if they were not accepted in and for Christ. Nothing can be acceptable to infinite Purity but what is pure Habbak 1.13 Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold Evil and canst not look on Iniquity We should not have one good look from God were it not for Christ. To salve this Attribute was Jesus Christ sent into the World We think that Christ was only sent to satisfy Justice God hateth Sin out of Holiness punisheth it out of Justice and executeth that Punishment by his Majesty and Power so that we dread God for his Wrath Power and Justice but all these are awakened by his Holiness there is the Root of all So that consideration of God's Holiness maketh us to prize Christ. Alas what should vile Creatures do before an Holy God out of Christ 3. It is God's principal Glory Exod. 15.11 Thou art glorious in Holiness God is mighty in Power rich in Grace glorious in Holiness It is good to mark the distinctness of Expression in all the Attributes God that he might shew us how much we should prize Grace would be glorious in nothing so much as in Holiness This is Seraphical Divinity the Angels would teach us no other Divinity and Notions of God but Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Isa. 6.3 this is most pleasing to God profitable to Men. Christ taught us to pray first of all Hallowed by thy Name This should be the chiefest thing that we should think of in our Addresses to God So when the Angel Gabriel came to give notice of Christ Luke 1.35 That Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Priùs sanctum quà m Dei Filium nominavit saith one of the Fathers You cannot call God nor Christ by a better Title it is his darling Attribute So the Saints in Heaven Rev. 4.8 They rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty it is nine times in Plantius's Edition as if they were delighted with the mention of it they take a sweet content in the Work Holy Father Holy Son Holy Spirit In Heaven they bless and praise God praise him for his Excellencies bless him for his Benefits We praise him for his Holiness we bless him for his Mercy in Christ this will be our Employment in Heaven Psal. 99.5 Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his Footstool for he is Holy God counteth it his chiefest Glory that he might teach the Creature that Moral Perfections are to be preferred before Natural it is better to be Wise than Strong to be Holy than Wise. III. Why especially must we thus look upon him when we deal with him for Grace and Sanctification 1. Because it is a Relief to Faith when we represent God to our selves as the Fountain of Holiness He is the Holy One of Israel and Christ calls him Holy Father Jude 1. To them that are sanctified by God the Father There is enough in God when we come for Pardon he is rich in Mercy when we come for Holiness he is glorious in Holiness he is the God of Grace you may have enough if you be not wanting to your selves Men are willing to spare out of their Fulness the Holy God is as able as willing to sanctify you it is a Work that he delighteth in Joab interceded for Absalom when he perceived the King's Heart was towards Absalom 2 Sam. 14.1 2. It may be a means to enlarge your Spiritual Desires You are to be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1.15 The Children if they be of the right Stock they should have some Resemblance of their Father Now you ask Holiness of God that you may be as God in some degree of Conformity tho not in exact Equality Assequi non possuâ—â—â— saltem nanquam sequi desinamus we cannot overtake God but we should never cease to follow him We have an high Patern that we might not be content with any low measures of Grace When you are asking it is good to be thinking of your Patern that you may inlarge your Spiritual Desires Lord wash me throughly Lord make me holy as thou art holy I forget the things that are behind it is nothing that I have already Vse 1. Information It informeth us 1. How greatly they sin that deride Men for their Holiness which is the express Image of the glorious God God is glorious in Holiness therefore they that despise Holiness they despise God himself Holy Brethren should no more be a Disgrace than Holy Father That is your Scorn which is the Divine Glory one of the chiefest Excellencies in the Godhead You hate God more than you do the Saints Holiness in them shineth with a faint Lustre 2. How much we should prize Holiness It is the Glory of God and the Glory of holy Angels the Devils also excel in Strength and the Glory of the Saints Ephes. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without Blemish This is the Glory of the Church the Church that are are a distinct People from all the World should have a distinct Excellency Other Societies are made glorious by their Policy their Pomp their Trade the Church is a Society for Holiness and therefore it is called The fairest among Women the best of all Societies though it hath little of worldly Pomp and Splendor Psalm 93. ult Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever Some Ordinances became God's House for a time Ceremonies and Sprinklings and the Vail and the covering of Badgers Skins c. but Holiness is a standing Ordinance So private Christians are changed from Glory to Glory 2. Cor. 3.18 it is from Grace to Grace for the Apostle speaketh of our being changed into the Likeness of Christ. The World counteth Purity and Strictness a base thing Religio ignobilem facit but the Word is quit with the World and calls a wicked Man a vile Person Psal. 15.4 and the basest of Men Dan. 4.17 Vse 2. It presseth us to draw nigh to God as unto an Holy Father Worship must always be proportioned to the Object of it Conformity maketh way for Communion John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth As he is a God of Peace he will not be worshipped with wrathful Affections 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that Men pray every where lifting up holy Hands without Wrath and Doubting A living God must have a lively Service so a holy God should have a holy Worship this doth make us fit to enjoy God in the way of a sweet and gracious Communion 1. We must be in an holy State If we be accepted by God we must be like him holy as he is holy Partakers of a Divine Nature The Majesty and Glory of God we are not capable of God would not have us to imitate his Power and Majesty but his Holiness We enjoy him
Heaven The whole genius of the Popish religion runneth this way where the worship of Christ is turned into a theatrical pomp and the simplicity of the Gospel is changed into weak and silly observances and beggarly rudiments which betray it to the contempt scorn of all considering men and is no more pleasing to Christ than the mockage of the Jews Souldiers that put a purple robe upon Christ and cryed Hail king of the Jews when they spit upon him and buffeted him In Christians 't is but to complement Christ to feast and make mirth for his memory and deck our bodies and houses whil'st we look not after rejoycing in the Spirit to be all for sumptuous Temples and costly furniture and rich Altar Cloaths and Vestments while his Laws are trampled under foot and those that would sincerely worship Christ and make it their â—usiness to go to Heaven are despised and maligned and it may be condemned to the fires 'T is not the pomp of Ceremonies but Faith and brokenness of heart and diligence in his service and living in the Spirit that Christ mainly looketh after Religion looketh more like a worldly thing in a carnal dress but the Kings daughter is glorious within Psa. 45.13 The glory of the true Church and every member thereof is in things spiritual as knowledge faith love hope courage zeal sobriety patience humility these are the true glories of the Saints not golden Images and rich accommodations and outward triumph and carnal revilings and the great thing Christ hath commended to us in his Doctrine is an holy heart and an holy life Psa. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever Not pomp and gaudry of worship but purity and holiness that 's a standing ornament 4. By herding with a stricter party whil'st yet our hearts are not subdued to God There are three places prove this Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature And Gal. 5 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith that worketh by love 1 Cor. 7 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the commandments of God Men hug others because they are of their party and fellowship 't is religion enough to be one of them of such a party and denomination as obtains the vogue and is of most esteem among Christians in that age yet how strict so ever our party be if our hearts be not subdued to Christ all is as nothing in the sight of God till a man be a new creature 't is but a fleshâ—y knowing of Christ a man may change his party as a piece of Lead will receive any Impression either Angel or Devil or what you stamp upon it 3. This knowing Christ after the flesh will do us no good be of no comfort and use to us as to the salvation of our Souls 1. Because God is no respecter of persons 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call him Father who without respect of persons Judgeth every man according to his works The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the outward appearance but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that doth not judge by outward respects The Prosopon of the Jew was his knowledge of the Law and injoying the Ordinances of God The Prosopon of the Christian is his profession of respect to Christ and esteem of him but God judgeth not by the appearance but by the internal habit and constitution of the heart manifested by an uniform obedience to his whole will otherwise circumcision may become uncircumcision or Christianity as Paganism Therefore 't is not enough to profess you are for Christ of his Faction and Party for there is a Faction of Christians as well as a religion they are of the Faction of Christians whose interest and education leadeth them to profess love to Christ without any change of heart or serious bent of Soul towards him Now this is the Prosopon according to which God may be supposed to judge for you do not think riches or poverty fear or love can so much as be supposed to be in God but profession or not profession is that he looks to 2. Because Christ hath put us upon another tryal than a fond affection to his outward person and memory namely by our respect to his commandments John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me There 's the main other things will not pass for love though they be taken for such in the World And John 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Perfect friendship consists in harmony or an agreement in mind and will If you have any true love to Christ it will make the Soul hate every thing which it knoweth to be contrary to his nature and will Psa. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil and constraineth the Soul to set about every thing which it knoweth will please and honour him 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us If we do but love him and be sensible of the obligation he hath left upon us So it will be in a real spiritual love 3. Because they cannot truly challenge the name of Christians that do only know Christ after the flesh Christ being now exalted requireth a spiritual converse with him When Christ hath laid aside his mortal life we should lay aside our carnal conceits and affections There were some Jewish Impostors that Eusebius writeth of Mungrel Christians Chocabites and Nazerites who called themselves the Lords kinsmen a sort of Cozening and Heretical companions they were who for their own purposes forraged the Countrys up and down as the Gipsies now do amusing the World with genealogies and drawing the vulgar after them with many vain fancies denyed the Resurrection interpreting all said about it of the new creature pretending belief in Christ but observing the Law of Moses against whom the Epistle to the Galatians is supposed to be written And there were some that knew Moses after the flesh and seemed to pretend much zeal to the Law of Moses Now the Apostle saith they deserved to be called the concision rather than the circumcision whereof they gave out themselves to be patrons and defenders The true believers had right to that title because they had the thing signified by circumcision worshipping God with the inward and spiritual affection of a renewed heart and trusting in Christ alone for salvation who was the substance of the shadows and renouncing confidence in fleshly priviledges worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus So for Christians glorying in externals is scarce worthy the name of Christianity if they have the name not the reality 4. Because this knowing Christ after the flesh is inconsistent with his glorious estate in Heaven It pleased him not in the days of his flesh A Divine spiritual affection doth only befit the state of glory to which he is exalted Now
I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ All is nothing to this 3. It weaneth the heart from outward observances and bodily exercises to solid Godliness or looking after the life and power of them The Ordinances of the Law though of God's own Institution are called Carnal Heb. 7.16 Not after the law of a carnal commandment the Worship of the Gospel Spirit and Truth John 4.23 24. The hour is coming and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth The more true knowledge of the Gospel the more of this As the Apostle distinguisheth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3.2 3. and the Apostle speaketh of the Jew Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God So it is with better reason true of the Christian the Worship of the Gospel consisting little of Externals but being Rational Spiritual Worship 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Col. 2.6 As ye have received the Lord Jesus Christ so walk ye in him We receive his Spirit That is a sorry zeal and hath little of a Christian Spirit that runneth altogether upon outward things Christianity first degenerated by this means and the life and power of it was extinguished when it began to run out altogether in Form and men out of a natural Devotion grew excessive that way A Christian in obedience to God is to use his instituted Externals but his Heart is upon the Spirit and Soul of Duties Multiplying Rites and Ceremonies has eat out the life and heart of Religion The more spiritual and substantial Worship is the better if there be humble and affectionate reverence a ready subjection and submission to him flowing from grace engaging the heart to God and animated by the influence and breathing of his Spirit SERMON XXXII 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new THis is an inference out of the former Doctrine Two things the Apostle had said Henceforth we no more live to our selves verse 15th And Henceforth know we him no more verse 16th There is a change wrought in us a change of life and a change of Judgment a new Life because there is a new Judgment Now in the Text he sheweth a reason why he changed his Judgment and Life and lived and judged otherwise than he did before because there is such a change wrought in all that belong to Christ that they are as it were other persons than they were As when Saul prophesied 1 Kings 10.6 The Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee and thou shalt be turned into another man Not in respect of person or in regard of substance but some gifts and graces So these should be as other creatures as new creatures Now these things should only be in esteem with Christians which belong to the new creature or regeneration Therefore if any man be in Christ c. In the words we have a Proposition 1. Asserted 2. Explained 1. The Proposition asserted is hypothetical in which there is 1. An hypothesis or Proposition If any man be in Christ. 2. The assertion built thereon He is a new Creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A new creation The act of creation is signified by this form of speech as well as the thing created 2. The Proposition explained For there is First A destructive work or a pulling down of the old house Old things are passed away 2dly An adstructive work or raising of the new fabrick All things are become new The words are originally taken out of Isa. 65.17 and Isa. 66.22 Where God promiseth a new Heaven and a new Earth That is a new World or a new state of things Which promises had a threefold accomplishment 1. These promises should have some accomplishment at their return from Babylon which was a new World to the ruined and exiled state of the Church of the Jews 2. These promises were fulfilled to all believers in their regeneration which is as a new World to sinners 3. They shall be accomplished most fully in the life to come for the Apostle telleth us 2 Pet. 3.19 We look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth righteousness Here it signifieth then that all things which belong to the old man shall be abolished and the new man and its interests and inclinations cherished Doct. All those that are united to Christ are and ought to be new creatures Here I shall enquire 1. What it is to be new creatures 2. In what sense we are said to be united to Christ. 3. How the new creation floweth from our union with Christ. 1. What it is to be new creatures It implieth 1. That there must be a change wrought in us so that we are as it were other Men and Women than we were before As if another Soul came to dwell in our Body This change is represented in such terms in Scriptures as do imply such a broad and sensible difference as is between light and darkness Eph. 5.8 Life and Death 1 John 3.14 The new man and the old Eph. 4.22 and 24. The vitious Qualities must be subdued and mortified and contrary Qualities and graces planted in their stead A man is so changed in his nature as if a Lion were turned into a lamb as the Prophet says when he sets forth the strange effects of Christs powerful government over the Souls of those who by the Ministry of the Word are subdued to him Isa. 11.6 7 8. The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a young Child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lye down together and the Lion shall eat straw with the Ox. And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child shall put his hand on the Cockatrice Den. They shall be so inwardly and thoroughly changed that they shall seem new creatures transformed out of Beasts into men and instead of an hurtful they should have an innocent and harmless disposition Without a Metaphor this is represented 1 Cor 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are
for their present use without looking further and the Wisdom of the other that their Vessels were furnished as well as their Lamps Grace must flow forth but withall it must have a bottom within As a Fountain or Spring sendeth forth streams to water the ground about it or the heart sendeth forth Life and Spirits to every faculty and member so the Graces of the Spirit in Believers flow forth in their Carriage and Behaviour to make their Tongue drop that which is savoury their Actions orderly and even their Carriage in all relations and affairs grave and serious 'T is well when all this hath a bottom that there is a principle of Life within to diffuse this vertue into every part of their Conversations and to keep them mindful and respective to all the Commands of God Now this is required 1. Partly because this glorious Profession and Practice will not serve the turn for the present For God looks not to outward appearance but regards the frame of the heart 't is internal Holiness that is lovely in his eyes Psa. 51.6 and without which the external is loathsome to him Math. 23.17 A Christian hath more in the Vessel than in the Lampâ— Psa. 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within That which is outwardly professed is inwardly rooted and cherished by them who worship and serve God in Spirit and Truth Knowledge Faith Love Hope Zeal Courage Patience these adorn the Heart as well as the Fruits of them appear in the Life and this maketh us beautiful in the eyes of him that seeth in secret It would help us to discover our mistakes if we did make God our Witness Approver and Judge for the present studying to approve him in the frame of our hearts which is hidden from all others And 2. Partly because the Lamp will not long hold burning unless there be a stock of Oyl to feed it so that if it could suffice for the present yet without Grace in the Heart for the future we shall miscarry when the slender Provision and store is spent A Christian is to provide for the time to come such Grace as my endure and hold out in all tryals and bear weight in the day of Judgment We are often pressed to set our selves in such a state and put our selves into such a frame as will endure the glory of Christs presence and to think of that time and what we shall doe or how we shall be found when he appeareth He only believeth aright in Christ that will not be ashamed at his appearance Luk. 21.36 That ye may stand before the Son of Man And 1 Joh. 4.17 That we may have boldness at the day of Judgment And 1 John 2.29 When he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed of him at his coming 3. A saving work of Grace is an inward Principle of Life and that in such a degree and measure which the unsound though the most glorious Professors of the Gospel do not attain unto Some sleight and insufficient touches upon their hearts many Professors may attain unto that yet never had this rooted Principle of Grace which may properly be called Oyl in the Vessel It differeth in Radication and Efficacy as I shewed before They are inlightened but the day-star doth not arise in their hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 And Eph. 5.8 A flash of light they may have but are not light in the Lord. Are affected with the Truths of the Gospel but not changed or transformed by it 2 Cor. 3.18 Sin may be restrained or benummed but 't is not subdued and mortified Gal. 5.24 we cannot say 't is crucified They are half loosed but are still in bonds make some shew of escape from Sathan but are surprized by him again worse hampered than before Matth. 12.45 urged excited to some good but not enabled and inclined to love God with all the heart and seriously and constantly to set about the things that please him and to avoyd the contrary They have not the Grace the Apostle prayeth for Heb. 13.12 That Grace that may make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Have you this Grace to be alwayes working that which is pleasing in his sight Their Fire is like a straw-sire soon in and soon out so that there is a difference The common Grace that they have is real but not of an abiding and everlasting nature not secured by Gods Covenant and promise there is not that solid rooted Piety Therefore 't is not enough for Christians to see that the Lamp burneth but to look what there is in the Vessel to feed the Flame 'T is not suddain affections on our part nor the transient motions of the Spirit on Gods part that will amount to a constant principle of Life 4. This constant abiding state of Grace or Principle of Life may be known partly by the Terms by which it is set forth in Scripture and partly by the Effects of it First By the Terms by which 't is expressed in Scripture 1. 'T is expressed sometimes with respect to the Original Author Pattern and Fountain of it which is God And so it is called the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 whereby is not meant the Infinite Essence of God which can neither be divided or communicated to any Creature but of those holy and heavenly qualities and dispositions whereby we resemble God The heart of this Christian is so stamped with Gods own Image and Character that he beginneth to look like God for wisdom holiness purity pity So sometimes 't is called the life of God Eph. 4.18 that spiritual Life that is begun in Regeneration is so called not as God is the first original Author of Life natural but the Pattern of it From both these places it appeareth we must first be partakers of such a Nature as God hath before we can live such a Life as God doth 2. 'T is sometimes expressed with respect to the meritorious and procuring Cause or the immediate Head and Fountain of it and so Christ is said to live in us Gal. 2.20 to dwell in us Eph. 3.17 to remain in us as the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 That Christians may live the Life of Grace they must first be united to Christ for he liveth in us as the Head in the Members or the Root in the Branches We must be united to Christ and receive influence from him as Branches from the Root Through Faith Christ is perpetually present in Vertue Grace and Spirit We must first partake of Christ himself being most strictly united to him as Members to the Head from whence they receive sense and motion He taketh up a fixed and unmoveable habitation in our hearts Joh. 14.23 not for a Visit and away but keepeth a perpetual residence in the heart 3. With respect to the immediate Authour and Fountain which is the Spirit given to us to dwell in us by
it surely we would walk more cautiously and serve God with greater ardency and alacrity of Spirit but when we forget it we let loose the Reins and slacken our diligence and yield to the importunity of the flesh and suffer our selves to be distracted with worldly cares or benummed with fleshly delights that we do not mind our Duty of preparing for the Lords coming Secondly How far may this seize upon Christians The Question may be stated Negatively and Affirmatively how far it may and how far it may not First Affirmatively 1. It may seize upon them not only when they are young but when they are of long standing When they are young many a man newly Converted having had as yet no thorough experience of the strength of Sin the danger of Temptations and his own Weakness may bear a little too high upon the Confidence of his own resolutions which because they are sincere he thinketh they will easily obtain their effect In this rank I put Peter whilest as yet the Spirit was not poured out and was only under his Masters wing I count him but a Novice then in comparison of what he was afterwards He was so confident of his affection to Christ and resolution that he had not a due sense of his danger Matth. 26.33 But alas how soon were his unpractised Wings clipp'd and he taken in the Snare of the Fowler Honest Peter would not believe such Weakness in himself and so unexperienced Christians can hardly believe themselves to be so weak as a Temptation sheweth them to be the more sincere their purpose is the more confident they are in their own Strength even when near a fearfull fall So a man of long standing being assured of Salvation may grow negligent and supposing he hath Grace and is possessed of the Love of God presumes that he needeth not such diligence as when he was doubtful of his State and if he go round in a course of Duty and avoid grosser sins he may think 't is enough as if he were now past all danger and so insensibly falleth asleep or into decay Rev. 3.18 Because thou sayest that I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich and white Rayment that thou mayest be cloathed that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and Eye-salve that thou mayest see 'T is not spoken to the gross Carnal or to beginners or persons unacquainted with Christ but to lukewarm Professors after the first labours of Regeneration and the difficulties of Reconciliation with God are past over and the terrours of the Law well vanquished and some peace and confidence gotten then we are in danger of security by which means all may run to wast in the Soul and sins break out and make our blindness and nakedness appear The wise Virgins slept not 'till their main work was in some measure over and therefore a strange security and sleepiness is incident to us and may befall not only the wicked who scarce ever think of the world to come being blinded with present things but those that are good have their drowsie fits by which they remit of their Zeal and grow more dead and are not so diligent in seeking occasions to do good 2. When we are in greatest danger and matters most concerning us are in hand and God calleth most for our Service and so have most need to watch then are we usually most secure witness the Disciples upon Mount Olivet after many warnings given them by Christ Matth. 26.41 42 43 44 45. 'Till Christ telleth them Sleep on now that is sleep if you can it will not be long ere you are throughly awakened so often are the Saints slumbering and sleeping when most need to be awake and mispend the time in sluggishness and carnal rest which is granted them to prepare themselves for tryal So Jonah 1.5 when a Storm arises for his sake though the Winds blow and the Sea roar and the Mariners at their wits end yet Jonah was fast asleep Those most guilty and those whom the correction pointed at are most secure under it And Sampson is asleep when the Philistines are ready to come upon him Now if ever should men be awake Now we are awak'ned by Gods providence and the estate of the Christian World round about us now we should exercise all the grace and skill we can 3. They may shew their sleepiness in their publick Relations as while the envious man sowed Tares the Husbandmen were asleep Mat. 13.25 Many times Magistrates are asleep when abuses creep in and eat out the bowels of the Common-wealth and Ministers are asleep while the Kingdom of Christ is undermined Masters of Families asleep while disorders creep into their houses Magistrates are watchers as well as private Christians Rom. 13.6 who sleep and neglect the care of souls But especially Ministers are to watch over their peoples souls and should put forth their utmost care and diligence Heb. 13.17 4. It may befall them after some solemn service 2 Chron. 35.20 After this when Josiah had prepared the Temple then he falleth into that rash engagement against Pharaoh Necho which cost him his life Hezekiah after his Reformation fell into pride and provocation of God 2 Chron. 32. Many times when we have performed some good service to God we take occasion to be more careless and secure We think we are priviledged by our former diligence If the Righteous trust in his righteousness and commit Iniquity Ezek. 33.13 that is upon the presumption that he laid in a Fore-merit Our hearts will be seeking some unlawful liberty and we intermit our watch upon such occasions Secondly Negatively We must make the exceptions that are necessary 1. Though the wise Virgins may slumber and sleep and there be an intermission of the acts of Grace yet no intercision of the habits of Grace or radical Inclination to God Gradus remittitur actus intermittitur habitus non amittitur Some degrees may be remitted acts intermitted but the habit not extinguisht still the seed of God remaineth in them Love is the predominant habit Sin doth not possess the heart instead of God 1 Joh. 2.15 The habitual bent of the Soul is more for God than for the flesh or the world however he fail in some individual actions the scope and tenour of his life is for God and sincere obedience There is life and sap at the root though in the Winter the trees be without leaves and blossoms Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh There is Faith and Hope and Love in their Hearts all this while The Spirit of God abideth in them and keepeth alive his work 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Spirit remaineth in the Saints to maintain the habits
of Grace Their choice of God for their portion remaineth unshaken They have chosen the better part adhere to it and have a general purpose to please God in all things 2. An universal slumber is not usually incident to the Saints 'T is not the sleep of the whole man as to all goodness 't is not in all parts of the soul. If there be a remiss will and dead affections yet not a sleepy Conscience something that taketh Gods part as appeareth because they are unsatisfied with this dull and drowsie estate 3. They are more easily alarmed and rouzed up out of it than others that sleep the sleep of death Their Faith and Love is soon awake again and easily set a work for God there is somewhat to work upon A true Christian riseth by unfeigned repentance when his Conscience hath but leizure and helps to deliberate and bethinks what he hath done and so much the better resolveth and bethinketh himself against his sin for the time to come 4. When they rise again and repent and do their first works they are more earnest and fervent than they were before As it were to make amends for their former languishing and to redeem the time they have lost they double their diligence Thirdly I come to the Reasons of this Sleepiness 1. There are two Principles in the Children of God the Flesh inclining to sleep and the Spirit to wake Mat. 26.41 The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak and therefore the degree of Grace which the best attain unto in this life is mixed with imperfection The guiding and commanding faculties do but imperfectly direct and the inferiour faculties imperfectly obey 'T is the Office of the Understanding and the Will to command of the inferiour faculties to obey There is weakness in all of them therefore 't is said Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all The Understanding in many things is but a blind guide the Will is but in part rectified and so cannot exercise such a powerful command over our thoughts passions and senses 2. Variety of outward Occurrences working upon the diversity of Principles in us As sometimes we are in a prosperous estate sometimes in deep troubles both may cause this deadness and drowsiness in us Sometimes deep troubles make us weary of well-doing 2 Thes. 3.13 so Heb. 12.3 Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners lest you be weary and faint in your minds Now as this weariness and heaviness causeth sleep in the body so it doth in the soul. We are tyred in Gods service and then our Wheels are clogged A man may be secure in trouble but usually he is so in time of peace Peace Wealth and Honour are often abused to spiritual drowsiness and secure neglect of God Ease slayeth the fool Prov. 1.32 We had need watch when Delilah spreads her lap for us and the Delights of the world open their bosom to us Surfeiting with the abundance of worrldly prosperity we neglect the Power of Religion and please our selves with the Form David enjoying peace and plenty slew Vriah his Friend who in his adversity spared Saul his Enemy yea his heart smote him but for the cutting off the Lap of his Garment In the abundance of outward comforts we sit loose from God therefore we have those cautions Deut. 8. from ver 7 to ver 14. 3. Conversing with Spiritual Sluggards that count it an high piece of wisdom not to be too forward Irreligious Company and Example is a great matter and hath a mighty force upon us And though it doth not begin sin in the Soul it doth increase it Isa. 6.6 Sin is by propagation not by Imitation but yet the contagion of Example is a great advantage to Corruption To be among warm heavenly mortifyed self-denying Christians is a great advantage in the spiritual life There is a notable provocation and excitement in their example Saul among the Prophets had his Raptures 1 Sam. 10.10 Heb. 10.24 Let us provoke one another to Love and good Works This begets a holy Emulation who shall excell but carnal Company is a deadning thing We are more susceptible of evil than good we catch a disease from one another but we do not get health one from another By touching the unclean they became unclean but he that was unclean was not purified by touching the clean The Conversations of the wicked have more power to corrupt than the good to provoke and excite to vertue A man that would keep himself awake unto God and mind the saving of his Soul must shake off evil Company Psal. 119.115 Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God And by evil Company I mean not only the Prophane who bespeak their own hatred and detestation by their apparent odiousness but the loose and careless As we are to take heed that we be not allured to that which is evil so that we be not deadned to that which is good Neglect of God will keep us out of Heaven as well as Prophaneness We easily leven one another with deadness and formality frequent Society with dead hearted persons breedeth it such whose conference is empty and unsavoury and altogether of worldly things Certainly our dulness and backwardness is such that we need the most powerful helps 4. Another cause is a dead Worship Missa non Mordet Christ compareth spiritual Duties to new Wine Mat. 9. but the Pharisaical Feasts to Taplash or old unsavoury stuff that hath no Spirits Old Bottles will endure that well enough Nothing lulleth the Soul asleep so much as a perfunctory Worship or sleepy Devotions Christs Ordinances are simple but full of vertue his Institutions conscientiously observed will keep us awake Psal. 119.93 I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Use them much in Faith and Obedience and Graces will be preserved in us in a lively manner and constant exercise 1 Thes. 5.19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying If you would not quench the Spirit you must not carelesly use the means of Grace The words of the wise are as Goads to prick us forward Eccl. 12.10 in Heavens way To stir us up to our Duty the Spirit of God sharpeneth and pointeth the Word that it may be as Goads in our sides When we are negligent here is quickning A dull Ministry as well as a dull Minister maketh us fall asleep 5. Slumber is the cause of Sleeping Mark the order in the Text They first slumbred and afterwards slept One degree of carelesness makes way for another and usually there is a lesser degree at first Take heed of the beginnings of declinations If we would avoid sleep we must avoid slumber No man becometh stark naught at the first step One careless Prayer maketh way for another Give way to it now and it will settle into an utter deadness at last Men fear not the danger of little sins and so are hardened under them
the most secret discovery of wrath and discontent and suiteth his Temptations to all the postures of spirit we are in Secondly There is besides this Hostis domesticus the bosom Enemy the Flesh or the inbred Corruption of our Nature that is ready to betray us to the basest Temptations and to open the Gates to the Enemy without Man needeth no Devil to tempt him we have enough in our own bosoms to prompt and urge us to sin Jam. 1.5 The Spirit in us lusteth to envy Gen. 6.5 The thoughts and imaginations of our hearts are evil continually 'T is easie to set Tinder Gunpowder or Flax on fire and therefore they had need to be kept asunder We cannot be too careful the best of us have a good self and a bad self the one must watch over the other or all will come to ruine and Grace will be ready to die Rev. 2.2 Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die From whence cometh the vanity of our Minds our proneness to break the bounds of due liberty in all our Comforts our readiness to erre in Speech our frequent Miscarriages in Conversation our frequent unfitness for holy Duties our unfruitfulness in our Conversing with others our unsettledness in our Consciences our immoderate cares and fears whence I say cometh all this but from our want of Watching against this inward Enemy our Flesh Especially when temptations are near importunate and constant We proceed every step to Heaven by Conflict and Contest because Sin is alwayes at hand ready to assault us and taint us So that a serious Christian cannot but take himself to be still in danger Thirdly The World We walk in the midst of Snares and Temptations saith Austin and Bernard saith That our Life is a continual Temptation We are in the midst of tempting Objects that are comfortable to our Senses necessary to our Uses and present to our Embraces that we can hardly distinguish between what Necessity craveth and Lust desireth and so we are strangely gained upon 1 Joh. 2.16 For all that is in the VVorld is the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eye and pride of Life He doth not say Whatsoever is in our corrupt Hearts but he describeth the Objects by the Lusts because they are readily excited by them All that is in the World there are Baits for every Temper Honour for the ambitious Wealth for the covetous Pleasure for the sensual Now every distemper loveth the Diet that feedeth it Lust in the Soul or unmortified corruption maketh our abode in the World dangerous 2 Pet. 1.4 That having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Here one plungeth himself over head and ears in the World another is intemperate in the delights of the Flesh and the Entertainments of Sense another is aspiring after Honour great Places and Pomp of living or Esteem in the World or at least we give our selves too great a liberty and freedom in these things Therefore you see what need there is of watching when alluring Objects lay such close siege to the Appetite and Senses 2. There is a VVatching unto Good or for the Performance of our Duties that we go about them in an holy serious conscionable Manner observing the best Opportunities and taking heed there be no secret Leaven of Hypocrisie in them Of all holy Duties the Scripture applieth it to Prayer which of all other holy Services is the commonest and the chiefest and Watching therein is a great help though by Analogy it holdeth good in other duties as we shall see in a few places Col. 4.2 Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving So 1 Pet. 4.7 Be sober and watch unto Prayer So Eph. 6.18 watching therein with all perseverance Sathan is a great Enemy to this duty and our Hearts are averse and hardly brought and kept to it Unless it be well performed our Communion with God is interrupted and at a stand Out of all these places we may well collect That there is First A watching unto Prayer or before Prayer Secondly A watching in Prayer or in the Duty Thirdly A watching after Prayer or when the Duty is over 1. The VVatching unto Prayer or before the Duty is mainly to keep up a Praying frame that we may be ready upon all occasions to call upon God The praying frame lyeth partly in Brokenness of heart or a due sense of our Necessities and partly in an earnest Bent of heart towards God and holy and heavenly things and partly in an holy Liberty and Child-like confidence If either of these be lost how slack and backward shall we be in Gods Worship or slight in the performance of it whether in Closet or Family or publick Assemblies and slubber it over in any fashion But when this frame of spirit is kept up the Soul is mightily actuated and enlarged in the Duty As when there is brokenness of heart or a due sense of our Necessities which is the occasion of Prayer or an earnest desire of Grace which is the Soul of Prayer or our Liberty and Confidence is not broken which is the great Encouragement of Prayer then we are like light and airy Bodies whose natural motion is upwards so are we carried out towards God and Prayer is our Element in which we live and breathe Indeed the whole spiritual Life is but a watching unto Prayer that we may have alwayes a readiness for Communion with God 1 Pet. 3.7 2. There is a VVatching in Prayer that the Duty be performed with that seriousness attention and affection that the Nature of it doth require This Watching is necessary because of the slipperiness of our Hearts which easily go off from the work in hand We often mingle Sulphur with our Incense interline our Prayers with carnal distractions suffer our Hearts to be stollen away from under Christs own arm therefore we had need to watch Eccl. 5.1 2 3. There is a Watching after Prayer Partly that we may observe Gods dealing with us whether our Souls have been streightened or whether he hath given liberty hidden his face or shewed himself gracious Here we may gather some matter of Comfort to our selves and Thanksgiving to God Col. 6.2 We must not throw away our Prayers as Children shoot away their Arrows and never look after them Hab. 2.1 I will pray and look up to spy the Blessing a coming We should have many an Argument against Atheism great helps to Faith and encouragements to love God and many a sure ground of comfort in our selves if we did look after the answer of our Prayers And partly that we lose not that affection which we have professed and expressed before God We seemed to express a great desire of glorifying his Name and doing his Will and being sanctified pardoned and strengthened against Temptations Now 't is but the personating and acting a part before God if we be not such in some measure as we professed our selves
so in the Body each Member liveth in the Whole and the Whole in all the Members and they all exercise their several Functions for the Common Good 1 Cor. 12.25 The Members should have the same care one of another We are not Friends and Brethren but Members 2. No one thing is so much inculcated in his Sermons John 15.17 These things I command you that ye love one another Will you take a Charge from a dying Man This was the great Charge that Christ left at his Death it was a Legacy as well as a Precept Speeches of dying Men are wont to be received with much Veneration and Reverence especially the Charge of dying Friends The Brethren of Joseph fearing lest he should remember the Injuries done to him in seeking his Life selling him into Egypt they use this Plea Gen. 50.16 17. Thy Father commanded us before he died saying So shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the Trespass of thy Brethren and their Sin for they did thee Evil And now we pray thee forgive the Trespass of the Servants of the God of thy Father We count it a piece of Natural Honesty to fulfil the Will of the Dead When Christ took his leave of the Disciples this was the Charge that he left upon them Therefore when thy Heart beginneth to be exulcerated consider What Love do I bear Christ since I do not respect his last Commandment Again as it was Christ's last Commandment so it was his new Commandment John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you That you love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another It was his solemn Charge A New Commandment How New since it was as old as the Moral Law or Law of Nature New because Excellent as a New Song or new because solemnly and expresly renewed by him and commended to their Care as new Things and new Laws are much esteemed and prized Christ would have this Commandment always new and fresh or new because enforced by a New Argument As I have loved you so should ye love one another When we see how much Christ hath loved us even to the Death of the Cross we may learn to love with a new kind of Love Experti amorem meum tam novum inauditum This was a new kind of Love indeed to enkindle Love in our Souls Christ gave us such a new kind of Love as was never seen nor heard of Christ came from Heaven to propound us a Patern of Charity as to repair and preserve the Notions of the Godhead by the greatness of his Sufferings so to shew us a Patern of Charity and to elevate Duty between Man and Man Ephes. 5.2 Walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour In Christ's Example we see the highest Patern of Love John 15.9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you His Father loved him with an Infinite Love yet parted with him for the Salvation of Men and Christ parted with himself and all to raise our Love to God and Men the higher But I digress 3. In his Prayers that which he reinforced again and again is Unity and Love When he was about to die he foresaw the Divisions of the Church and that Satan would by all means endeavour to sow Strife corrupt Nature putteth us on Discords He left some Apostles others Believers but all Men wherefore he prays for the Apostles Let them be One for Believers Let them be One. Christ that left Unity as a Charge in his last Sermons he would leave it as a Legacy in his last Prayers But why was Christ so earnest in his Prayers 1. Because it is such an Excellent Blessing Christ would not have been so earnest for it if it had not been so excellent I would not digress into a commendation of Concord and Love Pax ab omnibus landatur à paucis servatur all commend it tho few observe it yet a little will not be unnecessary This is the Strength and Safety of the Church Col. 3.14 And above all things put on Charity which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bond of Perfectness or a perfect Bond the Cement of the Church The Church is but one Temple where Stones squared by Grace are cemented with Love and inhabited by the same Spirit this keepeth them fast in the Building This is the Beauty and Safety of the Church the joining that runneth through all the squared Stones As the Health of the outward Body dependeth on the Symetry and Proportion of the Members and the Harmony and Disposition of all the Parts so doth the Welfare of the Church upon the Bond of Love Next to Truth there is not a greater Blessing and Christ prayeth for the Apostles that they might be kept in the Truth for this End that they might be one in Love And as nothing is more profitable to the Church so nothing is more acceptable to God it pleaseth God exceedingly to see all that call him Father to love as Brethren Certainly there is not a greater Grief to his Spirit than to see us divided in Opinion and Affection in our Prayers and Supplications Certainly there is much in Concord in praying when all God's Children do besiege Heaven with uniform and joint Supplications Things stick in the Birth because we are not agreed what to ask As Reformation sticketh towards Men because we are not agreed what to hold forth to the World so it sticketh as to God because we are not agreed what to ask When the Israelites would have God's Help it is said They came all as one Man to ask his Counsel Judges 20.1 Then all the Children of Israel went out and the Congregation was gathered together as one Man from Dan even to Beersheba with the Land of Gilead unto the Lord in Mizpeh Oh when shall it be so amongst us there is not only Altar set up against Altar but Prayer against Prayer We are first divided in Practices and Opinions and then in Prayers God's dear Children and Servants are divided in Language we cannot in charity but judg them to be acted with the same Spirit inspired with the same Breath yet they yield a different sound It is said of the Primitive Believers that they continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Acts 1.14 And they were with one accord in one place when the Holy-Spirit descended on them Acts 2.1 And yet how seldom doth any publick Congegration meet with one mind in the same place As in an Organ when some Pipes do make a sound others keep silence Mat. 18.19 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 God looks for an Agreement and Harmony in our Requests if we would speed with him 2. Because Christ foresaw
Service about himself for bestowing on him the Gift of Miracles for trusting him with the Bag. Christ had lately washed his Feet as well as of the rest of the Apostles yet he obstinately goeth on in ways of Self-Perdition and his purpose of betraying his Lord and Master yea contrary to many Warnings given him Vse Oh take heed of a wilful obstinacy and wresting your selves out of the Arms of Mercy of being of such a disposition that nothing will reclaim you for that is to be a Son of Perdition Wilful Sins have a greater mark upon them than other Sins As when you go 1. Against an express Commandment Prov. 13.13 Whoso despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth a Commandment shall be rewarded If a Commandment stand in your way it should be more than if a Band of Armed Men stood to hinder you Many make nothing of a Commandment they fear a Judgment from God or a Punishment from Men but never stand upon the Word of God 2. Against express Warnings of those that wish well to your Souls Deut. 1.43 So I spake unto you and you would not hear but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went presumptuously up into the Hill When Men are wedded to their own Inclinations outfacing all Challenges in God's Name they will do what they are set upon Psal. 12.4 With our Tongues will we prevail our Lips are our own who is Lord over us This is not far from a Judgment 2 Chron. 36.15 16. And the Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his People and on his Dwelling-place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Words and misused his Prophets until the Wrath of the Lord rose against his People till there was no Remedy This Contempt will draw down Wrath no means to appease God 3. Against Checks of Conscience and Motions of God's Spirit in our Hearts Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Conscience telleth them ye ought not to yield to this Sin whatever the Profit and Pleasure be yet Men kick against the Pricks and do that which their own Hearts disallow Rom. 14.22 Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing that he alloweth And in spight of these good Motions they will go forward to perfect the Sin which they have in chase then God lets them alone le ts them go on till they perish 4. Against Restraints of Providence when God hath hedged up their Way with Thorns or they have found much inconvenience in that course 2 Chron. 28.22 In the time of his distress he trespassed yet more and more This is that King Ahaz the Scripture sets a Brand upon him As Baalam would go on 2 Pet. 2.16 But was rebuked for his Iniquity the dumb Ass speaking with Man's Voice forbad the madness of the Prophet When Men go on over the Belly of more than ordinary Opposition till they perish A Miracle will not stop a Sinner in the violent pursuit of his Lusts. Providence hath a Language that biddeth us stop but the sway of Lusts is great and breaks through all Restraints Oh! take heed then of being self-willed stout-hearted in a sensual course wedded to our own Inclinations of being a Slave to Sensual Appetite and being led by it more than by Holy Reasons Take heed of love to some unmortified Lust especially to Covetousness this is the cause of extream violence in Sin Jer. 44.16 17. As for the Word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own Mouth to burn Incense unto the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto her 2. Observe from his Character The Son of Perdition The same Name is given to Antichrist 2 Thess. 2.3 That Man of Sin be revealed the Son of Perdition Judas was a Type of Antichrist as they said of the blind Man John 9.9 Some said This is he others said He is like him The Pope boasteth that his Seat is Apostolical and that he is the Successor of an Apostle If we grant it and he will needs be a Successor of an Apostle there is an Error in the Person it is not Peter but Judas Let us see the Parallel 1. Judas was not a Stranger but a pretended Friend and an Apostle Acts 1.17 He was numbred with us and obtained part of this Ministry So the Pope obtained part of this Ministry Turks and Infidels are Enemies to Christ Antichrist must be one that seeketh to undermine Christ under a pretence of Friendship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for and against Christ. He maketh War with the Horns of the Lamb Rev. 13.11 If he were a professed Adversary what Mystery were there in it Now it is a Mystery of Iniquity 2 Thess. 2.7 A false Prophet Rev. 16.13 It is wisdom to discern him Rev. 13.18 Here is Wisdom Let him that hath understanding count the Number of the Beast 2. Judas sold Christ for a small Matter So Omnia Romae venalia Pardons Indulgences Freedom from Purgatory all to be bought at Rome The Antichristian State maketh a Market of Religion Truth is made to yield to Interest and Profit 3. Judas betrayed Christ with a Kiss Antichrist is a true Adversary of Christ and yet pretendeth to adore him He pretendeth to be his Servant and Vicar and is his Enemy not an Enemy without the Church but within the Church that betrayeth Christ under a colour of adoration 4. Judas was a Guide to them that came to take Jesus Christ is in Heaven Death hath no more dominion over him his natural Body is above abuse but in his mystical Body he still suffereth Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The Pope is the Head of the Persecuting State others are his Emissaries and Agents to persecute Christ in his Members It is a Politick Religion carried on with Cruelty 5. Judas was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of Perdition as destroying himself and involving others in the same Condemnation So is Antichrist called in the Revelations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 9.11 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Destroyer of Souls of himself and others Vse Let all these things open our Eyes that we may behold the Man of Sin One Egg is not more like another than Judas and Antichrist 3. Observe That Carnal Practices will end in Perdition Because Judas is called the Son of Perdition let us see what course he took to undo himself Let us look upon his Sin and Punishment 1. For his Sin In the Story of Judas four Sins are most remarkable his Covetousness his Hypocrisy his Treason and his Despair 1. His Covetousness This was the Root of all as indeed it is the Root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Christ had made him his Treasurer and
Ordinances Heb. 6.18 We have strong Consolation Mat. 26.30 When they had sung an Hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives tho it were a sad time The Eunuch went away rejoicing as soon as he was baptized because he was made sure of the Grace of God Acts 8.39 It is as when a Man hath a good Lease confirmed to him It is not the Bread and Wine rejoiceth the Heart but the renewing of the Covenant 4. Meditation It refresheth the Soul and feeds Joy It is the proper and natural use of Reason The Speculation even of terrible Things is grateful It was the Comfort God himself took in his Works he made them he saw them It is a refreshing to the Soul to think of Creation and Providence as a Son taketh pleasure in a History wherein are recorded his Father's valiant Acts. It is a pure Recreation But oh the sweetness of Redemption the excellency of Glory The Thoughts are sent as Spies into the Land of Promise hereby we have a Pisgah-sight it giveth us a foretaste of Heaven and filleth our Souls with Joy and Blessedness SERMON XXII JOHN XVII 14 I have given them thy Word and the World hath hated them because they are not of the World even as I am not of the World CHRIST had urged several Arguments on the behalf the Apostles their Interest his own Departure their Danger in the World this is the Argument he now presseth Their Danger because of the World's hatred is set forth by the occasion of it their Office I have given them thy Word the Cause of it They are not of the World which is amplified by their conformity to the Patern and Example of Christ Even as I am not of the World So that we have here the Condition of the Saints in the World and then their Constitution and Temper I have given them thy Word Partly by external Revelation in his Ministry during Life Partly by inward Illumination he had given them the Knowledg of it John 16.27 Ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God John 17.6 I have manifested thy Name to the Men which thou gavest me out of the World Partly by Tradition or Commission he had left the Word with them not only that they might profess it but preach it to others There is an Emphasis in Thy Word Christ grounded his Plea with the Father upon it Men are wont to respect those that suffer for their Sake and Cause And the World hath hated them By the World is meant that Party which is contrary to Christ's Kingdom they are sometimes called the Kingdom of Darkness because the Devil is their Head and Chief sometimes the World because that is their Aim they are guided by the malicious Spirit of Satan and acted by their own Ends and Interests Briefly they are called the World either because the greatest the most flourishing part of Mankind are obstinate against the Gospel or because their whole Bent their Way their Savour is of the World they relish nothing but the World the wicked unbelieving obstinate part of the World And it is said hath hated them hitherto in their Profession they have had but sad experience of the World and in the Course of their future Ministry they can expect no better Because they are not of the World Of the World that is of that strain and sort of Men as of the Devil is to be swayed by him John 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father ye will do They are different from the World in Spirit in Worship in Conversation In Spirit or in the frame of their Hearts 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit that is of God There is a particular Genius that runneth out that way they have other manner of Affections and Dispositions In Worship they are to root out inveterate Superstitions both among Jews and Gentiles Now Men are tender of their old Customs and Traditions Unconformity doth exasperate them much more zealous opposition against Traditions received from their Fathers In Conversation they are come out from among them they are Heteroclites 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to all excess of Riâ—i speaking evil of you Their Course is a countermotion to the Fashions of the World they have renounced worldly Desires and Practices Even as I am not of the World most estranged from the Customs and Fashions of it John 8.23 Ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this World I am not of this World He tasted of the World's hatred John 15.18 19. If the World hateth you you know it hated me before it hated you If ye were of the World the World would love its own but because ye are not of the World but I have called you out of the World therefore the World hateth you This is added for the Consolation of the Disciples that it may not be grievous to them to suffer what their Master suffered before them When the King is wounded in Battel should the Souldier shrink They have my Spirit and are to inherit my Office and they that have Christ's Spirit must look for Christ's Entertainment Only when it is said Even as I am not of this World it noteth not an exact Equality but some Conformity Christ never was of the World Heb. 7.26 He was Holy Harmless Vndefiled separate from Sinners that is he never was of their number After the Fall all Men are of the World but by Regeneration they are so no more therefore it is said John 15.19 Ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World Ye are separated by God's Fan the Wheat from the Chaff and cut off from your old Root by the Sword of the Word 1. Observe That Christians especially Ministers to whom Christ hath given his Word must expect the World's hatred I apply it to both because Christ hath given the Word to both to ordinary Christians by Regeneration to Ministers by special Commission Ordinary Christians are cut off from the World by the Sword of the Word and Conformity is the ground of Love as Difformity and Dissonancy of Practice is of Hatred and Aversation And Ministers have a special Commission to preach it And then both hold forth the Word Ministers clearly they manage the Fan and of private Christians it is said Phil. 2.15 16. That ye be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the World Holding forth the Word of Life They copy out the Word in their Lives they are a living Sermon a walking Rule they preach by their Lives the Truth is held forth in a Minister's Mouth but in a Believer's Conversation 1. Christians that do not let fall the Strictness and Majesty of their Conversations if they keep the Word that Christ hath given
Love of Christ is there too His Love may be in us in the Sense and Feeling when we have the assurance of it Rom. 5.5 The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which he hath given to us that they may feel it in their Hearts that God loved them in Christ. There is the Work of the Spirit and the Witness of the Spirit both are intended in that Expression chiefly the latter such a Sense of God's Love as stirreth up Joy and Thankfulness and Hope The precious Ointment gave no savour while it was shut up in a Box till it was poured out So God's Love while it is kept secret it yieldeth no reviving Fragrancy These two differ for many have the Effects of God's Love but not the Sense and the Effects of Love do always abide for it is an Immortal Seed but the Sense of Love is flitting and changeable Nothing can separate us from the Love of God in Christ yet the Love of God in Christ is often beclouded overcast and interrupted and some have more Effects tho less Sense the most shining Years are not always the most Fruitful a Man may have greater increase of Grace tho less comfort Observe for your Comfort that Christ prayeth for both he hath prayed not only for Grace but for Assurance that we may feel our selves beloved by the Father The Lord delighteth not only to love us but to assure us of his Love It is no comfort to a blind Man to hear of a glorious Sun or brave Shews he cannot see them God would not leave us in the dark but give us an Experience of his Love II. How this ariseth from the Manifestation of God's Name in the Gospel 1. The Knowledg of God is a means to kindle our Respects to God 2. To convey the Influence of his Grace to us 1. It is a means to kindle our Respects to God as Trust Psal. 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee Men are ignorant of God's Goodness Mercy and Truth and therefore they make so little use of him Usually Fears are in the Night Doubts come from Ignorance of the Tenour of the Gospel if we did believe those Things to be true which are revealed concerning his Mercy and Love to Sinners we should trust in him Fire once kindled would burst out of it self into a Flame so did we once savingly know God's Name there would be more Trust and Confidence in God Isa. 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obey the Voice of his Servant that walketh in Darkness and hath no Light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God We are overwhelmed with Difficulties and Straits for want of studying God's Name So also for Love Cant. 1.3 Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee Ignoti nulla cupido Love springeth from Knowledg In the Beams of the Sun there is a mixture of Warmth and Light We know not the Gift of God and therefore our Bowels are not troubled Did we but see him as he is it would set us all on Fire 2. It is the means to convey all the Influences of Grace to us 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the Knowledg of God and of Jesus our Lord. God worketh upon us as rational Creatures agreeably to an intelligent Nature and so nothing can be wrought unless Knowledg go before An House the more the Windows stand open the more it is filled with Light so the more Knowledg the more is the capacity of the Soul inlarged to receive Comfort and Grace Guilty Nature is full of Fears more presagious of Evil than of Good and therefore it must have clear grounds of Comfort and Hope But you will say How comes it to pass that Persons of great Knowledg want Comfort and have no sense of God's Love I Answer It is not the Light of Parts but of the Spirit I have declared c. It is God's Prerogative to settle the Conscience I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace c. Isa. 57.19 The Gospel is a Sovereign Plaister but God maketh it work Our own Thoughts do nothing unless God put in with them Vse 1. It informeth us of a double Duty 1. To study God's Name It would settle the Conscience to meditate upon those Declarations which Christ hath made of his Will Deep Thoughts fasten things upon the Spirit and musing maketh the Fire to burn How hath God declared himself we may trust him upon his Word Psal. 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. We should oftner find sweetness if we did oftner meditate of God It is sweet thus to inlarge our Thoughts upon the Promises and Comforts of the Gospel 2. To apply it When God's Name is proclaimed and made known to thee urge thy own Soul with it Rom. 8.31 What shall we say to these things Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good This is Christ's Aim that Knowledg should beget Love in them Knowledg without Application doth no good We must take out our Share The Riches of God's Goodness are laid open to us for this End and Purpose that we may feel what is expressed We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us 1 John 4.16 It is no presumption it is the great End why the Gospel was written Wicked Men are too forward and presumptuous of God's Love they continue their ungodly Courses do those things which offend him and yet are perswaded that God loveth them God's Children pray against their Sins and fight against their Sins and yet after all cannot be perswaded of it There is a fear of Presumption and a fear of Security 1. A fear of Presumption as some say I am not worthy it is as if you should say I am too poor to ask or receive an Alms too filthy to be washed say not so for this is the way to make you worthy 2. Of Security this is to say If I take the Physick I shall be sick whereas it is not by applying Christ that we are endangered but by an insensibleness of our Misery If thou feelest thy Misery there is no danger of Security it is not every thing will satisfy a sensible Sinner not every slight Comfort Vse 2. Examination Whether you have gotten benefit by the Gospel Is God's Love in you Have you any Fruits or Feeling of his Love Can you say God loveth you All God's Children cannot feel his Love but have you the Fruits of his Love The Feeling of his Love is to be improved immediately to Thankfulness and the Fruits of his Love are to be improved by Spiritual Discourse to Confidence The present Argument will afford us ground of search and enquiry 1. Things without us are excluded they can be no Evidence or Argument of God's Love It
Christ we partake of the influence and fruit of his Merit and Purchace and the benefit is made ours and so our old man is said to be crucified with him The Merit of his Passion beginneth then to take place so that every good Christian can say I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 our old man beginneth then to receive its deaths wounds so that we are not the â—ame men we were before being made partakers of the fruit of Christs Death II. The Fruit of it or what the Spirit is to do that is intimated in the next Clause That the body of sin might be destroyed Here 1. What is meant by the body of sin 2. In what sense it is said to be destroyed 1. What is meant by the body of sin Answ. By the body of sin is meant the whole stock and mass of corruption which is called a body of sin 1. Because it is composed of many sinful passions and disorders as the body is of divers members Col. 2.11 In putting off the body of the sins of the flesh And again Col. 3.5 Mortifie your members upon the earth It is not meant of the natural but sinful body for it follows Fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry 2. Because they are executed by the body Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies And Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Sin is gotten within us by the Soul but it hath taken possession of the body the gate of the senses let it in and other powers of the body are as ready to let it out 2. In what sense it is said to be destroyed The Duty is ours but the Grace is from God it is done on Gods part by the Spirit but it is our duty Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Both Agents carry it on to such a degree in this life as it may not reign in us On Gods part there needeth no more Merit to get sin destroyed but that of Christ nor a greater power than that of the Spirit to subdue it and by degrees the work is accomplished its reiging power is taken away by converting Grace it s very Being is abolished by his final perfecting Grace The same Spirit that begun it at first ceaseth not to work till it be wholly abolished in us On our part we must yield up our selves to be renewed by him and obey his sanctifying motions till our cure be perfectly wrought Observe here 1. It is the whole body of sin must be quitted and put off not actions only but lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Not some parts only and branches but all sin As the body compasseth about and incloseth the Soul so doth the body of sin inclose us The corrupt mass is made up of many sins it is an impure body that hath many members now all these must be mortified 2. It must be carried on to such a degree that sin may lye a dying We must not cease to oppose sin till it be destroyed not only scratch the face of it but seek to root it out Christians are said to destroy sin four ways 1. Proposito in the setled purpose of their hearts as Christ ceased not till he had done his work so a Christian 1 Pet. 4.1 Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin Now a work is spoken of as done when it is throughly purposed to be done As a fire is said to have taken an house when it hath only taken a little corner of the house because if it be not quenched it will in time consume all There is a fixed purpose to get rid of it 2. Voto in desire in their constant Prayer accompanied with hearty groans Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Psal. 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Nothing less will content them than a total extirpation of sin 3. Conatâ— they have begun it with a mind to finish it and are always thwarting and curbing the desires of corrupt Nature 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest after I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 4. Eventu the work is not only really begun but they have some success in it and while it is a doing they have the comfort of it The reign of sin is broken Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace They are somewhat enabled to prevail over it so far that there is a manifest difference between them and the carnal whilst others cherish their lusts and make provision for them they crucifie them and are freed from that base servitude III. What man must do or the Obligation lying upon us That henceforth we should not serve sin Here observe 1. The word Henceforth We did before serve sin before Regeneration we were all slaves Tit. 3.3 Serving divers lusts and pleasures There is a double notion of servitude intimated in Scripture and confirmed by the practice of all Nations One is of those that yield up themselves by their own consent and willing subjection in bondage to another of which that Text speaketh Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey These are servants by consent that yield up their time and strength and life to de disposed of by another to whom they have sold themselves The other is of that slavery which is introduced by Conquest as those that were taken in War were at the dispose of him that took them that is spoken of 2 Pet. 2.19 While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage The first deliver up themselves as servants and slaves by their own consent the other by Conquest for by the Law of Nature Victory giveth Dominion and though men had a mind to do otherwise they cannot help themselves Both notions express the reign of sin and our servitude under it which is both voluntary and unavoidable at first it is voluntary afterwards unavoidable they first yielded up themselves and then are overcome by their base and brutish lusts and so lose all liberty and strength of will to help themselves first willingly and by our own default we run into it and afterwards we are captivated and though we are convinced of better we shall do that which is worse being overcome by our lusts though they see their duty they are not able to perform it they
the Light of Nature in this point we may see clearly how great a disorder it is to obey or fulfil these bodily lusts to the wrong of God and the Soul and that the true Honour and Dignity of a Man consists in the Victory which he hath over himself and that to pamper the flesh is not our honour but our disgrace and that these irregular desires should not be gratified but mortified 2. Christian Piety or the Tenor of our Religion requireth it of us The drift of this Religion is to recover men out of their Apostasie and to promote true genuine Holiness in the World to dispossess us of the Beast and that Man being restored to Man might be also brought back again to God or in short to draw us off from the animal life to life spiritual and eternal As appeareth 1. By the Precepts of it which mainly tend to inforce Self-denial Mortification Recess from the World that we may not miscarry in our Obedience to God by our bodily lusts Mat. 16.24 If any will come after me let him deny himself Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry The whole drift and business of this Religion is to drive out the Spirit of the World and to introduce a Divine and heavenly Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God That part of the World which is mad and brutish is enslaved to lower things but the other part which hath submitted to the healing Institution of Christ should be wise and heavenly The Cure which Christ intended was of the great Disease of Mankind which was that the immortal Soul being deprest and tainted by the Objects of Sense doth wholly crook and writhe it self to carnal things and instead of Likness to God the Image of a Beast was impressed upon mans Nature and the Divine part enslaved and embondaged to the brutish 2. By its Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Cor. 4.18 That man may seek his happiness in some higher and more transcending good than the beasts are capable of something that suits with his immortal Spirit In short to draw us off from things we see and inordinately love to a Glory and Blessedness wholly unseen and future 3. By the Grace provided for us namely the Spirit of Christ whose great design is to free man from a state of subjection to the flesh and by overcoming the lusts thereof to make him ready for all the Graces and Duties of the spiritual Life Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit He is first renewed by this Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and then acted and assisted by him Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit 4. By being baptized into this Religion we are bound to this strict care for in our Baptism we did solemnly renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh as the Usurpers must be thrust out before the rightful Lord can take Possession Joshua 24.23 Put away the strange Gods which are among you and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel and we are dedicated to Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier as before We are to count our selves to be dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God vers 11. Now it is the greatest Hypocrisie that can be to be under this solemn Obligation to God and let sin reign in us Baptism is a Sign and Seal of Grace on Gods part and on ours a Bond of Duty on Gods part that he will cleanse and wash away sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins On our part it obligeth us to do what in us lieth to destroy sin a Bond never to be forgotten by us 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Vse 1. To humble us that we have so much forgotten our solemn Covenant so much cared for the Body and so little cared for the Soul that time and heart hath been so much taken up about those things which belong to the present life The mortal Body is minded at every turn and how much may the immortal but neglected Soul complain of hard usage We profess subjection to the Gospel and therefore should seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to us Mat. 6.33 but we walk too much according to the course of the carnal careless World Eph. 2.2 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind 2. Strengthen the Bonds and anew devote your selves to Obedience vers 13. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Bind your selves for time to come to make it your work not to indulge the flesh but save your Souls Heb. 10.39 For we are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. 3. Take great heed that sin reign not by bodily lusts 1. The Necessity of this These Lusts are represented as deceitful Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts And as violent and imperious Rom. 7.20 Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me both together Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed We are by subtilty blinded by the delusions of the Flesh and it is always endeavouring to get the Throne and hurry us to destruction and seeking to divert us from the Love of God the more we indulge them the more imperious they are the more caution and resolution therefore is necessary 2. The danger of not doing it 1. They do not only unfit us for God but for humane Society Jam. 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members They make you disquiet all others
of sin Or as the Saints of God are eminent for some special Graces Abraham for Faith Moses for Meekness Job for Patience Joseph for Chastity Timothy for Temperance so these have their notorious and contrary blemishes 2. There is a more secret and close Dominion of Sin that is varnished over with a fair appearance Men have many good qualities no notorious blemishes but yet some sensitive good or other lieth nearest the heart and occupieth the room and place of God that is it is loved respected and served instead of God or more than God that which is our chiefest Good or last End is our God or occupieth the room of God Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Joh. 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Luke 14.26 If any come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple We must be dead not only to carnal Pleasures but to Relations Estate yea Life and all nothing on this side God must fit nearest the heart nor bring us under its command and power 1 Cor. 6.12 I will not be brought under the power of any thing We are besotted and bewitched with some temporal thing cannot part with it or leave it for Gods sake or notwithstanding all the mischief it doth to his interest in the Soul though a man serve it cunningly closely and by a cleanly conveyance yet all his Religion is to hide and feed this Lust. 6. There is a Predominancy of one Sin over another and the Predominancy of Sin over Grace In the first sense renewed men may be said to have some reigning corruption or predominant sin namely in comparison of other sins That such predominant sins they have appeareth by the great sway and power they bear in commanding other evils to be committed or forborn accordingly as they contribute to the advancement or hinderance of this sin As in the Body a Wen or Strain draweth all the noxious humors to its self and thereby groweth moâ—e great and monstrous It appeareth also by the frequent relapses of the Saints into them and their unwillingness to admit admonition and reproof for them and sometimes their falling into them out of an inward propensity when outward Temptations are none or weak or very few Well then there are some sins which are less mortified than others or unto which they are naturally carried by Constitution or Education natural Inclination or course of Life Thus David had his iniquity Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity whether it were hastiness or distrust of the Promise or also an inclination to revenge himself some sins that men favour or withstand less or which are most urgent and importunate upon them and steal away their hearts most from God the great Pond into which other rivulets or streams of sin do empty themselves or that bough or limb which taketh away the nourishment from all the under-shrubs that which is loved and delighted in above other sins and when other sins will not prevail the Devil sets this a-work as the Disciples looked on the Disciple whom Jesus loved Joh. 13.23 24. Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of the disciples whom Jesus loved Simon Peter therefore beckened unto him that â—e should ask Who it should be of whom he spake Well then in regard of other sins one may reign and sit in the Throne of the Heart or be loved more than another but not in regard of Predominancy over Grace for that is contrary to the new Nature that sin should have the upper hand constantly and universally in the Soul For any one thing though never so lawful in it self habitually loved more than God will not stand with sincerity Luke 14.33 Whosoever be be that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple if we must not keep our natural Comforts certainly not our carnal Lusts. To love any thing apart from Christ or against Christ or above Christ is a dispossessing of Christ or a casting him out of the Throne 7. There is a twofold Prevalency and Dominion actual or habitual Actual is only for a time habitual for a constancy though a regenerate man be not one that lets sin reign over him habitually yet too often doth sin reign over him actually as to some particular acts of sin First The habitual Reign of Sin may be known by the general frame and state of the heart and life where it is constantly yielded unto and not controuled and opposed but beareth sway with the contentment and delight of the party sinning Men give the bridle to sin and let it lead them whither it will and generally walk after the flesh and not after the Spirit no doubt that is peccatum regnans cui homo nec vult nec potest resistere the sinner hath neither will nor power because usually after many lapses into hainous sin God giveth up men to penal or judicial hardness of heart they first voluntarily take on these bonds and chains upon themselves these are said to walk after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 to continue or live in sin Rom. 6.2 to be dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.1 to serve divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 to draw on iniquity with cart-ropes Isa. 5.18 to addict and give up themselves to a trade of sin with delight and consent But more closely the reign of sin is never broken till the Flesh be made subject to the Spirit that will be found by examining every day what advantage the Spirit hath gotten against the Flesh or the Flesh against the Spirit how Providences and Ordinances are blessed for that end or for the weakening of sin for every day the one or the other gets ground Dough once soured with Leaven will never lose the taste and smatch but the sweetness of the Corn may prevail above it Sin dwelleth in the heart but doth it decay Gal. 5.16 This I say walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Secondly Actual Sin may now and then get a Victory over the Faithful but not a full quiet Reign Sin actually prevaileth when we do that which is evil against our Consciences or yield pro hic nunc to obey sin in the lusts thereof It gameth our consent for the time but the general frame and bent of the heart is against it In short when sin is perfected into some evil action or lust hath conceived and brought forth sin Jam. 1.15 that is some heinous offence for that time no question it hath the upper hand and carrieth it from Grace and the Flesh doth shew it self in them more than the
mercy and find grace to help in time of need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam had habitual Grace but he gave out at the first assault When a City is besieged the Prince who would defend it doth not leave it to its ordinary strength and the standing Provisions which it had before but sendeth in fresh Supplies of Soulders Victuals and Ammunition and such things as their present exigence calleth for So doth God deal with his people his Spirit cometh in with a new Supply that they may the better avoid sin and stand out in an hour of Tryal So from the World which is continually obtruding it self upon our embraces and it is hard to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 The new Nature was given us for that end and also the Spirit of God is necessary 1 Joh. 4.4 Ye are of God and have overcome the world for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world The Spirit is necessary as against the Terrors so the Delights of it 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God that so the World may not corrupt us nor intice us to affect its Riches Honours and Pleasures above God and the Conscience of our Duty to him 2. There is great incouragement to us to set upon the work of Mortification because it is carried on by the help and power of the Spirit if we were to grapple with sin in our own strength then we might sit down and despair and dye but the Spirit is appointed for this end and purchased for us by Jesus Christ for all that come to him with broken hearts and do not by their carelesness negligence or other sin provoke the Lord to withdraw his exciting Grace if you do humbly implore his assistance wait for his approaches attend and obey his motions you shall find what the Spirit is able and willing to do for you He is able surely though you are ready to say I shall never get rid of this naughty heart renounce these bewitching lusts there are none so carnal but he can change them and bend and incline their hearts to God and heavenly things 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God He can turn Swine into Saints a Dunghil into a Bed of Spices none should give way to sottish despair God never made a Creature too hard for himself And when he hath begun an interest for God in our Souls he can maintain it notwithstanding oppositions and temptations Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. God is willing to give the Spirit to them that ask it as a Father is to give a Child what is necessary for him Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Be careful you do not grieve the Spirit and make your selves uncapable of his help Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption The Spirit of God will not forsake us unless we forsake him first The Spirit is grieved when Lust is obeyed before him when his Counsels and holy Inspirations are smothered and we yield easily to the requests of sin but are wholly deaf to his motions if so indeed he ceaseth to give us warning and to renew and continue the excitations of his Grace water once heated congealeth the sooner so they are most hardened who have been notably touched with his sacred Inspirations but go a quite contrary way But the Renewed need not doubt of his help for God hath promised the Spirit to them to cause them to walk in his ways Joh. 14.16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforâ—er that he may abide with you for ever Even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Well then do not complain but up and be doing against sin Laziness pretendeth want of power but is any thing too hard for the Spirit of the Lord It is a lamentable thing to see what a cowardly Spirit there is in most Christians how soon they are captivated and discouraged with every slender assault or petty temptation and their resolutions are shaken with the appearance of every difficulty This is affected weakness not so much want of strength as sluggishness and cowardize and want of care men spare their pains and then cry they are impotent like lazy Beggars who personate and act a Disease because they would not work Surely where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Many are not able to stand before the slightest motion of sin because they do not stir up themselves and awaken that strength which they have or improve that which God continually vouchsafeth to them by the motions of his Spirit It would be more for your comfort to try what you can do in the resistance of sin than idlely to complain for want of strength The two Extremes are Pride and Sloth Pride is seen in self confidence or depending upon our endeavours and resolutions and Sloth in a neglect of the Grace given or help afforded to you Christians should improve present strength against sin and still labour to get more Every Conquest will increase your strength against the next assault and one limb of the body of death mortified is a means to cause the rest to languish by consent 4. The next incouragement is the Promises of the Gospel which secure this benefit to us and surely the watching and the striving Person may take comfort in them There are two sorts of Promises some that do assure of necessary assistance some that speak of arbitrary assistance as Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flâ—sh 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 Now such Promises must be improved for the Covenant of God is the ground of our stability Adam had a seed of Grace but it was not secured by Promise and therefore he sinned it away the Victory is assured to us by Promise Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly In ordinary Conflicts it is a good Rule Non aequè glorietur accinctus ac discinctus but a Christian may triumph before the
Victory for all those who are really and earnestly striving against sin are sure to conquer these Promises may be pleaded to God as his own words by which he hath invited our hope and to our selves in case of fainting and discouragement that we may not coldly set upon the practice of Christianity Let us depend upon Gods Promise as Paul 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 5. There are certain Ordinances whereby this Grace is conveyed to us The Spirit joyneth his power and efficacy with the proper instituted means for the subduing of sin The Word is a powerful instrument which the Holy Ghost useth for the cleansing of the Soul from sin Joh. 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you yea for the killing of sin therefore it is called The Sword of the Spirit When we come to hear some new consideration is still given out for the further sanctifying of the heart Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth In Prayer we come to act Faith and Repentance looking up to God for help and with brokenness of heart mourning over our corruptions Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one 〈◊〉 for his only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born By every Prayer offered in the brokenness of our hearts sin receiveth a new wound So the Sacraments as in the Old Testament Circumcision signified a sanctifying of the heart Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that that thou mayest live and the Paschal Lamb was a Type of Christ Who taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 So Baptism and the Lord Supper Baptism signifieth the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins and he that liveth in sin forgetteth that is neglecteth his Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins as forgetting the Law is neglecting the Duty of it Psal. 119.153 I do not forget thy Law he carrieth himself as if he were never baptized for Baptism is a vowed death to sin So for the Lords Supper Every serious remembrance or meditation of Christs Death should quicken us anew to crucifie sin and to make it hateful to our Souls 1. As it representeth the great Act of Christs condescending Love which is a moving forcible Argument to perswade us to deny our inordinate self-love 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again 2. It is a viewing the heinousness and odiousness of sin there represented to us in the Agonies and Sufferings of Christ the more we consider of them the greater apprehensions should we have of the evil of sin the exactness of Gods Justice the terrour of his Wrath Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Christ was made sin for us and then endured these things 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him When we look upon sin through Satans Spectacles or the cloud of our own Passions or carnal Affections we make nothing of it but it is a terrible spectacle to see the fruit of sin in the Agonies and Sufferings of Jesus Christ which are there represented to us as if he were crucified before our eyes Gal. 3.1 O never have slight thoughts of sin more 3. As it implieth a solemn mutual Surrendry between Christ and us Cant. 2.16 I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Christ giveth himself and his Grace to us as our Redeemer and Saviour we accept Christ and his Benefits upon his own Terms and surrender our selves to him as his redeemed ones with thankfulness for so great a favour and benefit Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Now all this must needs be a great weakening of sin both the remembrance of Christs Love the representation of his great Sufferings necessary for the Expiation of it and our solemn renewed Dedication of our selves to God and his service and doing this in an holy Duty instituted by God for this end and purpose for the Spirit of God works by the appointed means and the use of instituted Duties is no fruitless labour for God would not set us a work in a Duty that should yield no profit and benefit to us 6. Providences are sanctified to this use as helps and occasions of subduing sin as Afflictions which do remove the occasions and substract the fuel of sin and awaken seriousness for the future Isa. 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin 2 Cor. 12.7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me left I should be exalted above measure The thorn in the flesh was given to mortifie his pride By these kind of Dispensations the Spirit worketh serious Humiliation and brokenness of hear◠maketh sin odious to us These are ordered with exact wisdom and faithfulness Psal. 119.75 O Lord I know that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me and they are accompanied by the Spirit therefore God is said to teach us out of his Law when he chastiseth us Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Job 36.10 He openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity the Rod is made effectual by the Spirits motion Object Some have frequently resolved to forsake their sins but their resolutions have come to nothing they have striven against it but as a great stone that is rolled up hill it hath returned upon them with the more violence or as a man rowing against the stream the Tide hath been strong against them and they have been forced the more back yea they have prayed against sin yet found no success and therefore think it is in vain to try any
for their evidences are not clear by which they should be tryed Mortification Gal. 5.24 They that are Chrisâ—s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Courage 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye 3 d Use is of Direction to all sorts of Christians 1. Do all your duties as those that are under the law of the spirit of life Not in the oldness of the letter but the newness of the spirit not customarily formally but seriously with a life and a power believe in the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Love in the spirit Col. 1.8 Who also declared to us your love in the spirit Hope in the spirit Gal. 5.5 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Hear in the spirit pray in the spirit and obey in the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit Let there be a Spirit and Life in all that you do 2. Beg of your Redeemer to pour out a fuller measure of his Spirit in your Souls he hath promised it Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Isa. 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground and I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring The Saints have begg'd it earnestly Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness And Luke 11.13 They that ask shall have None lack this grace but those that forfeit it by neglect and contempt and resistance of the motions of his holy Spirit 3. Vse Ordinances to this end All these are helps and means to obtain it the Gospel worketh morally and powerfully 'T is the Divine power giveth us all things to life and godliness therefore in the use of means you must wait for it 2 Pet. 1.3 According to his divine power he hath given us all things 4. Let us examine often and see if we are partakers of his Spirit Two Evidences there be of it and they are both in the Text life and liberty First life for this spirit is called the spirit of life in Christ Jesus by it we are enabled to live the life of faith and holiness Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the son of God Doth it rule the main course of your lives denying the pleasures and profits and honours of the World we must live in Christ and to Christ we must not only seek truth in the Gospel but life in the Gospel Secondly liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty There is more alacrity readiness and chearfulness in obedience Psal. 119.32 I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart 'T is a liberty not to do what we list but what we ought and that upon gracious and free motives with a large heart that can deny God nothing but is sweetly and strongly inclined to him SERMON III. ROM VIII 2 Hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death WE now come to the second point 2 Doct. That the new Covenant giveth liberty to all that are under it from the slavery of sin and the condemning power of the law Let me explain this point and here I shall shew you 1. That liberty supposeth precedent bondage 2. That our liberty must answer the bondage 3. I shall shew you the manner of getting our liberty First Liberty supposeth preceding bondage for when Christ spake of liberty or making them free the Jews quarrelled at it John 8.33 We were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou then that ye shall be made free So much we gather from their cavil That it is the first thought or the ready sentiment and opinion of mankind That to be made free implieth a foregoing bondage now our Bondage consisteth in a slavery to Sin and Satan and being under the condemning power of the law or obligation to the curse and eternal damnation 1. That man is under the slavery of sin which the Law convinceth him of that it is so with us the Scripture sheweth Titus 3.3 We were sometimes foolish and disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures 1. There is the condition of natural men they serve 2. The baseness of the Master lusts and divers lusts 3. The bait or motive by which they are drawn into this service intimated in the word pleasures for a little bruitish satisfaction a man selleth his Liberty his Soul his Religion his Good and All. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most proper to our purpose for that noteth his slavery carnal affections so govern us that we know not how to escape and come out of this thraldome we suffer the Beast to ride the Man it were monstrous in the body for the feet to be where the head should be or to have the limbs distorted to have the arms hang backward yet such a de-ordination there is in the Soul when Reason and Conscience is put in vassalage to sense and appetite The natural order is this Reason and Conscience directs the Will the Will moveth the affections the affections move the bodily Spirits and they the senses and members of the body but natural corruption inverts all pleasures affect the senses the senses corrupt the phantasy the phantasy moveth the bodily spirits the affections by their violence and inclination inslave the Will and blind the Mind and so man is carried head-long to his own Destruction This Slavery implieth three things 1. A willing subjection Rom. 6.16 Know ye not â—hat to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Servants were made so eitheâ— by consent or conquest The Apostle speaketh there not of servants by conquest but of servants by consent and covenant When a man yeildeth up himself to be at the disposal of another he is a servant to him so in moral matters by whatever a man is imployed and to which he giveth up his time and strength life and love to that he is a servant be it to the flesh or to the spirit as we make it our business to accomplish or gratifie the desires of the one or the other A godly man hath sin in him but he doth not serve it yield up himself to obey it he doth not walk after his lusts 2. Customary practise and observance John 8.34 Whosoever eommitteth sin is the servant of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that liveth in an habit and course of sin these are brought under the power of it inslaved by such pleasures as they affect 3. Inability to come out of this condition The Law is
God Men hate those whom they fear The Roman Historian observeth it proprium est humani ingenii odisse quos Laeserit Why Because we fear their revenge We have wronged God exceedingly and know that he will call us to an account and therefore being sensible of the righteousness of his Vindictive Justice we â—ate him All that are afraid of God with such a fear as hath torment in it aut extinctum Deum cupiunt aut exanimatum 't is a pleasing thought to them if there were no God Psal. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God As the Devils tremble at their own thoughts of God so do wicked men 'T were welcome News to them to hear there were no God 4. God's enemies carry on a double War against him offensive and defensive The offensive War is when men break his Laws imploy all their Faculties Mercies Comforts as Weapons of unrighteousness against God Rom. 6.13 Yeild not your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but yeild your selves to God Our Faculties Talents and Interests are imployed either as armour of light for God or as weapons of unrighteousness against God The defensive war is when we slight his Word despise his Grace resist the motions of his Spirit Acts 7.51 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear ye do always resist the Holy ghost When God bringeth his Spiritual Artillery to batter down all that which lifteth up its self against the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. When he besiegeth our hearts and battereth them daily by the rebukes and motions of his Spirit yet men will not yeild the Fortress but stand it out to the last take delight to go on in the obedience of their natural corruptions will not have Christ to reign over them and so they increase their enmity and double their misery by a resistance of grace and are Rebels not only against the Law but the Gospel stand out against their own mercies They are Enemies to an Earthly Prince that not only infest his Countrey with continual Inroads and Incursions but those also that keep his Towns and Strong Holds against him And in this sense an impenitent person and an enemy to God are equivalent Expressions in Scripture Tho you do not break out into open acts of Hostility against God yet if you will not come out of your bondage and come out of the misery and folly of your carnal estate you are enemies to him 5. That herein the enemies of our salvation agree that they all make us Rebels to God The Devil World and Flesh are equal in this The Devil's Servants and Subjects are opposite to Christ's Kingdom Eph. 6.12 Rulers of the darknese of this world And Col. 1.13 who hath translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son While we remain in the one Kingdom we are enemies to the other Luke 19.27 But for those mine enemies that would not that I should reign â—ver them bring them hither and slay them before me The World James 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend to the world is an enemy to God They whose hearts are set upon the pleasures profits and honours of the World they are withdrawn from God as their proper Lord and chief Happiness and will neither be ruled by his Will nor seek his love and favour First they will not be ruled by his Will for God and the World command contrary things The World saith Slack no opportunity of gain To stand nicely upon Conscience is to draw trouble upon our selves That to give is wasteful profuseness and to forgive folly and weakness God on the contrary biddeth us deny our selves take up our Cross telleth us that giving is receiving and the glory of a man is to pass by an offence or to forgive the wrongs done to him So the Flesh As the World tempts us to Rebellion against God so the Flesh swalloweth the Temptation it carrieth us to do what we list and disposeth us to a flat Rebellion against God and a contempt of his Authority 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou sinned and dispised the commandment of God The Flesh will have it so Psal. 2.3 Let us break his bands and cast away his cords from us Affectation of carnal liberty is the very effect of sense-pleasing and flesh pleasing so that the carnal mind implieth a downright opposition to the Law of God All our ways are enmity to it and a direct repugnancy against it Secondly Nor do we seek his love and favour as our happiness The World propoundeth Objects that are pleasant to our Senses necessary in part for our uses in subordination to other things and so enticeth us from God But it could not entice us were it not for the Flesh which greedily swalloweth the bait 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us and embraced the present world And 2 Tim. 3.4 lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God And John 5.44 How can you believe that receive honour one of another And so we are detained from God by the Creature which should be a step and stair that should lead us up to him The World is full of allurements to the Flesh and those mercies which would raise the mind to God are made the fuel of sensuality and the greatest means to keep it from him None neglect him so much as those that have most of the World Jer. 2.31 O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness to Israel a land of darkness wherefore say my people We are lords we will come no more at thee so Mark 10.24 How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into tâ—â— kingdom of God They are most apt to live an ungodly sensual life as having less occasion than others to drive them to God 6. This enmity arising from the flesh is the more strengthned and increased the more it gaineth the mind and corrupts the mind for two Reasons First Then the leading part of the soul which should guide and command the rest is corrupted also There is in the upper part of the soul a directive and imperial power to fit him to obey God Now 't is blinded as to the directive power and weakned as to its imperial and commanding power all must needs fall into disorder and man will live a rebel to the law of his creation and so be an enemy to God First as to the leading and directing part of the soul that is the understanding there is a great blindness come upon us by the lust of the flesh so that we have neither a due sense of our happiness nor our duty not of our happiness for till the eves of our minds are opened by the spirit we have no real perswasion of the world to come Eph. 1.18 The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that ye may
upon us first to observe the touches of Gods punishing and chastising hand reclaiming us from our wanderings Psal. 119.59 Before I was afflicted I went astray Secondly To reflect upon the motions of his spirit to draw us out of this estate that we may not resist the Holy Ghost Acts 5.31 Thirdly To examine every day what advantage the spirit hath gotten against the flesh how the interests of it is weakned its lusts checked its acts restrained Gal. 5.16 Every one that doth seriously mind the business of his salvation cannot but see these things of great advantage to his spiritual estate and there is no great difficulty in them to the serious soul that hath a mind to be saved 2. To those that seem to be recovered and to have a care of the spiritual life that they may not revert to this bondage and that the work may be more thoroughly wrought in them 1. Look to the mind take heed there be not flesh there for the fleshly mind is a great enemy to godliness Ro. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity to God and 't is a low poor mind blinded with the love of present things Jam. 3.15 The wisdom that descendeth not from above is earthly sensual devillish it hindereth us from discerning the reallity of our hopes and from having a true sense of our duty impressed upon our hearts 1 Cor. 2. 14. but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And also from applying our Rule to particular cases either in judging of our estate or in guiding of our actions 't is strange to see how the world or the delusion of the flesh do blind very knowing men and how unacquainted they are with their own hearts or unable to discern their duty in plain cases when the performance of it is likely to be displeasing to the Flesh. What strange disguises it puts upon a Temptation and how they wriggle and distinguish themselves out of their duty when either God must be disobeyed or the Flesh displeased the Flesh is always partial for its self therefore get a sound mind and this spiritual discerning 2. Look to the heart that there be no Flesh there Sinful inclinations must be observed and mortified Satan doth observe them and shall not we He seeth which way the Tree leaneth and what kind of diet their soul-distempers crave and suiteth his temptations accordingly As the skilful Angler suiteth his Bait as the fishes will take it every month 1 Cor. 7.5 lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency He hath a bait of Preferment for Absolom for he is ambitious a bait of Pleasure for Sampson for he is voluptuous a bait of Money for Judas for he is covetous Thus will he furnish them with Temptations answerable to their inclinations A man by Temper Voluptuous esteems not Profit much nor an Earth-worm Pleasure nor an Ambitious man much either of them but Honour and Reputation and great Place Now 't is sad that our Enemy should know our Temper better than our selves Your uprightness and faithfulness to God is seen in weakning your particular inclinations to sin Psal. 18.23 I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity Observe the decay of your Master-sin and other things will come on the more easily fight not against small or great but the King-lust the domineering sin Satan is the more discouraged when we can deny our domineering lusts As Sampson's strength lay in his locks so doth the strength of sin in one lust more than another Every man knoweth his darling commonly but that which is our great care is to wean our hearts from it Herod raged when John Baptist touched his Herodias Felix trembled when Paul touched his bribâ—ry and intemperance and the young man goeth away sad when Christ discovereth his worldliness Mark 10.22 We have all our tender parts which we cannot endure should be touched But now when you are willing to part with this sin pray strive and watch against it grow in the contrary grace it sheweth your self-denial and sincerity you will not spare your Isaac Well then see that no worldly thing be too near and dear to you and that God hath a greater interest in your heart than the flesh or any thing that belongeth to it 3. Let not the senses cast off the government of reason and be the ruling power in your souls They were not made to govern but to be governed and to be subjected to God and Reason Man by the fall is inverted Tit. 3.3 hateful and hating one another Man in his right constitution should be thus govern'd The Understanding and Conscience prescribe to the Will the Will according to right Reason and Conscience moveth the Affections the Affections move the bodily spirits and the members of the body but by corruption all is inverted and changed Pleasure affects the Senses the Senses corrupt the Phantasy the Phantasy the Bodily spirits they the Affections and the Affections by their violence and impetuous inclination to forbidden things move the Will and the Will yeilding blindeth the Mind and so man is carried headlong to his own destruction the feet are where the head should be e contra Well then you must guide the senses as Job made a covenant with his eyes Job 31.1 and David prayeth Psal. 119.37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity They let in Objects and Objects stir up Thoughts and Thoughts Affections Mat. 5.28 Now take heed they do not grow masterly if they transmit Temptations and stir up evil motions crush the Scorpion on the wound 4. Keep up a readiness for your work which is to obey the will of God It argueth some prevalency of the Flesh when our duty beginneth to grow troublesome and uneasie Therefore the Spirit or the better part cannot so readily produce its operation the soul in the right Temper doth willingly and cheerfully obey God 1 Joh. 5.3 this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous Psal. 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God thy law is in my heart And Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandments Therefore 't is time for you to check the Flesh and overcome it lest farther mischief increase upon you 5. Refer all things to your ultimate End And consider whether what you do doth hinder or further you therein for all things are to be regarded and valued as they conduce to Gods service and your salvation Eccles. 2.2 What doth it 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do let all be done to the glory of God Be true to your scope 6. Take heed of the servitude and bondage which the flesh is wont to bring upon the soul where it reigneth It maketh men very flaves the heart groweth weak and lust strong Ezek. 16.30 They are
comparing their estate with damned reprobates but he hath done better for them having after a short time of tryal and service here appointed endless joys and pleasures for them at his right hand for evermore Now he taketh them into his family then into his bosom 2. USE Is to press us to put our selves under the conduct and government of the Holy Spirit 't is implied in our Baptism Matth. 28.19 Go therefore teach and baptise all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holyghost By our express consent we take God for our Lord and portion and Christ for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Spirit for our guide sanctifier and comforter There is all the reason to press us to it First From his excellency he cannot deceive us because he is the spirit of truth He cannot ingage us in evil because he is the spirit of Holiness from his readiness to do good Psa. 25.9 Good and upright is the Lord therefore he will teach sinners in the way the poor sinner that is weary of his wandring that is truly humble for his failings and wandrings and comes to him for pardon and grace Secondly From our necessity Our heedless headlong spirit will soon transport us to some inconveniency Pro. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy path 't is the greatest judgment to be given up to our own hearts counsels Thirdly From the effects the peace and comfort which followeth his guidance Jer. 6.16 Stand ye on the ways and see and ask for the good old paths where is the good way and walk there in and you shall find rest to your souls and Psa. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness But what must we do Answer 1. Continually desire his assistance and powerful conduct Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him 'T is pleasing to God 1 Kings 3.9.10 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judg thy people that I may discern between good and bad and the speech pleased the Lord. 2. Let us co-operate with his motions mortifying the wisdom and the desires of the flesh avoiding all those things he disswadeth us from you grieve him when you disturb his comforting work or disobey his sanctifying motions Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Do not break through when he would restrain you or refuse or draw back when he would impel and invite you to good The spirit of God will not forsake you unless you forsake him first he is grieved when the wisdom of the flesh is obeyed before his counsel and his holy inclinations smothered and we yeild easily to the requests of sin but are deaf to his motions 3. let us humble our selves when we sin through frailty and leave the directions of the Holy Ghost let us ever be more wary afterwards Psa. 51.6 In the inward parts shalt thou make me to know wisdom We catch many a fall when we leave our guide as the child when without his Nurse he will take to his own feet 3. USE is tryal For 't is propounded as a mark of the children of God Now by whose counsel are you guided Some follow their own spirit not the spirit of God are guided by the wisdom of the flesh and their own carnal affections led away from God by the lusts of their own heart and the temptations of the Devil taken captive by him at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Our conversations will declare that which is prevalent Principiata respondent suis principiis the constant effects declare the prevailing principle 1. The effects of the spirits leading are an Heavenly life 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God and Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him The eyes of your understandings being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints The spirit leadeth us to those things that are above The flesh leadeth us to those things here below to flesh-pleasing vanities vain perishing delights only grateful to sense 2. The spirit leadeth to an Holy life and obedience to God Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 3. To spiritual things Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit and Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting to excel in these things though with the loss of carnal pleasurâ—s 4. To all duties to our neighbour Eph. 5.9 For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law SERMON XXII ROM VIII 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father THE Words contain a Reason why those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God The Reason is because they have received the Covenant of Grace and the Spirit which accompanieth the New Covenant is not the Spirit of Bondage but Adoption 'T is propounded 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively 1. Negatively They were freed from the servile fear of condemnation which the legal Covenant wrought in them 2. Affirmatively They were endowed with the Spirit of Adoption or a perswasion of their Father's Love or of God's admitting them into his Family and the right of inheritance and so were drawn to obedience by noble motives suitable to the Covenant they were under For the First Clause in the Text Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear In which words observe 1. The State of men under the Law-Covenant 'T is a State of Bondage 2. The operation of the Spirit during that Dispensation it made men sensible of their Bondage Ye have not received the spirit of bondage There is the Spirit mentioned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again implying That during that Dispensation they had it 3. The impression left upon the heart of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear There is a Twofold Fear filial and servile child-like and slavish The one is
a lawful and necessary Fear which doth quicken us to our Duty Phil. 2.12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and is either the fear of Reverence or the fear of Caution The fear of Reverence is nothing but that awe which we as Creatures are to have of the Divine Majesty or an humble sense of the condition place and duty of a Creature towards its Creator The fear of Caution is a due sense of the importance and weight of the business we are ingaged in in order to our salvation Certainly none can consider the danger we are to escape and the blessedness we aim at but will see a need to be serious and therefore this fear is good and holy Secondly There is besides this a slavish fear which doth not further but extreamly hinder our Work For tho we are to fear God yet we are not to be afraid of God This servile fear may be interpreted either with respect to the Precept or the Sanction of the Law First with respect to the Precept and so it sheweth us how men stand naturally affected to the duty of the Law Whatever they do is meerly for fear of being punished Secondly to the Sanction Penalty and Curse The fear of evil is more powerful upon us than the hope of good The greater the evil the greater the fear and the more tormenting Doct. That men under the Law-Covenant are under a Spirit of Bondage Here I shall enquire 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage 2. How is it the fruit of the Law-Covenant 3. Whether it is good or bad 1. What is the Spirit of Bondage To open it we must explain Three Things The Nature of the Object 2. The Work of the Spirit 3. The Disposition of man 1. The Nature of the Object The Law requiring Duty of the fal'n creature and threatning punishment in case of disobedience For the Law hath a Twofold Office to convince of sin Rom. 3.20 Now by the Law only cometh the knowledg of sin and to bind over to punishment Therefore 't is said The law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 In both respects the Old Covenant is called the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 The Law as a covenant of Works is called a Law of sin because it only sheweth our sin and a Law of death because it bindeth us over to death 2. The Work of the Spirit Every Truth is quickned by the Spirit and made more powerful upon our hearts The comfort which we have from the Truth of the Gospel is by the Spirit and therefore 't is called Joy in the Holy Ghost So Law-Truths are applied to the conscience by the Spirit Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon the thigh and when the commandment came that is in the light and power of the Spirit sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 That is was made sensible of his sinful and lost condition And indeed the usual Work wherewith the Spirit beginneth with men is to shew them their sin and misery their alienation from God and enmity to him and insufficiency to help themselves 3. The disposition of man which is corrupted under the workings of the Spirit of Bondage And so this Spirit of Bondage or servile Fear worketh several ways according to the Temper of men First in the prophane it giveth occasion of further sinning as conscience being awakened by the Spirit urgeth either the Precept or the Curse the Precept as a Bullock at first yoking groweth more unruly or a River swelleth when it meeteth with a dam and restraint Rom. 7.5 For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Sinful practices were more irritated by the prohibition and so our obligation to death increased or else by urging the Curse which produceth the sottish despair Jer. 18.12 And they said there is no hope we will walk after our devices There is a double despair of pleasing or being accepted There is a lazy sottish despair as well as raging and tormenting despair by which men cast off all care of the Souls welfare There is no hope Secondly in a middle sort of men that have a legal conscience it puts them upon some duty and course of service to God But 't is not done comfortably nor upon any noble motives That which is defective in it is this First 't is constrained service This Bondage which is a fruit of the Law doth force and compel men to some unpleasing Task A Christian serveth God out of love but one under the Spirit of Bondage serveth God out of fear A love to God and true holiness prevaileth with the one more than the fear of wrath and punishment for the Spirit of Adoption disposeth and inclineth him to God as a Father but one under the Spirit of Bondage is forced to submit to some kind of religiousness for fear of being damned Indeed both are constrained the one by love the other by fear 2 Cor. 5.14 only the constraint of love is durable and kindly and sweet the other his Task is grievous and wearisome Mal. 1.11 and holdeth most in a fit when danger is nigh they are frighted into some devotion Psal. 78. from 34 to 38. Secondly That service which they are forced and compelled to yield to God is outward service and obedience Isa. 58.7 hanging the head for a day like a Bulrush and as they do Micah 6.7 offer Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands of Rivers of Oyl or the first born of their body for the sin of their souls 'T is a Sin-Offering rather than a Thank-Offering more to appease conscience than to please God consists in Rituals rather than Substantials and those invented by men rather than commanded by God Whereas the true Christian is otherwise described Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the fiesh But the false Christian is one Matth. 15.8 that draweth nigh to God with the mouth but their heart is far from him their heart is averse from God tho they must have an outward Religion to rest in and so they serve God not as children do a father but as slaves serve an hard and cruel master Thirdly In some the Lord may make use of it to bring on conversion for according to our sense of sin and misery so is a Saviour and Redeemer welcome to us and prized by us There must be a sensible awakening knowledg of our great necessity before we will make use of Christ for our Cure and Remedy None but the sick will care for the Physitian Matth. 9.12 the burdened for ease Matth. 11.28 29. the pursued for a Sanctuary and Refuge Heb. 6.18 None but the condemned to be justified and acquitted Rom. 8.33 34. the lost and miserable to be saved Luke 19.10 2. How is it the fruit of the law covenant The law covenant is double either the
and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Which is a great priviledg if we consider Three Things 1. His Relation to mankind in the general 2. His Relation to the ancient Church under the legal Covenant 3. The estate wherein his Grace found us when he was pleased to take us into his family 1. His Relation to mankind in general So he is the Father of all the world as he created them and Adam is called the Son of God Luke 3.18 He is a father to any who giveth them being and hath a right to govern them so is God to us he made us and is the sole cause of our being and not being and so hath a right in us to dispose of usat his own pleasure But the Relation that we have to God by Creation is distinct from the natural Being this is our new Being which we have from him as his redeemed ones our natural being flowed from his benignity and common bounty but our spiritual being from his special Grace and Love to us in Christ. By creation we are his children as he formed us in the womb and created the soul within us called therefore the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 in opposition to the fathers of our flesh but he is our father by Adoption as we are regenerated by the Holy Ghost John 1.12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God being born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Our new birth and spiritual being in Christ is the next ground of our Adoption and so we come into a nearer relation to him that we may be capable of receiving the fruits of his special love 't is the benefit of our Redemption applied by his sanctifying spirit to all them that shall be heirs of life By the common Relation God hath a title to our dearest love but we have no title to his highest benefits and therefore he is our Father in a more comfortable sense as we are his workmanship in Christ. 2. His relation to the ancient Church through the legal Covenant So God was a Father to them and they his children for Israel was called his first-born Exod. 4.22 in opposition to other Nations who were left to perish in their own ways And their descendants are called the children of the Kingdom Matth. 8.12 because they had the ordinances and means of grace but the Gospel-church is properly the church of the first-born Heb. 12.23 As they have a clearer knowledg of the priviledges belonging to Gods children and a larger participation and more comfortable use of them and so are freed from that rigour and servitude which belonged to the first administration of the covenant of Grace they have that which answereth the priviledg of primogeniture jus sacerdotis jus haereditatis the right of Priesthood as they are a royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Made Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1.5 Because they offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 They are separated by the Election of God from the rest of the world and have an unction from his Holy Spirit 1 John 2.20 And so are qualified to offer up themselves Rom. 12.1 and Prayers and Praises and Alms unto God Heb. 13.15 16. The other Priviledg of the birth-right is jus hereditatis the first-born had a double portion not only of possessions but of Dignity and Honour above their brethren All Gods children are heirs and heirs of the Heavenly inheritance the multitude of co-heirs doth not lessen the inheritance nor make the Priviledg less glorious They are heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 3. The estate wherein his Grace found us when he was pleased to take us into his family We were by nature children of Wrath wretched children Eph. 2.3 that had deprived our selves of the inheritance wasted our Patrimony forfeited our right to the Promises but our inheritance is redeemed and the forfeiture taken off by Christ and we are brought back again into the family dignified with the priviledges of the first-born made Priests unto God and above all his other creatures do become his special Portion Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us to be a kind of first fruits to his creatures And made heirs of the Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Now for us to have the Blessed God whom we had so often offended to become our reconciled Father in Christ Oh what wonderful love is this That we should be admitted into the Church of the first-born have free liberty to worship God and have a right to such a blessed and glorious inheritance 2. What is the spirit of Adoption First We are made sons and then we have the spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Being adopted into Gods Family we have a spirit suitable They that use to adopt children give them some kind of token to express their love so here is a gift answerable to the dignity of our estate and the love of a Father and that is the gift of the spirit the dignity is inward and spiritual and the gift answereth it He hath sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts God would not distinguish the good â—â— na fall about the Tents of Israel and the people will not go for to gather it to fill their Homer they may starve Tho the Bread of Heaven be dispensed by such a liberal provision the Spirit is ready but they are lazy The Spirit by accident is a cause of servile fear but these Motions are his proper effects 2. A superficial Christianity is rewarded with common gifts but the real Christianity with special Graces All that profess the Faith and are baptized into Christ Gal. 3.26 27. are visibly adopted by God into his Family and are under a visible Administration of the Covenant of Grace So far as they are adopted into God's Family so far they are made partakers of the Spirit Christ giveth to common Christians those common gifts which he giveth not to the Heathen World knowledg of the mysteries of godliness abilities of utterance and speech about spiritual and heavenly things some affection also to them called tasting of the good Word the heavenly Gift and the powers of the World to come Heb. 6. These will not prove us true Christians or really in Gods special favour but only visible professed Christians 3. Among the sincere some have not the spirit of adoption at so full a rate as others have neither so pure and fervent a love to God nor such a respectful obedience and submission to him nor such an Holy confidence and boldness becoming that great happiness which they are called unto who have the right and hope of the Blessed inheritance and so not so much of that son-like disposition which the spirit worketh by revealing the Love and Mercy of God contained in the Gospel in the Hearts of his People some do more improve their priviledges than others do now they
cannot rationally expect the best and richest Fruits of this gift and to be inabled and inlarged by the spirit who do not give such ready entertainment and obedience to his motions as the more serious and fruitful Christian doth 4. But do all that have it know that they have it I Answer 1. The spirit of adoption is in some weak and therefore not so perceptible as it is in others for small and weak things are hardly discerned All Gods Children have the spirit of adoption in the effects though not in the sense and feeling of it They have the spirit of comfort though not the comfort of it for if any have not the spirit of Christ they are none of his Rom. 8.9 The Witness of his spirit is spoken of as distinct from receiving the spirit v. 16. There is a Child-like inclination and impression left upon them tho they know it not own it not There is a difference between the thing its self and the degree we cannot say we have not the spirit of adoption because we have not so much of this spirit calming our hearts rebuking our fears and filling us with joy and peace in believing The spirit was given to Christ without measure but to Christians in a different measure and proportion as they yield up themselves more or less to the conduct of his grace and overcome the enemies of their peace the Devil the World and the Flesh the impression is left upon some in a smaller upon some in a larger character all are not of a growth and size some are more real Christians others only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eminent grace will more discover its self than a little grace under an heap of imperfections a fervent love will be felt and a lively hope of Heaven demonstrate its self and an exact obedience less liable to dispute as we increase in Love and Heavenly mindness so the spirit discovereth his presence in us 2. Where the spirit of adoption acteth at the lowest rate there is something to difference it from the spirit of bondage 1. They are carried on to wait upon God upon Gospel grounds though they cannot apply the comforts and enter themselves heirs to the priviledges thereof some know they are of the truth and can make out their title with clearness and satisfaction 1 John 3.14 And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him others depend on Gods general offer while their claim and sincerity is as yet questionable God offereth to be a Father in Christ to all penitent believers and so we are incouraged to come to him by Christ the Apostle telleth us Heb. 7.19 That the gospel brought in a better hope by vertue of which we draw nigh to God There is a Child-like inclination when there is not a Child-like familiarity and boldness the soul cannot keep away from God but will come to him that he may pardon our sins and heal our souls and save our persons now this is the spirit of adoption in the lower or more obscure way of addressing our selves to God as a Father 2. There are child-like groans as well as child-like comforts compare Rom. 8.26 The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with sights and groans which cannot be uttered with 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory In some the spirit only discovereth himself by hungring and thirsting after righteousness in others he worketh peace which passeth all understanding and joy unspeakable and full of glory 3. There is a child-like reverence when there is not a child like confidence They are affraid to offend their Heavenly Father though they cannot challenge all the fruits and effects of his Fatherly love as belonging to them when they cannot own him as a Father with delightful confidence yet they dare not offend him for all Gods Children have a Child-like love to him when they have not a full sense and assurance of his paternal love to them for he hath a title to our dearest love before we can make out a title to his benefits now they that love God hate evil Psal. 97.10 are tender of omitting any duty or committing any offence where there is this Holy awe there is a spirit of adoption 't is an owning of God as a Father 1 Pet 1.17 If ye call on the Father c. And therefore this reverence we call filial fear 4. The heart is carryed out to heavenly things though we cannot call them ours All that are children do look after a childs Portion there is a twofold hope First an hope which is the effect of regeneration 1 Pet. 1.3 And an hope which is the effect of experience Rom. 5.4 Now this puts a difference between the spirit of Bondage and the servile mercenary spirit when the currant of thine affections is carried out after the eternal inheritance servants and mercenaries must have pay in hand they covenant with you from day to day or from quarter to quarter or from year to year a child in the Family tarryeth for a Childs Portion Math. 6.4 When thou dost thine alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as 〈◊〉 hypocrites do in the synogogue and in the street they have their reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 present wages they look for discharge God from other things if he wiâ—l give them the honour and pleasure of the world they are satisfied and look for no more 5. Why this is the fruit of the new covenant dispensation There are three things which must not be severed 1. The object 2. A powerful agent 3. The disposition of the subject thence resulting 1. There is an object and that is the Gospel offering pardon and life reconciliation with God and the everlasting fruition of him in Glory In the Gospel or new covenant we have the highest discovery of Gods Fatherly goodness that he might be more amiable and lovely to us and be loved by us the great end of reconciling and saving lost man by Christ his wonderful condescention in his incarnation life sufferings and death was to commend his love to us Rom. 5.8 Herein God commended his love to us in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us To this end also tend his merciful covenant and promises that we might not look upon God as a condemning Judg but as a gracious and reconciled Father offering to be so to all that will accept Christ and submit to him God would not immediately beget this perswasion in our minds by his own secret power but use this objective means work upon our love by love because he will work on man agreeably to the nature of man his covenant shall speak him a Father that we may apprehend him as a Father 2. There is an internal powerful agent and that is the spirit Besides the external objective means there must be an internal effective cause for though Gods Fatherly love
this can be done unless we believe him to be present and conscious to all that we do or say for all else is but an empty formality Therefore when we pray we must remember that we converse with him that searcheth the heart and knoweth what and how we ask as 1 Kings 8.39 Hear thou in thy dwelling place and forgive and do to every man according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men All the faith the seriousness the comfort of prayer dependeth upon the belief of this for who would call upon him of whom he is not perswaded that he heareth him or be serious in a duty that knoweth not whether God regardeth yea or no or what comfort can be taken in having prayed and made known his desires to God unless he be perswaded those prayers come unto the ears of the Lord of Hosts So for hearing the word that which bindeth us to reverence is that we are in the sight of God Acts 10.33 We are all here present before the Lord to hear all things which are commanded thee of God otherwise men will come to see and be seen rather than to be taught and instructed God is every where but he is especially there where his ordinances are and we are to be so seriously attentive as if God himself did speak to us by oracles when his message is brought to us otherwise it will have no effect upon us 1 Thes. 2.13 Ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe 2 Cor. 5.20 As though God did beseech you by us We lift up our hearts to him and set him before our eyes as having to do with God himself this only begets seriousness in hearing So for the Lord's Supper which is a middle duty between the word and prayer and compounded of both we hear God tendring his Covenant assuring us of his blessings promised and commanding us to fulfil the requisite duties that we may be capable of them We promising and praying by resolving and promising testify our consent to the Covenant thus stated by prayers and groans our dependance Now there is no Covenanting with one that is absent you will say he is present in his institution he is so and that is an help to faith therefore visible signs are appointed to be an instance of Gods presence with us but all his internal work is immediately transacted between our souls and God himself We look on him as present that seeth and heareth all Deut. 10.12 'T is to the soul God speaketh I am thy God Psal. 35.3 Say unto my soul I am thy salvation And the soul spake unto God Thou art my portion saith my soul. Either as to promise of obedience Psal. 119.57 or dependance Lam. 3.24 Two outward witnesses are conscious to what is done between God and our souls So Psal. 16.2 O my soul thou hast said unto God thou art my God upon this inward soul covenanting do all our priviledges depend and if God knoweth not all things nor engageth his heart to draw nigh unto him How can this be 2. From the danger of dissembling with God in acts of worship or putting him off with feigned pretences The Scripture sets forth three phrases a mocking of God a lying to God and a tempting of God A mocking of God Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived God is not mocked That is Impune there is no escaping the accurate search of the all-seeing God Ananias Saphirai's sin was hypocrisie in keeping back part of what was devoted They would seem liberal and pious as others who were joyned to the Church and so by a part of godliness seek to be excused from the whole And whilest they observe externals neglect internals own Religion when profession is not costly put on a garb of devotion at times but lay it aside ordinarily do what is plausible to men but neglect what is acceptable to God now this is called a lying to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 Why to the Holy Ghost rather than the Father and the Son Because of his special precedency and inspection over Church-Affairs Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers Act 15.28 For it seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things They pretended to do it by his instinct as all Christians that pray profess or pretend to pray by the Holy Ghost Oh! Observe this many make a false confession of faith or promise of obedience this is called a lying not to men but to God Acts 5.4 Oh then we should be exceedingly fortified against hypocrisie in worship 't is to think to deceive God whom we profess to be Omniscient nay 't is a tempting of the Spirit of the Lord v. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord A putting it to the proof whether he will discover us or no now rather than run this hazzard it concerneth us greatly and thoroughly to be possessed of this truth That God searcheth the heart 3. There can be no true worship unless we be deeply possessed with a thorough sence of the infinite knowledg of God 1. There can be no faith unless the worship be performed and tendred to God as an all-seeing Spirit Heb. 11.6 Without faith 't is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him If God know me not nor in what manner I serve him 't is all one whether I serve him religiously or with a cold faint formal worship for he seeth not with what heart I go about it if we pray and think to be never the better for praying there can be no life in prayer for a perswasion to be heard and accepted must be at the bottom of all duties therefore all that would serve him diligently must believe that he is Omniscient and knoweth all things 2. There can be no reverence For 't is all one to pray to an Idol and to a God that heareth not and seeth not yea 't is worse for they were perswaded of a Vertue or a Divine Power belonging to their Idols therefore all your worship will be but a conformity to the common custom and fashion Ezek. 31.31 They come before thee as thy people cometh and sit before thee as thy people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness 'T is but a shew of Devotion USE Is comfort to sincere worshippers 1. God knoweth their persons that there is such a man in the world the desires of whose soul are to the remembrance of his name 'T is an usual temptation which haunteth the
children of God that in the throng of his creatures he forgetteth us Isa. 40.27 My way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over by my God God looketh not after me taketh no notice of those things which concern me or regardeth nor my cause and complaint How doth God know all things and not know you All things are under a Providence but his people are under a special Providence Christ saith of the sparrows Luke 12.6 Not one of them is forgotten before God And are his children forgotten No Christ knoweth his sheep by name John 10.3 And to Moses Exod. 33.12 I know thee by name A Father cannot forget how many children he hath tho his family be never so large and numerous 2. He knoweth their condition and wants and weaknesses Matth. 6.32 Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things Matth. 6.32 and v. 8. Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before you ask him Yet asking is necessary solemnly to act your faith and dependance but he will not neglect or forget us his Omnisciency giveth all that have interest in him that hope 3. Our prayers are heard tho never so secret Matth. 6.6 Thy father which seeth thee in secret shall reward thee openly Though confined within the closet of the heart Acts 9.11 And the Lord said unto him Arise and go into the street which is called Strait and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth 4. Our prayers shall be rightly understood There are many good motions known to God which we either will not or cannot take notice of in our selves as many times large affection to God overlooketh that little good which is in us but God doth not overlook it 'T is well when we can say as Peter John 21.17 And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee But he owneth sincerity where we can scarce own it and many a serious soul hath his condition safe before God when he cannot count it so himself This is implyed in this place 2. Caution Let us take heed of all hypocrisie in prayer or putting our selves into a garb of Devotion when the temper of our hearts suiteth not let not your lips pray without or against your hearts 1. Without your hearts That may be done two ways 1. When you pray words by rote and all that while the tongue is an utter stranger to the heart as some birds will counterfeit the voice of a man so many men do that of a Saint saying words prescribed by others or invented by themselves without life and affection this is to personate and act a part before God complaining of burdens we feel not and expressing desires we have not in these is verified that of our Saviour Matth. 15.8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Or that of the Prophet Jer. 12.2 Thou art near in their mouth and far from their reins They do but complement God with empty formalities 2. When we pray cursorily or use a few general words that serve all turns and persons alike but are not suited and fitted to our case unless all your confessions and desires be particular they do not affect the heart for generals are but notions and pierce not very deep 1 Kings 8.28 What prayer and supplication shall be made for any man or by all the people which shall know every man the plague of his own heart That is the sin whereby his own conscience and heart is smitten and thereby moved to pray 't is easie to spend invectives against sin in the general this doth not come close enough to stir up deep compunction and holy desires we pray tho of course but do not bemoan our selves and draw forth our earnest requests for the things we stand in need of Names are prized when we hate the thing and names are hated when we love the thing 2. Against the heart When you are loath to leave the sin which you seem to pray against or ask that grace which you have no mind to have Psal. 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me He that asketh for that grace he would not have doth but lie to God Now to quicken you to this Caution take these Considetations 1. No wandring thought in prayer is hidden from God Job 42.2 No thought can be withholden from thee From his notice and knowledg Psal. 139.2 Thou knowest my thoughts afar off Your thoughts are as visible to God as your words are audible to men 2. God most abhorreth our prayers when we pray with an idol in our hearts Ezek. 14.2 These men have set up idols in their hearts should I be enquired of them saith the Lord They were resolved what to do yet would ask counsel of God as many now would keep their lusts yet pray against them as if the very complaining were a discharge of their duty without detesting without endeavouring 3. Above all things God looketh to the spirit what the poise and bent of the heart is Prov. 16.2 God weigheth the spirit The spirit puts us in the ballance of the Sanctuary therefore look to principles ends and aims 4. That in covenanting with God there may be a moral sincerity where there is not a supernatural sincerity Deut. 5.28 29. I have heard the words of this people which they have spoken unto thee they have well said all that they have spoken O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always They dissembled not for the time which may happen in two cases by some impendent or incumbent judgment as when people are frightned into a little religiousness or in a pang of devotion or solemn worship now this should make us cautelous bring to God the best desires and purposes that you have but rest not in them but get them strengthned yet more and more that our sincerity may be verified and evidenced I come now to the second thing God knoweth the mind of the spirit Doct. That 't is a comfort to Gods childrâ—â— that the Lord knoweth what kind of spirit is working in prayer Here I shall do Three Things 1. Shew the different spirit that worketh in prayer 2. In what sense God is said to know the mind of the spirit 3. Why this is such a comfort to Gods children 1. The different spirit that may work in prayer I shall take notice of a fourfold spirit 1. The natural spirit of a man seeking its own welfare which is not a sin for God put it into us and such an inclination there was in Christ himself Matth. 26.39 O my father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt And John 12.27 28. Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I
he loveth them more than a mother loveth her tender infant Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee If the mother be so tenderly affected to the child whom she carried in her womb for some few months will not God much more He is as tender of them as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He hath secured his Covenant-love by promise 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able he will never leave you to insupportable difficulties Secondly To give a more general state of the case 1. This good is not to be determined by our fancies and conceits but by the wisdom of God for God knoweth what is better for us than we do for our selves we judg according to present appearance but he hath a sight or inspection of our hearts and a prospect or foresight of all future events And therefore his divine choices are to be preferred before our foolish fancies what he sendeth or permitteth to fall out is fitter for our turn than any thing else could we once be perswaded of this a Christian would be prepared for a cheerful entertainment of all that should come upon him Besides he is a God of bowels and loveth us more dearly than we do our selves Therefore we should be satisfied with his dispensations whatever they are Should the shepherd or the sheep chuse his pastures The child be governed by his own fancy or the Fathers discretion The sick man by his own appetite or the physitians skill 'T is necessary sometimes that God should displease his people for their advantage John 16.6 7. Because I have said these things to you sorrow hath filled your heart nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away We are too much addicted to our own conceits Christs dealing is expedient and useful yet very unsatisfactory to his people He is to be judge of what is good for us his going or tarrying not we our selves who are short-sighted distempered with passions whose requests many times are but ravings and ask of God we know not what Peter said Matth. 17.4 Master it is good for us to be here He was well pleased to be upon Mount Tabor but little thought what work God had to do by him elsewhere so Jer. 24.5 The basket of good figs were sent into the land of the Chaldeans for their good What good in a dispersion but God foresaw worse evil would befall the place where they then lived The selling of Joseph for a slave was to appearance evil but God meant it for good Gen. 50.20 God may keep us low and bare expose us to difficulties prejudices reproaches bitter sufferings yet all is for good 2. Good is to be determined by its respect to the chief good or true happiness Now what is our chief happiness but the vision and fruition of God it consists not in outward comforts riches liberty health honour or comfortable relations but our acceptance with God other things are but appendages to our felicity Matth. 6.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But first seek the kingdom of God and these things shall be added unto you Affliction taketh nothing from our solid and essential happiness rather helpeth us to the injoymenâ— of it as we increase in grace and holiness That 's evil that separateth us from God that 's good which bringeth us nearer to him Sin separateth us from God therefore always evil Isa. 59.2 But affliction are not always evil but make us more earnestly to seek after him Hosea 5.16 And so to be trained up under the cross in a constant course of obedience and subjection to God is good Lam. 3.27 It is good that a man bear the yoke from his youth because it keepeth him modest humble and sober 3. This good is not always the good of the body or of outward prosperity and therefore our condition is not to be determined by the interest of the flesh but the welfare of our soul. If we had the world at will we cannot be said to be in a good condition if the Lord should deny us spiritual blessings We are more concerned as a soul than a body Heb. 12.10 He verily for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness He doth not call the good things of this world that pelf which all desire profit but the participiation of the divine nature Affliction is good if it be sanctified Holiness wrought by affliction should be more to us than all our outward comforts 4. 'T is not good presently injoyed and felt but waited for and therefore our condition must not be determined by sense but faith Heb. 12.11 Affliction for the present is not pleasing to natural sense nor is the fruit for the present evident to spiritual sense but 't is good because in the issue it turneth to spiritual good While under the affliction we feel the smart but do not presently find the benefit Physick must have time to work that which is not good may be good though it be not good in its nature 't is good in its use Faith should determine so though we feel it not Psal. 73.1 Yâ—t God is good to Israel 5. A particular good must give way to a general good and our personal benefit to the glory of God and the advancement of Christs Kingdom 'T was good yea much better for Paul to be in Heaven yet if it was needful for the Saints to continue in the flesh he submitteth Phil. 1.24 We must not so desire good to our selvâ—s as to hinder the good of others All Elements will act contrary to their particular nature for the conservation of the Universe That may be good for the glory of God which is not good for our personal contentment and ease John 12.27 28. The sense of our duty and the desire of glorifying God should overcome our natural inclination 6. In bringing about this good we must not be idle spectators but assisi under God When we are diligent to exercise our selves unto godliness then evil is turned into good and all crosses and afflictions into means of salvation besides the elective love of God at the bottom of all there is the actual power and influence of the Spirit and prayer on our part Phil. 1.19 Through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and Heb. 12.11 Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 'T is not the bare nature of the Cross doth it we must labour for that we look for the Saints are not only passive objects but active instruments of Providence there is an exercise on our parts we are to make use of all things then God will bless us 7. If it be true
Reason why we are not taken to Heaven sooner is not because Heaven is not ready for us but because we are not ready for it As in the Tenders of the Gospel all things are ready but we are not ready Mat. 22. So as to heavenly Glory and Happiness Heaven was ready long ago 't was designed by the Father to the Heirs of Promise purchased by Christ and possessed by him in our names Heaven is prepared but we are not prepared we are not brought to our full stature in grace to which we are appointed by Christ in this life Eph. 4.13 We are not come to our perfect growth or that measure of perfection which we are capable of if we long to be with God let us sooner get ready if riper sooner we should be sooner gathered to the company of the Blessed like a shock of Corn in its season Job 5.26 Most of us are but as green Corn not fit to be reaped not so much in respect of Age as the measure of Spiritual growth some ripen speedily whom God meaneth to take sooner to himself others after their long profession keep to their childish ignorance and infirmities and make little progress towards perfection 2. Doct. That God giveth his people the earnest of the Spirit that they may look and long for Heavenly Glory with greater affection Here I shall shew 1. What is given by way of earnest 2. The nature of an earnest 3. The use and end of an earnest 1. What is given by way of earnest The Spirit the Holy-Spirit doth not only bestow his gifts and graces upon believers but cometh himself and dwelleth in them not personally united to them as the Divine Nature is with the Humane in Christ nor in regard of his essential presence for so he is every where Jer. 23.24 Nor in regard of his general providential influence Acts 17.28 But his special residence as in his own Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 By saving and gracious operations whereby he worketh in them the habits of all saving graces at first Conversion Ezek. 36.26 27. and doth by his immediate and strong and special influence preserve those graces in Life Eph. 3.16 And ordinarily make them grow and increase Hosea 14.5 I will be as the due unto Israel he shall grow as the Lily and cast forth his root as Lebanon and doth quicken and excite them to action 2. The nature of an earnest 1. An earnest supposeth a bargain and contract When parties are agreed then they give earnest to stand to the bargain The right that we have to Eternal Life cometh to Believers in a way of Covenant and Paction they resign themselves to God by Faith and God bindeth himself to give them forgiveness of sins an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith Isa. 55.3 Incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Upon our hearty consenting God ingageth himself to give us the Mercy of the Spiritual David or the Messiah All that Life and Blessedness which he hath brought to light in the Gospel 2. Earnest is given when there is some delay of the thing bargained for and we do not enter upon possession of it presently assoon as we enter into Covenant with God we have a right but our Blessedness is deferred not for want of love in God but for wise reasons he doth not give us possession upon right but delayeth for a season partly that in the mean time we may exercise our Faith and Love our Faith in looking Phil. 3.21 From whence we look for a Saviour Our Love in longing Rom. 8.23 But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Gods Children are always groaning and waiting for a better estate than the world can yield to them the first fruits or the tast is sweet and precious and therefore they long for a more full enjoyment These tasts are but scanty these given in the midst of Sorrows and Temptations Partly that the Heirs of Salvation may Glorifie him here upon Earth God hath a Ministry and service for them to do in this part of the world they are to honour him with their graces that they may be a means of Conversion to some and conviction to others Conversion Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.12 They may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation And of Conviction and just Condemnation to others Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he condemned the world When they see others serious Heavenly Mortified about them and they will not deny themselves 3. An earnest is part of the whole bargain though but a little part usually the centesima pars was given by way of earnest So the saving gifts and graces and comforts of the Spirit are a small beginning or a part of that Glory which shall then be revealed Grace is begun Glory and they differ as an infant and a man A carnal man and a renewed man differ more than a renewed man and a glorified man the one in kind the other in degree the one as a man and an Ape the other as an Infant and a man Saving knowledge is a degree of the vision of God John 17.3 And this is Life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And 1 Cor. 13.12 Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known We are transformed both by the one and the other Compare 2 Cor. 3.18 with 1 John 3.2 Regeneration is an immortal seed a beginning of Eternal Life He that is born again hath Eternal Life abiding in him Holiness and Purity is a pledge of that sinless estate and exact conformity and likeness to God which afterwards we injoy Eph. 5.26 27. 1 John 3.2 3. So comfort a beginning of those Eternal joys we shall have in Gods presence 2 Thes. 2.16 He hath given us Everlasting Consolation and good hope thorough grace The Redemption of Believers is already begun and their bonds loosed in part Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Which is a pledge of that compleat Redemption which is to come Rom. 8.23 But our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Eph 1.14 Which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy-Spirit whereby ye are sealed
not flaunt and rant and please the flesh as others do but take time for Meditation and Prayer and other Holy duties they that choose a larger sort of Life think them Mopish and Melancholy Or else self-denyal when they are upon the hopes of the World to come dead to present Interests and can forsake all for a naked Christ. The World thinks this folly and madness in the Judgment of the flesh it seemeth to be a mad and foolish thing to do all things by the prescript of the Word and to live upon the hope of an unseen World Or else zeal in a good cause 'T is in its self a good thing Gal. 4.18 It 's good to be zealously affected always in a good thing But the World is wont to call good evil As Astronomers call the Glorious Stars by horrid names as the Serpent the greater and lesser Bear and the Dog-Star and the like God will not be served in a cold and careless Fashion Rom. 12.11 Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. This will not suit with that lazy pace which pleaseth the World therefore they speak evil of it Another is an holy singularity as Noah was an upright Man in a corrupt Age Gen. 6.9 And we are bidden Rom. 12.2 not to conform our selves to this World Now to walk contrary to the course of this World and the stream of Common examples and to draw hatred upon our selves and hazarding our interests for cleaving close to God and his ways is counted foolish by them who wholly accommodate themselves to their interests John 15.19 The World will love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you Once more Fervours of Devotion or an earnest conversing with God in humble Prayer the World who are sunk in flesh and matter are little acquainted with the elevations and inlargements of the Spirit think all too be imposture and Enthusiasm And though praying by the Spirit be a great priviledge Jude 20. Rom. 8.26 Zach. 12.10 Yet it is not relished by them a flat dead way of praying suiteth their gust better Christ compareth the Gospel to new wine which will break old bottles Matth. 9.17 As fasting in Spirit praying in Spirit A little dead insipid Taplash or Spiritless Worship is more for the Worlds turn Missa non mordet 3. The reasons why it is so 1. Natural blindness 2 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God For they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned They are incompetent Judges Pro. 24.7 Wisdom is too high for a fool For though by Nature we have lost our light we have not lost our pride Pro. 26.16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason Though mens way be but a sluggish lazy dead way yet they have an high conceit of it and censure all that is contrary or but a degree removed about it And therefore is it that worldly and carnal men Judge perversely and unrighteously of Gods Servants and count zeal and forwardness in Religious duties to be but madness which is a notable instance of the miserable blindness of our corrupt Nature 2. Prejudicate malice which keepeth them from a nearer inspection of the beauty of Gods ways and the reasons and motives which his Children are governed by their eyes are blinded by the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 And their own forestalled prejudices and then who is so blind as they that will not see In the ancient Apologies of Christians they complained that they were condemned unheard and without any particular inquiry into their principles and practices Nolentes audire quod auditum damnare non possunt Tertull. They would not enquire because they had a mind to hate And Caelius Secundus Curâ—o hath a notable passage in the Life of Galeacius Carraciolas which was the occasion of his conversion The story is thus one John Francis Casarta who was enlightned with the knowledg of the Gospel was very urgent with this Noble-man his Cousen to come and hear Peter Martyr who then preached at Naples one day by much intreaty he was drawn to hear him not so much with a desire to learn and profit as out of curiosity Peter Martyr was then opening the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians and shewing how blind and perverse the Judgment of the natural understanding is in things Spiritual And also the efficacy of the Word of God on those in whom the Spirit worketh among other things he useth this similitude that if a man riding in an open Country should see afar off Men and Women dancing together and should not hear the Musick according to which they dance and tread out their measures he would think them to be fools and madmen because they appear in such various motions and antick Gestures and Postures But if he come nearer so as to hear the Musical notes according to which they dance and observe the regularity of the exercise he will change his Opinion of them and will not only be delighted with the exactness thereof but find a motion in his mind to stand still and behold them and to join with them in the exercise The same saith he happeneth to them who when they see a change of Life Company Fashions Conversation in others at their first sight impute it to their folly and madness but when they begin more intimately to weigh the thing to hear the harmony of the Spirit of God and his Word by which rule this change and strictness is directed and required that which they Judged to be madness and folly they see to be wisdom and reason and are moved to join themselves with them and imitate them in their course of Life and forsake the World and the vâ—nities thereof that they may be sanctified in order to a better Life This similitude stuck in the mind of this Noble Marquess as he was wont to relate it to his familiar friends that ever afterward he wholly applyed his mind to the search of the truth and the practice of Holiness and left all his honours and vast possessions for a poor Life in the profession of the Gospel at Geneva Well then 't is because prejudice condemneth things at a distance and men will not take a nearer view of the regularity of the ways of Godliness 2. Because they live contrary to that Life which they affect and do by their practice condemn it This reason is given by the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them into the same excess of riot Speaking evil of you Worldly men think there is a kind of Happiness in their sort of Life which is so plausible and pleasing to the flesh they cannot but wonder at it and as long as they are carnal they cannot discern those Spiritual reasons which make believers
above him or equal with him is to hate him Now because men love the World and the things of the World as well yea more then God they hate him and are enemies to him Now all carnal men are guilty of this 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore 't is positively said Jam. 4.4 That the friendship of the World is enmity with God And whosoever is a friend of the World is an enemy to God Oh! That men would look upon things as the Scripture expresseth them That the love of the World is the highest contempt and affront which can be offered to God In comparison of our love to him all the pleasures and contentments of the World should be hated rather then loved So far as we set our Hearts upon these things so far they are deadned and estranged from God and God is easily parted with for the Worlds sake If a Father should come to a Child and say if you love such a young man or woman you cannot love me and I shall take you for my utter enemy Would not any Ingenuous Child rather then be an enemy to his Father part with his vain and inticing company 3dly By Interpretation still we are said to hate God and to be enemies to him if we Rebel against his Laws and love what God hateth So The carnal mind is said to be enmity to God because it is not subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 Love is determined by obedience 1 Joh. 5.3 And hatred by disobedience That hate me and keep not my Commandments We apprehend God sâ—andeth in the way of our desires because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security as we might otherwise were it not for his Law We hate God because he Commandeth that which we cannot and will not do Therefore an impenitent person and an enemy to God are equivalent expressions 4thly There is a twofold hatred Odium abominationis and odium inimicitiae The hatred of Abomination and the hatred of Enmity The one is opposite to the love of good-will the other to the love of Complacency Pro. 29.27 The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous He hateth not his Neighbour with the hatred of Enmity so as to seek his destruction but with the hatred of offence so as not to delight in him as wicked In opposition to the love of complacency we may hate ouâ— sinful neighbour as we must our selves much more but in opposition to the love of benevolence we must neither hate our Neighbour nor our Enemy nor our selves Apply this now to the case between God and us 't will be hard to excuse any carnal men from either hatred certainly not from the hatred of Offence or Abomination there being such an unsuitableness and dissimilitude between God and them In pure nature we were created after his Image and then we delighted in him but when we lost our first nature we lost our first love for love is grounded upon likeness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we love those that have like affections especially in a good thing Now there being such a dissimilitude between God and us we love what he hateth and hate what he loveth therefore how can there choose but be hatred between us How can we delight in a Holy God and a God of pure Eyes delight in filthy Creatures What can carnal man see lovely in God Zech. 11.8 My Soul loathed them and their Soul abhorred me and therefore from this hatred of Loathing Offence and Abomination none can excuse them till they come to hate what God hateth and love what God loveth there is still the hatred of Offence Pro. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil c. And for the hatred of enmity which is an endeavour to do mischief and seeketh the destruction of the thing hated we cannot excuse the wicked from that neither for there is a secret positive enmity as you have heard before 5thly Gods enemies carry on a twofold war against God Offensive and defensive 1. The offensive war is when men Rebel against Gods Laws and seek to beat down his interest in the World and employ their faculties mercies and comforts as weapons of unrighteousness against God Rom. 6.13 Yield not your members as Instruments of unrighteousness unto sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or weapons but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as weapons of Righteousness unto God Our Faculties Talents Interests are employed either as armour of light for God or as weapons of unrighteousness against God And warring Satans warfare I call the offensive war against God The defensive war is when we slight his Word and resist the motions of his Spirit Acts 7.51 When God bringeth his Spiritual Artillery to batter down all that lifteth up it self against the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. He layeth seige to their Hearts and battereth them daily by the rebukes and the motions of his Spirit yet men will not yield the fortress but stand it out to the last and delight to go on in their natural corruption and will not have Christ to Reign over them and so they increase their enmity and double their misery by a resistance of grace So that they are Rebels not only against the Law but the Gospel and stand out against their own mercies As they are enemies to an earthly Prince that not only molest him with continual Inroads and Incursions but those also that keep his Towns against him Well then all this that is said sheweth that though men do not break out into open acts of hostility against God yet they may hate him be enemies to him Though they may not be profest Infidels yet secret enemies under a shew of respect to his Religion Enemies by Interpretation as they love him not or love him less or impenitently continue in a course of disobedience If they seek not the destruction of Gods interest in the world yet their Soul loatheth God the thoughts of his being are a trouble to them And they do not walk in his ways nor will not be reclaimed from their folly by any of his intreaties 2dly Now let me prove that God is an enemy to a carnal man or man defiled with sin He is so though he doth not stir up all his wrath though he bestoweth many favours upon us in the blessings of this life he is so though he useth much patience towards us He is so though he vouchsafeth us many tenders of grace to reclaim us All these things may consist with the Wrath of God He is so whatever purposes of grace or secret good will he may bear to any of us from everlasting for our Condition is to be determined by the sentence of his Law and there we are Children of wrath even as others Eph. 6.3 Liable to the stroak of his Eternal Vengeance Psa. 5.5 Thou hatest all the workers of
sin was God reconciling In themselves Gods Elect differ nothing from the rest of the World till grace prevent them they were as bad as any in the World of the same race of cursed mankind not only living in the World but after the fashions of the World dead in trespasses and sins and obnoxious to the curse and Wrath of God Fourthly To shew the Amplitude of Gods Grace the greater and worser part of the World the Gentiles as well as the Jews Rom. 11.15 If the casting away of them be the reconciling the World So 1 John 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Fifthly To awaken all that are concerned to look after this priviledge which is common to all nations the offer is made indifferently to all sorts of persons where the Gospel cometh and this grace is effectually applyed to all the Elect of all Nations and all sorts and conditions and ranks of persons in the World if thou art a member of the World thou shouldest not receive this grace in vain 2. The other party concerned is the Great God to himself To be reconciled to one another when we have smarted sufficiently under the fruits of our differences will be found an especial blessing much more to be reconciled to God this is the comfort here propounded To himself of whom we stand so much in dread 1 Sam. 2.15 If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against God who shall plead for him A fit Umpire and Mediator may be found out in matters of difference and plea between man and man but who shall arbitrate and take up the difference between us and God Here first the greatness of the priviledge That God will reconcile us to himself Doct. There is a reconciliation made in and by Iesus Christ between God and man First I shall premise three things in general 1. That to reconcile is to bring into favour and friendship after some breach made and offence taken as Luke 23.12 The same day Herod and Pilate were made friends for before they were at enmity between themselves So Joseph and his Brethren were made friends and the woman faulty is said to be reconciled to her husband 1 Cor. 7.11 So Matth. 5.23 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee go thy may and be reconciled to thy Brother All which places prove the natural notion of the word and so 't is fitly used for our recovery and returning into grace and favour with God after a breach 2. That the reconciliation is mutual God is reconciled to us and we to God Many will not hear that God is reconciled to us but only that we are reconciled to God But certainly there must be both God was angry with us and we hated God the Alienation was mutual and therefore the reconciliation must be so the Scripture speaketh not only of an enmity and hatred on mans part Rom. 5.10 For when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son but also of wrath on Gods part not only against sin but the sinner Eph. 2.3 Being Children of wrath by nature Certainly God doth not only hate sin but is angry with the wicked because of it Psal. 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day And we must distinguish between the work of Christ in order to God and the work of the Minister and Christ by the ministry in order to men The work of Christ in order to God which is to appease the Wrath of God Therefore 't is said Heb. 2.17 That he is a merciful and faithful High-priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely there Gods being reconciled to us is intended by Christs Sacrifice and Intercession For Christ as an High-priest hath to deal with us as Gods Apostle with men Heb. 3.1 We in Christs stead pray you to be reconciled verse 20th Besides our reconciliation is made the fruit of Christs death in contradistinction to his life Rom. 5.10 The death of Christ mainly respected the appeasing of the Wrath of God whereas if it only implyed the changing of our natures it might as well be ascribed to his life in Heaven as his death upon earth Again the Scripture maketh this reconciliation to be a great instance of Gods love to us Now if it did only consist in laying aside our enmity to God it would rather be an instance of our love to God than his love to us Once more the Text is plain that Gods reconciling the World to himself did consist in not imputing our trespasses to us his laying aside his suit and just plea he had against us so that it relateth to him Therefore upon the whole we may pronounce that God is reconciled to us as well as we to God Indeed the Scriptures do more generally insist upon our being reconciled to God than Gods being reconciled to us for two reasons 1. Because we are in a fault 'T is the usual way of speaking amongst men He that offendeth is said to be reconciled because he was the cause of the breach and he needeth to reconcile himself and to appease him whom he hath offended which the innocent party needeth not he needeth only to forgive and to lay aside his just anger We offended God not he us therefore the Scripture usually saith we are reconciled to God 2dly We have the benefit 't is no profit to God that the Creature enters into his peace He is happy within himself without our love or service only we are undone if we are not upon good terms with him If any believe not the Wrath of God abideth upon him John 3.36 And that is enough to make us eternally miserable 3. That reconciliation in Scripture is sometimes ascribed to God the Father sometimes to Christ as Mediator sometimes to Believers themselves 1. To God the Father as in the Text God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and in the verse before the Text who hath reconciled us to himself And Col. 1.20 Having made peace by the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself To God the Father as the primary cause of our reconciliation he found out and appointed the means as he decreed from everlasting to restore the Elect faln into sin unto grace and favour and prepared whatever was necessary to compose and take up the difference between him and sinners 2. Christ is said to reconcile Eph. 2.16 That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Cross. And Col. 1.21 Yet now hath he reconciled Not as the primary but meritorious cause of reconciliation which respects both God and us chiefly God as he was appeased by the merit of his Sacrifice as he procured the Spirit that same Spirit whereby our enmity might be overcome and
we might yield up our selves to God to love and serve and please him for we by his blood are purged from dead works that we might serve the living God Heb. 9.14 3. Believers are said to reconcile themselves to God 2 Cor. 5.20 We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God As they do imbrace the offered benefit and lay aside their enmity and love God that loveth them and devote themselves to his use and service 2. More particularly I shall do three things 1. State the foregoing breach 2. Shew you the nature of this reconciliation 3. Shew you how Christ is concerned in it 1. To state the foregoing breach take these Propositions 1. God and man were once near friends Adam was the Lords favourite You know till man was made 't is said of every rank and species of the Creature God saw that it was good But when man was made in his day Gen. 1.31 God saw what he had made and behold it was very good An object of special love God expressed more of his favour to him than to any other Creature except the Angels Man was made after his Image Gen. 1.26 When you make the Image or Picture of a man you do not draw his feet or his hands but his face his tract or foot-print may be found among the creatures but his Image and express resemblance with man and so he was fitted to live in delightful Communion with his Creator Man was his Vice-roy Gen. 1.27 God intrusted him with the care charge and dominion over all the Creatures Yea he was capable of loving knowing or injoying God other Creatures were capable of glorifying God of setting forth his Power Wisdom and Goodness objectively and passively but man of glorifying God actively as being appointed to be the mouth of the Creation 2. Man gets out of Gods favour by conspiring with Gods grand Enemy His Condition was happy but mutable before Satan by insinuating with him draweth him into Rebellion against God and upon this Rebellion he forfeiteth all his priviledges Gods Image favour and Fellowship God would deal with him in the way of a Covenant Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Do and live sin and die The comminatory part is only expressed because that only took place So that by this Rebellion he lost the integrity of his nature and all his Happiness he first run away from God and then God drove him away he was first a fugitive and than an exile 3. Man faln draweth all his posterity along with him For God dealt not with him as a single but as a publick person Rom. 5.13 Whereas by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all for that all have sinned And 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven There 's a first man and a Second man nos omnes eramus in illo unus homo Adam and Jesus are the two great Institutions the one consistent with the Wisdom and Justice of God as the other with the wisdom and grace of God so that Adam begets enemies to God Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in own likeness And 1 Cor. 15.49 we read of the Image of the earthly one Every man is born an enemy to God his nature opposite his ways contrary to God and so is eternally lost and undone unless God make some other provision for him 4. The Condition of every man by nature is to be a stranger and an enemy to God Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds That double notion is to be considered Strangers there is no Communion between God and us we cannot delight in God nor God in us till there be a greater suitableness or a divine nature put into us If that be too soft a notion the next will help it we are enemies there is a perfect contrariety we are perfectly opposit to God in nature and ways We are enemies directly or formally and in effect or by interpretation formally men are enemies open or secret open are those that bid open defiance to him as Pagans and Infidels and Idolaters Secret so are all sinners their hopes and desires are that there were no God they would fain have God out of their way rather than part with their lusts they would part with their God Psa. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God 'T is a pleasing thought and supposition that there were no God In effect and by Interpretation they do things or leave things undone contrary to to Gods will and take part with their sins against him As Love is a Love of duty and subjection so hatred is a refusal of obedience Love me and keep my Commandments Exod. 20.6 They are angry with those who would plead Gods interests with them But how can men hate God who is summum bonum fons boni The School-men put the Question We hate him not as a Creator and Preserver but as a Law-giver and Judge As a Law-giver because we cannot injoy our lusts with that freedom and security by reason of his restraint God hath interposed by his Law against our desires Rom. 8.7 Because the carnal mind is enmity to God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be As a Judge and avenger of sin not only desire of carnal liberty but slavish fear is the cause of this enmity Men hate those whom they fear We have wronged God exceedingly and we know that he will call us to an account we are his debtors and cannot answer the demands of his Justice And therefore we hate him what comfort is it to a guilty prisoner to tell him that his Judge is a discreet person or of a stayed Judgment he is one that will condemn him A condemning God can never be loved by a guilty creature as barely apprehended under that notion 5. God hateth sinners as they hate him For we are Children of wrath from the womb Eph. 2.3 And that wrath abideth on us till we enter into Gods peace John 3.36 And the more wicked we are the more we incur Gods Wrath. Psal. 7.11 He is angry with the wicked every day They are under his curse Gal. 3.10 Whatever be the secret purposes of his grace yet so they are by the sentence of his Law and according to that we must Judge of our condition 2. The nature of this reconciliation 1. As the enmity is mutual so is the reconciliation God is reconciled to us and we to God On Gods part his Wrath is appeased and our wicked disposition is taken away by regeneration for there are the causes of the difference between him and us his Justice and our sin His Justice is satisfied in Christ so that he is willing to offer us a new Covenant Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He is