much exercised a means of perseverance Page 1374. a sign of pardon Page 116 †Love of Christ in his death a strong motive to obedience Page 65. wonderful Page 883. to weak Believers Page 1336 1351 2 3. Love to Men seen in mourning for their sins Page 68 †Love to the Saints a mark of Regeneration Page 67. a necessary duty Page 129 810. how to try it Page 811. Love to Sin setled a renewed man cannot cannot have Page 95 †M. MAjesty of God known by the creatures Page 480. Man deals unworthily with God Page 353 4 5. all by nature under condemnation Page 676 7. Vid. Fall Marriage no Sacrament Page 77 †Means of Grace not insufficient in themselves Page 195. nothing to be ascribed to them Page 202. weak ones used to renew men Page 209 10. have defferent success Page 210. to be used with an eye to God Page 229. cannot convince without the spirit Page 725 726. the best oft unsuccessful Page 718. total neglect of them shews men are unbelievers Page 725 6. God never wants them Page 27 †unlawful not to be used Page 54 †Mediator none but Christ Page 355. Meditation a means of Divine knowledge Page 472. every morning a means to raise good thoughts Page 12 13 †the matter and manner of it to be looked to Page 13 14 †good thoughts injected should be used to assist us in it Page 18 †Meekness an effect of saving knowledge Page 426. a means to it Page 472. Memorials of Gods favours always appointed Page 749. necessary Page 749. Mercy of God display'd in Regeneration Page 211 and justice united in Christ Page 499 506. absolute cannot pardon and save Page 679 680 1. 1179 1202. Vid. Faith Unbelievers its plea for fallen man Page 929. God always hath for his people Page 65 †mixt with punishment Page 84. Vid Goodness Mercies common ones sweetned by pardon Page 379 111. all from God Page 667. received to be remembred and how Page 1306 7 8. 1310. 52. why Page 1309 10 11. arguments for hope and trust for the future Page 387 1311 12. 48 †53 †sense of them causes delight in prayer Page 60 †temporal faith to be acted for them Page 84 5. Merit of grace Impossible Page
voluptuousness fancy the pleasures in the ways of wisdom here and at God's right hand hereafter This is to deal with our hearts as Paul with his hearers The heads of the Catechism might be taken in order which would both encrease and actuate our knowledge Psal 40.5 to catch them with guile Stake your soul down to some serious and profitable mystery of Religion as the Majesty of God some particular Attribute his condescension in Christ the love of our Redeemer the value of his sufferings the vertue of his blood the end of his ascension the work of the Spirit the excellency of the soul beauty of holiness certainty of death terror of judgment torments of Hell and joys of Heaven Why may not that which was the subject of God's innumerable thoughts be the subject of ours God's thoughts and counsels were concerning Christ the end of his coming his death his precepts of holiness and promises of life and that not only speculatively but with an infinite pleasure in his own glory the creatures good to be accomplished by him Would it not be work enough for our thoughts all the day to travel over the length breadth height and depth of the love of Christ Would the greatness of the journey give us leisure to make any starts out of the way Having settled the Theme for all the day we shall find occasional assistances even from worldly businesses as Scholars who have some Exercise to make find helps in their own course of reading though the Book hath no design'd respect to their proper Theme Thus by imploying our minds about one thing chiefly we shall not only hinder them from vain excursions but make even common objects to be oyl to our good thoughts which otherwise would have been fuel for our bad Such generous liquor would scent our minds and conversations all the day that whatsoever motion came into our hearts would be tinctured with this spirit and savour of our morning thoughts as vessels having been filled with a rich wine communicate a relish of it to the liquors afterward put into them We might also more steadily go about our worldly business if we carry God in our minds as oâ—e foot of the Compass will more regularly move about the Circumference when the other remains firm in the Center 2. Look to the manner of it 1. Let it be intent Transitory thoughts are like the glances of the eye soon on and soon off they make no clear discovery and consequently raise no spritely affections Let it be one principal subject and without flitting from it for if our thoughts be unsteady we shall find but little warmth a burning glass often shifted fires nothing We must look at the things that are not seen as wistly as men do at a mark they shoot at 2 Cor. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.18 Such an intent meditation would change us into the image and cast us into the mould of those truths we think of it would make our minds more busie about them all the day as a glaring upon the Sun fills our eyes for some time after with the image of it To this purpose look upon your selves as deeply concern'd in the things you think of Our minds dwell upon that whereof we apprehend an absolute necessity A condemned person would scarce think of any thing but procuring a reprieve and his earnestness for this would bar the door against other intruders 2. Let it be affectionate and practical Meditation should excite a spiritual delight in God as it did in the Psalmist †Psa 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. and a divine delight would keep up good thoughts and keep out impertinencies A bare speculation will tire the Soul and without application and pressing upon the will and affections will rather chill than warm devotion 'T is only by this means that we shall have the efficacy of truth in our wills and the sweetness in our affections as well as the notion of it in our understandings The more operative any truth is in this manner upon us the less power will other thoughts have to interrupt and the more disdainfully will the heart look upon them if they dare be impudent Never therefore leave thinking of a spiritual subject till your heart be affected with it If you think of the evil of sin leave not till your heart loath it if of God cease not till it mount up in admirations of him If you think of his Mercy melt for abusing it if of his Soveraignty awe your heart into obedient resolutions if of his Presence double your watch over your self If you meditate on Christ make no end till your hearts love him if of his Death plead the value of it for the justification of your persons and apply the vertue of it for the sanctification of your natures Without this practical stamp upon our affections we shall have light spirits while we have opportunity to converse with the most serious objects We often hear foolish thoughts breathing out themselves in a house of mourning in the midst of Coffins and trophies of death as if men were confident they should never die whereas none are so ridiculous as to assert they shall live for ever By this instance in a Truth so certainly assented to we may judg of the necessity of this direction in truths more doubtfully believed 7. Draw spiritual Inferences from occasional Objects David did but wistly consider the Heavens Psal 8.3 4. and he breaks out in self-abasement and humble admirations of God Glean matter of instruction to your selves and praise to your Maker from every thing you see It will be a degree of restoration to a state of innocency since this was Adam's task in Paradise Dwell not upon any created object only as a Virtuoso to gratifie your rational curiosity but as a Christian call Religion to the feast and make a spiritual improvement No creature can meet our eyes but affords us lessons worthy our thoughts besides the general notices of the power and wisdom of the Creator Thus may the Sheep read us a Lecture of patience the Dove of innocence the Ant and Bee raise blushes in us for our sluggishness and the stupid Oxe Isa 1.3 and dull Ass correct and shame our ungrateful ignorance And since our Saviour did set forth his own excellency in a sensible dress the consideration of those Metaphors by an acute fancy would garnish out divine truths more deliciously and conduct us into a more inward knowledge of the Mysteries of the Gospel He whose eyes are open cannot want an instructer unless he wants a heart Thus may a Tradesman spiritualize the matter he works upon and make his commodities serve in wholsom meditations to his mind and at once enrich both his Soul and his Coffers yea and in part restore the creatures to the happiness of answering a great end of their Creation which Man depriv'd
her v. 5. v. 1. His Foundation The Foundation of God i. e. That which God hath founded that Jerusalem which is of God's building is seated in the holy Mountain the City was built before Joshuah conquered Canaan But God is said to be the Founder of it in regard of that peculiar glory to which it was designed to be the rest of his Ark the place of his Worship the Throne of the Types of the Messiah the Seat whence the Evangelick Law was to be publisht to all Nations and the Messiah revealed as the Redeemer and Ruler of the World In the holy Mountains Jerusalem was seated upon high Mountains The Palace of the Kings was built upon Sion and the Temple the House of the Most High was built upon Moriah and encompast with Mountains round about Psal 125.2 an emblem of the strength and stability of the Church * Daillé Melange part 2. page 354. Holy Mountains not that there was any inherent holiness in them more than in the other Mountains of the Earth or that they were naturally more beautiful and stately than other Mountains but because they were separated for the Worship and Service of God and had been ennobled by the performance of a Worship there before the building of the Temple It was upon Moriah that Isaac was designed for a Sacrifice and the most signal act of obedience performed to God by the Father of the Faithful It was there also that David appeased the wrath of God by Sacrifice after it had issued out upon the People in a Plague for the numbring of them And the very name Moriah hath something sacred in it it signifying either God teaching or God manifested which name might be given it by God with respect to the manifestation of Christ who was to come during the standing of the second Temple v. 2. The Lord loves the Gates of Sion By Gates in Scripture is meant the strength or wisdom or justice of a place Gates were the Magazines of Arms and the places of Judicature He had manifested his love to her in chusing that City before all the Cities of Israel and Judah wherein to place his Name and have his Worship celebrated and that place in Jerusalem particularly where his Law should be given by the Spirit to the Apostles upon the day of Pentecost and to apply it to the Gospel-Church it signifies the special respect God bears to her above all the Rites Observancies and Ceremonies of the Judaick Institution It was in this Gospel-Church the true Sion that he desired to dwell and will remain for ever Psal 68.17 Which is a Prophetick Psalm of the Gospel-times and the Ascension of Christ 1. The Stability of the Church is here asserted * Geierus in loc The Church is not built upon the Sand which may fall with a Storm nor upon the Waters that may float with the waves nor spread out as a Tent in the Desert that may be taken up and carried away to another place but upon a Mountain not to be removed * Psal 125.1 Mount Sion cannot be removed 't is built upon a Rock the Rock of Ages upon a Mountain which is not shatter'd by waves or shaken by storms upon Christ who hath the strength of many Mountains in himself 2. The necessity of holiness in a Church What though the Church be a Mountain for strength and eminency have the honour and priviledg of Sacraments and be the Ark of the Oracles of God 't is not established unless it be a holy Mountain Holiness is the only becoming thing in the House of God as it is consecrated to the glory of God so it must be exercis'd in things pertaining to the glory of God As the Foundation is holy so ought the Superstructure to be There was no filth in the framing it there must be no filth in the continuance of it v. 3. He speaks with some kind of astonishment of the glorious things spoken of her or promised to her and concludes it with a note of attention or a mark of eminency Selah * v. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God No place enjoy'd an equal happiness with Jerusalem while it remained faithful to its Founder It maintain'd its standing in the midst of its enemies no weapon formed against it was able to prosper Heaven planted it and the dews of Heaven watered it it had a continual succession of Prophets the best Kings that ever were in the world swayed the Scepter in it it was blessed with more miraculous deliverances than any part of the Universe the Nations that loved it not yet feared its power and feared the displeasure of its Guardian It was here the Son of God delivered the Messages of Heaven by the order of his father It was here the spirit first filled the heads and hearts of the Apostles in order to the conversion of a world from Idolatry to the Scepter of God but more glorious things are spoken of the Spiritual Sion than of the material Jerusalem that had Christ in the flesh and the Gospel-Church hath Christ in the spirit he went from thence to heaven but he comes from heaven to visit them with his comforts he hath left the walls of Jerusalem in its ruins but he hath not he will not leave his Spiritual Sion fatherless and comfortless Joh. 14.18 his spirit abides for ever with his Church Glorious things are spoken of it when he pronounced it impregnable and that the gates of Hell the power and policy of all the Apostate Angels and their instruments should not prevail against her when he assured her he would be present with her not to the end of an age or two but till the period of time the consummation of the world priviledges that material Jerusalem could never boast of whatsoever countries have been applauded for secular excellencies or been famous for wisdom none can claym such elogies as Gospel Sion where God hath declared his will publisht himself a God of salvation placed the laws of heaven and poured out that wisdom which comes from above These are glorious things above humane expectations above humane desires The Glorious things mentioned of the Gospel-Church are in v. 4. where he speaks of the enlargement of her bounds the increase of her inhabitants and the numerous muster-rolls of those that shall list themselves in her service * I will make mention of Rahaâ— and Babylon to them that know me Behold Philistia and Tyre with Aethiopâ—â— this man was born there The time shall come when those nations that are most alienated from the profession of truth shall come under her wing and pay allegiance to her empire Strangers shall be brought into her bosom not only Philistia and Tyre nations upon her confines but Aegypt and Aethiopia nations more remote nations born and bred at a distance shall be registred as born from her womb and nurst in her lap distance of place shall not hinder the relation
love of delight since he hath refined and beautified her by imparting to her of his own comliness Ezek. 16.14 Is it likely this affection should sink into carelesness And the fruit of so much love be dasht in peices Can such tenderness be so unconcerned as to let the apple of his eye be pluckt out To be a lazy spectator of the pillage of his Jewels by the powers of Hell to have the Center of his delight tost about at the pleasure of men and Devils Shall a Mother be careless of her sucking Child How then can that God whose tenderness to the Church cannot be equalled by the bowels of the most compassionate mother to her infants Surely God is concerned in honour to maintain against a feeble Devil and a decrepit world that which is the object of his almighty affection 8. In regard of the natural weakness of the Church No generous Prince but will think himself bound in honour to support the weaker subject no tender parent but will acknowledg himself obliged in affection to take a greater care of the weaker than the stronger Child The Gardiner adds props to the feeblest plants that are most exposed to the fury of the storms and have least strength to withstand them The powers of the world have always been the Churches enemies the wise have set their reason and the mighty their arms against her the Devil the God of this world is so far from being her friend that Sion hath been the only object of his spite He contrives only floods to drown her or mines to demolish her Her own friends are often so darkened or divided that they cannot some times for Ignorance and will not other times for peevishness hit upon and use the right means for her preservation 'T is an honourable thing then for that God who entitles himself the Father of the fatherless to shew his own power and grace in her establishment The fatherless condition of the Church is an argument she hath sometimes used to procure the assistance she wanted * Hos 14.3 With thee the fatherless finds mercy And the weakness of Jacob urged by the Prophet excited repentance in God and averted two Judgments which were threatned against that people Amos. 7.2 3 5 6. 'T is no mean motive to him to help the helpless this opportunity he delights to take when there was no man to help no intercessor to plead then his own arm brought Salvation When he saw no defenders but all ravagers no Physicians but all wounders then should the Spirit of the Lord lift up a standard Isa 59.16.19 To conclude if Sion the Gospel Church were not of as long a duration as the standing of the world God would lose the honour of his creation after the Devil by sin had made the creatures unuseful for those ends to which God had appointed them by his first institution The wisdom of God had been blurred the serpent would have Triumphed the Kingdom of God had been dissolved the enemy would have enjoy'd a remediless tyranny had not God put his hand to the work and erected a new Kingdom to himself out of the ruins of the fall And since God was pleased to take this course rather than create a new world and hath laid the foundation of a new Kingdom by drawing some out of that common rebellion the humane nature was fallen into and that he might do it with honour to himself hath sent his Son upon that errand by his blood to bring back man to God and his spirit to make men fit for a Communion with him and hath backt his affection to the Church with so much cost and pains for her welfare If after all this God should-desert his Church the dishonour of Gods wisdom the loss of the fruit of all his cost and pains the weakness of his affection or of his power to perform his promise and the ruin of his glory intended by those methods would be the issue which would be attended with the triumph of his revolted creature and greatest enemy This would be if God should cease picking out some men for his praise and keeping up his name and royalty in the earth 2. 'T is for the exercise of the Offices of Christ that Sion should be establisht He is Prophet Priest and King which are all titles of relation Prophet implies some to be instructed a Priest some to offer for and a King some to be ruled put one relation and you must necessarily put the other If there were no Church preserv'd in the world he would be a nominal Prophet without any disciples a King without subjects and a Priest without suppliants to be atoned by him upon earth Now Christ is the wonderfull Counsellour the everlasting Father and the Government is laid upon his Shoulders to what end to order and establish the Kingdom of God Isa 9.6 7. All the strength and vigor he had as it was from God so it was intended for God * Thou madest the Son of man strong for thy self Psa 80.17 And the reason is because though God hath given up the administration of things to Christ yet he hath not devested himself of his right nor can For God is the chief Lord and the relation of creatures not ceasing the relation of Lord and Creator cannot cease And therefore since the right of God continues the grant of the uttermost ends of the earth to be the inheritance possession of Christ includes not only a gift but an Office to preserve protect establish and improve his possession for those ends for which he had the grant and to prevent all that may impair it As he had a right and strength by the order of God to rear it so he hath an Office and Power to establish it as well as to erect it and Christ is the same in all his offices yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 The same in credit with God in faithfulness to his Office the vertue of his blood the force of his arm and compassions to bleeding Sion 1. 'T is his part as a Prophet to establish it in Doctrine 'T is his part externally to raise his truth when it lyes gasping in the rubbish of errour and refine his worship when it is daub'd with Superstition and Idolatry Internally to clear the understanding to know his truth quicken the will to imbrace it rivet the word in the conscience and enflame the affections to love and delight in it Certainly the promise of the abiding of his Spirit implies the efficacy of his operation while he abides He is to provide against the subtilty and rapine of fox like Hereticks that they spoil not the tender vine Cant. 2.15 And to furnish the Church with gifts for the preserving and increasing her The perpetual exercise of this prophetical office he promised them when he gave the Apostles a Charter for his presence to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Which was in relation to their ministry and
and if in one duty why not in another why not in prayer Mat. 13.20 Like a fire of thorns that makes a great blaze but a short stay 3. From a good Conscience A good heart is a continual feast Prov. 15.15 He that hath a good conscience must needs be chearful in his religious and civil duties Guilt will come trembling and with a sad countenance into the presence of Gods Majesty A guilty child cannot with chearfulness come into a displeased fathers presence A Soul smoakt with Hell cannot with delight approach to heaven Guilty Souls in regard of the injury they have done to God will be afraid to come and in regard of the soot of Sin wherewith they are defiled and the blackness they have contracted they will be ashamed to come They know that by their sins they should provoke his anger not allure his love A Soul under conscience of sin cannot look up to God Psal 40.12 Nor will God with favour look down upon it Psal 59.2 It must be a pure heart that must see him with pleasure Mat. 5.8 And pure hands must be lifted up to him 1 Tim. 2.8 Jonah was asleep after his sin and was out-stript in quickness to pray even by Idolaters The marriners jogg him but could not get him that we read of to call upon that God whom he had offended Jon. 1. Where there is corruption the sparks of sin will kindle that tinder and weaken a Spiritual delight A perfect heart and a willing mind are put together 1 Chron. 29.2 There cannot be willingness without sincerity nor sincerity without willingness 4. From a holy and frequent familiarity with God Where there is a great familiarity there is a great delight delight in one anothers company and delight in one anothers converse strangeness contracts and familiarity dilates the Soul There is more alacrity in going to a God with whom we are acquainted than to a God to whom we are strangers This doth encourage the Soul to go to God I go to a God whose face I have seen whose goodness I have tasted with whom I have often met in prayer Frequent familiarity makes us more apprehensive of the excellency of another an excellency apprehended will be beloved and being beloved will be delighted in 5. From hopes of speeding There is an expectative delight which ariseth from hopes of enjoying Rom. 12.12 Rejoycing in hope There cannot be a pleasant motion where there is a palsie of doubts How full of delight must that Soul be that can plead a promise and carry God's hand and seal to Heaven and shew him his own Bond when it can be pleaded not only as a favour to engage his mercy but in some sense a debt to engage his truth and righteousness Christ in his prayer which was his Swan-like song John 17. pleads the terms of the Covenant between his Father and himself I have glorified thee on Earth glorifie me with that golry I had with thee before the world was This is the case of a delightful approach when we carry a Covenant of grace with us for our selves and a promise of security and perpetuity for the Church Upon this account we have more cause of a pleasant motion to God than the ancient Believers had Fear acted them under the Law Love us under the Gospel He cannot but delight in prayer that hath Arguments of God's own framing to plead with God who cannot deny his own Arguments and Reasonings Little comfort can be suckt from a perhaps But when we come to seek Covenant-mercies God's faithfulness to his Covenant puts the mercy past a perhaps We come to a God sitting upon a Throne of Grace upon Mount Sion not on Mount Sinai to a God that desires our presence more than we desire his assistance 6. From a sense of former mercies and acceptation If Manna be rained down it doth not only take off our thoughts from Aegyptian Garlick but quickens our desires for a second shower A sense of God's Majesty will make us lose our garishness and a sense of God's Love will make us lose our dumpishness We may as well come again with a merry heart when God accepts our prayers as go away and eat our bread with joy when God accepts our works Eccles 9.7 The Doves will readily fly to the windows where they have formerly found shelter and the Beggar to the door where he hath often received an Alms. Because he hath inclined his ear to hear me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Psal 116.2 I have found refuge with God before I have found my wants supplied my soul raised my temptations check'd my doubts answered and my prayers accepted therefore I will repeat my Addresses with chearfulness I might add also other Causes as a love to God a heavenliness of spirit a consideration of Christ's Intercession a deep humiliation The more unpleasant sin is to our rellish the more delightful will God be and the more chearful our Souls in Addresses to him The more unpleasant sin is to us the more spiritual our Souls are and the more spiritual our Souls the more spiritual our Affections The more stony the more lumpish and unapt for motion the more contrite the more agil From a spiritual tast report of a thing may contribute some pleasure but a tast greater 3. Reasons Without chearful seeking we cannot have a gracious Answer 1. God will not give an answer to those prayers that dishonour him A flat and dumpish temper is not for his honour The Heathens themselves thought their gods should not be put off with a Sacrifice dragg'd to the Altar We read of no Lead that lumpish earthly metal imployed about the Tabernacle or Temple but the purer and most glistering sorts of metals God will have the most excellent Service because he is the most excellent Being He will have the most delightful Service because he bestows the most delightful and excellent gifts All Sacrifices were to be offered up with fire which is the quickest and most active Element 'T is a dishonour to so great so glorious a Majesty to put him off with such low and dead-hearted Services Those Petitions cannot expect an answer which are offered in a manner injurious to the person we address to 'T is not for the credit of our great Master to have his Servants dejected in his work As though his Service were an uncomfortable thing as though God were a Wilderness and the World a Paradise 2. Dull and lumpish Prayer doth not reach him and therefore cannot expect an answer Such desires are as Arrows that sink down at our feet there is no force to carry them to Heaven The heart is as an unbent Bow that hath no strength When God will hear he makes first a prepared heart Psal 10.17 He first strings the Instrument and then receives the sound An enlarged heart only runs Psal 119.32 A contracted heart moves slowly and often faints in the Journey 3. Lumpishness speaks an
wisheth his head were a full springing Fountain to weep for the slain of the Daughter of his People for the sin the cause as well as the calamity the effect Jer. 9.1 He wishes his head to be filled with the vapours from his heart and become a fountain What a transport of sorrow had Ezra when he heard of the peoples sins and the mingling the holy Seed with that of Idolaters A horror run thorow his whole Soul His astonishment is twice repeated Ezra 9.3 4. Every faculty was alarumed at the sin of the People 'T is probable John Baptist used himself to those severities which are mentioned Matth. 3.4 because of the sinfulness of that generation among whom he lived Paul discovers it to be a duty when he reproves the Corinthians for being puft up instead of mourning for that fornication which had been committed by one of their profession 1 Cor. 5.2 And when he writes of some that made the glorious Gospel subservient to their own bellies he mixes his tears with his Ink Phil. 3.18 19. I tell you weeping they are enemies to the Cross of Christ The Primitive Christians did much bewail the lapses of their fellows Celerinus among the Epistles of Cyprian acquaints Lucian of his great grief for the Apostacy of a Woman through fear of persecution which afflicted him so that in the time of Easter the time of their joy in that Age he wept night and day and was resolved that no delight should enter into his heart till through the mercy of Christ she should be recover'd to the Church And we find the Witnesses clothed in Sackcloth when they prophesied in a sinful time to shew their grief for the publick abominations Rev. 11.3 The kingdom of Satan can be no pleasure to a Christian and must therefore be a torment 2. It was our Saviours practice As he had the highest love to God so he must needs have the greatest grief for his dishonour He sighed in his spirit for the incredulity of that generation when they askt a sign after so many had been presented to their Eyes Mark 8.12 He sighed deeply in his spirit And the hardness of their hearts at another time raised his grief as well as his indignation Mark 3.5 He was sensible of the least dishonour of his Father Psal 69 9. The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me I took them to heart Christ pleased not himself when his Father was injured as the Apostle descants upon it when he applies it to Christ Rom. 15.3 His Soul was more pierc'd with the wrongs done to God than the reproaches which were directed against his own person His grief was unexpressibly greater than can be in any creature because of the unimitable ardency of his love to God the nearness of his relation to him and the unspotted purity of his Soul Christ had a double relation to Man to God His compassion to men afflicted him with groans and tears at their bodily distempers his affection to his Father would make him grieve as much to see him dishonoured as his love to man made him groan to see man afflicted This grief for sin was one part of Christ's Sacrifice and Suffering for he came to make a full satisfaction to the Justice of God by enduring his wrath to the holiness of God by offering up an infinite sorrow for sin which it was impossible for a creature to do We cannot suppose that Christ should only accept the punishment but not bewail the offence which was the cause of it A Sacrifice for the sins of others without remorse for those sins had not been acceptable it had not been agreeable to the purity of his humane Nature He wept at Jerusalem's obstinacy as well as for her misery and that in the time of his triumph The loud Hosanna's could not silence his grief and stop the expressions of it Luke 19.41 It was like a shower when the Sun shined If Christ as our Head was filled with inward sorrow for mens displeasing the holiness of God 't is surely our duty as his Members to imitate the afflictions of the Head He is unworthy of the name of Christ who is not afflicted as Christ was nor can call Christ his Master who doth not imitate his graces as well as pretend to believe his Doctrine he cannot see that God who hath distinguisht him from the world dishonoured his precepts contemned but he must have his Soul overcast with a gloomy cloud 'T is our glory to value the things he esteem'd to despise the things he contemn'd to rejoyce in that wherein he was delighted and to grieve for that which was the matter of his sorrow and indignation Thus was he afflicted though he had a joy in the assurance of his Fathers favour and the assistance of his Fathers power The highest assurance of God's love in particular to us ought not to hinder the impressions of grief for the dishonour of his name Did Christ ever look upon the swinish world without melting into pity Did he bleed for the sins of the world and shall not we mourn for them 3. Angels as far as they are capable have their grief for the sins of men The Jewish Doctors often bring in the Angels weeping for sin * Grotius Luc. 15.7 Ob peccatum Hebraei Angelos flentes inducunt And one tells us that in an Ancient Mahumetan Book he finds an Answer of God to Moses Even about this Throne of mine there stand those and they are many that shed tears for the sins of men But the Scripture tells us they rejoyce at the repentance of men Luke 15.10 Their Lord is glorified by a return of a Subject The Subject advantaged by casting down his arms at the feet of his Lord. They do therefore as far as they are capable mourn for the revolts of men suo modo as Beza upon the place They can scarce rejoyce at mens repentance without having a contrary affection for mens prophaneness if they are glad at mens return because God is thereby glorified it cannot be conceived but they mourn for and are angry with their sins because God is thereby slighted Unconcernedness at the dishonour of God cannot consist with their shining knowledge and burning love They cannot behold a God so holy so glorious so worthy to be beloved without having some regret for the neglects and abuses of him by the Sons of men How can they be instruments of Gods Justice if they are without anger against the deservers of it II. 'T is an acceptable duty to God Since it is an imitating the copy of our Saviour it is acceptable to God nothing can please him more than to see his Creatutes tread in the steps of his Son 1. 'T is a fulfilling the whole law which consists of love to God and love to our neighbours 't is set down as a Character of Charity both as it respects God and man Not to rejoyce in iniquity 1 Cor. 13.5 i. e. to be
Are we in such cases tempted to despond and distrust He felt such fiery darts of the Devil that he might the better commiserate us Run to him and cry out Blessed Redeemer Compassionate high Priest let thy pity break out to allay my grief and support my weakness Take a few encouragements to fiduciary acts 1. Nothing is more pleasing to God The continuance in Faith is the necessary condition of our Salvation Nothing more honours him We honour his wisdom and goodness when we acknowledge that he hath a singular care of his Creatures and trust him in his own methods we own his skill in governing and his goodness in bringing every thing about to the best end Christ hath given us the highest example of trust and highly pleased God in it in coming into the world to dye upon Gods bare word and oath 'T is all we can do to glorifie God Other graces glorifie some particular attribute but confidence in God glorifies all in the lump his wisdom righteousness faithfulness mercy truth omniscience and power There is no attribute but gives a particular encouragement to Faith and there is no attribute but Faith returns a revenue of glory to Despondency disparageth the Fathers affection and the Redeemers love if we do not trust him we imply that he hath not either wisdom or love or power or faithfulness enough to be trusted by us and that his word is of no value 2. Nothing is more successfull 'T is the argument the Psalmist or rather Christ useth Psal 16.1 Preserve me Why Because I trust in the. Trust in God is a strong argument to prevail with God for preservation All the ancient Fathers were delivered by God upon their trust Psal 22.4 5. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didst deliver them they cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Faith in Gospel-promises is not a grace of a new date 'T is as old as Adams fall as old as the Patriarchs and successful in all ages of the world They were under new-Covenant promises and had new-Covenant deliverances before the promises were actually sealed by the blood of Christ How much stronger ground have we of trust now Faith draws out the treasures of God and sets God on work to display both his wisdom goodness and power Psal 31.19 How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Much more when Faith is vigorously acted Unbelief binds Gods hands Faith then draws forth that power which unbelief locks up God is first the hope of Israel and then the Saviour thereof in times of trouble Jer. 14.8 of every one of Israel Where God inspires with a humble confidence in himself there is hope of success for God will not frustrate the expectation of that which he hath been the author of in his Creature David had found such good evidence of this that he tells God he would make bold with him upon every occasion of fear Psal 57.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee 3. Nothing more calms the spirit A fiduciary reliance on God is the way to live free from fears and anxieties Faith is an establishing grace By Faith we stand What storms would be in the minds of poor passengers in a Ship as great as those in the Sea if they had no Pilot to direct them How soon would the arrival of a skilful Steers-man in whom they could confide and that knew the shelves and rocks upon the coast calm their disquiets Well then to Sum up all This very Scripture is a Letter of comfort writ only to women in the state of Child-bearing claim it as your right by Faith What comfort is here to appeal from the threatning to the promise from God as a Judg to God as a Father from God angry to God pacified in Christ How comfortable is this that when God seems to fight against you with his punishments you can take off the edge of his weapons by the pleas of his promise Oh blessed God who arms a believer against himself before he arms himself against a believer You can never be under the curse if you have Faith as long as God is sensible of his own credit in the promise In the material part of the punishment there is no difference between a believer and an unbeliever Jacob is pincht with famine as well as the Canaanite but Jacob is in Covenant and hath a God in Heaven and a Joseph in Aegypt to preserve him God directs every pain in all by his providence in believers by a particular love every gripe in all the Physick he gives us He orders even his contendings with his creature in such a measure as the spirit may not fail before him Isa 57.16 A DISCOURSE OF THE Sins of the Regenerate 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God THE Apostle having exhorted the Saints to whom he writes in the former Chapter to abide in Christ and to do righteousness v. 28.29 follows on this Exhortation with several arguments and demonstrations that a true Christian is not only bound to do so but that he indeed doth so 1. From that hope which hath eternal happiness for its Object v. 2 3. Where this hope is truly founded it will inflame us with a desire and endeavour after holiness which is a necessary means to attain it There will be an endeavour to be like that Head here which they hope to be perfectly like hereafter 2. From the contrariety of sin to the Law of God 'T is not reasonable neither can there be such a disingenuous disposition in any to transgress the Laws of that person from whom only he expects his highest felicity and the Law of God being pure and perfect sin being contrary unto it must be filthy and unreasonable A Christian who is guided by this Law will not transgress it 3. From the End of Christs coming which was to take away sin v. 5. And a Christian ought not to endeavour to frustrate the Ends of Christ's coming by the nourishment of that which he came to destroy 4. From the Communion they have with Christ abiding in him they sin not if any man sin it is an evident sign he hath not the knowledge of Christ v. 6. nor ever was conform'd to that pattern Where there is a Communion with Christ it is necessary such an one should be righteous because Christ was so 5. From the first Author of sin the Devil he that sins hath a communion with the Devil v. 8. as he that doth righteousness hath a communion with Christ And to maintain the design and works of the Devil is to walk contrary to the end and design of Christ which was to destroy the works of the Devil those therefore that indulge themselves in sin are the Seed
were like Mary Magdalen to wash Christ's feet with its tears when it hath been washed its self with Christ's blood The Soul cannot enough hate that which God hath been merciful in the pardon of Forgiveness is like the warmth of the Spring it draws out the Sap of the Tree the tears of the Soul which else would scarcely stir If God hath given thee Repentance it is sure enough that he hath given thee a pardon for if he did not mean to give thee that he would never have given thee the other 3. Fearfulness of sin Whosoever knows the bitterness of sin and the benefit of a pardon can never confidently rush into it A pardoned man will never go about to forfeit that which he hath newly received Forgiveness from God doth produce fear in the creature Psal 130.4 But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 'T is a sign we have repented and got pardon if we find after that exercise of repentance and prayer our hatred of sin encreaseth especially of that sin we were guilty of before 4. Sanctification God never pardons but he subdues sin Mich. 7.19 He will subdue our iniquity and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea Both are put together In the Lords prayer desires to be rid of all evil and not to be led into any temptation follow immediately upon the desire of pardon A justified Person and a Sanctified nature are inseparable Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ there is pardon but how shall I know that I am pardoned If you walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit We never sincerely desire pardon but we desire purging and God never gives the one but he bestows the other If thou hast an interest in a pardoning Christ thou wilt have the effects of a Sanctifying Spirit Where Gods grace forgives all sin he will give us grace to forsake all sin 'T is his covenant to turn away ungodliness when he takes away the punishment of sin Rom. 11.26 27. the deliverer shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The applications of Gods grace to us are attended with the infusions of Gods grace into us When he puts his law into the heart he remembers sin no more Jer. 31.33 34. 5. Forgiving others In the Lords prayer we pray forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Our Saviour comments upon this petition to shew that pardon cannot be without this condition in Mat. 18. from v. 23. to the 35. Christ makes it at least a causa sine quâ non of pardon Luke 11.4 and forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us 6. Affectionate Love to God and Christ When we desire to glorify him by his grace as well as be glorified by it 'T is the injury done to God by our sins which doth most affect that heart upon which the Spirit of God is poured Zac. 12.10 they shall mourn over him or be in bitterness for him The Soul is more concerned for Christ than for it self When there is too much of self in our desires for it God delays the manifestation of it to the heart that we may come up to purer strains Christ certainly shed his blood for their remission who are willing to shed theirs for his glory Else Christ whose glory it is to outstrip the hottest affection of his creature would be behind hand with him in love That Soul that would spend its all upon Christ he will not suffer to stand long sobbing before him Luk. 7.47 4 Use of Exhortation 1. To those who are careless of it Oh! by all means seek it Will it at last comfort thee to think of thy mirth and pleasures how honourable how rich or how well stor'd with friends thou hast been What should take up thy heart busy thy thoughts or employ thy endeavours but this that concerns thy eternal state Wilt thou sin away the time of Gods patience and thine own happiness Is it not a time which God hath allotted thee to get a pardon in What would Cain Judas Pilot Herod and all the black regiment give for the very hopes of it Oh prize that here which thou wilt hereafter esteem infinitely valuable and call thy self fool and madman a thousand times for neglecting the opportunity of getting The anger of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon what then are the frowns of an infinite just God Why is thy strength and affection spent about other things Would a forlorn malefactor leading to execution listen chearfully to any thing but the news of his princes clemency Seek it 1. Earnestly Pardon is an inestimable blessing and must not be sought with faint and tired affections 2. Presently Is it not full time seriously to set about it Thou hast lost too many days already and wilt thou be so senseless as to let another slip How knowest thou but if thou dost refuse it this day thou may'st be uncapable of it to morrow There is but a step a few minutes between thee and death and delaies in great emergencies are dangerous 3. Vniversally Content not your selves with seeking a pardon for grisly staring sins which fright the conscience with every look but seek the pardon of your inward secret spiritual sins while you begg most for the pardon of those Sanctifying grace will come in as well as justifying the more you pray against the guilt of them the more you will hate the filth of them 2. To those that seek a pardon and yet are in doubt of it Secure sinners that understand not the evil of sin think it is an easy thing and that forgiveness will be granted of course But those that groan under the burden of their iniquity imagine it more difficult than indeed it is Presumption wrongs God in his justice and every degree of despair or doubting in his mercy 1. God is willing to pardon Ephraim doth but desire that God would turn him and God presently cries out Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child Jer. 31.18 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus A penitent Ephraim is instantly a pleasant Child Ephraim strikes upon his thigh with confession and God speaks to his heart with affection God doth as it were take the words out of Ephraims mouth as though he watched for the first look of Ephraim towards him or the first breath of a Supplication God is more willing to pardon sin than we are to sin Because we sin with reluctancy natural conscience checking us but God hath no check when he goes to pardon He waits to be gracious Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you He hath waited all the time of your sinning to have an opportunity to shew grace to you and now you give it him by repenting will he lose the