Dwelling with God, Sermon 7
THE SEVENTH SERMON.
THere remaineth yet very much of Duty to be performed by, and to be preſſed upon you, whoſe habitation the Lord is, and who know him to be ſo. And firſt upon the account of the properties of this Houſe wherein you dwell. The firſt whereof is height. And the firſt duty upon this account, is to lift up your hearts and voices as high as may be in praiſes and prayers.
1. In praiſes, acknowledge your ſelves bound to acknowledge. 1. As all other excellencies and tranſcendent perfections of God; So this, eſpecially of ſublimity, that he is moſt high. This did David, I will Pſal. 9. 1, 2.praiſe thee O Lord with my whole heart—I will ſing praiſe to thy Name, O thou moſt high. I will praiſe the Lord according to his righteouſneſs, and will ſing praiſes 7. 17.to the moſt high. As he did himſelf, ſo he ſtirreth up all others to do ſo. O clap your hands all People, ſhout unto God with the voice of Tryumph; for the Lord moſt high is terrible, he is a great King over the Earth. Let the Saints ſing aloud upon their Beds. Let the high 47. 1, 2.praiſes of God be in their Mouth. And this he tells us is a good thing at all times, eſpecially on the Sabbath Dayes. It is a good thing to 149. 5, 6.ſing praiſes unto thy holy Name, O moſt High. His Univerſal Regiment is to be acknowledged. This matter is by the Decree of the Watchers, Dan. 4. 27.and the demand, by the Word of the holy One, to the intent that the living may know, that the moſt High ruleth in the Kingdome of Men, and giveth it to whomſoever he will, and ſetteth up over it the baſeſt of Men.
2. His wonderful humility and condeſcention. The Lord is high above all Nations, and his glory above Pſal. 113. 4, 5, 6the Heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who is moſt High, who humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are done in the Heaven and in the Earth? He doth not diſdain, from his High Seat of Glory, to provide for all Creatures, both Terreſtrial and Coeleſtial. He hath a gracious and loving care of vile Wormes, and grievous ſinners; yea, vouchſafes to make their hearts, if humbled, and contrite for their ſins, his dwelling place: For thus ſaith the High and lofty One, that inhabiteth Eternity, whoſe Name is high and holy. I dwell in the high and holy Places, with him alſo, that is of an humble and contrite Spirit. Eſa. 57. 15.The humility of the Son of the moſt high God being the ſame in ſubſtance with him, and equal in power and glory, condeſcended to match with a Maid of our Family, that had neither beauty nor dowry. A greater condeſcention, than if the greateſt Emperor on Earth ſhould marry the pooreſt and moſt deformed Virgin upon Earth, aſſuming a humane Nature with his Divine Perſon; In all things like unto Man excepting ſin, and in that nature to ſuffer poverty, hunger, thirſt, wearineſs, and other humiliations, even unto Death. Who being in the Phil. 2, 6-▪9.form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made himſelf of no reputation; Annihilated himſelf, and brought himſelf as it were to nothing; Took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the habit of Men; And being found in faſhion, as a Man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Croſs.
3. Conſider the exceeding high honour he hath done you, to be Servants in ſuch a Houſe, to himſelf, whom you have made your Houſe, by chooſing him and cleaving to him. Nebucadnezar could not deſire a higher honour for the Three Worthies, whom he ſaw walking in the midſt of the Fire, than to call them Servants of the Dan. 3. 26.moſt high God. Nor the Angel that appeared to Daniel in the Viſion of the Four Beaſts, and interpreted it to him, for the Subjects of God's Kingdom, than to call them Saints of the moſt high. Yea, the7, 18. 22. 25. Angels themſelves glory in this title. I am thy fellow-ſervant, and of thy Brethren. And James ſtiles himſelfRev. 19. 10. 22. 9. not the Lords Brother, but the Servant of the Lord. And God himſelf,Joſua 1. 2. Moſes, not King in Jeſuran, but my Servant. My Servant Moſes.
2. In Prayers, I will cry unto Pſal. 57. 2.God moſt high. Every good and Jam. 1. 17.perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. We are commanded to pray to God, as being above in Heaven, to teach us, among many other things, that our Prayers ſhould be ſent forth with ſuch fervencies, that they may reach and pierce Heaven, where God is; to cry as David did. O my God, I cry in the Day time, in the day time, and in Pſal. 22. 2.the Night ſeaſon. He heard my cry: My moſt earneſt deſires in Prayer, ariſing from feeling and fear of miſery. And ſo did Moſes, Wherefore cryeſt thou unto me? GodExod. 14. 15. ſeeming to chide him for ſo doing; but it was not for his fervent praying, but for his fearing and fainting, his Faith beginning to fail, and to let him know that he was more ready to hear than he to pray. 2. Learn humility of the moſt high God. Be ye followers of God, Eph. 5. 1.as dear Children. Beloved, if God 1 John 4. 11.ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another. So if God have condeſcended unto us, we ought to do the like to our Inferiours, there being infinitely more diſtance and diſproportion between God and us, than there is between us, were we the higheſt Princes on Earth, and they pooreſt Beggars. For they areMal. 2. 10. all our Brethren. Have we not all one Father, hath not one God created us? Be not therefore high-minded,Rom. 12. 16. but condeſcend to Men of low Eſtate. And learn of me (ſaith the Son of the moſt High) for I am meek and lowly in heart. LowlineſsMat. 11. 29. of mind will make you high with God, and meekneſs of word ſhall make you ſink into the hearts of Men. Let this mind be in you, which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus. YouPhil. 2. 5. that are higher than others in gifts, wealth or dignity, diſdain them not, but demean your ſelves humbly toward, them, and honour ſhall Pro. 29. 23.uphold you.
3. Take heed of provoking the moſt High, or of contemning his Counſels, leaſt you provoke your ſelves to the confuſion of your own Faces: as the Iſraelites did; of whom it is ſaid, That they ſinned yet more againſt him, by provoking Pſal. 78. 17. 56.the moſt High in the Wilderneſs. Yea, they tempted and provoked the moſt high God, & kept not his teſtimonies. They contemned the Counſel 107. 11.of the moſt High. Therefore he brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help.
4. If you have provoked him to anger againſt you, as David did, when Satan provoked him to number 1 Chr. 21. 1.the People, enquire and deſire to know the true means to appeaſe him, and to be reconciled unto him. Wherewith ſhall I come before Mich. 6. 6.the Lord, and bow my ſelf before the High God? And turn ye to him with all your heart, to him I ſay and not as Ephraim, of whom it is ſaid, They returned, but not to the moſt High. Renew your purpoſes,Hoſea 7. 16. and reſolutions, and vowes of more wary walking, for the future; and when upon your humiliation and reformation, he is returned unto you with mercies, offer unto him thanks giving, and pay your Zech. 1. 16.vowes unto the moſt High.
5. Comfort your ſelves againſt all the injuſtice and diſorders of the World; and againſt all the Plots and Conſpiracies of wicked Men, againſt the Church and People of God. Marvel not at it, but look higher, and expect ſeaſonable relief, and redreſs, how high ſoever their rage doth riſe, and how low ſoever, they lay the Saints of the moſt High. If thou ſeeſt the Eccl. 5. 8.oppreſſion of the poor, and violent perverting of Judgment in a Province, marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher than the higheſt regardeth, and there be higher than they. Shall any teach God Job 21. 22.knowledge, ſeeing he judgeth thoſe that are high. He is the Soveraign Lord and Judge of the World, aboveGen. 18. 25. all Power and Greatneſs. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right. He worketh all things Eph. 1. 11.after the Counſel of his own will. And his will is the abſolute Rule of all Righteouſneſs. Thy righteouſness Pſal. 71. 19.alſo O God is very high, Who haſt done great things: …ear Joel. 2. 21.not O Land, be glad, and rejoyce, for the Lord will do great things. Though the Lord be high, yet hath Pſal. 138. 6.he reſpect unto the lowly; them that are of a poor and abject condition, and trodden upon by the Foot of imperious contempt. But the proud he knoweth afar off, and Pſal. 83. from the beginning to the end.they ſhall know, when they have ſpent all their ſtrength, ſpit out all their malice, and done their worſt, That thou, whoſe Name alone 21. 17. to the end.is Jehovah, are the moſt high over all the Earth.
From the Second property of this your Habitation. Viz. Strength, learn in your Prayers, which you Daily make to God for your ſelves and fellow-ſervants in the Houſe, who are all weakneſs, to ſay, Stir Pſal. 80 ….up thy strength, and come for Salvation to us. Shew it, make uſe of it, ſtand in the front of thy feeble Army as a Leader, to defend them from their Potent Enemies. And let it appear that thy Prayer is not idle. Give thy strength unto thy 86. 16.Servants. Awake, awake, put on Eſay 51. 9, 10.ſtrength, O Arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient Days, in the Generations of old. Art thou it that hath cut off Rahab, and wounded the Dragon? Art not thou it which hath dryed the Sea, the Waters of the great Deep, which hath made the depth of the Seas, and way for the ranſomed to paſs over? Diſplay thy Soveraign Power for the deliverance of thy Children, as thou formerly didſt in Egypt, and at the Red-Sea. Look down from Heaven, 63. 15.and behold from the Habitation of thy Holineſs, and of thy Glory: Where is thy zeal and thy ſtrength, the ſounding of thy bowels? When you have thus prayed, caſt off all ſlaviſh fear, of what the might or malice of Men, or Devils can do. Who art thou, O myEſay 51. 12. poor, weak, faint-hearted Church, that thou ſhouldſt be afraid of a Man, that ſhall dye, and be made as Graſs. Take now good courage, ſetting before thee thine Enemies approaching and certain deſtruction. Fear thou not, for I am with Eſay 41. 10.thee, be not diſmayed, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. That is, with mine Omnipotence, I have and will put forth in righting thee of thine Enemies. The Pſal. 27. 1.Lord is my Light and my Salvation, Whom ſhall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, and of whom ſhall I be afraid? He it is that will diſſolve all my inward darkneſs of trouble and confuſion, and external ones of dangers and3. calamities. In this will I be confident, namely in this, that the Lord is my Light, Salvation, and Strength. My God ſhall be my strength, thou Eſay 49. 5.haſt girded me with strength. The Lord will give ſtrength unto his People: He delivered me from my ſtrong Enemy; And from them 2 Sam. 22. 40.that hated me, for they were too ſtrong for me. Thou haſt guided Pſal. 29. 11.thy People in thy ſtrength to thy holy Habitation. Thou wilt do ſo2 Sam. 22. 18. ſtill, and not forſake them, when Exod. 15. 13.their ſtrength faileth. My Fleſh and my Heart faileth, but God is the Pſal. 71. 9.ſtrength of my Heart, and my portion 73. 26.for ever. Be not diſcouraged at all for the weakneſs or abſence of outward meanes. Not by might Zech. 4. 6.nor by power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. When Men and meanes, and hopes and helps, and Hearts and all fail. Truſt ye Eſa. 26. 4.in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength. He giveth power to the 40. 29.faint, and to them that have no 31.might he encreaſeth ſtrength. They that wait upon the Lord ſhall renew their ſtrength. They go from 84. 7.ſtrength to ſtrength. The righteous Job 17. 9.ſhall hold on his way, and be ſtronger and ſtronger. I will go in the Pſal. 71. 16.ſtrength of the Lord God. I ſhall never faint, but always, even every ſtep I take, gather new ſtrength and courage. Wait on the Lord, duplicate page duplicate page be of good courage, and he ſhall 27. 14.ſtrengthen thine Heart. DeſpairLam. 3. 18. 21. not like her that ſaid, My ſtrength and hope is periſhed. If thou chance to do ſo, recover quickly as ſhe did, This I recall to my mind, and therefore have I hope. Be fully perſwaded that what God hath promiſed, he is able alſo to perform. Acknowledge as your Father Abraham did,Rom. 4. 21. as his Soveraign truth, ſo his infinite power, above all inferiour order, or contrary difficulty. Yea, he is able to do exceeding abundantly Eph. 3. 20.above all we can ask or think. Neither do you deſpair of any Man's Salvation, for whom you pray: No not of the Jewes (whom you are bound every Day to rememberRom. 11. 23. in your Prayers.) For God is able to graft them in again. When you are tempted to any1 Cor. 10. 22. ſin, think thus with your ſelves. Do we provoke the Lord to jealouſie, are we ſtronger than he, that we ſhould not fear to provoke him? Can thine Heart endure, or can thine Hands be strong in the Days that I ſhall deal with Thee? WiltEzek. 22. 14. thou have courage or ſtrength enough to endure or withſtand my Judgments? I ſay unto you my Friends, be not afraid of them that can kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will fore-warm you, whom you ſhall Luk. 12. 4, 5.fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to caſt into Hell.
If Men ſhould be in danger of preſent Death, by any Mens unjuſt Decrees, in caſe they refuſe actively to obey them: They muſt ſay, if it be ſo, Our God whom Dan. 3. 17, 18.we ſerve is able to deliver us; but if not, we will not ſerve any falſe Gods: Nor the true otherwiſe than he hath appointed in his Word. And in the midſt of the moſt deſperate dangers ſerve the Lord with ſweet ſecurity; knowing that your good Shepheard Jeſus Chriſt, is alway doing his Office, ſtanding ſtill on Foot, and watching for the ſafeguard of his, employing for their ſafety his Fathers Divine Power, whereby they ſhall reſt ſecure, having the King of the Univerſe for their Protection. He ſhall ſtand and feed in the ſtrength of the Lord, in the Majeſty Micah▪ 5. 4.of the Name of the Lord his God, and they ſhall abide. When you ſhall be caſt upon your ſick Beds, doubt not but he will both turn, and ſtir, and make them eaſie, but ſtrengthen you upon them. His Pſal. 41. 3.everlaſting Armes ſhall be underneath you, and you ſhall be able both to do and ſuffer all things, through him that ſtrengthneth you.Deut. 33. 27. Upon all theſe and many more accounts, Aſcribe the ſtrength unto Phil. 4. 13.God, his excellency is over Iſrael, and his ſtrength is in the Heavens. Pſal 68. 34, 35.The God of Iſrael is he that giveth ſtrength and power unto his People. Bleſſed be God.
From the third property of your Habitation, Viz. Largeneſs, Learn rightly to conceive of this property, holding forth the infiniteneſs immenſneſs, and omnipreſence of God, being without quantity and meaſure, every where both within and without the World, filling all places with his eſſence: as the whole Soul is ſaid to be in the whole Body, and in every part of it; ſo is God whole and wholly in every part of the World. Behold the 1 King. 8. 27.Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee. His greatneſs Pſal. 148. 3.is unſearchable, infinite, and incomprehenſible. The Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Footſtool. Eſay 66. 1.Am I a God at hand, ſaith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himſelf in ſecret Places, that I ſhall not ſee him, Jer. 23. 23, 24.ſaith the Lord, Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? Yea, and Hell too. If I make my Bed in Hell, behold Pſal. 139. 7-11.thou art there. This muſt teach us to baniſh all groſs conceits of God out of our mind, and to deteſt the making any Picture of him, by which he is denyed to be incomprehenſible, and to ſee him, though inviſible, to be preſent with you,Pro. 15. 3. where ever you are, his Eye beholding whatſoever you are doing. This Conſideration filled David'sPſal. 51. 3. heart with ſhame and ſorrow for his ſin, and made it to lye ſo heavy upon his Conſcience. I have done this evil in thy ſight. All my care was to be ſecret, to hide my ſin from the Eyes of Men, but all this while thine Eye was upon me. There is no Man but would be reſtrained from many ſins, if they knew of any body that was by them, to ſee what they did. The Murderer & Adulterer are brought in by Job, imboldening themſelves,Job 24. 5. No Eye ſhall ſee me. As if he had ſaid, if they knew there was any Eye to ſee them, they durſt not do it. Moreover in all their Meditations & Contemplations of God, take as full a view of him as you can; Hear him ſaying, behold me, behold me. Eſpecially take notice of the largeneſs and greatneſs of his goodneſs and bounty. All theEſay 65. 1. dimenſions of its breadth, length,Eph. 3. 18. depth and heighth with admiration. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt for them that fearPſal. 31. 19. thee? As high as the Heaven is above the Earth, as the ſpace is between103. 11, 12. the Eaſt and Weſt. I will mention the loving kindneſs of theEſay 63. 7. Lord, his great goodneſs, the multitude of his mercies. And labour for largeneſs of heart, in ſome ſort2 Chr. 32. 25. anſwerable. From the reſt of the properties of this your habitation, and from all the furniture in it, and from each of the conveniencies belonging to it, I ſhall leave you to gather comforts and duties in abundance, having this one thing only more to do; Namely, to acquaint you with ſome of the Statutes, Lawes, and Ordinances of the Houſe, and earneſtly to preſs upon you the Obſervation of them, by promiſes and penalties annexed. The general Laws of this Houſe binding all that live in it, are partly natural, and partly ſupernatural. The natural are Ten in Number, called in Scripture Ten Words, and ſome where One Word. The DivineDeut. 10. 4. Law teaching and commanding Moral good, and forbiddingGal▪ 5. 14. evil, known by the Name of Moſes Pſal. 119. 101.Law; Uttered and promulgate with God's own Mouth, by his immediateHeb. 10. 28. Voice, delivered in Fire,Deut. 33. 2. and therefore termed a Fiery Law, in the hearing of all Iſrael; AfterwardsExod. 20. 1. written with his own Finger,31. 18, (by a mere and miraculous divine32. 16. Operation) in Two Tables of Stone,Jam. 2. 8. to ſignifie the perpetual uſe and continuance of it, to the end of the World, and ſo publiſhed and committed to the Church for all Ages, as the Moral Law for Obedience to God our Soveraign Lord and King.
This ſelf ſame Law did God engrave in Man's heart, even when he created him; For that before the written Law of Moſes there was an unwritten Law of Nature, muſt needs be granted; becauſe needs muſt they be bound to God who had their Beeing from him; Nor could they have ſinned againſt him, if they had had no Law from him. For where no Law is, there is no tranſgreſſion. Whoſoever committeth ſin, tranſgreſſeth alſo the Law. But ſin Men did all this ſpace of time, and were puniſhed with a witneſs. Witneſs Cain, the oldRom. 4. 15. World, Sodom, Onan, and innumerable1 Joh. 3. 4. of others, and they were puniſhed for the ſins forbidden in Moſes Law; and the Apoſtle expreſly teacheth, that the Gentiles who never had the written Law of Moſes, had their Natural Law, evenRom. 4. 14. this Law (though leſs perfect) imprinted in their Souls; by which they were inſtructed and bound to do well, and debarred from doing evil, which are the two properties of all Lawes. And theſe two properties called The work of the Law written in their Hearts they ſhewed, Rom. 2. 15.their Conſcience bearing witneſs, their Hearts accuſing or excuſing one another. The Conſcience being but a correſpondency and relation of a Man's Spirit unto the Law, to bind or unbind, condemn or abſolve him. Moreover the good Laws the Heathen made to puniſh the evils forbidden, and to draw People to practice the good commanded in the Law of Moſes, and the endeavour of many of them to act accordingly, argues the Unity of both Laws. The reaſon of which unity is the unchangeableneſs of God, who is alway the ſame.
Qu. What need was there of the repetition and renovation of this Law? Or if there was need, Why was it not ſooner?
Anſw. To the former Branch, though Nature brought the ſame things, yet it did it very weakly, and many concluſions were obliterated, and others much obſcured; and all Mens hearts were weakly drawn to obey this Law, very ſtrong to obey the Law of ſin. And although the Law of Nature could ſcarce never have been extinguiſhed, in Principles and Grounds, yet it might, and was, and would have been more in Applications. Men took evil for good, and good for evil, and grew more and more vain in their imaginations.
To the latter Branch, Man's heart was not after his Fall throughly humbled, but thought his own reaſon ſufficient for his Guide; therefore God would leave the World a while to try them, and let them ſee their own weakneſs. Beſides, ſin was not come quickly to ſuch a pitch and height, as afterward it did, and yet we finde that God did by peece-meal, and occaſionally teach them this Law preſently and almoſt equipollently before its ſolemn Proclamation. The Unity of theſe two Laws lets you ſee, as the conſtancy and Immutability of your God, who is not as other Law-givers, who build, and pull down, and whom a Man knows, as well how to pleaſe, as ſhape a Coat for the Moon; So alſo the neceſſity of the obedience of Mankind to the Moral Law. 'Tis as inſeparable, as its very being, it being impoſſible to receive a being, and not with it a bond of obligation. Men when they ſin ſpurn not only againſt Moſes, but againſt very Nature. He that owns the ground owns the Fruit alſo. We are not our own in any of our actions. And how eaſie a way Men have to choak temptations to Atheiſme! Let them take leave to deny Moſes, and trample him under-foot, yet in their Souls they finde written in very legible Letters, every Commandment of this Law: 'twas born with them, and ſuckt from Natures own inſtruction. Why then ſhould they ſuſpect the Law of Moſes, and think it a trick foyſted upon them, to deprive them of their pleaſures, Nature bearing witneſs that Moſes is no Deceiver? Finally, How inexcuſable Men are, that live in ſuch an Age, wherein they have both theſe Laws; One to confirm the other? Two witneſſes, if both accuſe us at the laſt Day, how ſhall we eſcape condemnation? Manifold are the uſes this written Law of God doth ſerve unto: Some common to the Elect and Reprobate, Viz. to ſhew the excellency of Man's Nature before the Fall, when he had power perfectly to keep it, and the excellency of that ſupernatural condition in the life to come, when there ſhall be the ſame, yea, a more glorious power: and the corruption of our preſent condition, how ſhort we come of due perfection: and the Lord's right, notwithſtanding to require perfect obedience of us, and to puniſh us for default in the leaſt point. It ſerves alſo to illuſtrate the Law of Nature obtenebrated by the Fall, the Law of incorrupted Nature being the ſame in ſubſtance with the Decalogue; alſo to diſcover and convince all Men of ſin, and their obnoxiouſneſs to eternal Death, to be a Bridle to reſtrain them from groſs ſins; and finally, Men are taught thereby what a one God is, and how he ought to be worſhipped, either proper and peculiar to the Elect, it ſerves as a guide to point thèm to Chriſt the Mediator, and to kindle a deſire in them to ſeek eternal righteouſneſs and ſalvation by him; and when they are in Chriſt, to be a Rule of Thankfulneſs, for the Redemption purchaſed by him. Every Man ſhould be thankful in the beſt manner he can for a benefit received. What better Rule can a Chriſtian have, than that which God hath made▪ He hath ſhewed thee, O Man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the Lord thy God? Micah 6. 8. Tit. 2. 11, 12.
Qu. Why have you dwelt ſo long upon this point?
Anſw. To work in you, whoſe dwelling the Lord is, a deteſtation of the Antinomian Errours. Many have cut off ſome uſes of the moral Law, or falſly gloſſed upon it; but few would ever wholly abrogate it, but this unhappy Sect. Like Nero, who wiſhed Rome had but one Neck, that he might cut it off at one blow: So theſe would deal with this Law of Moſes. It follows not, the Goſpel is come in, therefore the Law muſt go out. Hagar Mat. 5. 27.ſo long as ſhe is obedient, may dwell in Abraham's Houſe. To22. 37. make it clear to you, that the decalogue pertains to Chriſtians, conſider, 1. That it is confirmed byRom. 6. 7. Chriſt. 2. Commanded to Chriſtians12. 13. by the Apoſtle. 3. Eſtabliſhed by the Goſpel, how it teacheth3. 31. … Chriſt to be the end of the Law, and that Juſtification cannot be had without that perfect righteouſneſs which the Law requires, or ſatisfaction for unrighteouſneſs, and that Men ought to ſtudy and endeavour it, and that the obſervation of it is a teſtimony of our communion with God, that he dwelleth in us, and we in him, as you heard in a former diſcourſe.
Obj. Chriſtians are not juſtified by the Law, neither do they receive the promiſe by it, therefore it pertains not at all to them.
Anſ. The conſequence is falſe, unleſs they could prove there were no other neceſſary uſes of the Law, but we have ſhewed many, and there's a number more.
Obj. 2d. If believers are not under the Law, but under Grace, to them the Law doth not pertain; but the former is true, Ergo, the latter.
Anſ. 'Tis a fallacy termed from ambiguous, or that which may be taken more wayes than one. Not to be under the Law, is, not to be freed from it, as a rule of life, for we are inclined and diſpoſed by God's free Spirit to the willing obedience of it; but to be delivered from the burden of the Law, exacting in our own Perſons perfect obedience, as neceſſary to life, and from the malediction of it due to diſobedience: theſe we are freed from by Chriſt. To be under grace, is to be juſtified and regenerate.
Obj. Chriſtians are mortified and dead to the Law.
Anſ. The ſame fallacy, and the ſame ſolution. Believers are moreover freed from that irratation to ſin, which is effected in unregenerate Men by the Law.
Obj. 4th. But now we are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held.
Anſ. The ſame again, and the Apoſtle opens his meaning in the words that follow, declaring our manumiſſion from the ſervitude of the Law, from its rigorous exaction and curſe, and that we have a ſpirit of ingenuity to obey willingly.
Obj. 5. Goſpel-Miniſters are Miniſters of the Spirit, not of the Letter.
Anſ. The meaning is no more but this, that their Miniſtry is more efficacious than the Miniſtry of the Old Teſtament.
Obj. 6. If the Law pertain to Chriſtians, then they are under the curſe of it; but the latter is falſe, Ergo, the former.
Anſw. The meaning of thoſe words of the Apoſtle, upon which the conſequence of the Connexion is grounded, is plainly this, that they that think Righteouſneſs to come by the works of the Law, and promiſe themſelves Eternal life thereby, are under the curſe of it.
Obj. Chriſtians are no longer under a School-Maſter.
Anſ. 1. The place is impertinent, for it ſpeaks of the Ceremonial Law mainly, if not only. 2. If at all of the moral, the conſequence is denyed, for though they be not under a School-Maſter, as the faithful under the Old Teſtament were, yet it follows not that obligation to obedience is taken away.
Obj. 8. Chriſtians are redeemed from the Laws ſubjection.
Anſ. Not ſimply, as if they owed no more obedience; but ſo far forth, that they are not bound to a perfect fulfilling of it, but that unfeigned aſſent and conſent ſhall be accepted.
Obj. 9. Stand faſt in the liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made us free.
Anſ. From the Ceremonial Law.
Obj. 10. Againſt Spiritual Men there is no Law.
Anſ. To hold their Conſciences under guilt, yet they muſt be taught their duty by this holy, and juſt, and good Law.
Obj. 11. The Law is not made for a righteous Man.
Anſ. The meaning is, believers, and thoſe that are regenerate by God's ſpirit, apply themſelves to the obedience of the Law, without conſtraint or terrifying; having the habit of righteouſneſs and holineſs in themſelves, as an inward and living Law. They have no need of the horror and conſtraint of it; and alſo being juſtified by Chriſt, they are freed from the condemnation of it, ſeeing that a Soveraign pardon ſtayeth and endeth all Actions and Condemnations grounded upon the Law.
Great Houſes, with the Gardens, Orchards, Parks and Grounds belonging to them, have their bounds and limits made by Walls, Pales and Hedges. That great glorious Houſe which Ezekiah ſaw in a ViſionEzek. 43. 12. had its limit. This is the Law of the Houſe, upon the top of the Mountain, the whole limit thereof round about ſhall be moſt Holy: God is ſaid to have determined the Acts. 17. 26.bounds of all Mens Habitations upon Earth.
The Ten Commandments of the Moral Law, are the Bounds, Walls, Pales, and Hedges ſet round about the Houſe, wherein you, that are Saints on Earth, inhabit, beyond which you may not paſs, but muſt keep within this compaſs. As the Waters dwelling within the great Channel have their bounds, which they are commanded to keep, and forbidden to tranſgreſs, paſs, or go over. I eſtabliſh (ſaith God toJob. 38. 8—12. Job) my Decree upon it, (ſpeaking26. 10. of the Sea) break up for it my Decreed place, ſet Bars and Doors Pſal. 104. 9.to it, (Figurative terms to expreſs the concavities wherein the Sea is encloſed) and ſaid, hitherto ſhalt Jer. 5. 22.thou come and no further, and here ſhall thy proud Waves be ſtayed. You are commanded in like manner, to keep within the bounds of your Decreed place, and you are bound to keep within them under a greater penalty, than that which was laid upon Shimei, when he was confined to his Houſe by Solomon, and to the City of Hieruſalem, the Walls whereof were his utmoſt limits. The King ſent and called for 1 Kin. 2. 36, 37.Shimei, and ſaid unto him, build thee an Houſe in Hieruſalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whether: For it ſhall be that on the Day thou goeſt out, and paſſeſt over the Brook Kidron, that thou ſhalt ſurely dye. Abide within: So long as you do ſo, you abide 1 Cor. 7. 24.with God. Curſed be the Man, Jer. 17. 5.whoſe Heart departeth from the Lord. As a Bird that wandereth Pro. 27. 8.from her Neſt, ſo is a Man that wandereth from his place. Thou haſt rebuked the proud that are Pſal. 119. 21.curſed, who do erre from thy Commandements. Thou haſt trodden 118.down all them that erre from thy Statutes. Take heed Brethren leſt there be in any of you an evil Heb. 3. 12.Heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Every Sin 1 Joh. 3. 4.ſmall and great, is a tranſgreſſion of the Law, Exceeds the bounds which God by his Law hath appointed unto Men, for the moderating & regulating of their thoughts words and actions. And every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, every commiſſion and omiſſion received a juſt recompence of reward.Heb. 2. 2.
If at any time through frailty, or violence of temptation, you paſs theſe bounds. If at any time ſaid I? Alaſs, who doth not every Day both in thought, word and deed? There is not a juſt Man upon Eccl. 7. 20.Earth that doth good, and ſinneth Jam. 3. 2.not. In many things we offend all. David, a Man after God's own heart, paſſed theſe bounds, oft through infirmity, once moſt abominably. Well, conſider what is to be done after ſuch excurſions. Conſider your wayes in your hearts. Hag. 1. 5. ….Bend your minds very diligently, weigh, ponder, think ſeriouſly with your ſelves what you have done. Moſt Men are guilty of this neglect.Jer. 8. 6. No Man repenteth of his wickedneſs, ſaying, What have I done? Eſay 46. 8.Remember this, and ſhew your ſelves Men, bring it again to mind O ye Tranſgreſſors. Know therefore Jer. 2. 19.that it is an evil, and bitter thing, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God. Be aſhamed and confounded to have been found out of the bounds of your Houſe. Then ſhalt thou remember thy ways Ezek. 16. 61.and be aſhamed. What fruit had ye Rom. 6. 21.then in thoſe things, whereof ye are now aſhamed? Let it not be ſaid of you, as of the generality of the Jewes in Jeremyah's time. Were they aſhamed when they had Jer. 6. 15.committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all aſhamed, neither Let the review, remembrance and thought of every ordinary ſinful digreſſion, by raſh anger, or any bitter expreſſion againſt Wife, Huſband, Childe, Servant, Neighbour, by vain, empty, idle, unprofitable conference at any time, by intemperance in Eating or Drinking, though never ſo little beyond neceſſity, or honeſt delight, making you unfit for divine ſervice in either of your Callings, by immoderate ſleeping, or not being up as early for God, as for your ſelves, or ſpending more time in dreſſing your Bodies than your Souls, by wanton glances of your Eyes, or luſting after ſtrange Fleſh, or abuſing the lawful duty of Marriage, by envying and grieving at the outward welfare of others, or diſcontentment with your own health, wealth, credit; or carking diſtruſtful caring for to morrow, or haſting to be rich, by paſſing raſh cenſure upon the ſpiritual eſtate of others, or ſpeaking of their faults and follies with mirth; by ſilence at the unſavory ſpeeches of any, or conniving at their miſcarriages, not reproving them at leaſt by diſcountenance, for fear of giving them offence, by having too great a hankering of heart after things not evil in themſelves; Tobacco, Hunting, Hawking, Angling, Gameing, though not for gain, but ſport; by ſuffering, buying and ſelling, thoughts, and vile diſtractions to have incurſions, and lodging within you in holy Duties: Let the thoughts I ſay of theſe and numberleſs other ſinful digreſſions, fill your Souls with ſhame and bluſhing ing and ſinful abhorrence. Much more if you call to mind groſſer crimes. Then ſhall ye remember Ezek. 36. 31.your own evil wayes and doings, that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight for your iniquities, and for your▪ abominations.
Nor let your ſhame for taking ſo many ſteps out of your Heavenly Fathers Houſe, or ſenſe of ſelfloathſomeneſs, hinder your return thither; but ſay as that unclean ſpirit (for it is lawful and ſtands with godlineſs, honeſty, and reaſon, to learn of an enemy) I will return Mat. 12. 44.unto my Houſe from whence I came out. And as that penitent Wife that had ſtept aſide from her Husband, I will go and return unto Hoſ. 2. 7.my firſt Husband, for then was it better with me than now. So did the Prodigal reſolve to do, I will Luk. 15. 18.ariſe, and go to my Father, and ſay unto him, Father, I have ſinned againſt Heaven, and before thee. O Iſrael return unto the Lord Hoſ. 14. 1.thy God, for thou haſt fallen by thy iniquity. Go and knock at the Door of Divine Mercy, confeſſ your folly, accuſing and judging your ſelves. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, (who hath revealed himſelf not only in his Law by commanding and threatning, but alſo in his promiſes of grace to comfort and encourage by the remiſſion of ſins; ſo the Italian reads the word following: I pardon) I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more, that which I ſee not, teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do no more. Confeſs thy ſins with ſuch an honeſt, as well as broken heart, and thou needeſt not fear, but God will open the Door to thee, and let thee ſee himſelf again. He that keepeth his ſins upon his conſcience diſguiſeth and diſſembleth them, and doth not confeſs them to God, and to Men alſo, if need require it, ſhall not proſper; but who ſo Pro. 28. 13.confeſſeth and forſaketh them, ſhall finde mercy. Let your ſins be of what ſort they will, of ignorance, infirmity, preſumption, thoſe three Parables of the loſt Sheep, and the loſt Goat, and of the Prodigal, may give you ground of aſſured hope, after ſuch confeſſion and ſupplicationLuk. 15. for a pardon, that thou ſhalt not fail to receive it, and the ſenſe of it. Come now, and let us reaſon Eſay 1. 18.together, ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as Scarlet, they ſhall be as white as Snow, though they 55. 7, 8.be red like Crimſon, they ſhall be as Wool. If convinced in your own Conſciences, you give glory to God by a free confeſſion, and fly to his mercy by faith, and a lively converſion.Jer. 3. 1. He will quickly cauſe you to feel by effect the forgiveneſs of your ſins, let them be never ſo grievous.
This is the Voice of the ſecond of thoſe general Laws, I mentioned,Rom 3. 27. called the Law of Faith, the Doctrine which offereth and promiſeth remiſſion of ſins and ſalvation, requiring only in order hereunto repentance and faith. Repent ye, and believe the Goſpel. TheMark 1. 15. two great Goſpel commands which you, with whom I am dealing, have been inabled by grace to yield obedience unto, whereby you have made the Lord your Habitation: Nevertheleſs they are duties which all the Days of your life you are bound to be doing: To act both theſe graces every Day as there is occaſion, and there will be occaſion for acting both while you have a Day to live, to renew your repentance, and to live by your faith, as it is written, The juſt ſhall live by his Faith: The meaning is, heRom. 1. 17. ſhall live healthfully, happily, bleſſedly,Heb. 10 37. in which ſence living is taken. John 4. 51. 1 Sam. 10. 24.Hab. 3. 4. pſal. 38. 19. 1 Theſ. 3. 8.
And that this is the Prophets meaning, appeares from the ſcope and occaſion of the words in the 1ſt. Chap. he complains, and expoſtulates,Hab. 1. 13. in the beginning of the ſecond the Lord anſwers, the juſt ſhall have deliverance, but it ſhall not be yet. The Viſion is yet for an 2. 3.appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye, though it tarry: wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry. The Prophet might have objected, and asked, but how ſhall the afflicted Jewes be able to live in the mean ſeaſon, for Seventy Years together? The Lord anſwers by a diſtinction: the unjuſt puffes up himſelf with vain confidence, But the juſt ſhall 4.live by his Faith. Whence it is evident, that true Faith, if well mannaged, is able to keep a life, yea to make him live healthfully and happily, even in the worſt and ſadeſt times, and to this concluſion, theſe Scriptures give ſuffrage: 2 Chr. 20. 20. Pſal. 27. 13. Dan. 6. 23. Eſa. 50 10. 26. 3. Heb. 10. 39. 2 Cor. 1. 24. And reaſons grounded upon Scripture, come in as Auxiliaries. 1. From the Object of Faith, namely the promiſes which are meet matter to maintain life. Phil. 2. 16. John 6. 63. Jer. 15. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Eſay 55. 1. 12. 3. 66. 11. Cant. 2. 5. Job 15. 11. 2. From the Nature and Office of Faith, which is to reſt upon God's faithfulneſs, for the performance of theſe promiſes, it certifies and aſſures the Soul, that all ſhall certainly be made good. Pſal. 89. 34. Numb. 23. 19. By this means ſaith gives a Chriſtian actual preſent poſſeſſion of all good things, even in their abſence; Faith is the ſubſtance Heb. 11. 1.hoped for: that is, it gives ſubſtance to things that have no Beeing, The evidence of things not ſeen; that is, that it both convinceth the judgment, that ſuch things muſt come to paſs, and it makes the mind conceive them really preſent. Joh. 8. 56. 1 Cor. 10. 3. 3. From the fruits, or if you will, the Children and Daughters of Faith, which are attendant on her, and helpful to her, in maintaining life, namely hope, which keeps the heart alive, by expecting better, when things are at the worſt, baniſheth deſpair, is compared to an Helmet and Anchor. 2. Joy, this is the juice of Faith, the Souls ſtrength, baniſheth ſorrow, eats up all Earthly griefs 3. Courage and boldneſs, which expells fear. 4. Love, this makes bitter things ſweet, cauſing a cheerful willingneſs to ſuffer the hardeſt things for the ſake of the party beloved. 5. From a ſingular property and power that is in Faith, to break through all difficulties, leap over all carnal objections, and remove all impediments, Rom. 4. 18—22.
Qu. How may we mannage our Faith, ſo as to maintain this life of joy and comforts?
Anſ. Your care muſt be to make this ſure, not only that you are within the compaſs of God's ſpecial Covenant (to them that are out of this belong no promiſes, nothing but threatnings and curſes) but alſo that theſe ſpecial qualifications are in you, which are annexed to particular promiſes, the fruition whereof depends upon the practice of ſome choice part of obedience, which if you neglect, you do but preſume and tempt God in making title, and laying claim to them. Compare Pſal. 91. 11, 12. with Mat. 4. 6, 7.
2. This done, learn Four things concerning the promiſes: 1. The matter, which is ſupply of all good, and deliverance from all evil: 2. The kind or quality of them; the principle promiſe indeed, is abſolute, but all the reſt are conditional, theſe ſhall all be literally fulfilled for you, ſo far forth as they may be ſubſervient to that.
3. The manner of propounding them; ſome promiſes are expreſly declared, both general and ſpecial ones, others are by conſequence implyed in the examples or prayers of the faithful.
4. The ſeveral wayes of God's performing his promiſes. Sometimes he gives his People the very thing he promiſeth: Sometimes he denyeth that, and gives them ſome thing equipollent proportionable inſtead of it, or elſe that which he knows is far better for them.
5. You muſt in every ſtate of life, when you finde need, ſet your Faith on work, both to fetch in proviſion out of the Word, and to prepare it, and to apply it.
1. The way to bring in proviſion (for the maintenance of life) is by the memory: whatſoever faith doth in the Soul, it doth it by the help of this faculty, Heb. 12, 5, 6. Forgetfulneſs is the cauſe of fainting in all time, therefore of need: when-ever you are brought to any ſtreight, that you can ſee no way of eſcape, or means of relief, but begin to faint and ſink under diſtreſs and vexation of mind, call to mind ſuch promiſes, as are fitted to your condition. For there can be no condition imagined, but there are promiſes ſuited to it, and a Chriſtian wiſdome muſt be to accommodate the remedy to the ſore and malady of his heart. Enquire what word there is in God's Book to ſtill the tempeſts and diſtempers of your ſpirits, and then make application of it: Promiſes faithfully remembered and well digeſted, will arm and fortifie your Souls, that they ſhall be able to put any caſe of trouble inward or outward, and come off victoriouſly and triumphantly. Put caſe you be as poor as Job, Lazarus, the Prophets Widdow: Call to mind the promiſes of temporal bleſſings in abundance. Put caſe you be perſecuted by the tongues or hands of wicked Men, call to mind the promiſes, that you ſhall be delivered, & your enemies confounded. Put caſe your hearts be heavy for ſome great loſſes of Goods or Friends: Call to mind the promiſes, that you ſhall be gainers by your loſſes. Put caſe your ſpirits be wounded with the ſenſe of Divine wrath: Call to mind the promiſes of pardon, peace, and reſt. Put caſe your Graces be weak, and corruptions ſtrong: Call to mind the promiſes of ſanctification and quickening. Put caſe ſome great eminent danger threaten you: Call to mind the promiſes, that nothing ſhall hurt you; that every thing that befalls you, ſhall work together for your ſpiritual and eternal good.
2. Proviſion thus brought in by the Memory, the next work of Faith, is to prepare and make it fit nouriſhment. This is done by ſearching for, and finding out that Grace, or part of obedience, upon which, the fruition of the promiſe depends; to which ſufficient hath been ſpoken already: nor will it be diſheartned for weakneſs, if there be truth, yea, if no more than a true deſire. Mat. 5. 3—6. Neh. 1. 11.
The third and laſt chief work of Faith, is application of the promiſesJer. 15. 16. to your ſelves in particular, this is feeding upon the proviſions brought in and dreſſed. Faith firſt does its utmoſt, to aſſure the ſoul,Pſal. 37. 1. that what God hath promiſed, is already done. Mark 11. 24. 15. 28. Job 13. 15. Yea, and it makes itJoh. 6. 56, 57. good thus. 1. It hath Chriſt, and he is all. 2. It hath, if not the thing promiſed, as good, or better. 3. When it findes much ado; It goes to God, and ſeeks help of him. Mark 9. 24. 2 Chr. 20. 12. Pſal. 73. 23. 24. 27. and concludes with the Pſalmiſt 60. 12. 73. 1.
You will be ſure to finde, while you live here on Earth, the Devil ever anon throwing his Fiery darts into your Souls. You muſt take the Apoſtles advice, to ſtand alwayes Armed with the whole Armour of God. Above all, taking the Shield Eph. 6. 13-19.of Faith, whereby ye ſhall be able to quench all his Fiery Darts.