Gospel Liberty, Sermon
GOOD NEWES To the Worſt of SINNERS.
MARKE 16.15.
And hee ſaid unto them, goe yee into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature.
YOu may eaſily underſtand who ſpake theſe words, and to whom they were ſpoken. In theſe words, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt after his reſurrection, when he had all power in Heaven, and Earth given to him, he ſends forth his Apoſtles to Preach, and he bids them Goe into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature. This was their Commiſſion they were to have now, to go preach the Goſpel; Indeed they had a Commiſſion before, but it was only to the Jewes; and it was a little, but by ſpirts: but now Chriſt was riſen from the dead, and had received all power in Heaven and Earth, he ſends them for good and all (as it were) he gives them a full and compleate Commiſſion, Goe yee into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature.
The words opened.Before I come to the Leſſon that I mean to inſiſt upon, there are two things here in the words that muſt be opened, that you may ſee the foundation, or ground of this Leſſon; And that is,
Goſpel what meant by it.Firſt, what is meant by Goſpel? Goe, and preach the Goſpel.
Then, what is meant by creature? Goe preach the Goſpel to every creature.
For the firſt, what is meant by Goſpel? I will not ſtand upon the ſeverall acceptations of it, onelyonly you may underſtand that both in the Scripture language, and alſo among the Heathen, Goſpel hath been taken for Glad tidings, good newes in generall; any Good newes, or Glad tidings have been called Goſpel; So the Greek word ſignifies, ſo ſome conceive the Engliſh word Godſpel, being old Engliſh, ſignifies Goſpel, that is, good ſpeech, good newes, good hearing, good tidings: but in a peculiar ſenſe in Scripture it is taken for that Good tidings of grace, and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo in this ſenſe we read of it in the old Teſtament, and in the new. In the old Teſtament, you ſhall read in Heb. 4.3. that our Fathers they had the Goſpel as well as we: but (Beloved) you are to take notice, that though our Fathers had the Goſpel, that is, the glad tidings of life and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, from Adam, from the beginning of the world, yet they had it but dimly, and darkly; and they had it mixed with a great deale of Law, a great deale of bad tidings (as I may ſpeak) they had a little good newes with a great deale of bad. So Adam had a little good tidings The ſeed of the woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head; and there was bad tidings alſo, there was the curſe upon the Serpent, and upon the woman, & the man; the woman ſhould bring forth in paine, the man muſt eat his bread in the ſweat of his browes; And ſo in all the old Teſtament, there was a little Goſpel in the Prophecies, and Goſpel in the ſacrifices, and Goſpel in the viſions, but abundance of law mingled with this Goſpel; the one ſpake ſad tidings, as well as the other did good; for you know the Law ſpake curſes and damnation to thoſe that in every point did not obſerve it: But in the new Teſtament, eſpecially after the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, when he went up to Heaven, we read that there was perfect Goſpel, or only good newes, and glad tidings, for the bad newes was now all gone. And ſo it is to be underſtood here, Goe preach the Goſpel. As if he ſhould ſay, I doe not (my diſciples) bid you goe and give them now good newes, and then bad, to give them a little of the Law, and a line of Goſpel: but goe preach the Goſpel emphatically, that is, meerly, purely Goſpel; for now Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and now the Goſpel in the purity, and ſimplicity is erected, Goe preach the Goſpel.
Creature what meant by it[To every creature] What ſhould be the meaning of that? We know that in the Scripture language, creature moſt uſually ſignifies not men but beaſts, & things without life, as in Rom. 8. you have it twice, or thrice The creature groaneth; the beaſts, and the woods, and every thing that God hath made, as being a name ſomewhat too low for men in the ordinary Scripture expreſſion. Yet ſo as it comprehends men: for men alſo are ſometimes called creatures. Now, what ſhould the meaning of this be, that now the Goſpel being to be purely, and fully, and compleatly ſet up, whether the Lord Jeſus would have them preach, and make known glad tidings to all creatures, that is, that even the bruit beaſts, and theſe creatures without life, that they ſhould have glad tidings, and good newes from the death and reſurrection of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. I will not averr that it is ſo, that that is the meaning of it: but ſurely (beloved) there is no creature under heaven, but hath a great deale of glad tidings, and good newes from the death and reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt: for we read Rom. 8. that the creature groanes, and the creature exſpects deliverance, and redemption. All theſe creatures by ſinne are brought into ſlavery, and certainly they ſhall partake of the libertie of the Sonnes of God: there is a redemption for them out of ſlavery, as well as for men by the redemption of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: But what that ſhall be, or in what ſort I cannot determine. Now whether you will underſtand it ſo, that our Lord Chriſt meant not men and women only, but that by creature, the poore creatures that are without life, and bruit beaſts, and all might underſtand the precious worth of this Goſpel.
Gentiles called creatures.Or take it more reſtrained as generally the godly doe, that by creature here is meant the Gentiles, in oppoſition to the Jewes, for they knew that they were to preach the Goſpel to the Jewes, which they alſo did before the reſurrection: but now ſaith Chriſt, Goe preach the Goſpel to every creature. That is, now I will have no diſtinction of perſons, I doe not now ſay, take heed of the way of the Samaritans: but goe which way you will, goe to the Gentiles, to Sinners, to any men, or women that you can call creatures, Scithians, Barbaririan, bond or free, goe and preach the Goſpel to them, bring them glad tidings, and newes, that Jeſus Chriſt hath brought life, & grace, & ſalvation freely for them.
That this is the meaning, compare it with Mat. 28.19. Goe therefore, teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt. Here it is, goe preach to every creature, there it is goe teach all nations, I will have no partition, or diſtinction between them ſaith Chriſt. I gave you leave, and often bid you teach the Jewes before: but now goe teach the Gentiles; for the world was then divided into thoſe two parts, Jewes, and Gentiles, goe teach the Gentiles, goe teach every creature.
But ſome may ſay; Queſt. Why doth not our Lord then ſay, goe teach the Gentiles as well as the Jew? Why doth he call them creatures?
I anſwer, Anſw. it is not an ordinary expreſſion to call men creatures in the Scripture:Gentiles the worſt of ſinne…. But the reaſon (as I conceive) is this, becauſe the Gentiles were great ſinners and the greateſt of ſinners. And that you ſhall ſee clearly in divers places, as in Mat. 5. where Chriſt forbids us to take care for to morrow, what we ſhall eat, and what we ſhall drink; why? for (ſaith he) after theſe things the Gentiles ſeek; that is, the worſt of ſinners, and we muſt not be like them. So in Ephſ. 4. the Apoſtl would not have them darkned in their underſtandings, and walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mindes. So in 1 Pet. 3. It is an ordinary expreſſion in Scripture, where great ſinners are ſpoken of, either they are called Gentiles, or elſe compared to Gentiles, Col. 2. Are wee not Jews, and not ſinners of the Gentiles? that is, the Gentiles were the greateſt ſinners that were; now they being the greateſt ſinners, the Lord calls them creatures, and not men: becauſe it is an ordinary expreſſion in Scripture to call wicked people beaſts rather than men, Iſaiah 11. they are called Beares, and VVolves, and Tigers, and Foxes, and Doggs, and Bulls, &c. So in Hoſ. 1. compared with 1 Pet. 3. You that were not a people ſaith Peter, hath God made his people. They were not a people; God will not ordinarily vouchſafe wicked men and women the name of people: but they were not a people. What were they then? They were Dogs for filthineſſe, Foxes for cunning, Tigers for cruelty, and Beares, and ſuch kind of creatures. Therefore the Jews were called the people of the Lord, not onelyonly to diſtinguiſh them from others: but they were called the people of God, as we ſee in Exodus, it was a priviledge to be accounted a people firſt, and then the people of the Lord. Therefore the Lord Jeſus becauſe hee would not have his Diſciples make any exception, hee calls them creatures; as if he ſhould ſay my Diſciples, though they be ſo ſinful that according to the ordinary Scripture language you cannot call them men, and women, or people, yet they are creatures, and goe preach the Goſpel to every creature, go to the Gentiles, the greateſt ſinners in the world, whom I will not vouchſafe to call a people, yet they are creatures, goe preach the Goſpel to them. So that now I am come to the leſſon which we are to obſerve, and that is this;
That the Miniſterie of the Goſpel (eſpecially after the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt) Containes nothing but glad tidings, Doct. The Miniſtery of the Goſpel containes nothing but good newes to the worſt of ſinners.and good newes even to the worſt of ſinners.
Creatures that were ſo bad that they could not be called men and women, yet ſaith Chriſt, goe preach the Goſpel, pure Goſpel, glad tidings to them. I ſay the Miniſtery of the Goſpel if it be rightly diſpenſed doth not containe a tittle in it but perfect good newes, and glad tidings to the heart of the worſt of ſinners. For this is the proper difference between the Law and the Goſpel. The Law ſpeaks good newes but only to the righteous, Difference between the Law and the Goſpelif thou doe well thou ſhalt be rewarded; if thou fulfill the Law thou ſhalt have life; the Law ſpeakes well to a man quatinus as a righteous man: but the Goſpel quite contrary, the proper object of all the good that the Goſpel brings, it is to a man quatinus as a ſinner, not as a regenerate man, and a righteous man, and a humble man, but as a ſinner. And here is the excellency of the Goſpel, the more ſinfull any man is, the more ſutable this Goſpel is to him, the more ſin abounds, grace abounds much more; therefore you ſhall read Rom. 4. they that had the benefit of the Goſpel they are called ungodly, he that juſtifieth the ungodly. They are called aliens Epheſ. 2. they are called ſtrangers and enemies, and men without ſtrength, Rom. 5. they are called the chiefe of ſinners, 1 Tim. 1.9. So to enemies, aliens, ſtrangers, loſt people, unrighteous, ungodly, and the like; the Goſpel brings perfect good newes, and glad tidings of life, and grace, and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt.
Now this in ſome meaſure you know, but this that I tell you I feare you doe not know, that the Miniſtery of the Goſpel it is only good newes, there is not one word of bad newes, not one line, not one ſillable,Nothing but good newes now in the Goſpel. or tittle, but only glad tidings, ſweet, and good newes to the heart of the worſt of ſinners. Therefore to ſhew you this truth a little more fully; Before our Lord Chriſt went to Heaven there was ſome Goſpel, but there was much Law; and as our Lord Chriſt was a Miniſter of the Goſpel, ſo he was of the circumciſion, as the Apoſtle calls him, I mean before his reſurrection; yet it is ſaid in Luk. 4. he took the booke of Iſaiah (and ſome think this was the firſt Sermon that ever he made) and he read this place and opened it to the people. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe hee hath anointed me to preach the Goſpel to the poore; he hath ſent me to heale the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the Captives, to recover ſight to the blinde, to ſet at liberty them that are bruiſed; to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord, &c. Beloved, there is nothing in all this but only good newes, glad tidings; as that the poore ſhould have ſalvation by Chriſt, that the broken hearted ſhould be healed, that the Captives ſhould be delivered, that the blinde ſhould receive their ſight, and that them that are bruiſed ſhould be ſet at liberty, and them that are ſlaves ſhould have the yeare of Jubilee, the acceptable yeare of the Lord; there is not a tittle in all this but only good newes, and glad tidings.
Take another place,Heb. 12.18.19. &c. opened. and that is Heb. 12.18. there you ſhall have the difference between the old Teſtament and the new, or between the Law and the Goſpel (if I may ſo ſpeak) the Law; that is, the adminiſtration of the Goſpel in the time of the Law, where there was a little good newes, but mingled with a world of bad, and terrible newes. Yee are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackneſſe, and darkneſſe, and tempeſt, and the ſound of a Trumpet, and the voyce of words, which they that heard entreated that the word ſhould not be ſpoken to them any more. For they could not endure that which was commanded: And if ſo much as a beaſt touch the mountaine it ſhall be ſtoned or thruſt through with a dart. Here is nothing but what is terrible, and ſad newes: as a mountaine that was ſo terrible that it might not be touched; when God did give his Law upon mount Horeb, or mount Sinai; and that mountaine all burning with fire; If we ſee a houſe burning with fire it is terrible: but to ſee a mountaine all over burning with fire, and with blackneſſe, and darkneſſe, and tempeſt too! A fire though it be terrible yet there is ſomewhat comfortable, becauſe there is light: but that fire was full of blackneſs and darkneſſe, and darkneſſe is a ſad thing. And there was tempeſt, and lightning, and thunder, and a voyce of words, a voyce of terrible words, that bid them doe ſuch and ſuch things that they had no power to doe, and yet they muſt doe them, or be damned. It was terrible, in ſo much that Moſes himſelf, that uſed to ſee God, face to face, ſaid, I quake exceedingly: and if a beaſt touch the hill he muſt be ſtoned to death, or thruſt through with a dart. Here was nothing but terrible objects in the adminiſtration of the old Teſtament, in the giving of the Law upon mount Sinai: But come to the new Teſtament, of the Goſpel as it is ſet up ſince Chriſt went to the holy of holies, after his reſurrection. You are come now to mount Sion, and that was a pleaſant place, if you take it according to the letter it was the pleaſanteſt place about Jeruſalem. And you are come to the City of the living God, to the heavenly Jeruſalem. And, what a beautifull thing that is, you may read in Revel. 20. and 21. a City with 12 gates, and every gate a whole pearle. And to innumerable companies of Angels. Whether that be meant, that now, in the times of the Goſpel, God ſends out Angels to miniſter to the Saints more frequently, or diligently than formerly; or as moſt men underſtand it, Ye are now come to a myrd of Angels, or to an innumerable company of Angels, that is, ye are come to an eſtate by Chriſt in the Goſpel, wherein you are at leaſt equall with Angels. And you are come to the generall aſsembly, and Church of the firſt borne; as if he ſhould ſay, you are come to a Church where all are Patriarches, for the Patriarches were the firſt borne heretofore; Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob, and they were honourable men. Every Saint in the time of the Goſpel is in as honourable, and glorious a condition as any Patriarch; you are not come to a Church of ordinary Saints, but to the Church of the firſt borne, whoſe names are written in heaven. And you are come to the judge of all. You will ſay that is a terrible thing; No, it is a bleſſed thing to ſee God in the light of the Goſpel to be a judge: Therefore in 2 Theſ. 1. and divers other places, he comforts the Saints in their perſecutions, and ſufferings with this, that God will come to judgement, God is the Judge of all, it is a comfortable thing. And then you are come to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, to ſuch an aſſembly of Saints, and Church of the firſt borne where the ſpirits of men are made perfect, that is beyond my expreſſion, and conception; there is a perfection of the Saints in their love, and in their graces incomparably to that it was before. And yee are come to Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling; You are come to ſuch an eſtate, and to ſuch a Teſtament where Chriſt is the Interceſſor, and his blood ſpeaks not as the blood of Abel, it doth not cry for vengance, but alway for grace, and mercy from his father to you. You ſee in the adminiſtration of the New Teſtament, or of the Goſpel, there is not one ſillable, or tittle, but what is amiable, and ſweet, and comfortable even to the worſt of ſinners. And therefore the Spouſe in the Canticles, ſpeaking of Chriſt (as I ſuppoſe) ſhe commends Jeſus Chriſt from the crowne of the head to the ſole of the foot as all beautifull, and amiable, and then ſhe ſummes up all, Thou art all faire my love, there is no ſpot in thee. Jeſus Chriſt in the new Teſtament, or Miniſtery of the Goſpel is all faire, altogether amiable even to the worſt of ſinners, there is no ſpot in him. So you have the Leſſon breifly.
Every particular in the Goſpel glad tidings.Now that which with the help of God I will further doe, is to give you a weiw of the ſumme of the whole Goſpel in particular, that ſo you may look upon every peice of it, and you ſhall ſee that there is not a jot from the beginning to the end, but it brings glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners.
The Goſpel ſhewes mans wretched conditionFirſt of all you may take notice that the Goſpel doth hold forth to ſinners their loſt wretched condition they are in; In the Goſpel poore ſinners come to learne what a damnable wretched condition they are in whereas men without it think they are well, they doe no body hurt, they give to the poore, and lend, and the like, and yet they are going the broad way to deſtruction. Now we ſee not only by Scripture but by experience the Goſpel tells them they are dead in ſin, that they are children of wrath, that they are under the curſe of God going the broad way to hell.
But you will ſay, is that good newes for a man to heare the Preacher ſay he is in a damned condition, and a child of wrath, &c.
Beloved, it is ſweet and good newes; if the Preacher ſhould make thee a damned creature, or dead in ſin it were bad newes: but when the Goſpel brings thee a light to ſee that thou art ſo whereas otherwiſe thou in thy blindneſſe wouldeſt goe downe to hell in it, it is bleſſed, and good newes; it is better to ſee it here than for ever in hell where there is no remidie. And there is no man, or woman in this place that belongs to God, but they can bleſſe God, and his Son Jeſus Chriſt that by the Goſpel the Lord hath diſcovered to them their wretched condition that they were naturally in. That is one thing.
2. The wrong wayes and meanes that men uſe for ſalvation.A ſecond inſtance is this, that the Goſpel holds forth to ſinners, all the wrong wayes that they goe, and all the wrong meanes that they uſe to ſave their ſoules; this is by the light of the Goſpel. Man naturally is either dead in ſin, or aſleep; or if he be a little awaked, he takes a thouſand wayes to goe to heaven, and none of them Gods way, none of them the right way. Every carnall man ſometime or other, hath ſome deſigne in his head to ſave his ſoule: one man thinks to doe it by his equity, and juſtice in his dealing, and trading; another by his hoſpitality, and charity to the poore; another by hearing of Sermons, and performing of duties, as in the time of Poperie how many yeares did they ſpend, & ſpent their ſtrength and time, and their money, and when all came to all, all was loſt; all their ways were the wrong way to Heaven. Now, the light of the Goſpel diſcovers all theſe falſe wayes, and ſhewes that you will come ſhort of the glory of God, and the ſalvation of your ſoules; and will convince you that There is no Name under heaven by which you can be ſaved, but only the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Conſider, is not this good newes that God ſhould come firſt by the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, and ſhew thee thy wretched condition; and then when thou haſt ſpent thy time, and ſtrength in falſe wayes to be reconciled to God, and to ſave thy ſoule, the Goſpel comes and diſcovers all theſe that thou maieſt go ſeek the true way?
3. It holds forth Gods love to ſinners.Thridly, the Goſpel holds forth to poore ſinners that there is a love, an eternall love, an infinite love in Gods breaſt to poore ſinners before ever the world was made. You know in reaſon a man would think that God ſhould hate ſuch a one as I am, God foreſaw what a creature I would be when I was borne, and how I have lived; and reaſon would think that love ſhould proceed from ſomething amiable in the object that ſhould produce love, ſome beautie, or bountie, as wee ſay: but God ſees me to be wicked, and ſinfull; and therefore reaſon would think God muſt damne me world without end. Now the Goſpel comes to ſuch a ſinner, and tells him the caſe is otherwiſe, it is not ſo, poore ſinfull man or woman, and though God hate ſin above all things in heaven, or hell, yet God loved thee knowing what thou wouldeſt be; God knows the reaſon of it, we doe not; it is as it is ſaid in Deutrenomie, I loved thee, becauſe I loved thee. God hath an infinite, ſpeciall love to thy poore ſoule, yet hates thy fin; from before the world was made, and the Mountaines were brought forth; So God loved the world, that he gave his Son &c. There was a love in God, out of which he gave his Son Jeſus Chriſt to die for us. This the Goſpel, and the Spirit of God in it, reveales to the poore ſoule, that when I was an enemie to God, hee was my friend; when I hated him, he loved me; nay before I was, God had thoughts of an infinite, eternall love to me
4. Gods love fruitful.Then fourthly, the Goſpel holds forth to a ſinner, that as God had an infinite love towards him, ſo it was not a cold love that ended in nothing: but out of this love God would ſend his Son Jeſus Chriſt into the world to ſave ſinners; This is one maine principle of the Goſpel, that the Father out of his love ſent his own Son, that was the Image of his perſon, the Son of his love, and delight into this world, to lay downe his life, and to die for ſinners. Were it not for the Miniſtery of the Goſpel we could never know this: how could we know but by the Goſpel that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt did come to die to ſave ſinners? So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that hee that believes in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
Fiftly,5. Chriſt came to work redemption. breifly (for I doe but give you a few touches of inſtances.) it holds out to us that as the Father out of his love ſeat his Son; ſo that Jeſus Chriſt actually, and really is come into the world, and took our nature upon him ſoule and body, and the infirmities of both, and ſanctified our nature that he took, and in that nature became our Surety, a Publick perſon for us; our Advocate, a ſecond Adam. That he was conceived, and born of the Virgen; and that he lived here, and ſo did the will of God, and fulfilled his Law; and converſed many yeares among men, and that therein while he did ſo, he gave us many bleſſed experiments of his love, and mercy to poore ſinners, in healing the ſick, in giving ſight to the blinde, in raiſing the dead. And while he converſed among men, he taught, and diſcovered in a great meaſure the myſteryes of his Fathers counſells to us, that elſe we could never have known, and gave us a holy patterne, and example of life, in humility, and patience, and delligence, and prayer, and thankfulneſſe. All theſe things are good newes, and glad tidings to poore ſinners, every part of them.
Then the Goſpel tells us, that this Lord Jeſus Chriſt after he had walked among men for many yeares together, that then as a Publicke perſon,6. Chriſt died for us and ſecond Adam, and our Surety, he did lay downe his life, and die for our ſins.
But you will ſay, Where is the good newes from that? Hence it is that poore ſinners are reconciled to God, they are made friends with God. Hence it is that poore ſinners are redeemed from all their enemies, ſin, and death, and wrath, and curſe, and hell; all theſe by the death of the Lord Jeſus are removed.
Then the Goſpel tells you that Jeſus Chriſt, as hee died for our ſins, ſo he roſe againe for our juſtification, he roſe againe from the dead the third day,7. He roaſe from death whereby poor ſinners are aſſured that they are juſtified and freed from all their ſins, and whereby they ſhall riſe to grace here, and their ſoules and bodies ſhall riſe to glory hereafter with Chriſt, and whereby they ſhall riſe out of all afflictions alſo in due time; For the reſurrection of Chriſt is the ground of our reſurrection out of afflictions in this world; and every tittle of this is glad tidings, and good newes to poore ſinners.
Then the Goſpel tells you that after his reſurrection he converſed with his Diſciples, 8. Converſed with his diſciplsand not with the world, and that he met with his Diſciples from one mountaine to another, from one Towne to another, for a few dayes after, and there he made many precious Prayers to his Father for them, and for all that ſhould believe in him; and there he gave them inſtructions, and directions how they ſhould order the Churches of God, and Preach the Goſpel to the end of the world.
And then you know the Goſpel tells us that he went up into heaven, 9. Aſcended into heaven.and from heaven, as ſoone as he came there, he ſent his holy Spirit to us to unite us to Chriſt, to be our Intelligencer, to make known the heart of Chriſt to us, to lead us into all truth, to comfort us in all diſtreſſes, and to make interceſſion in us till we come to heaven, where he is.
And the Goſpel tells us this good newes that when he went to heaven he made way for poore ſinners to come there,10. Intercedes for us. and that there he intercedes for us, and there ſuccours us, and pities us when we are in the fleſh as he was once.
Then the Goſpel tells us that in due time he will come againe from heaven as he went,11. ſhall come to judgement. and bring a Crowne with him, and actually ſubdue all his peoples enemies, and give them the ſame glory that he hath, and they ſhall be one with God for ever as he is; he will come and take poore ſinners to himſelfe, that they ſhall be where he is, and as he is, world without end.
The Goſpel tells you moreover that all this love,12. Gods Covenant. and grace, and mercy, and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, here, and in Heaven, it is all made ſure to us by an everlaſting Covenant, ſure & perfect in every point, as David ſaith. And this Covenant is ſealed with the blood of the Teſtator, the Lord Jeſus, that it might be ſure: and he hath alſo ſent Paſtors, and Teachers to make known this Goſpel; and he hath given the ſeale of the Lords Supper, and Baptiſme to confirme this Goſpel. Put all together, and from the firſt to the laſt, you ſhall not finde in the Miniſtery of the Goſpel (if it be truely, and ſoundly opened) any ſillable but what is wholeſome, and comfortable, and ſweet and glad tidings to the worſt ſinners.
Only, to cleare it more fully to you, there are ſome objections that you may make: (for Beloved it were a happy thing if we did fully underſtand this Leſſon, and fully believe it) therefore that it may ſink into your hearts, I will tell you all that I know can be ſaid againſt it.
One objection is, you will ſay, Object. Concerning outward things.the Miniſtery of the Goſpel is not ſo very good, becauſe we poore ſinners doe not heare any thing in it for the body; we doe not heare any thing in it of honour, and wealth; we ſee people as poor after they receive Chriſt as ever they were, and it may be poorer; and if God did mingle in the Goſpel earthly things with heavenly, than it were good newes, worth the hearing.
Beloved, concerning that I anſwer but in two words. Anſw.
All the happineſſe of this world conſiſts either in honour, or wealth. As for honour, if you believe in God, if you receive Jeſus Chriſt, the Goſpel brings you tidings, that whereas now you are poore people that no body cares for, you ſhall be Kings, and Queens, as Chriſt is a King, ſo you ſhall be Kings, and his daughters ſhall be Queenes. Pſalme 45.Nay you ſhall be Princes in all Lands. You know earthly Kings are but Princes in their ſeverall Kingdomes, as the King of Spaine, and the King of England, &c. But the Saints, for honour are Princes in all Lands. Pſal. 149.They ſhall binde Kings in Chaines, and Nobles in fetters of Iron; ſuch honour have all his Saints. You muſt look on it (beloved with a ſpirituall eye. And if there be any reallitie in that that they call honour, this is not a notion, but there is more reallitie in ſpirituall honour than in Carnall. Spirituall honour reall.Take carnall men that call you honourable, and worſhipfull, and the like, you know all theſe are but words, and a puffe of winde, when they are preſent: but they are hatefull, and hate one another when they are gone, as the Apoſtle ſaith. But if a man receive Chriſt in the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, there is true honour; that is, ſuch a man will be reſpected in the hearts of others; not only in the eyes of God, and godly men, but in the hearts of the wicked: for in their hearts they will ſay, ſuch a man is an honourable man, ſuch a woman is an honourable woman, they will not do any thing againſt their conſciences, and diſobey Chriſt, they had rather die. Beloved there is more realitie in this honour; you ſhall be Princes, and Kings, and Queenes.
Angels waite on the SaintsAnd then you ſhall have innumerable companies of Angels, you ſhall be in as glorious a condition as they, and ſomewhat better, you ſhall have them to waite on you. You conſider not this, becauſe you ſettle not your ſelves to ſearch ſpirituall priviledges: you ſhall have an innumerable company of Angels to waite on you; that is better than to be Lords, and Earles, that have an innumerable company of Swearers, and drunkards, and whoremongers for their ſerving men, that it were a great deale more eaſe if they could ſpare them, to be without them: but you ſhall have a company of Saints, and Angels to waite on you.
Saints right to outward things.And though the Goſpel tell you not of outward riches, for Chriſt himſelfe, ſaith, The foxes have holes, and the foules of the aire have neſts: but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his head. Yet the Goſpel tells you that you have ſo much title to wordly things, that Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, and of that which is to come. And that God will be a Sun, and a ſhield to thoſe that feare him, and he will withhold from them nothing that is good. Is not that tidings enough of riches and wealth, when God will withhold nothing that is good? God will give food, and raiment, they have it by promiſe; wicked men have it by providence, as the doggs, and fowles, have it. Therefore, for all that objection this truth runs cleare.
Object. The Goſpel brings perſecutions.But ſecondly, another will ſay, the Goſpel indeed brings tidings of Chriſt, and ſalvation, but it brings tidings alſo of afflictions, and perſecutions: the Goſpel ſaith, Whoſoever will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus ſhall ſuffer perſecution. And Chriſt ſaith, I come not to bring peace, but a ſword; I come to ſet the father againſt the ſonne, and the ſon againſt the father & the mother againſt the daughter, and the daughter againſt her mother. and ſaith the carnall heart I like not this newes, I love to be at peace with God, and all the world (as their phraſe is.)
Concerning that, Anſ. 1 they are priviledges.though it be true that the Goſpel brings afflictions, yet it is true the Goſpel tells you that theſe ſufferings of yours. In the firſt place they are priviledges, the Goſpel tells you it is a peice of your happineſſe to have them, 1 Cor. 3. Whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or life, or death. Death, what is death? Afflictions are called death, In death oft, that is, afflictions; they are but little deathes, and one great death ends all; the greateſt death is a priviledge, your afflictions, and povertie, and reproaches, will be a priviledge. How is that? You have it in Ro. 8. They all work for good to them that love God. For your good here, and your glory hereafter; for faith the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 4. Theſe light afflictions that are but for a moment, they work for us, an exceeding, exceeding weight of glory. The Engliſh word cannot expreſſe it; compare it with Rom. 8. The afflictions that wee ſuffer, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed. The Spirit of glory riſeth on you. The Lord doth you good by it for the preſent, and it works for a Crowne of glory hereafter; For this is a true ſaying, if we ſuffer with Chriſt, we ſhall reigne with him. Therefore though the Goſpel bring ſufferings with it, yet take them as the Goſpel expreſſeth them, they are ſweet, and good tidings; they are priviledges to you, and will turne for your good here, and your glory hereafter.
2. They are moderated.The Goſpel moreover tells you for your fuller ſatisfaction that the Lord will lay no more upon you than you are able to beare. And he will be in the affliction with you, in the fire, and in the water; the Lord Jeſus will be with you there, and in due time he will make you a way to get out, Beloved, put all together that the Goſpel ſpeakes of afflictions, and ſufferings, conſtrue them together, & you ſhall ſee that there is nothing in all that, but glad tidings, and good newes.
I but ſaith another, the Goſpel, (if it be Goſpel that we uſe to heare from our Miniſters) it is not good newes, Object. for our Miniſters preach againſt Drunkards, The Goſpel requires men to forſake ſin.and Swearers, and Whoremongers; and when I ſweare the Miniſter ſaith I ſhall never goe to Heaven; And he ſaith the Goſpel will have a man forſake his ſins, and repent, and the like, this is not good newes: it is good newes that God will ſave me, but it is not good newes that I muſt leave my ſins, and all my wayes of pleaſure that I am in. It is good newes that the Goſpel will have me ſaved but it is not good newes that the Goſpel will have me a Puritan, and be purified, and purged from my ſins.
Concerning that, it is very true that though the Goſpel ſpeak not properly againſt drunkards, Anſw. and whoremongers, and Swearers; yet the Goſpel ſaith that drunkards muſt leave their drunkenneſſe, and Swearers, muſt leave their ſwearing; and the Goſpel calls every man to repentance, from every ſin, yet notwithſtanding that it is no bad newes.
Firſt, take Chriſts Argument Mat. 5. Doth thy right eye offend thee? pul it out and caſt it from thee; 1. Leaving of ſin profitable.doth thy right hand offend thee? cut it off, and caſt it from thee. That is as ſome interpret it, there are ſome ſins that are as pleaſant as the right eye, & as profitable as the right hand, and thou wer't better to cut them off: why ſo? It is better to goe to heaven with one eye, than with two eyes to go to hell; and it is better to goe to heaven with one hand, than with two to goe to hell. Is it not good tidings when a man is taught to make a good bargaine? is't not good tidings when the Goſpel tells a man he muſt throw away his ſinnes, and it is better to croſſe himſelf a little in his luſts and goe to heaven, than to goe luſts, and ſoul, and body, and all to hell? Is it not good newes, when a mans houſe is on fire, if one come and ſhew him how to ſave a peice? It is better than to have all burned. Now the Goſpel teacheth you to leave ſin, and it is good newes, Why? I will tel you, becauſe when the Goſpel bids thee leave ſin, it puts in thee a new nature that is contrarie to ſin to hate it more than hell, and the Devill himſelf, and then if God bid thee leave thy ſins, The Goſpel teacheth to hate ſinne.it is the beſt newes in the world; as for inſtance, there are many men, and weomen I believe here, that if the Lord ſhould ſay to them, as he did to Solomon, I will give thee whatſoever thou wouldeſt have in heaven, or earth, there are ſome in this place that would ſay, O Lord I would leave my pride, I would have a humble heart, and a heart that ſhould not love worldly things, and a heart that ſhould not be froward, and waſpiſh. If the Goſpel ſhould leave the heart as the Law did, and bid you throw away your ſinnes, and give no ſtrength to doe it, it were bad newes: but if the Goſpel give you a new nature, to hate ſin, and when it bids you leave, it gives you power to take it away; it is ſweet, and pleaſant newes.
Another objection that others may make is, Object. The Goſpel requireth dutie.that the Goſpel brings tidings, that when we receive Chriſt, as wee muſt leave ſin, ſo we muſt ſet on the doing of good, I muſt not be my owne Maſter, as the Miniſter ſaith, one while I muſt faſt, and another while I muſt pray, and teach my Children, and my Familie, and this is a hard task, an endleſſe work, I cannot beare it, to pray every morning, and evening &c.
I anſwer, Anſw. 1 Not on paine of damnationthis is good newes. Why? becauſe in the firſt place, when the Goſpel tells you any ſuch thing the Goſpel doth not bid you doe them, or elſe you ſhall be damned, as the Law did: but the Goſpel ſaith thus, thou poore drunkard, or thou proud woman, here is a gracious God that hath loved thee, and out of love hath ſent Jeſus Chriſt to die for thee, and hath appointed his Miniſters to make it known to thee: and here is everlaſting redemption, and ſalvation by him, only becauſe thou art a ſinner, there is no other reaſon in the world; now thou art ſafe, free from damnation, and hell, feare not that, that is gone, Chriſt hath died to reconcile thee to God, and Chriſt hath loved thee, therefore obey him, if not thou ſhalt not be damned, that is done away alreadie; Indeed the Law ſaith, thou ſhalt be damned for not doing it: but ſaith Chriſt, in the Goſpel, I have died, and have forgiven thee thy ſins, and if thou wilt be a Villane, & not reſpect my Father that hath loved thee, and I that have died for thee, ſo it is: but if thou wilt obey me, thou ſhalt be a good childe, Thus the Goſpel ſpeaks; now there is no bad newes, for me to heare of my dutie, to heare that the Lord Jeſus, Chriſt commands me, when I ſee my ſalvation ſure, I worke not for life, as thoſe under the Law, for the Law is a voyce of words, it bids me doe this, or that, or I ſhal be damned; and if I went a little awrie, I ſhould loſe all my labour; no, I ſee my ſalvation is ſafe, hell, and damnation are ſhut out of doores, God is my Father, and I am his childe, I am in an everlaſting Covenant, there is nothing in Heaven, or Hell, ſhall be able to ſeparate me from the love of God. Now I am redeemed from my enemies, and without feare, as the Scripture ſaith, why ſhould I not ſerve him, and ſtudie to doe what he commands me?
Beſides, admit the Goſpel bids thee doe many things, the Goſpel alſo gives thee power to doe them.2. The Goſpel gives power to do what it requireth. It is not a voice of words as that on Mount Sinai, Heb. 12. that is, words, that had a voice, but no power; thou ſhalt doe this, and not that, but it gave no ſtrength, and the people were not able to beare the word. for they were bid, not to commit adultery, not to ſweare, not to ſteale, and there was no ſtrength, but a voyce: But the voyce of the Goſpel is a voyce of power, it is called The day of Gods power, the power of God to ſalvation; The Arme of God, the ſtrength of God. Therefore whatſoever the Goſpel commands, it gives a ſweet power to the heart to doe the ſame, and then it is no bad newes. If a man bid me pay a thouſand pounds for my neighbour, and give me a thouſand pounds in my hand, it is eaſie to doe it. The Goſpel bids me deny myſelfe, and ſubdue my luſts, if it did give no power it were a terrible thing: but if withall the Goſpel carry the Spirit of Chriſt into the heart and kill ſin, and make me able to deny my ſelfe, then it is good newes.
3. Goſpel duties few and eaſie.Beſides, the duties that the Goſpel bids me doe, they are few for number, and eaſie for nature; and for the end of them, it is not for life, and ſalvation, that is ſafe, there is no danger of that; and there is a Spirit to them And alſo there is a ſweetneſſe in Goſpel obedience, that there is nothing on this ſide glory, ſo Pleaſing to the ſoule that hath believed, as obeying of Jeſus Chriſt, Ro. 6. You have your reward in holines. Godly men ſay that this is the meaning of it, that holineſs is a reward to it ſelfe; the doing of good things is a reward to it ſelfe. To ſay nothing of the reward hereafter, that there is a Crowne of glory,1. Cor. 15. your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. You that work for him: but the very doing of Goſpel dutie, with a Goſpel ſpirit, it is no other than meate, and drink. Our Lord Chriſt Job. 4. when he was hungrie, and thirſtie, when hee was wearie; one would have thought he might have done many things more pleaſing, than to be teaching a ſillie woman; when they came with meate, hee would not leave that that he was doing, I have meate (ſaith he) that you know not off; who gave it thee ſaid they? Saith he, It is my meate, and drink, to doe the will of him that ſent me. So, when wee have the heart, and the nature, and the ſpirit, of Chriſt, it will be ſweeter than meate, and drink, out of love, to do any thing that Jeſus Chriſt commands us.
Againe, Object. The Goſpel requires Faith.it may be, ſome man will ſay, the Goſpel for the moſt part brings good newes: but there is one thing in the Goſpel that me thinks is no good newes to poore ſinners; ſaith a poore ſoule, the Miniſters uſe to preach, and to tell me, that the Law ſaith, doe this, and live; and the Miniſter tells me, that the Goſpel ſaith, believe, and live; he ſaith that there ſhall be all happineſſe, and good to me, if I believe; and ſaith the poor ſoule, for my part it is as poſſible for me to keep the ten Commandments, as to believe, and the Miniſters ſay, that there is no good thing in the Goſpel that I can partake of except I believe; I would like it well but for that one thing, I would, but I cannot believe.
To anſwer this, if the Goſpel held forth Chriſt, Anſw. The Goſpel breeds faith.and ſalvation, upon believing (as many oft preach) it were little better tidings than the Law: for it is as eaſie for a man of himſelfe to keep the ten Comandments, by obeying; as to believe of himſelf, to have faith to receive Chriſt: Therefore, that is a miſunderſtanding of the Goſpel, the Goſpel ſaith not bring faith with thee, and then here is all grace, & ſalvation; No, for whence ſhould I have faith? Whatſoever is of the fleſh, is fleſh; and what is of me is fleſh, and abominable to God; therefore the Goſpel expects not that any ſinner ſhould bring faith, for he hath it not; nay, it is a ſin to endeavour to have it of himſelfe: But the Goſpel as it brings ſalvation, ſo it breeds faith in the heart of a ſinner. The ſame word that makes known ſalvation, the ſame word breeds, and begets faith in the heart to receive it. That God that gives his almes to us, gives a purſe to carry it: that God that gives Phyſick to a poore ſoule, will give a hand to receive it. It were ſtrange if God ſhould expect faith from a poore ſinner, whereas, for ought I know, and learned men hold, that Adam in innocencie had not the faith that we are juſtified by; and for ought I know the Angels in heaven have it not; and whence ſhould a poore ſinner have it? It is God that gives repentance to Iſrael; and God is the author, and finiſher of our faith. Heb. 12. And in Philip. 1. It is given to you to believe. Therefore, when I heare of grace, and glory, and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, I muſt not conſider where I ſhall have a veſſell to carry i… home, where I ſhall have faith to receive it: but it carries the veſſel with it, and I goe, and take the promiſe, and by the holy Spirit that ſame Goſpel that brought the grace will work faith, or elſe, it were as harſh as the Law. Therefore never ſtand off about faith: for he that gives grace, and ſalvation, will work faith.
Againe, Object. Diſcipline and government. in the Goſpel.it may be objected by ſome; wee confeſſe that the Goſpel is good newes, and bleſſed be God it is performed alſo. But it ſeemes that there is in the Goſpel, or annexed to it a diſcipline, or a government whereby wee ſhall be ruled; thus ſaith one, thus ſaith another; and if we receive the Goſpel of Chriſt, we muſt receive the Government of Chriſt ſay the Miniſters, and wee feare that will be no good newes to our poor ſoules.
Anſ. Two wrong governments ſince Chriſt.As for that, in few words as I am able, I confeſſe (Beloved) that in, or with the Goſpel of Chriſt, there is a Government, or there is a diſcipline, that may (in a ſenſe) be called an externall diſcipline over the Saints or people of God. And it is true that all the governments that have hetherto been in the world, ſince our Lord Chriſt went to heaven, men have called them the Governments of the Goſpel, and fathered them upon Chriſt, and the Goſpel: and truely if they had been ſo indeed as men pretended, that is, if thoſe kind of governments that wee have had, had been part of the Goſpel, ſurely than there had been a great deale of bad newes, and heavie tidings in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. As for inſtance; There have been but two great governments, or diſciplines (if I may uſe that word) in the world ſince our Lord went to heaven,
The one was Papacie.
The other Epiſcopacy.
Papacie. Epiſcopacy.Wee have been governed either by the Pope that ſtiled himſelf, the Succeſſor of Peter, and the Romiſh Governour, or by Epiſcopacy in latter yeares, in many parts; though Papiſtrie made the greater ſtirr in the world. Now theſe two differ in degrees, otherwiſe they are of the ſame kinde. And if theſe were the government of Chriſt, and the diſcipline of the Goſpel, we may well ſay, there hath been ſad tidings, and heavie newes from the Goſpel for many yeares.Evils in both governments. Give me leave to inſtance in a few ſubſtantiall things in theſe two Governments.
1. Concerning their power.This was one thing that was in both theſe Governments; The Miniſters, (ſuch as they were, by what titles ſoever they were ſtiled; for they had many ſorts) they took all the power of governing, and government wholly, and ſolely into their owne hands; they called themſelves the Church of God; we muſt looke to the Church, that is, the Biſhops, to their lawes, &c. They called themſelves the Clergie, that is, Gods inheritance, as the word in the Originall ſignifies. True it is, there is a power, a ſweet Goſpel power in the Miniſters, that is ſomewhat peculiar from the people: But to take all power into their owne hands; and to leave the people, and call them the laity, the dr…ſſe, the vulgar, to leave them as vaſſalls, and ſlaves, and to call themſelves, the Clergie, and the Church, and the like: If this had been Chriſts diſcipline, there had been ſome hard, and heavie tidings in the Goſpel of Chriſt.
Secondly, as they took this power into their hands, ſo they uſed this power as Lords over Gods inheritance, contrary to the command of Jeſus Chriſt 1 Pet. 5.4.2. Their Lorldlines in two things. You ſhall not Lord it over Gods inheritance. Now you know they were Lords, that will appeare in two things.
1. In impoſing lawes on mens conſciencesFirſt, they made Lawes upon the conſciences of men, beſides the Lawes that Jeſus Chriſt made; you know they had their Synods, and their Convocations, and their great Councels, and the like, and there they would have Canons, or Lawes every time they met for the conſciences of poore Saints; This was no good newes.
2. In forcing men to obey thoſe lawes.And then forcing men to aver thoſe lawes that they had made; as they had made a law that people ſhould not goe out of their Pariſhes; they muſt every one heare his owne Miniſter, though it may be he was an Ignorant, drunken, dumb, prophane wretch, and if they did not, they were forced, and compelled to doe it, Beloved, this was not according to the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt: for if it had, ſurely it had been no good newes
3. Forcing Miniſters & Officers on the people.Thirdly, in the ſecond Government that we have had hetherto, they impoſed Miniſters, and Officers upon the people, the people never had yet liberty under theſe two Governments, to chooſe men according to Gods own heart, that would feed them with knowledge, and underſtanding: but ſuch as the Biſhops ſent they muſt receive, whether they were good or bad, they muſt take them as they found them; and thoſe uſually were either Ignorant unlearned men; or prophane unſanctified men, and theſe were ſent by them as Lords, and the people were forced to receive them.
Then fourthly, in this government, all the power which they had (which they took all to themſelves) they exerciſed it onelyonly,4. Their power excerciſed againſt the Saints. (almoſt) againſt the Saints and people of God either as Schiſmaticks, or Lol…ards, or Heretiques, or Puritans, or the like; either for doing that that was good, or for things that were trifles, according to their owne judgment. For doing that which was good, for faſting and praying, for meeting to teach one another, and to ſeek the Lord, theſe were called Conventicles. Or for trifles that they in their conſciences held indifferent, as the wearing of the Surplice, and the Croſſe in baptiſme; they themſelves ſaid they were indifferent things, and trifles, and yet men muſt be ſilenced, and people banniſhed beyond Sea for theſe things. This government wee have had, and there was little good newes and glad tidings to the ſoules of the poore Saints from all this.
5. Reſtraining the Spirit in preaching, & prayingFiftly, they did reſtraine the Spirit of God in the Saints both in preaching, and praying. In preaching, the Miniſters were tied, they muſt preach ſuch, and not ſuch things, and they muſt be in danger to be fined, if they did not keep to the houre. And for Prayer, when it may be the poore Miniſters ſoule was full of groanes, and ſighs, and he would have rejoyced to have poured out his ſoule to the Lord, he was tied to an old Service-Booke, and muſt read that till he grieved the Spirit of God, and dried up his owne ſpirit as a chip, that he could not pray if he would; and he muſt read it for an houre together, and then it may be come into the Pulpit: but his ſpirit was gone.
6. Their lawes backed by ſecular power.Againe, they backed all their lawes with the ſecular power, and punniſhments; they never reſted till they had twiſted their owne lawes, with the ſecular lawes the Civill lawes of the Land. Every law of theirs was ſteeled, and backed with ſome Civill ſevere law, to confiſcation of goods, or impriſonment, or ſuch a fine, to the cuting off of eares, the ſlitting of noſes, the burning of cheekes, to baniſhment, yea to death it ſelfe; as you know how many precious Saints of God (even by thoſe that pretended the government of Chriſt, and his diſcipline) were burned in Smithfeild; and how many ſuffered ſtrange torments, and puniſhments, yet their perſecutors pretended the diſcipline, and government of Chriſt. I give you but a few inſtances; Theſe were the governments we have had hetherto, for thirteen, or fourteen hundred yeares, either from the Pope, or the Biſhops, Papacie, or Epiſcopacie. And truly Beloved, there is not a title of good newes, or glad tidings to the hearts of holy Saints, and tender conſciences in all this, as your ſelves may judge.
Now what we ſhall have the Lord knows I know not, but only thus much I ſay, that what ever it will be, if it be according to theſe ſtraines that have been heretofore, than I confeſſe there will be a great deale of heavie tidings, and hard newes, even in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt; if men call it Goſpel, or any thing belonging to it. For my part, as I am wholly ignorant what Government men will ſet up and call it Chriſts, right, or wrong; So I am not ignorant of the feares, and jealouſies that are in the hearts of godly people of this, and that thing: but be ſure, if it be the government of Jeſus Chriſt, and his diſcipline, there will be nothing but good newes, and glad tidings to the honeſteſt heart, and tendereſt conſcience; and if it be not ſuch a government, it is not of God; for I have proved plainly, that there is nothing in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, but good newes, and glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners. But if it be a government that I ſhall be compelled againſt conſcience, and my goods confiſcated for this, or that trifle, this is not according to the Goſpel; for there are none of theſe terrible things in the Goſpel of Chriſt, it is all ſweet.
The two worſt things in the Goſpel good newes,I will give you but one inſtance, and paſſe it over; In the government of Chriſt according to the Scriptures, the two worſt, and harſheſt things that you ſhall finde there, you ſhall ſee clearely that they are good things, and good newes for a poore Chriſtian to have them ſet up over his ſoule.
As firſt of all, you know that in the Goſpel,1. Reproofe the government or diſcipline, call it which may you will. We finde in ſome caſes that the Lord Jeſus, will have us not only comfort, and exhort, and teach one another: but in ſome caſes he will have us reprove one another,Benefit of Goſpel reproofe. and have our Miniſters reprove us alſo, but in love, and tendernes. This is one of the harſheſt things; and this if you look right on it with a ſpirituall eye, truly it is glad tidings for a poore Saint, when he hath forgot himſelf, by the violence of ſome luſt; Then for a ſincere hearted Brother, or Siſter in the ſpirit of meeknes, and love to reprove him, and ſet his bones in joynt. You have ſome of you found in experience that a ſweet, and wiſe reproofe hath been as pleaſing to you as any Sermon of conſolation that ever you heard. And therefore you ſee in Scripture how the Lord ſets downe reproofe, that you may not be affraid of it Levit. 19.17. he tells you that reproofe is an argument of love, Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but rather reprove him. It is an argument of love. A man that reproves another wiſely, and meekly he loves him: for otherwiſe his poore ſoule is going in the way towards hell, from God, and fellowſhip with God, going on in ſin. Now a man that reproves him he brings him backe againe from ſin, and that ſtrangnes from God that he was in a courſe to run into; therefore I ſay, there is no ſuch evil in reproofe.
Beſides, the Scripture ſaith it is a precious thing Pſ. 14….5. David ſaith Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be as balme, it ſhall be a kindneſs; let him reprove me, and it ſhall be an excellent oile, it ſhall not breake my head. It ſhall be as excellent oile, or balme to heale his ſoule. Reproofe is called a profitable thing alſo, 2 Tim. 3. The Scripture is profitable for inſtruction, and reproofe, &c. If reproofe were an evil thing, one could not ſay that the Scripture were profitable for ſuch an end.
It is a great judgment of God, when God caſts a man into ſuch a condition that no body will reprove him. It is a thing that I am many times affraid of, truly almoſt to trembling, leaſt a man ſhould ſo carrie himſelfe to the Saints, and ſo eſtrange himſelfe that they will not reprove him; O, it is fearefull when a man ſtands on his owne bottome, and on his owne leggs, that men ſhall ſay, there is a Profeſſor, he is ſo proud, and ſo fooliſh that none will reprove him. Saith God to Ezkiel, Thou ſhalt not be a reprover to this peaple; and in Hoſea 3. Let no man ſtrive, or reprove another. Why ſo? ſaith the Lord in the end of the Chapter, Let him be as a backſliding heifer, Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. It is a pitifull thing when God ſhall leave a man as a heifer, that is turned into the meddow to graſſe, let him alone. They uſed to plow with heifers in thoſe dayes as we doe with horſes and Oxen, and the horſes, and Oxen are called from the houſe to the Plow, and are driven and beaten: but when the Oxe is turned to graſſe to be fatted, let him alone, he lies downe, and riſeth when he will; ſo theſe people were ſo wicked, that no man ſhould reprove his brother, but he ſhould be as a lambe in a fat Paſture. So that reproofe, that is one of the harſheſt things in the government of Chriſt in the Goſpel, it is a good, a precious, and profitable thing. It is a great judgment to be without it: therefore though that be uſed, the doctrine holds true, that there is nothing but good newes, glad tidings in the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.
There is another thing, that is, Excommunication, 2 Excomunication.cutting a man off from the people of God, or delivering him up to Satan. A man may ſay that is a terrible thing; It is terrible as I ſaid before, when there is ſecular puniſhment with it, confiſcation of goods, and loſſe of eſtate, and freedome: but according to the Goſpel of Chriſt you ſhall ſee, that even the delivering men up to Satan, Chriſt Jeſus intends it in love, for the good, and ſalvation of their ſoules; It is harſh, but it is good newes, 2 Cor. 5. ſaith the Apoſtle, In the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt when yee are gathered together, and my ſpirit, with the power of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to deliver ſuch a one unto Satan, for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus; ſpeaking of the inceſtuous perſon. If men will be ſo wretched as to ſin groſly, the Lord Jeſus hath ordered that ſuch a man ſhall be delivered to Satan; for what? that he may be damned, and to bring him to hell? No, for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. And truly Beloved, I have ſeen, more than one that have bleſſed God for that Ordinance, that have been brought to humble their ſoules, and ſweetly, and cloſely to walk with God againe, by the bleſſing of God on that Ordinance. Now I have told you the worſt in the Goſpel, either reproofe, and that but upon great occaſion; or elſe delivering to Satan, and that muſt be upon extraordinary occaſion; yet both are ſweet, and profitable, and precious for the good of the ſoule; Therefore the truth of the Doctrine holds cleare to you, that there is nothing in the Goſpel, look which way you will, but good newes, and glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners.
Object. No peace to the wicked.There is one objection more, and ſo I proceeed to the Uſes. Some body may ſay out of the Prophet Iſaiah, There is no peace to the wicked ſaith my God. Iſa. 57. ult. And Iſa. 48.12. The wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe watters caſt out mire, and dirt. The Prophet ſeemes to comfort the godly, but wicked men have no peace: then a man may ſay; how doth this ſtand with your Doctrine? you ſay that the Goſpel holds forth peace, and glad tidings, and good newes to wicked men, even to the worſt of ſinners.
Anſ. three Wayes. 1. It is rather Law than Goſpel.The are three wayes to anſwer it, in few words.
The firſt is, that however Iſaiah was in a ſort an Evangelicall Prophet, and ſpake many things of Goſpel by way of Propheſie; he ſaw things for us, and not for himſelfe, as Peter ſaith; yet theſe kinde of expreſſions are more properly Law, than Goſpel; for it is certaine there is no other language in the Law but that, there is no peace to the wicked; Tranſgreſſe once and be damned for ever: but the language of the Goſpel is contrary, it comes and gives peace to the wicked, and juſtifieth the ungodly, he preacheth peace to them that are neere, and to them that are affar off; And who were they? The Gentiles that were emphatically ſinners: are we not Jewes (ſaith the Apoſtle) and not ſinners of the Gentiles? Therefore this was rather Law, than Goſpel.
2. God will not make peace with ſin, though hee doth with ſinners.Secondly, there is no peace to the wicked, or to ſinners, ſaith my God. You may underſtand it alſo in this ſenſe, that the Lord will not make any peace with ſin, though he ſend meſſages of peace, and reconciliation to ſinners; though God be reconciled to a ſinner, hee will never be reconciled to ſin.
3. No peace to men that continue in ſin under the Goſpel.But the third, and laſt, and moſt proper as I take it is this, There is no peace to the wicked, ſaith my God; that is, there is no peace to men that continue in ſin after Jeſus Chriſt hath been offered them, and they have refuſed him, then there is no peace to them. Obſerve for it is a thing of great concernment: it becomes not a Miniſter of the Goſpel by any meanes to pronounce, wrath, and curſe, or damnation to a ſinner, qua a ſinner, as a ſinner, he is not a Miniſter of the Goſpel, if he doe, he is a Miniſter of the old Teſtament, that ſaith, here comes a drunkard, eo nomnie, becauſe he is a drunkard God will plague him, and damne him; this is the language of the old Teſtament.
But you will ſay; will you ſpeak peace to drunkards, Object. and ſinners?
Anſwer How judgments are pronounced againſt ſinners.Wee ſpeak judgment, and curſes, and damnation to them, when once wee have firſt offered Chriſt, and they refuſe him. And for this reaſon, and no other according to the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, I am to pronounce, damnation, and curſe, to wicked men, becauſe they refuſe Jeſus Chriſt: becauſe they doe not believe in Jeſus Chriſt.
You will ſay, Queſt. is it abſolutely evil for a Miniſter to ſpeak againſt drunkards, and Swearers, and whoremongers, and to ſay the curſe of God will fall on them, &c.
Anſ. Continuance in ſin a ſigne of unbeliefe.No; Why? becauſe I ſpeak againſt a drunkard, not properly becauſe he is a drunkard, but his drunkeneſs is a ſigne that he continues in unbeliefe, and ſo hath not received Jeſus Chriſt: So we are to underſtand the Scriptures. There is a drunkard, a Sot, a jearer of godlineſs, I ſay the curſe of God will come upon him, and the damnation of hell is ready to overtake him; why? not becauſe he is properly ſuch a one, but becauſe thoſe are ſignes that he is an unbeliever. When God ſhall come to judge the world; There are people that he will judge eo nomine becauſe they are drunkards he will throw them to hel, as thoſe in the Mountaines of Wales, &c. Becauſe they have but a little light, and they did not follow that, they ſhall be condemned, and the heathens ſhall be condemned for their ignorance, &c. But under the Goſpel all are wrapped up in unbeliefe: So that this is the pin of Heaven, or Hell, the very wards that opens, or ſhuts, that you be believers, or unbelievers. But I will not ſtand longer on that.
Now I proceed to ſhew what profit we may have by this Doctrine, by way of Application.
Uſe 1 To learne that in the Goſpel ſalvation … offered … ſinner, … ſinners.There be divers ſpeciall Leſſons that I would have you learne hence.
The firſt is this, that this truth that I have now taught you, it is the doore of the Goſpel, the very entrance into Chriſtian Religion; the firſt ſtone as it were in the Chriſtian building in the Profeſsion of Religion, in Goſpel Profeſſion. There is a kinde of devotion and Profeſſion, but it is not built according to the Goſpel: but if you would walk according to the Goſpel learne this leſſon firſt, that is, that God gives life, and ſalvation through Chriſt to ſinners, as ſinners though they be hard hearted, backſliding, and the cheife of ſinners, yet as long as they be ſinners, and but ſinners they may alway looke upon Jeſus Chriſt, and ſalvation in his hand to beſtowed on them. This is a truth that thou muſt learne, and be taught it of God, or elſe thou canſt not goe one ſtep into the Profeſſion of the Goſpel; for (beloved) till you know and learne this, you will be like men in the dark, you will be groping for Chriſt Jeſus, but you will never be graffed into him, you will never be knit to Chriſt. I ſay this is the firſt ſtep to Religion to underſtand this truth aright, that the Goſpel brings glad tidings of ſalvation to be given to the worſt of ſinners: therefor though I ſee no good in me at all whereby I might receive good newes from the Law, and though I doe not ſee that I am a humbled ſinner as ſuch a Preacher teacheth, or a believing ſinner, or a broken hearted ſinner, as another Preacher ſaith, yet I ſay I am a ſinner, and a ſinner quaſi, Unſetledneſſe in religion whence.a ſinner is the proper object of the Goſpel. You will be off, and on, and never be knit to Chriſt, but will be as a bone in and out till you come to that; for if you goe and lay hold on Chriſt any other way, in any other conſideration, that you are humbled ſinners, or broken hearted ſinners, or mortified ſinners, as ſoone as ever temptation tells you that you are not humbled enough, you will be gone againe, the bone will be out of joynt againe, and ſo you will be as a reed toſſed of the winde, you will never be faſtened to Chriſt; whoſoever holds Chriſt upon any qualifications on his ſide, muſt let him goe one time, or other. As for inſtance, if he thinke the Goſpel be directed to broken heartednes, and he can weep at a ſermon, to morrow his heart may be hard, and then hee thinks, he is a devill that was but now a Saint. Therefore many Chriſtians after many yeares Profeſſion of Religion never felt their ſouls knit, till God rightly, and truly taught them this leſſon: but then they were knit to Chriſt, and their ſoules were never in and out, they were never looſe more; becauſe they were able in all temptations to retreat to this truth as a refuge. For let the devil tell a man he is no Saint, the ſoule can ſay, I am a ſinner; if the devill ſay, thou art an hypocrite, I, but an hypocrite is but a ſinner, I am a ſinner ſtill, though I be not a broken hearted ſinner; ſo let the devill, and hell ſay what they will, they ſhall never beat him from that refuge; And ſaith the ſoul being a ſinner I am the proper object of grace and life, and ſalvation in the Goſpel, and though I have no comfort as a Saint that I am in the Kingdome of Heaven, yet at leaſt I have comfort that I am a ſinner, and I may be there: though I have no comfort that I am in, yet I have comfort that I am neare, and the doore is open; though I be not a Siant I am a ſinner, and if I have no reall intereſt in Chriſt as a Saint, yet I have intereſt in the promiſes of Chriſt as a ſinner; and though I cannot ſerve God chearfully as a Saint, yet I will ſerve God as comfortably as I can, as one that may be a Saint. In Matth. 13. It is ſaid of the Merchant man, he found the feild wherein was the treaſure, he rejoiced. I remember a worthy man of this countrie, he ſaith, hee rejoyced not that he had found the pearle the treaſure: but he rejoyced that he was come neare a good bargaine, he was come to the feild where it was; ſo though I be not aſſured that I am a Saint, yet a ſinner may rightly receive this truth with joy as a ſinner, becauſe he is neare a good bargaine.
Many doe little for God, why.This is the reaſon that you have many Profeſſors that miſlearne the firſt principles of religion of which this is the greateſt, they will never doe any thing for God but when they are aſſured of their ſalvation, if there be the leaſt doubt that the work of grace is not right, they mope, and will doe nothing for God, but vex, and fret, and tug, and when their qualifications are gone that they builded on, then they think they are hypocrites, and damned creatures, and God ſhall have no ſervice from them; when other people that it may be have not fully aſſurance they are Saints, not one day of three in the whole yeare, yet there is a current, and ſtreame of obedience, and love, and delight in God in ſome meaſure, and they goe on conſtantly, though not ſo ſtrongly, doing and ſuffering his holy will; Why? becauſe they have learned the Goſpel aright, they obey God in the notion of ſinners; ſaith the ſoule, I ſee a great deale of love in God to poore ſinners, and the Goſpel containes nothing but glad tidings to ſinners, and though I have nothing in me that may make me the childe of Chriſt, yet the way is open, therefore I will goe on with the work, let him doe what he will. Thus the ſoule is knit to Chriſt that come what will, it will never be beaten off from Chriſt I never knew my owne ſoule knit to Chriſt till God had taught me this, but it was off, and on, as a bone in and out, a Saint to day, and an Hypocrite to morrow, to call God Father to day, and Enemy to morrow. The Goſpel is directed to a ſinner, quaſi a ſinner, not as this, or that ſinner, but as a ſinner; there is the object of ſalvation. This makes a Saint I ſay go with conſtancie, if I cannot goe to Chriſt as a Saint, yet I can as a ſinner; ſo he hath ſomething that k…epes him that he is not as many Profeſſors, that are ready to kill, and hang, and drowne themſelves, becauſe they ſee the Goſpel is made to Saints, and they ſee they are not Saints, then they are in a worſe condition than ſinners. Learne this you that are Profeſſors of Religion, that are in and out, that have ſpent ten, or twentie, or thirtie yeares, and your ſoules are not knit to Chriſt, begg of the Lord to teach you this leſſon.
The next Leſſon that I would teach you from the Lord is, Uſe 2 To labour for a perfect ſpirit of adoption.that this being ſo, that in the adminiſtration of the New Teſtament, or the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, there is nothing but glad tidings no object but what is amiable and good; then all you that have received Jeſus Chriſt, let me exhort you to this, labour to get up in you a perfect ſpirit of adoption, my meaning is this, you know there is a ſpirit of adoption, and a ſpirit of bondage, the ſpirit of adoption is a frame of heart, a temper of ſpirit like that of a childe to his father. And you know it is ordinary with the Saints, that they have a little adoption, they can cry Abba father, a little, and low, and at ſometimes: but there is a great deale of the ſpirit of bondage mingled with it, there are ſometimes feares, ſecret whiſperings in the heart, O, thou art not right, Chriſt is not in thee; if he were, it is impoſſible thou ſhouldeſt be ſo weak, and ſo eaſily overcome, and there will be ſome flaw in the heart, and ſoakings in of guilt, that w… eat out a mans peace, that ſometimes he ſhall call God father, another while he will look ſtrangely upon God, and be afraid to come to God, and be loath to goe upon his knees before him, and be glad when he is got out of his preſence; there is a ſpirit of bondage mingled with the ſpirit of adoption. Now in the New Teſtament wee ſhould labour for a full ſpirit of adoption. Full ſpirit of adoption what.What is that? that is, that there may be nothing in my heart towards God, but pure love, becauſe in his dealing to me there is not a ſillable but love, and grace, and glad tidings to me, and my heart and life ſhould be anſwerable.Feares, & horrours, whence. For the reaſon of all the horrour that you finde in your hearts, and all your feares and troubles that ariſe there, they are from this error in your mindes, this opinion that is not quite rooted out, that there is in the Goſpel adminiſtration ſome ill, and bad tidings, there is ſome love, and ſome hatred; ſome mercy, and ſome wrath; you think that it may be God is your father, and it may be he is your enemie, and that becauſe you have ſinned he will damne you to hell. This is naturall, and ordinary. Now if you were convinced that there were nothing in the Goſpel ſince our Lord Jeſus is gone to heaven, and is at the right hand of his Father, there is nothing in his diſpenſation but love, and mercy, and no wrath; hell, and damnation, and ſin, &c. are all thrown away, and if I be perfectly righteous, and perfectly juſtified from all my ſins; if I have the ſpirit of Chriſt given me, and am one with God for ever, by an everlaſting Covenant, and ſhall have life, and a Crowne of glory for ever, and my ſins ſhall not be laid to my charge; O, what a cleare, and ſweet ſpirit ſhould I have in Gods ſervice! and not a muddie, and dogged, and froward ſpirit that ariſeth from guilt ſoaking into the ſoule. When I view this truth over, and pull it by peice-meale, and ſee that there is no gall, nothing in the Goſpel, firſt, or laſt, but what is amiable, and beautifull, and bleſſed newes to ſinners; then there ſhould follow this conſideration, why ſhould there be any thing in my heart, and ſpirit towards God, but amiable thoughts, and love, &c? why ſhould there be any of thoſe coares of unbeliefe, and diſtruct, and feare, and horrour? Thoſe mixtures of adoption, and bondage? Why ſhould there be helliſh feares, or guilt in me, ſince there is no wrath, not anger at all in God? Why ſhould not the carriage of my heart be clear towards him, as his is in his Sonne, by the adminiſtration of the Goſpel towards me?
Labour for a perfect ſpirit of adoption, that you may not have any of thoſe bublings of bondage in your ſpirits that now over take you, and are twiſted, and woven with that little adoption that you have. For, who is there among us to this houre, but when he comes before the Lord, and hath a little ſmiling in his ſoule to ſee his favour, and a little joy, and delight to come at him; and yet there is ſome feare, and trembling, as Peter when he was on the waves, and what if God will not receive me? &c. Therefore ſtudie to keep up the ſpirit of adoption. It is a hard thing to keep up the temper of a childe in the ſoule, eſpecially, when God lets a man fall into temptations, and folly, and weakneſſe, &c. But though it be hard labour to keep up that temper, at leaſt thus much, that thou never come to ſo low a condition (which was the prayer of one that was a good man) wherein thou canſt not with a full mouth, and with a cleare heart call God father, and thee his childe, though the unhappieſt, and unworthieſt childe. If thou come below this, if thou call on God with feare; and canſt not cry abba, abba, that is as much as daddie, daddie, as our babes uſe to ſay, if thou doe not come ſo high, thou art ſpoiled, and undone, deſire God to teach you this Leſſon alſo.
The damnation of them that refuſe the Goſpel juſt.Thirdly, if this be ſo that the Miniſtery of the Goſpel is all glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners; then I appeale to you all, and let every man put his hand upon his owne breaſt, and if this be a truth (as I hope it hath been cleared) you ſhall all be your own judges; how juſt will the damnation of that ſinner be that will not receive the Goſpel. If there were in the Goſpel ridged tidings, ſad newes, (as people are apt to fancie to themſelves) then it were no wonder if one perſecuted it, and another deſpiſed it, and another neglected it, and another turned it into wantoneſs: But when it comes in ſuch a …reame that there is nothing but love, and light, and ſalvation, and grace, and all freely laid down at the feet of a ſinner for his receiving; nay, he ſhall have power, and grace to receive it, he ſhall have ſalvation, and a veſſell to carry it in; judge how juſtly thy damnation will be in the laſt day, man, or woman, whoſoever thou art that ſetteſt thy ſelfe againſt the Goſpel, and wilt not receive ſalvation.
Damnation mentioned frequently in the new-Teſtament why.This is the reaſon why damnation comes out ſo rife in the new Teſtament, it is ſcarſ ever mentioned in the old Teſtament, that I know of damnation is not mentioned in the old Teſtament, nor hell, but as it is taken for the grave, &c. But when grace, and the Goſpel, and life comes, damnation comes at the heeles of it; How can yee eſcape the damnation of hell? Then comes the worme that never dieth, and the fire that never goeth out. The reaſon is, becauſe then damnation is proper; Then when a man will not receive ſalvation, not becauſe he cannot, no man is damned becauſe he cannot receive Chriſt: but becauſe he will not receive this ſalvation, and grace. Therefore ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 28. Goe preach the Goſpel, he that believeth ſhall be ſaved, he that believeth not ſhall be damned. That is, ſaith that godly Dr Preſton, go tell every wicked man this good newes, that Chriſt hath brought ſalvation: But it may be they will not believe what we ſay to them, there is no more in the long and ſhort, but in a word tell them they ſhall be damned. That is the reaſon in Mat. 22. where the Miniſtery of the Goſpel is compared to a feaſt of dainties, and one ſlights it, and another deſpiſeth it, and another rejecteth it; and when the Maſter of the feaſt came it is ſaid, he found one without a wedding garment, and that the man was ſpeechleſſe; he was as a man ſaith Beza with a halter about his neck, ſaith hee goe, Binde him hand, and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſſe, there ſhall be weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth. He was ſpeechleſſe, he had nothing to ſay. and truly, I have had more experience lately, than ever I had in my life, I ſaw a man that was accounted all his life a profeſſed Athieſt, and I was with him in the roome when one in the company opened the Goſpel from one end to the other (as I have endeavoured in my poore abilitie to doe now) and all the riches, and the ſalvation of it, how free it is, how there is no core, nor nothing but what is amiable; Saith the man when he had done, judge yee, will yee not think it juſt if yee be damned, if ye will not receive, and obey this? Saith he it is ſo, I deſerve to be damned without mercy. Conſider this, you will ſay ſo too, you will be made to confeſſe how juſt your damnation will be for refuſing it. If there were any thing in all this that were harſh, and cruell, and rough, and ridged it were ſomewhat: but when God hath caſt the Goſpel into ſuch a mold, and way that every thing ſmiles, and all is roſes; and yet a wretch ſhall go and perſecute it, and ſlight it, and neglect, and deſpiſe it, I leave ſuch a man, let him judge himſelfe at the laſt day worthy of damnation: for he ſhall have judgment without mercy, that rejecteth this mercy; When men have this mercy without mixture of judgment, it is fit that thoſe men ſhould have pure judgment without mixture of mercy.
Whoſe deſtruction God laughs at.This is the reaſon that the Lord laughs at mens deſtruction, Pro. 1. when it comes as a whirlwinde. Now wee muſt underſtand that God doth not laugh at any mans deſtruction, as a tranſgreſſor of the Law, for he hath caſt himſelf into a neceſsity of ſininng, and hath damned himſelf, and he cannot help it. And God will not laugh at the deſtruction of the Gentiles, and heathens that have not heard of the Goſpel: but when God comes by his Miniſters, and opens, and unbowels all the myſteries of the Goſpel to people, and hath laid all before them clearly, yet then for people to love darkneſſe rather than light, and to continue drunkards and whoremongers, and ſwearers, and villanes, and jearers of Gods people, and laugh at his Ordinances, this makes the Lord laugh at their deſtruction. I beſeech you therefore, all you that yet never received the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, Vſe 2 Goſpel Miniſters to be imbraced.conſider what I have ſaid.
In the fourth place, if the Goſpel, and the Miniſtery of it be good tidings, and glad newes to the worſt of ſinners; Then Beloved you ſhould me thinks imbrace with all affection the true, and ſincere Miniſters of this Goſpel, theſe Meſſengers that bring you theſe glad tidings we. are (as the Apoſtle ſaith) the offſcouring of the world, a ſpectacle to men, and Angels. Truly, there are no Miniſters in the world that are more perſecuted, and hated, and deſpiſed, than the humble, ſincere Miniſters of the new Teſtament, of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, nor never were; This is a ſore, and a ſtrange thing, if we did bring one word that were ſad, and greivous, and harſh to you, it were no wonder, but if all that wee ſpeake be the voyce of the dove, doves language, all ſweet; come to the Goſpel Miniſtery, if there come a poore man full of ſadneſſe, the Miniſtery of the Goſpel ſpeaks a word of comfort to him, if he be in darkneſs, and he knowes not which way to goe, waiting on a Goſpel Miniſtery there is light to finde his way. If he be in feare, and know not his eſtate what he is, a Goſpel Miniſtery will give him aſſurance of Gods love; ſo it brings glad tidings to ſome ſouls every houre. Is not this than madneſſe in men that of all creatures in the world they hate that man, and thoſe Meſſengers that bring theſe bleſſed glad tidings. There is a Propheſie in Iſaiah 52.7. How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publiſheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good things, that publiſheth ſalvation; that ſaith to the righteous, thy God reigneth. How beautifull are their feet? much more their lips; you doe not in this as you doe in naturall things, if a man come, and bring glad tidings of taking of ſuch a Towne, or of ſuch a victory, though it may be there is loſſe, and little good in it, we all welcome it, and he is rewarded preſently, and hath all wayes of encouragment, and yet when people ſhall come, and by the Spirit of God make known all the love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, and all the riches of the Goſpel in Jeſus Chriſt, that your hearts ſhould ſo riſe againſt it, that you ſhould receive and entertain ſo many prejudices againſt it, it is a ſtrange, and wonderous thing. Therefore you ſhould doe well me thinks, as you read in the booke of God, 2 Sam. 18.27. of two men that did bring tidings to David of the warrs, and the watchman ſaid Me thinks the runing of the formoſt is like the runing of Ahimaaz the ſon of Zadok; and the King ſaid, he is a good man, and comes with good tidings. He would have the watchman open the eate quickly; why, becauſe he was a good man, and did bring good tidings. So wee ſhould, eſpecially if men be good, and holy, and humble, and feele the power of that they ſpeake, and expreſſe it in their lives, ſay as David, that is a good man, and bringeth good tidings; he will teach me if I be ignorant, hee will comfort me if I be ſad, he will direct me if I have loſt my way; hee will build me up if I thrive not in grace. The conſideration of this truth me thinks ſhould banniſh all thoſe ſtrange thoughts, and prejudices that wee have againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel.
In the firſt place another leſſon is this, Uſe 5 To hearken to, and inquire after the Goſpel.if the Goſpel be ſuch good newes, ſuch glad tidings, then you ſhould hearken much after it, and inquire much into it. We all (you know) are naturally greedie to heare newes, and we know how much time is ſpent (here in the City eſpecially) in reading Diurnalls, inquiring after tidings, and how much money is caſt away that way. Wee ſhould doe ſo much more about theſe glorious tidings of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt. It is not enough to heare a Sermon, or to read a Chapter once, or twice a day, as it is the manner of ſome, that will not bring us to know the myſteryes of the Goſpel, but we muſt ſearch the Scripture, and compare ſpirituall things, with ſpirituall things. As in earthly tidings, if a man tell of ſuch a victorie one way, and another after him another way, and a third a third way, you compare what they ſay, and their letters, and newes, to finde out the truth. So you ſhould be earneſt in ſeeking God, and begg his Spirit, compare Scriptures together, ſee what the Scripture ſaith in ſuch a place, and how in another place, and this is the way to find out the myſtery of the Goſpel.
Goſpel tidings great and true.Theſe tidings are great, therefore inquire into them, and they are true tidings, they are not fables, and tidings of common concernment to every Saint; therefore let this be the uſe that thou and I ſhould make of it, to deſire the Lord to lead us into the depth of thoſe myſteryes, and to ſet our ſelves to ſtudie it more, and more; for the further we goe the more wee ſhall finde, as in a myne; It is not as in your newes, many times you have a great deale of good newes, & in a day, or two it vaniſheth to nothing: But here you ſhall finde, firſt the feild, and then the pearle. Profeſſors are grown careleſſe, they were wont to read Chapters morning, and evening, that was ordinary, but thou muſt doe more if thou wilt underſtand the myſteryes of the Goſpel, compare one Chapter, and one Scripture with another, ſearch the Scriptures, and goe to God to open the meaning of it.
Sixtly,… Uſe 6. To ſpread theſe glad tidings to others. ſpread theſe glad tidings as much as you can to others. You know when people receive good newes they run and tell it to others. The poore ſhepheards Luke 2. when they heard the newes of the Meſsiah, they left their ſheep, and ran to the Townes to tell it. So, when Chriſt was riſen Mary runs to tell the newes to the Diſciples. Beloved, when we underſtand this good newes we ſhould endeavour to ſpread it. People buy Diurnalls for their friends, and fold them in their Letters, and ſend them about the Kingdome; let us doe ſo with theſe ſpirituall tidings, that we may ſend them forth. O, I would to God that wee did ſee how the poore Countries in the North, and Weſt of England, in many places, in Townes, they have not ſo much as a Service-booke, not ſo much as reading; if God ſettle, and compoſe theſe times the Lord give you hearts to joyne together to finde out a courſe, to ſend the Miniſters of the Goſpel to bring the glad tidings to poore people, that lie in the Mountaines of darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death.
Goſpel-preaching not to be hindred.And let us not be ſo curious, or ſcrupulous, as to hinder people that they ſhould not preach the Goſpel. Suppoſe people have no degrees in the Univerſity, or it may be have not the knowledge of the tongues, (though that were to be wiſhed) let us not pick quarrels with them to ſtop their mouthes, and to hinder the preaching of the Goſpel. And let us not think ſo hardly in theſe dayes, of thoſe men that God hath raiſed to preach the Goſpel. It is ſtrange you ſhall have your Pulpits ring, calling them Tub-preachers, and Tinkers, and Coblers. We ſhould think better of them; Why? they are filled with good newes, and they goe and tell it to others. We doe ſo uſually in other things, when we have good newes, we run to our friends, and neighbours, and comrades, and make it known.
New light diſcovered in theſe dayes.This is an age wherein God comes and fills his people, with the glorious light of the Goſpel, and poore wretches, they cannot chuſe but ſpeak what they have ſeen, and heard; therefore be not ſo captious, and furious. The Lord hath ſpoken, who can but propheſie? Amos 3.8. When God fills peoples ſouls with the knowledge of Chriſt; who can keep it in? It is as the new wine ſpoken of in Job, it cannot be kept in. And ſurely the time is comming that young men ſhall ſee viſions, and old men ſhall dreame dreames, and God will poure out his Spirit upon all fleſh, and they ſhall propheſie; It is propheſied in Joel, and this is to be made good in the new Teſtament. And therefore if wee ſee that the Lord fills young men, or tradeſmen, &c. and gives them hearts to goe, and tell the good newes to others; why ſhould you be ſo extreamely troubled, and ſpend your ſpirits in rage at it?
I uſe not to tell ſtories, but let me tell you this one thing; ſince I have been from you of late, I have obſerved, and ſeen, in the Mountaines of Wales, the moſt glorious work that ever I ſaw in England, unleſſe it were in London; the Goſpel is run over the Mountaines between Brecknockſhire, and Monmouthſhire, as the fire in the thatch; and who ſhould doe this? They have no Miniſters: but ſome of the wiſeſt ſay, there are about 800 godly people, and they goe from one to another. They have no Miniſters, it is true, if they had, rhey would honour them, and bleſſe God for them; and ſhall we raile at ſuch, and ſay they are Tub-Preachers, and they were never at the Univerſity? Let us fall downe, and honour God; what if God will honour himſelf that way? They are filled with good newes, and they tell it to others; and therefore vex not at them, and ſay, O, what times are theſe! and what will become of us? Why, what is the buſineſſe? O, ſuch a man he was never Maſter of Arts, hee was never at the Univerſity, and he takes upon him to preach; when it may be he hath more of God in him than I, and a hundred that have all this.
Only take two Cautions.Cautions
Learning not to be diſparagedFirſt, I ſpeak not to diſparage learning, or learned men, it were to be wiſhed that there were more godly, and learned men alſo in England, and Wales.
Men not run before they be ſent.Secondly, take this Caution, that becauſe God fills many with the Goſpel, and they doe a great deale of good, take heed leaſt any of you run before you be ſent, that is, that a man goe not raſhly, and believe his owne judgement rather than the judgement of the Saints; as divers in this City they think they are fit to preach, and other people of God that are better able to judge of their gifts think not ſo, and yet they will run preſently. Take heed of pride, and raſhneſſe, but if God fill a man with the tidings of the Goſpel, and others of the people of God ſee it ſparkle out as a veſſel full of new wine, who am I that I ſhould reſiſt, if with humility hee make known this tidings to others?
If the Goſpel be ſuch a thing (as I deſire you to ſpend ſome thoughts in conſidering of this truth) then this ſhould comfort us, Vſe 7 Comfort againſt preſent troubles.and help our patience a little in theſe trouble ſome times; that though all be out of order, and we ſuffer ſuch loſſes, yet bleſſed be God we have the voyce of the turtle ſtill in the Land; thou maieſt ſay, though I have hard newes at home; trading is low, and my ſtock is ſmall, yet bleſſed be God I have the Goſpel, that is, I have abundance of glad tidings made known to my eares, and to my ſoule every day. This is ſome comfort, you have leſſe of outward things, but more of inward (I ſuppoſe) then ever.
Another thing is this, Vſe 8 if this be ſo, then it is a caution that is neceſſary to be obſerved by us that are Miniſters,1 Not to corrupt the Goſpel. they muſt take heed of two things.
Firſt, take heed of currupting, and adulterating this bleſſed Goſpel, and glad tidings with their owne wiſdome, it is glorious enough of it ſelfe, every addition of humane wiſdome makes it worſe; take heed of ſophiſticating the word of God, of playing the huckſters, as the Apoſtle ſaith 2. Cor. 3. wee are not thoſe that play the huckſters, huckſters mingle apples and peares: they mingle their commodities, take heed of that.
And then take heed of mingling the Law, 2. Not to mingle Law and Goſpel.and the Goſpel together. It is true the Law is neceſſary, and is added to the Goſpel; but God intends not in the new teſtament that it ſhould be mixed and mingled with the Goſpel. As to inſtance in a few; many miniſters undoe the ſoules of people, I know this by experience that a Goſpel-heart, that is but weake in Goſpel light, and grace, had rather lie a yeare in cloſe priſon than to be a yeare under a miniſterie, jumbling old and new together the Law and the Goſpel, for it routs, and onfounds a poore ſoule. As to preach terrour and damnation to a ſinner qua a ſinner, properly as a ſinner; though we be called miniſters of the Goſpell, yet this is a part of the miniſterie of the Law: for the Law brings curſes for a ſinner, and bleſſings for him that doth well; now when we quatinus as a ſinner damme him,2. It is legall to do good or abſtain from evill for fear of judgment. and curſe him, we harden him, and make him run further from God then before.
Secondly, when men have drawen men to good, or driven men from evil with judgments, either ſpirituall, or temporall: this was the way of the miniſtery of the old teſtament. When people ſhall take all the judgments of the old teſtament, and perſwade a man to do this or to take heed of that, or elſe thou ſhalt have judgment fall upon thee, and thou wilt bring judgment, upon the Land. Beloved, this was the way of God certainly and the way of the miniſtery of the old teſtament; but I never knew a ſaint a void evil, or doe good for feare of ſuch judgments. Therfore looke to thy owne experience; men may play at dice with the word of God that way; if a mans wayes like them not, they may ſay they will bring judgment upon the Land, as Independants, or as ſuch, and ſuch men; but theſe are but bugbeares, why? becauſe in the Gospel, the ſaints are dilivered from the hands of their enemies that they may ſerve God with out feare: they know that in God there is no cloud, God may chaſten, and correct them out of love but there is no danger otherwiſe. And then againe they are delivered from men, they are not the ſervants of men.
Cauſe of diviſions.I doe think for my part conſtantly, that the mayne cauſe of all the diviſions, and ſtirrs, and contentions among us is becauſe there's ſo much of the old teſtament in our miniſtery eſpecially, and our profeſsion muſt be accordingly; for our ſtrength will be according to our meat. And truly a man may be a Godly man, and yet may be a miniſter of the old teſtament; and if you take a man, let him be a Godly man, if his grace be bred in him by the miniſtery of the old teſtament, and nouriſhed in him by that: and take another ſaint that hath grace planted, and bred by the miniſtery of the Goſpel, and nouriſhed by that, the former man though he be godly, muſt of neceſity perſecute the latter. I pitty them when miniſters rale againſt this man, and againſt that, and they know not why, yet they may be Godly men. Iſhmael might be a Godly man for ought I know; he was a type, not of wicked men, but of men under the old Covenant, If ever you will have peace and comfort, in the Land, beg of God to remove an old teſtament ſpirit from our preachers, from our prayers, and our principals, and to ſet up the new teſtament, Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpel, and then certainly the promiſe ſhall be fulfilled, we ſhall be all of one heart and one way, and one mind, but it will never be otherwiſe as long as ſome reach to the miniſtery of the new teſtament and others goe in the old, as Iſhmael, and Iſaak could not be reconciled, no more will theſe.
I will conclude all only with this laſt word, Vſe 9 To receive the Goſpel.ſeeing it is cleare out of the word (and ſo truly I hope you apprehend it through Gods grace that the whole Goſpel is Good, it is nothing but ſweet and glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners, much more to ſaints; then I exhort you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt that you receive this Goſpel. O there is no reaſon why thou ſhouldeſt be ſo ſhie of Chriſt when we ſpeake faire, and offer faire to your ſoules, and beſeech you earneſtly, and give you reaſons why you ſhould receive Chriſt, you harken but a little, and you goe away ſo ſhy, there are ſome ſinners ſtill: beloved there is no reaſon for it, God deads plainly; there is no tittle in the Goſpel but it is really good and glad tidings to the worſt of ſinners; therefore receive it. What is that? Indeavour to beleive it,1. To beleve it. for the Lord Jeſus that is the faithfull witneſſe hath ſayd it: and children heretofore uſed to ſay, it is as true as Goſpel; and though it be Goſpel, and truth yet you will not beleive it.
Then indeavour to imbrace it with joy,2. Embrace … with joy and affection as in 1. Theſſ. 1. ſee how they received the Goſpel in joy with much affliction. What if it bring a little affliction with it, that thou be jeared; receive it with joy, it is joyfull, and glad tidings.
And then reſigne thy ſelf give thy ſelf wholy up to walk according to this bleſſed Goſpel, 3. To give up our ſelves to itand not to turne it into wantonnes, or abuſe it, but that thou maieſt give thy ſelf bodie and ſoule as a living ſacrifice to Jeſus Chriſt, that ſince he died for thee, and hath given thee aboundant righteouſnes, and everlaſting ſalvation, and all bleſſed, and glad tidings in it, that thou maieſt give thy ſelf, and all that thou haſt, and art freely to live to that Jeſus Chriſt, and to obey his bleſſed commands. Theſe are the uſes that you and I ſhould indeavour to make, that this truth may remaine, and abide with us, that there is nothing in the whole miniſtery of the new teſtament but good tydings, and glad newes to the worſt of ſinners.
FINIS.