Gospel Conversation, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
PHIL. 1. 27.
Only let your Converſation be as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt.
WEE cloſed with this the laſt day,March, …2. 1645 that we ſhould love one another. This holds forth unto us, not only the love of God the Father, but the infinit love of Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, and this cals for love one to another; And I'le hint unto you one or two Scriptures more about this: there is union of Chriſtian hearts in one bend of love: No duty more inculcated in the new Teſtament (next unto Faith, that great engin of the Covenant of grace) than Love, and love one unto another; and upon the conſideration of the infinit love of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt unto us.
Epheſi. 3. 19. compared with Epheſians, 4. 1. And to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge; that ye might be filled with all fulneſs of God. Then in the beginning of the 4. Chapter, I therefore (here's an inference with the uſe of it) the priſoner of the Lord, beſeech you, That you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called. You are called to Chriſt, to the Goſpel, and there you have the love of Chriſt made known. How ſhal they walk worthy of this vocation; with all lowlineſs, and meekneſs, with longſuffering, forbearing one another in love. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He prayed before, that they might know the love of Chriſt: therefore upon that he doth exhort them, and builds his exhortation, or rather his beſeeching that they would with all lowlineſs, meekneſs, and longſuffering, forbear one another in love; for you are called to the profeſſion of the Goſpel, and there you have the love of the Father, and of Chriſt ſet forth unto you: now would you walk worthy of this calling? then let there be much meekneſs, and forbearing one another in love; In Epheſ. 5. 2. And walk in love, as Chriſt alſo hath loved us, and hath given himſelf for us, an offering and a ſacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour: Walk in love as Chriſt hath loved us, that is, ſutable; as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay, would you walk ſutable to the Goſpel of Chriſt that you profeſs? Walk in love then as Chriſt hath loved us, this is a principal thing. In the Goſpel you come to know the love of Chriſt otherwiſe than other men do know it, therefore walk in love, Walk in love as Chriſt hath loved us, make the love of Chriſt to be a pattern for your love; there is nothing (as I told you) that is more unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt, than a hateful, malitious, rugged, dog ſtar diſpoſition, than for Chriſtians to be tearing one another, & falling out one with another, as thoſe beaſts at Epheſus that Paul complains of; Oh this is infinitely unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt: Do you know what the love of God means in Jeſus Chriſt? are you ſenſible of the love of Chriſt? Oh this love ſhould ſweeten your hearts that there ſhould be no more bitterneſs in you, but you ſhould live in this Element of love. Saith an Ancient, what doth beaſtly fierceneſs and cruelty, and ſavigeneſs do in the breaſt of a Chriſtian? it is unbeſeeming the name of a Chriſtian, Therefore let your Converſation be as becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt, that holds forth love; Oh let there be much love in you, be you acted by love in all your waies, ſo that they that run may reade this new Commandment which Chriſt left unto his followers, That they love one another in deed and in truth.
Secondly, The Goſpel of Chriſt it holds forth this, The infinit willingneſs of God to be at peace with man-kind, to be reconciled unto man, unto thoſe who have offended him, yea to thoſe who are enemies unto him: This is the ſcope of the Goſpel, (a principal ſcope) I ſay God would in the Goſpel make known to all the world his infinite willingneſs to be reconcil'd to ſuch as have offended him: Indeed without the Goſpel we might apprehend this, that the Lord is a God that is full of goodneſs, that He is good and doth good, that all good is in him; but to apprehend God to be ſuch a God of peace, ſo infinitely ſet upon it, (as I may ſo ſay) to be reconciled to ſuch as are enemies, could never have been known but by this Goſpel of Chriſt; herein we find that though there was an infinite difference between God and man, between Heaven and Earth through our ſinning ſin, yet the Lord was willing to be reconciled, yea though the offence of man was exceeding great ſo that it cried for vengance, yet he was pleaſed wonderfully to condeſcend to make a peace with him: Yea though the Lord had man under his power and could do what He pleaſed with him, He had His enemy under His feet, and might have broken him all to pieces with His iron-rod as a Potters veſſel (which when it is broken can never be made whol again) yet He was willing to be reconciled.
Thirdly, Though God had no need at all of us, He was infinitly bleſſed in himſelf, who is perfection and bleſſedneſs it ſelf. Sometimes we are willing to be reconcil'd to our enemies, either becauſe we have them not under our power, or becauſe we have ſome need of them; but God that had us under his hand, and might eaſily have deſtroyed us, and had no need at all of us, yet was deſirous to ſpare us, as a father ſpareth his only ſon whom he loveth,
Fourthly, The Goſpel holds this out to us, That the Lord He begins the work of reconciliation, He firſt loving us, the infinit God ſeeketh to us his creatures to come in to be reconciled, therefore he ſends his Ambaſſadors of peace to beſeech us in Chriſts ſtead to come in to be reconciled to him, to accept of His Propoſitions of Peace which make ſo much for our everlaſting ſalvation.
Fiftly, Though reconciliation muſt coſt God very dear; that God muſt be at a great deal of coſts and charges to reconcile His creatures to himſelf▪ it coſt no leſs than the blood of his only begotten Son, and yet he is willing to be reconcil'd: ſaith God, my heart is ſet upon this work, and let it coſt what it will, if it were ten thouſand worlds yet my heart i… ſo upon it, that I will bring them in that they may be reconciled to me, and made one with me.
Sixthly and laſtly, The Goſpel reveals this, That God is ſo ſet upon reconciliation, and is ſo reconcil'd to ſuch as do imbrace the Goſpel as he will never be at enmity with them again. Being once reconcil'd, he wil never ſuffer ſuch a breach to be made between Man-kind and Himſelf any more. He wil be their Father in Chriſt, and ye ſhall be his Sons and Daughters through Him to all eternity in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of God? Thus the Goſpel holds forth, not only reconciliation, but ſuch reconciliation as this is, which men and Angels can never ſufficiently admire and bleſs God for. This is a Second beam (as I may ſo ſay) of the Goſpel. Then what manner of perſons ought we to be? our converſations muſt be as becomes this Goſpel of Chriſt in this great thing that the Goſpel holds forth unto us. Surely then, this cals to us al aloud to love peace, O love peace, Is God ſo ſet upon peace as he is? and is he willing to be at ſo great coſt for peace? Oh let us love peace, let us follow peace, lets purſue peace, let's ſeek peace, let us do what we can poſſibly for peace, If it be poſſible as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men: Let us account peace never bought too dear with any thing but ſin: The Lord Chriſt would not ſin to purchaſe peace, if it could poſſibly have been conceived that any ſin ſhould have bin committed Chriſt would never have purchaſed peace that way; but if it be by any way of ſuffering, by his being willing to leave the Heavens for a while to take upon him the form of a ſervant, yea to have the ſence of the influences of the love of his Father ecclipſed for a time, he was willing to endure, yea to be made a curſe, whatſoever he ſuffered in his Name, he was willing to endure any thing to make peace between God and man, to reconcile the World to Heaven: Oh! let us love peace, that's becoming the Goſpel of Chriſt, for our hearts to be ſet upon peace. And the exhortation that you have in the Epheſians (before mentioned;) it is likewiſe built upon the conſideration of Chriſts working ſo for our peace, Epheſ. 2. 14. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having aboliſhed in Hi… fleſh the enmity. And then in the 16. verſe, That He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the Croſs, having ſlain the enmity thereby. So that this Scripture holds forth, not only that Chriſt is our peace in reſpect of God, and he died for that end to make peace between God and us, but likewiſe that Jeſus Chriſt did die to make peace between man and man; it was one fruit of His death to break down the middle wall of partition between us, and to ſlay the enmity; he doth not ſay, to kill our enemies, but to kill the enmity it's ſelf; the meaning is this, that Chriſt died to take down the partition wall between Jew, and Gentile; there was an enmity between the Jew and Gentile that they might not one converſe with the other; now it was a fruit of the death of Chriſt to take down the partition wall and to ſlay the enmity between them, that ſo there might be but one ſheep fold, that He might reconcile both unto God in one body. Now, was this the end of the death of Chriſt, not only to reconcile us to God, but one unto another in one body, Jew and Gentile? Certainly there cannot be ſuch a diſtance between one Chriſtian and another as there was between Jew and Gentile: and Chriſt did ſo love unity and peace in the world, eſpecially among thoſe that made any profeſſion of his Name, that he would die to that end, He would loſe His life that He might procure peace between Jews and Gentiles, and bring them into one body: And truly ſo it ſhould be with us, we ſhould be willing, and thoſe whoſe hearts are right (I ſay) cannot but be ſo ſenſible of the breaches that are among us, and the unpeaceableneſs of mens ſpirits, as if they could by the laying down of their lives procure peace, they ſhould be willing to do it, every Chriſtian ſhould make it appear, that he is ſo ſet upon peace that if the laying down of his life could procure peace he ſhould be willing to do it, that if we may make up breaches by ſtanding in the gap, and offering up our ſelves a ſacrifice of atonement and pacification, let us thus prove our ſelves to be the true followers of Chriſt our Lord and Maſter who hath left us his own example herein for our imitation: this were an excellent thing beſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt that we do profeſs, yea, we ſhould not only be willing to admit of peace, but ſeek for it, ſeek for it to our inferiours, do not ſay that ſuch a man hath wronged me, and therefore let him ſeek to me, Oh no, it doth become you that make profeſſion of the Goſpel of Chriſt, not to ſtay till he come to you that hath wronged you, but for you that are wronged by another, even to ſeek to thoſe that have wronged you, that they would be at peace with you; you might perhaps (conſulting with fleſh and blood) think it unreaſonable that you that are wronged ſhould ſeek peace; I but it becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt that you ſhould do ſo; God ſought to you, you never ſought to him: If God had not begun the work of peace with you, God and your ſouls would have been eternally enemies, and therefore remember that you are not to live according to reaſon, you think there's all the reaſon in the world that thoſe that have wronged you ſhould crouch to your feet rather than you ſeek to them, well grant it, that there is all the reaſon in the world for it, I but what is there in the Goſpel to the contrary? and you are not to live only in your Converſations as beſeems reaſon, but you are to have your Converſations as beſeems the Goſpel of Chriſt: If you ſtand upon theſe tearms, let him come to me rather than I will go to him, Is this as becomes the Goſpel? What do you hold forth of the great Work of the Goſpel, if you do not hold forth this? Your willingneſs to be at peace, and to ſeek for peace even from your inferiors? and do not you ſay that the offence is great, Oh! 'tis a great offence that ſuch a one hath committed, he hath dealt very proudly with me, and ſhall I ſeek to him; his offence to you is not ſo great as your offence was to God, and yet God ſeeks to be at peace with you through Chriſt: But he is my inferior, it may be he is a poor mean fellow that hath ſo wronged me: Do not you think there is ſuch a diſtance between you and other men, it may be thou haſt a little power in thy hand, and a few pence in thy purſe more than thy neighbor hath; but what infinite diſtance was there between God and you then? Oh remember your Converſation muſt be as beſeems the Goſpel of Chriſt: I but it will put me to a great deal of trouble, I can with more eaſe have him puniſhed than I can bring things to make peace between us. With more eaſe? Could not God with more eaſe have ſent thee down to the nethermoſt Hell, how quickly could God have brought thee down and undone thee for ever: but God was content to be at peace upon hard tearms (as I may ſo ſpeak) indeed they were hard tearms by which God came to reconcile the world unto himſelf, the hardeſt tearms that poſſibly could be conceived, for Jeſus Chriſt, his eternal Son, did take upon Him our Nature, and was made a curſe for us, that knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſnes of God in Him; and therefore ſtand not upon any hard tearms, if peace may be purchaſed any way but by ſin, ſtand not upon it, for this is as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt.
Yea, And when you are reconciled to your brother, be ſo reconcil'd, as to be firm in your reconciliation: Not as ſome, there is peace made between them, but how? ſo as they are ready to take advantage againſt one another upon any miſcarriage afterwards: God doth not do ſo with you, the Goſpel holds not forth ſuch a peace as this is, that God ſhall be at peace with you for the preſent, but look to your ſelves afterwards, God will take all advantages againſt you that he can; if there had been ſuch a peace made between God and you, you had been in Hell long before this time, and therefore let your peace be a firm, a ſetled, and a conſtant peace; Oh! that this were but thought on in theſe contentions daies, wherein there is ſuch breaches between Brother and Brother, in every town, in every family, and none almoſt but are broken off one from another with an irreconcilable ſpirit; Oh! how unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt is an irreconciliable ſpirit? Certainly God hath not made thee to know what the myſterie of the Goſpel of peace is, who haſt war in thy heart and tongue againſt thy brother. And that's the ſecond thing that the Goſpel holds forth unto us.
Only take this one note in this ſecond thing, That whereas there are many arguments to move us to ſuch a converſation as now I am urging upon you, yet let Chriſtians above all arguments, make the Goſpel to be the argument of arguments to move them to it: As now, for the matter of peace, there are many arguments to move us to be at peace with our brother, from the inconveniences that will follow upon our breaches & the like, now ſhew your ſelves Chriſtians in this, Above all arguments make the conſideration of what you underſtand in the Goſpel to be the great motive of motive to prevail with you for peace, and this argument will do it when nothing elſe will do it. It may be a friend comes and perſwades you to be at peace, you will find a great deal of trouble in Lawing and ſuing, and enmity one againſt another, there will come a great deal of anxiety, and therefore be reconcil'd and live like neighbors one with another: well, but when you find that your hearts do not ſtoop to any other argument, then get alone into your cloſets, ſearch the Scriptures, and there lay to your hearts all the arguments that you can from the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, there ſee how God reconcil'd the world to Himſelf, and how God was ſet upon the work of peace: lay them to your hearts, and when no other arguments wil move, the conſideration of that through the bleſſing of God will do it. And that's for the ſecond Point.
In the third place, The Goſpel holds forth the infinit mercy of God to miſerable creatures. When man was plunged into ſuch a depth of miſery, nothing but bowels of mercy did move God to help men out of that depth of miſery that they were plunged into; and though man was unworthy of mercy, Gods mercy was free, yea and it was a tranſcendent mercy of God, The mercy of God is over all his works. The Heathens could underſtand that God was a merciful God, the light of Nature will tel us ſomething of the mercy of God; but there's nothing that ſets out the bowels of Gods mercy ſo as the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt doth, there you have the very bowels of Gods mercy (indeed) made legible to all the world, in Luke, 1. 78. Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-ſpring from on high hath viſited us: The tender mercies of our God, the bowels of mercy, ſo the words are: here's the depth of the bowels of mercy held forth in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; it's impoſible that we could have underſtood the depth of thoſe bowels of mercy but by the Goſpel: Adam in innocency knew little of the mercy of God, for he not being in miſery, had no need of that mercy to help out of miſery, but though he by his underſtanding muſt needs know that mercy was a good thing, and therefore in God the Firſt. being of all, but yet he did not underſtand that mercy that the Goſpel holds forth, yea the Angels in Heaven know it not but by the Goſpel, and ſo they deſire to pry into thoſe deep mercies of God unto man kind; Oh here are the mercies of God that ſhall be the ſubject of the praiſes of Angels and of the Saints to all eternity, held forth in the Goſpel: You think 'tis a great mercy when a child is ſick, that God recovers it; you think it is a great mercy when you are at Sea that God turns the wind, when if it had ſtood but one half hour more that way it did, you had loſt Veſſel, lives and all; when you have been in any danger abroad in forraign parts, that the Lord was a preſent help in time of trouble, when there hath been any affliction upon your family, that God hath ſent deliverance to you, theſe are mercies that God is to be praiſed for; Oh! but what are all theſe to the mercies of God in Jeſus Chriſt, His righthand mercies; and indeed this would be a good argument of a gracious heart, when any particular merciemercy is granted unto them, either family mercies, or perſonal mercies. Thus to meditate, Lord I am leſs, I am leſs than the leaſt of all thy mercies, yet here is ſeaſonable comfortable mercies to me and mine &c. but O Lord what is all this to that infinite fountain of mercy in Chriſt, thy mercies in the Goſpel, thy mercies in thy Son, there's depths, infinite depths of mercy indeed, this is but a drop, and indeed that's ſweet, but the infinite Ocean of mercy it is in Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſt is the mercy of God to mankind, in the bowels of which all other mercies are conceived and brought forth in the world: All my freſh ſprings both upper and neather ſprings are in him, who is All in All. Oh it were a good argument that the Goſpel is revealed to you, if you admire at Jeſus Chriſt as the great mercy of all mercies, though thankful for every mercy, yet when you come to conſider of the mercy of Chriſt, look upon that as mercy of wonder, ſtand amazed at the thought of that mercy; well it's the Goſpel that holds forth the glory of the riches of the mercy of God, God is ſaid in the word to be rich in mercy, He is not ſaid ſo much to be rich in power as rich in mercy. Now what Converſation is ſutable to this?
What's that but as Chriſt himſelf ſaith, Be ye merciful as your heavenly father is merciful, Oh have you a merciful heart one towards another? look with a merciful eye upon thoſe who are in great miſery; this is it that becomes the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; Oh a harſh, rugged, and cruel diſpoſition it is infinitely unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt: To ſee a Chriſtian, one that profeſſes the Goſpel, that makes more profeſſion of the knowledge of God and of the free grace of God in Chriſt than others, and yet when it comes to it, that he hath to deal with ſuch as are in miſery, to have a hard heart, Oh a hard hearted Chriſtian is a monſter, I ſay a hard hearted Chriſtian is a monſter in the world, not to be ready to forgive others, and to do any thing for others that are in miſery is deviliſh; but to rejoyce that they may have any object to ſhew pity and compaſſion unto, Oh this is that which becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt; though they be ſtrangers to you that are in miſery, yet be merciful to them; for you were ſtrangers to God.
Yea, Be merciful to your enemies, not only be willing to be at peace, but be merciful: Do you ſee any that have wronged you to be in miſery, do not let them periſh but let bowels of compaſſion even work towards them; Oh that our hearts did yern towards all: Chriſt when He came neer unto Jeruſalem, He wept over it: Oh that the like ſpirit were in us as was in Jeſus Chriſt: There's no ſuch argument for mercy to others, as the conſideration of the mercies of God in Jeſus Chriſt: Oh bowels of mercy beſeems the Goſpel of Chriſt; and it ſhould be manifeſted really: Let not people that are in miſery have verbal mercies from you, that is, you ſeem to pity them in words, Oh but let there be real mercies to them, open your hearts and let ſomething drop from you for releef of them that are in miſery: it is a notable Scripture in Epheſ. 4. 31, 32. and ſutable to that in Col. 3. 13. in the 4. of the Epheſ. there the Apoſtle (ſpeaking of the mercies of Chriſt) ſaith he, Let all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil ſpeaking be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you. Be tender hearted: Oh God manifeſts the tenderneſs of His heart in the Goſpel; and this is beſeeming the Goſpel, to ſet forth this as a pattern, the tenderneſs of Gods heart to poor ſinners in the depth of miſery; do you ſee any to be in miſery, and do not you find your heart begin to break towards them? if you do not find your heart breaking, Oh ſet before you the infinite tenderneſs of Gods mercies in Jeſus Chriſt, and 'tis that will break your hearts if any thing in the world will: And ſo in Col. 3. 13. a place ſomewhat paralel to this, Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any man have a quarrel againſt any, even as Chriſt forgave you, ſo alſo do ye: and above all theſe things, put on charity. You ſee the Apoſtle accounts this the great argument of all, and therefore know that the Lord takes it very much to heart when the bowels of Profeſſors are turned into gravel. Search into that remarkable Parable, Matthew, 18 from verſ. 28. to verſ. 35. where Jeſus Chriſt Preacheth down all cruel and unchriſtian like diſpoſitions in thoſe that are fellow ſervants, belonging to one and the ſame Maſter, and living under one roof; yea, the Zeal of Chriſt did break forth like thunder and lightning againſt ſuch a ſervant as takes his fellow by the throat, therefore (ſaith the text) ver. 31. His Lord was wrath, and delivered him to the tormentors til he ſhould pay al that was due to him. The Lord Chriſt delivered that cruel ſervant, that hard hearted wretch to the tormentors that did a thing ſo unbeſeeming the mercy he himſelf had received from Chriſt, Oh ſaith Chriſt art thou cruel and unmerciful when thou haſt received ſo much favour from me, as a full diſcharge of thy many great debts? get thee to the tormentors, let the moſt cruel executioners of my ſierce wrath torment thee without any mercy and compaſſion. Oh thoſe that have hard hearts walk unſutable to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt which is full of the riches of Gods grace to all. Oh you that have received any pardoning mercies from Jeſus Chriſt, take heed of cruelty to your ſervants, to your children; It's very ſad to ſee how ſome Profeſſors caſt the Goſpel of Chriſt behind their backs, if their paſſions are but moved; what will ye bite and devour one another when ye receive the leaſt offront either by tongue or hand? Oh where is you bearing and forbearing with one another? for ſhame do not fly in the faces of any (as a Bear bereaved of her whelps) when ye are buffetted by men, Oh remember Jeſus Chriſt, Oh remember you that ſtand in ſo much need of mercy every day from God, for you to be cruel towards other, Oh here's a Converſation infinitly unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt, and it is unbeſeeming the grace that is offered, to have a ſullen, a deſpairing, and an unbeleeving diſpoſition, when as we ſee thoſe that are Diſciples, and yet every little thing cauſeth them to deſpair, and to be ſullen, and their hearts to ſnk within them, Oh friends is this an Evangelical frame of ſpirit! let me ſpeak plainly to you, when you come to hear the glorious, riches of the grace of the Goſpel ſet before you in the Word, ye ſeem to be ſomewhat taken with it, but when you go home to your family, are ye not ready under the leaſt croſs then to bury a thouſand mercies? Oh what a diſhonor is this to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt that reveals ſo much mercy of God in it, that it doth call for Chriſtians that do profeſs it, to go through troubles, and through diſcouragements with cheerful hearts? and although there be many things that might daunt the ſpirits of others that do not underſtand what the mercies of God in Chriſt are, yet thoſe that profeſs the Goſpel ſhould ſhew undaunted ſpirits, for why? It is infinite, free, rich, glorious grace that is made known to them by the word of Chriſts lips.
Obj. You will ſay, I, if I knew that this mercy were mine▪
Anſ. I but doſt thou hear in the Goſpel that it is free, and there is no ſoul hath any right to this mercy, but by caſting its ſelf upon this mercy, and therefore it is as free for thee to caſt thy ſelf upon it as another; indeed the mercy that is revealed by the light of Nature, Is ſuch mercy of God that is more conditional, that is, if I do ſuch and ſuch things then God will be merciful unto me, the light of Nature goes no further than this; if I obey and leave my ſin then I may hope that God will be merciful to me: It's true, the Scripture tells us, if I do not leave my ſin, God will not have mercy; I but the Goſpel holds forth mercy thus, There is mercy in God, firſt to pardon thy ſin, and then to take away thy ſin; now the Goſpel reveals Gods mercy in juſtifying the ungodly; though I am poor and blind, and miſerable, and naked, and have not power to leave my ſin, yet I have free leave to caſt my ſoul upon Gods mercy, both for pardon and for power together againſt my ſin, for ſo it muſt be, indeed I have no power, I may not ſtay till I have power againſt my ſin, and then I will venture all that I have upon Jeſus Chriſt, this is the mercy of the Goſpel; I ſpeak of this deſpairing and ſullenneſs of heart, as it's manifeſted in the Converſations of men and women, by which they do diſhonor the Goſpel of Chriſt, when they live in their families and their hearts ſink in ſuch a ſullen way as if there were nothing in the Goſpel of Chriſt for encouraging of poor troubled ſouls, no more than men might underſtand by the light of Nature; Indeed if I did live better, and honor God, I might have encouragement that God would ſhew me mercy; but the mercy of the Goſpel it is ſuch, that there is mercy to pardon and to heal my ſoul too, and therefore though I be ſinful, I muſt not ſtay from believing in Gods mercy till I be heal'd, but I muſt believe in Gods mercy that I may be heal'd. That's the third particular that the Goſpel holds forth unto us.
Now the Fourth thing that the Goſpel reveals, is this, That though God be infinitly merciful, yet He is merciful in ſuch a way that juſtice ſhall not be wronged: and this is proper to the Goſpel too. It's impoſſible for Men or Angels to come to underſtand this Myſtery but by this Goſpel-light, how God ſhould be infinitly merciful, and yet that He ſhould be infinitly juſt too; this is held forth in Rom. 3. 25, 26. Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſs, for the remiſſion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God: To declare, I ſay, at this time his righteouſneſs: that he might be juſt, and the juſtifier of him which beleeveth in Jeſus. Now this is a great myſtery of the Goſpel; a Scripture that Luther faſted and prayed that he might underſtand, and he was a great while before he could know the mind of God therein. Now the Goſpel ſaith this, I will manifeſt infinit riches of my mercy, but yet ſo as my infinite juſtice ſhall be no loſer, and therefore though I le ſave Man-kind, yet I'le ſave them by ſuch a way, as I'le have as much glory of my juſtice as if all the men in the world had bin damned to all eternity: this is the myſterie of the Goſpel, and 'tis cleer, that though God manifeſt infinit mercy, yet God hath a way for the manifeſtation of his mercy in the Goſpel, by which the juſtice of God is as much honored and ſatisfied as if all the men in the world had been caſt into everlaſting burnings, that is, through his Sons dying for mans ſin, being made a curſe for us; this is the great point of the Goſpel, which unleſſe we underſtand, we know nothing of Chriſt and his Goſpel as we ought to know it. Moſt men and women in the world they ſeek to God for mercy, Lord be merciful to me, a ſinner, but they think not of a way of Gods ſhewing mercy, ſo as yet he may have the glory of infinite juſtice, God ſeals the forgivenes of ſin in the Court of Juſtice as well as in the Court of Mercy; few think of this, and that's the reaſon why people are ready many times to deſpair, becauſe a great while they having but ſlight thoughts of God, they hope Chriſt will be merciful to them, yet in time of temptation, when the Devil comes and doth ſet before them the dreadfulneſs of Gods juſtice, that God is a moſt juſt God as well as merciful, this makes their hearts to ſink like a ſtone within their breaſts. But now the ſoul that ſees the way of God in the Goſpel, ſees that God is infinitly ſet upon mercy, and likewiſe ſees a way how Gods infinit juſtice may be ſatisfied and ſeeing both theſe, this is a mighty help to faith; now let there come never ſo many temptations, when the ſoul is catching hold upon Gods mercy; I but ſaith temptation, God is a juſt God as well as merciful, and doſt not thou preſume? No ſaith the ſoul, the way of mercy that my ſoul reſts upon, I ſee there is in it a way of ſatisfaction to infinite juſtice, as well as a way for the manifeſtation of mercy, and therefore though God be a righteous God, and a juſt God, yet here I ſee a way for my ſoul to be ſav'd, yet for Divine Juſtice to have no wrong neither, and therefore I can beleeve and venture my ſoul upon this: It's impoſſible for a ſinner to venture his ſoul upon any way of mercy, if it comes to underſtand with what a God it hath to deal, except it comes to know God in Jeſus Chriſt, in that way wherein infinit juſtice is ſatisfied to the utmoſt farthing which is declared in the Goſpel. Now what Converſation is ſutable to this?
Hence let there be that Converſation in you, that may manifeſt that you do not turn the grace of God into wantonneſs, Oh a wanton Converſation is infinitly unbeſeeming the Goſpel, Oh there is infinite mercy and free grace treaſured up here, and what wilt thou be wanton and vain and looſe therefore? there is infinite grace, but what way doth God take to manifeſt infinite grace? Is it not in a way wherein the dreadfulleſt Juſtice of God appears too? Is not the grace of God let out to you through the blood of his Son? wherein the moſt dreadful fruit of Gods juſtice is manifeſted that ever was ſince the beginning of the world, or ever ſhall be manifeſted to the end of the world; if ſo be thou ſhouldeſt ſee all the damned in Hell, the chambers of death unlocked under the wrath of God there flaming out in fire and brimſtone; it would not be ſuch a dreadful ſight as to ſee Jeſus Chriſt made an offering for ſin, and lying under the vials of the wrath of his Father, falling down upon the ground, grovelling and ſweating out great drops of water and blood, and crying out upon the Croſs, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? This is the way of the purchaſe of thy mercy, therefore there is infinit juſtice together with infinite mercy, Oh be not wanton then, do not turn the grace of God into wantonneſs, but rejoyce in Gods mercy, yet rejoyce with trembling and with fear and reverence of the Name of God: When thou ſpeakeſt of the free grace of God, and when thou comeſt to beleeve in the free grace of God in the Goſpel, thou maieſt come cheerfully and boldly, I but come with reverence and holy humble fear, I do not mean deſpairing fear, nor ſervile ſlaviſh fear, but with awful reverence of the glory of God that doth appear in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; I need not ſend you to the Law to cauſe fear in your hearts, there is enough in the Goſpel to cauſe your ſouls to tremble before God, as well as to beleeve in God, Even our God is a conſuming fire: Oh what was he to Jeſus Chriſt? I need go no further to lift up God to make him an object of my fear, but to look upon him in his dealings with his Son; and therefore thoſe Chriſtians that walk looſly, and altogether upon ſlight thoughts of mercy without any fear to ballaſt their hearts, Oh certainly their Converſations are not Goſpel Converſations, for if thou didſt underſtand the way of Gods mercy in the Goſpel, thou wouldeſt ſee that that ſhould fill thy heart with fear and reverence all the daies of thy life. And as to take heed of wantonneſs, ſo to reverence Gods Juſtice, even the dreadfulneſs of it ſo as the Goſpel holds forth; to think that God would only have you to have your thoughts about his mercy, and not to have your hearts to give glory to his juſtice, it is certainly a vain conceit, and I fear it will cauſe the Goſpel to vaniſh into little in the hearts of men; when men apprehend the Goſpel ſo, as not to apprehend the dreadfulneſs of his juſtice; as if ſo be that God would not have the glory of his juſtice. Chriſt hath ſatisfied that: Hath Chriſt ſatisfied that? conſider what thou ſaieſt when thou ſaieſt ſo, do but conſider how much of the glory of Gods juſtice doth appear in what Chriſt hath done and ſuffered; I deſire to hold forth no further the glory of juſtice than by holding forth Jeſus Chriſt to thee, Doeſt not thou think that God would have thee to ſanctifie in thy heart and life all the Attributes of God that doth appear in Jeſus Chriſt? Now the glory of juſtice doth appear as much in Chriſt as the glory of mercy doth; then thou that doeſt profeſs the Goſpel, thou muſt ſanctifie this Attribute of God as well as the other, thou ſanctifieſt them both in honoring Gods juſtice; I do not ſay that thou ſhouldeſt have a deſpairing heart, nay it will keep thee from deſpairing, or that thou ſhouldeſt have a ſervile ſpirit, but that thou ſhouldeſt ſanctifie it with reverence.
And another thing that is very conſiderable, What is God ſo ſet upon the glory of his Juſtice in the Goſpel? Oh labour you to be juſt in all your Converſations; you ſee how God prizes juſtice, that he will rather have his Son die and be made a curſe, than juſtice ſhould not have honor; Oh take heed of injuſtice, the ſin of injuſtice is a ſin unbeſeeming the Goſpel; and here's an argument againſt injuſtice, a ſtronger than I know any in all the Book of God, or can be imagined by men and Angels, which is this, That in the Goſpel I find that God, hath His heart ſo ſet upon juſtice, that rather than juſtice ſhall not be ſatisfied he will not ſpare his Son one farthing (as the Scripture ſaith) He ſpared not his own Son, but His Son muſt pay to the uttermoſt, His Son muſt bear his very wrath, and all, that God may ſhew his infinite love to juſtice; Oh then, let Chriſtians love juſtice in all their dealings, in their dealing with God, in their dealings between man and man. To ſee one that profeſſeth the Goſpel, & ſometimes accounts the feet of thoſe beautiful that bring glad tydings of ſalvation, yet unjuſt in his dealings, ſo as do but follow him in his courſe between man and man, there he makes no conſcience of juſtice, there he will rather break the rule of juſtice than (it may be) he will loſe ſix pence, or a ſhilling▪ what if it were the loſing of thirty, or fourty pounds, is it ſuch a thing, that the rule of juſtice muſt rather be broken than the loſs of a little mony? Is this as becomes the Goſpel? when as thou heareſt the Goſpel ſay, that rather than the glory of juſtice ſhall be darkned, the Blood of his Son muſt go for it, and God expects that Chriſtians ſhould be ſo in love with juſtice, that they ſhould rather be content to be undone in their eſtates, to beg their bread from door to door, than be unjuſt in any of their actions, Oh 'tis an exceeding ecclipſing of the glory of the Word when Profeſſors of it ſhall be falſe in their dealings; Oh remember thou Chriſtian who holdeſt up the Goſpel with thy right hand, that when thou heareſt of the death of Chriſt, there the love that God bears to juſtice is held forth, and God is ſet upon the honor of juſtice and he wil have it: thy juſtice in thy trading, this muſt be made up one way or other, either thou muſt pay eternally for it and ſo juſtice made up, or elſe it muſt coſt the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, God is ſet upon juſtice in another manner than you think of; Oh let your Converſations be as becometh this truth of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.
Fifthly, That the Lord in the Goſpel, ſhews how he is ſet upon ſatisfying the Law, and what a high price he puts upon the Law; The excellency of the Law doth more cleerly appear in the Goſpel than in the Doctrine of the Law its ſelf; as thus, Chriſt came to fulfil all righteouſneſs, ſurely God ſet a high price of his Law, that he would not ſave any ſoul living that had broken it, but by his Son that muſt come to fulfil it: firſt, He muſt have all righteouſneſs kept; & to the end that he might manifeſt his love unto his Law (I ſay) therefore it was that Chriſt muſt come and ſubject himſelf to the Law, he muſt be under the Law; It was from thence that Chriſt ſaith, It becomes us to fulfil all righteouſneſs. So was God ſet upon his Law, that when Chriſt did undertake for man-kind, if Chriſt had not ſatisfied every part of the Law that was required, if there had been one jot of the Law unfilfilled, all man-kind muſt have periſhed in everlaſting burnings: God ſets an high rate on his Royal Law, therefore learn to prize the Law of God: It's true, you cannot keep it for juſtification, that was Chriſts task, ſo to keep the Law that he might juſtifie ſinners, God by this teaches us to eſteem highly of it, and not to ſlight it and contemn it: the Law of God it is a precious Criſtal glaſs, it is the very glaſs of the holineſs, and righteouſneſs of God, and you muſt prize it, as you do prize your great glaſſes that your Marriners have from other parts; you bring home your great Criſtals, of 20. or 40. or threeſcore pounds according to the largeneſſe of them: Now would not you take it extream ill, when you have beſtowed ſo much upon it, that a child or ſervant ſhould come and break it al to pieces? Now (my brethren) conſider, The Law of God here reſembles the Criſtal glaſſe; and as in your glaſſes you may ſee your faces, ſo in that Criſtal glaſſe of the Law, the holineſs of God is tranſparent, 'tis ſuch a glaſs that God prizes it more worth than all the world; this is viſible: for the Lord ſtands much upon the obſerving of the Law, and upon obedience unto it, and therfore take heed of breaking it meerly to ſatisfie your luſts, to accommodate and befriend your own baſe ends, this is unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Chriſt. There are many that make a great noiſe about Evangelical truths, ſo that they cry up the Goſpel of Chriſt, the Goſpel of Chriſt, as they once did, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord; and they think that this doth wholly take away their obedience to the Law of God, and that it muſt not be ſo much as a rule of life. Certainly there's nothing holde forth the excellency of the Law more than the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt (the only Law-giver) being ſubjected to the Law, and his ſubjection it was to take away our guiltineſſe, to cancel the bond of the Law, binding us to eternal death: But we never reade that this ſubjection to the Law was to make void our obedience to it, ſo that it ſhould not be any rule of life unto us, for indeed, what is the Law of God, but the pure Will of God? and do you think that Chriſt came to take us away from obeying the Will of God, which was Chriſts meat and drink to do? I ſtand not ſo much upon that term, Whether as given by Moſes? but upon thoſe things that are therein contained, therein revealed as part of the will of God, God ſtands much upon that, that we ſhould make the revealing of theſe things in the Word to be the rule of our life, and this is manifeſted by Chriſts ready and full ſubjection unto it. And that is the firſt particular, what it is that we come to know by the Goſpel, according to which we ſhould ſute our Converſations.