and run to the Devil and post to the bottomless pit as if it were with them as with the Swine when possessed by the Devil who are said to run violently down a steep place into the Sea and perish in the Matth. 8. 32. waters The Psalmist tells us and I think many in this Nation have given us sad proof of it Their sorrows shall be multiplyed Psal 16. 4. that hasten after another God. Blessed be God we have seen the accomplishment of the former as well as the latter these are sad Races But by what Rules were they acted No other no better than the Lusts and cursed Imaginations of their own Hearts But such as run the Christian Race must observe God's Word for then Guide Thus David Thy word Psal 119. 05. is a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths 'T is not the decrees of Popes nor Canons of Councils nor sayings of Fathers but God's Word that in this Race is to be our Guide Thou Psal 73. 24. shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Thirdly The running of a Race is a progressive motion It is not the running in a round but a going forward Phil. 3. 13 14. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press towards the mark for the prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus This speaks the Christians dayly endeavour to grow in Grace and 2 Pet. 3. 18. in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ There must be a going from strength to strength a striving to get more of God and do more for God. Here must be no standing still nor much less any turning aside or going back O Christians How earnest had we all need be in our pleadings with God that he would heal our backslidings and accomplish that gracious Promise The Righteous also shall hold on his Job 17. 9. way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Fourthly Running of a Race is a painful motion there is and must be a putting forth all the strength a Man hath So my Friends the performance of the Duties of Christianity is no easie thing to Flesh and Blood No room for Spiritual sloth and laziness The way in Heavens road is up hill and most what rough and uneasie way to the Flesh and such as move in it must expect to meet with difficulties which considering the clogs that hang about us the Sin that so easily besets us will require our utmost strength and to send up loud cryes to Heaven for dayly supplies As David Hold up my goings Psal 17. 5. in thy paths that my footsteps slip not How miserably are they mistaken that conceit it is an easie matter to be a Christian or to live a Christians Life Fifthly The running of a Race is adjudged to be a constant continued and persevering motion without stop or stay till we come to the end So Beloved Christianity will find the Christian work every day Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of Acts 24. 16. offence towards God and towards Men. He doth not say I have done or I will do no 't is a work alwayes a doing You have work not only for the Lord's day when you have more immediately to do with God but on the week dayes Your Religion is not then to be laid aside as if all your Devotion was to be left at Church and as if you were obliged to serve God only one day in and the Devil and the Flesh all the week after This speaks that 't is not enough to be Religious now and then in a good mood or for a spurt and away to take a few steps where the way is smooth and fair No there must be a going through thick and thin Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness Psal 106. 3. at all times He that endures to the end shall be saved Matth. 24. 13. Quest But here an enquiry may be made How Paul could say he had finished his course before he had finished his days 'T is apparent that his Glass was not yet run and so his Work was not yet done he had a dark and thorny Stage to pass through yet in which he had at present taken but a few steps Resol 1. To this I answer First Negatively That if you take it in a plain literal sence no Christian can be said to have finished his Course till he have finished his Breath and Life The whole Day the Evening as well as the Noon and Morning are appointed all for Work Indeed when the Night comes our working time is over Resol 2. But yet Secondly Affirmatively A Believer may be said to have finished his Work as it is his sincere purpose and firm resolution not to give over till he hath finished it as God through his Grace is ready to account that to be done which the gracious Soul purposes and resolves through Divine Assistance to do Thus some resolve the same Question refering to Christ saying I have finished the work which thou gavest John 17. 4. me to do How could this be when as yet the bitterest part of that Cup his Father had given him to drink was yet behind To resolve this Augustine puts the Praeterperfect Tense into the Future Tense I have finished it viz. I will finish it But lastly the best resolution of this concerning Christ and Paul's saying he had finished his Course as thereby expressing their readiness as well as resolvedness to finish and consummate the Work they had gone on in so far I have finished my Course q. d. my time is just now at a period I am now entring upon the last Stage a few more steps to take and all is over A few moments will perfect all he lived in the view of Death which he saw was at the door which would put a Finis to all Thirdly I proceed now to the third and last Metaphor by which a Christians Life is represented alluding to the Duty of a faithful Steward who having somewhat of weight and worth committed to his Trust is careful not to lose nor embezzle it but preserve it for the use of the Owner without dammage or detriment Thus saith Paul I have kept the Faith. Here I shall touch only upon two things 1. What was this Treasure this Trust that is supposed to be committed to Paul's care The Faith. 2. How Paul or any true Christian may be said to keep this depositum this Faith I have kept the Faith. First What this Faith is Faith is chiefly to be consider'd under one of these two Heads 1. Either the Grace of Faith that Grace whereby through the operation of the Spirit of God we come to be united to Christ and interested in him and all the
themselves the expectation of the promised reward in the other World at their Death or day of Retribution This is a plain and undoubted Truth no well-grounded expectation of our Reward till we have first finished our Work. Christ himself who was both a Son and a Servant sent by his Father into the World had work appointed him to do a work of the greatest weight and importance that ever was put into the hands of any to dispatch the reparation of his Fathers Glory eclipsed by Man's Rebellion and Apostacy and the Redemption and Salvation of all the Elect depended upon Christ's finishing this work and a work to be done within a limited time as may be inferred from what our Saviour speaks I must work the works of him that sent me while John 9. 4. it is day the night cometh when no man can work A work that had many works in it Here was doing work and here was suffering work and upon his faithful discharge of this great work a glorious Reward was insured to Christ and you may observe that though the work he was ingaged in was difficult and hard too difficult for all the Angels in Heaven or Creatures on Earth to undertake In the doing of which he met with inexpressible Discouragements and Oppositions both from Friends and Enemies And the reward he expected was a high and glorious reward such a massy Crown as could fit no Head but Christ's which might well put him upon earnest longing for it as you see he did by what the Apostle tells us Heb. 12. 2. speaking of this Blessed Jesus Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of God. Yet we never find that either the consideration of the one the difficulty of his work or the consideration of the other the beauty and brightness of his reward did put him upon desiring or expecting the possession of his promised Glory till he could say he had done his work and then indeed you will see him addressing his Father in this manner I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 〈…〉 17. 4 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the world was q. d. I have done my work and I expect my reward Truly thus it is in all our cases That God who hath sent us into the World and hath appointed our time and limited our 〈…〉 14. boundt beyond which we cannot pass This God hath also prescribed our work what we are to do in this short time allotted for us He hath not sent us hither only to gaze about us or to feed and gratifie the carnal and sensual inclinations of a corrupt heart in spending these precious hours in sports and pastimes No no as God hath given us work to do so he hath furnished us with talents to be improved for the Glory 〈…〉 25. 15. of that God who gave us our beings He hath committed the care of precious Souls one of which is more in value than 〈…〉 16. 26. Ten Thousand Worlds to be recovered out of that lapsed and lost Estate into which they are fallen He hath given his Word for our Direction hath promised his Spirit for our help he hath betrusted us with choice advantages and opportunities for the facilitating of what work we have to do He hath appointed a day for the calling us to an account and a Acts 17. 3 Judge to give forth a Righteous Retribution according to what we have done in the Flesh whether it be good or evil He hath proposed and promised a blessed and glorious Reward not as merited by our work but as consequential upon it a Reward not of Debt but of meer Grace and Favour He hath threatned an Everlasting Punishment as the demerit of our neglect of that great Salvation set before us Cutting us off from Heb. 2. 3. all hopes of enjoying the former and of escaping the latter without finishing the work he hath given us to do These things are so evident in Scripture that you whose lot is cast under the Dispensation of these Divine Revelations cannot plead ignorance so that if your days be finished and your work unfinished Wo be to that Man or Woman it had been better for them they had never been born But on the other side If we can say with Paul in my Text That we have fought the good fight and finished our course c. Then when Death comes thou mayest entertain it with a smile and triumph over it and though it closes thine Eyes so as to hinder thy beholding of all thy amiable enjoyments here on Earth Thou shalt see them no more but must bid adieu to them all for ever Yet wilt thou then by an Eye of Faith with Stephen See the Heavens opened and the Son of Acts 7. 56 Man standing on the right hand of God ready to receive thee and bid thee welcom to that glorious Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you 1 Pet. 1. 4. Having thus for brevity's sake hudled matters together in general I shall now in order to further instruction reduce the whole under two heads 1. With respect to the work which we have to do here on Faith What it is and how and when it may be said to be finished 2. Somewhat with respect to the promised reward in Heaven which follows What that is and upon what basis our hopes and expectations of it are bottomed In the managing of both these I shall follow the guidance of my Text. 1. Then as to the work we have to do in this Life What it is I hope I need not mind you that the work I am speaking to relates not to the Duties of your particular Callings as Men and as disposed by the Conduct of Divine Providence into this and that civil and secular Employment which are many and various and which are so to be managed as may best subserve your general Calling as Christians But the work I am to speak to is of a far higher Nature that which doth not so immediately nor primarily respect our beings or well-beings with respect to time as what respects our well-beings to Eternity A work that hath some resemblance and bears some parity to the great work that Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the World for though to be performed in a far different manner Christ's work was reducible to two general heads First The glorifying of his Father So you read John 17. 4. I have glorified thee on the Earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do q. d. Father that was the work which thou sentest me into the World for and that work I have done Secondly Christ's work was to
accomplish the Redemption and Salvation of all God's Elect. This work Christ had upon his hand to do and he did it Hence is he by way of Emphasis stiled our Redeemer our Saviour Eph. 1. 7. in whom we are said to have redemption the remission of sins through his blood according to the riches of his Grace And so Heb. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves he entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us and Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him This was Christ's work and this work he finished on Earth so far as his Father had appointed him to do here 2. Our work comes under the same denomination and falls under these two heads 1. Our business is to glorifie God. Whether therefore ye 1 Cor. 10. 31. eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God. It becomes us every morning when we rise up to put this Question to our selves how shall we so fill up this day as that God may have Glory from us and at night when we lye down to ask our own Hearts what glory hath God had from us this day 2. Our work lyes in securing our Eternal Salvation Christs working does not exclude nor excuse our putting our hand to the same work no we must work too though not in the same but in a far different manner work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God who worketh in you Phil. 2. 12 13. both to will and to do of his good pleasure We work not as Christ did by way of purchase and impetration Here we can have no hand But in a way of Application and Appropriation in which neither can we do any thing as of our selves but as we are assisted and strengthened by the operations of Gods Spirit We are saved by grace through faith and that not of our Eph. 2. 8. selves it is the gift of God. Having thus in plain Terms given you an Account of your work in general I shall speak to it as 't is metaphorically expressed in my Text. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith This Paul gives us an account of both with respect to his publick and more private and personal Station as a Minister and as a Christian I shall pass by the former in silence and speak only to the latter In the words you have comprehended the whole Duty of Man the sum of the practical part of Christianity and this under three Metaphors 1. I have fought the good Fight In which he compares the life of a Christian to a Military or Soldiers life a continual Warfare 2. He compares it to the running of a Race where a price is insured to them who run well 3. He compares it to a faithful Repositor or Steward to one that hath somewhat of worth and weight committed to his Trust of which a good account is to be given My business is to give you a short Paraphrase of the Christians work as vail'd under these similitudes First As our Life while here on Earth is expressed by a continued Combate or Warfare I have fought a good fight â—…rtamen Evanâ—…licum contra â—…iaboli insidias â—…undi exempla 〈…〉 carnis illeceâ—…as Grotius A good fight ingaging in a good cause and that which if heartily ingaged in is sure to have a good issue and event Thus the Life of a Christian in Scripture is frequently represented 2 Cor. 10. 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing which exalts it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ Hence in the foregoing Epistle Paul charges Timothy to war a good warfare Paul had Tim. 1. 18. been himself a stout Champion a couragious Souldier in this Holy War his life ever since he was brought home to God and first had taken Arms in this good Cause had been a continual conflict many a hot skirmish he had had many a sharp encounter he had gone through and possibly many a wound he had received but he still kept the Field and had now upon the matter put his Enemies to a perpetual Rout and was himself going out of the Field through Christ that strengthened him more than Conqueror Beloved how large and copious a Subject I have here before me I need not tell you but my time will not allow me This War my discourse leads me to is of a far higher Nature and the success that such who are ingaged in it are concern'd about is of Everlasting moment The Enemies we must combat with are utterly implacable that they will either kill or be killed No peace not so much as a truce to be made or indeavoured with them Fight and Live Yield and Dye may well be every Christians Motto for says the Apostle if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds â—â—m 8. 13. of the body ye shall live Here I will only touch upon a few particulars for the further illustration of these matters and this in a brief resolution of the following Queries 1. Whom we are to understand by the Soldiers that are ingaged in these Wars against these implacable Enemies and what Captain or General they fight under For the Soldiers they are all Believers such as had been taken Captive but are supposed to be rescued by the power of Christ the great Redeemer and being thus rescued in way of Gratitude to this blessed Redeemer together with an Eye to their own safety they have devoted themselves to his Service and under his Banner stand obliged to oppose the World Flesh and Devil depending upon him for all their success as also for the obtaining their blessed Reward as consequential upon their Conquest So that these spiritual Souldiers such as we can heartily bid God speed and pray for their good Success are all true Believers who stand devoted to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Col. 1. 21. Acts 5. 3â— Captain of their Salvation all others who remain in their unregenerate state they are Enemies to Christ and his followers who have for their General the Devil whom they follow and for whom they fight against God against his Spirit nay War against 1 Pet. 2. 11. their own Soul. Some of these Enemies are more secret and carry on their oppositions against God in a more hidden and cunning way displaying Gods Colours whilst they are managing the Devils Quarrels Others are more open and notorious that declare their Sin as Sodom and hide it not That Isa 3. 9. set their Mouth against the Heavens that dare to challenge God to his face Of this sort are all the openly prophane Debauched Atheistical Idolatrous
benefits and blessings that he hath purchased called precious Faith the Faith 〈…〉 Pet. 1. 1. 〈…〉 1. 1. of God's Elect as peculiar to God's chosen ones This is committed to Christians by way of operation and infusion and donation By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God. 2. By Faith we are to understand the Doctrine of Faith the revelation of the Divine Will in the Gospel of God's Grace which was committed to Paul as a Minister to be by him dispensed and preached to others as being the power of God unto salvation And elsewhere he tells us that Christ hath 〈…〉 m. 1. 16. committed unto us the word of Reconciliation And this is also a trust committed unto all Christians to be professed 〈…〉 Cor. 5. 19. owned obeyed believed against all gainsayers whosoever whether they be Men of unsound Minds or ungodly Livers Which some professing have erred concerning the Faith. This is 1 Tim. 6. 21 Jude 3. that Faith which we are exhorted earnestly to contend for which was once delivered to the Saints Secondly What is meant by his keeping the Faith To which I answer 1. If you take it in the former sense then it imports his constant endeavour to keep that Grace in its exercise by a constant cleaving to and relyance upon God and Christ for Life and Salvation drawing continued supplies of his Grace and Spirit for the enabling a Christian to do his present work and to fit him for his future reward and this against all the opposition that he may meet with from the slie and subtle suggestions and insinuations of the Devil who hath a special spight at the Christians Faith. 2. But if you take it in the latter sence then it imports the holding fast our profession of this both in our principles and practices against all attempts of Seducers and Persecutors and against all the enticing and alluring examples of prophane and ungodly ones Such there have been and never more than in this loose and ungodly Age in which we live When Iniquity abounds and the Love of many waxes cold When Matth. 24. 12. there are great endeavours to laugh all true Religion and Godliness in its power out of countenance and various stratagems to induce Christians to make shipwrack of Faith and a good 1 Tim. 1. 19. Conscience Thus have I given you a short account of the first part of my Text as expressive of the true Christians work a work to be done here I proceed now very briefly to Paul's prospect what he had in view hereafter relating to the Glorious Reward he was upon the matter entring into the possession of Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness I purpose only to note a very few things and shut up the whole with a short Application First Here we have an account of that future felicity which is reserved for the Saints 't is a Crown and a Crown of Righteousness A Crown which you know is an Ensign of the greatest Honour upon Earth and an Emblem of the highest Glory in Heaven Such a Crown and such a Kingdom as infinitely exceeds all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the World 't is an Incorruptible Crown a Crown which fadeth not away 〈…〉 9. 25. whereas all the Crowns of Kings and Emperours which are so eagerly contended for by the Men of this World are poor 〈…〉 5. 4. perishing corrupting fading things 'T is a Crown of Life 〈…〉 1. 12. What shall I say T is not only a Glorious Crown but a Crown of Glory Secondly 'T is a Crown of Righteousness as peculiarly belonging to those who are clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness imputed and with the fine Linnen of the Righteousness of Christ imparted And also as a Righteous but yet free Reward which the Righteous God hath promised and will faithfully perform 2. We may observe here the time of Believers entring upon the possession of this future Glory 1. In part as to their Souls Henceforth that is immediately upon their Death and Dissiolution Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea faith the Spirit 〈…〉 14. 13. that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them So Paul Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈…〉 1. 23 In the same moment wherein they pass from Earth they go to Heaven there is no calling in at Purgatory by the way no middle state to detain the Souls of Believers in 2. Perfectly and compleatly with respect to Soul and Body at a certain day the day of Judgment which will be a day of Retribution which is called by way of emphasis in the Text That Day A remarkable day it will be when the whole World shall be determined and sent to their Everlasting abodes either of Happiness on the one side or Misery on the other Thirdly We may observe the manner of the Saints entring upon this Glorious Possession not as matter of merit but by way of free donation which God the righteous Judge shall give me says Paul here Eternal Life cost Christ very dear no less than his Life-Blood but it comes free to us without price or purchace on our part 'T is not our deserved Wages but the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 〈…〉 23. Fourthly We have here the Extent of this Gift not only to such as Paul a Believer of the highest Fourm a Star of the first Magnitude in the Firmament of the Church not to me only c. but to every true though weak Believer to all who can approve themselves such as love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and look and long for his appearing It was not the peculiar priviledge of this great Apostle but a common Salvation which belongs to all the faithful from the greatest to the least of Saints And thus I have dispatcht the Doctrinal part of this Text I shall only add a word or two for the practical improvement of it First If they and only they who have good evidence of having done and dispatcht their great Work and Business in this World can with comfort and confidence ensure to themselves the expectation of the promised Reward in the other Then hence we may infer the madness and folly of a great part of those that hear me this day Who have been so often told of this Future State and profess to believe it and by dayly renewed instances of Mortality cannot but be convinced that they are drawing near to it and perhaps may be upon the very brink of it not knowing what a day or night may bring forth and yet they have lived all their days in a total neglect of that work whose accomplishment is a necessary praerequisite to this promised Reward Who are so far from having conquered their Enemies and fought the good fight that they have not yet really listed themselves under Christ's Banner