when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. 4. Will there be a Judgment 't is wonderful there should be so much security in them that hear of it 〈◊〉 Really the very mentioning of Christs Tribunal before which all must stand should make all Criminals to tremble If a Man were seized for a Crime that 's capital deserving Death by the Law of God and Man and being in Bolts and Fetters in Newgate he should be secure and unconcerned though the Sessious were at hand you would conclude him to be very stupid and inconsiderate What Sinner secure and shortly to be Judged O Drunkard Whoremonger Swearer Sabbath-breaker Covetous Worldling what secure and speedily to appear at the Judgment-seat of Christ who has said That they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! Sin is folly security in Sin is the folly of that folly Take heed of Security 't is not I only but Christ himself also that gives you this necessary caution Luk. 21. 34 35 36. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watch ye therefore and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. VSE II. By way of Counsel Two words of Counsel I would give this Congregation The one is more firmly to believe a Judgment and more frequently to think of it The other is Be sure in time to prepare for eternal Judgment 1. More firmly believe more frequently think of Judgment You have reason to believe it for the Judge is ordained and though neither Men nor Angels know the day yet the day is appointed Act. 17. 30 31. The time of this ignorance God winked at but now commands all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all in that he hath raised him from the dead The stronger your assent is unto this the more serious and often will be your Consideration of it To think of Judgment is proper for a Saint that he may be encouraged to fight the good fight of Faith and persevere in well doing to the end To think of Judgment is proper for a Wicked Man to awaken him and to make him with fear and trembling to work out his Salvation It 's proper for an Hypocrite to think of Judgment because then all Masks and Vizours will be pull'd off all shews will be at an end and naked Truth will appear at that day The Graves will be open'd and do ye think the whited painted Sepulchers will remain shut Oh! then all the concealed Pride and Filthiness and Selfishness and Sensuality and Injustice and earthliness of Professors will with all their aggravations be brought to light before Men and Angels Oh how many demure and serious Countenances that have been a covering to naughty Hearts will then be filled with Confusion 'T is proper for the Old to think of Judgment they have one foot in the Grave already and quickly the whole body must drop into it and the Spirit must return to God who gave it You also that are Young should think of Judgment have the youngest of you any assurance of your Lives Infants Children Youths do not many of them dye and step into Eternity and as you see them leave the World so certainly they appear before God and one way or other have their Doom Solomon tells you that Childhood and Youth are Vanity Would you that are Young be serious the Meditation of Judgment would conduce much to it Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes He says Rejoyce but speaks Ironically and means the quite contrary thou hast no reason at all to rejoyce whilst taken with things that are seen and whilst thou walkest in those evil ways which thy Heart naturally does like Then the Wise man speaks seriously But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment If you ask me What are the Benefits that will accrue by a firm Belief and frequent Meditation of Judgment I thus Answer to this momentous Question 1. This will be a great Preservative against Temptation Look beyond the present advantage and delight that Sin boasts of and see as far as the Judgment-seat this is the way to silence the Tempter and to avoid his snare Would the Lyar dare to speak falsly if he considered that all Lyars shall be adjudged to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21. 8. Would the Unclean Person dare to defile himself and run to the Harlots house if he did but believe and consider that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Improve Christs Cross and think of Christs Tribunal and this will cool and kill Corruptions and take away the force of your Temptations 2. The Belief and Meditation of Judgment will cause you to use this World as not abusing it to make a good improvement of it You that have this World in great abundance and have the clearest and largest Estates do you think you are Proprietors of what you have Do you think 't is given or only lent you for a time You are only Stewards intrusted with that which is Gods and not yours and are accountable at the last day for all you have received What sad accounts will most give up of their Stewardship when they must be no longer Stewards Imprimis So much daily for Eating and Drinking to Self and not to the Glory of God. Item So much for brave Apparel that Pride might be maintained and gratified Item So much for making provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof Item So much for costly and vast Past-times a great deal of Wealth and much more precious Time being wasted together But unto good uses to maintain a Godly and laborious Ministry of the Gospel to the poor and needy given very little or nothing With what an Eye do you think that the Judge will look upon such accounts as these Think of Judgment that you may holily improve the unrighteous Mammon and Christ may say you have been Faithful Stewards even of worldly things 3. The Belief and Meditation of Judgment will make you exceeding diligent that you may be found of your Judge in peace without spot and blameless With what Seriousness and Fervency will he come
planted the Ear and curiously fashioned the other Members Who would raise the Dead but the Lord of of Life himself The Spirit further also demonstrates the Words Authority from the accomplishment of Scripture Prophesies as concerning Cyrus building of the Temple Isa 44. 28. The King of Grecia his ruining the Persian Monarchy which was verified in Alexander the Great Dan. 8. 21. The calling of the Gentiles Isa 42. 4. Zeph. 2. 11. How many false Gods do we find famished and the Lord Jehovah worshipped in the Isles of the Heathen It was also fulfill'd which our Lord spake concerning his Death that after his being lift up from the Earth he would draw all men to him which was rather likely to drive all men from him He also said he would have a Church to the end of the VVorld Mat. 28. ult and notwithstanding all that Earth and Hell can do he has had one to this very day The Spirit also shews the divine Matter of the Word the admirable consent and agreement of all its parts and the design of the whole which is to give Glory to God and to represent him as most worthy of Admiration Praise Faith Fear and Love and Service Its Precepts are so excellent and pure that if the Professors of Religion would but live according to them the World might quickly be convinced of the unreasonableness of Infidility A thorow perswasion of the Words Authority is from the Spirit and has a mighty force to startle the Conscience and awe the heart of a Sinner And to make it stoop unto God which was before rebellious 2. The Spirit causes the Word most firmly to be believed as that which is of most certain verity and truth this follows upon the former If it be the Word of God who cannot lye there is nothing false or uncertain in it Ever since Man first harkned to the Father of lies he is very prone to embrace falshood He is not to be trusted as a Guide any further than God guides him because so apt himself to err and mistake But let God be true saies the Apostle though it follows and every Man a Lyar Rom. 3. 4. God cannot be deceived because he is Omniscient and his understanding is Infinite Psal 147. 5. And he will not deceive any because he is the God of Truth Whatever has proceeded out of his Mouth its certainty is not to be doubted of Faith therefore which believes whatsoever God speaks and because he speaks is indeed the highth and very â—lower of Reason We read of a Door of Faith Act. 14. 27. They rehearsed all things that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles The Word of God has entrance by Faith as by a Door into the Heart and Faith as a Door shuts it in then how powerful is it in working The Commands being lookt upon as indeed the Commands of God will no longer presumptuously be broken the Promises being believed â—â— be the Promises of God who keeps Truâ—â— for ever will be embraced A firm belief of the Words truth is at the bottom of all true Conversion to God and 't is Infidelity that is the great reason of departing from him 3. The Spirit powerfully convinces the Sinner how evil a thing Sin is which the Word of God so severely and strictly forbids Sin is that which of all things in the World is most of all mistaken If it were rightly known by all not one in the World could love or like it But most are ignorant what 't is and whither it tends and securely and unconcernedly remain under its guilt and power Mens lusts are styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deceitful lusts Eph. 4. 22. they seem to consult their gain and pleasure but indeed war against their Souls and yet this War is so carried on that 't is not perceived Souls are kept stupified and intoxicated till they are utterly lost and ruined 'T is the work of the Spirit to discover what Sin is He shews how contrary 't is to God how evil and provoking in the eyes of his Holiness and his Glory how contrary 't is to the Law of God which is most exexcellent all whose Precepts are most profitable and pleasant to those that love and keep them He shews likewise how contrary Sin is to Man himself It loads him with Curses of various sorts it makes every thing he has to be cursed to him It does defile debase and wound him and unless he turn from it it will for ever destroy and damn him 'T is one thing to be told of all this by Man and another to have a powerfull discovery and Conviction of all this by the Spirit He shews the Vanity of all sins excuses pretences and promises of Impunity Peace and Safety The Spirit speaks very home to the Conscience and particularly and causes the Sinner to whom he speaks to hear and heed and tremble Thou art the Man that hast offended God! Thou art the Soul that hast sinn'd and dost deserve to dye Thou art the Fool-hardy Wretch that hast engaged the Almighty to be thine Enemy Against thy ungodliness and unrighteousness in particular his wrath is certainly revealed from Heaven And how soon if thou refusest to forsake thy impious and unrighteous ways may this wrath fall upon thee and sink thee into the bottomless pit of Wo. If thou resolvest still to go on in thy trespasses thy very next step may take hold of Hell 4. The Spirit reveals Christ in the Word and draws the Sinner to him The Holy Ghost does testifie concerning the Lord Jesus Joh. 15. 26. The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me And what a Glorious Testimony does he give him Christ is the summe and substance of all Supernatural Revelation All the lines both of the Old Testament and of the New do meet in this Center The design of the Old Testament was to forshew him as the Peace-maker between God and Man who was to be wounded for transgression to make his Soul an offering for Sin to bring in everlasting righteousness and to be the Author of plâ—nteous and eternal Redemption and Salvation The New Testament which is the accomplishment of the Old does more fully declare Christ Here the Spirit more plainly tells us of his Godhead of his fulness of his Manhood of his Mercifulness what power he has to save what Bowels of Pity towards them that see they are lost without him And in shewing all this how does the Spirit shew himself a Comforter And as the Spirit discovers Christ so he draws the Sinner to him he causes the Word to reach the Heart and to subdue it so that the Heart gladly surrenders and freely opens to receive Jesus which before by ignorance prejudice and unbelief was very fast Bolted and Barr'd against him There can be no turning to God but as he is in Christ for how can guilty and defiled Man draw
't is no longer loved 'T is a Sign of malice towards our Neighbour if we are glad to hear all the Evil that is spoken of him and all the Reproach that is cast upon him 'T is a Sign of hatred to Sin when we like to have it discovered when we like that its deceitful and damnable Nature should be represented and the falsness foulness and filthiness of it should be laid open and naked Sin is so great an Evil that there cannot be too much Evil spoken of it 't is so great an Enemy that you can never too faithfully and plainly be warned against it 3. Do you apprehend your greatest danger to be from your Master Sin and therefore continually endeavour the Mortification of it The King of Syria give this Commission to his Army Fight neither against small nor great save onely with the King of Israel What were all besides to be spared No certainly many Israelites fell in the battel But there was a principal design to take at least if not to cut off the King of Israel All Sin deserves thy hatred no Sin is so small an Enemy as that thou mayest safely spare it But the Master Sin is the chief foe therefore its destruction should chiefly be designed That Man that is an Enemy to his Master Sin desires it may be still weakned by all means Oh! saith he that every Mercy may help to kill it leading me to Repentance for it That every stroke of the Rod may help to strike it more dead that every Sermon may give this Sin a blow that by every Prayer I may obtain more strength against it That every time I come to the Table of the Lord this Sin may be in a greater measure Crucified VSE II of Exhortation And of this there are two Branches I shall speak to Sinners that are under the full Fower of their Master Sin. Then I shall speak to Saints in whom there are too great remainders of it 1. I am to speak to Sinners who are under the full Power of their Master Sin. It is storied concerning Agrippina the Mother of Nero Caesar that it was told her by an Oracle that her Son should be Emperour of Rome but afterwards should kill his own Mother Agrippina replies Occidat mode imperet Let him kill me so he does but reign O 't is the Language of all presumptuous Sinners concerning their Master Lusts Let them but reign no matter though they are our Damnation and Destruction But what do you see in Sin or in its Wages that any of you should be thus fond of its Service What good reason can be given why Sin should have one slave in this whole Congregation or in the whole World I 〈…〉 stly exhort you to lay aside every weight but especially the Sin 〈…〉 t does most easily beset you Arguments to perswade are these 1. Consider the Master Sin is the strongest hold of Satan While Sin keeps up its Dominion Satan holds fast his Possession This Sin is your most deadly disease and the strongest Cord in which the Devil binds you and leads you Captive at his Pleasure 2. The Master Sin is the great hindrance of the efficacy of the means of Grace This makes the Preachers pains lost labour this makes Mercies and Afflictions to be lost upon you this makes you to lose all the duties you perform 3. This Master Sin is not without its Train A great Person especially a Crown'd Head is not without a great many that attend him A Master Sin has a great Attendance Many lusts are subservient to this Main one that the greater and more plentiful Provision may be made for the fulfilling it How great is thy danger who hast so many Enemies lodging in thee and lording it over thee 4. Suppose this Master Sin were alone this were enough to ruine thee If a Pistol is discharged at the Heart and a small Bullet enter there it kills as certainly as if there were a thousand Cannons discharged at a man at once One Sin suffered to rule in thy Heart is sufficient were there no more effectually and eternally to ruine thee 5. The Master Sin wars against thy Soul most dangerously and wounds most deeply And after it has ruined thee Oh with what anguish will it be reflected on in the lowest Hell This will be there thy heaviest load Thou wilt remember how deaf thou werâ— to all Counsel to cast it away and how great thy madness was iâ— taking most pleasure in that which proves the cause of the greatest even everâ—asting Sorrow and Vexation Oh be so wise as to change your old Master Sin and let Christ become your Lord. 2. I am to speak to Saints in whom there are too great remainders of the Sin that was once their Master I exhort you more essectually and throughly to mortifie it Pray consider 1. If this Sin does frequently prevail it will keep you very low in Grace Faith will be weak Hope will be dampt Love will be cool and the whole inward Man will wofully languish 2. As you will be weak in Grace so will be low in Comfort When Temptations are yielded to Conscience will be disquieted Peace will be disturbed Thâ— Pride thy Passion thy carnal Affections prevailing will make thy Heart too much like the troubled Sea when it ca 〈…〉 rest whose waters cast forth mire and dirt Isa 57. 〈◊〉 3. T 〈…〉 lency of this easily besetting Sin will hinder you from being so 〈…〉 le to your great and gracious Lord. It will make his work to 〈…〉 glected and when done to be done too negligently sorry Servants you will be and very sorry your services will be The more sanctified you are the fitter you are for your Masters use 2 Tim. 2 21. but Sin makes you unmeet and more unable and unwilling to serve him 4. This Sin will make you to shine less in your lives 't wil fully your Conversations and hinder you from adorning the Gospel Oh keep unspotted and walk exactly as in the day that you may be blameless and harmless the Children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation and that you may shine as Lights in the World Phil. 2. 15. 5. This Sin may cause you to set in a Cloud It may fill you with doubts when you are dying and that will be very dreadful You may be terribly frighted with the fears of Hell when you are just at Heavens gate Be therefore upright keep your selves from the iniquity that does most easily beset you that you may be more useful in your lives have the stronger and more lively hope in Death and that your End when it comes may be more perfect Peace VSE III. Of Direction How the Sin which does most easily beset you may be laid aside 1. Pray for a clean Heart Psal 51. 10. David having been overcome by a strong Corruption and done a Deed that was very foul cryes for a purer Heart a more right and constant Spirit he knew that to purge the Fountain was the way to have the streaâ—s clean Go unto God for a new Heart which he has promised and will give to all who prize and desire such an Heart Sâ—rike at the root of Sin in the Heart then the branches and this top branch the Master-sin will wither 2. Seriously â—â—â—â—o Heart how much the Sin that naâ—â—â—aâ—ly is 〈◊〉 beloved does deserâ—â—â—â—ur hatred Hated Sin is so â—eak that it can ruine none 't is the love of Sin that gives it power and as it were puts a Sword into its hand to flay you 3. Resist the very first stirrings of this Sin in you I believe if David as soon as ever he beheld from his Palace the beauteous Bathsheba had presently turn'd away his eyes and had fallen upon his knees and gone to Prayer he had overcome the Temptation Sin is more weak at the beginning Our Lords Counsel is Watch and Pray that ye enter not into temptation Mat. â—â— 41. 4. If you would abandon the Master-sin Pray much for the contrary Grace Is Pride thy Master-sin Pray much for Humility Is Passion thy Master-sin Pray much for Patience â—â—â— for the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ Is Love to the 〈◊〉 thy Master-sin Pray that thou may'st rise with Christ 〈◊〉 â—ve and mind a better World better Honours better Plea 〈…〉 a more lasting Wealth than this World can yield 5 Let the Word of God which does forbid and threaten this Master-sin be carefully hid in your Heart This Word may be in thy Moâ—th thou mayest talk of it it may be in thy Mind thou may'st have a notional Knowledge of it Nay it may go further and be in thy Conscience and be thought of in the very act of Sin. But if it be in thy Heart if thy Will and Affections are taken with it then it will be an effectual Preservative against Iniquity Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my Heart that I might not sin against thee 6. Improve the Death of our Lord Jesus Bring the Sin which does so easily beset you to the Cross of Christ No Sin truly dyes but upon Christs Cross Gal 5. 24. They that are Christs have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts these are never Mortified but by being Crucified How can the old Adam dye but upon the Cross of the second Adam Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is Crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serâ—e sin 7. Call in the Spirits aid He can make the Word sharp as a two-edged Sword to pierce the Heart and to slay the strongest Sin there He glorifies Christ and can draw you to him and enable you by Faith to derive Grace from him sufficient to help you against the most powerful Corruptions He can kill the Sin that is hardest to be slain he can mortifie all the deeds of the body Rom. â— 13. the strongest members on the Earth Col. 3. 5. and he can seal you unto the day of Redemption FINIS
Beloved do you think that Sathan hath not carefully treasâ—red up all the Sermons that you have lost all the Sermons that you have slept away all the Sermons that you have remained Ignorant and stupid under Sathan hath them to produce and shew against you at the great approaching day Be unwilling that your Hearts should remain like stony ground a hard heart will hinder the Word of God from taking root Be not terrified at any Persecutions that you may meet with for the Words sake Let the fear of God swallow up the ensnaring fear of Man. Pluck up all the thorns and how many of them are in your hearts Away with your cares about the World let not these eat up the heart and time and expell the more needful care about the one thing necâ—ssary Be not deceived by Earthly Riches let not these dazle your eyes with their glistering nor cause you to look with a strange eye upon the Treasures of Heaven which are everlasting In a word be not fond of your Lusts of your Pleasures any longer Sin hath kept you at a distance from God and the Children of wrath and disobedience but too long already 2. Chuse to sit under that Ministry thâ—â— speaks most home to the Conscience and that doth manifest the most earnest desire after the Conversion of Souls Those that are instructed from Heaven rightly to wield the sword of the Spirit so that it shall pierce the heart and as it were diâ—â—ect the Soul and make the secrets of â—â— manifest really their pains are very much to be prized and it were to be wisht that the voice of such could reach the ears of thousands and of millions because these Preachers are bound for Heaven themselves and it is their desire and design that great multitudes may go along with them thither 3. Be glad of and take the watchmans warning believe and tremble at the Sword of God that is coming to wound to slay all those that go on still in their trespasses Psal 68. 21. Destruction from the Almighty in which the Power of God is to be manifest in the glory of it must needs be exceeding terrible settle it upon your hearts that every Sin doth anger God Flee from Sin you must or escape his wrath you cannot As certainly as God is holy just â—â—â— true so certainly none but those that are holy shall be happy in and with him so certainly all that refuse to turn to him â—hall be Sentenced to depart for ever from â—im into everlasting burnings Your Blood will not lye upon my head I have told â—ou of the Sword that is a coming I â—ave given the watchmans warning if â—ou love God if you love your selves take â—â— 4. Hear God himself speaking by the Miâ—istry of Man if you would have the Word â—ffectual to your Conversion Alas the word â—f Man is but feeble breath but the Word â—f God can raise the dead John 5. 25. Veâ—ily verily I say to you the hour is comâ—â—g and now is when the dead shall hear the â—oice of the Son of God and they that hear â—all live It is not Man mistake not It â—â— not Man but God that telleth you that â—e Soul that sinneth shall dye It is not Man but God that tells you if you turn â—â— him he will turn to you and he will â—ecome a God and Father to you and you â—â—ough never so much strangers though â—ver so great enemies shall become the â—â—ns and Daughters of the Lord Almighty Cor. 6. ult These Gospel invitations these â—ospel Promises ought to be heeded ought â—â— be credited as if God had utter'd them with an audible Voice from Mount Sion as he did the Law of old from Mount Sinai Friend where are you You are before God who is speaking to you You are taking notice of the man Pray look further God speaks to you by the Tongue of a mortal Man. In hearing the Word remember that you have to do with God and how dare you refuse to turn to him 5. Lastly Would you have the Word effectual unto your Conversion Pray that God would open your Hearts to attend to what is spoken We read of Lydia that her Heart was opened Naturally it was shut and it would have remained shut still notwithstanding all the skill and Endeavours of the Minister The Text plainly tells us that it was the Lord that did open the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. And as the Lord did open hers so it is the Lord alone that can open yours Upon the hearing of this one should sigh and say Lord open mine Another should groan and say Lord open mine And a third should burst out into tears and say Lord open mine And this should be the general request of all That God would immediately open the Hearts of all and if once your hearts are opened then the Word of God will enter and the Spirit of Grace will enter and all will turn to God that are before him Thus have I finished the third Doctrine that I raised from the Text That the Word of God is the great means of Conversion Doct. 4. I come to the fourth and last Doctrine that I raised from the words and that is this That in the VVord of God which is the means of Conversion there is a Perfection and Sufficiency The Law of the Lord is perfect Converting the Soul I wish that the Power of this Word upon your Hearts and Consciences this day may be a sensible Demonstration of this Words perfection There are several properties of this Word that do commend it and render it much more desirable than all the Worldly wealth and greatness that the Children of Men do so much admire It is of Heavenly Original it is true it is necessary it is pure it is powerful it is perspicuous and plain and among other properties of the Word this is one it is perfect The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul The Hebrew word signifies pure without mixture whole and compleat having nothing wanting There is no defect in this Word of God of any thing that ought to be there and it cannot be charged with any thing that ought not to be there or that doth unbecome that God whose Word it is In the handling of this Doctrine I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall shew you in what sence the Word of God is perfect And 2. By Arguments I shall prove the Perfection and Sufficiency of the Word of God. 3. I shall give you the Reasons why the Perfection and Sufficiency of the Word of God is mentioned when Conversion is spoken of And then in the last place I shall conclude with the Application 1. I am to state this Perfection of the Word of God and to shew you in what sence the Word of God is perfect By his Word you are to understand that which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament the Penmen of these Scriptures
were the Amanuenses of the Spirit and whatever they wrote they wrote what was by him dictated Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. ult And they have given us a Testimony of the Will of God upon record a full and compleat Declaration of his Mind Now concerning this Perfection of the Word of God I shall speak 1. By way of Negation 2. By way of Position 1. I am to speak by way of Negation and that in these following particulars 1. You must not understand that the Word is so perfect as that by it self without the concurrence of the Spirit it can give either Grace or Life to any The most saithful and skilful Preachers of the Word as to success have many times laboured in vain That Evangelical Prophet Isaiah who spake so much and so plainly concerning Christ you have him crying out Lord who hath believed our report Isa 53. 1. Weeping Jeremiah you may hear him complaining after this manner Jer. 6. 10. To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear Behold their ears are uncircumcised and they can't hearken the Word of the Lord is a reproach to them and they have no delight in it The Word of God in the mouth of the Apostle Paul that great Preacher of the Gospel it found ay and it left many a hearer in their Infidelity The hearers of the Apostle Paul it is said that divers of them believed not Acts 28. 24. Nay our Lord Jesus Christ himself the Prince of Preachers the greatest that ever was that ever will be he thunders out a Wo against Corazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum because the Word that sounded from his lips did not perswade them unto Repentance So that the Word alone is not so perfect as to give Grace as to give Life to any There is need that the Spirit of God should work along with it until He doth open the eyes of the understanding the Soul still remains under darkness till he doth renew the Heart the Will will never yield nor submit to God till he doth put the Laws of God in the mind and write them in the Heart they will never be believed they will never be liked nor obeyed 2. You must not think that the Word is so perfect as to give a knowledge here on Earth as is equal to the knowledge that is in Heaven The Apostle Paul himself professes we know but in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 9. And in 12. ver of the same Chapter he says We see through a glass darkly The Greek word it is remarkable We see through a Glass in a Riddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truly Heaven is but a Riddle at present unto the best of Saints here on Earth They are no more able to comprehend the joys the Glory that is there they are no more able to comprehend what it is to see God face to face than an Infant in the womb can imagine what Light is than an Infant in the womb can comprehend what Philosophy is or the mysteries of State policy here is no Theologia meridiana visionis perfect day here is no beatifical vision I grant indeed the Saints are sometimes brought into the Suburbs of Heaven and when they are there Oh! what do they see They see and tast that in God that does make the greatest sweetness of earthly Enjoyments despicable and that doth obscure all Worldly Glory but yet the Suburbs are not the Heavenly City but infinitely below it Hark to the Apostle 1 John 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Wicked Men think nothing of what the Saints shall be and truly the Saints themselves when their minds are most elevated and raised and enabled to to see most they apprehend but little what themselves shall be hereafter That Glory is too great a thing for such minds as ours at present to take in It hath not entred into the Heart of Man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. 3. You must not think that the VVord is so perfect as that the hearing of that is enough and is to exclude all other Ordinances Indeed those Ceremonial Ordinances that were imposed only for a time that are called Carnal and that were to last only till the evangelical Reformation as the Apostle speaks Heb. 9. 10. these Ceremonial Ordinances are abolished under the Gospel Administration Col. 2. 20 21. If you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are ye subject to Ordinances touch not tast not handle not which all are to perish with the useing after the Commandments and doctrines of Men. But though these Ceremonial Ordinances are abolished there are other Ordinances that God hath Instituted that are still standing and will remain and be in force till our Lords second coming These Ordinances have a warrant from this perfect Word it self and there is a Promise made of a divine special powerful gracious presence with them As you are to have an Ear to hear the VVord so you are to have a Tongue to pray to God and praise him and your Hearts and Tongues should joyn together in supplications and thanksgivings Ay and you are to have an Eye to behold the Seals of the Covenant that so your Hearts may be more affected and your Faith by things sensible may be strengthned in God who hath made and confirmed this Covenant and will keep it everlastingly Zachary and Elizabeth were a noble Pair indeed excellent patterns of uprightness before God for they walked in all the Commands and in all the Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. It is a great Affront unto the Authority of Christ the Law-giver when we shall give our selves a Dispensation as to some Ordinances that he hath appointed There is no Ordinance of God to be neglected and I am sure if any of the Ordinances are neglected through the prevalency of Temptation the inward Man by its weakness and by its trouble will quickly find the want of these Ordinances O! prize the Ordinances of God that you may still enjoy them these are the vehicles of Grace Spiritual strength and spiritual comforts are conveyed in the use of them And those that are the most experienced Saints do perceive most reason to esteem them 4. You must not think that the explaining of the Scripture by it self is excluded by the perfection of it but rather included Expounding of Scripture is not an Argument of Scriptures imperfection for Scripture if rightly expounded is expounded by it self To impose that as Gods which is none of his to say this and that is the mind of God