way weaker Christians can hardly get to Heaven for them not without stumbling wounding their Consciences and making their hearts to ake 2. Persons that do iniquity no good much mischief in the Church and that make it their employ Too many such there are in the visible Church because they whose concern it is take not that care of and inspection over them as they ought When both these shall be bundled up by the Angel and hurl'd into the fiery furnace as fewel for Hell yet not be consumed but Salamander-like live in the devouring fire and dwell with everlasting burnings Consider these four Particulars 1. The Subjects of future Glory the Righteous 2. What their Dignity preferment and eternal happiness will be viz. 1. They shall shine as they do in Grace and Holiness much more in glory 2. Shine forth i. e. be perfectly freed from every thing that eclipses their light or obscureth the splendor and brightness of their Grace and Holiness 3. Shine forth as the Sun i. e. gloriously incomparably not as the Moon that changeth as the Sun in its noon day glory with unchangeable everlasting light shall they be perfectly glorified 3. The Firmament or place where In the Kingdom of their Father God may as soon be pulled out of Heaven his Being and Glory be extinct as they plucked out of their Orbs and their light and glory be put out 4. The time when when Hypocrites the unrighteous shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented with their Father the Devil and abide there for ever there to the torment of sinners their own unspeakable comfort especially to the glory of God shall the righteous in Heaven shine out Hence Note 1. They that shall be glorified are the righteous viz. through Regeneration Reputation by Sanctification and Acceptation 1. They that are righteous through Regeneration called v. 38. the children of the Kingdom by an usual Hebraism as in those terms children of death children of wrath c. 1. Because they are designed for and constituted by God heirs of the Kingdom And 2. are made capable of it being born of the Word of the Spirit of God himself 1. They are born again not of corruptible black rotting seed but of incorruptible the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 â— et 1.23 24. i. e. Not of the Word of man flowers and flourishâ—s of humane wit and eloquence which soon fade corrupt and like rotten seed come to nothing but of the Word of God pure Gospel v. 25 whence they grow and as the corn sown and the corn in the ear are of the same nature by Regeneration turn as it were very word and spirit that incorruptible seed the Word of the Kingdom being turned into Grace in their hearts changes and transforms them inâ—o new Creatures and they grow from it in Grace and Holiness 2. They are born of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 6. and thereby not only Evangelized but spiritualized 2 Cor. 3 18. Changed into the image of Christ presented to them by the Gospel who received the Spirit without measure and transformed from glory to glory from grace to grace or from one degree of the glorious grace and graces of the Lord the blessed spirit to another made very like not only to their Lord Jesus but the Lord the Spirit Yea 3 ly They are born of God 1 Joh. 3.9 so implicitely termed his children in the Text which calls Heaven by the name of the Kingdom of their Father Though 't is true they grow after in their resemblance of him as they grow more holy as he is holy Eph. 4.23 24. in holiness of Truth wrought in them by the Word of Truth and by the Spirit of Truth whereas before Conversion there is none righteous not one Jew one Gentile one in all the World All are of their father the Devil and his works they will do All are corrupt and do iniquity yea abominable iniquity and do not do good Their best actions in holy Austin's Language are but glittering sins some in our days would say the good Father is out his bolt is soon shot what were the eminent vertues of the Heathens sins how differs Grace from Vertue and Morality therefore we 'l say the best actions of the unregenerate being not from a principle of Grace have nothing of holiness truth of grace and goodness in them So are sins of omission which was Austins meaning They do no good at all 2. Such as are righteous by Reputation i. e. to whom God imputeth not sin and guilt but reckoneth and reputeth righteous in his sight not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for the merit righteousness perfect obedience and full satisfaction of their Lord Jesus received by faith alone This is the good seed the word of truth the Gospel of our Salvation which being scattered by Ministers and blown by the Blessed Spirit into the prepared hearts of Intelligent hearers takes root and grows there They which come up thereby to trust i. e. to hope in Christ and to be justified by faith thorough him they are the good seed the righteous that shall be glorified As the Sons of the first Adam were made sinners the Sons of the second are made righteous None after regeneration can make themselves righteous if they could keep the whole Law since by Adam's disobedience theirs in him they were made sinners All and only believers are constituted righteous by the obedience of Christ who was made of God the second Adam a common head and representative of all that were given to him by the Father This righteousness is not their own but Christs yet 't is theirs being made theirs 1. by Gods Donation 2. by their thankful acceptance apprehending laying hold upon and appropriating of it by faith So if I may borrow the Learned Mr. Richard Hooker his saying God accepts them in Jesus Christ as perfectly righteous as if they had fulfilled all that was commanded in the Law shall I say more perfectly righteous than if they had fulfilled the whole Law I must take heed what I say but the Apostle saith God made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 3 ly They who are by Inchoation I mean by the Word and by the spirit of Holiness truly in part though not perfectly sanctified and made righteous and daily more and more when as 't was in an instant of their being turned to God that they were regenerate of their believing in Christ that they were justified Whom he justified them he also glorified Rom 8.30 i. e. say Divines he sanctified There being not a specifical but only a gradual difference betwixt them and such have love and do righteousness 1. They have righteousness inherent in them answering to what was in the first and in some measure to that which is in the second
light of the world 'T is but an hour The Church once said This is the day of Jacob's trouble She is still militant under the Cross eclipsed with a cloud 'T is but for a day then more gloriously will her light shine forth The Pageantry of sinners will soon be over They come on the stage dazzle spectators eyes the scene will alter such as acted the part of Nobles e're long will appear as they are meer Beggars nay in a worse condition when called to account for what they profusely spent on their lust and when thrown into Hell that most hideous prison from whence there is no redemption In this vale of tears I sit down and cry Few and evil have my days been The Church said Though I am comely look not upon me I am scorched Sun-burnt and much discoloured thereby Nay all my days have been one night In perils oft and too much in fears of them 'T will be day what 's this to eternal life What 's time to eternity What 's this moment to the five thousand years past since the Creation yet that and all the time that shall be which the Lord only knows till the end of the World is nothing to Eternity all that endless eternity shall I shine forth in glory 2. At the day of Judgment when scandals they that do iniquity some that created me much disquiet and discomfort in the world shall be cast into Hell shall all my sorrow be turned into joy and my disgrace into glory Let Antiochus be Epiphanes here was not he eaten up of lice or worms and will not that greedy worm of Conscience gripe gnaw and feed upon his soul to all eternity Let Herod for his gorgeous apparel be most illustrious had not he the same Exit Act. 12 22 23. But v. 24. The word of God grew and multiplied Let Bishops at Rome come forth in their Pontificalibus and their Olympia's in gold and silver in all their gallantry and too many of our professing Gentlewomen to their shame for Ladies generally are more modest in their apish French Modes and fashions they have little else to set themselves out with Was not Dives one day clothed in fine linnen in purple clad in scarletrobes which the sumptuary Laws of the Romans allowed only the chief Magistrates to wear the next in Hell and when out of curiosity he had looked for but found not Lazarus did he not lift up his eyes and espy Abraham in Heaven with Lazarus in his bosom in his lap on his knee leaning on his bosom cheering him Thou wast as thy Saviour some time in the world and receivedst didst patiently take from the â—ands of others since thou lawest the hand of God in it and didst not bring upon thy self thine evil things thou hadst hard measure scarce a rag to thy back a crust for thy belly yonder 's one lies that had enough to spare might and ought to have relieved thee but had no heart to do it he had more respect for his hounds than a child of God Look now he 's in torments thou art and shall be comforted for ever Thy Father hath called thee into this his Kingdom of Heaven with everlasting consolation to comfort thee here shalt thou shine in glory for ever So shall shine when many Diveses shall be cast into Hell to be tormented for ever weeping wailing and gnashing of their teeth 2. 'T is time for me to beseech the concern of your comfort at present and future happiness calls you to try whether ye be righteous and shall be glorified 1. Are you born of the Word of the Spirit of God himself 1. Of the Word was you ever by the Gospel read or preached brought out of the Kingdom of Satan the World into the Church militant Has the Word of God been the power of God to your conversion Were you by any Ministers preaching Christ brought over to Christ so as you gave up your selves and your heart souls and bodies to the Lords Anointed the Messiah the Christ the great Prophet the only King Head and Saviour of his Body the Church to be taught governed and saved by him How shall ye know this why 1. If you v. 23. received the seed the Gospel into good ground I would not give you my own much less other mens but the Lord Christs characters of the Regenerate i. e. you heard the Word and understood it it made such impression and took deep root in your hearts as made you leave the world and cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart at least to be as desirous and sollicitous to be Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ in grace as to have a lot and share with the righteous in the Kingdom of glory You have known and learnt from the Word and Spirit something of Christ of his Grace and Truth and of the life and immortality that he brought to light by the Gospel Whereas the first the worst sort of hearers are all ignorant careless willfully ignorant hearers such as hear the Word without attention affect on understanding do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their minds go along with the Word till they understand it and get grace spiritual light and wisdom by it they resisting the motions of the good Spirit God suffers the evil one to beguile them of it by casting vain at least unseasonable thoughts into their minds God gives encrease to the conscientious careful attentive hearer which he denies to the careless and negligent that will not attend and regard but thinks to give the Minister the hearing is enough to stop the mouth of Conscience to save his credit with professors yea to save his soul such a cheat he puts upon himself 2. Are you born of the Spirit how shall you clear that why if v. 23. you bear fruit as good corn doth in a fertile soil which grows and comes up in a hundred where many ears spring from the same root or sixty where fewer or thirty where the fewest corns for one as persons are wrought upon by the Word and Spirit some in and after hearing are made as much more spiritual in their thoughts meditations desires than others And yet there are some that herein very much exceed them yet all that are regenerate bear fruit Act. 20.32 of the same kind and nature with the seed sown fruits of Grace resembling the Spirit of Grace gracious thoughts desires purposes resolutions spiritual meditations holy affections gracious words and discourse the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith Conformity to Christ which are fruits unto holiness Rom. 6.22 Good works works of Piety Religious acts works of honesty righteous dealings works of mercy and charity In a word all the fruits of righteousness Phil. 1.11 The Word works a wonderful change 1. In their hearts 2. In their lives and conversations coming up like Isaac's seed Gen. 26.12 in some an hundred fold Whereas the
eye is upon God and to him God looks him God approves and will accept of notwithstanding all his failings One that is upright and sincere is righteous before God By these plain characters you may distinguish him from an hypocrite 1. In general he is one that walks with and before God Gen. 24.40 48.15 through his whole conversation which way soever he goes and every step he takes More particularly 1. He hath always an eye to Gods precepts as Psal 16.8 He sets the Lord always before him that he may not be moved so he sets Gods commands before him that he may not be mistaken or misled So he walks in the Law of God in his ways Psal 119.1 2 3 4 11 30.97 142. yea v. 6. He has respect to all Gods commands when he perceives a call to duty a command from God immediately in the fear of God and the strength of Christ he sets upon the performance of it Gal. 1.15 16. he stands not to confer and consult with flesh and blood any man living not the Apostles themselves they might wonder suspect him so disswade him from preaching v. 13. you have been a known notorious persecutor who dares hear trust you who will believe you or advise him in prudence to forbear a while till Christians were better satisfied concerning him Hypocrites are much ruled by they take for Doctrines and Canons the commands of men 'T is not the Will of God but of others or their own will that is the rule they walk by Have they at any time any respect to any of Gods Commands They 'l pick and chuse such as they can make to suit their humour and serve their interest and reputation 2. To the Lords Threatnings Gen. 49. How can I do this saith holy Joseph and sin against God If I should do it my Master may be angry my God much more Adulterers God that sees them though others should never know of it will judge One that is upright serves God with reverence and godly fear as knowing that even our God is a consuming fire Ps 119.120 Ex. 1.15 That wicked King spake to the Midwives his word was a Law vers 16. ye shall kill the male Children of the Hebrews or lose my favour your Office or dye your selves vers 17. but they feared God that commanded You shall not kill and threatned Gen. 9.6 if ye do ye shall dye and did not as the King commanded but as God They saved the Children Acts 4.17 18 19. Dan. 3.15 17. A real Saint fears God and the King an Hypocrite stands only in some awe of the Civil Magistrates and the Laws and his fear towards God is taught by the precepts and edicts of men Es 29.13 Whatever Country he lives in he will be of the same Religion the chief Magistrate and such as are in greatest power and authority are of and will change his Religion Opinions Practises as the times and the Laws in force change 3. To the Lords Promises Psal 119 166. on them his hopes for salvation hang That he hopes for and so doth Gods commands He walks with God because that God has promised to be his God who is Alsufficient to make him happy here and for ever Gen. 15.1 As Hypocrites fear men more than God so they look to get more by pleasing men than God they look to what the World promises to what their own hearts promise them If they do as others serve God they shall get acquaintance into credit and gain thereby Their care is not to serve God but to make God and Religion to serve them to serve themselves of them A Saints care is to please God he looks for all from him he looks on all creatures as broken Reeds empty Cisterns as creatures that can do him no good without God Through the Promise he looks on God as God as Almighty Alsufficient and verily believes since God cannot lye that he will lay out his Almighty Power and Alsufficiency not only for his protection but also his temporal spiritual and eternal good So he walks with as the Apostle renders the Word pleaseth God that 's all his care 4. To our Lords Presence to Gods Alseeing Eye Pharisaical hypocrites Matt. 6. do all to be seen of men Pray in Market-places blow Trumpets when they give Alms their charity that fills the Bellies of some shall fill the Ears of all Come and see my zeal saith Jehu Did ever Moses Phinehas or David or any of the Lords faithful zealous Servants say so No an upright Saint delights in secret holiness and takes infinitely more content in being and doing good than in being known to be and do so There 's many an Hypocrite that seems much better than he is and many a poor Saint that is really much better than he seems to be At all times he doth all to be seen of God and is much in private duty where he can be seen only of him that sees in secret He prepares his heart and then Psal 116.14 pays his Vows to our Lord before all his people yea as Jotham 2 Chron. 27.6 he prepares his ways before the Lord his God i. e. his counsels designs State-affairs and all his actions as under Gods Eye knowing God stood a spectatour overlooking him an eye-witness observing him a Judge that would call him to account Paul 2 Cor. 12.13 spake before God in Christ he was not as many that corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God spake he in Christ 2 Cor. 2.17 So he commended himself to every mans Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 that his care of Souls in the sight of God might appear to them 2 Cor. 7.12 Sincere hearers present themselves before God Acts 10.33 He says not we are present before thee Some hearers like Simon Magus have hearts altogether corrupt rotten stark naught not in the least right with God When he saw the Word of God prevail'd more than his Sorceries got his Disciples from him and his Reputation was gone he turns hears for company believes also makes such a profession as he was Baptized his heart was set on the advantage he might have if he could Preach and also procure from the Apostles the faculty of giving the Holy Ghost Others have hearts like Amaziah not perfect 2 Chron. 25.2 not perfectly sound and sincere such will fall away as he did vers 14. The Apple you find under the Tree looks well look wishly and you 'l perceive some specks within and see 't is rotten at the Core How gallantly did Joash demean himself as a Religious Prince a zealous Reformer he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days i. e. all the days of Jehoiada all his days wherein he instructed him 2 Chron. 24.3 2 Kings 12.2 His Tutor a godly man had an eye to him and upon him and he an eye to his Tutor a respect for him and thence