Negligence in God's Service To undeceive you First Take these general Considerations 1. That Carnal Men are ill versed in the Art of excusing Evil when they have a right Principle to go upon and that which they think maketh for them usually maketh against them Solomon telleth us Prov. 26.9 That a Parable in a Fool 's Mouth is like a Thorn in the Hand of a Drunkard The Thorn was their Instrument of Sewing as the Needle with us Now a Drunkard woundeth and goreth himself because of his uneven Touch when his Spirits are disturbed with excess of Drink Do but observe how contrarily and perversely wicked Men will reason and what Inferences and Conclusions they will draw from those very Principles the Godly make a good use of As in 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Now compare this with 1 Cor. 7.29 30. But this I say Brethren the Time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use the World as not abusing it For the Fashion of this World passeth away 2 Kings 6.33 And while he yet talked with them behold the Messenger came down unto him and he said Behold this Evil is of the Lord why should I wait for the Lord any longer Compare this with 1 Sam. 3.18 And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good So Haggai 1.2 Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts The People say the Time is not come the Time that the Lord's House should be built Compare this Scripture with 2 Sam. 7.2 And the King said unto Nathan the Prophet See now I dwell in an House of Cedar but the Ark of God dwelleth within Curtains When David dwelt in a stately House his Heart was set upon building an House for the Lord. So Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the Riches of his Goodness and Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance with Titus 2.11 12. For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Jude 4. Vngodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness 2. Sometimes Carnal Men pretend certain Causes and Excuses when their Conscience knoweth 't is otherwise and then the things alledged are not the real Opinions and inward Sentiments of their own Minds but something said or taken up to justifie their Sloath. 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolators nor Adulterers nor Esseminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind c. As Hopes of Impunity though they live a Godless and sinful Course of Life If they were serious Conscience would tell them Men may be deceived with these things but God cannot Ye may stifle Conscience for a while with these Allegations but it will speak and then these sorry Fig-leaves will not serve the turn to hide your Nakedness 3. Sometimes these Excuses are the Fruit of Blindness Sottishness Ignorance and Infatuation and the Sluggard hath an high Conceit of his own Allegations Prov. 26.16 The Sluggard is wiser in his own Conceit than seven Men that can render a Reason He thinketh others are mopish giddy and crack-brain'd People that make more ado with Religion than needeth are too nice and scrupulous take it to be good Prudence to keep out of harms way His very foolish Thoughts he thinketh are wise Reasons that Religion is a merry thing Prov. 15.19 The way of a sloathful Man is a Hedge of Thorns but the way of the righteous Man is made plain He imagineth Difficulties and intolerable Hardships in a course of Goodliness 'T is our Cowardise and Pusillanimous Ignorance maketh the Ways of God seem hard All things are comfortable plain and easie to the pure and upright Heart Thus he bloweth hot and cold speaketh contrary things according as he looketh upon them with a sleight or pusillanimous Heart 4. Excuses argue an ill Spirit and an unwilling Heart When they should do something for God there is something still in the way some Danger or some Difficulty which they are loath to encounter withal Prov. 26.13 The sloathful Man saith There is a Lyon in the way They are fruits of the Quarrel between Conviction and Corruption and are usually found in us when we first begin to understand the way of the Lord but are loath to come up to the Terms Certainly 't is better be doing than excusing Doing is safe but Excuses are but a Patch upon a sore Place If we have done a Fault 't is better confess and seek a Pardon than to excuse and extenuate 5. Consider the Invalidity of all things that are usually alledged by Sinners And to help you consider 1. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which God's Word disproveth The Scriptures were purposely penned to refute the vain Sophisms that are in the Hearts of Men. Hâ—b 4.12 To divide between Soul and Spirit Joynts and Marrow and to discern the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart To discover the Affections of a sensual Heart how ever pailiated with the Pretences of a crafty Understanding to hide the Evil from themselves and others You must not lift up your private Conceits against the Wisdom of God 2. Nothing can be pleaded as Reason which your Consciences are not satisfied with as Reason That is the Reason there are so many Appeals to Conscience in Scripture Do not your Consciences tell you you ought to be better to mind God more That if these things be true 2 Pet. 3.11 That all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 3. Nothing can be pleaded by way of Excuse which reflects upon God as if he had made an hard Law We are apt to plead so The way of the Lord is not equal The Woman thou gavest me she gave me and I did eat Will you excuse your Idleness and sin by the Severity of your Master and cast your Brat at his Doors 4. There can be no Excuse for a total Omission of necessary Duties In a partial Omission the Law it self alloweth a Dispensation as in case of Sickness we are taken off from some Work which God requireth at other times But some things are indispensibly required John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. Here is Necessitas precepti medii 5. You should harden your selves with no Excuse or Reason but what you dare plead when you stand before the Bar of Christ
some live by Manual Labours others by more Noble Employments as Magistrates Ministers who study for Publick Good Manual Labour is not required of all because it is a thing that is not required propter se as simply good and necessary but propter aliud as for Maintenance and Support of Life to ease others and to supply the Uses of Charity Ephes. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his Hands the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needeth When the Ends of Labour cannot otherwise be obtained then Handy-Labour is required All others are to serve their Generation according to the Will of God Acts 13.26 As Instruments of Providence to serve the Common Good to promote the Welfare of their Family Neighbourhood Country Those that spend their whole Life in Eating Drinking Sporting and Sleeping are guilty of brutish Idleness one of Sodom's Sins Ezek. 16.49 Behold this was the Iniquity of thy Sister Sodom Pride Fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness was in her and in her Daughters And therefore those that are freed from Service and Handy-Labour are not freed from Work and Business If any Man must be allowed to be Idle then one Member must be lost in the Body Politick A Man is born a Member of some Society Family or City and is to seek the good of it he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see in the Body Natural there is no Member but hath its Function and Use whereby it becometh serviceable to the whole All have not the same Office that would make a confusion but all have their Use either as an Eye or as a Hand or as a Tooth So in the Body Politick no Member may be useless they must have one Function or another wherein to imploy themselves otherwise they are unprofitable Burdens of the Earth Again every Man is more or less intrusted with a Gift which he is to exercise and improve for the good of others and at the day of Judgment he is to give up his Accounts as you may learn from the Parable of the Talents Mat. 25. If he hath but one Talent it must not be hidden in a Napkin Well then if every Man hath a Gift for which he is accountable to God he must have a Calling 1 Cor. 7.17 But as God hath distributed to every Man as the Lord hath called every Man so let him walk and chuse his state of Life Besides a Calling is necessary to prevent the Mischiefs of Idleness and those Inconveniences that follow Men not employed Standing Pools are apt to putrify but running Waters are sweetest an idle Man is a Burden to Himself a Prey to Satan a Grief to the Spirit of God a Mischief to others He is a Burden to himself for he knoweth not what to do with his Time in the Morning he says Would God it were Evening and in the Evening would God it were Morning The Mind is like a Mill when it wanteth Corn it grindeth upon it self He is a Prey to Satan the House is emptied swept and garnished And then he goeth and taketh with himself seven other Spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there Mat. 12.44 45. The Devil findeth them at leisure When David was idle on the Tarras he was tempted to Adultery Birds are seldom taken in their Flight but when they pitch and rest on the Ground He is a Grief to God's Spirit Ephes. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his Hands that he may have to give to him that needeth with Vers. 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God Idle Men quench the vigor of their Natural Gifts and lose those Abilities that are bestowed on them He is a Mischief to Others 2 Thess. 3.11 For we hear there are some that walk among you disorderly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 working not at all but are busy-bodies They that do nothing will do too much no Work maketh way for ill Work or for Censure and busy inquisition into other Mens Actions and so they prove the Fire-brands of Contention and unneighbourly Quarrels There must be a Calling and a Work to do 3. This Work is given them by God He appointeth to every one his Task and will be glorified by no Works but what are by himself assigned to them in their Station 1. By his Word 2. By his Providence 1. By his Word There is no calling and course of Service good but what is agreeable to the Word of God Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a Light unto my Feet and a Lamp unto my Paths We must not settle in a sinful course of Life Men may tolerate Evil Callings but God never appointed them As for instance if any Calling and Course of Life be against Piety Temperance Justice it is against the Word Titus 2.12 Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Against Piety as to be an Idolatrous Priest or to make Shrines for Idols which was Demetrius his Calling in Ephesus and Tertullian in his Book de Idolatria sheweth this was the practice of many Christians to get their Livings by making Statues and Images and other Ornaments to sell to Heathen Idolaters Against Justice as Piâ—â—cy Usury and other oppressive Courses Against Sobriety as such Callings as meerly tend to feed the Luxury Pride and Vanity of Men so Mountebanks Comedians Stage-Players It were endless to instance in all In general the Calling must be good and lawful 2. By his Providence which ruleth in every thing that falleth out even to the least Matters especially hath the Lord a great Hand in Callings and appointing to every one his Estate and Condition of Life In Paradise God set Adam his Work to dress and prune the Trees of the Garden Gen. 2.15 And still he doth not only give Abilities and special Inclinations but also disposeth of the Education of the Parent and the Passages of Mens Lives to bring them to such a Calling Isa. 54.16 Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the Coals in the Fire and that bringeth forth an Instrument for his Work Common Trades and Crafts are from the Lord. The Heathens had a several God for every several Trade as the Papists now have a tutelar Saint but they rob God of his Honour he giveth the Faculty and the Blessing Isa. 28.24 to the end His God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him c. He giveth the State and appointeth the Work Your particular Estate and Condition of Life doth not come by Chance or by the Care Will and Pleasure of Man but the Ordination of God without whom a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground In the higher Callings of Ministry and Magistracy there is a greater solemnity But how should a Man glorify God in his Place and Station wherein God hath set him Answ. 1. Be
of a Reverend Man will hold us in some order if Gehazi had known that the Spirit of Elisha went with him would he have run after Naaman for a reward 2 Kings 5.26 his prophetick Spirit went with him We can no more be removed from the presence of God than from our own Being he is the continual Witness and Judge of our Conversations he seeth us in secret as well as in publick Now when the Soul is habituated to this thought how awful and watchful shall we be Psal. 119.168 I kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my ways are before thee The sense of his Presence is the great ground of watchfulness God is not so shut up within the Curtain of the Heavens but that he doth see and hear all that we do or say yea he knoweth our thoughts afar off Thirdly Love to God maketh us tender of offending him for it is a Grace that studieth to please the Soul is jealous of any thing which looks like an offence to those whom we love Others are not troubled though they sin freely in Thought foully in Word frequently in their daily Practice because an offence to God seemeth as nothing they have no love to God Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil it is a loathsom thing to them to a gracious heart it is argument enough against sin That it is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 and he inferreth it out of Love to God ver 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us c. They have such a deep apprehension of Gods Love to them in Christ that it breedeth an awe upon them or a fear to offend Ezra 9.13 14. After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this Shall we again break thy commandments Joshua 24.31 Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the Elders that outlived Joshua and which had known all the works of the Lord which he had done for Israel What! offend God who is so blessed a Being who created us out of nothing of whose Mercy we have tasted every moment who preserveth and delivereth us continually from whose Goodness we expect all our Blessedness Is our deliverance by Christ of less value than all our temporal deliverances Will not Love draw the same Inferences and Conclusions from it Caution doth not arise out of a fear of anger but a lothness to offend 2. The Time when this Duty is to be practised always it is never out of season Conscience must still sit Porter at the door and examine what goes in and out If men neglect their watch but for a little while how soon doth sin get an advantage against them Lot that was chast in Sodom miscarried in the Mountains where there was none but his own Family David whose heart was so tender that it smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment falleth into so deep a sleep afterwards that his Conscience was silent when he had defiled it with Blood and Lust. The tears and sorrows of many years may perhaps not repair the mischief which one hour may bring unto you You have need to watch after the sense of your Duty hath been revived upon you Satan loveth to snatch the prey from under Christs own arm He entred into Judas after the sop Joh. 13.27 After solemn Duties how soon do people miscarry Assoon as the Law was given with terrible Thundrings the people do presently miscarry by worshipping the golden Calf Exod. 32. And the Priests in the very day of their Consecration in the beginning and first day of their Ministration offered strange fire to the Lord Lev. 10. After some escape from sin we need to watch that we be not intangled therein again 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning As under the Law a Sore rising as a boil when it was healed might afterward break out again and turn to a Leprosie Lev. 13.18 19 20. So sins after we seem to be healed of them may return and make us worse than before As Christ saith to the man cured Joh. 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee In Prosperity we need to watch it is hard to carry a full Cup without spilling and to live at ease and yet to keep up a due and lively sense of our Duty And in our Adversity when the course of Temptation is altered we are strangely surprized every Condition bringeth its own snares with it Ephraim is a cake not turned Hos. 7.8 Those who are most advanced in a state of Grace they need still to watch Mark 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. We are never past this care this is the great difference between Christian and Christian one is more watchful than another 3. Against what we must watch 1. Generally against the three grand Enemies of our Salvation the Devil the World and the Flesh. First Against Satan for he hath laid his Ambushes and Enterprises against us continually and by his spiritual Nature hath advantages of being near us when we are little aware of him 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant for your adversary the Devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Satan is ever watching therefore you should watch you give him the greatest advantage by your folly and negligence now the Apostle saith he would not give him any advantage 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices He is unwearied in his motions lays his designs deep takes all advantages and occasions to destroy us If the Devil were either dead or asleep or had lost his malice and power then we need not stand so much upon our guard Secondly Against the World for we are bidden to deny worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 not only ungodliness must be watched and prevented but our inclination to worldly things See how these two are matched for when we fall off from God we take to the Creature Jer. 2.13 My people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that will hold no water And Christ died to deliver us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 Here lye all the baits and snares and dangers pass but safe through these flats and quicksands and we shall soon arrive to the Haven of eternal Glory The great virtue and proper effect of the Cross of Christ is seen in crucifying us to the World Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus
peace with God but his going off from the world and must believe not only to the pardon of sins but also to Eternal life 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should afterwards believe on him to everlasting life There is the final and ultimate object of faith which must be first thought of for all things are influenced by the last end when we are invited to Christ we are invited by this motive That sinners shall not only be pardoned but glorified Therefore a true and well grounded hope of Eternal life is a more weighty point than we usually think of and a great part of Religion lyeth in drawing off the heart from things visible and temporal to those that are invisible and Eternal The great effects of faith which are love to God and victory over the world are more easily produced when faith hath the assistance of hope or this lively expectation of the world to come Therefore we must not only consider the death of Christ as it hath procured for us the pardon of sin or the promise of pardon But as he dyed for us that we might live for ever with him 1 Thes. 5.9 that so the soul may more directly and expresly be carried to God and Heaven 4. It informeth us That none can be saved without hope of salvation A Christian as soon as he is made a Christian hath not the good things promised by Christ but as soon as he is made a Christian he expecteth them As an heir is rich in hope though he hath little in possession Take any notion of applying grace as soon as we are justified we are made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life Tit. 3.7 as soon as we are converted and regenerated we are begotten to a lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 and as soon as we are united to Christ Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory And without hope how can a man act as a Christian since the whole business of the world is done by hope certainly the whole spiritual life is quickned by this grace Titus 2.12 13. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously godly in the present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And Phil. 3.20 21. for our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body But then here ariseth a great doubt how far every man is bound to hope for salvation For those that have no assurance of their own sincerity and cannot unquestionably make out their propriety and interest how can they hope for salvation Answer To solve this doubt we must consider a little the several states of men as they stand concerned in everlasting life some have but a bare possibility others have a probability a third are gotten so far as a conditional certainty others have an actual certainty or firm perswasion of their own right and interest 1. To some the hope of Heaven is but a bare possibility as to the careless Christian who is yet intangled in his lusts but God continueth to them the offer of salvation by Christ they may be saved if they will accept this offer 't is brought home to their doors and left to their choice 'T is impossible indeed in the state in which they are but their hearts may be changed by the Lords grace Mark 10.27 With men 't is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible He can make the filthy heart to become clean and holy the sensual heart to become spiritual and heavenly There are many bars in the way but grace can break through and remove them This possibility checketh scruples and aggravateth their evil choice for they forsake their own mercies Jonah 2.8 by their vain course of life they deprive themselves of happiness which might be theirs 't is their own by offer for God did not exclude them but not their own by choice for they excluded themselves judge themselves unworthy of eternal life Acts 13.46 This possibility is an incouragement to use the means Acts 8.22 Pray if perhaps or if it be possible the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee 2. Others have a probability or a probable hope of Eternal life as when men begin to be serious or in some measure to mind the things of God but are conscious to some notorious defect in their duty or have not such a soundness of heart as may warrant their claim to everlasting blessedness as we read of almost Christians Acts 20.28 and not far from the kingdom of Heaven Mark 10.24 and such are all those which have only the grace of the second or third ground they receive the word with joy but know not what tryals may do they have good sentiments of Religion but they are much choaked and obstructed by voluptuous living or the cares of the world Luke 8.14 yea some such thing may befall weak believers They dare not quit their hopes of Heaven for all the world but cannot actually lay claim to it and say 't is theirs Now probabilities must incourage us till we get a greater certainty for we must not despise the day of small things and 't is better to be a seeker than a wanderer 3. A conditional certainty which is more than possible or probable That is when we adhere to Gods covenant and set our selves in good earnest to perform the conditions required in the promises of the Gospel expecting this way the blessings offered as for instance the hope is described by Paul Acts 24.15 16. And have hope towards God which they themselves also allow that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust and herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men there is such a dependance upon the promise as breedeth an hope and this hope puts upon strict and exact walking such a conditional certainty is described in Rom. 2.7 Who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour immortality and eternal life I am sure to find salvation and Eternal life if I self-denyingly and patiently continue this way and by the grace of God I am resolved so to continue Now there is much of hope in this partly because this is the hope which is the immediate effect of regeneration The hope that is the fruit of experience and belongeth to the seasoned and tryed Christian who hath approved himself hearsay is another thing Rom. 5.4 and partly because this suiteth with Gods covenant or the conditional offer of Eternal life according to the terms of the Gospel where the
maketh us capable of injoying all other worldly interests can be pleaded in bar to our duty or by way of exception or reservation in our subjection to Christ. Now if self must be denied all the interests of it renounced certainly we must not live to our selves God taxeth his people for their self-seeking self-aiming Hos. 101.1 Israel is an empty vine that bringeth forth fruit to himself As a vine that only maketh a shift to live and to draw â—ap to its self but bringeth forth no fruit to the owner Certainly as in the Spiritual we receive all from Christ we use all for him as Rivers run into the Sea from whence their Channels are filled they do not live in Christ that do not live to Christ. Visible nominal Christians are as the Ivy that closeth about the bark but bringeth forth no Berries by vertue of its own root but these really ingrafted into Christ do bring forth fruit to Christ. 2. To God Gal. 2.19 I through the Law am dead to the Law that I may live to God There the Apostle sheweth the ordination of the Spiritual life assoon as we are alive by grace we are alive unto God and the stream of our affections respects and endeavours are turned into a new channel So Rom 7.4 Married to Christ that we may bring forth fruit unto God This unto God is explained Col. 1.10 That we may walk worthy of God unto all pleasing That is agreeable to his will or word wherein he hath declared his pleasure and stated the rule of our actions so 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the Glory of God That 's the end and aim of all our actions sacred or civil spiritual or natural God is the beginning and must be the end of all things He is the absolute Lord and the infinite and inestimable Good in the injoyment of whom our happiness lyeth I shall observe something from the Text and as the point is delivered in this place 1. I observe That this end of the new life is propounded disjunctively for a man cannot do both He cannot live to himself and God too A man cannot live to God till he hath denied himself Before the fall there was no such things as self opposite to God and separate from him But when man forsook God as his chief good and last end then self was set up as an Idol in the place of God for lay aside God and self interposeth as the next heir and what kind of self do we set up but carnal self The pleasing of the flesh or the advancement of a kind of carnal felicity to our selves in opposition to God and disjunction from him Thence we are bidden to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Before we can give up our selves to the Service of God Titus 2.12 mark the two things to be denied ungodlyness and Worldly lusts For when we fall from God we fall to the World or some inferiour good thing wherewith we please the flesh and so make the earthly life and the pleasure we expect therein to be our chief good and ultimate end and bestow all our time and care upon it Thence that disswasive Rom. chap. 13. vers 14. Make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof The unrenewed part of mankind do altogether spend their time in providing for the flesh and seeking the happiness of the animal and earthly life apart from God or in opposition to him Now this disposition must be mortified and cured before we can live unto God We must not live to our selves self is only to be regarded in a pure subordination to God not as opposite to him not as separated and divided from him only as self respects would tempt us not only to disobey God but also to forget and neglect God Most will grant that we are not to mind self in opposition to God but few consider that we are not to mind self apart from him but God must be at the end of all our desires motions actions injoyments though this latter be as evident a truth as the former Natural self is to be denied as well as corrupt self as appeareth by the example of Christ who had no corrupt self to deny and yet 't is said Rom. 15.3 He pleased not himself Christ had an innocent natural will by which he loved his natural life and peace Father let this cup pass But he submitted it to God Not my will but thine be done Matth. 26.39 Therefore we also must not only deny self as corrupted by sin but self as separate from God How else shall we submit to God in these things wherein he may lay a restraint upon us or put us to trial about them whether we love them in order to him they being things which otherwise we may affect And besides to love any thing apart from God and to seek it apart from God and rejoyce in it apart from God without any reference and respect to God is to make the creature the last end in which the action terminateth Which is an invading of Gods prerogative But if these things be so who then can be saved For do not all love themselves and please themselves and seek their own things If they do not love the creature so as to fall into Gluttony Drunkenness Adultery Oppression and the like Yet in the temperate and lawful use of the creature who looks to God I answer all the godly should or else they are not godly for there is no living to God and our selves in an equal or violent degree as a man cannot go two ways at once but yet there is self in the faithful in a remiss degree even self-inordinately affected that is either in opposition to God or apart from him in some particular acts but the main drift and course of their lives is to God and for God Living to God or self must be determined by what the man is principally set to maintain promote and gratify the end which he doth principally design and endeavour after what his heart is most set upon what he seeketh in the first place Matth. 6.33 The pleasing or glorifying of God or the pleasing and glorifying of the flesh in some inferiour good thing What is it they live for So nothing in the World is so dear to you but you can leave it for God Nothing you love so well but you love God better and can part with it for his sake and lay it at his feet nothing you would use and do but in order to God But on the other side you give God a little respect such as the flesh can spare with the Fragments and scraps of the Table when the flesh is full and is satisfied some crums of your estate time strength but your life and love is imployed about other things not careful to live to God to serve him in all your affairs to eat and drink and trade to his Glory
commit such things are worthy of death The dread of a God angry for sin is natural to us and the ground of all our trouble Man is afraid of death and some misery after death which is likely to come upon him Heb. 2.14 And till the forgiveness of sin be procured for us this bondage sticketh close to us and we know not how to get oft it God is an holy God and cannot endure iniquity and by his Law will not suffer the guilty to go free The Justice of the Supream Governour of all the World requireth that sin should be punished all mankind have a general presumption that death is penal these fears make pardon a very inviting motive to them These fears may be a while stifled in men but they easily return and can no way be appeased but by pardon and reconciliation with God carried on in such a way as they may be exempted from these fears Therefore God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not Imputing their trespasses to them 3. Pardon of sins is very necessary to the end of reconciliation which is living in a course of holy amity and state of friendship with God till we live with him for ever in Heavenly glory Here I am to prove three things 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness 2. That this holiness is carried on in a state of love and friendship between God and us 3. That pardon is the fittest way to breed this holiness and increase it 1. That the end of reconciliation is walking in a course of holiness for Christ died not to reconcile God to our sins but that reconciling our persons we might quit our sins and walk as those that are at good accord with him Amos 3.3 Can two walk together except they be agreed And 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with an other Now pardon of sin hath a mighty influence upon holy walking Justification and Sanctification are distinct priviledges but they always go together and the one doth exceedingly suit with the other These two priviledges pardon and holiness the one freeth us from the guilt the other from the stain of sin The one concerneth Gods interest our subjection to him the other our own comfort The one is the end the other thè means pardon is the means to Holiness and Holiness is the end of pardon our general pardon is to put us into a state of acceptable obedience our particular pardon to incourage us in it and quicken us and excite us anew The conditional and offered pardon is the means to work regeneration and regeneration Qualifieth for actual pardon Titus 3.7 That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life And Heb. 8.10 11 12. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more And Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith And then actual pardon quickeneth us by love to carry on that holiness of heart and life which God requireth For this mercy is the powerful motive to perswade us to obedience Because he hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood Therefore we must love him and serve him all our days Luke 1.74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service His pardoning mercy and justification by Christ is the great enforcing Argument Those who are fetched up even from the Gates of Hell and delivered from under the sentence of the Law and called into the state of Gods Children should thankfully accept the benefit acknowledge the benefactour live in love to God and holiness hate that sin they have repented of and which hath been pardoned to them and still hold on their course in a way of obedience till their full recovery in the everlasting estate 2. That this holiness is carryed on in a state of love and friendship between God and us Love beareth rule in the Spiritual life and pardon is the great ground of love Luke 7.47 She loved much because much was forgiven her The great business of religion is to love God above all and a man that is uncertain whether there be any such thing as pardon how can he love God above himself and all other things Self love is very hardly cured for what is nearer to us than our selves Therefore self-love is very deeply rooted in us especially love of life that it must be some very strong and powerful thing which can subdue it now nothing will do it but the love of God Propound the terrors of the Lord that will not do it men will not be frightned out of self love It must be a powerful love that must divert us from it as one Nail driveth out another so doth one love drive our another Now what can be more powerful than the love of God T is as strong as death many Waters cannot quench it Cant. 8.7 This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we shall not only forsake the sins and vanities which we now love but also life its self Rev. 12.11 They loved not their lives unto the death This prevaileth over our natural inclination so that we can lay all things at Gods feet and suffer all things and endure all things for Gods sake yea even life its self for his Glory 3. Pardoning mercy in Christ is the great argument which breedeth and feedeth this love How can I love a God which I think will damn me and may probably do it Our turning to God must be by love and our living to God and for God
thou hast given me to do Have you been adding one Grace to another so that now you have nothing to do but to wait for the Crowning of all III. We should Improve it as to Christs general Coming If it be so that the Bridegroom will certainly come but at his own time 1. Then be not of the Number of those Scoffers and Mockers that either deny or doubt of his coming The most part of men expect no such matter the Prophane scoff at it and would fain shake off this bridle and restraint upon their Lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 Therefore take heed of the whispers of Atheism which would tempt us to turn unto the World and present things and give over our hopes Most mens Faith about the eternal Recompenses is but pretended at best but too cold and speculative an Opinion rather than a sound Belief as appeareth by the little fruit and effect it hath upon them for if we had such a belief of them as we have of other things we should be other manner of Persons in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Two things are to be wondred at viz. That any man should doubt of the Christian Faith that is acquainted with it and that having embraced it should live sinfully and carelesly Therefore believe it as if you saw it Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead c. 2. Take heed of apprehending it as a thing afar off look upon it as sure and near to hasten your Preparation It cannot be long to the end of Time If we compare the remainder with what is past and the whole with Eternity Psa. 90.4 A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when 't is past alas 't is nothing to the true measure of things He that shall come will come and will not tarry Therefore we should have more quick and lively thoughts and apprehensions about it such as will awaken us out of our security 3. Take heed of a cold and ineffectual thinking of it There is a certain time appointed and when that appointed time is come he will certainly appear therefore look for it and long for it The Saints are described by their looking for it Titus 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope Phil. 3.20 From whence we look for a Saviour and Heb. 9.28 Actual expectation enliveneth all our actions Rebecka espied Isaac a great way off Faith and Hope standeth ready to embrace him And also by their longing for it 2 Tim. 4.8 Revel 22.17 Come Lord Jesus come quickly Long for it for Christs sake and your own sakes For Christs sake his Interest is concerned in it that the glory of his Person may be cleared His first coming was obscure but now he will come in great splendor accompanied with his holy Hosts ten thousands of Saints and Angels 1 Pet. 4.13 That when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy His Justice will then be demonstrated Acts 17.31 He hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World in Righteousness And 2 Thes. 1.6 7. 'T is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed with his mighty Angels And long for it for your own sake 't is a day of the manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8.19 Then you shall receive your reward to the full 1 Pet. 1.13 Hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought to you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Then is the fullest manifestation of the Love of God Now we are pressed with the remainders of Corruption within and Temptations and Persecutions without wait for his coming The People tarryed without for the High Priest 'till he came forth to bless them so must we look for his return when he will come to bless us SERMON VI. MATTH XXV v. 7 8. Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their Lamps And the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone out THe meaning of this part of the Parable is that the Virgins being roused by the Cry made went to trim their Lamps and fit themselves for their March while they were so doing some of them had Oyl left but others had spent all their store and their Lamps were going or gone out Three things are remarkable in these Parabolical Expressions 1. That which is common to them all All those Virgins arose and trimmed their Lamps which must be differently interpreted of the wise and the foolish The arising and trimming their Lamps noteth in the wise their actual preparation for the Lords coming in the foolish it noteth the strength of their Confidence and Self-conceit The foolish think they are as prepared and ready for Christs coming as the wise they arise and Address themselves to meet the Bridegroom 2. On the part of the foolish they found their Oyl spent 3. That they go to the wise for a supply give us of your Oyl First The Effect of the Cry that is common to them all They arose and trimmed their Lamps Which is first to be considered on the wise Virgins part and so it will teach us this Note Doct That the Faithful as often as they think of the coming of the Lord should more rouze up themselves and prepare themselves to meet him with Ioy and Comfort For the trimming of the Lamps on their part it noteth the rousing up of themselves out of their negligence and security and a serious preparation for his coming To evidence this to you we shall consider 1. How the Scripture presseth this upon us 2. What reasons there are in the thing it self to awaken us to this serious Preparation First How the Scripture presseth this upon us In the Word of God we have not only the Doctrine of Christs coming to Judgment but the Uses and Inferences built thereupon I shall instance in two places in one Chapter 2 Pet. 3.11 and 14. v. 11. What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Where Observe 1. That 't is not enough to believe the Doctrine of Christs coming but we must improve it to the use of holy Living The Improvement is pressed in Scripture as well as the Doctrine is revealed In Gods account no Faith will go for Faith but the working Faith all else is but Opinion and cold Speculation whatever Truths we believe we must bring forth to practice Therefore if we believe stedfastly we must live accordingly live as men that look for such things A bare apprehension or assent to the truth is nothing worth unless it be accompanied with that care and diligence which belongeth to the truth so apprehended The Christian Religion consisteth not in word but in deed And our belief of it is not tried by a speculative assent especially in the absence of temptations but by a constant and diligent practice of those duties whereunto this belief bindeth us
of this Affection to set the Mind a-work and to preoccupy and forestall the Contentments we expect before they come by serious Contemplations and feasts the Soul with Images and Suppositions of things to come as if they were already present So should we demean our selves as if the Judgment were set and the Judge upon his white Throne and we heard him Blessing and Cursing Absolving and Condemning The Heart will be where the Treasure is Math. 6.18 As if we saw Christ with his faithful ones about him If a Beggar were adopted to the Succession of a Crown he would please himself in thinking of the Happiness Honour and Pleasure of the Kingly Estate If you did hope to be Coheirs with Christ or to inherit the Kingdom prepared for you you would think of it more than you doe Our musings discover the temper of our Hearts A carnal Heart is alwayes thinking of building Barns advancing the Family higher our worldly Increase Luke 12.18 I will pull down my Barns and build bigger and bestow my fruits And those in James ch 4.13 To morrow we will go to such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain 'T is usual with men to feed themselves with the pleasure of their Hope As young Heirs spend upon their Estate before they possess it 2. By hearty Groans Sighs and Longings Rom. 8.23 We groan in our selves They have had a taste of the Clusters of Canaan in private Justification They can never be soon enough with Christ when shall it once be They are still looking out and the nearer to enjoyment the more impatient of the want The earnest expectation of the Creature Rom. 8.19 Stretching out the head to see if they can spy a thing a great way off As Judg. 5. She looked through the Lettice Why is his Chariot so long a coming They would have a fuller draught of Consolation more access to him and Communion with him 3. By lively Tastes and Feelings 'T is called a Lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 not a living hope only but lively because it quickens the Heart and filleth it with a solid Joy Rom. 5.2 1 Pet. 1.8 Where we have such a fruition the very looking and longing giveth us a taste 3. This hope should put us upon serious diligence and earnest pursuit after this blessedness 1 Pet. 1.13 Partly as it purgeth the heart from Lusts 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure These are the Months of our Purification wherein we are made meet to be partakers of the Saints in light we are a preparing for Heaven as that is prepared for us and 't is a lively expectation which produceth this That puts us upon Mortification and diligence in cleansing the Soul that we may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of God Partly as it withdraweth our hearts from present things and minding earthly things But our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.18 19 20 21. A man that is alwayes looking and longing for the world to come the present world is nullified to him and he hath a mean esteem of all secular Interests and contentments in comparison of those other which his Soul looketh after As a man looking upon the Sun cannot see an object less glorious on the contrary our overprizing secular Contentments necessarily breedeth an undervaluing of matters heavenly and those that have so great a relish for the world and the delights of the flesh they know not what Eternal life meaneth The Israelites longed for the flesh-pots of Aegypt before they tasted the clusters of Canaan by Faith Moses refused the Honours and Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court We cannot value real Happiness 'till we are brought to contemn earthly Happiness Partly as it urgeth to care and diligence and constancy in Obedience This is the Spring that sets all the wheels a going Phil. 3.13 I press towards the mark because of the high prize of our calling What is the reason Christians are so earnest and serious there is an excellent Glory set before them the Race is not for trifles we want vigour and find such a tediousness in the Lords work because we do not think of the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for us 2 Cor. 8.8 9. 1 Cor. 15.53 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord Wherefore we labour that whether we are present or absent we may be accepted of him If it be tedious to us to be at work for God this tediousness will not consist with the chearful remembrace of that great Blessedness which he hath prepared for us How eminent should we be in the labours of Holiness to whom this Estate was so peculiarly designed Partly in Self-denyal men venture all in this vessel of Hope Self-denyal is seen in refusing and resisting temptations of honour and profit sin maketh many Promises and so prevaileth by a carnal Hope Balaam was enticed by proffers of riches to Curse Gods People Babylons Fornications are presented in a Golden Cup now Faith and Hope sets Promise against Promise Heaven against Earth the Pleasures at Gods right hand against carnal delights as the Kingdoms of the world are nothing to this glorious Kingdom Partly in Charity laying up treasure in Heaven Luk. 12.33 Being rich in good works 1 Tim. 6.18 I call this Self-denyal because 't is a loss for the present Eccl. 2. So in hazarding Interests Christians Blessings are future their Crosses are present Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.12 Thus you see there are some who are carryed on by the hopes of Heaven to make serious preparation others are wholly wedded and addicted to present things The World morally and spiritually considered is divided into two ranks the one of the Devil the other of God Some seek their rest and happiness on earth others eternal Felicity in Heaven by nature all are of this earthly Society in the Kingdom of darkness and strangers to the Common-wealth and City of God but when Grace hath wrought in them the belief of this coming of Christ and the hope of this blessed Estate is rooted in us we are alwayes purging out of fleshly lusts and weaning our hearts from the world exercising our selves to Godliness and denying our worldly Interests 4. This Hope must moderate our Fears Sorrows and Cares so as no temporal thing should unreasonably affect us Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock The Fear is allayed the World cannot take away any thing from us so good as Christ will give unto us if our earthly Estate be sequestred or any way taken from us we have a better Estate in Heaven Heb. 10.34 If we be reproached and disgraced in this world yet we shall be Kings and Priests and for ever be honoured in Heaven if banished and driven from place to place so that we can find no rest nor safety but are wearied out with our removals let us consider we have a place of eternal abode in Heaven
the Light of Nature in this point we may see clearly how great a disorder it is to obey or fulfil these bodily lusts to the wrong of God and the Soul and that the true Honour and Dignity of a Man consists in the Victory which he hath over himself and that to pamper the flesh is not our honour but our disgrace and that these irregular desires should not be gratified but mortified 2. Christian Piety or the Tenor of our Religion requireth it of us The drift of this Religion is to recover men out of their Apostasie and to promote true genuine Holiness in the World to dispossess us of the Beast and that Man being restored to Man might be also brought back again to God or in short to draw us off from the animal life to life spiritual and eternal As appeareth 1. By the Precepts of it which mainly tend to inforce Self-denial Mortification Recess from the World that we may not miscarry in our Obedience to God by our bodily lusts Mat. 16.24 If any will come after me let him deny himself Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry The whole drift and business of this Religion is to drive out the Spirit of the World and to introduce a Divine and heavenly Spirit 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God That part of the World which is mad and brutish is enslaved to lower things but the other part which hath submitted to the healing Institution of Christ should be wise and heavenly The Cure which Christ intended was of the great Disease of Mankind which was that the immortal Soul being deprest and tainted by the Objects of Sense doth wholly crook and writhe it self to carnal things and instead of Likness to God the Image of a Beast was impressed upon mans Nature and the Divine part enslaved and embondaged to the brutish 2. By its Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Cor. 4.18 That man may seek his happiness in some higher and more transcending good than the beasts are capable of something that suits with his immortal Spirit In short to draw us off from things we see and inordinately love to a Glory and Blessedness wholly unseen and future 3. By the Grace provided for us namely the Spirit of Christ whose great design is to free man from a state of subjection to the flesh and by overcoming the lusts thereof to make him ready for all the Graces and Duties of the spiritual Life Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit He is first renewed by this Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and then acted and assisted by him Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit 4. By being baptized into this Religion we are bound to this strict care for in our Baptism we did solemnly renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh as the Usurpers must be thrust out before the rightful Lord can take Possession Joshua 24.23 Put away the strange Gods which are among you and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel and we are dedicated to Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier as before We are to count our selves to be dead indeed unto sin and alive unto God vers 11. Now it is the greatest Hypocrisie that can be to be under this solemn Obligation to God and let sin reign in us Baptism is a Sign and Seal of Grace on Gods part and on ours a Bond of Duty on Gods part that he will cleanse and wash away sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins On our part it obligeth us to do what in us lieth to destroy sin a Bond never to be forgotten by us 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins Vse 1. To humble us that we have so much forgotten our solemn Covenant so much cared for the Body and so little cared for the Soul that time and heart hath been so much taken up about those things which belong to the present life The mortal Body is minded at every turn and how much may the immortal but neglected Soul complain of hard usage We profess subjection to the Gospel and therefore should seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to us Mat. 6.33 but we walk too much according to the course of the carnal careless World Eph. 2.2 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind 2. Strengthen the Bonds and anew devote your selves to Obedience vers 13. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Bind your selves for time to come to make it your work not to indulge the flesh but save your Souls Heb. 10.39 For we are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. 3. Take great heed that sin reign not by bodily lusts 1. The Necessity of this These Lusts are represented as deceitful Eph. 4.22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts And as violent and imperious Rom. 7.20 Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me both together Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed We are by subtilty blinded by the delusions of the Flesh and it is always endeavouring to get the Throne and hurry us to destruction and seeking to divert us from the Love of God the more we indulge them the more imperious they are the more caution and resolution therefore is necessary 2. The danger of not doing it 1. They do not only unfit us for God but for humane Society Jam. 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members They make you disquiet all others
Psal. 39.2 3. I was dumb with silence I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred my heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burned But in holy company they that fear the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3.16 In the general men will speak as they are affected Psal. 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment He studieth to glorifie God and edifie others because the law of God is in his heart v. 31. that is the Reason rendred there that is because his mind is upon it 3. For Actions Men are known by their constant exercise what they pursue and seek after whether their life be a sowing to the flesh or a sowing to the spirit Gal. 6.8 III. The Reasons to prove it That we may fix the Reasons we must again in a shorter method consider what minding implieth It implieth our savour and our walk or to divest it from the Metaphor our Affections and Endeavours so the Reasons will be Two suitable to these Two Notions 1. As minding implieth our savour and affections mens gust is according to their constitutions and the bait discovereth the Temper for pleasure is applicatio convenientis convenienti when the Object and the Faculty suit things please us and are minded by us as they are agreeable to our humour Luke 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time hast received thy good things Carnal men have their good things and the children of God their good things Our relish is agreeable to our Nature A Fish hath small pleasure on the dry Land or a Beast at Sea A fleshly creature can arise no higher than a fleshly inclination moveth it therefore mens complacency and displacency sheweth of what Nature they are The Nature is hidden but the Operations and Affections discover it 2. As it implieth our walk and endeavour mens Actions are according to their predominant Principle as the Tree is so is the Fruit Mar. 7.18 every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit and as a man is so his Work will be for the course of his life sheweth the constitution of his soul such as the man is so will his Works be Can a man be said to be after the Spirit that only looketh after those things which please the sences and scarce admitteth a serious thought of God or the life to come Or on the other side can he be said to be after the Flesh that maketh it his business to tame the Flesh and his work to please and enjoy God 3 From both Things that suit with the disposition and inclination of our hearts do banish all love of contrary things As the carnal minding is opposite to the spiritual minding and quencheth and weakneth it more and more so the spiritual minding weakeneth the inclinations and retrencheth the interests of the Flesh Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh There is no such care of minding the things of the Flesh as by diversion to nobler Objects and obeying an higher Principle Our Affections cannot lie idle while we are awake to the World we sleep to God and while we are dead to the Spirit we are alive to the Flesh and so on the contrary SERMON VII I Proceed now to the Application of the former Discourse VSE 1. To put us upon serious self-reflection of what sort are we after the Flesh or after the Spirit I pray let us go to a thorough search and tryal and to deal more plainly in it 1. Consider there are Three sorts of Persons in the World 1. Some are wholly carried away by the desires of the Flesh and seek their happiness here but neglect things to come The case is clear that they are after the Flesh and so for the present in a state of Death and Damnation And they had need to look to it betimes for to be carnally minded is death meritoriè effectivè They provoke God to deny them life whom they despise for their lusts sake and dispense with their duty to him to satisfie some foolish and inordinate desire And effectivè they have no sound belief nor desire of the World to come and do you think God will save them against their Wills and thrust and force these things upon them without their consent or besides their purpose and inclination No it will not be Surely there is no difficulty in the case to state their condition who grosly set more by their Lusts than by their obedience to God The things of the Flesh are the chief scope and business of their Lives and they care not whether God be pleased or displeased obeyed or disobeyed honoured or dishonoured a Friend or an Enemy so the Flesh be pleased that is all their desire and aim 2. There is another sort of men who do many things that are good but the Flesh too often gets the upper hand and tho they do many things that appertain to the Spirit yet in other things they shew they are influenced-by the carnal life as is evident 3. Some unquestionably shew they are after the Spirit by their deep sense of Heavenly things their care about them their diligence and watchfulness over the desires and inclinations of the Flesh and holding an hard hand over the passions and affections thereof and their serious endeavours to please God There is no doubt but these are born of God 2. All the difficulty is about the middle sort to understand their condition They must be again distinguished 1. Some are far off from the Kingdom of God 2. Others are actually admitted tho Grace be in some weak degree 1. For the first Those that are not far from the Kingdom of God they are such as have the Grace of the third ground described Luke 8.14 And that which fell among thorns are they who having heard go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and the pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection They have good sentiments of Religion and retain them longer than the stony ground doth but they are over-mastered with the cares of this World and voluptuous living so as that they attain not to the perfection of that holy and heavenly life that should be in Christians They do not lay aside the Profession but have not felt the power of Christianity in mortifying their fleshly and worldly Lusts that they may be more at liberty for God and the duties of their heavenly calling and so cherish a kind of imperfect Christianity which little honoureth God in the World or doth good to their own souls They are neither wholly on nor off from Religion The bane of it is that carnal and temporal things lie too near their hearts so that they cannot fully commence into the divine Life and never took pains to overcome the natural Spirit which lusteth to Sensuality Envy Pride and Worldliness There are some good
giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledg c. wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure c. for if ye do these things ye shall never fall for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So for Consideration Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Jesus Christ. The weightiest things lye by and are as if they were not sleepy reason is as none and the most important truths work not till consideration make them lively so for application what concerneth us not is passed over unless we hear things with a care to apply them we shall never make use of them Eph. 1.13 After ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation 'T is not enough to know the Gospel to be a Doctrine of Salvation to others but we must look upon it as a Doctrine that bringeth salvation to our own doors and leaveth it upon our choice a plaister doth not heal at a distance till it be applied to the sore truths are too remote till we set the edg and point of them to our own hearts Now this Question in the Text relateth to all Three 1. It challengeth our faith What shall we say to these things Do we believe them and assent to them as certain verities The Apostle doth in effect demand what we can reply or say to these things The unbelieving dark and doubtful heart of man hath many things to say against divine truths let God say what he will the heart is ready to gainsay it yet 't is good to press our selves thoroughly with the light and evidence of truths to compel the heart to bring forth its objections and scruples if any mind to contradict have we any solid arguments to oppose truth wanteth its efficacy when 't is received with an half conviction and doubts smothered breed Atheism irreligion and gross negligence certainly the weighty truths of Christianity are so clear that the heart of man hath little or nothing to say against them therefore follow it to a full conviction doth any scruple yet remain in our minds 't is good thoroughly to sift things that they may appear in their proper lustre and evidence John 11.26 Believest thou this Pose your hearts 2. This question doth excite consideration or meditation We should not pass by comfortable and important truths with a few glancing and running thoughts 't is one part of the work of grace to hold our hearts upon them Acts 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that were spoken Otherwise in seeing we see not and in hearing we hear not when we see and hear things in a crowd of other thoughts as when you tell a man of a business whose mind is taken up about other things no your minds must dwell upon these things till you are affected with them a full survey of the object sheweth us the worth of it What shall we say to these things That is what can be said more for our comfort and satisfaction Or what do we desire more How should we be satisfied with this felicity and love of the Ever-blessed God to his people 3. It awakeneth application to our selves that we may make use of these things for our own good Application is twofold direct or reflexive and the question may be explained with respect to both 1. Direct application As when we infer and bind our duty upon our selves from such principles as are laid down so What shall we say to these things That is what use shall we make of them Christianity is not a matter of speculation only but of practise therefore when we hear the truth of it enforced we must commune with our selves What doth this call for at our hands but serious diligence 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness The truths of the Gospel are not propounded that we may talk at an higher rate than others do but to live at an higher rate if I should be negligent indifferent careless What will become of me 2. Reflexive application is when we consider our state and course and judg of it by such general truths as are propounded to us direct application is by way of practical inference reflexive by way of discovery and to this sense may this question be interpreted What shall we say to these things Doth heart and practise agree with them Do I live answerable to these comforts and priviledges What am I one called and sanctified and one that continueth with patience in well doing upon the hope of eternal life 2 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye are reprobates If Christ be formed in his people is he formed in me Thus things must be brought home to the heart and laid to the conscience if we would make a profitable use of them USE is to awaken this self-communing To make our assent more strong our consideration more deep and serious and our application either by way of inference or discovery more close and pungent Do we assent Is this a truth to be lightly passed over If this be true what must I do Or what have I done Now this you should do upon these occasions 1. When you are tempted to unbelief There are some points which are remote from sense and cross the desires and lusts of sensual men and we either deny them or doubt of them or our hearts are full of prejudice against them and also the Devil doth inject thoughts of blasphemy or doubts about the world to come into the hearts of people especially in those that take Religion upon trust or are secretly false to that Religion they have received upon some evidence Now to prevent all this 't is good to commune with our selves that we may be well settled in the truth therefore see with what evidence the great things of the other world are represented unto us in the Word of God and what a just title they have to our firmest belief Faith will not be settled without serious thoughts and it soon withereth there where it hath not much depth of earth Matth. 13.5 6. No thoughts in the highway ground slight thoughts in the stony ground faith is a child of light and given upon certain grounds Luke 1.4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed and Acts 17.11 12. They searched the Scriptures whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed But presumption and slight credulity is a child of darkness the fruit of ignorance and incogitancy therefore 't is good in those truths that need it most to ask What say we to these things 2. When you are in danger
earthly Clay House is dissolved there were a building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens we would groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with that House For a Christian while out of Heaven is out of his proper place Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God are joyned together 2. Pet. 3.12 The one word implyeth Faith and the other desire surely men do not believe eternal Blessedness who are coldly affected towards it For an estate so Blessed if it were soundly believed it would be earnestly desired 2. Love They that love Christ will long to be with him Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be vvith Christ c. That Christ is there is the great motive to draw our hearts thither Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen vvith Christ seek those things vvhich are above vvhere Christ sitteth on the right hand of God love desireth the nearest union with the party loved Is Jesus Christ the beloved of our Souls Are we espoused to him as to one Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 do we desire to meet him and delight in his Presence in his Ordinances here Surely then we would desire to be with him hereafter for love doth always desire the nearest conjunction the fullest fruition and the closest communion The absence of our best Friend would be troublesome to us therefore we would groan and desire earnestly to be there where he is to behold his Glory How can we love him when we are so contentedly pleased to be long from him 3dly Hope That is a desirous expectation made up of looking and longing and shewing its self in Hearty groans after as well as delightful foretasts of the Blessedness expected what you hope for will be all your desire This estate is a good absent possible but difficult to be obtained as 't is good it is the object of Love as absent and future of desire as possible we look for it as desirable we groan after it well therefore hope hath a great influence upon these affectionate breathings after Heaven and happiness when joined with earnest expectation Phil. 1.20 5thly The Holy Ghost stirreth up in us these groans or a fervent desire partly by revealing the object in such a lively manner as it cannot otherwise be seen Eph. 1.17 18. 1 Cor. 2.22 Partly by his secret influences as he stirreth up holy Ardors in Prayer Rom. 8.25 26. Inutterable groans after happiness He that imprinteth the firm perswasion doth also imprint the desires of these things in our Hearts 6thly All the Ordinances of the Gospel serve to awaken these desires and longings in us and to raise up our affections towards Heavenly things The word is our Charter for Heaven or Gods Testament wherein such rich Legacies are bequeathed to us that every time read it or hear it or meditate upon it we may get a step higher and advance nearer Heaven The promises of the Word tend to this 2 Pet. 5.4 So do the Precepts to put us in the way everlasting Psal. 119.96 All Gods Commandments have an Eternal influence So for Prayer in company or alone 't is but to raise and act those Heavenly desires There we groan and long in the Lords Supper for New wine in our Fathers Kingdom To put an Heavenly relish upon our Hearts All is done in formality and with Hypocrise if it doth not promote these ends 7thly These desires are necessary because of their effect If we do not desire we will not labour and suffer trouble and reproach and persecution What maketh the Christian so Industrious So patient so self denying so watchful Only because he breatheth after Heaven with so much earnestness Desires are the vigorous bent of the Soul that bear us out in all difficulties The Soul leaneth that way its desires carry it If they be weak and feeble they are controlled with every lust abated upon every difficulty the desire of the other world beareth us out in the midst of the Temptations of this world otherwise a man is soon put out of the humour brought under the power of present things Whatever it is that gets your heart that will command you Foolish and hurtful lusts drown and sink you into a base Spirit 1 Tim 6.9 that all the Counsel that can be used will not reclaim you But if you be groaning and longing for and desiring the happiness of another world you have a victory over Temptations you have overcome the world for you regard it then only as your passage you cannot settle here 8thly The state of the present world doth set the Saints groaning and longing for this House from Heaven For this world is vexatious the pleasures of it are meer dreams and shadows and the miseries of it are real and many and grievous Gal. 1.4 To deliver us from this present evil world The present world is certainly an evil world take the best part of the world the state of the Church here it is quite different from what it will be hereafter Now Gods Children are pilgrims and can hardly get leave to pass thorow as Israel could not get leave to go thorow Edom at other times enemies come forth to stop them in the very wilderness Sometimes the Church is like a Ship in the hands of foolish guides that know not the right art of steerage at other times spotted with the Calumnies of adversaries or the stains and scandals of its own Children sometimes rent and torn by sad Divisions every party impaling and enclosing the Common Salvation within their own bounds unchristianing and unchurching all the rest and the name of Christians challenged to themselves and denyed to others and like a ball of contention carryed away by that party that can rustle down others who stand in their way Though with all this disadvantage 't is better to dwell in the Courts of the Lord than in the Tenâ—s of wickedness Yet surely a tender Spirit that mindeth Sions welfare will groan under these disorders and long to come at that great Council of Souls who with perfect Harmony are lauding and praising of God for evermore That innumerable company of Spirits made perfect Heb. 12.23 That general Assembly gathered together out of several Countries into one Body and one place who live together sweetly and serve God without weakness weariness and imperfection obj But how can Christians groan and long for their Heavenly state since there is no passage to it but by Death and 't is unnatural to desire our own Death Answ. 1. They do not simply desire Death for its self but as a means to injoy these better things So Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. 'T is not our duty to Love Death as Death No so 't is an evil that we must patiently bear because of the good which is beyond it But it is our Duty to Love God and to long after Communion with him and to be perfected in holiness Had it not been an evil
come they might be ready to go in with him others contented themselves with an outward Profession or loose waiting for his coming but did not with that serious diligence prepare themselves for it and so came short of the blessedness expected by them There wanted a deep radication and a constant perseverance without which the blaze of Profession which lasted for a while will soon be extinguisht Doctrine That in the visible Church among those that give up their Names to Christ some will be found foolish when others are wise and come short of the blessedness expected by them Or In the visible Church all are not wise Christians but some are wise and really such as they profess themselves to be others negligent foolish and improvident The State of the visible Church is here represented And Observe 1. This Parable is not spoken of the Corrupted Members of degenerate Churches but speaketh what shall fall out in the Churches not defiled with the Whoredomes of the World There are some Churches that have turned the Government of Christ into a temporal Domination and their Worship into a mass of Paganish or Heathenish Rites and Superstitions and place all their Glory not in excellency of Gifts and Graces but pomp of Living and external splendor and make Christianity look like a Temporal worldly thing calculated only for this Life of those Christ speaketh not here something may be intimated of them in the former Parable but here he speaks of a reformed Chruch not the Church in her pollution and defection but a Church in her right Constitution Papists will be counted Christians who may be rejected by Christ at his coming they have so corrupted his Worship Discipline and Doctrine Nay but Christ speaketh here of those that live under the dispensations of purer Christianity some will be found true Believers others common Professors even among the Members of a reformed Church that make Profession of the Purity of the Gospel all will not be found such as may abide the day of Christs appearing in Judgment In Abrahams Family there was an Ishmael as well as an Isaac in Christ's a Judas and in the Apostles time some were Enemies to the Cross of Christ that yet took the Profession of Christ upon them Phil. 3.18 2. Mark again 'T is not meant the scandalous and faulty Members of a pure Church there are many Christians in name only but indeed deny it Titus 1.16 but 't is not meant of the scandalous that live as if their hopes were altogether in this World that ingulph themselves in all manner of sensuality as if there were no Heaven or Hell nor no future account to be given of their Actions but it is meant of such as profess themselves to be devoted unto Jesus Christ the Bridegroom such as are desirous to be admitted into the Nuptial Feast to have Communion with him in Heaven and possibly may attain to a blameless Conversation and appear Virgin-like all waiting for the coming of the Lord in their own and others estimation Some that Prophesied in Christs name and eat and drank in his presence are yet rejected by Christ as workers of Iniquity 3. 'T is not meant only of those that have a shew or a false and counterfeit Profession that are taught to act over their part in Religion as a Play as in the best and purest Churches there will be Hypocrites No these had some real work though not a saving but a common work as a man may have a light tincture of religion whose heart is not yet sound with God Psa. 119.80 therefore David Prayeth Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes There was not an universal renouncing of all corruptions not that thorough care to please God nor a rooted affection to Christ though they have some good motions hopeful inclinations that way as these Virgins seemed to be well affected to Christ for the present they had their Lamps made some slender preparation they went forth to meet the Bridegroom as others did Therefore it will be necessary to shew that a common work may go far and yet come short of blessedness I shall prove it by three reasons 1. Because a common work may go far 2. Though a common work may go far yet 't is not likely to hold out 3. If it should hold out a constant Profession yet it will not be enough to qualifie us for the Kingdom of Glory or heavenly bliss and happiness 1. A common work will go far I take it for granted that there is a real common work of Grace as well as a real special work if you doubt it I will inform you from Scripture Heb. 6.4 compared with the 9 th verse we read of some that were enlightned some that tasted of the good Word and of the heavenly gift and elsewhere of some That had escaped the pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2.20 All this is real the tasting the good word real the enlightening real the partaking of the heavenly gift real the escaping the pollutions of the World real but the Apostle saith in the 9 th verse We expect better things of you and things that do accompany Salvation or things that have necessarily salvation in them things that whosoever hath them shall certainly be saved The graces of Temporaries are for substance true but slightly rooted there are the purlues of Grace or the borders of the Kingdom of Heaven some flashes of light or dawnings of Grace but the Day-star doth not arise in their hearts many are enlightened taste the good word have some delight in the Promises tasted of the heavenly Gift apprehend it sweet to have Communion with God in Christ and tast the powers of the World to come feel some transports of Soul when they hear of the hopes of eternal Life and may be brought to some partial Reformation but that which is wanting is a deep radication or a more firm inherency of these Graces in the Soul and an habitual predominancy of these motions and affections over all other inclinations for 'till it be so we cannot do any great service for God or endure any tryal for his sake Sometimes true grace is described by its deep radication Jam. 1.21 't is called an ingrafted word 't is not something tyed on but ingrafted the root of the mattter is within and sometimes 't is described by its efficacy Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the Heart the form of Doctrine delivered to you But more especially I shall shew you that a common work may goe far with respect to the three Theological Graces Faith Hope and Charity mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.13 Now abideth Faith Hope and Love And again 1 Thes. 5 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the hope of Salvation Now a common work may go very far in all these Graces of Faith Hope and Love as here the Virgins
So that they do not truly and savingly believe such things who are not seriously and constantly diligent in the spiritual life I cannot say that an assent separate from practice is no Faith but 't is no saving Faith 't is such a Faith as the Devils may have who know there is a God and a Christ and a World to come they believe it and fear it So may carnal men believe it so far as to stir up bondage and legal fears in their Hearts but while they improve it not and prepare not for their everlasting Estate their Faith is ineffectual to Salvation True Faith is tryed rather by Living than by Talking 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the truth is not in him There is a difference between an Untruth and a Lye now where the Actions do not correspond to the Profession that Profession is not only an Untruth but a Lye There is a denying in word as well as works Titus 1.16 Many Profess and believe as Christians but live as Atheists T is not notions but affections living rather than talking that will demonstrate true Faith Now the paucity of serious walkers sheweth the paucity of true Believers 2. In this Improvement there is an Appeal to Conscience for here is a question put to our own Hearts let Reason and Conscience speak After the serious consideration of the glory and terrour of Christs second coming what holiness and preparation is necessary on our part Surely the holiest upon Earth if they would put this question to their own hearts they would not be satisfied with that holiness which they had but would seek after more their desires would be strengthned their endeavours quickened their diligence doubled 'T is for want of self-communing that we are so dull and sluggish If men did oftner ask of themselves Reason would tell them that no slight thing will serve the turn But Truths are not improved First For want of a sound Belief Secondly For want of a serious Consideration Therefore in Scripture when any notable Truth is propounded and improved there are these Appeals to Conscience Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation and Rom. 8.31 What shall we say to these things 3. In this Appeal the qualification of our persons is first regarded and looked after For pray mark the question 't is not How holy ought our Conversations to be but What manner of persons The state of the person must be first regarded and then the course of our actions and conversations There are some persons at whose hands God will not accept a gift God had respect first to Abel and then to his Offering The state of the person is to be judged of according to the two great priviledges of Christianity Justification and Sanctification 1. That we be justified and reconciled to God through Christ that we daily renew friendship by the exercise of a godly sorrow for sin and a lively faith in Christ. 1 John 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God And 1 John 2.1 Little Children these things I write unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Others are not accepted with God 2. That we be sanctified or renewed by the Spirit Tit. 3.5 and so fitted and framed by this general Holiness for the particular duties we are called to A Bowl must be made round before it can run round The Instrument must be framed and strung and put in tune before it can make any melody the Tree must first be made good before we can expect any good fruit from it Mat. 12.33 Actions are holy by their rule a person is holy by his principle Therefore till there be a principle of Grace wrought in our hearts we are not such manner of persons as God will accept Nor are we fitted to perform him any service or to meet him at his coming 4. When our Persons are in frame we must look to the course of our Actions or walking For the tree is known by its fruit and a man by the course of his actions We do but imagine we have holiness within unless we manifest it in our outward conversation and will strive to shew our selves mindful and respectful of Gods commands at every turn Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord not only undefiled in the rule but undefiled in the way A sincere constant uniform obedience to Gods Law or a careful endeavour to approve our selves to God in all our wayes is the mark of true blessedness A man is judged by the tenour of his life not by one action 5. This holiness must be in all the parts of our Conversation In all holy conversation In our outward carriage and secret practice common affairs and religious duties In the duties of Gods immediate Worship and the duties of Relations towards Superiors Inferiors and Equals 1 Pet. 1.5 in every creek and turning of our lives there is no part of a Christian conversation but should savour of Holiness and Godliness His common and civil actions in adversity prosperity at home and abroad So Tit. 2.12 13. The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Soberly as to our selves Righteously as to our Neighbour Godly as to God To rest in a partial practice of holiness will not become the expectation of Christs coming who will examine us upon every point of duty 6. Godliness is added to Holiness to increase the sense and signification There is some formal difference between these two Holiness signifieth the purity of our actions and Godliness the respect they have to God that He be eyed and aimed at in all that we do That all things should be done in and to the Lord or for his glory This should be the supream end of all our wayes and actions If we consider Grace as it provideth for the rectitude of our actions positively it is called Holiness If relatively with respect to our dedication to God 't is called Godliness Well then we should be such manner of persons not only in all holy conversation but Godliness We should stir up our selves to do more for God in the World and love him and fear him and honour him in all that we do 7. In both we should endeavour the highest pitch that possibly we can attain unto For 't is in the Original all holy conversations and godlinesses which doth not only imply the extention as we render it in all holy conversation and godliness but the intention and degree as well as all the parts and points of Godliness Those that have made most progress in Godliness should still aspire after higher degrees the more will our comfort be now and the more our glory
long and given us a large space of time wherein to employ our selves but what have we done for his glory Alas either we do nihil agere or male agere or aliud agere either we do nothing or nothing to the purpose or that which is worse than nothing which will undo us for ever Oh what thoughts will we have of a careless and mispent life when we come to die Many do not think of the end of their Lives till their lives be ended and then they moan and bewail themselves when they lye a dying Oh rather think of your last end and great account betimes 'T is lamentable to begin to live when we must die Quidam tunc incipiat vivere cum desinendum est they end their lives before they begin to live Therefore if hitherto you have been pleasing the flesh idling and wantoning away your precious time say 1 Pet. 4.3 Let the time past suffice I have been long enough dishonouring God and destroying my own soul hath my Master tarryed so long and shall I still abuse his patience This is an holy and right use of this delay Secondly His Work what he will do when he cometh He reckoneth with his Servants Doct. II. Those that have Talents must look to reckon for them For though he be long first yet at length the Lord cometh 1. Consider the certainty of this Account his Wisdom Justice Goodness and Truth require it His Wisdome requireth it for no wise man would put hiâ— Goods to trust and never look after them more and shall we imagine that the wise God would send reasonable Creatures into the World and furnish them with excellent Gifts and Endowments and never consider how they imploy themselves Is man Gods Servant then certainly he is liable to an account You had never come into the World but for this business to serve and please God For God maketh nothing in vain but all things for himself Prov. 16.4 And do you think that after you are made for this end you may live as you lift and never be called to a reckoning So absurd a thought cannot enter into the heart of a reasonable man Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Man would be but a sort of Beast if he had no other end of his Actions but to eat and drink and sleep and no other account to give surely the most wise God would not have given us such excellent faculties in vain He fitteth all Creatures for their use Every Workman fitteth his work for the end for which it serveth so God hath made Man for some end and use And Gods Justice requireth it that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do ill In the World it is not so his Servants are very often abused while doing their work most faithfully the World thinks them mad hateth them They that neglect their own work beat their Fellow-servants therefore the honour of his Justice requireth they should be called to an account 1 Pet. 4.5 Who must give an account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead There is not a thought in wicked mens Hearts nor a word in their Mouths contrary to God and his People but he taketh notice of it and will exact an account thereof a strict and impartial account of all their hard speeches And the Goodness of God requireth it His goodness to the World in general the World would be a Wilderness and Men like ravenous Beasts if there were not some Bridle and awe of a World to come upon them but every one that had power would prey upon others but that there is an higher Judge God hath appointed a supream Tribunal where Causes are judged over again otherwise those that have power enough to do mischief would be under no restraint But 't is goodness to his people whom he hath set a work and therefore hath appointed a day when he will give them their wages his goodness will not permit that they should be any losers by God their love and obedience to him that deny themselves their own affections and interest for his sake Therefore certainly the great God of Recompences will come and call the VVorld to an account that the faithfulness of his Servants may appear with praise and honour This is a supream Truth Heb. 11.6 That he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him And his Truth requireth it 't is laid at pledge in the VVord that 's the proper ground for Faith to build upon Now there we have not only Gods VVord but Gods Oath Rom. 14.10 11. For we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God There we have plentiful evidence 2. 'T is a personal Account Rom. 14.12 So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God VVe should not look to others what they be and do As to our selves we must give an account of our selves our life our heart our own thoughts words and actions 'T is personal partly because every one must give his Account apart not every one shuffled together and in gross but every Servant apart and severally first he that had five Talents then two then one And partly because every one unavoidably must answer for himself Here we may have our Attorney or Advocate to appear for us in Court but there every one for himself every man must in person give an Account of his own fidelity 3. 'T is an Impartial Account every one without exception Revel 20.12 I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God Small and great King and Peasant they shall all one day be called to an Account whether Faithful or no. None so high as to be exempted from this Account none so mean as to be neglected in it he that received five Talents and he that received one both gave an Account The poor Beggar is not left out nor the King excused 4. 'T is a particular Account God will not take our Accounts by the heap and lump but there is a narrow search into all our Hearts and Ways the the great thing is What we have done in that place and Relation where God hath set us our Stewardship Luke 16.2 But that 's not all we are to give an Account of every Action Eccles. 12.14 For God shall bring every work into Judgement Every idle Word must be Accounted for Mat. 12.36 All the time we have spent degrees of Grace we received what we have done proportionable to our Trust five for five two for two 5. 'T is an exact
any mixture of Errors that have any considerable Influence upon the main of Religion Others are in that Communion in which those Doctrines are as yet taught that are indeed necessary to Salvation but many things are added which are indeed pernicious and dangerous in their own nature So that if a Man should possibly be saved in that Profession he is saved as by Fire 1 Cor. 3.13 And 't is a strange escape as if one had Poyson mingled among his Meat the goodness of his Digestion and strength of Nature might work it out but the Man runneth a great hazard As the Papists acknowledge Christ for the Redeemer and Mediatour between God and Men They own his two Natures and Satisfaction though they mingle Doctrines that strangely weaken these Foundations The Turks deny not Christ to be a great Prophet but they deny him to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and the Redeemer of Mankind and wickedly prefer their false Prophet before him The Jews confess there was a Iâ—sus the Son of Mary that gave out himself in their Country of Judea to be the Messiah and gathered Disciples who from him are called Christians But they call him an Impostor question all the Miracles done by him as done by the Power of the Devil Now all these shall be judged by the Gospel which is so proudly and obstinately rejected by them The Spirit shall convince the World of Sin because they believe not in me Joh. 16.9 he hath so proved himself to be the Christ the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah that their rejecting and not believing in him and his Testimony will be found to be a great and damning Sin both in its self and as it bindeth their other Sins upon them however their Judgment shall be lighter or heavier according to the diversity of their Offence and the invincible Prejudices they lie under The Corrupters of the Christian Religion because they have perverted the Truth of the Gospel to serve their Interests Ambition Avarice or any Humane Passion their Doom will be exceeding great 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. And with all Deceivableness of Vnrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie That thy all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in Vnrighteousness To poyson Fountains was the highest way of Murther to royle the Waters of the Sanctuary to mangle Christ's Ordinances is a Crime of a high Nature The Jews that rejected Christ in so clear Light of Miracles Joh. 8.24 Christ saith If you believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins it maketh the Judgment the more heavy upon them Others to whom Christ is less perspicuously revealed shall have a more tolerable Judgment For the clearer the Revelation of the Truth is the more culpable is the Rejection or Contempt of it For there is no Man that heareth of Christ's Coming into the World suffering for Sinners and Rising again from the Dead and Ascending into Heaven but is bound more diligently to enquire into it and to receive and embrace this Truth Carnal Christians their Profession condemneth them They are inexcusable they deny in Works what in Word they seem to acknowledge 3. Some lived under the Legal Administration of the Covenant of Grace To whom two things are propounded 1. The Duty of the Law 2. Some Scriptures and obscure Beginnings of the Gospel They shall be judged according to that Administration they are under either for violating the Law or neglecting the Gospel or those first Dawnings of Grace which God offered to their View and Study Indeed the Law was more manifest but the Gospel was not so obscure but they might have understood it Therefore God will call them to an Account about keeping his Law by which who can be Justified Or whether by true Repentance they have fled to the Mercy of God which by divers wayes was then revealed to them and have owned the Messiah in his Types Psal. 145.2 Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be Justified Psal. 130.3 4. If thou shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is Forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Which if not clear they shall be condemned not only for not keeping the Law but also for neglect of Grace Though their Unbelief and Impenitency be not so odious as theirs is that lived under a clearer Revelation yet a grievous Sin it was which will bring Judgment upon them 4. There are some that have no other Discovery of God but what they could make from the Courses of Nature and some Instincts of Conscience as meer Pagans The Apostle having told us of the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.5 and how managed Vers. 6 7 8. and how aggravated the Jew first and then the Gentile he then concludeth Vers. 12. For as many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law but as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law That is the Jews as the other is to be understood of the Gentiles To whose notice no Fame of Christ or the Law of Moses could possibly come To perish without the Law is to be punished and Punishment followeth upon Condemnation and Condemnation is in this Judgment Therefore Pagans and Heathens that lived most remote from the Tydings of the Gospel and Divine Revelation must appear before Christ's Tribunal to be judged But by what Rule He telleth us Vers. 14 15. For whâ—n the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not a Law are a Law to themselves Which shew the Work of the Law written upon their Hearts their Conscience also bearing Witness and their Thoughts thâ—m an while accusing or excusing one another They knew themselves to have sinned by that Rule by the natural Knowledge of God and some sense of their Duty impressed upon their Hearts Nature it self told them what was well or ill done The Law of Nature taught them their Duty and had some Affinity with the Law of Mâ—ses And the Course of God's Providence taught that God was placable which hath some Affinity with these Gospel Rudiments and first Strictures Therefore the Goodness and Long-suffering of God should lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Surely then the Impenitency of the Jews will meet with an heavy Condemnation according to the Proportion of Clearness in their Revelation 5. Men of all Conditions high and low rich and poor mighty and powerful or weak and oppressed Kings Subjects Revel 20.12 I saw the Dead both small and great stand before God No Rank or Degree in the World can exempt us These Distinctions do not ouâ—-live Time they cease at the Graves Mouth there all stand upon the same Level and are
of the same Mould To bridle the Excesses of Power the Scripture often telleth us of the Day of Judgment how the great Men of the Earth shall tremble and the Hearts of the Powerful then be appalled Revel 6.15 16 17. They shall then understand the distance between God and the Creature when his Wrath and Terrour is in its Perfection Who can stand when he is angry Psal. 76.7 'T is a wonder Men will live in a way Controversie with him and are so little moved at it No Wrath so considerable as the Wrath of the Lamb When their Mediator is their Enemy none in Heaven or Earth can befriend them Those that in the Thoughts of Men are most secure Ring-leaders to others in Sin that swear and swagger and bear down all before them and persist in their Opposition to Christ with the greatest Confidence will be found the greatest and most desperate Cowards then Now these Gallants ruffle it as if they would bid defiance to Christ and his Wayes Oh! how pusillanimous and fearful then Appear they must though they cannot abide it What Torture do they endure between these two The necessity of Appearing and The impossibility of Enduring Oh! the Great Ones then would gladly change Power with the meanest Saint Then they know what an excellent thing it is to have the Favour of God and of what worth and value Godliness is and how much a good Conscience exceedeth all the Glory of the World and what an Advantage it is to have Peace made with God 6. Not only some of all sorts or of all Nations but every individual Person In one Place the Apostle saith All of us collectivè 2 Cor. 5.10 in another Place distributivè Every one of us Rom. 14.12 Not only all but every one Not all shuffled together in gross but every one severally and apart is to give an Account of his Wayes and Actions to God VSE If these things be so That all Places shall give up their Dead and all those Nations that differ so much one from another in Tongues Rights and Customs of Living and distance of Habitation shall be gathered together into one Place and not left scattered up and down the World there are many wayes to shift Mens Courts and Tribunals they may fly the Country or bribe the Judge but there is no shunning the Bar of Christ Oh then let the Thought of this make us more watchful and serious 1. In this Judgment there is no Exemption For all summoned small and great and whether they will or no they shall be gathered together The Faithful shall willingly come as to Absolution the Wicked shall be violently halled as to Condemnation 2. There is no Appearing by a Proctor or Attorney but every one in his own Person must give an account of himself to God 3. No Denying For the Books shall be opened Revel 20.12 4. No excusing or extenuating For Christ will judge the World in Righteousness Act. 17.31 according to terms of strict Justice 5. No Appealing For this is the last Judgment No suing out of Pardon or no Time of shewing Favour For this is too late the Day of Grace is past Sinners are in termino Their Work is over and now come to receive their Wages Oh then Now let us take care that this day may be comfortable to us God's Children have more cause to look and long for it than to dread it Secondly We now come to the Segregation and there First As to Company He shall separate them one from another as the Shepherd divideth between the Sheep and the Goats In these Words there is 1. A Point intimated and implyed That Christ is represented as a Shepherd and the Godly as Sheep but the Wicked as Goats 2. There is a second Point expressed That though there be a Confusion of the Godly and Wicked now yet at the Day of Judgment there will be a perfect Separation For the First of these That Christ is represented to us under the Notion of a Shepherd So he is called Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered And 1 Pet. 2.25 But are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls First A Shepherd among Men is one that is not Lord of the Flock but a Servant to take care of them and charge of them This holdeth good of Christ as Mediator for he is God's Elect Servant the Servant of his Decrees The Flock are his not in point of Dominion Right and original Interest but in point of Trust and Charge So Christ is Lord of the Faithful as God but as Mediator he hath an Office and Service about them and is to give an Account of them to God when he bringeth them home and leadeth them into their Everlasting Fold Joh. 6.37 to 40. with 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the Presence of his Glory And Col. 1.22 To present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Secondly The Work of the Shepherd is to keep the Flock from straying to choose fit Pasture and good Laire for them yea not only to fodder the Sheep but to drive away the Wolf To defend the Flock is a part of his Office as David fought with the Lyon and the Bear and slew them for the Flock's sake All these concur in Christ as you may see Psal. 23.1 2 3 4. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures He leadeth me besides the still Waters Thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me There is guarding and feeding and defending So Joh. 10. there is Leading Vers. 3 4. then there is Feeding them Vers. 9. and Defending them Vers. 12 27 28 29. Thirdly Christ is not an ordinary Shepherd He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good Shepherd Joh. 10.11 And Heb. 13.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The great Shepherd of the Sheep And 1 Pet. 5.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chief Shepherd When the chief Shepherd shall appear c. 1. He is the good Shepherd Other Shepherds are said to be good when they perform their Office well or quit themselves faithfully in the discharge of their Trust. But besides the resemblance in these Qualities there are certain Singularities in Christ's Office that denominate him the good Shepherd 1. A good Shepherd is known by his Care and Vigilancy If he know the State of his Flock Prov. 27.23 This Resemblance holdeth good in Christ He hath a particular Care and Inspection of every Soul that belongeth to his Flock Calleth his Sheep by Name Joh. 10.3 He hath a particular exact Knowledge of every one of them their Persons their State their Condition their Place their Countrey their Conflicts Temptations and Diseases 2 Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth who are his Joh.
Business in Heaven and he is not unmindful of it 3. The Spirit prepareth us without which all the rest would come to no effect For it is the Wisdom of God to dispose all things into their apt and proper Places Therefore the Persons are prepared as well as the Place Rom. 9.23 Vessels of Mercy which he hath aforehand prepared unto Glory He worketh Faith in their Hearts giveth them a Title and by sanctifying prepareth them for the Possession and Enjoyment of it He that worketh us for this self-same thing is God 2 Cor. 5.5 Thirdly The Application or Appropriation of this Preparation to the Persons that shall now enjoy it For You Which respects not only the Qualification but the Persons 1. Not only for such as you but for you particularly In the general Heaven was prepared for Believers God never intended Unbelievers should have such a Glorious Estate Such as love the world do not prize nor long for this Happiness and therefore 't is fit they should never enjoy it for though the preparation be a work of abundant Mercy yet that mercy is so tempered and limited by his Wisdom and Justice that it will not permit him to give such holy things to Dogs or cast Pearl before Swine No 't was prepared to be enjoyed only by Believers and holy ones 2. For you personally and determinatively This is most agreeable to Christs scope and sense for all the Conditions were also prepared for them God did elect us to Faith and Holiness as well as to eternal Life Faith is the fruit of Election not a cause he did not choose us because we were holy or because he did foresee that we would be holy but that we might be holy Eph. 1.4 That being sanctified and renewed by the Spirit we might be placed in the new Jerusalem For you in Person that is Christs meaning Fourthly The Antiquity or ancientness of this preparation From the foundation of the world that is from all Eternity for the Scripture goeth to the highest point of time unto which we can ascend in our thoughts so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As 't is expresly said Eph. 1.4 Before the foundation of the world The Phrase is ordinary in Scripture and is as much as to say From all Eternity or before any time was for Gods purposes are as he is eternal and without beginning therefore if we speak of Gods intention and purpose it was before all worlds Those that understand this For you that is for persons so qualified will deny the meaning of the Phrase to be That the dignities of the Kingdom of Heaven were designed to be the reward of all the faithful Servants of Jesus Christ before all worlds and they that know the Scriptures cannot but conclude that from all Eternity he made choice of us to be justified sanctified and glorified The Elective Love of God is of an ancient standing even from all Eternity and therefore most free there being nothing in the Elect before they had a being to move his Love towards them and this will be the glory of his Grace at that day that we are invited into that Estate that was prepared for us long before and who are we that the thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long since Tit. 3.2 Which God that cannot lie promised before the world began So 2 Tim. 1.9 Who saved us and called us with an holy Calling according to his purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ before the world began He Indented then with Christ to bring us to what we shall at last enjoy but if any morosely insist upon the Phrase because it doth not necessarily signifie Eternity we must then understand that though the Purpose of God were from everlasting yet the things designed and acted by him they take their beginning in time or with time and so the words must be understood 1. Of preparing the place which shall be the state of the Blessed The third Heaven is the dwelling place of the Saints which was framed about the beginning of the Creation so good and gracious was our God that he did not make Man or Angel 'till he prepared a place convenient for them Or 2. To the Promise presently made upon Adam's fall but the former Exposition is more simple Well then you have heard what Entertainment the faithful shall have from Christ at his Coming so far as our dull Minds can conceive of it and with weak and Imperfect words can express it to you Now let us see what Use we may make of all this VSE 1. Let us be convinced that there is such an Estate and will be such a Time and that there is no true Blessedness but this enjoyment of God in the Kingdom of Heaven that we shall then have The World hath been much puzled about disputes of Happiness and the way to it The Philosophers some placed it in Knowledge some in that Vertue which they knew some in Pleasure some in this some in that Austin out of Varro reckoneth up two hundred eighty six Opinions about the chief good They erred thus because they sought it in so many things whereas it consists in one The enjoyment of God and because they sought it in this World where all things are mortal and frail and we can find not one thing that can make us compleatly happy This discovery was left for the Scriptures which teach us that our Happiness lyeth in God alone and that our perfect enjoyment of him in Body and Soul is reserved for Christs coming when there is a perfect Conformity to God and Communion with him 1 Joh. 3.2 Beloved we are now the Children of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The Lord revealeth his Truth to us in the Word but before we can be convinced of it we must be enlightned by the Spirit for spiritual things can only be spirtually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 We may talk of these things by rote one to another and have an assent to them which is call'd a Non-contradiction though not a positive understanding and Conviction of the truth of them Believest thou this Joh. 11.26 2. When we believe it let us look for it and long for it and live in the hopefull expectation of this blessed time when all these things shall be accomplished Therefore if we believe such a thing we must long for it and live in the hope of it Titus 2.13 Looking for the blessed hope Hope sheweth its self 1. Partly by frequent and serious thoughts and delightful Meditations of the thing hoped for Thoughts are the Spies and Messengers of Hope it sendeth them into the Land of Promise to bring the Soul tydings thence 'T is impossible a man can hope for any thing but he will be thinking of it for 't is the nature
are guilty of Incogitancy at least This appeareth 1. By our Drowsiness and Weakness and Carelesness about the things of Eternity Did we believe that for every Lie we told or every one whom we deceived or slandered we were forced to hold our Hands in scalding Lead for half an Hour how afraid would Men be to commit an Offence Temporal things affect us more than Eternal Who would taste Meat if he knew it were present Death or that it would cost him bitter Gripes and Torments How cautious are we in eating or drinking any thing in the Stone or Chollick or Gout where 't is but probable it will do us hurt We know certainly that Sin hath Death in it The Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6.23 yet we continue in Sin 2. By our backwardness to Good Works Sins of Omission will damn a Man as well as Sins of Commission small as well as great Christ saith not Ye have robbed but Not fed not cloathed Not blasphemed but not invoked the Name of God Not that you have done Hurt but that you have done no Good 3. By our Weakness in Tempatations and Conflicts We cannot deny a Carnal Pleasure nor withstand a Carnal Fear Matth. 10.28 Shrink at the least Pains in Duty The whole World promised for a Reward cannot induce us to enter into a fiery Furnace for half an Hour yet for a momentary Pleasure we run the hazard of Eternal Torments 4. By our Carelesness in the matters of our Peace If a Man were in danger of Death every moment he would not be quiet till he had got a Pardon How can a Man be quiet till he hath secured his Soul in the Hands of Jesus Christ. He that believeth not in Christ the Wrath of God abideth on him SERMON XXV MATTH XXV v. 41. Then shall he say to them on the Left Hand Depart ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels I Come now to the Second Doctrine II. Doct. That these Torments shall be full at the Day of Iudgment Then shall he say c. First There is something Presupposed that they begin presently after Death They are in Hell as soon as the Soul departeth out of the Body that is as to the Soul as to the better half Luk. 16.22 23. And it came to pass that the Begger dyed and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom The rich Man also dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his eyes being in Torments 'T is a Parable but sure Christ spake intelligibly and according to the received Doctrine of the Church in those times Mark how quick it followeth Here he had his Pleasures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rich Man also died rich Men die as well as others and was buried it may be had a pompous and stately Funeral when the Soul is in Hell The Body is left in the hands of Death but the Soul is in a living and suffering Condition The Souls of good Men are in Heaven Heb. 12.24 Spirits of Just Men made perfect 'T would be uncomfortable for the Saints to tarry out of the Arms of Christ so long as the last Judgment to be in a drowsie Estate wherein they neither enjoy God nor glorifie him And so the Spirits of wicked Men they are in Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3.19 Who were sometimes disobedient now in Prison It would be some kind of comfort to the Wicked to be so long delayed The time is long till the last Judgment and we are not moved with things at a distance what shall be thousands of years hence It begetteth a greater awe when the danger is nigh Oh let this startle wicked Men before night they may be in Hell before the Body be committed to the Grave the Soul slitteth hence as soon as it departeth out of the Body to God that gave it to receive Woe or Weal The hour of Death is sudden many are surprized and taken unawares Your carnal Companions if God would use that Dispensation that sometimes bowzed and caroused with you and wallowed in filthy Excess by this time know what 't is to be in Torments they would fain come and tell you that you are as rotten Fruit ready to tumble into the Pit of Darkness Every wicked Man groweth upon the Banks of Eternity and hangeth but by a slender String and Root one touch of Gods Providence and they drop into Hell Secondly There is something Expressed To wit That these Torments shall receive their full and final Accomplishment at the last Day That their Torments shall be increased appeareth 1. By Comparison 2. By Scripture And 3. By Reason 1. By Comparing them 1. With the Devils Jude 6. And the Angels which kept not their first Estate but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the great day As good men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so wicked men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Devils for the present are under the powerful Wrath of God and horrible Despair Though they have a Ministry and Service in the World yet they carry their own Hell about with them full of Fears and Tremblings under the Wrath of God but not in that extremity discontented with their present Condition Such a Fall is much to a proud Creature and there is a despair of a better Mat. 8.29 What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to torment us before the time There is a bitter expectation of Judgment to come Now they have some delight in mischief but at the last day their power shall be restrained which is another Infelicity of their Nature Their Ignominy shall be manifested before all the World they shall be dragged before Christ's Tribunal and judged by the Saints whom they hate 1 Cor. 6.3 The good Angels shall come as Christ's Companions the evil as his Prisoners There are Sights that will work on their Envy and thwart their Pride to see the Glory of the Saints and Angels Dolet Diabolus quod ipsum Angelos ejus Christi Servus ille Peccator judicaturus est saith Tertullian Then they are confined to Hell there to keep their residence where they shall have a more active sense of their own Condition and of the Wrath of God that is upon them So 't is with wicked Men they have their Hell now but at the last day they shall be brought forth as trembling Malefactors before the Bar of Christ all their privy Wickedness shall be manifested before all the World 2 Cor. 4.1 2. However they may be honoured and esteemed now either for their Power or Holiness they shall then be put to publick shame driven out of his presence with Ignominy and Contempt cast into Hell to keep company with the Devils where their Torments shall be most exquisite and painful 2. Compare them with the Saints Heavens Joyes shall then be full so Hells Torments The full Recompense of
Jam. 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin III. In many Cases Sins of Omission may be more hainous and damning than Sins of Commission They are the ruine of the most part of the Carnal World They are described to be without God Ephes. 2.12 Of the Wicked within the Pale 't is said Psal. 10.3 4. The Wicked through the Pride of his Heart will not seek after God God is not in all his Thoughts Of the careless Professor Jer. 2.32 My People have forgotten me Dayes without number Sins of Omission may be more hainous than Sins of Commission 1. Partly because these harden more Foul Sins scourge the Conscience with Remorse and Shame but these bring on insensibly Sleightness and Hardness of Heart And therefore Christ saith Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of God before Pharisees that neglected Faith Love and Judgment Matth. 21.31 2. Partly because Omissions make way for Commissions Psal. 14.4 They that called not upon God did eat up his People as Bread They lie open to gross Sins that do not keep the Heart tender by a daily Attendance upon God If a Man do not that which is Good he will soon do that which is Evil. Oh then let us bewail our Unprofitableness that we do no more Good that we do so much neglect God that we do no more edifie our Neighbour so that God's best Gifts lie idle upon our hands That Child is counted undutiful that doth wrong and beat his Father so also he that giveth him not due Reverence How seldom do we think of God! Every Relation puts new Duties upon us but we little regard them every Gift every Talent II. The Godly by their Fruitfulness in good Works and Acts of Self-denying Obedience They fed they refreshed they harboured they cloathed they visited vers 35 36. The question is not Have you heard prayed preached These are disclaimed Matth. 7.22 Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesyed in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name have done many wonderful Works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity Luke 13.26 Then shall ye begin to say We have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets but he shall say I tell you I know you not depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity Nay nor have you Believed Jam. 2.20 Wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead No Christ telleth us of another Tryal Well then a Religion that costs nothing is worth nothing A Notional Religion a Word Religion is not a Christianity of Christs making Surely Heaven is worth something and it will cost us something if we mean to get thither There is more in these Works of costly Charity than we usually think of 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Luke 16.9 1 Joh. 4.19 Hereby we knew that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him Hereby by what If we love not in Word and Tongue only but in deed and in truth Refresh the Bowels of the Poor own Brethren though with danger of our Lives Heaven is but a Fancy to them that will venture nothing for the Hopes of it What have you done to shew your thankfulness for so great a Mercy tendred to you A cold Belief and a fruitless Profession will never yield you Comfort Good words are not dear and a little countenance given to Religion costs no great matter and therefore do not think that Religion lyeth only in hearing Sermons or a few cursory Prayers and drowsie Devotions We should mind those things about which we shall be questioned at the day of Judgment Have you visited fed cloathed harboured owned the Servants of God when the World hath frowned on them Comforted them in their distresses Wherein really have you denyed your selves for the Hopes of Glory Fifthly Observe The Notions whereby their different Estate in the other World is expressed Punishment and Life See Serm. last on 2 Cor. 5.10 Page 104 105. Sixthly Observe Eternity is affixed to both Everlasting Punishment and Eternal Life See last Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.10 latter end of Page 105. and beginning of Page 106. Seventhly Observe These are spoken of not only as Threatned but Executed When the Cause hath been sufficiently tryed and cleared and Sentence passed there will be Execution The Execution is certain speedy and unavoidable See last Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.10 Page 107. Eighthly Observe Sentence is Executed on the Wicked first It beginneth with them for 't is said These shall go away into everlasting Punishment and the Righteous into Life Eternal Now this is not meerly because the Order of the Narration did so require it See last Sermon on 2 Cor. 5.10 Page 108. The VSE Is to press us 1. To Believe these things 2. Seriously to consider of them 1. To Believe them Most mens Faith about the Eternal Recompenses is but pretended at best too cold and Speculative An Opinion rather than a sound Belief as appeareth by the little Fruit and Effect that it hath upon us for if we had such a sight of them as we have of other things we should be other manner of Persons than we are in all holy Conversation and Godliness We see how cautious man is in tasting Meat in which he doth suspect Harm that it will breed in him the Pain and torments of the Stone and Gout or Chollick I say though it be but probable the things will do us any Hurt We know certainly that the wages of Sin is Death yet we will be tasting forbidden Fruit. If a man did but suspect an House were falling he would not stay in it an Hour We know for certain that continuance in a carnal Estate will be our eternal ruine yet who doth flee from Wrath to come If we have but a little hope of Gain we will take pains to obtain it We know that our Labour is not in vain in the Lord Why do we not abound in his work 1 Cor. 15.58 Surely we would do more to prevent this Misery to obtain this Happiness when we may do it upon such easie Terms and have so fair an Opportunity in our hands if we were not strangely stupified we would not go to Hell to save our selves a labour There are two things which are very wondrous 1. That any should suspect the Christian Faith so clearly promised in the Predictions of the Prophets before it was set a-foot and confirmed with such a number of Miracles after it was set a-foot Received among the Nations with so universal a consent in the Learned part of the World notwithstanding the meanness of the Instruments first employed in it and perpetuated to us throughout so many Successions of Ages who have had experience of the Truth and Benefit of it That now in the latter end of Time any
our Sins This had its rise from the Grace and Mercy of the Father But let us see what the Father doth in the Business of our Redemption that we may with comfort look upon Christ as a constituted authorised Mediator by the Decree and Counsel of Heaven 1. As the Supream Author it was the Father's Contrivance and Motion to Christ to regard the Case of Sinners I look and there is no Intercessor I see there is none fit to go between fallen Man and me Son you shall take their Case in Hand And therefore he is said to give Christ John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son In the purpose of his Thoughts to send Christ Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of the Time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman I shall open it in the next Verse To sanctify him John 10.36 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the World c. to consecrate him for the great Work of Redemption as when a thing is set apart for Divine Uses and Purposes it is said to be sanctified so was Christ sanctified when he was set apart for the Work of Redemption Nay to seal him John 6.37 Him hath God the Father sealed a Metaphor taken from those who give Commissions under Hand and Seal Christ is a Mediator confirmed and allowed under the Broad Seal of Heaven So Heb. 10.5 A Body hast thou prepared for me And Vers. 7. Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God as if God had set down in a Book a Dâ—aught and Model of his Designs and then shewed it to Christ. 2. As the Supream Cause in whom Divine Power was eternally resident he assisteth Christ in the accomplishment of this Work and qualifieth him for his Office with Power and Mercy Christ in his own Person would shew us the Fountain from whence all Mercies do arise Psal. 45.7 He was anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows the Father is not only said to beget him but to anoint him His compassionate Spirit he received from the Holy Ghost Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the 〈…〉 on me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gospel c. God gave him tenderness and bowels to poor broken-hearted Sinners So for Power and Strength John 5.19 The Son of Man can do nothing of himself as separate and distinct from the Eather not out of any weakness but because of the Unity of the Essence as God and on the foederal Agreement as Mediator 3. As Supream Judg he appointeth his Sufferings and the measure of the Satisfaction he was to make Acts 4.28 To do whatsoever thy Hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done Whatever Men did to him it was by his Hand and Counsel We must look to an higher Court from God's Providence to God's Decree If it had been done without his knowledg and consent nothing would have been done for our Salvation Him being delivered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the determinate Counsel of God ye have taken Acts 2.24 a word taken from Alms to Beggars We wanted a Price for our Redemption and God gave it out of his own Treasury Rom. 4 ult He was delivered for our Offences a Metaphor taken from a Judg who delivereth up the Malefactor into the Hands of the Executioner Christ was delivered by God as our Surety one that by his Decree was to be responsible to his Justice for Man's Sin The Father was to reward him for this by raising him from the dead and to give him leave to return to his own Glory therefore he asketh leave to return to Heaven Vers. 5. And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was After the Price and Ransom was paid the Father was to give Christ a Power to rise from the Dead and to go into Heaven There is Potestas and Potentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ had Power in himself and leave from the Father till the Father should declare himself to be satisfied Christ was not to be dismissed from Punishment Our Surety was not to break Prison but honourably to be brought out by the Judg for this was the Assurance God would give the World Acts 17.31 He will judg the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead It is not only an Effect of the Divine Power but an Act of Divine Justice And being raised up he is to be crowned with Glory and Honour as having abundantly done his Work for the Salvation of Creatures Heb. 2.9 We see Jesus for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour The Father's Heart was so taken with it that he honoureth Christ for this Reason And again he giveth Power and Authority to save Sinners Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins He hath raised him up to be a Prince of Salvation Here is the end of all that Christ as Mediator might be in a Capacity to bring Souls to Heaven And in this Work there is a constant co-operation of the Divine Power 1 Cor. 1.30 Of God he is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption All the Emanations of Grace come originally from the Father in and through Christ to all his Members Vse 1. Comfort What would have become of us if the Father himself had not found out such a Remedy God had Power to punish Sins in our own Person he needed no Mediator To save Sinners is not proprietas divine naturae but opus liberi consilii it dependeth on God's Appointment and if Christ had been a Mediator only by the Vote of the Creature he might have been refused Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blet not of my Book These is much in the Father's Act. Now God hath given Christ a Faculty to this purpose when we go to God we may offer a Mediator authorized by himself thou hast sent thy blessed Son to be a Mediator for me 2 Epist. John 9. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath the Father and the Son You may urge it upon your Fears and Suggestions of Satan God is not only the wronged Party but Supream Judg it is no matter what Satan saith or your own Hearts say if the Lord hath said he will accept Sinners in Christ. Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay 〈◊〉 thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died Who can condemn Satan may say I can and Conscience I can God whose Act is Sovereign doth acquit God hath so great an interest in Christ that he can deny him nothing John 14.31 That the World may
I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear He is more ready to answer than we to crave So it is said to Daniel Dan. 10.12 From the first Day that thou didst set thine Heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy Words were heard See God's readiness to accept the Services of his People in the first day of the three Weeks he had set apart Vers. 2. Daniel thought it would be long Work and God heard him the first day Certainly God delighteth in the Graces of his Children when he doth so readily take notice of the first Act and Exercise of them 2. I Observe by comparing that place with this That the Apostles Faith was weak not only imperfect but unconstant and subject to wavering and yet Christ commendeth it to his Father John 16.30 31 32. We are sure thou knowest all things and needest not that any Man should tell thee by this we believe that thou camest forth from God Jesus answered them Do ye now believe Behold the Hour cometh and now is that ye shall be scattered every Man to his own and shall leave me alone Yea and indeed if we look into the History of the Gospel we shall find their Faith was very weak It is true they did receive him for the Messiah and did acknowledg that he was the Son of God his natural and only Son which they knew by his Baptism by his Transfiguration by his Miracles They believed that he was the Lamb taking away the Sins of the World that he was the living Manna that came down from Heaven but all this while their Faith was weak they had but a confused sight of his Godhead of his eternal Generation by the Father they knew little of his Death were leavened with the thoughts of a terrene Kingdom and pompous Messiah understood not his Predictions of his Death and Passion Peter gave him advice to the contrary and at his Death denied him So that though they knew him to be the Redeemer and Saviour of the World yet the manner of his Death and Passion they knew not We trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Luke 24.21 Observe how Christ commendeth weak Faith Certainly he loveth to encourage poor Sinners when he praiseth their mean and weak beginnings Mat. 12.20 A bruised Reed shall he not break and smoaking Flax shall he not quench until he send forth Judgment unto Victory Christ will not despise weak Beginnings though there be more Smoak than Flame but little Strength Certainly we should not despise the Day of small Things nor discourage Learners and blast the early Blossoms with Reproach and Censure Cant. 2.13 The Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs and the Vines with the tender Grape give a good smell Christ taketh notice in his Garden of the Green Figs the green Knots or Buds are acceptable to him tho they want Ripeness and Sweetness as well as the softer Clusters the imperfect Offers of the Spring We should learn hence to do our best in believing Christ will help you against Weakness and pardon Imperfection 3. Observe again From Christ's mentioning their Obedience their Knowledg their Faith The Father knew for whom Christ prayed neither was there need to set forth their Faith and Obedience in so many words but that in the hearing of the Apostles he would draw forth the Grounds of their Thankfulness and the Evidences of their Interest Well then this is the use we should make of our Graces and Duties to praise the Lord and to look upon them as so many Arguments and Evidences of his Love Partly to shew them what kind of Persons God will hear such as know and believe and obey though in a weak measure Thirdly The next thing in the Text is the chief Object of justifying Faith and that is the Authority of Christ's Mediation Observe The sum of Christian Doctrine is to shew that Christ was sent by God to save Sinners This is the ground of all Hope and firm Confidence he came out from the Father to purchase Grace and went back again that we might receive it But let us consider the Parts 1. They have surely known that I came out from thee This may be expounded two ways 1. From thy Essence by Eternal Generation 2. By thy Command as Mediator If you take the former sence it sheweth that the Authority of Christ and of his Father were equal he came out from him If you take the latter it denotes their equal Charity and Love the Father sent him and out of the same Love the Son came out from the Father he assumed Flesh emptied himself and performed the Office of a Mediator committed to him by the Father Which is to be preferred Some say the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a word proper to the natural Generation of the Son Micah 5.2 Whose goings forth have been of old from Everlasting The Spirit 's Procession is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Generation of Son by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is said of none of the Saints that they come out from God But tho this Eternal Generation must not be excluded yet that which is chiefly intended here is that he came out by the command of God as Mediator as is clear by that place John 16.28 I came forth from my Father and am come into the World again I leave the World and go unto the Father It is applied to his appearing as Mediator before God Observe The great Love of Christ in that he came out from God for our sakes 1. Consider from whom he came from the Father from his Bosom from the full Fruition of the Godhead from the Center of Rest the Seat of Blessedness We shall know what place the Bosom of the Father is when we shall come to Heaven and shall be glorified with Christ. 2. How he came not in Pomp or the Equipage of a Prince but in the Form of a Servant He was Lord of all things but he came now as the Servant of God's Decrees John 6.38 I came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me He was God's Servant not upon Terms of Grace his Covenant was a Covenant of Works Isa. 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his Knowledg shall my Righteous Servant justify many He was subject to worldly Powers a Servant of Rulers Isa. 49.7 He voluntarily submitted himself to worldly Powers Nay he came to be our Servant Mat. 20.28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his Life a Ransom for many He came to serve in the Ministry of the Gospel to lay aside all the Interests of his Humane Nature Rom. 15.3 Even as Christ pleased not himself 3. For whom he came for wretched Men to seat us in the vacant Places of fallen Angels 2. And they have believed
that thou hast sent me There is a Mission on God's part as well as Obedience on Christ's Observe The Love of God in sending Christ and giving him a Charge concerning us This sending implieth Distinction but not Inferiority Persons equal by mutual consent may send one another The Father sent him because in the Business of Salvation the Original Authority is said to reside in God the Father God would not trust an Angel with your Salvation but send his own Son 1 John 4.9 10. In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins He thought nothing too dear nor too near for us His Son was not sent to treat with us but to take our Nature to be substituted into our room and place But this Point of God's sending Christ hath fallen under our consideration in handling other Verses of this Chapter SERMON XII JOHN XVII 9 I pray for them I pray not for the World but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine CHRIST having urged several Arguments on the behalf of the Disciples cometh now to limit his Prayers to them which is a new Argument I pray for none but those which thou hast given me not for obstinate Persecutors and perverse Rebels but for thine own thy Charge put into my Hands If I had prayed for any which belong not to the purpose of thy Grace thou mightest deny me but I pray not for the World but for thine therefore hear me In the words you have I. The Object of Christ's Prayer II. The Object limited I pray for them which is amplified Negatively by a refusal to pray for others I pray not for the World III. The Reasons Thou hast given them me and they are thine mine by Oppignoration not Alienation thy Charge put into mine Hands I have a Charge over them and thou hast a Right in them Christ was tender of his Charge and the Father still loved and owned them Thy Right and Propriety is not lost by thy Donation but confirmed for they are thine It is not only a Reason of the Donation but an Argument that Christ useth in Prayer 1. The great Matter that needeth not so much to be cleared as to be vindicated is Christ's refusal to pray for the World It needeth not to be cleared because Christ doth expresly limit the Persons I pray for them he doth not only explain it whom he meaneth by them those which thou hast given me Which Explication if nothing else had been added would have been exclusive and would have amounted to them and only them But he doth himself exclude the World from having any share in his Prayers By the World he meaneth the Reprobate World not only the Unregenerate Elect who are sometimes called the World but reprobos amatores soeculi as the Carthusean the reprobate perverse World But some object and it is fit they should be heard 1. That the Apostles only are here intended and that there is not a distinction between the Elect and Reprobate but between the Apostles and others for afterwards Christ prayeth for others that shall believe through their Word Vers. 20. I Answer 1. The Apostles are chiefly intended but not only elsewhere doth he pray for the Disciples and Believers of that Age there were more than the eleven Apostles and if they be excluded they have no Name in Christ's Prayer 2. All others besides the Apostles could not be reckoned to be in the World Now here is a perfect distribution of Men into two Ranks those that were given him and the World 2. Others say that the words are not to be taken as utterly exclusive but only that he prayed not for the World in this place The Requests of fatherly Protection the Gift of the Spirit Love and Concord being only proper to them that did actually believe elsewhere they say they find Christ praying for the World They bring that place for one Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do where he prayed for his Persecutors some of which never were converted I Answer 1. We must distinguish the Prayers of Christ as an Holy Man and the Prayers of Christ as Mediator So Camero Owen p. 44 c. Gomarus in locum Rainoldus de Intercessione c. As he was a Holy Man he was to lay aside all shew of Revenge This was not a Prayer by virtue of his Office as Mediator but in answer to his Duty as he was subject to the Law and a private Person Those things which he did in obedience to the Law as a private Person were not Acts of Mediation they were Acts of the Mediator but not as Mediator He taught us to pray for Enemies Mat. 5.44 Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you Revenge is forbidden and Pardon and Prayer injoined 2. Christ did not pray for all his Persecutors and every one of them but only for those that sinned out of Ignorance as the words imply chiefly for the standers-by rather than the Priests and Pharisees many of which came rather out of Curiosity than Despight Yea this Supplication was effectual and succesful to all the Elect intended This Prayer brought in three thousand Acts 2.41 who are charged with Christ's Death Ver. 23. and 36. and again five thousand Act. 4.4 who are charged with Ignorance in this Matter Acts 3.15 And killed the Prince of Life Vers. 17. I wot that through Ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers 3. Again they urge Vers. 21. That the World may believe that thou hast sent me Some say that by the World is meant the Unregenerate Elect. This tho it blunteth the force of the Objection yet I think it not so full an Answer 1. Because it is not directly made for them Mark it is not a Prayer but a Reason of Prayer Christ would have prayed more directly for the unregenerate Elect. 2. He would have Prayer for a more effectual Means of Conversion than the beholding the Unity and Concord of his Church That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may know that thou hast sent me 3. The word World in this whole Chapter is taken for the Reprobate World or those which are opposed to them which are committed to him by his Father 4. The substance of that Prayer is for the Elect not yet converted for Christ prayeth for all that shall believe through their Word Ver. 20. And then that they may be all one c. that the World may believe that thou has sent me so that the Unregenerate Elect are not intended Well but then doth Christ pray
for the Reprobate World that they may believe I Answer No Faith or Believing is there taken for a more full Conviction that they may be convinced and rendred more inexcusable It is not taken in a strict sence for a saving Comprehension and Receiving of Christ but for a Conviction and Acknowledgment Divisions in the Church usually breed Atheism in the World all is false when so many Ways and Differences So think they Christ is an Impostor the Word a Fable Now this kind of Conviction is not only termed Believing in Scripture but explained Vers. 23. That the World may know that thou hast sent me Nay let us grant that Faith is taken in the highest and strictest sense yet there is a difference between praying for such a thing as may be a likely means of working Faith and praying that they may believe Christ only prayeth that his People may be one that the World may not plead Prejudice at most he doth but obliquely reflect upon the World in that Prayer that they may have means of Conviction but not Grace Christ denieth that the World either hath or ever shall have the Grace of Faith Vers. 25. O Righteous Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me And the special Reason why the Elect have known tho the World have not known is rendred Vers. 26. I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it By which is meant the special manifestation of his Grace given to Believers of all Ages which was given to the Disciples of that present Age and will be given to all future Believers A serious consideration of the Context will refute all these Sophisms Thus I have taken off the Objections Let me handle one Doubt more But if they were absolutely predestinated why doth Christ pray for them I Answer Predestination includeth all things that are necessary to the Salvation of the predestinated and so the Prayers of Christ must be taken in as well as other Means Take an Argument or two why Christ did not could not doth not pray for the Reprobate World This Prayer must either argue 1. A Nescience of his Father's Decrees which cannot stand with the Unity of his Person especially as now in Glory While upon Earth he knew it and approved it that God by an immutable Decree had left some to be justly hardened to their own ruine Mat. 11.25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Or 2. A Contradiction to his Will and express Decree It is true we do not sin by asking a thing contrary to God's Decree as when I ask a Parent 's Life whom God hath determined to cut off by such a Sickness which I know not but if I did it is no rule to me But now God's Decree was a Rule to Christ in his Mediatory Actions as the Moral Law was a Rule to his Moral Actions and therefore when the Decree of God called for one thing and the Moral Law for another Christ was both to shew his Moral Affections and Mediatory Obedience Father let this Cup pass nevertheless not 〈◊〉 I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 There was an innocent desire of Nature but an express Submission to his Father 's Will. 3. Because all Christ's Prayers were to be grounded on a Promise There was an Indenture drawn up between him and his Father he had the Assurance to be heard in whatsoever he asked Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always Therefore he must needs exclude the Reprobate World out of his Prayers Observations First Let us look upon it as a Mediatory Action 1. Observe Here was the first solemn Offer of Christ's Meditation between God and Man and therefore upon this place we may ground the Doctrine of his Intercession I pray for them Here I shall speak of First The Person who is the Intercessor Secondly The nature of the Intercession Thirdly The Privileges and Fruits of it First The Intercessor I pray The Syriack twice repreateth the Pronoun I even I pray for them it is not an ordinary High-Priest but I I that am thy beloved and only begotten Son co-eternal and con-substantial with thy self I that have glorified thee upon Earth and done thy work I that am holy and harmless I whose Prayers thou hast promised to hear I who am an authorized Mediator sent into the World for this Purpose There are all these Advantages in the Intercession of Christ let us go over them a little briefly I shall refer them to these Heads the Dignity and Dearness of his Person the Sublimity of his Office the value of his Satisfaction the Articles of the Covenant or the Promise of being heard 1. The Person of Christ and there you have 1. His Dignity he is God-Man and so fit for this Office Job 9.33 Neither is there any days-man between us that might lay his Hand upon us both He communicates with God in the same Nature and we with him He is our Brother and God's Fellow Our Kinsman is in the Court of Heaven pleading for us he appeareth there in our Nature to set on our Salvation we need not be ashamed to go to him nor he to go to God He is of near Alliance to us and to God himself God's own natural Son which doth not only give him a Power to prevail with God but a Sufficiency to do us good None but Christ could serve our turn in this Matter Who can know all our Needs all our Sins all our Thoughts all our Desires all our Prayers all our Purposes and wait upon our Business with God Night and Day that no Wrath break out upon us but Jesus Christ who hath his constant residence in Heaven at his Father's right Hand There is an All-sufficiency required to Intercession as well as Oblation 2. The Dearness of his Person called his dear Son Col. 1.13 the Son of his Love one with him God bids him ask what he will Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession When Christ came first into Heaven he was to make his Demand He proclaimed it on Earth when Christ was baptized consecrated to God for the Priesthood Mat. 3.17 Lo a Voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased There was such perfect Love and Consent of Mind between God and Christ that if he had never died God could not have denied him any thing 2. The value of his Satisfaction Christ is an Intercessor not by Intreaty but by Merit John 17.4 I have glorified thy Name on Earth I
Faith with Power What encouragement hath a Minister to go to God for such not only when you send for him in times of sickness but always as the Apostle saith in every Address to God It is sweet to give an account of the thriving Lambs and to desire the Lord to perfect his Work And it argueth in the Minister Sincerity to take pleasure in their gracious Estate and to account it as it were his own Benefit that God hath any way blessed them with Grace which moveth him again to commend their Case to God Certainly if we have but any portion of the Unity of the Spirit or any share in the Communion of Saints or any respect to God's Glory thus it would be Again it concerneth Masters of Families Your Family is your Charge given you of God pray for them in the Bowels of Love You are to make an Errand to the Throne of Grace not only for your selves but your Children and Servants as the Centurion came to Christ for his Servant Mat. 8.6 If we did not want Hearts we could never want an occasion of recourse to God By virtue of our Relation we are to espouse the Interests of our Family and to plead with God on their behalf as we would on our own Job is an excellent Pattern Job 1.5 He rose early day by day and offered Burnt-Offerings for his Children in the time of their Feasting His great care was to keep his Children in the Favour of God he knew no hurt in their Feasting had heard none by information yet because Miscarriages are usual in the heat and license of Feasts the Family should not be without a daily Sacrifice For Job said it may be that my Sons have sinned and cursed God in their Hearts Up then betimes as Job did and milk out a Blessing for your Families not only in general as Men will put up cursory Prayers out of Custom and Use for their Families they pray God to bless their Families but bring them forth by Head and Pole and set them before the Lord as Job offered Sacrifices according to the number of his Children Or as Christ here I pray for these pointing to the Apostles Lord for these and every one of them The occasion of Job's Prayer is not manifest If you do but suspect that a Child hath such a Disease you will go to a Physician should we have less care of their Souls Christ says they live in an evil World vers 11. therefore he prays for them Again look on this Prayer of Christ not only as an Act of Love to his Charge and Familiars but as an Act of Prudence as to the Apostles who were to bring others to believe by their Word I pray for them I pray not for the World c. These that are designed for the great Work of the Gospel chiefly for them they had to do with Obstinate Jews and Idolatrous Gentiles and they had need take the Blessing of Christ's Prayers along with them Ministers and Dispensers of the Mysteries of Salvation above all Men need the help of your Prayers How affectionately doth Paul call for this every where 1 Thess. 5.25 Brethren pray for us It is a Duty you owe and it may be not only of great comfort to us but of great profit to your selves God would have all Orders and Estates in the Church to be obliged to one another you for our Instructions we for your Prayers The Head cannot say to the Foot I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12.21 Our Calling is encumbred with the more Difficulties and that we may be acquainted with all sorts of Satan's Enterprizes our Persons may be exposed to more Temptations than Yours The many Things requisite to make our Ministry useful call for your Prayers Abilities the right use of them Fruit and success that we may be able Pastors faithful successful that we may have Abilities which are a common Gain whatever Gifts are bestowed on Ministers are for the Peoples profit that out of love of Ease or love of the World or Error we may not mislead you nor be disheartned for lack of success Instead of praying for Ministers many now pray against them the Calling is repined at as if it were some heavy Plague and Judgment sent upon the World But therefore you have need to pray the more 2 Thess. 3.2 That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith Pray that the Lights of the Church be not eclipsed pray for our standing amidst the Assaults of Satan It is not enough to give us Love and Maintenance but we must have your Prayers So much for the Object of Christ's Prayer II. Now for the Limitation of that Object I pray not for the World but for them that thou hast given me Many Things may be inferred out of this Limitation 1. Universal Redemption is disproved for those for whom Christ prayed not for them he died not These two Offices of the Priesthood must not be severed Christ doth not only profess to pray for these but denieth to pray for the World His Intercession is of the same latitude with his Redemption they are Acts of the same Office and of the same Extent and Latitude All Men were not intended in his Passion and Intercession See Serm. on 2 Cor. 5.16 2. The Weakness of the World notwithstanding all their outward Props and Supports altho they be strong and have many on their side yet they have not Christ on their side He hath left the World out of his Prayers he will not so much as take their Names into his Lips Therefore Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who shall be against us What will that Party do that have God against them Against how many will you set Me said Antigonus You may shake your Spear and bid defiance against all the Powers of Darkness they have not Christ among them he will not speak one good word for them they may have Riches Honours Friends Countenance in the World but God will never take their part 3. The dangerous and sad Condition of Worldly Men. Oh it is a sad thing not to have a Name in Christ's Prayer There is a great number left out and if you will know who they are they are called the World It presseth us to come out of that State where we are in this danger Men that are now Worldly may be in the Roll of God's Election but it is no comfort to them I pray not for the World so it is expressed and as long as thou art Worldly thou canst take no Comfort in Christ's Intercession Certainly this should be an effectual Consideration with the People of God to cause them to keep themselves unspotted from the World Jam. 1.24 These have the benefit of Christ's Prayers A Christian should never be quiet till he be clearly out of that number which is excepted Christ hath a constant enmity and antipathy against Mammon there must be a
Earth saith God to Pharaoh Exod. 9.16 So we are in the World that his Power may be known We had missed many wonderful Passages of Providence if Israel had not been in Egypt God will have us take many Experiences of the Sweetness and Power of Grace along with us to Heaven As Travellers at Night talk of the foul way and the Dangers of the Journey so in Heaven we shall discourse of the Praises of our Redeemer and his wise and powerful Conduct God would have us take these frequent Experiences of Grace along with us 2. To try us Were it not for the worldly State there would be no place for Temptation nor room for the Exercise of Grace He will not glorify us as soon as convert us neither can we expect to go singing to Heaven and without Blows Heb. 6.12 Be ye Followers of them who through Faith and Patience have inherited the Promises Never any went to Heaven but there was a time to exercise both his Faith and Patience we are to run and fight this is common to all the Saints In the way to Heaven many things will befall us that will make it seem unlikely that we shall ever come thither so we have need of Faith and Troubles must have their turn ' ere Heaven be possessed so we have need of Patience Why should we look for a peculiar Priviledg 1 Pet. 5.9 The same Afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World All the Saints are troubled with a busy Devil a naughty World and a corrupt Heart Name but one Saint of God that hath been excused that went to Heaven without Trials and Temptations that quiet Estate which you dream of is without Precedent The Cross is the Badg of this Society as Elijah said Am I better than my Fathers You are not better than all the Saints than your other Brethren that are in the World You should be ashamed to be alone and never called out to exercise There is a measure of Sufferings appointed and every Member must take his share It is distributed by a wise Hand so much for the Head so much for the Shoulders so much for Hands and Feet Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh. Would we only be irregular and refuse to take our Burden Briefly there would be no Temptation no Trial were it not for the worldly Estate but here we must look for it The Skill of a Mariner is known in a Storm and so is our Fortitude and other Graces tried and discovered I have read in the Lives of the Fathers of a devout Man that being one Year without any Trial cried out Domine reliquisti me quia non me visitasti hoc anno Lord thou hast forgotten me and for a whole Year hast not put me upon any Exercise Those whom God will make most perfect he putteth them upon the greatest Trials Abraham had never been represented as the Father of the Faithful if he had not been exercised so much with so many Hazards and Temptations 3. To convince the World by their Example their Strictness Patience Fortitude They are in the World but not of the World If a Christian were not a Member of the World he would never be the Wonder of the World They have Flesh and Blood as others have and have not divested themselves of the Affections and Interests of Nature the same Bodies the same Interests yet they can deny all and upon the convenient Reasons of Religion abhor the Pleasures and dear Contentments of this Life and become weaned mortified strict holy and this raiseth the World's Wonder 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to all Excess of Riot speaking evil of you They are so bewitched with these things that they wonder how any can resist the Temptation Godly Men are to walk up and down the World as God's Witnesses Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord Isa. 43.11 They testify that there is a Reality in Religion and how it worketh by the Strictness and Mortification of their Lives They are to be Examples to the World 2. Cor. 3.3 Ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in Fleshly Tables of the Heart By your Lives God writeth his Mind to the World you are a living Rule a walking Bible 4. To fit them for Glory We do not commence per saltum Vessels of Honour must be seasoned Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light What should an unmortified Man do in Heaven Heaven would be a Prison to him the Company of God and the Communion of Saints a Burden We do not come into God's Presence hot and reeking from our Lusts we are first set in the Garden of the Church before we are transplanted to the upper Paradise they grow a while in the Land of Grace that they may take kindly with the Soil 1. Partly to weaken our Desires to the World The Stones were to be hewed and squared before they were to be set in the Temple there was no noise of Ax or Hammer heard there So during our Worldly State we are humbled with many Afflictions that we may be weaned by Degrees from the World and worldly Objects Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified to me and I unto the World The World doth not suit with the Saints as Children are weaned from the Teat by Wormwood When Men are pleased in the World they forget their Country We stir Liquors and Syrups that are over the Fire that they may not stick and burn to As Esther when she was chosen for Aâ—asuers's Bride was to accomplish the Months of her Purification before she was presented to him Esth. 2.12 So some days are to be spent in our purifying and sanctifying before we are presented to God 2. Partly to make us long for Glory Our worldly Estate is cumbersom Here are Sins and Afflictions that we may long for a better Estate Psal. 120.5 Wo is me that I sojorn in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar As the Israelites Task was doubled that they might long for Canaan and cry out for the Land of Rest. The Inconveniencies of our Pilgrimage make the everlasting Estate more sweet Troubles without us Diseases upon us and Sins within us and all to make us long for home Notwithstanding all the hard Usage and Entertainment in the World how difficultly are we weaned 3 dly Christ's Apprehensiveness of this Danger You shall see it is a Circumstance often mentioned A little before his Death at his Death now in Heaven 1. A little before his Death We have two Instances one when he was about to wash his Disciples Feet and institute the Supper
must we needs go out of the World As the Soul is in the Body but not of the Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. So a Christian is in the World but not of the World Use the World we may without offence when a Christian is sanctified he is not glorified and doth not diveâ—â— himself of the innocent Interests and Concernments of Flesh and Blood they have Bodies as others have and must eat drink sleep and put on Apparel as others do 1 Cor. 7.31 And those that use the World as not abusing it The Use is allowed the Abuse only is forbidden We may use the World as a means to sweeten our Pilgrimage but not to weaken our Hopes A Man may use the Comforts of this Life to draw good out of them to imploy them for God as Incouragements to Piety and Instruments of Mercy and Bounty But how then positively are they not to be of this World Not of the World's Gang and Faction nor acted by the same Principles to the same Ends. 1. There is a difference in the inward Principles the Spirit of the World and the Spirit of God Christians are acted by the Spirit of God not by the Spirit of the World 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God There is a particular Genius that suiteth with Worldly Affairs and fits Men to turn and wind in outward Employments as the Ostriches Wings serve her only to run not to fly their Hearts and Affections wholly run out this way It is the Character of some John 3.31 He that is of the Earth is Earthly and speaketh of the Earth They mind nothing affect nothing speak of nothing but the Earth 2. They are under different Rulers Christ is Head of the Church and he professeth that his Kingdom is not of this World John 18.36 But now the Devil is called the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 the Head of the Worldly State 3. There is a difference in their Course and Conversation The Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 6.16 Walk according to the Rule of the Word The Men of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 2.2 According to the course of the World as Fishes swim with the Stream A Christian is the World's Nonconformist Rom. 12.2 Be ye not conformed to the World he is estranged from the Pursuits and aspiring Projects of worldly Men and can deny the Interests and Concernments of the Flesh for God's sake 4. There is a difference in their Aims A Christian liveth to glorify God 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatever you do do all to Glory of God And a Child of the World is all for aspiring Projects how to compass the Conveniences of the present Life and advance his secular Interests Phil. 2.19 They mind earthly Things 5. Their Ends are different A Christian is hastning to his Country his way is upward first he gets his Heart in Heaven and then his Soul and then his Body But a Carnal Man is groveling and tending downward first to the Earth and then to Hell So that you see there is a perfect difference and counter-motion they are not of the World nor of that Faction Communion or Fellowship But if you ask me Why 1. Because of Christ's Example We do not worship the God of this World nor Mammon but Christ. Worldly Men had need seek another God Jesus Christ is not for their turn I am not of this World he is not a worldly Christ. We are to imitate our great Master to be unlike the World and like Christ to be led not by the course of the World but by Christ's Example Christ by his own Example hath put a disgrace upon worldly Greatness he chose a mean Estate to teach us to be contented with a little and his Eye was to the Glory set before him Heb. 12.2 Christ's Poverty was not out of necessity but choice his were the Cattel upon a thousand Hills At his Birth he was born in an Inn to shew that he came into the World as a Stranger and Passenger In the course of his Life we find that he had a Bag that was filled with Alms but no annual Rent or constant Possessions Mat. 8.20 Foxes have Holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head Christ was no landed Man he had no Tenement of his own Christ speaketh it when a young Man came to him and professed to follow him he had no certain place of Residence neither House nor Furniture nor Houshold-stuff certainly he was little beholden to the World it would hardly afford him House-room and Lodging The Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof yet Christ his own Son had but little of it He begged a draught of Water of a Stranger when he was weary John 4. and every was lived as a poor Man not out of necessity but choice He refused a Crown when proffered him John 6.15 When Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force and make him a King he departed again into a Mountain himself alone He had no Heart to these Things no relish in Crowns and worldly Glory When he died he was not Master of a Cup of cold Water to quench his thirst his Coat was all his Legacy and he lodged in a borrowed Grave This was the Captain of our Salvation whose Steps we are to follow You see what a disgrace he put upon Crowns and Honours and Pleasures and the Glory which we doat upon Christ came from Heaven on purpose to cast contempt upon the World by his own choice and course of Life 2. Because of their new Birth Man's Heart naturally is addicted to the World and runneth thither whither the World carrieth it even to forsaking God but by Grace it is turned the quite contrary way We have forsaken all and followed thee Mat. 19.27 And Psal. 45.10 Forget also thine own People and thy Father's House It is the proper Work of Grace to alter the course of Nature to take us off from the World and bring us to God by degrees first in Heart and then in Soul and then in Body It is every where made in Effect of the New Birth 1 John 5.4 He that is born of God overcometh the World The Children of God have somewhat of the Father in them Grace of all things cometh nearest the Nature of God Now God is our Heavenly Father therefore the Children that are born of him cannot be worldly See another place 2 Pet. 1.4 That by these ye might be made partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust. There is something Divine in a Christian therefore he cannot live as other Men. When we press Men to strictness they will say We are Saints and not Angels yea but Saints have a new Nature over and above that Nature which
they received from Adam and therefore should live an Heavenly Life They have an higher Life which over-ruleth the other the Spirit that governeth the Motions of the Soul Look as the Planets have a Motion of their own by which they walk in their own Path and Course and besides there is a rapid Motion by which they are carried about in twenty four hours So Christians have an old Nature and an over-ruling Nature that carrieth them on contrary to their own Motion and tendency The Soul we received from Adam looketh after the conveniency of the outward Life the decent state of the Body Naturally Men use their Souls only as a Purveyor for the Body for outward Comforts and outward Supports but when there is a new Nature from Christ the regenerate part must have its Operation In the New Birth Principles of more raised and elevated Nature are brought into the Soul 3. Because of their great and glorious Hopes They are chosen out of this World 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be made partakers of a Divine Nature having escaped the Corruptions that are in the World through Lust. There is an Estate that dependeth upon the New Birth God's Children cannot complain for want of a Child's Portion they have Promises as so many Leases a Right to the Inheritance in Light Now a Christian that hopeth for another World should not live according to the Fashions of this World Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed in the renewing of your Mind This is an unworthy base World you are acquainted with a better If a Man were in a strange Country where he saw none but rude Savages that had not shame enough to cover their Nakedness would he conform himself to the guise of this Country We that have other Hopes should have other Lives 1 Thess. 2.12 That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory There is a Description of a Christian's Life it beseemeth worldly Men to look after worldly Things Leave Things that perish to Men that perish Incolae Coeli eftis non hujus seculi If you must not die as they die do not live as they live left you are in their case at the point of death who have their portion in this Life Psal. 17.14 Wicked Men have their whole Portion in this Life because they look for no more no wrong is done to them it is but their own choice But a Believer will not give God an Acquittance nor Discharge having such great Promises Vse 1. To shew us what to judg of Persons that live so as if they were of the World You may know it by these three Notes when they do nothing worthy of their New Nature their Glorious Hopes and the Example of Jesus Christ. 1. Nothing worthy of the New Nature What difference is there between you and others The Christian should be like Saul so much higher by the Head than other Men. Wherein do you differ 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnal and walk as Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of an ordinary Nature destitute of the Spirit would do the same Christ maketh it to be the ground of Hatred because they are not of the World the World will soon sent out him that is Regenerate he walketh so as to convince the World they declare plainly that they seek a Country Heb. 11.14 their Hopes are discovered in their Conversation They reprove the World Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House by which he condemned the World A Carnal Man justifieth the World as as Israel justified Sodom Carnal Men are called the Children of this World the Spirit of the Mother is in them the Spirit of the World inclineth them they are all for Lusts of the Flesh Lusts of the Eye and Pride of Life to go fine to feed high to shine in worldly Pomp affect Honour and great Places Too many Christians are baptized into this kind of Spirit they live as if they were born and bred here and then they justify the Carnal Practices of Men. Therefore what difference should there be between a Christian and the World 1 Pet. 4.4 They think it strange that you run not with them to all excess of Riot speaking evil of you Mortifying Pleasures denying Interests upon Religious Reasons this maketh the World wonder what kind of Nature have these Men. This sheweth that there is something Divine in you 2. Nothing worthy of their Hopes and of that Eternity which they expect When Men waste their strength and time in worldly Projects and Pursuits they live as if their Portion were only in this World A Traveller that is to stay but half an hour in a Room or for a Night in an Inn would he adorn it with Hangings They that are so much in this World they shew they do not look for a better Prov. 15.24 The way of the Wise is above their Heart is fixed on Heaven and the Face of their Conversation is turned that way Your Lives do not bear proportion with your Hopes Well then what do you make the scope of your Lives A Christian is satisfied with nothing but Eternity 2 Cor. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are Temporal but the things that are not seen are Eternal A Christian useth the World and followeth his Business but he doth not make it his Scope his Heart is within the Vail There is an eternal Principle in the Heart of every Godly Man and therefore they cannot be satisfied with the Things of the World he mindeth other things in a subordination of Eternity Mercies and Duties of his Calling with respect to his Usefulness and Service and therefore spendeth his Time and Estate so that his main Work is to provide for Eternity 1 Tim. 6.19 Laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold of Eternal Life But now Men think they can never have enough in the World and make but slight Provision for the Life to come they make all things sure in the World and any slight Assurance serveth the turn for Eternity They live as if their hopes were altogether in the World they do not make Eternity their Scope 3. Nothing worthy of Christ's Example In Christ's Example we may take notice of two things the Heavenliness of it and the Courage of it 1. The Heavenliness Christ despised the World the great Encouragement of his Humane Soul was the Glory set before him Heb. 12.3 He came from Heaven on purpose to set us this Example But now when a Christian followeth the World when he is of this temper that he could wish to live always that
of Worldliness Christ doth once and again say They are not of the Worldâ— 2 Kings â— 26 Is it a time to receive Mâ—ny and to receive Garments and Olive-yards and Vine-yards and Sheep and Oxen and Men-servants and Maid-servants Especially in these Times in which so many miscarry by worldly Practices and when God hath declared so much of his displeasure against worldly Greatness To this end 1. Consider your Condition you are Strangers and Pilgrims David was a King yet not at home in the World Psal. 39.12 I am a Stranger and a Sojourner with thee 〈◊〉 all my Fathers were We never read that Abraham made any Purchase but of a Gâ—ave Cain built a City We aâ—e gone hence to morrow and who would hang a Room in an Inn 2. We are called to better Things 1 Thess. 2.11 12. As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and chaâ—ged every 〈◊〉 of you as a Father doth his Children That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory It is not for Princes to embrace the Dunghil Who would believe that a Man raking in a Dunghil or nasty Ditch were Heir to a Crown You show your selves hereby to be unworthy of Heaven 3. Take the Apostle's Argument 1 Tim. 6.7 We brought nothing with us into the World and it is certain that we can carry nothing out The Mill-wheel turneth round all day but at Night it is in the same place So at Death we are in the same Estate as at our Birth A Man's Wealth doth not follow him but his Works do Your Iniquity will find you out You did not come rich into the World and you were born to die In our Birth we were contented with a little Cradle at Death with a little Grave but here we join House to House as if the whole World would not contain us 4. Consider how hard it is to have Christ and the World to have Heaven and the World Mat. 16.26 What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul You are put to your choice who would lose a Crown to be owner of a Dunghil It is a vain design to think to reconcile Christ and Mammon 5. Thou art as thy Love is If thou lovest this World thou art Worldly if thou lovest God thou art Godly A Man is not as his Opinion is but as his Affection is a bad Man may be of a good Opinion but a bad Man can never have good Affections The Soul is as Wax it receiveth an impression from the Object Take a Glass put it towards Heaven there you shall see the Figure of Heaven put it towards the Earth and you see the Figure of the Earth Trees Meadows Fruits thou receivest a Figure from the Objects to which thou appliest thy Heart Earthly Things or Heavenly But you will say What would you have us do Is it a Fault to enjoy the World No But to have a worldly Spirit 1. Be not of a worldly Spirit when thou wantest the Things of this World Be not over-careful for the Things of this Life use the Means God hath ordained trust God with the Issue and Event of all Carking implies not only distrust but discontent with God's Allowance and both imply Worldliness Distrust and Fear Luke 12.22 Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat neither for the Body what ye shall put on I am sure Discontent doth Be contented with a mean Condition if these things were good for us God would never deny them to us never have bidden us to conâ—emn them Saints are never more Illustrious than when they have least of the World the less splendor they have in the World the more bright and glorious are they had the Saints a worldly Glory their Grace would not appear with such advantage 2. Be not of a worldly Spirit when thou hast the World A godly Man may be a rich Man but take heed of Trust immoderate Delight and Pride in them Do not trust in them for they are vain nor delight in them for they are Snares nor be proud of them they do not make us better we do not value an Horse by the Trappings but by his Spirit and Courage We may accept the Allowance of Providence it is not having Wealth but setting the Heart upon it nor the Injoiment but Trust in it that is condemned Psal. 62.11 Trust not in Oppression become not vain in Robbery if Riches increase set not you Heart upon them You will be apt to do it but divert your Heart draw it off into another Country 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this World that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain Riches And Vers. 19. Laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on Eternal Life Get a Bank in Heaven make an advantage of it for Religion to confirm your title to Heaven by more Evidences Our Wealth follows us not into another World but our Works do A Man that loveth his Mony is willing to part with it to assure his title to an earthly Inheritance 3. Be not dejected and over-sorrowful when thou losest them thou art but delivered of a Burden a Charge and a Snare Riches are a Clog to thee We are sure to give an Account 2. Take the words as they denote the outward condition of the Disciples They are not of the World that is not respected by it as if they were of their Number and Faction left out of the World's Tale and Count. 1. Observe It is â—n hard thing to digest the World's Neglect and Disrespect We had need be urged again and again partly because every one would be some-body in the World and have some Interest here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when we miss our Aims Sorrow is obstinate Sufferings harsh and irksome to Flesh and Blood because we admire things below and have too good an opinion of them Vse This should be regarded by us in these Times when some grasp the World and use all kind of Means to get it into their Hands others are apt to envy at them when they see others have all and themselves poor Men think themselves wronged 1. Let them alone look after better things Psal. 17.14 From Men of the World who have their Portion in this Life and whose Belly thou fillest with thy good Things If they grow fat upon common Mercies we have no reason to pine and murmur You have not such large Estates costly Furniture fine Cloaths but you have a better Heart it is enough Let the World's Fondlings be dandled on the World's Knees You have a better Portion full Breasts to suck on purer Consolations When a River is troubled the Mud will come on top In Troubles Sin would be uppermost You have no reason to change Conditions 2. Remember by whose Providence it falleth out
God hath any care of Humane Affairs we cannot but judg that Doctrine to be Divine which God hath suffered to diffuse and spread it self far and near in all parts of the World Nay if he hath any care of his own Glory for this Doctrine pretendeth to be his and his permitting it to be propagated sheweth that he owneth the Claim and Pretence to right himself and to undeceive the Nations he would otherwise have disclaimed them Herod was smitten with Worms and died when he assumed Divine Honour to himself Acts 12.22 23. And the People gave a shout saying It is the Voice of a God and not of a Man And immediatly the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the Glory and he was eaten of Worms and gave up the Ghost It is agreeable with the goodness of Providence that that which is best should be diffused Now what Religion hath been so diffused as the Christian through Europe Asia Egypt Ethiopia and other parts of Africa and now in America It is true Paganism is of a vast extent but it includeth many Religions under one Name Some worship a Star some a Dog or Cat some a Plant. Rites differ with Nations and Countries But Christianity alone like the Leaven hath pierced the whole Lump Mat. 13.33 The Kingdom of Heaven is like Leaven which a VVoman took and hid in three Measures of Meal till the whole was leavened Within the space of thirty Years or thereabout it spread far and near throughout the Roman Empire and much further Hesterni sumus saith Tertullian tamen vestra omnia implevimus Vrbes Insulâ—s Castella Municipia Conciliabula Castra ipsa Tribus Decuriâ—s paulatim Senatum Forum sola vobis relinquimus Templa We are but of Yesterday and yet how are we increased the Christians are found in all Places Cities Villages Isles Castles Free Towns Councels Armies Senate mark every where but in the Idols Temples Such a wonderful Increase and Success was there in a short time So I shall mention Augustine's Dilemma If the Miracles related by our Writers be true then they give experience of the Truth of Scripture if false and feigned then this is a Miracle above all Miracles that the Christian Religion should prevail in such a manner as it hath done in the World You will say so too if you do but consider the Circumstances of this Success the Doctrine it self contrary to Nature it is a Religion that doth not court the Senses nor woe the Flesh it offereth no splendor of Life nor Pleasures nor Profits it biddeth us to deny all these things and expect Persecution Self-denial is the first Lesson that is learned in Christ's School Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up the Cross and follow me As Crates to a Woman that courted him shewed his bunched back The Devil disguiseth his Temptations and concealeth the worst Christianity hath its Allurements but they are either Spiritual or to be made good in another World here they have Comfort with Persecution Mark 10.30 He shall receive an hundred fold now in this Life Houses and Brethren and Sisters and Mothers and Children and Lands with Persecutions and in the VVorld to come Eternal Life Here they have Support and Comfort but still Trouble and Exercise And the Doctrine is as contrary to our Lusts as our Interests Col. 3.5 Mortify therefore your Members which are upon the Earth Fornication Vncleanness inordinate Affections evil Concupiscence and Covetousness which is Idolatry As dear and as near as a Joint of the Body is yea the most useful One it is to be cut off Mat. 5.29 30. If thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee c. And if thy right Hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee Now that this should prevail it argueth a Divine Power Mahomet allured his Followers with fair Promises of Security and carnal Pleasure there Wind and Tide went one way Man is very credulous of what he desireth but Christianity teacheth Men to row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood and to bear out Sail against all the Blasts and furious Winds without here was nothing lovely to a carnal Eye This for the Doctrine it self Again Look upon the Persons that were to manage it the contemptibleness of the Instruments which God used in promoting the Word a few Fishermen destitute of all worldly Props and Aids of no Power Wealth Wisdom Authority and other such Advantages as were wont to beget a repute in the World yet they preached and converted many Nations they had no Publick Interest and were not backed with the Power and Authority of Princes as Superstitions are wont to prevail by their Countenance and Example Every one seeketh the Face of the Ruler But the Gospel had gotten firm footing in the World long e're there was a Prince to countenance it there were many to persecute it but none to profess it It is notable that at first as God's Instruments were poor and contemptible so were the Persons that received their Message James 2.5 Hearken my beloved Brethren Hath not God chosen the Poor of this VVorld rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised He speaketh it as a known Observation in that Age. Tho now as the Church is constituted it is otherwise and sometimes God chuseth the Rich and sometimes the Poor but then those that were poor and despicable that it might be known they were not moved with any outward Respects to profess the Truth and that the Glory of his Power might be known in preserving and propagating Religion when destitute of worldly Succours and Supports Ne videretur authoritate traxisse aliquos saith Ambrose veritatis ratio non pompae gratia praevaleret It was much that Christianity supported by such to appearance despicable Instruments should hold up the Head yea the Powers of the World were against it Bonds and Sufferings and Afflictions and Deaths did abide them every where horrible Tortures and very frequent never did War Pestilence or Famine sweep away so many as the first Persecutions Thus were Christians murdered and butchered every where and yet still they multiplied and were not frightned by their Calamities as the Israelites grew by their Oppression in Egypt or as a Tree that is lopped sendeth out the more Sprouts Christianity flourished most when the scorching heat of Persecution was at the highest And as they were without Power and worldly Interests so they had not such Gifts of Art Eloquence and Policy as the World had with whom they had to deal You see in the Scriptures all is carried on in a plain way without Art and Pomp of Words Paul was learned indeed but he layeth aside his Ornaments lest the Power of the Cross of Christ should be made void 1 Cor. 2.3 4 5. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling And my Speech
bait the Devil and hunt him out of his Territories and oppose themselves against the Tradition of the Nation there is a mighty Spirit set up and he shall convince the World those that are not really and heartily gained he shall convince them of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment 1. Of Sin because they believe not in me The Spirit shall convince them that Christ is the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah and so it is a Sin to reject him and his Doctrine that Unbelief is a Sin as well as the Breach of the Moral Law and that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be owned as a Mediator as well as God as a Law-giver All will grant that a Breach of the Law of God is a Sin but the Spirit shall convince that a Transgression against the Gospel is a Sin as well as against the Law 2. Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye shall see me no more That Christ did not remain in the State of the Dead but rose again and ascended and liveth with the Father in Glory and Majesty and therefore that he was not a Seducer but that Righteous One and so however he was rejected by Men yet he was owned and accepted by God and all his Pretensions justified and so might sufficiently convince the World that it is Blasphemy to oppose him as a Malefactor and his Kingdom and Interest in the World there needeth no more to perswade Men that he was that Holy and Righteous one 3. Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged The Devil is the Prince of this World Eph. 6.12 The Ruler of the Darkness of this World and he was condemned by virtue of Christ's Death and Judgment executed upon him by the Spirit John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out He was foiled and vanquished by Christ and by the Power of the Gospel was to be vanquished more and more by silencing his Oracles destroying his Kingdom recovering poor captive Souls translating them out of the Kingdom of Darkness into a State of Holiness Liberty Light and Life the usurped Power he had over the blind and guilty World is taken from him now his Judgment shall be executed 4. The Way and Means whereby this should be brought about By the coming of the Spirit or the sending the Comforter When he came the Disciples and Messengers of Christ had large Endowments whereby they were enabled to speak powerfully and boldly to every People in their own Tongue and to endure their Sufferings and ill usage with great Courage and Fortitude and to work Miracles as to cure Diseases cast out Devils to confer extraordinary Gifts to silence Satan's Oracles and to destroy the Kingdom and Power of the Devil and to establish a sure Way of the Pardon of Sins and bring Life and Immortality to light preaching that Truth which should establish sound Holiness and helping to restore humane Nature to its Rectitude and Integrity And by this means he should convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment 5. Consider the Effects suitable both to his Promise and Prayer The Acts of the Apostles are a Comment on this Many of the Elect were converted At the first Sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit all that heard the Apostles discoursing that Jesus was appointed to be Lord and Christ were pricked in their Hearts and convinced Acts 2.37 38. This was not Conversion for they cried out What shall we do And Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Three thousand were converted by this Sermon and five thousand at another time Acts 4.4 when they preached boldly in the Name of Jesus yet others were only convinced pricked in Heart tho they had not yet attained to Evangelical Repentance Some that remained in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity yet they admired the Things the Apostles did and desired to share with them in their great Privileges Acts 8.18 19. When Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostle's Hands the Holy Ghost was given be offered them Mony saying Give me also this Power that on whomsoever I lay Hands he may receive the Holy Ghost Yea and some that were upon the Benches and Thrones and sat as Judges were almost perswaded to be Christians by a Prisoner in a Chain As Felix Acts 24.25 As Paul reasoned of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled And Agrippa Acts 26.28 Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Some were forced to magnify them who had not an Heart to join with them Acts 5.13 And of the rest durst no Man join himself to them but the People magnified them Some would have worshipped them who were yet Pagans Acts 14.11 And when the People saw what Paul had done they said The Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men. Some were astonished at what was done by the Apostles Acts 8.13 Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Signs and Miracles which were done Some marvelled at their boldness Acts 4.13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant Men they marvelled and they took knowledg of them that they had been with Jesus What! is this cowardly Peter that was foiled with the weak blast of a Damsel Nay their bitterest Enemies were nonplust in their Resolutions when they had to do with them and were afraid to meddle with them Acts 4.16 What shall we do to these Men for that indeed a notable Miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it So far the Bridle of Conviction was upon the Reprobate World SERMON XXXVII JOHN XVII 21 That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me HAVING proved the Point I shall examine Why Christ should be so earnest to have the World convinced that he should put this into his Prayer that the World may believe that thou hast sent me The Reasons are partly in respect of Himself partly in respect of the Elect partly in respect of the World First In respect of Himself 1. It is much for Christ's Honour that even his Enemies should have some esteem of him and some conviction of his Worth and Excellency Praise and Esteem in the Mouth of an Enemy is a double Honour more than in the Mouth of a Friend The Commendations of a Friend may seem the Mistakes of Love and their value and esteem may proceed from Affection rather than Judgment Now it is for the Honour of God and Christ that his Enemies speak well of him and that they give an
2. They that begin their Happiness here nâ—â—e it their study to know Christ. John 17.3 This is Life Eternal to know thee the only â—â—ue God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent there is the Foundation and the beginning of it Study Christ in his Natures Person Offices this is fit Work for Saints Saith Moses Exod. 33.18 Shew me thy Glory 1. It is an Increasing Light but to the Wicked it is a growing Darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outer Darkness Mat. 25.30 there they are held in Chains of Darkness you love Darkness better than Light and you shall have Darkness enough one Day Now there is a thick Curtain and Vail drawn between you and Christ and hereafter there will be a deep Gulph but our work in Heaven is to behold Christ's Glory Can a Man look for it and not follow on to know the Lord None shall have a fight of Christ hereafter that do not know him now 2. It must be such a Light as carries proportion with the Light of Glory that is an Affective transforming Light 1. An Affective Light Many may study to warm the Brain but not the Heart Rom. 2.20 Which hast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Form of Knowledg and of the Truth in the Law They may discourse more exactly than a good Christian have a Map and Model of Truth in the Brain they dig in the Mines of Knowledg that Christians may have the Gold Do you see him with any Affection Do you strive above all things to see his Face Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my Life to behold the Beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple It is David's Vnicum Moses Ravishment when he saw God's back Parts Exod. 34.9 If now I have found Grace in thy sight O Lord let my Lord I pray thee go amongst us That is one effect of the sight of God a Man would not be without his Company I pray thee go amongst us As Absolom said 2 Sam. 14.32 Come hither that I may send thee to the King to say Wherefore am I come from Geshur It had been good for me to have been there still now therefore let me see the King's Face and if there be any iniquity in me let him kill me as if he should say let him kill me rather than deny me the King's Face Prize this above all the World Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put Gladness in my Heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased Psal. 80.3 Cause thy Face to shine and we shall be saved 2. It is Transforming 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Light and Grace do always go together It is such a looking upon Christ as Laban's Sheep looked upon the peeled Rods in the Gutter it maketh us more like Christ. Sight worketh upon the Imagination in Brute Beasts Shall not the Eye of Faith be more strong to change than Natural Imagination A bare empty Contemplation will do you no good those that find themselves to be the Old Man still let them have never so much Knowledg it is no sign of Grace nor of an Interest in Glory Vse 3. Let the foresight of this glorious Estate wean thee from all inordinate Affections to Humane and Earthly Glory There is the Lust of the Eyes 1 John 2.16 By the Eyes we fire our Hearts Doth a stately glorious House allure thee What is this to Heaven the Palace of God and the Mansion of Blessed Spirits Do glorious Garments and Apparel bewitch thee What is this to our Robes of Righteousness and those Garments of Salvation wherewith the Saints shall be cloathed in the Day of the Manifestation of the Sons of God Doth the Face of Earthly Majesty astonish thee What will it be to behold the Lord Jesus in all his Majesty and Glory As the Sun puts out the Candle so should the fore-thought of these Excellencies extinguish in us carnal Desire and dissolve the Inchantment that would otherwise bewitch our Souls and make us impatient under the Cross. Beware of the Vanity of the Eye if it be consecrated to behold Christ's Glory Fifthly The next thing is the Reason of all this the Father's Eternal Love to Christ and in Christ to us For thou hast loved me before the Foundation of the World that is from all Eternity as the Phrase is often used in this sense in Scripture But how was Christ loved from all Eternity I Answer Partly as 〈◊〉 Eternal Son of God Prov. 8. from 21 to verse 30. before the Mountains were setled before the Hills were brought forth Partly as Mediator designed from all Eternity and so loved before the Foundation of the World as he was slain before the Foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 Christ was our Mediator from all Eternâ—â—â—y not only before we were born but before ever he came in the Flesh. To the Eyâ— of God all things are present nothing is past nothing is to come But why is this made a Reason I Answer It is a Reason 1. Of the last Clause the Glory given to Christ is a Fruit and Evidence of God's Eternal Love to him as Mediator for so he is considered here for what-ever was given to Christ was given to him as Mediator for to the Divine Nature nothing can be given tho the Father be the Fountain of the Godhead yet he is not so properly said to give Glory to Christ as God because he loved him 2. Of the whole Verse and so you may conceive it either thus that he improved his whole Interest in the Father conjuring him by his Infinite and Eternal Love or rather from Love to himself inferreth Love to us thou hast loved me and them in me for we also are loved before the Foundation of the World Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you before the Foundation of the World The Point to be discussed is The Eternity of God's Love to Christ and in Christ to us 1. The Eternity of God's Love to Christ as God as his Son the Love of Parents to Children is but a shadow of it We are Finite so are our Affections As his Image Heb. 1.3 Who is the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Likeness is the Ground of Love God loves Christ not only as like him but as being of the same Essence with himself 1 John 5.7 For there are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. There is no created Instance to answer it all that we love are without us but Christ is of the same Essence with God Then
mightily and effectually for it cometh not to us in word only but in power 1 Thess. 2.13 Ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe And more particulary in Mortification for it is Faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 Where the Christian Doctrine is really entertained and received by Faith it taketh men off from their old sins 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The obedience of the Truth is nothing else but Faith wrought in us by the Spirit upon the hearing of the Gospel this produceth in us that purity of heart and life which becometh Christians II. I will give you the reasons The Death of Christ may be considered as it worketh morally or as it worketh meritoriously As it worketh morally it hath a full and a sufficient force to draw us off from sin as it worketh meritoriously it purchaseth the Spirit for us As it worketh morally it layeth a strong ingagement upon us as it worketh meritoriously it giveth great incouragement to oppose and resist sin and set about the mortification of it So that the true way of subduing sin is by serious reflexion on the Death of Christ which we shall consider 1. As it is a strong ingagement 2. As it is a great incouragement 1. As it is a strong ingagement and there 1. It is a pattern to teach us how to deny the pleasures of the senses Pleasure is the great Sorceress that hath bewitched all the World and that which giveth strength to all temptations Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed There is some sensitive carnal bait which first inviteth and then draweth us from our duty and all the Charms sin hath upon us are by the treacherous sensual appetite which is impatient to be crossed So when another Apostle speaketh of a revolt to the carnal life after some partial Reformation he giveth this account of it 2 Pet. 2.20 After they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled and overcome Before men be overcome by Temptation they are first inticed by the apprehension of some pleasure or profit which is to be had by their sins by which apprehension the danger of committing the sin is covered and hid as the Fishers hook is by the bait that is the Metaphor there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lapse again into the slavery of the former sins which they seemed to have escaped Therefore till we are dead to the sensitive lure and can be content to suffer in the flesh and to deny the satisfactions of the animal life we shall never avoid the slavery of sin nor know that our old man is crucified Now what is more powerful than the consideration of the Death and Example of Jesus Christ In his whole Life he was a Man of sorrows and so taught us to contemn the world and the pleasures of the flesh but especially at his Death when pain was poured in upon him by the Conduit of every Sense there he pleased not himself Rom. 15. 3. but conquered the love of life and all the natural contentments of life that he might please God and procure our Salvation Now we have not the Spirit of our Religion till we grow dead not only to the pleasures of sin but the natural pleasures of life yea life it self and can submit all to Gods glory 2. As it is an act of Love which should beget love in us to God again which love will make us tender of sinning There are many aggravations of sinning but the greatest of all is because we sin against so much Love as God hath shewed us in our Redemption by Christ. Sin is aggravated by the greatness of the Person against whom it is committed against the infinite Majesty of God as to strike an inferiour person is not so hainous a crime as to strike a Magistrate or Prince but this will not hold in all cases for foul indignities and grievous wrongs offered to meaner persons are a greater offence than the omission of a Ceremony to a Prince as if a man through ignorance of the customs of the Court should not be bare before his Chair of State Therefore take in the other Consideration of the infinite Goodness and Love of God towards us in Christ this doth exceedingly aggravate our sins They are acts of unkindness After such a deliverance as this is shall we again break thy commandments Ezra 9.13 14. after a deliverance out of Babylon out of Hell To sin against the infinite Goodness of a Creator by eating the forbidden Fruit we see what mischief it brought on Mankind conscious of this transgression the first Actors hid themselves from Gods presence But what is it to sin against the infinite Goodness of a Redeemer who came to recover us from this thraldom and bondage and to draw us to himself with the cord of love He chose rather to suffer the punishment due to our sins than to suffer sin still to reign in us whom he loved more dearly than his own life Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1.5 To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Now if after this manifestation of his Love we shall still continue in sin the hainousness of our offence is greatly increased 3. Christs Death is the best Glass wherein to view the deadly nature of sin It was so great and hainous an evil in the sight of God that nothing but the Blood of the Son of God could expiate it Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Jesus Christ must come and suffer a shameful Death this painful shameful accursed Death of the Son of God sheweth Gods displeasure against sin and what it will cost us if we allow it and indulge it in our hearts and lives for if this be done in the green tree what shall be done in the dry 4. It sheweth us also what a great benefit Mortification is This among others was intended by him and moved him to bear our sins in his Body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness To remember a good turn done by a Friend and not to prize and value it as we ought is rather to forget than to remember his friendliness So here if we do not prize Christs benefits we undervalue his Death and a lessening of the benefits is a lessening the price Now one of the chief of them is to take away sin and to break the reign of it in the heart of his
wean us from worldly happiness To make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 In time you shall be delivered see that you have the beginning and first-fruits and that you daily grow in grace 2. With earnest Longing Rom. 7.23 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven 3. As to Faith 1. Fix it and be at a greater certainty against all doubts and fears not only as to your interest but the truth of the promise of eternal Life These doubts may stand with a sincere Faith but not a confirmed Faith we have much of the Unbeliever in our bosoms venture all your happiness temporal and spiritual upon this security 2. Improve it it is the work of Faith to overcome the World and the Flesh 1 Joh. 5.4 5. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God to over-rule our sense and appetite and to teach us to make nothing of all that would disswade us against our heavenly interest Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God This is the true Mortification SERMON VIII ROM VI. 9 10. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him For in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God THAT I may the better explain the drift of these words let us take the Apostles Method along with us His intent is to prevent an abuse of the Doctrine of the Gospel which publisheth the free Grace of God to Sinners Where sin abounded grace did much more abound From hence some did infer That therefore under the Gospel they might take liberty to sin the more their sins were and the greater they were the more they should occasion God to manifest the abundance of his Grace upon them The Apostle answereth this 1. By way of Detestation Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid 2. By way of Confutation the Argument by which he confuseth it is our Baptismal Vow and Engagement How shall they that are dead to sin live any longer therein To clear this he explaineth our Baptismal Vow in the two branches of it dying to sin and living to righteousness the one direct and the other consequential directly we are baptized into the death of Christ vers 2. but so as that we also rise again to newness of life vers 4 5. for we are united to Christ as dying anâ— rising and we are by virtue of the Union to express a conformity to both vers 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection He proveth the former part vers 6 7. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin The latter he begins to prove vers 8. If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him How live with him As our spiritual death was answerable to the Death of Christ so our spiritual Life must be answerable to his Resurrection from the Dead as we have a Copy and Pattern for the mortifying sin in his Death so we have also a Copy and Pattern for newness of life in his Resurrection and therefore we do not in vain believe that we shall live spiritually and eternally with him Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him for in that he dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God The better to state the Analogy and Proportion between Christs Resurrection and our rising to the Life of Grace first and then of Glory afterward The Life of Christ after his Resurrection is set forth by two thiâ—â—â— 1. The Perpetuity or Immortality of it 2. The Perfection and Blessedness of it 1. The Perpetuity and Immortality of it is delivered in three expressions First Actual dying again is denied Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more Christs Resurrection was not a return to a single Act of Life or Life for a while to shew himself to the World and no more but to an immortal endless estate Secondly His further liableness or subjection to death is denied Death hath no more dominion over him That is thus expressed for two reasons 1. Death had once dominion over Christ when he gave up himself to dye for us he for a while permitted yea subjected himself to the power of it but Christ overcame death and put an end to its power by his Resurrection Acts 2.24 Whom God raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it 2. To shew that Christ dyed not only to expiate sin but to take away the dominion and power of it in Believers therefore it is said Death hath no more dominion over him he took away sin by which death reigneth he did enough both as to the satisfying Gods Justice and our Deliverance Thirdly Any further need of his dying again is denied In that he dyed he dyed unto sin once that is he hath done his work his Death needeth not to be repeated he dyed to sin once not in regard of himself for in him was no sin but as charged with the sins of his people he sufficiently took away sin both as to guilt and power 2. The Perfection and Blessedness of his Life is intimated In that he liveth he liveth unto God This expression may imply either the Holiness of his Life in Heaven or the Blessedness of it First The Holiness when Christ was raised from death to life again he liveth to God wholly seeketh to promote his Glory in the World he liveth with God and to God with God as he is sat down at the right hand of Majesty and administreth the Mediatorial Kingdom for his Glory as indeed God hath a great deal of Honour from Christ as Mediator Phil. 2.11 That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father 2. The Blessedness of it Christ always lived to God even before his Death Joh. 8.29 And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone but I do always those things that please him Why then is he said after his Resurrection to live to God Answ. As freed from
and so in the high way to destruction they say Tush it is folly to stand so scrupulously and nicely upon our Duty but on the other side they are free from sin that fear a Commandment that dare not venture when God hath hedged up their way the one are prophane they will speak and do as they list say God what he will to the contrary the other godly and have a deep reverence of God and so of his Word upon their hearts My heart standeth in awe of thy word saith David Psal. 119.161 Many fear the punishment of man or a Judgment when to visible appearance it is likely to tread upon the heels of sin and some may fear a Threatning but a gracious heart feareth a Commandment if a Commandment standeth in the way it is reason enough to a gracious heart to forbear more than if there were a Lion in the way or a Band of armed Enemies or an Angel with a drawn Sword such as stood in the way to stop Baalam they have a deep reverence of Gods Authority and it is no more than needeth for this direction is given to us 1 Pet. 1.17 Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear to those that take themselves to be renewed ones 2. Be more resolved against sin We shake off the yoke by a solemn entring into Covenant with God wherein we renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and heartily dedicate our selves to live unto God now the more resolved we are in either the more sincere is our Covenant A wavering purpose maketh us neither wholly off from sin nor wholly on upon Gods service but hangeth between both the heart is not biassed and ingaged and so there is a considerable and notable inconsistency in the life Jam. 1.8 A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways Therefore till the purpose cometh to be full we are not freed from the power of sin Some kind of willingness and unsound consent there is in the half converted yet for want of this true resolution their hearts are not right with God neither are they stedfast in his Covenant Psal. 78.37 It is long e're men will yield to live to God and when they seem to yield are long wavering e're they fully resolve they see all is not well with them and that they are not in a safe condition to appear before God in the Judgment and they have many perswadings of the Spirit of God and their own Consciences reasoning the case with them and under these perswasions the mind is under some purpose to take a new course but these purposes are either for the time to come hereafter they will be more strict and holy but still adjourn and put it off or else they are but half purposes that reach not to a full resolution and therefore if they make some kind of change it is by halves they are not free from sin which often returneth and recovereth its former Power and Reign in their Hearts But when men are resolved past all contradiction that this shall be their work and scope to please God then they do more fully yield up themselves to the renewing Spirit to be sanctified and prepared for Gods use the Scales are cast Righteousness gets the Power that Sin had before the man is new armed with a resolution to cease from sin and to betake himself to a holy life whatever it cost him 1 Pet. 4.1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves also with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin He is resolved to deny the Flesh forsake the World and to cast off the weight that hangeth on him and the sin that doth so easily beset him and to run with patience the race that is set before him Heb. 12.1 2. Good wishes and good purposes will not now serve the turn but active and serious endeavours the man that hath another work to do that he may actually forsake the sin which he hath renounced 3. Do not make a light matter of sin but hate and abhor it The Soul is never truly converted to God till Holiness hath our delight and love and sin our hatred and aversation When it is hated it is mortified While a man is a servant of sin he loveth not God nor spiritual things nor the holy ways of God but rather there is an opposition to them and enmity against them in the heart but when we become the Servants of God the object both of our love and hatred is changed we love God and his People and his Ways but then they hate sin sincerely even the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 13. the very evil actions they do themselves they hate Rom. 7.15 The evil which I hate that do I. Sin may break out sometimes but it is contrary to their liking but generally this hatred prevents sin and is a very great help to the forsaking of it they are so fallen out with sin that they keep it under Psal. 97.11 Ye that love the Lord hate evil their hearts are turned from it and against it whereas formerly they lived in fleshly pleasures their delight is in pleasing God the main bent of their heart and life is against sin and their chief design and endeavour is to destroy it Grace hath taught them that Sin Satan and the Flesh are their deadly Enemies that seek the Damnation of their Soul and therefore they deal with them as Enemies and bid defiance to them Alas what ado have we with many to leave a base Lust because they never truly hated it There is â—ome dislike of their sins for a while but when the fit is over they relapse into them because there is not an irreconcileable enmity and abhorrency Isa. 30.22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols Others stand dallying with sin but cannot leave it 4. If you would be free from sin avoid the temptations that lead to it If Ravens or Crows be driven away from the Carrion they love to abide within the scent Those that will play about the Cokatrices hole will surely be bitten therefore we ought to fly the occasions and appearances of evil 1 Thess. 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil If men would not be drowned what do they so near the waters side nor wounded why venture they among Enemies or meddle with the Bait if they would escape the Hook Therefore Caution is your Preservative 5. If you would be free from sin live unto God For Vivification doth promote Mortification and the sensual Life is best cured by the Souls delight in God and care to please him Job 1.1 Job was perfect and upright one that feared God and eschewed evil True
for their evidences are not clear by which they should be tryed Mortification Gal. 5.24 They that are Chrisâ—s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Courage 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye 3 d Use is of Direction to all sorts of Christians 1. Do all your duties as those that are under the law of the spirit of life Not in the oldness of the letter but the newness of the spirit not customarily formally but seriously with a life and a power believe in the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Love in the spirit Col. 1.8 Who also declared to us your love in the spirit Hope in the spirit Gal. 5.5 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Hear in the spirit pray in the spirit and obey in the spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit Let there be a Spirit and Life in all that you do 2. Beg of your Redeemer to pour out a fuller measure of his Spirit in your Souls he hath promised it Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication Isa. 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground and I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring The Saints have begg'd it earnestly Psal. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness And Luke 11.13 They that ask shall have None lack this grace but those that forfeit it by neglect and contempt and resistance of the motions of his holy Spirit 3. Vse Ordinances to this end All these are helps and means to obtain it the Gospel worketh morally and powerfully 'T is the Divine power giveth us all things to life and godliness therefore in the use of means you must wait for it 2 Pet. 1.3 According to his divine power he hath given us all things 4. Let us examine often and see if we are partakers of his Spirit Two Evidences there be of it and they are both in the Text life and liberty First life for this spirit is called the spirit of life in Christ Jesus by it we are enabled to live the life of faith and holiness Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the son of God Doth it rule the main course of your lives denying the pleasures and profits and honours of the World we must live in Christ and to Christ we must not only seek truth in the Gospel but life in the Gospel Secondly liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty There is more alacrity readiness and chearfulness in obedience Psal. 119.32 I will run the ways of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart 'T is a liberty not to do what we list but what we ought and that upon gracious and free motives with a large heart that can deny God nothing but is sweetly and strongly inclined to him SERMON III. ROM VIII 2 Hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death WE now come to the second point 2 Doct. That the new Covenant giveth liberty to all that are under it from the slavery of sin and the condemning power of the law Let me explain this point and here I shall shew you 1. That liberty supposeth precedent bondage 2. That our liberty must answer the bondage 3. I shall shew you the manner of getting our liberty First Liberty supposeth preceding bondage for when Christ spake of liberty or making them free the Jews quarrelled at it John 8.33 We were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou then that ye shall be made free So much we gather from their cavil That it is the first thought or the ready sentiment and opinion of mankind That to be made free implieth a foregoing bondage now our Bondage consisteth in a slavery to Sin and Satan and being under the condemning power of the law or obligation to the curse and eternal damnation 1. That man is under the slavery of sin which the Law convinceth him of that it is so with us the Scripture sheweth Titus 3.3 We were sometimes foolish and disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures 1. There is the condition of natural men they serve 2. The baseness of the Master lusts and divers lusts 3. The bait or motive by which they are drawn into this service intimated in the word pleasures for a little bruitish satisfaction a man selleth his Liberty his Soul his Religion his Good and All. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is most proper to our purpose for that noteth his slavery carnal affections so govern us that we know not how to escape and come out of this thraldome we suffer the Beast to ride the Man it were monstrous in the body for the feet to be where the head should be or to have the limbs distorted to have the arms hang backward yet such a de-ordination there is in the Soul when Reason and Conscience is put in vassalage to sense and appetite The natural order is this Reason and Conscience directs the Will the Will moveth the affections the affections move the bodily Spirits and they the senses and members of the body but natural corruption inverts all pleasures affect the senses the senses corrupt the phantasy the phantasy moveth the bodily spirits the affections by their violence and inclination inslave the Will and blind the Mind and so man is carried head-long to his own Destruction This Slavery implieth three things 1. A willing subjection Rom. 6.16 Know ye not â—hat to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Servants were made so eitheâ— by consent or conquest The Apostle speaketh there not of servants by conquest but of servants by consent and covenant When a man yeildeth up himself to be at the disposal of another he is a servant to him so in moral matters by whatever a man is imployed and to which he giveth up his time and strength life and love to that he is a servant be it to the flesh or to the spirit as we make it our business to accomplish or gratifie the desires of the one or the other A godly man hath sin in him but he doth not serve it yield up himself to obey it he doth not walk after his lusts 2. Customary practise and observance John 8.34 Whosoever eommitteth sin is the servant of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that liveth in an habit and course of sin these are brought under the power of it inslaved by such pleasures as they affect 3. Inability to come out of this condition The Law is
God Men hate those whom they fear The Roman Historian observeth it proprium est humani ingenii odisse quos Laeserit Why Because we fear their revenge We have wronged God exceedingly and know that he will call us to an account and therefore being sensible of the righteousness of his Vindictive Justice we â—ate him All that are afraid of God with such a fear as hath torment in it aut extinctum Deum cupiunt aut exanimatum 't is a pleasing thought to them if there were no God Psal. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God As the Devils tremble at their own thoughts of God so do wicked men 'T were welcome News to them to hear there were no God 4. God's enemies carry on a double War against him offensive and defensive The offensive War is when men break his Laws imploy all their Faculties Mercies Comforts as Weapons of unrighteousness against God Rom. 6.13 Yeild not your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but yeild your selves to God Our Faculties Talents and Interests are imployed either as armour of light for God or as weapons of unrighteousness against God The defensive war is when we slight his Word despise his Grace resist the motions of his Spirit Acts 7.51 Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear ye do always resist the Holy ghost When God bringeth his Spiritual Artillery to batter down all that which lifteth up its self against the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. When he besiegeth our hearts and battereth them daily by the rebukes and motions of his Spirit yet men will not yeild the Fortress but stand it out to the last take delight to go on in the obedience of their natural corruptions will not have Christ to reign over them and so they increase their enmity and double their misery by a resistance of grace and are Rebels not only against the Law but the Gospel stand out against their own mercies They are Enemies to an Earthly Prince that not only infest his Countrey with continual Inroads and Incursions but those also that keep his Towns and Strong Holds against him And in this sense an impenitent person and an enemy to God are equivalent Expressions in Scripture Tho you do not break out into open acts of Hostility against God yet if you will not come out of your bondage and come out of the misery and folly of your carnal estate you are enemies to him 5. That herein the enemies of our salvation agree that they all make us Rebels to God The Devil World and Flesh are equal in this The Devil's Servants and Subjects are opposite to Christ's Kingdom Eph. 6.12 Rulers of the darknese of this world And Col. 1.13 who hath translated us out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son While we remain in the one Kingdom we are enemies to the other Luke 19.27 But for those mine enemies that would not that I should reign â—ver them bring them hither and slay them before me The World James 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend to the world is an enemy to God They whose hearts are set upon the pleasures profits and honours of the World they are withdrawn from God as their proper Lord and chief Happiness and will neither be ruled by his Will nor seek his love and favour First they will not be ruled by his Will for God and the World command contrary things The World saith Slack no opportunity of gain To stand nicely upon Conscience is to draw trouble upon our selves That to give is wasteful profuseness and to forgive folly and weakness God on the contrary biddeth us deny our selves take up our Cross telleth us that giving is receiving and the glory of a man is to pass by an offence or to forgive the wrongs done to him So the Flesh As the World tempts us to Rebellion against God so the Flesh swalloweth the Temptation it carrieth us to do what we list and disposeth us to a flat Rebellion against God and a contempt of his Authority 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou sinned and dispised the commandment of God The Flesh will have it so Psal. 2.3 Let us break his bands and cast away his cords from us Affectation of carnal liberty is the very effect of sense-pleasing and flesh pleasing so that the carnal mind implieth a downright opposition to the Law of God All our ways are enmity to it and a direct repugnancy against it Secondly Nor do we seek his love and favour as our happiness The World propoundeth Objects that are pleasant to our Senses necessary in part for our uses in subordination to other things and so enticeth us from God But it could not entice us were it not for the Flesh which greedily swalloweth the bait 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us and embraced the present world And 2 Tim. 3.4 lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God And John 5.44 How can you believe that receive honour one of another And so we are detained from God by the Creature which should be a step and stair that should lead us up to him The World is full of allurements to the Flesh and those mercies which would raise the mind to God are made the fuel of sensuality and the greatest means to keep it from him None neglect him so much as those that have most of the World Jer. 2.31 O generation see ye the word of the Lord have I been a wilderness to Israel a land of darkness wherefore say my people We are lords we will come no more at thee so Mark 10.24 How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into tâ—â— kingdom of God They are most apt to live an ungodly sensual life as having less occasion than others to drive them to God 6. This enmity arising from the flesh is the more strengthned and increased the more it gaineth the mind and corrupts the mind for two Reasons First Then the leading part of the soul which should guide and command the rest is corrupted also There is in the upper part of the soul a directive and imperial power to fit him to obey God Now 't is blinded as to the directive power and weakned as to its imperial and commanding power all must needs fall into disorder and man will live a rebel to the law of his creation and so be an enemy to God First as to the leading and directing part of the soul that is the understanding there is a great blindness come upon us by the lust of the flesh so that we have neither a due sense of our happiness nor our duty not of our happiness for till the eves of our minds are opened by the spirit we have no real perswasion of the world to come Eph. 1.18 The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that ye may
transgressions which he hath committed he shall live and not die The one is removed the other asserted the one is the wages of sin the other the fruit of Gods Mercy and free Gift death we naturally abhor and life we naturally love therefore the one is threatned the other promised 2. To prove it by reasons 1. If we partake with Christ in one act we shall share with him in all If dead with him we shall live with him Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall live with him That is if we imitate Christ in his Death then we have sure grounds of believing that after his example we shall have a joyful Resurrection to eternal life he had said before v. 5. If we be planted into the likeness of his Resurrection That is be first raised from the death of sin to the Life of Grace and then the Life of Grace shall be swallowed up in the Life of Glory 2. The mortified soul is prepared to enjoy the heavenly life as being weaned from worldly and sensual delights Col. 1.12 Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the Saints in light There is a double meetness first a meetness in point of right secondly a meetness in point of congruity and preparation of heart the one respects Gods Appointment those who are qualified according to the Covenant the other the suitableness of our affections 1. They are in respect of God deemed meet and worthy whom God vouchsafeth to account worthy Thus he doth the mortified as we proved before he then that would live when he is dead must die when he is alive 2. Preparation of heart Heaven would be a burden to a carnal heart that hath no delight in Communion with God or the company of the Saints or an holy life What would he do with Heaven A Turkish Paradise would suit better with such sensual and brutish souls now those who are dead to the flesh and the world do the better relish those things which are heavenly 'T is not their trouble but their happiness they have the consummation of their hopes and aims 3. They desire this life and groan and wait for it Which desires groans and longings being stirred up in them by Gods Spirit will not be in vain They cannot be satisfied with the Wealth Pleasures and Honours of the World they must enjoy something beyond all these things and that is God and here they enjoy him but imperfectly The more the flesh is mortified our desires to love know and enjoy God are more kindled in us Now by this these are marked out as heirs of promise for God infuseth the desire that they may be satisfied and where they are laborious they will certainly be satisfied for otherwise God would intice us to the pursuit of an happiness which he never meaneth to give 4. God promiseth it to the mortified the more to sweeten the duty Those that think it is easie to forsake sin never tried it Mortification is of an harsh sound in a carnal ear to contradict our carnal desires and displease the flesh which is so near and dear to us will not easily down with us God might exact it out of Soveraignty but he propoundeth rewards If we must pass thorough a streight gate and narrow way it leadeth unto life Matth. 7.14 Sin is such a disorderly thing and doth so invert the course of a rational nature that we should part with it by any means but especially when the case is so stated that we must live or die for ever This motive should work upon us because of our Desires and Fears 1. Our desiâ—es Corrupt nature will teach us to love our selves and so to desire happiness which we cannot enjoy if we live not for the dead are neither capable of happiness nor misery tho we are unwilling to deny the flesh or renounce the Credit Profit or Pleasure of sin or grow dead to the world or worldly things yet we are willing enough of life and happiness therefore God promiseth that we desire that we may submit to those things which we are against as we sweeten bitter Pills to Children that they may swallow them down the better they love the Sugar tho they loathe the Aloes So God would invite us to our duty by our interest if Mortification be an unpleasing task it conduceth to our life Prov. 8.35 36. He that findeth me findeth life saith Wisdom and he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul and he that hateth me loveth death Who would be so unnatural as to wrong his own soul To murder himself to court his own death and destruction 'T is not only against the Dictates of Grace but the desires of Nature There is nothing can be supposed to enfeeble this Argument but these Two things 1. Mens vehement addictedness to their carnal courses that they will rather die than part with them 2. That this life which the Promises of the Gospel offer is an unknown thing it being to be injoyed in the other world Both are truths yet the Motive is still forcible 1. How addicted soever men are to any outward thing yet to preserve life they will deny themselves Job 2.4 Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life It was a truth tho it came out of the Devils Mouth Nothing is so dear to a man as his own life men will spend all that they have upon the Physitian to recover their health Luke 8.43 Yea they will hazzard the members of their own body cut off a Leg or an Arm for preserving life and shall not we part with a lust to get life Who would sell his precious life at such a cheap rate as the pleasing of a vain and wanton humour 2. But this life which is not a matter of sense but of faith is not likely to be much valued Answer There is some inclination in the heart of man to eternal life nature gropeth and feeleth about for an eternal good and an eternal good in the enjoyment of God Act. 17.27 as blind men do in the dark Tho man by nature lyeth in gross ignorance of the true God as our Lord and Happiness yet the sense of an Immortality is not altogether a stranger to nature such a conceit hath been rooted in the minds of all Nations and Religions not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized they have thought so and been solicitous of a life after this life Herodotus telleth us that the ancient Goths thought their souls perished not but went to Zamblaxis the Captain of their Colony or Founder of their Nation and Diodorus Siculus of the Egyptians that their Parents and Friends when they died went to some eternal habitation Moderate Heathens when they are asked about Eternal Life and Judgment to come as to Judgment to come they know it not but this thing they know that the condition of men and beasts is different but what their
The first expression hightens the priviledge in our thoughts as the party adopting is so is the priviledg more or less glorious in our thoughts Adoption is in all free and in some glorious If a mean man adopt anothers child 't is an act of free favour but if adopted to a great Inheritance suppose many Lord ships or to the succession of a Crown it doth inhaunse the benefit So here this giveth a right to the everlasting goods of the Heavenly Father Secondly The other expression joint heirs with Christ. This Heritage giveth us a Communion with the only begotten Son of God what the Son of God by Nature injoyeth that the Children of God by Adoption injoy also so far as they are capable we together with Christ injoy God for evermore He is his God and Father and our God and Father John 20.17 he is glorified and we are glorified together with him 3. 'T is applied as a comfort against adversities and afflictions if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together The latter clause we may look upon as propounded 1. As a concession 2. As a condition accordingly as we translate the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing that or if so be 1. A concession seeing that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together Tho we shall hereafter have Communion with Christ in Glory yet for the present we may have Communion with him in afflictions this doth not infringe our priviledg but confirm it rather 1 Pet. 4.13 Rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy Those that suffer for Christ do also suffer with Christ they are brought into a nearer conformity to him in his state of humiliation that afterwards they may be conformed to him in Glory 2. In the way of condition We must submit to the condition of afflictions as necssary to obtain glory for there must be striving before crowning 2 Tim. 2.5 If a man strive for masteries yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully that is if any man would enter into the lists in any of the Olimpick Games he must observe the rules in running cutting wrestling c. He must submit to the laws of the Game or Exercise He applieth this similitude v. 12. If we suffer with him we shall reign with him That is we must suffer for Christ and we shall be rewarded with the participation of his Glory so here we would all have our priviledges but before we injoy the full of them we must be conformed to him suffer for him and with him that in imitation of our head and chief we may come to glory the same way that Christ did by sufferings Heb. 2.10 For it became him sor whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering But you will say All are not called to the afflictions of the Gospel is this condition indispensible then none but Martyrs are glorified Answer 1. All have not Abels Cross do not run the hazard of their lives but usually they will have Isaacs Cross Gal. 4.29 He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit Meaning thereby those cruel mockings and scoffings which Isaac indured from Ishmael Gen. 21. the Children of God living upon an unseen God and an unseen world sensual men mock at their interest in God and labour to shame them from their confidence in promises yet to come 2. Tho all suffer not yet all must be prepared and contented to suffer Math. 16.24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me God knoweth at what rate our sincerity must be tried yet every one should make Christ a good Allowance and our alienation from the world must be so great and our resignation to God so full that nothing we enjoy here not life its self may be an impediment to our fidelity to Christ. 3. When God seeth it fit we must actually suffer the loss of all things and obey God at the dearest rates 1 Pet 3.17 If the will of God be so that ye shall suffer for well doing affirmativa precepta non ligant ad semper affirmative precepts do not bind at all times as negatives do We must never do any thing against the Truth but we are not always tied to suffering but when we come to a necessity of either suffering or sinning then God manifesteth his will to his People that they should suffer and then if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together No creature could have brought us to this necessity without God 't is plainly Gods will that we should suffer and remember it is his will that we should also reign with him Doct. That all Gods Children are heirs of a blessed and glorious inheritance Here I shall shew you 1. The agreement between common heirs and them 2. The difference 3. Those properties which shew the greatness of the Inheritance 1. The Agreement in these things 1. There is an Inheritance provided We have a right to all the good things God hath promised especially eternal life therefore the People of God are called Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 Heirs of the kingdom Jam. 2.5 And the Heavenly Estate is called the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 Those excellent things which are to be injoyed by us in the other world are in the nature of an Inheritance 2. The conveyance is by promise and covenant as other heritages are conveyed by formalitiâ—s of Law so is this The Covenant is so offered by God and so it must be accepted by us Psal. 119.111 Thy testimonies I have taken as an heritage for ever As we say a mans estate lieth in Bills and Bonds so are Gods Testimonies our heritage not the promises but the things promised And so it is said Heb. 6.12 That Gods Holy ones did through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises that is the thing promised spiritual and eternal blessings and rewards 3. Our tenor is by sonship 'T is free for the inheritance is not purchased by us but freâ—ly bestowed upon us a childs tenure differeth from a servant the one earneth his wages and the other hath his Estate from his Fathers bounty and free gift so is ours the gift of God Rom. 6.23 In opposition to works called therefore the reward of inheritance Col. 3.24 Tho servants earn what they receive from men yet from the Lord Christ whatever they receive for faithfulness in their calling 't is a free retribution tho they are servants to men yet they are sons to God for all are children and heirs in Heaven there is no distinction of servants and sons there In short whatever is promised to any work of ours 't is not from any worth in
together 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment They are light just so they are short in comparison of eternal Glory as of short continuance if compared with eternity so of small weight if compared with the reward eternity maketh them short and the greatness of the reward maketh them easie There are degrees in our troubles some of the Saints get to Heaven at a cheaper rate than others do but yet the afflictions of all are light if we consider the unspeakable Glory of the world to come indeed we do but prattle when we presume fully to describe it for it doth not appear what we shall be and it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive the great things which he hath prepared for them that love him But the Scripture expressions every where shew it shall be exceeding great and also by the beginnings of it the world is ignorant and incredulous of futurity therefore God giveth us the beginnings of Heaven and Hell in this world in a wounded spirit and the comforts of a good Conscience these things we have experience of we know not exactly what our future condition will be but the hopes and fears of that estate are very affective the fears and horrors of eternal torment which are found in a Guilty Conscience do in part shew what hell will be or the nature of that wo and anguish which abideth for the impenitent Prov. 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear The Salve for this Sore must come from Heaven only so the joys of a good conscience which are unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 shew that the happiness appointed for the Saints will be exceeding great for if the foretast be so sweet the hope and expectation be so ravishing what will the injoyment be Besides God moderateth our sufferings that they may not be overlong or over grievous 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it If the trial be heavy he fortifieth us by the comfort and support of the spirit and so maketh it light and easie to us To a strong Back that Burden is light which would crush the weak and faint and cause them to shrink under it but tho God moderateth our afflictions he doth not abate our Glory that is given without measure A far more exceeding weight of glory 5. The sufferings are in our mortal bodies but the glory is both in soul and body 'T is but the flesh which is troubled and grieved by affliction the flesh which if delicately used soon becometh our enemy the Soul is free and not liable to the power of man now it becometh a man much more a believer to look after the Soul Heb. 1◠39 We are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Implying that they that are tender of the flesh are Apostates in heart if not actually and indeed so yet in practice But those which will purchase the saving of the Soul at any rates are the true and sound Believers The World which gratifieth the bodily life may be bought at too dear a rate but not so the Salvation of the Soul they that are so thrifty of the Comforts and Interests of the Bodily Life will certainly be prodigal of their Salvation But a Believer is all for the saving of his Soul That is the end of his Faith and labours and sufferings and his Self-denial The end of his Faith is to save his Soul 1 Pet. 1.9 So much as God is to be preferred before the Creature Heaven before the World Eternity before Time the Soul before the Body so much doth it concern us to have the better part safe But yet this is not all that which is lost for a while is preserved to us for ever if the body be lost temporally 't is secured to all eternity If we lose it by the way we are sure to have it at the end of the journey when the body shall have many priviledges bestowed upon it but this above all the rest that it shall be united to a Soul fully sanctified from which it shall never any more be seaprated but both together shall be the eternal Temple of the Holy Ghost 6. Sufferings do mostly deprive us of those things which are without a man but this is a glory which shall be revealed in us By sufferings we lose estate liberty comfortable abode in the world among our Friends and Relations If life its self which is within us 't is only as to its capacity of outward injoyments for as to the fruition of God and Christ so 't is true he that loseth his life shall save it Matth. 25.16 and shall live tho he die John 11.25 'T is but deposited in Christs hands But this Glory is revealed in us in our Bodies in their Immortality agility clarity and brightness in our Souls by the beatifical vision the ardent love of God the unconceivable joy and everlasting peace and rest which we shall have when we shall attain our end now if we be deprived of things without us for such things within us if we be denyed to live in dependance on the creature that we may immediately enjoy God should we grudg and murmur 7. Our sufferings dishonour us in the sight of the world but this glory maketh us amiable in the sight of God For having such a near relation to God and being made like him we are qualified for a perfect reception of his love to us we love God more in the glorified estate and God loveth us more as appeareth by the effects for he communicateth himself to us in a greater latitude than we are capable of here now is the hatred of the world worthy to be compared with the love of a Father Or should their frowns be a temptation to us to divert us from that estate wherein we shall be presented holy and unblamable and irreprovable in his sight Col. 1.22 When perfectly sanctified we love God more and are more beloved by him 8. The order is to be considered for look as to the wicked God will turn their glory into shame so as to the godly he will turn their shame into glory 'T is good to have the best at last for 't is a miserable thing to have been happy and to have had experience of a better condition and to become miserable Luke 6.20 Wo to you rich for you have received your consolation and Luke 16.25 Son in thy life time thou receivedst thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented The beggar had first temporal evils and then eternal good things but the rich man had first temporal good things and then eternal evil
It sheweth that there is an excellent state of happiness far beyond what we do now injoy provided for the people of God This is seen Partly because all things tend to it as to their great end and state of perfection there is a tendency in the inanimate creatures And Partly because the glory is so great that there must be a dissolution of the present world and a pure estate of things before we can have our happiness We admire the splendor of the present world are taken with earthly things too apt to place our happiness in them but this world must be purged and refined by fire before it can be capable to suit with that blessed estate of things which God hath appointed for his people God denieth not the splendor of the world as too good for his people but as too bad and base to be their Portion the delights of wicked men shall be burnt up before their eyes when he bestoweth their true happiness upon them There would not be else an harmony in all the parts of the World to come if there were not new Heavens and a new Earth This polluted state is not consistent with that happiness therefore when the Saints are perfected the world is restored 2. To quicken earnest expectation All things are carried to their end The little Seeds will work through the dry clods that it may come into Stalk and Flower The whole universe is directed and inclined to a more happy estate so should we look after our most perfect state the creatures by inclination wait for it and shall not we who are to have the chief part therein 3. To perswade the necessity of patience during our sufferings in the mean time We live in a groaning world and such as shall be first destroyed and then restored As the frame of the sublunary world being now in disorder and at length to be dissolved groaneth after a restauration So tho we be harrassed with afflictions and must at length die and this animated body be turned into a rotten carkase yet at length shall be raised up in Glory The points are Three 1. That the glorious priviledges of Gods children are manifested at the last day 2. That the state of the creatures is renewed when Gods children come to be manifested in their glory 3. That this estate of things ought earnestly to be desired and expected by us For the first point That the glorious priviledges of Gods children are manifested at the last day It supposeth that their estate and happiness is hidden for the present but then manifested Here we must enquire 1. How they are hidden 2. From whom 3. Why they are hidden 2. How they are manifested then and so we shall the better understand how the word is used in opposition to the present estate 1. They are hidden as to their persons 2. Their life is hidden 3. As to their priviledges and glorious estate First hidden as to their persons Now 't is little known who are Gods Children Christ himself was not known in the world 1 John 3.1 The world knoweth us not because it knew him not Much less are his People known For he did more to distinguish himself than they possibly can do But it shall be in time manifested who are Gods Children Mal. 3.18 Then shall he return and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Some pretend to be his children and servants others really are so 'T is not exactly known in the Winter when the Roots lie in the Earth we cannot tell what will appear in the Spring but when the Sun shineth in its strength and warmth the Bosom of the Earth things hidden then discover themselves As Moses told the Rebels in Num. 10. To morrow the Lord will shew who are his so in the Morning of the Resurrection the natural and only begotten Son is known Christ will appear in all his Royalty and Glory as the great God and Saviour of the World Titus 2.13 So all the Children of God are known They now lie hid among multitudes and swarms of sinful men but then Christ shall gather all nations and he shall separate the one from the other as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats Matth. 25.32 There shall be an eminent and sensible distinction of the one from the other beyond all power of mistakeing 2. Their life is hidden Col. 3.3 Our life is hidden with Christ in God Hidden not only in point of security as maintained by an invisible power but in point of obscurity there is a vail upon it how so Partly because the spiritual life is hidden under the vail of the natural life 't is a life within a life the spiritual life is nothing else but the natural life sublimated and overruled to higher and nobler ends Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God They live in the flesh but they do not live after the flesh The Children of God eat and drink and sleep and marry and give in marriage as others do for when they are converted they do not divest themselves of the interests and concernments of flesh and blood but all these things are governed by grace and carried on to eternal ends The grace now or vital principle that ruleth this life is not seen tho the effects appear Partly Because of the vail of afflictions outward meanness and abasement Heb. 11.37 38. The world was not worthy of them yet they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins and the dens and caves of the earth who would think that so much worth should lie hid under a base outside would any judge that these lived in the highest favour of God and constant communion with him who had so little of his protection and common bounty That they should have so near a relation to God and yet be so miserably poor and destitute That those that want Bread should be heirs of a kingdom Jam. 2.5 That they that feel the hand of God upon them so heavy and smart sometimes should have so much of his heart Partly under the vail of reproaches and calumnies 1 Pet. 4.6 They are judged according to men in the flesh yet live to God in the spirit They are represented in the world as a company of dissemblers and hypocrites and yet in the mean while are the sincere servants and children of God 2 Cor. 6.8 As deceivers and yet true The world counteth them deceivers but God counteth them faithful By the reproach of the world as Husbandmen by soil and dung God maketh his heritage the more fruitful those that have a mind to hate will take up every prejudice against the people of God and will not easily be dispossessed of it And Partly because there is another vail upon good Christians and that is the vail of infirmities by which they
life and we are not lords of our own lives but guardians to keep them for God and he will in time deliver the soul into a state of light life and glory This waiting patience is delivered to us under the similitude of an husbandman Jam. 5.7 Who waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it till he receive the early and latter rain The husbandman cannot look for a present harvest but the seed that is cast into the ground must endure all weathers before it can spring up into a blade and ear so must we expect our season 3. The working patience which is going on with our self-denying obedience how tedious soever it be to the flesh Thus we are told that the good ground bringeth forth fruit with patience Luke 8.15 The others are hasty must have present satisfaction or else grow weary of Religion all evils from impatiency they could not tarry till God gave crowns and pleasures therefore they miscarried by their inclinations to vain delights so the heirs of promise are described to be those that continue with patience in well doing Rom. 2.7 And to the Church of Ephesus God saith Revel 2.2 I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience The business of Religion is carried on with great diligence and painfulness 't is not an idle and sluggish profession lusts are not easily mortified neither do graces produce their perfect work with a little perfunctory care no! but much labour is required Now to abound in the work of the Lord requireth a fervent hope to sweeten it 2. The qualification of that hope which produceth this patience 't is well grounded and 't is lively First 'T is a serious and well grounded hope when we first gave up our selves to Christ we reckoned and allowed for labours and troubles the Lord telleth us afore-hand Matth. 7.14 Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it The entrance and the progress is displeasing to the flesh or the carnal nature in us so Matth. 16.24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples If any man will come after me let him deny himself and follow me and Luke 14. If we will make war with the old serpent build for Heaven your hope is groundless if you hope for eternal life and are unwilling to undertake any difficulty for Christs sake you must reckon upon displeasing the flesh offending the world if you would enter into life 2. 'T is lively 't is not the cold and superficial but the earnest and effectual hope the desires of a lively hope are vehement we long for enjoyment and would fain attain the end but they are also submissive and we will quietly wait Gods leisure as Paul had a desire to depart yet was willing to abide in the flesh if he might do God any service Phil. 1.23 24. Tho the way be long the difficulties great and many yet we must be content to be without our reward till our work is finished and without our crown till our warfare is ended and suffer evil things and not forsake good things which are the way also to obtain better as long as God will prolong life tho it be to endure more troubles we must submit 3. How this hope produceth patience with respect to the object and the subject First with respect to the Object this patience ariseth from the certainty and goodness of the things hoped for 't is a sure and great reward First the certainty 't is not a vain hope such as is built upon the promise of a deceitful man but the word of the ever-living God Job 13.15 Tho he slay me yet I will trust in him The holy obstinacy of hope cometh from the certainty of the promise 2. The greatness of the things promised they are rare and excellent worth the waiting for it promiseth rest for labour Rev. 14.13 Your troublesome work will not last long but be over in a little time and you shall have joy and delight for pain and sorrow and all the sad things of the present life 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad with exceeding joy And glory for shame Heb. 12.2 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 Secondly The subject First it breedeth courage and fortitude and strengthneth our resolutions for God and Heaven the spirit of power is hope 2 Tim. 1.7 2. It breedeth joy and comfort all the pleasures of the world doth not give that quiet content and rest to the soul which the hope of glory doth to a believer Matt. 5.12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven 1. USE To perswade us to this patience of hope The things hoped for are to come at a great distance many things must be done many things suffered and we must make our way through the midst of dreadful enemies if we would attain our end 't is with us as with David he was promised a kingdom and at length he had it but in the mean time liable to many troubles remember David had his troubles So it is with you many are the troubles of the righteous but you must do nothing unworthy of our great hopes we expect great things therefore we should contemn low things and endure hard things all the pleasures of the world are mean and low and the hardships carry no comparison or proportion with our hopes what great evils will men endure to obtain worldly gain rise early go to bed late eat the bread of sorrows run from one end of the world to the other Our hope is not found unless it breedeth this patient waiting if we have a true hope we not only ought in point of duty but shall 't is the property of hope so to do to submit with patience to all things which God sendeth in the mean time and comfort our selves with the glory that shall ensue SERMON XXXIV ROM VII 26 Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered IN the Context you have several arguments to perswade to patience under affliction those two that are of chief Consideration are the hope of glory to come and the help of the spirit for the present this latter is in the Text. In this Verse 1. The help of the spirit is generally asserted 2. The reason evidencing the necessity of that help 2. The particular assistance Where we have 1. The Author 2. The manner of the spirits assistance 1. The help of the spirit is generally asserted Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities By infirmities he meaneth afflictions and the perturbations occasioned thereby as fretting or fainting or more generally
he loveth them more than a mother loveth her tender infant Isa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget but I will not forget thee If the mother be so tenderly affected to the child whom she carried in her womb for some few months will not God much more He is as tender of them as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 He hath secured his Covenant-love by promise 1 Cor. 10.13 But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able he will never leave you to insupportable difficulties Secondly To give a more general state of the case 1. This good is not to be determined by our fancies and conceits but by the wisdom of God for God knoweth what is better for us than we do for our selves we judg according to present appearance but he hath a sight or inspection of our hearts and a prospect or foresight of all future events And therefore his divine choices are to be preferred before our foolish fancies what he sendeth or permitteth to fall out is fitter for our turn than any thing else could we once be perswaded of this a Christian would be prepared for a cheerful entertainment of all that should come upon him Besides he is a God of bowels and loveth us more dearly than we do our selves Therefore we should be satisfied with his dispensations whatever they are Should the shepherd or the sheep chuse his pastures The child be governed by his own fancy or the Fathers discretion The sick man by his own appetite or the physitians skill 'T is necessary sometimes that God should displease his people for their advantage John 16.6 7. Because I have said these things to you sorrow hath filled your heart nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away We are too much addicted to our own conceits Christs dealing is expedient and useful yet very unsatisfactory to his people He is to be judge of what is good for us his going or tarrying not we our selves who are short-sighted distempered with passions whose requests many times are but ravings and ask of God we know not what Peter said Matth. 17.4 Master it is good for us to be here He was well pleased to be upon Mount Tabor but little thought what work God had to do by him elsewhere so Jer. 24.5 The basket of good figs were sent into the land of the Chaldeans for their good What good in a dispersion but God foresaw worse evil would befall the place where they then lived The selling of Joseph for a slave was to appearance evil but God meant it for good Gen. 50.20 God may keep us low and bare expose us to difficulties prejudices reproaches bitter sufferings yet all is for good 2. Good is to be determined by its respect to the chief good or true happiness Now what is our chief happiness but the vision and fruition of God it consists not in outward comforts riches liberty health honour or comfortable relations but our acceptance with God other things are but appendages to our felicity Matth. 6.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But first seek the kingdom of God and these things shall be added unto you Affliction taketh nothing from our solid and essential happiness rather helpeth us to the injoymenâ— of it as we increase in grace and holiness That 's evil that separateth us from God that 's good which bringeth us nearer to him Sin separateth us from God therefore always evil Isa. 59.2 But affliction are not always evil but make us more earnestly to seek after him Hosea 5.16 And so to be trained up under the cross in a constant course of obedience and subjection to God is good Lam. 3.27 It is good that a man bear the yoke from his youth because it keepeth him modest humble and sober 3. This good is not always the good of the body or of outward prosperity and therefore our condition is not to be determined by the interest of the flesh but the welfare of our soul. If we had the world at will we cannot be said to be in a good condition if the Lord should deny us spiritual blessings We are more concerned as a soul than a body Heb. 12.10 He verily for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness He doth not call the good things of this world that pelf which all desire profit but the participiation of the divine nature Affliction is good if it be sanctified Holiness wrought by affliction should be more to us than all our outward comforts 4. 'T is not good presently injoyed and felt but waited for and therefore our condition must not be determined by sense but faith Heb. 12.11 Affliction for the present is not pleasing to natural sense nor is the fruit for the present evident to spiritual sense but 't is good because in the issue it turneth to spiritual good While under the affliction we feel the smart but do not presently find the benefit Physick must have time to work that which is not good may be good though it be not good in its nature 't is good in its use Faith should determine so though we feel it not Psal. 73.1 Yâ—t God is good to Israel 5. A particular good must give way to a general good and our personal benefit to the glory of God and the advancement of Christs Kingdom 'T was good yea much better for Paul to be in Heaven yet if it was needful for the Saints to continue in the flesh he submitteth Phil. 1.24 We must not so desire good to our selvâ—s as to hinder the good of others All Elements will act contrary to their particular nature for the conservation of the Universe That may be good for the glory of God which is not good for our personal contentment and ease John 12.27 28. The sense of our duty and the desire of glorifying God should overcome our natural inclination 6. In bringing about this good we must not be idle spectators but assisi under God When we are diligent to exercise our selves unto godliness then evil is turned into good and all crosses and afflictions into means of salvation besides the elective love of God at the bottom of all there is the actual power and influence of the Spirit and prayer on our part Phil. 1.19 Through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ Jesus and Heb. 12.11 Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby 'T is not the bare nature of the Cross doth it we must labour for that we look for the Saints are not only passive objects but active instruments of Providence there is an exercise on our parts we are to make use of all things then God will bless us 7. If it be true
'T is the property of love to long to be with Christ which is better for us Phil. 1.23 therefore we should be content to have the prison-door opened that those who have desired and longed to be with Christ may be admitted into his immediate presence and let out into liberty and joy 3. Hope We expect within a little while to have our desires accomplished Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Will a soul that is at Heaven gate lose all that he hath waited for because the entrance is troublesome As those that are going to a Mask or Show when they come where it is exhibited must croud and will venture hard for what they hope to see now God will have graces tryed with difficulties the Crown of Victorry is not set on our heads if we fight not 4. Reason 'T is necessary to have this preparation of heart that we may the better deny other things Life is that which maketh us capable of all the contentments of the flesh and pleasures of the world and maketh them valuable to us now this is a blow at the root we are prepared for mortification when we can deny life its self we can deny all the appendages of life Therefore so much of Christianity being exercised in self-denial our Lord would have us once for all bring our selves to the highest point that we may do other things the more easily The Apostle's bonds and afflictions did not move him because he did not count his life dear to him Acts 20.24 And certainly a man is never dead to the world and the interests of the Animal life till he be dead to life its self and is willing to part with it when God pleaseth 5. This life must be quitted now God will have it quitted in obedience for things of meer necessity have no moral worth in them Now 't is a mighty help to die willingly and comfortably when we can once lay life at Christs feet USE To inform us 1. That Christianity wholly draweth us to another world for life its self is one of the interests that must be hazarded for Christs sake 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we had hope we were of all men most miserable Christ would never profelite us to a Religion that should make us miserable now it would do so if only our happiness were in this life for it requireth us not only to deny the conveniences of life but life its self 2. Those that take Gods Word for the other world must expect to have the strength of their faith and love tryed all along this hath been Gods way God would not confirm Adam in innocency before he had let loose a tryal upon him wherein he failing brought misery upon himself and his posterity after the breach the Father of the faithful is tryed Gen. 22.1 with Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham whâ—n he was tryed And still God continueth the same course to all believers Jam. 1.12 Blessed is he that endureth temptations for when he is tryed he shall reâ—eive a crown of life In the primitive times their Baptism was a presage of their slaughter 3. Those that expect to be tryed had need to be well prepared by a due knowledg of the cause and foresight of and resolution against all known dangers 1. By a due knowledg of their cause that it may be sure it can be said for Gods sake The cause is sometimes more clear and unquestionable as when it is for a great essential point and there our courage should be more clear for then there can be no doubt in the mind whether the cause be good or not and then all the comforts of Christianity do fall upon the soul directly and with great power and efficacy or else more dark when 't is for a particular truth or duty First it may be for the profession of a particular truth which we are to own in its season for we must be established in the present truth 2 Pet. 1.12 What is the present truth the Godly-wise will soon discern Whoever compiled the Creed yet the observation is in a great measure good that the controversies that have hapned in the Church have succeeded according to the method and order of the Articles therein contained The controversie with the Heathen was about the one only and true God with the Jews and afterwards with the Pseudo Christians about Christ his Person Natures Offices States then about the Holy Ghost his Personality and Operations in converting the elect Then about the Church Now in all such controverted truthâ— we must shew the same zeal the faithful did in former ages But to return tho it be out for a particular truth yet we must shew our fidelity to Christ For tâ—â—n we have an occasion to shew that our hearts be true to God and very sincere wâ—â—n we are willing to suffer any thing from man rather than renounce the smallest truths oâ— Goâ— for tho the matters for which we suffer be not great yet sinceriâ—y is a great point and tho profession thus be sorborn and of exceeding great moment to our peace in some points yet we can do nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 I am not bounâ— always to profess in lesser things yet if they will bind me against it I am to endure all manner of displeasures rather than yeild to the lusts and wills of men Eating of swines flâ—sh was no great matter but when they would compel them to it in affront to Gods institution Contempt of God is a great matter Heb. 11.25 36 37. I say the more of this because men are apt to translate the scene of their duty to former times or forreign plâ—ces if to turn Infidels and Turks as the Jews if they had lived in the Propheâ—s days Matth. 23.30 If we had been in our fathers days we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets How doth God try thee in thine own Age Secondly for particular duties as well as particular truths In the general there is less controversie about the Commandments than about the Creed the Agenda of Christianity are more evident by the light of Nature than the Credenda Yet because the Commandments are general and humane light is imperfect about the application as the Heathens were right in generals but became vain Rom. 1.20 21. Yet in particular duties we must not be wanting for that is a sincere heart that will run the greatest hazzards rather than commit the smallest sin or omit the smallest duty when it is a duty and I am called to perform it in omission there is a greater latitude than in commission for affirmativa non ligant ad semper In the general he that suffereth for a Commandment is as acceptable with God as he that suffereth for an Article of Faith tho the cause for which we suffer be civil yet obedience to God is concerned in it as if a man suffer
called life and well deserveth it This life is but a continued death it runneth from us as fast as it floweth to us and 't is burdened with a thousand miseries but that life which is the portion of the faithful 't is a good and happy life and 't is endless it hath a beginning but it hath no end One moment of Immortality is worth a full age of all the health and happiness that can be had upon Earth what will you call life The vegetative life or the life of a plant Alas if that may be called life 't is not an happy life for the plants have no sense of that kind of life they have The sensitive life or the life of the Beasts will you call that life They are indeed capable of pain and pleasure but this is beneath the dignity of man and those that affect this kind of happiness to injoy sensual pleasure without remorse degrade themselves from that dignity of nature wherein God hath placed them and make themselves but a wiser sort of beasts as they are able only to purvey for the flesh more than the bruits can Wherein then will you place Life Surely in reason mans Life is a kind of light given us John 1.4 In him was Life and the Life was the light of men Reason and understanding was mans perfection Well then this is the Life which we must enquire after Now when is this Life of light in its full perfection While the Soul dwelleth in flesh and looketh out by the senses to things near at hand the proper contentments of the body are the poor paltry vanities of this deceitful World Now this is not the life which we were made for but when it seeth God and injoyeth God in the highest manner that we are capable of our true life lyeth in the vision of God 1 Cor. 13.12 And Matth. 5.8 For he is only that universal and infinite object which can satiate the heart of man and our proper and peculiar Blessedness Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psa. 73.25 This is our full and continued Happiness Alas the present life hath more gall than honey its injoyments are low and base and short and fading and its troubles and miseries are many Gen. 49.9 Few and evil are the days and years of my pilgrimage But in the other World there is nothing but Glory and Blessedness A glorified Soul in a glorified Body doth for ever behold God and delight its self in God 2. The other notion is punishment the Word signifieth not only punishment but torment So we render it 1 John 4.18 Because fear hath torment Annihilation were a favour to the wicked they have a being but 't is a being under punishment and torment Divines usually distinguish of poena damni and poena sensus the loss and the pain both are included Matth. 25.41 in Christs sentence Depart and go into everlasting fire God doth not take away the being of a sinner but he taketh away the comfort of his being he is banished out of his sight for evermore and deprived of his favour and all the joys and blessedness which are bestowed on the Godly and that is enough to make him miserable 'T is true a wicked man now careth not for the light of Gods countenance because looking to visible things he hath no sound Faith of those things which are invisible but now he cometh to understand the reality of what he hath lost and besides hath no natural comforts to divert his mind no Plays or Balls or Pleasures or Meat and Drink and company which now do draw off his heart from better things and solace him in the want of them Secondly the pain of sense that 's double the worm that never dyes and the fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 The worm is the worm of Conscience reflecting upon his evil choice and past folly which hath brought him to this sad and doleful estate When he considereth for what base things he sold his birth-right Heb. 12.15 He parted with felicity and the Life to come this will be a continual torment and vexation to them And being under despair of ever coming out of this Condition his torment is the more increased If there were no more than this Conscience reflecting upon the sense of his loss with the cause and consequents of it surely this will fill him with anguish and the Body united to such a miserable self vexing and self-tormenting Soul can have no rest Secondly besides this there is the fire that shall never be quenched which is the wrath which bringeth on unspeakable torments on the Body For Wo Wrath Tribulation and Anguish is the Portion of every Soul that doth evil Rom. 2.9 10. What kind of punishments they are we know not but such as are grievous and come not only from the reflection of their own Consciences but the Power of God Rom. 9.22 God will shew his Wrath and make his Power known 4. Eternity is affixed to both Everlasting Punishment and Eternal Life 1. The joys of the Blessed are Everlasting There shall never be change of and intermission in their Happiness but after Millions and Millions of Imaginary years they are to continue in this Life as if it were the first moment Paul telleth you 1 Thes. 4.17 That we shall for ever be with the Lord. And what can we desire more in this Life if we had the confluence of all manner of comforts yet the fear of losing them is some infringement of our Happiness But there whatever Glory we partake of we shall never lose it it will be thy Crown for ever thy Kingdom for ever thy Glory for ever thy God and thy Christ for ever Oh why do we no more think of this This Life that scarce deserveth the name of a Life yet we would fain continue it though in pain and misery Skin for skin all that a man hath would he give for his Life Oh then how welcome should Eternal Life be which compared with this Life is like the Ocean to a drop When we lay both of these lives together this fading moment and that enduring Eternity how much more valuable doth the one appear than the other Our sorrows will soon end but these joys when they once begin will never end 2 Cor. 4.17 This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Cannot we suffer with him for one hour deny our selves a little contentment in the World Shall we begrudge the labours of a few duties when assoon as the vail and curtain of the flesh is drawn we shall enter into Eternal Life and Joy 2. The Punishment is Everlasting The wicked are everlastingly deprived of the favour of God and of the light of his Countenance When Absolom could not see his Fathers Face kill me saith he rather than let it be always thus 2 Sam. 4 32. The wicked are never more to be admitted into
bringeth forth sin Jam. 1.15 It hath produced its consummate act and discovered its self to the full 3. It bendeth and inclineth the heart to the thing loved Amor meus est pondus meum 〈◊〉 feror quocunque feror 'T is the vigorous bent of the Soul and it so bendeth and inclineth the Soul to the thing loved that it is fastened to it and cannot easily be separated from it We are brought under the power of what we love as the Apostle speaketh of the Creatures 1 Cor. 6.12 But I will not be brought under the power of any 'T is deaf to counsel in its measure 't is true of our love to Christ if we love him we will cleave to him A man is dispossessed of himself that hath lost the Dominion of himself as Sampson like a Child led by Dalilah So is a man ruled and governed by his love to Christ. 4. To a most kindly principle to do a thing for another out of love What is done out of love is not done out of slavish compulsion but good will Not an act of necessity but choice 1 John 5.3 This is love that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous That 's bad ground that bringeth forth nothing unless it be forced Natural Conscience worketh by fear but Faith by love Love is not compelled but it worketh of it self sweetly kindly it taketh off all irksomness lessens difficulties facilitates all things and maketh them light and easie So as we serve God cheerfully Where love prevaileth let it be never so difficult it seemeth light and easie Seven years for Rachel seemed to Jacob as nothing made him bear the heat of the day and cold of the night Gen. 29.10 But where love is wanting all that is done seemeth too much 5. 'T is a most forcible compelling principle non persuadet sed cogit one glosseth the Text so It cometh with commanding intreaties reasoneth in such a powerful prevailing manner as it will have no denyal Titus 2.11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying all ungodliness and worldly lâ—sts we should live soberly righteously and godly in the present World Nothing will 〈◊〉 your hearts to your work so much as love Lay what bands you will upon your selves if a temptation cometh you will break them as Sampson did his cords wherewith he was bound Promises Vows Covenants Resolutions former experiences of comfort when put to tryal all is as nothing to love But now let a mans love be gained to Christ that 's band enough quis legem dat amantibus major lex amor sibi est Love so far as love needeth no Penalties nor Laws nor Enforcements for it is a great Law to its self it hath within its bosom as deep obligations and ingagements to any thing that may please God as you can put upon it Indeed if there were not an opposite principle of averâ—eness this were enough but I speak of love as love fear and terror is a kind of external impulse that may drive a Soul to a duty but the inward impulse is love that will influence and over-rule the Soul and ingage it to please Christ if it beareth any mastery there 6. 'T is laborious it requireth great diligence to be faithful with Christ. Now love is that disposition which puts us upon labours this if any thing will keep a man to his work Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love And 1 Thes 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love 'T is not an affection that can lye bashful and idle in the Soul So Revel 2.4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Till love be lost our first works are never left Our â—ord when he had work for Peter to do gageth his heart John 21.15 Simon Peter lovest thou me Love sets all a going 7. It dilateth and inlargeth the heart and so 't is liberal to the thing loved I will praise him yet more and more I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing Other things will not go to the charge of obedience to God It will be at some cost for God and Christ and maketh us obey God against our own interest and carnal inclination It was against the hair but the young man deferred not to do the thing because he delighted in Jacobs Daughter Gen. 34 19. 8. 'T is an invincible and unconquerable affection Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as death â—ealousy is cruel as the grave The coals thereof are as the coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love Neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned There is a vehemency and an unconquerable constancy in love against and above all afflictions and above all worldly baits and profits The business is of whose love this is to be interpreted of Christs or ouâ—s If we understand it of Christs love then 't is really verified Christs love was as strong as death for he suffered death for us and overcame death for us he debased himself from the height of all Glory to the depth of all misery for our sakes Phil. 2.7 8. And 2 Cor. 8 9. Overcame all difficulties by the fervency of his love despising the cross and enduring the shame on the one hand Heb. 12.2 on the other refusing the offers of preferment Matth. 4.9 10. The Devil maketh an offer of all the World to Christ. Of ease Matth. 16.22 23. And Peter begun to rebuke him saying be it far from thee Lord. Of honour Matth. 27.40 43. Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days save thy self if thou be the Son of God He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God But is also verified of Christians in their measure who love not their lives to the death overcome all difficulties Acts 21.13 Willing to die at Jerusalem Indure all afflictions Psa. 44.17 All this is come upon us yet we have not forsaken thee And suffer the loss of all worldly comforts Matth. 19 27. Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee And Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters and his own life also he cannot be my disciple But rather I apply it to the latter for 't is rendred as a reason why they beg a room in his heart the love that presseth us is of such a Vehement Nature that it cannot be resisted no more than death or the grave or fire can be resisted Nothing else but Christ can quench it and satisfy it such a constraining power it hath that the persons that have it are led captive by it an ardent affection and love to Christ
Heavens 1. The general truth henceforth know we no man after the flesh This knowledge is a knowledge of approbation to know is to admire and esteem as we our selves should not seek our own esteem thereby so not esteem others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some external thing which seemeth glorious in the Judgment of the flesh 1. Doct. A Christian should not religiously value others for external and carnal things Let us state it a little how far we are to know no man after the flesh 1. Negatively and there 1. 'T is not to deny civil respect and honour to the wicked and carnal For that would destroy all government and order in the World Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their duties Tribute to whom Tribute is due And Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear And Honour to whom Honour We are to own Parents Magistrates Persons of Rank and Eminency with that respect which is due to their Rank and Quality though they should be carnal For the wickedness of the person doth not discharge us of our duty or make void civil or natural differences and respects due to them 2. Not to deny the gifts bestowed upon them though Common gifts for your eye should not be evil because Gods is good Matth. 20. 3. You may love them the better when religion is accompanyed with these external advantages Eccl. 7.11 Wisdom with an inheritance is good Religious and noble Religous and beautiful Religious and learned Religious and Rich. When grace and outward excellency meet it maketh the person more lovely and amiable 2. Positively 1. We must not guild a potsheard or esteem them to be the Servants of Christ because of their carnal excellencies and value them religiously and prefer them before others who are more useful and who have the Image of God impressed upon them This is to know men after the flesh and to value men upon carnal respects We do not Judge of an Horse by the saddle and trappings but by his strength and swiftness Solomon telleth us Pro. 12.26 That the Righteous is more excellent than his neighbour and explaineth himself Pro. 19.1 Better is the poor that walketh in his Integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool Grace should make persons more lovely in our eyes than carnal honour and glory 2. The cause of God must not be burdened or abandoned because those of the other side have more outward advantages This was the case between the Apostle and the Desp. And this is clearly to know men after the flesh and such a course will justify the Pharisees plea John 7.47 48. Have any of the Rulers and Pharisees believed in him but this people which knoweth not the Law are cursed The truth is not to be forsaken because there is eminency pomp worldly countenance repute for learning on the other side To this head may be referred the plea between the Protestants and the Papists about Succession suppose it true that there were no gaps in their succession that ours as to a series of persons cannot be justifyed yet the plea is naught for this is to know men after the flesh and to determine of truth by external advantages So if we should contemn the truths of God because of the persons that bring them to us as usually we regard the man more than the matter and not the golden treasure so much as the earthen vessel 't was the prejudice cast upon Christ Was not this the Carpenters Son Matheo Langi Arch-Bishop of Saltsburg told every one that the Reformation of the Mass was needful the liberty of meats convenient to be disburdened of so many commands of man concerning days just but that a poor Monk should reform all was not to be endured meaning Luther 3. We should not prefer these to the despising and wrong of others 1 Cor. 11.22 Every one took his own supper but despised the Church of God That is excluded the poor who were of the Church as well as they 4. To value others for carnal advantages so as it should be a snare or matter of envy to us Prov. 3.31 32. Envy not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways for the froward is an abomination to the Lord but his secret's with the righteous 5. Know no man after the flesh so as to forbear Christian duties to them of admonition or reproof or to accommodate Gods truths to their liking Mark 12.14 Master we know that thou art true and carest for no man for thou regardest not the person of men but teachest the way of God in truth 6. Not to comply with carnal men for our own gain and advantage Judges 16. Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage To sooth people in their errours or sins 2. The Reason is taken from the posture of the words in the context this disposition whatever it be is an effect of the new nature of the love of Christ and a branch of not living to our selves 1. The new nature verse 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature A new creature hath a new Judgment of things when a man is changed his Judgment of things is altered 2. Of the Love of Christ Verse 14. He that loveth Christ as Christ will love Christ in any dress of Doctrine plain and comely or learned or eloquent in any Condition of life in the World high or low is not swayed by external advantages 3. A branch of the Spiritual life ver 15. The faithful being born again of the Spirit do live a new and spiritual life Now this is one part of this life not to know any man after the flesh To be dead to things of a carnal interest not moved with what is external and pleasing to the flesh Let the carnal part of the World please themselves with these vain things Pomp of living external rank possession of the power of the Church c. USE is that of the Apostle James 4.1 My Brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory with respect of persons That is do not esteem things that are religious for those things which have no affinity with or pertinency to religion His reason is couched in the exhortation Christ is the Lord of glory and puts an honour upon all things which do belong to him how despicable soever otherwise in the Worlds eye not external things but religion should be the reason and ground of our affection 2. We come to the conclusion restrained to the instance of Christ Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2. Doct. A meer knowing of Christ after the flesh ought to cease among Christians that have given up themselves to live to him as dying and rising again for their sakes I shall prove to you that knowing Christ after the flesh was not that respect that he looked for when he was most capable of receiving love in this kind namely
of liberty What debtor would not be discharged How glad is an honest man to be out of debt What guilty Malefactor would not be acquitted Oh let it not seem a light thing in your eye We have lost our Spiritual relish if it do Oh prize a pardon apprehend it as a great benefit sweeter than the honey and honey comb VSE 3. It should engage us to love God Luke 7.47 Her Sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little SERMON XXXVI 2 Cor. 5.19 Not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation DOct. One great branch and fruit of our reconciliation with God is the pardon of sins Reasons 1. Because reconciliation implyeth in its own nature a release of the punishment of sin or on Gods part a laying aside of his wrath and anger as on ours a laying aside of our enmity and disobedience Isa. 27.4 Fury is not in me Anger in God is nothing else but his Justice appointing the punishment of sin and he is said to be reconciled or pacifyed when he hath no will to punish or doth not purpose to punish And therefore fitly is this part of the reconciliation expressed by not imputing our trespasses Especially because our reconciliation with God is not the reconciliation of private persons or of equals but such as is between Superiours and Inferiours a Prince and his rebellious Subjects Parents and their disobedient Children the Governour and Judge of the World and sinning mankind And therefore not to be ended by way of agreement and composition but by way of satisfaction humiliation and pardon Satisfaction on Christs part humiliation on our part pardon on Gods When persons fall out that are in a private capacity the difference may be ended by composition they may quit the sense of the wrong done to them but the case is different here God is not reconciled to us meerly as the party offended but as the Governour of the World A private man as the party offended may easily remit a wrong done to him without requiring satisfaction or submission according to his own pleasure As Joseph was reconciled to his Brethren But here God is not considered as the party offended meerly but as the Supream Judge who is to proceed according to Law When the Magistrate forgiveth there must be a stated pardon and so God is to find out a way how the Law is to be satisfied and the Offendor saved by releasing the punishment in such a way as the Law may not fall to the ground and that is not without the satisfaction of Christ and the submission of the sinner and the solemn grant of a pardon A private man may do in his own case as pleaseth him but there is a difference in a publick person The right of passing by a wrong and the right of releasing a punishment are different things because punishment is a Common interest and is referred to the Common good to preserve order and for an example to others 2. This branch is mentioned because this was the most inviting motive to bring the Creature to submission and to comply with Gods other ends To understand this reason consider 1. Among the benefits which we have by Christ some concern our felicity others our duty some concern our priviledges others our service qualities rights The internal qualities and graces are conveyed and wrought in us by the sanctifying Spirit the rights and priviledges are conveyed to us by deed of gift by the Covenant of grace or new Testament Charter or Gospel Grant As the one frees us from a moral evil which is sin the other from a natural evil which is misery of the one sort is holiness and all those divine qualities which constitute the new nature Inherent graces Of the other sort are pardon of sins Adoption right to glory adherent rights and priviledges Now God offereth the one to invite us to the other by the Gospel as a deed of gift or special act of grace God offereth the one upon condition we will seek after the other which deed of gift cannot take effect till we fulfil the condition We cannot have remission of sins till we have repentance 'T is true he giveth the qualification as well as the priviledge repentance as well as remission of sins Acts 5.31 But he giveth it this way He giveth repentance offering remission that 's the natural way of Gods working The appointed means to draw mans heart to the performance of the condition As the Spirit doth work powerfully within so he useth the word without Well then if we would have the benefits by Christ we must have all or none repentance as well as remission Faith as well as Adoption and Justification and Holiness as well as a right to Glory For Christ in all the dispensations of his grace looketh at Gods Glory as well as our interest Therefore if we come rightly to the covenant and expect grace by our redeemer we must come with a true heart in full assurance of fatih Heb. 10.22 2. The one is the first inviting and powerful motive to the other Partly our desires of happiness which even corrupt nature is not against are made use of and apt to gain upon us to a desire of Happiness God would leave some inclination and desires to happiness in the heart of man that might direct us in some sort to seek after himself Act. 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him Nature catcheth at felicity we would have impunity peace comfort glory we are willing as to our own benefit to be pardoned and freed from the curse of the Law and the flames of Hell we are naturally willing of justification but naturally unwilling to deny the flesh and to renounce the credit profit or pleasure of sin and to grow dead to the World and worldly things But these other suit with our desires of happiness Therefore God would in reconciling the creature go to work this way promise that which we desire on condition that we will submit to those things which we are against As we sweeten pills to Children that they may swallow them down the better they love the Sugar though they loath the Aloes So here God would invite us to our duty by our interest and therefore in reconciling the World to himself he would first be discovered as not impuâ—ing their trespasses to them 2dly Partly because of our fears as well as our desires of happiness God taketh this way The grand scruple which haunteth the creature is how God shall be appeased and quit his controversie against us by reason of sin Micha 5 6. Wherewith will he be appeased and what shall I give for the sin of my Soul There is a fear of death and punishment which ariseth from these natural sentiments which we have of God Rom. 1.32 Knowing the judgment of God that they which
iniquity They can look upon themselves as only objects of his wrath and hatred Now this hatred and enmity of God is seen Partly as all commerce is cut off between God and them Isa. 59 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear So that he will not hold Communion with us in the Spirit Partly in that he doth often declare his displeasure against our sins Rom. 1.18 For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness And Heb. 2.2 Every transgression and every disobedience received a just recompence of reward Every Commandment hath its Trophies to shew that God hath gotten the best of sinners some are smitten because they love not God and put not their trust in him some for false worship some for blaspheming his name and profaning his day Sometimes he maketh inquisition for blood sometimes for disobedience to Parents and Governours By these instances God sheweth that he is at war with sinners It may be the greatest expression of Gods anger if he doth not check us and suffer us to go on in our sins Hosea 4.17 Ephraim is joined to Idols let him alone Word Providence Conscience let him alone Psa. 81.12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lusâ—s and they walked in their own Counsels 'T is the greatest misery of all to be left to our own choices But however it be whether God strike or forbear the Lord is already in Battle aray proclaiming the war against us Psal. 7.11 12. God is angry with the wicked every day if he turn not he will whet his Sword he hath bent his bow will make it ready He hath also prepared for him the Instruments of death He hath ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors God's Justice though it doth for a while spare the wicked yet it doth not lye idle Every day they are a preparing and a fatring As all things work together for good to them that love God so all things are working for the final perdition of the obstinately impenitent God can deal with them eminus at a distance He hath his Arrows Cominus hand to hand He hath his Sword He is bending his bow whetting his Sword Now when God falleth upon us what shall we do Can we come and make good our party against him Alas how soon is a poor Creature overwhelmed if the Lord of Hosts arm the humours of our own bodies or our thoughts against us If a spark of his wrath light into the Conscience how soon is a man made a burden and a terrour to himself God will surely be too hard for us Job 9.4 Who ever hardened his heart against God and prospered What can we get by contending with the Lord One frown of his is enough to undo us to all eternity Can Satan benefit you The Devil that giveth you Counsel against God can he secure you against the stroaks of his vengeance No he himself is faln under the weight of Gods displeasure and holden in chains of darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Therefore think of it while God is but bending his bow and whetting his Sword The Arrows are not yet shot out of the terrible bow the Sword is but yet a whetting 't is not brandished against us After these fair and treatable warnings we are undone for ever if we turn not speedâ—ly 'T is no time to dally with God We read Luke 14 31. Of a King that had but ten thousand and another coming against him with twenty thousand What doth he do While he is yet a great way off he sendeth an Embassy and desireth Conditions of peace You are no match for God 't is no time to dally or tarry till the Judgment tread upon our heels or the storm and tempest of his wrath break out upon us The time of his patience will not always last and we are every day a step nearer to Eternity How can a man sleep in his sins that is upon the very brink of Hell and everlasting destruction Certainly a change must come and in the ordinary course of nature we have but a little time to spend in the World Therefore since the avenger of Blood is at our heels let us take sanctuary at the Lords Grace and run for refuge to the hope of the Gospel Heb. 6.18 And make our peace ere it be too late Cry Quarter as to one that is ready to strike Isa. 27.5 Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me This is the first motive 2dly Gods condescension in this business 1. That he being so glorious the person offended who hath no need of us should seek Reconciliation 'T is such a wonder for God to offer that it should be the more shame for us to deny For us to sue for reconciliation or ask Conditions of peace that 's no wonder no more then it is for a condemned malefactor to beg a pardon But for God to begin there is the wonder If God hath been in Christ reconciling the World to himself Then we may pray you to be reconciled And surely you should not refuse the motion We did the wrong and God is our Superiour and hath no need of us Men will submit when their interest leadeth them to it Acts 12.20 They desired peace because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country We should make the motion for we cannot subsist without him what is there in man that God should reguard his enmity or seek his friendship He suffereth no loss by the faln Creature Angels or men Why then is there so much ado about us He was happy enough before there was any Creature and would still be happy without them Surely thy enmity or amity is nothing to God Surely for us to be cross and not to mind this is a strange obstinacy Men treat when their force is broken when they can carry out their opposition no longer but God who is so powerful so little concerned in what we do he prayeth you to be reconciled 2dly In that he would lay the foundation of this treaty in the death of his Son Col. 1.21 He hath reconciled us in the body of his flesh through Death Therefore we pray you to be reconciled God to secure his own Honour to make it more comfortable to us would not be appeased without Satisfaction Though his nature inclined him to mercy yet he would nor hear of it till his Justice were answered that we might have nothing to perplex our Consolation and that we might have an incomparable demonstration of his hatred against sin and so an help to sanctification He would have our satisfaction and debt paid by him who could not but pay it with overplus Since he hath not spared his only Son we know how much he loveth us and hateth sin Oh!
where 't is not to be found in this creature and that but still meet with vanity and vexation of Spirit like feavorish Persons who seek ease in the change of their Beds 5thly The fruition of God Be reconciled to him and in time you shall be admitted to see his face This is the end of all For this end Christ died for this end we are sanctified and Justified and adopted into Gods family and for this end we believe and hope and labour and suffer and deny our selves and renounce the World 'T is Christs end Col. 1.21 22. And 't is our end 1 Pet 1.9 And will certainly be the fruit of our Reconciliation Rom. 5.11 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life 4thly The Fourth Motive is the great dishonour we do to God in refusing it You despise two things which men cannot endure should be despised their anger and love For anger Nebuchadnezzar is an instance who commanded to heat the furnace seven times hotter Dan. 3.19 For love David when Nabal despised his courteous message Now you despise the love and wrath of God as if they were inconsiderable things not to be stood upon 1. The terrour of his wrath as if not to be stood upon But do you know the power of his anger and what a dreadful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God Can you think of an eternity of misery without horrour One that hath been a little scorched in the flames of Gods wrath dareth not have slight thoughts of it Oh! Christians as you would escape this blackness of darkness eternal Fire and the Horrible Tempest which is reserved for the wicked flee from wrath to come 2dly His Love Thou despisest his Christ as if his purchase were nothing worth thou despisest his Institutions which are ordered with such care for thy good Oh! What Horrible contempt of God is this that thou refusest to be friends with him after all his intreaties and condescension How will you answer it at the last day In Hell thy heart will reproach thee for it 2dly To those that have been reconciled with God before Be yet more reconciled to God get more testimonies of his favour lay aside more of your enmity I have Four things to press upon them 1. To renew your covenant with God by going over the first work of Faith and Repentance again and again from Faith to Faith Rom. 1.17 Not questioning your estate but bewailing your offences Joh 13.10 And renewing your dedication to God The covenant is the covenant of Gods peace Isa. 54.10 This covenant needeth to be renewed Partly because of our frequent breaches T is not a work that must be once done and no more but often We have hearts that love to wander and need Tye upon Tye. Therefore renew the Oath of your Allegiance unto God We are apt to break with him every day Partly That you may give Christ a new and hearty welcom into your Souls We are Baptized but once but we receive the Lord's supper often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's our Business there to make the bond of our duty more strong and to tie it the faster upon our Souls 2dly To increase your love to God That 's reconciliation on our part Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul and all thy mind Luke 10.27 With all thy strength some add might Now we grow up into this by degrees Love with all thy mind The mind and thoughts are more taken up with God Of the wicked 't is said Psa. 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts And Job 21.14 They say unto God Depart from us For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Now it must be otherwise with you Psa. 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. You must still be remembring God Love with all the heart Let will and affections be more carried out to God that your desires may be after him your delights in him and valuing the light of his countenance more then all things Psa. 46.7 Prizing communion with him An Hypocrite doth not delight himself in God but a sincere Christian will Psa. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart And testify it by conversing much with him and thirsting after him when they cannot injoy him Psa. 63.1 2. O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee In a dry and thirsty land where no Water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary With all thy strength That is you are to glorify him and serve him with all the power and capacities that you have with Body Time Estate Tongue Pleading for him acting for him not begrudging pains and labours not serving him without cost 3dly A third thing is keeping covenant The Scriptures that speak of making covenant speak also of keeping covenant Psal. 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep his â—â—â—â—nant and his Testimonies And Psal. 103.17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his Righteousness to Childrens Children to such as keep his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandments to do them 4thly A thankful sense of the love of God in our reconciliation glorying in grace admiring of grace To preserve this is the great duty of a Christian. This keepeth alive his love and obedience 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us SERMON XL. 2 Cor. 5.21 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be the righteousness of God in him HEre he amplifieth that Mystery which was formerly briefly delivered concerning the way of our reconciliation on Gods part namely that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them By shewing what was done by God in Christ and the benefit thence resulting to us Here is Factum and Finis Facti First Factum and there take notice 1. What Christ is in himself he knew no sin 2. What by the ordination of God He hath made him to be sin for us Secondly Finis facti and there observe 1.