〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dâ—f Plat. Dixerunt Stoici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—avor on our sanctifying Gods name in Worship wherein much of the power of Godlinesse doth consist So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its primary notion signifies one that Worships God aright and so it is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus according to the Platonist Godlinesse is a facultie of worshipping God and so the Stoics said That Godlinesse was a Science of Worship due to the Gods Whence a Godly man was among the Grecians one that ministred unto or worshipped God And indeed that a main fundamental part of Godlinesse consisteth in the sanctifying Gods name in Worship is most evident because al pretenders to Godlinesse do mostly concerne themselves about maters of worship And the serious Jansenist S. Cyran assures us That the least points in worship are of greatest consequence Whence there is nothing more opposed by Satan than Divine Worship which sufficiently evinceth that the chief of Godlinesse consisteth therein Now nothing hath a greater influence on the sanctifying Gods name in worship than serious expectations of our Lords second coming 1. We sanctifie Gods name in Worship when we abase our selves and advance his name therein Al eminence is worshipt by an humble reverence and submission Hence humble spirits are ever the fitest subjects for devotion Now none raise God higher in their hearts and depresse themselves lower than such as daily expect the coming of their Lord. Oh! with what an humble reverence and tremblement of heart do such worship God 2. Again we sanctifie Gods name in worship when we worship him in spirit and in truth A worship that hath not an inward root and spring in the heart deserves no better name than superstition Our Lord tels us John 4.23 The true worshippers are those that worship the father in Spirit and in truth Formal devotion is but a kind of irreligion Such duties are the devils galleries not Christs none worship God in truth but such as worship him in Spirit And who worship God in spirit and truth more than such as daily expect the coming of their Lord Oh! what a reverent and high estime have such of God when they draw nigh to him How do they adore the Grandeurs of God 3. Moreover they sanctifie the name of God who watch their hearts and keep out vain thoughts and terrene Affections whiles they are in the worship of God This is termed Eccles 5.1 Eccles 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God This seems to allude to the custome of discalceation or putting off their Shoes used both by the Jews and Gentiles in going to the place of worship which I presume had its rise from that command of God to Moses Exod. 3.5 Put off thy Shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Hence that Symbol of Pythagoras worship and Sacrifice with thy Shoes off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep look to observe watch narrowly Thy foot i. e. thy Thoughts thine Affections thy whole soul and man It s the manner of the Scripture under one single Gesture or Act to signifie the whole worship represented thereby So that the sense is keep an accurate and curious observation of thy soul when thou engagest in the worship of God And oh how exact and accurate in keeping their hearts are such as daily expect their Lords approche 4. Lastly they sanctifie the name of God in Ordinances and Worship who are unsatisfied til they have acquired the gain and benefit of Ordinances In al worship one that sanctifies the name of God is carried above the act of worship unto Christ And surely none mind and taste more of Christ in ordinances than such as daily look for and hasten to his second coming Oh! what a ful draught do such drinke of the satisfying sweetnesses of Christ in duties Thus Psal 22.26 Psal 22 26. The meek shal eat and be satisfied By eating here is chiefly to be understood a feeding on a Crucified Christ This is evident both from the title and main subject of the Psalme The Title Aijeleth Shaar signifies the Hind or Hart of the morning i. e. the Hind which is hunted and killed in the morning So v. 16. That Christ is this hunted Hind is evident from v. 1 8 18. which are applyed to Christ Mat. 27.46 35 43. Christs Crucifixion extends to v. 22. where begins a prophetic triumphe over al his sufferings v. 26. is a solemne invitation made by Christ to believers to come and feast with him on the benefits of his death and passion and the manner of speech is taken from the custome of those times in which those who had been delivered out of great dangers were wont to celebrate the same by Sacrifices and public feasts The meck i. e. the humble broken-hearted believer Shal eat i. e. feed on my death and passion my bodie and bloud with al the benefits thereof And be satisfied i. e. find a satisfying sweetnesse therein So far as the thirst of total indigence shal be quenched albeit not their thirst of fruition Ay but what must the meek do that so they may feed on and be satisfied in a crucified Christ why they must seek him so it follows They shal praise the Lord that seek him i. e. seek him in every Ordinance specially in the Lords Supper Ay but how must they seek him They must seek him not only in his present influences but also by waiting for and hastening to his second coming Again with what a spiritual fervor and holy violence do such prevail with God in Prayer What a rich trade do they drive for heaven How diligent attentive and affectionate are they in hearing the Word How are their minds illuminated their hearts quickened their affections warmed their Resolutions strengthened and their whole souls enlarged fixed and elevated in Meditation So great is the influence which the lively expectation of Christs second coming has on the sanctifying Gods name in Worship and al the parts thereof 16. Serious expectations of our Lords approche have a prevalent Influence on walking with God which is another great and essential part of Godlinesse By walking with God I understand communion with God not only in Acts of Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phavor but also in the whole of our conversation And such is a Godly man indeed Thus among the Grecians a Godly man was one that conversed much or had communion with the Gods Whence the more devote among the Heathens had their Lectisternia or Beds Of these Lectisternia see Court Gent. part 1. B. 2. c. 9. sect 10. exhibited in their Temples on which they pretended to feast and hold communion with their Gods O! what a rare instance of Godlinesse is he that has communion with God not only in acts of immediate Worship but also in the whole of his conversation Many Christians enjoy at times
be of mighty use to make us sincere 8. Spiritual raised expectations of the coming of our Lord has an efficacious influence on heart-establishment in Grace The more established our hearts are in Grace the more Godly we are Plato Protag fol. 339. Arist Eth. l. 1. c. 11. The blind Philosophers could tel us that a man truely Godly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quadrate or foursquare man cast him which way you wil he stil finds a bottome And it is most certain that so far as we are Godly so far we are stable God is the most stable and immoveable Being and by how much the more any creature draws near to God either by ressemblance or actual communion by so much the stable and immoveable it wil be True Godlinesse implies a consistence of soul Grace is ballast or weight to the soul it poiseth and fixeth the heart a fickle wavering instable spirit never excels in Godlinesse This was Reubens case Gen. 49.4 Vnstable as water thou shalt not excel Inconstant instable spirits that fluctuate as the waves of the Sea have much filth and mud in them So Esa 57.20 But the wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt Restlesse fluctuating spirits always cast up mire and dirt Firmitude and stabilitie in a Christian course is the beautie and glorie of Godlinesse whereas Ambulatorie moveable dispositions are usually a reproche thereto None so fit to receive Grace from God to act for God and to walk with God as hearts establisht in Grace and thence none so Godly as these Now dayly waiting for the coming of the day of God has a powerful influence on this heart-establishment in Grace There is a threefold establishment of heart which is much influenced by serious thoughts of our Lords second coming 1. Establishment of Jugement when the mind is united and fixed as to the Doctrine and truths of the Gospel What more inconstant and instable than the vain mind of of man What risings and fallings of Opinions are many instable minds subject unto Some minds are so inconstant as that nothing wil please them long they are stable and constant in nothing but Instabilitie and Inconstance They are indeed a mere Bethaven an house of vanitie Hos 4.15 Of such the Apostle speakes Heb. 13.9 Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines For it is a good thing the heart be establisht with Grace and not with meats By Grace here we may understand the doctrine of the Gospel as opposed to the legal ceremonies which many Judaising Christians too much doted on Ay but now how might they get their minds established in the Grace of the Gospel that he lays down v. 13 14. Let us go forth to him without the campe bearing his reproche For we have no continuing Citie but seek one to come Oh! saith Paul would men but go forth and meet their approching Lord what an influence would it have to fixe their minds in the Grace of the Gospel Thus Paul to the Colossians Col. 1.23 If ye continune in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel This later has a causal influence on the former The hope of the Gospel which refers to the coming of our Lord is a soverain means to keep the heart grounded and setled in the faith Thus also 2 Thes 2.1 2 Thes 2.1 Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the gathering together to him 2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled neither by Spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may have a double version 1. If we interpret it according to our translation by the coming c. then it is evidently brought in as an argument or motive strongly inducing them not to be soon shaken in mind 2. But yet others Flaâ—ius Illyr'cus Glassius and that not without good probabilitie render it concerning the coming c. and so indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sometimes denoting the object mater If we take it in this last sense then we may give the words this paraphrase Concerning the coming of our Lord I beseech you brethren be not soon shaken in mind or troubled as if it were at hand for grant it were so as it is not yet it should be so far from shaking your minds as that it ought to fixe and compose them So that take the words in either sense we may look upon the coming of Christ to be urged by Paul as a means to compose their minds though in the first sense the argument is more strong and binding 2. Serious expectations of Christs coming have a soverain Influence on the establishment of our heart and ways in our Christian race The more stable and fixed our hearts are in our Christian obedience the more Godly we are As a square figure is immoveable in every posture so ought a Godly man to be in the whole of his Christian race Our hearts and workes are so far Godly as they answer to Gods stabilitie and equalitie For Grace infuseth a Strength and Vigor into the soul whereby our ways are rendred stable and uniforme And oh what an efficacious Influence hath the lively view of our Lords coming hereon There are two main springs of heart-establishment in our Christian race and both are greatly influenced by serious thoughts of the coming of our Lord. The first great spring of heart-establishment is the constant keeping a single end in our eye For he that has a double end in his eye wil also have a double instable motion Jam. 1.8 So Jam. 1.8 A double minded man is instable in al his wayes Now serious thoughts of our Lords coming keep a single end alwayes in our eye Thus Paul 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run 1 Cor. 9.26 not as uncertainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. not unadvisedly with a blind impetus without regard to our end So Chrysostome What means not uncertainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost They say looking to a certain end not in vain c. The metaphor is taken from men that run in a race who have the Goal and Crown ever in their eye which keeps them stable and active in their race Paul had his Lords coming and the Crown of Glorie then to be reveled ever in his eye and that made him stable in his race Again another cause of stabilitie in our race is a strait way This follows on the former for a strait single end brings a strait single way and as both greatly conduce to stabilitie So are they promoted by serious expectations of our Lords coming Thus Paul in his exhortation to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.12 14. 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contend in the Agonie of faith It s a metaphor
and the same And what is there more efficacious to improve such an holy friendship with God than serious expectations of the coming of our Lord Oh! how ambitious wil such be to have one and the same Mind Wil Affection and Conversation with Christ Paul was one of the best friends Christ ever had on earth and wherein lay his friendship chiefly but in conformitie to the death and life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.10 11. Always bearing about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our bodie c. Paul was couformable as wel to the death as to the life of Christ As Christ died for sin so he died to sin And as Christ lived to God so Paul in his mesure Christ was his great exemplar both in regard of active and passive obedience Christs exemple was not only the Rule but also Reason of his obedience The love of Christ to him and his love to Christ prevailed on him to live the life of Jesus The end of his suffering for and obedience to Christ was to manifest the life of Christ And what did wind up his Spirit to such a divine friendship and conformitie unto Christ but serious thoughts of his second coming So John tels us 1 Joh. 3.2 3. that every one who hath hopes of being found at last day a friend of Christ purifieth himself as he is pure And Paul informes us Tit. 2.11 12. That the Grace of God teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and Godly in this present World i. e. in short that we should demonstrate our friendship to Christ by manifesting the life of Christ And then he addes the ground of al v. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ 2. Another part of friendship with Christ consistes in an holy Ambition to please him A true friend makes it his businesse to please and content his friend so Believers to please Christ And herein much of the Spirit of Godlinesse doth consist What is al pietie but a studious emulation and endeavor to please God Hence among the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Godly man was one that had a care to please the Gods Such also they stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophiles a friend of God Thus Enoch is said Heb. 11.5 to please God and what made him thus ambitious to please God but fiducial expectations of the coming of our Lord of which we find mention Jude 14. Such a Court-like ambition had Paul to please Christ 2 Cor. 5.9 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore i. e. because we have this Confidence and desire of being present with our Lord who is our best friend therefore we labor Si nificanter â— surpavit hoc votabulan quo soreasis quaedam ambitio hâ—norum propriè sig â—ificatur Bâ—za 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have a certain courtlike ambition and holy emulation of pleasing Christ Thence he addes v. 10. For we must al appear before the jugement seat of Christ Oh! what a prevalent argument was this to worke up Pauls spirit to an holy emulation of pleasing Christ Thus also Peter in the words following our text 2 Pet. 3.14 wherefore beloved seing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Here he brings in the looking for the coming of the day of God as a strong argument inducing them to an holy emulation and contention after al manner of gracious qualities for the pleasing of Christ their friend 3. Another part of Godly friendship with Christ consists in importunate desires and endeavors to serve him It s a great saying of a serious Jansenist S. Cyran One of the most principal rules for solid devotion is that we let not passe the least occasion for serving God If there be any vacuum or emty space in our lives the Devil wil be sure to fil it up and so obstruct our friendship with Christ What more obsequious and officious than friendship and who are more industrious and unwearied in the service of Christ than such friends of his who dayly expect his second coming Thence that parabolic exhortation of our Lord Luk. 19.13 Luke 19.13 And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them occupie ' til I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 employ al your thoughts vigor and activitie in my service and why til I come This is brought in as an argument or motive to engage them more effectually in his service A soul that lives much in the expectation of Christs coming wil spend as much time and strength as he can in the service of Christ but as little as he can in the service of sin Thus also it was with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1.7 So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Their waiting for the coming of our Lord is brought in by Paul as that which has a very efficacious causal Influence on the improvement of their gifts in order to the service of Christ And what made Paul so vigorous and laborious in the service of Christ but daily expectations of his returne So 1 Thes 2.19 For what is our hope our joy our crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming That which made Paul so unwearied in his service for Christ among the Thessalonians was an eye fixed on the coming of Christ and the Crown he should then receive for al his labors Such thoughts make us do much in a little time for Christ 4. Lastly a main part of our friendship with Christ consists in an affectionate complacential remembrance of him in his absence and doth not the formal spirit hereof consist in looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Are not they most mindful of him who daily expect his second coming Was not this one main intent of our Lord in the Institution of his last supper that we might thereby keep alive the memorial of him 1 Cor. 11.25 26. Thus 1 Cor. 11.25 This do ye as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me Friends at parting are wont to leave remembrances each of other so Christ left his last Supper as a love-remembrance with his friends Thence it follows 26. For as oft as ye eat this bread and drinke this cup ye do shew the Lords death ' til he come The coming of Christ and the expectation thereof is that which gives life to our remembrance of him The thoughts of Christs returne give a fresh lustre and sweetnesse to al love-tokens 15. Solid and deep expectations of our Lords coming have a particular and powerful Influence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉