must to misery The wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Every man in this world is laying up treasure for another if not in heaven it is in hell which is the woful end of the Sinners way 3. That he cannot put himself into the way again but must be brought into it He lost it by his own folly but if ever he recover it again God must put him into it Hos 13. 9. As he knows it not so he hath no power to get into it Such is his impotency and enmity that he cannot take a step in it till that be removed Rom. 8. 7. And none but God can change it how should a dead man go Eph. 2. 1. 4. The man cannot be happy unless be holds on in this way to the end he must keep in it and not forsake it but follow it The Crown is hung up at the Goal and he must run to that Rev. 2. 10. If a man be set in a right path and after that he leaves it he will be bewildred and lost Gal. 5. 7. Luk. 9. ult 5. That he may thus hold on in his way be must be kept in it Perseverance is a gift of God we have the reason of it Psal 37. 24. The Lord upholdeth him with his hand The many falls Gods Children take in hours of Temptation are an evidence who is their keeper Hither it is to be ascribed that any get through their way the difficulties whereof would be too hard for them Sin Satan and World that withstand would also overcome them stop up their way and make them to give out 3. What is the way in which men may come to have pardon and felicity A. Mans blessedness consists in his enjoying of Gods favour and fellowship with him Now there have been two ways in which men have been pointed to this one displayed in the Covenant of Works and the other in the Covenant of Grace 1. The old way of the Covenant of works was laid out to man in his primitive state He then stood entirely in Gods favour he had no Guilt upon him that needed a pardon had the glorious Image of God imprinted upon him which sitted him for Communion with his Maker God then gave him a Law suited to his nature and not exceeding his created abilities in conformity to which he was to be happy for ever had he not declined from this there had needed no other but he turned out of it by Apostasy and so fell under Guilt and a Curse and now the Law could no longer give him life Gal. 3. 21. That way is for ever shut up the Tree of Life is guarded against him with Cherubim and a Flaming Sword he is a man of death and unless that Curse be taken off he can never be happy for which there was no provision in that way though the Law could afford man happiness it could not give him salvation 2. There is the new way of the Covenant of Grace which God hath opened to fallen man and therein revived his hope which was lost by the fall Called a new and living way Heb. 10. 19 20. This is revealed in the Gospel called the way of salvation Acts 16. 17. And this is the way under our consideration for there hath been no other since the Apostasy concerning which let us observe 1. That it is by Christ alone that we come to obtain pardon and life On this account he is the way Joh. 14 6. God hath made him to be all that to us which is requisite to our obtaining eternal glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. He hath made our peace for us satisfied Justice purchased a pardon and a Kingdom he is the one Mediator between God and us the way is through the veil of his flesh Heb. 10. 20. 2. That there is a New Covenant way in which we come to enjoy all this in and by Christ Though he is the way yet there are Rules how we may have him so to us for 1. There are the Covenant terms on which all his benefits are offered These point the way how we may have a title to him and enjoy blessedness and if we comply not with them notwithstanding the sufficiency of Christ we shall not be profited by him These are 1. Faith in him Pardon and peace becomes ours through the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to us now this is applied to us on and with our believing hence we are said to be Justified by Faith and that not only declaratively but instrumentally as by it we receive this Righteousness and put our whole confidence in it till when we abide under condemnation Joh. 3. 15. 2. Holiness which also we must derive from him We are told that without it there is no seeing God Heb. 12. 14. For though this doth not influence our Justification yet it hath the things in it that accompany salvation and consists in a sincere conformity in heart and life to the Rules of Holiness whence proceeds a well ordered Conversation of which Psal 50. ult 2. That it is in compliance with these terms that we obtain pardon and salvation There is no other encouragement to hope for it It is from Christ that we must have the Grace to comply but it is in this way that he saves us he gives grace in order to glory Psal 84. 11. Hence all Unbelievers and unholy persons are excluded from this USE I. To discover and reprove the false hopes if many Who almost but nourisheth in himself an expectation of salvation but it is to be feared the most do cheat their own souls and will be miserably disappointed viz. 1. Those that hope to be pardoned and saved but never enquire after the way of it They have heard of Redemption and Salvation by Christ and take up with that and think themselves safe they never ask the way nor think how they may come by a title to Christ and his salvation they never asked that question Acts 16. 30. What shall I do to be saved but presume that salvation will come in course let them live as they list but know it Christ's Redemption profiteth none but those to whom it is applied in which they are made to go in the way of it with which if you comply not you will perish 2. Those that take a great deal of pains to obtain Salvation but in a wrong way Some who have convictions on their consciences of their misery by sin are put upon endeavours to get that misery removed and obtain Gods favour but never felt their utter impotency to satisfy for sin or please God by their own righteousness engage â—n legal Repentances reformations and operose dutes and take great pains in them and so think all is well Rom. 10. 3. What multitudes are built on this bottom but be assured this way hath been inaccessible since mans Apostasy none of fallen men ever get to heaven by it Paul took another course Phil. 3. 8. 9. 3. Those that acknowledge the right way
amends for all the pains that we can be at in seeking after it USE III. Let it be for a word of Consolatiâ— to all such as are pardoned Are all such blesseâ— men how should the apprehension of this comfort our hearts and certainly if we do not finâ— more sweetness in it than in all that is delight fâ— in this world we never felt the burden of Guâ— thereby and may well question whether we aâ— forgiven or no. Are you delivered from wraâ— to come and can any thing else damp your joyâ— is not here enough to ballance yea to swallow 〈◊〉 all other sorrows whatsoever And that you maâ— suitably express this joy of yours take these twâ— words of direction 1. Bless God for this wonderful gift This 〈◊〉 none of the least of the arguments which the Psâ—mist useth to stir up his Soul to bless God in Psâ— 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities And theâ— is abundant matter of thankfulness in it whethâ— we consider the free benignity which it discoveâ— God owed it not to us he hath not indulgâ— every one with it and we did no more to obtâ— it than they he not only offered it to us bâ— drew us to accept it he gave his only Son to pâ—cure it for us and he sent his Spirit into oâ— hearts to apply it to us or if we consider 〈◊〉 greatness of the benefit it self which is uncoâ—ceivable And can we sufficiently admire blâ— 2. Let us study to live as becomes pardoned â—es What manner of Conversation ought we to â—ad in the world to whom God hath given his â—e forgiveness Shall we not loath Sin more by â—e consideration of the great pardon that is given 〈◊〉 Shall we not abstain from it with the more â—re and abhorrence by considering what it cost â—e Son of God to procure a Remission of it for 〈◊〉 Shall we not make it our constant care and â—deavour to please and serve that God who hath â—alt so bountifully with us Shall we not love â—m who hath so loved us And if we do indeed â—ve him according to this obligation it will cerâ—inly make us willing and unwearied in seeking 〈◊〉 express this love suitably in dayly Dying unto â—n and Living unto Holiness and pursuing of this 〈◊〉 our days Gods forgiveness extends to all Sin DOCTRINE II. GOD'S forgiveness extends to all Sin This is implyed in the threefold expression of Sin â—ere used which contain under them not only â—e errours that men are apt to fall into but also â—e crooked and perverse nature and actions which â—ey are chargable with yea the bold proud and â—gh handed Transgressions which they rebelliously perpetrate against God Give me leave first 〈◊〉 explain the Doctrine and then to give the reasoâ— for it 1. In the Explication we may premise Thâ— there is one Sin which in the Gospel is exempâ—ed from forgiveness and but one It is true 〈◊〉 Sin impenitently persisted in unto death leavâ— the Sinner unpardoned for there is neither Saâ—ing Repentance nor forgiveness to be obtainâ— in another World by one that dies in his Sins bâ— it is not because former impenitency may not 〈◊〉 pardoned upon Repentance but because the Sinâ— hath by persisting in it lost the opportunity of 〈◊〉 day of Grace But there is one that in it 〈◊〉 puts the man in this life out of all hope of pâ—don and that is called The Sin against the Hâ— Ghost of which our Saviour so speaks Mark 〈◊〉 28 29. This is that which is called the Sin 〈◊〉 Death which puts the man out of our Prayeâ— 1 Joh. 5. 16. And this is that which is describâ— to us Heb. 6 4 5. Nor indeed is this Sin unpâ—donable because its Guilt out-bids the value of 〈◊〉 Atonement but because by it the man puts hiâ—self out of the road of forgiveness according 〈◊〉 the Divine Ordination and by a malicious â—nouncing of the Gospel and the Spirit of Gâ— in it after great illuminations and an high pâ—fession he provokes God to give him over to haâ—ness of heart and searedness of Conscience wheâ— by he is Sealed to final impenitence there beâ— a total and final withdrawing of the Spirit froâ— him Concerning which I shall only say thâ— much that the person who is troubled and grieved in himself for fear lest he have commitâ—ed this Sin hath therein a good evidence that â—e hath not since the Gospel seems to give that â—s one inseparable concomitant of it viz. an obâ—inate and a malicious hatred of the Gospel way â—f Salvation But this sin only excepted all oâ—her sins whatsoever are pardonable yea and we â—ave the instances of such as have been guilty â—f them and yet obtained forgiveness Let me 〈◊〉 little open this in the following remarks 1. The greatest and vilest sins in themselves â—ay be forgiven Our Catechism tells us that â—me sinâ— are in themselves more heinous than others â—nd the Scripture is full for it Not but that all â—s are equally transgressions of the Law and â—onsequently incur the guilt of Eternal Death â—et if we consider and compare some with oâ—ers there is in the things themselves more of â—e malignity of the heart discovered in some â—an in others God therefore tells the Prophet â—at he will shew him greater abominations Ezek. 〈◊〉 6 13 15. It is a sin to be angry without cause â—ut greater to commit actual Murder a sin to â—urmur against God but greater to blaspheme â—c Now the greatest and most abominable of â—ese are not out of the reach of a pardon and â—e may well argue that if Gods forgiveness exâ—nds to those that are greater it is not out bid â—y those that are lesser there are scarlet and â—imson sins and yet these may be washed away â—a 1. 18. I might here instance in those that are deservedly reputed the most odious and scandalous and point you to such as have been horribâ— guilty of them and yet obtained mercy and aâ— now glorified Saints in Heaven we have 〈◊〉 whole heap of them numbred together aâ— such an observation made on them 1 Cor. 6â— 10. 11. Murder is an horrible sin and 〈◊〉 blood of the innocent cryes to heaven for vengâ—ance and yet David obtained a pardon for thâ— he prays Psal 51. 14. Deliver me from blood gâ—tiness and the Prophet tells him 2 Sam. 12. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not dy Idolatry is a fearful sin aâ— that which is terribly threatned in the Word 〈◊〉 God and yet God invites such to return upâ— the promise of pardon Jer 3. begin Blasphemy iâ— sin of the first rate for men to rend and teâ— and reproach the Name of the Great God aâ— yet all manner of blasphemies the fore cited 〈◊〉 excepted may be forgiven Mat. 12. 31. Pâ— though a blasphemer obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Witchcraft is an odious crime for men to 〈◊〉 themselves to Satan and practice his hellish aâ— God would not have such suffered to live aâ— yet there
are prisoners of Justice under a Sentence of Death and in danger of being turned into Hell the next moment It â—s therefore a Spiritual frenzy that is on them that makes them regardless of their danger 2. They have a Conscience in them though they stiffle 〈◊〉 A natural Conscience is inseparable from a Reasonable Creature and though it be asleep for the present it may be roused and when it is it will do its work to purpose and the more terribly by how much more it hath been imposed upon nor is it so asleep but that it keeps true records When Guilt and Conscience meet together there will be fearful work and unless men could extinguishâ— Conscience which they never can they will not always keep them from so meeting 3. Hence there will a time come when Conscience shall reflect on this Guilt and then they will be 〈◊〉 distress We are told there is such a time coming Prov. 1. 27. God did not put a Conscience inâ— man for nothing and he will make it do its Offiâ— to purpose before he hath done with it Though men do not yet God doth See their day is comiâ— and laughs at their present sport Psal 37. 13. And there is no escaping it 4. This Reprobate sense is a fearful Judgment of Gâ— on profligate Sinners Suppose they are brawnâ— and have out grown the sense of reflexions thâ— is no priviledge but indeed one of the awfuleâ— witnesses of Gods fearful anger Rom. 1. 18. Eâ— 4. 19. Nor is there any thing that carryeth in it greater symptom of Reprobation USE II. See here one reason why Conversâ— is called a Strait Gate It is so Mat. 7. 14. Thâ— word implieth that which distresseth a man bâ— straitning and putting him to pain and hence thâ— Verb of it signifieth To Groan The work 〈◊〉 Conviction is the first work of the Spirit Joh. 16. Now the Conscience is the Subject of this Conviction and the matter of it is the Guilt arising from sin or Sin and Guilt which are inseparable according to the tenour of the First Covenant and though the way of the Spirit of God with Infants be to us a secret yet in grown persons who are Converted by the Word and Ordinances God leaves this Conviction upon them in order to his drawing of them to Christ and they are distressed by it the next Invitation therefore is to such as are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God acts arbitrarily â—n measuring the degrees of this and usually when men have been most notorious for sin the distress is the greatest but there are such impressions of it on all who are thus drawn so as to bring them into a lost state and make them apprehensively perishing and by this means God embitters Sin to them so that he may hereby make his grace the more welcome and acceptable to them that being oppressed they may cry out for help USE III. Let this help to bring secure Sinners into Distress And Sinner Beware of flying from it How afraid are men of trouble of mind how do they shun it And how fearful are many of bringing them into it how many preposterous courses are used to comfort them against it Well you that live in sin and are quiet that sleep and care not to be awakened let me tell you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that he would bring you into this distress Oh that you would think and consider of the Guilt that is lying upon you that you did but feel the Curse that is upon you for sin and had the Sentence of Death and Damnation upon you And be not angry at me for such wishes and requests as these are for Consider 1. You are certainly under all this Guilt whether you will believe it or no. You brought it with you into the World and if Christ hath not removed it by his Grace it abides on you yea and you have encreased it by every sin you have committed since you were born the least vain thought hath laid in more for your Condemnation and if you are Guilty you may well think what is like to become of you if you so abide that is one of Gods Attributes as well as those that vain men feed their presumption with Exod. 34. 7. That will by no means clear the Guilty 2. Hence you will unavoidably be brought into Distress sooner or later Guilt will not always ly still nor suffer the Conscience ever to be quiet but there will be a time when you shall be roused by it to purpose the Damnation of Guilty Impenitent Sinners doth not slumber the Sentence past will be Executed the Wrath that is out against them will fall upon them and then they will be in distress When the Sinner shall have his eyes opened and see himself just dropping into endless Woes it will put him into agonies 3. If now you were in distress there would be hope you might do well for all Christ is now exhibited in the Gospel inviting all such to come to him Shortly your distress will come too late for an escape but now it may be a step to it Next to the Joy over a Sinner that is Converted to God is that of a Sinner in anguish of Soul crying out How shall I be Saved And of all the sights in the World there is none more dreadful than to see a Sinner manacled with the Chains of Guilt and unconcerned as if nothing ailed him USE IV. Let this serve to direct distressed Sinners what to do This will follow to be particularly spoken of afterwards here only in general Are there any that can on experience feal the Truth of the Doctrine and say I am the person that you speak of I find all to be true that you tell me nay there is none that can tell the load the burden that my afflicted Soul is sinking under and is there ever a word of relief to be spoken that may under-prop me To such let me say 1. There is hope in Israel concerning this thing As he Ezra 10. 2. God hath in rich mercy provided one to give succour to such and this is the good news which the Gospel declares he was Anointed to it read how his Commission runs Isa 61. begin And he is Mighty to Save Chap. 63. 1. 2. Hearken then after the counsel that he shall give you and resolve by his help to follow it There is a way for the obtaining of this and though his grace only is sufficient to lead us into it yet he calls upon you to hearken to and wait upon him and if you find your hearts enclined to this you may be encouraged to hope for anâ— escape What is incumbent on you in this affair will fall to be discoursed at Verse 5. Guilt apprehended Distressing to Gods Children DOCTRINE II. THat Gods Children themselves are sometimes almost overwhelmed with the apprehension of Guilt David is here speaking and we observed that it
that is felt For as love embraceth a present good with Joy so hatred entertains a present evil with Sorrow and for that reason all the miseries that befal men are called Sorrows because they will put them to grief who undergo them Here we may enquire 1. Wherein sorrows appear to be the portion of the wicked A. The truth of this assertion is little believed in the world and because men are apt to judge according to sense and not to look beyond the present time no small prejudices have been taken on this account and there are three observations that mens corruptions have taken occasion from for this 1. The promiscuous events of Providence to good bad The wise man hath such an observation Eccl. 9. 1 2. And men have been ready to conclude from hence that God regards not the affairs of the world and that neither doth Sin displease him nor Godliness please him and so to argue that there is no advantage at all in an holy life nor any good to be gotten by the strict Service of God as they are brought in Job 21. 14 15. Thus do men nouâ—â—sh themselves in Atheism think it is with reason 2. The little affliction and great prosperity that maâ—â— wicked men meet with here They see such as give themselves up to all manner of leudness and abominations to succeed and enjoy health peaceâ— grandure and all that is desirable and more than heart can wish and no notorious Judgments oâ— God do befal them but they spend their days in wealth and have no hands in their death this make good men sometimes envious at them Psal 73. 3. And wicked men to think that God approves of their wickedness Psal 50. 21. And hereby they are confirmed in their evil ways Eccl 8. 11. 3. The great afflictions that many Godly ones are exercised withal Though they fear God and keep themselves clear from their sin and walk uprightly in their lives yet they are plagued every day and chastâ—ed every morning how far that good man was prejudiced by this we may see in the conclusion he was ready to draw from it Psal 73. 13. I havâ— cleansed my heart in vain And how apt is the wicked world to insult over the people of God in this regard and bitterly to upbraid them See Psal 42. 10. And the Prophet takes notice of their insolence on this account Jer. 30. 17. And hence men are apt to conclude that either these Sorrows are the peculiar inheritance of Gods people or at least that they are the common lot of all men It is therefore needful to clear this matter and shew in what regard they are the proper portion of the wicked The word wicked is used in the Scriptures on a double account 1 To set forth persons who are notoriously vile that have sold themselves to sin and live inâ— Sins against the light of nature rendring them scandalous to all that are civil and sober 2. To denote all unregenerate men that have not been Converted how sober soever their Conâ—ersation among men may be Hence Godly and Wicked are frequently put distributively as dividing the whole world between them Now though men by their egregious vileness purchase a double portion of sorrows to themselves yet the Doctrine hath a next respect to the latter and reckons every Unregenerate man entituled to this undesirable portion and that they and only they are so and how they come to be so is now to be considered and may be laid forth in the following Conclusions 1. That all the miseries which procure sorrows to men are the fruits of the Curse of the First Covement Miseries are evils on that account they are sorrowful to the sufferer and being evil the Creature hath a natural averseness to suffering them When God made man and placed him under a Covenant obligation to do him Service he strengthened it with a threatning that in case of his disobedience evil should befal him hence as he â—elt no evil before so he was out of danger of eâ—er meeting any in case he had continued in his Obedience to God Hence all the sorrows that man is capable of were put in one word viz. Death Gen. 2. 17. And whatsoever hath befallen any man since the Creation that hath been grieâ—ous to him arose originally from hence If the â—urse had not taken place there had no such thing â—een heard of but in the threatning 2. Hence it was by sin that mankind fell under these miseries All sorrows are summed up in Death and Sin brought that into the world Rom. 5. 12. It was shut up in the threatning before but Sin made way for it getting loose and spreading all over the world the threatning is the occasion of mans undoing but not the cause of it that must be charged upon Sin God stood engaged in Justice to see to the fulfilling of his own Law but if Sin had noâ— violated it there had been no room for the threatning to take place Hence all Gods Judgments are still laid at Sins door for by sin only is man exposed but for which the Law would have had nothing against him had the threatning awed man from Sinning it had obtained the most direct end of it which was to put a cautious fear into us 3. And these miseries are the proper reward of sin God in the First Covenant made a close connexion between Sin and Sorrow and that upon a foundation of Righteousness for the Covenant laid down a Rule of Relative Justice in the proceedings of God with man Man being a mutable Creature notwithstanding his being made upright and filled with the Image of God was yet capable oâ— falling from his Rule and so Sinning against God and God accordingly established this Rule of equity on supposition that such a thing might be which afterwards did so fall out which though it were fore known by God in his all wise Deâ—ree yet it was contingent in respect of man the threatning contained in it the just recompenâ— of Sin Rom. 6. 23. So that it is not only according to Covenant but according to Merit too and therefore said to be worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. There is no wrong done the Sinner by it 4. Hence these miseries belong to all that are under the Curse The Curse is contained in the threatning and is nothing else but the evil comprehended in it it is the Condemnation which passeth upon him by vertue whereof he is adjudged to suffer the miseries that were before threatned The threatning was Hypothetical and as it stood in the Covenant no man was actually cursed by it but when the Sinner hath done the thing to which the threatning was annexed it now becomes positive and condemns him actually and therefore Unbelievers are said to be Condemned already Joh 3. 18. And now the man is accursed by God and by his Holy Law and henceforward he is under the Sentence which binds him to suffer all those miseries
that he seeks us first by his preventing Grace yet in order to his discovering himself graciously to us he makes us to exert this Grace in asking after him Hence in the Gospel Proclamation these two are connected together Jer. 29. 13. USE I. Why then do men sit still and live contentedly without him Let this rouse up Sinners to enquire after him to seek him that they may find him for motive Consider 1. You are strangers to him in your natural state This is the condition of all men as they derive from and stand related to the first Adam Your condition is laid out Eph. 2. 12. The relation you may pretend that you have to God by vertue of the Gospel Covenant will not secure you but if you are still Unregenerate you are far from him and he will say that he knows you not Mat. 7. 22 23. 2. You are undone without him You must have him to be your God or you perish as contentedly as you live without him for the present there is a time coming when you will be made to know that there is no happiness but in the fruition of him all those things whereon you now trust will shortly fail you and if you have not a God to uphold you you sink into remediless perdition without God and without hope Eph. 2. 12. 3. He is willing to be found by you Whence is it that he makes such discoveries of himself to you in the Gospel that he cometh so near you in the means of Grace that he so displays himself in the face of Christ Surely all the Messages that are sent you from Sabbath to Sabbath are to let you understand how ready he is to be found why else doth he bid you look to him and be saved Isa 45. 22. 4. Hence if you seek him in truth he will certainly manifest himself to you He would never have called you so earnestly nor expressed himself so grieved at your neglect if it were not so He waits for it after all your refusals who might have put you ere this beyond all hope did he not in compassion resolve to give further opportunity of seeking him He therefore cries how long Prov. 1. 22. 5. If you find him you shall be happy You will never repent your seeking him You will be fully recompensed for all the pains you have taken in it Prov. 8. 35. He that findeth me findeth life Forgiveness of sin and an Inheritance among then that are Sanctified will be the happy fruit of this Enquiry USE II. Let this encourage drooping Souls under the sense of sin and Guilt You are afraid but do not as Adam did Gen. 3. 10. but let this sense drive you to seek God Consider 1. You can never come to true quiet till you enjoy him You resent a distance between him and you and that is your perplexity and where do you hope to find ease and relief it is only in him that your Souls can be settled Guilt will abide till he removes it and as long as he is angry you are in an ill case 2. He now expects that you should seek him He hath not forbidden you nor driven you away but he requires it this trouble he brings you to is to make you feel your necessity it is one way in which he is wont to fetch home his lost sheep that are gone astray so he did David Peter c. 3. Hence be not disheartened by any Temptation to despair Satan would be at this and a misgiving heart that is wounded too readily resents it but Consider 1. He invites such as you are in particular Mat. 11. 28. Come to me you that are weary and heavy lader He would have them that are in distress to seek refuge in him who only can secure them He would have none that know their sins and feel their misery to despond because such are nextly called to look after him 2. He hath provided sufficient to remove all the causes of distance between him and you Let your Guilt be never so aggravated yet in the compleat Righteousness of Christ there is abundant provision made which cannot be out done by our sins He can save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. 3. And he will herein advance the glory of his Grace How often doth he take an opportunity thus to do he hath purposed to be admired in them that believe 2 Thes 1. 10. And in this way will he promote that admiration resolve then to seek his face for the health of his countenance Conclu 2. That the opportunity of thus finding God is limited to time There are two ages of man or a double state to which he is appointed with respect to duration viz Time and Eternity the former whereof is limited the latter boundless the one will quickly come to an end the other never and where the former ends the other begins Time in the general notion of it is the boundary of the Creatures duration and this may be considered generally with respect to the world and so it begins with the first moment of the Creation and shall last till the consummation of all things i. e. the Day of Judgment and all this while God will be to be found by some there will be a Day of Grace the Mediators Kingdom in which a treaty of Reconciliation is held up with man will continue till the end for it is with regard to the Elect that the World is continued but when that ends this will end with it that will determine the everlasting state of all men unchangeably But then there is a more particular consideration of time as it respecteth the several Creatures which are the Subjects of it and thus every Creature in the lower world hath its own time or the bounds of its duration which begins with its existence and ends with its dissolution thus David Psal 31. 15. My times are in thine hand Only this difference is to be observed between man and other sublunary beings that when their time ends and they are dissolved their existence ceaseth for ever being resolved into their first principles never to return to their first individual being Whereas man when by his dissolution he ceaseth to be a Son of time but enters upon his Eternity in which he is to exist for ever and though for a while his body must be resolved into dust yet it shall return again by a Resurrection to its particular existence the Soul in the mean while retaining its essence faculties activity Now every mans particular time is the spot that lieth between his birth and his death it begins with his coming into the World and lasts till he goeth off the Stage and there it ends this is that to which his opportunity of seeking and finding God is limited I do not say that it shall last so long with every one but I am assured that it shall extend no further When once this glass is run it shall be turned no more For the
13. 48. 7. Hence the primary end of all the Gospel Ordinâ—â—ces is to help men in this And though eventually they prove a Savour of Life to some and of Death to others yet but for the former they had not been promulgated Though Christ proves a corner stone to some and a stumbling stone to others yet the direct end of his coming into the world was the former 1 Tim. 1. 15. There is a powerful providence in ordering the coming of the Gospel in regard both of times and places and we find not that God suffered it to come any where but where he had some to bring in to Christ it was that they might so come to know God and the way to life Besides the very nature of the Gospel Ordinances and of the work allotted to the Gospel Ministry shew what is the business thereof God tells us what Pastors after his own heart are to do Jer. 3. 15. Paul tells us what his Ministry was for Act. 26. 18. This is it that Christs faithful Servants travail for and if they miss in it they complain that they labour in vain 8. The Spirit of God sets in with these and effectually teacheth all those that are appointed to Salvation If it be asked why one that sits under the outward teachings remains untaught whenas another hears and understands and receives instruction and takes hold on the paths of peace it is not because they labour more with these or they are in themselves more tractable The natural reluctancy in the faculties of men to the things of God is alike in all and was there no more done for teaching this man than the other he would equally dy without instruction it must then be ascribed to the Spirit of God He indeed useth the means because God hath appointed them for this purpose but he comes in seeretly with them opens their blind eyes and causeth them to see the excellent way of life approve it consent to it and make choise of it and he undertakes to keep them in this way Isa 30. 21. Joh. 16. 13. So that on whomsoever the outward means have this efficacy it is an evidence that the blessed Spirit of God hath been there USE I For Information in three particulars 1. Here see Gods great kindness to those whom he favours with the means of Grace It must needs be a great priviledge because the proper design of them is to guide men into the way of life Hereby God opens a door of hope to men for by pointing them to the way and inviting them into it he testifieth his good will to them and the more because all the world do not share in this benefit and they that have it deserve it no more than they that are without it nor doth the Spirit afford his inward teachings but in and with the Gospel dispensations 2 Cor. 4. 3. What thankfulness then doth this call for at our hands whom God hath thus indulged Take heed of undervaluing this precious priviledge lest we provoke God to take it from us David maketh a singular remark on this Psal 147. 19 20. 2. This informs us of the woful misery of those that live without these teachings All worldly advantages crouded together will not compensate this want or make them less than miserable who suffer it We have a sad deseription of such a people Eph 2. 12. The whole race of mankind in their natural state are out of the way of life and running in the path of destruction and without these teachings can never find the way out of that path but must wander in it till they fall into irrecoverable ruine For a people then not to enjoy these priviledges is an argument that they are forsaken of God What compassion then should we shew to such and how earnestly should we pray to God to shew pity to the ignorant World that lies in wickedness and send them his teachings 3. Learn hence the danger of despising these teachings And all those do so who do not seek to learn by them nor hearken to the counsel and directions therein given them who are weary of the Gospel and though God affords them line upon line do yet hold on their course in the way of death and neither care to acquaint themselves with the Rules of life nor to regulate themselves by them And are there not many such who live under the clearest and most convincing Doctrinal teaching herein is their danger great because by so slighting Gods offered kindness they aggravate their Guilt and will come under the Condemnation of those Luk. 12. 47. What fearful woes doth Christ denounce against such Matt. 11. 20. c. Let these be advised to fear and tremble USE II. For Trial by this we may understand whether we rightly improve these Teachings We enjoy great plenty of Gospel teaching and God expects an answerable improvement which if we neglect we shall have a bad account to make another day Now we then only profitably improve them when we use them to the design that God appointed them for viz. When they help us into and guide us in our way If then sinners be not Converted under and by them and if they do not help the Children of God forward in their Obedience they certainly lose the proper end of them It will be but a vain brag that we have a respect for the Ordinances delight in waiting on them are constant in coming to the house of God and have made a good proficiency in literal knowledge if this be all we shall be inexcusable Let us then ask our own Souls solemnly say I go frequently to the house of God I attend on the means in season and out of season I gain knowledge and can discourse much on the points of Religion but how far hath all this advanced me in the way I ought to go in What sins are mortifyed by the word What acquaintance do I get with God how much nearer doth every Ordinance set me to eternal life Such reflections well resolved will be instructive to us and help us to make a right judgment of our selves USE III. For Exhortation Let us close in with this design and endeavour the promoving of it To move us Consider 1. This is the only way to give God his due acknowledgment for his kindness in affording us these Teachings All other talks of our being obliged signify nothing we are never righly thankful for a benefit but when we use it carefully for the end of its being bestowed on us Our teachableness under the means is the evidence that we prize them this is life thankfulness and that only pleaseth God 2. Thus alone will these means be profitable for us A thing is no further beneficial than as the end of it is advanced now it is eternal life we are all concerned for and there is but one way to it and these means are for our help in this way and only when they so help us do they profit