the Lord a living and self-being Spirit Then must he not have Worshippers Beasts are not created for it it is you O sons of men whom he made for his own praise and it is not more suteable to your nature than it is honourable and glorious This is the great dignity and excellency you are priviledged with beyond the brute beasts to have spirits within you capable of knowing and acknowledging the God of your spirits Why then do you both rob and spoil God of his glory and cast away your own excellency Why do you love to trample on your ornaments and wallow in the puddle like beasts void of Religion but so much worse then beasts that you ought to be better were created for a more noble design O base spirited wretches who hang down your souls to this earth and follow the dictates of your own sense and lust have not so much as an externall form of worshipping God How farre are you come short of the noble design of your Creation the high end of your Immortall souls If you will not worship God know he will have Worshippers certainly he will not want it because he hath designed so many souls to stand before him and worship him and that number will not fail He might indeed have wanted worshippers For what advantage is it to him But in this he declares his love and respect to man that he will not want honour and service from him it is rather to put honour upon him and to make him blessed and happy than for any gain can amount to himself by it for this is indeed the true honour and happinesse of man not to be worshipped and served of other fellow-creatures but to worship and serve the Creator This is the highest advancement of a soul to lye low before him and to obey him have our service accepted of his Majesty I beseech you strive about this noble service Since he must have Worshippers O say within your souls I must be one if he had but one I could not be content if I were not that one since the Father is seeking Worshippers ver 23. O let him find thee Offer thy self to him saying Lord here am I Should he seek you who can have no advantage from you Should he go about so earnest a search for true VVorshipers who can have no profite by them And why do ye not seek him since since to you all the gain profite redounds Shall be seek you to make you happy and why do ye not seek him and happinesse in him It is your own service I may truly say and not his so much for in serving him thou dost rather serve thy self for all the benefit redounds to thy self thogh thou must not intend such an end to serve him for thy self but for thy names sake else thou shalt neither honour him nor advantage thy self I pray you let him not seek in vain for in these afflictions he is seeking Worshippers and if he find you you are found saved indeed Do not then forsake your own mercy to run from him who follows you with Salvation As none can be ignorant that God is and must be worshipped so it is unknown to the world in what manner he must be worshipped the most part of men have some form in worshipping God please themselves in it so well that they think God well-pleased with it but few there are who know indeed what it is to worship him in a manner acceptable to his Majestie Now you know it is all one not to worship him at all as not to worship him in that way he likes to be worshipped Therefore the most part of men are but self-worshippers because they please none but themselves in it it is not the worship his soul hath chosen but their own invention for you must take this as an undeniable ground that God must be worshipped according to his own will and pleasure not according to you◅ humour or invention therefore his soul abhorres will-worship devised by men out of ignorant zeal or superstition though there might seem much devotion in it much affection to God as in the Israelits sacrificing their childrē whatmore seem ing self-denyal And yet what more real self-idolatry God owns not such a service for it is not service obedience to his will and pleasure but to mens own will and humour therefore a man must not look for a reward but from himself Now it is not only will-worship when the matter and substance of the worship is not commanded of God but also when a commanded worship is not discharged in the appointed manner Therefore O how few true worshippers will the Father find True worship must have Truth for the substance and spirit for the manner of it else it is not such a worship as the father seeks will be pleased with divine worship must have truth in it that is plain but what was that truth it must be conformed to the rule pattern of worship which is Gods will pleasure revealed in the word of truth true worship is the very practise of the word of truth it caries the Image and superscription and command upon it which is a necessary ingredient in it and constituent of it Therefore if thy service have the Image of thy own will stamped on it it is not divine worship but will-worship Thus all humane ceremonies and ordinances enjoyned for service of God carry the inscription not of God but of man who is the author and original of them so are but adulterated and false Coyn that will not passe current with God I fear there be many rites and vain customes among ignorant people in which they place some Religion which have no ground in the word of God but are only old wives fables and traditions How many things of that nature are used upon a religious account in which God hath placed no Religion Many have a superstitious conceit of the publick place of worship as if there were more holinesse in it than in any other house so they think their Prayers in the Church are more acceptable then in their Chamber But Christ refutes that superstitious opinion of places so consequently of dayes meats and all such externall things The Jews had a great opinion of their temple the Samaritans of their mountain as if these places had sanctified their services But saith our Lord vers 21. The hour cometh when yee shall neither worship in this mountain c. but it s any where acceptable if so be ye worship in spirit and truth Many of you account it Religion to pray mutter words of your own in the time of publick prayer but who hath required this at your hand If you would pray your selves go apart shut the door behind thee saith Christ private prayer should be in private and secret But when publick prayer is your hearts should close with the petitions and offer them up
Ordinances but that Christians are now called to worship all Spirit pure Spirit c. This is one of the Spirits spiritual Doctrines that call themselves so which ye must not receive for it is neither spirit of God nor of Christ that teacheth this nor the spirit of God the Creator because he hath made the whole man body and soul and so must be worshipped of the whole man He hath created man in such a capacity as he may offer up external actions in a reasonable manner with the inward affections as the Lord hath created him so he should serve him every member every part in its own capacity the soul to preceed and the body to follow the soul to be the chief worshipper and the body its servant imployed in the worship True worship hath a body and a soul as well as a true man and as the soul separated is not a compleat man so neither is the soul separated a compleat worshipper without the body the external Ordinances of God is the body the inward soul-affection is the Spirit which being joyned together makes compleat worship Neither is it the Spirit of Christ which teacheth this because our Lord Jesus hath taught us to offer up our bodies and spirits both in a reasonable service Rom. 12. 1 2. The sacrifice of the bodily performance offered up by the spiritual affection and renewed mind is a living sacrifice holy acceptable and reasonable That spirit which dwelt in Christ above measure did not think it too base to vent it self in the way of externall Ordinances He was indeed above all above the Law yet did willingly come under them to teach us who have so much need and want to come under them He prayed much he preached he did sing and read to teach us how to worship and how much need we have of Prayer and Preaching This was not the Spirit Christ promised to his Disciples and Apostles which spirit did breath most lively in the use of the external Ordinances all their dayes and this is not the spirit which was at the hour in which Christ spoke The hour is come and now is ver 23. in which the true worship of God shal not be in the external and Jewish Ceremonies and rites void of all life and inward sense of Piety but the true worship of God shal be made up of a soul and body of spirit and truth of the external appointed Ordinances according to the word of truth and the spirit of truth and of the spirit and inward soul-affection and sincerity which shal quicken and actuate that external performance There were no such worshippers then as had no use of Ordinances Christ was not such his Disciples were not such therefore it is a new Gospel which if an Angel should bring from heaven ye ought not to receive it As it is certain then that both soul and body must be imployed in this businesse so it is sure that the soul spirit must be the first mover and chiefest agent in it because it is a spiritual businesse and hath relation to the fountain-spirit which hath the most perfect opposition to all false appearances and externall shews that part of man that commeth nearest God must draw near in worshipping of God if that be removed far away there is no real communion with God man judges according to the outward appearance and can reach no further than the outward man but God is an all-searching spirit who tryeth the heart and rins and therefore he will passe another judgement upon your worship then men can do because he observes all the secret wandrings and escapes of the heart out of his sight he misses the soul when you present attentive ears or eloquent tongues there is no dallying with his Majesty painting will not deceive him his very Nature is contrary to Hypocrisie dissimulation and what is it but dissimulation when you present your selves to Religious exercises as his people but within are nothing like it nothing awaking nothing present O consider my beloved what a one you have to do with It is not men but the Father of Spirits who will not be pleased with what pleases men of your own flesh but must have a spirit to serve him Alas what are we doing with such empty names and shews in Religion Busied in the outside of worship only as if we had none to do with but men who have eyes of flesh all that we do in this kind is lost labour and will never be reckoned up in the account of true worship I am sure you know and may reflect upon your selves that you make Religion but a matter of outward fashion and externall custome you have never almost taken to heart in earnest you may frequent the Ordinances you may have a form of godlinesse consisting in some outward performances priviledges and O! how void and destitute of all Spirit and Life and Power not to speak of the removall of affection and the imploying of the marrow of your soul upon base lusts and creatures or the scattering of your desires abroad amongst them for that is too palpable but even your very thoughts mindâ—… are removed from this busines you have nothing present but an ear or eye your minds is about other businesse your desires your fears your joyes and delights your affections never did run in the channel of religious exercises all your passion is vented in other things but here you are blockish stupid without any sensible apprehension of God his mercy or Justice or wrath or of your own misery and want You sorrow in other things but none here none for sin you joy for other things but none here you cannot rejoyce at the Gospel Prayer is a burthen not a delight if your spiriâ—…s were chiefly imployed in Religious duties Religion would be almost your Element your pleasure and Recreation but now it is wearisome to the flesh because the Spirit taketh not the chief weight upon it Oh be not deceived God is not mocked you do but mock your selves with external showes while you are satisfied with them I beseech you look inwardly and be not satisfied with the outward appearance but ask at thy Soul where it is and how it is Retire within and bring up thy spirit to this work I am sure you may observe that any thing goes more smoothly and sweetly with you then the Worship of God because your mind is more upon any thing else I fear the most part of us who endeavour to some measure to seek God have too much drosse of outward formality much scumof filthy hypocrisie and guile O pray that the present furnace may purge away this scum It is the great ground of Gods present controversie with Scotland but alas the Bellows are like to burn we not be purged our scum goes not from us we satisfie our selves with some outward exercises of Religion custome undoes us all it was never more
by believing you do indeed honour him and he that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father Ioh. 5. 23. Here is a compendious way to glorifie God receive salvation of him freely righteousnesse and eternall life and this sets to a seal of Gods truth and grace and mercy and who so counts the Son worthy to be a Saviour to them and sets to their seal of approbation to him whom God the Father hath sent and sealed he also honours the Father and then he that honoureth the Father hath it not for nothing For them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. saith the Lord And he that serves me him will my Father honour Joh. 12. 26. As the believing soul cares for no other and respects no other but God so he respects no other but such a soul I will dwel in the humble and look unto the contrite there is mutual respects and honours God is the delight of such a soul and such a soul is Gods delight that soul sets God on a high place in a throne in its heart and God sets that soul in a heavenly place with Christ Eph. 2. 6. yea he comes down to sit with us and dwell in us off his throne of Majesty Isa. 66. 1 2. 15 57 Psal. 73. 24. to the end Thou wilt guide me with thy counsel c. Whom have I in heaven but Thee c. It is good for me to draw near to God 1 John 1. 3. These things declare we to you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ. And John 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as we are one I in them and they in me that they may be perfect in one c. IT is a matter of great consolation that Gods glory and our happinesse are linked together so that whosoever sets his glory before them singly to aim at they take the most compendious and certain way to true blessednesse His glory is the ultimat end of man and should be our great and last scope But our happinesse which consists in the enjoyment of God is subordinate to this yet inseparable from it The end of our Creation is communion and fellowship with God therefore man was made with an immortal soul capable of it and this is the greatest dignity and eminency of man above the creatures He hath not only impressed from Gods finger in his first moulding some characters resembling God in righteousnesse and holinesse but is created with a capacity of receiving more of God by communion with him Other creatures have already all they will have all theycan have of conformity to him but man is made liker than all and is fitted and fashioned to aspire to more liknesse and conformity so that his soul may shine more and more to the perfect day There was an Union made already in his first moulding and communion was to grow as a fragrant and sweet fruit out of this blessed root Union and similitude is the ground of fellowship communion That union was gracious that communion would have been glorious for grace is the seed of glory There was a twofold Union between Adam and God an Union of state and an Union of nature He was like God and he was Gods friend All the creatures had some liknesse to God some engravings of his power and goodnesse and wisdome but man is said to be made according to Gods Image Let us make man like unto us Other creatures had similitudinem vestigii but man had similitudinem faciei Holinesse and righteousnesse is Gods face the very excellency and glory of all his Attributes and the Lord stamps the image of these upon Man Other Attributes are but like his back-parts he leaves the resemblance of his footsteps upon other creatures What can be so beautifull as the Image of God upon the soul Creatures the nearer they are to God the more pure and excellent We see in the Fabrick of the World bodies the higher they are the more pure and cleanly the more beautiful Now then What was man that was made a little lower than the Angels In the Hebrew a little lower than God tantum non Deus Seeing man is set next to God his glory and beauty certainly surpasses the glory of the Sun and Heavens Things contiguous and next other are like other The water is liker air than the earth therefore it is next the air The air is liker Heaven than water therefore it is next to it Omne contiguum spirituali est spirituale Angels and men next God are spirits as he is a Spirit Now similitude is the ground of friendship Pares paribus congregantur similitude necessitudinis vinculum It is that which conciliats affection among men so it is here by proportion God sees that all is very good and man the best of his works and he loves him and makes him his friend for his own Image which he beholds in him At length from these two roots this pleasant fragrant fruit of Communion with and enjoyment of God grows up this is the entertainment of friends to delight in one another and to enjoy one another Amicorum omnia communia Love makes all common it opens the treasure of Gods fulnesse and makes a vent of divine bounty towards man and it opens the heart of man and makes it large as the sand of the sea to receive of God Our receiving of his fulnesse is all the entertainment we can give him O what blessednesse is this for a soul to live in him and it lives in him when it loves him Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat and to taste of his sweetnesse and be satisfied with him this makes perfect onnenesse and perfect onnenesse with God who is the fountain of life and in whose favour is life is perfect blessednesse But we must stand a little here and consider our misery that hath fallen from such an excellency how are we come down from Heaven wonderfully Sin hath interposed between God and man and this dissolves the union and hinders the communion An enemy is come between two friends and puts them at odds and Oh! an eternall odds sin hath sown this discord and alineated our hearts from God Mans glory consisted in the irradiation of the soul from Gods shining countenance this made him light Gods face shined on him But sin interposing hath eclipsed that light and brought on an eternall night of darknesse over the soul And thus we are spoiled of the Image of God as when the earth comes betwixt the Sun and Moon Now then there can no beams of divine savour and love break through directly towards us because of the cloud of our sins that separates between God and us and because of the partition-wall of Ordinances and the hand-writing which was against us Gods holy Law and severe Justice Col. 3. 14. Then What shal we do How shal we
possession of it Let all your meditations and affections and conversion proclaim this Whom have I in heaven but thee and none in the earth beside thee And certainly he shal guide you to the end and receive you into glory then you shal rest from your labours because you shal dwell in him and enjoy that which you longed and laboured for Let the consideration of our end unite the hearts of Christians here O what an absurd thing is it that those who shal lodge together at night be made perfect in one should not only go contrary wayes but have contrary minds and affections Of the SCRIPTURES 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scriptures is given c. WE told you that there was nothing more necessary to know then what our end is and what the way is that leads to that end We see thâ—… most part of men walking at random running an uncertain race because they do not propose unto themselves a certain scope to aim at and whither to direct their whole cours According to mens particular inclinations humors so do the purposes designs of men vary and often do the purposes of one man change according to the circumstances of time his condition in the World We see all men almost running crosse one to another one drives at the satisfaction of his lust by pleasure another fancies a great felicity in honour a third in getting riches and thus men divide themselves whereas if it were true happinesse that all were seeking they would all go one way towards one end If men be not in the right way the faster they seem to move toward the mark the farther they go from it wandering from the right way suppose men intend well will put them farther from that which they intend Si via in contrarium ducat ipsa velocitas as majoris intervalli causa est Therefore it concerns us all most deeply to be acquainted with the true path of blessednesse For if we once mistake the more we do the swister we move the more distant we are from it indeed And there is the more need because there are so many by-paths that lead to destruction What say I by paths No high wayes beaten-paths that the multitude of men walk in never challenge nor will endure to be challenged as if they were in an error In other journeys men keep the plain high way and are afraid of any secret by-way lest it lead them wrong At hîc via quaeque tritissima maximè decipit Here the high pathed way leads wrong and O far wrong to Hell This is the meaning of Christs Sermon Enter in at the strait gate but walk not in the broad way where many walk for it leads to destruction Therefore I would have this perswasion once begotten in your souls that the course of the world the way of the most part of men is dangerous is damnable O consider whither the way will lead you before you go further Do not think it a folly to stand still now examine it when ye have gone on so long in their company Stand I say and consider be not ignorant as beasts that know no other thing than to follow the drove quae pergunt non quae eundum est sed quae itur they follow not whither they ought to go but whither most go You are men and have reasonable souls within you therefore I beseech you be not composed and fashioned according to custome and example that is brutish but according to some inward knowledge and reason Retire once from the multitude and ask in earnest at God what is the way Him that fears him he will teach the way that he should choose the way'to this blessed end is very strait very difficult you must have a guide in it you must have a lamp and a light in it else you cannot but go wrong The principles of reason within us are too dark dim they will never lead us through the pits and snares in the way these indeed shined brightly in Adam that he needed no light without him no voice about him But sin hath extinguished it much and there remains nothing but some little spunk or sparkle under the ashes of much corruption that is but insufficient in it self and is often more blinded and darkned by lusts so that if it were never so much refined as it was in many heathens yet it is but the blind leading the blind and both must fall into the ditch Our end is high and divine To glorifie God and to enjoy Him therefore our reason caligat ad suprema it can no more stedfastly behold that glorious end move towards it then our weak eyes can behold the Sun Our eyes can look downward upon the earth but not upward to the Heavens So we have some remnant of reason in us that hath some petty and poor ability for matters of little moment as the things of this life But if once we look upward to the glory of God or eternal happinesse our eyes are dazled our reason confounded we cannot stedfastly behold that Eph. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 3. 13. 14. Therefore the Lord hath been pleased to give us the Scriptures which may be a Lamp unto our feet a guide unto our way whereunto we shal do well to take heed as unto a candle or a light that shines in a dark place till the day dawn 2 Pet. 1. 6. These are able to make us wise unto salvation Let us here what Paul speaks of Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scriptures is given c. Where you have two points of high concernment The Authority of the Scriptures and their Utility Their Authority for they are given by Divine Inspiration Their Utility for they are profitable for Doctrine c. and can make us perfect and well furnished to every good work The Authority of it is in a peculiar way divine of him and through him are all things All Writings of men according to the truth of the Scriptures have some Divinity in them in as much as they have of truth which is a Divine thing Yet the Holy Scriptures are by way of excellency attributed to God for they are immediatly inspired of God Therefore Peter saith that the Scriptures came not in old time by the will of Man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. God by his Spirit as it were acted the part of the soul in the Prophets and Apostles and they did no more but utter what the Spirit conceived The holy Ghost inspired the matter the words they were but tongues pens to speak write it unto the people here needed no debate no search in their own minds for the truth no inquisition for light but light shined upon their souls so brightly so convincingly that it puts it beyond all question that it was the mind and voice of God You need not ask How they did know that their dreams or
the Kings Statute and Law if it vary in any thing from his intention it s not valid and binding I beseech you take the Scriptures for the Rule of your walking or else you will wander the Scripture is Regula regulans a ruling Rule If you be not acquainted with It you must follow the opinions or examples of other men and what if they lead you unto destruction Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them c. Eph. 2. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles AS in darknesse there is need of a Lanthorn without and the light of the eyes within for neither can we see in darknesse without some Lamp though we have never so good eyes nor yet see without eyes though in never so clear a Sun-shine So there is absolute need for the guiding of our feet in the dangerous and dark paths to Eternall life that is full of pits and snares of the Lamp or Wood written or preached without us and the illumination of the holy Ghost within us These are conjoyned Isa. 56. 21. This is my Covenant the spirit that is upon thee and the words that I have put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor the mouth of thy seed c. There are words without and there must needs be a Spirit within which makes us to behold the truth and grace contained in these words There is a Law written without with pen and ink and there is a Law written within upon the heart with the Spirit of the living God The Law without is the Patern and exact copy the Law within is the Transcript or the Image of God upon the heart framed and fashioned according to the similitude of it 2 Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10. So then there needs be no more question about the Divine Authority of the Scriptures among those who have their senses exercised to descern between good and ill than among men who see and taste concerning light and darknesse sweet bitter The perswasion of a Christian is fetched deeper than the reasons of men their faith is the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not seen it s an eye a supernaturall eye whereby a soul beholds that Majesty and excellency of God shinning in the word which though it shine about the rest of the World yet it 's not seen because they cannot know it nor descern it Wonder not that the multitude of men cannot believe the report that is made that there is so few who find any such excellency and sweetnesse in the Gospel as is reported because saith Isai. 53. 1. the arm of the Lord is not revealed to them the hand of God must first write on their heart ere they understand the Writtings of the Scriptures his arm must creat an eye in their souls an eternal light before it can behold that glorious brightnesse of Gods shinning in the word The word is Gods testimony of himself of his grace and mercy and good-will to mankind Now no man can receive this testimony unlesse it be sealed and confirmed by the holy Ghost into the heart saith Peter We are his witnesses of these things and so also is the holy Ghost whom God hath given to those that obey him Acts 5. 32. The word witnesses to the ear and the spirits testifieth to our spirits the truth and worth of that and therefore the spirit is a seal and a witnesse The word is the Lord's voice to his own Children Bastards cannot know it but my sheep hear my voice Joh. 10 4. 16. You know no difference between the bleeting of one sheep and another but the poor lambs know their mothers voice there is a secret instinct of nature that is more powerfull than many marks and signs Even so those that are begotten of God know his voice they descern that in it which all the world that hear it cannot descern there is a sympathy between their souls and that living Word that word is the immortall seed they are begotten of and there is a naturall instinct to love that and to mediate in it such an inclination to it as in new born babes to the breasts so the Children of God do desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby aâ—… they were born of it 1 Pet. 2. 2. In these Scriptures which we read in your audience you have something of their excellency and our duty there is a rich jewel in them a precious pearl in that field even Jesus Christ and in him eternall life and therefore we ought to search the Scriptures for this jewel to dig in the field for this pearl the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is a sure foundation whereupon souls may build their eternall felicity and the hope of it Jesus Christ is the very chief stone in that foundation whereupon the weight of all the Saints and all their hope hangs And therefore we ought to lean the weight of our Souls only to this truth of God and build our faith only upon it and square our practice only by it We shal speak something of the first that it may be a spurre to the second The Jews had some respective opinion of the word of God they knew that in them waseternall life they thought it a Doctrine of life and happinesse and so cryed up Moses Writtings but they would not believe Christs words they erred not understanding the Scriptures and so set the Writtings of Moses Law at variance with the preaching of Christs Gospel What a pittyfull mistake was this they thought they had eternall life in the Scriptures and yet they did not receive nor acknowledge him whom to know was eternall life therefore our Lord Jesus sends them back again to the Scriptures go and search them you think and you think well that in then you may find the way to eternall life but while you seek it in them you mistake it These Scriptures testifie of me the end of the Law but you cannot behold the end of that Ministry because of the blindnesse of your hearts Rom. 10. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 14. Therefore search again unfold the ceremonies I am wrapt in them and life eternall with me dig up the Law till you find the bottome of Gods purpose in it till you find the end of the Ministration and you shal find me the way and truth and life and so you shal have that eternall life which now you do but think you have and are beguiled While you seek it out of me in vain you think you have it for it is not in the Scriptures but because they testifie of me the life and the light of men May not this now commend the word to us Eternall life is in it Other Writings and discourses may tickle the ears with some pleasing eloquence but that is vanishing it s but like a Musitians voice some may represent some petty momentary advantage but how soon shal an end be put till all that so that within
but a name they have some outward priviledges of Baptism and hearing the Word and it may be have a form of knowledge and a form of worship but in the mean time they are not baptized in heart they are in all their conversation even conformed to the Heathen world they hate personall reformation and think it too precise and needlesse Now I say such are many of you yet ye would not take it well to have it questioned whether ye shal be partakers of Eternall life you think you are wronged when that is called in question Oh that it were beyond all question indeed But know assuredlie That you are but Christians in the Letter in the Flesh and not in the Spirit Many of you have not so much as a form of knowledge have not so much as the Letter of Religion You have heard some names in the preaching often repeated as Christ and God and Faith and Heaven and Hell you know no more of these but the name you consider not and meditate not on them And those who know the truth of the Word yet the Word abideth not nor dwelleth in you you have it in your mouth you have it in your minde or understanding but it is not received in love it doth not dwell in the heart Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3. 16. you have it imprisoned in your minds and shut up into a corner where it is useless can do no more but witnesse against you and scarce that as the Gentils incarcerated and detained the truth of God written by nature within them in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. So do many of you detain the knowledge of his word in unrighteousness it hath no place in the heart gets no libertie and freedom to walk through the affections and so to order the conversation of men And therefore the most part of men do but fancie to themselves an interest and right to eternall life you think it and do but think it it is but a strong imagination that hath no strength from the grounds of it no stabilitie from any evidence or promise but meerly from it self or it is but a light and vain conjecture that hath no strength in it because there is no question or doubts admitted which many try the strength of it But then I suppose that a man could attain some answerable walking that he had not onlie a form of knowledge but some reality of practice some inward heat of affection zeal for God and godlinesse yet there is one thing that wants and if it be wanting will spoil all And it is this which Christ reproves in the Jews You will not come to me to have life The Scri-Scriptures testifie of me but you receive not their testimonie Suppose a man had as much equitie and justice towards men piety towards God sobriety towards himself as can be found among the best of men let him be a diligent reader of the Scriptures let him love them meditate on them day and night yet if he do not come out of himself and leave all his own righteousnesse as dung behind him that he may be found in Jesus Christ he hath no life he cannot have any right to life eternall You may think this a strange assertion that if a man had the righteousnesse holinesse of an Angel yet he could not be saved without denying all that and fleeing to Christ as an ungodly man And you may think it as strange a supposell that any person that reads the Scriptures and walks righteously and hath a zeal towards God yet are such as will not come to Christ and will not hear him whom the Father hath sent But the first is the very substance of the Gospell There is no other Name by which men may be saved but by Iesus Christ Acts 4. 12. Life eternall is all within him All the treasures of grace and wisdom and knowledge are seated in him Col. 1. 19. and 2 3. All the light of life and salvation is imbodied in this Sun of Righteousnesse since the Eclipse of mans felicitie in the Garden Adam was a living soul but he lost his own life and killed his Posterity Christ Jesus the second common man in the world is a quickning Spirit he hath not only life in himself but he gives it more abundantly and therefore you have it so often repeated in Iohn who was the Disciple most acquainted with Christ In him was life and the life was the light of men 1. 4. And he is the bread of life that gives life to the World Joh. 6. 33. and 35. He is the resurrection and the life 11. 25. and The way the truth and life 14. 6. The Scriptures do not contain eternall life but in as far as they lead to him who is life and whom to know and imbrace is eternall life And therefore saith he These are they which testifie of me Men lived immediatlie in God when he was in innocencie he had life in himself from God but then he began to live in himself without dependance on God the fountain of life and this himself being interposed between God and his life it evanished even as a Beam by the interveening of any grosse body between it and the Sun Now mans light and life being thus eclipsed and cut off the Lord is pleased to let all fulnesse dwell in his Son Jesus Christ and The fulnesse of the God-head dwels in him bodily Col. 2. 9. that since there was no accesse immediatly to God for life a flamming fire and sword of Divine Justice compassing and guarding the tree of Life left man should touch it there might be accesse to God in a Mediator like unto us that we might come to him and might have life from God by the intervention of Jesus Christ. Look then what is in the holy Scriptures and you shal find it but a letter of death and ministration of condemnation while it is separated from him Christ is the very life and spirit of the Scriptures by whose vertue they quicken our souls if you consider the perfect Rule of Righteousnesse in the Law you cannot find life there because you cannot be conformed unto it the holiest man offends in every thing and that holy Law being violated in any thing will send thee to hell with a curse Cursed is he that abideth not in every thing If you look upon the promise of life Do this and live What comfort can you find in it except you could find doing in your selves And can any man living find such exact obedience as the Law requires There is a mistake among many They conceive that the Lord cannot be well pleased with them if they do what they can but be not deceived the law of God requires perfect doing it will not compound with thee and came down in its tearms not one jot of the rigour of it will be remitted If you cannot do all that is commanded all you do
will not satisfie that promise therefore thou must be turned over from the promise of life to the curse and there thou shalt find thy name written Therefore it is absolutely necessary that Jesus Christ be made under the Law and give obedience in all things even to the death of the Crosse and so be made a curse for us and sin for us even he who knew no sin and thus in him you find the law fulfilled Justice satisfied and God pleased in him you find the promise of life indeed established in a better surer way than was first propounded you find life by his death you find life in his dying for you And again consider the Ceremonial Law What were all those Sacrifices and Ceremonies Did God delight in them Could he savour their incense and sweet smels and eat the fat of Lambs and be pacified No he detastes and abhorres such imaginations because that people did stay in the Letter and went no further then the Ceremony he declares that it was as great abomination to him as the offering up of a Dog while they were separated from Jesus Christ in whom his soul rested and was pacified they were not expiatious but provocatious they were not propitiations for sin but abominations in themselves But take these as the shadows of such a living substance take them as remembrances of him who was to come and behold Jesus Christ lying in these swadling cloaths of Ceremonies untill the fulnesse of time should come that he might be manifested in the flesh and so you shal find eternall life in those dead beasts in those dumb Ceremonies If you consider this Lamb of God slain in all these Sacrifices from the beginning of the world then you present a sweet smelling savour to God then you offer the true propitiation for the sins of the world then he will delight more in that sacrifice than all other personall obedience But what if I should say that the Gospel it self is a killing Letter ministration of death being severed from Christ I should say nothing amisse but what Paul speaketh that his Gospel was a savour of death to many take the most powerfull Preaching the most sweet discourse the most plain Writings of the free grace salvation in the Gospel take all the preachings of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles you shal not find life in them unlesse ye be led by the Spirit of Christ unto himself who is the resurrection and the life It will no more save you than the Covenant of works unlesse that word abide and dwell in your hearts to make you believe in him and imbrace him with your souls whom God hath sent suppose you heard all and heard it gladly and learned it and could discourse well upon it and teach others yet if you be not driven out of your selves out of your own righteousnesse as well as sin and persued to this City of refuge Jesus Christ you have not eternal life Your knowledge of the truth of the Gospel and your obedience to Gods Law will certainly kill you and as certainly as your ignorance and disobedience unlesse you have imbraced in your soul that good thing Jesus Christ contained in these truths who is the Diamond of that Golden Ring of the Scriptures and unlesse your souls imbrace these promises as soul-saving as containing the chief good and worthy of all acceptation as well as your mind receive these as true and faithfull sayings 1 Tim. 1. 15. Thus ye see Christ Jesus is either the subject of all in the Scriptures or the end of it all he is the very proper subject of the Gospel Paul knew nothing but Christ crucified in his preaching and he is the very proper end and scope of the law for righteousness Rom. 10. 3. All the preaching of a covenant of works all the curses and threatnings of the Bible all the rigidexactions of obedience all come to this one great design not that we may set about such a walking to please God or do something to pacifie him but that we being concluded under sin and wrath on the one hand and an impossibility to save our selves on the other hand Gal. 3. 22. Rom 5. 20 21. may be pursued into Jesus Christ for righteousness life who is both able to save us and ready to welcome us Therefore the Gospel opens the door of salvation in Christ the Law is behind us with fire and sword and destruction pursuing us and all for this end that sinners may come to him and have life Thus the Law is made a Pedagogue of the soul to lead to Christ Christ is behind us cursing condemning threatning us and he is before us with stretched-out arms ready to receive us blesse us and save us inviting promising exhorting to come and have life Christ is on mount Sinai delivering the Law with thunders Act. 7. 38. and he is on mount Sion in the calm voice he is both upon the mountain of cursings and blessings and on both doing the part of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19 20. It is love that is in his heart which made him first cover his Countenance with frowns and threats and it is love that again displayes it self in his smilling countenance Thus souls are inclosed with love pursuing and love receiving And thus the Law which seems most contrary to the Gospel testifies of Christ it gives him this testimony that except salvation be in him it is no where else The Law sayes it is not in me seek it not in obedience I can do nothing but destroy you if you abide under my jurisdiction The Ceremonies and Sacrifices say if you can behold the end of this Ministery if a Vail be not on your hearts as it was on Moses face 2 Cor. 3 13 14 you may see where it is it s not in your obedience but in the death sufferings of the Son of God whom we represent Then the Gospel takes all these Coverings and Vails away and gives a plain and open testimony of him There is no Name under heaven to be saved but by Christ's The Old Testament speak by figures and signs as dumb men do but the New speaks in plain words and with open face Now I say for all this that there is no salvation but in him yet many souls not only those who live in their grosse sins and have no form of godlinesse but even the better sort of people that have some knowledge and civility and a kind of zeal for God yet they do not come to him that they may have life Rom. 10. 1 2 3. they do not submit to the righteousness of God Here is the march that divides the wayes of Heaven and Hell coming to Jesus Christ and forsaking our selves the confidence of these souls is chiefly or only in that little knowledge or zeal or profession they have they do not as really abhore themselves for their own righteousnesse as for their unrighteousnesse they make that the covering of
their nakednesse and filthinesse which is in it self as menstruous and unclean as any thing It is now the very propension and naturall inclination of our hearts to stand upright in our selves Faith bowes a souls back and take on Christs righteousnesse but presumption lifts up a soul upon its own bottom How can ye believe that seek honour one of another The engagement of the soul to its own credit or estimation the engagement of self-love and self-honour do lift up a soul that it cannot submit to Gods righteousnesse to righteousnesse in another And therefore many do dream and think that they have eternall life who shal awake in the end and find that it was but a dream or night-fancy Now from all this I would enforce this duty upon your consciences to search the Scriptures if you think to have eternall life search them if you would know Christ whom to know is eternal life then again search them for these are they that testifie of him Searching imports diligence much diligence it s a serious work it s not a common seeking of an easie and common thing but it s a search and scrutiny for some hidden thing or some special thing It s not bare reading of the Scriptures that will answer this duty except it be diligent and daily reading and it s not that alone except the Spirit within meditate on them and by meditation accomplish a diligent search There is some hidden secret that you must search for that is inclosed within the covering of words and sentences there is a mystery of wisdome that you must apply your hearts to search out Eccles. 7. 5. Jesus Christ is the Treasure that is hid in this field O precious treasure of eternall life Now then souls search into the fields of the Scriptures Pro. 2. 4. for him as for hid treasure It is not only truth you must seek and buy and not sell it but it is life you would search Here is an object that may not only take up your understandings but satisfie your hearts Think not you have found all when you have found the truth there and learned it no except you have found life there you have found nothing you have missed the treasure If you would profite by the Scriptures you must bring both your understandings your affections to them and depart not till they both return full If you bring your understanding to seek the truth you may find truth but not truly you may find it but you are not found of it you may lead truth captive and unclose it in a prison of your mind and encompasse it about with a guard of corrupt affections that it shal have no issue no out going to the rest of your soul and wayes and no influence on them you may know the truth but you are not known of it and brought in captivity to the obedience of it The Treasure that is hide in the Scriptures are Jesus Christ whose intire and perfect Name is Way Truth and Life He is a living truth and true Life Therefore Christ is the adaequat object of the soul commensurable to all its faculties He has Truth in him to satisfie the mind and he has Life and Goodness in him to satiate the heart therefore if thou wouldst find Jesus Christ bring thy whole soul to seek him as Paul expresseth it He is true and faithfull and worthy of all acceptation then bring thy judgement to find the light of truth and thy affections to imbrace the life of goodnesse that is in him Now as much as ye find of him so much have ye profited in the Scriptures If you find commands there that you cannot obey search again and you may find strength under that command digg a little deeper you shal find Jesus the end of an impossible command when you have found him you have found life and strength to obey you have found a prepitiation and sacrifice for trantgressing not obeying If you find curses in it search again you shal find Jesus Christ under that made a curse for us you shal find him the end of the curse for righteousnesse to every one that believes When you know all the Letter of the Scripture yet you must search into the Spirit of it that it may be imprinted into your spirits all you know does you no good but as it s received in love unlesse your souls become a living Epistle the Word without be written on the heart you have found nothing As for you that cannot read the Scriptures if it be possible take that pains to learn to read them O if you knew what they contain whom they bear witnesse of you would have little quietnesse till you could read at least his love-epistle to sinners And if you cannot learn be not discouraged but if your desires within be servent your endeavours to hear it read by others will be more earnest But it is not so much the reading of much of it that profiteth as the pondering of these things in our hearts and digesting them by frequent meditation till they become the food of the Soul This was Davids way and by this he grew to the stature of a tall well-bodied Christian. Eph. 2. 20. And builded upon the foundation of the Apostles c. BElievers are the Temple of the living God in which he dwels and walks 2 Cor. 6. 16. Every one of them is a little Sanctuary and Temple to His Majesty Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts in your hearts though he be the high lofty one that inhabits eternity yet he is pleased to come down to this poor Cottage of a creatures heart and dwell in it Is not this as great a humbling and condescending for the Father to come down off his Throne of Glory to the poor base foot-stool of the creatures soul as for the Son to come down in the state of a servant and become in the form of sinfull flesh But then he is a Temple and Sanctuary to them and he shal be to you a Sanctuary Isa. 8. A place of refuge a secret hiding-place Now as every one is a little separated retired Temple so they all conjoyned make up one Temple one visible body in which he dwels Therefore Paul calls them living stones built up into a spiritual house to God 1 Pet. 2. 5 All these little Temples make up one house Temple fitly joyned together in which God shews manifest signs of his presence and working unto this the Apostle in this place alludes The Communion Union of Christians with God is of such a nature that all the relations and points of conjunction in the creatures are taken to resemble it hold it out to us We are Citizens saith he Domesticks houshold men so dwel in his house and then we are his House beside Now ye know there are two principal things in a House the Foundation and the Corner-stone the one supports the building the
other units it and holds it together These two parts of this spiritual building are here pointed at the foundation of every particular stone and of the whole building is the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles as holding out Jesus Christ to souls the Rock on which our house shal be builded Not the Apostles or Prophets far lesse Pastors and Teachers since for they are but at best workers together with God and imployed in the building of the house not yet their Doctrine but as it holds out that true foundation that God had laid in Sion Isa. 28. which is Jesus Christ for other foundation can no man lay And then the Corner-stone is that same Jesus Christ who reaches from the bottome even to the top of the building immediatly touches every stone and both quickens it in it self and unites them together Well then here is a sure foundation to build our eternal happinesse upon the word of God that endures for ever holds it out to us all men are building upon something every man is about some establishment of his hopes layes some foundation of his confidence which he may stand upon They are one of the two that Christ speaks of Luk 6. 46. One builds on the Rock another on the Sand now as the foundation is so is the house a changeable foundation makes a falling house a sure foundation makes an unchangeable house a house without a foundation will prove quickly no house Now whatsoever men build their hope and confidence upon beside the word of God his sure Promise and sure Covenant and Jesus Christ in them they build upon no foundation or upon a sandy foundation All flesh is grasse and the flower and perfection of it is as the flower of the field here is the name and character of all created perfections of the most excellent endowments of mind of all the specious actions of men it s all but vanishing and vanity every man at his best estate is such yea altogether such You who have no more to build upon but your prosperity and wealth O that is but sand and dung would any man build a house upon a dung-hill You who have no other hope but in your own good prayers and meanings your own reformations repentances your professions and practises know this that your hope is like a spiders house like the web that she hath laboriously exercised her self about all the week over and then when you lean upon that house it shal fall through not sustain your weight whatsoever it be beside this living stone Jesus Christ who is the very substance of the Word and Promises it shal undoubtedly prove thy shame and confusion But behold the opposition the Prophet makes between the word and these other things the word of our God shal stand for ever Isa. 40. 6 7 8. And therefore Peter makes it an incorruptible seed of which Believers are begotten 1 Pet. 1. 23. It is the unchangeable truth immutable faithfulnesse of God that makes his word so sure it s builded up to the Heavens Therefore the Psalmist often commends the Word of the Lord as a tryed word as purified seven times it hath endured the tryal proof of all men of all tentations of all generations it hath often been put in the furnace of questions doubtings it hath often been tryed in the fire of afflictions but it came forth like pure Gold without drosse This is faiths foundation God hath spoken in his holiness and therefore though all men be liars yet God will be found true he deceives none and is deceived of none The Lord hath taken a Latitude to himself in his working he loves to shew his Soveraignty in much of that and therefore he changes it in men and upon men as he pleaseth yet he hath condescended to limit and bound himself by his word and in this to shew his faithfulnesse And therefore though heaven and earth should pass away though he should innihilate this world and create new ones yet not on jot of his world shal sail The earth is established sure though it hath no foundation for the Word of his command supports it And yet a Believers confidence is on a surer ground Though the earth should be removed yet it cannot pass or fail saith our Lord And therefore the Psalmist useth to boast in God That though the earth were moved and the flouds lifted up their voice yet he would not fear because his foundation was unshaken for all that the word is not removed when the world is moved the fore he was not moved The worlds stability depends upon a word of cōmand but our salvation depends on a word of promise Now you know promises put an obligation upon the person which commands do not a man may change his commands as he pleases to his children or servants but he may not change his promises therefore the promises of God put an obligation upon him who is truth it self not to fail in performance or rather he is to himself by his unchangeable will good pleasure by his faithfulnsse and truth an oblidging and binding Law When no creature could let bounds to him he incloses himself within the bounds of promise to us and gives all flesh liberty to challenge him if he be not faithfull Now all the promises of God are yea Amen in Iesus Christ that is established and confirmed in him Christ is the surety of them and so the certainty and stability of them depends upon him at least to our sense for God in all his dealing condescends to our weaknesse that we may have stronge consolation A Promise might suffice to ground our faith but he addeth an Oath to his promise he takes Christ surety for the performance and therefore Christ may be called the Truth indeed the substantial Word of God for he is the substance of the written and preached Word and then he is the very certainty and assurance of it the Scriptures testifie of him and lead us to this Rock higher than we to build upon and against this the gates of hell cannot prevail If the Word lead not a soul unto Christ himself that four hath no foundation though thou hear the Word though thou know the Word yea suppose thou couldst teach others and instruct the ignorant yet all that will be no foundation as good as none except thou do it And what is it to do the Word but to believe in him whom the Word testifies of this is the work of God to resign thy soul to his mercies and merits and have no confidence in the flesh To scrape out all the rubbish of works and performances and parts out of the foundation and singly to roll thy souls weight upon Gods promises and Christs purchase to look with Paul on all things beside in thee and about the as dung and drosse that thou can lean no weight upon and to remove that dung-hill from the foundation of thy hope
that Jesus Christ may be the only foundation of thy soul as God hath laid him in the Church for a sure foundation That who so believeth in him may not be ashamed What ever beside a soul be established on though it appear very solid and the soul be setled fixed upon it yet a day will come that will unsettle that soul and raze that foundation either it shal be now done in thy conscience or it must be done at length when that great tempest of Gods indignation shal blow from heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men in the day of accounts then shal thy house fall and the fall of it shal be great But a soul established upon the sure promises and upon Christ in whom they are Yea and Amen shal abide that storm and in that day have confidence before God have wherewith to answer in Jesus Christ all the challenges of divine justice and the accusations of conscience He that trusteth in him shal be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved You see all things else change and therefore mens hopes and joyes perish even here the tentations and revolutions of the times undermines their confidence and joy and the blasts of the Northern wind of affliction blows away their hopes Now as Christ is the Foundation so he is the Corner-stone of the building It is Christ who hath removed that Partition-wall between Jews and Gentiles even the Ceremonies of the one and the Atheism of the other He is our peace who hath made of two one The two sides of the House of God are united by this Corner-stone Jesus Christ. Thus we who were the Temples of Satan are made the Temples of God thus poor stranger-Gentiles who had no interest in the Covenant of Promises come to share with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to be founded upon the Doctrine of the Prophets who taught the Jewish Church Christ is the bond of Christians this is the Head into which all the members should grow up into a Body Distance of Place difference of Nations distinction of Languages all these cannot separate the Members of Jesus Christ they are more one though consisting of diverse Nations Tongues and Customes and dispositions than the people of one Nation or Children of one Family for one Lord one Spirit unites all Alas that all are not united in affection judgement why do the sides of this House contend and wrestle one against another when here is such a Corner-stone joyning them together Are not there many Christians who cannot endure to look one upon another who are yet both placed in one building of the Temple of God Alace this is sad and shamefull But that which I would especially have observed in this is that Jesus Christ is such a foundation that reacheth throughout the whole building and immediatly toucheth every stone of the Building it 's such a Foundation as riseth from the bottom to the top and therefore Jesus Christ is both the Author and finisher of our Faith the beginning and the end the first stone the last 〈◊〉 of our building must rise upon him and by him the least degree of grace and the greatest perfection of it both are in him and therefore Christians should be most dependent creatures dependent in their first being and in after well-being in their being and growing wholly dependent upon Christ that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace and then more grace for grace that all may appear to be grace indeed Now I beseech you my beloved in the Lord to know whereupon ye are builded or ought to be builded There are two great errours in the time take heed of them one is the Doctrine of some and another is the practice of the most part Some do prefer their own fancies and night-dreams and the imaginations of their own heart to the Word of God and upon pretence of Revelation of new Light do cast a mist upon that Word of God which is a light that hath shined from the beginning Be not deceived but try the Spirits whether they be of God or not There are many pretend too much of the Spirit and therefore cry out against the Word as Letter as Flesh But my Brethren believe not every Doctrine that calls it self a Spirit that spirit is not of God that hears not Gods voice as Christ reasons against the Jews seek ye more of the Spirit of Christ which he promiseth who is a Spirit that teacheth all things and bringeth to remembrance these blessed sayings and leads us to all truth It shal be both safest and sweetest to you to meditate on the word of the Prophets and Apostles and the entrance into it shal give you light an old light which was from the beginning therefore a true light for all truth is eternall and yet a new light to your sense and feeling It 's both an old command and a new command an old word a new word if thou search by the Spirits inspiration that old word shal be made new that Letter made spirit and life Such are the words that Christ speaks But yet there are many who do not reject the Scriptures in judgement who notwithstanding do not build on them in practice Alas it may be said of the most part of professed Christians among us that they are not builded upon the foundation of the Prophets Apostles but upon the sayings of fallible and weak men What ground have many of you for your Faith but because the Minister saith so You believe so the most part live in an implicite faith and practice that in themselves which they condemne in the Papists You do not labour to search the Scriptures that upon that foundation you may build your faith in the questioned truths of this Age that so you may be able to answer to those that ask a reason of the Faith that is in you Alas simple souls you believe every thing and yet really believe nothing because you believe not the Word as the Word of the living God but take it from men upon their authority Therefore when a temptation cometh when any gainsayings of the truth you cannot stand against it because your Faith hath no foundation but the sayings of Men or Acts of Assemblies And therefore as men whom you trust with holding out light unto you hold out darknesse in stead of light you embrace that darknesse also But I beseech you be builded upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles not upon them but upon that whereon they were builded the infallible truths of God You have the Scriptures search them since you have reasonable souls search them other mens faith will not save you you cannot see to walk to heaven by other mens light more than you can see by their eyes You have eyes of your own souls of your own subordinate to none but the God of Spirits and Lord of Consciences Jesus Christ therefore examine all that is spoken to you from the Word
according to the Word and receive no more upon trust from men but as you find it upon triall to the truth of God 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 13. Hold fast that form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love c. HEre is the sum of Religion here you have a compend of the Doctrine of the Scriptures All Divine Truths may be reduced to these two Heads Faith Love What we ought to believe and what we ought to do This is all the Scriptures teach and this is all we have to learn What have we to know but what God hath revealed of himself to us And what we have to do but what he commands us In a word what have we to learn in this world but to believe in Christ love him and so live to him This is the duty of man this is the dignity of man and the way to eternall life Therefore the Scriptures that are given to be a Lamp to our feet and a Guide to our paths contain an perfect and exact rule credendorum faciendorum of Faith and Manners or Doctrine and Practice We have in the Scriptures many truths revealed to us of God and of the works of his hands many precious truths but that which most of all concerns us is to know God our selves this is the special Excellency of the reasonable creature that it s made capable to know its Creator and to reflect upon its own being Now we have to know of our selves What we are now and what man once was and accordingly to know of God what he once revealed of himself and What he doth now reveal I say The Scâ—…iptures holds out to our consideration a twofold estate of Mankind according to these a twofold revelation of the Mystery of God We look on Man now and we find him another thing than he was once but we do not find God one thing at one time and another thing at another time for there is no shadow of change in him and He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore we ask not What he was and what he is now but how he manifests himself differently according to the different estates of Man as we find in the Scriptures man once righteous blessed Eccles. 7. 29. and God making him such according to his own Image Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 25. in righteousnesse and true holinesse we finde him in communion and friendship with God set next to the Divine Majesty and above the works of his hands all things under his feet How holy was he And how happy And happy he could not chuse but be since he was holy being conformed and like unto God in his will and affection chosing that same delight that same pleasure with God in his understanding knowing God and his will and likewise his own happinesse in such a conformity he could not but have much communion with him that had such conformity to him Union being the foundation of coÌ„munion great peace solid tranquility in him Now in this state of mankind God expresses his goodnesse and wisdom and power his holinesse and righteousnesse These are the Attributes that shine most brightly In the very morning of the Creation God revealed himself to man as a holy and just God whose eyes could behold no iniquity therefore he made him upright and made a Covenant of life and peace with him to give him immortall eternal life to continue him in his happy estate if so be he continued in well-doing Rom. 10. 5. Do this and live In which Covenant indeed there was some out-breakings of the glorious grace free condescendency of God for it was no lesse free grace and undeserved favour to promise life to his obedience than now to promise life to our Faith so that if the Lord had continued that Covenant with us we ought to have called it grace and would have been saved by grace as well as now though it be true that there is some more occasion given to mans nature to boast glory in that way yet not at all before God Rom. 4. 2. But we have scarcely found man in such an estate till we have found him sinfull miserable and fallen from his excellency That Sun shined in the dawning of the Creation but before ye can well know what it is it s eclipsed and darkned with sin and misery as if the Lord had only set up such a creature in the Firmament of Glory to let him know how blessed he could make him and wherein his blessednesse consists and then presently to throw him down from his excellency when ye find him mounting up to the Heavens and spreading himself thus in holiness and happinesse like a Bay-tree Behold again and you find him not though you seek him you shal not find him his place doth not know him He is like one that comes out with a great Majesty upon a Stage and personates some Monarch or Emperour in the World then ere you can well gather your thoughts to know what he is he is turn'd off the Stage and appears in some base despicable appearance so quickly is man stript of all these glorious ornaments of holinesse and puts on the vile rags of sin and wretchednesse and is cast down from the Throne of eminency above the creatures froÌ„ fellowship with God to be a slave and servant to the dust of his feet and to have communion with the devill and his angels And now ye have man holden out in Scripture as the onlie wretched Piece of the Creation as the very plague of the World The whole Creation groaning under him Rom. 8. and in pain to be delivered of such a burthen of such an Execration and Curse and Astonishment You find the testimony of the Word condemns him altogether concludes him under sin and then under a curse and makes all flesh guilty in Gods sight The Word speaks otherwise of us than we think of our selves Their imagination is only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. O then What must our affections be that are certainly more corrupt What then must our way be All flesh hath corrupted their way and done abominable works and none doth good Psal. 14. 1 2 3. But many flee in unto their good hearts as their last refuge when they are beaten from these out-works of their actions and wayes but the Scripture shal storm that also The heart is deceitful above all things who can know it Jer. â—…7 9. It is desperatly wicked In a word Man is become the most lamentable spectacle in the world acompend of all wickednesse and misery inclosed within the walls of inability and impossibility to help himself shut up within the prison of despair a stinking loathsome and irksome dungeon It is like the mytie pit that Ieremiah was cast into that there was no out-coming and no pleasant abode in it Now Mans estate being thus nay having made
as the misapprehension of the thing it self for as long as they mistake it in its own nature no sign no mark can satisfie in it You take Faith to be a perswasion of Gods love that calms and quiets the mind Now such a perswasion needs no sign to know it by it is manifest by its own presence as light by its own brightnesse It were a foolish question to ask any How they knew that they were perswaded of anothers affection The very perswasion it self maketh it self more certain to the soul then any token So then while you question whether you have Faith or not and in the mean time take Faith to be nothing else but such a perswasion it is in vain to bring any marks or signs to convince you that you have Faith for if such a perswasion assurance were in you it would be more powerfull to assure your hearts of it self than any thing else and while you are doubting of it it is more manifest that you have it not than any signs or marks can be able to make it appear that you have it If any would labour to convince a blind man that he saw the light and give him signs tokēs of the lights shining the blind man could not believe him for it is more certain to himself that he sees not than any evidence can make the contrary probable You are still wishing and seeking such a Faith as puts all out of question Now when Ministers bring any marks to prove you have true Faith it cannot satisfie or settle you because your very questioning proves that ye have not that which ye question if you had such a perswasion you would not question it So then as long as you are in that mistake concerning the nature of Faith all the signs of the word cannot settle you But I say if once you understood the true nature of Faith it would be more clear in it self unto you than readily marks and signs could make it especially in the time of temptation If you would know then what it is indeed Consider what the Word of God holds out concerning himself or us the solid belief of that in the heart hath something in the nature of saving Faith in it The Lord gives a testimony concerning Man That he is born in sin that he is dead in sin and all his imaginations are only evil continually Now I say to receive this truth into the soul upon Gods Testimony in a point of Faith the Lord in his Word concludes all under sin and wrath ◅o then for a soul to conclude it self also under sin and wrath is a point of Faith Faith is the souls testimony to Gods truth the Word is Gods Testimony Now then if a soul receive this testimony within whether it be Law or Gospel it 's an act of Faith if a soul condemn it self judge it self that is a setting to our seal that God is true who speaks in his Law so it s a believing in God I say more To believe with the heart that we cannot believe is a great point of found belief because it 's a sealing of that Word of God The heart is desperatly wicked and of our selves we can do nothing Now I am perswaded if such souls knew this they would put an end to their many contentions and wranglings about this point and would rather blesse God that hath opened their eyes to see themselves then contend with him for that they have no Faith It is light only that discovers darknesse and Faith only that descerns unbelief Its life and health only that feels pain sicknesse for if all were alike nothing could be found as in dead bodies Now I say to such souls as believe in God the Law-giver believe also in Christ the Redeemer and what is that It is not to know that I have Interest in him No that must come after it is the Spirits sealing after believing which puts it self out of question when it comes and so if you had it you needed not many signs to know it by at least you would not doubt of it more than he that sees the light can question it But I say to believe in Christ is simply this I whatsoever I be ungodly wretched polluted desperate am willing to have Jesus Christ for my Saviour I have no other help or hope if it be not in him it is I say to lean the weight of thy soul on this foundation stone laid in Zion to embrace the promises of the Gospel albeit generall as worthy of all acceptation wait upon the performance of them It is no other thing but to make Christ welcome to say even so Lord Jesus I am content in my soul that thou be my Saviour to be found in thee not having my own righteousnesse I am well pleased to cast away my own as dung find my self on other not an ungodly man Now it is certain that ◅any souls that are still questioning whether they have Faith yet do find this in their souls but because they know not that it is Faith which they find they go about to seek that which is not Faith and where it is not to be found and so disquiet themselves in vain and hinder fruitfulnesse Now the Faith of a Christian is no fancy it 's no light vain imagination of the brain but it dwells in the heart with the heart man believes and it dwels with love Faith and love we need not be curious to distinguish them it is certain that love is in it from it it s in the very bosome of it because faith is a soul embracing of Christ it 's a choosing of him for its portion and then upon the review of this goodly portion and from consideration what he is and hath done for us the soul loves him still more is impatient of so much distance from him We find them conjoyned in Scripture but they are one in the heart O that we studied to have these joyntly engraven on the heart as they are joyned in the word so our heart should be a living Epistle Faith and Love are two words but one thing under different notions they are the out-goings of the soul to Christ for life the breathings of the soul after him for more of him when it hath once tasted how good he is Faith is not a speculation or a wandring thought of Truth it 's the truth not captivated into the mind but dwelling in the heart getting possession of the whole man you know a man and his will are one not so a man and his mind for he may conceive the truth of many things he loves not but what ever a man loves that and he in a manner becomes one with another Love is unitive it 's the most excellent union of distant things The will commands the whole man and hath the office of applying of all the faculties of their proper works Illa imperat aliae exsequuntur
make our abode with him Ioh. 14. 23. Here now is an evidence that he likes it for he must needs like that place he chooses to dwell in he who hath such a glorious Mansion and Palace above he must needs love that soul dearly that he will prefer it to his high and holy place Now I know it will be the secret question and complaint of some souls How shal I get love to God I cannot love him my heart is so desperatly wicked I cannot say as Peter Lord thou knowest that I love thee I shal not insist upon the discovery of your love unto you by marks and signs only I say if thou indeed from thy heart desires to love him art grieved that there is not this love in thy soul to him which becomes so love-worthy a Saviour then thou indeed lovest him for he that loveth the love of God loveth God himself And wherefore aâ—…t thou sad for want of that love but because thou lovest him in some measure and withall finds him beyond all that thou canst think and love But I say that which most concerns thee is to love still more and that thou wouldest be more earnest to love him then to know that thou loves him Now I know no more effectuall way to encrease love to Jesus Christ then to believe his love Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher both of Faith and Love and we love him because he first loved us Therefore the right discovery of Jesus Christ what he is and what he hath done for sinners is that which will of all things most prevail to engage the soul unto him But as long as ye suspend you Faith upon the being or encrease of your Love and obedience as the manner of too many is you take even such a course as he that will not plant the Tree till he see the fruit of it which is contrary to common sense reason Since this then is the sum of true Religion to believe in Christ and to love him and so live to him we shal wind up all that is spoken into that exhortation of the Apostles Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard You have this Doctrine of Faith and Love delivered unto you which may be able to save your souls Then I beseech you hold them fast salvation is in them they are sound words and wholesom words words of life spirit life as Christ speaks as well as words of truth But how will you hold them fast that have them not at all that know them not though you hear them You who are ignorant of the Gospel and hear nothing but a sound of words in stead of sound wholesome words how can you hold them fast Can a man hold the wind in the hollow of his hand or keep in a sound within it You know no more but a sound a wind that passeth by your ear without observing either truth or life in it But then again you who understand these sound words and have a form of knowledge of the Letter of the Law what will that avail you You cannot hold it fast except you have it within you and it is within you indeed when it is in your heart when the form of it is engraven upon the very soul in love Now thogh you understand the sound of these words the sound of truth in them yet you receive not the living Image of them which is Faith and Love Can you paint a sound Can you form it or engrave it on any thing Nay but these sound words are more substantial solid they must be engraven on the heart else you will never hold them they may bee easily plucked out of the mouth and hand by temptation unlesse they be enclosed and laid up in the secret of the heart as Mary laid them The truth must hold thee fast or thou canst not hold it fast it must captivate thee and bind thee with the Golden chains of affection which only is true freedom or certainly thou wilt let it go Nay you must not only have the truth received by love into your heart but as the Apostle speaks you must also hold fast the form of sound words Scripture words are sound words the Scriptures method of teaching is sound and wholesome There may be unsound words used in expressing true matter and if a man shal give liberty to his own luxuriant Imagination to expatiat in notions and expressions either to catch the ear of the Vulgar or to appear some new discoverer of light and Gospel-mysteries he may as readily fall into error and darknesse as into truth and light Some men do busk up old truths Scripture-truths into some new dresse of language and notions and then give them out for new discoveries new lights but in so doing they often hazard the loosing of the truth it self We should beware and take heed of strange words that have the least appearance of evil such as Christed Godded let us think it enough to be wise according to the Scripturs and suspect all that as vain empty unsound that tends not to the increase of faith in Christ and love and obedience unto him As ordinarily the Dialect of those called Antinomians is giving and no granting that they had no unsound mind yet I am sure they use unsound word to expresse sound matter the cloaths should be shaped to the person Truth is plain and simple let words of truth also be full of simplicity I say no more but leave that upon you that you hold fast even the very words of the Scriptures and be not bewitched by the vain pretentions of Spirit all Spirit pure and spiritual service and such like to the casting off of the word of truth as Letter as Flesh and such is the high attainment of some in these daies an high attainment indeed and a mighty progresse in the way to destruction the very last discovery of that Antichrist and Man of sin Oh make much of the Scripture for you shal neither read nor hear the like of it in the world Other books may have sound matter but there is still something in manner or words unsound no man can speak to you truth in such plainnesse and simplicity in such soundnesse also But here is both sound matter and sound words the truth holden out truly health and salvation holden out in as wholsome a manner as is possible Matter manner are both divine Exod. 3. 13 14. When they shal say unto me What is his Name What shal I say And God said I AM THAT I AM. WE are now about this question What God is But who can answer it Or if answered who can understand it It should astonish us in the very entry to think that we are about to speak and to hear of his Majesty Whom eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entered into the heart of any creature to consider what he is Think ye blind
duration no end of his affection He can still say I am that I am What I was I am and I will be what I am men cannot say so they are like the Brooks that the companies of Teman looked after thought to have found them in Summer as they left them in Winter but behold they were dried up the companies ashamed God cannot make thee ashamed of thy hope because he is faithfull able Ability and Fidelity is a sure Anchor to hold by in all storms and tempests Such is God in himself now there are two manner of wayes he vents himself toward the Creatures In a comfortable way or in a terrible way This glorious perfection and Almighty power hath an issue upon sinners and it runs in a twofold channell of mercy and justice Of mercy towards miserable sinners that finds themselves lost and flee unto him and take hold of his strength and justice towards all those that flatter themselves in their own eyes and continue in their sinnes and put the evill day far off There is no mercy for such as fear not justice and there is no Justice for such as flee from it unto mercy The Lord exhibites himself in a twofold appearance according to the condition of sinners He sits on a Throne and tribunal of Grace mercy to make accesse to the vil est sinner who isafraid of his wrath and would 〈◊〉 be at peace with him and he sits on a Throne of justice and wrath to seclude and debar presumptuous sinners from his Holinesse There were two mountains under the Law one of cursings another of blessings These are the Mountains God lets his Throne upon and from these he speaks and sentences mankind From the Mountain of cursings he hath pronounced a curse condemnatory sentence upon all flesh for all have sinned therefore he concludes all under sin that all flesh might stop their mouth and the whole world become guilty before God Now the Lord having thus condemned all Mankind because of disobedience he sits again upon the Mountain of Blessings and pronounces a sentence of absolution of as many as have taken with the sentence of condemnation and appealed to his grace and Mercy and those which do not so the sentence of condemnation stands above their heads unrepealed He erects his Tribunal of Justice in the Word for this end that all flesh might once be convicted before him and therefore he cites as it were and summons all men to fift themselves and compear before his Tribunall to be judged he layes out an accusation in the Word against them he takes their consciences witnesse of the truth of all that is charged on them and then pronounces that sentence on their conscience Cursed is he that abides not in all things which the conscience subsumes and concludes it self accursed and subscribes to the equity of the sentence and thus the man is guilty before God and his mouth stopped he hath no excuses no pretences he can see no way to escape from Justice and God is justified by this means in his speaking and judging Psal. 51. 4. The soul ratifies and confirms the truth justice of all our threatnings judgements Rom. 3. 4. Now for such souls as joyn with God in judging and condemning themselves the Lord hath erected a Throne of grace Tribunall of mercy in the word whereupon he hath set his Son Jesus Christ Psal. 2. 6. and 89. 14. and 45. 6. Heb. 1. 8. And O this Throne is a comfortable Throne mercy and truth goes before the face of the King to welcome entertain miserable sinners to make access to them And from this Throne Jesus Christ holds out the Scepter of the Gospel to invite sinners self-condemned sinners to come to him alone who hath gotten all finall judgement committed to him that he may give eternall life to whom he will Ioh. 5. 21 22. O that is a sweet and ample Commission given to our Friend Brother Jesus Christ power to repeal sentences past against us power to loose them whom Justice hath bound power and authority to absolve them whom justice hath condemned and to blesse them whom the Law hath cursed to open their mouth to praise whose mouth sin and guiltinesse hath stopped power to give the answer of a good conscience to thy evill self-tormenting conscience in a word he hath power to give life to make alive and heal those who are killed or wounded by the Commandement Now I say seeing God hath of purpose established this Throne of mercy in the Word thou mayest well after receiving and acknowledging of the justice of the curse of the Law appeal to divine mercy and grace sitting on another Throne of the Gospel thou may if thy conscience urge thee to despair and to conclude there is no hope thou may appeal I say from thy conscience from Satan from Justice unto Jesus Christ who is holding out the Scepter to thee the Minister calls thee Rise and come stand no longer before that Bar for it is a subordinate Judicatory there is a way to redresse thee by a higher court of Grace Thou may say to justice to Satan to thy own Conscience It is true I confesse that I deserve that sentence I am guilty and can say nothing against it while I stand alone but though I cannot satisfie and have not yet there is one Jesus Christ who gave his life a ransom for many and whom God hath given as a propitiation for sins he hath satisfied and paid the debt in my name go and apprehend the Cautioner since he hath undertaken it nay he hath done it and is absolved Thou had him in thy hands O justice Thou had him Prisoner under the power of death since you have let him go then he is acquited from all the charge of my sins therefore since I know that he is now a King hath a Throne to judge the world and plead the cause of his poor sheep I will appeal to him refer the cause to his decision I will make my supplication to him and certainly he will hear and interpole himself between wrath and me he will rescind this sentence of condemnation since he himself was condemned for us and is justified it is Christ that died nay rather is risen again who shal condemn me He is near that justifies me Rom. S. 33. 34. Now iâ—… thou do indeed flee into him for refuge that City is open for thee and nothing to prejudge thy entry but no curse no condemnation can enter in it Rom. 8. 1. He will justifie absolve thee from all things whereof the Law could not justifie thee but condemn thee there is forgivenness with him that he may be feared David may teach thee this manner of appellation Ps. 130. 142. 2. of appealing from the deserved curse to free undeserved blessing mercy in Christ. Let us consider this Name of the Lord and it shall answer all our suspicions
undoing then vvhen indignation and vvrath is pursuing it O that you vvould ponder vvhat you lose by it both the sweetnesse and advantage of godlinesse beside the dishonour of God You take a formall neglegent and secure vvay as the most easie vvay and the most pleasing to your flesh and I am perswaded you find it the most difficult vvay because you vvant all the pleasant sweet refreshment soul-delights you might have in God by a serious and diligent minding of Religion The pleasure and sweetnesse of God tasted and found vvill make diligence and pains more easie then slothfulnes can be to the slothfull this oyls the wheels and makes them run swiftly formality makes them drive heavily thus you live alwayes in a complaining humor fighing and going backward because you have some stirring principles or conscience vvithin vvhich bears vvitnesse against you and your formall sluggish disposition on the other hand refuseth to awake and work you are perplexed and tormented between the two when thy spirit and affections goes one way thy body another then thy conscience drives on the Spirit and thy affections draw back it must needs be an unpleasant businesse Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one GReat is the mystery of Godlinesse 1 Tim. 3. 16. Religion and true Godlinesse is a bundle of excellent mysteries of things hid from the world yea from the wise men of the world 1 Cor. 2. and not only so but secrets in their own nature the distinct know ledge whereof is not given to Saints in this estate of distance and absence from the Lord There is almost nothing in Divinity but it is a mystery in it self how common soever it be in the apprehensions of men for it is mens overly and common and slander apprehensions of thē which makes them look so commonly upon them there is a depth in them but you will not know it till you search it sound it the more you sound you shal find it the more profound But there are some mysteries smal and some great there is a difference amongst them all are not of one statu◅e of one measure The mystery of Christs Incarnation and D◅ath and Resurrection is one of the great mysteries of Religion God manifested in the flesh yet I conceive there is a greater mystery than it and of all mysteries in nature or divinity I know none to this the Holy Trinity and it must needs be greatest of all and without controversie greatest because it is the beginning and end of all fons finis omnium all mysteries have their rise here and all of them return hither This is furthest removed from the understandings of men what God himself is for himself is infinitly above any manifestation of himself God is greater than God manifested in the flesh though in that respect he be too great for us to conceive There is a naturall desire in all men to know and if any thing be secret and wonderfull the desire is more inflamed after the knowledge of it the very difficulty or impossibility of attaining it in stead of restraining the curiosity of mans spirit doth rather incense it Nitimur in vetitum is the fruit the sad fruit we plucked and eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil If the Lord reveal any thing plainly in his Word to men that it despised and set at naught because it is plain whereas the most plain truths which are beyond all controversie are the most necessary and most profitable for our eternal salvation but if there be any secret mystery in the Scriptures which the Lord hath only pointed out more obscurely to us reserving the distinct and clear understanding of it to himself Deut. 29. 26. that is the Apple which our cursed natures will long for and catch after though there be never so much choice of excellent saving fruit in the Paradise of the Scriptures besides If the Ark be covered to keep men from looking into it that doth rather provoke the curious spirit of man to prye into it 1 Sam. 6. 19. If the Lord shew his wonderfull glory in the Mount charge his people not to come near left the glorious presence of God kill them he must put rayles about it to keep them back or else they will be medling such is the unbridled licence of our minds and the perverse dispositions of our natures that where God familiarly invites us to come what he earnestly presseth us to search and know that we despise as trivial and common and what he compasseth about with a divine darkness of inaccessible light and hath removed far from the apprehensions of all living that we will needs search into and wander into those forbidden compasses with daring boldnesse I conceive this holy and profound mysterie is one of those secrets which belongs to God to know for who knowes the Father but the Son or the Son but the Father or who knoweth the mind of God but the Spirit Yet the foolish minds of men will not be satisfied with the believing ignorance of such a mysterie but will needs enquire into those depths that they may find satisfaction for their reason but as it hapeneth with men who will boldly stare upon the Sun their eyes are dazled and darkned with its brightnesse or those that enter into a Labyrinth which they can find no way to come out but they further go into it the more perplexed it is and the more intricate even so it befalls many unsober and presumptuous spirits who not being satisfied with the simple truth of God clearly asserting that this is endeavour to examine it according to reason and to solve all the objections of carnal wit and reason which is often enmity to God not by the silence of the Scriptures but by answers framed according to the severall capacities of men I say all this is but daring to behold the infinite glorie of God with eies of flesh which makes them darkned in mind and vanishing in their Expressions while they seek to behold the inaccessible light while they enter into an endlesse Labyrinth of difficulties out of which the threed of reason and disputation can never extricat them or lead them forth But the Lord has shewed us a more excellent way though it be more despicable to men man did fal from his blessednes by this curious and wretched aime at some higher happinesse and more wisdom The Lord hath chosen another way to raise him up again by faith rather thā knowledge by believing rather than disputing therefore the great command of the Gospell is this to receive with a ready and willing mind whatsoever the Lord saith to us whatsoever it may appear to sense reason to dispute no more to search no more into the secret of Divine mysteries as if by
searching we could find them out unto perfection but to believe what is spoken till the day break and the shadows flee away and the darknesse of ignorance be wholly dispelled by the rising of the Sun of Righteousnesse We are called then to receive this truth that God is one truly one and there are three in this one the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost This I say you must believe because the wisdom of God faith it though you know not how it is or how it can be though it seem a contradiction in reason a Trinity in Unity yet you must lead your reason captive to the obedience of faith silence it with this one answer The Lord hath said it If thou go on to dispute and to enquire how can these things be Thou art escaped from under the power of Faith and are fled unto the tents of humane wisedom where thou mayest learn artheism but no Religion for the world through wisedom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. And certainly who ever he be that will not quiet his conscience upon the bare word of truth in this particular but will call in for the help of reason and disputation how to understand and maintain it I think he shall be further from the true knowledge of God and satisfaction of mind than before There is no way here but to flee into Pauls Sanctuary Who art thou O man that disputes When ever thou thinks within thy self How may this be how can one be three and three one then withall let this of Pauls sound in thine ears Who art thou O man who disputes Think that thou art man think that he is God Believing ignorance is much better than rash presumptuous knowledge ask not a reason of these things but rather adore and tremble at the mysterie and Majesty of them Christianity is foolishnesse to the world upon this account because it 's an Implicite faith so to speak given to God but there is no fear of being deceived though he lead thee blind by a way thou know not yet he cannot lead thee wrong This holy simplicity in believing every word of God trusting without more trying by disputation is the very Character of Christianity and it will be found only true wisdome for if any will become wise he must be a fool in mens account that he may be wise he must quite his reason to learn true Religion which indeed is a more excellent and divine reason neither is it contrary to it though it be high above it In this place of Moses you have the Unity of God asserted The Lord thy God is one Lord And that is indeed engraven on the very hearts of men by nature That God is One for all may know that the common notion and apprehension of God is that he is a most perfect being the Originall of all things most wise most powerfull infinite in all perfections Now common reason may tell any man that there can bee but one thing most perfect Excellent there can be but one infinite one Almighty one beginning and end of all one first mover one first cause of whom are all things and who is of none Again in this place of Iohn ye have a Testimony of the blessed Trinitie of Persons Father Son and holy Ghost in that holy Unity of Essence The great point which Iohn hath in hand is this fundamentall of our Salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Saviour of the World in whom all our confidence should be placed and upon whom we should lean the weight of our souls this he proves by a twofold testimony one out of Heaven another in the Earth There are three bearing witnesse to this truth in heaven The Father the word that is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God whom this Apostle calls the word of God or wisdom of God Ioh. 1. 1. and the Holy Ghost The Father witnessed to this truth in an audible voice out of Heaven when Christ was baptized Mat. 3. 17. This is my wel-belovd Son hear him here 's the Fathers Testimony of the Son when he was baptized which was given very solemnly in a great congregation of people and divinely with great glory and Majesty from Heaven as if the heavens had opened upon him and the inaccessible light of God had shined down on him which was confirmed in the transfiguration Mat. 17. 5. VVhere the Lord gave a glorious evidence to the astonishment of the three Disciples how he did account of him how all Saints and Angels must serve him Him hath God the Father sealed saith Iohn Indeed the stamp of divinitie of the divine Image in such an excellent manner upon the man Christ was a Seal set on by God the Father signifying confirming his approbation of his well-beloved Son and of the work he was going about Then the Son himself did give ample Testimony of this this was the subject of his Preaching to the VVorld I am the light and life of men He that beleeveth on mee shall be saved and therefore he may be called the word of God and the wisedom of God Joh. 1. 1. Prov. 8. Because he hath revealed unto us the blessed mysterie of Wisdom concerning our Salvation He is the very expression and Character of the Fathers person and Glory Heb. 1. In his own Person and he hath revealed and expressed his Fathers mind and his own Office so fully to the World that there should be no more doubt of it Out of the mouth of these two witnesses this Word might be established But for superabundance behold a third the Holy Ghost witnessing at his baptisme in his Resurrection after his Ascension the Holy Ghost signifieth his presence and consent to that work in the similitude of a Dove the Holy Ghost testified it in the power that raised him from the dead the Holy Ghost put it beyond all question when he descended upon the Apostles according to Christs promise For the other three witnesses on earth we shal not stay upon it only know that the work of the regeneration of souls by the power of the word and spirit signified by water the justification of guilty souls signified by the blood of Jesus Christ the Testimony of the spirit in our Conscience bearing witnesse to our Spirits is an assured Testimony of this that Jesus Christ in whom we believe is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth The changing pacifying and comforting of souls in such a wonderfull manner cryes aloud that he in whom the soul believes is the true and living God whom to know is eternal life But mark I pray you the accuracy of the Apostle in the change of the speech these three witnesses on earth saith he agree in one in giving one common testimony to the Son of God and Saviour of Sinners But as for the heavenly witnesses the Father the Word and Holy Ghost how ever they be three after an inconceivable manner
â—…iseries that one fall hath brought one all mankind 〈◊〉 am sure by these bruises we might conjecture what 〈◊〉 strange fall it hath been Sin did interpose between God us and this darkned our souls killed them â—…e light of knowledge was put out and the life of hoâ—…nesse extinguished and now there remains nothing 〈◊〉 all that stately building but some ruines of comâ—…on principles of reason and honesty engraven on all â—…ens consciences which may shew unto us what the â—…ilding hath been we have fallen from holinesse and so from happynesse our soules are deformed defiled you see what an ill favoured thing it is to see a child wanting any members O if sin were visible how ugly would the shape of the soul be to us since it lost the very proportion and visage of it that is Gods Image Let us consider this Doctrine that we may know from whence we have fallen and into what a gulf of sin and misery we have fallen that the new news of Jesus Christ a Mediator and Redeemer of fallen man may be sweet unto us Thus it pleased the Lord to let his Image be marred quite spoiled in us for he had thus design to repair it and renew it better than of old and for this end he hath created Christ according to his image he hath stamped that image of holinesse upon his flesh to be a pattern and not only so but a pledge also of restoring such souls as flee unto him for refuge unto that primitive glory and excellency Know then that he hath made his Son like unto us that we might again be made like unto him he said let one of us be made man in the counsel of Redemption that so it might again be said let man be made like unto us in our image It is a second Creation must do it and O that you would look upon your hearts to enquire if it be framed in you certainly you must again be created into that Image if you belong to Christ To him be praise Glory Rom. â—…1 36. Of him through him and for him are all things c. Psal. 103. 19. His Kingdome is over all Matt. 10. 29. A Sparrow shal not fall without your Fathers will THere is nothing more commonly confessed in words than that the providence of God reaches in all the creatures and their actions But I believe there is no point ofReligion so superficially sleightâ—… considered by the most part of men The most part ponder none of these divine truths there is nothing above their senses which is the subject of their meditations and for the children of God I fear many do give such truths of God too common course entertainment in their minds through a conceit of the commonnesse of them I know not what we are taken up with in this age with some particular truths more remote from the knowledge of others in former times or some particular cases concerning our selves You will find the most part of Christians stretch not their thoughts beyond their own conditions or interests or some particular questions about Faith repentance c. And in the mean time the most weighty points of Religion which have been the subject of the meditation and admiration of Saints in all ages are wholly laid aside through a misapprehension of their commonnesse as if a man would despise the Sun the Air prefer some rare piece of stone or timber to them Certainly as in the disposall of the World the Lord hath in great wisdome goodness made the most needfull usefull things most common those without which man cannot live are alwayes obvious to us so that if any thing be more rare it is not necessary So in this Universe of Religion he in mercy wisdome hath so framed all that those points of truth belief which are most near the substance of Salvation necessary to us most fit to exercise us in true godlinesse these are every where to be found partly engraven on mens hearts partly set down most clearly often in Scripture that a believing soul can look no where but it must breath in that air of the Gospel look upon that common Sun of Righteousnesse God the Creator the healing Sun Christ the Redeemer shining every where in Scripture The general Providence of God the special Administration of Christ the Saviour these are common and these are essentiall to our happines therefore the meditation of Christians should run most upon them not alwayes about some particular questions or debates of the time It is a strange thing how people should be more affected with a discourse of the affairs of the time or on some inward thoghts of their own hearts than if one should speak of Gods Universall Kingdom over all men Nations that is accounted a generall and ordinary discourse even as if men would set at nought the Suns light because it shines to all every day Or would despise the water because it may be found every where Let the Sun be removed for some few dayes and O what would the world account of it beyond all your curious devices or rare enjoyments This is it which would increase to more true godlinesse if rightly believed than many other things ye are busied withall It s our general view of them makes them but general I spoke once upon this word Rom. 11. 36. but only in reference to the end of man which is Gods glory But the words do extend further we must now consider what further they hold forth The Apostle hath been speaking of the Lords unsearchable wayes and judgements towards men in the dispensation of grace and salvation how free and absolute he is in that And this he strengthens by the supream wisdome of God who did direct him Why dost thou O man take upon thee to direct him now For where was there any Counsellor when he alone contrived all the frame of this World and then by Soveraign highnesse and supremacy over the creatures disposed of them For he is debitor to none therefore none can quarrel him for giving or not giving for who was it that gave him first for which he should give a recompence Was there any could prevent with a gift Nay none could saith he for of him through him for him are all things And therefore he must prevent men For from whence should that gift of the creature which could oblidge him have its rise It must be of God if it be a creature and therefore he is in no mans common he must give it ere we have it to give him again The words are most comprehensive they comprehend all things that is very large There is nothing without this compasse they comprehend all the dependance of things Things depend upon that which made them that which preserves them and for which they are made All things depend on him as their producing cause
that God As his authority should imprint reverence so his goodnesse thus manifested should engrave confidence And thus the life of man vvas not only a life of obedience but a life of pleasure and delight not only a holy but a happy life yea happy in holinesse Now as it was Pauls great businesse in preaching to ride marches between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works to take men off that old broken ship to this sure plank of grace that is offered by Jesus Christ to drowning souls So it would be our great work to shew unto you the nature of this Covenant and the terms thereof that you may henceforth find and know that salvation to be now impossible by the Law which so many seek in it We have no errand to speak of the first Adam but the better to lead you to the second Our life was once in the first but he lost himself and us both but the second by losing himself saves both We have nothing to do to speak of the first Covenant but that we may lead you or pursue you rather to the second established upon better tearms and better promises The tearms of this covenant are Do this and live perfect obedience without one jot of failing or falling an intire and universall accomplishment of the whole will of God that is the duty required of Man there is no latitude left in the bargain to admit endeavours in stead of performance or desire in stead of duty there is no place for Repentance here if a Man fall in one point he falls from the whole promise by the tenour of this bargain there is no hope of recovery If you would have the duty in a word It s a love of God with all our heart and soul our Neighbour as our self that testified verified in all duties offices of obedience to God love to men without the least mixture of sin infirmity Now the promise on Gods part is indeed larger then that Duty not only because undeserved but even in the matter of it it 's so abundant Life eternal life continuance in a happy estate There is a threatning added In what day thou eatest thou shalt die that is thou shalt become a mortall and miserable creature subject to misery here and hereafter which is more pressingly set down in that Word Cursed is he that abides not in all things written in the law to do them It is very peremptory that men dream not of escaping wrath when they break but in one suppose they did abide in all the rest Cursed is every man from the highest to the lowest the Lord Almighty is engaged against him his countenance his Power is against him to destroy him make him miserable whoever doth fail but in one jot of the commands he shall not only fall from that blessed condition freely promised but lose all that he already possessed fall from that image of God dominion over the creatures and incur in stead of that possessed and expected happinesse misery here on soul body in pains sicknesses troubles griefs c. And Eternal misery on both without measure hereafter Eternall destruction from the presence of the Lord the glory of his power Now This Law is not of Faith saith the Apostle This opens up the nature of the bargain and the opposition between the present Covenant that which is made with lost sinners in a Mediator This Covenant is called of Works Do this and live To him that worketh is the promise made though freely too It is grace that once a reward should be promised to obedience but having once resolved to give it herein justice appears in an equall and uniform distribution of the reward according to Works So that where there is an equality of works there shall be an equality of reward and no difference put between persons equall Which is the very freedome of the Covenant of grace that it passes overall such considerations and deals equally in mercy with unequall sinners unequally it may be with them that are equall in nature You may ask was not Adam to believe in God did not the Law require faith I answer Christ distinguishes a twofold faith You believe in God believe also in me No question he was called to believe in God the Creator of the VVorld and that in a three-fold consideration First to depend on God the self-beeing and fountain-good his own goodnesse was but a fluxe and emanation from that Sun of righteousnesse so was to be perpetuated by constant abiding in his sight the interposition of mans self between him and God did soon bring on this eternal night of darknesse Nature might have taught him to live in him in whom he had life beeing and motion and to forget look over his own perfections as evanishing shadows But this quickly extinguished his life when he began to to live in himself Next he was obliged to believe in Gods word both threatning and promise to have these constantly in his view And certainly if he had kept in his serious consideration the inestimable blessing of life promised and the fearful curse of death threatned if he had not been induced first to doubt and then to deny the truth and reality of these he had not attempted such a desperate rebellion against the Lord. Then thirdly he was to believe and perswade himself of the Lords fatherly love and that the Lord was well pleased with his obedience and this faith would certainly beget much peace quietnesse in his mind and also constrain him to love him and live to him who loved him and gave him life and happinesse out of love yet this holds true that the Apostle saith the law is not of faith to wit in a Mediator and Redeemer it was a bond of immediate friendship there needed none to mediate between God and man there needed no reconciler where there was no ods nor distance But the Gospell is of Faith in a Mediator it s the souls plighting its hope upon Jesus Christ in its desperate necessity so supposes man sinfull and miserable in himself and in his own sense too and so putting over his weight burden upon one whom God hath made mighty to save The Law is not of Faith but of perfect works a watch-word brought in of purpose to bring men off their hankering after a broken and desperate Covenant It admits no repentance it speaks of no pardon it declares no Cautioner or Redeemer there is nothing to be expected according to the tenor of that Covenant but wrath from Heaven either personall obedience in all or personall punishment for ever that is the very tearms of it it knows no other thing Either bring compleat righteousnesse and holinesse to the promise of life or expect nothing but death This may be a sad meditation to us to stand and look back to our former estate compare it with that into which we
the ugly face of disobedience and rebellion vers 19. Whereby man draweth himself from his allegiance due to his Maker and shaketh off the yoke in reproach of the most High Next you may behold the vile and abominable â—…ace of ingratitude and unthankfulnesse in it and truly heathens have so abhorred unthankfulnesse towards men that they could not digest the reproach of it Ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris If you cal me unthankful your may cal me anything or all things it s a compend of al vices It s even iniquity grown to maturity and 〈◊〉 But that such a fruit should grow out of such a holy and good spyle so wel dressed and manured by the Lord was a wonder Lord what is man that thou so magnified him and made him a little lower thaâ—… the Angels That thou put all things sublunary under his feet and exalted him above them For that creature chosen and elected from among all to be his minion to stand in his presence adorned beautified with such gifts and graces magnified with such glorious priviledges made according to the most excellent pattern His own Image to â—…orget all forget so soon and when he had such a spacious Garden to make use of as is supposed to make up the third part of the earth to eat of no fruit but that which was forbidden there is no such monstrous ingratitude can be imagined as here was acted But then consider the two fountains from which this flowed unbelief and pride ye shal find it the heaviest sin in the world unbelief of his word and threatning first he was brought to question it and doubt of it then to deny it A Word so solemnly and particularly told him by the truth it self that ever a question of it could arise in his mind to get entry what else was it than to impute iniquity to the Holy One And that iniquity or falshood and lying which his nature most abhors What was it to blaspheme the most High and faithful God by hearkning to the suggestions of his enemy and credit them more then the threatning of God To give the very flat contradiction to God we shal not die and to assent so heartily to Sathans slanders and reproaches of God And this unbelief opened a door to ambition and bride the most sacrilegious ingredient of all which is most opposite to God and unto which he most opposed himself from the beginning You shal be like gods Was he not happy enough already according to Gods Image Nay but this evil principle would arise up to the throne of God and sit down in his stead Pride hath Atheism in it to deny the true God yet would be a god it self For the foot-stool to lift up it self thus what an indignity was it indeed this wretched aime at so high an estate hath thrown us down as low as hell You see then how injurious this transgression was to God There was disobedience and rebellion in it which denies his dominion and supremacy there was unthankfulnesse in it denying his goodness and bounty there was unbelief in it contradicting his truth and faithfulnesse finally pride opposing it self to all that is in God reaching up to his very crown of Majesty to take it off You see then what you are guilty of in being guilty of Adams transgression many of you flatter your selves in your own eyes that ye have not done much evil and yee will justifie your selves in your comparisons with others But I beseech you consider this though you had never done personally good or evil here that which drowned the World in misery is your sin and charged upon you you are guilty of that which ruined all mankind and makes the Creation subject to vanity corruption O if ye believe this ye would find more need of the second Adam than ye do O how precious would this righteousnesse and obedience be to you if ye had rightly apprehended your interest in the first mans disobedience But besides this imputation there is much more propagated unto all and that is a total corruption and depravation of nature in soul body whereby man is utterly indisposed disabled and made opposite unto all that is truly and spiritually good and wholly inclined to all evil that continually which is commonly called Original sin A total aversenesse from God and from al goodnesse an antipathy against the wayes of holinesse a propension strong impulse towards evil even as a stone move downward This poyson contagion of sin entering into the world hath infected al gone through all the members Neither is it any wonder it be so wheÌ„ this leprosie hath defiled the wals roof of the house I mean hath made the Creation subject to vanity and corruption It is no wonder that it spread abroad in his issue and makes al unclean like himself And truly this is it which most abases mans nature and being seen would most humble men yea til this be discerned no man can be indeed humbled he will never apprehend himself so bad as he is but still imagine some excellency in himself til he sâ—…e himself in this glasse You talk of good natures and good dispositions but in our flesh saith the Apostle dwels no good thing the seed of all wickednesse are in every one of us its the goodness of God for preserving humane society that they are restrained and kept down in any from the grossest out-breakings They know not themselves who know any good of themselves and they know not themselves who either are in admiration at or in bitterness or in contempt against other sinners whose sins are manifest to all This were the only way to profite by looking on others evils if we could straight way retire within and behold the root of that in our sevles the fountain of it within us and so grow in loathing not of these persons but of humane nature and in suitable thoughts of our selves others might wonder at the goodnesse and undeserved bounty of the Lord that passes an act of restraint upon our corruption dammes it up Oh that we could learn to loath our selves in other mens evils thus we might reap good out of the evil and prevent more in our selves But the looking upon grosse provocations as singularities make them more general because every man does not charge himself with the corruption that is in all these but prefers himself to another therefore are reins loosed to corruption a sluce opened that it may come out that he who would not see his own Image in another mans face may behold it in the glasse of his own abominations There is no point lesse believed than this though generally confessed that man is dead in sins and trespasses impotent to help himself You will hardly take with wickednesse when you confesse weaknesse as if nature were only sick but not dead hurt but not killed therefore it is
estate Is there any remedy provided for sin and misery And this will be indeed the query of a self-condemned sinner Now there is a plank afâ—…er this broken ship there is an answer sweet and satisfactory to this question Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners We shal not expatiate into many notions about this or multiply many branches of this The matter is plain and simple and we desire to hold it out plainly and simply that this is the remedy of sin and misery When none could be â—…ound on the right hand or left hand here a Savior from heaven comes down from above whence no good could be expected because a good God was provoked Can any good come out of Nazareth that was a proverb concerning him But I think in some sense it might be said can any good thing come down from heaven from his holy â—…abitation to this accursed earth Could any thing â—…e expected from heaven but wrath and vengeance And if no good could be expected that way what way could it come Sure if not from heaven then from no â—…rt yet from heaven ouâ—… help is come from vvhence it could not be looked for even from him vvho vvas offended and his justice engaged against man that he might both satisfie justice and save man that he might not vvrong himself nor destroy man utterly he sends his only begotten Son equal vvith himself in majesty and glory into the vvorld in the state of a servant to accomplish mans salvation and perform him satisfaction Therefore Christ came into the world to save sinners There vvere two grand impediments in the way of mans salvation which made it impossible to man one is Gods justice another is mans sin these two behoved to be satisfied or removed ere there can be access to save a sinner The sentence of divine Justice is pronounced against all mankind Death past on all A sentence of death and condemnation Now vvhen the righteousness and faithfulness of God is engaged into this how strong a party do you think that must be What power can break that prison of a divine curse and take out a sinner from under Justice hand Certainly there is no coming out till the uttermost farthing be paid that was owing till compleat satisfaction be given to all vvrongs Now truly the redemption of the soul had ceased for ever it 's so precious that no creature can give any thing in exchange for it except Jesus Christ had come into the vvorld one that might be able to tread that winepress of wrath alone give his life a ransomer in value far above the soul and pay the debt of sin that vve vvere owing to Goâ—… And indeed he vvas furnished for this purpose a peâ—… son suted and fitted for such a vvork A man to undertake it in our name and God to perform it in hiâ—… own strength A Man that he might be made undeâ—… the Law and be humbled even to the death of 〈◊〉 cross that so he might obey the commandment aâ—… suffer the punishment due to us and all this was elevated beyond the vvorth of created actions or sufferings by that divine nature This perfumed all hiâ—… Humanity and all done by it or in it this put the stamp of Divinity upon all and imposed an infinite value upon the coyn of finite obedience and sufferings And so in his own person by coming into the vvorld and acting and suffering in the place of sinners he hath taken the first great impediment out of the vvay taken down the high vvall of divine Justice vvich had enclosed round about the sinner and satisfied all its demands by paying the price so that there is nothing upon Gods part to accuse or condemn to hinder or obstruct salvation But then there is an inner vval or dark dungeon of sin into vvhich the sinner is shut up and reserved in chains of his own lusts until the time of everlasting darkness and vvhen Heaven is opened by Christs death yet this keeps a sinner from entring iâ—… Therefore Jesus Christ vvho came himself into thâ—… vvorld to satisfie Justice and remove its plea thâ—… there might be no obstruction from that airth 〈◊〉 sends out his powerful Spirit vvith the Word to deliver poor captive sinners to break down the vval of ignorance and blindness to cast down the high tower of vvickedness and enmity against God to take captive and chain our lusts that kept us in bondage And as he made Heaven accessible by his own personal obedience and sufferings so he makes sinners ready â—…nd free to enter into salvation by his Spirits vvorking in their persons In the one he had God as it vvere his party and him he hath satisfied so far that â—…here vvas a voice came from heaven to testifie it â—…is is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased â—…nd therefore in testimony of it God raised him from the dead In the other he hath Satan and mans vvicked nature as his party and these he must conquer and subdue these he must overcome ere vve can be saved A strange business indeed and a great vvork to bring such two opposite and distant parties togetheâ—… a holy and just God and a sinful and rebellious creature and to take them both as parties that he might reconcile both Now vvhat do ye think of this my beloved that â—…uch a glorious person is come down from Heaven â—…or such a glorious vvork as the salvation of sinners 〈◊〉 put no doubt it vvould be most acceptable unto you 〈◊〉 ye knew your misery and knowing your misery you could not but accept it if you believed that it vvere true and faithful I find one of these two the great obstruction in the vvay of souls receiving advanâ—…age by such glad tydings either the absolute necessiâ—…y and excellency of the Gospel is not considered or â—…he truth and reality of it is not believed Men eiâ—…er do not behold the beauty of goodness in it or 〈◊〉 not see the light of truth in it either there is noâ—…ing discovered to engage their affections or nothing â—…en to perswade their understandings Therefore â—…he Apostle sounds a Trumpet as it vvere in the entry before the publication of these glad news and commends this unto all men as a true and faithful â—…aying and as vvorthy of all acceptation There is â—…ere the highest truth and certainty to satisfie the mind It 's a faithful saying and there is here also thâ—… chiefest good to satiate the heart It 's worthy of alâ—… acceptation Now if you do really apprehend your lost and miserable estate you cannot but behold that ravishing goodness in it and behold that you cannot til you see the other first Whence is it I pray you that so many souls are never stirred vvith the propâ—…sition of such things in the Gospel that the riches aâ—… beauty of salvation in JESUS CHRIST doth not once move them Is it not because therâ—… is no lively apprehension of their misery vvithoâ—… him FINIS GLASGOW Printed by ROBERT SANDERS and are to be sold at his Shop M. DC LXVII