standing or falling soul How this and you will not easily be seduced in other points The Scripture tells you P. cts 4.12 There is no other name give under heaven by which men can be saveâ— Neither is there salvation in any other It is the whole business of St. Paul almoâ—â— throughout the Epistle to the Roman and that to the Galathians to proâ—â— his St. Paul desires to be found â—â— Christ alone Phil. 3.9 10. not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but the righteousness of God the righteousness of faith Hence Christ is called The Lord our righteousness And he is said to have been made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And to be made of God for us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 6. That every soul thus justified is effectually called He is not only as many are called called out of the Pagan world to believe and receive the Doctrine of the Gospel but by the Spirit of God powerfully joyning with the Word he is made to see and be sensible of his lost condition out of Christ and enabled by a true and lively faith to receive and lay hold upon and trust in Christs righteousness he is also regenerated that is made a new man by a thange wrought by Gods Spirit in his heart affections whole man And without this none is justified none can be saved Joh. â— 5 Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he can never enter into the Kingdom of God Ro. 8.13 If you live after the flesh you shall die Ro. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit If a man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And in many other Texts Let men talk what they please of Baptismal Regeneration who so lives to years of discretion and hath no more shall never see the face of God I know the most learned assertors of it conclude it of little value ponentibus obicem as they say that is if men after Baptism wilfully sin against God who lives and doth not So as that limitation makes their novel Doctrine but a security to baptized persons dying in infancy They have a fancy to merit the name of Blandi instead of Duripatres infantum as Augustine was called All that is to be feared of the imbibing in that new Doctrine is lest people should be luâ—led asleep with that notion of being justified in Baptism and think that iâ— afterward they run to all excess of riot they need only to wash their feet by aâ— slighty repentance and never look after a true sight of sin or an actual believing in the Lord Jesus Christ 7. That Christs Righteousness is not imputed to any soul without the exercise of faith eying receiving resting upon Christ and Christ alone for salvation Nor can any true act of sanctification flow from any other principle So as one who never in the fight of his sin and lost condition fled to Christ and laid hold upon his righteousness be he under what other circumstances of birth breeding Church-membership moral righteousness formal and constant performance of religious duties is in a state of damnation and so dying perisheth for ever John 3.18 Joh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God Ver. 36. He that believeth on the Son bath everlasting life he that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God And again Without faith it is impossible to please God 8. That regeneration and faith and every other habit that is truly spiritual cometh from the special distinguishing grace of God and is wrought in the soul by his alone power and by him drawn out into exercise and we have no power of our selves so much as to think one good thought Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit Joh. 3.5 John 3.5 Born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of man but of God Phil. 1.29 Phil. 1.29 It is given you on the behalf of Christ to believe Faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Eph. 2.8 Every good and perfect gift cometh from above Jam. 1.17 James 1.17 Without me you can do nothing John 15. John 15. We have no sufficiency of our selves to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.5 Abide in this Christians Christ doth not say Without me you can do no great things nor without me you can do little but without me you can do just nothing 9. That whosoever is thus justified and regenerated sinneth often but yet in some sense sinneth not Not as others do not making a trade nor taking a pleasure in sinning not with plenary acts and consent of his will He cannot be an habitual constant Drunkard Unclean person Swearer Curser Lyar Blasphemer Prophaner of Sabbaths or the hoâ—y Name of God he cannot live in a known course of cheating and defrauding but though he falls seven times a day yet it is by sins of infirmity and if he be overcome by temptations to greater sins as Noah Abraham Job Peter David c. yet he lyes â—ot in them but with Peter weeps bitterly 10. That although a child of God may â—n many things be ignorant of his duty and wherein he knows it may sometimes â—ant strength to perform it and he who â—oth most is not perfect yet no true child of God will live in the wilful and instant omission of any known duty â—or in the wilful ignorance of any part â—f his duty but striveth to grow in â—race and knowledge and for what he knoweth To will is present with him though he hath no strength to perform and as to his inward man he will delight in the Law of God and though he â—e not perfect yet he striveth after peraction Phil. 3.12 Phil. 3.12 He followeth after that he may apprehend that for which he is also apprehended of Jesus Christ counteth not himself to have appâ—â— hended But doth this one thing forgting those things which are behind reacheth forth to those things that are fore and presseth toward the mark forâ— price of the high calling of God Christ 11. That in order to this he who â—â— would see the face of God must make Word of God his rule Isa 8.20 Mat. 15.9 Joh. 4.23 Deut. 12.32 both of faith 〈◊〉 life Believing no Divine Truth but upon credit of the revelation of it in the Sâ—â—ptures indeed otherwise it can beâ—â— Divine faith taking his Rule for Wâ—â—ip from the Scriptures Col. 2.23 Psal 119.109 both for 〈◊〉 Acts and for the manner and directâ—â— all the actions of his life
in his gâ—â—tal calling in his particular relation cording to the general and particular Rules of the Holy Word of God â—â— turning aside from them 12. That as we shall all dye there shall be a resurrection from the diâ—â— and a day of Judgement When Christ shall judge the quick and the dead iâ— cording to his Gospel When the feâ—ful the unbelieving Rev. 11.8 the abominable mâ—â— dere's whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and all lyars all those that trouble the â—rvants of God that know not God that they not his Gospel all thieves 2 Thes 1.7 8. covetous persons drunkards revilers 1 Cor. 6.9 10. extortioners c. shall be adjudged to the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone to have their portion in fire and brimstone in everlasting burnings with the Devil and his Angels On the contrary Those who by believing and obeying the truth and by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. Evidence That they are such whom God from Eternity hath chosen to life on the behalf of whom Christ made an Eternal Covenant with his Father for whom he died To whom he hath given his Spirit in a way of a special and distinguishing grace shall have a joyful resurrection and hear that blessed sentence pronounced to them Matth. 25. Come you blessed of the Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you These are some of those Gospel Propofitions which you have been taught Abide in them Search the Scriptures see if they agree not with them if they do take heed how you change your persuasions as to them for any new systeme of Doctrines leadiâ— you to salvation This faith will leâ—â— you unto holiness and strictness of life will not give you that liberty to thâ— flesh which other doth It will maâ—â— you live in the daily view of the truth Straight is the way and nanrâ— is the gate that leadeth to eternal liâ—â— and few there be that find it Which will remain true when all the worâ—â— shall be found liars I pass to the â—â—â—ond branch of the Exhortation Abide in your faith in Christ 2. Br. I shall not her take faith in so strict and abstract a notion as it is sometimes take in Scripture but as it comprehendeth 1. Adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone for salvation 2. Hoping in him 3. Patien waiting for him The two latter are the daughters of faith strictly taken but they have so much of their Mother that in Scripture they are often taken for it and called by here name 1. Abide in your stedfast adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Josus Christ and him alone for salvation There are some that despise salvation some that neglect it some that vainly seek it some have no hope some have no true foundation for their hope Some never think of another life so neither hope for it nor despair of it but live like Beasts in the world crying Let his eat and drink for to morrow we shall â—lye and so call out their souls to no â—ct of faith or adherence to any â—hing at all in order to it I hope I peak to such as believe they have souls and that their souls are not given them meerly pro sale to keep their â—odies from putrefaction but that they are immortal beings capable of and ordained to an Eternal existence which must be either in eternal life â—r in eternal misery and who live in the waking conviction of this and so are concerned to think what they should trust to for eternal salvation Some are thus far awakened but like Browning men lay hold on every twig and bulrush never considering whether â—t will bear their weight or no. One man thinks if he be baptized he shall be saved Another if he keeps his Church and payes every man his own he shall be saved Another if he give his goods to the poor builds Churchâ— Hospitals This is all to say we have our life in our hands You have been otherwise taught viz. To do all that you can in obedience to the commandments God and when you have done all to sâ—â— you are unprofitable servants to say the is not my Righteousness Isa 64.6 to say after the Church We are as an unclean thing and all our righteousness as a filthy ragâ— to cry out None but Christ None bâ—â— Christ Hold there Christians live in daily view of eternity in a daily exercise of faith adherence to and relianâ—â— upon the Lord Jesus Christ as he hâ— whom alone you can be brought to blessed Eternity Let the Papist if hâ— will trust to his own merits Trust you to the merits of Christ alone Their Learned Cardinal when he came to dye could cry out It is the safest do so Video melior a proboque Deteriora sequor Let them if they will trust to the superlative merits of other Saints it may be they were no Saints if they were they must be better supplied â—an the Wise Virgins if they have oil mough for themselves and you too if they had there is no way of conveyance to you ordained by God but very man hath use enough of his own righteousness and at the great say it will be found that those have â—een mistaken who have dreamed that â—ny but Christ have had any to spare or â—ny that could be imputed to another â—â— trust in Jesus Christ and in him â—one 2. Abide in your lively hope In â—our hope of a glorious resurrection In â—ur hope of a day when God shall judge be world by our Lord Jesus Christ In our hope of eternal life This very age will tell you that if such as fear God and strictly walk in his wayes Following the severer paths of Worship and â—oliness had hope in this life only they were indeed of all men most miserable These are the worlds reproach these almost are the only transgressors accounted Drinking Swearing Blaspheming Cursing Uncleanness these are but venial tolerable sins Close walking with God fearing to offend him â— matters of Worship praying meeting together to fast and pray these are the Capital Offences for which Prisons oâ— are prepared But Christians theâ— will be a Resurrection of the body theâ— will be a day of Judgement There will a revelation of eternal life The body of Gods people may be abused waste in Prisons and consumed there but they shall live again Men now judge the world it stands them in hand consider whether they make righteoâ— Laws and decree righteous judgement â—â— on them For there is another day Judgement appointed when all Law and Acts of Judgement upon them wiâ— be examined again by the Divine Law and by the Standard of Heaven tryed The issue will be then tryed whether Drunkards Swearers Cursers Vnclean Persons such as wallow in all manner â— filthiness or such as live according to the strict rule of Gods Word and defire no more than that they may quietly live so according to the just dictates
the stones which they give them instead of bread the Scorpions they feed them with instead of fish speak it plain enough But this is not enough to a godly Minister My little children saith the Apostle with whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you Paul laboured to present his people a pure and châ— Virgin to Christ and saith that he come wish himself accursed and separated frâ—â— Christ for his Brethrens sake The godly Minister is touched with a zeal â— the glory of God with a true â—â— for the people of God committed to lâ— charge and desires they might be approved though himself should be aâ—probate he blusheth and is ashand for the hardness of heart the Stâ— borness Rebellion and Apostacy of his people How saith he shall I loâ— God in the face another day as to the soul He hath an ambition in the grâ— day to speak after his Lord and Mester Of all those whom thou hast give me I have lost none Now brethâ— If you love them that love you saith our Saviour what reward have you How inexcusable will you be if you love not them who love you But if you have any love for the Ministers Christ who have spent themselves the service of your souls If any kindness for us if you would be our â— and crown and glory not our trouble and grief and shame in the great dâ— when our Lord shall appear Abide in him Now abide in him that you may have a Crown for your own heads and help a Crown on to our heads that when Christ shall appear you may have confidence and not be ashamed to look the Captain of our salvation in the face as all renegadoes will and that we may have confidence and come forth cheerfully when the Lord shall â—all us out in the day of judgment and be able to say Lord here are we and those whom thou hast given us Thine they were trusted to us and they have kept thy word I will adde but one word more to his branch of Exhortation 4. Whether should you go This Peter considered when our Saviour said to him Will ye also go away Lord saith he whether should we go thou hast the words of everlasting life God complained of his people Jer. 2. that they committed â—oo horrible evils forsaking the fountain â—living waters and digging up to themslves cisterns broken cisterns that would hold no water This must be the case of every Christian not abiding in Christ But to speak more distinctly 1. What faith will you embrace There 's nothing so dissonant to the rational nature of man than to believe a lie Whatsoever pretends to a divine truth and is not bottomed on Scripture is no other 2. Where will you fix your hope and considence Christ is the hope and the alone hope of his people whoso pureth hope or considence in any thine else trusteth to a bruised reed and a broken staff 3. To what course of life will you turn Will you again go back to the onion and garlick of Aegypt Will you lick â— your former vomit and verifie the proverb The swine returns to the walloning in the mire again Let me speak you as the Apostle to the Romans Who fruit had ye of those things of which you have been ashamed Have you mourned for your former courses in vain with you repent of your repentance with you because your Lord delayeth hâ— coming eat with the gluttons and drue with the drunkards and fall to smitiâ— your fellow-servants Take that of oâ— Saviour concerning such servants Matth. 24.49 50. Matth. 24.49 50 51. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not try are of and verse 51. shall cut him â—sunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Once more Whether will you go to what society will you addere Take the company of professors with all their faults they are the best society in the world I mean not the best with reference to a Christians spiritual nature and temper but the best is men None more than they none so much as they live up to the principles of humane nature and reason The drunkard the unclean person the covetous worldling the profane curser and swearer and blasphemer of the holy name of God the unjust man that defrauds and cheateth his neighbour the fawning flatterer the godless atheist are so far from living like Christians that they live not like men Leave the flocks of Christs companions of the stricter sort of professors and find an assembly if you can not full of these spots there may be a severe Cato a just Aristides a composed Seneca amongst them but Oh! how rare are they Would you be glad Sirs to stand amongst these at the day of judgment would you be willing to have your portion with them If you would not let not your soul enter here into their secrets to their assemblies let us your honour be united But enough is spoken to this first Branch of Exhortation to them who through mercy yet is their first works I shall finish this discourse with one branch of Exhortation more 2. Exhor To those that have not abode in Christ pleading with them that they would return Here let me first shew you the persons to whom I speak Then I shall plead my Masters cause with them with a few arguments In the opening the point shewed you that men and women may have a three-fold state in Christ 1. The first Sacramental having been listed in the Lords Army given up their names unto him the Apostle saith we are baptized into Christ 2. The second Professional as members of the Church which is his body having walked with some Church of Christ in the Ordinances of the Gospel and made an outward shew of living within the Gospel compass 3. The third real and more inward and spiritual as having been by the grace of God the distinguishing grace of God taken out of the wild Olive of a natural estate and condition and ingrafted into Christ who is the true Olive and made true partakers of his grace From the first and second state there may be a toral and final apostasie from the last a sad and gradual apostasie but neither total nor final First then so many as have been baptized into Christ and since their baptism have lived in the service of the world of sinful lusts and pleasures instead of the service of God I say so many have not abode in Christ Oh! that they would remember the Covenant of their youth that by the smart punishments which they see earthly Princes inflicting on them that take their Oaths of Allegiance and then turn Traitors that take their press-mony and then refuse to fight for them nay instead of it openly fight against them they would collect what dreadful vengeance they must expect who in Baptism have
affords several Propositions of Doctrine some more implied others more expressed That Christ will appear 1. Prop. Though at present he be personally absent and disappeareth to his people yet he will come again he will appear That at the day of his appearance 2. Prop. some will have boldness and confidence others will blush and be ashamed That it is the great concernment of Christians to abide in Christ 3. Prop. and that especially in evil times 4. 4. Prop. That a peoples abiding in Christ will adde to a godly Ministers boldness and confidence when Jesus Christ shall appear in Judgment The third being the main Doctrine of the Text is that which I shall only insist upon 1. Prop. It is the great concernment of the children of God the Disciples of Christ especially in evil times to abide in Christ The foundation of this Proposition in the Text is evident But now little children abide in him Now that the times are thus evil by the corruption of men on the one hand by the rage of men on the other hand Jo. 1.2.18 19 26. Now that there are many Antichrists by which we know this is the last time verse 18. Now that many are gone out from us who were not of us Now that there are many that seduce you verse 19 26. Now abide in him But for a fuller discourse upon this subject it will be necessary that I should open to you 1. The meaning of this term Abide in him that you may know the full import of it 2. That I should shew you wherein this appeareth to be the great concernment of Christians 1. In all times 2. More especially in evil times 3. Then I shall bring it home to you in a more close and particular application 1. Quest What is the meaning of this Exhortation Abide in him What is this to abide in Christ 1. Abide is a term of continuance and signifies a continuing or persevering in some place or station in which a person is being here applied to Christ it must signifie a perseverance or continuance in union with Christ or in some station or relation referring to him There are three ways by which a man may be said to have a relation to Christ 1. Sacramentally We are said in Scripture to be baptized into Christ Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3 26. Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3.26 not that the person baptized is forthwith justified or regenerated none can maintain that without asserting an intercession of the state of justification and total and final apostasie but by Baptism we are made members of that mystical body whereof Christ is the head I mean the Church thus in the strictest sense those that are baptized are baptized into Christ mystical Christ as the Head of the Church though not as the Head of the Elect. From this relation to Christ there is no starting but by renouncing or denying our Baptism Besides We are baptized into Christ as the souldier by taking his pay or taking his oath is listed into an Army that is under an engagement to profess Christ and to be his servants 2. Putatively or Visibly It is a figurative but very usual expression in Scripture for men to be said to be what they judge themselves to be or what they outwardly own and profess to be thus the seemingly righteous man is called righteous And in this sense you read of some that deny the Lord that bought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and we are bid not with our meat to destroy our Brother for whom Christ dyed Thirdly More spiritually and really by an union of faith Thus that man is in Christ who actually believeth faith is that grace which makes the true and perfect union betwixt Christ and the soul I mean that faith which the Apostle calls the faith of Gods elect the faith that worketh by love purifieth the heart gives the soul victory over the world c. Which faith is not an idle and inactive quality but working and powerful justifying it self 1. By a profession owning of and adhering to the truths of the Gospel 2. By a suitably holy life and conversation With reference to this I take the Exhortation 2. But Secondly This Exhortation doth not suppose that it is possible that the union once thus made betwixt Christ and the soul can be dissolved He that is the Author is also the finisher of our faith The Seed of God saith our Apostle abideth in the believing soul It is a great mistake of some to conclude from such kind of Exhortations as these the possibility of a Christians falling from a state of Grace 3. But Lastly Though a Christian once truly implanted into Christ and by faith engrafted cannot but abide in him being kept by the power of God and upheld by an everlasting arm Yet 1. This union on our part must be preserved by the use of such means as he hath appointed 2. A man may fall away gradually from his profession and may abate of his practice in holiness Now with reference to one or both these is this Exhortation and many others of like nature in Scripture which signifie these two things 1. Live in a diligent use of all those Sacred Institutions and Means which God hath appointed you in order to your preservation in that state of grace into which the Lord hath brought you and will by his power but through faith on your part preserve you to salvation 2. And take heed that you abate not in degrees of faith and love This now is the meaning of this short Exhortation abide in him which we shall the better understand by considering other Scriptures in words or in sense paralell to this It is a phrase we rarely meet with in holy Writings but only in the Gospel and Epistles of this blessed Apostle It was Christs Exhortation John 15.4 Abide in me Joh. 15.4 7 10. expounded ver 7. If any man abide in me and my words abide in him ver 10. 1 Joh. 2.6.24.17.10 1 Joh. 3.6 Abide in my love 1 John 2.24 it is a little altered if you abide in that which you have heard 1 John 2.26 He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walk as he also walked ver 10. it is called an abiding in light 1 John 3.6 Who so abideth in him sinneth not So then when we are exhorted to abide in him we are called upon To take heed of sin to do the will of God to walk in the light of truth and holiness to continue in the owning and profession of the truths of God which we have heard to take care that the words of Christ may abide in us Two things we are called to for two things we are admonished to take heed of 1. We are called to for a stedfast owning of and adhering to such propositions as we before by faith have embraced and been perswaded of from the Evidence of the word of God and admonished to take heed of
suffer him the far to prosper Hath God since that tiâ—â— blest you in your estate in your children in your trade c Or hath he blasâ—â— you If the latter Have you not 〈◊〉 cured this unto your selves in that ye 〈◊〉 forsaken the Lord your God when he led you by the way But it may be you cannot yet see divine vengeance thus pursuing you there is a time when poenalis nutritur impunitas God fatteth up some with the Maist of the world to the great day of slaughter though ordinarily these be such as never made any profession Judas that had been a Disciple quickly disgorged his thirty pleces you know That which I would have you principally enquire is how it hath been with your inward man as to your spiritual concerns St. John in his Epistle to his Host Gaius wisheth above all things that he might prosper and be in health even as his soul prospereth If there should be a Doeg that hath got anything by his treachery to Christ and the interest of his Gospel I would â—eg of him to consider whether his â—oul also prospereth and be in health as his outward man is You have pretended formerly to know what belongs to an inward serenity of mind to peace of conscience c. Have you at any time since your change found leisure to speak â—o your own souls and say Is it peace If you have not you have been very careless of Eternity If you have what hath it answered Have you gone to bed with as much satisfaction in your spirit after a day spent at a play or aprofane meeting as you did heretofore after a day spent in a religious meeting or at a fast Have you had no more melancholick thoughts no more sad reflections no more terrours than before Hath not the evil spirit sometimes so troubled you that you have been forced to send for a Minstrel to play it off Have not the images of those righteous servants of God whom you have been reviling whom you have been accusers of and instruments to hale into prisons ruine and as much as in you lay to make an end of sometimes appeared to you in your dreams and disquieted you in your sleep Have you not heard though not a voice from heaven God will not so much honour you who have so much spit in his face yet a voice from your own conscience Soul soul why persecutest thou Christ What evil hast thou formerly seen in that way wherein thy self did walk worthy of this death or these barbarous bonds Do you see what servants what home-born slaves you have made your selves How the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken your head O return into the right wayes of the Lord return to your first Husband speak sincerely Was it not then every way better with you than now 6. Consider seriously with yourselves if a day of trouble should come as certainly thou art not the only person exempted from the incurnt ances and accidents to which mortality is exposed and subjected would any of those things or persons help you to which you are turned and whom you have gratified in your departing from the right ways of God The Professor not abiding in Christ usually makes choice 1. Of New Principles 2. New Practices in his conversation 3. New Friends and a New Society 1. New Principles he must have a seared conscience that upon strict Principles can build a loose practice and retain the truths of God in unrighteousness Therefore the Backslider hath ordinarily an Almanack faith calculated for the Meridian of his present practice For example it was the old faith of Professors that all men and Women are by nature children of wrath Ephes 2.3 That they remain in this state of wrath till by the hearing of the word the holy Spirit working with it faith be wrought in them and they be brought to Receive the Lord Jesus Christ and to believe in him John 3.18.36 Till they be regenerated and born again by the Spirit of God John 3.3 5. that is till old things be passed away and all things become nâ—w with them for he that is in Christ is a new creature That true faith where ever it is purifieth the heart worketh by love to God to his people in a strict universal obedience to all the commandments of God As to which they must have a presence to will though they may in many things want stength to perform That who so thus believeth and is thus regenerated is justified by the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ alone and being justified sinneth not wilfully and presumptuously or doth not lye and abide in sin but though he sometimes falleth by sin yet he by and by purifieth himself and riseth again by repentance And it is the business of his life in all things to make the word of God a light to his feet and a lanthorn to his paths Thou hast possibly collected another system of practical principles That every one who is baptized is justified and regenerated That to believe is nothing else but to be perswaded of the truth of the Scriptures That indeed a man may fall away from his justified estate in Baptism by actual sins but a slighty acknowledgement of his sins in a formal confession or when he comes to dye will make up all again And if a man lives in Obedience to what he calls the Church making the dictates of men the rule of his practice without any particular enquiry whether they be according to the Scriptures or no he shall not need fear salvation I confess this sheweth an easie way to Heaven if it were as sure But suppose a day of trouble now to thy soul suppose now thy conscience awakened either whiles thou art in thy full career in thy prosperity or when thou comest to dye and some such Texts as these fall into thy thoughts at that day John 3.18 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and be that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the Name of the only begotten Son of God Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ whâ— walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit v. 5. They that are after the flesh 〈◊〉 mind the things of the flesh they that 〈◊〉 after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit ver 6. To be carnally minded iâ— death ver 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God ver 13. If you live after the flesh you shall dye Neither â—â—cumcision availeth any thing â—â—uncircumcision but a new creature Suppose these or other such like Scriptures should stick fast to thy thoughts in an evil day what should relieve thee Will it relieve thee when thoâ— comest to dye to remember thoâ— wer 't baptized in thy infancy Will noâ— thy thoughts reflect There are thousands that were baptized will be damoned Simon Magus was baptized yeâ—â— the gall of bitterness and in the bands of
Josiah The â—â—ticular judgment which God at his time had given him a prospect of â—as a Dearth as in verse 〈◊〉 dearth â—â—rough want of rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew â—ord signifieth and so the Text makâ—â—h it plain verse 3. The Nobles sent their 〈◊〉 ones to the water they came to the 〈◊〉 and found no water verse 4. The 〈◊〉 was chapt there was no rain on 〈◊〉 earth ver 7 8 9. The Prophet â—on the prospect of this-dreadful â—â—dgment puts up a fervent prayer to God To which the Lord returns an angry answer verse 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 short he bids Jeremiah pray no more foâ— them for he would consume them by sword famine and pestilence As there is an acceptable day a day when the Lord will be found so there is a time when his Spirit shall no longer strive with man his patience shall no longer be tired though Noah Daniel and Job pray they shall but deliver their own souls the decree is gone forth Verse 13. Jerem tells the Lord that there were a breed of Prophets sang another tune to this sinful people and told them they should have peace and neither see sword noâ— famine Thus Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses Such wretches have been in all ages when the Devil gets 〈◊〉 commission to seduce a people to ruineâ— the instruments he useth to execute 〈◊〉 are profane ignorant lying Priests Thâ—â— was the way you know Satan toâ—â— God he would seduce Ahab to go an fall at Ramoth-Gilead I will go saitâ— he and be a lying spirit in the mouth 〈◊〉 his Prophets The Lord tells Jeremy Verse 14. these Prophets were not of his sending they prophesied lies in his Name false visions divinations things of naught the deceit of their own hearts yet without doubt these were the generality of the Jewish Ministers men brought up in the Schools of the Prophets and in the orders of their Church and cloathed with an external call to their works Even under the Law God allowed his people a judgment of discretion and did not oblige them to believe what their Priests said without any examination of it It is possible regular Priests and Prophets may not be sent by God nor â—ught people to look upon them so when they find them speaking contrary â—o the Word of God But Oh! it is a â—angerous thing for the Ministers of truth to become the messengers of lies for us to corrupt the Word of God Dangerous it is to our selves Verse 15. Tell these Prophets saith the Lord By sword and â—â—mine you shall be consumed It is danâ—â—rous for the people If the trumpet â—â—ve an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel If the Ministers try All is well God is well pleased do wickedly still you do God good service in it The interpretation be to the enemies of all good men How easily are people hardened and encouraged in vile courses Verse 16. But shall their Priests words save them No. The people saith God to whom they prophesie shall be cast out in the streets of Hierusalem because of the famine and the sword and there shall be none to bury them their wives their sons and their daughters for I will pour their wickedness upon them The lie of the Prophet never justifieth the credulity of the people God expecteth that his people should search the Scriptures and examine whether those things the Minister speaks be conformable to his Word or no and yield no further assent to what they say then what they find ground for there After this Verse 17.18 God directeth the Prophet to act the person of a mourner before the people upon a prospect of his judgments to come as if they already were come Oh! how loth the Lord is to destroy a people amongst whom he hath once had a Name How shall I give thee up O Ephraim how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboiim Jeremiah knowing he had to do with a gracious God that sometimes repenteth himself of the evil he hath threatned and brings it not upon a people sets himself to prayer as the proper means if any would do to avert the vengeance of God His prayer begins with the words of my Text and holds on to the end of the Chapter In which you have 1. A servent Expostulation Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Zion Why c. 2. A sad representation of the state of the people 1. They were smitten and there was no healing for them 2. Their expectation was frustrated We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble 3. Here is an humble though more general confession We acknowledge our iniquities and the iniquities of our fathers for we have sinned against thee 4. An earnest supplication express'd in several terms and back'd with several arguments closely couched The Terms are 1. Do not abhor us 2. Do not disgrace thâ— throne of thy glory 3. Remember Break noâ— thy Covenant with us The Arguments are 1. For thy Names sake 2. We are the throne of thy glory 3. Thou hast made a Covenant with us 4. Thou art he alone canâ—â— give showers the vanitieâ— of the Gentiles cannot cause rain 5. Lastly here is the Prophets declared resolution to trust in God and wait oâ— him verse 22. My Text as you see contains only the two first general parts of this excellent Prayer of the Prophet The first I called his fervent expostulation Hast thou utterly rejected Judah 〈◊〉 Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why haâ—â— thou smitten us and there is no healing for us Hast thou in rejecting rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in reprobating reprobated Judah Those that are critical in the Hebrew observe the word signifies to reject a thing with scorn and disdain as vile and contemptible it is used as in many other places Hos 4.6 Because thou hast reâ—ected knowledge I will also reject thee Hos 4.6 Lam. 5.22 But thou hast utterly rejected 〈◊〉 Lord saith the Prophet Lam. 5.22 hast thou â—â—terly rejected Judah what Judah the remainder of the people the seed of Abraham thy friend which was so â—â—ear to thee Judah of which it was â—aid In Judah is God known hast thou â—tterly rejected this Judah Hath thy 〈◊〉 loathed Zion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word used is much of the same signification with the other only it signifieth something more of the affection set against an object it is used Ezech. 16.45 Ezecth 16.45 to exâ—ress the alienation of a leud womans â—eart from her husband It is also used â—evit 26.44 Levit. 26.44 a place to which one would think the Prophet here hath home special respect And yet for all that when they be in the hand of their enemies I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for