Gospel Conversation, Sermon 5
SERMON V.
PHIL. 1. 27.
Only let your Converſation be as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt.
IN the ſixt place, Would you know what Converſation becomes the Goſpel? Conſider what it is that the Goſpel holds out to you, It holds forth Gods infinit hatred of ſin more than any other thing whatſoever.
1. A man may come to know the evil of ſin partly by Reaſon, he may underſtand that ſin it is againſt a right rule, yea, by the light of reaſon he may conceive it is but reaſonable for a rational creature to live by rule, and to tranſgreſs againſt the rule of juſtice and equity is evil.
2. A man may come to know the evil of ſin by Gods Command: the Law of God forbids ſin, and therefore it is evil, certainly to tranſgreſs the Law of God, to go againſt the Will of God muſt needs be a great tranſgreſſion.
3. A man may come to know the evil of ſin by the Dreadful Threatnings that are added to the Law, Curſed is he that abideth not in every thing that is written in the Book of the Law to do it. This diſcovers a dreadful evil in ſin: when a ſoul comes to have a real ſight of the dreadful threats that are in the Law, it doth exceedingly terrifie conſcience and raiſe up that ſleepy Lyon out of his den.
4. A man may come to know the evil of ſin by ſome dreadful judgments that God hath executed upon ſinners here in this world, and by the terrors of conſcience that there are upon the wicked, as on Cain, Saul, and Judas &c. men many times here for their ſins, by the wrath of God that is reveal'd from Heaven againſt ſin in the execution of it, but take all thoſe together, yea, did we ſee the woful execution of the wrath of God in Hell its ſelf, did the Lord open unto us a door into the chambers of death to diſcover the torments that are there, and to hear all the ſhreeks and cries of the damned in everlaſting burnings; yet all this, the threats of the Law, the terrors of it, the agonies of Conſcience, the torments of the damned in Hell, (I ſay) put all together, and they would not ſo much, nor ſo cleerly diſcover Gods infinit hatred of ſin, as what we find in the Goſpel; the red Glaſſe of the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, that was ſhed for ſin, doth diſcover more of Gods hatred againſt it, than all the torments of Hell can do, or all the threats of the Law can do; God doth in inflicting his wrath upon his Son for mans ſin, thus preach unto the world? Wel, I ſee that you cannot be brought to underſtand how I hate ſin with a perfect hatred, but I'le have one way of argument to convince you, that it is impoſſible you ſhould ſtand againſt, I will therefore ſend my Son to take your nature upon him, and to ſtand charged with your debt, and you ſhall ſee how I'le deal with him, who is your Surety, I'le not ſpare him, I'le powr out the vials of my wrath upon him to the laſt drop, I'le make him a curſe for ſin, though he be infinitly bleſſed, and equal with my ſelf, yet I'le make him cry out in the anguiſh and trouble of his ſoul, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? He ſhal tread the winepreſs of my wrath, I'le make the burden of ſin heavy to Him, that ſhall make Him fall groveling upon His face, and ſweat great clodders of blood in a winter ſeaſon, that ſhall run down from His body upon the cold ground, I'le do this to that end that all the world (to whom the preaching of the Goſpel ſhall come) may ſee how infinitely I hate ſin: This is one of Gods ends; though it's true, that the principal end of the death of Chriſt it was, to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice: But there is another end that God aims at in the death of his Son, To declare to all the world, to men and Angels how infinitly the Lord doth abominate all ſin: Now this is held forth in the Goſpel more than in all the execution of the Law; if the Law were executed to the full upon all the world, it would not hold forth Gods hatred of ſin ſo much as this doth.
Do you beleeve this Goſpel? Hath God let you live under this Goſpel, that you hear it it your ears? And do you profeſs that the Lord hath enlightened you by his holy Spirit, to underſtand the certainty and reality of this? Oh then, let your Converſation be as becomes this Evangelical truth.
Queſt. What Converſation doth become this?
Anſw. Hence then, your own reaſon cannot but make a conſequence from this that the Goſpel holds forth. Hence then, Caſt away al ſin as an abominable thing from you; What have I to do any more with Idols? Hence then, Call no ſin little which ſo much provokes the Lord. Indeed if you were only acted by the light of reaſon, reaſon perhaps will tell you that ſuch things are but little and ſmal, and you need make no ſuch great matter about them. But now, Art not thou a Chriſtian? A follower of Chriſt? A friend to the Goſpel? For ſhame call no ſin little; for in the Goſpel you ſee the infinit hatred of God againſt all ſin, yea, there is more evil in the leaſt ſin than in the greateſt affliction whatſoever (that's a point that hath been long ſince opened to you at large, and this will ſhew it cleerly, there is more evil in any ſin than in the greateſt affliction, by the dealing of God the Father with his Son) and therefore if you will be willing to live as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt, rather be willing to bear any affliction in the world than wilfully to commit the leaſt ſin: Are theſe two in the ballance? Here is a great and a ſore croſs, you think, how ſhall I endure that? On the other ſide, Here's a ſin to be committed; if I venture upon this ſin, it may be I ſhall be delivered from this affliction? Now would this become the Goſpel of Chriſt, for one that profeſſes that he doth beleeve that God the Father dealt thus with His Son, that had ſin but by imputation upon Him, that He let out the vials of His wrath upon Him, and made Him a curſe for ſin; and if Chriſt had but undertaken for to have ſatisfied for one ſin, though the leaſt ſin, He muſt have died for it, For the wages of ſin, is death! of ſin indefinitly, it's death: And do I beleeve this, and yet ſhall I rather chuſe the commiſſion of a ſin than the bearing of any affliction? Oh this is infinitly unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt: do I beleeve this, and is it real unto my ſoul? Oh let me then manifeſt in my whol courſe and life that I tremble at the very thought of a ſin, at the appearance of evil, and am as much afraid of the leaſt ſpark of luſts as of the fire of Hell: let me diſcover the temptation to ſin, that I may endeavour to avoid all temptations to ſin, becauſe God hath given ſuch a teſtimony from Heaven againſt ſin, Oh it is a loud teſtimony indeed that God hath given from heaven againſt ſin in the death of his Son, Oh then let my Converſation be ſuch as I may make it appear that I am afraid of the beginnings of ſin, of the firſt whiſpering and motions to ſin, Oh ſet me not ſtand dandling of ſin in my thoughts, and roul it as a ſweet morſel under my tongue, let me not entertain it in my affections in the leaſt degree, as to love it, to approve it, to delight in it, but as ſoon as ever it enters into thy heart caſt it out preſently, let it not lodge within thy doors one moment, raiſe up all the power of thy ſoul againſt it, follow it with Hue and Cry, till thou haſt overtaken it, and then do juſtice and judgment upon it, what though it may be a Delilah, yet cut it off; Oh let me take heed of lying in any ſin, have I bin overtaken in my ſin? Oh let me be willing rather to ſhame and condemn my ſelf, to deny any thing in the world rather than to continue in that ſin, the Lord forbid that if I have been once drawn to any ſin, that I ſhould think to cover it by another ſin, by adding one ſin to another, to think to ſhift for my credit or eſteem by adding more ſin to that already committed, Oh no, the Lord in his merciemercy hath made known unto me in the Goſpel of Chriſt what ſin means, the evil of ſin, and therefore I have learned rather to endure any thing than to multiply iniquity; Indeed before I came to underſtand Jeſus Chriſt, I thought ſin was an evil thing, and I abſtain'd from groſs ſins by that dim light of Nature that is within me; but ſince I came to underſtand the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, the great myſtery of godlineſs in his Son, & the dealings of the Father with his Son, the Lord knows now I abhor a ſin in ſecret (though I were ſure no body in the world ſhould ever know it) more than I do abhor Hell its ſelf; I ſuch a Converſation as would manifeſt ſuch a work of God upon the heart as this is would become the Goſpel of Chriſt indeed. Whereas otherwiſe brethren, if any of you that do profeſs the Goſpel of Chriſt ſhall make ſin but as a ſlight thing, and ſhall be ready to entertain ſin in thy boſom, know that by this means, you do no other but trample under foot the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt as a cōmon thing, as a thing that had no worth at all in it. This doth deſpight to the Goſpel of Chriſt, you do diſhonor Jeſus Chriſt, and you do put him to open ſhame whoſe Name you have taken upon you by your profeſſion: I'le give you a Scripture now for this in Heb. 6. 4. &c. He ſpeaks of ſome, that were once enlightned, and had taſted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, and taſted of the good word of God (that's the Goſpel) and the powers of the world to come: if they ſhould fall away, it were impoſſible to renew them to repentance. Mark the reaſon: Seeing they crucifie to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame: Such as fall off after the profeſſion of the Goſpel into ſinful waies, they are ſaid here to crucifie the Son of God afreſh, and to put him to open ſhame. This is far from walking as becomes the Goſpel. And ſo you have another text in Heb. 10. 29. &c. (he ſpeaks of thoſe that had fallen off from their profeſſion into ſinful waies) Of how much ſ…rer puniſhment, ſuppoſe ye, ſhall he be thought worthy of, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was ſanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done deſpight unto the Spirit of Grace? See how the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of ſuch as fall from their profeſſion into ſinful waies again. And there's a great deal of reaſon for it, for 'tis not ſo much for thoſe that never made profeſſion of the Goſpel, to fall to ſin, not ſuch a horrid thing for them; but for thoſe that have made profeſſion of the Goſpel, that they hold forth thus much; this is the language of their actions (though they dare not ſay ſo) Lord I acknowledge that I have ſeen the fruit of thy hatred of ſin in the death of thy Son, that thou didſt ſo hate ſin, that thou madeſt thy Son to be a curſe for ſin; but yet for all this, ſuch is the ſtrength of my luſts, I muſt have my luſts, though it be ſo vile in thine eyes as the blood of thy Son went for it, yet I muſt have it rather than deny my luſts; Oh what a dreadful thing is this? how provoking muſt it needs be to the holy God? Oh happy had it been for ſuch men and women that they had never heard of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. But of the evil of walking unbeſeeming the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhall ſpeak to after, when we come to the application; That's then the ſixt particular of what the Goſpel holds forth The infinite hatred of God againſt ſin.
Now the ſeventh thing that is held forth in the Goſpel that cals for a Converſation beſeeming, is this, The great price of ſouls. There's nothing in the world that ever God did, that doth diſcover the worth of mans immortal ſoul ſo as the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt doth, there God manifeſts to all the world what a price he puts upon mans ſoul, the Lord ſaw that men by ſin had undone themſelves and that thoſe ſouls that he made were like to periſh to all eternity, yea, were under the ſentence of eternal death, and muſt certainly periſh eternally, if ſo be that ſome way were not found out by an infinit wiſdom for to ranſome them; now ſaith the Lord, rather than I will have all ſouls periſh; (it's true, the love that I have unto my Juſtice is ſuch, as for many ſouls I'le let them go, and they ſhall periſh; but yet that I might ſhew that I have an high eſteem of the ſouls of the children of men, for the ranſoming of that number that I have appointed from all eternity to ſave,) I'le ſend my Son, and he ſhall die for the ſaving of ſouls, that ſouls may not periſh: If the Lord ſhould have ſaid concerning any one ſoul, I do ſo highly prize this ſoul, and account the worth of it to be ſuch, as rather than it ſhall periſh I'le diſolve heaven and earth, heaven and earth ſhall periſh rather than this ſoul ſhall periſh, you will ſay, this had been a great teſtimony of Gods eſteem of a ſoul: But know that the Goſpel holds forth a higher eſteem of a ſoul than this comes to, when God ſhal ſay, Rather than this, and the other ſoul ſhall periſh, I'le ſend my Son to be made a Curſe; This the Goſpel holds forth; this is infinitly a higher price that God puts upon a ſoul: You know therfore what the Apoſtle ſaith in 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed (ſaith he) with corruptible things; as ſilver, and gold: Then in the 19. verſe, But with the precious blood of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh, or without ſpot: 'Tis not ſilver and gold: or any corruptible thing that can redeem you, but the precious blood of Jeſus Chriſt, Oh that blood, that's more precious than the world, even all the world muſt let the redemption of a ſoul alone for ever, all the Angels in Heaven if they would have joyned together to have redeem'd a ſoul, and would have ventured themſelves to have been deſtroyed for ever that they might have redeem'd a ſoul, it would not have been, they muſt all let the redemption of a ſoul alone for ever; the matter then of the redemption of a ſoul is more than we are aware of, and we could never have come to have known this but by the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt: The full price of a ſoul is writ down by the finger of Gods Spirit in the Goſpel of Chriſt, which is only this, The Blood of the Son of God, the Blood of the Son of God.
Well then, let our Converſation be as becomes this that is held forth in this Goſpel, that's thus, Manifeſting in your Converſation that you ſet a high price upon your ſouls: do not venture your ſouls upon nothing; Oh how unbeſeeming is this, that when God ſhall ſet ſuch a price upon a ſoul, as to give for the redemption of it more than ten thouſand thouſand worlds are worth, yet that a man or woman that profeſſes themſelves to be Chriſtians ſhall venture the loſs of their ſouls for the getting of ſixpence or twelvepence, hazard thoſe immortal Jewels for one or two minutes of ſenſual pleaſure, to ſatisfie the luſts of the fleſh; what is it elſe, when ſuch will lye or coſen for a little while for thick clay? For the Lords ſake, do not lay down thy everlaſting ſoul at ſtake for a little gain, ſome for a little credit; art thou a Chriſtian? didſt ever reade the Goſpel, man or woman didſt thou ever hear of Chriſt? and doſt thou know what the death of Chriſt meant? and wherefore Chriſt came into the world? muſt Heaven and earth be mov'd to provide a way to ranſom ſouls? and doſt thou ſet them at ſo low a rate? Oh how unbeſeeming is this to the Goſpel?
And others pawn away their ſouls, when God manifeſts what a price he ſets upon them, yet will pawn their ſouls to the very Devil.
Queſt. You will ſay, Is any man ſo wicked as to pawn away his ſoul to the Devil?
Anſ. Yes, When any man will venture upon ſin, but upon this condition, I will repent before I die; that is, as if I ſhould ſay thus, Here I give my ſoul to pawn, if I do repent, then I'l have it again, if I do not repent before I die, then it's gone for ever. As when you give a pawn, you give it upon theſe terms, Wel, I give you this, and if I bring you by ſuch a time ſo much money, then I'le have it again, and if not, then 'tis gone. So do men and women, they ſay thus, Here Devil, thou ſhalt have the poſſeſſion of my ſoul all this while ſo long as I am in a way of ſin, if I do repent, then I muſt have it again, but if I do not repent before I die, then thou ſhalt have it for ever. Now doſt thou know the price of a ſoul? Oh! is this to ſhew the high price of a ſoul, that wil pawn your ſouls thus? And mark to whom you pawn it, you pawn it to the Devil, he hath it all this time, it's in his cuſtody: al the while that any one ſins upon hope of repentance, (I ſay) til they repent the Devil hath their ſouls in his poſſeſſion, in his hands: as when you pawn a piece of houſholdſtuff, til the time that you bring the money, ſo long the man you pawn it to hath the poſſeſſion of it. And thus do people; you put your ſouls into the Devils hands, and upon ſuch a condition that you are not able to perform; that is, if you repent, you will have it again, if not, he muſt have it for ever: Oh friends, you little know what repentance means! What is it to repent? it requires a mighty work of God, the ſame power of God that made the world is required to break the heart of a ſinner, ſo that you put it to pawn upon that that is impoſſible for you your ſelves to perform by all the power that you have: Now if a man put a thing to pawn for that which is impoſſible for him to redeem, it may be, if he ſhould have a great many friends that will do ſome great matter for him, then he may redeem it, but it is beyond his power; you will ſay, there is a great deal of danger then that that pawn ſhall never be redeemed. So know, when you pawn your ſouls, you put it into the hands of Satan, and lock it up in the powers of darkneſſe, and pawn it for that that you have no power to bring: Do you prize the Goſpel? and know what a price God hath ſet upon ſouls? O then take heed and ſet a greater priſe upon your ſouls than to pawn them away for every trifle, a thing of naught.
And then, If this be held forth in the Goſpel, O then do not pollute and defile you ſouls with ſin as you do from time to time. God hath a high eſteem of them, have you a high eſteem of them likewiſe. Do not make your ſouls drudges and ſcuullions to your bodies, only to make uſe of your ſouls to provide for the ſatisfying of the luſts of the fleſh, as many men and women have no other uſe of their precious immortal ſouls all their lives, but only their ſouls are imployed to be ſlaves for the luſts of their fleſh: Oh! are theſe the ſouls that muſt coſt the blood of Chriſt, that God hath put ſuch a price upon? ſurely you do not know the Goſpel nor Jeſus Chriſt. If I ſhould tel you what Phyloſophers ſay of the ſoul, of mens immortal eternal ſouls (though this be now doubted, yet it was plentifully known among the Heathens) theſe would be but dry things to you in compariſon of this, to tell you that Jeſus Chriſt hath died to redeem ſouls, theres more in this than in al the arguments that poſſibly can be brought to ſhew the excellency of the ſoul of man.
Oh then, likewiſe let your Converſation be as becomes this of the Goſpel, in your care of the ſouls of thoſe that are committed to your care and charge. Do you profeſs the Goſpel? then you profeſs withal that God ſo eſteemed of a ſoul, that he gave the life and blood of his Son to ranſom a ſoul; Oh then, really demonſtrate that you do highly eſteem of the ſouls of your children, and ſervants, by walking convincingly before them, that you may do all the good you can to them, by inſtructing of them, by praying for them, and with them; and ſo before all your friends and acquaintance, let ſuch kind of meditations work thus in you as theſe, Oh Lord, ſince I came to know the Goſpel, I have learn'd what a high price thou haſt put upon ſouls, Lord, this ſhall make me for evermore to value ſouls at a higher rate than heretofore I have done. Oh it were an excellent point to urge upon Miniſters, who are charged with many ſouls, Oh let them ſo watch over them, pray for them, and preach to them all the Counſels of God, both in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, that in the great Day of Chriſt, they may be cleer of the blood of all men, as Paul was. And that's the ſeventh thing that the Goſpel holds forth unto us, The preciouſneſs of ſouls; and let your Converſations be as becomes this great point of the Goſpel.
But then Eighthly, which is as principal a one almoſt as any and neerly concerns us, and that's this: The Goſpel diſcovers unto us, the great honor that God hath put upon humane Nature above the Angels. This could never have been known but by the Goſpel, this is as proper a thing to the Goſpel as any I have ſpoken of: And one ſpecial deſign that God had in the Goſpel, was, To reveal thoſe thoughts and counſels that he had from al eternity, to put mighty and great Excellencies upon our humane Nature in theſe two particulars.
Firſt, In the Perſonal Ʋnion of Mans Nature to the ſecond Perſon in Trinity; That's the firſt, and great way of honor that God hath crowned human Nature with. Hence the Apoſtle in 1 Tim. 1. 6. Without controverſie, great is the myſterie of godlineſs. What is it? God was manifeſted in the fleſh. God manifeſted in the fleſh! that's a great myſtery of godlineſs. Now it could not be ſuch a myſtery, if God had only taken an humane ſhape upon Him, (for ſo it was in the time of the Law) Jeſus Chriſt often took humane ſhape; as when He ſtrove with Jacob, it was Jeſus Chriſt, as might eaſily appear. But great is the myſterie of godlineſs, without controverſie it's great. God manifeſted in the fleſh: that is, God taking fleſh of man into a perſonal union, which is more fully expreſt in John, 1. 4. The Word was made fleſh. This was a ſtrange ſpeech, but proper to the Goſpel. An Heathen would have thought this a ſtrange ſpeech, and eſpecially if he knew, that by the Word was meant, He that was true and eternal God. And then, in Heb. 2. 16. it is ſaid, That Chriſt did not take the Nature of Angels upon him; but the ſeed of Abraham. So that it appears by the perſonal union of our Natures to the Son of God, God hath advanced human Nature above Angels, above all creatures. Truly my Brethren, in Chriſts taking our Nature upon Him, which the Goſpel holds forth to us, me thinks we may ſee God (as it were) reſolving to do a work from Himſelf, to the uttermoſt, to manifeſt the uttermoſt of his glory in a work out of Himſelf, the work of God within Himſelf, it is, His eternal generation, and the poſſeſſion of the holy Ghoſt: but now God would work out of Himſelf, and work out of Himſelf to the uttermoſt extent; I'le make a world (ſaith God,) Heavens and Earth by my Word. But this is not ſuch a glorious work as I am able to do: I could make ten thouſand worlds, and when I have made them I could make as many more, and more glorious: But I would do ſome work wherein I might manifeſt even the uttermoſt of my glory: What work is that? that is, The work that God pitcht upon, He would do one work from without to manifeſt the uttermoſt of his glory, and the Lord rather pitches upon this, To take the nature of Man into a perſonal union with His Son, that's the uttermoſt: And it is impoſſible that Men or Angels, if they were left to all eternity to imagin, could think of a work that it were poſſible for God to expreſs more of His power, wiſdom, and glory in: but we know but little of it now, but we ſhall know more in Heaven. Now, Oh how hath God honored humane Nature in this! That when He would do a work to the utmoſt of His Excellency, that He would pitch upon Mans Nature, to take it into Perſonal Union with Himſelf; here's the myſtery of the Goſpel: now this is indeed the marrow of the myſterie of the Goſpel, The Word made fleſh: the ſecond Perſon in Trinity taking Mans Nature upon Him; This is the myſtery of the Goſpel that Angels and Saints admire at, and ſhall be taken up to all eternity in admiring and praiſing and magnifying God for. That's the firſt way of Gods honoring Mans Nature. And then, there is a ſecond thing which the Goſpel reveals, and that's this, In putting honor not only upon the Nature of Man, as having ſoul and body, but putting a mighty honor upon the very Body of Man, the meaneſt and the very loweſt part of Man, the very ſhel, outſide, rine and caſe of Man: that you have in 1 Cor. 6. 19. What, know ye not that your bodie is the temple of the holy Ghoſt, which is in you? Your body is the Temple of the holy Ghoſt. You have no ſuch thing revealed in the old Teſtament, this comes by the light of the Goſpel, that the Lord hath made the bodies of the Saints to be Temples to the holy Ghoſt, that the holy Ghoſt dwels in their very Bodies as in a Temple; as the King in his Pallace, ſo the holy Ghoſt in His Temple: Now theſe two are great things revealed in the Goſpel, and had we but a cleer underſtanding of theſe two things, Oh! it would mightily elevate our ſpirits. And Converſations ſutable to theſe two particulars ſurely muſt needs be a high raiſed Converſation. As now for inſtance,
3. In the perſonal union of our natures with the ſecond Perſon in Trinity: Oh how ſhould this raiſe up our hearts and we ſhould manifeſt the elevation of our ſpirits in our Converſation, ſo as it becomes thoſe that may expect great things from God, ſurely that God that hath honoured our natures ſo, as to be perſonally united to his Son, he doth intend great things to ſome of the children of men, as now, Suppoſe you that are the pooreſt and meaneſt here in this Congregation, you had a Siſter that were married to the greateſt Emperor in the world, yea, to one that were Emperor of all the whol Earth; now you would think to live another kind of life than you did before, were it beſeeming ſuch a man to live now upon ſcraping of Chanels, or wiping of horſe heels, (or any mean imployment,) when his Siſter is married to the only Monarch of all the whol earth, ſurely he may think now, I muſt live at a higher rate, for I may expect ſomething by this: So ſhould every one of the children of men think thus, indeed I have liv'd in a mean baſe way, the humane nature of mine hath been baſely ſubject to filthy luſts, all my daies, I have been a bondſlave to ſin and Satan, but when I come to hear of the Goſpel, I hear that the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, God bleſſed for ever, equal with the Father, that is the Heir of all things, that he hath not married my humane nature, but hath taken it into a perſonal union with himſelf, and is become my kinſman, my neer kinſman, hath taken this into the neereſt union as is poſſible for a creature to be taken into with God: Oh let us be raiſed then in our thoughts, to think, ſurely God intends higher things for ſome of the children of men, than to eat and drink, and ſatisfie the fleſh, and be brutiſh here in the world, there are higher things that God will do for mankind, and why not for me? I am not excluded no more than others? It was a ſpeech I remember of Seneca, (though a Heathen) I am greater (ſaith he) and I am born to greater things than to be a ſlave to my body: A Heathen could ſay ſo: Oh but when we hear of humane nature ſo advanced and enthroned in Chriſt, we ſhould think with our ſelves, that any one that hath humanity in them is born to higher things, than to make proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof: What wilt thou be a ſlave to the Devil now? Thou heareſt how God hath dignified the nature of man into ſo neer a union with himſelf, Oh doth not this myſterie of the Goſpel call to all the children of men? Oh all you children of men! Behold what God hath done for man kind! ſurely the thoughts of God for man-kind are great and glorious, there be higher things you may attain unto, and will you yet periſh, and chuſe your portion here in this world, and be groveling on the ground, as if there were no higher thoughts that God had for your good, than meerly to live as brute beaſts, to eat and drink, and then riſe up to play? Oh if God hath advanced mans nature ſo, do not deſpiſe it in the meaneſt of the children of men, the loweſt ſervant, or pooreſt boy that lies begging at your door for a piece of bread, (for it is of the ſame kind that is united in a perſonal union with the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, of the ſame nature which this poor boy that lies begging at your door for broken bread and meat) therefore honor humane nature in every one, and do not vilifie it in thy ſelf; thoſe men that live under the Goſpel and vilifie humane nature, they put a diſhonour upon Jeſus Chriſt. And even reverence thy ſelf in private when thou art alone, (I ſay) reverence thy ſelf, do not abuſe thy body, it is the Temple of the holy Ghoſt. Oh remember this all you that are profeſſors of Religion, that theſe bodies of yours, this fleſh of yours (if you be godly and walk anſwerable to your profeſſion) I ſay this fleſh of yours it is the very Temple of the holy Ghoſt, do not abuſe it; it's the Apoſtles argument, Therefore fly fornication, and be not joyned to whores; for your bodies are the temples of the holy Ghoſt: Oh it makes the ſin of uncleanneſs to one that profeſſes the Goſpel of Chriſt a curſed ſin, the ſin of uncleaneſs in a profeſſor of the Goſpel, it's a thouſand thouſand times more abominable than the ſin of uncleanneſs in another: why? Becauſe they know how God hath advanced humane nature into a perſonal union with himſelf, and how their bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghoſt. What ſhal I make the Temple of God a …y for the unclean ſpirit, a cage of unclean birds? God forbid. There hath been a great deal of do about ſtony Churches and Temples, and you ſhould have a great many baſe whoremaſters plead for the Whore of Rome (the Miſtris of all fornications) in bowing, and cringing with Cap, and knee as ſoon as they ſet their foot in ſome of our meeting places; and in the mean time abuſe the Saints which are the Temples of the holy Ghoſt, and abuſe their own bodies, and yet they profeſs themſelves Chriſtians; Oh now, either deny thy Chriſtianity, or do not abuſe thy body to any filthy luſt, for it is the Temple of the holy Ghoſt. This the Goſpel holds forth. And let thy Converſation be now as becomes the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; not abuſing thy body ſo; For we ſee that the Goſpel cals for bodily cleanneſs, as well as ſpiritual cleanneſs, and truly I do not know ſtronger arguments to godlineſs than theſe that we have mentioned here in the Goſpel: We have gone through three, Gods infinit hatred of ſin. The price of ſouls. And the honor that the Goſpel ſhews that God hath put upon humane nature. Converſations but becoming theſe three, would be other manner of Converſations than you have. I ſhall only ſpeak of a fourth, and that's this.
4. The Goſpel holds forth the greateſt example of ſelf-denial that ever was in the world, & by all waies that ever God hath made known his mind, he never hath revealed his will in an example of ſelf-denial ſo as he hath done in the Goſpel, and that is in the example of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: God evidenceth there ſuch a work of ſelf-denial, as never was: and 'tis impoſſible to apprehend a greater example of ſelf-denial than that is; though Chriſt thought it no robbery to be equal with God; reade but the ſecond of the Philippians, verſ. 7, 8. and there you may ſee what Chriſt was, and yet how he emptied himſelf, how he denied himſelf in his honor, how vile he was made in the world, though he was the brightneſs of his fathers glory, yet he was made of no reputation; how he denied himſelf in riches, Chriſt that was the Heir of all things, though he were rich, yet he was made poor for us; how he denied himſelf in his pleaſures, he was the delight of the Father from all eternity, and yet he was made a man of ſorrows; he denied himſelf in his life, for he was the Lord of life, and yet he ſubjected himſelf to death, to a curſed death for us: Oh the example of Chriſt in ſelf-denial is the greateſt that ever was: and this ſeems to be one great end of the humiliation of Jeſus Chriſt to hold forth a preaching pattern of ſelf-denial to the world: And there's a great deal more power in the pattern and example of ſelf-denial, then in the commands of ſelf-denial, I only preſent this to ſhew you that it is the moſt unbeſeeming the Goſpel for any one that profeſſes the Goſpel to be ſelviſh, altogether ſcraping for themſelves; and whatſoever ſervice they are put upon, except ſelf may have an oare in it, they have no mind to it; Oh 'tis becoming the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt for men and women to be emprtied of themſelves, no matter what becomes of our ſelves, but be willing to give up our ſelves for publick good, to venture your eſtates, and lives, and all your comforts, yea to be ſwallowed up in the glory of God, to be nothing, that Chriſt may be all. In the Goſpel of Chriſt, we find that Chriſt he was ſwallowed up with the glory of his Father; and he came not to do his own will, but the will of his father that ſent him; and though he was one that had infinitely more excellency than all men and Angels in Heaven and Earth, yet he was content for the honor of his Father to be made as a worm and no man, to be trampled under foot, to endure the greateſt extremities of all ſorts; this holds out an example to us, that while we live in this world we ſhould be taken off from our ſelves: Oh this ſelf-love ſticks much in the hearts of men and women: now upon the example of Chriſts ſelf-denial, we are required to deny our ſelves, and it is the proper leſſon of the Goſpel, He that will follow me, let him deny himſelf, you never read of ſuch a precept in all the old Teſtament; (though no queſtion the people of God did deny themſelves then,) but in expreſſe terms ſo fully you have not ſuch a thing there: and there's no ſuch rules among the Heathens for a man to deny himſelf, Let him deny himſelf; thoſe that know the Original, know that the word is, not only to Deny, but there is that joyned to it that doth encreaſe the ſignification, let them deny themſelves, throughly, there is a Prepoſition put to the word, to ſhew that thoſe that will come to Chriſt muſt deny themſelves, and that throughly, it is a proper leſſon of the Goſpel, and the firſt leſſon. Oh when our Lord and Maſter hath thus denied himſelf, and emptied himſelf for good to us, what is beſeeming this Goſpel, but that all that are profeſſors of it ſhould deny themſelves? It is very unbeſeeming the glorious Goſpel, for a Chriſtian to be ſelviſh, to have his ſelf-ends, and ſelf-waies, and intereſts in every thing, as generally almoſt al men in the world they are acted by ſelf, ſome ſelf-ends, or ſelf-excellency carries them on in their actions, or elſe they have no heart to do any thing; this is unbecoming the Goſpel. But now I ſay, one that would live as becomes the Goſpel, muſt be wholly emptied of himſelf, whatſoever parts, eſtate, credit, or honor he hath in the world, muſt be melted into the glory of God; Jeſus Chriſt for the glory of His Father, was content infinitly to deny Himſelf more than we can; For what have we to deny our ſelves of? Do you or I live as becomes the Goſpel? when (I ſay) all that we apprehend to have any excellency in, we have it all ſwallowed up in the glory of God, when we can dedicate and conſecrate our lives, honors, liberties, eſtates, comforts, and all to the glory of God, and be as nothing to our ſelves, and let God be all in all to us, Miniſters may bring many reaſons why we ſhould deny our ſelves, but all theſe reaſons comes to nothing, till the ſoul comes to behold the cleer light of the Goſpel, and there beholds the Son of God by faith, how he did empty Himſelf; nay then, ſaith a beleeving ſoul, if the Son of God did deny Himſelf, was emptied thus for me, Oh then let me be wholly taken off from my ſelf, and venture wholly upon God, I muſt not live in my ſelf, nor live for my ſelf, nor live to my ſelf; but wholly live in God, and for God, and to God, and upon God: Oh this is that which becomes the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.