THE two great rocks which all the children of men are in danger of suffering the everlasting ship-wrack of their souls upon, are presumpti­on and despair. And for presumpti­on, (because of our natural pride, self flattery, high thoughts of our selves, our carnal security and multitudes of other inbred distempers) it is hard to escape it; and it may be said of this, that it hath slain it's ten thousands. But for de­spondency; multitudes of poor awakened souls, who have escaped the danger of presumption, have miscarried hereon; From a deep sense of their sins and misery they have been apt to fall into an overwhelming sense of both, and to look upon their wound as incureable, and their disease past healing. Some think so well of themselves that they stand in no need of help: others think so ill of themselves that they look upon themselves [Page 2]as past all help: It is no ease matter to keep in the middle between both. These are both dangerous to us, and highly derogatory to the grace of God; both are a reproach to his kindness; On the one hand to think that God would be at that vast expence and charge, to make so full provision for poor souls beyond what they need: this is to make the blood of his Son to run wast. To think on the other side that the provision that God hath made is too narrow, short, and scant for our re­lief: this is a great reproach to the mercy of God. But because this is frequently the case of souls whom the Spirit of God convinceth of sin, and are not yet throughly convinced of righte­ousness, they stick in these Bryars, and are a [...]t to be gravelled with objections, doubts and [...]. Therefore God as a tender Father to [...] high regard of his Peoples comfort [...], hath been pleased to provide against [...] ragements, these three ways.

First, By the discovery of his rich and free grace; the boundlessness and unfathomableness of his mercy.

Secondly, by discovering so many rich and pre­cious promises, as they are called 2 Pet. 1.4. By which he gives incouragement to them to come to him.

Thirdly, By notable instances of his super­abundant mercy to sinners in times past, leaving them as monuments for ages to come: as here in S. Paul and others. The Apostle in the 15 verse, saith, (This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, whereof I am chief,) [Page 3]having set down the [...]ches of Divine Grace, and the full provision that God hath made there­in for the chief of sinners, propounds himself here in the text, for on example and pattern to strengthen the faith of others: and by his own experience to incourage them to make [...]yal of what he had sound such full and sufficient relief from: How be it for this cause I obtained mer­cy, &c. In the words here is — 1 S. Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgment of that kindness and mercy which God had shewed to him; — 2. The gratious interpretation and Construction, with the improvement he makes of this mercy. 1.8. Pauls humble and thankful acknowledgement of that kindness and mercy which God had shown him.

How be it I obtained mercy] there is an emphasis in the words how be it; I who seemed to be at such a distance, and remoteness from mercy, I who seem­ed to be so unmeet, so unworthy, and under so many discouragements, and great disadvan­tages (for what case can possibly go beyond mine?) how be it I obtained mercy: though my case was so bad. S. Paul speaks here of such in­stances as can scarsely be paralelled, I that was (in the 13 vers.) a Blasphemer and a Persecutor, and Injurions, yet I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, (not that S. Paul would thereby extenuate or diminish his sins, he onely comforted himself in this that his sins were committed out of ignorance, there was more of mistake then maliciousness in them; and that he did not intend an extenuation or diminution of his sins, appears because he aggravates them so [Page 4]much and maketh it so great a wonder that ever such an one as he should obtain mercy). He speaks it as a matter of admiration and astonishment; for if any person may seem to be uncapable of mercy, saith he, I was as like as any, I came so near the borders of the unpardonable sin, that it is a wonder to me, and to all that understand what my carriage hath been, that I should obtain mercy.

Secondly, Here is the interpretation that S. Paul makes of the kindness of God to him: it is not singly to him, to his benefit, to his personal and peculiar advantage, but for the incourage­ment of others in after times, For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe, &c. It is the Lan­guage of a humble and thankful soul, For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first:

First, how? it cannot be understood in re­spect of order of time, because there were multi­tudes who had obtained mercy, that lived in the ages before and as great sinners as S. Paul, as Ma­nasseh and others, in the Old and New Testament.

How then doth he say in me first? Not so much in respect of the order of time as the clear evidence of the riches of mercy: In me first, that is in me chiefly; thus many learned interpreters expound it: Besides the word is the same with that in the verse before [...], which is translated there, Chief, This is a faithful say­ing, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom ( [...]) I am chief.

1. Doct. God in shewing mercy to some doth in­tend good to others.

S. Paul was sensible of this in the mercy that he himself had partaken of, I obtained mercy, but it was that I might be a pattern to them who believe.

David was sensible of this in that prayer of his 51 Psal. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. when he had been pe­titioning of God for mercy, 9. vers. Hide thy face from my sins, &c. 13, Then will I teach trans­gressours thy ways, and sinners shall be converted un­to thee.

Oh, do but shew me these favours and mercies and I will improve them for the benefit of others, 40. Psal. 1.10.

David expresseth his faithfulness to God, and his thankfulness for the mercies he had received, because he did thus declare it.

Nay, this is the very end of Gods leaving these things upon record, the kindness he shews to his people, and the severity he expresseth toward his enemies, that these might be improved by us to our good, 15. Rom. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

But I shall not insist on this,

2. Doct. One of the highest expressions of our thankfulness to God for the mercies he hath vouch­safed to us, is to do our utmost to encourage others to own and acknowledge, and to come in to God, and partake of what we enjoy.

What a wonder doth S. Paul make it here that he had mercy from God, How be it I obtained [Page 6]mercy; though such and such a one as I was, yet I obtained mercy; but it was for a pattern to others that hereafter should believe on him to everlasting life; He debaseth himself as low as hell and exalt­eth Gods mercy above the heavens; indeed every thing of mercy is a great wonder considering what we are in point of vileness and unworthi­ness; but it is an evidence that mercy is then in mercy when it doth not onely elevate and lift up our hearts in admiration and praising God, but in commending him to others as the object of their trust and hope.

3. Doct. That the scope and aim of every Person should be everlasting life.

4. Doct. That the onely way to obtain this ever­lasting life is in a way of believing.

5. Doct. That the work of beleiving is a difficult work.

6. Doct. Because it is a difficult thing to be­lieve therefore God hath appointed all kind of helps for the working of faith in the hearts of belie­vers.

But I shall wave all these, and speak to this:

Doct. God is pleased sometimes to single out Capi­tal and notorious offenders, to make them the objects of his special and distinguishing mercy to the end they may be as standing instances and famous Monu­ments of his mercy in after ages; and thereby pre­vent all occasions of doubts, suspicion, and jealousies which humble sinners are in danger of.

This Doctrine must be warily understood. I do not say God always or ordinarily doth so; this cannot possibly be: it is contrary to the ho­liness and truth of God. As God is a holy God [Page 7]be cannot but abhor sin. Though he hath mercy sometimes on the greatest sinners, yet he bears a perfect detestation to sin: therefore sin is called ant abominable thing, do not that abominable thing that I hate. He cannot but have an infinite displeasure against sin because it is so unsuteable to his holiness, 11. Psal. 5, 6, 7. The Lord trieth the Righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. His countenance doth behold the upright, and those only, with approbation and delight.

So as to the truth and veracity of God in his threatnings against sin, which he hath so severely pronounced his displeasure against, he is in point of his truth and faithfulness obliged to make good what he hath threatened as well as promised. Therefore God doth not always nor ordinarily make notorious sinners the objects of his par­doning mercy, because this would make God a seeming approver of what himself hates, and a countenancer of what he puts a great discounte­nance upon: but sometimes God singles out some notable sinners and leaves them as instances and monuments to after ages, and it is to this end and purpose that they might be as so many Beacons on a hill to warn others to take heed of their sins, and to give light to others to encou­rage them, notwithstanding their objections, doubts, and fears. Sometimes you finde S. Paul admiring the grace of God shewed to him; that he who was at that remoteness and distance from mercy, should find mercy and favour; You have a notable instance in the 2 Ephes. 2. Wherein in times past (speaking of them in their Gentilism) [Page 8]ye walked according to the course of this world, &c.

This was a sad condition, to be under the power, to be captive to the will and pleasure of such an usurper.

Vers. 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, hath quickned us together with Christ.

In the 7. vers. That in the ages to come be might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ.

That he might leave such standing objects of his mercy as might obviate and prevent all dis­couragements in doubting Christians, and be­cause S. Paul propounds himself singly in this Text I shall confine my self to that particular instance, and the end and account, upon which he obtained so much mercy: it was that he might be a pattern to others.

In opening the Doctrine I shall speak to three things.

1. What those sins were that S. Paul before his conversion was guilty of, and notwithstanding which he obtained mercy, which was in his eye so great a wonder.

2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding those great sins.

3. What there is of Encouragement from these instances of S. Paul and others recorded in the Scripture for the encouragement of doubting Christians in after ages.

1. What were those sins S. Paul was guilty of before his Conversion; You find them summ'd up in the 13 vers. of this Chapter, I was a blas­phemer: That is the first; Now blasphemy was a [Page 9]capital crime and to be punished with death, and by stoning to death.

There are two things remarkable in the pu­nishment of blasphemers: It was no less then death, and every person who was not guilty was bound to purge himself from so great a crime by witnessing his detestation of it, Thy hand shall be first against him.

The tender Father must be severe against the Child of his own bowels.

Blasphemy is branded in Scripture with ma­ny black titles and the punishment of it was very severe.

This was the great crime objected against Naboth; he must be carried out of the City and stoned as a vile Person, not fit to live because he blasphemed God and the King, 1 King. 21.9.13.

A greater crime then this the enemies of our Saviour (notwithstanding all their combinati­ons against him) could not alledge, a stronger charge then that of blasphemy, they could not lay against him, 26 Matth. 65. Then the high Priest rent his clothes, saying, he hath spoken bla­sphemy.

What was the blasphemy? 61 vers. This fel­low said I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.

Here was reproachful Language, this fellow, this contemptible fellow spake thus and thus, and you have heard his blasphemy, what need you any more witnesses. This is such a sin that Herod (though he was not guilty of blaspheming God himself yet because he did seem to countenance [Page 10]others, who did, when he made that eloquent Ora­tion when the People, cryed out it is the voice of a God and not of a man, 12. Act. 21.22.) for his bare connivance at this sin brought ruine upon himself; because he took the glory to him­self.

Because David had but occasioned the enemies to blaspheme, God dealt so severely with him; the Child must die, 2 Sam. 12.14.

I might shew at large with what severity the Magistrates were bound to bear witness a­gainst this sin, 5. Levit. 1. And unless we express a detestation of this sin we make it our own.

That is the first, a blasphemer.

2. A persecutour; and that he was to purpose: do but observe those emphatical expressions by which S. Paul sets out the hainousness of his guilt of this sin, 7. Act. 58. And cast him out of the City and stoned him.

8. Act. 1. And Saul was consenting to his death.

9. Act. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threat­nings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord, &c.

And this is the next step to blasphemy, (per­fecution:) He would neither imbrace Christiani­ty himself, nor could he patiently endure that o­thers should, but with all the rage and fury im­aginable he laboured to oppose the ways of Christ.

3. He was Injurious, the word in the Greek is [...], it is but once more used in the New Te­stament, 1 Rom. 30. [...], — it is Translated despiteful, and denotes thus much; [Page 11]When his power could not reach the Persons of Professours, nor the worldly concerns of Profes­sours, yet he did his utmost to blast their names and blemish their reputation: he was a reviler, he forbore nothing that was injurious to them, but what was beyond his power to inflict. These were his sins.

2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding such sins; and that in three instances.

1. Sparing mercy, God had born with him: Notwithstanding he was often guilty of those sins, which might have brought wrath and de­struction more quickly upon him: he wondered at Gods patience towards him; this is mention­ed in this verse, That he might shew forth all long suffering.

When he once came to understand what he had been, and what he had done, he stands amazed at the holy God that had so much patience with him. God had (it is true) struck him to the ground, he admired that God had not struck him as low as hell. We are apt to think, beholding the gross abominations, that are more open and visible in our days, what infinite patience there is in God, that he doth not immediately break out upon such as are guilty; but S. Paul like a poor humble sinner busies himself at home, and spends his wondering chiefly on Gods patience towards himself, who had been a blasphemer, and perse­cutour, and injurious, and yet alive, and on this side hell; yet a pattern of the patience and long-suffering of God.

2. He obtained pardoning and renewing mer­cy, in respect of that double change that was [Page 12]wrought upon him: there was an outward change in respect of his State and Condition, and there was an inward change in respect of the frame and disposition of his heart. These were the high and choice mercies which he obtained. Mercy in respect of his state and condition: Of a childe of wrath he became a childe of mercy and favour: from a state of death he was brought into a state of life: from a state of condemnation he was brought into a state of absolution and par­don, as he himself speaks, 2 Ephes. 5. Even when we were deed in sins he hath quickned us together with Christ. We were dead, guilty of death, un­der a state of condemnation; but now 5. Rom. 1. being justified by faith we have peace with God.

Now justification is not only an act of mercy, and consists not barely in the remission of sin, but it is an act of justice also, in regard of the account upon which sin is forgiven; this is a Doctrine whereof many in these times speak very lightly: therefore to give a right notion of Ju­stification, consider it doth not only consist in the bare remission of sin, but this remission of sin is upon a valueable consideration, Divine Justice having received a valueable satisfaction by the blood of Christ; For nothing could expiate our sins but his blood. Now S. Paul was sensible of the great mercy of God to him, and by this mer­cy he means pardoning mercy.

Again, he did partake of purging mercy, in regard of the inward frame and disposition of his heart; This he frequently mentions.

Thirdly, That is not all, but he obtained Com­missionating grace; grace to be employed, to be [Page 13]made use of in the highest degree of service to God, and his Church. From the lowest degree of infamy, he was raised to the highest place of trust, 12. vers. of this Chapter, And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me: for that be counted me faithful putting me into the Mini­stry.

Though the Ministry be never so much despi­sed, he accounted it a high honour to be put in­to it; he that was a blasphemer, a persecutour, injurious, that Christ should put this honour up­on him, here is mercy indeed: for such an offender to be spared, to be pardoned, to be sanctified, to be made use of as such a glorious chosen instru­ment of God among the Gentiles, this was mercy indeed.

3. What encouragement is there in this, and such like famous instances, which God hath left upon record as monuments of his mercy, for broken hearted sinners, who are ready to sink under the weight and burden of their own sins?

First, These examples and standing monu­ments of Gods mercy to others, are incourage­ments to humble broken hearted sinners; because the same Fountain of mercy still stands open to us, that was open to them; and by these stand­ing monuments, God hath enabled his people to answer those puzzling objections, that do stick most with them.

The bowels and compassion of a gracious God are open now, which were open to Saint Paul.

This is the original of all kind of mercies, and [Page 14]unless this be open, every door of mercy is [...], 59. Isa. 1. The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save.

He hath the same bowels now which he had: he is the fame yesterday and to day, and for ever, his mercy is from one generation to another: The mercy of the Lord endures for ever, It is no less then twenty times mentioned in the 136. Psalm. We have the same fountain opened to us, that is, the Bowel [...] of God.

Secondly, There is the fame meritoriouss [...] in the bloud of Christ now as was, He is the La [...] slain from the foundation of the world.

There is an everlasting efficacy in his blood.

The Papists speak of their Treasury of Indul­gences, that sinners may live upon if they will give a handsome rate for them: this is a gross delusion, and multitudes have been deceived with it.

But this is true and real in Christ; there is a treasury of all kinde of blessings laid up by his purchase; by his once offering up himself be hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Thirdly, There is the same efficaciousness in the Spirit of Grace.

We have the same operations of the Sp [...] of grace to convince, and to convert, to sanctifie, and renew us; to prevent us from si [...]ing; and to regenerate us to holiness; to assist us, and to enable us to every good way, and work.

Fourthly, If you regard the instrumental cause, there is the same vertue in ordinances, now which ever was; because the strength and vertue of ordinances depend upon Gods presence [Page 15]and concurrence with them. Now God hath promised his presence and concurrence to the end of the world, 28. Matth. last, Lo, I am with you to the end of the world.

Not only with your Persons while your live, but with your successours, by whom the same ordinances are dispenced, when you are dead and gone.

Again, if you regard the final cause, salvation and happiness, God hath the same love for the salvation of lost and undone creatures now, which he had of Old, therefore says S. Paul, 15. Rom. 8, 9. Now I say, that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the pro­mises made unto your Fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy.

There is an account given, why the Gospel should extend to the Gentiles, because God will be glorified among them, 3. Ephes. 21.

He is able and ready to do for his People, above what they can either ask, or think; That he might have glory in all ages even to the to the end of the world.

Secondly, We are under the same encourage­ments, because we are under the same promises that they were, and what there is of difference; is rather of advantage to us, above what it was to them; the promises to us are more clear and plain.

We have the same Covenant now, that they had, 3. Gal. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles; we have the same Covenant to plead.

And the terms and conditions upon which [Page 16]mercy is tendered in the promises is the same; as faith and repentance which was accepted then is accepted now; and these conditions are more clear now, then at that time.

3. The great design and intent of God in singling out such Persons, is that he might give sufficient antidotes against all objections: this is the account S. Paul gives in this place, That in [...]e first, Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter be­lieve.

Now how hath God been pleased by such ex­amples to provide against all the discourage­ments of poor humbled and doubting sin­ners?

1. God hereby shews, that as great and noto­rious sinners, as we can think our selves to be have been pardoned. I obtained mercy, saith S. Paul [...] who was a blasphemer, therefore let no man hence forward despair of mercy, for there is ri­ches and fulness enough of mercy in the bosome of God for the greatest sinners. Manasseh (whom the Scripture discovers to be as a summary or an abridgement of all kind of wickedness, 2 Chr [...]. 33.2.) had done like the heathen in all their abo­minations, 9. vers. He made them equal with them in Witchcrafts, and Idolatry, and in all manner of abominations; Nay, to exceed the heathen, and yet when he was in Affliction in the 12, 13. vers. he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers, and prayed unto him, and he was entreated of him. Great sinners may be pardoned.

2. Some object the unworthiness of their [Page 17]Person; but consider as unworthy Persons as you can be have obtained mercy, and been made in­struments of mercy to others, 36. Ezek. 31.32.

3. Persons as unwilling as you have found mercy, 5. John 40. Its our Saviours great com­plaint you will not come to me that you might have life; he is willing to give it; what can poor dead Persons more need then life? he is willing to bestow it; he invites them to accept of it, but they would not come to him that they might have life. But yet many of those obtained mercy.

Nay, Let me adde farther, is it your inability that discourageth you? As unable as you have found mercy; our Saviour tells us, 6. John 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.

We are all naturally unable, unwilling, and unworthy, yet God gives encouragement by these instances and standing monuments of his favour to answer all objections.

Ʋse 1. This may serve by way of reproof to three sorts of Persons, Hath God left such stand­ing Monuments of his mercy to Notorious offen­ders; even such as is sufficient to answer all ob­jections, if they be but once humbled and come to him upon his own terms? Then this may re­prove such as Consult not the Scriptures, that know not what monuments God hath left up­on record for our encouragement; at what a loss are such Persons for the making use of such examples.

2. It reproves such as are careless in making use of them; that seldom concern themselves a­bout the case of their souls; that neither Consi­der [Page 18]how it is with them at present, nor how it is like to be with them for the future.

3. It reproves such as make a perverse use of these examples, in turning the grace of God into Lasciviousness and Wantonness, in making use of these examples of mercy, either for the imbolden­ing of themselves in sin, to the hardening of their hearts against Gods fear; or to encourage themselves in the delaying their repentance, and applying themselves to God for mercy; but let loose the reins of their Corruptions, because such great sinners have been pardoned; Therefore a Pardon is easie to be had, it is but crying God have mercy upon me: Oh, take heed of such bold Presumption in sin; it is a most dangerous thing to play the wantons with the tender grace and mercy of God; how many are apt to plead for the justification of their sins, because many have been saved, who have been guilty of their sins. I do not know of any kind of sins but God hath given us instances of his saving some from such sins: But what a high degree of blasphemy is this to pervert the grace of God to such contrary ends to what God intended it.

All along in Scripture these Monuments are mentioned, to keep us humble, thankful and lively in the service of God; and not to enbolden us in sin; this is quite contrary to the whole design of the Gospel.

Hence see also, the necessity of keeping these famous instances fresh in your thoughts, for the supporting of your Spirits; Oh, think what their case is, how difficult and dangerous, who forget these examples? and what success they [Page 19]will find who improve them faithfully and not wantonly. And consider the great difficulty of believing: it is what God Commands in a way of Condition: and it is what God hath promised in a way of grace: it is beyond our power to believe: who hath believed our report, to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed: it is onely the mighty Arm of God that can work faith in such hearts as ours are. How much prejudiced are we against every thing of Faith? as the Per­son of Christ, and the righteousness of Christ? What a hard task had S. Paul with many of the Churches, (as the Romanes and Galati­ans) to bring them off from their self-righte­ousness, and trusting to their works? Oh, it is not an easie matter to bring our hearts to close with Christ, to think that Christ will entertain thoughts of mercy towards us. These are the two Capital Mistakes by which most of the world miscarry, either to think so slightly of sin, as not to regard it: or so black­ly of sin as to think themselves past all re­medy. Let what hath been said encourage you to make this use, to strengthen your faith, and to lay hold humbly and thankfully on the promises made to you: it is to this end that God hath left such paterns of mercy on record for us: and consider it is the principal design of Satan to rob you of faith, to weaken be­lieving, and to keep you off from believing, Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat.

If Satan can but destroy our faith he will de­stroy our peace, comfort, and safety. Nay, he doth at once rob us of all. I should have shewed the [Page 20]sinfulness of unbelief, when God hath been so gracious, not onely to make such full promises, and such gracious offers, but to leave such mo­numents and paterns of his graciousness, and that yet we should be unbelieving, and stand off from God; this false kind of humility is that which hath deceived many; let an awakened sinner therefore take heed of it: It is to this end God hath left examples of his mercy to others, to encourage others that should believe on him in after ages.

THough God hath not thought meet to exempt his people from affliction, yet he hath taken care that they shall not be destitute of supports sufficient to bear them up above dejections in their afflictions; and of all the encouragements that we finde upon re­cord in the Scriptures, this is none of the least, that S. Paul mentions here in the Text; giving thanks, &c.

The Apostle begins this Epistle according to his usual and accustomed manner, to wit, with prayer on the behalf of them to whom he writes; the blessings he prays for are chiefly these three,

First, That they may know the will of God, and know it fully; this you have in the 9. vers. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

The Second thing he prays for, is, that they [Page 22]may obey the will of God, and obey it univer­sally; and that you have in the 10. v. That they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-plea­sing, being fruitful in every good work, and en­creasing in the knowledge of God.

The third thing he prays for is, that they might submit unto the will of God, and submit to it with chearfulness, and that you have in the 11. vers. Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long­suffering with joyfulness.

There are three things; that are essential to a sincere Christian, The knowledge of Gods will, The practifing of what he knows, and then not onely the doing of what God Commands, but a submitting to what God inflicts: These are the three things the Apostle prays for, and it is worth our while to consider, the order in which he prays for them, — First, He prays that they may know the will of God: they did know it in some measure already, but he prays that they may know it fully; knowledge is that which makes way for practice; without know­ledge, Solomon tell us the minde cannot be good; but knowledge alone cannot speak our condition to be safe; A great deal of know­ledge the worst of Creatures have had, not onely the worst of men, but the worst of Creatures, but that knowledge which is an unactive know­ledge, is little better then the knowledge of De­vils, for they 2. James 19. believe, and tremble.

And therefore the Apostle here prays, that they might adde to their knowledge obedience, and that this obedience might be full; but our [Page 23]obedience can never be compleat, unless it be as well in submitting to the providential will of God, as in doing his Commanding will; You read of a twofold will of God; his preceptive will, that sets before us the rule of our duty, and his providential will, and by this he orders all our affairs; we must shew our obedience in both.

The Apostle having therefore thus recom­mended the Spiritual estate of these Colossians to God by prayer, he goes on and encourageth them to follow his prayer with suitable endeavours, giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet, &c.

There are in these words three particulars.

1. An eminent priviledge, An inheritance in light.

2. The means by which this priviledge is at­tained, that is, we must be made meet before we can be made partakers of it.

3. The duty that lies upon all them whom God hath been thus far gracious to, as to make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. They should be full of thankful acknowledgements and praises, giving thanks, &c.

Whatever their outward condition might be, though they lived in times of trouble, and perse­cution, though many black clouds did then hang over the Church of God, yet God is merciful, for which you should be thankful, and which may cause you to rejoyce in his goodness, what ever your outward condition may be.

I shall a little explain the words, and then proceed,

1. Here is an eminent Priviledge, and that is in general said to be an inheritance, the Original is, [...], to part of the Inherit­ance; which word [...] properly signifies a lot: most interpreters think it to be an allusion to the people of Israel, when by their several tribes, and families, they had their inheritances divided a­mong them; it was all done by lot, they took it by lot, every Israelite had his Portion, and inhe­ritance by lot, so hath every gracious soul here this spiritual inheritance.

More particularly, it is said to be an inheri­tance, that is, not Common, but an inheritance peculiar to the Saints, that is, to them that are renewed, and Sanctified; to them that are born again, for though the word sanctification is used sometimes in a larger sense, yet here it must mean an inward, and through work of grace, The inheritance of the Saints in light. But then as it is no ordinary inheritance, so neither is it any despicable, or mean inheritance, it is called here an inheritance of the Saints in light. The word light in Scripture, is frequently put for comfort, thus you read in the 8. Esther 16. it is said there, when Mordicai was advanced into favour with Ahasuerus, and those black clouds were blown over the heads of the Jews, then had they light, and gladness, So in 97. Psal. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, light, that is, joy, and joy for the upright in heart: 112. Psal. 4. you have the like expression there, to the upright ari­seth light in darkness, that is, though for the present he may be under many troubles, and perplexing thoughts, yet light is sown: though [Page 25]at present the seed sown under-ground, seems to be dead, and wither, yet it will bring forth a plentiful increase. Sometimes it denotes not onely comfortable things, but the transcendent excellency of things; thus it is said of Satan, he transforms himself into an Angel of light, 2 Cor. 11.14. an Angel of light, that is, an Angel of glory, a blessed Angel: in the 104. Psal. 2. God is said, to Cover himself with light, as with a gar­ment, it denotes the transcendent excellency of his Majesty; so that you see this inheritance is no mean nor ordinary thing, it is no despicable thing, it is peculiar to the Saints, it is the inheritance of the Saints in light, that is, it is a glorious and ex­cellent inheritance.

2. Here is the means by which alone this inhe­ritance can be obtained, that is, none can par­take of it, but those that are first made meet for it: This is a necessary predisposition in all who do partake of this Inheritance; they must first be made meet, [...], the word Meet is often translated worthy: Sometimes it signifies suita­ble, bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that is, as becomes repentance. Let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel, A giving thanks to the Fa­ther who hath made us meet, this implies two things,

1. That we are naturally unmeet, we are not born meet, we must be made meet; who hath made us meet.

2. That our being made meet, is not the fruit of our own endeavour, but of Gods grace: who hath made us meet; it is not our act, but Gods goodness; it is not any strength of our own, but [Page 26]the care, and love of God, who hath made us thus, for who bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one, Job 14.4.

3. Here is the duty that lies upon them to­wards whom God hath been so gracious as to make them meet to be partakers of this inheri­tance, They should be continually giving thanks, that God hath been so good unto them, it is more then if God had blessed them with all the good things of this world, it is more then if God had given them the utmost of what they can desire, nay more then their desires can reach.

There are several observations which may be raised from the words, These two I shall give you,

1. Doct. What ever the condition of the people of God may be for the present, yet they have an Inheri­tance for the future.

The people of God are in this world, as Chil­dren in their non-age, as heirs that are under Tu­tours, and Guardians; They may have a right, and title to very large Priviledges; but they are under age, they have not the fruition of what is their own. This is the very allusion of the Apo­stle, 4. Gal. 1. Now I say, that the heir so long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all.

You know the first-born, he is an heir, though he be but an infant; Now all the Children of God are stiled his first born this you may see 12. Heb. 23. The Church, of the first born, how? not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God and as the Children of No­bles are born to Honours; and the Children of [Page 27]rich Men to Estates, so the Children of God, are born to this inheritance. I speak not of their Na­tural, but Spiritual birth; that are born again. It is said of our Saviour, that he is the great heir of all things; and it is said of the members of Christ, that they are co-heirs with him: and what is that to which they are heirs? It is so fully, and affectionately described, and so Rheto­rically, that it is worth our while to pause a little upon it, in the many expressions concerning it, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Blessed be the God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again, &c. There is Regeneration; but to what? To a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you.

For the clearing of this, I shall only alledge some few arguments, That it must needs be so, that the people of God, (those that are truly regenerate, and born again) have an inheritance intailed on them.

1. The first argument is drawn from their pre­sent condition here on earth, this speaks that they must have something future.

1. Their Comforts in outward things are u­sually fewer then others: The Papists make pro­sperity a mark of the true Church, but how con­trary this is to the history of the Scripture, and the experience of all ages, I need not mention: We find God many times is abundantly gracious to those in these spiritual blessings, to whom he gives very little of outward Comforts; In our [Page 28]Saviours time, you read the poor received she Gospel, so in after times, 2. James 5. you read God hath chosen the poor in this world, rich in Faith.

There are many that are low in the world, yet high in esteem with God; I do not speak as if there was an Inconsistency between these things, but I speak of what is the usual Condition of Gods People, in respect of these outward things: Now, it cannot be imagined, that God should be more liberal, and bountiful in any sorts of blessings to his enemies, then to his sons; that he should extend bounty in any kind more largly to them he hates, then to those he loves;

Now, in that God so often bestows less of out­ward good things upon his people, when he be­stows more upon his enemies; this is an Argu­ment that there remains something for the fu­ture for the People of God. This argument hath so far prevailed with many of the heathen, that they have been convinced there is another world, wherein God will manifest the righte­ousness of his Judgements, as the Apostle calls the day of Judgement, the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God.

2. As their outward comsorts, are usually fewer, so their delights in, and Affections to what they enjoy are usually lower, they do not look on the things of this world, as any great matter: when others account the world their Idol: In the 10. Mat. 37. you read what the duty of the people of God is, He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me: and be that loveth son or daughter more then me, is not worthy of me.

Others may make them Idols in their Affecti­ons; but it is the duty of a gratious soul to keep these things low in its thoughts. The descripti­on of the Church you have in the Revelations, The woman is cloathed with the sun, and hath the noon under her feet; her feet were where others hearts are, she trampled on the world. Now God sometimes calls his People to an actual for­saking of these things for him; you read, 12. Gen. 1. That God called Abraham to leave his fathers house, and his native country, and his friends, and [...]equaintance, and to go he knew not whither, and amongst he knew not whom, and Abraham yielded obedience: So Moses, 11. Heb. 25. He chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a sea­son.

Thus the Disciples, 19. Matt. 27. left all. Then answered Peter, and said unto him, behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee: And though God doth not call us to such actual forsaking of all things for him, at all times, yet to an habi­tual, to a dispositional forsaking them: that is, to a despising, and an undervaluing of them for himself: thus far God calls to forsake them at all times. Now for as much, as their outward comforts are fewer, and the comfort they take in these outward things are meaner, it argues that God hath some thing better in store for his people than these things.

3. Their outward afflictions are usually greater, then others, and that partly out of Gods love to them, and their love to him, not only in re­gard of the malice of their enemies, but partly out of [Page 30]Gods love to them; 12. Heb. 6. Every son whom he [...] loves he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom b [...] receiveth.

We have need of afflictions, God out of his fatherly care is pleased to afflict his, more then others: you find when God was angry with his people of Israel, he discovered his anger by this, in that he would not vouchsafe to make know [...] himself to be angry: Why, should you be smi [...] any more? Isaiah 1.5.

God would not be at the pains to correct such: Now as Gods love to his People, makes their a [...] ­ctions greater then others, so many times their love to him, 11. Heb. 37. They were stoned, they were bewn in sunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandred about in sheep skins, and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.

3. Those primitive worthies, might easily have escaped dangers, and shunned those calamities that they under-went; but its said they accepted not of deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

That is, they were more tender of the glory of God, and their faithfulness to him, then what ever in the world was of highest esteem amongst them. So if you look over the book of God, you shall find, though all men have had a portion in afflictions, yet the people of God have usually had a larger share; how many oppofitions, have they met with, upon no other account then upon the account of their faithfulness to God: Abol, was not only persecuted, but murdered, by his Brother. Abraham met with no small tryals, ma­ny times; so Moses: I might speak of many in­stances, [Page 31]which would be too large to mention; how Elijah was forced to fly for his life, Micaiah was fed with the bread of affliction, and waters of Adversity; and Ecclesiastical writers tell us, that Isaiah was sawn asunder: and the Scripture that Jeremiah was put into a dungeon: and history tells us, that he was afterwards slain in Babylon: and therefore many ancient writers do frequently mention the flaming bush, the Ark tossed upon the waves, to be excellent Emblems, to describe the State of the Church here upon the earth; This bush is ever burning, but not consu­med, Gods care of it is such.

4. The only support that Gods people have here, is their hope of this inheritance. The Apo­stle tells the Hebrews, what they must expect to meet with; and says he, you have need of pati­ence, that after you have done the will of God, you may reap the promises; Yet says he, a little while, and he that shall come will come, and the just shall live by his faith. Alass, should they live by sense, their comforts would be soon over­clouded; but they live by faith, that is, they live above these outward things, and mind their spiritual, and heavenly concernments, 10. Heb 34, 35. You read in the 20. Act. 24. what was S. Pauls great support, when he went bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem, 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.

He had higher things in his eye, then all these [Page 32]things were; this was that supported him, 1 Cor. 15.19. If we had hope only of Christ in this life, we were of all men most miserable.

Now; if you put all these together, Consider what the case of Gods People is in this world, and what their carriage is; then certainly, there must be an Inheritance remaining for them; some thing better, some thing greater, then what they enjoy here.

2. A second reason is this, Consider, the price that Christ hath paid to purchase this inheritance for them; When Christ was leaving the world, he tells them, I go to prepare a place for you; In my fathers house there are many Mansions; Nay, he tells them in the 14. John, that this was the very design of his coming into the world; and can we think that all that agony, and all those strong crys, that he offered up in the days of his flesh, shall be lost, and disregarded; Now, what his design in all his sufferings were, you may see, 17. John 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast gi­ven me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before, the foundation of the world.

We cannot think that God who looks upon that as a condemning sin in others, to trample under foot the blood of Christ, that he should do any thing like this himself: The 53. Isaiah is an excellent Chapter to describe those transactions that past between the Father, and Son, in order to mans redemption; Christ he undertakes to suffer on their behalf; And the Father he undertakes the success of his sufferings, in letting of him, see of the travel of his soul.

3. Consider the promises of God, and certain­ly the promises of God, are a sure foundation to build upon; The promises of a man, though of the greatest of men, are but mutable; God hath bid us to cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: Put not your confidence in Princes: and in the 62. Psal. you have many ex­pressions to that purpose; But the word of God, this is a sure foundation, Heaven and earth shall sooner fail, then one jot or tittle of what he hath said.

Now God hath promised, a future state of glory to his people, a future inheritance.

Lastly, Consider the earnests, and pledges, that God doth in this world afford his people of their future inheritance; he gives them some pledges, that they may know how sure it is, and he gives them some fore tasts, that they may know how sweet it is: 1 Ephes. 13.14. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye had heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of pro­mise which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of our purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

So much for the Doctrinal part; What ever the condition of the people of God may be for the present; yet, they have a future inheritance: they may have but little perhaps in possession, but they have much in reversion: they may have nothing in hand; but they have a great deal in hope. For the use and application of this point,

1. What folly is it then, to judge of them that are sincerely gracious, by what is present? Alass, if [Page 34]you judge of things, or persons, by what is pre­sent, as to outward things, this is a falliable rule. In the 73. Psal. the Psalmist eying this rule so much, was in great danger of mistaking, but be at last recollects himself, and says, If I should speak thus, I should offend against the generation of the righteous. So 37. Psal. 37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. His beginning may be trouble, his continuance may be with oppositions, but his end shall be peace.

2. In the next place, Is it so?

Then let us make no misconstructions of Gods dealings with us. If we can but answer this great question, that we are in the number of them that have a right to this future inheritance, we have reason to entertain good thoughts of God, what ever he is pleased to do with us, as to other things; If God hath been gracious to us, in the choicest mercies, we should not enter­tain hard thoughts of him, if he with hold or remove smaller mercies; If he hath been gracious to us in distinguishing blessings, we should not be so apt to challenge God concerning these outward blessings.

3. If this is so,

Then let this engage us quietly, and patient­ly, to bear what ever afflictions God may be pleased to exercise us with. But you will say, It is a hard matter to be patient under present affli­ctions, when we are in doubts concerning our fu­ture estate and condition; to be under trou­bles now, and not to know when an end of these troubles shall be, this must needs be un­comfortable; [Page 35]and therefore let this engage us,

1. To labour to resolve this great question, whether we are in the number of them to whom this Inheritance belongs. You see it is the por­tion of all the Children of God; every one that is born again, that is born of God, is born to this inheritance: but I shall speak more to this, when I shall speak of that part of the text, of being made meet; and thus, we may know it, by exa­mining the work of grace in our own hearts: but because. I shall insist on that afterwards, I shall wave it now; Now those that have once resol­ved this querie, it becomes them to be patient in bearing what God doth exercise them with: Consider how patient God hath been towards us; shall we be impatient towards him: and let us consider, our future comforts, and they will more then sufficiently recompence all our present sufferings, I reckon, that the sufferings of this pre­sent time; are not worthy to be compared with the glo­ry that shall be revealed. 8. Rom. 18.

Nay, how helpful and how conduceable, is this quietness of Spirit, to fit us for this Inherit­ance! But you will say, What is it to be quiet and patient under the hand of God, —

Ans. It is not every kind of stilness of spirit; there may be a stupidness and blockishness of Spirit: therefore in one word, to be patient un­der afflictions, doth not exclude a sense of afflicti­ons, but a dejection of spirit under afflictions; You find, 5. Jer. 3. that God complains of his ancient people, though he had smitten them, yet they would not receive correction: O Lord, are not thy eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but [Page 36]they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder then a rock, they have refu­sed to return.

God had spoken to them by the voice of mer­cy; that was a still voice, they turned a deaf ear to that Language: God spake to them in a louder Language, by the voice of Judgement; Now God takes it ill that this would not awaken them: We should be sensible of afflictions, but not cast down by affliction; it is the middle be­tween these extreams, insensibleness, and de­jection.

2. Though it does exclude dejection under afflictions, yet it doth not exclude humiliation for sin: The People of God that have the most ex­perience of their sincerity, being sensible of the hand of God upon them, must be careful to hum­ble themselves, Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God.

3. It doth not exclude a desire to have afflicti­ons removed, but rather increases a desire to have them sanctified. Some are all for ease; but a gra­cious Person would have the sore cured, before the plaister be taken off, he would not be ex­cluded from a course of Phisick, till he finds Spi­ritual health; afflictions are Gods Spiritual Medi­cines.

4. Again, to be patient under Gods afflicting hand, does not silence prayer, but silenceth pe­remptoriness in prayer; it makes us submissive in our prayers to God, Father if it be possi­ble let this cup pass, yet nevertheless not my will but thine be done.

If God sees it good, if it may make for his glo­ry, God will intrust us with these mercies he at present deprives us of.

5. Farther, it doth not cause us to neglect means, but it restrains us from the use of unwarrantable means; how many in times of danger, if they can but shift off danger, though they run their souls into danger by it, they care not: but patience keeps the soul in an even frame, between these two extreams; it neither doth neglect those means that God hath appointed, nor dare it break Gods fence, nor trample down his hedge, to escape danger; that is the word by which the New Testament describes sin, [...], transgres­sion, a breaking of Gods fence.

6. Lastly, It doth not hinder the soul from du­ty, but it quickens it unto duty, and does inliven it in duty: such a frame of spirit, does very much become them, who are able in any measure to clear up their title to this Inheritance. I have spoken now only in the general, What ever the condition of Gods people may be for the pre­sent, yet, this is their advantage, they have an Inheritance for the future.

The second Doctrine is this,

2. Doct. That this inheritance of the Saints is no mean, slight, nor contemptible matter, but it is an excellent and glorious inheritance.

It is called an inheritance in light; and for the persons to whom it belongs, it is peculiar to the Saints: Observe the manner of S. Pauls speak­ing of it, he cannot so much as mention it without a holy kind of admiration, Gi­ving thanks to God which hath made us meet to [Page 38]be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.

Now all these expressions do demonstrate [...] high esteem that S. Paul had of this inheritance it is in his esteem a mercy more then ordinary, and the partaking of it, a mercy beyond all other mercies: and if the speaking of this inheritance be a thing so admirable, what will the full posses­sion of it be! I shall a little in general, before I come to particulars, set before you something of the excellency of this inheritance.

1. Consider those Emblems by which the Scripture describes it; it is called a heavenly Coun­try: thus you have it, 11. Heb. 1. And a better Country: they looked for a better Country: It is mentioned twice in the Hebrews; it is in compa­rison of the Land of Canaan, which was the in­heritance that God bestowed upon his people of old; but the inheritance that God hath reserved for his people hereafter, is said to be a hea­venly, and a far better Country. Canaan was a Country that God did wonderfully bless: if you consult Scripture, and Geographers, it was al­most a miracle, that so small a spot of ground should contain such a vast number of people, at you read in the Scripture it did, the extent of it being so little. — Sometimes it is called a City; and Cities of old, were places of emi­nency, both for strength, and beauty: It is called the City of the living God, and the heavenly Jerusa­lem, 12. Heb. 22. and to have not only an heavenly Country, but a heavenly City, this is a higher ex­pression, — Sometimes it is called a king­dome, 12. Luke 32. Fear not little flock: 'tis your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome.

Now in a City there may be several ranks of persons, one may be great, another may be mean; One may be in a full condition, another may be in an indigent estate: So it is in all earth­ly kingdoms too; but here all are Kings; every gracious soul is a King, and a Priest to God, in this kingdom, 12. Luke 32. It is given in common to the people of God, and therefore they are stiled Kings and Priests to God, 1. Rev. 6.

Now what preferment can be greater then a Kings? this is the highest step of honour a­mong men: What a Kingdom is here? and what Kings are these? Angels are attendants upon these Kings; they are Ministring spirits sent forth for the good of the elect, 1. Heb. 14.

Nay, these servants of God who are stiled Kings, shall Judge the world, yea, the Angels themselves shall be Judged by them, the evil An­gels, 1 Cor. 6, 7. What greater or what manner of enjoyments can be imagined, that is not in this Kingdom, There are Rivers of pleasure at Gods right hand for ever, 16. Psalm, the last vers.

Sometimes it's set forth by a Crown of righteous­ness, that recompence of reward Moses had an eye unto, 11. Heb. 26. This recompence doth not signifie any desert on mans part, but abundant kindness on Gods part: Even in the Covenant of works; there was no proportion between the work that God required, and the recompence that God promised; The work that God required of Adam was finite, but the recompence that God promised was infinite; the everlasting enjoyment of himself. Alass, we poor creatures can deserve nothing at the hands of God, but wrath: Could [Page 40]we live in the greatest exactness of obedience now, that we might have done in a state of Inno­cency; yet, when we had done our All, we had been but unprofitable servants, our righteousness could not have reached God, we could not have made him our debtor; Alass, he is infinitely a­bove the sins, and the services of his poor Crea­tures; but it only shews the greatness of his bounty. This is the first, The Emblems by which it is de­scribed; I have given you some of many; It is a Country, a City, a Kingdom, a Crown, a Crown of Glory.

2. Consider the transcendent excellency of this inheritance. I shall instance only in some few of many, and before I begin to speak particularly of these excellencies, Consider, they are such as when we have said all we can, all is but a dark representation of them; 'Tis true the excellency of this inheritance is, that it is so perfect and full, that there is neither the mixture of any evil, to allay the comfort of that blessed State, nor any interruption by any adversary, to disturb the enjoyment of it. These are great advanta­ges; They who are in the full possession of this in­heritance, are not only above the reach of ene­mies, but above the capacity of sinning; and in this respect we are far above the estate of Adam in innocency; for then we had mutable natures, though we might have enjoyed very much, yet we might have lost, and did loose all: but this in­heritance is more sure; it is an inheritance esta­blished upon surer promises. You read, We shall follow the Lamb, whethersoever he goes, and we shall see God face to face, and know him as we are [Page 41]known of him. Alass, now we know but in part, and enjoy but in part; what we have, is but little of what God intends; some small foretasts.

And then Consider, it is not only thus full, but it is likewise eternal, and for ever, without any succession; there is no defect in it, no expiration of it; it fades not away, 1 Pet. 1.4. And though it be distributed to many; yet, this distribution does not at all diminish the comforts of it; for such is the infinite fulness of God, that he can never be exhausted. Though thou­sands of Vessels be thrown into the sea together, yet there is enough in the sea to fill them all, and one hath never the less, because the other is full besides; every one is brim full: So those that speak of the degrees of glory, they say every one is as full of glory as they can receive. But to instance in particulars, would be too large, and therefore I shall only speak in general concern­ing the transcendent excellencies of this inhe­ritance: It is such as exceeds all resemblance: Could we extract the sweetness, that is in all Creature excellencies, and summe them up all in­to one; Nay, did all these meet in one person, without the least mixture of any evil, and with­out the least interruption, or disturbance, yet all these were but very weak resemblances; Nay, it doth not only exceed all comparison, but it goes beyond all expressions: You find when the Apo­stle speaks of this inheritance, 1. Ephes. 18. he heaps up expression upon expression, looking upon all expressions to be insufficient; The eyes of your understanding being enlightned: that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what [Page 42]the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the [...].

It is reported of S. Austin, upon the loss of his good friend (it was upon the death of S. Jerome) he comforted himself in the loss of him, by sit­ting down, and meditating upon the joys of heaven; and when he laboured to set forth the excellency of those comforts in his meditations, he thought he heard a voice telling him, he might as soon empty the sea with a spoon, as descr [...] the excellency, and greatness of those joys. You find in the 64. Isa. God himself tells us, that they are such as neither eye hath seen, nor [...] heard, but that is not all, they do not only ex­ceed all expressions but all conceptions; out words may be high, but our thoughts may go beyond what our words can express; but they ex­ceed our thoughts, It hath not entered into the heart of man.

When David speaks of them, he speaks by way of admiration, How great is that goodness thee thou hast laid up for those that fear thee, Psal. 31.19.

It is greater then I am able to express, greater then I am able to think; Nay, God describes himself, 3. Ephes. 20. to be a God that does for his people beyond what they can ask or think; Now, our raised thoughts, and apprehensions when they come up to their highest pitch, do not reach the excellency of those enjoyments, 1 Ephes. S. John 3.2. Behold, says S. John what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God?

He is astonished at what God hath done al­ready; Behold what manner, &c. but yet says he, We know not what we shall be; S. John was that [Page 43]Disciple that lay in the bosome of Christ, that had many singular discoveries made to him, but says he, We know what we shall be; Nay, let me adde one word more, it is not only beyond all comparison, and all expressions, and all appre­bensions, but the transcendency of this inherit­ance is such, as is beyond all Scripture Revelations. For you may find it is stiled a glory that shall be revealed in us, 8. Rom. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be com­pared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

That is, revealed fully, Indeed God hath revealed enough of it already, to make every thing in this world contemptible, and to cause us to have mean thoughts of all things else; but the full and perfect discovering of this inheritance, is re­served for another world: we know not what we shall be, but this we know; we shall know him as we are known of him, and see him as he is, 2 Thes. 1.10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was belie­ved) in that day.

That is the second Argument.

3. The excellency of this inheritance may far­ther appear if you consider the concurrance of all things that may strengthen the title of Gods people to this inheritance: Reckon up all the ti­tles that can be to any estate, and all meet in this inheritance; Do any claim a right to any inherit­ance by way of gift; This is the gift of God, Luke 12.32.

Do any claim a right by way of purchase? This is the puchase of Christ, 1 Ephes. 14. it's called the purchased possession.

Do any claim a right by way of Conquest? Christ hath conquered all those enemies that might keep Gods people from it.

Do any claim a right by way of Inheritance? It is theirs by succession, for they are the children of God. If any have a title to an inheritance is any of these respects singly, if their title be right, their inheritance is secure; but here is a concur­rence of all these belonging to the people of God: this inheritance is the gift of God, the purchase of Christ, conquest of Christ, and it is theirs by succession.

4. Consider, the admirable certainty of posses­sing this inheritance: God hath promised it, and faithful is he that hath promised. My father is greater then all; No power can over-match him, My father is greater then all and none can take you out of his hands.

He hath undertaken, 1 Pet. 1.5. That they shall be kept by his power, through faith unto salvable, They shall be kept, and kept by the mighty power of God, & kept from danger, so long as there is any thing of danger remains; they shall be kept till they are landed in that blessed inheritance: It is Gods promise, 13. Heb. 5. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The words in the Greek are very emphatical, [...], he hath said I will never leave thee, &c. which God ascertains by no less then five Negative Particles.

And if God hath said it, it is not for us to question it, The Pythagoreans had so much reve­rence to their Master, that they lookt upon it as too much arrogancy to question his dictates.

1. Phil. 6. He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ.

Where God hath once laid the foundation of grace, he will carry on the superstructure, when God hath brought home any soul to himself, he will take care of that soul; it is his promise it is his Covenant.

And so much in general for the second Obser­vation, the excellency of this Inheritance — For Application, I shall only insist on one or two Uses.

Is it so, That this inheritance is no mean, no slight, no contemptible thing, is it so admirable that it exceeds all comparison, all expression, all conception, all Scripture revelation? Then, This may inform us, how well it is with the people of God in this regard, let it go never so ill with them in other things; there is enough in this single Meditation to render their condition love­ly, above the condition of all others: Who would not chuse the estate of poor Lazarus rather then rich Dives: who would not chuse the estate of Job upon the dung-hill, rather then Pharaob up­on the Throne: who would not rather be in any kind of condition here (so they may but obtain this blessed condition hereafter), then enjoy all the delights and advantages of this world, and be deprived of, or come short of this inherit­ance? Certainly there is enough in this single meditation to support the hearts of the people of God in their greatest trials and troubles.

Are all the sincere people of God intitled to such an inheritance? and shall they most certain­ly [Page 46]be possessed of this inheritance; are they upon so sure a foundation, and is it in so sure a hand; though they have enemies without them, and enemies within them, inraged enemies, diligent enemies, enemies that continually endeavour to overthrow them, yet are they at such a certain­ty, that they shall at last possess such an inherit­ance? this speaks their condition to be truly good.

2. This may inform us, what cause we have to be ashamed, and to stand amazed at our own & others neglects of this inheritance: is their such a thing as this to be obtained? and yet how do the generality of men bestow their time upon trifles, and vanities, and how little hath this in­heritance of their time or thoughts? May not God expostulate with the professours of our age, as he did with the professours of old, Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which profiteth not? Isa. 55.2.

Since there is such fulness of happiness to be had, why do we busie our selves so much about things of an inferiour nature? we have cause to be amazed at others, those that hear of heaven, and the glory of another world, that they should live in a continual neglect of these things; and what cause have we to be astonished at our selves? we that are acquainted with such en­joyments, and yet are so slight in our endea­vours after them: Alass, amongst those that profess the name of God, how few mind this inheritance, with that earnestness, as they do other things? Do they live as those that are [Page 47]convinced that heaven is such an inheritance as hath been related? Alass, is not this to despise the greatest of blessings? Therefore a little to awaken us out of our Spiritual Lethargy, and to make us more serious, and intent about the things of heaven, I shall only propound one or two Arguments,

Consider what it is you neglect; It is said of the Jews, had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; had they known him to have been the Lord of glory, they would not have Crucified him: so may I say, did we know what it is we despise, we would not thus despise it as we do, You read of the wise Merchant, 13. Matth. 45. He no sooner heard of the Pearl of great price, but he sold all he had and bought it, he was willing to part with all so he might but purchase the Pearl: Is it not strange, that the discovery of those things which God hath laid up for his people in the other world, hath not the same effect upon us? Consider what it is you de­spise, and then you cannot but wonder at your selves, while you behold others distracting their thoughts, breaking their sleep, and filling their hearts with cares, and are restless for the things of this world: Nay, are out-stript by you, as to your endeavours and cares for those things that are so far transcendent, and so admirable. Shall they take more pains for perishing comforts, then you do for everlasting mercies? Consider but this one thing; The glory in this inherit­ance that God will put upon the very bodies of his People, and Consider the glory in this inhe­ritance [Page 48]that God intends to put upon the souls of his People.

1. The glorious excellencies, and persech­ons that God intends to put upon the bodies of his People; they are now stiled vile bo­dies, corruptible bodies, 1 Corinth. 15.42, 43, 44. speaking of the bodies of the Saints, Though it be sown in corruption it shall be rai­sed in incorruption, These poor bodies of ours, are now fading and withering things, All flesh is grass, and the goodliness there­of as the flower of the field; the grass wither­eth, the flower fadeth, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

What more perishing then the grass; all the art in the world cannot long prop up these poor tabernacles of clay; they must moulder into dust. It was a vain boast of proud Paracelsus, that he could make man im­mortal, but God convinc'd him of his folly, for he died in the strength of his years. Now, though it be a withering dying body, a paper building, that must be dissolved; though it be sown a corruptible body, it shall be rai­sed in incorruption: now what an admirable change is this?

It is now a vile body; that is another ex­pression in the 43 vers. It is sown a vile body, it is raised in honour: it is vile in respect of those many distempers, and noisome diseases, and frailties, this poor flesh of ours is subject to, but it shall be raised in glory. Consider, if Moses had such glory upon his face, when [Page 49]he had been conversing with God upon the mount, what glory will God then put upon these poor bodies of his People, when they shall enjoy him so fully, Consider that of Moses in the 34. Exod. 30.

So when Steven was arraigned as a Male­factour, at the bar of Justice, they saw the glory of God shining upon him, 6. Act. 16. Thus you read of Daniel, 12. Dan. 3. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the fir­mament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.

A third expression, you have 44. vers. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual bo­dy: here is a seeming contradiction in the terms, if a body, it is no more spiritual if spiritual it is no more a body: for a full under­standing of this, a learned expositour gives these his thoughts, we shall never compre­hend what this means till we come fully to in­joy it; but thus far we may safely speak, it shall be raised a spiritual body; that is, free from all natural dependencies; Alass, how ma­ny props do these poor bodies need, for their support, how many Creatures loose their lives to maintain ours, in this respect all our Crea­ture dependencies shall then be removed, God will take away our crutches; Yes, and our lame­ness also: it shall be raised a spiritual body.

All the art in the world cannot preserve these poor bodies from decay; nay it cannot pre­serve them from noisome, and destructive weak­nesses, they are bodies full of weaknesses, and [Page 50]under a necessity of many supports, but these corruptible bodies shall be raised in incorrupti­on, these vile bodies shall be raised in honour, these natural bodies, shall be raised spiritual bodies.

This is the great honour that God will put upon the bodies of his Saints; such honour have all his Saints in respect of their bodies; they shine as stars in the firmament.

2 COnsider the glory that this Inheritance doth contain in reference to the souls of the Saints. Bernard breaks out into this high expression, how great shall the glory of Gods people be when their very bo­dies shall be as glorious as the Sun, and they shall shine as the Sun in the firmament, — Concern­ing the glory of the souls of the Saints, I shall not be large in treating of that; All the faculties of their souls shall then be more inlarged and wi­dened to receive in more of God, to take in more of happiness, then now they are capable of: our souls now are but narrow vessels in comparison of what they shall be then; the soul of man is too big a vessel for the world to fill: Whence is it, that we thus pursue the world as our only happiness? it will never satisfie us. Men wan­der from one creature to another, but they do not find happiness: They seek the living among the dead; the soul is too wide for these things to fill it: but then it shall be widened and shall [Page 52]have a larger capacity then now it hath. Our understandings shall know more of God; know­ledge is one of the great accomplishments of man; it sets him in a higher rank of being then other creatures: and that there is a very great excellency in knowledge, appears, because this was the bait Satan made use of; so shall you be as Gods knowing good and evil; that subtil ad­versary knew no bait more taking. Knowledge in it self is a most lovely and amiable thing; but in comparison of spiritual knowledge, the know­ledge of God and of our selves, all other know­ledge is but poor and mean. The Philosopher when he had been much admiring the know­ledge of nature, did wonder that any would give way to sensual and bruitish pleasures, which they by the light of nature so much condemned. But what is this knowledge in Comparison of the knowledge of Christ? All knowledge whether Natural or Divine, is now but weak, and feeble, scant and narrow; how little doth any man know of himself, how many things are there in Nature that to this day do remain a mystery and riddle to the wisest of men: how little do we know of God? but then our knowledge shall be widened. So our wills and affections are now but narrow and weak things; they can hold but a little, but then they shall be enlarged. 1 Cor. 13.12. We know now but in part, and we love now but in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Nay, not only shall all the faculties of the soul be thus widened; But all the graces of the soul [Page 53]shall be perfected, there shall be no defect nor weakness in them, there shall be no dimness in our spiritual sight, our Wills and Affections our Love and our Joy, they shall all be full of strength: as a man is in his full strength when every member of his body comes to its ripeness and maturity, 4. Ephes. 13. till we all come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. 12. Heb. 28. The spirits of just men made per­fect, that is their souls: then there will be no mixture of Corruption to disturb our graces or to interrupt the exercise of them, 5. Ephes. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, &c.

Alass, the spouse now acknowledgeth, though she is comely, yet withal she is very black: not onely in respect of persecution but in respect of inherent distempers; but Christ will pre­sent his Church hereafter without spot or ble­mish. The gold of Gods People shall then have nothing of dross in it: their wine then will have nothing of water in it, our graces and Comforts then will be both unmixt; there shall then be no halting in our obedience, our Savi­our propounds this as the pattern of our prayers, that we should pray, that the will of God may be done here on earth as it is done in heaven: How is it done in heaven? perfectly, without any weakness, without any intermission. In a word there shall be neither sin, nor Satan, nor corruption, nor temptation; not a vain thought, not a wry look, nothing that may disturb [Page 54]the graces, or darken the Comforts of the Soul.

3. Consider the sweet Communion that shall be between the People of God and Saints and Angels. The Communion of Saints, it is a kind of heaven here upon the earth; but what will this Communion be in that blessed inheritance when we come to be fully possest of it. The Apostle mentions this, as one of the great privi­ledges of the Gospel, 12. Heb. 22. We are come to mount Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innu­merable company of Angels, &c.

We do not now converse with God, as we did at Mount Sinai, but in another manner.

Doctor Taylor when he was a Prisoner did ac­count it his joy that he was a fellow Prisoner with holy Bradford. If the Communion of Saints in prison have so much of sweetness in it, what is the Communion of Saints in glory?

Consider, we shall then have Communion not with a few onely, but with the whole Collective body of the Saints that have been in all ages, and therefore it is said, they shall sit down with Abra­ham; and to have Communion with the Patri­arkes and Prophets and Apostles, and all the holy men of God that ever lived: how refresh­ing must this Communion needs be? Nay, then we shall have Communion with none but Saints; as with all Saints so with none else. Alass in this world we live in the midst of a mixt mul­titude, and our comforts are frequently di­sturbed by false brethren that creep in amongst us; you know how much Lot was disturbed by the Sodomites: and sometimes they creep into [Page 55]the very Church too. God complains in the 14. Numb. of a mixt multitude who were not of the same spirit with Caleb and Joshua: they were men of another spirit and followed God fully. Now how much is the sweetness of the Communion of Gods People here upon earth damped by the miscarriage of professours? how much many times does Religion suffer, and the name of God suffer, yea how much do they themselves suffer and their holy profession? but when the sheep shall be separated from the Goats, the tares from the Wheat, and the Chaff from the Corn, Communion with the Saints must then be much more delightful.

Again, it shall not only be with all the Saints but with the Saints in their perfection and high­est improvement. Take the best of Saints here on earth and they have something in them that renders their Communion unlovely. It's said of Eli­as he was a man of like Passions: and the Apostles themselves when the people would have adored and worshipped them, they cryed out, do not this thing for we are men of like passions with your selves. The best of men have something in them to wit­ness they are but men: take the holyest and the most improved Saint who ever lived, you find something recorded in Scripture which shews he was yet in a state of imperfection: that he was not arrived to that blessed estate that this Inhe­ritance implies. Now to have Communion with Saints, and all Saints, and none but Saints, and Saints in their utmost and highest improvements, and in a state of perfection, this must need be ve­ry admirable.

Farther to have Communion with Saints in their highest imployments, in praising and ado­ring and admiring of God. To have Communion with those that are godly in civil converse, in ordinary visits is a refreshment especially in times of common calamity; how refreshing is the sight of gracious Persons? but to have Commu­nion with them in praising and blessing God; in singing Halliluiahs is very pleasant. Moses thought Communion with Gods people a desire­able thing in the time of affliction; therefore it is said he made it his choice, 11. Heb. 24.25. Chu­sing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a sea­son. And if it be so in a suffering Condition, what is it in a glorified state? and if in Civil matters, what is it in these Spiritual imployments?

Lastly, Such Communion with them that shall never be interrupted, as shall never expire; they shall be for ever with the Lord: This shall be the Portion of them all, and they shall be for ever to­gether. In this world the company of friends is pleasant, but that which damps their refreshments is the thoughts, that there must be a parting; but there will be no intermission. Then it shall be our work and priviledge for ever. Put then all these together, to have such a glory put upon our bodies, and improvement on our souls, and to have such Communion with Saints, what a glori­ous estate will it be?

4. Consider that sweet Communion with God; those full enjoyments of God which he hath reserved for another world. Indeed this is the main, the highest part of this glorious Inhe­ritance. [Page 57]It is the presence of God that makes heaven what it is; it is that which fills heaven with all its happiness and unspeakable glory. Luther proposeth an imagination; could we im­agine that God could withdraw his presence from heaven it would cease to be heaven any longer, and it would be a dark and uncomfor­table place: In the 1 Sam. 4.21.22. as Phinehas his wife said, when the Ark was taken (it was not the Child that was born or any other thing that she could take comfort in) the glory is de­parted from Israel. If God be gone all is gone: The enjoyment of God is the highest advantage that creatures are capable of. Those enjoyments of God which the Saints have here on earth are infinitely beyond all other enjoyments whatso­ever. There is no comfort, no happiness like to this, and were there no other happiness but this in this life, certainly the people of God were the only happy people because they live in Com­munion with him: they are happier because they have enjoyments that are higher and better then others have; they have meat and drink that o­thers know not of; therefore you read in the 16. Psal. 5. The Lord is the Portion of my cup, v. 6. the lines are faln to me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage.

He doth not envy the condition of others, he only admires the goodness of God to himself. The godly man, 1. Psal. 2. is declared to be the onely happy man, because he delights in the Law of God, and meditates therein day and night, 5. Matth. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

And therefore they must needs be blessed, be­cause they have a sight of God, 144. Psal. 15. happy are the People whose God is the Lord.

This is the constant Character of a happy man he is one that lives in Communion with God.

I might prove by several arguments, that the best of other enjoyments, without this, are but very mean to the soul, that knows what it is to en­joy Communion with God, 84. Psalm 10. A day in thy courts is better then a thousand, &c.

David regards neither Crowns nor dignities, nor all Creature enjoyments in comparison of the enjoyment of God, 63. Psal. 3. thy loving kind­ness is better then life: Life of all outward bles­sings is the very top and highest of them, it is that which renders us capable of other com­forts: says the Devil, Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, but thy loving kindness is better then life; the word in the Ori­ginal — is very emphatical it is bet­ter then lives; that is life with all its advantages, Therefore 7. Psal. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, &c. to behold the beauty of the Lord, &c. He had affectionate ar­dent desires; 4. Psal. 6. Many say who will shew us any good; Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, &c. He prised this beyond Corn, Wine, and Oyl. This hath been the opi­nion of them concerning Communion with God, who have had most acquaintance with him, and they are in matters of this nature to be most credited; To live in this world, and to live as they in the 2. Ephes. 12. without God in the world, is a poor kind of living, though they [Page 59]live in honours, and the enjoyment of all other kinds of comforts. Abraham (when he consi­dered Gods promise) was not unsensible of all the kindness he received from God but he look­ed upon all as little, unless he had the promise of a some made good to him, What is all this if I go Childless: much more may it be said, if God gives us never so much of all other enjoyments and yet hide his face, that soul that understands it self, cannot but be troubled: there is enough in the want of this single mercy to imbitter all other comforts and all other mercies, and little comfort to be enjoyed in all our enjoyments, unless withal we may enjoy Communion with God.

Another argument is this, The worst of affli­ctions will become easie and tolerable; yea, sweet and pleasant to them that have the pre­sence of God to sweeten their afflictions: where can I be well without thee saith Bernard? How can I be ill with thee? while I enjoy Communion with thee? He says of Creature comforts they are little, if we look at the priviledge of enjoy­ing communion with God: the reason is be­cause there is infinitely more in God then in all Creatures. How can he be poor who hath him for his Portion in whom are all riches, who is all things? How can he be in want that doth not want the light of Gods Countenance which is in­finitely better then Corn, Wine, and Oyl.

What are the worlds frowns if God smiles?

What though men condemn us if God justifie us? What though men be against us if God be but for us? That answers all, 3. Habbac 17, 18. [Page 60] Though the fig-tree shall not blossom yet will I re­joyce in the Lord, &c. The Prophet propounds as sad a case as can be imagined, yet says he, we will rejoyce in the Lord, we will joy in the God of out salvation. 23. Psal. 4. Though I walk through the valley (though it be through the valley of death, that dark and uncomfortable valley) I will fear no evil for thou art with me. The three Children in the fiery furnace were in no sad condition be­cause God was with them: the Apostles in their sufferings thought this enough, for their support, 2 Cor. 4, 9. persecuted but not forsaken. S. Paul (Though all forsook him yet God standing by him) thought he had enough; persecuted but not for­saken cast down but not in despair.

When Christ was sending out his Disciples up­on that difficult imployment to plant the Gospel in the world, he tells them that they must expect to meet with opposition, but he gives them this for their comfort, I will be with you, Go teach all nations, baptizing them, and lo I am with you to the end of the world.

And there is enough in that promise to bear them up above all discouragements. This was the great request of Moses, 33. Exod. 15. So all that have had any sense of their Spiritual concern­ments have exprest this to be their great desire. Moses said if thy presence go not with us carry us not up hence. They were now in a wilderness, compassed about with difficulties and dangers on every side, but if thy presence go not with us, carry us not hence; though we are in a wilder­ness, yet we had rather have thy presence here, then to go into Canaan without thy presence.

2. Those enjoyments the people of God have of him here, are very little in Comparison of those they shall have of him hereafter: what God hath reserved for his People in another world transcendently beyond other enjoyments. As all enjoyments here compared to those enjoy­ments, are but empty things, so all the enjoy­ments of God in this world, are far short of them, that they enjoy of him in the other world.

Because in this world we enjoy God but Medi­ately, but then the people of God shall enjoy him immediately. In this world, what ever we enjoy of God it is but darkly; what ever sight of God we have it is either through the glass of the Creature, or the glass of ordinances, or the glass of experiences; through the glass of the Creatures: and thus we may see much of God, his wisdom, his power, his greatness, 19. Psal. 1, 2. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work.

There are very high expressions concerning the things of Nature, how much these help us in our sight of God; But the sight of God in ordi­nances, is a higher sight; therefore David, 2. Psal. 1, 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God, &c. That I may see thy glory: how? even as I have seen thee in the sanctuary: he had never such a sight of God, as in his sanctuary, as in his ordinan­ces; this is that which David highly Magnifies.

And there is the glass of experiences: these are very admirable too; See God purging out remain­ing corruptions, carrying on the work of grace in the heart, and setting up his kingdom in the soul: To taste and see how good and gratious he is, [Page 62]and to have an inward sense of these spiritual re­freshments, these are high and glorious things; but to see God face, to face to see him as he is,

2. It shall be more full and perfect; in this world they are but imperfect, God shews us but his back part, as he did Moses, 33. Gen. 33. And in the 1 Cor. 13.9. We know but in part, but then we shall see him as he is, 1 John 3, 2. There are faculties by which especially we shall then en­joy Communion with God, our understandings, wills, and affections; In this world our under­standings are dim, we see but little of God, we are short sighted, but then, 33. Isaiah 17. thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty.

Now they see the land afar off but then they shall see the king in his beauty, see him on his throne in his glory; this must needs be an ex­cellent sight indeed. All our knowledge of God here is one of these three ways, as the School men tell us, by way of Causality, Negation, or by way of Eminency. By way of Causality; So we con­sider all those excellencies which be in the Crea­ture must needs meet in God; as all the lines in the Circumference meet in the Center, and all the Rays and shinings in the air meet together in the Sun, as the common fountain.

So by way of Negations separating those im­perfections from God, with which every excel­lency is clog'd in the Creature. As for example Wisdom and Power; there is much of folly mixt with humane wisdom: and much of weakness mixt with created power. Though there are some at­tributes of God that we call incommunicable as the Infiniteness, unchangablenes and Eternity of God.

Then by way of eminency, what ever excellen­cie is in creatures, all these meet in God, separa­ted and refined from every thing of imperfecti­on; but that is not all, they are in God in an in­finite and transcendent way; and though there be much of this kind of knowledge of God here, yet to know God as he is, to see him face to face, how much more refreshing must this be!

And so for our wills and affections: Now our love is weak, our delight is weak: Now we are apt to love God for our selves, but then we shall love God for himself, and all things else for him. What a different excellency is there in that tem­per, above what we now do attain unto: It is but in some degree here, but it shall be in a state of per­fection.

3. They shall then be more constant: in this world though they have sometimes a bright sun shine day, yet at other times they have a dark gloomy night: This is the condition of Gods people here, though they have the seed of grace that abides for ever, and that good part that shall never be taken from them, yet the comforts that come from thence are various and full of uncer­tainties: but the enjoyment of God the Father shall have no change, 1 Thes. 4, 17. They shall be ever with the Lord: we shall then so en­joy Communion with him, as never more to be se­parated from him; therefore comfort one another with these words.

4. Our enjoyments of God shall then be more unmixt: we shall enjoy him, and nothing else but him; there shall neither be marrying nor giving in marriage, there shall neither be Sun, [Page 64]Moon, nor Stars; we shall then be as the Angels of God, there shall be no need of these things. 21. Rev. 23. No sun, nor moon, nor stars to lighten is. The lamb shall be the brightness thereof: God shall then be all in all: there shall then be no un­clean thing, No Cain to kill, No Sodomite to vex, No Ishmael to scoff, No Rabshakah to rail, No Herod to persecute, No Judas to be­tray.

5. Our enjoyments of God shall then be with­out any thing of weariness; Now though the spi­rit is willing, yet the flesh is weak; What could you not watch with me one hour? If we be but a few hours engaged in the service of God, how soon do our spirits flag? our affections grow dull? but then there shall be no such thing as weari­ness. The souls of Gods People then, shall be raised up to a greater fitness for those eminent and high pieces of service; the singing prai­ses and Halleluiahs. That is the first Argu­ment.

2. Consider what we do in slighting and un­dervaluing this glorious Inheritance.

1. We most unworthily requite the greatest love that ever was or can be imagined. Does God so expostulate with his people of Israel, because of their ingratitude for outward preservations and deliverances, those outward mercies bestow­ed upon them, 32. Deuter. 6. Do you thus requite the Lord? May not God much more expo­stulate with us in respect of these greater mer­cies? do you thus requite the Lord, O foolish and unwise?

Hath God been so gracious to us, as to take [Page 65]care of our souls, and of our everlasting well­fare, and shall we thus requite him? Our en­gagements for Common mercies are great, but our engagements for these mercies, how much greater are they?

Cosider what a mercy it is that there should be a possibility of our obtaining this Inheritance.

We who in our natural constitution are but one step from hell, and everlasting flames; and between us, and it there is nothing but a brittle and uncertain life; What astonshing love is this? God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, 3. John 16. 1 John 3.5.

Now, how disingenuous and unworthy is it in us to slight and undervalue these high discoveries of love.

Again, Consider what a mercy it is not only that heaven is become possible, but also that God vouchsafes us this priviledge to discover the ex­cellency of heaven to us, with means for the obtaining of heaven, and his blessing upon the means, that by all we might be made meet to par­take of this Inheritance. These are mercies that God doth not vouchsafe to all men, 147 Psal. 19, 20. He hath not dealt so with other nations.

Farther, not only is this inheritance possible, and a discovery made of it, and means afforded for the obtaining it, But God gives us also many in­couragements to make use of these means: this Inheritance is not only purchased but proffered and tendered: if we are willing to accept, and do not refuse it, God will bestow it. Nay, God doth not only proffer it but he importunes our acceptance of it: how often doth Christ per­swade, [Page 66]and perswade with a great deal of im­portunity, that you would accept of this Inhe­ritance, I have stretched out my band all the long to a gainsaying people.

Farther the terms upon which he encourageth us, are only upon the account of free-grace; Who ever will, let him take of the waters of life free­ly, Come buy wine and milk without money and without price, 55. Isaiah. God only requires us to bring a sense of our wants, and what a most un­worthy requital is this of the love and kindness of God, to undervalue this Inheritance?

2. We hereby render our selves (so far as we undervalue these mercies) so far uncapable of partaking of them. It was said of the Jews, they thrust away the kingdom of heaven from them, 13. Acts 46. That is, as Beza upon the place observes, their carriage and contempt did declare them unworthy. 22. Matth. Christ sent forth his messengers to invite to the wedding seast. The Guests were indeed Invited but they all made light of it: What was the Issue? The king sent his servants to call in other guests. God will first bring us to prize these mercies before he vouchsafe them.

3. They who slight these mercies bring them­selves under an absolute necessity of perishing, 2. Heb. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation. If we refuse this inheritance we undo our selves for ever.

Quest. But what kind of neglect is it that doth deprive us of this Inheritance?

Answ. When the neglect is total, and we pre­fer the world so much above it that we only [Page 67]mind the things thereof: As that rich man, 12. Luke, minded his barns, his In-comes, but his soul he cared not for, vers. 19, 20, 21. So when we prefer any thing above it, 10. Matt. 37. He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me.

This was Esaus great sin, his profaneness, his selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage; and when we so neglect it that we are not wil­ing to undergo any thing for it, or deny our selves any thing in order to it, we are rendered all together uncapable of this Inheritance; There are other neglects through weakness, and they are such as the people of God are incident unto; as sins of infirmities: As when they do not pray with that fervency, and strive with that earnest­ness, for that kingdom of heaven which is set be­fore them, as becomes the excellency of these things. Now this kind of carriage may give us cause of shame and trouble, but doth not cut off our right. That is the second, Consider what we slight, and what we do in undervaluing these mercies.

3. Consider for what it is that we so much un­dervalue this glorious Inheritance. No man doth slight this, but it is in order to the securing of other enjoyments. Now what enjoyments are there like these? If there were any better then these, then this practice were Justifiable. Nay, if there were any enjoyments equally as good as these, then these neglects were excusable; but in as much as none are to be compared with these, this is that bespeaks these neglects (though but in part) without excuse. Now what should [Page 68]tempt us to a neglect of these glorious things? can we expect to meet with that in sin, or in Creature and outward comforts? can we expect that the world should be so sweet, as to counter­vail the loss of them? Our ease, our safety (I might instance in all outward things) alass, these things are but vain while they do continue, and it is but for a moment that they can continue, and there can be nothing of satisfaction found in them, they are but such mercies as God be­stows upon the worst of men, and they are useless in our straits, and therefore why should these clog us in our pursuits after greater mat­ters.

Ʋse of Direction, What shall we do that we may shake off that sluggishness, and get above that dullness of Spirit, that is usually in us, in our pursuit after matters that do so highly con­cern us?

1. Direct. Consider, how much it is your du­ty and concernment to bestow your utmost earn­estness there. It was the commendation of John Baptists hearers, 11. Matth. from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of hea­ven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force. So it is our Saviours advise, strive to enter in at the strait gate, Striving denotes our utmost earnest­ness: it is not endeavours alone, nor is it earnestness for a time, but it must be a constant earnestness, a fixed course in pursuing this glorious Inheritance.

2. Direction, Be much in the great duty of Me­ditation: there are many advantages in it; It gives all kind of truths a free passage into our hearts: [Page 69]Therefore by Meditation we should be often ta­king a view of this glorious Inheritance; as Mo­ses went up to the top of Pisgah, and from thence took a view of the promised Land, so we should often by Meditation take a view of all those ex­cellencies. It was the advice of a Learned writer concerning meetness for eternity; Says he, if you would be serious in preparing for Eternity, do but spend one quarter of an hour every day in considering what Eternity is. If you would be more lively and vigorous in your prayers and endeavours, be frequent in considering what it is you strive for.

Again, Meditation is admirable not only to imprint the excellency of this Inheritance upon our hearts, but also to preserve those apprehen­sions that we have of this glorious Inheritance al­ready. Now that this may inflame our souls with love to God, (in that God hath not only made provision for us in this life, but for Eternity, and such a glorious Inheritance as this is), we should be often meditating on this for these ends:

1. That these Meditations might quicken us in our obedience. When David had considered how many and how great were the mercies of God to him, he sits down and says, What shall I render to the Lord for all his goodness and loving kind­ness to me? All I can do is too little, I can ne­ver think any thing too much, for that God to whom I owe so much: Nor am I ever able to perform any thing suitable to such mercies. These medications did so engage the hearts of the An­cient Martyrs, that some grieved that they had [Page 70]no more lives to loose for God. Another pro­fessed the only pride that he took in learning was, that he had something to dispise and dis­esteem, and account nothing in comparison of Jesus Christ. Hath God a regard to our Eternal good? Consider but this, and this will be help­ful to quicken us in our obedience, and to make us think that we can never sufficiently express our selves thankful.

2. The meditation of this glorious Inheritance is useful for the strengthening of patience in sufferings. Though we are now passing through a wilderness, if we have but a sight of Canaan, a Pisgah sight of Canaan, it will bear up our faith from sinking under discouragements. With what resolutions would this Arm us, as it did the Apostles? It made them make light of Affli­ctions. Our light afflictions which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. This made them despise all manner of afflictions, their meditation was sixt here; He fears no danger that sets heaven in his eye.

3. It is very useful to render what ever is ei­ther directly in its own nature, or any other way endangering this Inheritance, to render it hate­ful, as all our sins do. Do but think what large provisions God hath made for his People, that nothing can keep them off from those mercies but their sins. These Meditations are very help­ful to imbitter the thoughts of sin. Consider; the distance that is between God and our Souls al­ready is of sins making, and in reference to our everlasting welfare, it is only sin makes the dan­ger: [Page 71]What ever diverts us from minding the things of heaven, it makes them inconsiderable. Meditate upon these things, and it will render the world a vain thing; and the allurements of the flesh contemptible and all outward things in­considerable.

4. These Meditations are useful to arm us a­gainst all dangers, 1 Thes. 5.8. putting on the brest plate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation. Do but set heaven before your eyes, and let your Meditations be much upon that, and think of that as yours, and you will think all things else but very little. The reason why afflictions seem so great, and outward comforts so great a matter, is because these greater matters are so little in our esteem.

THese words contain the Prophets resolution, how to carry himself in that time of Jacobs trouble, and therein an excellent pattern for our imitation. The particular time to which these words refer, was a dark and gloomy season, a day of rebuke and blasphemy; many black clouds were already gathered over the heads of Gods people; two neighbouring Kings combine against them, and by their united strength design the ruine of Jerusalem, the King of Syria and the King of Israel. Cap. 7.1, 2, 6. In this their distress, so tender was God not onely of the safety, but of the comfort of his people, that no sooner do they discern their dangers, but he lets them know their deliver­ence: for upon this very message he sends the Prophet, Cap. 7. vers. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and for the strengthening of their faith in believing these glad tidings, God gives them many assurances of the certainty thereof, both in the former [Page 73]Chapter and in this. In the beginning of this Chapter the Prophet by the name of his Son Maher shalal hash baz (the signification of which name is rendred in the Margin) declares the speedy destruction of their enemies. Whether these things were transacted in a vision onely, as those in Hosea, cap. 1. or whether they were real, is not material to determine: Thus much is clear, that their deliverance by the King of Assyria falling upon their adversaries, is foreto­ken'd within a little time to be accomplished, vers. 4. and so strong was the Prophets faith in crediting these signs of their deliverance, that vers. 9. he turns his speech to the enemies afore­mention'd, letting them know the vanity of their combinations, and the fruitlessness of their attempts, because God was with his people v. 10, 11 he speaks to the people of God themselves disswa­ding them from two things, First, From seek­ing safety by unwarrantable and sinful confede­racies, either with the Assyrian or any other Nation, vers. 12. Such confederacies, though they had been frequent, had never been success­ful, but always to their prejudice. Secondly, From timorousness because of approaching dan­gers, vers. 12. As a remedy against these fears, he propounds the fear of God, vers. 13. the more they fear'd him, the less would they fear others. And to encourage them to make tryal of this remedy he tells the advantage of it, vers. 14. he will be a sanctuary, i. e. a refuge, a shelter an hiding place, a place of retreat and safety. Thus God promises, Ezek. 11.16. and by these ap­prehensions of God the Church overcomes all [Page 74]her fears, Psal. 46. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The Pro­phet having shewn what God will be to his peo­ple, shews in the same verse, what God will be to others, even to such in Israel and Judah as re­fus'd to be ruled by him or rely upon him. But because the Prophet found so little success among the generality of this people, God commands him, vers. 16, to bind up the testimony, and seal the Law among his disciples; thereby inti­mating (as some think) that he would not have the Prophet deal further with those faithless and prophane scoffers, but reserve those sacred my­steries of the Messiah, to be imparted to the faithful, who would with due reverence embrace them. Sealing was used of old either for secrecy, as men seal letters, or for safety as Merchants seal Wares, or for certainty as men seal con­tracts, or for authority as Princes and Comman­ders Seal commissions. Now in these words follows the Prophets resolution, what he would do in the interim, till deliverance should come; Some Interpret these words as spoken by Christ in regard of the verse following, Others think them a Parenthesis declaring the Prophets resolution what course he would take in that day of Jacobs trouble. I will wait, &c.

In the words are these two particulars.

1. The condition or posture of the Church of God at that time.

The persons here spoken of are said to be the house of Jacob, i. e. the family, the stock, the line­age of Jacob, sometimes stiled the house of Is­rael, sometimes the house of David, Isaiah 5.7. i. e. Gods peculiar people, not onely those who [Page 75]by natural descent came from Jacob, but those who succeeded him in faith, &c. Thus the word is used in the Gospel to signifie the Church and people of God.

The posture these persons were in. God had hid his face, and when the Sun is Eclipsed, the world must needs be dark: It was now a gloo­my season. God deals with them as David dealt with Absalom, 2 Sam. 14.24. He would not permit him to see his face: The phrase denotes Gods withdrawing his favour in any kind; for the face of God frequently signifies his favour, the beholding his face, the enjoyment of his favour, the withdrawing his favour the hiding of his face, Numb. 6.25, 26. Psal. 11.7. Psal. 10.1. Psal. 17.15.

2. The Exemplary carriage of the Prophet in this sad posture of the Church, and this is expres­sed by two words: I will wait upon the Lord, I will look for him; both signifie the same thing, viz. an earnest longing and persevering expectation of deliverance.

From the words thus opened, arise these two Doctrinal conclusions.

1. Doct. That God does sometimes hide his face from them who are the Objects of his fa­vour.

2. Doct. That when God does hide his face from his people, the great work and business which then lies before them, is to wait upon the Lord, to look for him.

1. Doct. That God does sometimes hide his face from them who are the Objects of his favour. A full instance of this we have here, What people [Page 76]were there at that time in all the world so de [...] to God? or in whose welfare he accounted him­self so highly concerned, as the house of Jacob? and yet these are the people from whom God had hid his face. Consider, but these three things concerning this people, and it will appear that a­bove all people, these were the people of his de­light and complacency.

1. The wonderful dispensations of God to­wards this people in times past; when ordinary providences were not sufficient, either for their supply or safety, God was pleased by miracles to preserve them, and provide for them: when there was no other way of escaping their ene­mies, God makes a way for them through the Red-sea: when the barren earth could not afford them food in the wilderness, God sends them food from heaven, he rains down Mannah into all their Quarters.

2. The peculiar and Covenant-relation, this people stood in to God for the time present; they were the people of his choice, Psalm 105.6. Psalm 135.4. The people of his love, Psal. 47.4. A people that God had taken into Covenant with himself, and therefore what nation in all the world like this, Deut. 4.7. Sam. 7.23.24.

3. The promises God had made to this people for the time to come; To them pertained the a­doption, the glory, the Covenants, the giving of the Law, the service of God, and the promises, Rom. 9.4. In expectation of having these promises accom­plished, the Prophet here resolves to wait. But yet notwithstanding all these endearments these are the people from whom God is here said to [Page 77]hide his face. It is sometimes the case of particu­lar persons, as appears from their doleful com­plaints, Psal. 10.1. Psal. 13.1. 'tis here the case of a whole nation, not of the mixed multi­tude onely, but of the whole body of that people, a clear instance that God sometimes bides his face from them who are the Objects of his favour.

For clearing and Confirming this Do­ctrine, four things are needful to be spoke to.

• 1. What it is for God to hide his face, or what this phrase implys.
• 2. How far it is that God does hide his face from his people.
• 3. The reasons for which God hides his face from them.
• 4. The uncomfortableness of such a condition.

1. What it is for God to hide his face: In answer to which consider,

1. That God does sometimes hide his face from his Church in general. And that

1. When he removes the wonted tokens and pledges of his love in any measure, he then hides his face; when he does not manifest himself as formerly; when his people have not those evi­dences and testimonies of his gracious presence, as at other times: As when God strips his people of the means of Communion with himself; when he sends among them a famine, not of bread, nor of water, but of his word; when he drives their teachers into corners; when he permits the ark to be carried away from them, as it was from the people of Israel, 1 Sam. 4.21. Though God does not totally remove our Candlestick out of [Page 78]it's place: yet when he suffers the lights of the Sanctuary to be hid and obscured, this is so fore a degree of Gods hiding his face, that God in compassion to his people assures them, that how severe soever he might be in other judgements, he would spare them as to this, Isaiah 30.20. Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. The total removing of these mercies is to unchurch and ungospel a nation, and the suspence of them for some time and in some degree is the hiding of Gods face.

2. When God takes down the hedge of his providence in part, and lets in a torrent of out­ward calamities upon them: This was the case of Judah here, God does so far let loose the Assyrian upon them, that their very life is en­dangered, Vers. 7, & 8. of this Chapter, He shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck: very near to drowning. The only safety of Gods people from enemies and dangers, is from the providential care of God; This is the wall of their defence, Isaiah 5.5, Job 1.10. But if this fence be taken away or broken down, they then lie open to the malice and rage of enemies. Whence is it that the Church of God which is as a Lilly among Thorns, as a flock of sheep en­compassed by ravening wolves, hath any days of tranquillity in this it's military condition, but because God puts a restraint upon the rage and malice of enemies? But when God takes off these restraints, no wonder if (as here) Israel be ready [Page 79]to afflict Judah, no wonder if Ephraim be against Manasseh, and Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah; I will hide my face says God, Deut. 31.17, and what follows? They shall be devoured, many evils shall befal them, so that they will say in that day, are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not amongst us? And as the first coming, so the long continuance of calamities is ascribed to the same cause, Psal. 44.23, 24, 25, 26. Awake, Why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppres­sion. The providence and care of God are those flood-gates that keep out inundations of misery, but when God hides his face, these flood-gates are open, and no wonder if then the waters flow in upon us. Thus in temporal mercies God many times hides his face from his people, as un­der the former head was shewn in Spiritual mer­cies. And indeed when God hides his face in spiritual mercies, he does usually hide his face in temporal mercies. Those once famous Asiatique Churches spoke of Chap. 2. & Chap. 3. to­gether with the loss of the Gospel lost all their outward prosperity. Thus, from the Church in general does God sometimes hide his face.

2. Though God does not in either of these re­spects hide his face from the Church in general, yet he may hide his face from believers in parti­cular. When it is the case of the Church in general, every particular believer shares therein; when the ship is endanger'd by tempests, no ones private Cabine can be in safety. But now [Page 80]in these respects God is said to hide his face from particular persons,

1. When he unchains Satan and enlarges his commission in any degree against us. Thus did God by several steps and gradations enlarge Sa­tans commission against Job. First, Against his estate, he gave that into his hands. Secondly, A­gainst his relations in putting them within his power. Thirdly, Against his body in permitting to afflict that; And lastly, against his soul in gi­ving him liberty to tempt that. There is indeed no person free from temptations, Adam in inno­cency meets with a Serpent in Paradise; Christ in whom was no sin, was yet tempted: and as there is no person, so is there no condition free from temptation, but as our conditions change, so do our temptations change. In fulness, we meet with temptations of one kind; in wants with temptations of another kind. And when Satan is stronger in tempting, and we weaker in resisting, this is an argument of Gods hiding his face. When there is not only a greater frequency but prevalency of temptations, this is a sore kind of withdrawing. To be tempted is an af­fliction, but to be overcome by the temptation is both our affliction and our sin. The messenger of Satan was an affliction to S. Paul, but that which supported him, was that promise, that the grace of God should be sufficient for him, 2 Corinth. 12.7, 9. The distress that Judah was in, in this Chapter, was their affliction, but their dejected­ness under this distress, and betaking themselves to unwarrantable confederacies for safety, this was their sin: and thus is it with all the peo­ple [Page 81]of God when he enlarges the commission of Satan against them.

2. When he leaves us in some measure to our own corruptions, our unbelief and carnal fears. Thus Christ left Peter to humble him for his self confidence; and when God does but take off his restraints from our corruptions, how masterless and unruly are they? It must needs be an un­comfortable season to the Soul, when God thus hides his face from it. When he deals with it as with the old world, Gen. 6.3. My spirit shall not strive with you. If God strive not with us by his spirit, all our strivings are but weak and feeble, if he keep not under our corruptions, it is not in us to keep them under, when God gave up those Romans to their vile affections, how prodigiously did they degenerate, Rom. 1.26. with the verse following. Now God is said to give up to vile affections, when he does not preserve us from them. He is said to harden, when he does not soften, to lead into temptation, when he does not keep us from temptation, and so to give us up to corruptions, when he does not vouchsafe us strength and assistance against them, but speaks concerning us, as he did concerning them, Revel. 22.11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still, and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still. Thus, Dan. 12.10. Amos 4 4. Ezek. 20.39. Hosed 4.17. The best of Saints so far as God ceases to quicken them, so far have a dead­ness upon their Spirits. David was sensible of this, when he oft repeated this request, Psal. 119. That God would quicken him. If he keep not up our faith, it soon flags. If he cease to [Page 82]draw us we can no longer run after him, if he check not our distempers they soon break in up­on us without control. There needs nothing more to make the air dark but the absence of the Sun, or to make weeds grow, but a forbearing to pluck them up.

3. When he withholds those former manifesta­tions of himself, which have been not onely the support but delight of their souls in times of trouble, and when God in this sence hides his face, the soul must needs be troubled. And the more the soul knows of God, the larger Com­munion it hath had with him, the more afflict­ing are these withdrawings, the spouse that knew how sweet the Communion of her beloved was, how impatient is she of his absence? and indeed none are so ill able to bear these withdrawings of God in this kinde, as those who have had ac­quaintance with him. David, Heman, and many other, When their hopes have been darkened, those refreshing tastes and enlivening visions suspended or overclouded, what volums of com­plaints have they uttered. Psal. 13.1, 2. Psal. 77.7 8 9. Psal. 119.81, 82. When God who was wont to give them frequent meetings and comforting visits, did but seem to stand aloof off from them. And yet how oft is it the case of children of light to sit in this darkness, Isaiah 50.10.

4. When he seems to disregard our prayers, and as little to mind our petitions, as he did Sauls, 1 Sam. 28.6. Though God had several ways, wherein to answer prayer, yet he an­swered him by none, neither by dreams nor by [Page 83] Ʋrim nor by Prophets. In what a desolate and helpless condition must that soul needs think it self, of whose prayers God seems to take no notice, prayer is that great remedy God hath appointed for our help when nothing else can help us, Even in those perplex and difficult cases which are above the reach of other remedies, prayer is a remedy very proper, Mar. 9.29. this kind goeth not out but by fasting & prayer, i. e. more solemn pray­er, but now to have our prayers disregarded, or for God to hide his face, that he will not hear, as it is expressed, Isa. 59.2. this must needs be afflict­ing, this as it is mention'd to be the highest ex­pression of Gods displeasure, that he will not hear, Zech. 7.13, 14. Prov. 1.24, 28. so is it mentioned as the saddest matter of his peoples complaint, that their prayers should not pass, Lam. 3.44. had the Churches afflictions been greater, its burdens heavier, Yet if God had but stood by them, and taken notice of them, they would have thought them much easier. When the world is against us, if God be for us; this is comforting, but to be cast off by God this is discouraging.

5. When he discovers nothing but anger against us; as when God opens a window into our breasts, and thereby gives us a full view and prospect of our own wretchedness, when he re­veals to us our guilt, andat the same time con­ceals his own love, oh, what a dreadful condition is the soul then in, where ever it goes the curse of the Law and the cry of its own sins pursue it, My sin is ever before me, says David, Psal. 51.3. and how does Job bemoan himself, Chap. 13.23, [Page 84]24, 25. How many are mine iniquities and sins, &c. Wherefore hidest thou thy face from me and holdest me for thine enemy, &c. and vers. 26. thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. So Job 6.2, 3, 4. Oh, that my grief were throughly weighed, &c. The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit, the terrours of God do set themselves in: aray against me; His afflictions in outward respects were neither few nor small, his estate was gone, his relations gone, his health gone, but all these were small matters in compari­son of the withdrawings of God. Had God smiled upon his soul, he could better have endured his frownings upon all his outward comforts; could he but have discerned God to be his friend, he could more chearfully have born all his other tryals: but that which occasion'd all his pathe­tical moans was Gods hiding his face.

2. How far is it that God does hide his face at any time from his people.

1. Negatively, God will never totally, nor fi­nally hide his face from them, 'tis his promise, Heb. 13.5. He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, and if he hath said it, it is not for us to question it. The Disciples of Pythagoras had their Master in so great Reverence, that an ipse dixit, he hath said, it, was enough to them, they thought it presumption in them to question what they had received from him: now though this was too much arrogance in men, either to give or take such an autoritativeness, yet when God speaks, he who is truth it self, he who can do all things but cannot lie, 'tis not for us to doubt or question.

2. Positively, Though God may hide his face from his people, yet will he not turn it from them, he never ceases to love them, though he does not always manifest it, he retains towards them the love of a father even when he discovers the anger of a Judge, Isa. 54.7, 8, 10. for a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeem­er. The mountains shall depart and the hills be re­moved but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed. So Isa. 57.16, 17, 18. Many times 'tis in respect of outward comforts only God hides his face, to let them know the excellency of spiritual comforts; sometimes not only in respect of spiritual com­forts, but graces also, that his people may know their dependance upon him; but still God re­gards their safety.

3. The reasons why God deals thus with his people; 'tis not from any delight he takes in their sorrows, nor from any pleasure he hath in their troubles. But,

1. 'Tis to chastise them for their fins, every sin is a forsaking God, and consequently a pro­voking God to forsake us, did not we by our disobediences withdraw our selves from him, God would not withdraw himself from us; That the Sun is overclouded, 'tis from those vapours which the earth it self sends up; but there are some sins especially branded in Scripture as the causes of this calamity.

1. Spiritual Idolatry, when our hearts wander [Page 86]from him after strange loves, the great thing God requires is our hearts, if we deny them to him, no wonder if he hide his face from us. When we set up creatures in Gods throne, and give that to them which is only due to him, this is high dis­loyalty and provokes his jealousie, Deut. 31.17, 18. Deut. 32.17, 20, 21. God will admit no ri­vals, have no partners in our hearts, he that ha­teth not all in comparison of him, is not accounted aright to love him, for this sin God sometimes gives the soul a kind of divorce.

2. Obstinacy and stubborness against all Coun­sels and instructions, because I have purged thee, and thou wouldst not be purged, &c. Ezek. 24.13. because the people of Israel would none of Gods Coun­sels he leaves them to their own, Psal. 81.11, 12.

3. Lukewarmness in Gods service, this was the sin for which God threatned the Church of Ephesus, Revel. 2.4, 5. the Church of Laodicea, Revel. 3.15, 16. 'tis not enough that we serve God, but we must serve him with all our might and with all our strength.

4. A willing connivance at any known sin, either in our selves, or in others so far as con­cerns us, thus in the Church of Pergamus, Revel. 2.14. in the Church of Thyatira, Revel. 2.20.

5. A disesteem of his love and the pledges thereof; when Israel once loathed their Mannah they did not long enjoy it; when they slighted Sabbaths and spiritual opportunities God sends a famine of this spiritual food, Amos 8.5. compared with verses 11, 12.

6. Unfruitfulness under the means of grace, for his sin God threatned his Ancient people to [Page 87]remove his Gospel from them, they brought not forth the fruits of it, Matth. 21.43.

2. To carry on the designs and purposes of his own grace towards them. God hides his face for a time that he may not hide it for ever; he does not now spare them, that he may for ever spare them. But more particularly,

1. God hides his face sometimes, that he may recover his people to a due esteem of his favour. The spouse flagged in her affections towards Christ, his withdrawings raise up her desires.

2. That they may be more wary and cautious in shuning whatever might renew these breaches again, and consequently enjoy his favour more fully and more constantly. The burnt child dreads the fire.

4. The uncomfortableness of this condition.

1. Proportionably, to the withdrawings of God, there will be a damp uon all our com­forts; If the sun be set all the stars in the firma­ment cannot make day, if God hide his face, it must needs be night with the poor soul; Thus with David, Psal. 30.7. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

2. Accordingly, there will be a decay in all our graces; those plants which while the sun is near, thrive and flourish, in the winter season seem to die and wither; the soul of man is but a barren foil in respect of all spiritual good, while God who is the spiritual husbandman, is tilling and dressing, and taking pains with it, 'tis then fruitful, but when God withdraws all decays, John 15.2. Jerem. 23.3.

3. There will be proportionably a deadness [Page 88]and inefficacy upon all the means of doing us good. The weapons of our spiritual warfare are only powerful through God. The Gospel is the power of God, Rom. 7.16. 'tis not food alone can nourish but the blessing of God going with it; 'tis not ordinances alone can refresh, but God in and by ordinances.

4. Every affliction will proportionably become more burdenson and afflicting; as the heavyest of afflictions have seemed light to those who have had the presence of God to sweeten them, and his assistance to bear them; so the lightest of afflicti­ons must needs be heavy to them from whom God is withdrawn. Every small burden seems great to weak and feeble persons, when greater matters seem a very nothing to hale and strong persons. Now as Gods presence is with us, so is our strength.

Ʋse. If God hide his face from them who are the Objects of his favour, what will become of them who are the objects of his displeasure? If these things be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? If this be the severity of God towards them whom he loves, how dreadful is the severity of God against them whom he hates? If this may be the portion of them who are in a state of grace, whatshall be the portion of them who are in a state of sin? If so much be endured by vessels of mercy, what must be en­dured by vessels of wrath? They may at present flourish, but what will their condition be in that day of revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5.

Ʋse. When it goes worst with the people of [Page 89]God, 'tis much better with them then with others, they are Objects of Gods favour, though unable at present to discern any thing but an­ger, their condition is safe though at present uncomfortable. How vast a difference is there betwixt their sorrows and others joys; The only ground of their sorrows, is because they are un­able to discern what cause they have of joy, and the onely ground of others joys, is because they see not what cause they have of sorrow.

Ʋse. It becomes us to consider in how great a measure, this is the case of our Church and Nati­on. Hath not God hid his face from our Jacob by removing the wonted tokens and pledges of his gracious presence? How great an Eclipse is this day upon all our glory? How are we scan­ted of former opportunities? It concerns us the more to be affected with these things, because none of us, but by our barrenness under former means, and by our contempt of Gospel privi­ledges, have contributed very much to the draw­ing down of his severity. If the Prophet here ac­counts if so sore a judgement for God to hide his face in respect of temporal favours, how much greater cause have we to lay to heart, Gods hiding his face in respect of spiritual mercies and privi­ledges.

2. Doct. That when God hides his face, from his people, the great work and business which then lies before them, is to wait upon the Lord to look for his; 'tis their work at all times to wait up­on God, and that not only as servants to receive his commands, but as necessitous persons to ob­tain his relief, both which are put together, [Page 90] Psal. 123.2. As the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their Masters, &c. so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us. There is not that person on earth, whose ignorance of his duty does not lay a continual obligation upon him, to wait upon the Lord for direction and Councel. Not is there that person on earth, whose necessities and wants, do not lay the like obligation upon him, of waiting upon the Lord for relief and assistance. Hence is it that the people of God are frequently described by this Character, they are such as wait upon the Lord, believers in the Old Testament waited the ac­complishment of those promises, the fulfilling whereof God had reserved for the times of the Gospel. Thus Jacob waited for the salvation of the Lord, Gen. 49.18. John the Baptist waited for the Messiah, Matth. 11.3. Joseph of Arima­thea waited for the kingdom of God, Mark 15.43. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, Luke 2.25. The Jews look for redemption in Jerusalem, Luke 2.38. Believers under the New Testament are said to wait for the accomplishment of those promises, the fulfilling whereof God hath refer­ved for another world, they are said to look for the Saviour, Phil. 3.20. To look for that blessed hope, Tit. 2.13. To look for Christ, Heb. 9.28. But though it be both the duty and Character of Gods people at all times to wait upon the Lord, yet is it especially their work and business at such times: the Prophet knew not what better course to take in that dark, and gloomy season, and therefore he resolves for himself to wait upon the Lord, and by his own example he provokes [Page 91]others to do the like; when Jehoshaphat, and the people were so distressed, that they knew not what to do, their eyes were upon God, — 2 Chron. 20.12. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him. — It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord, Lam. 3.25, 26. Psal. 33.18, 20. This is the course which God hath prescribed, the faith­ful practised, and God himself hath all along owned.

For the further clearing of this Doct. Two things shall be spoke to.

• 1. The nature of this carriage or duty.
• 2. The principles from which this carriage arises.

1. Concerning the nature of this carriage, or what it is to wait upon the Lord, and in what acts it doth formally express it self. It is in ge­neral such a carriage as results from the joynt exercise of many particular graces, as faith, hope, patience, humility, repentance, &c. all these and many other graces are necessary ingredients to this carriage, and without the concurrent acting of all these we cannot wait upon God aright, but more particularly, waiting upon God im­plies.

1. An exercising faith upon the promises, even when providence seems most to contradict the promise; distrust drives us from God, as that prophane Prince, 1 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? his unbelief represents this duty vain and unprofitable, but now faith seeks a certainty and sufficiency of relief in the promises, and there­fore [Page 92]builds upon them, and consequently bears up the soul above all sinking discouragements; the promises are wells of consolation, but faith is the bucket; they are treasuries of all kinds of mercy, but faith fetches out supplies; though there be never so much consort laid up in the promises, yet what is all this to us unless we do by faith make use of them; I had fainted, says David, unless I had believed, &c. Psal. 27.13, 14. There were many discouragements in the pro­vidences of God, but David answers all by be­lieving the promises; and indeed there is no other way to answer our Objections but by be­lieving, thousands of troubled thoughts may af­flict and burden us, but faith answers all.

2. A patient and persevering expectation of Gods trturn, how long soever he delay; Though God do not answer us in our time, yet patience waits Gods time; though he do not return so soon as we desire, yet will he stay no longer then he sees it for our good; and therefore this is the language of patience, Habbac. 2.3. the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, be­cause it will surely come, it will not tarry, Psal. 37.7. rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, fret not thy self, &c. he that believes makes not hast. 'Tis the proper work of patience to wait Gods leasure, and not to think him slack con­cerning his promises. Heb. 10.37. God hath told us he will come as a deliverer, and patience expects his coming, till at last it can say with that Martyr Master Glover, He is come, He is come. Saul waited, as he thought, a long time for [Page 93] Samuel; but at last his patience is wearied out, 1 Sam. 13.8, 9, 13, 14. But to wait is to abide Gods time, Hos. 3.3. with Ezek. 38.8. The Jews sate as a desolate widow some hundreds of years before Christ, and above sixteen hundred years since praying, that God would again build their temple; God's time is not yet come for them, now to wait is to hold out; hope is by some compared to a line, patience is nothing else but hope and faith drawn forth.

3. A following God with fervent and unces­sant prayers, though he seem at present not to regard them; though he deal with us as he did with the Church, Lament. 3.44. whose prayers could not pass, yet to wait is to charge our selves still to wait as David, Psal. 62.1. My soul waiteth upon the Lord, and vers. 5. of that Psalm, My soul wait thou upon God; Though God do not as yet answer, yet to wait is never to cease praying, till we find God answering; to con­tinue seeking as the spouse did, till she found him whom her soul loved. For this cause I be­sought the Lord thrice, 2 Cor. 12.8. says, S. Paul, but to wait is to continue in prayer, as David, Psal. 69.3, 4, 5, 6. To be resolv'd to take no denials like that poor woman of Canaan, whose importunity nothing but the answer of her re­quest could appease, Matth. 15.22, 23, 24. and so on to vers. 29. Or as blind Bartimeus, Mark 10.46. to vers. 50.

4. A keeping close to God in ways of duty, even when he seems to be furthest off from us in ways of mercy, a willingness rather no have our calamities continued, then our deliverance ob­tained [Page 94]by means unwarrantable. Thus David though he had the promise of the Kingdom, and might at several times have gotten possession thereof by the destruction of Saul: Yet he waits Gods time, and though it was for a Kingdom, he will not step out of Gods way; and indeed we cannot be said to wiat upon God, while we keep not in his Way, Psal. 37.34. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, &c. Psal. 25.4, 5, 21. to pur­cchase deliverance from outward calamities, by sinful means, is to destroy the soul to preserve the body, or to make Gehezi his bargain, who toge­ther with his change of raiment had a curse with it, 'Tis Solomons advice, Prov. 20.2. say not thou I will recompence evil, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee, Isa. 26.8. In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee, &c.

5. A diligent use of all means for the recovery of what we have lost; the woman that had that bloody issue spent all she had upon the Physicians; so should we do our utmost in the use of means.

First, By a through search and scrutiny after those sins which have provoked God to hide his face from us, Lament. 3.40. Let us search and try our ways, &c. Be sure if there be any breach 'twixt God and us, it is of our own making; Hath God deprived us of former opportunities? Have not we been barren and unfruitful? Hath he ta­ken much of former means and helps from us? Have not we undervalued those mercies? We may many times read our sin in our punishment, 'tis the promise of God , To him that hath, shall be given, i. e. to him that improveth the mercies [Page 95]and talents he hath; others are said not to have what they have, Matth. 25.29. Hath God ex­ercised us with outward judgements? Have not we been wanton with those mercies which God hath removed?

2. A zealous earnestness in lamenting and re­forming those sins, our turning unto God is the best means we can use to obtain his returning unto us; we are never more fit for mercy, then when we have reformed and cast off those sins, which have deprived us of mercies, this is to lay the axe to the root of the tree.

3. A preparing our selves for mercy; It may be we are not low enough, 1 Pet. 5.6. It may be we are not sufficiently divorced from our former vanities, labour to remove all impediments, for be sure, nothing but our own iniquities can keep back good things from us.

2. Concerning the principles form whence this carriage arises. Take these few.

1. An humble sense of our own vileness, that if we enjoy never so little of these outward good things, we are less then the least of all; if God be never so severe with us, there is much of mer­cy in the highest acts of severity, though we suf­fer much, all is little in comparison of what we deserve to suffer; while we have such vile thoughts of our selves, we cannot but think well of God, and be ready to wait upon him; but so long as we think God harsh and rigorous, we are apt to say, as he did, 1 Kings 6. 33. Why should we wait any longer for him?

2. A through conviction of our being wholly at the will and pleasure of God, if we enjoy any [Page 96]tokens of his love it is from his bounty; if these be removed, God herein is righteous; The very thoughts that all afflictions have been from God, have silenced all murmurings and repinings in believers of old; This was the Language of Eli, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord. So Hezekiah, Good is the word of the Lord, Isa. 39.8. I was dumb, I opened not mymouth because thou didst it, says, De­vid, Psal 39.9. There may be miscarriages in in­struments but none in God.

3. A setled perswasion of our dependance up­on God for whatever help we need; whatever our distresses are, 'tis God alone can give ease; if he bind, who can loose? If he cast down, who can raise up? If he speak trouble, who can speak peace? He is the supreme and Sovereign disposer of all things, Deut. 32.39. None can deliver out of his hands. These perswasions engage us to wait upon God alone, Jer. 14.22.

4. A Reverent esteem of the wisdom, goodness and faithfulness of God in all his dispensations, that all his works are in weight and measure, and that he who hath the disposal of all things does dispose of all things, to the best, though we can­not many times see these truths, because the ways of God are so great a deep; Yet to believe it, is necessary to our waiting upon God, to enter­tain good thoughts of him, what ever thoughts he seems to entertain concerning us.

5. A resignation of our selves into the hands of God, a submitting our wills unto his, a lay­ing our selves down at his feet, that if God see it best both in reference to his glory, and our own good, that we should rather honour him in away [Page 97]of suffering than doing, to pray with our Savi­our, If it be possible let this Cup pass from me, ne­vertheless, not my will but thine be done, Mat. 26.39.

Ʋse. What height of folly then is it, when God seems to cast off all regard of us, for us to cast off all regard of him: as do all impatient and froward persons, who upon every withdrawing of God, are so bold as to call the glorious Ma­jesty of Heaven before their petty Tribunal; and charge him either with rigorousness or un­faithfulness: as, 2 Kings 6.33. And oh how apt are all men so far to forget their subjection and dependence upon God, as when he breaks in upon them by his judgments, they break out against him in their complaints and mur­murings. Others there are who in their distresses betake themselves to indiredct and sinful means of safety, as the Jews here to their confedera­cies with the bordering Heathens. How many are there who think no course bad by which they may shift off dangers, and shelter them­slves from an approaching Storm— But this is not to wait upon the Lord, but a course quite contrary to what is commended here. Now in these perilous times, lest we should make use of deceitful refuges, consider these few Arguments.

1. The absolute impossibility of ever finding benefit by any way of Sin. Sin is a depargting from God, and in departing from him, we for­sake our strength and refuge. Can we ever be safe while we are from under Gods Protection? Sin is a putting our selves out of Gods Protecti­on. [Page 98] The lord is with you while you are with him, but if you forsake him he will forsake you, 2 Chron. 15.2. Can any kind of means do us good without Gods concurrence? whatever there is of virtue in them, it is derived from him▪ does Food nourish? 'tis God that makes it nourish­ing, Mat. 4.4. Does Physick cure? 'tis God that makes it effectual. Do Creature helps, Friends, &c. stand us in stead? 'tis God that gives them both hearts and power. To use in­direct means is to blast means, and render them ineffectual. It's true that God sometimes permits many to flourish not only in their sinful courses, but by their sinful courses. This was Asaphs temptation, Psal. 73. But alas, much better would it have been for such, rather to have been without their comforts than to have purchased them thus.

2. This kind of carriage, in stead of relieving us in our distresses, does but increase them. Those towards whom God hath any purpose of mercy, if gentler means prevail not, God, like a careful Physitian, applys sharper: if mild­er corrections do not humble them, like a ten­der Parent, he is more severe: if cords of love will not draw them, he uses the bonds of afflict­ion; but if mercies move not, and afflictions prevail not, God takes another course with them and never leaves till he brings them up­on their knees. In natural causes resistance does but increase the vigour and operation of contra­ries. When fire and water meet in strong op­position, how does the stronger rage, till it hath got the victory. God tryed many ways with [Page 99] Ephraim, but his heart yielded not, God some­times over till he hath humbled him, Isa. 57.16, 17. with Jer. 31. 19. As for others, God some­times deals with them as he did with Pharaoh, who by his stubbornness encreased his Plagues; or else as he dealt at last with Ephraim Hos. 4.17. He gave him up to his incorrigibleness, either they hasten their ruine in this world by their per­verseness, or else they ripen themselves for judg­ment in another world.

3. In stead of removeing or shortning our tryals, this carriage does prolong and continue tthem. The Chyrurgeon continues his Plaisters while the Sore is unhealed: the Child does but prolong his Fathers displeasure by his obstinacy. A Prince that hath once begun to reduce rebel­lious Subjects, leaves not off till he hath subdu­ed them: there's no standing it out against God, no other way to prevail with him, but by repen­tance and submission.

Ʋse Exhort. To follow the Prophets Example here, in taking the same course in this day of Jacobs trouble, as he did in that: God had hid his face from Jacob then, he hath hid his face from Jacob now let us be persuaded to wait up­on the Lord to look for him.

1. The recovery of those pledges of Gods love, whereof we are at present deprived, is a mercyworthy th waiting for. Hath God hid his face from this Nation in general, by depri­ving us in a great measure of the means of Com­munion with himself: remember how support­ing, how refreshing, how improving and strengthning you have found those Ordinances, [Page 100]of which you are at present in a great measure scanted, and yu cannot but be sensible that there are Priviledges worthy the waiting for. God hath exercised us in this Nation with ma­ny years of affliction, but what affliction ever like to this? hath God hid his face from any soul in particular? be persuaded to wait, 'tis a mercy worthy the waiting for, to regain his fa­vour.

1. There are no comforts in all the world like the comforts of Gods presence: he that hath once tasted the sweetness of these conforts, can not but comparatively despise all other, as in the primitive Christians they despised estates, liber­ties, Friends, yea and life it self, rather than sub­mit ot any thing that might endanger Gods withdrawing from them.

2. 'Tis not the ba [...]e presence and favour of God, but the evidence and sence thereof, that renders our condition comfortable. In the fa­vour of God is life, his loving kindness is bet­ter than life; but while the soul hath its eviden­ces blotted, its hopes darkned, the higer it pri­ses the favour of God, the more afflicting is the inevidence thereof. Is God the fountain of all good? and is this God mine enemy? are all my fresh springs in him, and are all these stop'd and shut up against me? Is he the supreme di­sposer of all things, and am I under his displea­sure? that soul that considers what God is in himself, what he is to others of his servants, and what he hath been to it self in times past, cannot but be sensible how grievous a thing it is to lose such a Friend, such a Father, &c. and [Page 101]therefore esteem the recovery of his favour a mery worthy the waiting for.

3. The unsafeness of this condition. Three things there are by which Experimental Chri­stians find themselves very much shaken in this world. 1. The Temptations of Satan, some­times making use of the allurements, sometimes of the discouragements of this world: but the sence of Gods love raises the soul into an holy indifferency about these things as small matter. While the bird is upon the wing, all th gins and snares laid on the ground cannot intangle it: so it is with Souls while conversing with God. 2. Inward accusations, when Satan and Conscience joyn together in representing to the Soul its Sins and Dangers: what amazement and horror do then take hold upon it if God hide his face. 3. Outward streights and afflict­ions: but oh what an undaunted courage did the sense of Gods love raise in the Martyrs of old; how did it cause them to contemn these things, Rom. 5.3. Rom. 8.18. They gloryed in Tribulations, and accounted all the sufferings of this life not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed: it is therefore in all these respects a Mercy worthy the wait­ing for.

2. The certainty of success in this course: all other courses are but the struggling of the Wild Beast in the net, by which it is more entangled; but it is good for a man to wait, Lam. 3. 26. This hope makes not ashamed. Rom. 5.5. Tis the promise of God that they that wait upon him shall not be ashamed, Isa. 49.23. Psal. 37.9. and [Page 102]what greater assurance assurance can we have than the Word of God; we build much sometimes up­on the word of men, but the Word of God is sure: Besides, how exact and punctual hath God been in making good what he hath promi­sed. When the time was expired of their de­tainment in Aegypt, no sooner was the four hundred and thirty years past but the self same day he accomplishes their promised deliverance, Exod. 12.40, 41, 42. And as punctual was God in delivering his people out of Babylon, Dan. 5.30. This was therefore Davids plea, Psal. 102.13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion, because the time to favour her, yea the set time is come.

Quest. But how may we discern when our set time for Deliverance is come?

Answ. Though we have not such clear and particular Revelations as his people of old had, yet have we such general discoveries by which we may guess. 1. The lowness of his peoples condition; this was the argument prevailed with God, Exod. 2.23, 24. their sighs and crys under that sore bondage: thus 2 King. 14 26, 27. the bitterness of their affliction. 2. The low­ness of their dispositon, so 1 Pet. 5.6.3. The rage and insolency of their Adversaries, Deut. 32.27. Ezek. 20. 22. these have usually been prog­nosticks of deliverance.

3. This is the highest expression of our sin­cerity and faithfulness, when God seemeth to be leaving us, for us to be unwilling to leave him, to wait upon God, and quiet our hearts by faith in his promises notwithstanding all dis­couragements, [Page 103]to believe in him when we can­not see him this is the faith our Saviour com­mends; Thou believest because thou hast seen, bles­sed are they that believe and have not seen, Joh. 20.29. This was the excellency of Jobs faith, that it was so stedfast in cleaving to God, that nothing could unsettle it; though he kill me yet will I trust in him, Job 13.15.

4. 'Tis for this end God many times hides his face, to exercise the sait and patience of his people in waiting, 1 Pet. 1.7. God hath by his Spirit enriched the souls of his people with those grace, as might qualify them for this carriage, and therefore he leads them by his providence into such conditions as may exercise and call forth those graces.

5. This kind of carrigage does not only very much conduce to our support in these dark in­tervals, but to the sweetning Gods return, when believers can say as God promises they shall say, Isa. 25.9. Lo, this is our God, we have wait­ed for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and re­joyce in his Salvation.

6. There lies a greater obligation upon Be­lievers to this carriage, than upon any others: their professions, their priviledges, the promi­ses God hath made to them; their graces are all as so many obligations to wait.

7. How long hath God waited upon us, be­fore conversion, how many repulses and deny. als have we given to all invitations; and after conversion how oft and how long hath God waited our returns from back-slidings? and yet [Page 104]though God hath no other obligation upon him to wait for our good but only from his own goodness: there lies an obligation upon is by way of debt: besides God cannot be be­nefited by his returns to us, only we are there by made happy. In a word, if we wait upon God, God will still wait upon us, Isa. 30.18. and give us cause to say, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him: this is the Lord, we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation.

ST. Paul, that Vessel of God, cho­sen to bear his Name before the Gentiles, Acts 9.15. was so ta­ken up with the common Af­fairs of the church in general, journeying from place to place, and having the care of many Churches upon him (for the Office of an Apostle was so large and unlimited, that indeed it was fit for none but those who are immediately inspired by God with gifts and abilities beyond what others can rationally look for) professeth, of all the trou­bles he met with from without, none were so considerable, none did so much break his thoughts, and went so near his Soul, as the care of the Churches; it is a notable passage of his, to shew how hearty he was in minding the concerns of poor Souls: 2 Cor. 11.28. where after he had enumerated his several troubles, he mentions all these to be as nothing; for says he, That which comes upon me daily is more than all, and that is the care of the Churches: This is a tem­per that becomes so publick an Officer; but in [Page 106]regard his Soul was so large, and his Commis­sion so extensive, he was not long resident in any particular place, and therefore he was necessita­ted to depute others to water that seed he had planted, and to carry on that good work that he had begun: and upon this account it was that he writes both his Epistles to Timothy, 1 Tim. 1.3. and upon this account he here writes to Titus Chapter 1. ver. 5. Titus was by birth a Grecian of the stock of the Gentiles, and after his Conversion was a constant Companion and Fellow-labourer with this great Apostle, and was much imployed by him in the Ministry of the Gospel.

The great Work that he aimed at in writing this Epistle to Titus you find in one general word exprest, it was, to set in order those things that were wanting, Chap. 1. ver. 5. and to direct him in the management of that most important affair of the Church.

In this Chapter you have several duties which St. Paul gives Titus in charge, that he should be a faithful remembrancer to those Cretians, which duties are many and divers.

1. He speaks of those duties that concern some particular Christians.

2. Of those that concern all Christians in Common.

Those that concern particular Christians are, Men and Women, Young and Old, Masters and Servants: as you have it in the beginning of this Chapter, ver. 1. But speak thou the things which become sound Doctrine.

And then he speaks to young Persons, ver. 6. [Page 107] Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

And he counsels Titus to shew them his own Example, ver. 7. In all things shew thy self a Pat­tern of good works.

And so he descends to the meanest degree of Christians; and that is to Servants; Servants were then of a more vile and abject condition than houshould Servants are now among us: Ser­vants were then slaves, their persons and lives were at the wills of their Masters: and because their condition was such, they had little comfort from things here below, and therefore takes care of them; and this shews the greatness of the Apostles care in instructing them how they may live cmfortably; and to eneourage them, ha tells them, they should be obedient to their own Masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering again, not purloyning, but shewing all good fidelity: The reason he gives is this, That they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Some reckon this last clause under the duties which concern all Christians incom­mon; but it is alledged here with particular re­ference to Servants, and for that there are two Reasons given: Because the duties here prest upon Servants were duties to which they were very much averse by the harshness or ansterenes of their Masters, who had such power over them beyond or above what is used by us, and what Christians all along since have had. Now they were under danger of those sins that he dis­suaded them from, as purloyning from them, &c. And to encourage them, he tells them, though your condition be never so mean, though you are so contemptible in the sight of men, yet by [Page 108]your good carriage you may be acceptable [...] the sight of God, you are not in so low a capa­city but you are capable of adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour. Now though this Exhorta­tion be of greater latitude than to Servants, yet it is spoken to them upon this account, because they had little hopes of finding acceptance with God, since they were under such austerity to their own Masters. Now if they, how much more should others adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

In the words are these two particulars:

1. A description of the Gospel, it isthe Do­ctrine of God, that speaks it to be of Divine Authority; and it is said to be the Doctrine of God our Saviour, and that speaks its gracious designation in order to the saving of lost Crea­ture; and you find it more fully expressed in the next Verse, For the Grace of God that bring­eth Salvation hath appeared, &c. The Grace of God in afording his Gospel, it brings Salvation, that is in the tenders and proffers, and discover­ing the way how we may attain it. This is a high commendation given of the Gospel, it is the Doctrine of God, and of God our Saviour.

2. Here is a declaration of their duty to whom this Doctrine comes, to whom God hath been so gracious as to vouchsafe his Gospel, they must adorn it, that is, render it lovely and beau­tiful and amiable to others; they must carry themselves so as to give no occasion to others of stumbling, or taking offence by their miscarri­age; they must so live as not to give occasion to others to think the Gospel hath no more effica­cie [Page 109]than humane Rules and Reason hath, This duty is mentioned in a two-fold extent, that they and all they (not only Servants but others to whom this Doctrine comes) should adorn the Gospel, and that they may adorn the Gospel in all things, in every branch and part of this Doctrine.

There are several Doctrines I shall commend to you from the words:

1. Doct. That Jesus Christ is not meerly man but really God.

The Gospel here is said to be the Doctrine of God; and this we finde is the ordinary Lan­guage wherein the Scripture speaks of Christ (at least it is the familiar Language) Titus 1.3. According to the Commandment of God our Savi­our; he is called there God our Saviour: and in the 13th verse of this Chapter, Looking for the blessed hope and gloriour appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Socinians and Arians have been very busie in gathering toge­ther several Scriptures wherein the word Eloah and Elohim (wherein the singular number is put for the plural (are ascribed to Creatures; there are two places especially insisted on, Exod. 7.1. God tells Moses, I have made thee a God to Pha) raoh The other is Psal. 82.6. I have said, Ye are Gods, speaking of Magistrates and Princes, and the great Ones of the world, those that are in the highest Rank of men; their design here­by is to weaken the faith of Christians concern­ing the Divinity of Christ. In answer to these two Scriptures it is observed by many Learn­ed Writers, though the Name of God be in­deed [Page 110]ascribed to Magistrates and great Ones in the world more than once or twice, yet is this Title never given to them but with some restri­ction and diminution; and therefore in both those Scriptures before quoted, it is not said fimply, I will make thee a God to Pharaoh; but he speaks of the reverence and esteem that he should finde from Pharaoh; and thus it is ex­pounded in Exod. 4.16. God tells Moses, Aa­ron should be to him instead of a mouth, and he should be instead of God. Aaron is not simply, but instead, to denote his Authority in giving his Command and Orders. So for Psal. 82.6. I said ye are Gods; but in ver. 7. you have this di­minution, You shall die like men. But on the o­ther hand, the Name of God is usually given to Christ with some augmentative Epithite; and truly that Christ is truly God, it is one great foundation of all our faith and hope, and I shall clcar it briefly by these Arguments:

1. He whom the Scriptures doth not only ho­nour with the Name of God, but with those additional Epithites which no Creature is capa­ble of but God, must needs be God, and not meer man; Thus in respect of Jesus Christ, God hath honoured him not only with this Name, but with many additional Titles: He is said, to be God equal with the Father: Phil. 2.6. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God.

Titus 2.13. He is stiled, The Great God; and the true God. 1 Epist. St. John 5.20. And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: This is the true God, and eternal life. The true God is to be taken in opposition to all Idol-Gods, [Page 111]and all those Metaphorical expressions, where we finde this Name Elohim (as some­times) given to Creatures.

Again, he is stiled, The Mighty God, Isa. 9.6. For unto us a Child is born, his Name shall be cal­led Wonderful, Councellour, the Mighty God.

He is called, God blessed for ever, Rom, 9.5. Whose are the Fathers (speaking of the Priviledg­es of the Jews) and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is God blessed for ever.

He is stiled also, The Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.

Nay, the Name Jehovah which throughout all the Scripture is not so much as singly ascribed to any Creature, is ascribed to Jesus Christ; He is called, The Lord our Righteousness, Jehovah our Righteousness: That is the first.

2. He in whom are all those high and eminent perfections, those glorious Attributes which transcend the capacity of any Creature, must needs be God; and these the Scripture ascribes to Christ. I shall only give you some few hints.

He who is Omnipotent, whose Power is boundless and unlimited, whose Government reacheth Heaven and Earth, He that can do all things must needs be God.

Take all the Power that is in the Creature, there is [...] confinement and limitation of their Power; but Jesus Christ is Almighty, Rev. 1.8. I am Alpha and Omega, the Almighty. Rev. 19.6. The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. 'Tis true, Angels do excel in Power, but Omnipotencie is [Page 112]peculiar to the true God; for they are but his Creatures, and their power is limited by him, they are his Messengers whom he imploys.

Again, Omnisciencie, this is ascribed to Jesus Christ, He searcheth hearts, and tryeth reins; he hath a window open into all mens breasts, and discovers what is their thoughts, he needs not that any should tell him any thing, because he knows it, and therefore he must needs be God, John 2.25. And he needed not that any should te­stifie of man, for he knew what was in man, that is, as he is God, John 13.19. He that knoweth all things before they come to pass must needs be God. Now I tell you (says he) before it come, that when it is come to pass, you must believe that I am he; believe him to be God. So Rev. 2.23. I am he that searcheth the Reins and Heart, and will give to every one of you according to your work [...] Now this is only peculiar to the great God.

3. He is said to be Omnipresent, He was in Heaven, even while he was upon the Earth, John 14.3. I go, that where I am ye may be also: He was on Earth, but as God He was even then in Heaven. Matth. 28.20. His promise to his Disciples is, And loe I am with you always, to the end of the world; and so he is as God, He is with them while he is in Heaven. As Ubiquity is only peculiar to the great God, he fills Heaven and earth with his presence; for the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him: Now I will be with you when I am taken up from you, when you cannot see me, nor converse in the flesh with me any longer.

4. Immutability and Eternity are ascribed to [Page 113]Jesus Christ, Prov. 8.22. it is applied to him who is the Wisdom spoken of there principally, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old: ver. 23, 24, 25, 26. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the Earth was, &c.

This shews that Jesus Christ was Anteceda­neous to all Creatures, and that speaks him to be Eternal: Psal. 90.2. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World, even from everlasting to ever­lasting, thou art God.

So everlasting is peculiar to God which is a­scribed to Christ, Micha 5.2. Whose goings forth have been from of Old, from everlasting.

Your Margent reads it, From the days of Eter­nity, Heb. 13.8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day, and for ever. It is said of him, There is no variableness nor shadow of changing; and he is called, The everlasting Father, Isa. 9.6.

Lastly, He that hath life in Himself, and is the Principle of life to others must needs be God. It is a Contradiction to be a Creature and to be self-Originated. So is it said of Jesus Christ, Acts 3.15. And killed the Prince of Life. v. 16. And his Name, through Faith in his Name, hath made this man strong; that shews the greatness of his power, through faith in his Name. John 5.26. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given the Son to have life in himself.

3. He to whom works of Infiniteness are a­scribed must needs be God. No Creature can possibly do any act of Infiniteness, because it is above the rank of a Creature.

The work of Creation, which is a work of In­finiteness is ascribed to Jesus Christ, John 1.3. All things were made by him.

So the work of Supportation is ascribed to him, Heb. 1.3. Ʋpholding all things by the Word of his power. He that not onely brought all things out of nothing by the Word of his pow­er, but he that upholds them from falling back into their first nothing again, by the same All-mighty power, must needs be God; and this is ascribed to Christ. So the work of Redemption, this is attributed to Jesus Christ; He that could subdue him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil; He that could conquer Prin­cipallities and Powers, and lead Captivity cap­tive; He to whom all things are made subject both in Heaven and in Earth, Principallities, Do­minions and Thrones, and every thing that is named, that is, every thing that is excellent, are made subject to him, Eph. 1.22. And hath put all things under his feet, and hath left nothing unsubdued, and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church; That is the third Argument.

4. He whom Angels adore and Creatures worship must needs be God; and thus they do Jesus Christ: God is very jealous of his own Honour and will not suffer them to be given to any other: But honour and worship is by the Command of God to be given to Jesus Christ, Heb. 1.6. Let all the Angels of God worship him. And we are baptized in the Name of Christ, Mat. 28.19. And we are bound to pray in the Name of Christ; Whatever you ask in my Name, that will I do, John 14.13. And to believe in [Page 115]Christ, John 14.2. Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me. Now to believe in any thing is to make a God of it; weare taken off from setting our faith on any Creature: Trust not in man, nor in the Son of man: and, cursed is he that maketh an arm of flesh his strength, that puts his confidence in any Creature.

In a Word, all the Glory that belongs to the Father, the Father hath commanded us to give to his Son; That all might honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, John 5.23. That all should honour the Son even as they honour the Fa­ther; he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father. So much for this Doctrine: I shall apply it under the next.

Doct. 2. That as Jesus Christ is truly God; this God is the Saviour of lost Creatures.

He is a Saviour to all that do partake of Sal­vation: there is no other Saviour but only Jesus Christ. The Doctrine of God our Saviour, Tit. 2.10 According to the Commandment of God our Savior, Tit. 1.3. You have it several times in this Epi­stle. It was under this Name that the Angels (as Heralds) from Heaven did proclaim his Incarnation, He shall save his people from their sins. Now a Saviour implies a state of misery; it supposeth either some misery that we are un­der for the present, or some danger that we are liable to for the future; & in both these respects all the Children of men do stand in need of a Savior. We are Apostate Creatures, & have sin­ned our selves not only into a state of estrange­ment from God, but we have invested our selves with enmity against God. Now this Condition [Page 116]must needs be a perishing Condition: for, if the favour of God be better than life, then the anger and displeasure of God is more dreadful than death it self. This is the punishment of the damned: it is expressed by this as the most sig­nificant part of their misery, Depart from me ye cursed. Mat. 25.4. (Ye cursed) There is hell enough in that one word, leaving out the o­ther: as we are under great danger we have need of a Saviour; now there is no other Sa­viour but Jesus Christ: He is said to be the Sa­viour of all men, that is, of all that are saved. Of all men, not that every individual person shall be saved, or was intended to be saved by the condescention of Christ, but he is the Savi­our of all men, whether Jew or Gentile; for Salvation of Old was restrained to the people of the Jews, as to the means; and we have rea­son to believe as to the effect, for there is no Salvation without Christ, other Foundation can no man lay, 1 Cor. 3 11. For the opening of this I shall speak briefly to three things.

• 1. From what it is that Christ saves.
• 2. Whom it is that he saves.
• 3. How it that he accomplisheth this work of Salvation.

1. From what it is Christ saves. He saves in general from every thing that is dreadful, e­very thing that doth endanger the safety and well being of Souls to all Eternity.

1. He saves from Satan the worst of Enemies, he hath trampled upon Principalities and Pow­ers, and led them captive.

Object. But are not the people of God continu­ally molested and disquieted by Satan; is not he as a roaring Lyon going up and down seeking whom he may devour, or at least whom he may disquiet and disturb?

Answ. I answer, He saves indeed from Sa­tan though not as a Tempter, yet as a Destroy­er, he may disturb their peace, and disquiet them in their course, but he can never bring them back again to himself. For greater is he that is in you, that he that is in the world. Fear not, little Children, though you have to do with Princi­palities and Powers, with enemies more than your match, yet greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. My Father is greater than all; he hath you in his hand, and he hath com­mitted you to the care of his Son; and Jesus Christ is greater than all.

2. He saves from the wrath of God, the so­rest of Judgments. To escape the wrath of God is the concern of all fallen Creatures: Oh Generation of Vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come. There is no wrath like the wrath of God, nor any wrath from God like that which is to come: and the first inti­mation of the Gospel wherever it comes, warns to flee from the wrath to come. Now by this Salvation Christ sets his People free from the wrath of God which is to come. That God whom they have made their enemy, he makes to be their friend; that God whom they have set against them, he procures to be for them. True, the people of God may be under a sense of his wrath, and in their sad thoughts may [Page 118]pray as David did, Correct me not in thy hot dis­pleasure: yet they are free from the wrath of God as a Judge, though not from the anger of God as a Father. Though God will not con­demn them, and cast them off; yet God may afflict and chastise them; and that is their Pri­viledge. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and instructest him out of thy Law. We stand in need of Afflictions, and those afflictions are so far from being an argument of Gods wrath, that they are the fruit of his care for, and love to us. Every Son whom he loves he chastens. God cannot be content to see them that he loves go on in a course that is apparently tend­ing to their own ruine, and therefore he steps and checks them by many sharp correcti­ons.

3. He saves from Afflictions so far as they they may be to their prejudice: For a little time if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations, 1 Pet. 1.7. For a little time, and if need be. So sooner nor no longer, nor any more of affliction than the state and condition of their Souls need.

3. He saves from sin, the worst of evils; this is the great Tyrant that usurps it over the Souls of all the Children of Adam. He saves them from the power of sin, he saves them from the guilt of sin; though he doth not save them from the very presence of sin; it may afflict and disquiet them, but it shall not ruine and de­stroy them.

4. He saves from death it self, which is the King of Terrors, from the sting of Death, [Page 119]though not from the Grave and rottenness. The nature of Death is altered to all true Believers. Christ hath taken away that was at first threat­ned as a curse; so that in substance all that was as a curse is turned into a blessing to all that Christ takes care of. So much for the first, from what Christ saves.

Secondly, who are the persons whom Christ saves, we shall not look upon that Salvation which Christ bought out for the world to be of that vast latitude as to extend to every particu­lar and individual person in the world, for that is contrary to the whole strain of the Scriptures: Do but consider that in John 3.16. God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. (Whosoever believeth in him.) Eve­ry Believer, and none else but Believers; all that are such, and none but such. For, he that be­lieves not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him. So when the Goaler comes trembling before Paul and Sylas, and cryed out, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. An Unbeliever is one that rejects that Salvation that the Gospel tenders and that Christ hath purchased. An Unbeliever he is in a state of condemnation, he is condemned already. There­fore those general expressions in the Scripture of Christs dying for the whole world, are to be understood only in opposition to the Nation of the Jews who were God's peculiar people, and to whom all God's saving mercies wereof old confined.

Thirdly, How it is that Christ saves. He [Page 120]saves as a Captain, by Conquest, subduing the strong man armed, under whose power we were held Captive: The strong man armed keeps possession of us till a stronger than he casts him out, and comes and binds him, and overcomes him: and this Christ hath done in Conquering Principalities and Powers; and thus he saves not only from the power of the Devil) for we were perfectly under the power of Sathan) thus he breaks off that yoke.

But then he saves as a Priest, by making sa­tisfaction. He saves from offended Justice; we all of us are not only captive to Sathan, but Prisoners and Debtors to Divine Justice. Now Christ saves his people from this, by offering himself for his people once for all; and so this Salvation is not only a negative business in free­ing us from those miseries that we lie under, but positive in intitling us to all those blessings and priviledges of which we are capable; Those he hath purchased by his Blood, Act. 20.28.

Applic. 1. Ʋse. Then this may inform us, that if Christ be the God and Saviour, upon what a sure foundation is the faith and hope of Be­lievers built; it is not upon the sand, but upon a Rock. How many false foundations do men build their hopes upon; these may stand them instead for a time, but when the wind rises, and the rain descends, and the floods flow in upon them, they will fall, and their fall will be very great. None but a God could possibly have gone through so great an undertaking. We had made our selves Debtors to an Infinite Majesty, and our Debts were such as could not be satis­fied [Page 121]but by an infinite expiation. Our Saviour takes all upon him when he came to be the sure­ty of his people, to take upon him all their Debts and to discharge them. None but an in­finite Person was fit for such a work. This is the Character that the Scripture gives of Christ, as one who is able and mighty to save; yea, to save to the uttermost: Our Redeemer is the Lord of Host, the Holy One of Israel is his Name. If our Saviour be God, then this is matter of great encouragement to fly to him, let our case be never so difficult, perplexed and hopeless, yet as he is God, it cannot exceed his power to redeem and deliver, Only believe and thou shalt see the Salvation of God, Matth. 8. The poor Leper came to our Saviour (his was such as he could not go to men, he was shut out from the Congregation) and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: You can­not imagine a case to be more sad than the case of the Lepers was, and yet his faith did bring him to Jesus Christ, and it was his comming Chriw that did obtain his Cure, even of that distemper. O! therefore, how should this comfort us against the greatest of our spi­ritual enemies. Our Corruptions, though they are never so strong, our oppositions though never so mighty; though Principalities and Powers be engaged against us, though earth and hell be up in arms against us, yet this answers all, our Saviour is God, all things therefore are subject to him.

2. Ʋse. Of Exhortation, Be perswaded then to fly to this God in all your distresses; and comfort your selves by placing all your hopes [Page 122]upon him. God hath made many discoveries of the Glory of his Son hereafter. He shall appear without sin to Salvation: he appeared the first time as our surety to pay our Debts, but he shall appear the 2d time as one that hath alrea­dy discharged that Debt, and sit down on the right hand of his Father in Glory: he appear­ed the first time as a sheep for the slaughter, he shall appear the second time as a Conqueror, trampling upon all his enemies: He appeared the first time in meanness: He shall appear the second time in Majesty. We should comfort our selves in the hopes that we have in such a Saviour, who is truly God. Whatever the afflictions and distresses of Gods people may be, yet he will work out enlargement for them; he can do it, and he hath promised to do it; Yea, he hath undertaken to do it: if you do but on the one side put into the ballance all your doubts, fears, and Objections; and on the other side, do but think who it is that hath underta­ken your Redemption and Salvation remem­bring it is God your Saviour, this one word will weigh down all.

3. Lastly, This may be a use of terror to all the enemies of Jesus Christ; Christ is God, and therefore he is too great for them to cope with: His enemies shall surely become his footstocl; and then shall he resign his Kingdom unto his Father, 1 Cor. 15. He is too great to be con­quered, and he will certainly conquer his ene­mies, though it be in such a way many times, as does stagger the Faith of poor his Creatures.

Doctr. 3. That the Gospel is the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

The Apostle mentions this two-fold excellen­cie in the Author of the Gospel, that he might (as [...]t were) with a two-fold cord bind us to a greater heedfulness of its Counsels, and to a more strickt observation of its Rules. Our hearts are lose and slippery, especially to those things that concern our Souls: and it is not a single cord that will keep us within compass, and therefore the Apostle speaks here of the Gospel as the Doctrine of him who is our God and Saviour. In this description of the Author, he speaks enough to work upon all our affecti­ons at once: It is the Doctrine of God, and therefore it is not to be slighted. The Kings & great Ones of the World are in nothing so ten­der of as their Laws, they will not endure them to be trampled upon, and despised by their sub­jects. Oh! think what a vast difference there is between the great God and the highest Po­tentates that are here upon the earth; his King­dom is over all, over all men, over all the Consciences of men (which no Prince can claim Dominion over) in this regard, as it is the Doctrine of God, therefore it is to be heed­ed and obeyed: every Doctrine of the Gos­pel hath the stamp of Gods Authority upon it. Now is it safe to fall under the displeasure of God to make him our enemy by breaking his Laws? By these two Characters that the Apo­stle gives of the Author of the Gospel, he would work upon our fear and love: These 2 are the principal affections in the Soul, which will [Page 124]ingage all our endeavors of what kind soever they be. He is God and therefore must not be slighted, for he can crush us as a moth; it is a dan­gerous thing to fall under his displeasure: Now as the Gospel is the Doctrine of God, it com­mands awe and reverence from all that live un­der it. It commands our watchfulness, that we do not wander from it; it commands our dili­gence to stir up all our endeavours to obey it.

And then it is not only the Doctrine of God, but of God our Saviour; and hereby he would en­gage our love and ingenuity. The whole de­sign of the Doctrine of the Gospel is Salvati­on: He hath in the Gospel discovered himself Doctrinally to be a Saviour.

The whole sum of the Gospel is reduced to these six Heads, as to the scope and design of it.

1. To convince men of their own misery; this you have as the proper work of the Spirit; when he sets home the Gospel, He shall convince the world of sin. Men are apt to think that their condition is not so sad and miserable as in­deed it is, they looking upon it as nature repre­sents it to them: but the Gospel shews them, that they are utterly lost and undone in them­selves.

2. The Gospel lets them know the way of recovery; though they are miserable at pre­sent, yet it acquaints them notwithstanding their misery that they may be happy: and that is the second work of the Spirit, not only to con­vince of sin, but also of Righteousness.

3. A third design of the Gospel is, to direct us what way, means and course we should take [Page 125]to put our selves in a capacity for the obtaining of this happiness, and that is by Faith and Re­pentance. That there is happiness to be had for poor miserable and undone Creatures by Jesus Christ, but it is only by Faith and Repentance.

4. The Gospel is an invitation to accept of Christ and of Salvation upon such terms, against which none can justly except: It is but to leave our sins, our burdens, which is our priviledge to leave. Our Saviour left Heaven and happiness for us, and we leave nothing but our bonds and fetters, and sicknesses for him, this is all that he requires.

5. The design of the Gospel is to remove all Discouragements, and take away all Objecti­ons which may make us shie of coming to Christ: we are lost Creatures, unable to repent and believe: there may be mercy and pardon had upon condition of Faith and Repentance, but both these are gifts of God: now God hath promised to give both these to them that seek him for them.

6. In a word, the design of the Gospel is, (if it do not gain our Souls to Jesus Christ for their Salvation) to leave them more inexcusable as to Condemnation, to stop their mouths, and to leave them under stronger Convictions, that the blood of their Souls may lie upon themselves. So that all Gospel Revelations and discoveries center in this design, Mans Salvation. If there be any so stupid yet, (notwithstanding the dis­coveries of Christ, which may make them sensi­ble indeed) they must needs be stocks and stones, and more stupid than the earth they tread [Page 126]upon: whom neither the Ministers of God, nor mercies, nor severities will awaken, nor o­pen their ears to instruction: all the truths re­vealed in the Gospel have a natural tendencie to, and center in this one design, even the Sal­vation of lost Creatures.

This Doctrine consists of two parts:

• That the Gospel is the Doctrine of God.
• And the Gospel is the Doctrine of God our Saviour.

I shall speak to each of them a little distinct­ly.

1. The Gospel cannot be any other than the Doctrine of God, because it is an abreviation of the manifold wisdom of God, wherewith the Womb of his Counsels and Decrees were tra­velling before the Foundations of the World were laid: it was the contrivance of no other Wisdom than that of God: There are two Ar­guments to prove this:

1. Those intrinsick Arguments that may be drawn from the Nature of the Gospel; for there are many impressions of the Divine Ma­jesty in the Gospel it self, both as to the matter and several parts of it.

1. Consider that it carries in it some impres­sions of the Divine Majesty in those deep and mysterious Truths that are therein revealed, which (when they are revealed) do exceed the capacity of any created understanding to reach, and therefore they must needs much more ex­ceed the capacity of any created understanding to find out. God hath in his Gospel revealed such things as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei­ther [Page 127]can the heart of man conceive. These are such abstruse things that they could have no other Author but God himself; That God should be­come man; that the Lord of all things should take upon him the form of a Servant; that he that knew no sin should be made sin. That guil­ty Creatures should be saved by the righteous­ness of another, when they had no righteous­ness of their own. These are all Riddles and Mysteries, these are truths that have had many opposers: and therefore they have had so ma­ny opposers, because they are so much above reach of Reason. Now the excellencie of the Gospel appears in this, because the truths there­in revealed are so sublime and mysterious, With­out Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16.

2. From that exactness of holiness the Gospel requires. All the Books of Philosophers and o­thers that prescribe holiness, are many of them unsound, and all of them put together defe­ctive. True, the Masters of them (the Learn­ed Persons among the Philosophers) have many flowers in their Gardens, but withal they have many weeds. But the Gospel is a Garden wherein there is no weeds; there is no kind of defect in those Flowers that you meet with there; all defects are made up. If I should propound to you the several rules both of the Platonical, and Stoical Philosophers, many things (it is true) are commendable in them, but all are mixt, and all put together are imper­fect; they are no compleat Rule: But the Gospel of Christ, you finde in Titus 2.12. It teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly [Page 128]lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this persent world. These three expressions amount higher than all the Rules that were in­vented by men. So 1 Pet. 1.15. But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. It implies a similitude but non an equality, that is impossible; an universality of holiness, but not an equality. So in Phil. 4.8. Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, pure, lovely, of good report, think on these trings. How? to make them your great busi­ness. The Gospel of Christ is higher in its precepts than all other Rules than ever were pre­scribed.

2. It is larger in its extent, it reacheth not only the outward but inward man which no humane Laws can reach. St. Paul tells us, he had never known sin but by the Law of God, Rom. 7. Now this shews it is from God, because it reacheth the heart and Conscience. To abhor an unjust act, or an act of violence comes with­in the Rules of Moral Philosophers; but to ab­hor the thoughts of any thing that is evil, is proper only to the Rules of the Gospel.

3. The Arguments by which the Gospel pres­seth this exactness of holiness: No man did either promise or threaten such things as God in the Gospel does. Princes may threaten up­on the pain of their high displeasure, but God threatens upon pain of everlasting ruine and de­struction. Princes may threaten what evils are within the reach of their power, in case of dis­obedience to their Laws and Government; but God threatens like himself, like a God. So the [Page 129]Promises are such as none but God can make; the Promise of everlasting happiness, Matth. 5. To how many dispositions our Saviour hath promised blessedness. Now blessedness is in the power of none to bestow upon us, but only in that God who is in himself blessed, and who is the Author of that happiness his Creatures are capable of. By all this it appears evidently, that the Gospel can be no ther than the Gospel of God; he who cannot only ruine the body, but whose power reach the Soul, that can make it happy or mise­rable to all eternity; and that propounds threat­nings and promises sutable to a state after this life.

4. The discoveries the Gospel makes of the worth of our Souls: all men are very intent a­bout the concerns of their bodies; if they be sick, the Physitian must be sent for, no means shall be neglected, but all courses used to reco­ver them from under their sickness: but their Soul concerns are things that most men little look after. Now there is nothing that does so convince us of the worth of our Souls as the Gospel doth; that tells us, that Jesus Christ thought them worth the laying down his life for, the shedding of his precious blood for; and God thought them of that valu, that he did not spare his only Son, but gave him to die for them, there is no such Argument to convince us of the excellencie of our Souls as Gospel-Arguments are.

5. Consider the terms upon which the Gos­pel propounds recovery and happiness, and re­storation [Page 130]to lost Creatures; they are such as are most consistant with Reason: But what are those terms? Repentance and Faith. The terms that others propound are vastly wide and different from these, but Repentance and Faith have the clearest evidence of Reason above all other terms whatsoever. In the Sinners recon­ciliation to the great God, without Repentance, what plea can sinners make to God, but only that they may provoke God to with-hold every thing of mercy from them; without Repentance to come to God & to beg pardon, it is but to ask leave to sin against God afresh, and to go on in those ways and courses that are highly offensive to him. And so for Faith, this also carries the clearest evidene of Reason with it; for poor Creatures that have offended an infinite Maje­sty, for them to expect mercy from that God whom they have offended. Now the Gospel tells us of a sufficient price, equivalent, nay more than an equivalent price, and satisfaction for all offences & injuries done to Divine Justice. If we by faith lay hold upon Jesus Christ, by such a faith as doth intitle us to him, it may be well with us both here and for ever; but other terms and conditions (as the Popish penances, and voluntary humilities, and mortifications, and the like) what are they if they were ten thousand times more than any Creature can per­form in point of compensation to Divine Ju­stice? Alas! they are nothing: it is only by Jesus Christ that we can be aceepted, and satis­faction can be made to Gods Justice.

6. The strange kind of efficacie that this [Page 131]word hath upon the Souls of sinners; how doth it amaze and affright, and alter and change them? How doth it make them new Creatures? then when God concurs with it by his Spirit, Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, 1 Cor. 11. but it is by the Spirit of God; what a mighty change doth the Do­ctrine of the Gospel make upon the hearts of sinners when the Spirit of God goeth along with it: to give you some instances of it, as Zacheus of a covetous person became a self-denyer and makes restitution to the full, even to fourfold. Mary Magdalen who was possessed with so many Devils, what an eminent Saint did she become afterwards? So St. Paul of an enraged Persecuter, what an eminent Apostle did the Gospel make him to be, when it came to him in power? They who have delighted like so many swine to wallow in the mire of their lusts, have had their frames and tempers so altered, that nothing is delightful and pleasing to them but those spiritual Comforts and Enjoyments against which they have had the greatest enmity in their former inclinations.

2. I shall prove this by some Arguments, that the Gospel is the Doctrine of God.

1. That the Gospel should meet with any acceptance in the world. For what is the Do­ctrine of the Gospel? It is a Doctrine contra­ry to humane Reason, and cross to humane in­terest and our worldly and natural inclinations. One would think it a strange thing, if a man should go about to persuade a rich man to be­come poor, and graet men to become low and mean, and those that flourish in the world to [Page 132]cast off the world, you would think this Gospel should never meet with any entertainment from men that have their wits about them. Now such is the Doctrine of Christ, and yet it hath done all this. St. Matthew, and several of the Apostles were in a gainful & thriving course for a livelihood (as to this world) in a prosperous condition, but they renounced and left all and followed Christ; others there were who were en­gaged in curious Arts, who came and burnt their Books. Now to part with those things that are so pleasing to nature, and to entertain the Gospel which crosseth all our natural inclinations, must needs be distasteful and unacceptable to flesh and blood; this proves it to be of God.

2. That this Gospel should make so great a progress in the world though it hath been oppo­sed and persecuted, though it hath met with multitudes of enemies, though the earth & hell have been set against it, yet that it hath gained upon its adversaries, it should still prevail, it is an argument that it is of God, that it should be preserved so long, considering the attempts of its enemies against it. It was notable Counsel that Gamaliel gave the Jewish Councel who were met together to take councel against Peter and the Apostles, to take some speedy course for the ruining of their Persons, and the obstructing of their Doctrine, Acts 5.38. Refrain from these men, and let them alone, for if this counsel, or this work be of men it will come to nought, but if it be of God you cannot overthrow it. Now this is an Argu­ment that this Gospel is of God, that it hath had so many enemies and opposers, and yet it hath [Page 133]been preserved & prospers, & got ground of its enemies. How have all Dagons fallen before this Art: Great is Truth and it shall prevail.

3. That poor Creatures should be so ena­bled and supported as to bear Testimony to the truth of it: as to part with their estates, liber­ties and lives, and all dear to them, and that with so much courage, and chearfulness, and that by such means the Gospel should thrive, which have been used to suppress it.

I grant that men under their mistakes may be very consident and bold, even to the suffering of death for them; but they have wanted rhose heights of comforts and those raptures of joy, which the suffering people of God have met with in their sufferings, which cannot be paral­led in any kind of History.

The second branch of the Doctrine is this:

That it is the Doctrine of God, our Saviour.

Every thing of the Gospel enters in and le­vels at this as its design, mans Salvation. I shall mention three things to clear this:

1. There is nothing that discovers sin to be so odious and abominable, so hateful to God, so destructive to us, and so dangerous a thing to us as the Gospel; its odious­ness appears by its hatefulness to God, and by the price which our Saviour paid when hetook upon him his peoples sins; it cost him his blood and those agonies and pains that cannot be ex­pressed how great they were: now the glass of the Law presents sin very dangerous, but the glass of the Gospel much more dangerous. [Page 134]There are these three things to be considered concerning Jesus Christ.

1. He had no sins of his own to suffer for, but for his peoples by way of imputation.

2. The taking the sins of his people upon himself in a subserviencie to the gracious design of Gods decree.

3. Those sins were so heavy upon him, that they caused him to suffer those agonies and pains which none but himself could endure. Now this speaks sin to be exceeding sinful, ex­ceeding odious to God, and dangerous to us; when Justice it self could not any other ways be satisfied but by his sufferings. This speaks sin to a thing hateful, abominable, and danger­ous; it renders sin odious, there is nothing but sin that can undo us: therefore God tells his antient people, O Israel, thou hast destreyed thy self: that which others could never have done, that which I would not have done, even that thou hast done against thy self by thy sins.

The Gospel propounds the only remedy a­gainst sin, it represents sin odious, and it repre­sents Jesus Christ every way sufficient to deliver us from sin. He shall save his people from their sins. The Gospel is therefore a Message of glad Tydings, because it tells us how sin may be par­doned: all the Rules of humane Invention could never reach this great truth, how sin may may be pardoned and Justice satisfied, and how infinite wrath may be appeased.

3. It appears to be the Doctrine of our Sa­viour, because it takes off all those discourage­ments that might keep us at a distance from [Page 135]Christ, and the making use of those Rules that the Gospel preseribes us for the obtaining of sal­vation. There are two great discouragements that lie upon all awakened sinners. The one is the sense of their own unworthiness.

Object. Alas! says the poor Soul, I that am such an unworthy Creature that have carried it so towards God, who can I expect mercy?

Sol. Now the Gospel discovers free Grace to the full, and though we have nothing to make a­ny amends for the wrongs that we have done to Divine Justice, yet Christ hath done enough on our behalf.

Obect. 2. But we are poor weak impotent Crea­tures, Repentance and Faith is our duty, but they are beyond our strength and power to perform.

Sol. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior to give Repentance and remission of sins, Acts 5.31. he tells us how we may come to believe and repent.

Applicat. 1. By way of Information, if the Gospel be the Doctrine of God, and the Do­ctrine of God our Saviour; Then certainly it deserves our whole man. It is said of some kinde of studies that they deserve our whole concernment about them; it is certain that this Doctrine doth deserve our utmost diligence in searching into the Mysteries thereof: How do many break their sleep, and beat their brains, and disquiet their rest, and emacerate their bo­dies, and all to purchase a little knowledge in the things of Nature? Oh! what paines does it become us to take in searching into the Scrip­tures and in being acquainted with the Gospel [Page 136]of Christ. Nay, it deserves not only our utmost endeavours in point of diligence in inquiring in­to it but our most enlarged affections in embra­cing it. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation: it is worthy of all acceptati­on, the heartiest and utmost welcome that we are able to give it.

Again, it deserves our most thankful improve­ment in making sutable returns for such a mer­cy, in having a conversation as becomes the Gospel of Christ, Phil. 1.27. Only let your conversation be as it becomes the Gospel.

2. By way of reproof to several hearers of the Gospel. As they that do not hear as the Do­ctrine of God our Saviour, as if it was not a Message of such glad tidings. It reproves all careless hearers that come and spend a little time in attending upon the Gospel preacht, but never after regard the truths that are preacht to have them fixt upon their hearts, and to bring forth fruits in their lives.

It reproves all nice hearers, that are dainty and curious, that cannot be satisfied with whole­some food, unless it be neatly drest up to them.

It reproves all Critical hearers that come to hear the Gospel and not to be judged by it, but to judge of the Ministers parts and gifts.

It reproves all slothful hearers that come and give attendance on the Gospel, but carry away little impression by it upon their Souls, and that do not make it their business so to do.

In a word, it reproves all hypocritical hearers and this takes in all those that come and give the [Page 137]Gospel a hearing, but that is all they do. We are to hear to live: And your Souls shall live.

The third Ʋse, Exhortation.

Oh! labour to be setled in this great Truth, That the Gospel is the Doctrine of God and of God our Saviour. The Gospel hath every thing in it that may Command awe and reverence from us on the one hand, and love and obedience on the other. It is the Doctrine of God, and therefore it requires awe and reverence, and it is the Doctrine of God our Savi­our, and therefore requires our love and chearful acceptance. Oh! was this truth but throughly believed, what strange wonders might the Gospel do in the Conversations of men. How would it Conquer all prejudice against it? How would it destroy all those false foun­dations that men build their hopes upon, and make way for Christ to take hold of their hearts, therefore labour to be fixt in the be­lief of this great Truth, that the Gospel is the Word of, & God the Doctrine of God our Savior.

Doctr. 4. That this Doctrine of God our Saviour is a Priviledge so ominent, that it both deserves and requires the utmost dili­gence of them that live under it, to adorn it according to the capacity wherein they are.

Three things are to be spoken to in the ope­ning of this Doctrine.

• 1. That it is a priviledge very eminent to en­joy and be acquainted with this Doctrine of God our Saviour.
• 2. That it is the duty of all that live under this Doctrine to adorn it, to beautifie it, to ren­der [Page 138]it amiable and lovely, to do what they can to gain it credit and reputation.
• 3. Though there be difference in Persons some of a higher, and some of a meaner capacity, yet it concerns all to do what they can to adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour.

1. That it is an eminent privilledge to enjoy this Doctrine of God our Saviour, it is meatio­ned as the great Priviledge of the Jews, Rom. 3. 2. Ʋnto them were committed the Oracles of God. This single Priviledge the Apostle magnifies to the heigth; this was the favour wherein God commended his love to them above others, Psal. 147.20. He bath not dealt so with any Nation, and as for his Judgments they have not known them. It is called the Grace (that is) the favour of God: So in the Verse next the Text, For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men; that is, this Doctrine of Grace, or the Grace of God hath appeared in vouchfafeing this Gospel: and so Jude 3 verse, Christians are commanded to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints, the word in the Greek is, [...], which was once out of the favour of God vouch­safed and committed to the Saints.

And that it is so eminent a Priviledge to live under this Doctrine of God our Saviour, I shall prove by three Arguments.

• 1. From the grand matters wherein this Do­ctrine doth instruct us.
• 2. From the grand oppositions that all the e­nemies of Gods people have made against this Doctrine, whereby they have laboured to de­prive [Page 139]the Church of God of so great a mer­cie.
• 3. From the singular Providence of God in ordering things so that the Church should not be destitute of this Doctrine to the end of the world, from so many ages past since the publi­cation of it, and we our selves may be witnes­ses of it.

1. It is an eminent priviledge because of the grand matters this Gospel instructs us it: it is called the Doctrine of Salvation; and the Do­ctrine of Godliness; it is a Doctrine that tea­cheth us how we may be good, and how we may do good, and how we may enjoy for ever all that we call good. Now these three things are of a vast comprehension, and in all these it is infinitely transcending all the instructions of the most wise Moralists, and the capacity of all hu­mane accomplishments. However the Philo­sophers in their time, and others in after tlmes have by their endeavours gained renown to their names by this attempt, yet how short have their Aphorismes come of the Gospel, and what de­fects are there in their Rules, in comparison of this Doctrine of God our Saviour. Though in some things they have hit the right, yet that light that was in them is as far different from the light of the Doctrine of God our Saviour as the light of a rush Candle differs from the Sun at noon day. Now what ever was spoken of any of those matters contained in the Gospel by them obscurely, this Doctrine of God our Saviour speaks our fully and clearly. I shall shew in eight or nine instances thereof, those [Page 140]great Principles wherein the design of this Do­ctrine of God our Saviour is to establish poor Creatures.

1. That every mans truest self is his Soul. This is a principle often inculcated in this Do­ctrine; most men take their lusts for themselves, and therefore our Saviour when he would shew the necessity of self-denial he calls to the pluck­ing out of right eyes, and to the cutting off our our right hands. These are our very selves, the limbs and members of us; Our lusts are as the whole body of corruption is compared in the Scripture to the whole man; for it is called the old man: as a man consists of several members, so by reason of the corruption of our Nature every lust is called our Member, every part of man being corrupted, Ephes. 4.21. Put off the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceit­ful lusts. So the work of Mortification is com­manded in the Members, Col. 3.5. it branches forth this old man in its several members, as fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, Idolatry, and the like. Sinners are apt to account their lusts themselves; their pride, and ambition, &c. and if they be toucht in any of these sins, it is as a dagger to their very hearts.

Again, others account their natural selves themselves; though not their corrupt members, thus did that rich person, Luke 12.19 he speaks to his Soul, saying, Soul, thou hast goods laid up for many years, &c. he thought these to be pro­per food for his Soul, for himself. That which a­ny man makes his chief Idol, or that which is the reigning lust in any particular person, that [Page 141]sin is predominate in any person, that he is apt to account himself, and is very tender and nice of, and is not willing that it should be prejudi­ced or hurt. But it is the common Language of the Scripture to speak of the Soul, as the man, as if it ws the person. The Soul being the prin­cipal part of man, it is srequently put for the whole man: Gen. 14.21. The King of Sodom said give me the Persons; and when Abraham [...]conmted those five Kings, and rescued Lot that was taken by them, in the Hebrew it is, Giveme the Souls, Souls is taken there for [...] s, Genes. 17.14. That Soul shall be [...] rom his people: even those that should deip [...]s [...]r neglect Circumcision, which was then an inst [...]tion of God in force: the Soul that is the [...]en. Gen. 36.6. And Esau took his wives, and his sons and his daughters, and all the persons of his house; in the Margin it is read, and all the Souls of his house; and so it is in the Hebrew, Gen. 27.4. That my Soul may bless thee before I die. Gen. 46.15. These be the Sons of Leah, all the Souls of his Sons and Daughters; that is, all the persons: and in ver. 18. These are the Sons of Zilpah, even sixteen Souls, that is fixteen per­sons. This is one great Truth, and this one priciple, which (if it were firmly believed and faithfully improved) would carry us very far in adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour. Did men believe that their Souls are indeed themselves, then there would not be so much a­ado about the body in pampering it; this body is but the beast in man (as a French Writer speaks) it is poor flesh that must ere long be [Page 142]Worms meat; therefore what account can be given of that nicenss and delicateness of them whom all the art in the world cannot long prop up, but it will be meat for Worms. Again, why are we so much taken with sensual pleasures, these are the pleasures of them that are not themselves: as it is said of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15.17. when he came to himself; he was not himself when he was taken with husks and swines-meat, when those things were pleasing to him. But certainly, if our Souls be our selves, then most men are not themselves that take care about their bodies, and minde those things that are sutable to that part of themselves.

Again, why have men so many distracting cares for the getting and preserving, and fears of losing those things that concern this outward man, it is because this truth is not firmly belie­ved. Oh! what a preventer would this be of all those sorrows for outward afflictions, and dis­appointments in Creature comforts, and those losses that we meet with in worldly enjoymeats. Was this Principle firmly believed, that our Souls are indeed our selves, there would not be such an indifferencie in us about our Souls. Con­sider these two things, how great a difference the belief of this Doctrine of God would make, as to the things of our Souls: then we should give all diligence, it would command our highet & utmost diligence about them: this I might shew from many Scriptures, Give all diligence to wa [...] your calling and election sure: Work our your [...] Salvation with sear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. Keep thy heart with all diligence, 1. Cor. 7.29.30. This I say, Brethren, the time is short it re­main [Page 143]maineth that they 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: it com­mands moderation in our use of these outward comforts, and only earnestness in these Soul concerns. God makes a very great difference in these things in his Commands, but what a small difference do all men make in their pra­ctices: how much more intent and serious are men in the things that concern their meaner part, than in those things that concern their Souls, which is, themselves. Did men but take that 100 part of the pains for their Souls that they do for their bodies, it would be better with them than it is. We are commanded first to seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness: to seek first Soul mercies: I might mention many natu­ral inserences that would flow from this one Principle which would carry us very far in the practice of holiness. How sad a bargain do they make that do hazard their Souls for very trifles. If a man should gain the whole World with the loss his Soul, what a sad gain would that be; nay, it would be a loss to him, and that to purpose. But for how small a pittance of the World do men lose their Souls? this shews that they do not Judge their Souls themselves. How­ever this justifies the Children of Wisdomn, who can rather suffer than sin, who can part with a­ny thing but with God; who can undergoe any kind of losses, rather than the loss of spiritual blessings, and forfeit them. Oh! what admi­rable patience and courage hath appeared in the faithful Servants of God in all ages, who have [Page 144]set their seal to this Truth with their lives and all that hath been dear to them.

Again, it shews that men live in a contradicti­on to this Principle, that if it go well with our Souls, it cannot go amiss with us: If our Souls have but the light of God's countenance lifted up upon them, if they do but thrive in Grace, and be filled with Grace, what matter though our bodies be exercised with pains and aches and afflictions of all kind.

Again, it is a safe Rule to judge of all things by, according to the reference that they have to our Souls; to account those things eminent and acceptable, and profitable to us that tend to the good of our Souls: As Ordinances and spiritual Opportunities, and liberty of access to God in the duties of his worship and service; these are to be esteemed choice mercies because these are the appointments of God for our Souls good; and for outward afflictions, when God by these does us good as to our Souls, we have cause to rank them amongst our mercies, and to bless God for them, as David did, who said. It was good for me that I have been afflicted, Ps. 119.71. and in faithfulness hast thou afflicted me: And blessed is the man whom correctest and teachest out of thy Law.

Further, this one Principle that our Souls and our selves speaks the greatest cruelty in the world to be regardless of them; you will pity distracted persous that cut, and gash, and wound their bodies, because they know not what they do. May you not pity obstinate sinners upon a higher account? Those men that murder them­selves, [Page 145]and destroy themslves. Our Law accounts them Monsters, and it makes it appear that they are so by running a stake through their bodies when dead. But all the cruely to the body is nothing to that of the Soul. Re­member therefore this one Principle, that this Doctrine of God our Saviour would have us fix in our minds, that our Souls are truly our selves.

2. A second Principle that this Doctrine of God our Savior teacheth us is this, That the hap­piness of the Soul cannot consist in any thing but in the enjoyment of God. This is one of those Riddles that carnal men cannot under­stand; therefore David saith, Psal. 49. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the mulititude of their riches, none of them can by any mean redeem his brother, nor give to God a ran­some for him: They are but poor helps, these things will stand us but in little stead. It is natu­ral for all men to desire happiness, but because our knowledge is weak, therefore those desires are confused and roving, Psa. 4.6, 7. There be ma­ny that say, who will shew us any good: this is the Language of many men; but because of the darkness of mans understanding, therefore some think that good consists in this, and some in that; but David whose understanding was enlightned and sanctified, quickly determines the point, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenanc upon us. Some seek after good, but they fix it in Corn and Wine, and the blessings of this life; but says David, Let me have but th light of thy countenance, & thou wilt put more joy & gladness into my Soul, than in the time when their corn and [Page 146]wine encreaseth. So Psa. 73.25, 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon the Earth that I desire besides thee; and it is no less than three times repeated in Psal. 96. Cause thy face toshine upon us, and we shall be saved, ver, 3.7.19. All the strength of Nature and com­mon gists cannot bring the Soul to the fountain of all good; and so the substance of all good, it is only the Doctrine of God our Saviour that can do this. The great design of this Do­ctrine is to lay man and all Creaturess low, and only to advance God and Jesus Christ; and those upon whom this Doctrine doth powerful­ly prevail; it conquers all perverse reasonings and unbelieving thoughts in them, in so much that their Souls are brought to say with David in Psal. 16.6.7. The lines are fallen to me in plea­sant places. How fully was this holy man con­tented in this, not but that there are other things desirable in their places, for this Doctrine doth not teach us to be stocks and stones, but it doth not permit us to sit down with other enjoy­ments, nor to take up our rest in them; nor doth it permit us to be cast down when we are stript of other enjoyments, but it turns the bent and byas of the Soul, as I may so speak towards God, Psal. 63.8. My Soul followeth hard after God; and it knows how to make up all its losses in God, though all be gone; though thou art such a poor person as that thou canst not call a­ny thing thine own, yet if thou canst call God thine own, thou canst make up all in him, as David, 1 Sam. 30.6. when all was gone, yet he encouraged himself in the Lord his God. This is the second Principle, that true happiuess is no [Page 147]where to be had but in God, it cannot be had in Creatures, no not in the confluence of Creature comforts. As Job speaks concerning all Crea­tures, The heigth saith it is not in me, the depth saith it is not in me; so we may say of all Crea­ture enjoyments; though there is something of this nature that doth shew the vanity of all things here upon the earth, yet this truth is more clearly manifested and strongly inculcated by this Doctrine of God, than by any thing in na­ture. I sall shew some things wherein Nature may be satisfied from the common Principles of Reason, that the happiness of the Soul cannot consist in any thing but in the enjoyment of God.

1. The first Principle from Nature is this, Nothing can make us happy which a man may be without, and yet be happy: this excludes all things almost in the world, a man may be happy without riches, & therefore riches cannot make him happy; a man may be happy without great­ness in the World, without the esteem of men, without worldly prosperity, without a thou­sand things whcih have nothing else to advance them in our esteem, but onely our own fan­cies. These are not bread, Isaiah 55.2. Where­fore do you spend your money for that which is not bread; these things below cannot profit nor re­lieve in the time of greatest need.

2. Nothing that a man may be cloyed and glutted with, can make him happy; nothing that is disquieting or troublesome to the Soul can be its happiness; there is nothing of all these out­ward things, but there may be a surfetting with them; and a superfluity of these things may be [Page 148]as burdensome as to want a sufficiencie for our support: a may as well have too much of outward things, as too little for his comfort. The Prayer of wise Agar was good, he prayed a­gainst too much as well as too little, Prov. 30.6. there may be as much as may distracrt our thoughts with cares, and to make us slaves and drudges to them, and to deprive us of the com­fort of what we have. It was Augustus com­plaint in his high concition, being the second Roman Emperor, That he could never be at lea­sure for himself, because of his businesses; and so I may speak of knowledge: Knowledge of all things is most pleasant and rational to a Crea­ture; yet Solomon ranks this among the pieces of vanity, Eccles 1.18. In much wisdom there is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge in­creaseth sorrow: So for pleasures and all kinds of wordly enjoyments whatsoever, they cannot be pleasant to us should they be perpetuated, but we should need some intermission to sweeten them to us.

3. That which cannot satisfie all the desires of man cannot make him happy, and therefore nothing below God can make him happy: Man is a necessitous Creature, and nothing here be­low can supply his necessities; it must be a good adequate to all our necessities that can do it, and this only can be God.

4. Nothing that is unsutable to the Soul can be the happiness of it. Now the Soul is a spi­riual being, therefore nothing but spiritual com­forts, enjoyments, and refreshments are sutable to the Soul: for men to place their comforts in [Page 149]outward things, is to forget themselves to have Souls.

5. Nothing that is disproportionable to the Soul in point of duration can be the happiness of the Soul. The Soul is immortal, and nothing that is mortal can be its happiness: Deliver me from the men of this world; wicked men are stiled the men of this world, they have their good things here, and they have all they are like to have; and therefore David made it his re­quest to God, that he might be delivered from from them; that is, as to their condition. O Lord deliver me from the men of this world, who have their portion in this life. Now though these Principles be agreeable to Nature, and many of the Heathen have gone very far in owning and acknowledging of them, yet this Doctrine of God our Saviour is transcendent in these very truths themselves, because it doth improve, heighten, and advance these natural Principles, it makes them both more clear, and powerful, and convincing; it helps the Soul to a more in­ward sensation of these things, and perceive that there is nothing that can relish with it, or content it, or quiet it besides God himself.

2. It directs us how we that are afar of from God may be brought nigh to God: how we that are enemies by Nature (not only by evil works) evil hearts, by evil frames and disposi­tions may become friends. God and we are at a distance; Can two walk together and not be a greed? Now this Doctrine of God our Saviour thews us how all the difference between God and us may be taken up (by Jesus Christ) this is [Page 150]the great design of the Doctrine of God to re­veal this to us, Mat. 1.21. His Name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his People from their sins. This is the Salvation, for in saving from sin, he saves from all present and future mise­ries.

But, How does Christ save from sin?

By Justifying our Persons by his Blood in sa­tisfying for all the guilt we have contracted.

2. And by sanctifying our Natures by his Spirit, in subduing those perverse and crooked disposi­tions that are in the hearts of all by nature.

Again, it points out how we may come to have an interest in Christ, and how Christ is willing to be ours if we are but willing to be his: He is willing to be our Saviour, if we are but willing to be his Subjects, and to accept of his Government.

It directs us where to go for strength to be a­ble to make a full resignation of our selves to him, that we may go to the promises of God, and to the spirit of God and fetch strength from them.

3. That the full enjoyment of God is not in this world. The happiness of Gods people here is but in its infant state: the Apostle says, Whilst we are present in the body, we are absent from the Lord: they that enjoy most of Gods presence here, have but a kinde of absence, if compared with the presence that they shall have of God hereafter, 2 Corinth. ver. 5.6, 7. We walk by faith and not by sight that is we have not the fruition of God in that fulness, but by faith we expect it; we have not [Page 151]our happiness in hand, but we have it in hope: the knowledge that we have of God now is but in part, our graces are imperfect here, we see God now darkly, as in a glass, in the glass of his Creatures, in the glass of his Ordinances, in the gless of his Experiences; but then we shall see [...] face Now the design of this Doct­rine is not only to teach the people of God where to [...] happiness, but also when to ex­pe [...] it [...] in this world, but hereafter (though we are to strive after it here on earth. And though this Doctrine is unpleasing to many, who are all for present delights of this world, yet there is enough in it to prevent all such dis­paragement as some would cast upon it, and all such [...]eartning as the People of God are subject unto: This Doctrine tells us, that hap­piness is here only inchoative, but hereafter it will be Consummated; and that this future hap­piness is as sure (as if it was now enjoyed) to all who are truly called; & to ascertain this, God hath given his people many foretasts of their blessed estate hereafter, 2 Cor. 5.5. He hath given to us the earnest of his spirit: viz. The Graces and Comforts of his Spirit, those re­freshings and revivings which only the Spirit of God can work in the hearts of his people; these are enough to support and secure them.

4. That the great work and business of Man here upon the Earth is to glorifie God: All things as they are of God, and by God, so they are to God, Rom. 11. last. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Every man hath his work ap­pointed [Page 152]here upon the Earth, and this life is the time wherein this work is to be finished; there­fore our Saviour saith, John 17.4. Father, I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. The work he had to do was to glorifie God: thus the same work is given proportionably to all Believers; Our work is to purge our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God. This is the design both of the Threatnings and Promises: all the parts of this Doctrine of God our Saviour is to engage us up­on the serious undertaking of purging out of all filthiness, 2 Cor. 7.1. That it is the design of the threatnings is clear to all; and that it is the de­sign of the Promises (saith the Apostle) Where fore having so many gratious Promises, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit. All the kindness that that the Promises discover and hold out to us allow of no Latitude to sin and wickedness: no, they are the strongest en­gagements to Sanctity and Holinerss that can be. [Having thess Promises] what Promises are those? I will be their God and they shall be my peo­ple? ple, 2 Cor. 6.16. that one Promise is the sum and substance of all. So our work here upon the Earth is to mind especially the work of our Souls: this is a great and choice thing that God hath instructed us in. And also to promote the Spiritual good (especially) of otheres; not only to be blessed our selves, but to be blessings to others: that Gods Word may run and be glorified, not only amongst our selves but a­mongst others. In one word, our work here up­on [Page 153]the Earth is to devote our whole selves, our all to Gods service; to give all we have to him, that holiness to the Lord may be written upon our hearts, and acted in our lives.

5. That it is impossible that we should ever live to so mucxh purose, so much to the true Comfort, and real Happiness, as by living unto God, and in Communion with him. The de­sign of the Doctrine of God our Saviour, is to fix this Principle in our hearts: As many as walk according to this rule, peace shall be upon them, and upon the whole Israel of God. This is the Cha­racter of the whole Israel of God, that they do walk according to this Doctine of God our Sa­viour.

6. Though there be many discouraging weaknesses and infirmities in the best of Saints, yet we are to hearken to what relief this Doct­rine propounds against both: it is the Afflicti­on of many a poor Soul (of every awakended Soul) that is gratious, it dare scarcely pray, or hear, or engage in any duty, because it finds so great unfitness and unsuitableness for duty: But this Doctrine directs us how we may be relie­ved, and how of weak we may be made strong, it dirextrs us to go to the Spirit for its assistance, and to Jesus Christ for acceptance.

7. That all the Afflictions and Oppositions we can meet with in this world upon th account of our cleaving to God, are not so confiderable as to render the ways of God unlovely. St Paul had cast up the account, Rom. 8.18. he tells us the result of his thoughts after he had Compu­ted, he had weighed and Considered what it [Page 154]would cost him to follow God fully, and what it would cost him to forsake God, and savs t [...]he, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Our light af­fliotion which is but for a moment, works out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. This Doctrine of God our Saviour sets forth the glory of Heaven beyond what ever it was be­fore, beyond what discoveries we are able possi­bly to make thereof. Now to know that glory in Heaven which the Saints shall enjoy; how will that recompence all the afflictions, troubles, and perseeutions that may befall the people of God upon the account of teir cleaving to God.

8. That there is an absolute necessity of living the life of Faith in all Conditions: In Prosperity not to be lifted up, but by faith to live upon God whilst we have other things to keep our hearts loose from them; so in adversity when we are stript of these things, still to keep our hearts in an equal poyse and frame: this is the life of Faith, these are the great Principles wherein this Doctrine of God our Saviour designs to e­stablish us.

Arg. 2. It must needs be an eminent privi­viledge to enjoy the Doctrine of God our Savi­our, because of the many attempts of Sathan, and his instruments to rob the Church of God of so great a benefit: if it was not so great, Sa­than would not be so busie to imploy his oppo­sition against it: Sathan would be content that men should be great, and grow rich, so that their hearts do but go out after these things; but [Page 155]he cannot that they should enjoy the free use of the Gospel. The Apostate Andgels since they left their first station, have used all devices to make Man as miserable as themselves; there­fore compare Job 1.7. with 2 Pet. 5.8. in Job 1.7. God asked Sathan, Wence comest thou? Then Sathan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. (this speaks his diligence) and you find 2 Pet. 5.8. He goes up and down like a Roar­ing Lion seeking whom he may devour. (this speaks his design which he goes up and down in the earth for) he is a kind of an ubiquitary and continuall Spye, observing what mens designs and dispositions are, that he may accordingly sute his Methods and Devices, and he goes up and down as a Roaring Lyon. Now because Sathan well knows, and by experience finds that nothing hath more conduced to the reeo­very of Souls out of his powere, and more him­dred the increase of his Kingdom, nay nothing doth more endager his final over throw than this Doctrine of God our Saviour, therefore he is come down with much wrath against it, Rev. 12.9, 12. And the great Dragon was cast out, that old Serpent called the Devil and Sathan which deceiveth the whole world, he was cast out into the earth, and his Angels were cast out with him: and in v. 12. The Devil is come down to you having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time. It was sopken of those times immediatly succeeding the Ministry of that great Apostle St. John, by whom this book was written Now this casting down of Sathan, and the casting out [Page 156]of his Instruments (his Angels) is by the Doctrine of the Gospel: thus our Saviour sent out his Seventy Disciples to preach the Gospel, Luke 10.17, 18. when they returned home again, they came with joy, saying Lord, even the Devils are subsect to us through they Name. ver. 18, And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven. The delusions of Sa­ran can no more stand before the light of the Gospel, than Dagon could stand before the Ark: How do the mists and shades of the night va­nish at the appearance of this Sun? It is no won­der then that Satan bestirs himself to his untmost to hinder the preaching of the Gospel which he knows will be the pulling down of his own Kingdom. There are three wayes or courses that Satan hath useually taken to hinder the spreading, and endeavoured the extirpation of this Doctrine.

1. By engaging the Princes and Potentates, and great Ones of the World to do their utmost to suppress it. This is that which was foretold by the Prophet David long since, Psal. 2.1, 2. The Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain thing: the Kings of the Earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Annointed: But all is but a vain thing. But this shews the Combinations that Satan would raise up against the Church, and that amongst the great Ones of the Earth; and this is partly by their Laws and Edicts, prohibi­biting the searching into this Holy Writ, these Oracles of God: See how the Jews had laid their heads together and met in Councel to sup­press [Page 157]this Doctrine in those times; how they stourged and imprisoned, and used all kind of bar­barism, to prevent the spreading of the Gospel, as you may read in the Book of the Acts, Acts 5.27, 28. and 4.18. They commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the Name of Jesus.

Again, not only by their Edicts forbidding the preaching of the Gospel, but farther by rai­fing up fierce persecution against the Gospel. How great a crime is it at this day among the Papists to have a Bible in the House? How ma­ny in Queen Maryes days lost their lives upon this very account? it was not their persons that they laboured to destroy so much, as their Prin­ciples; for upon their renouncing the Faith of the Gospel they did escape: you may read how all along in those times of Persecution they might have escaped all those dangers, if they would but have parted with this Gospel and Doctrine of God our Saviour, they might have preserved their lives; but as it is said Heb. 11.35. where you read of the cruelties that were exercised to wards the people of God, they were tortured, sorely afflicted, not accepting deliver ance. Was not deliverance desirable? Yes, but they could not have it upon any other terms, but up­on such as were unsafe to their Souls: and what was it to preserve a monmentany life, and to run the hazard of the everlasting welfare of their Souls? on those terms they did not, they durst not accept deliverance; and these have been the terms all along that the enemies of the Church have stood upon, raising up Seducers to corrupt this Doctrine; when he cannot hinder [Page 158]this Doctrine from spreading, he labours to bin­der its spreading to advantage. How many Se­ducers hath Statan raised up in all Ages, where­by he hath laboured to mingle their poyson with this milk, how active he hath been and doth continue to be, doth appear by the many cauti­ons and warnings that St. Paul all along gives the Church against them, Ephes. 4.14. That in henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftines, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. Observe, Satan im­ployes his Emissaries; they are their Crasts-masters, they are notable Artists, very skilful to do mischief. The sleights of men and cunning craftiness: It is a Metaphor from Dice, an An that some have of cogging a Dye, that so they many make it answer to what cast they please) such Crafts-masters are these Seducers, they are very subtle and dextrous in their Stra­tagems to deceive unawares. 2 Pet. 1.16. For we have not followed cunningly devised Fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of [...] Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye witnesses of his Majesty; we used none of their Arts and cun­ning. 2 et. 2.1, 2, 3. But there were false Pre­phets also among the people, as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in dam­nable Heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them: and so he goes on describing both th [...] Persons, and the danger that accompanies their endeavours: 2 Timoth. 2.17. And their words will eat as doth a canker, or Gangrene; now [...] Gangrene suddenly over runs the whole man [Page 159]unless it be prevented, it presently seizes the vi­tals, and so kill; and so do those seductious and [...] Principles by the subtilty and Art of those instruments of Satan which he hath im­ployed in all Ages of the Church: the Reason why truth is longer a spreading than error is, be­cause truth is contrary to our corrupt Nature, but error is surable to them; our hearts are as tinder to receive what is bad, every spark kin­dles the fire, but they are as wet wood to receive those sparks of light that God from his Words darts into them. Epiphanius & others have taken a great deal of pains in shewing how in all Ages downward ever since the times of the Apostles, the Devil hath been at this kinde of work, and he hath imploy'd this instruments herein: and we are not without experiences in our dayes of those persons that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God, and that would make the death and sufferings of Christ, and faith in Christ of no effect. This is to deny the Lord that bought them and to bring damnation upon themselves.

3. There is a third way whereby Satan la­babours to obstruct the spreading of the truth, and to suppress the Doctrine of God our Sa­viour, and that is by exercising his utmost cun­ning himself by working upon mens corrupti­ons, 2 Cor. 4.3 4, 5. If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not. Observe, he hath a notable art in blinding the eyes of men with corrupt mistakes, and sub­tle insinuations. Chap. 11.3. I am jealous over you, lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve [Page 160]by his subtily, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. St. Panl fear­ed the most setled Christians; he was jealous of them, it was out of the abundance of his love to, and care for them: Now Satans great de­signe, is, if he cannot keep us from this Doctrine, then he labours to corrupt it, and thereby to hinder the efficacie of it, and so to render this Doctrine of Salvation instrumental to promote our destruction: And thus those many designes of Satan against this Doctrine, and his diligence to carry on those designes, is a great Argument of the eminencie of the priviledge of enjoy­ing it.

3. Argument. The wonderful Providence of God, and his perpetual care in preserving this Gospel notwithstanding all the attempts that Hell hath made against it: Be sure if any crea­ted power or policie (for what policie or pow­er is greater than Satans) could have prevail'd against this Doctrine of God our Saviour, there had not been the least part of this Doctrine re­maining in the world at this day. This conside­ration proves that this Doctrine of God is ex­cellent. Act. 5.39. the counsel of Gamaliel to the Jews, If it be of God it will stand, ye cannot overthrow it Now it is an Argnment that this Doctrine is of God, because it hath stood so long, for above 1600 years; and it is an argu­ment that it is the Doctrine of God, because it is of such great conc ernment to the Church; if it had not been an eminent and needful privi­ledge, he would not have employed his pro­videnees so constantly about the prser vation of [Page 161]it: We read when the Israelites had no farther need of Miracles, God did not then continue to work Miracles for that people; assoon as ever they had the parched Corn, the fruits of the Land, Manna ceased the self-same day: God would not then be at the expence of a Miracle, though they came from him as easily as words do from men; be would not be at the expence of a Miracle but for his Peoples necessity. This Doctrine of God our Saviour is said to be the Foundation upon which the Church is built; Thou art Peter, and upon this Doctrine, this Con­fession of thine, I will build my Church. Eph. 2.20. And are built upon the Foundation of the A­postles and Prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief Corner-stone. Upon the Foundation of the Pro­phets and Apostles; How can that be? For it is said, other Foundation can no man lay than what is laid, &c. Neither is there Salvation in any o­ther, for there is no Name given under Heaven whereby we can be saved.

Answ. Divines here distinguish between a personal Foundation and a Doctrinal Founda­tion; Jesus Christ is the only personal Founda­tion, the only Person that can be built upon, and the Doctrine of Christ in the Gospel, that is the only doctrinal Foundation, and if we build up­on this, we build aright.

I shall give you three Instances to shew how wonderfully the Providence of God hath ap­peared in the preservation of this Doctrine of God our Saviour.

1. In that he hath preserved those Books of Scripture wherein this Doctrine is contained [Page 162]from utter ruine and extirpation: How many choice and admirable Books (wherein hath been excellent pieces of Learning) have perished, and been eaten out by the rust of time? Yet those Books have had no Edicts put forth a against them to endanger the owning of them, nor against the advancing of the study of them: Nay, they have had great incouragement to promote those studies, and in all respects the greatest care imaginable to preserve them; but they have all perished, and are utterly gone: but this Gospel hath been preserved, notwith­standing all the attempts and designs against it: we have no Books of Antiquity and ancient standing as the Gospel is: It is a smart passage of one speaking of the improvements made in all pieces of Knowledge; (says he) It is but a vain kind of boast to speak of augmenting know­ledge, since all those new editions that have been made of any science, are but the recoveries of what formerly hath been lost: as Solomon seems to in­timate, when he saith, there is nothing new under the Sun. But God himself takes care of these Books, and this proves that they contain in them those Truths that are necessary for the Churches good, for the conversion and bringing in of wandring Souls, and for the edifying and building up of those that are brought in, and so long as there is any one Soul either unbrought in, or unbrought up, so long as any single Mem­ber of Christ continues in a state short of perfe­ction, the Gospel shall continue. God hath pro­mised, Eph. 4.11. That Apostles, Prophets, E­vangelists, Pastors, and Teachers shall be in the [Page 163]Church for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the bo­dy of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God, un­to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. So long as we are short of perfection, so long shall these helps continue. Now had not God taken care of the Gospel all those instructions that are contained in it had long since been buried in oblivion.

2. As God hath been careful to preserve these Books from extirpation, so also from cor­ruption; that as not any part of it hath been destroyed, so no salse Principle have been in­fused: and this is as great a wonder as the o­ther, that though the powers of earth and hell have been bent against it, though they have nei­ther wanted malice nor power, yet they have neither destroyed and extirpated it, nor brought in another Gospel to the exclusion of it, though there were early attempts against it, as you find Gal. 1.6.7. Imarvel that you are so soon removed unto another Gospel. This hath been one of Sa­tans ways to set up new Doctrines quite con­trary to this, thereby thinking to prevail, but such hath been the care of God concerning this Doctrine, that it is observed as a remarkable thing by Ecclesiastical Writers, that in every age of the Church, when Satan hath raised up some dangerous Instrument to corrupt this Doctrine, God hath raised up another eminent Instrument for the defence of this Gospel; as when Arrius was so busie in crying down the Divinity of Christ, God then raised up Atha­nasius [Page 164]as an Antidote against that poysonous er­or. And so when Pelagius did endeavour to pull own Free grace, and advance and raise up [...]ature, God then raised up St. Sustine for the lefence of the Truth. In all Ages of the Church God hath taken care to preserve this Doctrine from being corrupted. Now that this Doctrine that hath had so many enemies, and hat been so strongly opposed, and those enemies have been countenanced, and had all the humane ad­vantages that this world could afford, yet that poor contemptible, despised, and persecuted in­struments should preserve this Doctrine from corruption, and that this Doctrine should re­main as the three Children in the fiery furnace, having not a hair of their heads singed, this is the wonderful Providence of God.

3. In animating so many thousands to bear witness to this Doctrine with their lives. Mr. Fox in his Martyrlogie tells us, to reckon up all the Saints that have sealed to the truth of this Doctrine with their blood in the several ages of the Church would amount to no less than five thousand for every day in the year. But this hath been observed by all, that not only men of courage, but timorous women, and not only the Learned, but illiterate; not only the Souldier, but others have been animated and assisted by God, that they have rather parted with their lives, than these Truths: this was the great Controversie in the Maryan Persecution. And it is impossible that this Doctrine should ever have passed through so much fire and blood in so many Ages, if an extraordinary Spirit had not [Page 165]supported them, and enabled them to bear their testimony. These Arguments shew that it is a Doctrine of very great concernment to the Church and People of God.

Partic. 2. That the great and principal ac­knowledgmeat that God expects from all that do partake of this great and eminent priviledge is, that they should do their utmost to adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour. To adorn it, what is that? To render it amiable, beautiful, and lovely: that this Doctrine may be more taking with them that are strangers to it: as in v. 5. that the Word of God be not blasphemed: and the chief Commendation we can do to this Doct­rine is practical Conformity to it, as the Apo­stle advises, Eph 4.1. I therefore the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vo­cation wherewith ye are called. That you walk be­coming the Gospel, Phil. 1.27. Only let your con­versation be as becometh the Gospel: that it be meet, that it be such as may adorn it. And how this may be, how we may adorn the Gospel, how we may walk worthy of the Gospel the Apostle tells us, Phil 1.11. being filled with the fruits of Righteousness. This is to adorn the Gos­pel, 1 Pet. 2.9. That they should shew forth the the virtues and praises of him who hath called them, &c. as an apt Scholar, that is much improved in Learning is a praise to his Master. St. Paul calls the Corinthians his Commendation, so a gratious Christian is a Commendation to the Doctrine of Christianity. These Rules are sub­lime and high, this is the Christians Motto, we do not speak great words but we live great things.

This is the charge that our Saviour gives toall his hearers, but especially to those he imploys in the capacity of the Apostles, Mat. 5 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. to glorifie this Doctrine is by giving occasion to to others to glorifie it, to have it in high esteem; our Saviour there doth not per­swade men to seek vain glory, to seek applause and esteem with men, to gain reputation among others, but that they may glorifie God, Let your light so shine before men, &c. This light may be understood of the light of the Doctrine of God, but it must also be understood of the light of their Conversations. Now to shew wherein all Christians are in a capacity of adorning this Doctrine of God our Saviour. In general.

By walking exactly according to the Rules of this Doctrine, as the councel of the Apostle is, Eph. 5.15. See then ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. To walk cicumspectly is to walk exactly, as the word [...] in the Greek signifies. Walk exactly and this is your wis­dom, and not to walk exactly is the greatest folly: not as fools, but as wish. And oh what a lovely thing would Christianity appear to be in the eyes of them that are strangers to it, was there but that exactness in our lives that this Doctrine by its several Rules teacheth. I shall speak to three things in opening this, [Page 167]

• 1. As to our Carriage to towards God
• 2. Towards others, To our Enemies.
• 2. Towards others, To our Friends.
• 3. Towards our selves.

1. In respect of our Carriage towards God in following God fully. This Doctrine teach­eth us to serve God with all out might and strength: this is exemplified by several paterns in Scripture. My soul followeth hard after thee, thou art my right hand. And of Caleb it's said, Numb. 14. He followed God fully. We must not only serve God in some duties, which have no­thing of reproach in them to our names, and no­thing of prejudice to our concerns, but even in those duties by the observance of which we run the greatest hazard, as to all that is dear to us in this world: and to mind these heartily, and in good earnest, and because God Commands them, and because they are his Institutions.

2. In shunning whatsoever might offend God; Psal. 119. I hat every false way. You that love the Lord, hate evil. Psal. 79.10. If there be any thing of love in the Soul to God, there cannot but be hatred of what ever is contrary to him: your hatred is never right unless it be grounded upon principles of love to God, You therefore hate evil because ye love God: How can I do this wickedness ond [...]n against God, said Joseph. Joseph might have prevented many dangers, which, because of his [...]o [...] complyance with his Mistres­ses temptation, he involved himself in; but this Doctrine taught him not to allow himself [Page 168]in any thing that was offensive to God. And so should we stand upon our watch and guard as those that are sensible of the corruptions of na­ture, and the activeness of Sathan to make use of those Corruptions to deceive us, and to draw us rrom God: and this Rule hath been practi­sed by the people of God all along. Job made a Covenant with his eyes, David kept his mouth as with a bridle; both of them by these Metaphorical expressions do signifie their watch­fulness, and care to keep themselves from being led a side into sin, or any thing that might be offensive to God. This is to adorn the Gospel when we thus carry it towards God.

3. Not only to serve God, but to delight in his Service, and to take complacencie in every duty we perform, Delight thy self also in the Lord, and he will give thee the desire of thine heart. It is a dreadful Judgment that God threatned to execute upon his people Israel because they would not serve him with chearfulness in the abun­dance of all things, therefore they should serve their Exemies in hunger, and cold, and nakedness, in the want of all things. They changed their Master, and it was a sad change too. It was the Com­mendation of the Apostles (in those times of persecution) when they could not profess this Gospel, but it would cost them dear, yet, (whatever their food was it had good sawce) they eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, rejoycing in the Holy Ghost. This duty hath been practised by all they have been sincere. St. Paul when he was canvasing the case with his own soul, and disputing with himself whether [Page 169]all was well with him or not, Rom. 7. in this took comfort, as to my inward man, I delight in the Law of God. I do not only do it, but I de­light to do it. To do what God commands, and to do it as our burthen, is unsuitable to this Doctrine, Rom. 7.21, 22. I find then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. It is natural for men to delight in nothig but sin, and to take pleasure in unrighteousness: They are lovers of pleasure (saith the Apostle) more than lovers of God: and he tells us, Rom. 1. last of some kind of Monsters among men, who know­ing the Judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. this is gi­ven as the true account of Gods severity against them: every part of our duty is our priviledge, God hath required nothing from us as our duty, but it is as much to our present comfort, as our future happiness; it is only carnal reason that makes objections against the Commands of God; it is the Language of corrupt nature, When will the Sabbath be over? Amos 8 5. but the lan­guage of a gratious heart is, When will there be a return of Sabbath opportunities, and of means for us to enjoy Communion with God? Natural men cannot be so sick of spiritual im­ployments, as gratious souls are sick of worldly diversions, Rom. 8.15. He hath nto given us the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of a­doption whereby we cry abba Father. When we are able to look up to God as a Father, we cannot long endure his absence. Absolom was sorely afflicted for his two years absence from David [Page 170]at Jerusalem, and that he might. see his Fa­ther. But what ever langauge corrupt niture may speak, the great design of this Doctrine of God our Saviour (wherever it works effectu­ally) where ever it comes in power) is to re­fine our affections and to purge out this dross, and toturn the whole bent of our hearts towards God, Psal. 63.1. My Soul longeth for thee: and what we long for (while that is absent) makes us take no pleasure in what we enjoy; A day in in thy presence is better than a thousand else where. Psal. 84.10. I had rather (said David) be a door-kecper in the House of God, than dwell in the Tents of wickedness, in the meanest rank of Ser. vants. And said the Prodigal, though I be but as a hired Servant, yet if am but one of thy Fa­mily I am well enough, it is more than I deserve. It is good for me to draw nigh to God: he speaks of it as on experienced truth, and that he sought for, and took pleasure in; One thing have I de­sired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, &c. Psal. 27.4.

Now not only to engage in the duties of of Re­ligion, but to account them our delight, our chiefest refreshment, and to be of nothing so im­patient as the want of those Opportunities, is that which this Doctrine of God our Saviour teacheth us, viz. to delight our selves in God.

4. To devolve all our care upon God; Cast­ing all your cares upon him, for he careth for you. Though yo many meet with losses and troubles that may come upon you as thick as Jobs trou­bles came upon him, even as the Waves of the [Page 171]Sea, one upon the neck of the other, yet to be quiet and calm.

5. This Doctrine teacheth us to devote our whole selves to him without any reservation, and this commanded, and practised: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy might, with all thy strength, and with all thy Soul. And we find this in the practice of Gods people, as to their endeavours: Praise the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me, Praise his holy Name, Psal. 103.1. With my whole heart have I sought thee, Psal. 119.10. This Doctrine directs all to give up their whole selves to God, and thus, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? &c. all was nothing in comparison of God.

6. To be satisfied with, and thankful for sin­cere Consciences, though we be guilty of many failings, and whatever we meet with in Gods service: though we have never so great oppo­sitions, yet if we can but approve our hearts to he sincere to God; this was the comfort of all the holy men of God. Though David designed this, and desired to be instrumental in building the Lord a house, though he had not that honor al­lowed him, yet he rejoyced in this, that God had put it into his heart, 1 Chron. 29.10, 11. Then the people rejoyced for that they offered willingly. David the King rejoyced with great joy, wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the Congregation: he accounted it an honor to be imployed in the work; but that he made it sincerely his aim was his comfort. So Saint Paul. though he found many infirmities in himself, yet because he was sincere, God did afford him eminent assistance, [Page 172] I will glory in my infirmities, 2 Cor. 12.9. because when I am weak in my self, then am I strong in Christ Jesus. So he speaks of it as the common support of all believers, viz. their sincerity: 2 Cor, 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of Consciences, that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world; though we have not been without our failings nor oppo­sitions, yet this is that which comforts us a­gainst both, that God hath honoured us to be sincere; though we have met with many trou­bles, yet we have our rejoycings in the midst of our sorrows, and this is our comfort.

7. To moderate our affections to all things here below, so far as they are diversions from our converse with God. This Doctrine teacheth us the greatest magnanimity, the highest courag, the truest generosity, and nobleness of spirit that can possibly be found; that is a true great spi­rit which can contemn all the great things of this world. You read Moses, though he had the opportunity of being Pharaohs Successor in Egypt, yet he refused to be called the Son of Pha­raohs daughter, Heb. 11. chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, &c. esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. This Doctrine acquaints us with such comforts, with such priviledges, with such re­freshments as render all the most tempting ob­jects in the world inconsiderable.

8. To carry it towards God with quietness and submission to his Providences. God loves a chearful giver, and doer, and sufferer, Rom. 5.3. and not only so, but we glory in tribulation al­so: [Page 173]this is a high pitch: they suffered joyfully the [...]p [...]yling of their goods, Heb. 10.34. This is a point, to lose all, and yet to be chearful, and yet to rejoyce: Now what ever troubles we may meet with, this Doctrine pacifies and quiets us, and makes us chearful in the midst of those trou­bles; it tells us that no troubles befall us but what come from God. Afflictions arise not out of the ground, nor troubles out of the dust, but God lifts up and casts down. It teacheth us that God is wise, and knows what is best for us, and that it is much better for us to be in his carving than our own; and that that cannot be a­miss that is of Gods doing, who is both wise, and able, and faithful, and in all these Infi­nite. I remember a passage of one, who when he was threatned to be persecuted, imprisoned, tormented, replied, O blessed be God you have not the power of Heaven nor Hell, you cannot pro­mise to bring me into the one, or to throw me into the other, these are beyond your power; but God de­serves to be trusted in, and relied upon.

3. To approve our selves to God in sparing no costs nor pains in his service. David did disdain to serve God with that which cost him nothing; so should we though the service of God be costly to us upon other accounts, to pray, and to hear, and to meditate, though it should cost us the sweat of our Souls, though it should cost us pains and labour, so we do but dis­charge these duties aright, vet we should think all well imployed, Mal. 1 8.14. Cursed be the deceiver, who having a malé in his flock offers. to God a female, or a corrupt thing: do you present [Page 174]that to God that you dare not present to you earthly Magistrate, cursed be that deceiver. I am a great God (saith the Lord) of Hosts, and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen, and I will make it dreadful among you, if you carry it thus towards me.

1. P. To injoyn a confinement of our zeal, activity and earnestness unto the service of God; it is good to be zealous, but in what? in this, in the service of God, and the concerns of his Name; it is good to be zealous in a good matter; zeal is an excellent affection, it is the heighth of our affection, but it must be well fixt, otherwise it is dangerous: you find how resolute the people of God have been of old and how zealous in the service of God, Josh. 24.15. But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord: Do you take your course, choose whom you will serve, whether the Idols of the Nations wherein you live, or whether you will serve the true God, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua speaks first for himself, and then for his family; he uses this kinde of provocation as a prudential and pressing Argu­ment, that would prevail with the people to re­nounce all their Idols, and to submit themselves cordially and heartily to the service of God: there is a moderation indeed that is allowable, yea, necessary, which is a duty; but moderati­on in the things of God, and an indifferencie therein, is a detestable luke-warmness; because thou art neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth: the service of God we are comman­ded to perform with our might and strength to [Page 175]the utmost. Not slothful in business, but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord.

Lastly, This Doctrine teacheth us in all these respects together to honour God, and thereby to adorn his Gospel, in following its Rules fully and universally in keeping close to his instituti­ons in all our courses. The Religion this Do­ctrine teacheth admits of no mixtures: It is pure Religion and undefiled, Jam. 1.27. we must not vary from his institutions in any thing we perform to him in the duties of his worship.

1. In respect of the Object; we must not joyn any thing with God as the Object of morship; this hath been the miscarriage of the greatest part of the world in former Ages; we must not joyn Idols with God; this was the sin of the Jews, 1 Kings 18.21. Elijah adjured the people, saying, if God be God, serve him; if Baal be God serve him: why halt you between God and Baal: If these be the Institutions of God fol­low them, if not follow others that are so.

Again, we must not joyn Saints nor Angels with God in his worship: this is the great mis­carriage of the Papists; it was foretold by the Apostle, Col. 18. we must not joyn any thing with God as the Object of our love, Matth. 6.24. No man can serve two Masters (be sure not two Masters whose Commands are so contrary each to other) for he will love the one and hate the other.

Again, we must not joyn our lusts with God, that is the worst of all, Matth. 16.24. Then said Jesus, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Matth. 29.30. If thy right [Page 176]eye offend thee, pluck it out and cact or from thee; and if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee. Nothing less than the intireness of our whole man is due to God. So in the Rules of Gods worship there must be no mix­ture.

We must not joyn humane Traditions with Divine Institutions: this was the great miscar­riage of the Scribes and Pharisees in their Do­ctrines, and of other Jews who followed that Doctrine. In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men, Matth. 15.19.

Again, we must not mingle our own fancies with Gods Institutions: this was the sin of Na­dah and Abihu, Lev. 10.1, 2. they offered strange fire: it was fire which was neither commanded nor forbidden, but because it was not com­manded, therefore they drew the severity of God upon them, fire came down from Heaven and destroyed them If you have not a Command from God for what you do in his worship, you can expect then no other answer from God: but that Isa. 1.11, 12. Who hath required these things at your hands. Though you take never so much pains in serving God, if it be not the way of Gods appointment you can expect no accep­tance of it.

Again, We must not joyn the modes and cu­stomes of the times and places in which we live, with the Ordinances and Appointments of God, Lev. 18.3, 5. this charge is given by God as his express Command, ver. 3. After the doings of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, ye shall [Page 177]not do. ver. 5. But ye shall keep my statutes, and my Judgments, which if a man do he shall live in them: I am the Lord. God looks upon it as a disowning of his Sovereignty, and a refusing to be subject to him. I am the Lord, none but me; not customes, not fancies, not inventions, but if you have any sense of Religion upon your hearts keep close to my Institutions.

2. There must be no mixture in respect of our aims: the sum of all Religion is to glorifie God; to glorifie God must be our design: now we must not mingle in our aims other things with the Glory of God, not the applause of men; you may find many that pretend highly to the Glory of God, but all the service that they perform to God is, that they may be seen of men; this was the great sin of the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 6.15, 16. Take heed that you do not your alms before men to be seen of them: all these they did, but it was for applause in the world; they loved to greet in the Market-pla­ces, and to wear Phylacteries broad, wherein the Law of God was written: these were spe­cious pretences, but there was a fly in the box of Oyntment.

Again, We must not mingle our present safe­ty with Gods Glory. Many will engage in the service of God so far as King Henry the IV. who said, he was willing to venture so far to Sea and no farther than he could return safe to land again: many will venture for God, but no farther than they can secure the main. Now this Doctrine teacheth us, that the only way to save our lives is to lose them; he that walks up­rightly [Page 178]walks safely: it propounds higher walk [...] of safety than the world can. Can any provide so well for our safety as God will? and God hath undertaken to keep them safe that do their duty. You have nothing else to look after. If our hearts could follow God thus, with this sted­fast constancy, and resolution, how much should we adorn this Doctrine of God our Sa­viour?

This is the first branch how it is our duty, and how it is the great expectation of God from all those that enjoy the Gospel, to adorn it in our carriage towards God.

The second head how we should adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour, is, by conformity to the Rules of this Doctrine in our carriage to­wards others. This Doctrine is a compleat Rule, able to make a man of God perfect through­ly furnished to every good work. We want no additional Rules, no other Doctrines, but only such as are by way of explication of this. There­fore in our carriage towards men here I shall treat more particularly.

First, In our carriage to all men in ge­ral.

Secondly, In our carriage to Enemies, and to Friends.

1. In our carriage to all men in general: to carry it with meekness, and gentleness, to give no offence either to the Jew, or Gentile, or to the Church of God, 1 Pet. 3.4. A meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of grace price: in v. 3. Whose adorning let it not be the out­ward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing [Page 179]of Gold, or of putting on of Apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart: in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. This is the ornament which St. Pe­ter commends to Women: Women indeed may have many provocations to anger, but this is the Apparel they should put on, a meek and quiet Spirit. There is no such Tyranny in the world, as in private Families, as in the husbands carriage towards their wives, (though this may be the occasion of the provocation, the women being of unquiet Spirits,) but this is good in the sight of God, to be of meek and quiet spirits: and so we ought to carry it in re­ference to all men. But more particularly, We adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour when we live in an exactness to those Rules that con­cern our carriage towards men, which I shall reduce to these five or six.

1. This Doctrine of God our Saviour though it teacheth us to bear the greatest of wrongs, yet it doth not allow us to do the least wrong, 2 Phil. 15.16. That ye may be the children of God with­out rebuke. But how shall we approve our selves so? that you may be blameless and harmless. Luke 3.10. We read of those hearers that came to John the Baptist to enquire what they should do, when they were wrought upon by his Ministry, and startled, and awakened, and brought to see their need of Christ; who received this answer, vers. 11, And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two Coats, let him impart to him that hath [...]; and he that hath Meat let him do likewise. [Page 180]ver. 13. To the Publicans, Exact no more that what is appointed you. vers. 14. And to the Souldiers, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages. This Rule extends to all the several kinds of doing wrong; there are these three several ways by which we are lyable to injure others.

In their Names, by Defamation.

In their Estates, by Fraude.

In their Persons, by acts of Violence.

All these the Doctrine of the Gospel forbith under the highest Penalties imaginable.

In their Names; And that we are subject to, either by spreading of evil reports, or entertain­ing evil reports slightly. This we should be care­ful of, to be tender of the good names of others, the great Rule the light of Nature teacheth, To do to others as we would be willing they should do to us. You would not be willing to have your Names blasted, your Reputation defamed by others; then have the same care of them: but the Gospel advanceth its principles much high­er.

Again, We may not injure others in their E­states, by defrauding them; Let no man go be­yond, or defraud his Brother in any matter, for the Lord is the avenger of such. In our worldly com­merce and earthly dealings with men this is a frequent Corruption, and it is to be wished that men would more diligently hearken to those Rules that this Doctrine prescribes.

And for the Persons of men, this Doctrine i [...] a strong check and restraint to all Enormities of [Page 181]that kind: yea, it reacheth so far as our very thoughts, as our Saviour explains it, Matth. 5.22. That Law that forbids murder, forbids ma­lice, and we are guilty of murder in a malitious thought; and how many sad denunciations of wrath are there against the person of him that is angry with his brother without a cause: and so for uncleanness in ver. 27. it forbids not only the outward act, but the inward thought: in all those respects this Doctrine is a bar to injuries; we must neither wrong others in their names, in their estates, in their person, nor in their Souls.

2. This Doctrine doth not only restrain us from doing wrong to others, but it injoyns us to do all the good we are capable of doing to o­thers, and that in these two respects.

1. In all expressions of kindness to their out­ward man.

2. In all expressions of kindness to their in­ward man.

1. In all expressions of kindness to their out­ward man; there is something due of mercy to bruit beasts: If thy enemies Oxe or Ass go a­stray, thou shalt surely bring it him back again, Exod. 23.4. much more to the person of thy Neighbour. This Doctrine doth teach us to be the best natured persons in all the world, not on­ly not to dare to injure any in any of their con­cerns, but to do all the good we can for, and to them; and it is a reproach to this Doctrine, when those that profess it, do walk so unsuta­bly to it.

Again, it teacheth us to ke [...] off all wrongs [Page 182]from others. Luke 16.37. Jesus answered and said, Go, and do thou likewise. This is the com­mon nature, to minister to the necessities of all that are reduced to extremities.

2. As in respect of the outward man, so espe­cially in respect of the inward man, this Do­ctrine teacheth us to be kind to Souls: it was a high price that Christ set upon Souls; for, for their sakes he left Heaven and died upon the Cross; he did not come upon the earth to make his people rich, or great, to give them abun­dance of wordly comforts; it was not bodily but Soul mercies he came to bestow upon them: this is a common debt that we owe to all men as men, Rom. 1.14. I am a debtor both to the Je [...] and to the Gentile: to both, to do them all the good I can, but what good was this? not to teach them how to thrive in the world, to get e­states but how to be happy for ever. There are these two debts upon all Professors of Chri­stianity to the Souls of others.

1. There is a debt of instruction of such as are ignorant: Certainly, if God takes so much care, as to require us to shew mercy to the wan­dring Oxe, or Ass of our Neighbour: much more to the wandring soul of our neighbor: doth God take care of Oxen? we may apply it to this case, no it is written for man, it is spoken for man, 1 Cor. 9. When St. Peter was so much shaken by the prevalencie of his temptation, that he had lost all the sense of the truth of Grace in his heart (saith our Saviour to him) when then art converted strengthen thy Brethren. It seemed to be a new conversion of him, he had lost so much the sense of his first Conversion: shew [Page 183]thy thankfulness to God (as if he had said) by shewing mercy to others Souls, because God hath shewed mercy to thy Soul.

2. A debt of reproof of those that are extra­vagant. Thou shalt not suffer sin to rest on thy Bro­ther, but thou shalt in any wise reprove him: it is spoken of those that partake of the same nature with our selves. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother. mercy in this kind to him is cruelty, and flattery is the most remote from love. James 5.20. Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the evil of his ways, shall save a Soul from death. O do but think what blessings you might be, if you would but conform to this Rule: you may save many a Soul from death by seasonable and wise reproof: the meanest and most private Christi­an owes this duty to all the world. That is the second: this Doctrine teacheth us to bear wrongs, but to do none, and to do all the good we can, both to the Souls and Bodies of o­thers.

3. If through weakness or wickedness we have done wrong to others, this Doctrine en­joyns us to make full reparation with an over­plus for what wrong we have done. In the Le­vitical Law provision was made against doing wrong to others, by restitution: which we find repeated at large Exod. 22. and Levit. 6. nor was this only a Levitical Doctrine, but Evange­lical, Zacheus crying out, Lord, if I have wrong­ed any man, I will restore four-fold: there is this difference between the breach of the Commands of the first Ta [...]e, and of the Second Table. The breach of the Commands of the first Table ad­mits [Page 184]of no restitution, but what hath been made by Christ; it is impossible that we should com­pensate for those wrongs that we have done to Divine Justice: But for the breach of the com­mands of the Second Table, besides Repen­tance, there must be restitution, because then is a double wrong done; a wrong against God in transgressing his Commands, who commands us to carry it righteously, and with all integrity with those with whom we have to do: now as his Commands are transgressed, so our Neigh­bours are injured; here is a double wrong (not but that the Commands of the first Table should have a precedencie) and though Repentance may prevail for a pardon so far as the sin con­cerns God, and is a transgression of his Laws yet there must be restitution also to testifie the reality of our Repentance.

4. To rejoyce in the good of others, and that upon this account, because they are persons that partake of humane nature: it is very natural for man to envy others good, the spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy, Jam. 4.5. not the good spirit of God, but our natural spirits, our corrupt spirits: it was the sin of Cain, he envi­ed the acceptance of Abels Sacrifice; God had respect to Abel and his Sacrifice, but to Cain he had not respect, and this filled Cain with envy, and that envy ended in murder: Nay, this is that distemper that is born with us, as St. Augustine observes, who seeing two little Infants at the breasts of their Mother, the one lookt with a pale face upon the other, envying at what the o­ther received; he drew this Observation from [Page 186]hence, how natural this sin of envy is, and how hardly it is cast off, the best men may be sur­prized with this sin. Joshua, a man eminent for his holiness, every thing in him almost was commendable, yet we read of him, Numb. 11.28. One ran and told Moses that Eldad and Me­dad did Prophesie in the Camp; and Joshua the son of Nun the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My Lord Moses forbid them; speaking of their Prophesying. Peter envied John the beloved Disciple, that singular favour he had from Christ, John 21. And Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, Lord, what shall this man do: it is natural for us when others are on the too of the world and we at the bottom to cast a wry look upon them; the spirio that dwelleth in man lusteth to envy: Now the best Antidote we have against this ill frame and temper, is the Doctrine of God our Saviour, it teacheth us to rejoyce in the good that others enjoy, though we do not enjoy the same our selves: if God give others health and we do not enjoy it our selves, yet rejoyce in their health, blessing God for others Comforts though we our selves are under streights; and blessing God for others blessings though we do not partake of the same.

5. This Doctrine teacheth us to carry it to­wards all men humbly and tenderly in all their concerns; pride and passion are the great di­sturbancies of all humane Societie. St. James tells us, James 3.13. Who is a wise man and en­dued with knowledge amongst you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom; but if you have bitter envying and [Page 186]strife in your hearts glory not, and lie not against truth: this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual devilish. But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, and then peaceable, gen­tle, and easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits; without partiality, and without hypocrisie. This Doctrine furnisheth us with Arguments to be humble, though our condition be never so high: and to carry it humbly and gently, and that with all meekness with those with whom we converse — To be humble — 1. Be­cause we have nothing of our own. We have no­thing that we have not received. Who made thee to differ from another? To differ as to outward re­spects, in health, in abundance, what ever dif­ference there is it is of Gods making. So as to a difference in respect of parts and gifts, and gra­ces, this is a humbling consideration, that we have nothing but what we have received.

2. We have received nothing but upon the account of free-grace: we have nothing but what God gives, and we deserve nothing but what his goodness inclines him to bestow: all is the gift of God, and all that God gives; he hath no other motive to move him to bestow, but only his own Goodness, there is no motive in us at all; we have despised his mercy, and rejected his kindness, we are unfit and unwilling to receive them, it is only free grace bestows them; we have nothing but what God gives, and we deserve nothing but what free Grace be­stows.

3 All those favours that God vouchsafes to us are to humble us; whilst he lifts us up above [Page 187]others, it is to lay us low in our own thoughts in our own esteem: the more we have received, the greater debtors we are to Divine Grace: it teacheth us that all our liftings up are of his mercy, and to keep our hearts low though we be in a high condition, in an humble frame under our great advantages, not despising our infe­riors and not carrying it supercisiously towards them that are our equals.

In a word, this Doctrine teacheth us to carry it so towards all men, as becomes them that are alike servants to one and the same Master. Ob­serve, though there are different sorts of per­sons here upon earth, one is superior, and a­nother is inferior and subordinate, yet God is superior to all; and therefore the Apostle fre­quently propounds this as the measure of our performing duties to our inferior Relations, and to our superior Relations too, to do it as unto God, Col. 4.4. do it heartily, do it as to God; let us carry it humbly to all men; we are all servants to the same Master, let us be in what rank or condition soever. It is observed by a Learned Writer, that there is nothing makes a difference as to worldly greatness, but only man, sickness makes no difference, the grave makes no difference, the general Judge­ment makes no difference, God makes no diffe­rence, high and low are all levelled in these re­spects.

6. In our carriage towards men, this Doctrine is the greatest Antidote against all unpeaceable behaviour. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Peaee so [Page 189]far as it is consistent with holiness. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable [...] not but that there may be a necessary vindication and defence of mens rights and proprieties; the Scripture doth not condemn that, but it must be with a peaceable frame and disposition of spirit, and with an unwilling willingness, when men are forced to that way, Ephes. 4.1, 2, 3. I there­fore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, and with long-suf­fering, forbearing one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Follow peace with all men; do all you can to pre­serve peace. Eph. 5.2. Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us. Do but consider what a lovely thing would this Do­ctrine of God our Saviour appear to be, would Professors but live up to these Rules, not to dare to do the least wrong to others, but to bear the greatest wrongs from others: to look upon our selves as obliged to do all the good we can to others, to the Souls, to the bodies, to the con­cerns of others, &c. what security can men have for all that is in danger by men, more than they have by these Principles? and what grea­ter assurance can they have of all the good men are capable of doing them, which these Prin­ciples oblige those that own this Doctrine to put in practice? Certainly it is only the want of living up to these Rules that brings this Do­ctrine under such contempt and reproach.

Now as I have spoken of our adorning this Doctrine by our carriage in reference to God [Page 190]and to all men in general; so I should now come in the

3. How we must adorn this Doctrine by our carriage to our enemies.

1. What ever injuries we meet with from e­nemies, this Doctrine teacheth us not to be our own avengers. How many unjust injuries did David suffer from Saul, and how often did God deliver Saul into his hands, in so much that his followers said, the Lord hath delivered his life into thy hand; Now he is in thy power: O says David, 1 Sam. 24.12. The Lord Judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee, but my hand shall not be upon thee. ver. 11. Moreover my Father, see, yea see, the skirt of thy robe in my hand, &c. how often had David the like op­portunity to destroy Saul, but no saith he, God will avenge me, he will either fall in battle, or how­ever the hand of God will come upon him for his unrighteous dealings with me. So it is said of our Saviour, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who when he was reviled, revi­led not again; who when he suffer'd he threatnld not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; he committed all to God This is that that we are taught by this Doctrine to commit all to God, and not to avenge our selves.

2. To be so far from being overcome with e­vil, as to overcome evil with good. To pray for them that persecure us, and despitefully use us: to be instruments of all the kindness we can to their Souls, who are instruments of all cruelties to our bodies. This was our Saviours temper, [Page 190] Luke 23.34. Father so give them, for they know not what they do: he pitied them and prayed for them, even then when they were acting all the cruelty they could against him; and he hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet 2.21. Rom. 12.19, 20, 21. Dearly be­loved, avenge not you selves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is mine and I will repay, saith the Lord; therefore if thine ene­my hunger, feed him; if he be thirsty, give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire [...] head: be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good: This would be a noble Principle in you.

3. Be ready to forgive them: it is an high expression of the Apostle, Eph. 4.32. Forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath for­given you. O! how much hath God forgiven you, how many and how great were those scores that you have run into with Divine Justice! hath God forgiven you for Christs sake? think of that expression when you find any thing of revenge stirring in your hearts. This is the Rule our Saviour prescribes, that when ever we pray for pardon for our selves, we should pray for it with a willingness to pardon others: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. They who expect forgiveness from God, and are not wil­ling to forgive others, are never like to prevail in their requests: O what high engagements does this Doctrine lay upon us, and how lovely would this Doctrine appear to the world, if these Rules were but strictly observed.

4. To love our enemies. This is a hard Doctrine: Nature teacheth us to love our Friends, but this goes higher, it teacheth us to love our Enemies. Herein we are required to shew our selves to be children of our Heavenly Father, Mat 5. If you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not even the Publicans the same? vers. 44. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that dispitefully use you, and persecute you: that you may be the children of your Father which is in hea­ven. The Publicans were looked upon as the vilest sort of sinners; yet these men came up to this good nature: but this Doctrine teach­eth us to love our Enemies, and to do all the good we can to them, that labour to do all the evil they can to us. Indeed in some cases our Saviour gives a dispensation; we must not cast Perls before Swine, lest they trample them un­der their feet; so not to throw these reproofs to them that will turn again and rend them.

In a word, this Doctrine prescribes to us, to do all we can to win our Enemies over to a liking of what they oppose: and thus as to our Enemies, as well as our Friends, we should do what we can to commend the ways and services of God to them, and to bring them into a love of them, 1 Pet. 2.15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing, you may put to silence the igno­rance of foolish men. You should by well doings, silence them that they may not be able to speak against your persons, or professions, or Princi­ples; such a carriage would be hugely to the advantage of the Gospel.

3. A third head is this; Our carriage towards our Brethren, and fellow Christians should be such as to adorn the Doctrine of God our Savi­our: and in respect of our carriage towards them, take this in general: Whatever friendly Office, whatever expression of tenderness, and care we are to shew to men in general, and to Enemies, we are under a stricter obligation to shew the same to our fellow Christians, though we are commanded to do good to all men, Gal. 6.26, yet especially we are commanded to do good to the household of Faith. The whole duty of man is summed up by our Saviour in this one word, Love. When the Lawyer came to Christ tempt­ing him, Mat. 22. Master, which is the grace Commandment in the Law? vers. 36, 37, Jesus answered, and said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and thy Neighbour as thy self. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets: our Saviour makes this duty of Love an universal duty. Some of the Philoso­phers thought Love was an universal affection and all the other affections but a diversication of Love; Love branched out in different ways; and there is some reason in this. The reason why we have any thing is because it opposeth what we love, and the reason why we grieve for any thing is, because it stands between us and what our love is set upon: so I might speak of all the other affections. But to be sure this will hold in Love, to be a debt that we owe both to God and Man. This is the sum of all the debts we owe, and this debt, though we are still pay­ing it, yet we are still owing it, especially to [Page 193]the houshold of Faith, our fellow Christians 1 John 3.22, 23. compared with ver. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him; because we keep his Commandment: Observe the Command­ments are there mentioned in the plural num­ber; as many as do these things that are pleasing in his sight: in ver. 23. And this is his Command­ment (it is mentioned in the singular Number) that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us Com­mandment. A new Commandment (saith our Saviour) I leave with you, that ye love one another. [New:] Was it not old? Yes: But it is said to be new upon a double account.

1. Because it is prest upon us by new Mo­tives and arguments.

2. And it is commended to us by a new pat­tern and example, such an example of love as the world never had before, nor can ever have a­gain. Now the first and principal Object of our love is God himself, in whom is every thing that might attract our love; the next and secondary Objects of our love are all those Creatures (which according to their degree) do participate of Divine excellencies: in this respect the Saints are stiled, The excellent in the earth, as David declares them to be, them in whom is all my de­light; and therefore are excellent, because they partake of, and are neerer in their resemblance to the Divine nature than others, 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given to us exceeding great and preci­ous promises, whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature; a high expression: This is clear, this debt of love (though we owe it to all, and [Page 194]shall be owing it while we live) yet we owe it especially to our fellow Christians, and that up­on these accounts.

1. Because the Glory of God and the honour and credit of Religion is more concerned in their well doing; they are nearer to God than others are.

2. Because Christ takes all good offices that are done to them as done to himself; a full place to this purpose is that Matth. 25.40. when Christ shall speak encouragingly to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit a Kingdom prepared for you, &c. in as much a ye have done it to one of the least of these my Bre­thren, ye have done it unto me.

3. It is a special evidence of our sincerity, our love to the Brethren, Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life, because we love the Bre­thren, 1 Joh. 3.17.

4. It is upon this account principally that God intrusts some of his servants with greater talents than others, that they may be more ca­pable of expressing their love and tenderness to their Brethren, 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle com­pares the Church of Christ to an organical body, a body that consists of many members; and he speaks of a diversity of gifts, that those mem­bers are eudued with, v. 4, 5, 6. but upon what ac­count are these gifts given, v. 7. It is given to every man to profit withal, to be useful with; not meer­ly to enrich them, but to be imployed by them; there are some to whom God gives a larger ta­lent of riches and worldly comforts; and to o­thers of parts, and abilities, gifts, and graces, [Page 195]but all is to profit withal: therefore as one ob­serves, there are Christians of divers ranks, and divers forms; some that are weak, but God hath inricht others with more strength; some are strong in grace and gifts, God gives those talents to them, that they may by converse help them that are weak, and have not their mea­sure of strength and Grace, that all may be helpful one to another: those that have less than others, should provoke them that have more to thankfulness, and to have their bowels drawn out towards others that have need of their help. Consider the many strict obligations and bonds that Christians are in one to another beyond what other Relations have, at least how much more significant those Relations are be­tween them; they are servants to one and the same Master, to wit, the Lord; We have one Lord, 1 Cor. 12. they are of the same family and houshould; nay, that is not all (though this obligeth us to a spetial degree of love) but they are Children to one Father, born from above, not of flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God, John 1.14. yet higher, they are members of one body, Col. 3.15. now there is a tender­ness that all the members have one of another; Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body, and be thankful. This notion is improved to the full, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26. That there should be no Schisme in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another. But you have a higher ex­pression than this, not only members of the same body, but members one of another: ver. 27. [Page 196] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in par­ticular; or, (as it is in the Greek, [...]) mem­bers of a member, as Eckius in loc. mem­bers of every part, members one of another: this shews the unity, oneness, and nearness that should be between the Children of God. [...] Nay, they are said to be acted by the same Spi­rit; as the same Soul in the body acts the seve­ral parts of the body, but with a great diversi­ty in respect of the divers parts of it, because of the diversity of the organs; in one part the eye, in that the Soul sees; in the ear it hears; in the hand if works, it acts in every part but ac­cording to its different constitution. So is the Spirit of God in this body the Church, it acts in all in common; now how strange would it be if the several members in one body should be at varience and difference one with another; shall the hand not be helpful to the foot, or the foot not helpful to the hand, or shall the hand be im­ployed to pluck out the eye, or to cut off the leg, this would be monstrous and strange to see [...] ­sentions among persons so neerly related: it is looked upon as a great failing in many good men who were united in the same faith, who were imployed in the same work, and carrying on the same designe (Gods honour) and service in the world, yet that they have shewed so much weakness, that they have had so many diffenti­ons which nothing could reconcile but the com­mon sufferings of both, and that from those who were enemies against both. It is observed in the Book of Martyrs, that when Bishop Cran­mor, Hooker, Ridley and Sanders were in prison [Page 179]they did agree, they then laid aside all differen­ces between them. You see upon these ac­counts it doth very much concern us to exercise this duty of love, especially to our fellow Chri­stians. Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, Eph. 5.2

Q But wherein should we express our love to our Brethren, so as thereby to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour?

A. 1. In watching over them, to do what we can by way of prevention of what ever may be to their prejudice, or the dishonour of Religion, or the wounding of their profession; all the for­mer instances of the near relation that Christi­an, stand in one to another, implies a strong ob­ligation upon all Christians to this duty. Indeed God gives a special charge to them that have the oversight of the flock, that they especially watch over them, Heb. 13.17. Submit your selves to them that have the rule over you, for they watch for your Souls: Submit to them be counselled, be guided by them in what they desire according to the Rule of Gods word. Act 20.28. St. Paul gives it in charge to the Elders at Miletum, That they take heed unto themselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Ovor­seers: this duty proportionably is enjoyned up­on every Christian in his place. It was a pro­phane speech of Cain concerning Abel, Am I [...]y Brothers keeper? we should hinder the fail­ings, and grieve for the offences of any, that profess the same Religion. Thou shalt not hate by Brother in suffering sin to lie upon him, but thou shalt in any wise reprove him: So as to the defi­ling [Page 180]of his Soul, so as to keep him from those punishments his sins deserve. The great con­cernedness of Christians now should be about the Souls of one another: this indeed is the truest love, the highest love, and comes nearest to the love of God and Christ.

2. In brotherly forbearance: the best Saints we can converse with here upon the earth are but men, men cloathed with the same in­firmities with our selves; Elias was a man that mightily prevailed with God by prayer, James 5. and yet it is said of him, he was a man of like passions. Paul and Barnab as (those eminent A­postles, whom the Heathen seeing to do such strange things would have worshipped and a­dored) say of themselves, We are men of like passions with your selves: the best of men have something in them to witness they are but men, and as we stand in need of forbearance from o­thers our selves, so we are obliged on the high­est account to bear with others, Eph. 4.2. With all lowliness, and meekness, and long suffering, for­bearing one another in love, and so forgiving one another.

3 In restoring our weak Brother with a Spi­rit of meekness, Gal. 6.1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; the word in the Greek is [...], to set in joynt again as a member that is unset, we must do what we can to set it again in its right place, that it may be useful and active: so must we do as to our fellow members in Christ.

4 By a tender sympathy with them in their [Page 181]miseries, and in bearing their burdens, account­ing their afflictions our own; and this you have expresly commanded, Gal. 6.2. Bear one ano­thers burdens in love. It was the sin of Ephraim, that he forgot the Afflictions of Joseph. But it is the great design of this Doctrine to perswade all Christians to a publick spiritedness: natural men may be pleasant, and think that it is all well with them because their own concerns are safe; but how was Eli concerned in the cause of God, and David in the concerns of Jerusalem, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning: This sympathy must be an active sympathy, administring to all the necessities of the Saints in all kinds, according to those ta­lents God hath given to us, to administer to the outward wants of others, if God hath given us of the good things of this world, 1 John 3.17. Who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

5. In provoking one another to love and good works, Heb. 10.24 Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: the word in the origi­nal ( [...]) is generally taken in a bad senst, but here in a good, to wit, to excite, to stir up others to love and good works, and in our places to blow up those sparks of Graces that are in their Souls (what we can) into a flame; consider one another, use all the wayes you can to put an edge upon others Affections to the things of God: Do what you can by your counsels and examples to provoke one an­other [Page 182]other to love and good works, this is the only provocation that should be found amongst Chri­stians, to labour by an holy emulation to excel in edification. In one word, we are command­ed in our carriage towards towards our Bre­thren, to put on like bowels of compassion to­wards them, that Christ hath to us, Col. 3.12. Put you on therefore, Beloved, as to the elect of God (holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, &c. And thus I have briefly gone over and shewed you how Christians should shew their thankfulness for the Gospel, by labouring thus to adorn it in their carriage towards their Brethren, to carry it with so much love, especially with love to their Souls.

Now in the last place to shew you how we should adorn the Gospel in our exact confor­mity to those Rules that respect our carriage to­wards our selves: for though there is no ex­press Command in all the Scripture that we should love our selves, yet there is no Com­mand but implies it. For all the Commands of of the Second Table are built upon this, a love to our selves: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self: All the Commandments of the Second Table are built upon this foundation; this is to be the measure of our love to others, Matth. 22.17. It is a principle that is rooted in the nature of all Creatures, self-preservation, to be tender of any thing that is hurtful or prejudicial to that: This is above all Commands, the ground upon which all others are built; Therefore how should we express our love to our selves? I shall shew that in these 5 or 6 particulars.

1. In denying our selves, Matth. 16.24. He that will be my Disciple, let him deny himself: he must have so much love to God, as to hate what­soever is contrary to God.

Deny himself: How?

His sinful self, that is his lusts and his vile affections by mortification: Morti­fie therefore your members which are upon the earth, Col. 3.5. his sinful self he must deny absolute­ly, and universally, and everlastingly in point of endeavour: Put ye off the old man, which is cor­rupt with his deeds: Crucifie the flesh with the af­fections and lusts thereof: to shew mercy to these sinful affections, is to be cruel to our own Souls.

Again, our natural selves that is our Crea­ture-comforts and enjoyments, we must de­ny our selves in these by a holy moderation at all times, and in having our affections loose to them, to take heed so to love as not to over-love Creature enjoyments, and relations, and so to seek these things as not to over-seek them, but to exercise holy sobriety and moderation, as the Apostle exhorts, Ephes. 4. And in some cases we must deny our selves as to natural com­forts when they prove to be an hinderance be­tween our enjoying of them, and keeping close to God, as in times of persecution: it always falls out so, that we must either part with God, or Creature comforts, according as the degree of persecution is; now we are commanded to deny our selves conditionally as to these things, that is, when God calls for these things at our hands, we must honour him with parting with [Page 184]liberty, and life, and all that is dear to us, sub­mitting our wills to his will what ever it is, say­ing the will of the Lord be done.

Then our Religious selves we must deny; that self that is in our duties, in our graces, not putting our trust or confidence in them: as St. Paul shewed his self-denyal, Phil. 3.9. I desire not he found in mine own righteousness: St. Paul was no small proficient in the School of Christ, he was a man of high attainments, but he renoun­ced all in point of trust and confidence in them; he durst not venture his hopes upon such a san­dy foundation, he desired not to be found in himself, but in the Righteousness of God by Faith. As to our religious selves, it is true, we should be as active in the exciting of our Gra­ces, and in the exercise of them in every duty. as if the very acceptance with God did depend upon them, as if these were the foundation of all our hopes, evidences; but we should look upon all as nothing, as to the putting any con­fidence in them; as if we had done nothing at all: we are but unprofitable servants when we have done what is our duty, and we can de­serve nothing at the hands of God. But ob­serve as to our best selves, that is, our Souls, in point of care for them, there is no self-denyal of this nature required; that is the Devils, self-denyal.

2. With self Distrust, and self Jealousie. This is the way to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour. We are very apt to be suspicious of the safety of those we most love, and distrustful of every thing that may hazard them, and to be much concerned about them. St. Paul speaks [Page 185]this out of his tenderness to the Corinthians, and his concernedness for their welfare, I am jealous over you, 2 Cor. 11.2. with a Godly jealosie. So should we be jealous of our own souls, and be keeping up a continual correspondence with our selves, and not be strangers at home: sometimes counselling and charging our souls with those duties we are most prone to neglect. You find David often in distrusting himself, and therefore he checks himself for, and cautions himself a­gainst every thing that he discovers of a sinful carriage; and so should we, those temptations we are most likely to be endangered by, either from our dispositions, or particular vocations or callings, or conditions we should be cautio­ning our selves against. This is that holy jea­lousie that we should exercise over our selves. Now this will be an honour to Religion when we are careful to live up to our profession, and are careful lest our lives should swerve from that strait Rule that God hath set before us; and so to be encouraging our selves in those duties of which we have been convinc'd, and in which we have tasted any refreshment, those duties especially that are of greatest weight and importance. We should be exceeding jealous of our own sluggishness, lest our own warm affect­ions should degenerate into chilness and our for­wardness in Religion should degenerate into for­mality. Thus you find David did, Psal. 62.1, 5, 6. The great duty he is here exciting himself to and encouraging himself in, is the exercise of his Faith in all conditions, My soul trust thou in God: My soul, I charge thee to make it thy business [Page 186]to trust in God more firmly. So what he speaks to himself, he speaks to others, vers. 8. Trust in him at all times ye people. Such excitations every gracious Soul should be much exercised in: they should be jealous and distrustful of themselves, and press that home upon themselves which St, Paul urgeth upon the Philippians, Philip. 4.8. Finally Brethren, whatsoever things are honest, just, pure, true, of good report, think on these things. Have your thoughts again and again upon them, think of the loveliness of them, commend them in the first place from your own practice, and then labour to engage others in the like.

3. Self watchfulness, and frequent self reflecti­ons. To consider how it is with us, & to ponder all our ways. This is that w ^ch the Pythagorians were notable for, out of a principle of self jea­lousie: where have I been to day? what have I done to day? what good have I omitted? what evil have I committed? these kind of que­stions they did use to put to themselves every night before they went to sleep. Now this self watchfulness should express it self partly in keeping our hearts above all keepings, with all diligence, knowing how deceitful they are, Prov. 23.4. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life Keep them as a man would keep his Treasure, or as Soldiers a Garison from the assaults of all kind of Enemies, keep them as under lock and key, keep them as that thou knowest them to be apt continually to start aside. It was the Lamentation of the Church Cant. 1.6. My Mothers Children are angry with me, they made me the keeper of the Vineyards, but [Page 187]my own Vineyard have I not kept. The Vineyard there meant was her own Soul, but my own Vineyard have I not kept. O keep your own hearts, this is the great deposition that God hath committed to every mans keeping, especi­ally his Soul: the great thing that God hath be­trusted every man with. Though God hath be­trusted our souls true with others in some de­gree, yet every man especially hath the charge of his own Soul, Luke 12.22 Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required at thy hands. It may be re­quired at others hands, that neglect their duty, in warning and councelling thee, according to their places, but it shall be required especially at thy hands: therefore our carriage towards our selves should be in this watchfulness in ha­ving a care of our selves, as apprehending evils and dangers continually incompassing us; our whole life is continually subject to temptations, and when our temptations from Lusts and Cor­ruptions within are many, and when our hearts are like tinder, we had need then be watchful, both in doing what we can to keep our selves, and also commit our selves to Gods keeping.

4. Self severity, and chiding our selves for all our neglects of God, that ever we should be such unworthy Creatures to requite God as we have done. How often doth Moses upbraid the People of Israel, O foolish people and unwise, do you thus requite the Lord? Thus should we deal with our selves, charging our selves with disingenuity and ingratitude to that God who so highly deserves from every one of us; So foolish was I and ignorant (said David) I was as a [Page 188]bruit beast. and St. Paul, I was a persecutor and blasphemer, and injurious. This, and that, though God had forgiven them their sins, yet they would not forgive themselves, nor forget their offences against God.

5. We should walk humbly with God, Mi­ca 6.8. you have there a short abridgment of mans duty when the Hypocrite was so large in his proffers (as thousands of Rams, and ten thousand Rivers of Oyle) no saith God, He hath shewed the, O man, what is good in his own eyes; to do Justice, to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. This is a great and com­prehensive duty to walk in a sense of our own weakness, and in a dependance on God; to look to him for direction to duty, and for strength in duty, that we may not be mistaken for want of direction, nor miscarry for want of assist­ances.

6. Lastly, We must keep our selves in the love of God. This is the great Rule which St. Jude propounds, Epist. Jude 21. vers. Keep your selves in the love of God. If you would do any thing in Religion to purpose, if either you would persevere with constancy or make any conside­rable progress in adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour, you must keep your selves in the love of God.

Aplic. 1. By way of Reproof; if it be so that the great acknowledgment that God ex­pects for this eminent Mercy (the Gospel) is that they should adorn it: Then this reproves all that sort of Professors, that are a disgrace, and reproach to this Doctrine; they profess it, but [Page 189]they reproach it by their vicious carriages. Con­sider how many there be that go under the name of Christians. but yet are a dishonour to Chri­stianity. Salvian in his Book de Ecclesia, often brings in the Heathen reproaching the Christi­ans for their unsutable conversation to their Pro­fession, thereby giving occasion to the Heathen to blaspheme. Says he, Holy things would cer­tainly be done by holy Persons did their Teachers in­struct them aright, and you may judge of him that is worshipped by them that do worship him: How can he be a good Master whose Disciples are so bad?

It is observed at this day, that the Idolatrous practice of the Papists in worshipping Images and Statues, is a great stumbling block to the Jews, and the chief impediment of their Con­version to Christianity: the Jews of old time were very much addicted to the sin of Idolatry, but it is observed that after once they went into Captivity and were sensible that it was for that sin, that God had so long cast them off, they were a most averse people to the sin of Idolatry ever since. I might mention many Jewish Wri­ters that mention this as the great stumbling-block to their Conversion: and so here, how many that are strangers to Jesus Christ are kept off from embracing this Doctrine of Christ from the intemperance and immorality of them that profess this Doctrine. Christians who have but a dimmer light have scorned to do those things that many Professors have been guilty of in the face of the Sun, this is a reproach to this Do­ctrine of God our Saviour.

There are five sorts of persons that I shall briefly speak of by way of reproof.

1. Those worldly Professors who lay about them for these earthly things, as if they belie­ved nothing at all of what they profess, con­cerning God, Heaven, and their Souls, as if they expected no other happiness but what brute Beasts and Swine are capable of, as if they were acted by an Epicurean spirit, as if they minded what is present, and totally flighted what is future. Come (say they) let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die: What a great reproach is this to the Doctrine of God our Sa­viour, especially those that are moral amongst the Heathen; this teacheth us that our Souls are our truest good: but how many are there that live in a contradiction to this truth: their chiefest endeavour is to gratifie their senses, to make provision for that part of theirs that is common with them to brute beasts, I mean their bodies. This Doctrine teacheth us, that in our selves we are miserable, and in Creatures our wants can never be relieved, and that our happi­ness-consists alone in God, and that the light of his countenance is more than Corn, Wine, and Oyl, and all that this world can afford: that in God alone we have all; and if we have not an interest in him, we have nothing but emptiness in the midst of fulness, and poor in the midst of riches, and miserable in the midst of all our flourishing happiness in outward things; this this Doctrine teacheth us, but worldly Profes­sors cannot credit these truths; this Doctrine teacheth us to make Heaven our designe, and [Page 191]Glory our aim, while we look not at the things that are seen, but the things which are not seen: to those things that are invisible to an eye of sense, and to live by faith: now these Professors that make the world their Idol, live in a perfect con­tradiction to all these great truths that this Do­ctrine propounds as the Rule by which we should walk through the whole course of our lives. God bids us make Heaven our designe, but worldly men make the world their designe: God bids us look after future happiness, and corrupt nature bids us mind our present ease and safety and advantages: this is the way in which all the people of God have reached Heaven in ages past, 2 Cor. 4.2 last verses. So that this re­proves all worldly Professors, who are a re­proach to those Principles that teach us to live by faith: Now a worldly heart lives by sense, he cannot trust God farther than he can see him; if these outward confidences are secured, then all is wel with him, but if he be in worldly straits he can live no more by faith than what he hath in wordly supplies.

2. This reproves all slothful and sluggish Pro­fessors: indeed slothfulness is an unlovely thing in all persons; slothful persons are the very bur­dens of the earth that they tread upon: a Hea­then called slothfulness, The rust of the Soul: but slothfulness in Christians of all persons is most culpable; to be slothful in the service of so good a Master, to be sluggish in so encouraging a work is most highly to be blamed in those that profess themselves Christians. You that have such a gracious Lord to serve, you that have all [Page 192]the encouragements that Servants can have, O be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises, Heb. 6.12. and Rom. 12. Not slothful in business, but fer­vent in Spirit, serving the Lord. If there be any warmth or heat of our hearts and affections, certainly it should be the things of God: Are other things desirable? how much more are these: Can other things be refreshing to us? how much more are these: and in such cases when all other things are useless: Riches avail not in the day of wrath: all worldly things are to no purpose; what is an estate to a pained body? to a man that is sick? he will give all he hath for health and ease; how many things are there that mony cannot purchase, that great estates cannot procure, much more in the mat­ters of our Souls; and therefore those things that can only minister comsort to us in our grea­test straits deserve our highest diligence; there­fore they that are slothful Professors that are sluggish in the service of God, are a reproach to that good Master that they serve, to that blessed work in which they are engaged: God would not admit the Ass to be offered up in sacrifice to him under the Law, because that Creature was an embleme of a slothful and sluggish Professor, who are of all Professors the greatest reproach to their profession.

3. This may reprove all luke-warm Profes­sors, what a reproach are these to Religion: do but consider how zealous many are in undoing their Souls; how much more pains do they take to go to Hell, to please their Master the [Page 193]Devil, to undo their own Souls, than those that profess themselves to be engaged in a better work, in saving their Souls; What a reproach [...]is this to the Gospel? it casts a great contempt upon the profession it self, and upon all the Principles that are owned by such.

4. This may reprove all proud and conceit­ed Professors: the great designe of this Do­ctrine of God our Saviour is to abase man, and to exalt God; to lay man low, and to set God on high. Now they that think that they can do well enough by their own strength, and can per­form duties acceptable to God without more than an ordinary assistance, are to be reproved; pride was the first sin that brought in all other sins, and it is a costly sin, it is that that hath un­done us, and we have cause to lament it, till God shall compleat our deliverance from the relicts of it, though that will not be while we are in this world.

5. This may reprove all disheartened and disconsolate Professors, that move on uncomfor­tably in the ways of God. Observe it, God doth expect that all Professors of his Name should not only do his will, but also delight to do it; and not only to serve him, but serve him with chearfulness: How angry was God with his antient people, and severely threatens them upon this account, Deut. 28.47, 48. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with gladness of heart in the abundance of all things, therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies in the want of all things. God gives enough to answer all dis­couragements, and therefore he would have all [Page 194]his to go on with all alacrity and chearfulness is his service. God loves a cheerful giver, and and he also loves a chearful doer, and a chearful sufferer. In what work should we not be chear­ful, if not in the service of so good a God?

Now the more to set home this upon all those persons whom these severall reproofs reach, I desire you to consider these three things.

1. Consider how many sober Pagans and Heathens have come nearer to this Rule of God our Saviour then all such Professors do: What reverence they have had to their Idol-Gods, and how highly they were concerned to shew the heigth of their respect to them? What a Controversie was there at Ephesus among the chief Persons concerning a Statue to Diana? One said Marble was more eligible, because it was more lasting; another that Alabaster was more desirable, because it was more costly: they had that respect to those false Gods which thy worshipped, that they would serve them with the best. What a reproach then is it to Professors, that they can be content to put off the true God with the worst? to offer to him the blind and the lame, to offer that to him which they dare not offer to their Governour, Mal. 1.6.8.

Again, how many sober Heathen have in ju­stice and moral honesty gone beyond them that usurp the name of Christians. To be a Chri­stian and dishonest? to be a Christian and in­temperate? to be a Christian and to dare to give way to any kind of fraud, or any thing that is immoral? How much have Pagans forborn [Page 195]these practices; nay, they have born witness against these with abhorrencie: What admira­ble Rules have we in Seneca concerning the con­tempt of the World, shewing that that is the truest generous spirit that contemns the world; these are low things, and these things cannot make a man happy, these cannot be the perfe­ction of man.

Again, with what evenness of spirit have they carried it in all conditions. Notable is that which Lucian reports concerning Socrates, the Tyrant threatned him that he should die; then, said he, I am content to die: said the Ty­rant, thou shalt live; then said he, I am content to live. I will acquiesce in whatever thou in­clinest to I shall not be displeased with what­ever you do. What an admirable even frame of spirit was this, that neither fears could daunt him, nor any thing discompose him? I could mention many notable instances of more than an ordinary courage, and undauntedness of Hea­thens, according to that dimm light of theirs; they valued neither estates nor liberty, nor life in the defence of those things they called vir­tue, Rom. 2.14, 15. it is said of hose Hea­then, That they having not a Law, are a Law to themselves.

2. A second consideration, how much doth God expect from you, more than others? you that profess to serve a higher Master, to be en­gaged in greater and better work than others. Therefore our Saviour presseth it upon them to be practised, Matth. 5. What do you more than others? If you love your friends, the Publicans do [Page 196]so; if you do good to them that do good is you, nature teacheth you to do so. But where­in doe you exceed others? Not to goe be­yond them, is to come exceeding short of our duty, James 2.19. the Apostle speaking to some that rested in Orthodoxy in matters of Faith (indeed this is desirable, but not to be re­sted in) thou believest there is one God, thou doest well; this is good▪ but if thou rest here, the Devils go thus far, they believe and they tremble: it is dangerous to come short of them, who will yet certainly come short of Heaven. Matth 25. in the Parable of the Master who had distribu­ted several Talents among his Servants, you find that he was accounted a faithful Servant whose improvements were answerable to his receipts: God hath done more for you than for the Hea­then part of the world: I have shewed you what a great priviledge it is to enjoy this Do­ctrine of God our Saviour, he expects that you shall proportionably adorn it, that you should shun the appearance of evil, and hate the Garments spotted with the flesh, that you should shun all temptations to sin.

3. Consider what a glory former Christians that have outdone all other kind of men besides, in observing the Rules of the Gospel, have been to this Doctrine of God our Saviour. O what Heroick Spirits were the Primitive Christians, who could rejoyce in tribulations, and suffer the spoyling of their goods with joy, and that could with chearfulness undergo any misery, when the case was clear indeed (when the case was doubtful, the case was different) then how [Page 197]they counted Godliness great gain, though it was loaded with reproaches, and losses, and all worldly inconveniencies, yet they account­ed it the most profitable eourse that could be taken, and when they were destitute of all Creature-comforts, yet they could be content with this, and triumph in this, the testimony of their own Consciences. When the world was en­raged, and the spirits of men were imbittere [...] when earth and hell was against them, yet then to be albe to approve their hearts to God, this was enough to bear up their spirits, 2 Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the testimony of Conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world. And so much for the first Use.

2. Ʋse. Is by way of Exhortation to per­swade all to make this their full work and busi­ness, our constant designe and aim. And oh! what blessings might we be to after-ages in set­ting upon this work to purpose. Rev. 13.14. Write henceforth, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them: it is said the sins of wick­ed men do follow them, and the good works of the righteous do follow them; the good they have done to others shall be spread before others in after generations, so that their good works may be augmenting and increasing many years after they are in their Graves. And thus I find a Learned Writer interpreting both those pla­ces, concerning wicked mens sins following after them, when all the sins (that they in their own persons are guilty of) are accounted for, they [Page 198]shall have other mens sins as an after-reckoning. For every man does many mischiess in the world; for by bad exaple he may infuse those corrupt Principles into others which may out live his Person, and flourish when his body is rotting in the grave: Be perswaded therefore to make it your great designe to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour: there is no man so mean, but he is in a capacity in his place to do it; and the Apostle propounds it here in the Text to the meanest rank of persons, to Ser­vants, that they may do it. I shall only menti­on some few weighty Arguments to engage you in this work.

1. Consider your Principles are higher than others: What are the Principles of a Christi­an? I answer, Faith and Love: Faith that lifts us up above the things of sense, above what is present, what is visible to an eye of sense. The Just, are said, to live by Faith, Heb. 10.28. Faith lifts us up above our [...]usts, above our selves, a­bove the World: it is said of Jehoshaphat, that his heart was lifted up in the ways of God: it is Faith lifts up the Soul above all rubs and impe­diments: now every Christian professeth him­self to be a Believer; where is your faith then, as our Saviour upbraided his Disciples, that you are so nonplust with every difficulty, and stag­ger at every danger, and are interrupted in the ways of God upon every discouragement? Where is your Faith?

The other Principle of a Christian is that of love; Keep your selves in the love of God, saith the Apostle. Love sweetens every thing; we are [Page 199]content to go through hardships, and to pass through difficulties, to hazard our felves in dan­gerous encounters, if it be for the sake of them we love, or if it be in the pursuit of what we love. Now these that are acted from a Prin­ciple of Faith in God, and love to Christ that feel the constraints of his love lying upon their hearts what manner of persons ought they to be that make such a high profession as this?

2. As your Principles are higher, so your pat­tern is better than others: they have not any of those Rules that you heard mentioned in the large explication of the Doctrine; but those Rules have been exemplified in the pattern of our Lord Jesus, in that blessed example that he hath given us. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. to make him his pattern, and to follow him in all things that are imitable: true, some things Christ did as God, in those things he is not imi­table; and some things he did as God-man, as Mediator, in those things he can have no follow­ers, none to imitate him. But some things he did as he was a holy person, now what his life was, such should ours be; what the life of Christ was, I shall only hint some few things.

1. The life of Christ was the most self-deny­ing life that ever was: we read of the self-de­nial of Abraham, and we have two notable in­stances of it; He obeyed the Call of God, and left his own Country and friends, and kindred, and acquaintance he went he knew not whether, nor to whom, yet God calls, and he obeys. — God again calls to Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac, a Child of so many prayers, and a Son [Page 200]of so many Promises, and he in whom all the Inhabitants of the earth were to be blessed; yet God requiring him to offer no that Son he dares not with-hold him. So we read of Moses his self-denial, He refused to be called the Son of Pha­raohs daughter Now the self-denial of Christ was such as the best of men were ever capa­ble of. If you consider the matters wherein he denied himself; he denied himself of that glo­ry of which no Creature was in a possibility of enjoying what was his Glory? he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet he suffer­ed all this Glory to be obscured and clouded, and was contented with it in order to the ac­complishment of his Fathers designe of mercy to poor sinners; the glory he left was such as no Cretature was capable of, and the misery he underwen was such as no Creature eould sub­sist under.

Again, the life of Christ was a pure and spot­less life; there was no guile found in his mouth, he was sair without spot, the Lamb of God without spot, he was a man not only free from sinful practices, but in whom there was nothing of a sinful Principle, and therefore nothing could disturb him; all the temptations of Satan, all the allurements of the world could not pre­vail with him: Satan (when he assaulted him) found nothing in him to fasten his temptations upon; under the sorest of his asslictions there was found nothing in him of impatience, but still he was as a sheep before the shearers, that was dumb and opened not his mouth; but when his Name was reproached, and his person contemned, and his Soul afflicted, when he was [Page 101]under all those agonies and pains, he neither brake out against Instruments, nor against God, but patiently endured all.

Again, the most high and listinguishing fa­vours that God his Father shewed to him as the Son of his love, and that Son of his in whom his Soul alone delighted, could not lift him up, as af­flictions could not fink him, so neither could these transport him; as the one could not cast him down, so nither could the other lift him up. Alas! it is hard for us to be in a high con­dition, and to keep our hearts humble; but con­sider the great favour that God shewed him in his Baptisme, when the Angel descended in the shape of a Dove, and by that voyce from Hea­ven, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; yet how humbly and how evenly did he carry it under all varieties of occurrences that he met with here upon earth.

Again, the strongest temptations could not un­settle him; when Satan came with his large proffers, All these will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me, he answered him, Get thee behind me Satan, for it is written, thou shalt wor­the Lond thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. The greatest oppositions could not abate his di­ligence, or make him the more remiss; neither the opposition of enemies, nor the mistaken Counsels of friends (as Peter, Master, spare thy self) could take him off from his duty, his obe­dience was so full and compleat, that he left no­thing unfulfilled of all that God commanded him, John 17.4. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. I might shew the activeness and usefulness of the life of [Page 202]Christ, and what a notable example we have in all respects of his burning zeal for Gods glory; and his melting compassions towards poor Souls, and his stooping to the meanest offices in order to his peoples good; and his preferring the do­ing of good to others, before his enjoying all the good of the world; thus you see as our Principles are higher, so our pattern is better.

3. Your engagements are stronger than all o­thers are; other creatures are beholding to God for their beings, for he made them, and for their continuances in their beings, he keeps their breath in their no strils; they are beholding to God for, their daily bread and outward comforts; but the engagements of Christians are far greater than all these outwards mercies, though these are great. Consider the great things that God hath done for them in spiritual things, in sanctifying their hearts with Grace; this is a blessing that makes every thing a blessing to us; to the pure all things are pure, if God hath once seasoned our hearts with Grace in sanctifying them, our Comforts are sanctified. at least in a great mea­sure: for what is the sanctification of our com­forts, but only a bility to discharge those du­ties that those comforts enjoyn us to, that is to be faithful in serving God with them. In sancti­fying our hearts, our afflictions are sanctified: now what is the sanctifying of our afflictions but the improving of them to the good of our Souls, and the Glory of God: nay, in sancti­fying our hearts all the Ordinances and Privi­ledges that we partake of are sanctified, we make a sanctified use of all. O what a great [Page 203]mercy is this! such were some of you, saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6. But ye are sanctified. You were in the lowest rank of sinners, but you are now in the highest form of Creatures; you are sanctified by the Spirit of God. It is the work of sanctification that makes the great difference between persevering and Apostate Angels, this is that that makes an everlasting difference be­tween the Souls of some, and the Souls of o­thers: some are born in sin, and live and die in sin, and perish for ever for their sins; all are born in sin indeed, but some are recovered out of the power of sin by the work of sanctifica­tion; now what a wonderfull mercy is this? so I might instance in the work of Convesiron, & in the work of the Justification of our Persons, this is another Priviledge that God hath insta­ted us in: and O how great a priviledge is this? David pronounceth him a blessed man, whose in­iquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. And then God adopts them to be his Sons; they who were enemies are made sriends by Justifica­tion, but they that were strangers are made Sons by adoption, and have the priviledge of Sons, that is boldness of access to God as our Fa­ther.

Again, every sincere Professor is made an heir, not only a Son of God, but also on Heir of Heaven; and how great a Priviledge is this? What ever our Condition is in this World, yet all this will end in heaven, & glory, & happiness. Then is the unspeakable aggravation of the my­sery of the most flourishing ungodly man in the world, whatever his condition is as to riches and [Page 204]greatness, and all the grandure he is capable of, yet all this will end in Hell; but the sincere Soul (though it lives under reproaches, con­tempts and scorns, and all things that are un­lovely to flesh and blood? shall have Heaven at last, for they are heirs of Heaven.

4. Your encouragements are greater, than the encouragements of others: it is a great word that the Apostle hath to all sincere Profes­sors, in the 1 Timoth. 4.8. Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come; it hath the pro­mise of Earth and Heaven; How great an en­couragement is this? we shall want nothing that is good for us, that God sees convenient; we shall have no more of trouble and affliction that when God sees convenient and needful for us; for a little time if need be ye are in heavi­ness: we shall have no more loads nor weights upon us but what we shall have assistance from God to support us under: God hath engaged that we shall meet with no more difficulties in his service, but what he will carry us through. And then as to the other world all shall tend to their happiness there. Now what an unspeak­able comfort is this? Alas! this life is a life of vanity at the best; nay, this life is many times mixt with vexation in the best: but to think of future Glory one would wonder there should be any thing of remissness or slightness in the ser­vice of God.

5. Gods expectations from you are higher than others: To whom much is given of them much is required. God hath done so much for [Page 205]for you already, and hath promised so much to you hereafter, that he expects you should live, not at the rate of other persons, but above them, and to outstrip them.

6. Your dangers are greater if you be not faithful: all they that enjoy the Gospel and do not answer the engagements of the Gospel, are so far from being better than others, that it is worse with them than others. The wrath of God, saith the Apostle, is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, Rom. 1.18. To the Jew first, because their light was clearet, and they had greater priviledges than others; and so those Cities to whom the Gospel came, Wo to thee Corazin, wo thee Beth­saida, &c. Marth. 11.22. You have been lift­ed up to Heaven in respect of the means of sal­vation, but you shall be cast down to Hell in re­spect of the punishment, because of your un­fruitfulness and unthankfulness for these mer­cies; because you have received the Grace of God in vain.

IN the words we have that full Contentment, and that compleat satisfaction which Da­vid took in God alone. (the Lord liveth;) it is as much as if he had said, Though Friends die, and Creature helps be removed, and though all outward Comforts may wither and perish, yet still that which is enough for me, is this, (The Lord liveth.) David had in former times been stript at once of all his Comforts; it was the saddest condition that ever that holy man was it, which we find recorded, 1 Sam 30 6. when David was not only benished from Jerusalen, and from amongst the people of God; but af­ter he had taken shelter under Achish the Phili­stine Lords complain against him, so that he must to longer abide there neither; the only place that was left him was a little Zoar ( Zig­lag, I mean) and when he thinks to retire thi­ther, the Amalekites were come and had taken away his substance; and (which was worse) his wives and all that he had in the world was gone; and that which added still to his grief was, that those few followers which were yet with him, spake of stoning of him: but though his case was very sad, yet he comforts himself in the Lord his God. And let our case be whatever it will, our care should be to get an interest in God, and to comfort our selves in him.

It is in a very high strain that David begins this Psalm with, and the more abrupt and sud­den the expressions seem to be, the more Pathe­tical and affectionate they are. I will love thee, O Lord my strength: The Lord is my Rock, my For­tress and my Deliverer: My God, in whom I will teust, my Buckler, and the horn of my Salvation, and my Tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is morthy to be praised, &c. Here are expressions upon expresions, his heart was full, and he scarce knew how to give his thoughts sufficient vent, in admiring and adoring the goodness of God to him. Now least these high confidences that David had in God, should seem to be no better than some rash, and hasty raptures: he lays down the ground of these confidences in the reiterated experiences he had had of the good­ness of God to him, in vers. 4, 5.6. and so on. The sorrows of Death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid: the sorrows of Hell compassed me about, the snares of death pre­vented me. In my distress I called upon the Name of the Lord, and cried to my God, he heard my voice out of his Temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears; then the earth shook and trembled, &c.

I shall not need to trouble you with the several Opinions of Interpreters particularly what his distresses then were; but in general it is ac­knowledged by all, That his distresses were such, that if God had not helped him, none else could; and when he had none other comforter or help left, none else to depend upon, then he cries to God, and he doth not cry in vain; and [Page 208]so you find him in another distress he was after­wards, in the 16, 17, 18. verses of this Psalm, He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters (that is many afflictions) he delive­red me from my strong enemy, and from them that ha­ted me, for they were too strong for me: Relating to Saul (as you may see, if you compare that place with the Preface of he Psalm.) They prevented me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay, he brought me forth also into a large place, he delivered me because he delighted in me Now here David comforts himself in his sincerity, though he doth not speak as a self-Justificiary, or mani­fest the least of a Pharisaical temper, as if he thought he merited any thing from the hands of God: yet it was his comfort, in respect of him­slef, that God had owned his uprightness in pre­serving him in those dangers; and it is the en­couragement he gives to others; he gives also cautions to wicked men, for 'tis very observable in this Psalme, that when Da­vid speaks of his Experiences and Comforts in God, he frequently intermixes his Cautions to the Enemies of God; that if they would deal frowardly, God would deal frowardly with them. But then to encourage the people of God, says he, With the merciful theu wilt shew thy self merciful, with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright, and with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure. In the words we have the result that Davids thoughts came too (The Lord liveth) he had seen how much of vanity and disap­pointment there was in all Creature comforts: many of his people had been time after time [Page 209]knockt off from them; but says he, (the Lord lives) and therefore here he sits down, here he is resolved to fix.

In these words be these three particulars:

1. There is a Declaration of what God is in himself, he is the living God. (The Lord lives.)

2. A Description of what God is to his peo­ple: (And blessed be my Rock) A Rock de­notes strength, fafety, protection; God doth often set forth his goodness to his people under this Metabhor; He is said to be a Rock higher than all waves, a shelter from all storms: their Fortresses of old were usually built upon Rocks, that so the accesses of the Enemy might be the more difficult; and therefore they were looked upon as places of the greatest security. Their Rock is not as our Rock even our Enemies them­selves being Judges, says Moses; Deut. 32.31.

3. Here is Davids magnifying and admiring of God, upon this double consideration, both of what God is in himself, and of what he is to his people. (The Lord liveth, and blessed be my Rock, and let the God of my Salvation be ex­alted.) He is careful to comfort himself in this God, and he would have others follow his pra­ctise.

Doct. That 'tis the admirable suppore of the people of God, that when friends die, and all Crea­ture comforts fail, yet God lives, yet the Lord Lives. You Fathers where are they? and the Prophets do they live for ever? Zech. 1.5. Those Relations that are most comfortable, and who use to have the most care in them for us, yet these are fading Relations. Your Fathers where are they? Nay, those Relations that are most useful, not in out­ward [Page 210]respects only, but also in Spirituals, these are dying persons, The Prophets do they live for ever? But when all our Creature-comforts die and vanish, yet the Lord lives.

There are three things that I shall speak to in the opening of this observation.

• 1. The first is this, That the Lord whom we serve is the living God; he lives: This Title I shall shew, how far it is appropriated to God a­bove all Creatures whatsoever.
• 2. That as he is the living God, so he lives as Lord.
• 3. How much this is to the support and com­fort of all his people.

1. That however all other Creatures may be dying, yet God liveth: all those Names by which God hath made himself known in Scrip­ture, do strongly imply this Truth. That great Name Jehovah, which is so often mentioned in Scripture, signifies, A God of Being, a God that gives being to all other Creatures, and a God that is the Fountain of Being in himself. When God send Moses upon that difficult Errand, of treating with Pharaoh, about the releasing If­rael out of their for bondage, Exod. 3.14. this is the Name by which God makes himself known (I am that I am hath sent thee) that is, I that alone am, the name by which the very Hea­then spake of their God Zena, qusia [...], (as one glosses upon that Name) that is, they thought him to be a living God. But to be short, We find that God is often stiled in Scripture, the living God, to denote him to be the true God. 2 King. 19.4. when Rabshekah came, and put [Page 211] Hezckiah into those fears, he sends to Isaiah, to pray to the Lord, It may be, says he, the Lord thy God will hear all the words of Rabshekah, whom, the King of Assyria his Master, hath sent to re­proach the living God, that is, the true God. So when David expresseth his earnest affectionate­ness in desiring Communtion with God, he speaks of him as the living God, Psalm 42.2. My Soul thirsheth for God, for the living God, that is, for the true God: When shall I come and appear before God? And so Psalm 84.2. My Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the Coasts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God. And so the Prophet Joremiah parahprasing a little far­ther upon this word, Jerem. 10.10. But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King, at his wrath the earth shall trem­ble, and the Nations shall nto be able to abide his indignation, he is the living God, and this is the Argument to prove him to be the true God. So Dan. 6. when Darius had been surprized in the Decrēe against Daniel, and had consented una­wares to his being cast into the Den of Lyons, he came to the Den, and cried with a lamenta­ble voyce, unto Daniel, and spake, saying, O Danicl, Servant of the living God, is thy God whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from the Lions? He is a God indeed. But farther he is often stiled the living God, in opposition to dead Idols, which were the Gods of the Heathen. So you have a notable description of those Idols which the sinners of that age did worship. Psal. 115.3. and so on. But our God he is in the Hea­ven, he hath done whatsoever he pleased, their I­dols [Page 212]are silver and gold; the works of mens hands, they have mouths but they speak not, eyes have they but see uot, they have ears but hear not, noses have they but they smell not, they have hands but they handie not, feet have they but they walk not, neither speak, they through the throat, but our God is the living God. Again, he is stiled the living God in op­position to dying men, as Magistrates are some­times stiled Gods, Psalm 82.6. I said ye are Gods, but ye shall die like men, and so Deut. 5.26. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? When God would give his people the greatest assurance of the certain accomplishment of his promises, he speaks in this language, as I live,: he swears by his own life. So you have it Isa. 49.18. Lift up thi [...] eyes round about, and behold all these gather them. selves together, and come to thee, as I live saith the Lord, thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an Ornament, and bind them on thee as a Bride doth. So Numb. 14.20, 21. when Moses in­terceded for that repining and murmuring peo­ple, saith God, I have pardoned according to thy word, but as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord. When God would startle sinners, and make them sensible of of what is coming upon them, as sure as I live, (saith the Lord) his iniquity shall not go unpunished. So Ezek 5.11. But I have sufficiently cleared this from Scripture. You see then all along, that God in Scripture is stiled the living God, and it is such a kind of life as no Crea­ture is capable of, that is here ascribed to God, and that I shall shew in these 5 particulars.

1. He lives Originally from himself, Psal. 36.9. For with thee is the Fountain of life; he is the Fountain of life to others, and he is the Foun­tain of life to himself That life w ^ch all Creatures have is a deriv'd life, it is what they have receiv'd from God, Acts 17.25. Neither is he worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life and breath, and all things. There is not that Creature that liveth upon the face of the earth, but it hath its life from God: and so ver. 28. In him we live and move and have our being; but that life which God liveth, it is an underived life: He is as one speaks, One that hath his life from himself. The Moon shines with a borrowed light; and all Creatures have no­thing but what they have receive [...]: their very light it is from God, it is his light that we see light; there is no Creature, but it is beholding to God for its very Being, for it is impossible that any Creature should be the Author of its own Being. That which once was not, could never produce it self, for whilst it was nothing, it could do nothing; and in all successions of being that are in the world, here is one Creature pro­ceeds from another, and that other from another before it, and so on; so that in all successions we must needs come to some first Being, now this first Being must needs be of himself uncreated, and of himself unoriginated; that's one parti­cular how God liveth, he liveth originally and from himself.

2. He lives intirely, and of himself, without de­pendance upon any other. The life of poor. Creatures as it is received from God, so it is up­held [Page 214]by God. Rom. 11.36. All things are of him, and all things are by him: our very breath in our Nostrils he keeps it in; and should not God keep it in, it would be every moment go­ing out: and therefore God is not only stiled the Fountain of life (in that Psalm quoted be­fore) but he is also stiled the Lord of life (i. e.) he prolongs and shortens the lives of his Creatures, as himself pleascth. Deut. 32.39. See now, that I, even I, am he, and there is no God with me, I kill, and make alive, I wound, and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hands: and so you read that God hath set to every man his bounds beyond which he cannot pass Num. 14.5. The Number (it is not said of our years) but even the Number of our very months it is with God: seeing his days are determined, the Number of his months is with thee, Thou hast appointed bounds that he cannot pass. But now God lives of himself, we live altogether in dependance upon him. It is true, there are many Creatures, we depend upon in the ordinary course of God's Providence; how many Creatures lose their lives to support, and preserve ours? but God hath no dependances upon any other, but he lives of himself.

3. He lives most perfectly (not only origial, from himself and intirely in himself without de­pendance upon others (but he lives most perfect­ly in the enjoyment of himself: how many things concur together to piece out our lives to us. Look upon man in his natural condition, and he is the most necessitous, indigent Creature in the whole world, made up of nothing but wants and [Page 215]weaknesses: we are flesh and blood, we stand in need of food and rayment, and 20 such things; and when God hath translated us into a stare of Grace, though we have rcceived never so much, yet still we want more. 'Tis no life of perfecti­on whilst we are here on earth; there may be a perfection of parts, but not of Degrees: and in­deed (observe it) absolute perfection is to be found no where but in God alone, he lives perfectly: we read of Angels, and of the spirits of just men made perfect, but how? it is not spoken, nor to be understod of absolute perfection: but that may be said to be perfect, in which nothing is de­fective, that is necessary to its being; thus Angles are perfect in their kind (i. e.) they have their compleat nature which becomes their Rank; and so the spirits of just men are made perfect, because they are restored to that perfection by Grace, which they had lost by sin. But absolute perfection is no where to be found but in God alone; in him is that infinite fulness, and there­fore it is that his happiness is infinitely perfect, and such happiness that no Creature is capable of. For though the happiness of all Creatures con­sists in the enjoyment of God, yet these enjoy­ments are onely according to the capacities of Crcatures: And therefore a Learned Writer compares several Believers to several vessels thrown into the Sea, here is a vessel of a lesser size, and there is a vessel of a larger size, but every vessel being thrown into the Sea is full, and hath as much as it can contain. And this is the hap­piness of Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect. But the happiness of God is un­speak [Page 216]because of his infinite fulness in him­self.

4. God lives immutably. Our life is full of changes every moment (as one speaks) there is no person that is two moments the same; he hath one moment past over him more than he had before when the second comes. When we come into the world, we pass from Childhood to Youth, from Youth to riper Years, but when we are come to the [...] and heighth of our strength, then we decline and pass to old age again. As the Sun is always in Motion and ne­ver stands still, but is either rising higher and higher, until it come to the Meridian, and when once it is there, then it declines lower and lower again: thus it is with man, he is never at a stop. But it is not so with God, there is no varia­bleness, or shadow of turning in him. Take the most immutable things in nature, and they are changeable, even the Heavens themselves, Psal. 102.25, 26, 27. Of old thou hast laid the foun­dations of the earth, and the Heavens are the work of thy hands, they shall perish, hut thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a Garment, as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. God therefore lives immutably, he is said to be the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. He is the same in himself in all his excel­lencies and perfections, and he is the same to his people.

5. God doth not only live immutably for a Time, but Aeternally, for ever. 1 Tim. 6.16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in that light [Page 217]which no man can approach unto, who only bath Im­mortality. Why, are not Angels immortal? and are not the Souls of men immortal? it would be good news to wicked men if their Souls could die with their Bodies, and if death were no more to them, than to other ereatures, that when they die there were an end of them, that they were not subject to an after-account in another world. That is not the meaning of it, but he only hath Immortality in himself. For though Angels be Immortal, yet this Immortality is not per natu­ram, but per Gratiam; it is not so much from their nature, as the support of God: for God supports all things in their Beings; and the in­finite power of God doth as much appear in his works of supportation and preservation, as in his works of Creation at the first, And so for the Soul of man it is immortal: but still all this is be­cause God upholds it to all Eternity. But God hath Immortality, Psalm. 90 2. Before the Moun­tains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst framed the earth or the world, even from everlasting to e­verlasting thou art God. From everlasting? yes, and to everlasting; and so Psalm. 92.8, 9. you have the like expression. But thou Lord art most high for evermore, for loe thine enemies, O Lord, loe thine enemies shall perish, but thou shalt abide for ever: and so Psalm. 102.12. But thou, O Lord, shalt endure for ever, and thy remembrance to all Generations. I might multiply places; for this is so often mentioned in Scripture, that I must needs forbear farther Quotations. A thousand years with the Lord are but as one day, 2 Pet. 3.8. He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, [Page 218]without beginning or and of days: that is spoken of Christ.

This is the first thing propounded to be spoken to, That the God whom we own, and whom we serve, is the living God: in opposition to dead Idols, and all dying Creatures. He lives originally from himself. Intirely of himself. Perfectly in the enjoyment of himself. He lives immntably, and he lives eternally.

2. The Second thing was, That he lives as Lord, (that is) as God exercising his Dominion over all things both in Heaven and earth, and this you find very frequently mentioned in Scripture. Psal. 97.1. It is spoken by way of comfort, and of awakening to the wicked: so Psal. 97.1. and Dan. 4.3, The Mediatory Kingdom Christ re­ceived from his Father, he had all power commus nicated to him, as Mat. 28.18. God hath exalted him above all, and made him the head of all, Eph 1.21, 22, 23. This Kingdom of Christ is so esta­blished on him, that he shall rule so long as there is one Enemy remaining to be subdued, and con­quered, 1 Cor. 15.26, 27. and as long as one E­lect person is to be called in, preserved, and taken care of in this world, Christ retains his Domi­nion; and when these things are finished, Christ resignes his Kingdom into his Fathers hands, and God becomes all in all: and he lives as Lord, to make good all his Promises to his people, and to fulfil his threatings against his Enemies. Now consider how large a Treasure the Promises are, such, as we cannot desire any blessing beyond what the Promises do contain. As to the Bles­sings of this life, what can we desire more than [Page 219]God promises? God promises we shall have so much of this world as is for our good; and would you have that which is for your hurt? this was a rash desire. God hath promised to free us from so much evil in this world, as our condition can be safe without; afflictions shall be for a little time if need be, no more and no longer shall our afflictions continue, then what is needful, and so long as we need them, they shall.

3. How is this for the support and comfort of Gods people that God lives?

I answer, if we consider what God is, there is enough in this to so speak it highly to the advan­tage of his People. Look upon God in those excellencies by which he hath made known himself to his poor Creatures, and this must needs be greatly to their support and comfort, though all other comforts should be taken from from them; God is the Fountain of all good, and there is that infinite fulness in him, that whate­ver our wants be, yet there is enough in his ful­ness to supply us. Though our wants are far more, and greater than we are able to under­stand, yet they are not too great for infinite ful­ness to supply. We want all those mercies by which God hath commended his love to poor Creatures, there is not one single mercy, either pardoning, or purging, or sealing mercy which we need not. But our comfort is, we cannot need that mercy, but there is enough in God for our relief, according to our particular case: be­cause he is the Fountain of all blessings, the God of all consolation, the Giver of every good gift. [Page 220]He is the Fountain of his own perfections, and he is the Fountain of all the Excellencies that are amongst the Creatures: the very Angels themselves do but shine with a borrowed light: Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Nay, he is a full Fountain, an Eternal Fountain that can never be exhaust­ed or drawn dry. Though God hath been thousands of years communicating good to his Creatures, and that in divers ways, yet he is as full as ever. We have some Resemblances of this in Nature. Though the Sun hath been pri­viledging the world with its light for some thou­sands of years, yet the Sun is as full of light as ever. And the Sea, though it hath been so long supplying the streams, yet is as full of water as ever: yet all these Resemblances are but dark Representations, and shadows of that infinite fulness and excellencie that is in God. Alas! these Creature helps are but like leaking vessels and broken Cisterns, so Jeremiah compares them, Jer. 2.13. For my people have committed two e­vils, they have forsaken me the fountain of li­ving waters, and howed them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns that can hold no water: they are but Ci­sterns, and therefore cannot hold much, and they are broken Cisterns, and therefore cannot hold what they have long; all our Creature-comforts are but like Hagars bottle that will be soon emp­ty and dry, Gen. 21.15. But now, though God hath bestowed millions of blessings upon his people, yet he hath as many blessings in store for them as ever. None shall have cause to say to him as Esan to Isaac, with tears, Hast thou but [Page 221]one blessing, my Father, bless me, even me also, O my Father. The Name by which God made him­self known to Abraham was this, I am God All-sufficient, Gen. 17.1. and what greater thing can be said than this All-sufficient. Let our case be what it will; suppose we are stript of all our comforts, God hath taken away a most comfor­table Child, a most loving Husband, a most faithful friend, one that hath been in all respects very helpful, both to our Souls, and to the com­forts of our lives heretofore; yet what is all this to the All-sufficiencie of God? if we look upon upon him as God All sufficient, and consider this God still lives, though the Cistern may be dry, yet the Fountain is open, though Creature com­forts may be gone, yet God is still where he was, this must needs be a ground of Comfort to the people of God.

Again, Look upon God not only as the Foun­tain of all good, but as the Sum and Quintes­sense of all good; and this must needs be com­fortable to his people; for whatever is of com­fort in any Creature must needs be much more in God, for God that makes any Creature com­fortable to us, can in the absence of that Crea­ture communicate the same comfort to us from himself. Observe it according to that old Rule, That which makes any thing such, must needs it self be more such. The Schoolmen speak of three ways by which we may come to the knowledge of God. The first is by way of Causality, when we take notice of those various excellen­cies that are scattered up and down in the Crea­tures, and all these meet in God, yea, and meet [Page 222]in him without the least mixture of those imper­fections wherewith they are clogg'd in the Crea­ture; but that's not all. Secondly, they are all in God by way of Infiniteness. Is a friend com­fortable? God is a friend beyond all friends. Is a faithful Counsellor a great help? what help can you liken unto God? in respect of his Being, saith Isaiah 40.18. To whom will you liken me? where is the person, or that friend who can do that for you, which I have done, and am still rea­dy to do? Do you look upon ease as a great priviledge, there's no such ease as that which God gives; he gives ease to troubled minds, peace to wounded Consciences. Nay, is life it self desirable? you read Psal. 63.3. God is much more desirable: in life and death God is desirable. Thy loving kindness (saith he) is bet­ter than life: he had rather die in the favour of God, than live in a condition of estrangement from God. Alas! what is the light of a Candle to the light of the Sun? God is (in the absence of all Creature-comforts) not only as good as those comforts would be, but he is much better to them; as Elkanah said to Hannah, Am not I better to thee than ten Sons? 1 Sam. 1.8. When the people of God do leave no less than their all here below, they leave Friends, Relations, Acquaintance, their Creature-enjoyments, they part with all at once, and do you think they are any losers by it, when they go to the enjoyment of God alone? For it is said in Heaven, God shall be all in all, there they have all made up in God. But then farther, look upon God not only as the Fountain and Quintessence of all [Page 223]good, but look upon him as the supreme disposer of all things in the world, and this God yet lives; though we have enemies, and dangers, and wants; and though we have not the Counsel of the friend we had before, nor the instruction of those Ministers we had, by whom formerly we have been refreshed, yet still that God lives who hath the disposal of all things in the world in his own hands; insomuch there is not a hair falls from our heads without the will of our Father. Lament. 3.37. Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pas [...] when the Lord commandeth it not? there are many devises in the heart of man, but the Coun­sel of the Lord that shall stand. Prov. 9 21. and so Psalm. 103.19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens, and his Kingdom ruleth o­ver all. The very Devils themselves are in Gods chain, they can do nothing but what he per­mits. Satan was fore'd to ask leave of God be­fore he could rempt Job, and so of Christ before he could enter into the very swine. So that what­ever our enemies may be, yet consider that God can either turn the heart of those enemies, (for he hath the disposal of all things) or if not turn their hearts, he can tye their hands: or if he do neither, but leave them to act maliciously against his People, God can turn that to good which they intended for evil: for he is the supreme disposer of all things: and he is infinitely wise, and knows how to dis­pose all for the best. Such is Gods wisdom, that he hath no second thoughts, but acts all according to the purpose of his own will; there is no coun­sel so secret, nor any contrivance carried on so [Page 224]much under ground, but God seeth under all these vaults and coverings, All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4.13. and the night to him is as the day, and the darkness as the light; if he permit the designes of his enemies to take effect, it shall be no further than for his glory and his peo­ples good, Psal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of w [...]ath shall thou restrain: and so Isa. 10 12. when I have performed my whole work upon Mount Zion, and upon Jerusalem, then, what then? T [...]e [...] will I punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. God makes use of his enemies as his Skullions to scour off that Rust which is upon the Graces of his people; and when he hath done this work by them, then will he punish his enemies.

Again, look upon God in his Almighty power, he can help when all help fails, he can deal ef­fectually with the hearts of his enemies, or if he let them go on, yet he that brought light out of darkness, can bring good out of evil. It is strange to consider, how wonderfully God hath carried on the designes of his Grace, both to­ward particular Souls, and toward his Church in general, even by them that have most opposed those designes; that Satan himself should be an Instrument of mans Salvation, in acting his ma­lice upon Christ, in seeking his death: thus God takes the wise in their own craft, and he overwits them in all their policies and contrivances.

Again, look upon God in his tender Compassi­ons, and certainly there be no compassions that [Page 225]can be found on earth, that come near to the in­finite compassions of a gracious God; As a fa­ther pities his child so the Lord pities them that fear him: a Mother may forget her sucking child, but the Lord never forgets his people. We read of those wonderful expressions of Gods love to his people of old; When God cometh to avenge his people of their enemies, he ariseth out of his place with might and strength to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain Isa. 26.21. But then consider his truth and faith, fulness, God hath been pleased to come under­the engagements of many promises to his peo­ple: it was freeness in God to promise; but it is his faithfulness to perform; if the word be gone out of Gods mouth, that word shall not fail of being fully executed. And then by way of close, consider Gods immutableness and constancie in all these excellencies, he is the Fountain of all good, he is the Sum of all good, he is the disposer of all the affairs of the world, he is infinite in wis­dom, great in power, tender in his compassions, and immutably constant in all these. Alas! our most loving friends that are so for the present, may turn our enemies. David speaks of those that had been his familiar friends, yet what sore things did he suffer at their hands? Caesar was murdered, you know, by his own Son; and I might give notable instances of those that have been at present real in their friendship; yet because they are mutable Creatures that friend­ship hath turned into enmity. But since God lives immutably in all these excellencies, there­fore [Page 226]it is much to the comfort of Gods people, if we consider what God is.

2. If we consider what interest his people have in him; they have an Interest not only as his Creatures, so others have also; but they have a Covenant Interest, I entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine: and they have an Interest not only by Creation, but by virtue of their own choice. God hath chosen them, and he hath enabled them to make their choice of him: and this is the Covenant God makes with such, I will be to them (says God) a God, and they shall be to me a people, Heb. 8.10. Now cer­tainly this Covenant-Interest, it is of all Inter­ests in God the most supporting, because in this Covenant where God bestows himself, he be­stows every thing of himself upon such a per­son, so far as may be for their comfort, and for their benefit. For if God be in Covenant ours, then whatever is in God will be ours. His Wisdom will be ours to direct and counsel us, and in his Wisdom there can be no mistake or oversight, he is infinitely above both. If God be ours, his Power will be ours to support us, and secure us, to support and protect us in dan­gers, and to bestow what things soever are need­ful for us. And what can be thought too hard for God to do, who hath already done such great things for his people? Enough to asto­nish those that read what is left upon Record. He that preserved Israel in the Red Sea, he that commanded the Rock to give forth water, he that commanded Manna from Heaven, he that turn­ed the Sun in its course, he that stopt the mouth [Page 227]of Lyons, he that hath done such great things, certainly [...] power is such, that in comparison o [...]t all other is weaknes. And besides, his goodnes wilt be ours to pity us, and his faithfulness ours to compence us; God is pleased to call it a Recomp [...]nce (i e.) God first gives Grace, and then [...] [...]pences his own Graces; but it is not of me [...] out of Grace still. Nay, all the Me­ [...]us of Christ will be for our good, if God be our, [...]mle [...], he will be our Father, and his Son will exercise towards us all the offices of a Me­diator; both in pleading with God on our be­half; and in pleading with us on Gods behalf. In procuring acceptance to our prayers, and in causing the Commands of God to find accep­tance with us. Truly (friends) if you consi­der how much this one thing contains, what God is in himself, & how fully God makes over all his excellenceies to his people so far as is for their good; and certainly this must needs be for the support & comfort of his people, that al­though all Creature-comforts may die, yet the Lord liveth: and so I have briefly gone over these 3 things prepounded. I shall now come to the Application of what hath been spoken.

Ʋse 1. To inform us that there is no Reason thy the people of God should be dejected when their Friends and Relations die, because God [...]eves; what an abundance of Comfort there is [...]ths you have heard already, he in whom all [...]ur happiness is, he lives; he in whom are all [...]ur hop [...]s & comforts, he lives; he that is the fountain of whatever we can desire or enjoy, [...]e is where he was: Though Abraham be igno­rant [Page 228]of us, and Israel know us not, yet doubtless thou art our Father: he still retains his know­ledge of us, and his affection to us. And though we may be deprived of lesser matters, yet if we have our God, we have enough: we may have a large enjoyment of Creature-com­forts, and not be happy in them: Nay, we may have the largest enjoyment of these things, and and yet be miserable, notwithstanding them. What are Wine and Oyl and all Creature-com­forts in comparison of the light of Gods counti­nance? You see David speaks contemptibly of all these things, Psalm 4.6, 7. When Mich had lost his gods, said he, and what have I more? Judg. 18 24. Indeed could a gracious Soul be separated from God, it might then cry out as Micah did under his Idolatrous mistake. But God lives, who by his presence at any time is able to make up the loss of his dearest comforts be takes from us. I have shewed you there is infinitely more in God for our comfort, than there can be in all Creatures; because whate­ver good is in them, God puts it in them, and makes them good to us; and he that makes our comforts good unto us, he alone can supply us in the absence of those Comforts. God alone is an absolute, commensurate, adaequate good, wh [...] only can fill the capacious desires of our Souls: the Soul of man is too large for any but God to fill, who is the Rock of Ages. Now whatever God doth with his people in the removing o [...] useful Friends and the most dear Relations, and most eminent Instruments of their good, yet still they have no cause to be dejected, for this is [...] [Page 229]nough to answer all, that God who is the Lord he lives. You see in this how much the people of God have to ballance all their losses; nay, more than to ballance them, there is enough to weigh down all in this single consideration, the Lord li­veth; he livetin that by his care hath hitherto kept us. Alas! who could have preserved us, if God had not taken the care of us? It is said, We are kept by the power of God through faith un­to Salvation. 1 Pet. 1.5. and we are bid to cast all our care upon him, because he careth for us, 1 Pet. 5. O [...] do but consider what assurance God hath give this people of his care and mind­fulness of them in whatever he doth; in what­ever he doth towards them, and whatever he doth in the world: Rom 8.28 All things work together for the good of them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose: not some things, no many things, but all things; though perhaps some particulars may at present work for evil yet they shall work together for good: As in a Medicine, some ingredients may be too hot, and some too cold, but being put all together, the Medicine may be good, and very proper and apt for the Distemper. Psalm. 25.10. All the pathe of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant, and his Testimonies Look in­to the experiences of former Ages, saith David, (and he speaks it for his own and others encou­ragement) Psal. 37.25. I have been young and am now old, yet did I never see the righteous forsaken, (they may be reduced to great wants, but not forsaken) nor their seed begging bread.

Ʋse 2. Of Reproof to such as place their Com­forts in dying vanities: you see we have a living God to look up unto. The truth is, most of the troubles that we undergo here on earth, they are troubles we make to our selves; and amongst others, this is one, by placing our Comforts up­on any thing on this side God; in doing thus, we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of disappointment; for if we will lean upon a broken Reed, that Reed will be weak & cannot support us; & if we will build upon a sandy foun­dation, that sandy foundation must needs fall, when the winds and storms of trouble do arise, Let me therefore leave this with you, he that builds his hopes, and places his comforts upon any thing that is dying and fading, this man brings himself under an absolute necessity of disap­pointment I herefore (says Job) the hope of the Hypocrite shall perish, Job 8. [...]3. he that pleaseth himself in those appearances of Grace that will vanish when they come to the trial, his hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

But that's not all, in placing our hopes upon any thing besides God, we do highly provoke God, and put our selves very much out of his Protecti­on: for if we think our selves safer in the hands of Creatures than in the hands of God, and happier in the enjoyment of Creatures than in the enjoyment of God, what a disparagement do we hereby put upon God? This is the high­est affront we can offer him. The truth is, we can neither prudently, nor well fix upon any thing but God. Says Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. when he had many troubles, I know whom I have be­lieved, [Page 231]and whom I have trusted, I know where to fix my hopes and expectations, and this my support. Now whenever we go from God, we go to our loss, for in going from him, let us go where we will, we do but go from fulness to emptiness, and from strength to weakness

1. Consider first, The inability of Creatures to relieve us, they may help in some cases, and yet they alone cannot help, unless they have a a Commission and Blessing from God. Food alone cannot nourish, no [...] Physick alone cure, Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that pro­ceeds from God.

2. Though these things may be helpful for a Time, yet it is but for a time; a little time, and these things are at an end: but to live upon God, is to live indeed. The life of a Christian, is to live a Heaven here upon earth.

Another Branch of this Reproof to such as do provoke this God against themselves, he is a living God, and therefore is sensible of all those affronts we offer to him. A dead thing you know is un­sensible. All those Idols which the Heathen wor­shipped of old were unsensible, but our God is a living God: and as he is sensible of the affronts he receives, so he is able to revenge these affronts, he is able to execute all that he hath threatned against sinners: and it is a fearful thing (says the Apostle) to fall into the hands of the living God.

Ʋse 3. Which is very considerable in this case. How may we know whether this living God be our God or no? It is true, there's an abun­dance of comfort in this, but this Comfort is [Page 232] restrained only to those that have an Interest in God. Now, the clearest way to discern our In­terest in God, is to observe what Interest God hath in us. Do you esteem him and prize him above all things else? are you content to be reproach­ed of others, so you be thought well of by God, 1 Cor. 2.13. Do you value his ways above the most gainful Imployment in the world, and grudge the world those enc oachments its apt to make upon you? when you are engaged in the things of God & Heaven, do you look upon the things of heav'n to be so considerable, us to drown all the proffers that sin and Satan and the world can make? are you sensible their Temptations are to your loss? have you such thoughts of Gods Cross, that you can count it your Crown? thus did Moses. What are your affections on? Are they to God? do you love love him above all? had you rather displease the world than him? Is God the highest in your thoughts? do you va­lue him so as to loath every thing that stands in opposition to him? and do you hate every false way? if you love God, you hate all evil. Do you fear him above all others? Heb. 11. 'tis said, Noah feared, and prepared an Ark. Do you de­light in God, and are his withdrawings the most sadning to you? Consider what your carriage to God is? do you devote your selves to his ser­vice? do you submit quietly to his dispensations, and to whatever Providences he exercises you with? are you with Paul pressing after more of God, forgetting what is behind, Phil 13.14. The way to know whether we have any interest in God, is to observe what interest he hath in us. [Page 233] Ʋse 4. Of Advice That you would make this living God your God. Time will come when this living God will be able to stand you instead, when you are taking an everlasting farewel of this world: now if you have not this God for your Friend, he will be your enemy; but if you have this God for your Friend, you have enough; you then may be able to say as Habakkuk, chap. 3.17, 18. Let your hopes therefore be in this living God, who can lift you up above the vicissitudes, and uncertainties of these outward things. Though Comforts may ebb, and God may knock off many eminent and useful props and helps; yet remember you have a Fountain still to go to, though the streams be dried up. You may find much more in God, then you can possibly lose in any Creature. And to this end God takes away our comforts, to bring us nearer to himself. Perhaps we Idoliz'd them, and overlov'd them, now God will remove that which kept him and us at di­stance. They are but bad Scholars, that learn not to draw nearer to God by afflictions, for this is Gods intent by all, to bring us nearer to him­self.

THe time to which these words refer, was as sad a time as ever this holy man had met with in all his dayes. Three Circumstances remarkable in the Context.

1. Ziklags destruction, ver. 2. The City is laid in ashes, and the people led into Captivity, in­stead of habitations nothing but ruine, instead of Families nothing but solitude; Israel is now de­servedly punished by the Amalekites, whom be­fore they had sinfully spared, 1 Sam. 15.2, 3, 8, 9.

2. The joynt lamentation of this loss by Da­vid and his followers, their City is burnt with fire, and themselves almost drown'd with tears at the sight thereof; 'tis said they wept, till they had no more power to weep.

3. The particular aggravation of Davids for­row beyond all the rest, for besides that, his affli­ction was the same with theirs, they lay the guilt of all theirs upon him: Every man look'd [Page 235]upon his Companion as a sharer in his affliction, but all looked upon David as the Author, and therefore they who had been his followers, are now his accusers, they spake of stoning him.

In the words

• 1. Davids sore distress, spoiled of his Relations, robbed of his Creature com­forts, his very life endangered.
• 2. Davids singular advantage in this his distress, his interest in the Lord as his God, when he could scarce call any thing in the world his, he could call the Lord his. [In the Lord his God.]
• 3. His serious improvement of this advantage, he encouraged, confirm­ed, or strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

• Doct. 1. They who are dearly beloved, may nevertheless be deeply afflicted.
• Doct. 2. Tis the great advantage of all sin­cere Believers that they have an interest in the Lord as their God.
• Doct. 3. A s [...]rious improvement of this peculiar interest which all sincere Believers have in the Lord as their God is sufficient for their support and encouragement under the sorest of our outward afflictions that can befal them in this world.

1. Doct. They who are dearly beloved, may nevertheless be deeply afflicted. David was sorely distressed. David his very name in Hebrew signifies Beloved; a man of whom God himself [Page 236]gives that ample testimony, that he was a [...] after his own heart, Acts 13.22. and yet how sore were his afflictions? Saul and his Souldiers had banished him not only out of the City of Jerusalem, but out of the Coasts of Israel; in order to his safety, he is forced to seek shelter a­mong the uncircumcised, nor can he long be safe there neither, the Lords of the Philistnes work him out of favour with Achish their King, David must now be packing, the only retire­ment, or Zoar he had, was Ziklag: his friends who had formerly comforted him, are now in Captivity, his City a ruinous heap, all that was now left was only some small retinue, and even those though they had formerly been not only his Companions, but his Comforters in all his afflictions, yet now instead of sympathi­zing with him, they threaten to kill him: be­cause themselves were distressed with him; in­stead of bemoaning him, and bringing wa­ter to quench the fire of his sorrow, they do but bring fewel to enflame his grief the more. The instance is full. Let me add the instance of the whole collective body of Gods people here on earth, in all Ages it hath been generally thus with them, the primitive Professors, Heb. 11.36, 37, 38. of whom the world was not worthy. Jesus Christ himself, the only beloved of the Father was yet a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs. Consider his groans, his cries, his drops of blood; and 'tis clear therefore, that whom God dearly loves, he may and does sometimes deeply afflict, not onely equally with others, but many times above others. But for the [Page 237]further proof hereof take these two Argu­ments.

1. Argum The sharpest of outward afflicti­ons are not inconsistent with the peculiar love of God, as the sweetest of outward mercies are not the Arguments of that love. Christ tells his Disciples, John 18.36. His Kingdom is not of this world: We must distinguish betwixt the Kingdom of his power and Providence, and this certainly is both in and of this world, and the Kingdom of his grace and goodness, and this indeed is not of this world: The Laws of this Kingdom are spiritual, the priviledges, the homage, the comforts, the all of this Kingdom is spiritual; as concerning all temporals, love & hatred are not known by all that is before us, Eccles. 9.2. God hath higher and greater things whereby to shew his favour and anger than all these outward things are.

2. Argum. The forest of outward afflictions are so far from being inconsistent with peculiar love, that they are many times the expressions and evidences of that love, Heb. 12.6. whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, &c. Psal. 119.75. There is a design of mercy to them in all their seeming miseries. Consider those two Scrip­tures, Psal. 25.10 Rom. 8.28. the very best of Gods people make afflictions necessary in or­der to their good, and therefore God will not so far neglect them as not to chastise them. A tender Parent that beholds his Child running on in extravagancies, the more he loves him, the more severe he is in correcting him, and the rea­son is, because he hath no patience to see his [Page 238]Child ruin'd: as for others God lets them a­lone in their sins, Hos. 4.17. he will not be at the pains of correcting them, Isa. 1.5. but the particular designes that God hath in correcting his people are almost innumerable, take onely these few in stances.

1. Sometimes it is to cure their spiritual ma­ladies, afflictions are Gods Physick to purge, his furnace to refine.

2. Sometimes to wean them from the world. God imbitters these Creature comforts, as the Nurse rubs the breast with wormwood and by that means weans the Child. The world never doth seem a more vain and empty thing than in a time of affliction: we are apt to make it our Idol, but we then find it like Jobs friends, Ami­serable comforter, a Physitian of no value.

3. Sometimes to exercise their graces; Jobs patience had never been so eminent, had it not been so notably tried. God does therefore reduce his people to great streights, that their trials may be a testi­mony to those graces himself hath wrought in them, their faith, their patience, their hope, &c.

4. Sometimes to encrease their experiences, and that in two respects.

1. Concerning their own weakness. Times of affliction are sifting seasons. God then dis­covers us to our selves: the skill of a Pilot ap­pears in a storm, the valour of a Souldier in a Battle, the strength or weakness of a Christian in a time of affliction.

2. Concerning Gods goodness; never doth God more fully manifest the bowels of his com­passion, [Page 239]than in a time of persecution, when ordinary Providences were not sufficient for the people of Israel, God provided for them by Miracles sometimes to prepare them for ser­vice. The infinitely wise God who hath ap­pointed several men to several services hath se­veral moulds to fit and shape them for those ser­vices. Joseph, Moses, David those eminent ine struments all trained up in afflictions. Some there are whom God intends only as privat, passengers, others whom he intends as Pilots and these latter must be well acquainted with winds and Seas, rocks and sands; all the Books of Navigation can never make a skilful Mariner, there must be experience, so here.

6. Sometimes to prepare them for mercies, 'tis our misery we seldom know how to prize mercies, but when we want them. The good­ness of God the more continued it is, the great­er it is in it self, but the less it seems to us, and therefore God makes some pauses, some intermis­sions of his favours, that his mercies may there­by recover their due esteem with us, and that we may the better manage them: and thus doth God by wants fit his people for abundance; by streits for enlargements, by troubles for quietness.

7. Sometimes to sharpen their desires after Heaven: we are in this world but as Pilgrims and Travellers, God permits us to meet with hardships in our journey to mind us of our home, that our troubles here may stir up our longing after that rest which remains for the peo­ple of God hereafter, Heb 4.9.

Ʋse. Take heed of entertaining so much as one jealous thought concerning the goodness, [Page 240]faithfulness, and tenderness of God towards you upon this account, because he afflicts you, 'tis hereby he discovers his care of those whose welfare he is pleased to concern himself most in.

2. Doct. That 'tis the great advantage of all sincere Believers, that in all their afflictions they have an interest in the Lord as their God. When David here could call nothing in the world his, he could call the Lord his: this was his advan­tage in that sore distress.

1. What was this advantage that David then had, and all sincere Believers still have in God as their God, above what others have: in answer to which,

1. There is an interest which all men have in God, as he is their Creator and Preserver.

2. There is an interest which some have in God as theirs, by vertue of their living under the tenderness of Grace, and their acceptance of these tenders, at least in their outward pro­fession: the obstinate Jews are styled Christs own, John 1.11. and Christ and all his Privi­ledges theirs, Rom. 9.4.

3. There is an Interest Believers have in the Lord their God above these, viz. a Covenant-interest, an interest in the Lord not only by rea­son of his Sovereignty, but by reason of their submission; not only because called and invited by God, but because come over to him; God hath chosen them, and they have chosen him; and these are the people that are especially the objects of his love, his delight, his care, his pe­culiar treasure, Exod. 19.5. all that are sincere­ly in Covenant with God may claim a higher [Page 241]interest in God as theirs, than others can, for this is the very language of the Covenant of Grace in the several periods of its promulgati­on, that he will in an especial manner become their God: Thus to Abraham, Gen. 17.7, 8. to the people of Israel, Deut. 5.2, 3, &c. to the Jews in their Captivity. Jer. 24, 7. to Believers under the Gospel, Heb. 8.10. I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

2 How much there is of advantage to Be­lievers from this Covenant-interest in the Lord as their God, it is a priviledge indeed, that ex­ceeds all that either words can express, or thoughts can reach: to have this interest in the Lord as our God, includes so very much in it, that we cannot rationally desire more. Com­pare Psalm. 16.5, 6. and Psalm. 344.15. and Phil. 3 8. to have him for ours who is the most high God, Gen. 14.18, 19, 20, 22. the supreme good, the only good, Luke 18.19. the fountain of all good; all the excellencies that are in the Creatures are in him eminently, yea, infinitely; all created perfections compared to his, are but as a drop to the vast Ocean, as a few scattered rayes of light to the glorious body of the Sun. Isa. 40.25. It was the pride of Pompey he could endure no superior, and of Caesar he could en­dure no equal; but it is the prerogative of the great God, he hath none above him, or like un­to him. Now that this God should so fully be­come the God of all sincere Believers, as the pregnancie of the expression imports, may justly be matter of astonishment. 'Tis no small mat­ter God promises to Abraham. Gen. 15. to be a [Page 242]Sun and shield; to believers under the Gospel to be a friend and a Father, 2 Cor 6.16. But when he promises to be a God, this surmounts all. Consider the largeness and comprehen­siveness of this promise: For if he be a God to us.

1. Whatever he is as God is ours, i. e. to our support and comfort. Now who can declare what God is; we speak of him in several At­tributes; there is not one of all these Divine excellencies, but is much for the relief of all those that can call him their God, i. e. their God in Covenant: as for instance.

This wisdom is theirs for their direction and counsel: and certainly infinite wisdom can ne­ver be over-reached or defrauded. Known unto him are all things from the beginning to the end.

This power is theirs to protect them and pro­vide for them: and certainly Omnipotence can can never be resisted or retarded: if his hand be lifted up, whether in a way of judgment of mercy, who can turn it back. Can any thing be difficult to that God, who by a word com­mande the whole frame of Nature out of no­thing; he that led Israel through the Red Sea; Commanded water out of flinty Rocks; rain­ed Manna down from Heaven; stopped the mouths of Lions; what can be thought hard for such a God to do?

His compassion is theirs to pity them, and act for them, and surely all the tenderest compassi­ons that can be found on earth are infinitely short of those bowels of mercy which are in [Page 243]God, as a Father yea more than a mother doth th lord pity those that fear him

'Tis faithfulness is theirs, both to own them here, and recompence them for ever. This is his Premise, Jer. 32.40.

2. Not only what he is in his Essence, but whatever he is in his Subsistence is theirs, him­self in their Father, his Son their head, exer­cising all his Offices towards them in pleading for them with God, and pleading from God with them: his Spirit is theirs to convince them, convert them, to purge them, to improve them, to quicken them, to witness for them, to supply them both with grace and comfort.

3. Whatever he hath is theirs, his Creatures to serve them, his Angels to guard them, his gra­ces to adorn them, his Ordinances to improve them, his comforts to support them, his glory to crown them, &c.

4. Whatsoever he doth in the world is theirs, i. e. for their good: the Providences of God are various, his ways a great deep, yet though clouds and darkness are round about him, righ­teousness and judgment are the habitations of his Throne. Whatever he doth in the world, yet this is undoubted, he hath an eye at the good of his people in some kind or other, though not visible unto us.

Ʋse. Inform. 1. The astonishing goodness and bounty of God to his Covenant-people, he hath bestowed himself upon them, and what can even infinite bounty bestow more, Heb. 6.13. 'Tis said, because there was none greater to swear by, he swore by himself: so here, because [Page 244]there was nothing so great he could bestow, he be­stowed himself. How infinitely much is there [...] this? so much that we can neither need nor de­sire more. Oh what a heighth! a depth! a length! a breadth of love is here surpassing knowledge! the less we are able to understand it, the more we should admire it, Rom. 8.31.

2. The dreadful condition of all those who live without God in this world; of all persons these are the worst provided for against dangers, or with comforts, whatever their condition may be in respect of earthly confluencies, yet have we cause to pity them and pray for them: con­sider but

1. The meanness of those mereies they en­joy; they are but husks that God sometimes bestows in anger, and denies in favour.

2. The mixture that is in their mercies, there is a curse mingled with their blessings, their table is a snare, their enjoyments a trap and a stum­bling block.

3. The momentaniness of their enjoyments; 'tis but a little while and all such comforts have an end.

4. The desolateness of their condition, when these comforts are gone, all is then gone with them.

Ʋse. Examination. How may we know that have an interest in the Lord as our God.

1. What are your thoughts of Go? is he so high in your thoughts, that all things else are low! can you say in sincerity of heart with David, Psalm 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none on earth I desire in comparison of [Page 245]thee: we cannot own him as God unless we thus set him uppermost in our thoughts: do you account him your riches, your treasure, your happiness; Do you prize his favour above the applause of men? are you contented to be re­proached by others, if you may be owned by him? do you value his ways above the most pro­fitable imployments in the world? do you think your time never so well spent and improved, as when bestowed upon his service. Psalm. 84.10. do you account his encouragements above all earthly allurements? and that all the world can proffer are poor contemptible things to him that understands the inheritance of the Saints in light? do you look upon his Cross as your Crown? thus did Moses, Heb. 11.25.

2. What are your affections towards God? do you love him above all? this is the great Command, Deut. 6.5. that is our God which we most love: it is said of the Epicureans, they made their bellies their gods. Phil. 3.19. 2. Tim. 3.4. That they were lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. do you so love God as to loath whatever stands in opposition to God? Psalm. 97.10. so as [...]o loath whatever stands in compe­tition with him? 1 John 2.15. do you so fear him, as not to fear to displease others in pleasing of him? thus Dan. 3. from ver. 13 to ver 19. Dan. 6.10. do you delight in him? despise all things in comparison of him? thus did Paul, Phil. 3.8. do you prize all things in reference to him? are his withdrawings of all things the most sad­ning?

3. What are your carriages toward God? [Page 246]do you fully devote your self to his service in all that you have or are? 2 Cor. 8.5. do you qui­etly submit, and rest well contented with his disposals in all things? are you ever pressing after more of God? Phil. 3.14.

4. What is your conformity to Christ, 1 Joh. 2.6. He that saith he abideth in him, ought him­self to walk even as he also walked: and of all patterns of holiness none is like that we have in Christ.

1. His self denial: this is the highest in­stance we have in Scripture. We read of the self denial of Abraham in two things: 1. lea­ving his Country: 2. Beieg ready to sacrifice his Son, though a Son of many prayers oo his part, and of many promises from God. Of the self-denial of Moses; but the self-denial of Christ doth infinitely exceed all instances besides.

The glory he left was such as no Creature was capable of.

The misery he underwent such as no meet Creature was able to have undergone; his whole life was a life of self denial, his entrance into the world, his continuance in it, and his passage out of it, all of them high acts of self-denial.

The persons for whom he denied himself were such as could not deserve that kindness, no nor desire it, that could not requite it, but in whom was every thing that might have hindered it; and yet this person that denied himself was one that stood upon even ground with God the Fa­ther, Phil. [...].6.

2. The life of Christ was a pure undefiled [Page 247]life; the lives of the best of men have been che­quered with blemishes, their best and fairest co­pies have not been without blots; but it is said of Christ, he was without spot, 1. Pet. 1.19. 1 Pet. 2.22. there were many things in Christ at which many were offended; the Scribes and Pharisee [...] at his conversing with sinners; the Disciples themselves sometimes were offended at the se­rerity of his Doctrine; but the cause of these offences was in them not in him. The admira­ble exemplariness of his life appears.

In that under the sorest of afflictions he never discovered the least of impatience; his Name was reproached, his person contemned, his ve­ry Soul grieved, yet did he not express so much as one hard thought of God.

The highest favours could not make him less humble.

The strongest temptations could not allure him from his faithfulness, Mat. 4.

The greatest oppositions could not slacken his diligence, or make him remiss.

In one word, his obedience was so full, that he left nothing unfinished of all that God requi­red from him, John 17.4.

3. A most active and useful life in reference to God, in serving him; in reference to man, in saving-poor lost Souls. Consider his zeal to God, John 2.17. his melting compassions to­wards the Souls of poor sinners, his invitations, encouragements, sad resentments of denials, and obstinate refusals, his stooping to the meanest offices in order to his peoples good, John 13. his preferring doing good to the world before en­joying [Page 242] [...] [Page 243] [...] [Page 244] [...] [Page 245] [...] [Page 246] [...] [Page 247] [...] [Page 248]all the good of it, his unwearied labori­ousness in seeking and saving them that were lost: the more conformable you are to the life of Christ, the clearer is your title to those Pro­mises which the Covenant contains which is established with poor Creatures in and through Christ.

3. Doct. A serious improvement of this pecu­liar interest which all sincere Believers have in the Lord as their God, is sufficient for their support and encouragement under the sorest of outward distres­ses that can befal them in this world. A clear in­stance of this we have in David here, when his Companions (whose distresses were less than his) had such a damp on their hearts, and were exceedingly dispirited, David was still and qui­et, and the great Antidote he made use of was, [he encouraged himself in the Lord his God] he doth not break out into complaints either against God or against them, but betakes himself to God for Counsel what was to be done in such a case as his was, ver. 7. and that which kept his spirit in so sedate and calm a temper was [he en­couraged himself] viz. he improved this privi­ledge to his support and comfort, this was a course he had often experimented, Psal. 18.2. Ps. 27.1. Psa. 46. throughout, this was his judg­ment in the case as to others, Psal. 112.7.8. Two things will make this more evidently appear.

1. This interest in the Lord as our God though it is an unspeakable priviledge and sufficient for our safety, yet this singly is not sufficient for our actual & present comfort, unless it be cleared & [Page 249]improved, that 'tis a great and unspeakable priviledge hath been demonstrated in the expli­cation of it, that 'tis sufficient for our safety ap­pears.

1. Because this interest is indissoluble: God doth (if I may so speak) play fast and lose with his people; his affections towards them, are no fickle, no wavering affections, he is not off and on with them, but where once he sets his heart nothing can take it off, John 13.1. Rom. 8.38, 39. thousands of calamities may dissolve our relation to all Creature-comforts, but no­thing can dissolve it to God.

2. While this relation continues there can be no diminution of his love and care; affecti­ons are very strong in all those relations wherein God describes the relation he himself stands in to his people; that of a Lord, a Father, a Hus­band, If God he for us, who can be against us.

3. There can be no kind of adversaries able to match God; how contemptibly doth God speak of the proudest adversaries his Church had, Isa. 51.12.13. Dan. 7. his wisdom and his power are indisputable, and so are his affe­ctions towards his: he can do what he pleases, and give what he pleases, and he will do for, and give to them whatever he sees shall be for their advantage; his promises are so large and full, that we cannot rationally desire more.

2. Though this interest in the Lord as our God be sufficient for our safety; yet this singly is not sufficient for our comfort, though it will [Page 250]insensibly support, it cannot actually refresh, without it be improved.

1. Because it is not the reality but visibility of this priviledge that affords actual comfort.

2. This priviledge may be darkned and e­clipsed, as we may see in Heman, David, and Isal. 50.10. this priviledge must be improved: thousands of cases there are, in which nothing but a sense of our interest in the Lord as our God can bear up our hearts: what are riches, greatness, parts, in the world, sinful shiftings, carnal compliances, and all kind of imagina­ble offences against danger, in time of our grea­test distresses: nothing but this Covenant inte­rest in the Lord as our God.

Ʋse. Exhortation. In all your distresses fly to this priviledge as your chief fort, your only refuge: God hath cast our Lot in times full of danger, and is it wisdom to have our weapons to seek when our enemies are in view? the expert Seaman, when he sees a storm ap­proaching is careful to keep within his harbour; there are many visible symptomes of a storm approaching: many black clouds hang over heads, the best refuge we can make use of, is our interest in the Lord as our God, to plead that with him; this was a course David had much experience of in all his streights, Psal. 119 94. fly to this as your strong hold, Zech 9.12.

Motives. 1. 'Tis is a debt we owe to God; God hath sufficiently provided for the safety and comfort of all his people in all conditions, and is it not great ingratitude in us not to make use of those advantages he affords us.

He hath sufficiently provided for their safety [Page 251]in chaining up the rage and power of enemies, [...]hat they can reach no farther than those com­forts, which they may comfortably be with­out; they may reach their estates, their liber­ties, their lives, but not their Souls, their ever­lasting comforts in another world, Mat. 10.28. 1 P [...]t. 1.5. John 10.28, 29.

Yea, he hath abundantly provided for their comfort; he would not have his servants go on discouragedly in the work he hath set them a­bout; but with all chearfulness, alacrity, and readiness of mind, and shall we thus requite the lard, Deut. 32.32.6. as not to serve him with chearfulness in the abundance of all things.

2. 'Tis a debt we owe to our selves; God hath intrusted every man, especially with his own Soul, Luke 12.20. and those despondent thoughts which are the fruit of our unbelie fare not only our affliction but our fin.

3. 'Tis an honour to the Gospel in the primi­tive persecutions the courage and fortitude of Professours made the Heathens cry out ( Great i [...] the God of Christians) their patience, their thankfulness their rejoycings in their sufferings did highly honour their Principles even among their enemies.

4. 'Tis not so great an advantage to be ex­empted from affliction as to be enabled to go chearfully through them. Zeno that great Mer­chant thought his shipwrack the best Voyage he had ever made in his life, he hade many pro­fitable Voyages before; but by this losing Voy­age he gained his Soul.

5. You know not how soon such calamities [Page 252]may overtake you, that you may have need of greater and stronger supports than you ever yet had, when death comes, and worldly troubles set upon you like an armed man.

6. This hath been the renown and glory of those eminent worthies who are now with God; they have chearfully born their testimony and obtained a good report through faith, Heb. 11.

2. Ʋse. Direction. But how should we im­prove our interest in the Lord as our God in a time of trouble?

1. By examining the very foundation and ground-work of all your claims; an errour in the foundation hazards the whole structure, be sure therefore you begin not at the wrong end; a mistake in a Principle occasions a thousand: if you set out in a wrong path, the farther you go, the more you wander, begin therefore here; am I in the number of those who can warranta­bly look up to the Lord as their God; multi­tudes there are who call God Father, and yet are of their father the Devil, John 8.41, 42, 44. and many again there are who through the weakness of their faith, are too shie in making those claims to this priviledge which they may of right: many are hasty in catching at the comforts of the promises, before they di­scern in themselves the dispositions to which these promises are made; begin therefore with all wariness.

2. Improve your interest in God by frequent reviews of those rich treasures you have in him, when once you can resolve this grand Quaere, that God is yours. In what affectionate eleva­tions [Page 253]and heavenly raptures do we find the spi­rit of David upon these reviews, Psal. 118.28. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee, thou art my God and I will exalt thee.

All the necessities in the world cannot make him poor who hath such a God for his portion. There are several sorts of riches mentioned in Scripture, Luke 12.21. James 2.5. but of all kind of riches, this is the most desirable. Of our selves we are poor necessitous Creatures, made up of wants, empty Cisterns, but he is a full fountain: our wants of all kinds are far greater than we are able to express, but we can none of us want so much as he is able to sup­ply.

All the calamities in the world cannot make him miserable who hath God for his happiness: the primitive Christians did chearfully bear their banishments because they could not be ba­nished from God, and prisons which shut out friends, because they could not shut out the Lord. God alone is the happiness of Heaven, and he that improves his interest in God, be­gins Heaven in his Soul here on earth.

All the dangers and storms that threaten such, can put them into no hazard, because God is the great disposer of all things, their times are in his hands; and this God, their God in Co­venant.

3. Stand upon your guard against all trou­bled thoughts, till you have first examined the ground of them; thus did Psalm 42. Psal. 43. reason the case with himself: Why art thou cast down O my Soul, why art thou troubled within me? [Page 254]he would not let his troubled thoughts pass, till he had first examined them, and called them to an account. Did Christians stand thus upon their watch, they would not be so often surpri­zed with dispondances.

4. Suppress all jealousies about God. Hath God shewn you, and doth he still shew you great and fore troubles; if you can truly call God yours, Question not, he deals with you no otherwise than with Sons, and in the sharpest Providences hath no other design upon you, than your good, and the very worst he means you is your profit.

5. Be serious and frequent in meditation. Me­ditation is the life of Religion. Meditate o [...] these few Objects.

1. How much better God hath been to you whom he hath owned as his, than to the richest and greatest persons in the world in their carnal estate: Hath he bestowed the world upon o­thers, he hath bestowed himself upon you [...] are others freed from present troubles, you are freed from everlasting troubles. The most prospe­rous estate of others is but like fatting for the slaughter; like Hamans banquet, which cost him his life: nay, suppose wicked men may spend all their days in mirth, and you in sadness, yet will the scene be strangely changed after this life, Isa. 65.13, 14 compared with Luke 16 25.

2. Meditate upon the reserves of mercy God hath for his people hereafter; are you now de­prived of that Communion you formerly have had with Christian friends, think of what Com­munion [Page 255]you shall have with them hereafter, when you shall have Communion with all the Saints that ever lived, and none but Saints with Saints and freed. from all infirmities, with Saints in the highest imployments of admiring and adoring God; such communion as shall never have the least interruption; are you de­prived of any opportunities of Communion with God here, meditate upon that Communi­on you shall have with him hereafter: think of these things, comfort one another with these words.

3. Meditate upon the tendencie of all your afflictions to those blessed ends for which God designs them; look not upon your afflictions as to their present aspect, that may be grim and gastly, but as to their effects and fruits, and they are higly encouraging, 2 Cor. 4.8.

4. Meditate upon the smalness of those evils you undergo, and the greatness of those evils you are freed from; you may not perhaps be freed from losses, reproaches, pains, weaknesses, but if you belong to God, you are freed from sin, from wrath, from hell.

5. Meditate upon the meanness of the mer­cies God with holds, and the greatness of the mercies he affords; if God do not give the blessings of his footstool, yet if he give the blessings of his Thro [...]e; if he keep open but the upper-springs, though he shut the nether­springs, if he with hold common, and bestow distinguishing mercies, we have cause for ever to be thankful. Ephes. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath [Page 256]blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

COnsidering how wonderfully God hath spared us from those common calamities which have brought no less than utter ruine and desolation upon the families of others; having spared some of us as to our habitations, our friends, our Creature comforts: Nay, all of us here pre­sent as to our lives; that we may be the more af­fectionately sensible of this kindness of God to us, and more diligently careful to improve it, that neither God may lose the honour of these favours, nor we the benefit and advantage of them; consider the example of David here, who looks upon life and all the Comforts of this life, as desirable upon no account so much as this, that he may make some farther progress in Grace and holiness, and that he might by these outward mercies be more inricht with spiritual mercies: He doth not beg here, nor simply de­sire that he might live, but he begs the continu­ance of the life of Nature in order to his im­provement [Page 257]in the life of Grace: Oh spare me, says he, that I may recover strength, &c.

This Psalme consists partly of Meditation, and partly of Prayer: these are the two great duties which are so absolutely necessary that the very life and power of all Religion depends up­on them. These two duties are like those two Pillars that Solomon set before the Temple, 2 Chron. [...].17. Jachim and Boaz, the one was Establishment, and the other Strength.

These Meditations wherein the Psalmist im [...] ploys his thoughts were not upon melancholy trifles, nor speculative fancies, but things and subjects most solemn and serious imaginable.

Two things there are between which David here divides his meditation, to wit, Time and Eternity: our short abode here, and our ever­lasting condition hereafter; and his design in both these his meditations are such as highly de­serves our imitation. He meditates on time, to the end he might the better improve it; and this in many verses. He meditates upon Eternity that he might be the better provided for it, and as the subjects of his meditations were solemn, so his management of them was serious; for you finde in the 2, 3, and 4th verses, when he was so overwhelmed with sorrow that he was unable to speak to men by way of converse, yet he speaks to God by way of Prayer, and to his own Soul by way of counsel and advice: and truly those Professors that are not serious in these weighty matters can be no better than luke­warm. Right Meditations about our eternal Concernments are like Bellows to blow up our [Page 258]affections and desires into an holy flame.

His Prayer may be reduced to these heads, when once his affections were inflamed he could no longer contain himself, but he gives his af­fections vent in these Petitions.

1. That he might be throughly affected with his own frailty: that 4, and 5, vers. Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my dayes, &c.

2. That he might be more convinced of the disquietness and folly that accompanies the cares of this world; and that 6th verse, Surely every man walketh in a vain shew, surely they are disquie­ted in vain.

3. That he may come off more fully to God in making him his trust and hope, ver. 7. And now Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee?

4. That God would deliver him not only from the guilt and disturbance, but from the shame of his former transgressions, ver. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions, make me not a reproach of the foolish. Let me not open the mouths of profane persons to cast any thing of infamy upon the ways of God.

5. That God would take off that heavy load of afflictions he had laid upon him, and that 10, and 11th verses. Remove thy stroke away from me, &c.

6. That God would afford him his natural strength in order to his obtaining a greater strength in Grace, in the words of the Text, O spare me, that I may recover strength.

1. Doct. How fixt soever our condition may s [...]m to be here in this world, yet we must all go [...]nc [...]

2. Doct. When we go hence we shall never be any more.

3. Doct. That to them that truly understand their own Concernments nothing renders the life of Nature more desirable, than in order to an improve­ment in the strength of Grace. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence.

He doth not beg that he might live only, but he begs farther time that he might bestow that time on God, and his Soul; here you may con­sider the Petition it self; O spare me that I may recover strength; it is as much as if he had said, Reprieve me for some farther time from the Grave, spin out the thred of my life, and con­tinue me under the opportunities of Grace (that is meant by spare me:) that is the design of his Petition; he doth not beg barely that God would but continue him to this end. The Ar­guments wherewith he backs his Petition are these two.

I am going hence: that is the first.

And be no more: that is the second Argu­ment.

I shall begin with the first of these Observa­tions

1. Doctr. Those of us that seem the most fixed and established in the world must go hence.

We have here no abiding City; it is implied in this verse: and David speaks his mind more clearly in the former verse, ver. 12. I am a stran­ger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were; [...]at is, while he was here on earth. A Learned Writer compares this life to a Stage upon which are several Actors, and every man as he hath [Page 260]his Enter so he must have his Exit: As he hath his way whereby he comes into this world, so he must have his way whereby he goes out of it. Rodolphus Agricola talking with a Learned man, and being askt what the life of man was; he gave him this description of it: Shewing himself for a while like a person upon a Stage, and taking a turn or two, and then disappearing again. We are all going hence (true, some go sooner, and some later) in all life is hastening to its pe­riod; and in the days of the year, some are longer, and some shorter, yet every day hath night succeeding it; and when the Sun is down, the whole Sky is over-clouded with darkness; so some there are (as I may so speak) do but even peep into this world, and immediately bid an everlasting farewel to it: others stay yet longer, yet they whose lives are drawn out to the longest period of time, may truly say as Da­vid doth verse 5. My days are as an hand breadth. You have many expressions in that verse, Be­hold thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age is nothing unto thee. This is clear from the Decree of God, Heb. 9.29. It is appointed for all men once to die. Though it is true God hath altered the nature of death, yet he doth not exempt his people from dying; because for them not to die is not to be happy; he hath ex­empted them from the hell of death, but not from the grave of death.

Besides, The brittle materials of which poor bodies consist, frail constitutions; these crazy bodies, these lumps of clay are but like paper-buildings, and decayed rotten houses, that are [Page 261]continually ready to drop upon the ground; all the art in the world cannot long prop them up.

I might add farther from the design of God: God never intended this world for our home. Indeed he sent us into this world as our passage to another. This is our passage, not our porti­on; it is our journey, our road, but not our Country: God hath reserved better things for all his in another world. This is a truth where­of God hath made the Vision so plain, that he that runs may read it: it is a truth that God is ever sounding in our ears, even by the deceases of our friends and acquaintance; and there­fore (mistake me not) I do not now speak to inform you of what you already know, but to put you in minde of what we should have much in our thoughts, and which we are all apt to forget.

1. Ʋse. Then certainly the happiness of man doth not consist in this world; we are in this world but as Travellers in our journey, we are now but in our passage; therefore since ere long we must bid an everlasting adieu to all our Crea­ture-comforts, then certainly these things can­not be our happiness: It is an Observation of the Schoolmen, That that wherein our happiness consists must have an essential ingredient in it: there must be a compleat and full satisfaction in the ob­ject, and security as to the everlasting fruition of the Object. Nay, some go many steps higher than this, if there should be the least jealousie in the spirits of just men made perfect, if there should be the least scruple in them of the continuance of that blessed estate, it would take away much of [Page 262]the happiness of them that are in Heaven, if there could be any jealousie of a deprivement and dispossession of those glorious priviledges, so far as such doubts are in them of the future continuance of their comforts; so far would those comforts be lost and imperfect. Now it is the priviledge of those Coelestial Glories (though sometimes in Scripture they are stiled streams, and streams at Gods right hand: Rivers at Gods right hand: at thy right hand are Rivers of plea­sure.) That they are Rivers of pleasure for ever­more; that denotes there is a permanencie in them. Truly, that wherein happiness consists must be something greater and higher than all the things of this world, because we are only upon our passage going hence. The very sup­posal of a future dispossession of happiness would make happiness to have much of misery in it.

2. Ʋse. Then where are your hearts, upon what are your thoughts, your contrivances, projects engaged? what is that about which you be­stow your strength? your labour, you service are all passing hence: Is it only about buying and selling and getting gain? Is this your great [...] [...]hat you may lay up for many years? as [...] [...]p [...]l-fool speaks, Luke 12. Soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years. Is it that you may have treasures on earth? Alas! you are p [...]ssing from hence continually, and what heighth of folly is this? therefore call your selves to account, where are your hearts? upon what are your thoughts and connivances? True, God commands us that we should in those stations [Page 263]wherein his Providence hath set us to provide things needful; but alas! we fancie many things needful that are not. It is a rule in morality, That Nature is content with little; and to be sure Grace is content with less: but yet with­all Grace raiseth up the heart to the greatest things. If we bestow our thoughts upon the things of this world, even while we are think­ing of them, they are passing from us; we de­sire that which may be in a moment snacht away from us: The serious meditation of this would be a notable bridle and check to all our exorbitant extravancies. Psal. 39. ver. 6. Sure­ly every man walketh in a vain shew, surely they are disquieted in vain: It is a hard matter to per­swade the world of this; therefore David comes with a surely; and backs it with a second surely: If there be a clearness in any truth, it must be in this, Could we sit down and seriously consi­der what we have been doing with our thoughts all the time of our lives, we shall find we might have made a higher improvement than we have done; how much have we lost of this our pre­tious patrimony that God hath left us? what­ever we have as to outward things, we must leave them; and whatever we have more than is necessary, is so far from being serviceable, that many times it becomes a burden to us: how many are the worse for the good things of this world, that God is pleased to intrust them with?

2. Doct. Whenever we go hence we shall then be no more

Before I go hence and be no more: the mean­ing [Page 258] [...] [Page 259] [...] [Page 260] [...] [Page 261] [...] [Page 262] [...] [Page 263] [...] [Page 264]is, not as if that Divine spark that is in our bosoms shouldbe quite extinguished when we go hence, or that our bodies should find an ever. lasting habitation in the Grave. No, the Soul bears a longer date with it, it is immortal, it will run parallel with the longest line of Eternity; and as for the body, it shall be fetcht back from that pavilion of darkness at the general Resur­rection, when all shall be cited to make their ap­pearance before the Tribunal of God; the meaning is this, be no more; that is, no more as we now are. Perhaps now thou art in divers capacities of being serviceable to others, as a Parent, as a Master, having an inspection into those that are under thee: thou shalt then be no more under such talents, in such capacities. Now perhaps thou hast many opportunities not only of advantage for others good, but thine own spiritual good too: but then thou shalt be no more; no more as to opportunity of Grace. We have now a praying time, and a reading time, a thime for meditation and repentance, and for that whole work that God hath appointed us here upon the earth; but when we go hence all these preparitory opportunities will cease. Man goes to his long home. Eccl 12.3. speaking of old age and decayed nature, which is so elegantly described in the former part of that Chapter, Man goes to his long home, and the mourners go a­bout the streets It is called his long home (not be­cause time doth linger, or he is long going down to the grave: no time creeps, but it posts away, even as a shadow) because there we come to our fixt and lasting cstate. [Page 265]Object. But you will say, what is it when man [...]us to his long home? what doth he then?

Ans. You have a clear answer for that Ec­cles. 9.10. There is no work, nor device, nor know­ledge, nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest. There is no working time then, the voyce of the Gospel is now heard, it cannot be heard in the Grave: you read indeed, that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: But this is spoken of them that are naturally dead, by a separati­on of the body from the Soul, but of those that are spiritually dead, by a separation of their Souls and bodies from God: Now, these though they are dead in fin, Christ hath declared he will shew his miraculous power in causing these dead to hear his voice and live: but as to all Gospel and preparitory opportunities they shall be no more.

1. Ʋse. Informs us of the sadness of their condition who have unprofitably burnt our their Candle, their Sun is set, and all their work is to do, who have trifled away their time, and yet their sins are to be pardoned, their corruptions subdued, and their assurance cleared. When the day of grace is past, there is no tim ethen for these things: under what dark chouldsdo those poor Souls sit, even clouds of horrour and de­spair that will abide upon them to all Eternity? [...] Stoick said, there is so much vanity in the world, that the first thing desirable is never to be born, and the next thing is to be quickly dead; and truly all those persons must needs be of the same persuasion with him whose Sun is set, and their work not at all done. Truly, such [Page 266]persons change their places when they go hence, but not their dispositions. Did death finde such persons: So will judgment too: Did death find such enemies to the ways of God, carnal pro­fane wretches scoffers at Religion opposers of Gods people? So will God find them, and ac­cordingly will Judgment proceed against them, there is no agreeing with our adversary, but while we are in the way, Agree with thine ad­versary whilst thou art in the way with him. This life is our passage, our Journey, there is no a­greement to be made when we are gone hen [...]. Forif when we go hence we go away strangers to God, and at a distance from him, and from Jesus Christ, we must continue so for ever: these are true ordinary Principles which every one sufficiently knows, and they are such as should be much in our thoughts.

How highly are we concerned to improve the present time; we do enjoy to the most and best advantage, in communing with our own hearts; if we shall not do it now, we shall ne­ver have time to do it hereafter. We our selves have seen within these few yearts at what great incertainty God hath left us as to these things, and therefore we should be more industrious and lively in our preparatory endeavours for another world. We have now amending, repenting, re­forming seasons, use thm, and make the best ad­vantage you can of them, and that because you know not how soon you may be taken from them.

3. Doctr. To all such as truly understand their spiritual Concernments, the great thing that renders [Page 267]the life of Nature desirable, is in order to their im­provement in Grace.

Oh spare me, says David; remove thy heavy hand from me, spin out the thread of my life, reprieve me a while from the grave; and why? he doth not beg life only that he may live; but oh, prolong my days of nature that I may make an improvement in Grace; that I may recover strength.

In opening this Observation these three things are to be considered.

First, that Grace is our spiritual strength, and that which will hearten and encourage our Souls in their going hence.

Secondly, this spiritual strength is subject to decays, and may be much empaired: That I may recover strength.

Thirdly, there is nothing renders the life of Nature desirable in comparison of his, that we may recover our decays in Grace, that we may obtain an improvement in holiness.

First, Grace is our spiritual strength; Grace is not only given us for an Ornament, but for service; God doth not bestow it upon us only as our duty, but as our strength: thus we often find it called in Scripture, the strength of the Soul, Psal. 84.7. They shall every one of them go from strength to strenth: that is the same which in other places is called from graceto grace, and from faith to faith; that is from a less degree to a higher. I might instance in the Church of Phi­ladelphia Thou hast a little strength, Rev. 3.8. that is, there is the reality of Grace, but it is Grace as it was in its infancie; thou hast but a [Page 268]little strength: Indeed where ever there is Grace, there is a proportionableness of strength. Inlightening Graces are the strength of the un­derstanding; a Soul that is spiritually anointed, acts strongly in its apprehensive faculty; self­denying Graces are the strength of the affecti­ons, and sanctifying Graces are the strength of the whole inward man.

But more particularly, there is a three fold strength in Grace.

First, a strength of interest as it intitles us to Christ.

2. Strength of improvement as Grace grows up to a higher stature.

3. A strength of evidence.

1 There is a strength of interest by Grace, by which we can claim an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that is great strength to our Souls when we are going hence and shall be no more. If you can say Christ is yours, then all is yours: life is yours and death is yours, 1 Cor. 3. last, All things are yours. If once God hath given us his Son, he will with him give us all things: and he that hath given us this Grace will with hold no good thing from us. God will think nothing too much for them upon whom he hath bestowed his Son; and who are the per­sons that have an interest in Christ? John 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not pe­rish but have everlasting life: that believeth on him, there is the Grace of faith. There is a time coming when we shall say to riches and to relations and all Creature-enjoyments, there [Page 269]was a time when you were useful, refreshing, and comfortable, but your time is now past; it is not in you to comfort us, to set open the door of Heaven for us; it is not for you to appear before God on our behalves; it is not in you to deliver us from the evils we now fear, nor to confer upon us the good things which are to be desired. Nothing can hide the Soul from the displeasure of God, nothing can procure it those undeserved favours, and make it compleat­ly happy but only Christ; but if we have Christ, we have all with him: here is the strength of interest, when the Soul is in want, and to leave all its enjoyments in the world at once (as friends, estate, relations) yet if the Soul hath an interest in Christ, death doth not separate it from Christ; that you have Rom 8. last. Nor heighth nor depth, nor life nor death.

2. These is the strength of improvement: for though weak faith, and weak Grace may hold its own, in God and Christ; yet this hold is not so firm and fast as when Grace is grown up to some stature and hath attained some degree of strength. It is a notable passage of a Learned Writer, They do but make a great noise in the world about Grace and Christ, that make no improve­ment in Grace, and are not every day making some farther prgress in their spiritual interest. 'Tis true, where-ever there is the least degree of grace there is the mystical union to Jesus Christ, and a communion with Christ in his Graces, for light and heat always come and go together; for when Christ comes into the Soul, he brings along with him these blessings. But yet though [Page 270]no Christian can be any farther in possession of Christ, than he doth make use of him, yet there are several degrees of strength, which by out making use of Christ we may attain unto. To instance in mortification of sins, and the subdu­ing of our corruptions. A Soul that can appro­priate Christ will be deriving Conquest from Christ over its inbred corruptions, and power to get Authority over its continued temptations, such a Soul will be crucified to the world, and all the lusts of the flesh; and so as to vivification and newness of life; a Soul that can challenge a propriety in Christ will fetch dower not only from his death for the mortification of sin, but also from his Resurrection; for holiness and newness of life and conversation, it will finde living desires and longings and lively stirrings of heart after God continually.

3. There is the strength of evidence or assu­rance which results from Grace. That I may re­cover may strength When the Soul by reflecting upon it self, nnds that it hath made such im­provement by the means of Grace and oppor­tunities it doth enjoy, and that really it hath got an interest in Christ, and sees some Scripture­grounds to reckon it self among those beloved ones, whose names are written in the Book of life; this will fill the Soul with joy here, and bear it up under all pressures and difficulties it may meet with in its passage, this will animate it to look death in the face, and that with com­fort. Now these three sorts of strength are so admirably advantageous, will appear from the language of departing Souls when they come [Page 271]to lie upon their death-beds; what is it that makes the poor Soul that is ready to take its flight into another world, when it is just going hence and shall be no more, to quake and trem­ble, but the want of some of these strengths? O says one, If I had but an interest in Jesus Christ, I could say with Simeon, Luke 2.20. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart: Death should not then storm me; no, I would then make a quick and speedy surrender of my self to it, then it should not lay siege to me: Says a second, had I more strength of improvement, had I walked more circumspectly, lived more self-denyingly, had I approved my self more faithful in all my Relations, I should then have been more able with the dying Swan to have sung my self asleep in my last bed, as the Natu­rallist speaks.

Says a third, had I an evidence and an assu­rance of my relation to Christ; did I certainly know I have an interest in the love of God, then I should welcome death, and say welcome thou Prince of terrours, for though thy face be grim, yet thy message is comfortable, so that it is on­ly spiritual strength, that will bestead the Soul at such a time: and whatever mercy we may be found wanting of, what a mercy will it be to us not to be found wanting of this mercy, this spiritual strength. It is no great matter in what way death comes to us, if it find us with this spiritual strength, in reference to our eterual condition.

2. Part. This spiritual strength is subject to many failings and decays.

Our strength as to interest ('tis true) can not be lost, for a Soul that is once united to Christ is never separated from him again. My Father (faith our Saviour) is greater than all, and none can pluck them out of my Fathers hands. The very innitiative Covenant by which Christ espouseth a Soul to himself, carries the longest date along with it; I will never leave thee nor for­sake thee: thou art mine, and shalt be mine: I do love thee, and I will love thee for ever, John 13.3. He loved his own to the end, he gives grace, and he will give glory. But though it is true that cannot be lost, yet the strength and improve­ment, and the evidence of this interest may be blotted and darkned, it may be intermitted and interrupted; our spiritual comforts may be clouded by inbred corruptions breaking in upon the Soul: Godmay suffer the Soul to be foyled and born down for a time; this you shall find in the most chearful and the most improved Christians, and those that have had sometimes the clearest discoveries of Gods love to their Souls; what a damp hath sometimes been upon their Joys? insomuch that David was fain to call himself to an account, Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? How have even he best of Saints many times thought themselves meer cast-aways, and such as whom God had forsaken utterly. Indeed to discouse how far a Child of God may go backwards in his Comforts, is a task too large to speak to; but questionless there may be a great decay in spiri­tual strength, in the strength of improvement; Grace may feem to be quite withered and dri­ed [Page 273]up: Rev. 2.4, 5. The Church of Ephesus had lost her first love, her flourishing, her vigorous love. The Church of Sardis seemed to be quite dead, at least ready to die, Rev. 3.1. Thou hast a name to live, but art dead, as to outward ap­pearance. We say a reai Christian can never be under such a deprivation of all kind of spiritual life and sense, he may be so as to others; he may have no symptoms of spiritual life left, yet there may be some struglings for life remain­ing.

And as for Assurance they may be bronght so low as to be upon the very brink of despair, yet they can neither fall totally, nor finally: how should this make us to walk humbly, for if once we begin to be tickled with spiritual pride, con­cerning any spiritual improvement, because we outstrip others, God can quickly suffer us to fall into the common level whith the meanest Chri­stian.

As Grace is our spiritual strength, and this is subject to decays and declinations: so third­ly, the great thing that such as rightly under­stand themselves that renders the life of nature desirable to them, it is in order ot their improve­ment in this spiritual strength.

O spare me: Why? that I may recover strength. He doth notsay, that I may obtain riches and worldly greatness, and compass great mat­ters for my self in these outward things, but that I may recover my strength.

The life of nature is in it self the highest of outward mercies (for all other mercies are but as so many Cyphers without is) if it were not [Page 274]for lise, we were not capable of enjoying them: hence it is as Solomon speaks, A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon: when Death comes, it puts us in an utter incapacity of parta­king of any refreshment from these out­ward comforts; therefore it is the Devil said to Job, Skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give for his life. It was a truth though from the father of lyes; now though it be in it self a ve­ry desirable thing, yet that which makes it more desirable is in order to this spiritual improve­ment. How sad must needs be the condition of such who only live here to the gratifying of their senses: the longer we live, the more we shall encrease our score, and the more guilty we shall make our selves. Certainly we are to live to better purpose. Nor can we be said more truly to live then when our Souls do most thrive and flourish in Grace. The Heathens themselves thought that meerly to breath, to eat and drink, and converse with men, and to have a being in this world as men, was not worthy the name of living; and therefore they made a distinction between being and living; and others have been said to be in the world, and to pass a little time in the world, but not to live: not to live well, is a kind of dying, a life below the life of a Christian.

Applic. Then what cause have we to be thankful-you see Grace is our strength; it is that by which we lay hold on Christ, and God who is our strength; and it is our improvement in Grace that makes our evidences more clear and apparent: then if this be the great busi­ness [Page 275]to make life desirable, our improvement in Grace; then remember for what purpose you came into this world, God hath not given you lives only that you may live as those Epicure­ans, because they had but a little time to live, therefore they will make as much of it as they can; because they had so little a time to live in the world to enjoy the comforts of it, therefore they would take their fill of them. Come let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die: should we make this use of all Gods forbearance of us, when God hath swept away thousands by the destroying pestilence? and when the arrows of God have flown so thick about us? when seve­ral have faln on our right hands and on our left, shal we make this the end of the goodnes of God in sparing us? because more time is given us, therefore we will give our lusts their swing? this would be very sad and a fore evidence a­gainst us: though God hath spared us, yet if we do so, our deliverances are not deliverances but reprivals: it is one thing to be delivered from a calamity, and another thing to be reprieved, to be spared for a time that God may punish us more severely hereafter: and if we consider in those destroying flames that have laid waste the habitations of others, that any of ours have been preserved, shall we make no better use of it than thus? when God hath under so many several judgments shewed that kindness to us which he promised to Ebed Melech, Jerem. 39.18. Notwithstanding when he had threatned all those miseries against them, I will surely deliver thee, because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the [Page 276]Lord. God doth not know how to cast off them that cast themselves upon him. Thou hast repo­sed thy trust in me, and I will be faithful to that trust; I will do it for thee. But our care should be to improve our time to the utmost, we have but a little time to be here, and when we go hence we shall be no more. That is, no more to prepa­ratory opportunities, and in this lies our great­est concerns: consider the sadness of their con­dition, who go hence in their sins; they do at once leave all their comfort, and they exchange comforts for sorrows: how can these persons go hence in their sins and look Christ in the face with any kind of countenaace? how can they attain to the inheritance of the Saints in light? they can look for nothing for their portion but wrath, eternal wrath: could we but lay our ears to listen to those Souls that are now be­moaning the loss of their time, those that have enjoyed repenting seasons, and peace-making seasons, but now never shall be more; how should we hear them bewailing their folly: it is true, a time was when we might have obtained a pardon, and a peace might have been made for our Souls, we might have obtained the love of God, but we then would not: how often did Christ speak to these Souls as he did to Jeru­salem, How often would I have gathered thee as a hen her chickens under her wings, but ye would not, but now behold thy house is left unto thee desolate. Oh! that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace: never to enjoy op­portunity more, should inhance our estimation of this rich mercy. That God (though he [Page 277]hath perhaps taken away thy great estate, and thy outward comforts) hath spared your lives, and lengthened out opportunities of getting our peace made, and recovering our thrength before we go hence and be no more.

Consider how often we have deserved to be cut short of these opportunities, and turned in­hell for our sins.

Then studie the excellencie of time, we squander it away not considering what a preti­ous Jewel time is; it is a golden stream, gli­ding down from one Eternity to another. Nay, it is such a precious thing, that when once it is gone, all the Gold of Ophir cannot call it back again; it is that without w ^ch we can do nothing; and shall we do nothing with it while we have it? the very Heathen could complain of them­selves for their mispence of time. Seneca hath this passage, We are very prodigal of our time, and there is nothing about which we can be honest­ly covetous but only for the well managing of that. And therefore let us be much in being more serious in the business of our Souls, if God spare us time. Let us devote much of our time in community with our selves. It was a com­plaint of Augustus the Roman Emperor, That the businessess of the Empire were so many and took up so much of his time, that he could never be at lei­sure for himself. Be often at leasure with your own souls to talk with your Consciences, and see how it stands between God and you: be careful to observe reading seasons, and praying seasons, and meditating upon the word of God. [Page 278]Remember we are all going hence and shall be no more; and the only thing that we can de­sire our continuance for here, is this; for other things Solomon pronounceth vanity and vexa­tion to be in them, as if there were more bitter­ness in them than any real comfort.

Friends, now is the time of gathering Manna, now is the heavenly Market wherein spiritual commodities must be bought before the Market be ended: In the harvest we gather the fruits of the earth. Now if Mercy be in good earnest sought for, it will not be with held, and our labour shall not be lost.

And then as we should do this in respect of our selves, so also in respect of others; let us be doing as much good as we can in our places by reproving others sins, by our holy lives, and contrary conversations, and by doing what we can on their behalss by our prayers. God be­stows out time upon us as Talents, and is it not fit our time should be laid out for the service of our Master? If we can be laborious in working while it is day, this will make our sleep comfor­table to us when the great night of death comes: and if we labour now in the Lord, be sure we shall die in the Lord; and, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their la­bours, and their works follow them.

THis Chapter, and indeed this whole Epistle, consists of nothing almost but directions to Timothy how he should carry himself in the discharge of that great Office of an Evangelist; there are several things the Apostle speaks by way of counsel, and several things by way of caution.

There are two things especially which St. Paul gives advice to Timothy in, and it is very obser­vable that whatever advice he giveth him as an Evangelist, who was to preach the Gospel, he gives us who profess subjection to the Gospel: they were the truths he chargeth him to ac­quaint others with, and therefore they are truths that we are especially obliged to take notice of, as being of concernment to us.

Here are two things that he would have Timo­thy careful to warn others of:

The one is, of such kind of Professors, Who as concerning the Faith had erred.

The other is, of such, who (though they re­tained the Doctrinal part of faith [...] had not forsaken the truths) yet they did not [...] up to those truths in their conversations: Y [...] read in ver. 17. of Hymeneus and Philetus, who erred concerning the faith: and their great errour was that they thought the Resurrection was already past, and by this means overthrew the faith of some; they thought there was no other Resur­rection, but that from a state of sin, to a state of Grace: but now, say he, though this be their mistake, and a dangerous error, yet the founda­tion of God standeth sure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his: their insection is of a spreading nature, it eats as doth a canker: but yet says he, let not this startle others; for though these errors, these fundamental errors take away the thoughts of the Resurrection and of ano­ther world, and destroy the foundation of Reli­gion (as the Learned Morella observes) take a­way the thoughts of immortal Souls, and an eternal estate, and then farewel all serious Re­ligion in the World: yet the foundation of God standeth sure, the Lord knoweth who are his. ver. 19. it is as much as if St. Paul had spoke, as he doth Rom. 11. Though the number of Israel were as the sand upon the Sea shore, yet but a small rem­nant shall be saved; yet (saith he) the Election have obtained: what if some fell off, and were re­jected, yet the Election of God stands fast. It is compared here to a foundation, the firmest part of the building, and that upon which the whole superstructure stands; and it is said to stand sure, because it hath this Seal, the Lord knoweth [Page 281]who are his: The Lord out of mercy takes a fatherly care of them, and commits them to the charge of his Son: My Father (saith Christ) is greater than all, and none can pluck his sheep out of his hands.

Here is another sort of errors, and that is in point of practice (as a Learned Writer ob­serves) There are heretical Manners as well as Doctrines; and men may be heretical in their lives, as well as in their Opinions: to these the Apostle gives advice here in the Text, that he should charge every one that names the Name of Christ to depart from iniquity. How many are there that rest satisfied with a form of Godliness, but deny the power of it; these are the persons whom St. Paul gives Timothy advice here, that he should labour to redeem from those formali­ties in which they rested, that they should not think it enough to name the Name of Christ, but they should express their sincerity therein by departing from iniquity.

In the words you have these two particu­lars.

1. The persons to whom this advice is gi­ven; that is, to such as name the Name of Christ.

I shall shew you how it is used (briefly) in the Scripture.

There is a naming of the Name of Christ by profession; they that own the Truths and Prin­ciples of Religion; they that profess the Do­ctrines which our Saviour hath revealed in the Gospel: Micha 4.5. it is spoken there of two sorts of persons, of those that worship false [Page 282]gods, and of those that worship the true God; For all the people, every one will walk in the Name of his God, that is, they own those Rules, and acknowledge those Principles: and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever This is a naming of Christ by way of profession.

2. There is a naming of Christ in all the du­ties of Religion: as in our Prayers, Whatever you ask in my Name of the Father, he will give it: in our duties all must be offered up in his Name: God hath given him a Name above every Name, a­bove all things in heaven and earth, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow; that is, in prayer. Now in the former sense, the naming the Name of Christ by profession is to be taken in opposition to Heathens, who name the Name of other gods: Pour out thy wrath upon the Hea­then that know thee not, and upon the families that call not upon thy Name, Psal. 79.6.

3. There is a naming the Name of Christ in our Vows and Covenants; and thus in our Bap­tism we vow to become his; and hence it is, that we are said to baptized in the Name of Christ, which doth not only imply a desire to partake of those priviledges which Christ hath purcha­sed, but an obligation which we lay upon our selves to own him as our Lord, and to submit to all his Commands, and to be guided by his Will and Laws, Acts 19.5. They were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

4. There is a naming the Name of Christ in our expectations and hopes, when we build all our confidence upon him alone. The desires of our Souls are to thee, and to the Remembrance of [Page 283]thy Name. We look for no other mercy but what the Lord gives, and no other help but what he vouchsafes: these are the persons to whom St. Paul gives this advice.

Secondly, Here is the advice and counsel it self, Let all such persons depart from iniquity: the Word in the Greek is, [...], let him be an Apostate from sin, and Satan. When Luther was challenged by the Jesuites for being an A­postate, because he had renounced his old Prin­ciples (says he) I confess I am, but it is from the Devil. Such an Apostacie is no reproach to a person; nay, such is of absolute necessity; for we are all by nature servants to sin and in subje­ction to Satan. Now, let him depart from iniqui­ty; depart from the practice of it, and from the love of it, and as much as he can from any inclination to it: you can never reconcile the profession of Christ, and the practice of sin to­gether, that is the meaning of the Apostle, doest thou name the Name of Christ, and go on in sin? Your lives are a contradiction to your professi­on. Let every one that names, &c. depart from iniquity. But then observe the extent here, let every one, not only those that so name the Name of Christ, as having the Doctrine of Christ committed especially to them to communicate to other; (thus we read of naming the Name of Christ, they taught in his Name) but it is meant of all that profess the Name of Christ, let every one in any way, though he be but in a way of outward profession only, let him make it his de­signe to depart from inquity.

The Observation is this.

Doct. There are special obligations upon all to depart from iniquity, who name the Name of Christ.

I shall spak to these two heads in opening the Doctrinal part.

1. That here are great ingagements upon all men to depart from iniquity; this I shall prove from these Arguments.

1. The first may from the nature of sin; what is sin but our disease, our burden, and that which endangers our utter ruine: should men be in love with poyson? Should men hug that viper that will sting them to death? the right know­ledge of sin doth sufficiently evidence this: now what is sin? It is a transgression of Gods Law; it is a trampling upon Gods Authority, it is a re­fusing him to rule over us, it is a making God our enemy, it is a daring of him in the open field: Do you provoke the Lord to anger? are you stronger than he? dare you enter the lists with the great God? you will pity those di­stracted persons that labour for their own ruine, and would hasten their own death by some kind of violence or other, this is the practice of eve­ry sinner.

2. In respect of God that obligation that lies upon all sorts of persons to have more re­verend and high thoughts of God then to slight his Laws; we are all his Creatures, we owe our very beings to him; it is God that made us, we are his Creatures, and the workmanship of his hands; God may very well expect those be­ings which he hath given us, should be imploy­ed [Page 285]for him. Shall a man plant a Vineyard and not eat of the fruit thereof? If God hath made us men, and bestowed natural endowments up­on us, and hath put us into a capacity for his service may not God reasonably expect that he should receive the fruit of all his charges and pains? upon his account it was that God was so [...] with his antient people for all the [...] he had shewed to them (says he) When I looked for grapes behold they brought forth with grapes: I have made you capable of my service, will you imploy your selves in the ser­vice of other Masters? your beings you have received from me, is it not reasonable they should be imployed to his Glory, since they have been received from his bounty?

Again, in respect of Gods continuance and preservation of our beings, this is from him. Alas! should not God support us every mo­ment, we should sink into our first nothing. Heb. 1. Ʋpholding all things by things by the Word of his power, it was God that first breathed life in­to us, and it is God that keeps our breath in our nostrils, we should otherwise every moment be breathing out our last: have we received our beings from him, and do we still live upon him? then there is all the obligation upon us that can be, that we should have reverend thoughts of God, and not despise nor contemn him, nor prefer other things above him.

Besides, all our supplies are from God, it is God that furnisheth us with all our comforts that we enjoy: those refreshments that others want, and with those mercies that others are [Page 286]denied, all this is from the goodness of God; and consider how it fares with others, and how much better it is with you than it is with them that are your betters, and certainly there is very great reason upon this account that we should not thus slight him, but depart from e­very thing that is offensive to him.

Nay, consider not only all our supplies for the present, but all our hopes for the future are this God. Hast thou any hopes of Heaven and happiness in another world? hast thou any right to, or any hopes of eternal blessedness? all is built upon the goodness of God, in and through Christ.

Nay, all our hopes of spiritual mercies even in this world are in God: Do you now com­plain of hardness of heart, of Soul distempers? it is only God that can be your Physitian. Alas! means are nothing, and instruments are nothing, unless God owns them.

3. In respect of the welfare of our own Souls; there is nothing but iniquity can make us hateful in the sight of God. Our afflflicti­ons, and outward miseries cannot: these may be many times the effects of Gods displea­sure, but never the cause of his displeasure; there is nothing can render us hateful to God but only sin: God is angry with nothing but sin: now if we would escape the wrath of God, we must keep our selves from all sin, we must depart from iniquity, Why will ye die, O house of Israel, Ezek. 18.27, 30. if you will go on in sin, if you will not depart from iniquity, there is nothing to be expected but death, hell, and [Page 287]wrath. You can never look that God should be a friend to you, while you continue an ene­my to him; you can never expect that he should be reconciled to you on his part, whilst you will not be reconciled to him on your part; if sin­ners will have their will against God, God will have his will upon them. There is no other way to be free from this curse in all conditions, but by departing from iniquity; for we make e­very condition a curse when we mix iniquity with it; our comforts then are stumbling-blocks, our enjoyments then are snares and temptations whilst we have a sinful nature; but they highly encrease our guilt, when we abuse these by sin, and unless we depart from iniquity all the mer­cies that we enjoy, outward mercies, and spirit­tual mercies are overspread with a curse.

2. There are special engagements that lie up­on them that name the Name of Christ to de­part from iniquity.

1. Those that name the name of Christ only in profession & appearance, must not take the name of Christ in vain; God hath expresly said, He will not hold them guiltless that take his Name in vain. Now this is a taking the Name of God and Christ in vain, in allowing our selves in any kind of iniquity; this is clear from the Prayer of A­gur, Pro. 30.9. he prays there against extremity in both conditions, he would neither have too much nor too little of this world, he prays a­gainst fulness, Lest I be full & deny thee, and say, who is the Lord; or lest I be poor and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain; that is, lest I take any irregular courses for the supplies of my [Page 288]necessity, lest I take they Name in vain. While we allow our selves in any kind of sin, we do but take the Name of God in vain, notwith­standing all our profession; but this is not all: Rom. 2.24. you read of an highter expression than this; For your sakes, or, by your means, or, reason of your practice the Name of God is blas­phemed among the Gentiles through you: for Cir­cumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law, but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision. Here the engagements laid upon them that profess Gods Name, because he hath given them so much knowledge to under­stand the great Mysteries of Salvation, and ac­quainted them with those Principles that are of absolute necessity to understand their own eter­rnal good, and for them to break those engage­ments, is but to take Gods Name in vain; nay, it is to blaspheme his Name amongst them that are strangers to him.

But for them that name the Name of Christ in sincerity, there are special obligations God hath laid upon them, there are singular engage­ments from God upon them, and obligations from them unto God that oblige them to depart from iniquity.

1. There are singular engagements that God hath laid upon them to depart from iniquity, as

First, not only vouchsafeing them the means of Grace, but in Accompanying those means with the efficacious concurrence of his Spirit. How many parts of the world live without any knowledge of the true God at all? it is a mer­cy [Page 289]therefore to enjoy the means of knowledge, yea, it is a great mercy that the Psalmist highly values, Thou hast not dealt so with every Natin, as for his Judgments they have not known them, Psal. 147.20. and how many thousands are there that live under the Gospel, to whom it is no more than a dead Letter; they hear the noise, or sound of the Gospel, but it makes little im­pression upon their hearts. Now on all those that do profess the Name of Christ, there is a special obligation upon them, because of the great things that God hath done for them. Con­sider what Christ hath done for thee; hath Christ broken off the yoke of Satan? and wilt thou put it on again? hath he taken off thy burdens, and cured the Diseases? and art thou fond of thy burdens and in love with thy Diseases? hath he st thee at liberty, hath his Spirit made thee free? (and such are free indeed) and wilt thou again become entangled?

Again, hath Christ washed away thy filth by his blood, and wilt thou return again like the Sow that is washed to wallow in thy former mire? hath he taken off the guilt of thy sin? and wilt thon run upon a new score, is this sutable to the engagements that lie upon thee? Consi­der if thou art one that doth relie upon Christ, there lies an high Obligation upon thee on that account: hath he redeemed thy poor captive Soul out of the hands of that grand Usuper, and Tyrant? and wilt thou become like one of those servants that would have his ear bored, and be­come a servant while he lived to his old Ma­ster? this is to despise the kinduess of Christ, [Page 290]is to undervalue the blessing of the Gospel. Hath Christ taken thee into his care and service? and wilt thou not be guided by his rules? but what are the rules of Christ in respect of God? that we should not only serve him, but serve him form a Principle of love; it is not enough that we bring our bodies to God in every duty, but that we also bring our hearts unto him; this is that which our Saviour expects: He tells us, God is a Spirit, John 4.24. and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth: bodily ser­vice profiteth nothing. Alas! men maybe much in out [...]de duties and services, and yet at last be rejected with scorn to their great grief, unless they be serious. That heed that what you do, you do not against Christs Rules, that you do not refuse his directions and Councels; those that are acquainted with those rules there lies a special obligation upon them to observe them: hath Christ taken the care of you himself, and will you not live up to this kindness? this is not to answer your ingagements.

Again, I might shew you the great priviledg­es which all the true Members of Christ do par­take of, he hath sent his Spirit to be their guide, his Spirit of Truth to lead them into all Truth; the Spirit to enlighten the Soul, to purge, refine, and sanctifie the Soul; to excite, assist, strength­en and preserve the weak beginnings of Grace; to guide and conduct the Soul into farther im­provements; and to witness to the comforts of God: and will you contradict these Principles of Divine Grace? God hath sent his Spirit to [Page 291]guide you, that is, to keep you from mistakes, to prevent your miscarriage, and will you yet go on in iniquity? The great design of God in sending his Son, and of his Son in sending his Spirit, Was not only to redeem his People from hell and wrath, but from sin and Satan, and to make them a peculiar people to himself, zealous of good works: now what ingratitude is this to cross these designs of mercy. Alas! God cannot be the better for us. I speak now to such as think that they do in sincerity name the Name of Christ so as to depart from iniquity: for be sure of this, that there is no possibility of reconciling two such contrary enemies as Christ and sin; for he came into the world on this very errand to destroy the works of the Devil; and this is your work to oppose the Devil and sin.

2. The special obligations that they have laid upon themselves by their Covenants and Pro­mises: they that do aright name the Name of Christ have solemnly devoted themselves to Christ not only in their baptismal Vows, but in reiterated Covenants; now will you revoke them? is this sutable to those engagements to break your word with God and to have your own promises to witness against you? you that have owned his yoke as easie, and submitted to his ways as desirable; and made profession of these, will you contradict all in your lives and conversations? truly, this is too ordinary in the world: St. Paul Titus 1.16. doth very much lament some, who in their words profess the Name of Christ, but in their works deny him. Verbal Professions are easie; but practical Professions, [Page 292]those that God looks for, he is the bese Christi­an, not that can talk most, but live best, and keep himself most unspotted from the pollutions of the world; now remember the Vows that you made with God, and consider the engagements that lie upon you from thence to have a tendder regard of Gods glory: every iniquityis a con­tempt of God, it is a rejecting of God from ruling over us; it is a disparagement to his Gos­pel, as if we thought we could spend our time better than in hi service, as if we could live to better purpose than in minding those duties that he requires of us. David was of another mind, Psal. 73. last. It is good for me to draw neer to God. Psal. 84. A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand. But what a reproach do you cast upon God and his wayes, in that you see and fancie something in sin that you think worthy the making God you enemy for; though you part with God, and lose his favour, yet you think there is something in sin that will recom­pense that loss: every sinner doth so, that al­lows himself in any sin. Truly, though God is gratious to us in affording us the liberty of ap­proaching his presence, yet while we allow our selves in any sin, all our duties are but lost la­bour, and to very little purpose, and we can expect no other answer from God, than we have in Psal. 50. What hast thou to do to declare my Sta­tutes? or that thou shouldest take my Name in thy mouth? What was the matter? Seeing thou ha­test instruction, and castest my word behind thy back. While men allow themselves in any sin, all their duties are to no purpose. Consider how much [Page 293]more God hath shewed of kindness to you than others, and consider how many engagements are upon you beyond what are upon others; certainly form both these, God cannot but have higher expectations from you, than any; and will you thus requite the Lord? or will you say as the people of Israel did when they were brought out of Egypt, and met with streights and difficulties in the Wilderness? Would to God we had died in Egypt, was there not graves enough there? So while you live under the temptations and snares of an evil world, will you look on on these things as lovely, and deservint to be fond of them? Christ came to redeem you from them, and you have accepted of that redemp­tion, and you have bound your selves by your Oathes and Seals; and how sad will it be if those Seals do witness to your Condemnation, both on Christs part, and on your own part? Christ will say one day, These are the persons whom I have proffered Salvation to, and they did seem to accept of it, and to close wit it; but they have cast off all, and for saken all those designs of mercy that I had to their Souls; and what can they now look for but wrath and de­struction. And so I have gone over the Doctri­nal part of the Observation.

The first Use may be to awaken and startle Professors, that though they do name the Name of Christ, yet there is so much of iniquity al­lowed of, and connived at by them: we can never own Christ, till we fall off from sin and Satan: While we close with a contrary party, we cannot approve our selves faithful to him: [Page 294]there are but two parties in all the world, Christ and the Devil; now shall we pretend to Christ, and wear his Colours, and take his Livery up­on us, and call our selves his Subjects, and yet allow our selves in the service of sin and Satan? Let our Profession be never so high, yet if we do so, this is one word to unsay all, and to con­tradict all again. This I say therefore, may sharply reprove all careless Professors that lay a­side their watch, and do not always stand upon their guard to keep off every thing of sin. You know how much Christ hath deserved from us; shall I little minde you in two or three hints.

Consider how much he hath done and suffered for all that belong to him; he thought no bles­sings too great to leave (even such blessings as none but himself was ever capable of) for no Creature could be capable of those high and eminent priviledges that he left, that he might become our Redeemer; and as there was no mercy that he thought too great to leave, so there was no misery that he thought too sharp to undergo, that the wrath of God his Father (whose love to him was more worth than milli­ons of worlds) might be appeased, and in or­der to the Redemption of poor lost Creatures, he was willing to bear it, Lo, I came, in the Vo­litinne of thy will; Oh my God; yea, thy Law is within my heart. Thus do but consider what the Glory was that he left, and what that misery was he underwent & that chearfulness with w ^ch he did both, & his design in all these, which was only to redeem poor lost Creatures (as for him self, he [Page 295]could be no gainer, as appears by what he said, John 17.4. Father, Glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee be­fore the world was) and certainly it cannot but command of thee the greatest exactness and circumspection of thy life. Doest thou name the Name of Christ? Doest thou own these condescentions of Christ? and canst thou allow thy self in any kind of iniquity? it was iniqui­ty that was the Judas that betrayed him, the Pi­late that condemned him; it was not those in­struments, but our sins, and will you yet har­bour those sins? is this an ingenious requital of so much love? all the malice of Hell, and all the rage of adversaries here upon earth; all the contrivances of the Jews with their great ones together could never have brought those suffer­ings upon Christ (had it not been for his love that he bore to his people) and will you for all this, after he hath done, and suffered so much, trample on his blood, and slight his kindness, and resolve on your own ruine? and in spite of such mercies and kindness, will you go on to your own destruction? is not this sad? what shame shold be to all professing Christians that do not stand upon their watch, and do what they can, and make it in good earnest their business to keep themselves form all iniquity.

The next Use, and the only Use which I shall add further is, by way of exhortation, that all that hath been said may prevail thus far with you, to get your hearts at as great a di­stance from sin as possibly you are able; never think that you are too strange to it, nor at a di­stance [Page 296]enough from it: your professions oblige you, your engagements oblige you; consider, should you allow your selves in any sin, you thereby despise the richest mercy that ever was vouchsafed to poor Creatures: you that profess the Name of Christ, you that know what design Christ came into the world; follow the exam­ple of those worthies, Hebr. 11.37, 38. they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, &c. and its said ver. 35. they accepted not of deliverance: You see how shie they were of sin, and at how great a distance they kept from it, and what was their thoughts of it: Oh! let it be your pra­ctice. Heb. 10.28, 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnes­ses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, &c. It is a common thing to slight it, and to scorn it: but what doth the A­postle say to such: ver. 30. We know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will re­compence, saith the Lord; and again, the Lord shall judge his people. They that profess them­selves his people, must be all brought to the test and tryal. Do you think it nothing to despise the very patience of God? to despise the choi­sest mercy of God? take it, Friends, for a sad truth (I speak it only to awaken both my self and you) there is no sinner like unto a Gospel sinner, to them that go on in sin, under those means that should recover them from sin: and therefore in the day of account you read that no sinner, shall have such tremblings, and astonish­ings upon them as sinners: Sinners in Sion shall [Page 297]be afraid, and fearfulness sahll surprise the hype­crite: Sion sinners, Sabbath-days, Sacrament-sin­ners, they that live under all those opportunities and advantages (as their sins bring greater dis­honour to God) bring greater damage to their own Souls than other sins do: these of all per­sons are the farthest off from being renewed a­gain by repentance. Pro. 8. last. it is said in ge­neral of all kind of sinners, He that sins against me wrongs his own Soul; he cannot wrong God (he does indeed, what in him lies, and God may account himself wronged by his sin) really in­jure God he cannot; our services and sins reach not him, God is infinitely above both; but he wrongs himself; he may wrong others by his bad example, but especially he wrongs himself, not only in respect of worldly things, but he wrongs himself in the highest degrees, as Solo­mon there expresseth it, he wrongs his own Soul: he doth not only wrong himself as to outward comforts, but as to his great concernments, as to his everlasting welfare. Alas! how many be the Judgments God hath to meet with all the contemners of his mercy in this world? Out­ward Judgments, and spiritual Judgments, and then consider the Judgments of God in another world; and certainly of all persons, those that profess the Name of Christ shall have the forest; it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for Jerusalem that had the Gospel and Ordinances of God, and such priviledges, and means, and helps.

Let all that hath been said, perswade you to [Page 298]a strickt examination of your hearts and lives; that what hath been amiss may be both speedily and throughly reformed. If you do not de­part from all iniquity, how sad a thing will it be to you, when once Jesus Christ riseth up in Judgment against you? what will you plead for your selves, when that once Christ shall plead against you? even you that have despised his mercy, and refused Salvation, and have chosen death, and those things that tend thereunto.

THese words are a part of St. Pauls Triumph: and the evils over which he triumphs, are no less than all those that might either endanger the welfare or disturb the peace and quiet of the peo­ple of God. In the Chapter before, you find him in his conflict, striving with many doubts and Objections: In this Chapter you find his Faith in its elevation, as you may find in the 35 verse, Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword; Nay, says he in verse 37. In all these things we are more than Con­querors. And in this verse St. Paul seems to make a kind of Challenge to all kind of evils to [Page 300]do their worst, and utmost; he bids defiance to them; but it is very observable, that all this confidence, which appeared in this great Apo­stle, was not upon the account of any thing in himself, but only upon the account of the love of God, and the assurance he had of his inte­rest therein: as David when he went with so­much confidence against Goliah, it was not in a­ny strength of his own, but because he went in the Name of the Lord of Hosts, whose Army that proud person had defied. Thus it was with the Apostle Paul here: And though in every E­pistle written by this great Apostle, we find him speaking as becomes an Apostle, a person so ex­traordinarity gifted, and called; yet in this Chap­ter (as a Writer observes) St. Paul speaks as if he was now raised up to the third Heavens, he spake such great and mighty things, as were enough to pose a weak and ordinary faith; as in his other writings he seems to be above others, so here he seems to be above himself, in respect of what he was at other times; he now soars a­loft, now answers all his Objections. In this Triumph, here are these four things remarka­ble.

1. A large Catalogue, or enumeration of the several troubles that may endanger the safety of the people of God, and a separation from the love of God; and these he lays down chiefly in the verse before the Text: Neither death, nor yet life, &c. The first is death; death seems to be a thing of all things the most formidable; its called the King of Terrors, its the most dread­ful thing to nature; but because, after the A­postle [Page 301]had mentioned several particulars in the verse before, and in this, lest he should leave room for any Objection, that might gravel any poor doubting soul, he puts in Any other Creature nor this nor that, nor any thing; St. Paul does here like the wise King spoken of in Luke 14.31. in the Parable, Or what King among you, that go­eth about to wage war against another King, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand. St. Paul here computes all the troubles: he reckons the summ total of all the oppositions that Christians can meet with in this world, and yet he sees nothing discouraging in all these: that's the first particular; a large Catalogue, &c. For while he says, these things cannot separate from the love of God, he strong­ly implies thus much, that those that are the ob­jects of the love of God, are yet liable unto these things.

2. Here is the utter inablility of all these things to cause any distance between God, and any truly gratious Soul. These things may separate us from Friends, from Relations, from what is dear to us in this world, but not from the love of God. Alas! what breaches is God continually ma­king upon every one of us in every part of our lives? but such is the union between God and every sincere believer, that nothing can make a separation here: God may be offended with his people, but nothing can separate between God and his people; death cannot do it, yet death can separate us from all our Creature-comforts, from all our dearest friends; yea, it [Page 302]may separate the very Soul and body, and yet it cannot separate from the love of God.

God hath such respect to the Souls of his peo­ple, that pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: Yea, and their scattered dust, God will take care of that, and will cause it to meet together again, and be made parta­ker with the Soul of that Glory that is reserved in Heaven.

But then besides the terrors of death, here are the temptations of life, the pleasures of this life; these Temptations may do that upon some, that the terrors of death cannot do upon them; Nei­ther death, no, nor life neither, this cannot sepa­rate; but these cannot, yet other things with­out us are of great influence: Angels cannot do it, they are Creatures that excel in strength; some expound it so good Angels, that it is spoken of them by way of supposition, Gal. 1.8. If we or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed: not that any good Angel can be so bad a Messenger as to set up a new Gospel, in opposition to the everlasting Gospel of Christ, it is spoken by way of suppo­sition, so I find Learned Writers interpret it thus: No, good Angels cannot, its contrary to their charge and trust; the Angels are Ministring Spirits sent, &c. Heb. 1. last. therefore they cannot so much forget their trust, nor be un­faithful to their charge to attempt such a thing, especially being now confirmed in a state of Grace.

Others interpret it of bad Angels; now what­ever [Page 303]attempts these do make, though they are compared to a roaring Lyon, going about seeking whom they may devour, though they never so much desire it, yet they are in Gods Chain, E­pist. Jude 6. Those Angels are in Chains, not on­ly as guilty Malefactors, to be punished, but as Mischievous persons to be restrained, who if they were at liberty, would do more mischief than now they can. You may take it in this latter sense, which seems to be most proper: so An­gels cannot do it; but there are several Ranks and Degrees among the Angels; therefore we read in Ephes. 6.12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against Principalities, against Pow­ers, against the Rulers of the darkness of this world, &c. So here in the Text, we read of Principal­lities, and Powers: As they said of our Saviour, he through Beelzebub, the Chief or Prince of De­vils, did cast out Devils; in these Principalities then is the danger. But it it is not in them nei­ther. I find many Interpreters carrying the sense to earthly Potentates, the Rulers of his world; that they by all their Tyranny and per­secutions (for they joyn the word Principali­ties to Powers) they can never be able to sepa­rate, &c.

But notwithstanding all we undergo for the present, who knows what may follow for the future? who knows what a day may bring forth? What is in the Womb of the next mo­ment? the Apostle answers this here, not things present, no, nor things to come: though you know not what may come upon you, yet if you be­long to God, and are sincere Believers, let [Page 304]what will or can come; Nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But there are heights and depths, that is, heights of Prosperity, and depths of Calamity, (as some expound it:) but least the Apostles Catalogue should not yet be so full to answer every case, he puts in this general, vast, and comprehensive expression, nor any other Crea­ture. If all I have said be too little, and all you are able to think at present is not sufficient, yet this is as much as can possibly be thought of, or can possibly befal you, nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. Here is the ground or foundation of this in­separableness from the love of God, that is, be­cause it is in Christ Jesus. Alas! the love of God is not built upon any thing in us, God doth not love us upon any account of our own, but upon the account of his Son, and his Son is always a­like dear and pretious in his sight; and what he hath done, and suffered for those for whom he hath undertaken, is alike of value in his Fathers thoughts.

4. Lastly, Here is the strength of the Apostles confidence, concerning all this; I am fully per­swaded, that neither, &c. he was got above all doubtful ambiguities, or probabilities, or uncer­tainties, for, says he, I am fully perswaded.

Obj. But here is an Objection, Did not this Proviledge peculiarly belong to St. Paul, and is it not above our capacity to attain to the same?

Answ. I answer, St. Paul speaks here not of himself singly, but of himself in conjunction with [Page 305]others, nothing shall separate us from the love of God, it is exprest in the plural Number. Again, the ground and foundation upon which St. Paul bottoms this assurance, and this height of his confidence, it is such as all sincere Believers are capable of. You find all along in all those other Priviledges that he mentions in the former part of the Chapter, all these he speaks of, of being made partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit, of walking in the Spirit, and not after the flesh, &c. this is the foundation upon which St. Paul grounds his confidence, and now every sincere Believer hath a share more or less in all these: so much for the opening of the words.

I shall commend several Observations from them, chiefly three or four: The first is this:

Doct. 1. It is the singular advantage of all sincere Believers, that what ever Comforts they may be deprived of, and whatever cala­mities they may undergo, yet they have this for their unspeakable support, the love of God for their portion.

It is upon this alone that the Apostle grounds all his confidence and comfort: he could easily despise all kind of troubles, and it was only upon this account. For the opening of this Do­ctrine, I shall only give you three hints.

1. It is the peculiar Priviledge of such as are sincere, and only such, that they have the love of God for their portion; for Separation implies a pre­union; that can never be parted, that was not before joyned; and the loss of the love of God implies a pre-injoyment of the same. And then the word us, it notes a restriction, as it contains [Page 306]and takes in all that are sincere, so it bars the door against all others; they have no share in this Priviledge: it is as much as if the Apostle had said, This is our Priviledge, and it is such a Priviledge as we can never be deprived of: now the Apostle doth not speak of Believers in that age only, but of all that should be afterwards in future generations, for whatever was written afore-time, was written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

There is a common love that God bears to all his Creatures, as they are his Creatures, the work­manship of his hands, this is extended to all his Creatures, through the whole Universe, and it manifests it self in these four things; I shall but name them.

1. In preserving them; for as God by the Word of his Power brought all out of nothing, so by the same almighty Word of his power, he preserves them from falling back into the first nothing, Heb. 1.3. Ʋpholding all things by the word of his power.

2. In providing for them; thus God is the great Master of all the Families in Heaven and earth; he hears the cries of the fowls of the air, he heareth the cry of the Ravens, he cloaths the Lillies of the field; many such instances might be given of the Providence of God, Matth. 6.26. The fowls of the air they sow not neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they, He opens his hand, and fills all Creatures with good: The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season, Psal. 145.15.

3. In protecting them from dangers; this in Matth. 10.29. Not a hair falls from the head, not a sparrow falls to the ground; yet are not two Spar­rows sold for a farthing? And are you not of more value than they? These are the least considera­ble Creatures, yet God hath a care of them, in protecting them; no Creature can be safe one moment any longer than its under the care and protection of God.

4. In this Governing all his Creatures, their actions, and occurrances, and in ordering all to his own glory, and the manifestation of his in­finite wisdom and goodness. The invisible things of God are clearly seen from the Creation, Rom. 1.20. That is, his works of Providence and Gu­bernation of the World. But this is not that I am now to speak of.

Again, There is a love that God bears to man as man, as he is a Creature of a higher rank, and being than other Creatures, 1 Cor. 9. Thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the Oxe; Doth God take care of Oxen? It is provided that mercy and kindness should be shewed to those poor labour­ing-Creatures: Doth God enact these Laws-for Oxen? or saith he it for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written.

But the highest testimony that God shews of his love to man, as man, was that of his Sons ta­king upon him the nature of man, not the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.

Yet over, and above both these, the love that God bears to his Creatures, as they are his Crea­tures; and to men as men more than to other Creatures; there is a peculiar and higher kind [Page 308]of love that God bears to his people, as they are peculiarly his: whether only as elected, God takes care to bring them into himself; whom­soever God assigned to Glory as the end, he as­singes to Grace as the means, to attain that end. Or, whether they be actually sanctified, still God hath a peculiar respect to his people, as they are peculiarly his; Therefore David begs, Psal. 106.4, 5. Shew me the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation: that I may glory with thine inheritance: God hath favour for others, but he hath a special favour for his; Now this is the great Priviledge of all sincere Believers; besides, the general love God hath to all Creatures, these he looks upon as his Jew­els, as his darlings, as his delight, as persons whom he singles out, as special Objects of his favour. That's the first.

2. Noth withstanding this peculiar love of God to sincere Believers, yet they may neverthe­less be sorely afflicted, the Apostle reckons up here many smart Afflictions; in the verses before you read of Tribulation, and distress, and perso­cution, famine, nakedness, perils, sword, life, death, Angels, Principallities, powers. Now while the Apostle asserts so expresly, that none of these shall be able to spearate from the love of God, he strongly implies, that those that are the people of God, those that are the real objects of his love, may yet be liable to all these; they are not exempted from any of these: They may be persecuted, and yet are beloved of God; they may be exercised with wants, with nakedness, and undergo cruel usages from men, yet belo­ved [Page 309]of God, under great Affliction, and yet un­der great Affection from God: The disting uish­ing love of God makes no distinction in these out­ward things, Eccles. 9.1, 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him; all things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean and unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; as he that sweareth, as he that feareth an Oath. Their Afflictions may be as great, nay exceed the afflictions of others, as you may see Psal. 37. and Psal. 73 both those Psalmes are upon that subject: as to the trou­bles of this life, the most sincere Servants of God may have a deeper share and portion in them, than they that do not own God in since­rity. In this world you shall have trouble: They that will live Godly in Christ shall suffer persecuti­tion, &c. These are the predictions for the fu­ture; and if you look back to the experience of former Ages, the flaming bush hath been an Em­bleme of the state of Gods Church, while the Church is here; the Bush was flaming and burning, and yet not consumed. You see then, it is the Priviledge of sincere Believers, that they have an interest in the special love of God; and you see also notwithstanding, the peculiar love of God to them, they are liable to many smart afflictions.

Thirdly, Whatever their afflictions are, though they may be above, and grearer than others, yet notwithstanding they have supports above others, even the love of God: you may see that this along hath been their great support, [Page 310]their relation to, and their interest in the Lord; as you may read in 1 Sam. 30.6. when David was once stript of no less than his all, his Wives, his Cihildren, his Substance, his Cattle, all were car­ried a way Captive, yet he incouraged himself in the Lord his God: Nay, this is the Promise that God hath made to his, Psalm. 89.31, 32, 33, 34. speaking of them them that are his in Co­venant — If they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments: Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My Covenant will I not break, nor aleer the thing that is gone out of my lips. I will cha­stise them they shall know what it is to pro­voke me, to offend me, yet I will have a kind­ness for them: when it is the foulest weather with the people of God here below, God by his Providences doth ordinarily make it clear a­bove; when the world doth most frown, God doth usually most smile; when his people are condemened of men, he then vouchsafeth them the clearest evidences of their acceptance with him, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. We are afflicted on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in de­spair; persecuted, but not forsuken; cast down, but not destroyed: still they had some relief in God, and God did let them then especially find it, when they did most need it; this is usually the time wherein God manifests more of tender­ness to his people, than at other seasons: it is promised Hosea 2.14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. [Page 311]A wilderness, that is a desert, a place full of full of wants, of straits and difficulties, but that shall be a time and place of Gods love to be ma­nifested. The Apostle found this also true. As our afflictions abound, so our consolations do much more abound: upon this account it is, that affli­ctions when they are sanctified, and we are sup­ported under them, and do make a right use of them, they are frequently mentioned is Scrip­ture as choice blessings, as eminent favours.

Thus this Doctrine is cleared, Whatever Com­forts a gracious Soul may go without, what Calami­ties it may undergo, yet it hath this unspeakable sup­port, the love of God: this love is a peculiar love, and it doth not exempt from Afflictions, but it doth admirably sweeten those Afflictions that the Servants of God do meet with.

For the Use of this Point.

this Informs us of the necessity of an eye of Faith to enable us to make a right Judgment both of Persons and Things: Sense and Reason are incompetent Judges of things Invisible, because these are above Sense, above the reach of Rea­son, many of them; we are apt to think when God strips his people of their estates, of Crea­ture comforts of Friends, of neer Relations, that when these are gone, all is gone with them, no, no, they have the love of God then; as our Saviour said, I have meat that ye know not of, so they have comforts and refreshments that o­thers know not of; Strangers cannot intermed­dle with their joy, these are out of the reach of all kind of enemies.

2. Doct. This peculiar love of God, is such a mercy, that nothing but the want of it, can make any of us miserable.

This I ground upon the Text: The scope of the Apostle in this place is to comfort the people of God against all the discouragements that this life is liable to, and capable of: Now the Ar­gument he alledges to this purpose is no more than this: Nothing can separate you (says he) from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus; and in as much adds, nothing more but this; he thought he had spoke enough in that one word: hence I gather, it is a mercy so highly con­siderable, that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable. All the miseries and calamities in the world, that can come upon us, cannot make us miserable, if we may but enjoy this one thing, the love of God: it is, as if the Apostle had said, I reckon, that such Afflcitions may separate you from the com­forts of this world, but let what affliction will, or can come upon you, they cannot separate you from these refreshments: this one singular Priviledge, the Apostle opposeth to all those kinds of calamities that he had mentioned be­fore; though it is true, every particular calami­ty is not mentioned amongst these, yet the grea­test and worst are, and the rest are included in them.

If God should enlarge Satans Commission a­gainst us, as he did once against Job, and deli­ver all we have into his hands and power; and if [Page 313]Satan should never fail in executing the utmost of that power, that God gives him; should God deal thus with us, yet there is enough in the love of God to sweeten all, Psalm. 63.3. Thy loving kindness is better than life. So our Translation reads it, but in the hebrew it is [...] prae vitis, that is, better than lives. The meaning of this is (as a Learned Expositor glos­ses upon the Text) than any kind of life; better than life, with any kind of advantages that may render it more sweet and pleasant to us, it is better than lives: now life you know is of all outward mercies the highest, for all other things are perfectly insignificant to us without life; Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life. But thy loving kindness is better life: So in Psalm. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire be­sides thee. David did not say, he had nothing in the world, for he had a Kingdom, a Crown, he had a great deal of worldly honours and greatness, but these were not the things he looked at; he could pass by these; he eyed Communion with God, and the favour of God was more than all, Psalm. 4.6, 7. There be ma­ny that say, who will shew us any good? 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 did encrease. Now how often did this holy man solace himself up­on this account, his interest in the favour of God. Psalm. 16.5, 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, thou maintainest my Lot. The lines are fallen to me in pleasant pla­ces, [Page 314]yea, I have a goodly heritage. There was no­thing that this holy man made his boast of, but only of God, and you find him often making him his glory; and truly, well might David be of this maind, well might he despise all worldly greatness in comparison of God; for could he have added Kingdome to Kingdom, and world to world, all had been nothing in comparison of him. That excellent description of God in Isaiah 40.12. is highly magnificent, and very helpful to raise up our thoughts to consider the greatness of God. Who hath measured the wa­ters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out Hea­ven with a span? &c. But now to prove this truth farther, I shall alledge these six Rea­sons.

1. Reas. There is nothing but the love of God can make us happy; and therefore there is no­thing but the want of this love that can make us miserable; for misery consists in the want of some good, or the enduring of some evil. Now nothing, I say, can make us happy, but the love of God. It is not Honours, for, not many Noble are called: it is not Greatness, for Greatness and goodness do not always go together: a man may be a Great man, and withal a great sinner, yea, a miserable man. It is said of Naaman, that he was a Great man, but withal he was a Leper, and that spoil'd all. It is not Riches can do it, Mans life consists not in the abundance of the things of this world: Besides, you read of an infamous rich man, Luke 12. he was boasting of his barnes, and granaries, and projecting how he might pull them down, and make new kind [Page 315]of store-houses for the reception of his incoms: When alas! that night his Soul should be required of him. And in Luke 16. you read of one faring deliciously every day, but both of these were in a very sad condition, as to their Souls; you remember the Parables. It is not Friends, Chil­dren, or Relations they cannot make us happy; we find those that have been under the displea­sure of God to abound in all these; no less than twelve Dukes proceeded from the Loyns of profance Esau.

In a word, it is not Creatures below us, that can make us happy; for happiness is mans per­fection, and Creatures below us are below per­fection; nor equal with us; nay, nor above; all Creatures above us are finite, but the desires of our hearts are infinite, and that which hath its bounds, can never satisfie boundless desires; and where desires are not satisfied, there can be no happiness.

But although God should give us so much of the world as our own hearts can desire or wish; yet if he hide his face, or stand at a distance from us, there is enough in the want of that single mercy to make us altogether miserable; therefore as Job speaks of Wisedom, the same wa may say of the love of God, Job. 28.12, 13, 14. But where is wisdom found, and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of the living. The depth saith, it is not in me, and the Seasaith, it is not in me. verse 15. Gold shall not be given for it, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

2. Reas. The love of God is such a mercy that it is abundantly sufficient to make up the want of all other mercies, and to sweeten the sourest of all kind of Afflictions, that can befal us. God in his giving himself, gives us more than all o­ther comforts; what we have not in the stream, yet if we have it in the fountain, it is more fresh, and more delightful; says Bernard, Lord, where can I be well without thee, and where can I be ill if may enjoy thee? Thy favour is better than life. True, we may be impatiently desirous of this, and that Creature-comforts, and as froward in those desires as Rachel was, when she quarrelled with Jacob for Children, Give me Children, or else I die: we cannot live without this, and that comfort, we cannot subsist without God humor us, Gen. 30.1. But as Elkanah said to Hannah, so may we say to our sullenest and most impa­tient desires, Am not I better to thee than ten sons? Is not God better to us than all? If God should deny us this, or that, or take away this, or that Creature-comfort, is not God better to us than all.

3. Reas. Thirdly, the love of God in its full perfection is the very happiness of Heaven it self; and so much as we enjoy of the love of God here on earth, so much we have of Heaven here on earth. The excellencie of Heaven is descri­bed thus, 1 Cor. 15.28. God shall be all in all.

There shall be no marrying, nor giving in mar­riage, but we shall be as the Angels of God, we shall there have no need of these Comforts, be­cause there we shall have a full fruition of God. [Page 317]There shall be no Sun, nor Moon, nor Stars, there is no want of these, because the Lamb is the brightness thereof. And if the love of God in its fullest perfection be the very happiness of Heaven; then certainly nothing can make that person miserable that enjoys any part of Hea­ven here on earth. In thy presence is fulness of joy, yea, and that for evermore. There is much comfort in what we have of his presence here; but what his people have of his presence here, is but a kind of absence to what they shall have hereafter, 2 Cor. 5, 6, 8. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We are confi­dent, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. The presence of God which we have here, he com­pares with the presence which we shall have hereafter; and the presence we have of God here, he accounts a kind of absence in compa­rison of that, as you may see by comparing those two verses together.

4. Reas. 4. Argument, That nothing can make a person miserable, but the want of this special and peculiar love of God, it appears from the excellencie of the person loving; THE LOVE OF GOD: this is a great word; If God be for us, who can be against us? if God justifie us, who can condemn us? v. 31, 33. of this Chapt. 2 Timoth 4.16, 17. St. Paul when all forsook him, thought he had enough in this, that God stood by him. At my first answering no man stood by me, but all men forsook me; (this was uncomfortable in it self) I pray God it may not [Page 318]be not laid to their charge. Nevertheless, the Lord stood by me and strengthened me. This contradict­ed all that went before, this circumstance as to the point of troubles and afflictions, because there is more in God, to support, and comfort, then there could be in afflictions to deject and and discourage.

Our Saviour could not speak to his Disciples without reproving them for their cowardize, foretelling them how it should shortly appear: You shall leave me alone. What? then to be left alone, when he was to go through all those troubles? this was a very uncomfortable thing, yet (says he) I am not alone, for the Father is with me, John 16.32. it is some refreshment in our sorrows, to have Friends to pity, and to com­passionate us; but oh! what a refreshment is it, to have the infinite God to love us? You know the Emphasis of all the sorrows that our Saviour underwent during his sufferings here on earth was, That God had withdrawn the sense of his love from him, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? as for his Disciples, their leaving of him, their turning their backs upon him, and falling off from him, these things he could easily bear; but Gods forsaking was the bitterness of his cup, and made him cry him with a loud voice, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.

5. Reas. May be drawn from. The nature of the love of God is such an eminent mercy, that no­thing can make that person miserable that doth par­take of this one Priviledge: because,

1. The Love of God is the tenderest, it is the most affectionate Love. The Love of Parents is great, but the love of God is greater, Math. 5.11. If you that are evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children, how much more then shall your Father which is in Heaven, give good things to them that ask him.

The love of a Mother is great, but the love of God is greater, and exceeds it, Isa. 49 15, 16. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb? yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. Be­hold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my Hands, thy Walls are continually before me.

The tenderest Compassions that can be found on Earth, come far more short of the compas­sions of an infinitely gratious God, then the least drop of Water to the vast body of the O­cean. There is no proportion between these two. In all Afflictions of his People, he is said to be afflicted, thereby intimating that he bears a part of their afflictions, and is sharer with them in all their troubles, Isa. 63.9. He that toucheth them, toucheth the Apple of his Eye, Zach. 2.8

2. The love of God, it is the truest and most prudent love, there is nothing of Cockering, or indulgence in it. It is no such love as to over­look the failings of his own People; no, Eve­ry Child whum he loves he corrects, Heb. 12.6. Judgement begins at the house of God, God is more quick in his chastising of them, then of others; and his love makes him to be so, be­cause God would recover them sooner and pre­vent [Page 320]their longer wandrings from him. Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word, Psal. 119.67. Therefore he says to Israel, You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth; therefore you will I punish for all your Iniquities, Amos 3.2. My kindness to you is far above all others, therefore I will correct you, I will make you smart now, that you may not smart for ever; you shall new feel the bitterness of Sin, to bring you to Repentance, and these Afflictions helps in order thereunto. As concerning others (the Sinners in Zion whom God regards not) it is said why shotld you be smitten a­ny more, Isa. 1.5. Ye will revolt yet more and more.

This is a great Priviledge, and part of the Covenant, and Promise, that God hath made with his People, as Psal. 89.30, 31, 32, 33, 34. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my Judgements; if they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments: Then will I visit their Traugression with the Rod, and their iniqui­ty with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faith­fulness to fail. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Lips. The visiting their trangressions, with a Rod, and their Iniquities with Stripes, is mentioned here, as an eminent Promise, and part of the Covenant of Grace. David accounted the Re­proofs of the righteous, a great favour to him, Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a great kindness; let him reprove me, it shall be an excel­lent Oyl which shall not break my head, Psal. 141.5.

3. The love of God is the most liberal, and bountiful love. All love is liberal, and bountiful, and according as the person is in ability, so is his love more, or less bountiful. It is said of Abashuerus, he gave gifts becoming his magni­ficence, so God gives gifts to his People, suitable to his greatness, becoming his Magnificence. Jesus Christ is called the gift of God, and what gift could God give greater? John 3.16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever beleiveth in him should not pe­rish, but have everlasting life. He had but one only begotten Son, and he gave him, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son but deliverd him up for us all, how shall he not with him, also freely give us all things.

This is such a pledge of Gods bounty, and evidence of his liberality, that we need not doubt of the goodness of God in other things, since God has given so high an instance as this; God will give grace, and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Psal. 84.7.

4. The love of God is the most firm, and constant love, alas, we are poor mutable Creatures, but God is an unchangable God, whom he loves he loves to the end, and that end is without end. There­fore the loving kindness of God is said to be better then life, Psal. 63.3. and it is better then life up­on this account, because it lasts longer then life, yea then all that in life we are made Partakers of; for if a man live in God, he lives better then in all other enjoyments whatsoever.

5. The love of God is an Omnipotent love, it is such as is able to effect his good pleasure, to them that are the objects of his love. Friends may wish us well, but can do no more, in some Cases; but there is no blessing needful, there is nothing that may be helpful to us, but God is able to vouchsafe it; in him dwells infinite fulness, and power. Thus you see from these five Reasons, that this peculiar love of God is such a mercy, that nothing but the want of this, can make any of us miserable.

Application, First, If it be so, that nothing can make that person miserable, that enjoys the love of God, then certainly God is no hard Ma­ster, nor does he deal rigorously with his People, when he suffers them to be afflicted? Though he lets them meet with some troubles, and cala­mities, and many of them very smart ones too, yet all this cannot be accounted harsh dealing, because nothing can make them miserable, that are in the love of God. They may be under sufferings, as the Apostles speaks, 2 Cor. 4.8. They may be under straits and difficulties, but in all these they are not forsaken, we are troubled on every side, but not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair. Cast down, but not cast off, afflicted but not unhappy; I say this may silence all those Ca­vils, and hard thoughts that our corrupt Na­tures are apt to entertain concerning God, espe­cially in his providential dealings with his Peo­ple.

2. Inference is this, If the love of God be such an eminent priviledge, How dreadful then is their Case that are under the hatred of [Page 322]God? What ever hath been said concerning the love God, the greatest word that can be spoken of, it is the infiniteness thereof, that it is an in­finite love; Now the infiniteness of Gods ha­tred makes that as terrible and dreadful, as the other is desireable, infiniteness in God, as it plainly demonstrates God to be, on the one hand the best Friend, so on the other hand the worst of Enemies; and as it speaks his love to be the most desirable portion, so of all kind of evils, his hatred to be the most formidable.

3. Inference is this, Take notice of the folly and madness of those Persons, that can be patient and quiet under the displeasure of God, and can content themselves without seeking reconciliation to him, and being received into favour with God. Is not this the Case of many? is not this the Cafe of many of us? It would be well for us if we would put this question home to our own Souls, you see nothing can make us miserable but only the want of Gods love; the Apostle thought he had spoke e­nough in this one word, to bear up their Spirits, against the fear of all those Calamities, which at that time were threatned, as Persecution, Famine, Sword, Nakedness, Perils, of all kinds: But what shall bear up those who have no share in it? since there is nothing can make us happy but this love of God, there is nothing can make us miscrable but the want of it; it is folly and madness in us, not so much as to regard this love. Why do you spend your money for that that is not Bread? hearken to me (saith God) and your Souls shall live, Isa. 55.2.3.

4. Inference, This Doctrine of admirable advantage to the People of God, under their greatest losses; for whatever they may loose they cannot loose their interest in the love of God, not from any excellency in themselves, but the I have given you an account of that, in that it is singularness of Gods grace and bounty to them, and his care for them, and their wel­fare.

I Shall now go on to the 6. and last Reason of this Doctrine, (That this peculiar Love of God, is such a mercy, that nothing but the want of this can make any of us mise­rable.

Because of the admirable fruits and effects of this love, in the many benefits we receive from thence, it is from the love of God, that we re­ceive every mercy that we enjoy, if it be but common Mercies, we receive them from the love of God.

It is true, the difficulty of this Case is, to know whether common mercies are the Fruit of special love. That they are from the love and goodness of God, it's clear, Matth. 5.45. God caused his Sun to shine upon the evil, and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the un­just.

These mercies are common mercies, and that, they are from common bounty that is unque­stionable; [Page 326]for as God is the Fountain of all good, so the love of God is the only Motive to incline him to do good to his Creatures; there is no­thing in them to move him to do them good, but it is his own goodness that moves him to it; he is the giver and bestower of every good and perfect gift; the Father of Lights.

Now whether you speak of common or spe­cial Mercies, all are the expressions of his love, common to some, peculiar to others; as for com­mon mercies, they are not common to his Peo­ple. There is a vast difference between the mercies that God vouchsafeth to his People, and those he vouchsafeth to others, the mercies the People of God enjoy are the special Fruits and benefits of his special love; and it is that upon which we ground our hopes of mercy for the future.

2. It is the love of God that makes every mer­cy to be indeed a mercy to us; The absence of Gods love is enough to blast all our choicest blessings. God may give us abundance of these outward blessings, but what are these unless he gives us his love with them. God answered the defires of the People of Israel; they must have dainties, and be fed with Qualies, but with all he sent leanness into their Souls, they had those sweet dainties, with bitter Sauce. So it is said again of some of the People of Israel, Psal. 69.22. Their Table became a snare before them, which is quoted again in Rom. 11.9. Alas, while we remain under the displeasure of God, though out of his common bounty, he may give us ne­ver so many comforts; yet these are but like the waters of Marah; there is nothing but [Page 327]bitternes in them. God may feed us perhaps very plentifully with outward enjoyments, e­ven to fatness, but this fatness will be but to destruction, and slaughter. As they cryed out to the Prophet, 2 Kings 4.40. Death is in the Pot; so death is in all our enjoyments, if we have not the love of God with them.

But, when we can read an Inscription of love in every comfort, and the light of Gods coun­tenance shining through every mercy; this sets Mercies at a higher rate. Herein is the great dif­ference between the People of God and others; they may enjoy the same Mercies; but the same Mercies are a Blessing to the one, and a Curse to the other; they may partake of the same outward Priviledges, but not with the same inward Sweetness. The same Cloud that was a light to the Israelites, was darknes to the Aegyptians; The same Ark that was for safety to the Israelites, was for destruction to the Phili­stines; The same Red Sea that was a Wall of safety to the Israelites, was a Floud to over­throw their Enemies.

The People of God have the same Mercies that others have, but God gives them grace to make a right use of them, for spiritual ends, and advantages, and so to them they better Mercies. God doth not onely give to them Ta­lents, but hearts to improve them, Titus 1.15. To the pure, all things are pure, &c. Mark; let them be what things they will, all is pure to them; but to the impure and defiled all things are defiled.

3. It is the love of God, that is not unly the Fountain of all good, and makes every thing to be indeed good, but this love makes all the evils that we meet with to be good to us; it makes burthens light, yokes easie. Sometimes it does so literally, as in the Case of the three Children; God so love them, that he took a­way the heat of the Fire, that not so much as a Hair of their Heads was singed, or their Gar­ments scorcht: But in a spiritual Compensation god is never wanting to his People. Those suffering Martyrs in Queen Maries days, some of them found those scorching Flames, as so many Beds of Roses, so full were they of com­fort from the sense of Gods love to them, they were above the sense of any kind of trouble or torture; though in it self, it could not be thought little. Nay, the love God hath a sin­gular ingred iency into Calamities, in the afflicti­ons of his People; it hath singular Efficacy to take away the bitterness of Afflictions. How to some did the love of God make their shame glorious, and their dolorous Afflictions to be de­lightful? it is said of the Apostles, that they went away from the Counsel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ. Rejoycing that they were graced with Re­proaches; they looked upon these as their Crowns, and their glory. What is said con­cerning the Phylosophers Stone, (whether it be fabulous or ont I will discourse) that it turns all into Gold that it toucheth; The same may be applied to the love of God, it puts good into eve­ny evil thing. If we can be but made Partakers of [Page 329]his love, it is such a most excellent priviledge, that nothing then can hurt us, or make us mi­serable: True, our own unbelief, and weak­ness, may keep us off from the comfort of this love many times; but this is a certain Rule, Every thing hath only so much of good in it, as it hath of Gods love in it, if Gods love be in our Afflictions, then this puts Sweetness into our Afflictions; and that partly by the Addition of some good by them, and partly by abstracting of some evil; namely, of our minds from outward things, and by setting them upon higher ob­jects.

4. An other effect of this love of God, is this? it makes us good in our selves, it is the love of God that is the only Fountain of all the grace, that any heart of us here hath had wrought in it. Who made the oh man to differ? or what hast thou that thou hast not received! What thou hast received it is of grace, not of debt, it is the love of God that does not only lay the Founda­tion of grace, but that does carry out the Super­structure of grace, he that is the beginner, the Author, he is the increaser of all good) nay he likewise preserves it; God from his love to his People, takes care to preserve that grace he hath wrought in them. Indeed, if God did not take care to preserve grace where it is once wrought, it would then soon dye, and vanish and come to nothing; grace in us, and the working of it at first, is no less then a Miracle, because our hearts are so uncapacitated, & so full of perverse Principles for the Reception of this work at first; and the preserving of it, when [Page 330]it is wrought, is as miraculous that grace should be kept alive in us, it is as much as a spark of Fire to be kept alive in a whole Ocean of Wa­ter; That weak grace, when it is in conjuncti­on with so many strong Corruptions, and those having such aides, and assistances, from with­out the Worlds and the Devils temptations, that grace should yet live, it is the Lords doings and it is marvelous in our Eyes. In the 1 Pet. 1.5. it is said of the sincere People of God, that they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation, not by any power of their own, but by the Power of God, and it is no less then a Mighty Power of God, that can keep them. I say it is the love of God that does begin and increase, and preserve grace, and excites, and and conserves and establisheth it; it is a good thing to have the heart stablished with Grace, it is God must quicken it; grace in us would other wise be but a heavy and dull thing, if God should not by the Gales of his Spirit blow up those Sparks that are in the hearts of his Peo­ple.

Thus I have gone over the Doctrinal part, you see the peculiar love that God bears to all sincere Believers, is a priviledge so vastly great, that those that do partake of this priviledge, nothing can make them miserable. For this one single priviledge, the Apostle opposeth against the all Calamities, that this life is capable of; as Perso­cution, Famine, Sword, Nakedness, and the like.

Applic. There are only 2. things that I shall speak to by way of Information. 1. If it be so, that the love of God is enough to Counter­ballance, [Page 331]ballance, to Counterpoyse, all the Calamities that this life is capable off; Then this may in­form us: That the love of God is the highest and most transcendent Priviledge that man is capable of. What ever delight or comfort we find in a­ny Creature enjoyment, they have this double vanity in them, and the love of God is above them.

• 1. They are Scant.
• 2. They are short.

First, They are Scant, they cannot supply all our wants; but in middest of all these, thought Sufficiencies, our Souls will be in ma­ny wants without the love of God. These are particular good things, and are only suitable to particular Persons, Cases, and Indigencies; but the love of God is an universal good.

If we look upon the dangers that we lye open to, the love of God (if we have an interest in that) sets us on a Rock that is higher then all Waves, and will shelter us from all Storms; it o­pens a Treasury of Mercy, that is sufficient to supply all wants. It is an ordinary saying the Kings presence makes the Court; so I may say of the presence of the King of glory; where ever he is, there is comfort and happiness, and where can his presence more properly be said to be, then where his love is?

The God is an universal good, I think I need not stand to clear, that hath been cleared by the Heathen: Therefore the names that many of the antient Phylosophers gave God was, that he is a God of truth and he is an universal good, and as God is so in himself, so his love makes him thus [Page 332] to u [...]. He is all good, in the want of all out­ward good; and how vast, and unlimited so ever our desires may be, yet there is enough in God, to fill every corner of our hearts, Psal. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Come with high expectations, raised, and en­larged desires; what then? I will fill them, saith God. Do but look upon those demensions (concerning the love of God in Christ Jesus) mentioned in the Eph. 3.18.19. It is a love that passeth knowledge, indeed there is a seeming con­tradition in the words. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is th breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth Knowledge. Know that, that can never be known. We may know that experimentally; that can never known Comprehensively. There is height, and depth, and length, and breadth, and all these be­yond all kind of Measure; and therefore the most experience Christians, when they have spoken of the love of God, instead of expres­sions, have made use of Admirations, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love that Father hath bestowed is pon us, that we should be called the Sons of God; it was such a manner of love, that he was unable to express it, and none is able to understand it, nor to comprehend it.

But let our Case be what it will; in having his favour, we have all we want; if God takes away our comforts; we have those comforts, when they are removed, though not formally, yet equivalently: or else how can those seeming Contradictions be rechnicled? Psal. 68.5. [Page 333]where God hath promised to be a Father to the Fatherless, and a Husband to the Widdow. To be Fatherless and yet to have a Father is a Con­tradiction; to be a Widdow, and yet to have a Husband? They shall have these virtually in God; they shall have the comfort of these. God in the ordinary way of his providence comforts, refresheth his People by these ordained things; but yet, as God gives these outward things, so he makes them refreshing to us; for these cannot do it alone: Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Now as God in the ordinary course of Providence, refresheth his People by these helps; so he can without these helps, re­fresh his People immediately by himself.

That is the first, out Creature comforts are Scant; they will serve in some Cases but not in all: but the love of God is of that universal extent, that it reacheth every Case.

2. There is this vanity in all our Creature comforts, they are but short. They may be re­freshing for a while, but they do not continue; it is not long that they can continue. All Flesh is Grass and the glory thereof as the Flower of the Field, the Grass withereth, and the Flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endures for ever: So we may say of all our Earthly enjoyments. Psal. 119.96. I have seen an end of all perfections. I have lookt upon all the desireable things in this world, and I have seen an end of them, that is; all these perfections. But thy Commandments (the comforts and priviledges built upon the Word of God) these are exceeding broad. Alas, [Page 334]as to all our Creature enjoyments in this world, we are in a double capacity of loosing the pos­session of them. They are Mortal and may die be­fore us. How many are there that have out lived their comforts, and all that hath been dear to them in this world?

Again, we are mortal and we may dye before them: But the love of God is an everlasting love. Everlastingness being added to any thing it puts an infinite value upon it.

Therefore the Joyes of Heaven are so transcen­dently glorious because they are everlasting. If there were any probability of an end to be put to those Joyes, it would dash all the glory of Heaven; and Heaven it self would be no long­er Heaven to the People of God, as the Apo­stle speaks, 1 Cor. 15.19. concerning the dis­coveries of Heaven, the Prophecies of an other world, and the priviledges of the Godspel, say, he, If we had hope in Christ in this world only, we were of all persons the most miserable. Did they not enjoy some thing of God here? yes, but they had hopes of a full enjoyment of God for ever: Alas, to fall short of these hopes, and to be kept out of these enjoyments, these frustra­tions times beyond what the disappointments, that carnal worldlings would meet with in their disappointmets.

On the other side the Torments of Hell are therefore so dreadful, because they are everlast­ing; for it there were but any probabiltiy of a release from those Torments, there would in a manner be no knid of Hell, to what now it is; [Page 335]if once there were any hopes, that the Worm would dye, and the Fire go out. Everlasting adds a great deal of weight to any thing, and makes it highly transcendent.

The State of Innocency was far short of our State of Recovery; because that was a muta­ble State: Man was left to the freedom of his will; he had power to stand, and ability to re­sist, all oppositions, and temptations; but still he was left to a mutable will. But our estate of Recovery, is another kind of Estate; (as to our security in it) because it depends upon Je­sus Christ. (as I shall shew when I come to speak of that part of the Text) The love of God is a fixt love, because it is in and through Jesus Christ.

Apl. For the Application of this point. How abundantly well are they provided for, that have the love of God for their portion? though they have nothing else, though they have not a a Friend on Earth, yet if they have the God of Heaven to be their Friend, if they have God to own and stand by thm they have enough. This was Saint Pauls comfort, Though no man stood by me, yet the Lord stood by me, 2 Tim. 4.16.17. Though thou hast no estate, nor Friend, nor Creature comfort, yet in having the love of God thou hast all; nay ten thosand times more then all. You may judge what a refreshing it was to the Prophet Daniel, Dan. 9.23. At the beginning of thy Supplications the Commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved; when Daniel was ready to faint under his Vision in the 10. Chap. 7.8. in [Page 336]the 11. verse; O Daniel greatly beloved! what greater word could be spoken then this? A man greatly beloved of the great God, Psal. 144.15. Happy is the People that is in such a case, yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord.

Let our condition be what it will in all other respects, yet if we have but this single privi­ledge, there is enough in this alone to make us happy. Though we be under reproaches as St. Pauls was, yet he be being clear in his Consci­ence towards God, that he had a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man, he trampled on those Reproaches: Its a small thing for me to be judged by mans Judgment. We pass through good report and ill report.

If our condition be want, what can he want, who hath an interest in him, in whom is infinite fulness? If our condition be Sufferings, what suffering can be harsh to them that have the pre­sence and love of God to sweeten them? Here is our strength and comfort indeed, but if God with hold his love, or suspend the manifestati­on of it, where are we? Death it self which is the King of Terrors is no terrour to us if we have but the love of God; there is enough in that to turn the dark Valley of the shadow of death, into a pleasant entry into everlasting glory, Psal. 23.4. Though I walk through the Valley of the the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For thou art with me, thy Red, and thy Staff they comfort me. Why? because thou art with me; with me? why God is with all his Creatures, he is e­very where. Yea, but with me in thy favour, and love, and care, and tenderness, to uphold, sup­port, [Page 337]and comfort me, when none else can com­fort me.

2. Appl. The next use is by way of examinati­on. You see this priviledge is highly great; it is no small matter any of us, to know in what posture we stand in reference to it. It is our great, and cheif concern, for all depends upon this; theefore let me perswade you from hence to examine your interest in the love of God. And although the love of God as it is in him, is secret and invisible to us; yet it discovers its self in its Fruits and Effects, so that it may be­come discoverable. There are many hidden Causes, but they may be discovered by their effects; as we know the nature of a Tree by the Fruit, and the nature of a Fountain by the Stream. Now if we would know the love of God to us, the truest way to discern it, is by our love to God. Examine your selves by this, 1 John 4.19. We love him because he first loved us. If thou hast any spark of love to God, to his truth, to his ways, to his ordinances, to his People, all these are as so many Fruits of his love to thee. He loved thee first, and that love kindled in thy heart a love to him. Love to God is a spark that comes from Heaven. But you will say our love to God may be as hidden and difficult a thing for us to discern in regard (especially) of the deceitfulness of our hearts, as the love of God to us is. I shall there­fore turn you to one place of Scripture, Joh. 14.21. He that hath my Comandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest my self [Page 338]to him. He is loved of God that keeps his Commandments, that is, that makes it his design, and endeavour so to do. Now consider what love do you find in your hearts towards God, his truth and his ways, &c. and from hence you may reasonably conclude his love to you.

2. A second Rule by which we may be help­ed in discerning whether we have any right or title to the love of God, is this. What? have you received those Mercies from God that are the infallible Pledges of his peculiar love? there are no kind of outward Mercies, almost but God may and does sometimes bestow those things in anger; God answered the People of Israel, in many of their rash requests in anger, he gave them quailes in anger, &c.

Again, these outward Mercies at best, (if they do not come in anger) are but Fruits of Gods common bounty. But now what Mercies do you parta [...]e of, which are infallible Pledges of his special love? there are such Mercies, there are indeed some Mercies that may be called in a [...] g [...]shing Mercies, in respect of their [...] and conducen [...] [...]o bring us to partake [...]of [...] Mercies indeed, as the Gospel for instance [...] Yet God vouch fafes this to them [...] by it; as the Jews had the sword, Ps [...]l [...] 147 [...]19, 20. He shewed his word un­to [...], his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel: He hath not de [...]lt so with any Nation; and as for his Judgements: they have not known them [...] Rom. 9.2. To them were committed the Oracles of God. Herein God hath been good to [Page 339]his People above others, the body of his pro­fessing People, Rom. 9.2. Theirs is the Cove­nant, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the Promises.

Yet this Mercy, though it be a more limited Mercy then ordinary and common Mercies are, yet is no such distinguishing Mercy, but that we may be Partakers of it, and yet not have an interest of Gods peculiar love. This sadly appears, for alas how many are there that live under the Gospel, and yet are so far from reaping that salvation which the Gospel brings, that it only heightens their misery and condem­nation? How many woes did our Saviour de­nounce against those Cities, that enjoyed the Gospel in so great a plenty, and yet lived un­proffitably under these Instructions? I do wish that we all may take warning by their woe.

But the Pledges of Gods peculiar love, are cheifly the Operations of his Spirit upon our hearts. Now what convincing Operations have you found upon your hearts, in the first workings of the Spirit of God? though his work be to com­fort, yet it begins in Convictions. I will send another Comforter, and he shall convince the world of sin. Joh. 16.8. Are you so convinct of sin, as to be brought off from it? to have your hearts set against it? though you cannot be free from sin, yet this is your burthen and your lamentation, and you groan under it. It is with you as it was with Saint Paul when he cry­ed out. Oh wretched man that I am who shall de­liver me from the body of this death, that is of sin that I carry about with me. Do you partake of [Page 340]the graces of Gods Spirit? the inlightning, the quickening, the renewing, the sanctifying graces thereof? Do you find your hearts, to be warmly affected with the things of God, & of Heaven? you cannot lightly pass by these things if you are his: Are you acquainted with the Supports of Gods Spirit in the midest of your distresses? there are none of you but may be in troubles, and yet may have many false Sup­ports (I grant) as natural stourness, and com­mon Principles, may carry men far: But are you acquainted with the comforts of Gods Spi­rit, have they been your support? Again, hath God not only vouchsafed you the means of grace, but hath he taught you to profit by those means, and to entertain them in their efficacy, plainness and power? Does God please not to let you alone in your sins? For God to leave us to be peaceable & quiet, in our sins, is a very sore Judgement. Lastly, do you still find upon every relapse and failing, your hearts deeply sensible thereof, and affected therewith? then may you comfortably say, these are the distinguishing Mercies indeed, and conclude they are accom­panied with his peculiar love.

3. What are the secret workings of your hearts towards God? what are your designs? your thoughts? your endeavours ingaged upon? is it to pursue the World? is it to stop every Door, at which danger and trouble may enter? or is it to approve your hearts to God, and to mind your duty, and in a way of well doing, to commit your selves to him? is this your care? this you may know by the secret workings of [Page 341]your Hearts, and by a serious Reflection upon all the passages of your Lives.

4. What is the measure by which you measure and pass a Judgement upon all kinds of Objects? Do those things seem most hateful to you, that are loathsome to God? and you most careful to shun that, which may hinder you from at­taining this love of God, or a clear sense of this love? therefore do you hate sin, and vanity, and all those things, that stand in opposition to this Priviledge? do you make this your Rule, to value Ordinances at a high rate by, because these are of great advantage to you, in respect of your Communion with God, and the enjoy­ing of his love and favour? and do you mourn, and lament the removal of these, or your be­ing straitened, as to these kind of advantages upon the account, in reference to the love of God, because you cannot have these opportu­tunities of Communion with him? Consider, and seriously bring home these things to your own hearts.

Appl. In the next place I shall only speak to one use more, that is by way of Exhortation. If it be so then, if you find it is thus with you upon your examination, that you have indeed warrantable hopes of claiming an interest in the peculiar love of God; Then labour to answer this love of God, with love to God, love in any is engaging; love in Superiours is more en­gaging; but love in God is infinitely more, who is able to return love for his love. There are these five hints I shall leave with you by way of direction.

1. Let this love of God be a powerful con­straint upon your hearts to do all the duty that God requires. Let Gods love thaw your Icy hearts, and cause them to melt and flow into every du­ty, Joh. 15.14. Ye are my Friends if ye do what­soever I command you. The love of God is con­straining not only to do all, but to do all out of love, and not to think his Commandments greivous, or his Yoke heavy; but to serve him with the chearful compliance to his will in all things, 1 Joh. 5.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his Commandments: and his Com­mandmenes are not grievous. And this is when we account every thing of duty our reward; when we look on our work, as our ways. David saith, In keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward, Psal. 19.7. Mark; he doth not say [there shall be] but there is in it great re­ward.

Indeed there is nothing that God commands us, if we did but rightly understand our selves, but it would be upon its own account, excel­lent, and desireable; however we may take of­fence at several duties that God requires, be­cause they cross our corrupt nature; as mortifi­cation, self denial and the like; yet all these duties are of so high an advantage, that an intelli­gent person, (if there was nothing of command in them) yet would think there is enough in their own excellency, to engage us in the per­formance of them. That's the first hint, if we have any ground to hope that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.

2. Manifest your love to God by a through [Page 343]detestation, and a careful avoiding of what ever might offend him. You that love the Lord hate e­vil, Psal. 97.10. The love of God (the Apostle saith) constrains us, 2 Cor. 5. The love of God to us and the love we have to him, it lays a ho­ly necessity upon us; it not only constrains us to mind our duty more seriously but it wrests sin out of our hearts and hands, and engages to oppose every thing that is offensive to God, who shews so much of favour and loving kind­ness to us. I charge you saith the Spouse that you wake not my Love till he please, Cant. 2.7. She was careful that he should not be dishonour­ed by others, how much more not to be so by her self.

3. Manifest your love by a good construction and interpretation of all Gods providences: Love thinks no evil. Harbour therefore no hard thoughts of God. Do not charge him foolishly (as it is said of Job) in all his sufferings he did not charge God foolishly. This is a high expression of a grateful sense of Gods love to us, &c. Our love of God, if we think well of God, what ever he doth with us. Providence is an uncertain Rule by which to walk in judging of Gods love. Gods ways are in the Sanctuary, his Paths are in the deep Waters, Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; but all his ways are Righteousness and Judgement, Psal. 97.2. Manifest your love by a patient submis­sion to all the dispensations of God, and by a good construction of all his Providences.

4. Manifest your love to God by a chearful undergoing all afflictions in the cause of God. It is for your Lord; for him that hath done and [Page 344]suffered ten thousand times more for you, then possibly you can do for him. Manifest your love by a cheerful submission, when your Case is clear in doubtful things, the Case will be other­wise: The Apostles rejoyced that they suffer­ed reproach and dishonour in the Cause of Christ, Acts 5.41.

5. Manifest your love to God, in labouring to bring others to partake of the love of God. You that see some ground in your selves, to hope that you have an interest in the love of God, be actively diligent to help others what you can, to get an interest in this love; for this is a high testimony of our love to God. Peter lovest thou me? Feed my Sheep, Joh. 21.16, 17. you know how our Saviour repeated it three times, to shew that he would take this very well at his hands.

In the last place one word more to them, who have good hopes, that these great things do be­long unto them. Labour to keep up a fresh and lively sense of Gods love in your hearts. Though the love of God be invariable thus far, whom he loves he loves for ever; yet the sense of this love is very mutable. Be very careful therefore to keep your Evidences clear and unspotted; do not blot them by sin. David lost the sense of Gods love for a long time, by those great lapses of his, and though. God had pardoned him, and did yet love him; yet it was a long time, be­fore he did recover the sense of it. Be diligent in the use of those Ordinances, by which the sense of Gods love is most cleared, and kept fresh in your hearts. Alas those, that do the [Page 345]most partake of the love of God, may have their ebbings, and flowings, as to the sense thereof, in Joh. 14.21. He that hath my Command­ments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me, and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest my self to him. If we would have further manifestations of the love of God, we must go on in ways of obedi­ence to God. Be therefore often Communing with your own hearts, and looking into your own Souls, and consider your ways, &c. how matters stand between God and you.

On the other hand I shall speak one word to them, who upon examination find ground to fear, that they are rather under Gods displeasure, then intitled to his peculiar love, that are rather the objects of his wrath, then the subjects of his spe­cial love. Oh think what a woful estate thou art in. Oh think what comforts thou by thy negligence and disobedience hast deprived thy self of. Think what dangers thou liest open to every moment, there is nothing between thee, and everlasting misery, but a fraile life; and the thread of this life how soon God may cut it asunder, none knows. Think what uncomfortable, and an unsafe estate thou art in. Do as David in another Case did: He would not give sleep to his Eyes, nor slum­ber to his Eye lids, till he had provided a place for the Ark of God. So do you give all diligence, that you may attain reconciliation to God, and an interest in this great priviledge, that you have heard of this day, of the love of God.

HEre is a large Enumeration of particu­lars, death cannot do it, though it can separate from all things here in this World, life cannot do it, the troubles of life, nor the comforts of life. I shall not in­sist on these things further. There is this vanity in the best of all our Creature enjoyments, that there will be (nay there cannot but be) a parting with them. The rich man that now prides him­self in the multitude of his riches, in the great­ness of his Treasures, in the largness of his in­comes [Page 347]cannot rationally but think (if he does not, he does but delude himself) that he cannot carry his riches with him into the other World, to bribe the Flames of Gods wrath, to corrupt the Executioner of Gods Vengeance. It was Jobs acknowledgement, naked came I out of my mothers Womb and naked shall I return. He came into the World without, and he must leave all these things behind him, when he goes out again, Job. 1.21. In the 12 of Luke you read of that Gos­pel Fool, when he began to applaud himself in his condition, saying Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years; take thine case, eat, drink, and be merry. Thou Fool (says God to him) this night shall thy Soul be required of thee: then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided? they are thine now, but whose shall they be before to morrow? there must be a separation from all these things. The greatest of men that are, that now over top all about them, they must ere long be levelled, and made equal to their Neigh­bours: There is no difference between the dust of a Nobleman, and the meanest person; yea Crowns, and Scepters, which are such dazeling things in the Eyes of the world, these ere long must be resigned into the hands of Successours; there must be a separation from all these things. Nay all these relations that have the greatest in­dearment in them that can be; as the Relations of Husband, and Wife, and Parent, and Child, and Pastor, and People, and Friend, and Friend, ( there is a Friend that is nearer then a Brother, saith Solomon,) there must be separation from these, there must be, there cannot but be so. [Page 348] Your Fathers where are they? the Prophets do they live for ever, Zach. 1.5. observe this general Rule; there is no Fixation, no stability in any thing, but in this only; viz. the love of God.

For the clearing of this observation I shall speak to 2. things.

• 1. Something by way of Explication.
• 2. Something by way of Confirmation.

1. By the way of Explication, rightly to state the Case concerning the love of God, and to set truth its due bounds: This I shall do by pro­pounding several distinctions.

1. We must distinguish between the common love of God, which manifests it self onely in common Mercies, in preserving us and provid­ing for us these outward things; and the spoci­al love of God which consists in distinguishing, discriminating Mercies. Now it is plainly clear, that the Apostle cannot speak here of the com­mon love of God; because this love may be removed, and turned into hatred. God shew­ed a great deal of love to Saul, in chusing him out of all the Tribes of Israel, to be head over his People, and Saul himself was at first very sensible of the goodness, and love of God to him in this respect; and therefore when Samuel tells him how God, 1 Sam. 9.21. had chosen him to be the head of his People, Saul answer­ed and said am not I a Benjamite of the smallest of the Tribes of Israel? and my Family the least of all the Families of the Tribes of Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to me? he thought this was too much kindness, to be shewed to such a mean and unworthy person as he was. [Page 349]Nay in the beginning of his Reign God did wonderfully honour him, both in giving him the hearts of his People; its said God touched the hearts of his People, chap. 10.26. and like­wise in giving him success against his Enemies: Yet after all these favours which were but Fruits of common love, Saul for his disobedience was cast of: He first rejected God; and then God re­jected him, 1 Joh. 15.23. when Samuel expo­stulated with Saul, and told him, he had not executed the Commission he had received from the Lord, he had not destroyed all the Amale­kites, according to the Commandments of God; he pleased himself with a fine excuse, the Peo­ple took of the cheif of the things to Sacrifice to the Lord, 1 Sam. 15.22, 23. Saith Samuel; hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices, as in obeying the voyce of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better then Sacrifice; and to hearken then the fall of Rams. For Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft, and stubborness of iniquity and idolatry: Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being King. Here was first favour from God, and then anger: but this was but the common favour of God: The Apostle doth not speak of this. So concerning that case, the prosperity of the wick­ed, which hath so much staggered the faith of Gods People, and put them to a non plus. Why do do the wicked prosper? what expostulations do we find, not only in David, but in many other holy men in Scripture? in this Case, God may be bountiful to all men, but this is but his com­mon love. But now if we speak of what love [Page 350]the Apostle speaks of here, it is special love which is manifested in distinguishing Mercies; in those Gifts and Graces, that are without Repen­tance, Rom. 11.29.

2. We must distinguish between the peculiar love of God in it self, and the appearance and evidence of it to our apprehension. This love in it self hath a real constancy, though in our ap­prehensions it may be seemingly uncertain. God is ever careful to love his People, with this peculiar love really, though this love may not always be visible, and apparant to us, Isa. 49.14. read there the complaint of the Church, and the Church is as dear to God, as the most be­loved Wife is to the tenderest Husband, She is said to be betrothed to God, nay God is said to marry her, Hosea 2. yet you see the Church complains. And Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hoth forgotten me. Not only forsaken, but forgotten; not only cast out of doors, but quite cast of; this was the sense she had of her own Case. But God answered that Objection with many comfortable and gracious promises in the verse following. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child, that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb? yea they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. I might bring a whole Cloud of Witnesses to prove this truth, that the love of God is real and constant, when in our apprehensions it seems to be uncertain; and that he then loves us when he seems to have taken off his love from us, Psal. 77.7, 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favour a­ble no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth [Page 351]his promise fail for ever more? hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies, Selah. Shut them up that there is no hope of future Mercies. I said this is my Infir­mity: but I will remember the years of the right band of the most High. This was the Fruit of his deliberation, when he had recollected his thoughts, this was my weakness, it was not so with God; Gods love is certain and constant. It is many times with gracious Souls, that are beloved of God with a peculiar love, as it was with Hagar, she wept and lamented; she look­ed on her self and Child as hopeless, till the An­gel opened her Eyes to see the Well, Gen. 21.16. And she went and sate her down over against him a good way off, as it were a Bow shot: For she said, let me not see the death of the Child. And she sate over against him, and lift up her voyce and wept, And God heard the voyce of the Lad: and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven, and said unto Her, what aileth thee Hagar? fear not; for God bath heard the voice of the Lad where he is, 19. verse God opened her Eyes, and she saw a Wall of Water: and she went, and filled the Bot­tle with Water, and gave the Lad to drink. Her Bottle was spent, her hope was quite gone, but God opened her Eyes. So it is said of the Prophet, 2 Kings 6.15. when he saw such a multitude that came against him and his Master. And when the Servants of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, an Host compas­sed the City both with Horses and Chariots. And his Servants said unto him, alas my Master, how shall we do? And he answered fear not: for they that [Page 352]be with us, are more then they that be with them. And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open his Eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man, and he saw and behold the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots round about Elisha. This Eye is the Eye of Faith; now when this Eye of Faith is dim. objections are raised; but when God opens this Eye, this dispels all these Objections. How ever the love of God is constant, though to our sense and apprehension, it may many times be over cloud­ed and dark, in Isa. 50.10. you read of Chil­dren of light walking in the darkness, those to whom comfort was their right and priviledge; they who had a real Title to it, yet those Chil­dren of light sate in darkness. This is the Case of many gracious Souls. I add this to the for­mer as it is the distinguishing love of God, the Apostle speaks of in the Text, so it is the distinguisthing love of God, as to its reallity, not to its visibility.

3. We must distinguish between the love of God in its self, and various degrees of this love. I grant not only in appearance but in reallity, God may withdraw his love many degrees (un­derstand it of the effects of this love, for the afflictions admits not of more or less) we may be separated from this love of God some de­grees, but we are never separated from it total­ly, or all together. God may less love us (in the sence above noted) but not cease to love us: there may be some little intermission, though there is no total cessation; that canot be: God hath promised, Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. There is a great many [Page 353]Negations in the original; no less then five, in that one place, I will not, I will not, I will not, I will not, I will not. Now for the clearing of this, let me speak to some particulars, because all depends upon this, this is the main thing in this point.

1. God may withdraw the manifestation of his love in Temporal blessings, when he doth not in Spiritual. We are apt to judge of Gods love to us by these outward comforts, and when these are removed, we are then apt to think that Gods love is restrained, as Gideon argues in Judges 6.10.13. when they were oppressed so much for the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his Mi­racles that our Fathers told us of; saying, did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. This was by reason of their oppression and outward troubles. God may withdraw the manifestation of his love as to Temporals: But as God may bestow tem­poral mercies in anger, so he may remove these favours. For example: when the People of Israel were so nice and dainty, that they must be fed with Curiosities, God answered their de­sires, Psal. 106.15. but with all he sent leaness into their Souls. They had better have been without these comforts, then to have had them on these Terms. So God may love, and doth love, his People, when he doth not main­fest his love in temporal blessings.

2. God may suspend the manifestation of his love in spiritual Comforts, when he doth not [Page 354]suspend his love in spiritual Graces. This is a higher degree. For Example: when God sends his Spirit to Convince a poor Sous, to humble it, to wound it, thereby to prepare it for mercy; there is little of comfort visible now in this, John. 16.8. this is the Method, wherein God promiseth his spirit to be a Comforter; first to convince of sin, then to comfort. First to humble, and then to exalt. After these wounds, and bruises, and castings down, these distresses of Spirit into which the Soul is brought; then to bind up, and comfort: There is at present seen little of love all this while; and yet there is a great deal of this reallove; because all this while God is preparing the Soul for mercy, and that comfort that at present it feels the want of. You know in the exercise of Repentance, and humility, and a contrite and a broken Spirit, the Soul is not so sensible of the love of God; but the love of God then appears, though not in Spiritual comforts, yet in Spiritual graces; and after in reviving and quickening them.

3. God sometimes suspends the manifestati­ons of his love in the very graces of his People; but then it is not in these Graces that concern the safe being of his People; but in these graces that concern their well being. Gods People may be safe when they are not in such a chearful and flourishing condition. For example: God may leave his People so far, as thattheir Faith (to wit of evidence) may be in the dark, their hope may be over-clonded, their joy may be eclipsed; it may be sad with them, in respect of these kinds of graces at present. But as to [Page 355]their other graces that concern their safety, as humility, and dependance on God and some actings of Faith, these God keeps alive all this while.

Again, all the withdrawings of Gods love from his People, the gradual withdrawings, as they are but gradual and partial, so they are but temporary and for a little time, Isa. 54.7.8. For a small moment have I for saken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my Face from thee, for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. It was not total, it was but for a moment; it was not final, but with. everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee The darkest night with the People of God, shall have a bright morning. Light is sown for the Righ­teous, and Joy for the upright in heart. Though it be as seed that is cast into the ground: all the comforts of Gods People may seem to be as Seed cast into the ground, which first dies before it lives; yet there will be a Resurrection; it is but for a little time, that God deals so, that God withdraws thus gradually from his People, and that in these two respects.

1. In respect of Gods withdrawing from o­thers, he withdraws from them so as never to re­turn. I mean those that are not his People, the wicked. Depart from me, and so depart from me, as everlastingly to depart from me. Depart from me into everlasting burnings; this is a de­parting without returning.

2. It is but for a little time in respect of what the People of God themselves deserve. For there [Page 356]is not the least departure of ours from God, but it deserves an everlasting departure on Gods side from us. For us to leave him, to cast off his yoke, to own any other Master, but him, deserves that he should utterly leave us.

Lastly, all these withdrawings and darknings, these gradual withdrawings of Gods love tends very much to the advantage of his People. If God withdraw his love in temporal blessings, it is that he may manifest more of his love in Spiri­tual Mercies. If God take away from us a Creature comfort, he by this kind of Rod, shews us the necessity of living above our com­forts, and of living only upon himself. They are admirable designs, that God hath in these kind of seeming expressions of his displeasure against us. He therein expresseth very much of love to us; his designs are gratious, partly to wean us from this world, by shewing us the vanity of it, and partly in giving us more of himself, and to let us see the need we stand in of him; and partly that we may have greater experience of his goodness, in his comforting supports under the greatest burdens, that can be­fal us. Had not the People of God such losses and crosses and tryals in Creature comforts, they could never have tasted so much sweetness in the promises, nor in the supports of the spirit, nor in the comforts of Gods presence. but by Gods withdrawing, the gradual withdrawings of God as to his manifestations of his love in Spiritual blessings, God many times, does it, that they may not withdraw from him: He therefore hides away his Face, thereby to put them upon [Page 357]seeking after him. We are apt to be very cold, and slight, and remiss in the things of God, & he to awaken us many times takes this course.

Again, God sometimes forsakes us in spiritu­al comforts, that he may not forsake us in great, er blessiongs. Comfort is not at present, so ne­cessary as other blessings are. Mang may go mourning all the days of their lives, but if they go on in the way to Heaven, though they go mourning thither, one Minutes enjoyment of the glory of Heaven, will recompence for all. God doth it to enlarge their graces, and to fit them for greater comforts afterwards. The sum of all under this head. as to the distinguishing love of God here spoken of, and the reallity of this love is, that though God doth not in the same height and degree manifest himself in his love to his People; yet nothing can separate from the love of God. God may not manifest his love in that eminency, (as you have heard) yet there is nothing that can make a total, or final Separation from the love of God.

Now for the Confirmation of this truth I shall give you some Arguments.

1. Arg. First from the freeness of Gods love free grace is the only Spring and Fountain, of all Gods love to his poor Creatures. If there be any thing of love in us to God, this cannot be the Cause, or Motive, of Gods love; in regard it is the effect, and fruit of antecedent love. This is clear; if there be any thing better in us then in others, it is because God hath been better to us, then he hath been to others, and therefore the Apostle thus expostulates, 1 Cor. 4.7. Who [Page 358]maketh thee to differ, &c. What hast thou that thou didst not receive?

Now because there is nothing of loveliness in us, but it is purely the freeness of Gods grace, that is the Motive of his love to us; this speaks it an everlasting love: and the force of the reason lies in this, because if the Foundati­on or Motive of Gods love to us, had been any thing that he had discerned in us; then, as it was something, that was pleasing in us, that was the Motive of his love to us, so that which is displea­sing in us would put an end to his love. If our me­rit did procure it, then our demerit would have forfeited it; and this alas we do every moment. But you find all along in Scripture, that it is the good will and pleasure of God, to which all his love to us is ascribed, Luke 12.32. Fear not lit­tle Flok, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to you give the Kingdom. It is Gods good pleasure, its not you have deserv'd it, but he hath shewn you his goodness in being thus bountiful unto you, in be­stowing it upon you. So you have it very fre­quently repeated Eph. 1.7. In whom we have Re­demption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. It is grace, and riches of grace, that God shews any thing of love to us. So you have it several times men­tioned in that Chapter. This is one Argument to prove the love of God to his People to be e­verlasting, because it hath no other Foundation, nor Fountain, but his own goodness; his goodness is an everlasting goodness, and therefore his love must be an everlasting love. Was the Foundation of Gods love any thing in us, alas [Page 359]we are mutable Creatures. You know in our Primitlve estate we lost all; yea where we were in an estate of greater advantage, then we can ever arrive to here on earth; when we had no­thing of weakness, or ignorance, or corruption, but were fully furnished against all kind of as­saults; yet then barely the mutability of our will lost all; but now the love of God doth not depend on the will of man, but the free grace and goodness of God himself.

2. Arg. The Faithfulness of Gods promises. God hath promised this, mark this is the sum of all Gods promises, herein consists the excel­lency of the Covenant of grace; it carries e­verlastingness and in disoluableness in it. I will turn you to one or two places, Jer. 13.3. The Lord hath appeared to me of old, saying, I have lo­ved thee with everlafling love: Therefore with lo­ving kindness have I drawn thee. Its called there an everlasting love, and you find it promised likewise Jer. 32.38. And they shall be my People and I will be their God, ver. 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to dothem good. Do but observe, it is an everlasting Covenant, and the promise of of this Covenant is this, I will not turn away from them, to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. I will neither cease to love them, nor shall they cease to love me: God takes care of both parts. He hath promised for himself, that he will not, and he will so take care of them, that they shall not, cease to love.

3. Arg. The immutability of Gods decrees. This shews the love of God to be so fixt, so e­verlasting, that nothing can separate from it, or dissolve. That God is the great Governour of all the world, and that all things are managed by his infinite Wisdom, is acknowledged by all; and that he governs all things according to his de­crees. This is the ldea, or Copy, of all that comes to pass; this appears from the Eternity of God. God doth nothing now, but what he decreed in Eternity. Eternity is one point with God; there is no first, nor second, nor last things with God. That these decrees with God are immutable, appears from the perfection of God: To take up new Councils argues imper­fection. God loves none but those whom he elected; and elected none, but those whom he decreed to love. Now this Election is an inten­tion in God, for the glorifying the riches of his grace in some persons, Eph. 1.5, 6, 7. the A­postle speaks with that limitation: Having pre­destinated us unto the adoption of Children, according to the good pleasure of his Will: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us ac­cepted in the Beloved: In whom we have Redemp­tion. So that there is a particular defignation of these persons to partake of this salvation, 2 Tim. 2.19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth those that are his.

Again Election includes in it thus much; a preparation, and sanctification, of all means whereby those persons, that are designed to sal­vation, shall infallibly be brought to it. God [Page 361]doth not only design [...]to glory, as the end; but also to grace, as the means. And for the work­ing of grace in them, and for the preserving of his People in a State of grace: God under­takes for both. Now the fulness, and unchang­ableness of these decrees, argue the love of God to be unchangeable. As God hath intended some to glory as the end; he intended by grace as the means to bring them to that end, 2 Thes. 2.13.14. But we are bound to give thanks al­ways to God for you, Brethren, Beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation; through sanctification of the Spirit & belief of the Truth: whereunto he called you by our Go­spel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Je­sus Christ: That is the glory purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ. And if this love of God flows from his electing decree, it must needs be everlasting; because God cannot be frustrated in his decre.

4. Arg. The fulness of that care that God takes of his People, though they may be tempted, and assaulted, and mee [...] with sore buffettings; yet he will not let them be tempted above what they are able. 1 Cor. 1.13. and when they are the forest beset with difficulties, and under the great­est fears, and sad thoughts; yet even then God hath the same care of them, that he had of St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12.9. my grace is sufficient for thee. That one expression that we have, 1 Pet. 1.5. is enongh to clear this truth: Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation. you read in the verse before, of Gods reserving of Heaven for them, and in this verse of God's [Page 362]preserving of them for it, Though they may meet with many Rubs, and Interruptions in the way to Heaven, yet they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation; they shall not fall short of glory; God doth still love them, and they shall find the Fruit of this love to be everlasting happiness. His grace is omni­potent grace, and therefore it is that our Saviour comforts his Disciples. with this consideration. Joh. 10.29. My Father is greater then all, and none can pluck you out of his hands. Now if God takes such care of his People to preserve them, then there is no fear of their falling short of his glory.

5. Arg. Lastly, The many assurances that God hath given his People of his everlasting love to them.

He hath given them his word; he tells them whom he loves he loves to the end, Joh. 13.1: he hath told them, I well never leave you nor forsake you, Heb. 13.5.

Nay he hath given them not only his word but his promise, which is more than a solemn word, Jer 32.40. And I will make an everlast­ing Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from then to do them good.

Nay he hath not only given them his promise but his promise confirmed with an Oath. Heb. 6.17.18. Wherein God willing more abundant­ly to shew unto the Heirs of promise, the immutabi­lity of his Counsel, and confirmed it by an Oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong Consolation, &c.

Nay he hath confirmed his Oath with a Seal, he hath given us his hand and Seal; and he hath given his People the first Fruits of the Spirit whereby they are Sealed up to the day of Redemp­tion. So that you see the love of God hath this transcendent excellency in it. that it is everlast­ing. There is nothing, that enemies can do, to put a period to it; and there are all things in God, that might give us an assurance of theeverlasting­ness thereof.

Ʋse, Now to make some Application of this point in a few words.

First, This may inform us of the folly of them who fix upon any thing on this side God. There is no everlastingness, no fixation, no stability, in any thing, but in God only. I have seen an end of all perfection, but thy Commandments are exceeding broad. Alas all other things are but as Clouds that are passing away; they are not: why should we set our hearts upon things that are not? they are not because they continue not. In fixing our hearts, and hopes, and in building our expectations, on any thing befides God, and placing our comforts on any thing besides the love of God, as we highly disho­nour God, so we highly wrong our own Souls.

Hereby we highly dishonour God, because we prefer the Cistern before the Fountain; yea we rather chuse to build on the Sand, then upon the Rock of Ages; we think our selves better in the hands of Creatures; then in the hands of the Almighty, and infinitely gracious God.

And we wrong our selves because we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of being fru­strated and disappointed, though we may be as industrious as the laborious Bee, to wander from this to the other part of the world, to go to this, and that Flower; yet we are sure to meet with nothing, but disappointment, but God is a sure refuge, his love is stable and secure to our Souls. Nay we do whtat we can to put God far from us, when we fly from him, and make the world our comfort. We bid as it were God to depart from us: We tell him we can do well e­nough without him; we can do well enough with other things besides him; we say as they did, depart from us, for we desire not the know­ledge of thy love, Job 21.14.

2. It may inform us how such Discourses as this is, may cause our hearts to burn within us; as it is said of his Disciples, who were going to E­maus Christ appeared to them, and they knew him not, but afterwards when he had left them, then they recollected their thoughts, and said How did our hearts burn within us whilst he spake unto us? that God should love such as we are? and that with an everlasting love? and so as that nothing should be able to take off his love from us? not our sins, not our provocations? this is a wonder. Though these may be as so many Clouds to darken his love yet this is a priviledge peculiar to all true and sincere Believers. Now since God doth love us so wonderfully, how should this cause our hearts to burn within us?

To burn with the Fire of Repentance to purge away the dross of our sins, that ever we should [Page 365]be so foolish, unwise, and disingenious, to requite so good a God who hath so loved us.

And with the Fire of love; to love God, and to do what we can in acknowledging such love in him to us. And with the Fire of Zeal for him, that hath shewed so much of kindness to, and care of and over us.

2. Ʋse. The next use is by way of Exhorta­tion, and in that I shall speak to two sorts of per­sons.

First, To them who find themselves as yet Strangers to this love of God: Let me speak to them. Oh do but think how sad a condition you are at present! labour to affect through­ly your hearts with the sadness of this condition; though you may have never so much of other Mercies, yet if you have not this Mercy; the single want of this, is enough to imbitter the largest confluence of all your Creature enjoy­ments. It is this alone that can bear up our Spirits while we live; and comfort our hearts when we dye, and it will go with us after death, and beyond the Grave. To want this, is to want that, which no orher enjoyent can make up; indeed, if we have the love of God, there is egough of the enjoyment of that, to com­ensate the want of all things else! Oh there­fore labour first to be sensible of your condition, and to get your hearts affected with it, and then stand no longer capitulating with God, but ac­cept of Mercy, and that thankfully, upon, the terms that God offers Mercy. Is God willing to bestow his love upon you? and is it such a love that nothing can deprive you of it, when you [Page 366]once have it? and is it a mercy that may be purchased on such easie terms; And are you unwilling to accept it? Oh! It is a faithful say­ing and worthy of all acceptation. Do not stand off longer; make no terms; raise no objecti­ons; but come up to the terms which God re­quires. If it be to the cutting off a right hand, or plucking out a right Eye: And bless God that yo may be accepted on such an account. Go to God and plead his Sons blood; and plead his Mercy; and though there is nothing in you to procure his love, yet make use of these things that may help you. Do not give over the use of means, but wait upon God in his Ordinances, that they may bring you over to partake of this love of God.

2. Exhor. To them whom God hath blessed with this love: I shall speak one word to them. If God hath bestowed on you this great favour, to own you, to love you, (to love you in and through Jesus Christ) you have cause to be thank­ful. For God to love you, Truly it is a distin­guishing mercy; such a mercy as God doth not vouchfafe to all. It is a free mercy; a mercy that God never bestows upon any account, but only upon the account of his free grace. Now be thankful therefore, if you partake of the love of God, it is a mercy that but few fo his Creatures do partake of; and it is a mercy that any do par­take of it. That God should set his love upon fal­len man, and pass by fallen Angels: That God should set his love upon Creatures, it is much; but that he he should set his love upon apostate Cratures; upon Creatures that are so much [Page 367]below him, and upon sinful Creatures, that so much provokt him, what cause of thank­fulness have we, that do partake of this love? but be careful, that you are upon a sure Foundation. As to this, examine what is your love to God, his truth, his ways, and ordi­nances. Again this mercy, is the sum of all mercies: If God loves us (as one speaks) then himself is our God; then all in God is ours; that is for our support, and comfort, and re­freshment.

In the next place be careful to preserve this love; be careful of doing any thing, that may cause God to withdraw any measure of his love from you, and make use of all kinds of means and helps, whereby you may have this love cleared, excited, and quickened; and upon e­very withdrawing of the love of God, be care­ful to recover it. Resolve as David did, Psal. 132.3, 4, 5. Surely I will not come into the Ta­bernacle of my house, nor go up into my Bed, I will not give sleep to my Eyes, nor slumber to my Eye lids, until I find out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. Here was a great deal of earnestness. So do you resolve never to be at rest nor quiet, until you have recovered what yo have lost. We find that God does upon several accounts withdraw the manifestation of his love from his People: Sometimes to chastise them for their sins; this was Davids Case; and if this be yours, then make Davids practice your patern: Be humble for your sins; return to God, beg his Spirit to secure you against future Relapses.

Sometimes God doth it to try them: As this was the Case of job, and if this be your Case, Do as Job did when God seems to cast you off follow God, and do not you cast off him. God. (it may be) is trying your desires to see whether you are willing to part with him or no: when he seems most in your apprehensions to be neglectful of you, do you then labour to stir up Strongest after desires him.

Somtimes he withddraws his love when his peo­ple do not value it. As it was with the Spouse: Christ withdrew, when the Spouse was in Bed, and he knockt, and she was willing to arise. If this be your Case, do you as the Spouse did, be willing to rise and seek him, till you find him.

Lastly, Be careful to improve this love of God, but how shall we do that?

If you are sure this priviledge belongs to you, then live up to this priviledge, live in contempt of things of this world: And make use of all those things, that may quicken you in ways of obedience. God would not only have his Peo­ple to serve him, but to serve him with chear­fulness; and because his People of Israel would not serve him with chearfulness in the enjoy­ment of all things, therefore he gave them up to serve their Enemies in nakedness, and hunger, and in the want of all things. Therefore be careful to make thankful returns of obedience to God, through the whole course of you Lives; and labour to bring others to partake of those dainties, and refreshments, that you have experienced, the sweetness. But let me leave this with you. Be­ware [Page 369]you be not over hasty in thinking you are intituled to this priviledge, when indeed you are not; this is a great delusion among Professors there are many Professors are yet rotten at the bottom; therefore look to your hearts: And if you have found upon examination that you have good grounds to hope, that you belong to God, and have an interest in his love, then live up to this Mercy.

THe love of God therefore most evi­vidently appears to be sure, and e­verlasting, because it is built on so sure, and everlasting Founda­tion.

This Doctrine consists of two Parts.

1. What ever God hath of love to any of his People, it is only upon the account of Christ.

2. That this love of God, through Christ to his People doth therefore appear to be certain, and unchangeable, permanent, and lasting, be­cause it is in and through Christ.

What ever God hath of love to any of his People, it is only upon the account of Christ. Look upon common Mercies, that God pre­serves [Page 371]you, that God supplies you, and pro­vides for you; do you think there is any thing of worth, or desert in you, that you enjoy so much of health, and so many outward comforts? it is not upon your own account, that God is thus bountiful; and yet we find, it was so much the folly of the People of Israel, that they were ready to attribute all the Kindness of God, to something or other in themslves, and tehrefore it is that God himself is so often their Remem­brancer, and Monitour, to put them in mind, and to correct those mistakes, about his choosing them to be his peculiar People, whom he owned above all the People in the World: Besides, they were apt to think, that there was something in them that might incline God to this kindness, no says God in Deut. 7,7, 8. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor chuse you, because ye were more in number then any People, but because the Lord loved you, &c.

You may delude your selves with these fan­cies, but because the Lord loved you, he chose you, and he loved you because he loved you: His love had no motive but what was from him­self, no motive but only his own loving kind­ness, and goodness, Ezek 36.22.23. Thereofe say unto the House of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, when he promised great Mercies to them, I do not this for your sakes, oh House of Israel, but for my Holy Names sake, &c.

The kindnessess that God speaks of there, are highly great, and yet not any of them were upon the account of any thing in them. And this it is really with us now, as in some few instances.

1. Gods electing love, which is the first born of all Mercies, and the first link of that golden Chain, which you have in this very Chapt. 28.29. whom he did foreknow he also did p [...]edestinat, &c.

This electing love, it hath its first rise from the absolute will of God, This is not the absolute purchase of Christs merits, & yet this is through Christ, in some sense, Eph. 1.4. According as he hath chosen us in him, that is in Christ; as in the verse before, we are chosen in him; it is not said for him, so that all the kindness that God hath for us, even this, which seems to be an Act of the high­est Freedom, and the most eminent expression of Gods rich grace; That he should chuse, and and pick out some, and select them from the common multitude of mankind, and to set them apart as special objects of his favour, (though this was from the absolute will of God,) was in, and through Christ; if you ask how, I answer, we are chosen in him, not as the Foundation of our election, but be­cause we are chosen in him for his Members, as He is our head; That this first love of God had some reference to Christ, though not as the onely procuring Cause, yet as the consummating Cause to accomplish, is abun­dantly evident through the Scripture, we are elected in him, that is, that he should perfect this blessed and gracious decree of God upon us, Eph. 3.11. According to the Eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. What purpose was this, it was a purpose to save some to set his [Page 373]Heart and love upon some, his electing love was thus far in Christ.

2. The love of Conversion, is in, and through Christ, Eph. 2.10. We are his Work­manship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, &c. And though God is the sufficient Cause, of all the grace we partake of; yet Christ is the meritorious Cause, it is the gift of God, and yet withal, it is the pur­pose of Christ; it is God alone that be­stows grace, and it is for the sake of Christ alone that he doth bestow it; compare those two places. James 1.17. you read that God is the Father of Lights. But it comes all from God, in and through Christ, John 10.10. I am come that they might have Life, and that they might have it more abundantly. God is willing to give it, but it is in and through Christ that he gives it.

3. Again, to instance in the love of God in Justification; it is God alone forgives sin, and our Saviour herein appears to be equal with the Father, because he hath com­mitted all power into his hand, power to forgive sins. Now as God onely can for­give sin, so it is onely for the sake of his Son that he doth forgive it, Eph. 4.32. E­ven as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. If God hath forgiven you, it is not for your own sakes, but for the sake of Christ, do you forgive one another, pass by injuries, forgive offences, & make this your pattern which is the highest pattern that ever was, or can be, Col. 1.14. In whom we have Redemption [Page 374]through his Blood even the forgiveness of sins. We have Redemption, and Forgiveness, but all come streaming down in the Blood of Christ: In a word, to sum up all the seve­ral Acts of Gods distinguishing love, they are all in and through Christ, and therefore you read that Doxology, Eph. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ. He hath blessed us with the choicest blessings, but all these are in and through Christ.

I shall now give you some Arguments to prove it, and I shall only mention three.

First, Because God neither can, nor does love us as we are in our selves, Matt. 3.17. And loe a Voyce from Heaven, saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. It is not spoken of Gods love to him, in a com­mon respect, but of something peculiar to him, and there is this double limitation as Inter­preters note, this is the Son of mine, whom I eminently love, and this is that Son of mine, for whose sake I love the Sons of men; all do acknowledge that this love is a confined and limited love, that is spoken of here, but yet they explain it thus, My belov­ed Son in whom I am well pleased. That is, in whom I am eminently pleased, and for whose sake I am pleased with them, whose cause he undertakes. As that Oyl that was powered on Aarons head, descended to the Skirts of his Garment, so that love that God hath to Jesus Christ, descends to all [Page 375]his inferiour Members, John 17.23, 26. I in them and they in me, that they may be made perfect in one, &c.

These are high Expressions, and such as exceed the capacity of all mortal men, that God should love us with the same love, wherewith he loved his Son; The most sober sense by Interpreters, given of these words is this, That God in and through Christ, loves his People, for his sake, with the same kind of love, though not with the some degree of love, Eph. 1.6. We are accepted in the Beloved, if God accepts of us, or smiles upon us, it is in and through Christ, Eph. 1.5, 6. Having predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his Will.

Secondly, God is so far from loving us, as we are in our selves, that he loaths us, for we are Enemies to him, and God is no Enemy to us. There be two notable Ex­pressions in Eph. 2.12. At that time ye were without Christ: what follows then, being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, &c. If you are without Christ, you are without all good, for he is the Fountain of all good. Nay it is said of the very Elect themselves, 3. verse of that Chapter, And were by nature Chil­dren of wrath even as others. Ye were Chil­dren of wrath, though now you are Chil­dren of love, you were as others, equal with others, as to original corruption, and guilt; original sin, admits of no Magis nor Minus, it is not in one less, and in an other more, [Page 375]but it is alike in all: As to our natural state, we are in the same Rank, and posture with others; we are at the same distance from God, as the worst of men that are in the World: Now consider, in our natural state how great a contrariety, and unsuitableness there is between the holy God and us, in our unholy estate; he is light, and in him there is no darkness at all; we are darkness, and in us there is no light at all; in him there is nothing of evil; in us there is nothing of good, and what Communion can there be be­tween such as are so perfectly contrary. While we remain out of Christ, our imbred corruptions have made such a breach between God, and us, which is ever widening and grow­ing greater; though it was great at first, yet it is growing greater, and God is become our Enemy, and we are estranged from the life of God, by reason of the Multiplication of our actual sins, renewed continually; and therefore God cannot love us as we are in our selves; nay he hates us, and accounts us Enemies, and he tells al such what they must expect from him, if you walk contrary to me, I also will walk contrary to you, Lev. 26. If you do carry it as Enemies to me, I will carry it as an Enemy to you; Do you provoke the Lord to anger, are you stronger then he? are you a fit Match, for the great God? Can your hearts endure, and your hands be made strong, in the day that I shall deal with you?

Thirdly, Such is the love that God hath to Christ, that (how loath some soever we be in our selves) all is over lookt if we are in him, though we are unrighteous, but yet if we be in Christ he accounts us righteous, 2 Cor. 5. Ʋlt. He hath made him sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be the Righteousness of God in him. He was made sin, how? by imputation, and we are made the righteous­ness of God, how? by way of imputation too, our sins are charged upon him, and his righteousness is imputed unto us; though we are of our selves Ʋnrighteous, yet by him we are made Righteous; therefore this is the Apostles advice, if you would take the most compendious way to answer all your doubts, and fears, and the speediest course to be above all objections, the way is this, Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith, know ye not your own selves, how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates, 2 Cor. 5 3.

Now Christs being in us, and our being in him, are Terms equivalent: And if you can but clear this, that Christ is in you, all is well, and safe, and comfortable with you; but if Christ be not in you, you are in a state of Reprobation, which is a most sad, dreadful, and desolate condition; and thus I have cleared the first part of the Ob­servation.

2. Partic. Because all the love that God hath to us, is in, and through Jesus Christ, [Page 378]therefore this love of God is certain and un­changeable; it is indeed such an Argument, as answers all Objections; we find our Sa­viour himself, making use of this Argument, in the like Case, John 14.12. Because I live you shall live also. Be not disheartened, cast down, and despondent, if I live, and that is sure, and certain, so surely shall you live; if the head be above water, the Members cannot be drowned, though they be under water; if it go well with me, it cannot go much amiss with you; Indeed, this would be a diminishing of the love of God to his Son, if his love to him did not extend to all that do bdlong to him. But where the force of this Argument lyeth, shall be discovered in these Particulars.

First, Because all that are Christs are made conformable to him, God loves his Son, because he is the express Image, and brightness of his own person. Now all that belong to Christ, have the Image of Christ upon them, and they partake of the same Spirit, 2 Corinth. 1.21. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit. Whatever there is of grace, or goodness, or any spiritual Excellency in us, cannot be the first Mo­tive of Gods love, but where God hath given such pledges of love, they are evi­dences, and an assurance of his further love.

Secondly, As God hath a love to his Son, he must needs have a love to all Believers, [Page 379]because of that near Relation that they stand in to him; they are Members of Christ, Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of Flesh; Consider those Emblems by which the uni­on between Christ and Believers are set forth in Scripture, he is said to be the Vine, and they the branches in this Vine: a Head, and they the Members under this Head; a Husband, and they the Spouse. God hath such an indeared love to his Son, that he cannot but have love to all those that are so near and dear unto him; what can be nearer then to be a part of Christ; that is a high expression that you have, in Eph. 1. 23. they are said to be the fulness of Christ, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. They are his body; if God loves his Son, who is the Head of this body, he must have a love to the Members also; they are his body, and the fulness of him that filleth all in all, that is all the Elect of God, as they are gathered in, so the body of Christ grows more compleat, and full.

Thirdly, Because of Christs ingaging on their behalf, as their Mediatour, and sure­ty; this will appear in that Covenant of Redemption, that past between the Father, and the Son, as it is at large describ­ed, Isa. 53.10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin, he shall see his Seed, he shall prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Observe it, here are the Articles, and Conditions of this Covenant of Redempti­on (the Covenant of grace is one thing, and the Covenant of Redemption is an o­ther; the Covenant of grace is that, that pas­seth between God and Believers through Christ; the Covenant of Redemption is made between God, and Christ) that, if Christ will condescend to become man, and undertake for the sin of all his, and make satisfaction for those sins, the Lord was well pleased with these Conditions; it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he made his Soul an of­fering for sin; now all the recompence, and compensation that Christ expects, looks, and did agree for, is to see of the travel of his Soul, and then he should be satisfi­ed; Oh how tender hath Christ been of your good; you would be happy if you were as tender of your selves; he was willing to leave all, and to undergo all up­on no other account but this, (not that he should be a gainer by you when he had finished his course) in John 17.5. I have glorified thee on Earth, &c. One would think it was some greater glory that Christ expected, but all that he begs is this, with the glory I had with thee before the World was, he desired no more, nor could have any more, because that was so great, it could be no greater; now that Christ should thus far ingage on the behalf of poor Creatures, this is a great ingagement to [Page 381]us, and in respect of the Covenant of Re­demption was a great ingagement upon the Father, and this was that which past be­tween them; now that God that can do all things, who cannot lye, nor do any thing unbecoming his own Excellency, is a sure evi­dence of the stability of his love to Believers, this being his condition with Christ in the Covenant of Redemption.

4. Because of the fulness of Christs satis­faction, the meritoriousness of what he hath done and suffered. There is not onely a suf­fiency in the undertakings of Christ, to sa­tisfie for all our Debts, to cancel all Scores, and acquit his People from all their guilt as Heb. 10.14, By once offering he hath perfected for ever, them that be be sanctified. By once offering, the legal Sacrifices were often repeated, time after time, yes their most solemn Sacrifices had their Repetitions; these could not make the concerns there­unto perfect, but Christ by once offer­ing himself hath paid all our Debts, and discharged us from the penalty our guilt exposed us to.

Again, as there is a sufficiency in point of satisfaction, so there is a Redundancy in point of purchase; not onely a suffici­ency to acquit them from all their guilt, but a Redundancy to intitle them to all the glory, and happiness that they are cap­able of.

Fithly, Because of the constancy of Christs Intercession; he did not onely pur­chase all blessings when he was upon Earth; but by his Intercession, he is plead­ing that purchase, by spreading that Blood that he hath shed before his Father, and thereby procuring all the blessed effects of it to the benefit of his People, Heb. 7.25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them. He ever lives and he ever lives to make intercession. This was an ordinary salutation, as Justin Martyr observes amongst the Primitive Christi-when they met one another, The Lord is risen; [...]he is not dead who is the life of our hopes, he yet lives to make Intercessi­on, Rom. 8.34. Who shall condemn? it is Christ that died. That alone answers all kind of Objections; we have sinned, and offended, but Christ hath died to make satisfaction for our sins: Yea rather that is ri­sen again, who is even at the right hand of God, he is risen, that speaks his personal advancement; who ever lives to make Inter­cession, that speaks the comfortable Fruit, and benefit of it to us. The Intercession of Christ, must needs be of great force with God; our Saviour tells Peter, after he had told him his failings, Nevertheless I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not, and if I pray for thee, thou needest not que­stion, but to find the benefit of my Pray­ers; [Page 383]that God that hears the cries of his poor weak People, hath promised that his Ear shall be open to the Prayers of the destitute, and therefore, he will hear their cries. Cau any imagine, but that this God who hears the cries of the Ravens, must needs have a high regard to the Prayers of his Son? this is the great advantage of all that are sincere Believers, that they an Advocate con­tinually praying, and interceding for them, at the Throne of grace.

Sixthly, Because Christ by his interces­sion, is continually making up those fresh breaches, that our sins are a new occasioning, between God and us; there is nothing in all the World can separate us from God, but onely sin, Isaiah 59.2. Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God, &c.

Therefore all these instances that the Apostle gives here, of death, and Prin­cipalities, and Powers, &c. can onely hurt us so far, as they may be occasions of sin; for nothing but this can do it; and there is none of the most eminent Believers, but they have their various sin­ful failings, which occasion new breaches, But the love of God in Christ answer [...] all this too, if any man sin, we have an Ad­vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. If we are offending, he is satisfying; If we are making God our Enemy, he is re­conciling, [Page 384]and making God our Friend.

1. Use by way Information.

First, It may inform us, what cause we have to bless God for Jesus Christ; you see all depends upon his under­taking, all our comforts here, and all safety hereafter, nay all our happiness for ever; all depends upon Christ; Oh what cause have we then to bless God for him, he is the gift of God, that is the summe of all gifts, and the Fountain of all gifts, for what ever of kindness God hath for us, it is upon his account; now if God hath given us his Son, how shall he not with him give us all things.

Secondly, This may inform us, of the dismal estate, of all those persons that are out of Christ, if God hath no­thing of love to poor Creatures, but what he hath in and through him, then certainly, he must have nothing but hatred, and indignation, against those persons that are out of him, John 3.36. He that believes on his Son hath everlasting life. Everlasting Life is begun in his Soul, he hath the first Fruits of it. But he that believer not is condemned already, &c. That is the wrath of God is upon him be­fore, [Page 385]and while he continues in his unbelief, and it is like to abide on him still. O what a wretched E­state is every Unbeliever in, that place that was mentioned before, Eph. 2.12. Without Christ without Hope. If we are without Christ, we are without every thing of comfort; La­bour to see what you are in your selves, where you are while Prayers, and endeavours may do you good, and while the Door of Mercy is open. Consider what you are in your selves, and what you may be in him. There is love, and mercy, and all kinds of blessings to be had for you, if God accept of you, in and through Christ, but you can have nothing of love from God but onely in his beloved Son.

Thirdly, It informs us, what cause we have to be thankful to God that yet we have means, and helps for the getting of an interest in Christ. Though our interest in Christ be doubtful; and it is good to doubt that we may labour to be more sure, yet what cause have we to be thankful that yet we enjoy the means of getting an interest in him; this is an incomparable mercy, all your hopes depend upon him; though it is not clear to you, that you can call him, [Page 386]yours, yet it is Mercy that you enjoy those means by which he may become yours! Oh seriously improve these means, you know not how soon they may be taken from you, or you from them, be careful therefore to do the work of the day, while the day lasts, before the the night comes wherein no man can work.

2. Use. Is by way of caution take heed of slighting Christ, either in his Messengers, or Ordinances, or Mem­bers, or in his truth, or wayes; you see if ever you do obtain any thing of favour from God, it must be only upon the account of Christ, and will you slight, or despise him, which you do, if you despise his Messengers, He that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that dispiseth me, despiseth him that sent me; or if you despise his Ordinances, and will not make use of them, you despise Christ.

Make use of them you will say, you do make use of them.

But you may despise them in the slight use of them, when every thing of the ordinance is over, as well as when the ordinance it self is over, when you mind only the bare duty, and regard [Page 387]not the consequence, and Fruit of the duty.

3. Use. of Exhort. never rest satisfied till you can clear up your interest in Christ, there was a strange kind of diligence in Da­vid, and a high kind of Zeal he expres­sed for God, when he would not recieve comfort, nor go up into his Bed, until he had provided a place for the Lord. Let the same Zeal appear in you, in the getting, and obtaining an interest in Christ. Oh never give your selves rest, until you have some comfortable hope through grace, that it is well with you, and when you have obtained this interest. Labour to walk worthy of Christ, Oh be not you a reproach to that blessed name which you profess, 2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity. Oh! have nothing to do with sin, for these can be coupled together, to pro­fess Christ and yet to go on in a course of sin, is a contradiction.

4. Use. Lastly, This may be matter of unspeakeable comfort to the Peo­ple of God, that are clear in this great Priviledge, that they have a right and title to it, it is so sure, and certain because it is in and through Christ, that God loves them, though they may have failings, and weaknes­ses; [Page 388]yet still God loves them in Christ, as they are offending, so he is mak­ing up of breaches; therefore build all your hopes, and expectations upon Christ, and labour to walk worthy of that encouragement which he vouchsafes [...] you.