Soul-mercies for his Children To see them poor in the World will not so much afflict him as to fear they will never be rich to God Besides the Sins of those that are nearly related are most frequently presented to our eyes and ears they cry nearest us and therefore they should cry loudest to us They are most committed to our care and therefore their miscarriages should be the greatest objects of our Fear Near Relations may also probably more endanger the residue of those that belong to our Family Sin in one or two though in a large Family may endanger and infect the whole We most strive to quench those Flames that destroy houses near us we are more fearful of them than of those at a greater distance A Snake in ones Bed is more formidable and a Toad there more odious and ugly than in my Field or Garden § 7 3. They that mourn for others Sins especially the Sins of those they most love must mourn more for their Sins than their Afflictions and outward Troubles They must be more troubled for the poysonful root of Sin than for the Branches and Fruits of Sufferings that spring from the Root We must more mourn for the sin of a Child than for the sickness of a Child More lay to heart what our Children have done than what they have undergone more for their Impiety than for their Poverty more because they have left God than because their Trades or Estates have left them more for fear they dy'd in Sin than because they dy'd The Troubles of the outward man must not so afflict us as the Unrenewedness of their Hearts and Natures To be afflicted for the death of thy Child's Body and not for his Soul-death in Sin is as if a fond Parent should when his Child is drown'd only lament the loss of the Child's Coat and Garment and not for the loss of the Child's Person § 8 4. We ought to bewail the Sins of others according to the Proportion of the Sins of the times and places where we live When Sin grows impudent and hath a brazen brow when 't is declared as Sodom Jer. 3.3 and not hidden when men are asham'd of nothing but not being impudent in sinning when Sinners cannot blush Jer. 6. v. 8 12. have lost the very colour of Modesty then is a fit Season for Gods People with Ezra 9.6 to say We are ashamed and blush to lift up our faces to thee our God to bewail and blush before God for those Sins of which Sinners are not ashamed and for which they have not a tear to shed Further when the Sinners of the times are obstinate and inflexible in Impiety as Nehem. 9.16 Harden their Necks 17. refuse to obey 20. are disobedient and rebell cast the Law behind their back 29 withdraw the shoulder and will not hear when they make their face as an Adamant Stone When the Wicked say as Jer. 44. As for the Word that thou hast spoekn we will not hearken to thee we will do whatever goes forth out of our own mouth then is the time for the Godly to have broken and melted Hearts when the Wicked are so Obstinate and Obdurate Next when Sin becomes universal when Governers and Governed from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head are all prophane and impious Isa 1.6 When a man cannot be found in the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 5.1 that will stand up for God and his Interest when as in dayes of Noah all flesh hath corrupted it self then is the time for all Gods People to mourn before God and to oppose an holy universality to a profane Lastly When not ordinary but the most horrid and gross Impieties are committed as Murder Sodomy Perjury broad-fac'd Adultery when these mountainons Wickednesses are acted then is the time for the Godly to endeavour to overtop these high towering abominations with a Flood of tears 5. We ought to mourn for the Sins of others advantageously to § 9 those for whom we mourn with the using of all due means to reclaim and reduce them 1. By Prayer for their Conversion and Gods pardoning them My hearts desire and prayer to God saith Paul is that Israel might be saved Rom. 10.1 He tells Chap. 9.1 how he bewail'd them that he had great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart for them but here we see he mingled his tears with prayers for them We cannot mourn for those for whom we cannot pray for every Evil that makes us grieve because of its continuance we must needs desire may be removed Exod. 32.11.27 Thô Moses when he was with the People maintain'd the Cause of God with the Sword yet when he was with God he endeavoured the preservation of the People with prayer 2. We must endeavour to follow the Mourning for Sinners with restraining them from Sin if we have it by Power We must not hate Sinners and suffer them to sin we destroy those whom we suffer to sin if we can hinder them None may permit Sin in another if he can restrain it but he that can produce a greater Good out of it than the permission is an Evil. Restraining of Inferiors is as great a duty as Prayer for Superiours See it in the case of Eli's negligence to restrain his Sons from their Impieties 3. We must mourn for Sinners with advantaging them by Example that they may never be able to tax us with those Sins for which we would be thought sorrowfull Examples sometimes have a louder voice than Precepts Tears will not in secret drown those Sins which publick Examples encourage We confute our Tears and Prayers before God by an unsuitable Example before the Offender The blots of others cannot be wip'd off with blurred fingers 4. We must follow our mourning for others Sins with labouring to advantage them by holy Reproof for the Sins we mourn for If our place and opportunities allow us we must not only sigh for their Sins but cry against them Ezek. 9.4 Lot was not only a Mourner for the Sodomites Sins but a Reprover I know not whether it be a greater sign of a Godly man to give a Reproof duly or to take a Reproof thankfully 1. But be sure Reproofs be given with Zeal for Gods Glory not either out of hatred to the Person reproved or out of desire to promote thine own Reputation and Interest by the Reproof The Apostles Acts 14.14.17.16 reproved Idolaters but Zeal for God purely put them upon it Paul and Barnabas rent their Cloaths as well as reproved Idolaters And Pauls Spirit was stirr'd with inward Zeal Act. 17.16 before his Tongue stirr'd against the Athenians Let Reproofs 2. Be mingled with Meekness Passion is seldom prevalent with a Sinner Sweep not Gods House with the Devils Besom Let the Sinner see thee kind to himself when thou art most unkind to his Sin 3. Let Reproofs be qualified with Prudence by observing the nature and degree of the Offence and the
without 'em a Prov. 1.32 The Prosperity of Fools destroyes ' em What doth Religion in this Case The Truth is there needs a great exercise of Religion to carry us safe thrô Freedom from Affliction b Job 1.5 Jobs extraordinary devotion upon his Childrens ordinary rejoycing in their prosperous Condition may Convincingly instruct us that there 's more danger in Freedom from Affliction than we are willing to suspect and it is more difficult to love and fear and trust God when we have the world than when we want it so that without Serious Godliness 't is impossible to withstand the insinuating and pleasing Temptation of flattering Prosperity and unless Faith be in Exercise we cannot do it with it What then is an afflicted Condition to be preferr'd Some that have had experience of both say Yes they have been afraid to come from under their Afflictions some sick Persons have been even afraid of Health thô they desir'd it lest what they got in their Sickness they should lose in their Health But yet the continuance of Afflictions breaks the Spirits and hinders that chearful serving and praising of God which is or should be the Life of a Christian thô many are better'd by Afflictions yet none are allowed to pray for Afflictions but against them and use all good means to avoid or remove them 't is one thing makes Heaven desirable the putting an end to all our Afflictions In short c Heb. 12.11 no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous whatever be the after-fruit of it This therefore is clogg'd with Vanity But what doth Religion in this Case Serious Godliness by Afflictions becomes more Serious God makes great use of Afflictions for the working and promoting of Piety and in this I think all experienced Christians are agreed they reckon sanctified Afflictions among the choicest Providences of their lives I commend the enlargement of this by your own Thoughts out of your own experiences And thus including these three Cases as in a large Parenthesis there 's one Case more that I would cautiously speak to which the Church Catholick truly so called may have more cause than ever tremblingly to consider and to seek more satisfying resolution than I can give for it's determination VI. What man upon Earth can peremptorily assert whether Peace or Persecution be just at such a time infallibly best for the Church of Christ 'T is easily granted that we must at all times pray for and endeavour the universal both outward and spiritual Peace of the Church and this that we may at all times do any thing but Sin to avoid or put an end to Persecution but let 's consider each as in the former instances That the Peace of the Church is beyond Expression desirable he is no Christian that denyes it those that are the greatest troublers of the Churches Peace do usually proclaim their Friendship to it calling their Affection to a party Love to the Church and the welfare of their party the Peace of the Church Now thô their Charity is too narrow to contract the Church into a party their Notion of Peace is large enough they would have it commensurate with the Church So that I need not be large to prove what no body denies Outward Prosperity was so much the Blessing of the Old Covenant that some confine it to that but others upon better Grounds expect more under the Gospel for d Luk. 1.74 75. this was no inconsiderable end of Christs coming into the World to deliver us out of the hands of our worldly Enemies to serve him without affrighting fears of men in Holiness before God and Righteousness before men all the dayes of our Life Which Prosperity when the Church hath enjoyed according to Christs purchase and Promise then they have walkt in the filial fear of the Lord and in the encouraging e Acts 9.31 Comforts of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed in number of Converts and increase of their Graces that were formerly converted But here as we use to say of pleasant weather 'T is pity fair weather should do any harm so 't is pity the Churches Prosperity should do any harm But alas the Church of Christian as little bear continual Prosperity as long Adversity a Calm is sometimes as dangerous as a Storm Many are the Temptations and Snares of a Prosperous condition it breeds Hypocrites Errors and Heresies spring up like Weeds in rank ground Professors are apt to grow Remiss and Careless Wanton and Secure to be too fond of the Present and to hanker after more Temporal Happiness than God judges good for them How hardly were the very Apostles awakened from dreaming of Christs temporal Kingdom and the very best of 'em from suing for great Offices at Court O the Divisions among Brethren when Pride makes them quarrelsome When the World favours the Church the Church slides into the World then their worldliness spoils their Christianity and their Christianity palliates their worldliness and so those things are mixt which can never be compounded But now Serious Godliness is the best Preservative against Surfeiting on Prosperity 'T is Grace in the Exercise and Growth that powerfully enables and necessarily provokes to improve the Churches Peace to all Spiritual advantages The Church of the Jews was never in such a flourishing condition as in Solomon's Reign and is it not well worthy our observation that the Posterity of his Servants who became Proselytes to the Jewish Religion were several Ages after his death doubly recorded by a Neh. 7.57.60 the Spirit of God above the Proselytes of former Ages 'T is Serious Godliness that keeps them humble and always upon their Watch against flattering Temptations that keeps them low in their own eyes and from despising others and what on this side great Grace could make David who had a b 1 Chron. 22.14 greater Summe of ready Money than ever any had in the World either before or since preferr that little of Scripture that was penn'd in his time before an innumerable Treasure c Psal 119.72 He had also a List of Worthies d 2 Sam. 23. never the like in the World yet he e Psal 16.3.119.63 preferrs the Communion of Saints before ' em To have our Conversation in Heaven when 't is best with us upon Earth this can only be effected by the Power of Godliness believe it Christians this is no easie matter What then Is a State of Persecution more Eligible Before I dare speak a word to this I must premise this Caution Let not Persecutors take encouragement to be more outragious in their Persecution and then scornfully tell you this is good for 'em their Pastors tell 'em 't is sometimes better for 'em than Peace This is like Julian who in every thing he did with a deep Reach and greater Malice than former Emperors to undermine and worm out the Christian Religion he still twitted the Christians with some advice
plundered him of all lifting up his Eyes to Heaven said Lord thou knowest where I have laid up my Treasure * By this delighting in God we may undoubtedly know he is our Reward What shall we do to get God to be our Reward Quest Let us see our need of God We are undone without him Lift not Direct 1 not up the Crest of Pride Beware of the Laodicean temper Revel 3.17 Thou saist I am rich and have need of nothing God will never bestow himself on them that see no want of him Let us beg of God to be our Reward 'T was Austin's Prayer Lord Direct 2 give me thy self b Da mihi te Domine Aug. O do not put me off with Common Mercies Give me not my Portion in this life †Psal 17.14 Make over thy self by a Deed of Gift to me Be earnest Suitors and God cannot find in his Heart to deny you Prayer is the Key of Heaven which being turned by the hand of Faith opens all Gods Treasures Live every day in the Contemplation of this Reward Be in the Altitudes Branch 3 Think what God hath prepared for them that love Him c Nihil in hac vita dulcius sentitur nil ita mentem ab amore mundi seperat nil sic animam contra tentationes roborat nil hominem ita ad omne bonum opus excitat quam Gratia contemplationis Bern. O that our thoughts could ascend The higher the Bird flies the sweeter it sings Let us think how Blessed they are who are possessed of their Heritage If one could but look a while through the chinks of Heaven-door and see the Beauty and Bliss of Paradise if he could but lay his Ear to Heaven and hear the Ravishing Musick of those Seraphick Spirits and the Anthems of Praise which they Sing how would his Soul be Exhilerated and Transported with Joy O Christians meditate of this Reward Slight transient thoughts do no good They are like breath upon Steel which is presently off again but let your thoughts dwell upon Glory till your Hearts are deeply affected What Lord is there such an Incomprehensible Reward to be bestowed upon me Shall these Eyes of mine be blessed with Transforming Sights of thee O the love of God to Sinners Stand at this Fire of Meditation till your Hearts begin to be warm How would the reflection on this inmense Reward conquer Temptation and behead those unruly Lusts that have formerly conspired against us What is there a Reward so sure so sweet so speedy and shall I by sin forfeit this Shall I to please my Appetite lose my Crown O all ye pleasures of Sin be gone let me no more be deceived with your sugered Lies wound me no more with your Silver Darts Th◠stolen Waters are sweet yet the Water of Life is sweeter No stronger Antidote to expell Sin than the Fore-thoughts of the Heavenly Remunerations It was when Moses was long out of sight that Israel made an Idol to worship Exod. 32.1 So when the future Reward is long out of our mind then we set up some Idol-lust in our Hearts which we begin to worship Branch 4 This may content Gods People though they have but little Oyl in the Cruse and their Estates are almost boyled away to nothing their Great Reward is yet to come Thô your Pension be but small your Portion is large If God be yours by Deed of Gift this may rock your hearts quiet God lets the wicked have their Pay before-hand Luk. 6.24 Ye have received your Consolation A wicked man may make his Acquittance and write Received in full Payment But the Saints Reward is in reversion the Robe and the Ring is yet to come May not this tune their Hearts into contentment Christian what thô God denies thee a Kid to make merry f Luk. 15.31 if he will say Son all I have is thine is not this sufficient Why dost thou complain of the Worlds emptiness who hast Gods Fulness Is not God Reward enough Hath a Son any cause to complain that his Father denies him a Flower in the Garden when he makes him Heir to his Estate g Quid ultrà quaerit cui omnia suus conditor fit Prosper The Philosopher comforted himself with this that thô he had no Musick or Vine-Trees yet he had the Houshould Gods with him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Christian thô thou hast not much of the World yet thou hast God and he is an inexhaustible Treasure It was strange that after God had told Abraham I am thy exceeding great Reward yet that Abraham should say vers 2. Lord what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless Shall Abraham ask Lord what wilt thou give me when he had given himself Was Abraham troubled at the want of a Child who had a God was not God better than Ten Sons h Quid homini sufficit cui ipse conditor non sufficit Aug. Who should be content if not he who hath God for his Portion and Heaven for his Haven Let this exceeding Great Reward stir up in us a Spirit of Activity for God Our Head should Study for him our Hands work for him our Feet run in the way of his Commandements Alas how litle is all we can do Our Work bears no Proportion with our Reward Mercedi an tantae par Labor esse potest †Verinus The thoughts of this Reward should make us rise off the Bed of Sloth and Act with all our might for God i Spes proemii solatium fit laboris Hierom. It should add Wings to our Prayers and Weight to our Alms. A slothful Person stands in the World for a Cipher and God writes down no Ciphers in the Book of Life Let us abound in the work of the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 As Aromatical Trees sweat out their precious Oyls So should we Sweat out our strength and Spirits for Christ Saint Paul knowing what a Splendid Reward was behind brought all the Glory he could to God 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more abundantly than they all He outwrought all the other Apostles Saint Pauls Obedience did not move slow as the Sun on the Dial but Swift as the Sun in the Firmament * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Did Plato and Demosthenes undergo such Herculean Labours and Studies who had but the dim Watch-light of Nature to see by and did but Fancy the pleasures of the Elizian Fields after this Life and shall not Christians much more put forth all their Vigour of Spirit for God when they are sure to be Crowned nay God himself will be their Crown If God be so great a Reward let such as have an Interest in him Branch 5 be chearful God loves a Sanguine Complection k Acceptior est Deo grata laetitia quam querula tristitia Bucholcer Chearfulness credits Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The goodness of the
to the end and ye see what power he had with God in Prayer for wicked Sodom God communicated his Secrets to him as one Friend to another and Abraham made Intercession to him as Favourites of Princes for Malefactors So did he for Sodom and ye know how far he prevailed for he was a Righteous man Jam. 5.16 and such a mans Prayer prevaileth much And what was Abrahams Righteousness even the Righteousness of Faith by Imputation Rom. 4. and this Faith living and working XV. We keep our selves in the Love of God when we declare a publick Spirit for the Cause of God in his Church against the Enemies of it by being zealous for his Glory and valiant for his Truth in our Station Judg. 5. This is lively asserted in the Song of Deborah and Barak who after she had praised some for their appearing and others for not appearing in this Cause dispraised the Lord she praised above all for his presence with his People and for that Spirit of Love he poured out upon them in these Words vers 31. So let all thine Enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Now the Reason why this publick Spirit in the Cause of God is expressed by our Love to God is this Because God is so much concerned in it 1. As to his Honour to defend and deliver his People from his and their Enemies as the Midianites were 2. As to his Power in reducing thirty thousand to three hundred Jud. 7. as in Gideons case all that lapped He as a poor Barley Cake tumbled all the Enemies down and by a small company And a Woman in Deborahs case that is by her self and Jael Judg. 4.21 destroyed Jabin and Sisera's mighty Host To omit many other instances of publick Hearts in this case signally owned by God because they signally appeared for God Thus Moses Exod. 2.11 13. Judg. 5.9 This was their Love Thus saith Deborah My Heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offer themselves willingly bless ye the Lord. Zebulun and Napthali jeoparded their lives unto Death in the high places of the Field and thus did Issachar ver 15. But Reuben Gad Manasseh Dan and Asher are branded for their Cowardise I say all this appearing in the defence of all that was dear to God and them is called Love to God Therefore we may in no wise exclude this Noble publick Spirit in the cause of God and his People from the Love of God for there is no principle in the World like to the Love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3.8 Deum odisse in sacris literis peculiariter illi dicuntur qui falsos deos colunt Maimon Which love me and keep my Commandments Illa praecipuè quae ad arcendas pravas superstitiones pertinent Grot. Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pij dicti sunt Ezek. 16.33 36 37. chap. 23.5 Jer. 2.2 I remember the love of the Espousals to animate and inflame the Soul to do great things for God This Spirit was marvellous in David whose very Name was from Love Therefore it is the duty of every Child of God to pray for the Spirit of God which only sheds all divine Love abroad in the Heart Rom. 5.5 which God inspires as he pleaseth XVI A great means of keeping our selves in the Love of God is to be Sincere and Sound in the Worship of God Mark this well for herein lyes the Love or Hatred of God as appears plainly in the second Commandement Exod. 20. ver 6. Therefore Idols and Idolaters are called our Lovers Hosea 2.5 7. Jer. 8.1 Hosea 13. They kissed the Calves ver 2. Therefore our Hankering and embracing of a false Worship provokes God to jealousie Therefore the Lord deals with Superstition and Idolatry in his People after the Law of Harlots and Adulterers The Scripture is full of this Language There is no higher Act of Love in God than to espouse a People to be his own and to give them a Rule of Worship of his own Institution and to hold them to it as he did Israel And when a People follows God and serves God according to his own appointments there are no higher Acts of Love towards him in Gods account God is enamoured with such a People God in his highest acts of jealousie was inraged against his Idolatrous people Psal 78.59 They kissed their Idols giving them all the tokens of Love and Homage 1 King 19.18 Job 31.27 They burnt their Children to them as the costlyest Sacrifice as Abraham would his Isaac in Love to God but God only tryed him by it Mark 7.7 Colos 2.22 Mat. 15.2 3 6. Rev. 17.4 5. he calls them his Hephsibah and his Beulah Isa 62.4 We see it also in the instance of good Kings how the Lord prized and praised them for this very thing for Reforming and setting up the true Worship of God as David Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah how the Lord prospered them because their Hearts were right and perfect with God in this thing On the other side how he hath branded and blasted all those that were false herein For this was David a man after Gods own Heart fulfilling all his Wills which is chiefly meant in the point of Gods Worship Act. 13.22 As for the Wills of men in the Worship of God by their Inventions Traditions and Commandements he tells you he hates them and they are Abomination to him And no wonder for what intrencheth more upon the Honour of Gods Wisdom and Soveraignty than this That he doth not know best how to appoint his own Worship but must be fain to be beholding to Man for his devices and dictates in the Case This though it seems very gay is Whorish and Poysonous this golden Dress and Cup is intoxicating XVII A great Means of keeping in the Love of God is keeping up the Communion of Saints in all the parts and duties of it What this is we shall see according to Scripture The Communion of Saints is our Participation of all the good things of God in common whereunto all the Saints and only they have right consisting in our Union to God as our chiefest good this is with God as a Father with the Son and Holy Spirit 1 Joh. 1.3 2 Cor. 13.13 1. We have Communion with the Father as Children and all in the greatest Love 1 Joh. 3.1 Rom. 8.16 17. This is procured by Christ 1 Joh. 2.23 only obtained by Believing Joh. 1.12 And maintained by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 Who walk not in darkness but in light 1 Joh. 1.6 7. 2. We have Communion with Jesus Christ the Son of God By which we are made partakers of him of his Nature and of his Grace and of his Glory all which is done by Faith that uniteing and marrying Grace and this works such Conjugal Love between Christ and his Church as makes them
spiritually Bone of each others Bone and Flesh of each others Flesh Ephes 5.25 to vers 33. ¶ We maintain our Communion with Christ not only by Eating with him Joh. 6.53 to ver 57. but also by Eating of him ¶ God the Father calls us into Fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Ephes 3.12 ¶ Christ is said to dwell in our Hearts by Faith and by his Spirit also for he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Heb. 3.14 This our fellowship and Communion with Christ is evidenced by our Perseverance in Grace firmly to the End This our Fellowship with Jesus Christ is confirmed by the Sacraments 1. He that is Baptized into Christ hath put on Christ Gal. 3.27 2. By the Supper which is therefore called the Communion because the Saints gather together in that as the highest act of their Fellowship with the Lord and with one another 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread that we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ The Cup that we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Children of God walking in the light have thereby fellowship with Christ and one with another 1 Joh 1.7 As Christ is God and Man in one Person so we have fellowship with him in both Natures 1. In his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 2. In his Humane Nature Heb. 2.14 Partaking with him in the same Flesh and Blood ¶ In the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Rom. 8.11 There is one Body and one Spirit Eph. 4.4 ¶ In Afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death ¶ We have Communion with Christ in Glory Rom. 8.17 18. If so be we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Who shall change our vile Body and fashion it like to his glorious Body So Joh. 17.21 22 23 24. ¶ In all good things Wisdom Righteousness Redemption Faith 1 Cor. 1.30 Repentance Regeneration Adoption Justification Sanctification and Spiritual Liberty All these are Benefits and high blessings communicated from the Father by the Spirit through the Purchase and Merit of Jesus Christ See that place it is very Pregnant 2 Cor. 5.17 and apposite 1. He tells you We know Christ no more after the Flesh Because that Dispensation is over we are now under the dispensation of the Spirit 2. Therefore If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature 3. Our Communion with Christ is not hereby lost but advanced Higher if any be in Christ he is a new Creature In Christ still and a New Creature by Christs Spirit working in us all new things and working out all old 4. All this is the Work of God in us and for us by the Son reconciling us and the Spirit perfecting us in the Ministry of Reconciliation ver 18 19.5 All this arose from Love ver 14. the Root of the Communion of Saints with the Blessed Trinity 6. As ye have heard founded in Union expressed in a Communication of all good things by Christ our Head and Husband with Reciprocation and returns of Love on our part in all the Acts of it by intire and Sincere Obedience also in mutual Interchanges of Dutyes respecting our fellow-members of the same Body This is so fully set forth by the Apostle Paul according to the Grace of God given to him that I need say no more about it but commend the reading of that whole Chapter to you 1 Cor. 12. from ver the 4th to the end I fear this Relation and Fellowship is little minded with the Dutyes of it by many that yet think themselves in the Body and presume of the Priviledges of it Mark these few things for your help 1. The differences of Gifts and Administrations Offices and Services in the Body Spiritual as in the Body Natural vers 4. 12. 2. All these coming from one Spirit and one Head Jesus Christ the Fountain Head of all ver 13. 3. That all these Gifts and Graces are divided to every member as the Lord pleaseth for the same use and end to profit withall without Schism without a conceit of self-sufficiency and unconcernedness for others ver 7. 11. 4. All this called Christ to shew the near and Blessed Communion of Saints ver 12. XVIII The last Means I shall name to you is in the words immediately following my Text Vers 21. in the same verse Which doubtless the Holy Ghost points us to as an Effectual means to keep our seives in the Love of God Reason 1. Because it is the Highest Act of Gods Love to us to bestow Eternal Life on us 2. The Lord that hath provided Eternal Life for us will have us alwayes walk in Expectation of it Gen. 49.18 Tit. 2.13 3. We have no Ground at all to expect Eternal Life from God without keeping our selves in the Love of God Rom. 8.23 compared with the last verse 4. We keep our selves in Gods Love by being found in such a State and in such a Way as leads to Life which is chiefly Faith and Obedience 5. Such as are found out of this Way and State are not Children but Strangers and Enemies therefore have no Reason to expect an Inheritance they have no Title nor Right to it Now a Son that 's Heir apparent by Adoption in Christ to such an Estate of Eternal Life in Heaven he will not only be alwayes in Expectation of it but will judge himself bound to study all the wayes he can possibly do to please God to keep in his Love and favour and withall fear and take heed of forfeiting the Love of God 1. Because it is an Act of Mercy and free Grace it is not a Debt or any thing thou canst challenge the Lord Jesus is sole purchaser Text. Rom. 6. ult The Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. If we look for all as an Act of Mercy it will keep the Soul humble Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 and thankful Such a frame of Soul the Lord loves and favours Micah 6.8 2 Cor. 4.18 chap. 5.1 3. The Prospect of Eternal Life will keep us from being much enamoured with this Life which is Vain and Sinful and Sorrowful and Transient 4. The Prospect of a better Life will make us prepare for it 1 Tim. 6.12 Rev. 21.2 Phil. 3.12 13 14. and lay hold on it 2 Pet. 11.12 13 14. By Watchfulness as the wise Virgins Math. 25.4 10. By Constancy in our course and race 1 Tim. 6.19 By casting away every Clog Heb. 12.1 2. 5. Because all Creatures wait for this Glory and are Rom. 8.19 in earnest Expectation of it 6. Because all Saints have ever lived up to it 1 Thes 4. ult Heb. 4.1 9 Heb. 6.19 20. this is the Haven of their rest here they cast Anchor with this they comfort themselves for this they groan
glorious and that in an eminent manner above all the outward Worship of the Old Testament in the Tabernacle and Temple whose Glory was great and as unto external Pomp inimitable To this purpose the Apostle disputes at large 2 Cor. 3.6 7 8 9 10. This therefore is agreed that there ought to be Beauty and Glory in divine Worship and that they are most eminently in that which is directed and required in the Gospel But withal the Apostle declares in the same place that this Glory is Spiritual and not Carnal so did our Lord Jesus Christ foretel that it should be and that unto that end all distinction of places with all outward advantages and Ornaments belonging unto them should be taken away John 4 20 21 22 23 24. It belongs therefore unto our present Design to give a brief Account of its Glory and wherein it excels all other ways of divine Worship that ever were in the world even that under the Old Testament which was of divine Institution wherein all things were ordered for Beauty and Glory And it may be given in the Instances that ensue 1. The express Object of it is God not as absolutely considered but as existing in three Persons of Father Son and Holy Spirit This is the principal Glory of Christian Religion and its Worship Under the Old Testament the Conceptions of the Church about the Existence of the Divine Nature in distinct Persons were very dark and obscure for the full Revelation of it was not to be made but in the distinct actings of each Person in the works of Redemption and Salvation of the Church that is in the Incarnation of the Son and Mission of the Spirit after he was glorified John 7.39 And in all the ways of Natural Worship there was never the least shadow of any respect hereunto But this is the foundation of all the Glory of Evangelical Worship The Object of it in the Faith of the Worshipper is the Holy Trinity and it consists in an Ascription of Divine Glory unto each Person in the same individual Nature by the same Act of the Mind where this is not there is no Glory in Religious Worship 2. It s Glory consists in that constant respect which it hath unto each Divine Person as unto their peculiar work and actings for the salvation of the Church so it is described Eph. 2.18 Through him that is the Son as Mediator we have our access by one Spirit unto the Father This is the immediate Glory of Evangelical Worship comprehensive of all the Graces and Priviledges of the Gospel And to suppose that the Glory of it doth consist in any thing but the Light Graces and Privileges which it doth it self exhibit is a vain Imagination It will not borrow Glory from the Invention of men we shall therefore a little consider it as it is here represented by the Apostle 1. The Vltimate Object of it under this consideration is God as the Father we have an access therein unto the Father And this Consideration in our worship of God as a Father relating unto the whole dispensation of his Love and Grace by Christ Jesus as he is God and our God his Father and our Father is peculiar unto Gospel-worship and contains a signal part of its glory We do not only worship God as a Father so the very Heathens had a Notion that he was a Father of all things but we worship him who is the Father and as he is so both in relation to the eternal Generation of the Son and the communication of Grace by him unto us as our Father so no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him John 1.18 This Access in our worship unto the Person of the Father as in Heaven the holy Place above as on a Throne of Grace is the glory of the Gospel See Mat. 6.9 Heb. 4.16 châ—p 10.19 20 21. 2. The Son is here considered as Mediator through him we have this access unto the Father This is the Glory that was hidden from former Ages but brought to light and display'd by the Gospel So speaks our blessed Saviour himself unto his Disciples Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name ask and ye shall receive Iohn 16.23 24. To ask God expresly in the Name of the Son as Mediator belongs unto the Glory of the Gospel-worship The chief of them may be reduced to these three Heads 1. It is he who makes both the persons of the Worshippers and their Duties accepted of God See Heb. 2.17 18. chap. 4.16 chap. 10.19 2. He is the Administrator of all the worship of the Church in the holy place above as its great High Priest over the House of God Heb. 8.2 Rev. 8.3 3. His Presence with and among Gospel-worshippers in their worship gives it Glory This he declares and promises Mat. 18.19 20. If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven for where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them All Success of the Prayers of the Church dependeth on and ariseth from the presence of Christ amongst them He is so present for their assistance and for their consoâ—ation This presence of a Living Christ and not a dead Crucifix gives Glory to Divine worship He who sees not the Glory of this Worship from its relation unto Christ is a stranger unto the Gospel with all the Light Graces and Privileges of it 3. It is in one Spirit that we have Access unto God in his Worship and in his Administration doth the Apostle place the glory of it in opposition unto all the glory of the Old Testament as doth our Lord Jesus Christ also in the place before referred unto for 1. The whole Ability for the observance and performance of it according to the Mind of God is from him alone His communication of Grace and Gifts unto the Church is that alone which makes it to give glory to God in his Divine Service If this should cease all acceptable Worship would cease in the world To think to observe the Worship of the Gospel without the Aid and Assistance of the Spirit of the Gospel is a lewd imagination But where he is there is Liberty and Glory 2 Cor. 3.17 18. 2. By him the sanctified Minds of Believers are made Temples of God and so the principal Seal of Evangelical worship 1 Cor. 3.16 chap. 6.8 This Temple being of God's own framing and of his own adorning by his Spirit is a much more glorious Fabrick than any that the hands of men can erect 3. By him is the Church led into internal Communion and Converse with God in Christ in Light Love and Delight with holy boldness the glory whereof is expressed by the Apostle
in all as that they left almost no place for second Causes Thus poor Creatures were they divided among themselves having their understandings miserably darkened But many among the Heathens yea their most learned men and of their most famous Sects Platonists Stoickes Pythagoreans did own the Divine Providence and Government and so did the Poets also and for particular Persons the learned Plato Seneca Tully with many others subscribe thereunto Hence it is that they call God the Rector and keeper of the world the Soul and Spirit of the world and do expresly compare him to the Soul in the Body and to the Master in a Ship who doth command rule direct steer and turn it what way and to what port he himself thinks good But so much may suffice for that I pass on 2. Secondly the Sacred Scriptures do abound wâ—th testimonies which may afford us full satisfaction in the point When he was about to punish the world for the wickedness of them that dwelt therein and to sweep away the inhabitants of it with a Flood he took care that all mankind should not be destroyed But Noah and his Family were preserved yea and some of all the general species of animals too that so Seed might be continued upon Earth and that in the ordinary way of Generation which was a famous and eminent instance of Divine Providence and its ordering and Governing the World Besides that attend to these passages of Scripture Job 5 9. God doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number He giveth rain sâ—nd water sets upon high those that be low disappoints the devices of the craftie taking them in their own craftiness and carrying the counsel of the froward head-long Isa 45. I am the Lord and there is none else I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things Psal 34 16 17. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil to cut off the remembrance of them from the Earth The Righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their distresses Ephes 1 11. He worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will Not onely some things those which are momentous and stupendious such as strike men with wonder and amazement but all things all is of God and all not according to the will and pleasure of others but according to his own eternal Counsel Dan. 4 34 35. His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion and his Kingdom is from generation to generation and all the Inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing and he doth according to his will in the Armies of Heaven and all the Inhabitants of the Earth who are counted as nothing and none can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou Mat. 10 29. Are not two Sparrows sold for a Farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Heavenly Father Scriptures to this purpose might be multiplied I will add but one more Psal 103 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all But further consider 3. Thirdly God hath a most unquestionable right to order and Govern the world it doth properly appertain unto him The belief and acknowledgement hereof doth necessarily follow upon the owning of a God to own such a being as God and yet to deny or question his right to Govern is a gross absurditie That being which we call God is the first highest noblest and incomparably the most excellent Being of all infinite and unchangeable in all perfections and therefore he hath a right to order others that are not so Man is endued with reason and understanding and so is the most noble and excellent creature in this lower world therefore it pleased his great Creator to put the Lordship into his hand and to give him Dominion over the Fish and Fowl and every living thing that moveth upon the Earth the Psalmist tells us He hath put all things under his feet How much more then is an absolute and universal Rule due to God whose understanding is infinite and in whom are all the inexhaustible unfathomtable treasures of wisdom and knowledg Besides that consider God as the Fountain of Being the first cause and original of all Being The world and all things in it are the works of his Hands He made them and fashioned them and seeing He made all seeing by his power and for his pleasure all things are and were created it is highly reasonable that all things should be ordered directed and disposed of according to his pleasure Hath the Potter power over the clay so as to make of it a Vessel of honour or dishonour and hath not God much more power over his Creatures If a Father hath an undoubted right to rule his own Children and a Master to order his own Family it cannot rationally be questioned but God hath a right to rule all the Persons and Creatures in the world for we are all his off-spring and of him the whole Family both in Heaven and Earth is named of him it was made and by him it doth consist Who can be so impudent and brutish so much sunk below man and run so cross to the principles and dictates of right reason as to deny him a right to give Laws to them unto whom he gave life It is highly decorous every way fit that he from whom all things had their being and unto whose power and goodness they own their continuance should appoint them all their ends and direct their steps and cast their lines and cut out their works and overrule all their actions 4. For God to Govern the world is no dishonour to him it doth not unhandsomely reflect upon his divine Majesty nor cause the least Eclipse or diminution of his most excellent Glory It is true as I before hinted unto you though some men cheerfully acknowledged a Governing and overruling Providence over humane actions and affairs yet they conceived it extended not its self to more vile and contemptible creatures or to minute and inconsiderable things Jerom though a learned and holy man seemed to be of this opinion for he grants a general order and disposal how such an innumerable multitude of Fishes should breed and live in the Sea and how brutes and creeping things should gender upon the Earth and with what they should be maintained but he fancieth it a solecisme to debase and bring down the Majesty of the ever blessed God so low as to mind and order the breeding and death of gnats or to concern himself about the number of flyes and fleas that are upon the Earth or how many Fishes swim in the Sea and Rivers or which among the smaller ones should become a prey to the greater for they did fancy this to be altogether unworthy and unbecoming of God judging of him by earthly Potentates who take State upon them and trouble not themselves with any but
because he cannot be at once in all parts of his Dominions but God is omnipresent filling Heaven and Earth If thou goest up to Heaven he is there if thou make thy Bed in Hell behold he is there if thou dwellest in the uttermost parts of the Sea there shall his Hand lead thee and his right Hand shall guide thee All things are within his reach wheresoever any thing is doing or to be done there God is who is present in every place and with every person He stands at our right hands and so may well guide them so to do will cost him no travel nor trouble In him we live and move and have our being not at a distance from him not out of him but in him 2. God can easily Govern the world because of his almighty Power he is stronger than all his Word is enough to accomplish all his will The wisest of men are foolish creatures and the strongest are weak Kingdoms and Nations have frequently proved ungovernable to potent Princes Such breaches have been made as they could not heale and such tempests have risen as they could not lay Nay that man is not found in the world who hath Power sufficient to Govern himself How often doth his will rebel against his reason Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor His judgement sees and votes for that which is good but his will chooseth what is worse his sensual appetite longs for it and that must be gratified whatever the cost be We sometimes see that wise men gracious and holy men cannot curb their own passions but they take heâ—d and hurry them into great and uncomely extravagancies But now God is of infinite Power as he hath an arm long enough to reach so strong enough to rule all things He binds the Sea with a girdle and stayes its proud waves saying hither shall ye go and no further He makes the wrath of man to praise him though it be more boisterous than the Sea and the remainder thereof he shall restrain Job hath sundry passages to this purpose worthy of our remark Job 26. take some of them thus He hangeth the world upon nothing He hath compassed the waters with bounds He divideth the Sea with his Power the Pillars of Heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof And then he closeth thus in verse 14. Lo these are part of his ways but how little a portion is heard of him and the Thunder of his Power who can understand The Power of his Thunder is great which discovered the forrest and makes the hinds to calve what then is the Thunder of his Power when God doth but whisper a rebuke into the eare of a man that maketh his beauty to consume like a moth what then can he do nay what can he nor do when he thunders from Heaven In short his Power is irresistible and his will in all things efficacious He can master all difficulties and conquer all enemies and overcome all opposition when he hath a mind to work who shall let him he askes no leave he needs no help he knows no impediment Mountains in his way become plaines his counsel shall stand and the thoughts of his heart to all generations 3. Thirdly God is fit to Govern the world upon the account of his wisdom and knowledg His eyes run too and fro through the Earth He observes all the motions and wayes of men He understands what hath been is and shall be Hell is naked before him how much more Earth His eye is upon the conclave of Rome the Cabals of Princes and the closets of particular Persons Excellently doth David set forth the divine Omniscience Psal 139. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising and understandest my thoughts afar off Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways there is not a word in my tongue but O Lord thou knowest it altogether thou hast beset me behind and before He knows not only what is done by man but also what is in man all his goodness and all his wickedness all his contrivances purposes and designs The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it do you ask who the answer is ready Jehovah He searcheth the heart he tryeth and possessâ—th the reins Those are dark places far removed from the eyes of all the world but Gods eyes are like a flame of fire they carry their own light with them and discover those recesses run thorow all the Labyrinths of the heart they looke into each nooke and corner of it and see what lurks there what is doing there O! what manner of Persons should we be with what diligence should we keep our hearts since God observes them with so much exactness Men may take a view of the practices of others but God sees their principles and to what they do incline them Yea He knows how to order and command the heart not only how to affright it with terrours and to allure it with kindnesses and perswade it with arguments but likewise how to change and alter and mend it by his Power He cannot only debilitate and enfeeble it when set upon evil but also how confirm and fix and fortifie it when carried out to that which is good The hearts of Kings are in the hands of the Lord and he turned them as the Rivers of Water 4. Fourthly God is fit to Govern the world upon the score of his long-suffering and forbearance Those that have the reins of Government put into their hands had need be Persons of excellent and cool Spirits for if they have a great deal of Power and but a small stock of patience they will soon put all into a flame That man who hath but a little Family to mannage will in that meet with trials and exercises enough How much more he that is set over a Kingdom and unspeakably more yet he that is to Govern the world especially considering the present State of the degenerate world and how things have been ever since Sin made an entry into it The whole world now lyeth in wickedness there is not a man in it but doth every day offer a thousand affronts to God and provokes him to his face Angelical patience would soon tire and be spent and turn into such fury as would quickly reduce all into a Chaos There is not an Angel in Heaven but if there were a commission given him he would do immediate execution and sheath the Sword of vengeance in the bowels of malefactors But now to his glory be it spoken God is infinite in patience slow to anger and of great kindness Though he be disobeyed abused grieved vexed pressed with the sins of men even as a cart is pressed that is laden with sheaves yet he spares and bears and waites How loath is he to stir up all his wrath and to pour out the Vials thereof He counts that his strange work when he goeth about it his bowels do
of God's Transcendency are to be seen in them all Whence we have as satisfying an Argument to convince us that the Doctrines of the Gospel are from God and consequently true as that the world was created by him and is now under his Government yea such as believe a Providence and the Scripture to be the Word of God have as much to offer for their Faith as the meer Deist who only belive the Existence of a God has for his for the very same Characters Signatures Impresses and Footsteps of Gods infinite Perfections that are on the things made are in these Doctrines and Providences of which the Transcendency that is in them is an uncontroulable Evidence Why do we believe the World to be made of God but because we see that the things made are so admirably fram'd and order'd that there is somewhat in them incomprehensible by us They are made by One whose Wisdom is infinite and transcends our largest Capacities In like manner those who will look into the Scriptures and consult the Doctrines of the Gospel will find that there are the Impresses of infinite Wisdom in them which could not be unless they had been of God who is infinitely wise whence 't is that by the Transcendency that is in the Doctrines we are engaged to conclude that they are true i. e. we are hereby confirm'd and establish'd in the Truth of the Christian Religion that is discover'd unto us in the Holy Scriptures IMPROVEMENT III. The Third Improvement is this The Transcendency of these Doctrines and Providences prove most excellent Expedients to silence and stop the mouths of the Vngodly for by the Transcendency of some Doctrines and Providences God is carrying on the great End of glorifying his Righteousness in the letting out his Fury and Indignation on the Vessels of Wrath. God who made all things for himself will be Glorified either by or upon the People he has made God will be glorified by some to their Salvation and upon others in their Condemnation And by the Transcendency that is in the Doctrines and Providences both are done For the Transcendency of these Doctrines and Providences as hath been already shewn exciting the Faith and Patience of some does farther their Salvation and as they are stumbling-Blocks in the way of others they occasion the Ruine and Destruction of others These Transcendent Doctrines and Providences must be considered as stumbling-blocks that God puts in their way not that there is any Evil in God's putting them in the way but the Evil is only from the indisposition of the corrupt Heart of man For the clearer understanding which we must consider that there is certainly such a Decree as that of the Election of some particular Persons unto Glory which doth necessarily infer the dereliction of others the leaving them in a state of Sin and Misery Some being Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father shall through the sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus Christ obtain Salvation with Eternal Glory But others there are even ungodly men who turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness and who were of old ordained unto Condemnation The Salvation of some the Damnation of others is acknowledged by all to be certain as to the Event and that there is no event in time but what was foreknown of God from Eternity is not denied by any that believe God to be God and that these Events cannot be without a Providence of God is most manifest 'T is true God has a greater influence on the Elect than on others for God does not only support their Powers and Faculties and by a Physical Efficience enable them to perform what is Natural in their Moral Actions but moreover God does by his mighty Power in infinite Wisdom sweetly determine the Elect to the doing what is morally good and savingly gracious God does not so much in such Actions as are sinful and vicious the moral Vitiosity or Obliquity that is in a sinful Action is not of God though what is natural in a sinful Action has its Origin and Rise from God yet what is Moral and Vitious is not from God God does not Physically and Invincibly determine any man to what is sinful in any Action the Sinfulness of an Action has no higher Being than a Creature for its Author However though the Sins of the Damned are without a Divine Physical Predetermination yet not without a Divine Providence There is no Event without a Providence of God As all Events are according to the fore-knowledge of God so they are by his Providence The Destruction of Pharaoh in the Red Sea according to the fore-knowledge of God and the hardness of his Heart that was the Cause of his ruine was by Gods Providence This Providence is somewhat more than a meer unconcerned permission and yet much less than a Physical Predetermination it falls short of this latter because God has no Physical influence on the sinfulness of our Actions and 't is more than the former for the Wisdom and Power of God is marvellously exercised in doing very much towards the bringing the Event to pass and that by laying stumbling blocks in the way of the Non-Elect which stumbling blocks in our way may occasion our Sin and Ruine but not cause it so that although the Lord does lay Stones of stumbling in our way which occasions our Sin yet he cannot be said to be the Cause or Author of our Sin No one is the Cause or Author of anothers Sin but he who does either Physically or Morally contribute to the Commission of Sin but though God lays stones of stumbling before the Sinner yet he does not in doing so either morally by perswasions draw or physically by Impression drive him to the Sin The stumbling block is before him and from it the Sinner takes occasion to sin against the Lord. Though such is the infinite Knowledge and Wisdom of God that he foreknows that such a Block in the Sinners way will occasion his Sin and notwithstanding puts it in his way yet he is not therefore the Author of his Sin because God does not hereby either Physically or Morally move the Sinner to the Sin for the Sinner having a Natural power to withstand it 't is his Wilfulness and Sin he does not That God does lay stones of stumbling before us is evident enough to any who will consult the Sacred Scriptures In Ezekiel 3.20 't is said that God doth lay a stumbling block before the man who was externally Righteous and he turns from his Righteousness unto Sin and dies in his Iniquity This will appear more convincingly in the Instances I will give concerning it The Dâ—scoveries that are made of Gods gracious Designs towards us are about such matters as do amuse us whoever will consider what is declared in the Gospel concerning the way to eternal life will find that Jesus Christ though he be God as well as
in fear O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men They desired evil no otherwise than good Men that are in Place of Authority over others may and ought to use it viz. not to make others poenâ miseros sed correctione beatos miserable by putting them to pain but happy by amendment 2. If you find them sometimes to have a farther reach and to look beyond time to eternity you must consider they were extraordinary persons and by the spirit of Prophesie did foresee what God had irrevocably determined concerning some men and upon this supposition they might not only acquiesce in the judgment of God against them but were obliged to approve of it too As all the Saints shall at the last day approve of the Sentence of Christ against such as they loved and earnestly prayed for when here on Earth before they knew what their final state would be That these had such a foresight is plain by what David spake of Judas many years before he was born He saw plainly what Judas his cursed end would be as you may see by reading the 109th Psalm which Peter tells us the Holy Ghost spake before concerning Judas by the mouth of David Acts 1.16 So that these being Persons and Cases extraordinary are not to be drawn into example by ordinary persons It is good for us to mind what Christ says of great sinners Mat. 12.31 32. I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men When Christ says all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men and excepts none but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost no not a word spoken against the Son of Man himself we may well think a word spoken or a deed done against our selves may be pardoned and that it may be so should pray for it and we may hope fot a good effect of it Acts 7.60 Stephen's prayer when he was stoned probably had an influence on Paul's conversion St. John tells us 1 John 5.16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death So that unless a Man could be assured that another hath sinned that sin which is unto death he may nay he ought to pray for him He shall ask c. In any case where there is but an if so be or a who can tell or a perhaps there is room left for prayer In that mighty Tempest that arose in the Sea to arrest Jonah as he was going to Tarshish which was like to have broken the Ship he is called on to arise and call upon his God Jonah 1.6 If so be that God will think upon us that we perish not Their case was very doubtful yet they pray So when Jonah had delivered his Message to the Ninevites Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown they cry mightily unto God saying Who can tell if God will turn and repent Jonah 3.9 Simon Magus was in a very bad state In the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity and Peter perceived it Si fieri possit ab ipsis inferis extrahendi nobis sunt homines Calvinus in locum yet he bids him repent and pray If perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven him and can we think that he who put him upon praying for himself would not pray for him too especially considering Simon requested it of him Acts 8.21 24. 3. The Third good means to be used to overcome evil in others is to use good words in speaking 1. Of them 2. To them 1. To speak well of them so far as with truth we may Peter Martyr thinks this is required Rom. 12.14 Bless them that persecute you bless and curse not Where by blessing in the the former part of the verse he understands speaking well of them in the latter praying for them But possibly the Apostle might double the word only for the greater Emphasis it being a duty of great necessity and not easie to be performed However it must be acknowledged a duty to speak well of them for what is praise-worthy in them Indeed we may not call evil good nor praise any for the evil they do but must say in that case as the Apostle doth to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.22 Shall I praise you in this I praise you not On the other hand we must not call good evil There being none so bad but have some good gifts and commendable qualities in them we should acknowledg them in them and praise them for them The positive part of the Ninth Commandment requires this at our hands to bear a true witness to our Neighbour Therefore as Christ when he blames this and the other Church for the faults he found in them acknowledgeth the good he found among them saying to one This thou hast and to another This thou hast Rev. 2.6 and 3.4 so should we do And how this tends to overcome evil the Wise-man will tell us Prov. 27.21 As the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise or as others so is to a man his praise That is it tries him and refines him too 2. As good words of them tend to overcome evil in others so good words to them Respectful language and modest answers are of great efficacy to allay and abate corrupt affections in others It was spiritual wisdom in Paul to answer Festus saying he was mad and besides himself calmly and respectfully I am not mad most noble Festus Acts 26.25 With what respect and reverence doth David speak of and to Saul when he was pursuing him for his life Speaking of him he calls him the Lords anointed 1 Sam. 26.16 and speaking to him he doth as it were in one breath for 't is within the compass of the Three following verses call him My Lord the King And what he spake as well as what he did at that time did for the present mollifie his heart towards him as appears by his saying to him again Is this thy voice my son David By long forbearing a Prince is perswaded and a soft tongue breaketh the bone Prov. 25.15 A Flint is sooner broken on a Pillow than on a Rock We find the men of Ephraim very angry with Gideon Judg. 8.1 because he called them not when he went out against the Midianites for the Text saith they did chide with him sharply He tho a mighty man of valour gave them this modest answer What have I now done in comparison of you Is not the gleaning of the graves of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer Intimating that they had done greater service in pursuing than he had done in routing of them Then says the Text their anger was abated toward him when he had said that Prov. 15.1 Grievous words might have stirred up anger but his soft answer turned away wrath 3. The Third thing
he calls our Souls ours and certainly they are ours so as nothing else is for we must forego all other things and be parted from them and have been and may be without them but without our Souls we never were nor cannot be And 't is thy only Soul thou hast to make thy darling and to be fond and careful of Most of other things we have double of as two Eyes two Hands and Feet c. but God hath given thee but one Soul Omnia Deus dedit duplicia animam vero unam If thou losest one of the members of thy Body the other in a great measure serves in its stead but thy soul must needs be more carefully looked to than thy right eye or thy right hand for nothing to be sure can stand in stead of it if it be once lost Oh remember this is the one thing necessary 5. You must answer for the loss of your Souls God hath entrusted them with you A great trust a great charge we must account for this Talent when our Lord comes David's Brethren asked him with whom he had left their Sheep God will ask every one of you with whom ye did leave your Souls Are not your Children nay are not your Goods many a man's Swine more cared for and look'd after than your Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza There are two words in the Text that are observed to be forensical and relate to a Court of Judicatory which the gaining and losing in the Text refers to The loss of his Soul will be as a Mulct or Penalty inflicted by the Just and righteous Judge upon every one that hath been careless of his Soul He that does not earnestly endeavour to keep his Soul whilst he lives the evil Angels when he dyes shall require it of him as you know the Soul of the Covetous wretch was adjudged to them How unconcernedly do we read or hear of such things But mutato nomine de te c. Yet but a little while and it may be thy case It may be the divertisements of the World will not let thee have the while to attend to what you hear but what are all the pleasures and enjoyments you can have might they be continued to thee as long as ever they were unto any but as the singing of a little longer Psalm before thy Execution Oh that my words therefore might be acceptable unto you I have shewn you the excellency of Souls as when the Disciples shewed to our Saviour the costly stones and curious Fabrick of the Temple Matth. 24.1 2. Our Blessed Lord told them the time was a coming in which not one stone should be left upon another but all should be thrown down The Application be not to all that hate us but to all that implacably hate God Oh awake arise bestir your selves watch and ward and above all call in the assistance of the Keeper of Israel that not only with all thy keeping but with all his keeping thy Soul may be kept by his Power through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 SERMON XXVI The Leading of the HOLY SPIRIT opened With some Practical Enquiries resolv'd about it ROMANS 8.14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God OUR Apostle in the close of the preceding Verse had made use of a very powerful Motive to excite these Romans and in them all others unto Mortification if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live In this Verse he backs that Motive with an Argument to †Probatio est ejus quod proximè praecessit Calv. Probat quod dixit vivetis Esth evince its Truth and Certainty Such as are the Sons of God shall live such who are led by the Spirit viz. to mortifie the deeds of the Body are the Sons of God therefore such shall live Others consider these Words not so much as a Proof of the foregoing Motive but rather as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl another distinct Motive in themselves to promote Mortification Such who are led by the Spirit thereunto they are taken into the high and glorious Relation of being the Sons of God or the Children of God as 't is v. 16. Now what an inducement is this to Christians to live under and comply with the Spirits Leading as it directs and excites unto the mortifying of the deeds of the Body Both of these Connexions are good but I preferr the first If we take them apart and as they lie in themselves so they contain these three things in them 1. A Glorious Priviledge the being the Sons of God 2. A Description of the Persons to whom this Priviledge belongs they are such who are led by the Spirit of God 3. The Adaequateness or Commensurateness between the Persons describ'd and the Priviledge asserted As many as are led just so many and no more all such and none but such are the Sons of God 'T is Inclusive or Extensive to all of them Exclusive and Limiting to all others The words are an entire Proposition As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God The Subject hereof they that are led by the Spirit I am to speak unto as to the Praedicate they are the Sons of God that I shall not insist upon further than as 't is reducible under the Subject As many as are led by the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some render it by Aguntur as many as are acted by the Spirit Some by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. impelluntâ—r ad sanctas Actiones Piscat Impelluntur as many as are impell'd vigorously urg'd and mov'd by the Spirit The most by Ducuntur as many as are led by the Spirit We have the same Phrase with another Priviledge annext Gal. 5.18 If ye be led 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Spirit ye are not under the Law It 's evident the Expression is allusive and Metaphorical And it alludes either to Guides such as lead the Blind or those that are in the Dark or Travellers that know not their way Or to Mothers and Nurses who take their Children by the hand such as cannot goe and therefore they lead uphold and help them Answerably to both of these Believers are led by the spirit of God with respect partly to their Spiritual Blindness and Darkness and partly to their spiritual Weakness and Infirmity The Holy Ghost is both their Guide and Director to keep them from wandring and also their Vpholder and Strengthner to keep them from falling The Point to be discoursed of is this That Gods spirit is a leading spirit to â—os and in all Gods Children The Acts and Operations of this Spirit are various and multiform Several of which are instanc't in in this Chapter the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the Law of sin and death v. 2. If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live v. 13. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the Children of God v. 16. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities v. 26 27. But I must confine my self to that One in the Text the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Conduct Manuduction which this Blessed Spirit vouchsafes to the people of God He is the Saints Leader their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dux viae the Guide of their Life Look as by Christ they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading Accesse Admission to God the Father in Prayer Eph. 2.18 and 3.12 So by the Spirit they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leading and Guidance in their whole course of Life In the discussing of this weighty Point I will 1. Open the nature of the Act the Leading of the Spirit 2. Propound and answer some practical Enquiries about it For the better opening of it I must 1. Lay down some things more Generally concerning it 2. Then come to the closer and stricter Explication of it Under the First I shall commend the following Particulars to you Distinctions premis'd about the Spirits Leading 1. The Leading of the Spirit is either General and Common or Peculiar and Special If we consider him as God in his joint participation of the Deity with the Father and the Son and in his joint Operations with them according to their Divine Essence so there is a Leading by him which does extend to all Creatures whatsoever For all of them by his Divine Power and Influxe in their several Beings Actions Motions and Tendencies are disposed ordered governed and overrul'd to the Glory of the Creator and the good of the Universe Take them in all their Faculties and in all their Operations they are all excited directed actuated by this Spirit And so in a general Sence they all come under his Guidance and Regency This also may be said to extend to all men to the Unregenerate as well as to the Regenerate How why as they all doe act and move * Acts 17.28 in and by him as He in a Common and Providential way does order and regulate all their several Actions and Motions For this he does in all as he is the first cause and the supream Soveraign So that as there is his common Illumination common Conviction common Restraints common Gifts which even the Graceless partake of so there is too a common Leading by Him which they also have Now most certainly this is not that Leading which the Text speaks of for this cannot be the Foundation or Evidence of the Priviledge mention'd A common Act will never entitle to a special Relation Ductus spiritus quo Filij Dei aguntur non est Generalis Dei Actus quo omnia moventur sed est specialis Gratia quâ Filii Dei Sanctificantur in viâ salutis diriguntur ad Deum Pareus Observare convenit esse multiplicem Spiritus Actionem Est enim Vniversalis quâ omnes Creaturae sustinentur ac moventur sunt peculiares in Hominibus illae quidem variae sed hic sanctificationem intelligit quâ non nisi Electos suos Dominus dignatur dum eos sibi in Filios segregat Calv. in loc How many are thus led by the Spirit who yet are far from being the Sons of God! That Leading therefore must be here intended which is special and peculiar to Gods people such as will amount to the making of the Proposition here Reciprocal and Convertible thus All the Sons of God are led by the Spirit and All that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God 2. The special Leading of the Spirit is Extraordinary or Ordinary The former was confin'd to some Persons and to some Times and was not to extend to all Saints nor to continue in all Ages Thus the Holy Prophets the Apostles were led by the Spirit as they were immediately inspir'd guided and moved by Him in the discharge of their Extraordinary Work and Office These in the penning of the Holy Scriptures and in all that they revealed of and from God were acted and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 and hereupon they were infallible in what they reveal'd But this was extraordinary and so Limited and Temporary The latter Leading of the Spirit therefore must be that which is here spoken of that which appertains to all Gods Children and at all times Did the Apostle when he says As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God mean that as many as have Extraordinary Visions Revelations Inspirations Impulses from the Spirit of God are thus related to God and none Other surely no! Should we carry it thus high we should exclude all but the foremention'd Prophets and Apostles from being Gods Children which would be both sad and also false Wherefore 't is unquestionable that the Ordinary Abiding and Permanent Leading of the Spirit and that which reaches to all Believers is here intended 3. This Act of the Spirit may be consider'd either as 't is exerted at the first Conversion or after For as we distinguish the Grace of God into Prevenient and Subsequent so we may also distinguish of the Leading of the Spirit He leads at and in order to the first Conversion as he then does irradiate the Mind incline the Will spiritualize the Affections and so lead or guide the whole Soul to God and Christ Then he leads after Conversion as this is done by him all along in the whole course of a Christians Life for it is a continued Act. The Guidance of the Sp rit to bring a man into the state of Grace that 's done but once but the Guidance of the Spirit in the state of Grace that 's done Daily and Renewedly The first imports the infusing of a Living Vital Principle into the Soul the latter supposes this Principle and makes use of it in the Conduct of a Child of God in the way of Holiness Both are here to be taken in yet I conceive the last may be most proper And Observe these two Leadings of the Spirit have a different respect to our Sonship with God For the former Constitutes it the latter only Discovers and Evidences it The Spirit as leading me to God at the first Conversion makes me a Child of God the Spirit as leading me after Conversion causes it to appear that I am a Child of God 4. There is the Having of the Spirit and there is the Leading of the Spirit We have both in this Chapter the One v. 9. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his the other in the Text. Now although these two be conjunct and inseparable whoever have the Spirit they are led by the Spirit yet they are distinct things To have the Spirit is to
be made a Possessor of Him in his Indwelling in us To be led by the Spirit is our partaking of his Directive Influence after we are made Possessors of him The First supposes the receiving of the Agent or Principle the second imports the Operation from that Agent or Principle The Greek Expositors do much insist upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Whom Oecumenius and Theophylact follow Ideo non dicit Qui spiritum Dei acceperunt sed qui spiritu Dei aguntur i. e. qui illius actui obtemperant Musc but with that Explication of it which I do not drive at Observe say They 't is not said as many as have received the Spirit are the Sons of God but as many as are led by the Spirit For as they glosse upon it many receive the Spirit at Baptism who yet afterwards not being led by the Spirit to and in an Holy Life their Sonship to God ceases But this stating of the Having of the Spirit I meddle not with I consider the Reception of the Spirit not only in an external Baptismal way but in that which is inward real and saving And even this I make to be distinct from his Leading For although these are never disjoyn'd and separated but do always coexist and accompany each the other all Circumstances concurring yet in themselves they differ both as to Order and Precedence and also as to Nature and Essence The Having of a Soul and then the having of the subsequent Acts of that Soul are different things so 't is in that which I am upon These things that are more general being premis'd I come to a more strict and particular Explication of this Leading of the Spirit What is it to be led by Him It notes something on the Spirits part and something on the Creatures part Both must be taken in in the opening and stating of it 1. Something on the Spirits part So it imports 1. His special Guidance 2. His powerful Inclination 3. His Cooperation and Corroboration 4. His Regency and Gubernation 1. His special Guidance To be led by the Spirit The special Acts included in the Spirits Leading 't is to live under the blessed Guidance and Conduct of the Spirit This is the Notion which does most obviously comport with Leading How is the Blind man led why as he has one to direct and guide him to and in the way wherein he is to go So here Of this act as done by God and his Spirit the Scripture often speaks And the Lord shall guide thee continually Is 58.11 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldst go Isa 48.17 Thou shalt guide me by thy Councel and afterward receive me to Glory Psal 73.24 Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Psal 143.10 Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation Psal 25.5 I will direct their work in truth and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Is 61.8 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Psal 37.23 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left Isa 30.21 Here 's the Leading of the Spirit What the Cloud was to the Israelites in the directing of them in their Motions what the Guide is to the Traveller who knows not his way that the Spirit of God is to Believers their Guide and Director in this their Journeying and Wilderness state II. His powerful Inclination He leads not only by a naked Guidance or Directive Light beam'd into the Understanding whereby Believers are brought to know God's Will and what they are to do Col. 1.9 that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his Will Quid est duci spirieu Dei Est a spiritu sancto soris Verbo intus Illuminatione doceri de Dei voluntate nec non efficaciter flecti ac Regi ad volendum faciendum ea quae Deo placent Par. in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding Eph. 3.10 Proving what is acceptable to the Lord But he leads also by the Efficacious Inclining of the Heart the bowing and bending of the Will the overpowring of the Affections to close with and follow his Guidance in the doing of what is good and in the shunning of what is evil Divines bring the whole of the Spirits Leading under two words Monendo Movendo he first counsels and directs as to what is to be done and then he excites and effectually enclines to the doing thereof Psal 119.33 teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes here 's the Informing and Directing Act of the Spirit v. 35 36. make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto Covetousness here 's the Efficacious and Powerful Act of the Spirit They who feel and experience This in themselves they are the Persons that are led by the Spirit I shall have occasion to speak more of it in what will follow III. His Cooperation and Corroboration When one leads another both the person leading and the person led have their proper Action and Motion and both unite and concurr therein And so 't is in the Saints being led by the Spirit as to what is Holy and Good He Acts and They Act too something there is done on His part something on Theirs too and there 's a mutual conjunct efficiency or Agency in Both. He acts then they act acti agunt And the Act is Theirs and His too theirs Subjectively and Formally His in respect of Excitation to it and Assistance in it They do the thing but 't is by his Influxe Is 26.12 thou hast wrought all our works in us Philip. 2.12 13. Work out your Salvation for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure In short we move we act and the Spirit concurrs and cooperates with us therein and so we are led by him †Dicet mihi aliquis ergo agimur non agimus Respondeo imò agis ageris tunc benè agis si a bono ageris Spiritus enim Dei qui te agit agentibus adjutor est Ipse nomen adjutoris praescribit tibi quia tu ipse aliquid agis Serm. 13. de Verbis Ap. Austine when he is proving the Necessity of the latter from my Text does also prove the Reality and Verity of the Former The other Act of the Spirit Corroboration or Strengthning falls in with this in part So his Leading resembles the Mothers or Nurses leading the Child it being weak not able to go alone they take it by the hand hold it up joyn their strength with its weakness and so they enable it to go In like manner the strong and mighty Spirit of
Rule to act by His Internal Holiness and Perfection being his sole Rule But as to Vs in our Actings we have an External Rule by which all that we do is to be squared and therefore by and according to this Rule the Spirit guides us And our Conformity thereunto is both the Measure and also the Design and End of the Spirit in his Guidance of us The Word it self carries in it a leading and directive Property Prov. 6.22 23. VVhen thou goest it shall lead thee For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is light Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path 133. Order my steps in thy VVord Mic. 6.8 He hath shewn thee O man what is good The written Revelation of God's Will is the Christians great Rule the Compass by which in all things he must steer his Course the Star that must direct him in all his Motions 'T is to the Law Isa 8.20 and to the Testimonys that we must have our continual Recourse for the regulating of us in all matters of Faith and Practice Now this Leading of the word and that of the Spirit are never to be sever'd As that is in subordination to This so This is ever in Conjunction with That This Word we must in all things keep close unto or else we run our selves upon most dangerous Rocks The Enthusiast is for a Light within for immediate Revelations Inspirations Impulses from the Spirit and I know not what But are these Praeter-Scriptural much more are they Anti-Scriptural Oh then they are nothing but mens own Fancies and Delusions and not at all the leadings of the Spirit of God When any upon the pretence of these go off from the written Word what wild Opinions and Practices do they run themselves upon Of which we have had too many instances both at Home and Abroad The Spirit and the VVord are our full and compleat guide The Spirit gives Light and Life to the Word and the VVord gives Evidence that the Guidance is from the Spirit But it may be ask'd Does the Spirit guide only in this mediate way Quest Is there not an immediate Leading by him at least pro hic nunc No unless you state it thus That although he may not always Answ in an Express and in an Explicit manner guide by the VVord yet his Guiding always is according to the VVord and Consentaneous to it The Word evermore is in the matter though sometimes it may not be in the manner of the Spirits Guidance He may without making use of the Word by an immediate Divine Light and Excitation lead me to this or that duty but he never leads me to any thing but what the Word first makes to be Duty Take it in that other Act of the Spirit which follows here v. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God This witnessing of Adoption is usually Mediate and by the Word yet 't is not always so sometimes 't is Immediate and without the VVord That is the Spirit assures of this not only in a syllogistical way by such and such Scripture-signs Marks Qualifications Dispositions which evidence Sonship to God as He that is led by the Spirit is the Son of God Thou art one who art led by the Spirit therefore thou art the Son of God But he sometimes may and does directly and immediately say to a person Thou art a Child of God But now though here he thus witnesses Abstractly and praecisively without making use of the marks and signs of the Word concerning this Relation yet he never so witnesses but according to the Word i. e. where those marks and signs are In like manner 't is as to his leading this is not always managed by an express Revival upon the Heart of this or that passage in the Word yet for the matter of it 't is ever done in a way consonant and agreeable to the Word And so long as we keep to this I think there will be no great danger of Enthusiasm or Fanaticisme rightly so called The manner of it III. The manner of the Spirits Leading Concerning which not to run out into all the various Explications that occur about it I 'le confine my self to these two things The Spirit leads 1. With Power and Efficacy 2. With Sweetness and Gentleness Fortiter Suaviter 1. With Power and Efficacy The Spirit leads so as that the Person led shall certainly follow him For in this Act he does not only illuminate the Vnderstanding or barely dictate to the Mind and Conscience what way is to be taken but he does also Inwardly by a Secret Power upon the Heart incline and bend the Will to close with what he directs unto He leads with a strong Hand so as that the Soul shall not be able to resist him I mean ad Victoriam I speak not of his Guidance which is common and general but of that which is peculiar and saving of that which is put forth either in those that are regenerate already or in those whom God designs to make such This leading of the Spirit in such Persons is ever carryed on with Power and Efficacy I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 here 's not only an Informing Light but an Overpowering Influence I 'le cause you to walk in my Statutes Turn thou me and I shall be turned 'T is leading in the Text to shew the Mildness of the Spirits Operation elsewhere 't is Drawing to shew the Power of the Spirits Operation 'tis Drawing as to the depraved Will 't is Leading as to the Sanctified Will The Evil Spirit leads to sin How Why he moves perswades solicites to sin and further than that he cannot go But the Holy Spirit in his leading to Grace and Holiness pursues this with a Determining and Overcoming Power so as that the Effect which he aims at shall certainly be produced This we must grant or else we must hold a parity of Operation betwixt the two Spirits that the Holy Spirit has but the same causal Influx upon what is good which the wicked Spirit has upon what is evil then which nothing can be more absurd 2. Yet 't is Power acted and exerted with all sweetness mildness and gentleness Here 's leading but no Force Conduct but no Compulsion no Coaction vehemens Inclinatio non Coactio Ghorran The Will is determin'd but so as that not the least violence is done to it to the infringing of its Liberty Ne arbitreris istam asperam molestamque violentiam dulcis est suavis est ipsa suavitas te trahit Aug. How spontaneously does the Person led follow him that leads him so 't is here This and all the other workings of the Spirit are admirably suited to the Nature of Reasonable and Free Agents Efficacious Grace does not at all
destroy Natural Liberty Where the Spirit does not find sinners willing by his sweet Methods he makes them willing Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power a day of power yet willing Even the Spirits Drawing is managed with all consistency to the freedom of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys he draws but 't is one that he makes willing to follow Hos 2.14 Behold I will allure her ay there 's the Spirits leading This being the constant and avowed Doctrine of the Protestants and †Ductus spiritus non est impulsus violentus quo rapimur inviti ut stipites sed est efficax persuasio quâ ex nolentibus efficimur volentes Par. with many others particularly their Explication of the Spirits leading in the Text how injurious and invidious are the Popish Writers in their traducing and calumniating of them as if they asserted the Spirit in This or any Other Act to work with Compulsion or in a way destructive to mans Essential Liberty 'T is a vile scandal And yet how do Esthius Salmeron Contzen upon the Words charge our Divines with it We perfectly concurr with Blessed St. * Enchirid. Cap. 64. de verbis Apostol Serm. 13. c. 11 12. Austin in that excellent passage of his cited by the Rhemists As many as are led by the Spirit he meaneth not says he that the Children of God are violently compelled against their Wills but that they be sweetly drawn moved or induced to do good But no more of this IV. The Extent of this Leading of the Spirit The Extent of it A threefold account may be given of that 1. In regard of the Subject or person led So it extends to the Whole Man First to the Interior Acts of the Soul in its several Faculties Vnderstanding Will and Affections And then to the Exterior Acts of the Body yea to the whole Conversation For all these are comprehended within and fall under the Spirits Leading For as his Sanctifying Operation extends to all of these the God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So does his Guiding Operation also these two being Commensurate and Coextensive This might be made out in Particulars was I not afraid of too much prolixity 2. In regard of the Object or Matter that the Spirit leads unto So it extends to the whole Duty of a Christian to all that he is to Know Believe and Do. Look as the Word in its External Leading guides us in all things that concern Faith and Practice it being a compleat and perfect Rule 2 Tim. 3.16 17. so 't is with the Spirit in his Internal Leading too Joh. 14.26 For Knowledge and Faith the Promise is But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 16.13 And again Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth see 1 John 2.20 27. And so 't is as to Holiness also this Spirit directs those who have him to and in the Practice of Holiness in its full and utmost Extent and Latitude Tit. 2.12 As the Grace of God the Gospel Without teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in this present world which is the summe of all Duty towards God towards Men and towards our selves So the Spirit Within teaches guides inclines to all these His Gracious Conduct is not confin'd to does not terminate in this or that particular Duty of Religion no but it extends to every Duty to the whole Obedience of a Christian 3. In regard of the Degree and Measure of it Concerning which 't is clear that this Leading of the Spirit in the Directing Inclining Governing Notions of it is not as to Degree equal in all God's Children All have the Thing in the Necessary and Substantial part of it yet so as that there is a Gradual Difference in their having of it Some having more and some less He being a Free and Arbitrary Agent does proportion this Act of his Grace to different Persons as he pleases And he making Some more ductil to his Leadings than Others accordingly he vouchsafes more of Them to Those than he does to Others But in None does it reach so high as to render them perfect here For although we should grant which I do not that the Spirit should advance his Guidance consider'd in it self and as it comes from Him to such a Degree and Pitch as to lay the Foundation of Perfection in Saints here below yet considering what the Capacity of the Subjects of this Act is here they being Flesh as well as Spirit 't is not imaginable that de Facto and in Eventu they should ever here be perfect upon it Wherefore it must be bounded and limited though not from what the Spirit could do yet from what he is pleased to do in Believers in their present imperfect state He shall guide you into all Truth what so as to make Saints Omniscient or Infallible He guides unto all Holiness what so as to render them sinless and impeccable here on Earth we must by no means carry it thus high It therefore must be qualified thus He shall guide you into all Truth i. e. into the Knowledge of all Necessary and Fundamental Truths And he shall guide you into all Holiness i. e. so far as your present state admits of and so far as is necessary for your future Glory Beyond this Measure we must not extend or heighten the Spirits Leading For the truth is if we take it in this bounded Notion we secure the Thing but if we go higher we totally undermine and nullifie it as all Experience proves And by the way Observe that this Guidance of the Spirit in the General and that Guidance of His in Particular in the Duty of Prayer do much stand upon the same level Insomuch that as the Former the Spirits immediate Guiding of Believers in the Matter and Manner of their Actions does not thereupon render Them or Their Actions perfectly Holy and free from all mixtures of sin So neither does the Latter the Spirits immediate Guidance and Assistance in the Matter and Manner of Prayer render the Prayers of such infallible or of equal Authority with the Scriptures as some Object Because as to Both this Agency of the Spirit is to be limited partly from the Consideration of the present State of the subject in whom it is exerted and partly from the Spirits Aim and End therein 'T is true to obviate a bad Inference that may be drawn from hence the Apostles themselves considered as but Men and as men in the State of Imperfection so they were fallible as we are But as they had in matters of Faith
and Doctrine for a special End that Extraordinary Guidance and Direction from the Spirit which no common Believers now have so They and They only became Infallible Wherefore although Saints now are partakers of a special Assistance and Guidance from the Spirit in Prayer and in their General Course of Life quoad veritatem rei yet this does not make them infallible in the One or impeccable in the Other it being vouchsaf'd to them but in such a Degree as is consistent with their present state and subservient to the End of the Spirit in his present Operations in them Which is but to guide them to necessary Truth and Holiness to help them in their Infirmities and the like but not to advance them to Apostolical Endowments Of which now the Evangelical Doctrine being published and sealed there is no Necessity And thus I have gone over the Doctrinal Explication of the Leading of the Spirit I come now to resolve some Practical Enquiries about it which will be in stead of the Application The First is this How may We as to Our selves or Others know 1. Enquiry whether We or They be led by the Spirit of God It highly concerns us to be very inquisitive about this Both because our Sonship to God must be evidenc'd by it for the Text is express As many and no more then as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and also because there are great Mistakes in Men about this The Most lay claim to it when yet God knows but very few partake of it in truth and reality How many please themselves with the thoughts of their being led by the Spirit when 't is most obvious they are not Every man in the World is acted by Some Spirit or Other Omnes Homines aguntur aliquo Spiritu Orig. Now there being different and contrary Spirits some Evil and some Good the Question is What that is which we are led and acted by There 's the Spirit of the World 1 Cor. 2.12 by which the Men of the World are led There 's the Corrupt and Sinful Spirit Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain Jam. 4.5 The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy by this all in the Unregenerate state are led There 's the Spirit of Whoredom Hos 4.12 the Spirit of perverseness Is 19.14 the Spirit of seduction 2 Tim. 4.1 under the Conduct of which too many are These are the Evil Spirits within Us which influence Men in their Actings And then there 's the Grand Evil Spirit without the Devil the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience Eph. 2.2 And Oh what an Heart-piercing Soul-afflicting thing is it to consider how the Generality of Men are led by this wicked Spirit All these Spirits are Evil. In Opposition to which there are Other Spirits that are Good And they are either the Renewed Spirit in Gods people the Heart as sanctify'd as having a Vital Supernatural Principle infus'd into it which leads and inclines to Holiness Or the Renewing Spirit Gods own Spirit of whom the Text speaks These Spirits are contrary to the Former both in Themselves and also in their Leadings For as They are all for what is Evil so These are all for what is Good And the Contrariety is such betwixt them as that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incompatible in the same Subject in their full entire Power and Strength So as that a person can be led but by One of them Both cannot lead together I mean as to a Mans General Course and as to their Absolute Power and Dominion in Him The Text speaking of the Leading of Gods Spirit the Enquiry must be confin'd to that And so it s laid down How may we know whether we be led by the Spirit of God For the Resolution of which I must refer you to what I have been upon Having said so much in the Opening of the Thing it self by the comparing of your selves with that you will be able to determine your own Case whether it belong to you or not It would be superfluous for me to enlarge again upon those Heads in the Application which I have already been so large upon in the Explication Only therefore to give some brief Direction I would desire you to look back 1. To the Essential and Constitutive Acts included in the Holy Spirits Leading viz. Guidance Inclination of the Heart to Good Corroboration Gubernation Art thou One that art guided by this Spirit to and in the great Duties of Christianity One who art strongly inclined to what is good One that feelest an inward Divine strengthning for Doing and Suffering One that art ruled and governed by this Spirit Surely thou art led by Him But if it be otherwise thou art led not by This but by some Other Spirit 2. To the Matter or Terminus of the Spirits Leading Truth and Holiness Do thy Opinions carry Truth in them thy Practices Holiness Oh then thou art led by the Spirit But what shall we say to those who are led away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3.17 or led away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 why 't is a concluded Case these are not led by the Spirit The Course discovers the Guide The Fruits of the Spirit ever accompany the Leading of the Spirit Principiata respondent suis Principiis If the Action be Holy Spiritual and Good such as suits with the Holy Spirit it then proceeds from Him but if it be sinful and wicked Satan and thy own evil Heart are thy Leaders in it and to it Whoever doth not righteousness is not of God 1 John 3.10 nor led by his Spirit What live in Drunkenness Vncleanness Sensuality Injustice Malice Hatred And yet pretend to the Conduct of the good Spirit What a Delusion is this to thy self what a Reproach and Injury to the Blessed Spirit 3. To the Rule by which the Spirit leads the written VVord of God He Indited this Word and he Guides by it The Spirit and the Word go hand in hand together Is your Faith regulated by this Your Conversations steer'd by this hereby you may know that the Spirit leads you But if any Believe Live Speak not according to this VVord 't is because there 's no light in them Is 8.20 He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of Error 1 John 4.6 Oh let all take heed of fathering any thing upon the Holy Spirit which does not comport with nor is founded upon the Holy Scriptures The Enthusiast is very bold with the Spirit but his Arrogance and Folly shall be made manifest at one time or another 4. To the manner of the Spirits Leading He leads with Power and Efficacy Well what do you find of this what have you more than a bare directive Light is there a Power working in
you Eph. 3.20 effectually to incline and draw you to what is Good To beat down and subdue the innate Renitency and Reluctancy of the Will Oh here 's the Leading of the Spirit To find out which two things must be searcht into 1. Whether it be the Spirit of God that leads us 2. Whether he leads us in a peculiar and saving or only in a common and general way Now the first must be found out by the foregoing Heads the last by that Head which I am now upon If the Spirit work in me as a Spirit of Power as well as of Light and Direction I may conclude I am led by Him I beseech you lay these Tryals and your Hearts close together and the Decision then will be easie and safe And pray consider as the Spirits Leading must evidence your Divine Sonship so the Things set before you must evidence the reality of that Divine Leading A Second Enquiry is What Inducements are there to excite and move men to endeavour to attain and live under this Leading of Gods Spirit 2. Enquiry Answ Many and Great Oh how strong are the Motives that are proper for the urging of this 1. As First The Excellency of the Thing The Person leading he is excellent the great Spirit of God The Act Divine and Supernatural Leading that is excellent The Object which this tends unto and terminates in that is excellent as the Loving of God Delighting in God Conformity to God all carry a transcendent Glory and Excellency in them Oh did but sinners know what this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Conduct and Guidance of the Spirit is what a blessed thing 't is to possess and feel it how earnest would they be in their Desires and Pursuits after it I 'me sure The Saints that have it would not be without it no not one Day for Millions of Worlds 2. The Necessity of it The Leading of the Spirit Oh how highly necessary is it who can be without it What becomes of the poor blind Man that has none to guide him Of the weak Child that has none to uphold it Alas the poor sinner in both respects does more need the Spirits Leading inwardly than either of These need external Leading Such is our Spiritual Blindness our Aptness to wander our Ignorance of our Way our lyableness to fall into Pracipices and the like as that without a Divine Hand to guide us we are lost And such too is our Spiritual Debility and Weakness as that if the Spirit of God do not hold us up in our Going taking us by our arms Hos 11.3 we fall immediately How absolutely necessary therefore is the Spirits Leading both for Direction and also for Sustentation 'T is true God has planted in Man a Natural Faculty to guide and direct him in his Actings the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Understanding Reason Conscience to be his Director and Monitor as to what he is to do And this in things of a meer Natural and Moral Consideration may be of great use to him Prov. 20.27 the Spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord Ah but as to things of a Spiritual Consideration the matters of Evangelical Faith and Practice he must have an higher Guide and Leader even the Holy Ghost or else in these things he 'l be at an utter loss Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Prov. 16.9 a mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps The Natural Light separate from what is Supernatural is a very incompetent and insufficient Guide which evinces the Necessity of the Spirits Guidance 3. As the Natural Guide is defective and insufficient so there are other Guids which are destructive and damnable such as Satan Deprav'd Nature Indwelling Sin the Flesh the World Oh what dangerous Guides are these If they be our Leaders whither will they lead us why first to sin and wickedness here and then to Hell hereafter 'T is with them as with Solomons Whore Prov. 7.27 Her house is the way to Hell going down to the chambers of Death Can the Course be good when the Guide is bad and can the End be good when the Course is bad neither can be expected The Conversation Naturally comports with the Leader and the End judicially comports with the Conversation So that if these lead you this will inevitably follow upon it you 'l be very wicked in this Life and very miserable in the Life to come And besides this pray consider what a base thing it is for such a Creature as Man to be under the Conduct and Government of such base things as These Oh what a Debasement is it to him who is of such a Divine Extract and Original to be at the beck and ordering of such vile Things as Satan Sin and the rest Yet this is the misery of the Falne State upon Adams Fall Man has sadly lost his way and has put himself under woful Guides And one great thing done in his Restauration to his Primitive State is to reduce him to God as his First and Best Guide and Leader To drive this a little further in a word know that where 't is not the Leading of the Good Spirit it is the Leading of the Evil Spirit For One of these it must be not a Man in the World but he 's led by One of them Now do you not dread the thoughts of being led by Satan Oh it will be so unless you be led by this Holy Spirit of God What the Devil thy Leader Oh dreadful What comes after a Devil leading but a Devil tormenting 4. Weigh the Way and Manner of the Spirits leading You see how the Conduct of the Opposite Leaders is stated well how does this Leader manage his Conduct with great exactness and Wisdom he so leads as never to mislead so as always to direct with the deepest Judgment For as in all his Other Acts so in This he is the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel the Spirit of Knowledge Isa 11.2 I will instruct thee says God and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye i. e. with great care and accuracy Psal 32.8 Thus the Spirit leads And He does this with infinite Truth and Faithfulness also As the wise man personating his Father says I have taught thee in the way of wisdom I have led thee in right paths Prov. 4.11 And as Abrahams Servant in the Particular Case before him Blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham which hath led me in the right way Gen. 24.48 And as the Psalmist with respect to Gods Conduct of Israel in the Wilderness He led them forth by the right way Psal 107.7 Such a Leading is this of the Spirit as to Believers in their whole course he always leads them in the right way And then he leads safely in
reference both to the Way and to the End He led them on safely Psal 78.53 I do but allude to it Here 's no such Leader as Those the Prophet speaks of Is 9.16 The Leaders of this people cause them to err they that are led of them are destroyed Oh who then would not be desirous to be led by him The skilfullest faithfullest safest Guide the Traveller pitches upon O Christian wilt not thou do the same for thy precious and immortal Soul 5. The Advantages Benefits Blessings that attend and result from this Leading of the Spirit are great and glorious As to instance in a Few inward Peace and Comfort whereever the Spirit is a Leading Spirit there he is or will be a Comforting Spirit A Readiness to all Dutys of Holiness so as to do them spontaneously and with Delight Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law i. e. so as in your Obedience to act from a servile Spirit and from the meer External Compulsions of the Law but having the gracious Conduct of the Spirit this will make you do all Freely with the greatest Promptitude and Alacrity Sonship to God so it here comes in as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God As it leads to Conversion it makes us the Sons of God as it leads after Conversion it evidences us to be the Sons of God as has been already said If the Spirit be thy Leader God is thy Father And what a Priviledge is this John 1.12 1 John 3.1 And then as the Consummation of all comes the Glory and Blessedness of Heaven as the certain portion of such who are led by the Spirit Death and Hell are not more sure upon the leading of Sin and Satan than Life and Heaven are sure upon the leading of this Spirit God ever saves in Heaven such whom he leads on Earth Gal. 6.26 As many as walk according to this Rule mercy and Peace be upon them Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel Psal 73.24 and afterward receive me to Glory All being put together and seriously weighed have I not said enough and enough to excite you all to attain and close with this Blessed Leading of the Spirit of God Much more might have been added by way of Motive but if what has been said will not prevail I despair of ever prevailing with you A Third Enquiry follows 3. Enquiry How may this Leading of the Spirit be attained What is to be done by us that we may be thus led by Him Answ In order to this take the following Directions 1. There must be the having of the Spirit before there can be the Leading of the Spirit This Order is founded in the Nature of the Thing We cannot expect to participate of the Spirits Operations such as are saving before we participate of the Spirit Himself Therefore pray attend upon the Gospel by which He is convey'd to Sinners and then when you have once received him he will not be * Non est spiritus sanctus otiosus movet Mentes et ducit Mel. Idle and Ineffective but an Operative and Leading Spirit in you 2. The Antecedent First leading of the Spirit must be had before there can be the having of his Subsequent and Secondary Leading That is to say He must First lead you to God by Conversion first bring you into a state of Grace and then way is made for his subsequent Leading and Direction When he has been a quickning Spirit in the infusing of a vital Principle into the Soul then succeeds this Act which I am upon And not till then for who will attempt to lead a thing that is dead This Method of the Spirit therefore must be regarded and comply'd with 'T is first Sanctification then Manuduction in the several Things contained therein 3. Be willing to follow the Leading the Motions of the Spirit He gives again and again his secret Guidance to you shewing what you are to do what not if this be followed and comply'd with he 'l continue it if not he 'l withdraw and leave you to follow the Conduct of your own Inclinations a sore Judgment Psal 81.11 12. My people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own Hearts Lust and they walked in their own Counsel Oh dreadful Word The same will the Spirit do upon our rejecting or resisting of his Leading He may long strive but he will not always strive Gen. 6.3 If the person led shall once begin to struggle with him that leads him and shall refuse to follow his Guidance what is then to be done but to leave him to himself Continued rooted allowed Resistance to to the Spirit makes him so to cast off a person as to lead him no more His Initial Workings in this are to be closed with or he goes no further That one Act in the Leading of the Spirit viz. his Powerful Inclining of the Heart to comply with what he leads unto secures all the Rest If thou art an Opposer of the Spirit he will not be thy Guide Yield to Him and close with Him and he will not withhold this Grace from thee 4. Let your dependance be upon God and his Spirit for Guidance and Direction Would you have Him to lead you Oh let your Trust and Relyance be upon him and see that you renounce all confidences in yourselves He that thinks he has Wisdom or Grace enough in himself to order his Conversation aright shall never find the Spirit to be a Guide to him The meek will he guide in Judgment the meek will he teach his way Psal 25.9 VVhen a man is brought to this meek humble Frame then he is in the way of the Spirits Leading Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thy own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christian Prudence Caution and Circumspection is our Duty but do we lay the stress of our Confidence upon that The steps of our strength shall be straitned and our own Counsel shall cast us down as he speaks Job 18.7 Mans goings are of the Lord how can a man then understand his own way Prov. 20.24 So long as thou thinkest thou canst go by thy self the Spirit will not take thee by the hand to lead thee 5. Pray much for this Grace of the Spirit It being a free and Arbitrary Act on his part he will be sought to for it and give it forth in that way which best suits with his Soveraignty Psal 25.5 Psal 5.8 Psal 31.3 Psal 139.24 Psal 143.10 How much was David in Prayer to God for this Lead me in thy Truth and teach me Lead me O Lord in thy Righteousness Make thy way strait before my face For thy names sake lead me and guide me Lead me in the way Everlasting Teach me to do thy will for thou art my
God thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Oh what a desirable Mercy is this Leading Mercy And Sirs will you not pray and pray servently for it Yea will you not every day make this your request Blessed God and Spirit let me be led by thee this day First he works as a Spirit of Prayer in the Drawing forth of the Souls Desires after this Mercy and then as a Guiding and Leading Spirit And the Former is a good Plea for the latter Psal 143.8 Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my Soul unto thee Oh that we might all follow these Directions and then we should have not the Thing only but a large Measure thereof It may in the Fourth place be quâ—ery'd What Duties are incumbent upon those who are led by the Spirit 4. Enquiry Answ Such as these 1. They should more and more follow the Leadings of the Spirit I hope I speak to some of you who have These and live dayly under them if so what is your Duty Why in an Higher Degree to obey and fall in with them The Following of them as that is Simply and Absolutely considered is to be suppos'd and granted from your being led by the Spirit for the Former is necessarily included in the Latter And therefore 't is not This as considered in it self that I am so much to press upon you as the Manner Degree and Measure of it And in this respect the Best stand in need of Counsel and Quickning for who do so follow the Spirits Leading as they ought VVe have an excellent Guide one that leads us with infinite Wisdom and Faithfulness that directs us to nothing but what is Good and Good for us Ah but here 's our sin and misery we do not carry our selves as we ought in such an Obeying and Following of his Conduct as that requires As to this therefore I would excite you to follow the Spirits Leading thus 1. More Exactly So as to act just as he would have you act to move just as he would have you move to keep pace with him step by step in all his Holy Motions VVhat Israel did to the Cloud At the Commandment of the Lord they journyed and at the Commandment of the Lord they pitched as long as the Cloud abode upon the Tabernacle they rested in the Tents And when the Cloud was taken up in the Morning then they journyed whether it was by day or night that the Cloud was taken up they journyed Numb 9.18 that we should do to the Holy Spirit in the exact Ordering of all our Motions by and according to his Guidance This should be the Aim and Endeavour of every one of us though through weakness and infirmity we cannot Actually and Vniversally come up to it 2. Follow the Spirit more fully God gives this high Character of Caleb that he followed him fully Numb 14.24 Art thou one that art led by the Spirit Oh follow him fully Whatever Truth he would have you believe let it be believed Whatever Duty he would have you practice let it be practis'd whatsoever Sin he would have you mortifie let it be mortifyed As the Scribe said to Christ Master Matth. 8.19 I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest so do you say to the Spirit I will follow thee whithersoever thou leadest me Excite me to Good I 'le do it restrain me from Evil I 'le shun it Blessed are they who thus follow this Leader 3. Do this more Vniformly and Constantly in being more eaven Fixt and Steddy in holy walking 4. More Readily and Freely Oh there should be no Demurring Disputing Consulting with Flesh and Blood hanging back in the Case but a Willing Ready Chearful Complyance with whatever the Spirit leads us unto How well does this comport as with the Nature and Essence so with the Matter and Manner of his Leading 5. Follow him so as to make further Progress in the way wherein he guides you so as continually to be getting nearer and nearer to the End of your Journey 6. And Lastly Follow him with stronger Resolution and Purpose of Heart whatever Difficulties Discouragements Dangers you meet with yet resolve that nothing shall make you leave your Guid or the Holy Course that he has led you to And thus I would perswade you to rise higher and higher in your Following of the Spirit 2. Let it be your great and constant care and endeavour to get the Spirits Leading continued to you You have it pray keep it Can it be well with a Christian when This is suspended or withdrawn from him How does he Wanderand Bewilder himself when the Spirit does not Guid Him How backward is he to good when the Spirit does not bend and incline him thereunto How unable to go when the Spirit does not uphold him What vile Lusts and Passions rule him when the Spirit does not put forth his holy and gracious Government over him Oh 't is of infinite concern to all that belong to God to preserve and secure to themselves the Spirits Leading Take a good Man without this and he 's like a Ship without a Pilot a Blind Man without a Guid a poor Chlid that has none to sustain it the rude Multitude that have none to keep them in any Order What a sad difference is there in the same Person as to what he is when the Spirit leads him and as to what he is when the Spirit leaves him Oh therefore let us always keep him with us I may allude to that passage of Moses to Hobab Numb 10.31 And he said leave us not I pray thee forasmuch as thou knowest howe we are to encamp in the Wilderness and thou mayst be to us in stead of Eyes So let none of us let the Spirit depart or occasion his Leaving of Vs for in the Wilderness he will be as Eyes to us to direct and shew us our way How dismal would the state of the Israelites in the Wilderness have been if there they had not had the Cloud to guide them So 't is in the thing before us But does the Spirit at any time do this to Gods People Object does he ever suspend and withdraw his Guidance from Persons who once liv'd under it Answ Answ Yes too often 'T is what he usually does when his Leadings are not followed This is a thing that grieves him and when he is Grieved he Departs withholds and recalls his Former Gracious Influences though not Totally and Finally yet for a time and in such a Degree As a Guide that is to conduct the Traveller if this Traveller shall refuse to follow him or shall give unkind usage to him what does the Guide then do why he recedes and leaves him to shift for himself 't is thus in the Case in hand If we comply with the Spirit in his Motions and use him tenderly he will hold on in his Leading of us but if otherwise he 'l concern
himself no more about us Oh take heed how you carry your selves towards him Not only upon Ingenuity Jer. 2.17 its base to be unkind to our Guid Hast thou not procured this to thy self in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way But also upon the account of self-Love for as we behave our selves to him so he will behave himself to us Ita nos tractat ut a nobis tractatur 3. Labour after the having of the Leading of the Spirit in an higher Degree and Measure than what as yet you have attained unto 'T is not enough meerly to keep it but there must be a Getting more of it As there should be a Rise in our following so we should press after a Rise in the Spirits Leading of us And that in a threefold respect that he lead us 1. More Extensively as to the Object 2. With greater Light and Clearness Power and Efficacy as to the Manner 3. With more Eavenness and Constancy as to the Duration and Continuance of it He guides you to Truth but does he guide you to all Truth He guides you unto Truth but does he guide you into Truth and is this his Constant and Continued working in you Oh this high Measure of it we should aspire at and pant after taking up with nothing short of it And so as to Holiness and Practical Godliness the same is to be endeavoured after There is indeed much Mercy in the lowest Degree of this Act and they that have the lest should be thankful but yet a fuller Proportion may and ought to be desired by every Child of God And surely they who experience what this Leading of the Spirit is never think they have Enough of it 4. So live as that it may appear to others that you are led by this Spirit Christians your Actions and Conversations should be such as may suit with the Spirit that leads you Such as may evidence to the world that you are not in pretence only but in truth and reality under a Divine and Supernatural Conduct Do we lay claim to this Oh then what Good do we do more what Evil less than Others do VVhat live in sin do Evil things be Proud Worldly Covetous Passionate Unclean Malicious Fraudulent and yet pretend you are led by the Holy Spirit Lord what an Indignity and Affront do you put upon Him what a Cheat and Fallacy upon your own Souls Pray never talk of This unless your Lives be Holy and Good For ye who are real Saints oh that you would oft think of this and look upon it as one of the highest Engagements to Circumspect Walking You that are Guided by such a Word without and such a Spirit within What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 5. Be very thankful for this glorious Mercy Led by the Spirit admirable Love VVhat Thankfulness is due to Father Son and Spirit for it for all These have an hand though the last be more Immediately concerned in it VVhen you know not your way this Spirit shews it to you when you are weak and feeble not able to go this Spirit strengthens you I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms Hos 11.3 VVhen Others are left to the Conduct of their Own Light Vnderstanding Inclinations which lead them to Sin and Death you are under the Conduct of this Gracious Spirit which leads you to Grace and Glory what cause have you to admire this Distinguishing Grace How great is the Fathers Love in this who as Fathers here when they send their Sons into Foreign Countreys and they themselves cannot be with them they send a Tutor or Governour with them in all their Travels to instruct and govern and take care of them Just so does your Heavenly Father do for you in and by his Spirit in this state of your Pilgrimage and absence from him How great is the Love of the Son in this for he has Purchased and now does Actually send this Spirit to be your Teacher Monitor and Guid. And how great is the Love of the Spirit too in this All his Operations carry infinite Goodness and Condescension in them but none more than this his tender and patient Guiding of us Should not all the Persons therefore be heartily sincerely and with the greatest enlargedness of Heart blessed and adored for it Especially considering how they design and aim at the exalting of Themselves by this very Act. As in the Miraculous Leading of the People of Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea and so on set forth Isa 43. V. 12. that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm dividing the Water before them V. 13 14. that led them through the deep as an Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble As a Beast goeth down into the Valley the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest so didst thou lead thy people for what end to make thy self a Glorious Name Surely so in that Spiritual and Gracious Leading that I am treating of the great God whether Essentially or Personally considered designs much Glory and Adoration to Himself And let him have it for he well deserves it from all that have any Experience of this Grace A Fifth Enquiry May such who are led by the Spirit fetch comfort from it 5. Enquiry Is this a solid Bottom for any to build Holy Joy upon Undoubtedly it is You who have it may rejoyce and that greatly For 1. It 's a clear Evidence a deciding Argument of your being the Sons of God And what a Soul-rejoycing Priviledge is that Sons of God this assures of dear Affection tender Care strong Protection constant Provision free Access to God ready Audience of Prayer a gracious Presence in every Condition a favourable Acceptance of all Duties a good Inheritance and Portion and what not All These Blessings are yours if ye be the Sons of God and so you are if led by the Spirit Oh then what a Ground of Comfort is this 2. As 't is a certain Evidence of Sonship here so 't is a certain Pledge of Heaven and Salvation hereafter And that both upon the account of the Relation which it instates in For if Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Coheirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 And also upon the account of the Leading it self For whereever that is as 't is in Order to Salvation so this Salvation by it shall certainly be obtained Never did any perish that liv'd under the Spirits Guidance and Conduct God ever saves where the Spirit leads All that he guids come safe to the End of their Journey to their Eternal Rest 3. Besides the Things which are wrap'd up in this Leading besides the Matter and Manner of it all of which carry in them Ground of the highest Joy consider but two things Further about it 1. That it is Abiding Permanent Continuing The Spirit does not lead and
some few particulars 1. It is an Union of Believers with God with the Father and the Son not an Union of Believers among themselves at least not this only For the Union expressed in those first words that they may be one is declared or illustrated in these following as thou Father art in me and I in thee and so is the same Union with that in the last words which is taken to be an Union with the Father and the Son that they may be one in or with us or else the words here used to illustrate one thing would not illustrate that but another That they may be one how as thou Father art one in me and I in thee so they may be one in us Besides the same words in effect are used ver 22. that they may be one even as we are one and the same explained immediately ver 23. I in them ver 26. I in them by which without question Christ both here and elsewhere expresses the Union of Believers with himself though I will not deny that the Union among Believers themselves may be included being a consequent of the other and that which Unites them with Christ unites them among themselves 2. This Union hath some resemblance of that between the Father and the Son that they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as denotes not any thing of equality but only something of likeness That we may know what of resemblance there is we must inquire but very modestly as becomes those who are so much in the dark how the Father is said to be in the Son and he in the Father For this purpose Christ may be considered either as God or as Man As God he is in the Father and the Father in him or which is the same he is one with the Father because they are of one and the same Nature and Essence the same Infinite Excellencies and Essential Perfections that are in the Father are also in the Son upon this account the Son is said to be in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14.10 11. Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me so that he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father ver 9. and he that hath known the Son hath known the Father ver 7. because they are one and the same in Nature and Essence the very same as to all divine perfections And thus the Father and Son with the Spirit are said to be one 1 John 5.7 For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one one in Essence and all the perfections which are Essential to God though distinct in personality and manner of subsistence There is an Essential Union between the Father and the Son as he is God no such Union must be imagined between them and Believers the distance is no less than infinite and if there can be any resemblance it must be very remote If we consider Christ as Man he may be said to be one with the Father and is so because the same Spirit which is called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of the Father dwells in the Humane Nature of Christ Matth. 12.18 Joh. 3.34 And this may help us better to apprehend how we may be said to be one in or with the Father and the Son Therefore 3. The most intelligible way of expressing this Vnion which I meet with is this believers are said to be one with the Father because that Spirit which proceeds from him and is called his Spirit is in them They are said to be one with the Son not only because that Spirit which proceeds from the Son and is called the Spirit of Christ resides in Believers but because the same individual Spirit which dwels in the Humane Nature of Christ dwels also in them 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit he that is one with the Lord hath one Spirit with him he is quickned and acted by the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in him They are not one essentially as the Father and the Son are one being of one and the same Essence nor one personally as the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ being united in one person nor one morally only as he whose Heart cleaves to another by love is one with him but one spiritually or one Spirit because one and the same Spirit is in both So elsewhere our Union with God and Christ is said to be by the Spirit in us Eph. 2.22 In whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit We are in Christ and God is in us as his habitation as those in whom he dwels how through his Spirit By his Spirit dwelling in us as it is expressed Rom. 8.9 10 11. But ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in you and if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you c. Ye are Spiritual if the Spirit of God dwell in you but if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his none of his Members not united to him but if Christ be in you as is before signifyed by the Spirit of God dwelling in you c. So that this Union by the Apostles account consists in the Spirits dwelling in us and it will be farther cleared by shewing how the Spirit dwels in us 4. The Holy Spirit by virtue of whose inhabitation Believers are said to be united unto the Father and the Son dwells in them as a Principle of Spiritual Life and Motion quickens them to a new Life and all the acts of it There are some who will not have the person of the Holy Ghost to be in the Saints but I know not how this can be denyed without denying either the immensity or personality of the Divine Spirit For if he be a person and if he be every where his person will be present and reside in them It is true upon this account meerly nothing singular is ascribed to them for his person is not with them only but every where The peculiarity of this priviledge lies here that he is in them as a principle of spiritual Life and motion and thus he is not in any other Creature on Earth he quickens and acts them as a vital Principle like as an Humane Soul united unto the Body gives it Life and Motion suitable to its Nature so does the Spirit of God taking possession of the Soul of a Believer enliven and act it with the Life and Motions of a Divine and Spiritual Nature Not that the Spirit is united to the Soul as the Soul
is with the Body for these united make one person whereas the personality of the Spirit is incommunicable but that the Holy Spirit performs such Offices in a believing Soul as have some resemblance and are some way correspondent to what the Soul does in and for the Body and which the Scripture expresses in like terms and this we find frequently the Spirit is said to quicken and act those in whom he dwells they have new life and motion by his inhabitation Rom. 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you The Apostle having signify'd in the former verses that our Union with God and Christ is by the Spirits dwelling in us he expresses what may be expected from this inhabitation Christ's Spirit dwelling in us will quicken our mortal bodies will be a principle of Life in them quickning them to a new Life a Life of Holiness The same Spirit as he quickens so he acts those in whom he dwells who are therefore said to be led by him ver 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God they are excited directed enabled to act like the Children of God by his Spirit dwelling in them so Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them the Spirit which I will put within you shall make you active in my wayes So much for the first Proposal II. What encouragement have we from Christs Prayer that this Vnion II. Observ and the Blessings relating thereto shall be vouchsafed Answ Our encouragement in general is the full assurance given us that his Prayer is prevalent for what he desired the particular grounds of this assurance are more particular encouragements There are several things requisite to a Prayer which when they concurr the Word of God assures us that it will prevail 1. When the things desired are according to the Will of God 1 Joh. 5.14 2. When the Person praying hath a special Interest in God and duly improves it There are some whom the Scripture declares God will not hear Joh. 9.31 Psal 66.18 Prov. 28.9 3. When the persons prayed for are such as the Lord hath some particular favour or respect for There are some for whom the Lord will not hear the best of his Servants interceding on their behalf Jer. 7.16 11.14 14.11 Now in the Prayer of Christ there is a concurrence and that in a transcendent manner of all those things that render a Prayer undoubtedly prevalent 1. The things that he prayed for were consonant to the Will of God in every instance He knew what was the Fathers Will in its full extent and discerned it with the greatest clearness and certainty for as he is God he is one with the Father of one and the same Essence and Will and as he is man he had in him all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge a fulness of the Spirit of Revelation so that he did perfectly apprehend what was the good and perfect and acceptable Will of God He did not only know this in particular instances by general rules of Scripture as we do but had the conduct of an Infallible Spirit and that alwaies not sometimes only and in some things as holy men of God the Prophets and Apostles had it but in every Act and Word And as he perfectly and infallibly understood what was agreeable to the Will of God in all points so he gave himself up intirely to the most exact observance of it without varying without the least shadow of mistake or deviation This was the end why he came into the World Joh. 6.38 This was his constant practice Joh. 5.30 in his Sufferings and Actings and in his Prayers this was his delight Joh. 4.34 Now since he presented nothing in his Petitions but what was his Fathers own Will desired nothing but it was his Fathers Will to grant we may be as certain that his Prayer was granted as we are sure that the Lord will comply with his own Will For the Second It will be apparent by shewing who it was that prayed and how he prayed of which take an account in some particulars 1. This was the Prayer of the Man Christ Jesus who was Holy Harmless and separate from Sinners he was a Lamb without spot or blemish and so was this Offering the pure Eye of God could see no blemish in him or it His requests were not prejudiced by any antecedent guilt nor tainted with any impure mixture either apparent or secret nor chargeable with the least defect in Fervour Faith Affectionateness c. It was a sinless Prayer in all respects and so such a Prayer as was never offered to God on Earth since the Foundation of the World and Sins entring into it It was not liable to the least exception no not at the Tribunal of strict Justice and so could not but be acceptable and prevalent Nay it was not only clear from every the least speck of sin but was the product of admirable Holiness such as is not to be found in the Holyest Soul or Spirit Saint or Angel He had it in larger measures in an higher degree and in a more excellent way Some tell us that if all the Holiness that is in all the Angels and Saints were united in one subject it would fall short of that which is in Christs Humane Nature However it is taken for granted that the capacity of his Soul was wonderfully enlarged by its personal Vnion with the Godhead far beyond the capacity of any other finite-Being and all this capacity was wholly filled with Holiness it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell and God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3.34 Saints and Angels receive it as Vessels of small measure but in Christ it is unmeasurable Now all this Holiness was exerted in this Prayer and diffused through it Grace in him was not acted sometimes intensely sometimes more remisly for remisness seems to import some culpable effect but was put forth on proper occasions and particularly in this Prayer in its full power and vigour Upon this account this Prayer was the Holyest Offering that ever was presented to the most Holy God either on Earth or in Heaven and therefore could not but be most acceptable to him and accordingly prevalent and succesful 2. It is the Prayer of him who is God of him who is God and Man in one person As the Blood of Christ is said to be the blood of God Act. 20. by the same reason the Prayer of Christ may be said to be the Prayer of God And though it be properly the Act of Christ's Humane Nature yet this Nature being personally united with the Godhead it is upon that ground duly ascribed to
Eyes are dazled with them and their Souls damned for them But at the things which are not seen Men in this World minding another World stand looking at these who have an Eye to see those things that are not seen There is a Mystery in Godliness 3. The Persons exerting this Act upon these Objects We that have the Spirit of God Who have our Eyes opened who consider we are hasting posting out of time into Eternity These things are set before the Men of the World who have Eyes but they do not see 4. The Property of these Objects 1. Things seen are Temporal 2. Things not seen are Eternal 5. The Reason moving Believers to keep a stedfast Eye upon Things unseen and to look off from things seen is the Eternal duration of the one and the short continuance of the other While we look for or because the things that are seen are Temporal not seen Eternal The good things in this World that are seen as Riches Pleasures Honours are things of time and only for time therefore we are not much concerned whether we win or lose them and the bad things in this Life which are seen as Poverty Imprisonment Persecution are at longest but for a short space and therefore we are not much concerned whether we endure them or be freed from them But that which addeth Weight to the things in the other World now not seen by the Men of this VVorld and draws our Eyes towards them and keeps them fixed thereon is the Eternity of them 6. The Influence that this looking upon things not seen hath upon the Beholders of them in keeping them from fainting under any Afflictions while we look c. Three words require a little Explication Looking Temporal Eternal I. While we look 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Verb is used six times in the New Testament and is variously translated 1. To take heed Luk. 11.35 Take heed therefore that the Light in thee be not darkness have a care see to it in this sense it is as if the Apostle had said We take not so much heed nor are we so full of care about these visible transitory things as we are of the Eternal Joys of Heaven and the unseen Happiness of the Saints above 2. To Consider Gal. 6.1 Considering thy self lest thou also be tempted q. d. We seriously consider and weigh in our Minds the Vanity Insufficiency and short Continuance of all visible things both good and bad whether Profit or Poverty Honour or Disgrace and the â—ulness excellency and everlasting Nature of things unseen and therefore prefer these before them 3. To mark observe and take notice of Rom. 16.17 Mark them that cause divisions among you Phil. 3.17 Be followers of me and mark them that walk so as ye have us for an example It is the Observation that Believers make that all seen things are Temporal unseen Eternal which worldly men take no notice of to influence them in what they do 4. To look Phil. 2.4 Look not every one on your own things To look with a diligent Eye as the Archer to the mark whereat he shoots to make a thing our scope and aim and so the Substantive is used Phil. 3.14 I press towards the mark In this respect the sense is the thing that we do aim at in all we do is to get a Title to and hereafter the possession of Eternal things to secure our Everlasting happy state to have treasures not for a while but for ever to have Honour and Glory and Joy not in hasty time but in abiding Eternity Believers are lowly in Heart but they look high the Men of this World are of an haughty Spirit but they aim at low things II. Temporal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Used four times in the New Testament twice concerning temporary Believers Matth. 13.21 but dureth for awhile Mar. 4 17. dureth but for a time Once concerning the pleasure of sin Heb. 11.25 then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and in the Text comprehensively of all visible things take then a summary account of all that wicked worldly men have and all is but for a while What the richest among them have their grandure dureth but for a time and then is past and gone and hath no more existence What the merriest among them have Pleasures Mirth carnal Delights and Joy and this is but for a season their merry bouts will be quickly over and then succeeds weeping and wailing for ever What the best among them have even their Faith is but for a time and their Hope but for a short time at longest 't is Death shall close their Eyes and then ly down in Everlasting despair that all their comings in whether profits from the World or pleasures from their Sin or supposed happiness from their supposed Graces have their goings out that upon all they have you may write all is temporal They had Riches but they are gone Honours and Pleasure but they are gone Many good things in time but at the end of time all have an end and then when their endless misery comes this will be their doleful tune all our good is past and gone III. Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies existing all duration even time it self taken metaphysically is nothing else but the permanency of Essence Time External in sensu Physico is but ens rationis or nothing Therefore according to the manner of Beings must be the manner of their Abidings All Beings may be ranked into three sorts whence arise three sorts of Duration 1. Some things have both beginning and end as Beasts and other corruptible Creatures and their duration is time which hath both beginning and end 2. Some things have a beginning and no end as Angels and the Souls of Men and the state of both in the other World and the duration by which these are measured in Philosophy to distinguish it from Time and Eternity strictly taken is called Aeviternity which imports only an Initial defectibility of the things in themselves though by the absolute power of God there might be a period put unto their being once begun but there is no principle of corruption in their own Nature which should cause a cessation of their existing Essence nor is it in the verge of any created Power or second Cause to take that Being from them which was given to them by the first and these things because they have no end are Eternal 3. One only Being hath neither beginning nor end nor can have and that is God and his duration is Eternity properly and most strictly taken which is a duration inferring simple interminability of Essence all at once existing without succession Eternity in the most proper acceptation doth exclude not only actual beginning and end but all possibility of both and denotes indefectibility of Essence a parte ante a parte post existing all at once in one continued immoveable instant without consideration of any thing in it past
by Impatience and he in his Wisdom and Love is resolved to bring us to his Foot Well! If we Comply before hand when we see the Storm approaching God's end is Attained and he either lay's down his Rod or Mitigateth the Chastizement yea he will e're long Embrace and Comfort broken and humble Ephraim Indeed this Frame superseed's Affliction for Judgment upon Saints are not to Destroy but Subdue them to their Fathers Will. And if we meet our angry Father in this Spirit he may Correct a little but he will certainly Comfort much 5. Lastly a resigned Soul meeteth God in the way of Judgments or Mercies to great advantage They are so far from doing him harm that they do good therefore it must needs be a blessed Preparation for either Physick never works so well as when the Body is antecedently prepared nor is any Person so certainly profited by Judgments or Mercies as he that is ready to entertain them I know God can do an unprepared Soul good by any Providence but I am sure none can come amiss to such as be prepared What then will prepare us to receive Chastizments Profitably The Apostle tells us Be Subject to the Father of Spirits and Live Heb. 12.9 Comply with his Will resign your selves to his Pleasure and what ever he doth will be a quickning in proving Providence Qu. What is the Nature of this Resignation to the Will of God for his Glory Or wherein doth it consist Ans I shall reply to this Quere by laying down something implyed in it and then speak to the Proper Nature thereof It implies many things I shall Instance only in a few for Brevity's sake 1. It supposeth a Lively exercise of Faith For as no Unbeliever ever did resign himself freely to the Will of God so no believer if Faith be not in Exercise can do it Yea it must be an active Faith will enable us to put our selves into the Hands of God especially in a Day of Affliction to deal with us according to his Pleasure I say that Soul must have a good Acquaintance with and a blessed Confidence in him whom he trusteth with his Life and All. Paul therefore tells us in case of Suffering he knew whom he had Trusted 2 Tim. 1.12 Therefore our Saviour here when he Referreth himself to God expresseth his Faith in that very Resignation Father Glorify c. He believed God to be his Father and that his Father loved him and now he is Satisfied that his Father dispose of him Psal 31.14 15. But I trusted in thee Lord I said thou art my God What then my times are in thy Hands q. d. 't is not only thy Perogative to dispose of me and my Days but I refer them Voluntarily to thee He put them into the hands of his God and trusted them with him There be many Perticulers that the Faith of a resigned Soul is Exercised in As That God is his God Faith must have Interest in him whom it Trusteth Isaac will Suffer his Father to Bind and Sacrifice him Why Abraham was his Father and God who had given the command for it was his God Gen. 22. And it believes that all the will of God is Good Good in it self and good for the resigned Soul A believer may know that there may be Pain and Affliction in Suffering according to the Fathers Pleasure but 't is withal assured 't is his good pleasure Heb. 12.10 And such a Soul believes that it 's God and Father is kind loving and tender that he will not oppress that he will not overwhelm He believes that God Glorifies not himself to the damage of his People but that his Glory and their Benifit are inseparably Linkt together Yea it is in Christ the Redeemer of the Soul putteth it self into the Fathers Hands and it expects Power and Strength from its God to bear the Sufferings and carry through them When Moses forsook Egypt and his Interest there and chose to Suffer Affliction with the People of God He did this in Faith Eying him who is Invisible Heb. 12.24 c. And David in the like case was well Satisfied in the good will of God to him 2 Sam. 15 25 26. Chap. 25. 5. 2. Consequently 't is an high act of Love He that loves his Heavenly Father will be disposed of by him but it must be above becoming the glorious Objection which it is fiâ—t Matt. 22.37 A Love that prefers his Will and Glory before all things else A Love in Comparison of which all other Love is hatred Luke 14.26 A Constraining love 2 Cor. 5.13 14. Abraham loved Isaac well why then did he offer him up at the Command of God O 't was because he loved God better This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and nine of his Commandments are greivous 1 Jo. 5.3 What no Command greivous Not Self-denial not bearing the Cross No! Those Commands are not greivous because the Soul loves God better then it self We have a great word Rev. 12.11 They loved not their Lives unto Death why because their love of Christ was stronger then Self-love Rev. 14.4 We Read of some that followed the Lamb where ever he went Into Tribulation of all sorts they followed the Lamb Why Love constrained them Christ therefore resigned himself into the Fathers hands for he loved his Father Love will lay the Soul at Gods Feet Love will follow and Obey the Fathers call in all things Love will keep stedfastly in the way of the Will of our beloved It argues little Love to Christ when we seek to evade Suffering for his Name by finding out Carnal Shifts He that loves the Father and Son is as to the main resolved into their Will 3. To come nearer to my Intendment This resignation of our Wills to the Pleasure of God for his Glory respect's Sufferings and Dutys Principally For there is no difficulty Ordinarily to comply with the good Will of God in Distributing Mercy and Favour But to have our Wills Resolved into his in case of difficult Duty and hard Sufferings which Cross our corrupt Nature and press upon our Pamper'd Flesh is a great Work far above the Sphear of an unregenerate Person and a special Effect of the Spirit of God in and upon the Hearts of Saints But because our Subject leads to consider the matter in case of Afflictions only I shall confine my Discourse thereto Only adding this by the way that where a Soul disputeth no Sufferings it Submits to all Dutys If it be resigned to the Will of the Lord in the one 't is Subjected to him in the other also 4. Therefore the Resignation I spake of consists in several things 1. In referring our selves to the Will of God in a Day of Tryal in the very things we fear Our Lord Jesus dreaded nothing like this Hour that was coming upon him It troubled and amazed his very Soul v. 27. gladly would he be saved from it had it been
it shines upon the Soul the Rays and Beams which this Gods Blessed Face diffuses and transmits are supplies of Grace for all the Duties of a dark and stormy Season 2 Cor. 12.7 9. Supports of Spirit under troubles 2 Cor. 1.5 Col. 1.11 12. deliverance from them when most of God may be discovered and most Good brought to pass thereby Psal 34 19. and great Advantages to Souls by such Exercises whilst they abide upon them James 1.2 12. Rom. 5.3 5. 2 Cor. 4.16 18. Rom. 8.18 and so a consequent Emboldning of the Heart and Face towards God others and themselves Psal 86.16 17. 119.41 42. 109.25 27. Proposi VII Good Men can never settle and compose their own disturbed Spirits till they proceed to actual solid Hope in God Psal 146.5 8. Rom. 4.18 21. Here is the Souls only Anchor and Repose from the great God alone there it must expect great things for nothing can be too great for him to give or do if once he be resolved upon it from their God they may look for special and peculiar Favours and Reliefs in just and full agreements with all his Covenant-Relations to them and Engagements for them Zeph. 3.17 Jer. 3.23 Psal 68.20 and Deut. 33.26 29. Isa 25.9 And what have good Men to keep their Spirits up but hope in such a God 't is only his Omnipotence can weigh against the difficulties his Faithfulness against the Improbabilities and his Grace and Promises against the Jealousies and Disheartnings that arise from the delays of their defined and expected Mercies all other expectations and encouragements are but vain these hopes in God have their sure Footing Heb. 6.17 20. Psal 9.10 119.38 41. 23.4 Their hope as he is God is All-sufficient as he is their God he tenderly and compassionately careth for them and he thinks himself concerned both to fulfil and justifie their Hopes And as he is thus theirs by Covenant he will both seasonably and effectually make their chearful Looks to testifie the absolute Satisfactions of their Hearts in their Experienced Accomplishments of all his gracious Promises to them And as he is the health of their Countenance so they account the Sanctuary and Spiritual Unveylings and Returns of his Face to be the Glory and Salvation which they are most concerned and carried out to look for and to Glory in Psal 106.2 4 5. Here therefore they may safely trust and rest themselves who otherwise cannot but be as restless as Noah's Dove whilst from the Ark and as discontented and distracted as wandring Cain under the Execution of Gods dismal Doom and Curse upon him He only that is confident that God is trusty and that so commits himself and all to God as such and this under great expectations that God will keep and answer all his hopes and trust and that here stays and rests his Thoughts and Soul in this that God is certainly his Friend and God and will accordingly befriend him in the best Season and to the highest purpose and advantage He I say only can thus still the Tumults of his own Spirit Proposi VIII Good Mens Hope in God should never be discouraged by any difficulties or unlikelihoods in the way Rom. 4.18 22. Seeing the Patron of their Expectations is so great as God so near as their God and so much in their Eye of 1. Expectation as the Health of their Countenance And 2. Of their Resolution and Design as to make him the Object of their Praises and the Avouched and Adored Author and Giver of their Mercies And 3. Of their Affection and Delight as no ways thinking of such joyful work as Praise till he appear nothing can justifie Dejections where God concerns himself to help Psal 55.22 It is no great matter how things appear within before us or about us whilst God stands well affected towards us and can be truly called our Praise and God Heb. 10.35 37. Isa 8.13 51.12 13. Nothing can change or hinder him and why should any thing discourage His whom Grace hath brought to trust in him Rom. 8.31 39. Proposi IX What ever Gracious Souls expects from God they still determine and refer all to his Praise and Service Luke 1.72 75. Psal 119.7 17. 116.7 9. they neither desire expect nor use any Salvation or Supports ultimately for themselves Ezra 9.13 14. Psal 56.12 13. Gods Excellence is observed in all and his Glory is designed and pursued by all and indeed God is the End and Sweetness of all Mercies Rom. 11.36 And this was resolved upon by Holy David as both his Sanctuary-Honour his House-Enrichment and his Hearts delight The Health of his Countenance must be the Inhabitant of his Praises Thirdly Let us now consider this Text as a Directory to guide us to and in the Resolution of this Case before us The Case is this How may a Gracious Person from whom God hides his Face trust in the Lord as his God Now if you compare the Case and Text together you will find them Paralel in these particulars 1. In the Persons David that Holy Person was concerned in the Text and a Gracious Person is here concerned in the Case That David was a Gracious Person none can doubt that read and mind his Holy Breathings in the Psalms nay they must conclude him to be greatly such for what Raptures Fervours and Appeals what Holy Agonies and Flights of Spirit What Glorious Accounts of God and Providence And what Instances of Holy Confidence in God may you discern 2. In their Cases The One is cast down and disquieted and Gods Face is hidden from the other Now Gods hiding of his Face insinuates mostly some distast taken and thus it hints the Cause to be something neglected or committed or not well managed and performed which therefore God cannot approve of in any of his Favourites for God dislikes all Nonconformity to his Will either in the matter manner principle means or end of any Instance of Deportment towards God our selves or others though sometimes this hideing of Gods Face may be for other purposes not now to be Insisted on The Soul is cast down and disquieted saith the Text And thus we have the terrible Impressions and Effects of this Ecclipsed Face of God upon the Spirit of a Gracious Person the Case is doleful though Gods Design therein be Wise and Merciful for the sensible Tokens of Gods Gracious Face or Presence may be and are often times removed or with-held to try the Soul to awaken dormant Principles and Graces to their most seasonable and advantageous Exercises To prevent some greater Mischiefs which would arise from Divine Consolations unseasonably or unfitly placed To make and to expose to publick View some Monuments of Signal Deliverances Salvations and Supports and to form some Glorious Mirrours and Examples of Signal Patience and Submissions to the Will of God And all this may be done to serve more Glorious Purposes than any Man in Flesh can be aware of and
to do the Church and World and the Concerns of Gods own Name more Service than we can yet discern 3. In their Course for Remedy and Redress David here after his Self-Enquiry and Arraignment applies himself to hope in God to which he argues and confines himself by the revival of a due sence of God upon his own Spirit and a clear representation of God to himself as his Salvation Praise and God this for the Text. Let us now compare the Case therewith and here the Gracious Soul is supposed to be upon the Enquiry and Search what to do when God hath hid his Face therefrom that he may trust in the Lord as his God Now Hope and Trust are oft Synonimous and taken in Holy Scripture as expressive of the same thing and sure I am that though they may be distinguished yet they cannot be divided each from other No Man can Trust but he must Hope nor Hope but he must Trust in God Lay then the Case and Text together and these things will be Evident 1. That the Gracious Person is concerned in both 2. That God some way or other hides his Face from both 3. That God is yet the God of both and therefore to be eyed and owned as such by both 4. That Hope or Trust in God gives the best relief to both when thus Afflicted if fixed in God as their God 5. That this may be done and must 6. The great Enquiry and Concern of both is How they may be done Let me here Premise these things First A Gracious Person is one that is changed and actuated by the Grace of God and so prevailingly bent and set for him Psal 14.3 One formed and framed after that gracious Pattern from the Gospel-Mount Tit. 2.11 15. Ephes 4.23 24 A Man of Holy Gracious Principles Dispositions Conversation and Designs A Man radically after Gods own Heart and formed to fulfil all Gods Wills relating to him in his Sphere and Province He is as David in the Text One that 1. Well Observes and much Converses with his own Soul In all Varieties and Stages of Conditions here he makes his own Soul his continual care and study and strictly minds how all things go at home you see here David is a strict Enquirer into the Temper Case and Cure of his own Soul He is One that 2. Still looks higher then himself in all that happens to or lies upon him He knows his hopes and business are not confined within himself For he takes himself to be concerned with God as well as with his own Soul 3. He is One that is restless and sensibly uneasie to himself till he look up in God and till his Spirit turn towards him he runs not to Debauching Recreations and Diversions to turn away his Troubles nor to the Blandishments and Protections or supports of the World or Flesh For these he knows will rather cheat and stupifie than refresh compose or heal his wounded Spirit But he repairs to God as to the most delightful and sure Sabbatisme and satisfaction of his Inner-Man 4. He is One who therefore hath the highest thoughts of God and thinks it best and safest for him to place his Confidence in God as in the Rock of Ages His Case he thinks cannot be desperate though never so intricate and frightful whilst God may be engaged by him to be his Friend and God 5. He is One that in his Hopes and Exercises still keeps his Eye upon the Praise and Service of his God for all the Reliefs and Mercies which he Desires Requests and Hopes for have both their meet and chearful references to Gods Praise and when he hath cause and opportunity he hath an Heart to Praise his God and 't is his greatest Aim and Pleasure and Ambition 6. He is One that deals impartially with himself about his Troubles but dares not challenge God about them nor Arraign him about even the severest of his Providential Dispensations Secondly God may be called the God of such a Gracious Person as he is 1. That God to whom he is Devoted Psal 50.3 23. and resolved to serve and please Thou hast avouched the Lord this Day to be thy God to walk in his Ways to keep his Statutes Commandments and Judgments and to hearken to his Voice Deut. 26.17 And as he is 2. That God in whom he places all his felicity and satisfaction Psal 73.25 26. and the health of my Countenance my Portion Lam. 3.24 the gladness of my Joy Psal 43.4 And as he is 3. That God who hath by Covenant Engaged himself to be his God 2 Sam. 7.24 For he hath given his heart and hand so to be the God of such a One as never utterly to neglect them here 1 Pet. 3.12 Rom. 8.28 31 39. Nor to reject their Souls hereafter Heb. 11.16 See Isa 41.10 Heb. 6.17 20. Rom. 2.10 2 Cor. 5.1 9. Thirdly Gods hiding of his Face from a Gracious Person must be considered as to 1. The Phrase 2. The Thing 1. As to the Phrase 1. It is Scriptural Job 34.29 Isa 54.8 59.2 and it frequently occurs in Sacred Scriptures 2. It is Metaphorical and allusive unto Men who are said to hide or turn away their Faces when they will not be seen or spoken to or conversed with in any amicable or serviceable ways whether in design and policy or through distast strictly God hath no Face and so cannot be said to hide it and if you take Gods Face for his presence or his appearance manifested by several Instances and Symbals and Tokens thereof then in some respects Gods Face is never hid for both his Works and Providences declare the Universality and Nearness of it and in some respects again it may be hath been and is hidden continually from some or other 2. As to the thing therefore we are to understand by the hiding of Gods Face his removing or with-holding of all or any of those Notices and Tokens whereby his merciful and delightful Presence with us his gracious acceptance of us to his Favour and his Providential regards to us are usually testified even sensibly to us Isa 64.7 Jer. 18.17 I will hide my Face from them and they shall be devoured and many Evils and Troubles shall befal them so that they will say in that Day are not these Evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us And I will surely hide my Face in that Day Deut. 31.17 And now this is done in several ways and sences As 1. By Banishing gracious Persons from his Sanctuary-presence Psal 63.2 Dan. 9.17 And this was Davids Case and a sore Affliction to his Spirit and may be something of but not the main thing as to the Case in hand 2. By the intermission or suspension of Gods Providence Care and Mercies as to those Instances and Effects which would make our Lives and Courses here more sweet and easie to us Psal 44.22 26. Why hidest thou thy self in times of Trouble Psal 10.1
our selves if any sins lie near our hearts and prove predominant in our conversations The Crimes whereby we have disgusted God must be repented of detested and rejected He that would trust in God and gain the views and comforts of his Face should throughly hate deeply resent and carefully watch against what God can take no pleasure in but hath entred his protest against repent and do thy first Works was grave and sober Counsel Rev. 2.5 Begin then with thy self and end with God and work thy self up to his Will and thou shalt see his Face with Joy Sin will raise Clouds and Storms and cause no small Eclipses of Gods Face where ever it enters is countenanced and prevails An heavenly Mind and Life must be recovered exercised and preserved and practical resolutions must be renewed and kept in their inviolable vigour whither God sensibly smile or not upon us Who ever mourns not over and watches not against what God abhors will find his seeing Gods Face with Joy to be too strange and great a Miracle to be expected from him He that contemns the ways and will of God can look for nothing but to be contemned by him 1 Sam. 2.30 the Laws of Peace and Favour must be kept Sins must be broken off by Righteousness and Repentance or else Gods Face is to be seen no more Direct V. Let him consider well how far God is unchangeably the God of gracious Souls Psal 89.30 34. Levit. 26.40 45. the Tenor of Gods Covenant is to be studied throughly and well understood to prevent extravagant or defective trust 'T is true Gods promises are large and his relation fixt Psal 84.11 Isa 41.10 God will be so far always theirs as to be ever mindful of them and of his Covenant with them to be duly provident for their good so as to prevent all that may truly harm and ruin their resigned Souls and Persons Rom. 8.28 2 Cor. 16.9 to be truly though wisely compassionate towards them in all their dejections and temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 Mich. 7.18 Isa 30.19 41 17. He will neither over-burthen them over-work them nor overlook them and he will be always so far theirs as to exemplifie the Power and Riches of his All-sufficient Grace and Goodness in them Rom. 9.23 2 Thes 1.10 12. God will refine and save their Souls renew their Strength and cloath them with his Righteousness and Salvations and give them such Encouragements and Supports as may be needful for their present State and Work Isa 40.31 2 Cor. 4.16 18. Col. 1.11 12. 1 Thes 5.23 24. Let them but act like gracious Persons and all Grace shall abound towards them and he will see that their Integrity and Uprightness preserve them whilst therein they wait on him Pardoned Sins refined Souls accepted Services Prayers and Persons with great Victories Tryumphs and Salvations at the last Gods Spirit in them his Presence with them and his Eternal Glory for them when time is folded up and reckoned for all these shall joyfully convince them in what respects and to what purposes God is immutably and will be their God Rom 8.31 39. But if they look or hope that God should be so far theirs as to keep them from afflictions and the fiery Tryal or to feast them continually with sensible consolations and clear views of Heaven and of his glorious Face or immediatly to give them what they ask at their discretion or to prevent all manner of perturbations in their Souls and all distempers in their Bodies Brains and Fancies or to redress miraculously what may be cured and relieved otherwise they have no promise for this For where hath God engaged that Grace must do the Work that is consigned to natural means or that Miracles must effect what an establisht Course of ordinary means may bring Men to Even in the sealing Age when Miracles were so multiplied we find that ordinary means were used in their just extent Moses must send for Jethro Cornelius must send for Peter Philip must turn Instructer and Interpreter to the Eunuch Manna must only be continued until the Israelites could Plow and Sow Why then should any one conclude that God hath hid his Face unless unreasonable and extraordinary expectations be accomplished If Parts be weak if Gifts be mean if Memory be frail through disadvantages of Age or Weakness if passionate Fervours be abated through those declensions which are entailed on Mortals by a setled decree must we infer from hence that God hath hid his Face from us and holds us for his Enemies unless he change the ordinary Course of Nature And as to Soul concerns and exercises what if our Spirits be disquieted through the Soul or expectation of sharp Tryals and Distresses What if Satan bluster in our Souls What if strange Suggestions like fiery Darts be cast into us What if we be strongly urged to such imaginations as God himself knows to be odious and ungrateful to us Must we from hence suspect or think that God disclaims us and renounces all his merciful relations and regards to us Hath God engaged any where that our War with Satan shall end before we dye Can militant Christians be discharged from this warfare before they have finished their Course Whilst you resolve and strive you Conquer and God abides your God till you give up the Cause and fall in love with what your God abhors and slights see Heb. 4.14 16. was not the great Jehovah the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ as much in the extremities of his Agonies and Conflicts as either before or after them But he never was so much his God as to excuse him from his bitter Cup and his contest with the Devil and this World The same I may also say of Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 9. Gods Covenant and not your thoughts or hopes must tell how far Direct VI. Let him consider and improve what God affords to help and quicken trust in him Psal 27.9 Rom. 15.4 13. God hath his part and Man hath his to do not that God needs him but because he hath laid him under Law unto himself and suited his remediating Duties to his Faculties and Circumstances Trust is a compounded Act and Duty made use of assent consent and reliance and it respects veracity goodness and fidelity in the object trusted in Let then the gracious Soul look upon God as fit and willing to be trusted in as actually engaged and concerned for him when he is his God and as faithful when thus related and engaged For God both can and will effect all that he undertakes yet he expects that gracious Souls shall fix their deepest thoughts upon what he hath given them to fix and raise their trust upon Idleness doth no good the thinking and industrious and resolved Soul thrives much whilst meer complainers cheat and dispirit themselves and trouble others dishonour God and scandalize and dishearten Men. It is here as it is in Nature God feeds us he
us be exhorted to comply with God herein let us make it our care and endeavour so to do This Exhortation concerns us all forasmuch as we are all infected with this plague none can say they are free of this contagion There is no distemper more epidemical it reacheth the poor as well as the rich the godly as well as the wicked though it hath dominion only in the latter yet it dwells in the former You see how it was with the Apostle Paul you read how it was with the Apostle Peter with David with Hezekiah c. The holiest Persons on Earth are more or less sick with this disease how therefore are we all concern'd to endeavour the prevention and cure thereof And if any ask what they must do in order thereunto the remainder of the discourse shall be spent in the resolving and satisfying of this enquiry 1. Be throughly convinc't of the greatness and sinfulness of this Sin Direct 1 how that 't is a Sin of the greatest magnitude a first rate Sin greater than theft intemperance or uncleanness or any other fleshly wickedness 'T is indeed the strength and heart of the old man it lives in us when other Sins are dead yea it will help to kill other Sins that it may boastingly shew their heads and blow the sinner up with a conceit of his own strength and holiness 't is a Sin that will take Sanctuary in the holiest duties and hide it self under their Skirts yea it will pollute our holy things and turn remedies themselves into diseases I prefer this direction and shall be the longer upon it because when men are convinc't of the sinfulness of this Sin that it hath more evil in it than other disgraceful Sins they will then set themselves in good earnest to mortify and subdue it Then they will put it far away from them and deal with it as they do with those Sins that argue them in the judgment of all men to be graceless and ungodly persons Remember therefore what hath been already hinted concerning the odiousness of this Sin 'T is hateful indeed to men when it is discern'd but it is most hateful unto God his nature and his honour both engage him against it he doth severely punish it both in this world and in the next Pride is the forerunner not only of temporal but of eternal destruction This one Sin unless it be pardon'd and subdu'd is sufficient to turn us all into Hell it was the Sin and the condemnation of the Devil and his Angels There are two properties in Pride which greatly aggravate it and make it out of measure sinful and abominable 1. The Antiquity of it It was the first enemy that God ever had this was the Sin of the fallen Angels and also of our first Parents this was the original of original Sin Some have disputed whether pride or unbelief had the precedency in mans fall A question as one says much like that whether repentance or faith hath the precedency in his rising But all are of opinion that mans pride if it was not antecedaneous yet at least it was contemporary with his unbelief and that pride was the great cause of his Apostasy He proudly affected to be as God to have known good and evil He fell from what he was by a proud desire of being what he was not 2. The pregnancy of it It is a big belly'd Sin most of the Sins that are in the world are the off-spring and issue of pride Let me instance in several other Sins that are the genuine spawn of this Sin It causeth covetousness Though covetousness is said to be the root of other evils yet this root it self springs from pride what is covetousness but the purveyor of pride and a making provision for the lusts thereof why are men greedy of wordly wrath but for the feeding and maintaining of the pride of life Habakkuk tells us that he who is a proud man enlargeth his desires as Hell Again it causeth ambition Proud persons have aspiring thoughts and think themselves the fittest persons to preside in Church or State Haman said whom should the King honour but my self a proud person takes it for an injury if any be prefer'd before him though never so deserving and he bears a secret grudge to any that had a hand in it though they did it with the greatest sincerity and impartiality None are friends to proud persons but those that humour and honour them Again Pride causeth Boasting Hence it is that in two Places of Scripture Proud Persons and Boâ—sters are put together A proud person is ever praising and commending himself and when he is ashamed to do it by open ostentation then he doth it by secret insinuation and circumlocution Again it causeth Scorning Disdain of others comes from mens over-valuing of themselves Compare two Scriptures you read Jam. 4.6 How God hath said that he resisteth the proud but he giveth Grace to the humble Now where hath God said this You will find it Prov. 3.34 There 't is said he scorneth the Scorners but he gives Grace to the humble You see the same persons that are call'd Scorners in the Old Testament are call'd Proud in the New so that Scorning is the immediate fruit and effect of Pride Again it causeth Lying Proud persons are great Liars Most of the Lies and Falshoods that are told in the world are to avoid disgrace and shame or to purchase applause and esteem Again it causeth Contention The Scripture is express in this Prov. 13.10 Only by pride cometh contention ay that is the greatest Make-bate in the world Prov. 28.25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife he is a very firebrand in the place where he lives he is like an unpolisht stone that will never lie even in any Building Again Pride causeth Unthankfulness Hezekiah's Pride and Ingratitude are coupled together in Scripture Proud persons instead of prizing they despise the Mercies of God and think diminutively of them they look upon God's gifts as due debts and instead of being thankful for what they have they are ready to think they have not what they do deserve Again it causeth Selfishness Pride makes men prefer themselves not only before others but before God himself Proud persons Idolize themselves and make Self their principal End they love themselves more than God and they live to themselves more than to God they are not so zealous for his honour as for their own their Estates and Parts are more at the command of their Pride than at the command of God Again it causeth carnal Confidence Proud persons are fearless persons they are so perswaded of their own strength and the goodness of their hearts that they can walk in the midst of Snares and venture upon temptation and fear no harm The fool rageth says Solomon and is confident Pride makes men insensible of their danger till it be too late Again Pride causeth Self-deceit Proud persons think themselves
somthing when they are nothing and so deceive themselves They take Gifts for Grace and the common for the saving works of the Spirit Presumption goes with them for Faith and a little sorrow for Sin is Repentance They do not distinguish between the Form and Power of Godliness betwixt a blockish Stupidity and true Peace of Conscience Thus I have told you many but not one half of the evil Effects of Pride let me proceed a little farther in this Discovery Pride makes men censorious and uncharitable Proud persons are very prone to judge and censure others especially if they differ from them in Opinion a little matter will make a proud person to count and call such Hypocrites or Hereticks he no sooner espies a Mote in their eyes but he thinks it a Beam he would have others to think the best of him but he himself will think the worst of others Again it makes men Whisperers and Back-biters Such are joyn'd by the Apostle Paul with proud persons Those who are proud don't only censure others in their hearts but they reproach and defame them with their Tongues they hope by speaking evil of others they shall be the better thought of themselves they endeavour to build their own Praise upon the Ruines of others Reputation Again it makes men dislikers and haters of Reproof Proud persons are ready to find fault with others but they do not like to hear of their own faults Solomon says of a Scorner that is a proud person as ye heard before that he doth not love one that reproves him Prov. 15.12 and in another place he says that he hates him Though the Reprover was his Friend before yet now he counts him as his Enemy Herod imprison'd John for telling him of his Sin though before he reverenc'd him Again Pride makes men heretical One says of Pride Haereticorum mater Superbi◠Aug. that it is the Mother of Hereticks Simon Magus that great Haeresiarch was a very proud man the Gnosticks the Manichees the Eunomians were all noted for Pride the latter vainly and blasphemously boasted that they knew God as well as he knew himself Experience teacheth that if any Infection of Heresie comes into a place those that are proud do soonest catch it Mark those says one that are turn'd any where from the way of Truth and see if they were not proud and conceited persons Again it makes men Separatists and Schismatical There are such persons amongst the professing People of God though all are not such that go by that Name These are they says Jude that separate themselves They went out from us says the Apostle John because they were not of us Proud conceited Christians are not contented to come out and separate from the unbelieving Idolatrous world but they will separate also from the true Church of Christ and cast off all Communion with them who hold communion with him they will say to those that are holier than themselves Stand off for we are holier than you Oh 't is Pride that is the chief Cause of all Church-Rents and Divisions We may thank Pride for all the Factions and Fractions that are in the Churches of Christ at this very day Again Pride makes men Hypocrites It prompts them to put on a Vizard and Mask of Religion and to be in appearance what they are not in reality Proud persons love the praise of men more than the praise of God and therefore they are more careful to seem religious than to be so indeed they more study to approve their ways to men than they do their hearts to God Again Pride makes men malicious and wrongful Proud persons are forward to do wrong but backward to bear or endure it they expect that others should forgive and bear with them but they will not forgive or bear with others they require an eye for an eye and render evil for evil nay sometimes evil for good A proud person careth not whom he wrongs or betrays so he may accomplish his own ends he makes no bones of Falshood Slander Oppression or Injustice if he apprehend it necessary to his own honour or ambition Again it makes men Murmurers and Complainers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proud persons find fault with their Lot and are discontented with their condition they think themselves wiser than God himself that in some things they could mend what he doth or hath done They suppose they could guide Gods hand and teach him knowledge if they were of his Counsel they could give him direction for the better governing of the world in general and for the better ordering of their own conditions and concernments in particular Again Pride makes men to slight the Authority and Command of God Proud persons don't only oppose their wisdom to Gods wisdom but their wills also to Gods will they not only disobey but despise the Commandment of God and say at least in their hearts as that proud King Who is the Lord Jer. 2.21 that we should obey his voyce or as those proud ones in Jeremiah We are Lords and will come no more to thee The Prophet calling the Israelites to hear and give ear Jer. 13.15 17. he immediately subjoyns and be not proud and by and by he adds If ye will not hear my Soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Again it maketh persons to establish their own righteousness and to set that up in the room of Christ's righteousness Proud persons will not submit themselves to the righteousness of God so it is exprest in the Epistle to the Romans God hath provided a righteousness for sinners of the Children of men such as is every way sufficient to justifie and save them and that is the righteousness of his Son What he did and suffered may by Faith be imputed and made over to them as if they themselves had done and suffered it so that as by the disobedience of Adam they were made sinners by the obedience of Christ they might be made righteous and as Christ was made sin for them so they may be made the righteousness of God in him But such is the Pride of mans heart that he will not submit to this way of Justification and Salvation he will not be beholden to another for that which he thinks he hath in himself he will not go abroad for that which he thinks he hath at home A proud Sinner sees no need of a Saviour and thinks he can do well enough without him Thus I have set before you two Decads of the evil Effects of Pride I might have given you as many more May all serve to shew you the sinfulness of this Sin 2. Be throughly perswaded that this Sin of Pride is in your selves that Direct 2 you are deeply guilty of it and in great danger by it Though you see it to be a sin and a great sin yet if you do not see it to be your sin and that 't is in you in a prevailing and dangerous