A Vindication of Godliness, Sermon 2 · Part 1
I. Head concerning God.
BEgin with him who is the beginning of all things, in whom we have our being; in whoſe nature, as well as his will, is the very foundation of Religion. In the ſpiritual nature of God, is the reaſon of our ſpiritual worſhip, his wiſdom is the reaſon of our ſubmiſſion to him, his power of our dependance on him, his holineſſe of our conformity to him, his juſtice of our fear, his goodneſſe of our love, his truth of our truſt, his grace of our prayers, his glory of our praiſer.
Now there are two things eſpecially (that I may contract all into as narrow a room as poſſible) which you may pitch your thoughts, and exerciſe your meditations upon concerning God; Namely his
Dreadfulneſſe.
Goodneſſ….
Direct. 1. In order to the bringing you to a due apprehenſion, and ſenſe of the dreadfulneſs of God; ſet before your eyes, what the Scriptures ſpeak of the Majeſty, Glory, Omnipoten…, Omniſcience, Holineſs, Severity, and Righteouſneſs of God. The Scriptures ſpeak of the Name of God, as a fearful Name, Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayeſt fear this glorious and fearful Name, [the Lord thy God.] And this dreadfulneſs of God, is ſet forth,
1 By the greatneſs of his power, Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me, ſaith the Lord, Will ye not tremble at my preſence? Luk. 12. 5.
2 By the immenſity of his Nature, Pſal. 139, 7. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? Whither ſhall I flee from thy preſence?
3 By the Glory of his Holineſs, Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, who art glorious in Holineſs, fearful in Praiſes, doing Wonders.
4 By his Juſtice and Severity, Hebrews 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. Heb. 12. 29. For our God is a conſuming Fire.
Direct. 2. That you may underſtand, and be duly affected with the goodneſs of God, confider what the Scripture ſpeaks concerning his All-ſufficiency, loving Kindneſs, MercieMercy, Faithfulneſs, Patience, &c. Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Abraham, I am thy Shield, and thy exceeding great Reward, Pſal. 36. 7, 8, 9. Thy merciemercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens, and thy Faithfulneſs reacheth unto the Clouds. How excellent is thy loving Kindneſs, O God, therefore the Children of Men put their …uſt in …hee. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with thy fatneſs, for with thee is the Fountain of Life, in thy Light, we ſhall ſee Light, Pſal. 10. 5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is Life, Pſal. 73. 26. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever, Pſal. 91. 4. He ſhall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings ſhalt thou truſt, his Truth ſhall be thy Shield and Buckler, Pſal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield. Theſe Scriptures ſet forth the Lord, as a ſufficient portion, wherein his people may be happy, and a ſure refuge, wherein they may be ſafe. He is a Fountain of Light, Life, Joy, Reſt, Peace, Everlaſting bleſſedneſs, and Everlaſting ſafety. He is the inheritance of the Saints, wherein they ſhall be ſatisfied; and their defence, wherein they ſhall be ſafe for ever.
Direct. 3. Ask thy heart theſe Queſtions.
Queſt. 1. Is not this God worthy to be feared, believed in, and choſen for my portion and trust?
Some chuſe riches for their portion, ſome pleaſures, ſome put their truſt in worldly friends; but will it not be well with me, if I can bring my heart to chuſe, and can obtain the Lord to be my friend, my refuge and my portion?
Queſt. 2. Is it not good for me to draw nigh unto God?
To get acquaintance and intimacie with God, to dwell in his Preſence, and to live in the light of his Countenance; is there any life ſo full of true pleaſure, and ſatisfying delight, as to enjoy and behold the Face of God in Righteouſneſs?
Queſt. 3. Is the Lord mine?
Is he reconciled to me, is his love and merciemercy made ſure to me? Some are confident the Lord is theirs, but they are miſtaken. Am not I miſtaken? Is the Lord mine indeed? My God and my Portion, and my Friend indeed? If he be not, then,
Queſt. 4. How may I obtain the Lord to be mine?
What pains ſhould I refuſe? What courſe ſhould I count too hard? what price too great to lay out for ſuch an inheritance? Oh, how happily were I provided for, what a ſufficiency had I laid up for me, for my body, for my ſoul, for this life, for everlaſting; were the Lord once ſure to me? What ſhall I do to obtain him? if he be mine, then,
Queſt. 5. What ſhall I render to the Lord?
Oh the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the Love and Goodneſs of God to my Soul, that he ſhould beſtow himſelf on ſuch a worm. 'Tis much that he ſhould give me a being in his ſight; that he ſhould give me bread, or cloaths; that he ſhould feed me with the crumbs that fall from his Table. 'Tis a wonder he ſhould not feed me with Aſhes, with Gall and Wormwood, with Fire and Brimſtone, that he hath not cloathed me with flames, with fury and vengeance. 'Tis a wonder he ſhould give any of his good Creatures to comfort me, his Earth to be mine inheritance, and my portion; but that he ſhould give himſelf to me, that ever a poor Creature ſhould be ſo provided for, as to feed upon his God, to live upon his God, to poſſeſs his God for a portion; Oh, come unto me, all ye that fear the Lord, come unto me, and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul, He that is mighty hath done for me great things, and holy is his Name. Oh, that I could love thee more! Oh, that I could pleaſe thee, and praiſe thee, and honour thee, and rejoyce, and triumph, and make my boaſt of my God, and ſpeak good of thy Name while I have any being, The Lord is my portion, the lines are fallen to me in a pleaſant place, and I have a goodly heritage.