The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 6
VERSE 6.
Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect, for they are not all Iſrael, which are of Iſrael.
OUr Apoſtle having in the Verſes foregoing, in the five Verſes precedent, expreſſed the grief and ſorrow of his heart, for the Jews rejection, (who were his brethren according to the fleſh,) yet not expreſſing their rejection, but onelyonly intimating of it, and leaving it to be concluded and gathered, in this ſixth Verſe; he entreth upon the ſecond part of the Chapter, and herein he falleth upon a defence of Gods Promiſe, proving it to be firm and ſtable, though the Jewes be rejected: and he defendeth the ſtability of it, both againſt the Objections of the Iewes, and againſt the humane reaſonings of fleſh and blood, that might be brought to the contrary, from the ſixth verſe to the 24. And firſt of all, the Apoſtle cleareth the Lord from inconſtancy, from the ſixth verſe to the 14. Secondly, he cleareth God from iniquity and injuſtice, from the 14 verſe to the 19. Thirdly, he cleareth God from cruelty, from the 19 verſe, to the 24.
Now in this ſixth Verſe, firſt of all the Apoſtle putteth down a prevention of an Objection that the Jewes might make, in the firſt words of the Verſe; for this they might object Object. and ſay.
If ſo be we, that are the ſons of Abraham, be rejected and caſt off, (as you Paul ſeem to intimate, and imply in your complaining,) ſurely then the Word of God unto Abraham, and unto his ſeed, ſhould be voyd, and of none effect; Anſw. therefore you are deceived, we are not rejected.
Now this our Apoſtle preventeth, and meeteth withal, by denying their conſequence, and ſhewing that it maketh not the Word of God voyd, and of none effect, if the Jews (coming of Abraham) for the greateſt part be rejected; no, ſaith the Apoſtle, this is no good conſequence, though the Jewes for the body of them, and generality be rejected, to ſay that the promiſe of God is fruſtrate: then to this denyal of their conſequent, he ſubjoyneth a reaſon of it, why it is ſo, (that though the Jewes be rejected, yet the Word of God is not void,) becauſe many of the Iſraelites, of the body of the Iſraelites, and of the ſeed of Abraham, they are not ſuch to whom the Promiſe belongeth; why ſo? becauſe they are not true Iſraelites, they are not the Iſrael of God, they are Iſraelites by the fleſh, by carnal generation, they deſcended of the Loynes of Abraham, but they are not Gods choſen and elected ſeed of Abraham; and therefore the Word of God is ſtable, notwithſtanding: and this the Apoſtle propoundeth in the latter end of the ſixth verſe, for they are not all true Iſraelites, that are of Iſrael: and in the beginning of the ſeventh verſe, all they are not the children of God, becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham; and this the Apoſtle amplifieth to the 14. Verſe.
But come we to the opening of the ſixth verſe.
Notwithſtanding] As if he had ſaid, Howſoever the Jews do cavil and object, that if they be rejected, Gods Word taketh no effect, (it cannot be) it is ſimply, and abſolutely impoſſible, though they mutter againſt it.
that the word of God] By the Word of God here, we are to underſtand not the legal Covenant, the word of the Law, the Apoſtle ſpeaketh not here of them, as they ſought ſalvation by the works of the Law, and the righteouſneſſe thereof legall, they were ſo rejected in all times, even before this kind of rejection did befall them, they were rejected by the legal Covenant, in all ages; and the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of that in the next Chapter.
But by the Word of God, here, we are to underſtand the word of promiſe, Gen. 17.7. where God ſaith, he would be Abrahams God, and the God of his ſeed. In which promiſe, God doth promiſe a perpetual being, with Abraham and his ſeed for ever, and not only with temporal bleſſings, but with bleſſings belonging unto life and ſalvation, namely the ſpiritual ſeed of Abraham, the children of Abraham after a ſpiritual ſenſe, meaning the choſen of God, them he would be with, to guide and direct his elect ſeed, thoſe that ſhould believe in God, as Abraham their Father did, whether Jewes or Gentiles, for we may ſee in the courſe and tenour of the Scripture, that all that came of Abraham were not bleſſed with this heavenly bleſſing, as Iſhmael, and Eſau, but the elect of God, to thoſe the Promiſe was made.
ſhould take no effect,] Or ſhould fall to the ground, or fail of the end, for which it is appointed; for then when a promiſe is made, and not performed, it falleth to the ground, it is unſtable, and of none effect, it attaineth not the appointed end.
for all they are not Iſraelites, that are of Iſrael.] By Iſraelites, (in the firſt place,) we are to underſtand the true Iſraelites, Iſraelites indeed, and not in name only, Joh. 1.47. ſuch as was Nathaniel, behold a true Iſraelite, one in whom there was no guile; ſo that by Iſrael, is meant the elect of God, the true Iſraelites among the Jewes: and by Iſrael, in the ſecond place, we are to underſtand Jacob, individually, who was the Father of the Patriarks, and was called Iſrael, becauſe of his prevailing with God, thoſe that came of his race and line, according to the fleſh, and according to the courſe of Nature, that is to be of Iſrael; then thus conceive we the Apoſtles meaning, Howſoever the Jews mutter and murmur, and object againſt it, and ſeem to be much diſcontented that they are rejected, and that if they be rejected, the Word of God unto Abraham faileth, and cometh to no effect, yet, ſaith the Apoſtle, it cannot be, it is altogether impoſſible, and can never ſo be, that the Word of promiſe made unto Abraham, and unto his ſeed, (wherein God did promiſe to bleſſe Abraham, perpetually, temporally, ſpiritually, and eternally,) that this word of promiſe, made to the ſpiritual ſeed of Abraham, to the elect, ſhould be fruſtrate, and not performed, it is impoſſible, ſaith the Apoſtle: For, ſaith he, I muſt tell you, that the Promiſe was not made unto all Iſrael, which came of Iſrael, by natural generation, they are not all true Iſraelites, but to the elect of God, true believers, thoſe that believe in God, (as Abraham did) ſo that though they be rejected, (for the body of them) yet the promiſe is effectual.
Come we now to the Doctrines. And firſt of all, in that the Apoſtle ſaith, notwithſtanding it cannot be, that the Word of God ſhould be of no effect, it is altogether impoſſible, that the Word of God ſhould be void and of none effect: Now then from hence the obſervation is this,
Doctrine. That the Promiſes of God unto us, they are moſt firm, they cannot poſſibly be fruſtrate and unſtable, and of none effect, it cannot be that any promiſe of God, either concerning good things of this life, or of the life to come, ſhould fall to the ground, and not be accompliſhed, to whom it belongeth, it is impoſſible, but that they ſhould be accompliſhed and made good unto thoſe that have title to them, whatſoever ſtandeth in oppoſition againſt them, or gainſayeth them; For the further confirmation of this point, read Matth. 5.18. the Lord Jeſus ſpeaking of the Law of God, and thereby meaning the whole Word of God, he maketh it more firm and ſtable, then the whole frame of heaven and earth; heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away, (they ſhall periſh,) but not one jot or tittle of the Law, ſhall eſcape unfulfilled, every tittle of the Word of God, whether promiſe, mercy, threatning, or Judgment, and eſpecially the Promiſes, it ſhall not eſcape unfulfilled, and in 2 Sam. 2.28. we read, the Lord having promiſed to David to build him a houſe, David doth aſſuredly reſt, upon the accompliſhment of it, and he groundeth his aſſurance thus: For why? thou are God, and thou canſt not change, thou art moſt true: and Rom. 3.3, 4. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh thus of the Jewes, Though ſome of the Jewes do not believe, ſhall their unbelief make the Word and Promiſe of God of none effect? God forbid; Let God be true, and every man a lyar; God is certainly true: and in Joſh. 23.15. ſaith Joſhua, Now all things are come unto you, which the Lord your God hath promiſed: ſo in Act. 13.32, 33. Paul ſaith to the Jewes, the promiſe made unto the Fathers, God hath fulfilled unto us their children: evidence of Scripture might be plentifully brought for the clearing of this truth, That all the Promiſes of God (touching good things of this life, or that to come,) they cannot poſſibly be fruſtrate, but ſhall come to paſſe, in Gods appointed time. The Reaſons and grounds of it are theſe two:
Reaſon 1 Firſt, from the Nature of God, becauſe God himſelf is unchangeable, and therefore this word is proportionable, and anſwerable to himſelf; yea, God is truth it ſelf, al-ſufficient, and able to make good his word, and to fulfill his promiſe, and to make it good in deſpight of all oppoſitions whatſoever, whether it be men, or devils; he is the truth it ſelf, the God of truth, and he is alſo infinite in power.
Reaſon 2 Secondly, becauſe all the promiſes of God, they are made unto his in Chriſt, he is the ground and foundation of all the ſweet and comfortable promiſes unto his; in him they are made good, unto his children, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Cor. 1.20. In Chriſt Jeſus all the promiſes are yea, and in him amen; they are ratified and confirmed in him: now Chriſt Jeſus is a moſt ſure and firm foundation; all the devils in hell cannot ſhake this foundation: and therefore doubtleſſe upon this ground we may reſolve, that all the promiſes of God (concerning this life, and the life to come) they are firm and ſtable, and ſhall certainly in Gods appointed time be fulfilled.
Object. I but (ſay ſome,) God promiſeth many excellent temporal bleſſings unto his children, we read in the Book of God, of abundance of promiſes, that God doth promiſe unto his children in this life, which many of his children never come to ſee.
Anſw. It is true indeed, but yet withal know thus much, that even theſe temporal things are fulfilled as they are propounded; they are propounded conditionally, with the condition of obedience, and with the exception of a Croſſe; if his children do fear, and obey him, or if otherwiſe the Lord ſee it good, to exerciſe them with ſome croſſe, or ſome affliction, and therefore if that many of the children of God do not enjoy the Promiſes, it is becauſe the Lord is pleaſed to chaſtiſe them for their ſinnes, and he is pleaſed ſo to do for their good; becauſe the Lord ſeeth it better, and fitter for them, to be exerciſed with afflictions, and yet the promiſes of God are fulfilled, according to the tenour that it is made, unto them; ſo they are fulfilled with condition of obedience, and exception of the Croſſe, Pſal. 34.10. Gods Children ſhall want nothing (that God hath promiſed,) that he ſeeth to be good, concerning their temporall eſtate, or the good eſtate in the life to come, thou ſhalt want nothing: now for the Application of it.
Firſt of all, this truth that you have here delivered, That the Promiſes Ʋſe 1 of God ſhall certainly be accompliſhed, whatſoever ſeemeth contradictory unto them, this diſcovereth unto us, what a foul ſin it is, to be diſcouraged and daunted, to be dejected and caſt down, and to walk uncomfortably, heavily, ſadly, and unchearfully, either becauſe they be under ſome great affliction already, or becauſe ſome great tryal is like to come upon them; and hereupon they begin to be ſad: whence cometh this unchearfulneſſe in a Child of God; that he walketh thus ſadly? ſurely, from the bitter root of unbelief; becauſe Gods Children conſider not as they ought to do, the truth and the ſtability of the comfortable promiſes of God, they truſted not God barely on his Promiſes, where God hath promiſed, I will be with thee when thou walkeſt through the water, and paſſeſt through the fire, Eſay 43.2. in the time of their greateſt diſtreſſe, God will be with them; they do not believe and truſt this promiſe of God, that he will deliver them in all danger; to uphold them, and aſſiſt them, he hath made this promiſe, and this they believe not, but withdraw their truſt and affiance from this promiſe of God, and ſo they greatly diſhonour God: for he that reſteth upon the bare promiſe of God, and ſtable word of God, when he hath nothing elſe to reſt upon, he doth aſſuredly honour God wonderfully; if we reſt upon God, when we ſee all things oppoſite to us, then to reſt upon the ſtable promiſe of God, hereby we ſhew our zeal unto God; but he that withdraweth his heart back from truſting on God, diſhonoureth God, and robbeth him of his truth, and maketh God no better then a lyar; for if we truſt not God, when means ſeem to be with us, much leſſe will we truſt him when all things ſeem to be contrary unto us: therefore we ought carefully to avoyd this ſinne.
This truth, in the ſecond place, (That all Gods Promiſes are certain,) Ʋſe 2 this truth duly conſidered and thought upon, may afford matter of ſtrong comfort, and great conſolation, to as many of us that find our ſelves to be ſuch, that have right and title to the gratious Promiſes of God; but if we find our ſelves to be none of thoſe, here is no comfort belonging unto us, wicked and ungodly perſons, that go on in a courſe of evil; howſoever the Doctrine is moſt ſweet and comfortable; thou that art an ignorant, and a graceleſſe perſon, if ſo be thou findeſt not thy ſelf qualified aright, thou haſt no right nor title to the gracious Promiſes of God; but if thou findeſt thy ſelf to be called to faith and holineſſe, ſeconded with a holy and godly life and converſation, thou findeſt thy ſelf now believing in Chriſt, thou art not a debauched wretch, or ignorant perſon, but thou art wrought upon by the Word and Spirit of God, and ſealed up unto the day of redemption, thou art ſanctified truly by the Word and Spirit, thou are not a formal Profeſſour; then thou haſt right and title to all the comfortable promiſes of God, both of this life, and the life to come; and here cometh thy comfort, theſe Promiſes are moſt firm and ſtable; they are yea, and Amen thou ſhalt certainly be made partaker of it, in health and ſickneſſe, in life and in death, be will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed, and bleſſe thee with all heavenly things, and thou ſhalt certainly attain to happineſſe and ſalvation, if the promiſes of God were uncertain, and changeable, then thy comfort were little or nothing; but know, that thou being called to faith and holineſſe, the promiſes of God to thee are yea, and amen, and are as unchangeable as God himſelf: Oh what comfort is this, that the Promiſes of God are ſo unchangeable, as God, who cannot lye? Titus 1.2. James 1.17. with him there is no ſhadow of changing or alteration; and it cannot be, that either thy own ſins, thy own failings, no nor yet Satan, nor all the power of hell, ſhould ever be able to make it void, and of none effect; this will be a ſpeciall comfort to thee, thou being one to whom the Promiſe belongeth; look unto that, that thou be one to whom this promiſe belongeth, lay not foul hands upon it; yea the conſideration of this, the thinking and meditating upon this, that the promiſes of God are firm and ſtable, being layed up in our hearts, it will keep us from being ſwallowed up by the ſurges of the deepeſt, tryals, and temptations, even then when we are tempted by Satan to diffidence or diſtruſt, conſider, the Lord hath promiſed in his Goſpel, Joh. 3.16. Whoſoever believeth in Chriſt, ſhall not periſh but be ſure to have everlaſting life: now this promiſe of God is firm and ſtable, to him that believeth in Chriſt Jeſus, and is able to uphold us from fainting in the middeſt of the greateſt tryals and afflictions; for they are firm and ſtable, and cannot be ſhaken; a ground of excellent comfort.
Notwithſtanding it cannot be, that the Word of God of ſhould take none effect, for all they are not Iſrael, which are of Iſrael.
OBſerve we here, that the Apoſtle doth not barely affirm thus much, That though the Jewes might object, that if they were rejected, then the promiſe of God were fruſtrate, and void, and of none effect; he doth not onelyonly affirm it, that this cannot poſſibly be, but he doth further ſtrengthen it with a reaſon, why it cannot ſo be, namely thus; becauſe all they are not Iſrael, which are of Iſrael; becauſe all they which came of Abraham, of Jacob, and of Iſrael, by natural generation all they are not Gods Iſrael, the Iſrael of God, Abrahams choſen ſeed, unto whom alone the Promiſe was made, ſo that the promiſe of God is firm and ſtable; ſo then you ſee, it was from a miſconceiving, and miſapplying of the promiſe, that the Jewes thought that the promiſe of God was void, which was made unto Abraham, if they were rejected, the Jews applying the promiſe to the carnal ſeed of Abraham, unto the ſeed of Abraham according to the fleſh, and therefore they forced this falſe concluſion; but the Apoſtle telleth them plainly, that all they that came of Iſrael, by carnal generation, they are not the true ſeed of Iſrael; ſo that their miſapplying, was the cauſe of their falſe collection: hence then note we thus much.
Doctrine. That the words of Gods promiſes, being miſ-underſtood, and miſ-applyed, it is not truly comfortable, it is not a true ground of comfort to thoſe that ſo miſ-underſtand it, and miſ-apply it: Or we may put this down in the general, thus;
That the Word of God either promiſing mercy, or threatning judgment, or teaching any duty, being miſunderſtood, and miſapplyed, is not the true, profitable, and comfortable Word of God, to thoſe that ſo miſunderſtand it, and miſ-apply it: in 2 Tim. 2. we find, that the Apoſtle having exhorted Timothy to a conſtant undergoing of the labour of the Miniſtery, and to a patient bearing of the Croſſes that came by reaſon of the execution of his office: then in the ſeventh verſe he concludeth, Conſider what I ſay, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things: as if he had ſaid; Conſider duly, what I ſtirred and exhorted thee unto, and the Lord give thee, that thou mayeſt both rightly underſtand, and rightly apply it: and ſo in 2 Pet. 3.16. The Apoſtle telleth us, that the holy Scriptures being wreſted and perverted, and miſ-applyed, they are ſo far from being comfortable, that they tend to the deſtruction of them that miſ-underſtand and miſ-apply them; they are ſo far from being comfortable, when men do pervert them; and turn them which way they liſt; that they tend to their own deſtruction.
And indeed, though the Scripture be in it ſelf, the Will and Wiſdome of God revealed unto us, and though it be true, that God ſpeaketh unto us in and by the ſame; yet the Word of God miſ-underſtood and miſ-applyed, it is not the word of God, neither doth God ſpeak unto us; (and as One ſaith well,) the word of God fooliſhly perverted, and underſtood, it is not the word of God to him that ſo underſtandeth it, and therefore cannot be truly profitable; and comfortable unto him: for the Application.
It concerneth us then, in the firſt place, that are Miniſters and Meſſengers Ʋſe 1 of God, that take upon us to handle the holy Word of God, and to deliver it unto Gods people, to be careful of it, that we rightly underſtand, and rightly apply the word of God, and that we deliver unto our hearers Gods word, and out of Gods word, Gods mind and meaning, that they may ſay, God speaketh in the Preacher. 1 Cor. 14.25. ſo muſt we deliver the mind and word of God. And then onelyonly ſhall we find the bleſſing of God upon the Word, we handle, and then we ſhall draw men to a holy courſe of life; or at leaſt convince them of their ſins; if we deliver it ſo, as God may be ſaid to ſpeak in us, or by us, then we may look for a bleſſing upon it, to the working of grace; and to convert them to a holy life: for if it be not rightly grounded, either upon the Word of God, or derived thence, ſurely take it for a truth, it is not Gods Word: Though it be a ſound Orthodox, and a true point of Divinity; yet if it be not grounded upon the Word of God, we handle, or by neceſſary conſequence, it is mans word, and not Gods Word.
Again, this being ſo, That the word of God is not the true, profitable, Ʋſe 2 and comfortable Word of God, being miſunderſtood, and miſ-applyed; it then concerneth every one of us all that are hearers of the word of God, to look unto it, that in hearing and reading the holy word of God, we labour to underſtand it aright, and to make a right application of it: and we are to take heed how we wreſt the word of God, by wronging and perverting of it, to make the Word of God to ſerve our fantaſies: as the Uſurer will ſeek out a place of Scripture to defend his Uſury, a foul and a fearful ſin, to make the word of God to ſpeak according to our fantaſies and conceits; for this is the ſeed of all hereſies whatſoever, and therefore we muſt labour to underſtand the word aright.
But here may ſome object Object. and ſay, What would you have me to do, that am a poor and unlearned man? alas how ſhould I come to a right underſtanding of the word of God? and come to make a right application of it? Many Scholers, and many Divines, are not able to reach into the Depth of it; can I then that am a ſimple and unlettered man or woman?
To this I anſwer, Anſw. Be thou careful (thou that thus pleadeſt for thy ſelf,) to uſe the means that God hath ſet up in his Church, for the opening and unfolding of his Word, and for thy guidance and direction in the way of truth, and of love, both towards God and man: be careful in theſe means, that is, be careful in frequenting, and uſing the ordinary meanes of the word, the Miniſtery that God hath ſet up in his Church, for thy direction, Prov. 8.33. be thou careful to attend at the gates of wiſdome; be frequent in hearing the VVord of God opened and expounded, and be ſure to come to the hearing, and reading of the Word of God, with an humble heart, that thy heart be not lift up with a conceit of thy own underſtanding, but be emptied of all ſelf-conceit, and pride, in reſpect of the pregnancy of thy own wit, and to this joyn earneſt and hearty prayer unto the Lord, be attentive to the means that ſerve to open the word, come to the hearing and reading of it with an humble heart, and alſo be inſtant in invocation, and calling upon the name of the Lord, that the Lord would open thine eyes and ears, and give thee the Spirit of Revelation, of underſtanding: do as David did, Pſal. 119.18. Lord open mine eyes, that I may behold the wonders of thy Law. It is a worthy ſaying of an Ancient Divine, (ſaith he) though there be many things in the Scripture, hard to be underſtood, difficult to reach into the depth of them, yet whatſoever is neceſſary and needful to be known to ſalvation, it is plainly ſet forth in the Scripture, and eaſie to be underſtood to them that will read diligently, mark attentively, pray heartily, and judge humbly; come without any ſelf-conceit of thine own wit, come even as a fool to the Word of God, in compariſon of the wiſdom of God revealed in it, and then by this meanes we ſhall come to a right application of the Word of God, and effectually underſtand and apply it.
Come we now to the Apoſtles reaſon, all they are not Iſrael, that are of Iſrael, that is, all they are not the true Iſraelites, and elect and choſen ſeed of Abraham, that are deſcended of Iſrael according to the fleſh: hence we are plainly taught thus much,
Doctrine. That indeed all are not true Iſraelites, that bear the name of Iſraelites; or thus, all they are not true Chriſtians, that have taken upon them the name of Chriſt, and bear the name of Chriſtians: or thus, all they that are in the viſible Church, and are of the viſible Church, yet they are not members of the true Church of God: And for the further manifeſtation of this, if we look in the Book of God, we ſhall find, that in all ages from the beginning, there hath been ſome in the viſible Church, and of the viſible Church, that were not true members of the Church of God. Thus it was in the dayes of Moſes, in the dayes of Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles, yea when the Church of God was in one Family, in Abraham, in Iſaac, and in Jacobs Family; in Abrahams Family was an Iſhmael, as well as an Iſaac; in Iſaac's Family, an Eſau, as well as a Jacob; and ſo in all ages: and hence it is, that Chriſt compareth the Church to a field, that hath not onelyonly good wheat, but tares, Matth. 13.26. and in the 47. and 48. verſes. Chriſt ſpeaketh of ſome that ſaid they were Jewes and were not, they were Jewes by birth and nation; but they were the Synagogue of Satan: and in Revel. 3.9. he ſaith, ſome called themſelves Jews and were not, they were in the viſible Church, and yet they were not the true Church of Chriſt.
Reaſon. Becauſe all they that live in the boſome of the viſible Church, and make open profeſſion of it, they are not all ſuch as God hath ſet apart to life and ſalvation, though they be in the viſible Church, and of the viſible Church, and make the ſame profeſſion, yet indeed they are not true members of the Church; 1 Joh. 2.19. where John ſaith, they went out from us, becauſe they were not of us; they did not truly believe in Chriſt, and if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but by this it appeareth, that they were not of us, becauſe they have made a disjunction from us: now to apply this.
Ʋſe. Firſt of all, this truth now delivered, beareth witneſſe ſtrongly againſt the fooliſh conceit of the Separatiſts; (and what is their opinion?) They hold and teach, That the viſible Church is the body of Chriſt Jeſus, and all the members of the viſible Church, they are members of the myſtical body of Chriſt, they are partakers of the Spirit of Chriſt, of the life of Chriſt, and the grace of Chriſt; Surely then it muſt needs follow, that all the members of the viſible Church are Gods children, and heires of ſalvation, yea then Cain, and Iſhmael, and Eſau, and Saul, and Judas, they were the children of God, and have obtained ſalvation. If this were true, that all that are partakers of the viſible Church, are members of Chriſt, and heires of ſalvation, it were eaſie to prove, that theſe men were in the viſible Church, and of the viſible Church, and therefore by this reaſon are ſaved: but how falſe it is, to think that theſe men have obtained ſalvation, any man that hath been exerciſed in the truth may eaſily ſee it; they are miſtaken in the Tenent, and the ground of their error is this; Whatſoever they find in Scripture ſpoken of the inviſible Church, the Catholike Church, (ſeen by the eye of faith,) they apply to the viſible Church; as it is ſaid, that the Church of God is a holy Nation, a peculiar Prieſthood, they apply it to the viſible Church; and their definition is a hoch poch, a mingling of the properties of the inviſible Church, and the viſible Church together, and an appropriating of them to the viſible Church; this is common both in their Writings and Conferences.
But come we now to lay the truth delivered a little nearer to our ſelves; Is it ſo, that all that live in the boſome of the Church, are not members of the true Church of God? Upon this ground learn we to take heed of a ſtrong deluſion, that deludeth thouſands in the world: Many in the world have this conceit, and are ſtrongly poſſeſſed with it; that (becauſe they have been bred and born in the viſible Church, they breathe in it, and joyn with it, and make the ſame profeſſion that we do, they partake in the holy Ordinances of God, they come to the Miniſtery of the Word, they have been partakers of the holy things of God, the Word, the Sacraments, they come to the Table of the Lord,) therefore certainly they are true Members of the Church of God, they are Chriſtians, true Chriſtians, and who ſhall ſay to the contrary? and yet we ſhall find theſe men that thus believe their phantaſies, they are ignorant of God, and of the truth of God, and of the Word of God; yea many of them, though they be old men and women, underſtand not the grounds of Catechiſme, nor the Fundamental points of Religion; their hearts are full of unbelief, and of Covetouſneſſe, and of diſordered paſſions, of pride, of luſt, of envy, and anger, they perform good duties in publick, careleſly both in publick and in private, never care to examine how they thrive in grace, and goodneſſe; no not ſo much as perform the duty of prayer; or if they do, they perform it cuſtomarily, and with dull and dead hearts, they are aſleep in hearing the Word, and very untoward in performing of holy duties, and yet they hold themſelves to be in very good caſe, they are good Chriſtians; why? do they not come to the holy Word and Sacraments? and yet are ignorant of the grounds of Catechiſme.
The truth now delivered, maketh known unto you, that you are in the wrong, yea, in the caſe of Judas and Saul, they were in as good caſe as thou art: men may joyn themſelves to the Church, even to the viſible Church of God, and may participate in all the holy Ordinances of God, and yet be no true members of the Church of God; and therefore take we heed of deceiving our ſelves, and be ſtirred up to labour not to reſt in this formality; labour to find your ſelves not only in the viſible Church, and profeſſe the ſame truth, but that we find our ſelves to be true Chriſtians, ſuch as know God, and obey the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; for the Apoſtle telleth us, 2 Theſſal. 1.8. that Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come in flaming fire, rendring vengeance upon all that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: yea let us never reſt untill we find we be ſuch as Nathaniel was, Joh. 1.47. that we are true Iſraelites, in whom there was no guile, no coverers, nor clokers of ſinnes, but that we are upright hearted, both in regard of good things, and alſo in regard of ſinne; for herein we muſt ſhew that we are upright and ſound hearted, if that in doing of good things we ſeek not the pleaſing of men, or of our ſelves, to avoid the danger of the Law, and ſuch Siniſter and by-reſpects; but in a ſimple obedience unto God, becauſe God commandeth them; and with a due reſpect to the glory of God: And alſo in reſpect of ſinne, labour we to be ſound hearted, that there be no regarding of ſinne, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard wickedneſſe in my heart, the Lord will not hear me; if I cleave unto it: ſo that there muſt not be in us any regarding of ſin, and cleaving unto it, as by favouring of it either in our ſelves, or in others, or by leſſening and cloking of ſin, or a little extenuation of ſin, oh we are guileful and deceitfull hearted, if we do thus extenuate and leſſen, and cloke ſin, account ſome ſins little, and trifling, but to reſolve againſt it, accounting them to be vile, and odious, yea we finding our ſelves to be guilty, to be forward in the acknowledgment of our ſin, without covering, and cloking of ſin, with God, but ſoundly, and freely, and throughly, acknowledging and confeſſing our ſins, and with a reſolution to leave it, and to break it off, and confeſſe it with grief of heart, if we be thus upright hearted, we are true Chriſtians, and true members of the Church of God, without this we can have no aſſurance that we are in the favour of God, we may have a conceit that our ſins are done away, and that we are in the favour of God, but we muſt labour to be ſound hearted, therein ſtandeth the aſſurance of the pardon of our ſins, Pſal. 32.1, 2. ſaith David, Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſinnes are forgiven, and whoſe wickedneſſe is covered; and then he ſubjoyneth, as a qualification, he is one that hath no guile in his heart, Bleſſed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not ſin, and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile; whereby we may demonſtrate, that we are in the number of thoſe bleſſed people, if there be no guile in our hearts.
Oh then labour we to perform holy duties, not to pleaſe men, or to pleaſe our ſelves, but out of obedience to God, not to cloke and cover ſin, and to ſay, for breaking the Sabbath, what? is it ſo great a matter to ſet things in order againſt the next day? On theſe are not ſound hearted, therefore if we would have comfort to our ſoules, labour to be true Members of the Church.