li tr 2^ > La^yCi c crt_ €v^^^*^^^ '^'S, PRINCETON, N. J. Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. Division Section Number ^^k • ' 1 . m^ 4 / ot M"^- PRACTICAL DISCOURSES On Several Important Sttbje^s : VIZ. A Difcourfe of the Children of Holy Parents. Eight Difcourfes of the Covenant of Grace. To which arc Added, A Brief Difcourfe of Infant-Baptifm. A Sermon before the Lord-Mayor, By the Late Reverend, Mr. NATHANAElTaTLOR. LONDON, Printed for John LawreTice at the Angel m the Poultry. 1703. T O T H E READER- THE "Po^hnmons^ Papers of the Reverend Author j were com^ mitted to my care by his Executors^ and appear in Publick at the dejire of many* The Arguments are Singular and Irrportant^ and managed with an Admirable Clearnefs and Strength. The Difcourfe concerning theCbiU dren of Holy Parents^ wojs left fairly Tranfcribed with his own Hand^ and was defigned for the Vfe of hbs own Children, And as thi/> was a SnbjeS peculiarly agreeable to his Temper^ who in Imitation of his T^kffed Mafter, was always obferved to erprefs a par- ticular Tendernefs towards Little Chil- dren ; So there feems to be more of his true Spirit and peculiar Way in A 2 this To the Reader. thi^ than in any other Part ofhU Wru tings. The Difcourfes upon the Covenant were his la§l Sermons at the Mer- chants Lefture at Salters-Hall, ani vcere all Tranf.ribed by himfelf^ ex- cept the two lafi^ which were recovered cut ofC'iuaBers^ and are not fi ExaFi and Perfcit as the re§l. And though they ha I not the fini/hing §lrokes of h'ys Maiierly Hand, and be lived not to Preach the lafl he intended upon the SuhjeH I Tet they feem to be diSlin- ^uifJjed from common Writings^ by the Solii Chara&ers of a True ^fudg- tnent^ and the many Bright Images an I Lively Strokes of a Sprightly Fancy and a Judicious Wit : And I believe they will be- allowed as far as they go^ by ^nj In d liferent Judge, to be the beft Practical Difcourfes extant upon that Weighty Argument. I /hall only farj^oer remark concern ning thefe Difcourfes ; That as they are the only Remains he left behind him, f To the Reader. him^ like the Mantle drofd ffom'the Prophet vphen he was fuidenly [hat- ched to Heaven ; So they contain in them a double Portion of his Spirit^ and feem more fitted for common Be* nefit and capable of a more extenfive Vffalnefs than thofe more Learned and Elaborate Treatifes PubUfloed by Himjelf ; that were If^rit upon more Nice and Contentious Arguments^ and deigned efpecially for the Service of the more intelligent and Curious-, The Two lafi Difourfes were Pub- lilhed in hU Life^ and were thought fit to be aided^ becaufe of the Affi* nity of the Subject^ and to preferve them from being lofi, I Jhall not undertake to draw the in ins Charadter of this Excellent Perfon^ 4 which U already done by a fitter Hand, ^^,J^l;., He has left more Ladling Monuments of hU Real Worth to the Worldy than a Fading Pi&ure drawn hy the Able§l Hand with the Brighteji: Colours of Eloquence, But I hope I may be aU. A 3 lowed Funeral rmon To the Reader. lorced to fay upon this Occajion with^ out any Sufpicion of Vanity or Pre^ jumption ; That Fie was a true Friend as w.ell as an Admirable Pattern to Tounger Minijlers. He wiU Acce^ fible and Communicative ; always ufed a Generoio^ Freedom and an Vn^ difgtiifed Sincerity ; and underwood the Fleafures as iveJl as the Secret of true Friendjhip. And I know five ra I who think thewfehes highly obliged to his Excellent Labours^ even in his Toimger Tears^ both for the right forming their o'xn AfinJs^ and for proper Meafures for their ovrn Performance. The Skilful Management of a well Chofen SubjeSi ; The Jufi Decorum of Behaviour ; The Beautiful Turns of Bxpref/ion ; 71b^ Inimitable Force and Commanding Air with which he ^tdways fpoke^ did at once mightily Pleaje and powerfully IriflruH , Fixt the Attention and raifed tha Efteem^ ^nd gave an Admiration as well as Delight To the Reader. Delight to the more Judicious and Difcerning* He a&ed with Judgment and Con - fcience in the Choice of his Way^ and in the Conduct of his Life. He pre' fered the Service of the Altar ^ and fubmitted to the Difadv ant ages of Nonconformity, when his great Abilities would have rendered him Conjiderable in any Communion of Chri^iianSy and Capable of any other Profejfion of Learning in the World ; And as he was perfecily fatisfied in the Caufe he effoufed 5 Jo he was a Bright Ornament to it^ and an Able Defence ; as Pillars of Shining Mar^ ble or Toitfhed Brafs at once Support and Adorn the Building to which they belong. If any think he indulged either to his Fancy or his Spleen, and that he exceeded at any time in the Drefs or the Freedom of the Style he ufed ; I Jhall only humbly offer in his De^ fence ; That as Propriety and Strength A 4 run To the Reader, run through all his Compofures ; Jb he feems to have ufed no other Liber* ties than what were Natural to him and Vndejigning^ and perhaps after ally no more different from other Mens^ than the Airs of his Counter nance^ or the Po^iires in whiih he vioved, ThefurprizingV^^moVdXoffoaC" complifhed a Perfon^ jurnijhed by Nature and Art ; ripened by Study and Experience ; in the Strength of h'^s Days and in the Mid§i of many life Jul Dejigns '■> was a Severe and an Affli&ing Stroke^ ^and prevented ■the farther Ezpe stations the World had conceived from fo valuable a Life. But He U removed to Infinite Adr Tantage to Himfilf tbough to the great Lojs of the World, He is advanced to a State of Nobler Sfr- vice^ and to the Enjoyment of a more perfe& Happinefs. He was a Lamp in the San^uary of God, and a Star in To the Reader. in the hand of Chri§l^ to give Light to a Dark World^ and guide Wan- dring Souls to Heaven- But He moves in a Higher Orb, and fhines with a Brighter Glory. He is a Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven^ and a Pillar in the Temple of God above. May the great Lord of the Har^ fvefi fend forth many Faithful Labou- rers^ and give a more Plentiful In- creafe^ that fo this Dark and Barren Wildernefs^ may become again the Garden of the Lord, and the Face of Paradife may every nhere appear in all thi.' Fruits of Knowledge^ Righ- teo'jfnefs^ Purity and Peace : And may many Souls be prepared for the Paradife above ^ where there are Ri^ 'vers of Pleafures^ and no forbidden Fruit ; where perfeS Innocence and puref} Joys unite ; and every one Jhall tafte of the Tree of Life as well as the Tree of Knowledge^ with" out the danger of a Second Fallj or the fear of a Flaming Sword, If To the Readei:. If the folhwing Difcourfes may he fermceable to fuch a purpoje^ under the Influence of the Divine Spirit^ to any one that reads the-m^ it xciU probably Increafe the Triumphs and Reward of this Blejfed Saint in Heazien^ as I am Jure it voill add to the Sat/^fa&ion and Pleafiire of thofe on Earthy efpecially fuch as were concerned in the Publication, W. Harris. THE THE CONTENTS. A Difcourfe of the Children of Holy Parents. C H A P. I. They receive Temporal Blejjings for their Fathers fake^ and fia^/d fairejl for Spi- ritual ones. Page i. CHAP. II. The forewentionedPriviledges will not avail the Wicked Poflerity of Holy Men, p. 1 7. CHAP III. An Addrefs to Minifters and Holy Fa- rents, p. 30. C H A P. IV. An Addrefs to the Children of Holy Men. p. 45. Eight The Contents. Eight Sermons of the Covenant, on the 2 Sam. 23. 5. Alt ho* my hoitfi be 7iot fo vplth God^ yet he hath Made with me an evcrlafiwg Coz>e~ tiant^ order d in all things and fnre : for this is all n/y falvation and all wy defre^ altho he make it not to grow, S E R M. I. The ^eafons why Family Afflitfions are grievous to Good Men. p. 61, S E R M. II. Of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, and of the Mediator, p. 81. S E R M. III. The Covenant xceJl Ordered, rrith refpeU to Spiritual Blejfings, p. 105. S E R M. IV. The Covenant well Ordered, with refpeU to Eternal Blejjings, p. J 3 3. S E R M. V, VI. The Covenant well Ordered, with refpe& to Temporal Blejjings, p. 175. S ERM, The Contents. S E R M. VIL The Blejfifigs of the Covsnattt confidered Conjuyidly. p. 249. S E R M. VIII. The Covcna7it well Ordered^ "with refpe^ to the Terms of it. p. 269. ABrief Difcourfc oflnfant-Baptifm. p.285. A Sermon Preached before Sir John Shorter^ then Lord-Mdyor of Londm, on Luke 10. 21. In that Hour Jefus rejoyced in Spirit, and /aid, I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hafl hid thefe things from the Wife and Prudent^ and hafl revealed them unto Babes 5 even fo Father, for Jo it feemed good in thy fight. p. 505. All the reft of the Papers of this Reve- rend and Learned Perfon, are in Charafters ^by which means, the World will be deprived of many ufeful and valuable Trads» ERRATA, m PAgc 1 8. line i$. read necefTarily. p. 25. I. 20. add, /*. p. 46. 1. 2. add, it. p. 97. 1. p. r. Jota. p. 102. 1, ao. r. exceffive. p. 1 1 4. 1 . 20. r. morofc. p. 115. 1. 4. r. a very, p. ii6>l. 18. r. fpecial. p. 145. 1. 18. add, tMd. p. 149, 1. 17. dele fcrve. p. 24$. r. 224, &c. p. 252. I. $. add,/n;. p. 2$;>1. p.add,tf. p. 264. l.penul. r. We. p. 266.]. 25. r. Chaocel. Books Written by the Reverend Author, and Printed for John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultry. APrcfervative againfi: Deifm ^ flievv- ing the Advantage of Revelation above Reafon. With an Appendix in Anfwer to a Letter of A. W. againft Re- vealed Religion in the Oracles of Rea- fon. ^vo. A Difcourfe of the Nature and Ne- ceflity of Faith in Jefus Chrift 3 with an Anfwer to the Pleas of our Modern Unitarians^ for the fufficiency of bare Morality or meer Charity to Salva- tion, ^vo. Dr. Sherlock's Cafes and Letters of Church Communion (lately fummed up in the Abridgment of the London Cafes) confidcr'd : And the DiHenters vindi- cated from the Charge of Schifm. 2vo, Practical Difcourfcs on feveral Impor- tant Subjeds. ^vo. A Sermon at the Funeral of the Reve- rend Mr. Richard Mayo, j^to, At the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Nathanael Vincent. ^0. At ihe Funeral of John Lane Efq^ and the Lady Mary Lam» ^ta. I x-J ---j:- .'J \j \^ ... ^>p4 V'f- ^'tf^f>-. DISCOURSE Concerning the Children of Holy Parents. CHAR I. The Childret2 of Holy Parents receive Tehi" pord BleJJi?;gs for their fakes, and fi and fairefi for Spiritual ones. This Utter opend in Six Things, I ^ I *^ HAT 'tis a very great and va- luable Privilege to be Born of Holy Parents, will appear from thefe Two Conliderations. I. God frequently beftows many Tern- L poral Bleflings on them for their Father's fakes. II. They (tand faired for Spiritual and If, Eternal ones. I. God frequently beflows many Tem- I, poxal Blcffings on them for their JFather's fakes, * B The A Difcourfe concerning The Curfe of God, like the Air of a Peflilence^ enters invifibly into the Fami- lies of the Wicked : And the Bleflins of God breaks in like the Light ofHeaverz^ filently and without noife, on the Habi- tation of the Juft. He hath threat'ued that he will vifit the Iniquities of the Fa- thers on their Children to the third and fourth Generation ^ but he hath more amply promifed Mercy to thoufands of the Generations of them that love and fear him. The fweet and gentle Streams of his Mercy towards the one run a much greater way, feveral hundreds of Miles ^ when the bitter ones of his Wrath reach but three or four at the furtheft. 'Tis true indeed, both the Threatning and the Promife do imply this, that the Children do tread in the Steps of their Parents 5 and particularly that the Pofterity of Ho- Jy Men do fo, without which God is not obliged to fhew favour to them. But yet however God many times ads according to the highefl Laws of Friendfliip, and (hews a great deal of Kindnefs to the de- generate Off-fpring, out of refped to their pious Anceftors from whom they defcend. The BlefTrng: of God on the Parents, like the anointing Oyl pour a out on Aaro}Ps, Head, flows down to the very Skirts of the Garment, the mcanefk Member in the Family, yea even to the nncomdy and dijlm?ourabU ibe Children of Holy Parents. ^ dijijomurable parts of their Body, thofe wicked Children that are indeed the very fkawe and nakednefs of their Father. 7/7j- mael had cafl: himfelf out of the Covenant, and Abraham had turn'd him out of his Houfe^ but God however doth not wholly caft him out of his care. He takes this ttnclean^ as well as waj^drhig Bird, that v/as driven from his NeftjUnder the Wings of his fpecial Providence, and refolves to multiply him into a great Nation, for this very Reafon as he told Abraham, be- Gen. 21. caufe he is thy Seed. For his Servant Da- ^ ^' vid's fake he continued the whole King- dom entire all his days to Solomon tho' he was turned an Idolater, and Idolatry in Canaan was no lefs than High Treafoii againft the Theocracy. Yea on the fame account he fettles 0/?e Tribe on Rehoboam^ tho' a mad young Rebel againft God and a wicked Tyrant over his People. He broke off Ten of the Lamps from that branch of Gold^ but conti nues One of tlieni to him, that fo therein his Servant David might have a Light burning always before i Kings, him. How often did he take up his Pen '*• 34- into his Hand to blot the whole Name of Jfrael out of his Book : But when he open'd it in order thereunto, he faw the Names of Abraham, Ifaac^ and Jacob, in the beginning of it 5 and for the fake of thofe Letters of Gold that were in the * B 5 front 4 A Difcourfe concerning ffonf of the firft Page, the whole Volnme was fpared, the' fill'd with many grofs and foul Erratas, II. II. The Children of Holy Parents ftand faireft for Spiritual and Eternal Bleffings. This I will evince by thefe Six following Confiderations , (liewing the many Ad- vantages they have to this end above the Children of others. I. They have the advantages of a Co- venant Relation to God, of being Mem- bers of the vifible Church, and of having the initiating Seal of the Covenant ap- plied to them in their Infancy. I join thefe together, becaufe like the Links of a Chain they have a mutual Connexion, and take hold one on the other. All three of them did belong to the natural Pofterity of Abraham till God broke them ofF^ and believing Gentiles are engraffed Urn. II. into the fame Olive Tree in their room 5 and the Grace of the Gofpel is not fure narrower, but much larger than it was under the Legal Difpenfation. Tis the whole Scope and Defign of the Apoftle throughout the Third Chapter to the Ga- Ut'ians^ to prove, that the Covenant of Abraham is ftill in force and being 5 and that his Bk\Jing is come upon us. Now this was the BJelling wherewith our Fa- ther was bleft, and that wherein all his Happinefs was furam'd up, / will be a God the Children of Holy Parents. 5 God to thee^ and to thy Seed after ihec. And that there might be no doubt of this matter, he tells us, that the defcending Blefling which he means, was that great Promife wherein thefe Words are, And to thy Seed, Now there is no other Promife made to him upon Record wherein thofc Words are, but that, Iwill be a God to thee dnd thy Seed, except that other of inherit- ing the Land of Canaan^ which no one can imagine to be here meant by the Apo- ftle. Further, that the Privilege of being Members of the vifible Church of Chrift doth ftill belong to fuch Children, is evi- dent from the Difcourfe of the fame Apo- ftle in another Epiftle, where he treats of the rejeftion of the Jews and calling oiKm, u. Y^. the Gentiles. He tells us, that not al 1, but only fome of the Jews were broken off from «. 17. the vifible Church : And they were bro- ken off meerly on the account of their po- fitive unbelief or rejedion of Chrift. Con- fequently the Infants of the believing Jews were not broken off. For if they were fo, it muft be either for their own unbelief, a (Sin which by reafon of their Age, they are not capable of being guil- ty of) or it muft be for their Parents yrt" belief which could not be, becaufe we do fuppofe them to have been Believers. Their Children therefore did. keep their B 5 an- A Difcoiirfe concerning ancient ftanding 5 now in Chrilt there is neither Jew nor Gentile ^ the natural Po- flerity of Believers, whether of the Cir- cumciiion or Uncircumciiion (land on even ground. Again ^ That Church-ftate which the unbelieving Jews v/erc broken off from, they lliall, on their Converfion, be refto- red to afrefli : For then they (hall begraf- fed into their own Olive Tree. Now in the Judgment of our Adverfaries them- felves, it would not be their OWN, but ANOTHER. Olive Tree, and ANOTHER, Church of a quite differing Conftitution, if their Infants v/ere not included as Mem- bers of it. And yet Again, Believing Gentiles are graffed in to the SAME Olive Tree, or the SAME Church (late wherein the believing Jews did remain, and from which the others were broken off -^ (for v. 1 7. fome of the Branches were broken off^ and thou be- ing a wild Olive Tree wert graffed in AMONG tbem^ and WUH them parta- ke ji of the Root and fatnefs of the Olive Jree.') And therefore into fuch a Church as the natural Children of Holy Men are included in as Members of it. . Further, That the Privilege of a Bap- tifmal Dedication unto God doth belong to them, as it naturally follows from the Two foregoing Particulars 3 fo it will fur- ther the Children of Holy Parents. J ther appear from thofe known Words that have been often urged to this pur- pofe, ThonJIjalt keep my Covetiant th€re-^'^^'^19' fore, thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generation, This is an univerfal Com- mand laid on all the Seed of Abraham^ and confequently reaches believing Gen- tiles under the Gofpel ^ for they are Ahra- ham's Seed. And 'tis inferred from the Promife of being a God to him and his, as appears from the Word THEREFORE. Confequently it that Promife belong to Holy Men in thefe Gofpel days, (as was before proved it doth) this Duty doth oblige them too. And by the KEEPING ^ of the Covenant we are in part to under- ftand the putting the initiating dedicating Sign of the Covenant, for the time being, whatfoever it fhould be , will appear hence, becaufe the NOT putting of that Sign upon their Infants is called a BREAK- ^, ,4. I ING of the Covenant. If the not ap- 1 plying that Sign to their Children be in \ the judgment of God himfelf a breaking ; of the Covenant, then the applying it is / in part a keeping of it. And 'tis obferv- able, that this is a General Command, diftinft from that Particular one of Cir- cumcifion, which comes after it in the following Verfe. Tis, I fay, a General Command , enjoining the putting the Sign and Seal of the Covenant on Infants B 4 what- 8 A Dijcourfe concernm^ whatever it (liould be, which once was Circumcifion, but now is Holy Baptifm. J So that here is an exprefs Command to all the Seed of Abraham f'and believing Gentiles are his Seed) for the Baptizing their Infants 5 tho' not in the particular term of Baptifw, yet under this general Notion of the toke/j of the Covenant, and keeping of it. Now all thefe three things are very con- iiderable advantages and helps to fuch Children. For if they (land in a Cove- ttatit Kelati07i to God, if they are Mem- hers of the vifihh Churchy and have the Sign and Seal of the Covenant on them, then they are a People ?ngh unto God, whereas others are afar off. Their very Names are in the Bond. They are parts of that Society to which the Promifes are made ; Members of that Body whereof ChriH: is the Head and Saviour 5 have a fpecial Intercft in the Prayers of all God's People, who tho' thev intercede for all the World, yet do fo m a particular man- ner for thofe that belong to the fame So- ciety with themfelves 5 and they are un- der the fpecial providential Care of Chrift, who is the Lord and Ruler of the World indeed, but the Head over all things to his Church. Hereby God's Right to us is fignified ^ we are in the beginning of our days pre-engaged to him 5 his Mark i3 the Children of Holy Parents. 9 upon us, we are his Sons and hisDaugh- E^ek: i6, ters 5 he hath a fpecial Intereft in us 5 we are not unclean, but federally holy to i cor. ^, God. Such Children are born in and be- '4' long to thofe Houfes, to whom Salvation in an efpecial manner doth belong. For fo faid Chrift to Zach£tfs, Thk day is Sal- u!^ , j, vat ion come to thy Houfe, becaufe he the 9- Mafler of it was a Child o^Abrdham, And faith St. Faul to the Jay lor, Believe on the aSs 16. Lord Jefm Chrifi, and thou Jhalt be faved^ 3'* thoH and thy Hottfe. Implying, that fome fpecial Privilege hereby would redound to his Houfe, i. e, his Children, above what the Children of his Neighbours did en- joy. And as a Senfe of all this hath a natu- ral tendency in it to make deep and aw- ful Imprefiions on our Minds while we are young, and as we grow up :, to draw forth our love to God and Chrifl 5 to in- creafe our confidence in them 5 to engage us to walk obediently before them that have fliewn fuch tender Mercies towards us in our tender Years, when we were not capable of thinking of them, much Jefs of performing any aftual Service to them 5 and furnifh us with ftronger Pleas to urge them withal in Prayer for renew- in? Grace than the Children of others can make ufe of: So it lays a mighty and -— ^-^^^^^r powerful Obligation on Religious Parents to 10 A Difcourfe concerning to train us up for God by a holy Educa- tion, which is the id. Advantage of fuch Children. And a Religious Education is certainly a very great one. You have been trained up in Knowledge, others in Ignorance. You have had good Examples, and they have hnd very bad ones. You have from your Child-hood been nurs'd up in a good Opinion of the truths and ways of God ^ they have had wicked Prejudices againft both inftilled into them betimes, and ri- veted in them by infenfible degrees ^ and neither of thefe are eafilyfliaken off. You have ('tis to be prefumcd) many feafona- ble Corredions, Counfels, Admonitions, Exhortations and Prayers which they have wanted. You are kept out of the Road of Temptation, fo are not they. You can't fin at fo eafie a rate ^ Modefty and natural Confcience, Shame and Fear are powerful reftraints on you : Whereas they were bred up as they were born, like a wild AfTes Colt, and never had this Bri- dle put into their Mouths. You are brought to fit under the means of Grace, and the miniftry of the Word, which they are taught to flight, and deride, and turn their Backs upon. And having all thefe Ad- vantages from a pious Education, hence it follows. 2, Such the Children of Holy Parents. 1 1 5. Such God ufually. begins to work on ', more early, waits on them longer, fol- lows them with more offers of his Grace than he doth others, and don't ufe to cafl: them off, till they are wholly defperate. He begins f^ore Early with them. Ye are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers, ivf'm^^imto Abraham^ Inthy feed a^s r^, fhall all the Natiom fif the Earth be blejjed. 2>« And then it follows unto you FIRST, God having raifed up his iion Jefus^ fent him to hlefs you in turning you away from your Iniquities. Our Lord himfelf in the days of his Flefh, preached not to the Gentiles, but to the loft Sheep of the Houfe of Ifrael ^ and forbids his Apoftles going to the former when he fent them to the latter. And after his Refurredion, tho' their Hands had been embrued in his Blood, he commiffions his Servants to go to them in the frjl place, and they had the refufal of the Gofpel. Thefehe calls Children, and counts the others as Dogs 5 offers Bread to the one, but can hardly be perfwaded to afford a few Crumbs to the other. Indeed the Spirit of God is wont to be dealing with the Hearts of fuch young ones very betimes ^ working many a good Inclination in them, imprefiing many a ferious Convidion very deep up- on them, and notably ftirring up their Affedions, 12 A Difcourfe concerning AfFeftions, fo that all that know them are apt to conceive very great hopes of them. And tho' they break away from under the Spirits hand, yet he purfues after them, and hys hold on them again and again ^ fhoots many an Arrow of Conviftion af- ter thefe Birds as they are upon the Wing flying away from him 5 follows them with \ many repeated offers of his Grace, many calls of his Gofpel, many motions of his , Spirit, and many checks of their own / Confciences , being moft unwilling that thefe Men fhould periih, becaufe he would J not have the ancient Relation between ' himfelf and the Families whence they fprung, broken off: And fometimes when he hath taken up his Axe into his hand, as tho' he would fell them with one blow, and fo put an end to the day of their Lives and Grace both together, immedi- ately he repents of what he thought to hive done, lays the fatal Inftrument down, ' and refolves to wait yet another Year or two. The patience of God waited on the Jews after their Crucifying of Chrift, tho* that heinous fin feenVd to have fiUVl up the Meafure of their Iniquities, no lefs than 40 Years, andcaufed his Gofpel to be preached in all their Cities with the ex pence of the Sweat and Blood of his Meflengers, to fee whither at laft they would the Children of Holy Parents. 1 9 would hearken to it. And if in all that time they would but have fuflPer'd them- felves to have been gather'd under his Wing they had been fafe there, and the Roman Eagles had never feizcd upon them as their Prey. He could not find in his heart to deftroy them, till he was quite tired and worn out, and groan'd under the burden of their Provocations, and could bear no longer with them. Such God is not wont to give over, till there's no hope of doing any good upon them. Ijhwael was a fcoffer, which argues a ve- ry vile and depraved temper of Mind, and BfaH a prophane Perfon that defpifed and fold his Birth-right for a trifle, before God caft them off. Now from hence it follows, as might rationally be expefted that, ^thly^ Saving Grace ufes to be beftowed on fuch more frequently than on the Chil- dren of other Men. I don't fay 'tis always given to them. Abraham had an Ifimael ^ corrupt and rottm Fruit thatdropt from SLgoodTree. Nor do I fay 'tis always denied to others. Vile Jeroboam had an Abrjah^ in whom was fome good thing towards God, that fprung from his Loins, like a young green Tree fprouting out of a Stone Wall, By the former God (hews the foveraigntv and I /J. A Dlfcourfe concerning and liberty of his Grace, by the later the Riches, and the mighty power of it. But a little Obfervation will convince yon, that generally Religious Familiesare the Nurferies of the Churches of Chrift, which are upheld chiefly by a fupply of new Members drawn from them. Con- verts come in but (lowly, then conli- der, 5. When others are converted, 'tis for this Reafon (among the reft) to fill up the room of thofe ungodly Children of Holy Parents that would not turn to God, , and to provoke them to come in at laft. i Ahrahnm muft have a Seed fome where 5 and if the Children of the 'Bhfli do dege- nerate, rather than he fliall want, God will raife them up to him out of the very Stones. If the Children of Holy Men prove obfti- nate and rebellious, the Spirit of God de- parts from them, but then he doth it in fuch a manner as fliews fome remains of AfFeftion to them that do fo unkindly drive him away. For when he leaves them, he refteih on the Children of ungodly Men, that he ni?y, if poflible, here- by provoke them to Jealoufie by them R^m 10. x[\:{X were tw People^ when they fee their '^* Privileges taken away from them, and given to the moft unlikely perfons before their Faces. Remarkable is that faying of Paid and Barfiabas to the Jews, // tv^ nccef- the Children of Holy Parents. i 5 neceflary that the word of God Jhonld firft aHs 15. have been fpoken unto you 5 but feeing ye 4^* put it from ^^«, and jndge your f elves nn- Tporthy of everlafling Ljfe^ Lo , rve turn to the Gentiles, The natural Branches run quite wild, and therefore are cut off 5 and for that reafon other Branches are graffed in their room and (lead ^ but 'tis contrary to Nature ^ becaufe God will do Miracles but that he will have Ibme to bring forth good Fruit. The falling of the Jews was the riches of the Gentiles, Km. w^ and through it Salvation came unto them : " • '*• the cafting away of them was the recon-^' '^* ciling of the World 5 and the Gentiles ^. ^o. obtained Mercy through the Jews Unbe- Jief And one defign of God in all this, and of his Apoftle in infixing fo much on it, was, to provoke thefe Jews hereby ^ i u to Jealoufie, and to Emulation, that he v. 14. might fave them. Jhat^ faith he to the believing Gentiles, through your Mercy they v. ^ta alfo may obtain Mercy ^ i. e. By the Grace of God Ihewed to you in the Converlion of fo many of you, they might be ftirr'd with a holy Indignation at themfelves, feeing the advantage you have gotten of them who did once fo far exceed and fo much defpife you, to embrace Chrift and his Gofpel, and recover their dear, but now loft Privileges again. And if by thefe 1 6 A Dtjcourfe concerning thefe or any other means they are buf wrought on at length, then, 6. and Lajlly, When fuch do return, of all Sinners they are the moft readily and the moft kindly received by God. For of dll the pieces of Silver that were loft in the Duft and Rubbiih of this World, God is moft pleafed when thofe 2lxq found again that had his Superfcription upon them of old, after they have been milling for a long while. The Apoftle fpeaking of the calling of the Gentiles, that were formerly ftrangers to the Promifes and the future Converfion of thcrejcded Jews, once the Children of the Covenant, 7f (faith he) thou wert cut out of the Olive Tree which is wild by Na^ ture^ and wert graffed contrary to Nuttire Rm. 11. into a good Olive Tree, HO IV MZ)CH *'*• MORE fiall the natural Branches be grnf fed in again ^ i. e. upon their (incere re- turn unto God, and Faith unfeigned m our Lord Jefus thrift. CHAP. the Children of Holy Parents. i J CHAP. II. T/*^ forementioTT^d Privileges vpHI not avail the wicked Pofleritjf of Holy Me?2, The Covenant Provnfes have a double Condi- tion ^ this fadly broken, God hath not promis'd abfolntely fnch effeBital Grace as infallibly to prevent it. Hereupon God js at perfect liberty to 7'ejeli them if he pleajl\ without any jujl Rejlci^ion. He doth Jo as h n/any of* en;. They defer ve andfiall meet with the fore fl Condenmatidn, IN the former Chapter I have largely (hewn the very valuable Privilege of being defcended frotli Holy Parents, and that fuch as are lb, ftand faireft Upon ma- ny accounts of all Men for Spiritual and Eternal Bleflings. What I have there faid on that Argument may fill them all with Hopes 5 what I am now entring upon may fill them with Fears, viz.. That all thefe Privileges will in the iiliie be of no ad- vantage to them, lior fave them from Helf, if when they grow up, they prove workers of Iniquity. I will open this in Six: propofitions, 1. The promife of being a God to the L Seed of his People (and fo all others of that nature) hath a double Condition an- nexed to it. ^ G I, On 1 8 A DifcQurfe concerning t. On the part of the Parents during the Minority of their Children, 2. On the Children's parts when they ^ grow up to Maturity. 1. On the Parent's part during the Mi- nority of their Children. No Parent now can pretend to a better tenure than our Father Abraham had, to whom the origi- 6en. i8 nal Grant was made. Now faith God ex- '^* prefsly concerning him, I hwrv Abraham^ th&t he will command his Children and hk Houjljould after him^ and they Jhall keep the way of the Lord, tbat the Lord may bring upon Abraham the thing which he hath fpohen of him. Wherein 'tis necef- fary implied, that if Abraham did not fo do, God would not hold himfelf obliged to make good his part of the Covenant. And by his commanding of them by a Synechdochc, we are to underfland all the Branches of a holy Education, viz. Inftrudion, Exhortation, Prayer, good Example, and godly Difcipline. And when the Parent hath thus confcientioufly difcharged his Duty, there is a Condi- tion, 2. On the Children's part when they are grown up to Maturity. And that is perfonally to lay hold on the Covenant, confcnt to theTerms,and walk according Xo the Tenor of it. For when we are Adult, our Infant-title ceafss, unlefs it be the Children of Holy Parents. i gf be this way continued. Our Parents Will ihall no longer go for OURS, when wc have the ufeof our Judgments and Wills, and are capable of a perfonal Tranfaftion with God for our felves, if we do not furrender and give up our felves to him,, upon his putting in his claim to us. If we will not do fo, we turn Apoftates ^ we do in efFeft abjure and renounce the Cod of our Fathers, we do reverfe that Dedi- cation which they made of us, and by the courfe of our Lives and Actions fay, that now we are come to years, and are capa- ble of judging what they did, we think they did not do well when they devoted us to God in our Infancy as far as it was in their power : for we will not be for him, but for another. And fo we cut our felves off from God, to whom they gave us 5 we upon deliberation call our felves out of the Covenant by our own Adt and Deed whereinto they entred us, and forfeit all the Bleffings and Privileges of it. Our Parents own Right and Title to the Promife is continued to them upon this Condition, as it was to Abraham^ pro- vided they rvalk before God and be per-' feU • other wife he will not continue to be their God. And when we are come to years of Difcretion to choofe for our felves , we can t reafonably exped: he "^ C 2 fliould 50 A Difcourfe concerning fliould continue to be our God, but upon tbe fame Terms. We can't rationally think to have a better Tenure than they under whom we hold. Tenants at fecond hand can't hope for better Terms, than the original ones under whom tliey claim. Tis enough that when we come to write Men, we be as our Parents. David fure underftood the Terms of this great Cove- nant, which was in his dying Hour aU his dejin and all hk Salvation : And he ex- prefly tel Is Solomon ^ If thou forfake the God of thy Fathers^ he will caji thee off for ever, ^^* IL This double Condition is notorioufly broken by Multitudes. And I. The Condition on the Parents part is fo during the Minority of their Chil- dren. How little care do the generality of them take to feafon the Hearts of their Children with a faving Knowledge in their tender Years ? Many Families even in this our Gofien that would be accounted religious ones, are like the Houfes of the Egyptians, covered with blacknefs of darknefs, and a palpable Ignorance in the things of God, wherein not only their Firrt-born, but all their other Children too lye dead in a fpiritual Senfe. Where arc the Men that command their Children to keep the way of the Lord, and in that refpc(fr the Children of Holy Parents, in refped tread in the Steps of their Father Abraham ^ that give a Charge to their Children to this purpofe, both living and dying? Where are the daily Counfels, Admonitions, Inftrudions and Exhorta- tions, which God expeds you fhould give them when you rife up and when you lye down, in the Houfe and in the Field > What between a negligent Father on the one hand, and a fond foolifh Mother on the other hand, godly Family Difcipline is almoft loft. Men content themfelves with a few formal lazy Prayers for them (and I doubt that is more than many of them do too) or with putting up a few Bills to defire the Prayers of the Congre- gation for them 5 but in the mean time a holy Education of them is wofully neg- leded in fome one confiderable Branch of it, or it may be in all. And when they themfelves have Murdered their own Chil- dren, they bring them to the Prophets of the Lord to pray them to Life again. Tis here as in the Pafchal Solemnity of old, the Blood ofthefe Lambs of Chrift's Flock is fprinkled, not on the Ports of their Doors, but on the Skirts of the Garments of thefe unnatural Parents in whofe Houfes they dwell. But I doubt it will not prove the Lord's Pafs-over to them ^ God awa- ken them, that the dcftroying Angel do not enter in there and Hay the wicked C 3 Au' a 2 A 'Difcourfe concerning Authors of fo great a Mifchiel^ And as the Parents are grolJy faulty, fc^ 2dly., The other Condi tion on the Chil- dren's parr, when they are grown up to Maturity, is manifeftly broken by multi- tudes of them. For the proof of this I appeal to the Tears and the Groans of many Holy Parents over their Sons of Belial 5 who may well invert the Proverb of old, and fay. Our Children have eaten fovper Grapes^ and the Teeth of us their Pa- rents are Jet on edge. Tis but too plain that thoufands of the Children of the Co- venant have made themfelves theCliildren of the Devil, for his Works they do, and that openly too. They are like their Fa- ther in other things, only they are not as invifible as he is. And tho' I hope they are not fo numerous, yet I am fure their Name is Legion^ HI. III. God hath no where abfolutely pro- mifed to beftow fuch a meafure of Grace either on Parents or Children, as infallibly to prevent the breach of either of thefe Conditions. This I am fure of, becaufe if he had, he would certainly give it • for he is faithful and cannot break his word. The heart of a godly Parent may be right as to the main, and yet he may bee too negligent in this part of his Duty • and tho' in time he may reform, it may be too late before he doth it to prevent 9^ the Children of Holy Parents* 2g or retrieve the Mifchiefs he hath done hereby to the Soul of his Child. This fatal Negligence of his that draws fuch a black Train of fad Confequencies after it, is not through any defed on God's part, but purely on his own : Not for want of fufEcient Grace to difcharge this part of his Duty, but of a diligent ufe and im- provement of it. And if Men will not ftir up the Grace of God that is in them, they can't charge God with a breach of any Promife he hath made to their Pofte- rity -J nor juftly blame him if he be as carelefs of them as they are 5 for they don't do what he hath commanded them, as a means on their part for the entailing Covcnant-bleflings upon them. When they grow up they depart from the good old way inftead of walking in it But what's the Reafon > They did not train them up in it while they were Children, and direft their fteps into it, tho' God engaged to beftow Grace on them on no other terms than thefe ^ and tho' this was no more than what they had a power and and ability thro' Grace to do ^ and were often call'd on by his Word, Spirit, Pro- vidence and Minifters fo to do, yet they would not. Is God now to be blamed for this } No furely. For tho' he hath faid, he will Circumcife the Heart of his Servants and their Seed after them 5 yet he aq. '"^A Difcourje ccncernin^ ) Pent. 50. ^^ exprefsly requires, tfnaf they kearhen ta 6, 10. the Voice of the Lord ^ ^nd keep his Cp^tff^and- ments^ aiid turn to the Lord their God xoith all their Heart and with all their Soul. Hence it follows, W^ IV. That God is at perfed^ liberty to reje-ft and caft them off if he pleafe. For this is the nature of all Covenants, that when one Party doth not perform, but notorioufly break the Condition whkhhe ftood engaged to, the other Party is dif- charged, and if he pleafe, may, without any jufl: Refleftion, refufe to do what upon that fuppofition only he obliged himfelf unto. And furely we will allow to God, what we fo reafonably claim to pur felves 5 i, e. to fpc^ak in a Modern Phrafe, to abdicate them that wilfully hreak the Origin! at Contrary ^ and efpeci- ally if they obftinately perfift in fo doing. "^ He can't be chargM with Ltjjujiice 3 for '*ti% a righteous thing in him torejed thofe that in fuch a manner firftof all rejeft him : Nor with want of Truth and Faithfnlmfs to his Word^ for ^tis but the doing what in fuch caics he hath told ancj threatned that he would do. 'Tis only Divine Gocclncfs that can be called in Queftion. * rtcmofka' fe to this purpole are the Woros ot Me- tiUiH, nij Immo.tates p\nrimuin pyjiint ; fed non plm nobit velle dibent qitam Wircntei. At faiences Ji p-jigi'nn'i erfarCy fn'» bv)U riis cxhi^cciant. iluuiergo v.os a D:'u i'nrmrt/ilibuf dei'inifus expcHeihUi, ivfi crratwiihis pnen jacianutt I hit detr.um Vos ptopitios effe ^-fuum til nui Jibi advorfarij non junr. A.McUjjiio^. Attic, i. i. f. 6 It' the children of Holy parents, 25 It would be too great a Diverfion to £hew that this Attribute doth not oblige God to beftow fpecial, efFeftual, faving Grace on this or that Man. For de fa^o^ 'tis evident he doth not do it to Multitudes. He never defign'd to reprefent himfelf either in his Word, or his Aftions as a Being of meer Grace and Mercy. Divine Goodnefs, as to its Aftings, is under the regulation and condiid of his other Attri- butes, ofjuftice, Hoiinefs, andWifdom, and 'tis for the honour of God that it fhould be fo. He is to be conceived by us not only under the Notion of a very gra- cious Benefa5^o}\ but alfo under that of n Wife, Righteous, Soveraign Rfiler over Rational Bez^i^s 5 whom he governs ac- cording to their Natitres. The Former Notion renders it infinitely decorous for him beftow effedual Saving Grace on fome, even tho' they have forfeited it and ren- dred themfelves utterly unworthy of it • that he may have fome everiafting Monu- ments of the Riches of his free Love, and fome to be a peculiar People to himfelf, aftively glorifying, loving, fervingofhim, and deiis^nedly promoting his Honour and Intereft here below in their feveral Gene- rations : That he m.ay have fome dutiful loyal Subjects, and his Son may have a SQQ But yet Ahha Father ^ all things are pollible unto thee. As for the aged Believers, the main Work was done on them many years, it may be, ere you were born : They were in Chrift a long time before you were in the World. They whole Grey Hairs in the 51 A Vijcourfe concerning thevvay ofrighteoufnefs, make them look like Ears of Corn ripe for the Harveft, and even ready to be carried into the Garner, need h'ttle cultivating or water- ing from any Hand. As for the Children of ungodly Men, you feldom converfe with them ^ and when you dd, they will hardly give yoii the hearing when you offer to fpeak feri- ouily to them of the things of God. Thefe are a Generation of Vipers, and will b^ ready to hifs and fting that charitable Hand that doth but touch theni, tho* never fo gently. Or if you do make any impreflionsupon them, they are quickly ftifled and blotted out again by the Agents of Satan, among whom they live and converfe withal. But as for thofe young ones that dweft under the Roof of a holy Abraham^ and fprang from his Loins, you have more opportunities of dealing with them, and more hopes of prevailing upon th'erri. They are more foft and yielding, more capable of and likely to receive iwpreifioffs from your hands, here therefore may yo'ii mod rationally exped fome Seals of your Miniitrjr. You hate in them fome little haiidlc to take hold of, fome imperfect knowledge of the Principles of the Ora- cles of God, which their Parents have beendroppingintothem^ and fome good af- the Children of Holy Parents. 33 affeftions which the Spirit fometimes ftirs up in them ^ like a few ftreaks of Light in ( the Air before the rifing of the Sun, the happy prefages of a fair day. You have fome little (hare in their affeftions and efteem 5 they have learnt from their Pa- rents to (hew fome refpe^t even to the meaneft of ChriiVs Embaifadors. There are many little Arts whereby you may eafily Aide and wind and infinuate your felves into their Affections for their good, and get within *em. They will be apt it may be to fpeak more freely to you, when the gravity of an aged Minifterwill damp and over-awe them. PofCbly they may more readily hearken to you, when you fpeak againft youthful Lufts, than they >vould to elder perfons ^ who they may be apt to think do talk againft them be- caufe their Age hath mortified them, and made them at once uncjipable of remem- bring the former pleafures of Senfe, as well as of tafting them for the future. The Wifdom of God appears in commiffi- onating not only Angels to preach the Gofpcl to us, but Men like our felves, fubjed to the like Pafiions and Infirmities as we are. And if any little beginnings of a good Work appear as the Fruit of what you fay to them, their holy Pa- rents under whofe Wings they are, will be ready to cheriih he vital heat that vou '^ D have J 4- -^ Difcourfe ^oncerriing^ . |i^vc imparted to. them ^ with joyfol Hearts will take up the matter where you left it, and carry it on. - 'Tis evidently the grand defign of the Devil and his Inftruments, and which God efpccially calls you to countermine, to feduce and debauch thefe. The roaring Lyon that goes about feeking whom iq devour, longs for the young Kids and the tender La/^/h of Chrift's Flock as the fweeteft Prey that he can faften upon. teod quicken you, and profper your En- ^(ieavours- to pluck them out of his Jaw ,who is -fwal lowing them at this day wirh .open Mouth. Notwithftanding all their rPrivileges, they will as certainly and more 'fatally perifh than the Children of other .^Men if an efpecial care be not taken of .them. And where will you employ your jfelvcSj if not among thefe young and .tender Plant^ in thofe Houfes that are the Nurferies of the Church, whence there is the greateft likelyhood of a fupply of .fit Members for the Plantations of thrift, .^when the old Trees are removed } Onr Fathers rvhere dve they? IT here ? praifing ^God hi Heaven, and their places on Earth 9 {hall knovv them no more. Our ancient iDifciples are marching apace after them, . wearing away and dropping off one after {'another. And where, in a few years, ; fliall Chrift have a Generation to ferVe -..o4 v' him the Children of tioly Parentis 5 ^ him, if you do not from among thef^ rafe up a fpiritual Seed to our Elder Bro- ther. If we have not fome new ones to come up in their room (and whence can they be fo reufonabiy expeded as froni fuch Families?) If our B«m//j- occeed the number of our Births, we cannot long fubfift ^ but the Churches of Chrift which he hath fet you to look after, muft fink, and in a little while come to nothing. II, I (liall apply my felf to Holy Pa-- IL rents, a little todiredand perfwadethem to take a fpecialcare of the Souls of their Children. And, I. Begin betimes, and continue uriwea-* h ried in a godly Education of them in all the Branches of it, ufing all means and helps to make it fuccefsful. Study their Tempers and Inclniations, that you may the better manage them. Keep them duly to Family Prayer, and put them upon feeking God apart by themfelves. Bring them to the Publick VVorfhip as foon as may be without diflurbance to the AfTem- bly. Examine them what they remem- ber of every Sermon they hear, and l^t them know you expedan account. When any affecting Paflages drop from the Mouth of the Preacher, whet them upori their Minds, and make a particular Appli- cation of them to their Souls ^ This, O xny Child, is thy Duty and Danger as well 1 ■^ D 2 as 36 A D'lfcourfe concerning as mine ^ my eternal Salvation and thine depend on the doing what we have heard this day. Keep them, O keep them from Evil Compatty^ infeftioiis Books^ and pla- ces of Temptation and Danger. Main- tain your Anthory over them, and yet don't deal imperioufly with them, provo^ king them to wrath. But efpeciaJly let me recommend two Branches of a Holy Education, which I doubt are much negleded, or at lead not performed aright. I. The exercife of a ftridl Family Dif- cipline in a prudent and pious manner. Indeed it looks like a piece of Popijh Pe- nance for a Man to Corred: his own Child 5 'tis to lafh himfelj, and fcourge his ovpn Flejh. But remember the exprefs Com- mand of God, Chajlen thy Son while there is hcpe^ M7sd let not thy Soul fp are for his crying. Tis better they fliould cry a lit- tle under your Rod, than roar for want of it for ever in Hell, and be lafht with Scorpions there to Eternity. Only let this be done prudently, feafonably, calm- ly, foberly, convincing them firfl: of their Fault, and your necedary Duty in chafti- fingofthcm by fome pertinent Scripture, and with Solemn Prayer either before or after, or both, tint God would Sandifle it as his own Ordinance to the good of their Souls. 2. Gate- the Children of Holy Parents. 37 2. Chatechize and inftrud them duly both as to Matter and Manner. As to Matter. Sec that the foiindatibn of Chriftianity be well inlaid in their Souls. For 'tis a lewd Age, wherein many whofe own Souls are canker'd with Prin- ciples of Atheifw and Infidelity^ endea-- vour by flyelnfinuations gradually to taint and corrupt firfl: the Minds and then the Manners of the Youth of this City. And it would make a Man s Heart bleed to think how far they have prevail'd on ma- ny of them. Tho' they are but thin Cob- vpehs that they weave, yet they have been ftrong enough to hold many of thefe lit- tle hfe^s : and when once they have en- tangled them, they never ceafe inftilling their Venome till they have totally poi- fon'd and ruin'd them. Tis wonderful to obferve how foon fome of thefe Novices have fet up for Dolors in the Devil's Schools > and feating themfelvcs in the Chair of the Scor?iers^ can deride all re- vealed Religion, arraign and condemn Chrift as an Impoftor, and befmear him again with their Spittle ^ Burlefque the. . Holy Scriptures, and l:iugh at immaterial ' Subftances and everlafting Flames. And tho' many of them evidently do not un- derftandthe Atheiliical, Infidel Cavils and Obiedions they have heard, yet they will be hammering at them, and repeat fome- D 3 what 2§ A 'Oifcourfe concerning what of th>^m, like an Eccho in an empty and hollow place, that reverberates, the laft words that were fpoken, but in.fuch a broken iniperfeft manner that there is no Senfe to be made of them . But above all to run down the MINISTRY, is at once both the eafieft and the pleafanteft thing of all. And every dull young Fool fancies he can be very fmart and witty upon them. Ralaaw's Miracle is repeated every day ^ There is no Afs fo ftupid but can open his Mouth to rebuke the wadnefs of a. Pro- phet. And how can the Servants of Chrift do any good upon them, when they are defpifed in their Eyes 5 and when the very Topicks whence their Arguments of per- fwafionare drawn, are not only disbelieved but derided by em too. Infhort, Atheifm, Ungodlinefs and De- bauchery lie at the bottom of all this, and therefore efpecially fortifie their Minds againll: them in their young and tender Years. Moreover, give them a clear underftand- ing of their Native Corruption wherein they were born ^ of the nature and necef- fity of Regeneration and the influences of the Spirit and Repentance towards God and F^/'/^on ourLordJefusChrift, which are the vital praftical fundamentals of the ' JGofpel : The meaning of their Baptifw, and the Covenant of God whereinto you entred the Children of Holy Parents* ^ cntred them : What ddvat^tages they h^vg thereby 5 what Ohligatio?u and Encott-^ ragemcnts fcrfonally to lay hold on the Co* veitartt^ and yield up themfelves unto God. fully, fincerely and deliberately ^ and, that their Lives and their Souls, and their eternal Salvation, and their ALL doth depend on their fo doing. • And then as for the Manmr of your T! ', Iiiftruftion, let it be frequent, with a be- coming Gravity^ Scrioufntfs^ and a vifible tholy warmth of Soul 5 and mingle with jyour Teaching the moft pathetical Exhor- 'tations, Counfels, Admonitions, Perfwa- fions and Commands. Not only inform *■? their Judgwents^ but apply your felvesto their Affc^ions too. The IVIinifters of God are fain to fludy how to reach both thefe for the Conversion of grown per-r' fons 5 and fo muft you as ever you hope to be happy Inftruments in the Converfioti of your Children: 'tis as necelTary,. and more eafie to reach their Hearts. Not only ply the Oar, but fill the Sails too, "T or elfe thefe little Veifels will hardly be moved up the Stream and againft the Tide. Ajid be fure to add to all the reft a holy Example ^ there is a Reverence due from you to your Children, as well as from them to you. Do nothing tha^t is unfeemly before them, leaft they learn it of you, and refembleyou more, in fuch • "' C) 4 A&mi^ ^o A Difcourfe concerning Anions than in any of your Features. '" Worfe Marks and Signatures are hereby made by many Parents on their Children 4tfter their Birth, than by fome of them before it. I mnft not fors^et, and hope you will not neither, the offering up daily fervent Prayers to the God of all Grace in their behalf. IL II. Follow them clofc when at any time you perceive them under Convidli-. ons, or any good Affedions ftirring in. them. Then are yon moft likely to fucceed, vi^hen God and you are workers together. ni. III. Have a care what Servants you take into your Houfes. Thefe will be much with them, and it will lye in their power to do them much good or harm while they are attending on them. As not only the Stars, but even the Planets that move in an inferiour Orb,have either a benign or a malignant Influence on this Earth while they are miniftring to it. JV. V IV. Prudently make a vifible diftindion \n the diftributionofyour worldly Goods among them according to the appear- ances of ferious Religion in them. When = once they fee by your Carriage towards them, that you are refolv'd to put as few Weapons as well you can into the Hands of thofe that are the Devil's Children more than :yours^ it may keep them from open wicked- the Children of Holy Parents, ^ I wickednefs, bring them to a due attend- ance on the pub! it k Miniftry, make them a little thoughtful and confidering ^ and who knows what the blelTed IfTue of that may be in time ? God himfelf makes Pro- — ^■ mifes and Threatnings about things of this nature to allure Men to Religon r The giving or denying temporal Bleffings is one means that he makes ufe of to pre- vent Sin and to reclaim Men from it. ^Tis not in it felf the beji and iht flrongejl | Argument, but it may be the moft cffe- dlual in fome cafes and on fome Tern- I pers : And a wife Man will ufe that means which is the moft likely to attain his End, not that which abftraftedly confider'd is moft noble. A wedge of Gold is more valuable than a great quantity of Iron : But a wife Man that is aifaulted by his Enemy, had rather at that time have andr ufe even a rufy old Sword. V. Prepare them for and bring them to V. a full Communion with fome or other of the Churches of Chrift. I fhall toward the end of this Difcourfe call upon them to join themfclves to fuch Societies. I now mind you to ^i and to call upon them to do it. You can't imagine what an Ad- vantage it would be if you did but thoroughly prepare them for, and prevail upon them to come and folemnly and perfonally to renew their Baptifmal Cove- nant AX : A D'lfiourje concerning) , mnhnt the Table of our Lord, andpufc tkeFnrelves under the infpeftion, care, prayc-rs cf. fuch a Chriftian Society, and tlie:ev.jngelical Difcipline of the Officers thereof; By. . parents negled of fo doing. I that little gocd thing that was (itmay.be); in theHenns of their Children towards the Lojrd God of Ifrael^ withers and de? cays: They degenerate into an indiffe- rency of Spirit, luke-warmncfs and care- leifsnefs about the things of God and of Religion: And all good Impreflions that once were made on them, arc fo far worn- out, that it becomes a very doubtful thing whither they have any thing at all of the Grace of God in their Hearts : Like the Infcription of an old neglefted Monu- ment, fo batter'd and defac'd that 'tis fcarce legible, and 'tis very difficult to pick out what and whole rem^ains are with- i in. To this 'tis owing that fo many join themfelves to no Church ^ content them- felves with an Attcudance on the publick Sermons only, with a general Profejfionoi Chridianity at large ^ or it may be with a bare Morality^ and too many drop off wholly into the World, being altogether transform'd into the way and manners, and arc totally loft in the Vanities and Corruptions of it : Like dead pieces of Wood, that once were parts of living Trees, falling into fome Waters of a pc- the Children of Holy Parents, ^5, petrifying nature, that are thereupon changed into the likenefsand hardnefs'of Stones. VI. Deal very ferioufJy with them VI, when your End is vifibly approaching. Let fome of your laft Breath be fpent for Cod's Glory and the good of their Souls. Tell them your own experiences of the goodnefs and faithfulnefs of Cod ^ the advantages of an early ferious Religion 5 the vanity and folly of Sin, the happi- nefs of an intereft in Chrift, and charge them as ever they exped to fee Cod's Face and yours with comfort, diligently to look after it. The words of a dying Man, efpecially of a djmg Friend or Pa^ r^nt^ enter deep, come with a great weight and authority, and may be remembred by them to very good purpofes, after you your felves are pafs'd into the Land of forgetful nefs. The taking a fpecial care of the Souls of their Children in fuch Inftances as thefe, might be urged with variety of Motives. I will mention but one, and that is a very affeftingone, vi%. x\Yt Croans of a godly Parent over a wicked Child. And could we but get near enough, we might hear him venting his Paffion in fome fuch words as thefe ^ viz,. ' Oh this ungodly Wretch, ' this Son of Bdid I He will break my ' Heart fure, and bring down my grey Hairs 44 A Difcourje concerning Hairs in forrow to the Grave. I trained him up for God ^ but he is refolved to be for the Devil in defpight of God and me. When he was an Infant, I remem- ber he was a pleafant Child : When he was a tender Plant, I hoped he would one day have flourifht like a Branch of Righteoufnefs that the Lord had blefs'd. But he is now a grieving Brier, and a pricking Thorn in my Eyes, my very Heart and Soul. Alas ! Woe is me mife- rable Man that I am, that ever Hell ihould be the fuller for me ! That from my Loins fhould iflue one that is a dif- honour to God, and a fcandal to Reli- gion, the plague and burden of the Earth, and a Fire-brand for eternal Burnings. O my Bowels, my Bowels ! I am pained at the very Heart. Now is my Soul exceeding forrowful even unto death. Happy is the Womb that never bare, and the Breafts that never gave fuck. Would to God I had been writ- ten down Child lefs in his Book. Was ever any forrow like And then the fwelling Paffion grows too big to be vented by VVords : a Floud of Tears gufliing out ftops the good Man's Speech ; and he exprelTes (as the Eiiyptianr in their Hieroglyphicks did, by things not by words) the remainders of his grief in fighs and deep groans, enough to the Children of Holy Parents. to break his own Heart, and the Heart oi any Man that doth but hear him. How fad would it be if this (hould be your cafe another day ; and how heavy would it lye upon you if your own Con- fcience fliould reproach you, All this hath come to pafs thro' your own fondnefs, negled and folly > CHAP. IV. A^ Addrefs to the Children of Holy Mm in Five Things, MY Difcourfe in this Chapter {hall, like the Divine Bleffing, defcend from Holy Parents to their Children. And there are thefe Five Things I ftiall propofe to them. I. Serioufly bethink your felves. Con- fidcr each of you in particular in how many Tnftances you have broken with God, and (from what hath been faid in the fore-going Chapters) the greatnefs of your guilt anddanger in fo doing. What degenerate Wretches have you been to ftrike in with the avowed Enemy of your Father's Houfe, and fo (lain the Honour and Glory of it ? How often is it men- tion d in Scripture as a mighty aggrava- tion of Mens fins, that they forfook the God 4^ A Difcourfe concerning Cod of their Fathers > And this thou haft done. Is iiot the Voice of Reafon as well lo!'' ^ * as Scripttire: Thy own Friehd^ dndthy Fa- thers Friend forfake thou iiot ? God took you into his Family before you were ca- pable "of doing him any Service 5 and fihce you have been capable of it, you have rebelled againft him that was your God from your Mother's Womb, and that fuftain'd you in the Arms of his merciful Providence when you hung upon your Mother's Breafts. Be aftonifht O Heavens, dnd tremble O Earth I the Lord hath nourifht and brought up Children, and they have lifted up their Heels againft him. You have been as a Beaft before him 5 yea more brutifli than any of them. For the O)^ knows his Owner, and the Afs is not fo dull but he knows his Ma^ fter's Crib. What Iniquity have you found in the God of your Fathers ^ Tefti- fie againft him if you are able. Hath he h^if^w a dry Land or a barren Wildernefs to you . And for what? For the Hike of lying and deiflru- ftive Vanities, of which you have caufe to be afhamed, and dread what the ilTuc of them may be. Know thou that for all thefe things. God will fpeedily bring thee to Judgment. And do but fup.pofe him fpeaking to ybu in forne fuch words as • thefe. You the Children of Hofy Parents. ^.y - ; ' You are the Seed of my aiicidlit * Friends,^ and you fhould have favoured -<)f the Stock whence you fprang. For * your Father's fake I gave you many of * the Bleffings of my Left Hand ^ and I '-reached out my Right Hand too to em- ' brace you -^ but you rudely pdt it by, ' and madly flung away from me : In ' your Infancy I entred into Coveriant ' with you and fware to you : I took you ' into ray Houfeand fet my Seal upon you. ' I gave you many helps which others •never enjoy'd ^ and freed you from ma- ' ny hinderances that others were ham- ' per'd withal. I well remember the Care, ;' the Commands, the Prayers, the Tears, ' the Pains which yonder Parents' of yours ' took about you ^ and I declare before ' all the World, ^hat I take it -kindly at ' their Hands. They did the duty of a * Father and a Mother to you. And I 'was not wanting to you neither. I be- * gim, as you can't but remember, very >♦ early with you'^ I waited long upon * you 5 I followed you Year after Year *• with Offers and Entreaties. I water'd i' you with the Dew of Heaven till I was f-nuite weary of you, for you ftill proved [• • ciead Trees. I cxpeded you fhould have * been a Diadem and .a Crown of Glory ' to me, a credit to Religion, an honour , f-aitd a comfort to your Parents, and have ' pro- ^.8 A Dijcourje concerning * promoted my Intcreft in the Earth. But * on the contrary, you have been a blot * and a reproach to me, a fcandal to the * Men of the World, a comfort to the * Children of wicked Men, by (hewing ' them there were fome that could be vi!er ' than the vileft of them x, a (hame and a * grief to the Souls of your Parents. You ' did eat out the Mark that I fo early fet ' Upoii you, that when your Fleeces were ' a little grown, it was not difcernable 3 ' as tho' you defign'd that my Servants ' when they fought you out might not ' know you, or fo much as fufped that ' ever you belong'd to my Fold. I put ' you to feed in green Paftures, by the * ftill Waters among my Sheep ^ and you * were not ftoln out of my Grounds, but ' you your felves run afiray, broke thro' * my Enclofures, leapt over my Hedge, * tho' you knew it was a very high and ' thorny one, and the Briers thereof did ' often run into your Flefh. And now ' therefore, Oye Angels, the Executioners ' ' of my Vengeance, bindthefe up in Bun- ' dies, for they are the Tares that grew ' in my Field among my good Corn, and ' throw them into unquenchable Flames. ' Of all Sinners, I am refolved thefe fhall * never fee my Face. Lord, the Children of Holy Parents, 4.9 Lord, what fear, what fhame, what blufhes, what confullon, what agonies of Mind, and horrors of Confcicnce will feize you when God fhall thus fpeak to you out of the Whirl-wind of his Wrath, with a Voice lowder and more terrible than Thunder ! There will be weeping and howling in that day among all the workers of Iniquity 5 but among none i^o great and foloud as among the Children of the Kingdom when they fhall be thruft: out, and plung'd into the fiery fulphurious Lake 5 when at the fame time they that were Strangers, and in a double Senfe took Heaven by violence, ilia 11 in their very fight, and before their Faces, enter into the Kingdom with Abraham^ Ifaac and Jacob. What gnafliing of Teeth will there be among you for madnefs before you fink into that doleful place, as well as for exceflive torment after you are in in it to fee your felves excluded and them admitted. Then fiiall the fulled Vials of Wrath be poured out on your Heads : And if you will not mw^ you iliall then^ lay to Heart fuch things as thefc through- put the vaft and endlefs ages of Eternity, and your own Confciences and Thoughts fiinll be perpetually falling upon you like a freili Milllone, or talent of Lead, dropt upon your Heads every Moment, JO A Dijcourfe concerning Oh that you were wife, and underftocxl this before it be too late ! Shew your felves Men, and prevent all this by a prefent feriousConfideration while things may be hclpt. And if you would but take this firft Step you would not need much perfwafion to take the n. 11. Fiz. Earneftly plead the Covenant of God with your Fathers for his pardon- ing and renewing Grace. Alas ! it may be, fome of you will fay, God help us, this Advice comes too late to us. For we have many Years ncglefted the ratifi- cation of it (ince we have been at Age, and fo the time is flip'd and elaps'd. Nay, which is yet worfe, we have notorioufly broken it 5 forfeited all our IntereH: in it, and can't rationally expeQ: any benefit by it ^ but rather on the contrary, that God fliould deal worfe with us than with others that have been ftraiTgers to the Covenant and the Proniifes. A very deep and ferious Senfe, of this would do well. But be it fo ^ This is an Argument indeed that you fliould plead this Covenant with a great deal of Humi- lity and godly forrow, but 'tis no Argu- ment that you fliould not plead it at all. For if now at laft you are but ferious and in earnefl:, you have a gracious God to deal with, who is ready to renew his Cove- the Children of Holy Parents, 5 1 Covenant with you, and you may yet apply your fclves to him with a greater confidence than the Children of others can rationally do, under all your finking fears on the account of the great guilt you have contraded, the greet danger you have incurred, and the difraal wrath you have deferv'd. For after all, you have more to fay for your felves than the Chil- dren of Strangers have ^ for you may ap- ply your felves to him under fuch a No- tion as they cannot, as j^w^r Father'*! God, as many have done under the like fears and diftrefles of Confcience, and found relief by it. God was jufl: on the very point of rooting up tlie whole Nation of Ifrael at once 5 and of the two Arguments that Mofes urges God withal to fpare them, tho' a provoking People, this, as the ftrongeft, is put laft, Rcme^/Lcr Ifaac Exotl.^z, and Ifrael thy Servants^ from whom thty ^5- are dcfce7ided. And this made his Re- pentings to kindle fafter towards them, than ever his Anger did againft them. What a prodigious Sinner was Manaffeh'} And yet when in his great Afflidion he bcfoitfi^ht the Lord his Qod^ and hunihlcd 2 Chnvu hi/nfclf greatly before the God of hk Fathers, ^^' ^^' he was entreated of him. 7 oil have played the Harlot^ laidi God Jst. 3. u to the Jews, vrith ma?iy Lovers, hivi tho' ■^ E 2 in 5 2 A Difcourfe concerning in that cafe Men would give an everlaft- ing Bill of Divorce, yet return nnto me^ V. 4. faith the Lord. And wilt thou fjot from thk time cry to me my Father^ thou art the guide of my youth } Will you not at laft return unto nic, who have been fo early efpoufed to you, and ftood in a Cove- nant-relation to your Anceftors when they were but a fmall handful of People, ^i?h 1 5. as the words thy youth are explained ^^' elfe-where. And then you have the An- fwer which God himfelf, by way of Pro- phefie and Encouragement, frames for them, Sehold rve come iwto thee, the Lord our God. q. d. We are the Pofterity of thine ancient Servants, by Birth related to thee, and that encourages us to come to thee as the Lord our God, tho' we are unworthy to be called thy People. Spe- cial Mercies in a time of great difcourage* ir^.41.8. ments arepromifed to them, Lecaufeyeare, faith God, the feed of Abraham my Friend, And when they were not only under fore diftreiTes, but fad declinings too, they had erred from God's ways , and their Hearts were hardened from his Fear 5 they plead this Argument with God for feafo- ff^'i' 6^. nable Relief, We are thine ^ thou never *^' be are (I Rule over thcm^ they were not called by thy Name, Take the Children of Holy Parents. 55 Take therefore to your fclves words, and fay, ' Lord wilt thou not (liow fpe- * cial favour to us, feeing thou haft been ' "" an ancient Friend to, and Confederate * with our Family ? Why, this is an Ar- ' £;ument that is wont to prevail tjpon ' Xfc//, even thofe that are ill-naturd, * whofe Bowels are but Flints and Ada- ' mants in comparifon of thy tender Com- ' paflions. And 'tis a vcrtnom Difpofition, * a thing commendable and praife-worthy ' in the Judgment of all : And as fuch 'tis * recorded in thy Book in fundry Inftancs. ' 'Tis fo of David, that he enquired Tvhi- ^ Sam..o. ther there were any of the houfe of Saul yet h i- alive, that he wight Jherv the hindrtefs of God to him, ' and he fliewed very^onfi- * derable refpeft to Mcphebof()eth for Jofja- ' than his Fathers fake, becaufe of the * ftrid league of Fricndlhip that had been ' between them. Afa prevailed on Ben- * hadad, tho a very wicked and felfiih ^ Man, to ioyn with him in his diftrcfs, "■ becaufe there hath been, faid he, a League between thy Father and my Father. ' And 'tis mention'd as a Reproach to * Joafi, that he ren/embred not the kindncfi that Jehoiada the Father had done^ bttt 24. 32. flew his Son, ' And fliall the fame thing ' be charg'd on thee } Far be this from ' thee, d Lord. True, indeed, I have E 9 ' I'Cg-^ 54- -A Difcourfe concerning ' negleclrcd thy Covenant, andfadly bro- ' ken it. But yet thou haft laid to the * Children of the Covenant, Retum je hack-Jliding Children/. Behold, I return tinto theejueal allK/y back-Jlidings , for thou art the Lord my Qod-^ my God from my Alo- therms Belly : Save me for I am the Son of thine Hand-maid^ ' And if thou art ' afhamed to be known by the Name of ' MY God ^ yet, O Lord God of my ' FATHERS and thy Friends^ look upon * me, and be gracious unto me, as thou ' ufeft to be to the returning Pofterity of ' them that loved and feared thy Name. Ill, III. Plead your Holy Baptizm, and the many Promifcs of God to tlie Children of holy Men. ' Lord, my Parents have folemnlydedi- * cated me to thee in my Infancy. See * whofc Charafter and Superfcription it is * that I bear upon me. O help a poor ' Creature that is willing to render inito * God the things that are Cods. Save me, ' for I am thine, and let not one of thy ' own periih eternally for want of thy * help. For haft thou not faid, / jri// be 4L God tc my People and their Seed ? That thou wilt Circnmcife their Hearty and the Heart of their Seed after them .e, and t8 A Dlfcourfe concerning and that too in a very odd way. Fo' they nre a fort of volatile Auditors, per- petually frisking too and fro, and canfi^; no where. Were all Men of this humour, there could be no fuch thing as particular Churches, which Chrift hath appointed for the edifying of his Members. And how they can rationally expeft to flourih cither in Grace or Peace, while they li/e in a dire6t oppofition to a manifeft Infti- tution of our Lord Jefus, which was not more an eiTcft of his Authority than of his Wifdom and Goodnefs, I wifli Men would ferioufly confider. Are any of you fo felf-fufficient, that you need no Paftor, nor theaiiiftanceofyour fellow Chriftians to watch over, admonifli, rebuke, exhort, comfort, ftrengthen, and counfel. you > Are there none of the Churches of Chrift that are pure enough ? None of them that have latitude, or flric$r?efi enough for you > None of them worthy enough for you to join your felves unto ? When our Lord hath given fuch variety of Gifts to his Minifters, is there none of themwhofe Abilities fuit you, andpleafe your curious Palates, that by fettling under them you may be edified ? I may lay to fuch Per- fons as Co}rfta?7tjne once did to fuch a felf-conceited Man, Take a Ladder^ and clw/b up to Heaven hj thy felf alone. In lliort. the Children of Holy Parents, 59 fliort, a Society of Believers walking together in Gofpel Order, is like the ex- cellent compofure of Syllables, Words, and Sentences, that have a great deal of Senfe and Signification in them. But a feparated and divided Chriftian, that will join himfelf to no Church, is like aj/^^le Letter, or a disjoitited Syllable that is perfeft Nonfenre. EIGHT 6 1 EIGHT DISCOURSES O N II SAM. xxiii, 5. ^ . ■ ■ I .11 ,1 I III , ■ ^ SERMON I 2 Sam. 25. 5. Altho^ my houfe be 7totfo with God, ytt he hath made with me an everlajiing Cove- nant, ordered in all things and fure : for this k all my falvation and all my defire, altho"" he make it not to grow, TH E words contain'd in this Chap- ter, from the third to the end of the fevcnth Verfe (whereof my Text is 3 part) are introduced in the firft, feconc^, and 6i The Reajons of and part of the third Vcrfe, with a lofty Preface, the better to engage our Minds to a due confideration of em : In order vvhereunto Three things are mention'd. I. I. That thefe are the lafi Words of David. Now the laft Words of a Man in his dying Moments, are wont to be obferved more than any others. For as the Flame of a Lamp, whofe Oil is almoft wafted, juft before it goes out, fometimes (hoots up higher than before : So the Soul, juft as 'tis ready to be loofed from the Body, fometimes has nobler Flights than ordinary. However, to be fure that's no time to trifle or play the Hypocrite. And therefore the Speeches of dying Men are wont to be very weighty and ferious, mightily affeftthe Itandersby, and make a deep Impreffion upon 'em. But yet the Wifdom of the Poor Man both living and dying too, maybedefpi- fed ^ becaufe of themeanefs of him who utters the Oracle, and the Folly of them that hear it. And therefore. If. II. The Charafter of David is added to recommend what is fpoken to us. David, the fon of JeJ/t, faid^ af?d the Man, who n\n raifed up on high^ the Anointed of the God of Jacoh, and the fn^ect Pfaln/iji of IfracI faid. He was a mighty Prince^ one of great Expnicnce, and a famous An* thor^ Famil)' Affliclions to Good Men. 6 5 thor. He was a mighty Prince : God had advanced him to the Hi rone of IfraeL Now the wife and grave Speeches of a King have a fort of Majefty in them, like him from whom they proceed, carry Au- thority wirh 'em, and command Refpedt and Attention. And David was more- over a Man of great Experience, He was originally the Son of Jejfe, a private Man, but from a mean Stare God had raifed him up on high, and here in my Text we find him brought very low again, having a fad Profpcd of the great Cala- mities of his Family : So that he hath fully tried both ftates of Life, God having lifted him up and cajl him dorvrr. And belicles he was a known and famous v \ Author, thefmct Pfalmiji of Ifiael :^ high' ^ ly efteem'd in the Church of God for his many holy and ufeful Compofures of Spiritual Hymns, who was wont to lead the People in their Devotions as well as in their Battles, could handle the Tnftru- mentsof Mufickaswell as the Weapons of War, and was as confiderable in the Tem- ple as ever he had been in the Field. If any thing further be ueceflary to engage our Attention, it mull: be an fn- fpiration from Heaven, that fo the In- ftrudions may not be the lifucs of meer Humane Prudence, but the Dictates of Divine 6 4 The Reafons of Divine Wifdom. And this is not want- ing. For, ni. irr. 'Tis further added, The Spirit of V. 2, 5. the Lord /pake hy nic^ and his Spirit teas vr my Tongue : the God of Ifrael faid, the Rock oflfraelfpake imto me. Seeing there- fore he who fpeaks to us was a dying Man, a great Ring, of large Experience, and of an eftabliflit Reputation for Skill and Piety, full of Days and of the Holy Ghoft too, let hifji that hath Ears to hcar^ hearken to what he fays. And the things which he delivers, ab- ftrafting from all the fore-going Particu- lars, are fo great in thcmfelves, that they may make way by their own weight, and fink down into the Hearts of wife and un- derftanding Men. For he begins his Dif- courfewith the Duty and Charafter of a good King, as to the two main Points, viz. Juftice and Piety. He that rules over Men mnfl bejufl^riiVw;^ i7t the fear oft he Lord.Knd elegantly deferibes the happinefs of a Peo- ple who live under fuch a Ph^mx^ by two natural and eafie Figures o^ the tight of the morning rvhcrein there k ?ro clond^ and the tender grapr fpringing out of the earth by the clear JJyini?rg of the fun after the rain. But then conlldering how un- like to this the prcient (late of his Family was, and how much worfe in all proba- bility X. 3. are grieuoiM to Good Men. 65 fcility niv^tters would go with 'em ^ he turns his Thoughts to the Covenant of God as a rich Cordial to fupport his faint- ing Spirit. This he does in the Words I have now pjtcht upon. Alth(P my Houfe be mt fo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlajling Covenant, order d in all things and fure 5 for this is all my defire, and all my falvation, alt ho he make it not td grow. In which Words we have thefe tv/o Parts. I. A fad fuppofition which holy David ^« tnakes, with which he begins and clofcs the Verfe. Althc'* my Houfe be not fo with God, fo he begins : Altho^ he make it not to grow, fo he ends. The doubling the Expreilion, fettin^ it in the Front and Rear too, (hews that his Family Affiifti- ons had created many uneafie Thoughts in his Mind, and vvent very near his Heart. iy. d. I and mine have not been fo good as we (hould, nor fo profperous as we might have been 5 we have neither fo ruled others, nor governed our felves, but that many difordershave broken forth among us, and many Affliftions have be- faln us 5 and there's a long bhck train of f F Evils 66 The Reafon vrhy family AffliSions Evils yet behind. We have not been like the light of a Mormng without any Clouds 5 but many a fad Providence hath over- fhadowed my Family and darkened the Glory of it: Andlforefee, that after my approaching deceafe, inftead of flourifliing like the fpnftgifig Grafs by the warm Beams of the Sun after a refrefliing Rain, they will wither away like the Grafs by the fcorching heat of Summer. U, II. We have the Courfe holy and dy- ing David takes to fupport himfelf under thefe melancholly Thoughts and Circum- rtances. T(^t hath he made with me^ &c. Where obferve, I. What he pitches his Thoughts upon, 2//Z.. the Covetiant which God had made with him. By which we are not to un- derftand the promife of continuing the Kingdom to him and to his Seed, or the preserving his Line and Family any fur- ther than as the prefer vation of that was neceffary for the Birth of the Mefliahwho was to defcend from his Houfe. This plainly appears from the Character of David^ who was an eminent Saint, and to fuch the World is not very charming, but they are dead and crucified to it : And from what he had now in fo full and near a view before him, both with reference to his Houfe, that God. would 71Ct are grievous to Good Men. dj ?70t make it grovo :, and with reference to Hinjfelf^ for he had Death betorc him 5 a greater Monarch than he himfelf was, the King of Terrors, who may alfo be called the Kings of Kings , for he hnth and will fubdue them all, and Reign over all Mankind, whereas David ruled com- paratively over but a fmall handful. This Univerfal Monarch nowftood by his Bed- fide, and was on the point of Conquer- ing him, and carrying him away Captive in Triumph. David, had e'en almoft done with this World,and but as a few Mo- ments longer to live in it. Now this would have been but a very thin and forry Com- fort to fo very holy a Man, efpeciallv in his laft Moments, to think that his Family (hould continue but in a very Ihatter'd and broken condition. Tis plain it mufl be foraewhat nobler than this, no lefs than the Covenant of God in Chrifi:, ihe Cove- nant of Grace that h^th Heaven in the Bowels of it, whence he draws his pre- fent Comfort, as became a Man of his Spirit and Temper, and one under his prefent Circumllances, who was drawing his laft Breath. 2. The excellent Properties of this Co- vent. They are Three. Tis an cver- laftifjg, a fnre one, and order d in all things. And therefore 'tis well ordered^ becaufe 'tis fnre and everlajling, it (liall F 2 never 68 The Reafon why Family AffllcliGns never be Repealed by God, nor finally broken by Man. 3. The great value which he fets upon it. For this is all wy Salvatio?i attd all my defre. q. d. If God would have fa- red me and mine from temporal Miferies, and largely blefs'd my Family with the good things of this Life, I would have blefs'd his Name on that Account. But feeing he has otherwife determin d, I fub- mit : I am at a Point : I fee fo little in the World, and fo much in the Bleffings of the Covenant, that I defire no better, I can't wiflb for any other Happinefs than what is contained in it. My whole is wrapt up in this bleffed Covenant of Grace ^ and being interefted in that I have enough. This quiets and compofes my Spirit, alt he my Honfc be not fo with God, Ofid alt ho he make it not to grow. From the Words thus open'd we may obferve two Doftrines, I^ I. The great Evils which may befal the Family of a very holy Man can't but be very affliftive to him. II. Such is the Nature and Properties of the Covenant of Grace, that an Intcreft in it will give him great Re* lief under fuch very aillidive Cir- cumdances. I arc grievous to G ood Men, 6 9 I begin with the Firft of thefe, viz. The great Ev/h which way hefal the Family of a very holy Man, can't but be very af- jiiciivc to him, I will but briefly handle this Point 5 and therefore fhall only, I. Give the Reafons of it. And then, |- II. Apply it. J* I. For the Reafons of the Point. Fa- j, mily Affiidlions muft needs make deep Imprcffions on the Heart of a Saint. T. Becaufe of that tender, and fome- I. times too great AfFeftion that he bears towards thofe of his own Houfe. God who kno^vs our Make and Frame, and how ftrongly our Pulfe does beat towards thofe that are nearly related to us, hath, for that very reafon, wifely enforced Obedience to his Commands by Argu- ments drawn from this Head, Promifes of Mercy, and Threatnings of Judgments upon' our Families. Nature teaches us to love thefe, and Grace (which gives a Heart of Fleih) does further incline us fo to do. And fuch is our Folly, that herein we hardly know any Bounds 5 we open the Floud-gatcs and pour out our Affli- ctions in a full Stream, and are apt to think we do w^ll even when ive exceed. F 5 For 70 The Reafin why Family Affli&ions For ought that I can obferve , inordi- nate affeftion to em is one of the mofk common fins among good Men, which they arc hardly cured of either by faving Grace or the fcvereft Providences. Tis the laji Evil that is mortified in em. When they come to die themfelves, and are dead to all things elfe, 'tis difficult to die to them. Men naturally look back very wifhly upon them, juft as they them- felves are putting off from the flioar of Narrifons ^^^s World, and launching forth into lop. Sac. Eternity : They have much a do then to fhake Hands with them, and bid them farewel with any Spirit and Courage. Wh:it muft it be then, and how will it m?ke their Bowels to yearn, and their Hearts to turn and boil within 'em, when they fee Calamities faften upon 'em. Wants pinching em. Pains griping, Difeafes wafting, and Death fei'^ing 'em, and tho' they look 'em in the Face, not to be able to help 'em any other way, but by pouring out a fhower of Tears over 'em, lifting up a few broken Prayers for 'em, niter- rupted with deep Sighs, and hollow Groans, longer than their Petitions for 'em } And all this while the life of Af- feftion is whole and ftrong. To have them fnacht away from us that are Flefh ofourFlefh, and Bone of our Bone, dear ., as the Apple of our Eye, as our own Souls, are griewiis to GoodMen. 7 1 Souls, yea that are our felves ^ This is like tearing off our Limbs while we are alive, yea rending afunder one Faculty of our Soul from another. The Spirit of a Man will fiiftain his own perfonal Infirmi- ties ^ but the Calamities of his Hojife pierce deeper, touch him to the quick, flrikelike a poifon'd Dagger plungM into and thro' his very Soul, and make his ♦Spirit to bleed and faint within him. IL Such fad Providences are apt to 11. bring Men's Sins to their Remembrance, and much diftrefs ferious Perfons if they can't find 'em out. The Head of a Fami- ly ftands in feveral very different relati- ons, and is apt, like a Watch that has many different Motions, to go wrong as to one of 'em at leaft 5 and 'tis well if it be not irregular and faulty in all. Few Men need to look long to find out the caufe of thofe Breaches which God makes upon 'em. The Root on which our Wormwood that is put into our Cup does grow, don't lye fo very deep under Ground as to require much digging to come at it. The light of Scripture will point it out, if Men have but a mind to fee, and Confcience fpeak in a Language eafie to be underftood if Men have but an Ear to hear. Now tis a melancholly thing to have Troubles >Yithout and Guilt within at one and the F 4 Tame 71 77;^ Rejfin why. Family Affli&ions fame timr. 'Tis i':^d indeed when a per- fbn (lialliay. My Husband, my VVite, my Children are (ick or dead, and my fins have wounded or flain 'em. My offences againd God open'd the Door at which the Enemy enter'd, and robbed me of my deareft Treafure, and buried it under Ground . Sometimes indeed, thefe and other Affli- ftion^ are not Puiiifhments of our Faults, but meer Trials of our Graces^ as is evi- dent from the cafe of Joh. You know the ample Teftimony God himfelf gives of him. And as for his Children, to be fure they were religioufly educated, and fecm to be piouOy inclined. Or elfe, fo many young Perfons fo often Feafting together, would have been guilty of great Extrava- gancies, and the Tidings of it would have come to the Ears of fo jealous a Father as J(jh wzs^ who, without queflion, had his Spies upx:n 'em:^ and he would not have (poken i'o doubtfully about *em as he does, only Tt K7/ty he that my Sofrs have fntted^ And cHrfcd God (not with their Tongues, '.V. 1. -. bt^O ip their Hearts^ i. e. have had llight and. irreverent Thoughts of him. And yet you know how fadly he was ftripp'd of all. But fuppofe this be the cafe, yetimder fofc Fanvily Afiliftions, a godly Man is ^ipt to be jealous oveihimielf with a godly are grievous to Good Men. 7^ Jealoufie 5 fufpicioiis that fome Sin or other IS the hidden Spring of all. Where- upon he is not a little concerned when he is forced to cry out, Shew me Lord^ for I am at a lofs, wherefore it is that thou Job lo.ai- contetjdifh with me. He cannot but be troubled, that when God writes bitter things againji him, 'tis in fuchaCharader that he is fore afraid he does not read aright, nor throughly underftand the fenfe and meaning of it, III. This mufi: be grievous to a Good IHo Man, becaufe of the difficulty of fup- prefling thofe Corruptions which are ac- cidentally awakened by fuch Providen- ces, and performing thofe Duties which they call for. There's a great Sediment at the bottom of every VefTel, and when 'tis much lliaken, no wonder if all that is within grow thick and muddy. Un- worthy ibfpicionsof God,hard thoughts of Providence, Swellings of heart againft the Decrees of Heaven, Envy at the profperity of others, and a great many other Evils we are liable unto upon fuch occaiions. Otherwife it would not have been fo fignally taken notice of as fo pe- culiar a (Iroke in Job's Charader, that ifi all this he finned not^ vor charged God fob 1.21. foolijhly. And 74 '^^ Reafeii why Family AffliB'ions And as there's great difficulty in re- lifting Evil, fo there isalfo in doing Good, and performing thofe Duties which fuch fevere ftrokes do call for. Tis our Duty indeed, and 'tis our Wifdom and Intereft: in fuch cafes, to humble our felves under God's Hand, fall down at his Foot 3 to hold our Peace, or if we do open our Mouths, to juftify Cod and condemn our felves 5 to adore and love him ftill, and keep to this as the ftanding Senfe of our Souls, that however it be, God is good to his Tfraetj even to all that arc of a clean heart. That all his ways are mercy and truths though fome fteps of his Providence are Dark and Intricate. To wait upon him in the way of his Judgments, and not have our hearts alienated from him by his fmarteft Rods. This is to Row againft Wind and Tide both. We (hall find there will be need of hard and con- tinued labour, and we fhall be often driven down by the violence of the Storm and ftrengthof the Current. Sometimes we (liall hQ able it may be to fall down and Adore, but by and by be ready to murmur and complain : be fubmiffive one Hour, and apt to quarrel the next. Now this upon Reflcftion will be uneafie to a Holy Soul. When he recollefts himfelf, the good Principle within will rife up in hatred of, and opposition againft fuch lintor are grievous to Good Men. yy untoward changes as thefe. Sf^relji I have not the tmderfianding of a Man^ much lefs the Faith of a Chriftian. / have been as i, and I am 'commanded to perform them, that I may not mifs of theBlefiings of it : So that to believe on our Lord Jefus Chrift is not Prefumption but Obedi- ence ^ and if I do not do fo, I am guilty of Rebellion againft God, as well as of murdering my own Soul. And that I may the more cffeftually be quicken d to my Duty in order to myfafety, the feve- reft Threatenings are fuper-added^ be- caufc God who underftands our untoward Make and Frame, knows, that were it not for the fears of Hell, Heaven would be an empty place. For there the Work does generally begin. Grace indeed fliincs and rc/gns through- out the whole of the Covenant. So de- firous is Cod of my Eternal Welfare, that he tries to do me good by all manner of Me- of the Covenan t of Grace. ? 5 Methods. He endeavours to work on my Itjgenmty^ by his love in ChriO: 5 for he propounds to me a Covenant of Recon- ciliation and Friendfliip, founded in the Bloud of his own dear Son. And he makes ufe of his Soveraign Authority^ commanding me to accept of his Cove- nant, that it may go well with me for ever. He allures mealfo to doit by the ex- ceeding greatnefs of his precious Prormfes^ efpecially that great Promife of Eten/al Life, And to make all fure, heconftrains me by the feverity of his Threatemr7gs^ and efpecially that terrible one of exquifite, univerfal, everlaflhg Mifery ^ that fo by the Fears of Hell, if nothing elfe will do, he may compel me to enter mto Hea- ven. Now all thefe Motives are the higheft and ftrongeft in their feveral kinds. What greater Argument can be propofed to work upon higemtity, than what is drawn from his Love in Chrift ? There can be no greater Authority than that of God, whereby I am ftraitly required to Repent that I may not perifh, and believe on Jefus Chrift, that I may be faved. Nothing greater than Heaven can be Promifcd 5 nothing more frightfui than Hell can be Threatened, Here is GRACE, that no Method is left unattcmpted, that's proper to vork upon a reafonable Creature. G 3 For 86 A Difcourfe of the Nature For if all thefe Four greateft Weights to- gether will not move all the Springs of Hamane Aftion within, no Motives can make *em ftir. 2. The Covenant of Grace is of the fame General Nature with Human Cove- nants. This I think will appear from that Pafiage of the Apoftle, where to prove that the Covenant of God in Chrift made with Abraham could not be deftroyed by the Law that was given Four Hundred and Thirty Years after, ufes this Argument, viz. J hat tho* it be hut d Mans Covenant^ yet if it he confirm- ed^ no Man difamtlleth or addeth there- nnto. Now if it fo in an Honeft Man's Covenant, 'tis much more fo in God's. The whole weight of the Apoftle's Argu- ment leans upon this Suppofition, that the Covenant of Grace is of the fame Nature with Humane Covenants 5 for otherwife there could be no ftrength in jiis arguing from the one to the other. 5. A Hamane Covenant is a mutual Agreement between two Parties (or more) binding thcmfelves to each other upon certain Terms. Do but confult your own Thoughts about the matter, what do you cnean when you fpeak of a Covenant be- tween your felves and any of your Neigh- bours, and you will presently fee this is what you underftand thereby, Thorp ef the Covenant of Grace. 87 There are certain Terffts in a Cove- nant, which makes a Covenant differ from an abfolute Promife. And the Parties, Two (or more) do mutually bind themfelves to each other 5 which makes the difference between a Promife and a Covenant. For a Promife may bind but one Party only 5 whither it be Abfolute or Conditional. Now hence it follows. 4. And Laflly, That the Covenant of Grace is a mutual Agreement between Cod thro' Chrift on the one hand, and fallen Man on the other, wherein they mutually Engage themfelves to each other upon certain Terms. God engages in and thro* Chrift to blefs us ^ and we by the help of his Grace, engage our felves to obey him, that fo we may be bleffed by him. He thro* the Mediator, promifes to be our God, and we confent to be his People. He promifes Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal Blelfings to us upon fuppofi- tion of our Faith, Repentance and Perfe- verence, which by his Spirit he enables us to perform. And we engage to Believe, Repent, and Perfevere by the help of his Spirit, as ever we hope to obtain thofe BlefTnigs. I fhall have occafion hereafter to treat of thefe particular BlcfTings, and of the Terms or Condition. All that I fhall G 4 now 88 A Difcourfe of the Nature now further add upon this Head, fhall be with refpcft to the Federating Parties, which I have faid to be God in and thro' Chrift on the one hand, and fal/en Man on the other. There has been a debate among Divines, whither the Covenant of Grace were made with Chrift : Which hath been occafion'd Gal. 3. by that PalTage of the Apoftle, Now to ^^' Abraham and hk Seed were the Prowifes Made : He faith tiot^ And to Seeds ^ as of many^ but as ofonc^ And to thy Seed^ which is Chrift. Now this feme imderftand of Chrift Myftical^ i. e. the Church or Be- lievers : Others, of Chrift Pfr/^;/^/ : And others of Both, Not to trouble you with the Arguments on one fide or t'other -^ a little Light will end thofe Debates which Heat has kindled. A good diftinftion will often do more than many Arguments to decide a Controverfie. To ftate this Point clearly is to end it. Which there- fore I Ihall attempt in thefe Three follow- ing Particulars. (i) 'Tis plain, that the Covenant of Grace is not made with our L.ord Jefus Chrift exchifivcly of all Mankind. An the very Scripture now before 175, the Apoftle faith, the Promife was made to Abraham himfelf as well as to his '^q^A^ whoever be meant by that Seed of his. And fays Davidmnvj Text, Ec hath made with ME An eyerlafting Covenant, (2) Tha^ of the Covenant of Grace, 8 j (2) That the Covenant of Grace was made with Cfmft in fome Senfe is true, provided it be rightly underftood. 7. e. He niuft be confidcr'd, not in a private, but in his publick Capacity ^ as the Lord Redeemer 5 as the fecond Adam 3 as the Head of the Eleft 3 and in and through him the Covenant is made with them as his Seed. The meaning of which is but this, viz. That God engaged to Chrifl:, that we fhould be blefled by him here, and hereafter, provided that we did per- form the Duties and Terms of Repentance, Faith and Perfeverence in a courfe of holy Obedience, which by his fpecial Grace he will enable his People to do, that fo he may have a Generation to lerve him here, and be faved by him hereafter, and his Soul be fatisfied therein, that he has not run in vain, nor laboured in vain. So that in all things Chrift has (as 'tis fit he fliouldhave) i\iQl?re-ewi?7cnce -^ we claim- ing all by and under him, by vertue of our Union or Relation to him. Which I take to be by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption and to be one of the Articles of it : So that the Covenant of Grace grows out of the Covenant oi Redemption, as a Branch from the Body of a Tree 5 or 'ts^ built upon it as its Balis or Founda- doUp (3) If JO A DifcQurfe of the Nature (5 J If by the Perfons with whom the Covenant is made, be meant they who are bound perfonally to perform the Du- ties, and who are to enjoy the Bleflings of it, the Covenant is made with fallen Man only^ and not with our Lord Jefus Chrift. For 'tis we that are bound to Beheve and Repent 5 Chrift does not Be- lieve or Repent for us. Tis we that are pardon'd and not Chrift 5 we that arc faved from Hell and eternal Ruin, which he never deferved, nor was in danger of. And if we do not Repent and Believe, we are the perfons that fhall neither be pardon'd here nor faved hereafter. Chrift had no fins to be forgiven ^ and when ours were imputed to him, he was not fpared, but made full fatisfaftion, nothing being remitted to him. The Command and the Motives are addrefied to us : We are re- quired to lav hold on the Covenant, and confent to it, or elfe we Ihall perifli. For tho' God hath fworn as he lives, he defires not the death of a Sinner, yet he is not fo fond of our living, as to aboliili the Conftitution which he has fo wifely fettled in his holy Gofpel. We muft turn or elfe we fhall dye 5 we muft repent, or elfe after all we ihall periili ^ and believe, or elfe we fhall be damned. Says BHdad 7o3. 18.4. ^O J'^^i Shdll the Earth beforfakcn for thee .'/V/^^, while he was on the Wing, haf^ening with the fwiftnefs and cruelty of an Eagle to de- vour his Followers ^ and in the twinkling of an Eye brought him down almofl: dead at his Foot, crying out, ZW, rvhat mU thou have me to do .«? I do not therefore alTert, that the Pro- mifeof thefirQ:fpecial Grace is Conditional finely and properly fpea/Jng. Let it pnfs for Mfolute ^ but then let that be rightly underftood. Tis not fo AhfoUtte as to render needlefs the ufc of God's appointed Means for obtaining the faid Grace. As ^s mofl evident from Reafon and Scrip- turco 37- with refpeFl to Spiritual Blejfings. 109 ture. From Rcafi^. Why does God a p- Eoiiit Means i^ fure not to be neglefted, ut to be diligently ufed in order to at- tain the End. From Scripture too. We find in Ezekiel's Prophecy, a proniife of the firft faving Grace as Abfolufe as any in the whole Book of God. A ficw he^rt ^^^^p ^^^ will I givey ou^ and a mw fpirit will I put ;6, 27. mthin yoH^ &c. But is this Promife fo Abfolute, as to render the ufe of Means on our part altogether needlefs for the fulfilling of it } No. The contrary is plainly laid down in the following words, Thm faith the Lord God, I will yet for all y^ this be efiqmred of by the hotfe of Ifracl to do it for them. And if Prayer be requifite, the ufe of all other proper Means is fo too ^ for to ufe the one and negled the other, is not to pray to God but to mock and affront him to his Face while we bow the Knee before him. 2. The Members of the vifibJe Church have confiderab'e Helps and Means for obtaining this firft fpecial Grace. They have outward and inward onCs : Outward ones ^ for they enjoy the Gofpel. which in contradiOindion from the Jewifh Dif- penfatiou ("tho' that too was a Religion from Heaven) is called the Mimflration of the Spirit : and they have the advan- tage of a ftanding Viiniftry, and the pub- lick Preachiog of God's holy Word. They no The Covenant well Ordered They have alfo Inward Helps : the ufe of Reafon and power of Confideration, which has a mighty force in it when awa- ken'd by the great Truths of the Scrip- tures, and fdrr'd up by the kindly Mo- tions of the Spirit. They have many an Arrow of Conviftion, many a Pang of Fear, many a Beam of Light, manyfpark- ling Delires, flafliy Purpofes, flight Taftes, and fweet Relirties of the Word of God, and feel the powers of the World to come : So that fometimes they will tremble like a Leaf m a windy day, weep like a Cloud in a rainy Seafon, melt like Snow before the warm Sun 5 and are brought on to the very Borders of the Kingdom of God. Now thefe Mtans and Help? have a tendency towards fpecial Grace 5 for other- wife they could not be calPd Helps and Means of Grace (They are fure, very odd Helps , and very nn account able Mcans^ tphich do not at all had tovpards the end^ Other wife it would be abfurd to give Men Dire^ions in order to Regeneration ^ and thefe Diredions among others, viz,. That they fhould confider and (liew them- (elves Men, Pray, Read, attend on the publick Preaching of the Word, and no more rebel againft Confcience or the Spirit, d^c. which yet are the common Prefcrip- tions given by all forts of Divines 5 and very wholfome ones they be. Briefljr. with refpeff to Spiritual BleJJings. 1 1 1 Briefly. Every Man under the Gofpel hath this daj/ of Grace ^ a day it is with refpeci: to Light and Influence from Hea- ven. If this be wickedly finnd away, then they have outlived all pofllbility of Converiion. It was poflible therefore hefore this day of Grace ended, that they might have been converted. Otherwife I know not what Senfe to make of thofe awful Words of our Saviour, where f peak- ing of the righteous Judgment of God upon obftinate Sinners, he faith, that fee- j^^rk, 4; ing they may fee and not perceive^ and hear- ing they may hear and not underflandy lejl at any time, (i. e.any time after this hea- vy doom was pronounced upon em) they Jhould he converted* Why, then they might have been fo before. When this day is gone, the things that belong to Mens peace are hid from their Eyes 5 therefore //// then they were not fo. Hence it fol- lows. 9. That if thofe Men who have fuch Helps and Means, die without faving Grace it is their own Fault. A fault I fuppofe it will be granted to be. (For we are commanded to make to our felves ncvp Hearts ajid nevp Spirits 5 and tho' we arc not able to do this, yet we are rigli- teoufly bound to it ^ and that fo much the rather, becaufe we are direfted whither to apply our felves, even to one who is . able 112 The Covenant well Ordered able and willing to do it for us.) Now if it be a Fault to live and dye without renewing Grace, only defiring Men to beware of Blafphemy, I would ask whofi Fanlt it is bnt their own ? Says Mofcs to the Ifraelites, fuch and fuch Methods have Duet. 2$. been tried with you, and yet the Lord hath ^' not given you an heart to perceive^ and eyes to fee and ears to hear unto this day. *Tis plain from the Context, that the fe words are brought in, not to roll of the blame on God, but to fix: the reproach of it upon themfelves ^ not to excufe, but to aggravate their fin and folly. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive to this day. 'The Lord who is fo very gra- cious, fo ready to give, who is fo nearly related to you, who are his profeiTed pe- culiar People and have his Word and Ordinances fet up among you, and who hath tryed fo many different Methods to reclaim you ^ yet this LORD has not given fuch a heart to you to this day : Which is a plain Argument againft you that you are a very wicked, ftubborii, perverfe Generation ^ orelfey;/f/) a Lord as he would have given you a heart to per- ceive, and eyes to fee, and cars to hear long e'er this. 4. No Man knows when thefe Helps and Means iliall be withdrawn ^ This day of Grace (1li 11 end. God fays, To day if "f yju with refpe& io Spiritml Blejfings, 1 1 3 you vpill hear his Voice, harden not your hearts. And he hath not promis'd that he will wait for our Refolutions till to mor- row comes. He hath given us no aflii- ranee, that if io much as one Sermon be defpifed, or one motion of his Spirit be baffled and quench'd, we (hall have a fc- cond. We are apt to think, it may be, that if Men knew which would be the lafl Call or Motion that ever they fiiould have, it would have been better 3 for then doubt- lefs they would yield a ready compliance with it. And we judge foolifhly in this matter. For ejc/rrf^r«s//Wry Methods muft have been taken to have inform'd Men of this. Ei-»- ther it muft have been by an audible Voice from Heaven, or by Revelation to his Prophets, or by practer-natural hmtU fes and St/j^gefiioHA to the Spirit of every Man in particular. But what reafon is there for any of thefe ? That God fhould take fuch Methods as are not very proper to be ufed with Reafonable Creatures ? However^ that he (houki go out of his ufual Road, aft in fuch extraordinary methods meerly for the reclaiming of ob- ftinate Sinners, who will not be won upon by his own ftated appointed Means which he hath lb wifely fetled 5 and do Miracles every day for the faving perverfe Sinners from that ruin they are madly and inflexi- ^ I bly 114. The Covenant well Ordered bly bent upon. Probably it would do no good if he fliould. Men are not fb for- ward to believe the Warnings andThreat- ningsof God,but that if he told e'mthisis the /^y? Summons , they would vainly flat- ter themfelves that ft ill they ihould have more. They would perfwade themfelves, and one another, that if fuch a thing were intimated to them by a Voice from Heaven, or by an inward Impnlfe on their own Spirits, that this v/as but a fancied Sound, a black Vapour, a melancholly Fancy ^ as now they do with reference to thofe Fears and Convidions which they have lain under, when once they are paft, and return to their Health and jovial Companions. And if Mimflers in God's Name fhould tell 'em this, they would fay thefe were only the idle Sayings of a pack of fowr and moifts Wretches, who under a pretence of blowing the Gofpel Trumpet, arc delighted to fright Men perpetually with falfe Alarms, and tor- ment 'em by repeating the difmal Dreams of their own crazed Heads, and fickly Imaginations ^ as they now fay when we lay before them the fevere Threatningsof the Word. They vv^ould ftill vainly pro- mife themfelves farther Warnings from the bound lefs Mercy of God as now they do. Chrifthimfelf tells us, Luke 16. 31. That extraordinary, even miraculous Me- thods with reffeS to Spiritual Blejfings. 1 1 5 tiiods will do no good where the iifual ordinary Means of Grace have no fuccefs. And as this would anfwer no good End, fo it would naturally tend to every evil one thro' the Corruption of Human Na- ture. For Men would then fay vwhat they now do, but then with more Reafon) 'tis time enough yet : So rh.uch yet we have good : We may fafely venture a little longer, for there are yet fo many Motions of God's Spirit behind which we fiiall have, tho' thefe be quench'd. But God would not have one of the Calls of his Word, Entreaties of his Embafladors, fo much as one of the ftrivings of his Spirit neglefted or refifted 5 nor is it fit any one of them fhould. He would not tempt Men to do fo by giving them pro- mi fes of another^ but would quicken us immediately to hearken, by leaving us at an utter uncertainty whither the prefent, if refufed, iliall not be the only one, yea the very Firfl be alfo our Laji. But yet, 5. He is not wont to be very quick, hafty and lliarp upon Men. He ufually wnits long, ftrives much, deals often with Sinners before he abandons 'em ^ aud th.en too he leifurcly withdraws, that Men by feeling themfelves a dying by little and little, may bethink themfelves before it be too late. The motions of the Spirit are like the curling Circles m the Water, * I 2 v/hich 1 1 6 The Covenant well Ordered which by degrees grow weaker and fainter, and 'tis fometime ere the wrinkled Face of the Stream becomes even and fmooth Prov.i. again. Hono lor?g ye fiwple ones will ye a2. love Jimplicity .p thy f'oicc for ZJndcrfla?nijng : If thou fcekejl her as Si her ^ and jearchcfi for her as hiddeji Trcafnres -^ then [I?alt thou m/der- Jland the fear of the ' ord^ and find the knowledge of God : For thz Lord giveth ^7v. u li }fdon/. fitrn ye at my reproof and I j,^* ^^ will pour out my Sp'^rit upon yon. Incline your with reffeSi to Spiritual Blejfings. 1 1 J your Ear and come unto mc^ hear and your Souls JJ-all live J and I will make an ever- lajiing Cov77ant with you^ even the fure Mercies of David. So nrach for that firfl Point of the firft fpecial Grace. II. That the Covenant is well ordePd II. with rcfped to the fpiritual Bleffings of it will further appear, becaufe therein Pro- vifion is made, that the Principle of fa- ving Grace where 'tis oncebeftowed, (hall never 4:otallv or finally fail. Not but that Grace in it felf is a lofeable thing. The Heavenly Plant is fo weak and feeble, and the Ground is fo foft and yeilding, and at beft hangs fo loofely about its ten- der Roots, that it would be prefently plucked up by an eafie Hand, were it not for the Almighty Power of God, where- with 'tis covered and defended. For the Covenant, as my Text tells you, is ever- l a fling and fure ^ God will never turn away from the doing 'em good ^ his loving kind- J^ '^^^' nefs he will not utterly take from 'e^/, nor fuffer his faithfidncfs to fail : And to pre- vent a total-Rupture on their fide, one of the Articles of the Covenant which he has undertaken for is this, that he will put his fear into them that they flmll not de- part from him. And if they do ftraggle, i^ic will reclaim 'em from the wrong Steps they 124 The Covenant veil Ordered they take, by his merciful and reafonable Chaftifcments of *em for their Folly and Wandring. Nor is this to be evaded by faying, that hereby is meanr not the Ifffallibility of the Evevt, but only the Intent and Defign of God, to incline and difpofe them to per- fevere, which after all may be fruftrated and take no effeft, thro' the perverfenefs of the voluble Will of Man : as will ap- pear if you do but obferve how the Apo- //?&. 8. ftle brings in this Prom ife. For fpeaking 7, 8. 9' of that Covenant which God had made with Ifrael when he brought them out of the Land of Egypt^ he fays, God found fault with it, and therefore makes a new one : And this was the fault he found with it, that thofe with whom it was made, continued not in it, and thereupon, faith he, / regarded them not. Now in direct oppolition hereunto, God promifes to enter into a nevo Covenant with his People, that fhould be fo contrived as not to have that Imperfeftion in it 3 but it iliould be fuch a one, that the Knot fliould be tied fo faft between him and them, as never to be undone again, but the Relation fliould always remain. in. This Covenant promifcth initial Repentance and Faith, and al^ares us of the acceptance and reward of finccre, tho' but with refpe^ to Spiritual Blejfings. 1 15 but weak and mean Services. Of which I fliali treat hereafter, when I come to difcourfe of the Terms of the Covenant. IV. It promifes continued and renewed Pardon, and ftanding Peace with God and Confcience, notwithftanding fins of Infirmity (truly fo called, if heartily be- wailed and ferioully oppofed.) Thefefhall no more keep off the light of God's Coun- tenance, than Motes that flye up and down in the Air darken the Heavens, or keep off the Beams of the Sun. V. Tho' it don't promife (landing Comfort to holy Men that commit wilful heinous Sins, yet it promifes renewed Pardon of them upon renewal of their Faith and Repentance. This I will open in both the Branches of it. I. It don't promife (landing Comfort to holy Men that commit wilful heinous Sins. We had need to have a care what we do ^ for our God will not be mocked. ' There's no fafe playing with the Thun- der of Heaven. A fingle aft of fuch a Sin may break our Peace, darken our Souls, terrific our Confcienccs, and make miferable work within while we live, and when we come to dye too. But yet, 2. If Il6 The Covenant well Ordered 2. If a Man has been guilty of fucli Follies, the Covenant promifeth renewed Pardon upon the renewal of his Repen- tance and Faith. Tho' he hath forgotten himfelf, kt him remember Chrift 5 For if any M.a.}i ftft we have him as<7//r Advo- cate with the Father ^ and ifjvecofrfejsand forfake our Sins, God kjufl and faithful to forgive ''em. Such a Man's Condition, fo humbling himfelf, will befafe, tho' it may be very uncomfortable for a long time : And therefore God ufually makes it un- comfortable, that it may be fafe. For the Hidings of God's Face, Frowns of Providence, and Stings of Confcience are the ufual Methods to recover fuch a Man, and conftrain him to renew his Faith and Repentance, that they may not fail, and fo his Soul may not be loft for ever : As Thunder clears the Air of thofe malig- nant Vapours which other wife w^ould be the caufe of many mortal Difeafcs. And this Conlideration alone is fufficient to wipe off that Afperfion that is wont to be caft on the Dodrine of Perfeverance^ viz. That^t opens a wide Gap to loofe and careleis walking. We muftnot take Truths in their fingle Afpeft, but in their Cor?}7eciio}7. The Hand of a Man chopt off is a very unpleafing, frightful fight, tho' it looks very amiable as united to the Body. There is the Qrace^ but then there with refpefl to Spiritual Blejftngs. i ay there is the Rod of the Covenant too. God promifes Perfeverance :^ but withal he feverely threatens wilful Declinings, which will caufe very (harp Pains, tho' care will be taken they (hall not de fa^o, iflue in Death. He rvi// trot utterly take away his loving hindnefs^ but the Sejije of it he will ^ fuch Iniquities will he vifit with a Rod, and fuch Tranfgirjjions with a Stripe, He will do the latter, becaufe he will not, and that he may not do the former. VI. Laftly, The Covenant does pro- yi mife conditional Grace, to preferve us from fitch Sins, and inward Peace (ordi- ^''^'' .o" narily) if we thereby keep our felves from '^^ *^ ' 'em. Mv meaning is, that there are ma- ny Duties required at our Hands, viz,. That we Watch and Pray, (land upon our Guard, and not run our felves into Temp- tation, that weftir up the Grace of God, and walk in the Spirit, that we truft in God and carry it humbly, &c. Which if we do, he will give more Grace, and keep us from thofe vile Sins, that wafle our Confciences and break the peace of our Souls; The further Supplies of the Spirit in order thereunto being given forth as a gracious Reward, when we do thefe things 5 ai-yi with-held as a juft Punifhment when we negledt 'em. Daily experience tefti- I a8 The Covenant well Ordered tcftifies the truth of this. Do but ask the People of God when they have been over- taken wirh fuch Faults, how did this come about > Says one, I negleded Morning Prayer 4 I went out Fafting, whereupon the ill Scents affefted my Head, and fo I OaggerM and fell. Another will tell you. It was with me as with Hezekiah, when his Heart was lifted up ^ wherefore God left him to himfelf, \vhereupon \h.tfivelUf7g of his Miml was much more mifcbievous to him than that of his Body 5 and he carried it as tho', like his own Sign which he chofe, he had been driven back (in Grace) as many Degrees as the Sun upon the Dial of Ahaz. A third will acknow- ledge, I ran my felf into Temptation, and fo my Foot was caught in the Snare. I ventur'd near the Fire where I had no- thing to do, not hearkening to the Warn- ing that was given, and fo on a fudden I was blown up in the Air. In a word, ahfobtte freedom from all Sin is not promis'd in this World : That's like an high Hill on the Right Hand, the top whereof a Saint cannot reach 5 'tis far above him, tho' he look wilTily towards it. Total Apoflacy is provided againft. That's a ftecD Rock on the Left Hand, down which he Ihall never fall. But then between thefe too, there's many a plea- fant Path on this fide, and many a dan- gerous with refpeff to Spirittiat Blejfings. t ^9 gerous miry Hole on that 5 and we many- times wander from the one, and tumble into the other, to the lofs of our Inno- cence and Peace ^ and the Grace of God don't keep us, becaufe we don't keep our ijohn^A* felves^ but negleft thofe Duties which are the Means and Conditions of receiving that Grace of his in order thereunto. Whereas were we not Faulty, we fhould enjoy liberal Supplies of it, and then for Holinefs and Comfort, we fhould be like a Field that the Lord hath bleffed, ftrongly fenc'd in from devouring Beads, and filourifhing under the clear Beams and the refrefliing Dews of Heaven. Thushavelihewnyou, that the Cove- venant as to the Spiritual Bleflings of it is well order*d^ becaufe excellent Provi" fion is made therein for the Glory of God, the Duty, Comfort, and Happinefs of Man. It will be necdlefs to infift long on the proof of its being well order d in the other refped, viz. That therein wife Pro- vifion is alfo made for the Honour of Chrifl. For all that Grace that any of us have from firft to laft, and all the feve- ral degrees of it. Converting, exciting, ftrength'ning, prererving,recovering, fup- porting, chearing, comforting, ordinary of extraordinary, relative or real, is a Beam fhot forth from this Sun of Righ- teoufnefs, a Stream derived from this * R Foun- 1 2 o The Covenant well Ordered Fountain, who purchafed it for us, and conveys it to us, i» whom it pleajed the Father that all full nefs Jhottld dwell, as in a common Repofitory, that fo as hji hk Poverty fo out of his Treafures we might be made rich. Wherefore 'tis obfervable, that St. Vatd no lefs than feven times at the end of his Epiftles, fupprefllng the name both of the Father and of the Spirit^ withes the Dif- ciples Grace from Chrifl, mentioning his Name alone. Yea, and St. John that great lover of Him, who lay in his Ma- tter's Bofom, (hews that his Mafter lay very near his Heart, by clofing the Bible with a paffage to this purpofe. The Ca- non of the Old Teftament was lliut up with this Memento, Remember ye the Law Malacb^. of Mofes my Servant. The Canon of the 4* New Teftament is clofed up with thefe words. The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chriji Rev. 22. f>e with you all Amen. We often forget 2»« the beginning of a Book by that time we come to the end of it ^ but the lafi words that Men read, ftick by 'em. The Grace of our Lord Jcfus be with you^ are the very tajl words of the Bible, that whatever we forget, we may be ftire to remember this, how deeply we are indepted to him for all the Grace we either have or hope for. The Vfc of all is, to admire the IVifdom as well as the Grace of the Covenant, to labour with reJpeB to Spiritual BkJJings. 1 1 1 Icibour after an Interefl: in it, and betake Our felves to it under all our Affliftions, When our Spirits are ready to fink at the thoughts of thofe lolTcs we have fuftained. Jet us endeavour to raife 'em up again with fuch Thoughts as thefe, what tho^ God has deprived me of my neareft Rela- tions, and buried my deareft earthly Trea- fure under Ground, fo that I fhall fee it no more, hovv^ever he has given me more durable Riches, even his Grace and Peace, One half of my felfisdropt into the Grave, and the other, by the weight of Difeafes, as well as Inclination, is ready to fall after its dear Companion. But there is one Relation, viz. That between God in Chrift and my Soul, that can never be broken off. Death it fclf that is too hard for all others, fhall never break thefe Bands of Union. Tho' they fail me, wheii Breath failed them, tho' they leave me when God calls them away, yet He will never fail nor forfake. Wherefore rejoice O my Soul, /// the Lord^ and again I fay rejoice in him who is cofjtimtally with thee^ Tppho will guide thee by his Connfels^ and af- terwards recei-Ve thee /ay^ as to Dominion and Soveraignty. But when 'tis faid of any particular Body of Men by way of diftindion from the reft of Mankind, that the Moft High is their God, theirs in a Federal v/ay, by vertue of a Covenant of Grace, this im- plies, that they have a fpecial Propriety and Intereft in him 5 whence it follows, that he has a tranfcendent love for them. For as the Apoftle fpeaks, Hav'wg no f^eb.6.j6 greater a one to fvpear by, he five an by him- felf : So may I fay, having no greater a Gift, he gives Hi wfc If to 'em, to be theirs in a very diftinguilhing way, which he would never have done, had they not been accepted thro' his we //- be loved. For unlefs it be in and thro' his dear Son 5 for the fake of his meritorious Death and Sa- crifice and powerful Interceilion, fallen Creatures can have no fpecial comfortable Intereft in an infinitely juft and holy God, nor can they be the Objeds of his peculiar love and favour. But feeing K 4 they 136 Tl)e Covenant well Ordered they are fo by the bitter Paffion, and powerfiil Recommendation of one fo great, and fo dear to the Father as He 5 hence it follows, that fome very great and extraordinary Happinefs (hall one time or other be bellowed on 'em. For where-ever we have a fpecial Intcreft in a very mighty one, and he has a fpecial tranfcendent love for us, and are recom- mended to him by his moil: dearly Belo- ved, and intimate Relation and Friend, we do naturally and rationally conclude, that fome time other he will certainly do very conliderable things for us. And if God fhould never do fo for his People, it would be a reproach to him to raife and then vfock their Expeftations. Now ?/p^ thing like this is done for 'em in this World • 'tis therefore referved for 'em in the next, where it fliall be ^t^n to the fuj], what an advantage it is to fland in a Covenant-Relation to him, whofeWif- dom. Power, Love and Coodnefs, are Infinite and Eternal, all which are made over to them to be employed for them, and whaf all thefe taken in Ccnjundion can do, fhall then and there be done for them. Oiherwife the Expreflion that he is tkeir God^ would be like a big fwelling Word of a great Sound, but no Senfe at the boirom. Had they no better things than what they meet with here below, God's with reJpeSi to Eternal Blejfings, \7j God's Cevenatit would be Jike the Kaln- bore (which he once chofe to be a Sign of it) curioufly enamellM indeed and beau- tified with variety of imaginary Colours, fpringing from a mJxture of Light and Shade, but in reality is no other than a dark and muddy Vapour that pleafes the Eye, but then deceives the unwary be- holder. This will further appear, if you conli- der, 2. The Covenant-People of God them- fclves : Either their ftate in this World, or the pofture of their Souls in reference to another. (i.) Their ftate in this World. Moft of 'era enjoy but little, and fufFer very much in it, and that becaufe of their Re- lation 5 yea, on that account they many times enjoy lefs and fuffer more than others do, or than they themfelves other- wife would. He cuts them fliort becaule he is their God, and refolves fo to con- tinue. He therefore keeps 'em low, leaft earthly Prcfperity fliould make *em care- lefs in their Obedience to him, and weak- en their delight in himfelf who is and will be their Ruler, that fo he may be their chiefeft Happinefs. Wicked Men perfe- cuteandufe'cmvery hardly, becaufe they belong and refolve to prove loyal and fledfalt to him. They are true Sterling, and bear 1 3 8 The Co'uenant well Ordered bear his If^aq^e and Superfcription upon them 5 and therefore they are miferably dipt ^3.nd fometimes welted down : whereas were they Brafs or Reprobate Silver^ they would not be fo ferved. They are daily wreftling with ftrong Corruptions and violent Temptations ; groaning becaufe of the Imperfedion of their Graces and Duties : are never quite out of all danger, and fometimes under fharp fears of fal- ling into fcandalous fin. The fight of other Men's Mifcarriages, (efpecially if they are their near Relations) opens the fprings of Sorrow, fo that Rivers ef Tears run do,wfi their Eyes, And they are often very uneafiy in their own Minds, becaufe they are in the dark as to their Intereft in God. All this would be no more matter of difquict to them, than 'tis to others, werc it not for the good Principle within, fuitable to the relation wherein they ftand to him. If therefore there were no Heaven, the People of God would be Miferable on Hk Account. (2.) Confider the Pofture of their Souls, ^vith reference to Heaven. I. This is the main Motive that al- lures them to lay hold on God's Cove- nant. 'Tis this that gives a value to all the other Blcllings of the Covenant, whither Temporal or Spiritual ^ that they are Streams that iffue in Heaven at laft : with r effect to Eternal BleJJings. 1^9 laft : were it not To, the other Blellings ^vould make 'em more mijlrahle : Of which more hereafter. 2. Nothing but fuch an extraordinary- Future Happinefs, fuch as that of Hea- ven is, could keep 'em from breaking Co- venant with God. The Perfecutions and Troubles of the World on one hand 5 and the Pleafures and Delights of it on the other, are two mighty Engines, which Satan, a very fubtil Adverfary, imploys to draw away their Hearts from God and his Service ^ And thefe things are prefent, and ftrike ftrongly upon our Scnfes. Now Holy Men do not perfift in their Fidelity, from a blind Neceflity or a bru- tifli Inftind, or from Sullennefs and Ob- Itinacy, Will and Humour. But from Divinely rational Grounds, they being governed according to their Make and Frame, by right Reafon in fubferviency to the Influences of the Divine Spirit. The odioufnefs of Sin in its own nature, and the native Beauty of Holiners, tho" they are of ufe. yet like flender Cords, would be prefently broken by the vio- lence of the Storm, and they be driven on the Rocks making Ship-wrack of Faith and a good Confcience, were it not for the flieet Anchor, caft irithhz the FeiL They could not in qi rational way be kept 1 4.0 The Covenant well Ordered kept fteady to him, but by the promife of a very extraordinary Happinefs, (fuch as that of Heaven is,) that the ex- ceeding greatnefs of it may compenfate for its &ing Future and Invifble, and vaftly out-weigh whatfoever Arguments drawn from prefent and fenfible things may be offered to induce them to break their League with God. Laftly, Nothing but an extraordinary Happinefs hereafter can fatisfie their De- fires, and prevent their Paintings under all their Labours and Trials. 'Tis this that is the Objed of their Thoughts, their Faith, their Hope 5 which is their great Confolation in every ftate, more efpecially in an Afflided one 5 what they mod earneftly pant after. And the more Afflided and Holy they are, the more do they long for it. Their Hearts would often fail, but that looking up- wards, puts a new Life and Spirit into them. As if therefore they would prevent the Angels in their lafl: kind Office which they are appointed to do for them, every day their Souls are carried up to Heaven in Holy longings and Fervent defires. Thither do they flee upon the Wings of Faith, Love and Deiire, that fo their Souls may be at reft, for which they find no place here below. The Covenant there- fore is wifely ordered^ bccaufe fo "very Glorious with reJpeS to Eternal Blejfings. 1 4. i Glorious a Place is provided for all the Saints, without v»^hich, the main Atticle of the Covenant had been left out 5 the largcfl:, by far the Richeft Jewel in all the Crown, without which, the other little Gems and fparkling Diamonds, ("though now they are Additional Beau- tiesj would have been of little weight or worth. Remarkable to this purpofe is that ex- cellent palfage of the Apoftlc, Bnt novp Hsh. t\ they dejire a better Country^ that is an^^' Heavenly one 5 where jort he is not afljamed to be called their God 5 for he hath prepa- red for them a City. 'Tis Abraham^ Ifaac and Jacob the Apoftle fpeaks of. The moft High, faith he, k not ajhamed, i. e. he looks upon it as matter of Credit and Glory to him to be called their God. Now becaufe it might be asked, what Ihould be the ground of this } what fort of Men \Vere they ? they had indeed their numerous Flocks and Herds 5 but herein they were vaftly exceeded by the mighty Kings of Egypt and Ajfyria^ who were Men of great Renown, who had greater Droves of Men than thefe Patriarchs had of Sheep, whofe vSubjefts were as much their Property, whom they work'd, and fleec'd, and kill'd, and did cat up as freely, as they did their fmaller number of Cattle. Yea, thefe Monarchs fcivcd 14-^ The Covenant well Ordered fervcd their Slaves worfe than fo ^ they made them all nieer Beafts of Burden, and did at pleafure Eat and Drink their rery Blond ^ whereas the Patriarchs did not do fo by their Beafts. It might have looked Big and founded Great, for the moft High to have been ftiled the God of fuch mighty Emperors as thefe. But where is the Glory of (landing in fo near a Relation to fuch comparatively mean Perfons as Abrdfdam^ Ifaac and Jacob. Why, faith the Apoftle, a moft excellent Spirit was found in them ^ for they de- fire a better Country^ that is^ an Heavenly one : And a moft excellent Reward was provided for them, For he hath prepared a City for the^/. Tis the fime BlelTed Place^ viz. Heaven, that the Apoftle means by both thofe words,a Country and a City, The Scripture fets it forth to us by di- verfe Notions and Comparifons drawn from things obvious to our Senfes, the great Inlets of Knowledge, the better to help our I Jnderftandings in our Concep- tions of the Happincfs and Glory of it^ and the one of thefe is added to the other, to prevent our entertaining the leaft imagination of any dcfeft in the Beauties ot it, which we might have been tempted to, if one word alone had been made ufe of. Tis reprefented as a Country^ left if he had called it a City with refpeB to Eternal Blejfings. 1 4.5 City only, we fliould think it too ftraight a place, where we (hould have been in- commoded for want of Room or Air as Men life to be in a great City. But then *tis reprefented as a City too, which fig- nifies not only a Place made up of Re- gular and Stately Buildings, where there s a great deal of excellent Company to fuit every Mans Qemus^ plenty of all forts of Provifions for Neceffity and De- light too, where Men dwell together, converfe with, know and are in a capa- city on all thefe accounts of helping each other. But the word fignifies a State too, or Polity^ where Men are uni- ted under an excellent Government have noble Privileges, and live in great Love and Concord. By this term of a City is Heaven fct forth, left if he had called it a Coiwiry only, we fhould think it was but as a mean Cottage, or a lonely place where Men live fcatteringly from one another, as People in the Coimtry do. This was the place which they looked after. They did not Live and Aft like the Men of this World, whofe All lies here below, \\\ this place, which as a certain King is reported to have fnid of this Ifland of ours, is but a Shovel-full of Earth caft up in the midft of the Sea, They were not fucli fliort-(ighted, and of fo mean Spirits ^ they aimed higher, as high 1^4" ^^ Covenant well Ordered high as Heaven, and looked much fur- ther than Time, even into Eternity. Nor did they pleafe themfelves with Golden Dreams and vain Imaginations ^ for there really was fuch a Place as they fought after, provided for them. And 'tis obfervable, that the middle claufe of the verfe. He k not ajhamed to be catted their God^ is clofely connefted, both with the firfl: and the laft Claufe of the Verfe too. With the firfl:, by the Illative Particle Wherefore 5 and with the laft, by theCaufal Particle For. They defire A better Country^ that is tin Heavenly one 5 wherefore he k not nfhamed to he called their God. Nor is there any reafon on /j;s orvn part no more than on theirs that he fhould ^ for he hath prepared for them a City. Implying, that had it not been thus in both thefe refpeds, it would have been jnft matter of fhame to him to have ftood in fo peculiar a relation to them 5 but now he may with a great deal of Honour tohimfelf be called their God. And if it would have been a Refle- xion upon him to be fo ftyled, if he had not provided a Heaven for them ^ much more would it be fo to him to have been called the God of other Holy Men. For Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob were Rich Men, Courted by feveral Kings for their Allies ^ and were a forf of with re/peS to Eteriul Blejfings, 145 of petty Princes themfelves ^ whereas the generality of other' holy Men, efpe- cially under the Gofpel, were Poor when they became the Covenant Friends of God 5 or at lead were made fo, becaufe of their Alliance with him. II. That the Covenant of Grace is II. wifely and well ordered as to the Eter- nal Bleflings contained in it, will farther \ appear, if we confider the clearnefs and certainty of the Revelation and Promife of it. But now this muft be underftood of the laft and bed Edition of the Co- venant of Grace, which we are now under. For in the former ones, the Saints have had but a glimmering knowledge of it. They feem for fome Thoufands of Years to have but One promife of Heaven whereon to live 5 at leaO: we read of no other, z^/z.. That he \vould be their God : whence indeed it may be proved, that there is a future Reward for them 5 but then this requires Thought and Labour, and is inferrM by a long Chain of Inferences and Conclu- fions from it. And there was good Reafon for fuch a Condud. Chrift had not then Su ffer'd, nor was he Glorified. It was fit tiiat the great Prophet iliould come with the clea- red difcoveries, as of our Duty, fo of h ^ the The Covenant vpell Ordered the great Proniife, viz, that of Eternal Life ^ That his Coming might be more earneftly longed for to fet this and other Matters of moment in a dearer light, and be the more gladly welcomed when he did Appear. And becaufe it was the promife of Heaven that was to be the great Motive to win over Souls to him 5 and that in defpight of the ftrong Pre- judices of his own Crofs, and thofe bitter Sufferings which in thofe early Days, were fare to follow all thofe that followed him ^ and which more or lefs will be the Portion of his fincere Dif- ciples in all fucceeding Ages 5 more efpe- cially confidering, that (ince his appear- ing Temporal Bleffings are given forth with a more fparing hand than formerly they were under the Old Teftament Difpenfation. But we have no reafon to complain on any of thefe accounts, for Life And Im- mortality k fo brought to light by the Gof- pel 5 'tis fo very often, fo very plainly, fo very particularly promifed, we have fuch an Affurance of it from the Oath of God, the Death of Chrift, whereby the New Covenant is Ratified and Sealed, and by his fo well attefled Rcfurredion and Afcenfion, that there's no room left for Hcfitation about it. But this I ha\e with refpe^i to Eternal Blejjings. i^J have at large Difcourfed of elfe-where, ride p>e- aiid therefore fhall add no more* • fervathe Wherefore Sl! III. ..Let us confider the Method and III- Order 5f*God in beftowing thefe Eternal Mercies.: Which 1 fliall fpeak to in thefe Four Particulars. I. 'Tis not (ufiially) till after fome time of painful Service and Suffering. There is indeed a confidefable difficulty in this Point 5 confidering that Men are fundamentally fitted and qualified fot* the work and reward of Heaven as foon as ever they are Born again. While they are kept out of it, they are fubjed' to a great variety of fore Afflidions, liable to abundance of ftt^ong TemptJtions, daily groan under the dead weight of Corruption within,trembleat the thoughts and fears of one day or other falling by the Hand of Saul, to the wounding the Honour of God and Relieion, breaking the peace of their Confciences, defiling their Souls, and endangering their Eternal Salvation. Their Graces are fo imperfed, they are fo unlike to God, that they areatliamed of therafelves. Their Hearts are fet upon Heaven, 'tis their Duty and their Charafter to long for it. Their dciires after it are fome- times (liarpned by their tbre-taftes of it ■^ L 2 in I ij.8 31?^ Covenant well Ordered^ in joyful Communion with God in their Clofets and the Publick Aflemblies 5 whereupon they are ready to clap their Wings and flee away. And they would fo much the rather defire to be gone at fuch a time, becaufe as that Devout Man complained, 'tis Rara hora\ Brcvis mora^ their Hearts are like a heavy Bell, 'tis but feldom and with great pains they are raifed to fo exalted a Pitch 5 why then, O why does he not take em away in that bright Mhrnte, but delay it till they flat and fall again 5 and are not fo defirous of it .«? why does he not draw out their Breath while he is thus kiffmg them with the kifles of his Mouth, and take them up into his Bo- fom, when he hath thus Enfolded and Embraced them in the Arms of his Love? efpecially confidering the endeared AfFe- ftion that is between them and him > their Hope thus deferred makes their heart pek 5 but the granting the defires of mutual Lovers \s^ as a Tree of Life, But all thefe difficulties will be remo- ved, and the wife ordering of the Cove- nant in keeping Holy Men on the Earth for a Seafon, will appear if the follow- ing Particulars be confidered. (i .) Hereby the Divine Wifdom^Power, Faithfulnefs, Goodnefs and Grace do il- luftrioufly appear in the Condudt of Holy M«u with refpefi to Eternal Blejfings. 1 4.9 Men through this World : In fupplying their many daily Wants, ftrength'ning, upholding, preferving, recovering, and refreQiing their weary drooping Souls ^ carrying them fafely thro' a thoufand threatening Difficulties and Dangers, in fpight of all their numerous, potent, fubtil and malicious Enemies,who are perpetually hovering about em,watchingall Advanta- ges to cut 'em in pieces. All which ho- nour God would lofe, if in a Moment or two after their Converfion, they were tranflated into the Seat of the BletTed. (2.) Hereby there is fufficient time for the trial and exercife of their feveral Gra- ces. Some of 'em indeed, fuch as love i^God and Chrift, are never brought to perfection till they reach Heaven. But this Earth is the only place where they can be proved. Others of 'em, Such as Faith, Repentance, Patience, Self-denial, weanednefs from this World, Courage and Zeal for God, &c, are calculated meerly for the Meridian of this World, and muft be acted here, or no where. They fhall drop all their Corrnptio^s^ and flied fome of their Graces too as they af- cend. They fhall drop all their Cormpti- ons. When thefe heavenly Plants are taken up out of this to be fet in a better Soil, all the Filth and Mould that hangs about their Roots (hall be entirely brulht L 5 off. I g^^ *^^he Covenant well Ordered off. They fliall alfo part ^vith many' of their Graces. Several of thefe are lilce a rich enibroider'd Garment, which while a Man is in a cold Climate, do adorn and warm him too 5 but muft be laid afide when he comes into a warmer Region, becaufe there it would be mcer Cumber and Burden to him. So that thefe holy Principles, this divine Seed, would be fown in their Hearts to no purpofe, and God would have no Harveft of Glory from 'em, were his People immediately caught up into Heaven . Bat this is wifely defer'd forafeafonupon another account, mz. (x>) That the World may be edified, and the Honour and Interell- of God in it be promoted by em. The World indeed is not worthy of 'em, but it greatly needs 'em. And how fid would it be with this Earth of ours, if holy Men, as foon as ever they were made fo, lliould immedi- ately be hurried out of it. They muft tarry for a Seafon, that they may be a credit to him by the holinefs of their Lives, and fliew by the brightnefs of their Example how ufeful an Inftitution Chri- ftianity is 5 that they may efpoufe his Truth, bear up his Name, plead his Caufe, do fome good, if not on their Enemies, however aniong their Friends, Relations and Acquaintance, and efpecially among their Children and Servants ^ that new : .i ^ Ta« with refpeff to Eternal Blejfings» 151 Tapers may be lighted at their Lamp be- fore it goes out, left thereupon it be per- fedly dark. And how much does the welfare of the Church and State ^ the Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal good of many Souls depend on the Life of one good King^ one excellent Mimfter^ one godly Parent } How great a weight does Providence fometimes hang on one very (lender Thread ? All would fall to the Ground if that were broken. 'Tis true indeed, every Man's Life is not of fo great Moment 5 nor is he ca- pable of eminent Service. But there's no Man but what has at leafl: om Talent, if he has but a Heart to Trade with and improve it. Every little Fibre is of fom© ufe, tho' not of fo noble a one, nor is it abfolutely necelTary as the Vital Parts. Some Letters indeed there are in fome Words that are ufelefs, and don't contri- bute any thing towards the Pronuncia- tion. But no Chriftian need to be alto- gether infignificant. The Apoftle fuppo- fes, that the meaneft Servant (and Ser- vants in his time were meer Slaves, like the Blacks among us) might adorn theCokS- 5« do&rine of God our Saviour in all things 3 ^'^* for to them is that Exhortation direfted. And we have the lefs reafon to regret our being continued for a feafon in a place of Tryal and Service, becaufe till L 4 we 1^2 The Covenant well Ordered ■ , we were (livingly converted (and how long it was before we were fb, is beft known to God and our own Confci- ences, and fome of us have rcafon to be thankful that . 'tis fpread no fur- ther 5 but till then I fay) we did not ftrike o^/e true flroke. We did much againft God, but nothing for him. His Rule was not ferioufly minded, nor his Glory aimed at in any thingwe did, tho* good for the matter and fubftancc of it. It may be for Years together we have lived in open RebclUon againft God, and done a greatjdealof mifchieftoour felves and the Souls of others. 'Tis fit we fhould be continued on the Earth for fome Years to groan under the penal Fruits and EfFefts of our own Folhes, the "better to heighten our Repentance, to un- do as much as in us lies the Evil we have done, to fnatch thofe out of the Fire whom we have caft in, oratleaft to pluck others out 5 and by our good Converfa- tion for a long time, effedually to con- vince them who knew our evil Manners, that we are changed indeed and become other kind of Men, than once we were, which they will not be very forward to believe. And as for that Plea, Why does not God tranflate holy Souls while they are in the midft of their joyful Communion . . , with voith refpeS to Eternal Blejfmgs. \ c 3 with him, and carneftly defirous to be gone: Whereas if he deter it, their Minds will alter. I would ask, niuft God's Work be broken off in the middle, and he be a fufferer becaufe of his extraordi- nary kindnefs to us? Mqft we be taken off from Labour, becaufe we have had great Refrefhments } One would think that fhould rather be an Argument for our being continued than for being dif- mis'd from Service, which is fo great a help to enable us to hold out the longer in it ? His Harvefl: muft (land ftill, or he be at the expence of a Miracle to raife up another to fill up our room, and ftand in the Gap that our Lazinefs would make, for fear that other wife we fliould be out of Humour. (4) This is fo order'd, that God may give Heaven to his People as a Reward. For fo it is, according to that of the Apoftle, That ye may receive the Reward Cnbff. 5. of the Inheritance. 'Tis indeed the Gift ^•^' of God, and the Pnrchafe of Chrift ^ but 'tis withal the Reward of our Labour : Not of Merit indeed but of Grace 5 and fo it neceffarily implies a refped to fore- going Services. Now we are too much in hafte, if we are not willing to fight and conquer too before we have the Crown, and run the Race before we feize the Prize. Thefe 154 The Covenant well Ordered Thefe Four Confiderations fliew the Wifdoni of God in the Method and Order ofhisbefto^ving eternal Mercies, viz. Not till after fome time of painful Service and Suffering ^ and the Vanity of thofe Ob- jeftions that are made a.^ "nft it -^ the weaknefs whereof I (hall haveoccafion to touch further upon in fome of the fol- lowing Particulars. Therefore, 2. At the moft 'tis not long before a Saint (hall enter into Heaven. The Pa- triarchs indeed before the Floud, and quickly after it, waited a great many hundreds of Years. But there were pecu- liar Reafonsforit : That the Earth might be peopled : That Arts and Sciences ne- celfary for the Comfort of Man's Life might be invented and improved : That the Divine Oracles might be handed do\yn from Father to Son by Oral Tradi- tion. For that moft excellent of all Hu- m-^ne Inventions (if indeed it were a Humane, and not rather a Divine one, as many learned Men think) the Alphabet I mean, and Writing, were not then found out, or at leaft were not employed for the conveying down Divine Truths. Thefe Reafonsarenow ceas'd^ and God not being willing his People (hould be kept /^ lofig out of Heaven when there is not fo much ground for it, Life is now Ihort- with refpeti to Eteranal BleJJings* 1 5 5 fhort'ned. And 'tis obfervable, that the Years of Man firft began to be fo about the time of Mofes^ when the Will of God was firfl: committed to Writing 5 the ftandard of Humane Life continuing much the fame to this day as it was then reduced unto. 'Tis a comfortable Text to a good Man, that the days of our years are bttt thrcefcorc years and ten : Or at the utmoft ftretch, hut fim-fiore, and it may be a few Fra^ioKs (for we muft not talk of whole Numbers after that time) And it may be for a Reafon that I need not mention, fome of you are not willing it fliould be exadly known how much of that time is already run out. I am fure it would make fome of us bluili to think how much of it muft be cut off and thrown away as entirely loft, wherein we did nothing for God. Our Morning began in Darknefs. How thick that was, and ho\7 long it lifted before we av/aked out of fleep, is beft knov/n to God and our own Confciences 5 and we have it may be, great reafon to be thankful that it is fo. Making allowance for that, we may Juftly fay, the time is Jhort for the trial of our Faith, Patience, and Long-fuffering (which is but Patience drawn out to a Httle longer Thread) and then all the Glories of an everlafting Heaven are ours, 3. This 156 The Comnant xrtll Ordered 5. This time of :Service and Suffering is to ns very uncertain, tho^ it be before hand knov/n nnto God. Nothing is more uncertain than the Life of Men, the' they are ever fo young and hail. Even thofe whofe Original make is fo ftrong as to endure great Hardihips, are often carried off by little Accidents and flight Difeafes : Like Manna that was fo firm as to bear the being pounded in a Mortar, or ground in a Mill or baked in an Oven ^ yet melted away before the gentle heat of the rifing Sun. And the Divine Wifdom appears in thus contriving the matter , whither he has determin'd to tranflate us to Heaven while v/e are young, or in our riper and more advanced Years. Indeed if we knew before hand, that we (hould be caught up into Heaven while we are young (which it may be God has decreed) we fancy this would make us very ferious, diligent, circumfped in our walk, and mightily weaned from the World, &r. But then if we were fo, it would look rather like Force than Incli- nation^ and would be no very clear Ar- gument of a truly holy temper of Soul. For this is no more than the worft of Men, yea the vileft Malefadors will pre- tend to with a great deal of Teeming feri- oufnefs, when their days are numbred, and they know they mufl: die within a very xvhh reffeH to Eternal BleJ/ings. 1 57 very narrow compafs of time. But then it is not much regarded, unlefs it be by a few who from an Excefs of Charity, are willing to hope well of others on very (lender grounds. For 'tis not the iriward Spring of Lovc^ fo much as Fear that hangs like a dead weight upon their Spirits, which fets 'em a going after this fort. All our contempt of the World, our florid Speeches of Heaven, yea, the whole of our Religion would be thought to be the meer produd of our Me- lancholy Circumftances, and Men would conclude, that were we fure of holding out to extreme Old Age, we (hould na- turally give our felves as great a loofe, as the reft of Mankind. This would put a flnr upon all that we do ^ fo it would put a flop to many other Inftances of our Duty. Some who ^each Heaven betimes, are very fcrviceable to God and their Gene- ration in Church and State, by Tnduftry in their Callings, Innocent and Chearful Converfe with their Relations and Friends, and make a great Improvement in ufeful Arts and Sciences. But what a check would it be uoon their dilis^ence, if they knew before hind, they muft juft be (hewn to the World, and then fnatch'd out of it } Men would then think it decent to throv/ off the affairs of 15S The Covenant XT ell Ordered of Life, difmifs their Earthly Bufinefs* apply themfelves meerly to Adts of De- votion, and run out of the World be- fore God calls them out of it. On the other hand, did we certainly fore-know, what it may be God has de- termin'd, that we fhoukl live a very long while ^ we fliould be apt to trifle away our precious Hours, and contentedly continue under the guilt of wilful (ins, faying within our felves we have time enough before us. We (hould be very fond of this Earth, full of anxious Thoughts and pale Fears, eager and greedy in our Purfuits after it, as ha^ ving fomany Neceffities to provide for, and fo many Years to fpend in it, and a large Family to provide for ^ abundance of Forrage muft be gathered for a nu- merous Army that is to March a great way through a Barren O Aintry. The Temptations of this World would be (Ironger 5 while the Hopes and Fears of the next, being like the Sun in Win- ter at a great dillancc, would have but a weak influence upon us. It may be too fometimcs we (hould be difcouraged, to think we have fo many Years of hard Labour yet to come 5 which would make us fire^it ami faint. For Thought and Fear will do that as much as the fcorching Heut and hard La- bour*. vphh refpeff to Eternal Blejfings. 159 bour. 'Tis enough to make a Man uneafie before his time, to have fuch a gloomy fore-fight of his Affairs as this 5 * I fhall live till I am very Old, and ' the World will be weary of me ^ my ' Relations will be as fick of me, as ' I of my Difeafe, and I be a burden ' to them as well as to my felf. They'll * think it long till a puff of wind comes ' to carry away the dry withered Leaf, ' and will be ready to fweep it away * themfelves. I fhall out-live my time * of Service, and be defpifed in my Old * Age. In the end of my Life I fhall * be like a Did^ which Men reforted to, ' while it was day, and the Sun ihonc * upon it 5 but though the former Lines ' remain, yet when the Evening comes * no Man turns afide to it, but pafTes it * by as an ufelefs thing, and regards it * no more than the dry and rotten Fofi * on which it ftands. In a word, if God had not kept us in the Dark as to the time of our Tran- flation into Heaven, we had lofk (what I am fure we cannot well fpare) one of the moft quick'ning Motives to Holy- Diligence ^ and one very ftrong Cordial to fupport us under all the Fatigues of our prefent Duty, viz,, we know not at what Hour our Lord vvill come, whither at the Sixth,or the Ninth,or the Eleventh, or l6o The CoTjenant well Ordered or till Mjd-night, to put an end to our Services and Sorrows. 4. God has fixed this time, and inva- riably keeps to it. Not fo much as a Hair falls to the ground vrithottt our Hea- venly Father -^ much lefs can the Head it felf on which they all grow. Providence does in a peculiar manner concern it felf about the Death of Rcafofiable Creatures, efpccially of his own Children. Precious in the fight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints. This is a i oint on which the Temporal, Spi- ritual and Eternal well-fare of many others, whole Families, Churches, yea, and Nations fometime do depend. There's an end of all Seafons of Grace, opportunities for Service, their Eternal State is irrevocably fixed and determined, and their degrees of Endlefs Mifery or Happinefs, are fettled when the laft Fatal ftroke is given. Tis fit that God fhould appoint the time of that which is at- tended with Confcquences of fo great Moment. None befides is fit to do it. No Man would be willing his Times fhould be in the hand, and at the Mercy of his Implacable Ejicmics. 'Tis well that we our felves are not to deter- mine this Affnir. For we fhould often change our Minds within the narrow compafs of one Day. For fuch is our humour. rpith ref^eS to Eternal BleJJings. 1 6 1 humour, that we naturally run from one extreme to another 3 either we are apt Immoderately to love L''" , or elfe lee- vifhly to defire Death : either we grow too regard lefs of Heaven, or are in too much had for it : we would always be here, or we muft prefently be gone. If we were much wifer and better than we are, we (hould be at a very great lofs 5 unlefs in both thefe we exceeded the Apoftle Panl^ who was in a great ftrait between Two, what to choofe fays he, / wot not 3 could not well tell whi- ther he had bell to go or ftay. 'Tis well 'tis not left to the determi- nation of our Friends. For afe&iof^ate Husbands and puijionate Wives, fond Pa- rents, and now and then a very lovmg Child, O how would they hang and clafp about, and pull down each oth^r^ -"Nh^n any of them began to mount, hardly would any one be fuffered to go (ill all were agreed to depart together, which would fcarce be, till all were in- volved in one very deep and common diftrefs : like Seafor? Birds which fly away in Flocks to another Country, each one calling to his Companion 5 but then it is not till the near approach of u Cold and Sharp Winter that would equally pinch them all. M But 1 6 1 The Covenant well Ordered But if we could agree, 'tis not fit we iliould determine this matter. Tis a Rojidlty to have the power of Life and Death, which God referves to himfelf 5 'tis not for Subjeds to invade his Preroga- tive, and with their unhallowed Hands to touch the leaft Flower of his Imperial Crown. God, as the great King of all the Earth, fends down the Dead-^Varrant againft the Wicked, and appoints the day when the Malefaftor (hall be Execu- ted : And as a wife Father afligns the time when his Children who are on their Travels for their Improvement in this foreign Country, (hall return home. He alfo appoints the very Method of their Conveyance. Some Sail in a calmer Sea- fon, and move fo flowly, that you can hardly perceive they ftir at all : Others are driven forward with a brisker Wind 5 which makes the higher and the more rol- ling Sea indeed, and the PafTenger the ficker ^ but then the PafTage is the quick- er and fhorter for it. Death is like a Moth to fome 5 but comes on others like a Lion, that unexpectedly leaps on the unwary Lamb, and breaks all his Bones in the twinkling of an Eye. But if we fhould faucily pretend to in- vade this Prerogative of God and feize it for our own L^fe, we have not Know- ledge and Wifdom enough to manage it. For with refpe^ to Spiritual BleJ/ings. 1 6 5 For God only knows when the Task is fini(ht, which he has fitly appointed every Man to do 5 when one Star muft fet that another may rife and fhine. When 'tis fitteft for Mofes to withdraw, and make room for Joflma to come upon the Stage, that the Honour of ferving God may not be engrofs'd by one, but be fliared be- tween 'em both. He only knows when a Soul is come to that Stature which it tnuft arrive at, that it may be big enough to fill up that place, and his Head ftrong enough to bear that mafTy Crown of Glo- ry which he has provided for it in the Heavenly Kingdom. He alone who fees things unborn^ as they lye in the Womb of their diftant Caufes, fore-knows the Evil that is to come, and will prove too hard for us to bear : When the rifing Storm (the evil of Punifliment, or of Trial and Tempta- tion) that's coming upon a Nation, a Church, a Family, or a particular Per- fon, would be fo ftrong as to over-fet the Velfel : He alone therefore is fit to give the failing Orders, and affign the time when it fhall be laid up in a fate Harbour. His Green f muft be early hous'd in a warm place, bccaufe they are fo tender, that the (harpnefs of the Weather would nip and kill 'em. But the Com can endure the cold of the Winter, and the heat of the M 2 Sum- 71?f Covenant well Ordered Summer, Froft and Snow, Wind and Sun 5 and it muft grow longer in the open Field, before it be fit to be cut down and car- ried into the Garner. This one Confideration would anfwer a great many Cavils and Objeftions, viz. Why are fome cutoff very young, others in the midft of their days and ufefulnefs? Why are others delayed fo long ? Here the Ground is cover'd with tender Liof- foms, fhook off by a violent Blaft. There you may fee a great Gap made in the Gar- den by the cutting down of a large fpread- ing Tree, laden with excellent Fruit, 'tis a thoufand pities it did not grow that it might bear a great deal longer. Butyon- ders a dry old Trunk that does little more than take up fo mucli room and cumber the Ground. Why are fome taken up in- to Heaven fo foon when they can fo ill be fpared on Earth > Why are others fla- ked down here fo long, when they can do fo little, that others, as v. cU as .hey themfelves, wifh they were gone > Why does not God at lea ft gather thofe who are overwhelm'd with Sorrows, drooping with Age, full of Grace, Peace, and triumphant AfTurance, and blefs'd with high Communion with God. Like a Flow- er fully blown, and fill'd too with Tears (^f Dev7, or wet all over with drops of Rain, freely opening its Leaves, that the dif- with refpe& to Eternal BkJ/ings. 165 difcovery of its Beauty may invite, and bowing its Head,as tho' it filently begg'd fome or other with a kind Hand to pluck and carry it away. Be flill and know that he is God 5 that all this falls out by the wife Decree of him, who is a God of Judgment^ who knows the Times and Seafons (which is more than thou doft) and who rvorheth all things according to the Counfel of hfs own Will, BleiTed are all they that wait for him, who live and die to him, who can part with the lives of their deareft Friends and their own when he calls for them, and under fuch trying Providences manifeft a willing fubjeftion to the Father of Lights and Spirits. 5. His time of removing his People to Heaven is the Bed. /// dm time rve Jljall reap if we faint not. This follows from the former Particular. There can be no fiiadow of Reafon to doubt of it, if we confider his infinite Wifdom^ and the ten- der Affection he bears to all his Children. If any of 'em therefore be fpeedily taken up into Paradife, 'tis becaufe all things confiderM it was beft for them. Happy Souls who have fo foonentredupon their Eternal Reft, and got out of the Croud of this wretched World ! who, as dearly as they loved us, would not on any ac- count whatfoevcr come down to us again to Watch and Wreftle, Fight and Strive, Sin and Complain, as they themfelves M 3 once 1 66 The Covenant well Ordered once did, and as we fhall further do for a feafon (wretched Creatures that we are !) till we flye up to that place of Vi- ftory which they have happily reached before us. But if it (hould be very late before we reach 'em, and join that bright Body, 'tis heft for f^ that it (hould be fo, and the days of our Purifying be prolong'd. Sure then we (hall be tired with fo long a Journey, and Reft will be the fweeter to us for our being throughly weary. And if it be not greatly our fault, our Reward will be encreafing all that while. 'Tis true indeed, while the Fruit hangs upon the Tree, it may be fadly tofs'd there 5 yea wither'd and blafted by a malignant Wind, and be a little putrified by length of time and unfeafonable Weather. But we know who hath faid. My Grace isfuf- ficknt for thee. Unlefs we are highly wanting to our fel ves, the longer the Fruit is on the Tree, the larger and the fairer will it grow there. Which naturally leads me from this third Point of the Method and Order of Cod in beltowing thefe eternal Mercies, vi%. 'Tis not (ufuallyj till after fome time of painful Obedience, which at the longeft can't be very long, but 'tis uncertain to us whither it ftiall be longer or (horter, tho' it be certainly known X.o God, who has fixed the time and with refpefl to Eternal Blejfuigs, 167 and invariably keeps to it, and he havina; determin'd it, we are fure all things conft- der'd muft be bed. From this wife Method of his I fay, we are naturally led to the IV. And laft Point, viz. The Meafures IV, and Degrees wherein God beftows thefc Eternal Bleffings. True indeed, all holy Souls above fee the fame bleffed Objeds, God and Chrift^ but among the fame ranks of Beings, one may have a ftronger Eye than another. They are all fill'd with Glory 5 but fome Veffc/s are more capacious than others. They are all in the fame Palace, but there may be higher and lower Seats in the fame Room. All their Glories are pur- chafed by one Bloud, and the Saints are all equally the Children of Cod ; But all a Man's Children may be redeem'd from Slavery by one common Sum ^ and yet for very good Reafons fome may have a double Portion of their Father's Eftate, according to their Birth or Behaviour. As for that Parable of the Labourers receiving each one a Peny 3 'tis not to be underftood of an equality of Rewards in Heaven, but oi external Privileges here on Earth : Which appears from thofe Words with which this Parable is brought in apd clofed up, viz.. The lafl flyall k M 4 firft. 1 68 31?^ Covenant well Ordered firfl^ and the firfl JI^aH be lafl ^ for many h called, hut few are chofen : Whereby 'ti- plain our Saviour fpeaks of fuch a Privis lege, as ihofe who are not chofen of God but only externally called might be made partakers whidi fure can't be meant of Eternal Salvation in Heaven. Indeed had God fetled an equal Pro- portion of the future Reward for his Ser- vants, whither they did and fuffer'd little or much ior him, it would have been a very great check to their Zeal and Indu- ftry for him ^ but he hath wifely order'd it otherwife, for every Man (hall Reap ac- cording as he Sows, as to quality and quantity too : Which thought is fuffici- ent to raife and quicken Men to the great- eft aftivity and vigour in his Service. Hereby God has effedually provided, as for the promoting our Diligence, fo alfo for the advancing of his own Glory. For there is fo vaft an inequality between our beft Services, and the more abundant recompcnce of Reward, that tho' ftili God docs obferve fome proportion too in tjic cafe '^ he proceeds not barely accord- ing to the ftandard of Equity, but that too of the moft magnificent and royal Bounty at one and the fame time. Having thus proved that the Covenant is well order'd as to the Eternal Bleflings ol it, becaufe fuch admirable care is taken therein with rejpeff to Eternal Blejfings* 165^ therein for fecnring the Glory of God^ the Duty, Comfort and Happinefs oi Man : I need not ufe many words to fliew, that 'tis well ordered in the other refpeft alfo, viz. Becaufe herein alfo wife Provi- fionis made for the Honour of Chrift. For 'tis he that hath pnrch^fed Heaven for us by his Bloud, has clearly revealed it to us by his Gofpel, is entred into it in his own Perfon, as our Fore-runner to prepare Manfions for us there ^ who re- ceives our departing Spirits, prefects *em before the 1 hroneof God with exceeding great joy, and at the laft Day wiliye^ the Crown of eternal Glory on the Heads <)f all the Saints. And no fooner has he put it on with his Hand, but every one of them pulls it off again with their own, and humbly cafteth it at his Foot, faying, l\ orthy is the Lawb to receive Blejji/;g^ dffd Glory ^ and Honour y and Praije^ andThanhs- giving. To Conclude. Let us then be often thinking on theE- ternal Blefiings of the Covenant, and clear up our Intereft in 'em to our own Souls ^ and perfwade and help all ours to do the like. This will help us to bear all our Ca- lamities, whither Pains with which our Bodies are cxercifed, or Breaches that God makes on our Families. Happy 170 The Covenant well Ordered Happy are our godly Friends and Re- lations who have got the ftart of fuch Loiterers as we^ who have left us and a fick Bed, and pained Body, and a tottering Tabernacle ^ and are entred into their e- verlafting Reft. The well-grounded AlTurance of this which they expreffed during their Sick- nefs, and continued fo to do notwith- ftanding Death was vifibly making its near approaches to em, yea, juft as it was laying hold of 'em with its cold Hands, did afford us a great fupport, which we needed as well as they. The rcmemhrAnct of it will do the fame now they are gone ^ and the thought that we contributed any thing towards it Now one of thofe Cords that tied us down to this Earth is cut, and we have one Help more to the having our Conver- fation in Heaven, v'it^. Some wore of our deareji Frk^/ds are got into it. Let us be followers of them who thro' Faith and Patience are poffefs'd of the Promife, and then we fliall overtake them, fee them again, and dwell with them, and find their Perfons and their Converfe uncon- ceivably finer and fweeter, even tho' it was excellent and admirable. All the Jittle Knots which they certainly had, tho' fo fmalJ that we could not fee them, fi>all be plained j all the little invifible Wrinkles rvith rejpecl to Eternal BleJJings. 1 7 1 Wrincles fhall be fniooth'd. Perfed Beauties (liall they be in the Judgment of Man, and of God too. They and we (hall Embrace, Rejoice, and never part any more. For I vronld not have yon ignorant ^ -jigrr. Brethren 5 nor would I have you carry it 14. 15. Brethren, J ike them that are Ignorant, concerning them which are ajleep in Jefus 5 that ye forrorv not even as others that have no hope. For if we believe that Jefus died and rofe a gain ^ even fo thew alfo which fleep in Jefm will God bring with him : Then Jloall we and they ever be with the Lord, Wherefore comfort one another with thefe words. SERM. iji SERMON V. i**!*. 2 Sam. 25. 5. Altho* my houfe he notfo mth God^ jief Be hath made with me an everlafiing Cove- vafit, ordered in all things and Jure ; for this if all my falvation and all my defirCj althd* he make it not to grow* '^T*^ I S this particular Property of the J[. Covenant of Grace which yet lies under Confideration, z/Zz. That 'tis a well order d one in all things 5 i. e. That all the Parts of it are fo contrived, that they have a natural tendency effeftually to pro- mote the great Ends of the Covenant 5 which arc the Glory of God, the Honour of Chrift, the Duty, Comfort and Hap- pinefs of Man. I have proved that it is fo, as to the Mediator and Syrety of it : And as to the Spiritual Bleflings contained in it 3 and the Eternal ones promisM in it* I 174 The Covenant well Ordered I proceed to fhew the fame as to Te/^^ poral ones. Altho' thefe are nothing near fo confiderable as either of the former, yet have they fo much Worth and Value in them, that they are by no means to be difpifed. The Riches of the Covenant of Grace indeed confift in the Spiritual and Eternal Bleflings contained in it : As the Riches of the Earth do in the Mines of precious Metals, the Veins of Silver and Gold that are hid in the Bowels of it. But then Temporal Bleflings are like thofe Plants and Flowers, that adorn the Surface of the Ground, and perfume the Air 5 both necelTary and pleafant, which yield refrefhment to the PalTenger and nourifli- ment to the Owner. Thefe therefore are taken into the Covenant, and therein promis'd in fuch a manner, that in refped of them too the Covenant is wifely or- der'd 5 as will appear if we confider the following Particulars. I, I. Therein 'tis promlfed that NecefTa- ries fhall Ordinarily be given fome way or other. I fay Ordifrarily, For there are fome extraordinary Cafes (which happen but fcldom) wherein I doubt not but 'tis pof- lible, that a truly pious Man may die for want of necelTaries, ex, gr. When God vifits a very finful Land with any, but t ef- with reffeSl to Temporal Blejfings. 1 75 cfpecially withal thofe three fevere Judg- ments of his, Plague,War and Famine : In fuch a cafe I do not fee but that a godly- Man may die of Famine, as well as fall by the Sword or Peftilence, or indeed be cut off by a Feaver or any other Difeafe, efpecially if thro' the Flight, Imprifon- ment, or Death of all his Friends he want due Care and necelTary Attendance. And I think for any one to fay of all that ever were ftarv'd to death in a long Siege, or a wafting War, or a tedious Voyage, were wicked, to a Man, would be a very wicked and uncharitable Cenfure : And for us to add our cruel Judgment to God's fevere tho* righteous one. Nor can God herein be juftly charg'd with a breach of Covenant. For holy Men are too often guilty of a notorious Negled and Breach of thofe Conditions which God has prefcribed as requifite on our parts in order to our efcaping in fuch common Calamities. They have many fadperfonal Failings 5 they do not deeply bewail publick Abominations, but do re- femble and comply with the evil manners of thofe with whom they are mix'd ; As found Fruit may have a fpeck or two by lying next to that which is rotten. Very few of his Children do refemble that fc- cond Father of all Mankind, Noah I mean, who was psrfiCt before God, when all iyfi The Covenant veil Ordered nil flejfj had corrupted their way : That good Man then was like his own Ark in which he was faved • the Flouds of un- godly Men that encompaft him on every fide, . did not break in upon his Inno- cence, no more than the furrounding Wa- ters did aftervvards on his little Veflel 5 but he was an unwearied, an untainted Preacher, and an uncorrupted doer of Righteoufnefs , and fo he was deliver- ed. All therefore which I affirm is, that or- dinarily Neceffaries Ihall be given 5 and that in feme -way or other. If not by a BlefTing on our lawful Callings, yet by ftirring up the Hearts of others to relieve lis. This latter way it may be doth not fo well fuit our high Spirits. But tho* God fatisfie our Hunger, he is not bound to gratifie our Pride, and make provifion for our Neceflities and our Lufts too. Whither our Bread be made of Corn that fprings from the Earth, in which we fowM it 5 or whither it dropt down from Heaven : Whither we have it by the Sweat of our Brows, or the charita- ble Hand of others 5 if God fend it any way, which he thinks beft (tho' we do not) 'tis as much as his Promife obliges him to. Now f mth refpeSf to Temporal Bleffingi. ijj Now that a holy Man crdinarily fhall have. He hath ghen weat to them that, PM"^' fear him ^ fays thePfalmift ^ Aye, hs hath ^' done fo formerly riiay another fay 5 but will he do fo again > Yes, he will 5 for it follows, he vAll ever be mindful of hii Covenafft, Well, but a Man may be ftarv'd witH Cold as Well as with Hunger. And there- fore a hoiy Mm may exped not only Food but Raiment too. See with what variety of Arguments our Saviour prefTetH m to a fteady Belief of this. Matih. 6: from the 25 th to the end: Where he con- demns di'Vuflful Fears upon this Head as the pradice of an Heathen, who i5 d Granger to the Covenant of Promifes, but very unfuicable to a Child of God, who, if he will rely upon the divine Word, fhall have a// thefi things added td him. And to overcome our unbelieving Doubt$, he urges the I nftn nee of divine Care in feeding the worthlefs Birds that flye in the Air, and the Lillies that grow in. the Field. Tho' we muft not exped^. to be as gorgionjly arrayed as the one of them nor be provided for in a courfeof Lazinefs without fowing or reaping, withoki toiling or fpinning, as both of them aire; Which leads to the * Isf il. Things 1^8 T%e Covenant well Ordered ^ II. II. Thing, viz That as for the Com- forts of Life, they are not promis'd abfo- hitely, but upon certain moft reafonablc Terms. As, I. Provided we diligently do what may procure, and carefully avoid what may hinder 'em in a Tidtural way. There are fome Vices and Follies, which by the ordinary courfe of things, do blaft Men's Reputation, waft their Eftates, impair their Health, fhorten their Days, perplex and confound all their Affairs. Such as Idlenefs, negled of their proper Bufinefs, want of common Difcretion in ordering it and themfelves, Luxury, Intemperance, Uncleanefs, &c. This is founded in the fiAture of things^ and could we fuppofe there were no God, or no Providence, yet Mifery is the neceffary refult of thefe Vices, and does as naturally fpring from them as (harp Liquor from the pref- fing of wild Grapes. Now if a holy Man be guilty of a fin- gle Aft or two of thefe fins After his faving Converfion to God ^ much more if he has been guilty of the habitual Praftice of *em before^ God many times (in a great meafure at leaft) fuffers him to languiili a great part, if not the whole remainder of his Life, under the • bitter Fruits of his own Wicked nefsr Yea, with refpeS to Temporal Blejfings. 17^ Yea, a holy Child may labour under Poverty, and great bodily Diftempers aS the efFeft of his Fare?ns folly. . For if the whole Bottom be rotten, the Threads of Life that are wound off it can never be found in a natural way according to God's eftabliihed order between Caufes and Ef- Now in fuch cafes, tho' upon a Man'^ fincere Repentance, Cod may take fome of the Weights out of the Scale, lighten the Burden, or allay the Evil, efpecially by the inward Comforts of Repentance and Pardon 5 yet he is not wont wholly to remove the Calamity, but dill is ufed to leave fome Marks of his Difpleafure oii the fincere Penitent even to his" dying day. Indeed it can t be othervyife unlefs he ihould interpofe by his own immediate Hand. But 'tis not rationally to be ex- . pefted, that he fliould alter the tjature of thifTgs, and do Miracles for our eafe in this World, tho' he does do Wonders for our Salvation in the next. Now in this refped: the Covenant is wifely order d, 'Tis an effed of divine Prudence, that the kind Method's of his Grace fhall not overturn the wife Conlli- tntions of Nature. For one and the fanie Cod is the Author of em both, and afts like Himfelf when he fo adjiifts very in- tricate matters, that every Wheel (tho' *^ N 2 fome 1 8o The Covenant well Ordered fome of em feem to turn contrary) (hall move regularly without clafliing or inter- fering. Did he not fufFer his own Chil- dren to cat thefe genuine Fruits of their own Follies, he would encourage them in an evil way, tempt 'em to throw afide the ufe of their own Thought and Wif- dom, Care and Diligence, yea of com- mon and of faving Grace too ^ and they would not be govern d either as reafona- ble Creatures, or as renewed ones. They would quickly expeft to have the whole of their Provifion and Defence from ex- traordinary inter pofitions of a miraculous Providence, without any prudent or ver- tuous Condud of themfel ves. They would be enduced to lie down to deep, and fuf- fer the Ship to be carried down the natu- ral Current, in hopes God would create a Wind on purpofe to blow them off from the Rock, when thro' their own Folly they were juft a daflaing upon it. But this fhall not be. God will ordina- rily leave even good Men to the proper Confequences of their orvn or their Parents grofs Sins : Which if he did not do, he would let flip one of the moil: effeftual Means of doing them good. For this is a very powerful Inftrument of humbling em for what is paft, as well as making them wifer for the future, for them every now and then to feel the throbbing Pains caufed with reJpeB to Temporal Bleffings. 1 8 1 caufed by the Thorns flill flicking in their t'leih which fir ft ran into it when they madly broke thro' the Hedge, which he had mercifully planted to keep them from wandering. Butwemufl: not only avoid what would pull down Mifery on our Heads, and do what may draw down the divine Bleffing in a natural way : But muft alfo 2. Avoid what has a fatal Influence, and do what may have a kindly one in a moral way too, which is another moft reafonable term of enjoying the Comforts of this Life. By which I mean, we muft lead a Life of clofe, fincere, univerfal Obedience to the Commandments of God. He can caufe a Rod to grow from the Seeds or Kernels of that forbidden Fruit which we have gathered with unhallowed Hands. He can caufe Affli(3"ion to fpring out of the Duft, as we read he did in the Land ofEiiypt. He hath innumerable Calamities which we dream not of, where- with he can Correft us for our Difobe- dience. In that cafe a ftormy Wind fhall blow from feme point of the Compafs or other. And if it be a foul Offence, tho' upon a fincere Repentance he will forgive us here, and fa ve us hereafter, yet will he . take Veff^eance on our Inventions : Of which David is a known Inftance on the death of Vriah^ he and his Family went N 3 into I S 1 7Toe Covenant well Ordered into deep Mourning, and a long black train of Affiiftions followed him and his Chil- dren to his dying day. T^e Lord God will be a Sim and a ^hield^ and ?w good th'wg will he with-hold ^ but then comes in the iirpitation, from them that walk ufrightly. In this refpedl the Covenant is wifely or- dered. His Wifdom, his Holinefs, his Paternal juftice and his Truth, would be greatly blemifhtif he did not by feafona- ble F-ubukes^ difcountenance his wantoij and rebellious Children. They would be harden'd in fin, and then according to the dated Rule of his holy Word, they muft eternally perifh for it. But that flialj never be. His loving Undiiefs JImH not ntterly be taken aivay 5 and that it may not, their earthly Comforts often are fo. He breaks the peace of their Lives, becaufe }ie u^ill nor br::'k hiso^vn Covcnant.5 and the de:>r-4 ct their earthly Comforts fail ?eni. ^> caufe he will not fuffer his own FaJ^hf'lnefs to do' {o. But rhc/ we be ever fo Holy, yet there IS a .'Other Condition of God's giving or Con> inning temporal Mercies, without which none but a mad Man would defire to have ''em. viz. 5. Provided, thatall things being con- iider'd that ought to be confider'd, it be bell: we iliould have *em. Now there are mth refpeSI to Temporal Blejmgs. 1 8 ^ are feveral things to be weighM, of which we are no competent Judges. (i) Provided it be bed, the cafe of others being confiderM. Several truly good Men may be defirous of being fixed in the fame Poft of Service and Advan- tage. All of 'em can't be gratified at once in their fo contrary defires, except the Decrees of Heaven fhould, like thofe imaginary Lines which Aftronomers draw in it, crofs and inter-feft each other. Sometimes all of 'em mifs of the de- fired Happinefs. God may fee it fit to permit others to ftep into that place in his juft and righteous Judgment, becanfe they are lefs capable of performing the Duties of it 5 and he will carry on his holy Ends in his own way. But at other times he puts by good Men and fettles others in that place in mercy to the Pub- lick, becaufe they are better fitted for it. Nor is he to be blamed for fo doi ng. Be- caufe tho' he is in a peculiar manner the Father of good Men, yet he is withal the Ruler of the World. Now he muft and will ad fuitably to both thofe Relations, and not carry it as weak Princes do, who often prefer their Favourites, tho' ever fo unfit, to the great prejudice of the Com- munity. N 4 ^i |8i. The Covenant well Ordered If any might have expefted upon the account of Ennnent Holinefs, to have lived in perpetual Profperity, the Apoftles of Chrift in general, and St. Paid in par- ticular, might mod reafonabl y have look- ed for it : But yet what Exercifes did he meet with from Enemies and Friends too. They who once were ready to pf/// out their, owt? Eyes for him, were fo chafiged on a fiidden, as to be ready to pluck out f>k. What between the one and the other he met with repeated Troubles. See at your leifiire, a fnort Epitomy of the Hiftory of }iis Life, in ^ Cor, ii, 25. 2^, 27. The greater part of which is written in Black Letters. Bqt this was a great proof of his Integrity, and of his full afluranceof the Truth of that Gofpel which he Preach- ed. Without this, we had wanted onp main Prop for our Faith. He Towed in Tears, planted in thefweat of his Brows, and water'd it with his Bloud, and the whi']^ Church of Chrift has, and fliall reap the bleffed Fruit of it to the end of the World. (2) Provided it make moft for our Fu- ture. Temporal, efpecially for our Spi- ritual and Eternal Advantage. Such a Mercy may be good for the prefent ^ but it may be, fhould it be given or conti- nued, in a little while it would redoun'd to our greater Prejudice 3 in which cafe his with refpecl to Temporal Blejfings* 1 85 'tis true Kindnefs to deny or remove it. It may be the doing fo is neceflary for the prevention of fome growing Sin. A wife Fhyfician, to prevent a threat'ning Confumption, will order a Man to cut off his Hair, tho' it hang down in curious lovely Locks, and be neatly turn'd up in wanton Curies ^ which if the Patient will not fubmit unto (tbo' with a figh) every one will conclude, that there's no- thing vptthin the Man's Head anfwerable to the fair Bufli that is hung forth on the out fide of it. It may be the want of temporal Com- forts is neceiTary for the preferving, re- covery, manifeftation, and growth of the Graces of God in our Souls, or for the fecuring and encreafing our eternal Happinefs. Now thefe are our main In- terefts, and our biggeO: Concerns, and the great things of the Covenant, to which lefTer ones muft give way. Surely 'tis Wifdom to throw the mean and contemp- tible Lumber over-board to preferve the Treafure and Lives of the Paflengers which ptherwife would be loft. (3.) Provided it make mod for God's Glory. This is the higheft and the lafl: End of all God's Adions. He has no higher nor no nobler a one to aft for. 'Jis but a God-lih owning of himfelf to do 1 S6 The Covenant wvU Ordered do all things for himfelf! He never did any one adtion, he never did nor will bc- ftow Spiritual or Eternal Mercies, but con- liftently with, and in fubferviency to his own Honour, He parted with his dear and eternal Son, that his Glory might fliine forhin all his Afts of Grace towards us. This which he hath been fo tender of in all the great fteps of Kindnefs he hath taken, he will never fuffer to be cclips'd and blemifht meerly to gratifie our Humour in fuch Trifles as Temporal Bleffings really are, if laid in the Ballance with Spiritual and Eternal ones. So much for that fecond Propofition 5 that the Comforts of Life are not pro- niisM abfolutely, but upon certain moft reafonable Terms 5 and what they arc I have laid before you, III. III. According to thefe Terms fo wifely- fettled, there is a mixture of Good and Evil, Profperity and Adverfity, mutually fucceeding each other in the Life of every holy Man. We are Travellers towards Heaven, and like Men in a long Journey, fomerimes we are mounting up the high Hills 5 but at other times we are funk down into the low and miry Vail ies. Now the Light iliines full in our Faces, and anon the Wind beats fiercely upon them. Now a Storm, quickly after a Calm, and e'er with refpeci to Tomporal BleJ^ings. 187 eer long the Clouds return again after the Rain. The whole of our time is di- vided between Summer and Winter, Heat and Cold, Night and Day, Light and Darknefs. Sometimes our days are long- er 5 at other times our Nights are fo. But a conftant Revolution there is of Day and Night, of Good and Evil, by the wife appointment of Heaven. The Wifdom of fucli a Condud will appear, if we confider the following Particulars. I, This is a proper method to prevent, or at leaft to put an end to the Sins of either ftate of Life. Do but confider the great Mifchiefs that would follow if our Lives were all of 4 piece : If on the one hand we were always fed. with Honey, or if on the other, we had nothing but Worm- wood and Gall fqueez'd into our Cup. Suppofe we en joy'd umnterrnpted Prof- perity^ as w^e fain would, this would be our Bane. This is one great occafion of the utter ruin of wicked Men. They \>fau 5$, have no changes^ therefore they fear not God, ^y Now there are are fo many remainders of Corruption in the Hearts of good Men, that if they were always fed in fat Pa- ftures, they would wax wanton, turn their Backs upon God, and lift up their Heels againft him. Pride, finful Security, luke-warmnefs, forgetfulnefs of God and fhemfelves, neglect of Prayer, felf-exa mi- nation, l88 77?^ Covenant wett Ordered nation, and other holy Duties, or at lead deadnefs and drowfinefs of Soul in 'cm, an empty Form of Religion without the Life, Spirit and Power of Godlinefs, and abundance of other Evils would break in upon 'em. LetbutaChriftian (faysone) be but two or three Years together with- out any AfPii(9:ion at all, he is good for little. He can't Pray, nor Hear, nor Me- ditate, nor Difcourfe in that holy, feri- ous, heavenly manner as he was wont to do. \i the warm Sun fliine for feveral Months together upon God's enclofed Garden, without fo much as one Ihower of Rain, how faft do the Weeds multiply, the Flies fwarm, an Army of Locufts and Caterpillars devour its pleafant Fruits, and the choiceft Flowers wither, fhed their Leaves, droop and hang down their fickly Heads, having in a manner almoft loft all their Beauty and Sweetnefs. Now to pre- vent, or at lead to cure thefe fpiriual Evils, God will not fuffer us to enjoy unbroken Prcfperity, but fends afflidionand trouble. But then on the other hand, if we fliould groan under perpetual Adverjtty as much Mifchief would be done that way. VVeihouldbe froward and impatient, niur- mur and repine, be tempted to unbecom- ing Thoughts, and apt to flye out into Atheiftical Speeches ^ faying, as our Bet- ters have done, 7 am plagued every day^ d»d with refpeil to Temporal Blejfings. 1 89 und chaftened every Mormfig^ verilj^ I Tfal, 73. Lave cleanfed my heart a??d hands in vain, ' 5* We have much ado to avoid this now, tho' our Trials be (hort, for a Moment or two. How much more would it be fo, if the whole thread of our Lives were full of Knots clofely touching one another. Were we always on the Rack, and conti* nually chaften'd with fore Pains on our Beds, how couldwQwalk about doinggood.^ Then the Corredion of our Faults would prove an utter Obftruftion to our Duty. But our wife heavenly Father will not always chide, neither nvill he retain his anqer for ever^ left he utterly difcouragcs, and quite break our Spirits. He remembers our frame whereof we are made, that we are but dkfi, and (hould be fcatter'd like it, if a ftifF Gale of Wind did always blow upon us. He confid ers ourfiejh k not like brafs or iron, and our flrength knot like the flrcngth of flones 5 and yet if it were, a Stone is worn away with continual dropping. Were we never in the Fire, our Drofs would not be confumed 5 and ftiould we always lye there our Silver and Gold would be wafted ; Were we never mo- ved, we ihould be intollerably lifted up with Pride 5 and were we never deli- vered, we fliould be unmeafurably caft down with Sorrow. God wifely orders a mixture and fucceilion of Good and Eyil. jjo The Covenant rvell Ordered Evil, that when we enjoy the one, we might not weep and rave like Men who are without hope 5 and when we feel the other, we might not rejoice and roar like Men that are without fear. 2. Hereby God takes a prudent Method for the Trial, Exercife, and Improvement of his people s Graces. In the fore-going Difcourfe I have (hewed you, that holy Men are continued on Earth to this End, ptherwife they had been wrought in 'em in vain 5 to be fure they cailnot grow and profper without the exercife of them. But tho' they rfiould live ever fo long, they could not be fryed or improved, ior they could not be exercifed without this mixture and fuccedion of Good and Evil. There could be no room for many of thetT> and not room enough for any of them to appear in their Beauty and Glory. Let us coniider how it would be if it were always a time of profperity with the People of God, and they were never ex- ercifed with any Calamity. Where then would be the Proof and Glory of their Faith and Hope, Patience, Refignation and Submidion to the Will of God > What ulc is their of Patience, when we have no Burthen to bear ? Tis an eafie thing to make a florid Speech about Sub- miflion to the Will of God while we fit warni 'wkh reffeEl to Temporal Blejfings^ 1 9 1 warm and undifturbM in our ownNefts 5 but when we are driven away like a Bird, and /orced to wander like a Patridge on the Mountains, we fliall find it a very hard matter to put in praftice our own Dodrine. There's no difficulty fure in being contented, when we have all that our Hearts can defirt. For ought we know thefe Graces may be counterfeit,, till an evil day brings them to the Teft. To be fure they can't be very large and flrong if they are never exercis'd. But now when troubles prefs hard upon us, then to depend upon God and relign our felves to him, to wait on him in the way of his Judgmems^ then to be able to fay, thy Rod, as fmart as it is, has not alien- ated our Affeftions from thee 5 butftill the chfire of our Souls is to thee ^ and to the nmemhranceofthy name-^ then to be con- tented and in patience to pojfefs our orvn Souls when we have loft our deareft pof- feffion,even apart of our felves ^ tliento retain our Integrity when little lefs is left us 5 tho' there be no fruit in the Fine, and the Fig-tree docs not hloffom any longer 5 yea, when not only the fair Blolfoms arc fallen off, but the lovely Tree too on which they grew is cut down, then to be able to rejoice in the Lord ^ and joy in the God of our Salvation, this is hard, this is noble, this is praife-worthy indeed. This is tj^ Tfje Covenant well Ordered is what holy Men have been, in fomc? meafure, enabled thro' Grace to do» The purging out of their Corruptions, and the lively exercife of their Graces, has given them fuch a knowledge of them-^ ielves and their good eftate towards God, as has been matter of great comfort to- them all rheir days. As the ftirring of the Child within, notwithftanding the pre- fent uneafincfs it caufes to the Mother, yet affords a greater pleafare, becaufe 'tis a certain (ign of its life. But then on the other hand, fhould we never fee an happy day on Earth, where would be the proof and glory of our H«- mility, Heave^ly-fffwdedriejs and Contehipt of this World '> Others would be apt t6 think and fay, The only reafon why thefe Men talk fo meanly of the Earth, and fo much of Heaven, is, becaufe they can'f attain to much of the things of this Life, and on that account alone it is that they fo much difparage them. All their pre- tended flriftnefs in Religion is meerly the produft of their melancholly Circumftan- ces : Did they fare as well, they would do as ill as we whom they now do fo liberally renroach. But now wheri the Children of God enjoy muCh of this World, and yet manifeft that they live above it^ then can make God their chiefefl: joy, when they have fo many other thinj^s to 'ileal with refpe& to Temporal Bleffings. 1^2 fteai away their Hearts, fo many Other Chanels to drain, away the Stream of their Affeftions from him ^ then will it be (een that they are Men of a different make and frame from others • that an admirable Temper, even the Spirit of the living God is in them 5 that the Righteous is far more excellent than his Neighbour, and Hea- ven is his Choice and riot barely his Re^ Thus does this wife Conduct of God make way for the manifeftation, exercife and encreafe of the feveral Graces of his People 5 every one of them in their own rank and order ^ fome of which are calcu- lated for a time of Profperity, and others for an hour of Adverlity : As the Sun is appointed to run round the Heavens in all his Glory in the day time, and the Mooil with the Stars to walk about the Earth at the night feafon. , 5. Herein God has order'd matters for his own Glory. This follows from the two foregoing Particulars. If his People enjoy 'd an uninterrupted profperity, his Holinefs would be eclips'd, his PaterNat Jtiflice would be clouded, his Truth and Faithfitlnefi would drop to the Ground, For all thefe, as I have formerly obferv'd, oblige him to correft them for thofe Faults and Follies which Profperity ufu- ally draws forth. ^ G Qti 1 9^ T%e Covenant wett Ordered On the other hand, if they labour'd un- der perpetual Adverfity, where would be his Goodttefs^ his Mercy ^ his Fatherly Pify, and temler CowpaJJ/om, his Wifdom or his Truth, who hath fo often faid, Call npo?i nte in a. day of trouble^ atrd I will deliver thee, and thou Jhalt glorific we. Though therefore he caitfe grief, yet he will have compajjion according to the multitude of his tender mercies : Weeping may endure for a nighty but behold joy cometh in the morning, God will make a difference between our prefent and om future State. In Hea- ven there is pure Joy without any mix- ture of Sorrow : In Hell there is pure Sor- row without any mixture of Joy. There is no Darknefs in the one, nor no glim- mering of Light or Hope in the other. But in this World there is a mixture m our felves, FlcJJj and Spirit i, and in our Aftions, Good and Evil ^ and no wonder that there is the fame in our Circumftan- ces too. Briefly, Variety adds a Beauty and Luftre to Providence ^ as the well chofen mixture of Light and Shade fets off a Pidure. Wherefore in the day of profpcrity rejoice, but with trembling ^ and in the day of adverfity conjider and faint not -^ for God hath fet one overagainfi the other, to the end that no man might find any thing after him. Then rvhh refpefi to Temporal Blejfings. 1 9 There are feveral other Particulars to be fpoken to 5 but they muft be refer v'cl for the following Sermon. To Conclude. I. Hence learn what is our Duty under all the Calamities of Life which we meet with, when God makes Breaches on our Families, and fnatches away our neareft Relations, If it were now as in the be^ ginning, when the Woman was only ta* ken from the fide of the Man, and that too while he was in a profound ileep, the Afflidion would not be fo great. But when {he is either haftily torn from, or flowly cut out of his very Heart,and never to be brought to him again 5 the wound is the deeper, and the pain the greater, O that our Sufferings may bring our Sins to our Remembrance ! And that God would give us his heavenly Grace to be- have our felves wifely, to walk in the middle Path between defyifing this chaficn- tng of the Lord on the one hand, and fainting under his rebukes on the other % And prevent either extreme, one of which the beft of Men arc naturally prone to run into ^ like a beautiful Flower that is fully blown, which is apt to crack and break the Hood in which it is inclofed, if not en this fide, yet on that, and then its Leaves unha^dfoqaely fall down. * 2 r L$t 156 The Covenant well Ordered j 2. Let us all be more weaned from this World, and not exped great things in it. You have heard God's Terms with reference to Temporal BlelTmgs ^ let us not forget or leave them out. We are ready- here to promife our fclves more than he does. If the Building be broader than the Foundation, our Folly is great, and fo will be the fall of fuch an irregular Edifice. Our Comments too often are larger than the Text, and what that will not bear ^ and fo by being befides, are contrary to it. God's promifes of Tem- poral Bleflmgs are like a little filver Stream, whofe Waters are fmall, but wholfome, and continually run in the Channel which he hath cut for them to flow in. Our own Promifes are like the Waters of a fwelling Torrent, that over-run the Banks and know no Bounds ^ but quickly fail and deceive the dry thirfty PalTenger in the time of his greateft need. Let us tnind the future recompence of Reward more, and fcek after an Intereft in that one (Ingle Promife which will be better to us, than if God fhould make Windows in Heaven, and open them to drop down ever fo great worldly Abundance upon us, viz. That all things JJmU work toge^ ther for good to them that love God, and are called according to his purpofe. The Lord enflame our love, and help lis to make n with refpeS to Temporal Blejfings. 1 97 make our Calling and Eleftion fure, that we may know not only by Faith but by Experience too, that all things work for our fpiritual and eternal Advantage. Then whoever be abfent, we fhall have him continually prefent with us, he will guide us by his CoHnfd^ and afterwards receive us to Glory, O 3 S E R IVl 199 SERMON VI. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Ah ho* my hottfe be 7wt fo -with God, yet he hath made with me att everhfting Cove^ vant, ordered in all things and fure : for this if all my falvation and all my defire^ altho* he make it not to grovo, THat which is yet further to be dif- courfed of, is to (hew you that the Covenant of Grace is wifely and well &r- dered as to Temporal Bleflings. 'Tis fo as you have heard, becaufe, I. Therein Provifion is made that Ne- L ceffaries (hall ordinarily be given fome way or other. But, II. As to the Comforts of Life, they IL are not abfolutely promis'd, but upoi> moft reafonabie Terms, vix. Provided we diligently do what may procure, and avoid what may hinder them in a Natural way or in a Moral ^ and provided all O 4 things 3DO l[he Covenant well Ordered things confider'd which ought to beconii- (ier'd, it be bed that we Ihoiild have 'em :, the Cafe of others being weighed if it nnke moft for our future Temporal, ef- pecially our fpiritual and eternal Advan- tage, and if it make moil: for the Glory of Cod. |IL ni. According to thefe Terms fo wifely fettled, there is a mixture of Good and Evil, Profperity and Adverhty mutually fucceeding each other in the Life of every holy Man. This being a proper method to prevent or put an end to the Sins and Follies of either ftate of Life ^ to try, exercife and encreafe our fevcral Graces j and tending to the Glory of God. I now proceed to the Fourth Thing. |V. IV. God has referved to hirafelf the Judgment of this matter, and is wont to aft accordingly, as to the time, manner, degree, and all other Circumftanccs of thofe Changes we meet with. He deter- mines what Comforts fhall be bellowed upon us, and when they (hall be denied to us, or withdrawn from us. On which 3ccount the Covenant is wifely and well ordered. Two things will evidence this, which need little proof, but a great deal of confideration, viz. his vifimte Wifdo/p/^ $nd our apparent Wedhefe and Folly, ^ ..^ who with reflect to Temporal Blejfings, ao y who have not the compafs of Thought which is abfolutcly necelTary for a right determining fo intricate an Affair 5 whereas all things paft, prefent, and to come, are altogether in view before his flaming and piercing Eye. There is a great deal of difference in Men, and proportionably there muft be in providential Difpenfations. Some Hedges muft be chpt oftener than others 5 elfe they will grow out of all fliapc. Some good Trees muft be pruned twice to the others once,becaufe their luxuriant Branch- es grow fafter. Some Fruits require more Sun-lhine, others more Shade : All muft be managed by a skillful perfon, who knows the times and feafons, and under- ftands the nature of every Plant and Tree. For an ignorant Man would make as mad work as a wild Beaft if he were let loofe in a Garden. When a Purge is neceffary, if a Cordial be given, or Meat be eaten, 'tis as bad as Poifon 5 it increa- les the Difeafe and kills the Patient. We all of us have our Difeafes 5 and God hath his Spedfichs, and infinite Wifdom to apply 'eni. He knows what Phyfick is moft proper to work on that particular evil Humour which does moft abound in us : Or if it be a complication of Diftem- fcrs^ he has his compound Aiedicincs^ and knows when and in what quantity to give as. ^oi The Covenant well Ordered give them, how often to repeat them, what our needs require and our ftreneth will bear. What is but barely neceflary ifa, ag. ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ clogg'd Spirits of one Man, will 26. 27. utterly fink another. He hath taught the Husbafid-man difcretion to deal with every fort of Grain according to its nature. The folid Corn muft be bruifed with a Cart- wheel of Iron, or the Hoof of an Horfc brought over it ^ but the Fitches and Cum- min are beat with a Rod only, becaufc being of a more tender texture, it can't bear a rougher ufage. Now he that for- med the Eye, fiall not he fee .«? He is a God of Judgment 5 blcffed are all they that wait for him and can calmly refer all their Af- fairs unto him. Had we the management of them our ^tlYtSy or fliould he confult our foolifli Fancies, and irregular Cra- vings, we fhould quickly be undone. Thou art, it may be, importunately crying for a larger Portion of the things of this life 5 but little knoweft or confi- dereft how fo large a Sail and fo great a Gale of Wind would quickly over-fet thy little Veifel 5 from how much Pride, Infolcncc, Forgetfulnefs of God ^ from how many Itrong Temptations and Lufts, which would corrupt and drown thee in Perdition, God mercifully prefer ves thee by denying thee what thou doft fo eager- ly de.lre. Thou art murmuring, why is this tPith reffefi to Temporal Blejfings. 505 this Breach made on my Family 5 impati- ently calling, when will this Pain and Difeafe be removed from my Body 5 this Cloud taken off from my Tabernacle } Whereas hereby it may be thou art quick- ned to Prayer, Self-examination, humbling ^ thy Soul before God, living on the Pro- mifes,feeding on that Bread which endures to everlafting Life, making thy Calling and Eleftion fure : Whereas if thy Bur- then were prefently removed as thou wouldeft have it, if thou hadfl: the Temp- tations of Plenty and Eafe, thou wouldeft prove quite another Creature, forget God and thy f.lf, be negligent in thy walk, contraft abundance of Guilt, lofe thy eternal Blifs, and make way for everlaft- jng Sorrows. For tho' an Aflronomer ga- zes moft intently upon the Heavens when 'tis clear, a Chnflian^ generally fpeaking, does moft fteadily look up when 'tis cloudy weather. Tis an excellent provifion God has made in his Covenant, that he will choofe our Inheritance for m^ and ailign the por- tion of our Cup ; for we are Minors^ and want difcretion to choofe for our felves. 'Tis our happinefs, that our heavenly Fa- ther is not like fond and foolifh earthly Parents, to forbear or give off chaftifing us when 'tis neceifary, becaufe of our crying 5 or give us (harp Knives when his Chil- $04. The Covenant well Ordered Children roar for 'em, becaufc they look bright and dazzling in their Eyes. How pafiionately did David defire the life of his Infant begotten in Adultery ! He cried as if he himfelf had been the lit- tle fick Child. But had his Prayers been heard, that Son of his, as long as he had lived, would have been a vifible Monu- ment of his Sin and Shame : and the Kingdom might have been embroil'd about the Succeffion by the bold Attempts of the fprightly and daring Youth: Forcon- (idering how he came into the World, according to the natural courfe of fecond Caufes, there would have been a great deal of heat and flame in his Conftitution. Crafty Polititians, mutinous Officers, his being born in lawful Wedlock, the point of his own Sword, and adual poflefljon of the Crown in any Country, would have wiped off all Defefts, and have Le^ ^itwMted his Title ^ how fpurious foe- wer he himfelf was. The Controverfic would not h:;ive been fo amicably deci- ded as one of the like nature, tho' fome- what different too, was between Xerxes^ who was begotten after his Father came to the Throne, and his elder Brethren who were born before. But God in mer- cy cutoff the life of the Child, and there- by cut away the occafion of the quarrel, and prevented a great deal of tvil by vpttb reJpeB to Temporal Bleffings. 105 by kindly contradiding the importunate Prayers of a fond Parent. V. Another Inftance of the wife Order v^ of the Covenant is this, viz. God will not let us know before hand what he will do with us as to temporal Affairs. We can fometimes indeed look a little, and V^ hut a little^ before us, as to the turns that he will make. Our Knowledge in this matter is like our Prophetical Glaf- fes, Barometers and Thermometers, that will Ihow us the change of the Weather, hot or cold, foul or fair, for a day before hand, or fo 5 tho' even in that too they are not infallible. But if we pretend to look more forward into Futurity, we ren- der our felves as ridiculous as our Monthly Vrognoflicators^ who would be thought to he movQ/Hhtil and penetrating than that Element with which they pretend fo inti- mate a converfe : But certainly they are not the Familiars of him who is ftiled the Prince of the ponder of the Air ^ for Expe- rience ftiews us, that their bold Conje- ftures are lighter than the Wind and Va- nity it felf Clofeby the Jrh of the Covenant, where- in are the two Tables of the Law, there is a Pot of Manna to feed us, and a Rod to corredt us according as we obferve or bteak the divine Precepts. But both of them 3o6 The Covenant well Ordered them are within the Veil, in the Holiefi of all, whither it is not lawful (or poffi- ble) for the People, yea or any of the Priejis to enter, but only for hini who is after the Order of Melchizedech, Chrifl I mean, who is Prtefl and Kwg too, and hath power over all flejl?. Nor is it fit that any other fhould ; As will appear if thefe three following Particulars be conli- dered. I. Did we certainly fore-know future Events, it would diforder the Affairs of this World and break the peace of our lives. This would be the fruit of it, whither we confider the Evils that (hall befal us, or the Good that fhall come to us. Confider how it would be if we cer- tainly fore-knew all the Evils that fliall befal us. A Man could have no heart to breed up his Child, or take any pleafure in it for fo much as one day, if he were fure (what it may be is determined) the pretty young blooming Tree while 'tis crown'd with beautiful BlofToms, ihall be flowly fawn afunder by a lingring Di- fcafe, or fuddenly torn up by the Roots with a violent Blaft. A Man would never be able to folacc himfelf with the lovely Wife of his Youth, if he knew before, that after (he had lain a few Years in his Bofom, flie fbould be remo- with rejpe& to Temporal Bhjfings. 10"] removed into AhrahanPs, Could we di- ftinftly forefee what it may be will come to pafs, fuch a day I fhall be cheated of part of my Eftate, lofe another Limb of it by Fire or by Theives, have a great many very long and fliarp fits of Feaver or Cholicic, Gout or Stone, with a long &c. of other Calamities which it may be will fall upon us before we are gathered to our Fathers 5 it were enough to craze us. Were a Man at once to fee the Ta- ble covered with thofe cruel Plaifters that muft be laid on, and the whole Room filled with all the naufeous and torment- ing Potions of Phyfick that he muft take in one fit of Sicknefs, the very fight of them would antidate the Calamity and make him Sick before the time ^ and as many as they are, there would be need of making a great addition to the mighty ftore ^ more Cordials to be fure would be requifite. Had we a fure Profpcct of all our Calamities, we fliould be continually prying how near the black Cloud does approach ^ nicely calculating how many Minutes it would be e'er the lighted Bomb towring in the Air would light and break upon our Heads, negleding prefent Du- ty, and not able to tafte our prefent Com- forts, being utterly difpirited by the fear of future Events, which we (hould be ga- zing after in a diftrafted manner. We Jio8 The Covenant well Ordered may judge how it would be with us in this cafe, by confidering how much we have been diforderM, how drooping our Spirits, what Hurries, Agonies and Con- vulfions wchave been caft into 5 how ve- ry unfit for any Duty^ Civil or Religious, when we have had the near view of any great very probbaly approaching Evil. Yet then we had this to relieve us, that the black fwelling Cloud juft as it was open- ing to pour down the Storm on our guilty Heads might be blown off by a fudden Wind ^ as fometimes (God be praifed) it has been, But it may be fome of you will fay. We would not forefee the Evil that (hall befal us 5 yet we would be glad to fore- know all the Good that fhall come to us. But we don't think nor fpeak wifely in this matter. For even this too were e- nough to fpoil the Comfort of our Lives, as will appear from the three following Particulars, (i.) It may be but a little fiiare of the good things of this Life that is defigned for us : At leaft in comparifon of vv^hat we covet^ aim at, and proudly think wq may juftly challenge as due to our C/ja- ratifer and mighty Defcru. Thereupon howfliould we vex our felvcs bccaufe we have fo fmall a Lot, and never take the tomfort of that little, tho' it be, and be- caufe with refpeS to Temporal Blejfings, io^ i^aufe it is our All. We (liould be fullert and not eat that poor fprinkling of Fruit that is fcatter'd on the lower Boughs that e'en touch the Ground whereon we (land 5 becaufe we can't climb up higher, perch on the top of the Tree, and glut our felves with the fairer and larger Clufters which grow on the uppermoft Branches'. (q.) Hereby much of the fweetnefs of the Mercy would be loft. When the Lord turned bdch our Captivity^ roe were like M^en that dream ^ we could hard!) believe our Senfes, or be perfwaded we were awake : The7t was our Month filled with laughter^ and our tonqite with f/ngin^JThe fuddeiinefs, the furprKmg manner in doing what they never looked for gave a new relifli to the Mercy, and higher Accent to their Praifes. We have nice Palates, and a fickly Sto- mach ^ and did wc know what Provifiori in particular was made for us, fiad we the continual fmell of the Meat in our Noftrils while 'tis getting ready for us, we ftiould have but little Appetite to it, find but little relifli in it when 'tis fet be- fore us. (g.) We can't fore-know many of the Comforts of Life, without fore-knowing that we muft labour under the c®ntrary Evils. For a very confidei able part of our happinefs lies in fupport under, and deli- verance from Mifery after we have felt * P the i J o The Coijemnt vreU Ordered the (ling of it, it may be too, for a con- fiderable time. There is not a more fen- fible reprefentation of the pleafure of Heaven on this fide of it, than for a Man after he has long lain under racking Pain to feel per fed fudden Eafe. This is like that fudden happy turn which thofc Saints ftiall have who are found at the fe- cond coming of Chrift, whofe vile Bodies (hall be changed into glorious ones in the ' twinkling of an Eye. If I would fore- know the great mercy of a fuddenly re- . ftored Eafe, I muft fore-know that I am to labour under the foregoing Pains which ufher it in, and render it fo very plea- fant: For 'tis the Sting that makes the Honey. We would not fore-know the Evil we are to endure 5 why then we muft not fore-know the Good that we arc to enjoy ; for the knowledge of the one can't be without the knowledge of the other 5 no more than a Man can know the length of the Day in any Climate, without underflanding that of the Night alfo. That's the Firji thing, that 'tis for our Intereft that we are kept in the dark as to future Events, whither evil or good, bc- caufe the fore-knowledge of either wouid diforder the affairs of this World, and ut- terly break the peace of our Lives. But befidcs this, 7cilj. *Tis with refpe& to Temporal Bleffingsl 1 1 li 2. Tis neceffary it fliould be fo for the bright'ning and aiTiftance of our Gra- ces. For fuppofe we are in Adverfity 5 our Patience^ Fortitude, Steadmefs and CoMJlnncy in cleaving to God, our Refig- nation to his Will, chearful Dependance on him, &c, will be the ^r/^^/er, becaufewe can ftill hold on tho' we walk in a Cloud and are not able to fee how far it is to the end of the narrow and miry Lane, wherein we are befet with Briars and Thorns on both fides tearing our Cloaths, and rending our Flefh. It may be a very lof7g one for ought I can tell 5 and yet I am not out of Breath or Patience : And yet for ought I know it may be a very flmt one too 3 and then the deep way may open into a pleafant and fpacious Plain 5 which thought may be a very great help to the fore-going Duties, and a good Means to prevent a fretful and im- patient behaviour. On the other hand, fu ppofe I am in Prof- perity, ftill I had need to keep clofe with God,that r may always retain the Comfort^ ofhinocence, or'at leaft of Pardon, and a good Confcicnce, whatever I lofe if the Tide fhould turn, as I don't know how foon it mav : For i\ it fhould not run out for many Hours according to the natural Courfe of things^ yet a ftiff Gale may fuddcnly drive the Waters out, and leave ^ P 2 th^ 311 The Covenant well Ordered the Channel empty. I had need ftill to fit loofe toward this World, and long for Heaven, where alone I Ihall be out of the reach of all danger. Tho' I fit pleafantly under the ihadc of a well-grown Tree, I had need to have a care I don't fall afleep there : For I know not how foon a ftor- my Wind may blow down all the ripe Fruit, then that by its fall may forely wound my Head, wherewith I vainly hoped to have filled my Mouth 5 that which loads and adorns the Tree may co- ver the Ground and rot upon it 5 or be pickM up and ftoln away by others with whom defa^o is the fame with de jure, and who have no other Title than what aftual PofTeffion gives them ^ vain Man that thou art, who doft look fo big, be- caufe of the droves of Admirers who croud after thee, and hang like Bees upon thy Lips every time thou openeft 'em in pub- lick/ Thy Wit that now fparkles like generous Wine in a Glafs, may grow dead and flat, as that does by length of time. Thou may,eft lofe thy Credit, or that Delivery of thine, which it may be is one of the beft Properties that belong to thee. For many times 'tis not the richnefs of the Senfe, depth of Matter, or elegancy of the Compofure (of which the Vulgar have little tafte) but the fweet- ntfs of the Tune, or the melodious Voice o with reffeSi to Temporal Blejjings. 115 of him that fings, or the pleafant found of the Inftrument on which he plays, that is the mod charming 5 artd when the Or- gan or the Breath is crackt, where aft thou^ and where are they > Or the voluble humour may change 3 or a more accepta- ble Man may arife : And a hriqhur Body will as certainly Eclipfe thy (hining lu- ftre as an Opnke and dark one can poffi- bly do. Who knows but he that fwag- gers in the head of a Troop, may befhot in the Face by the open Enemy, or in the Back by a pretended Friend, and be trampled under the Feet of thofe that are behind > Who can tell how foon the ftrutting Bubble may break ^ (which is the more likelv, becaufe it fwells fo ex- travagantly) and that which fo proudly floats on the top of the Water, may Aide into the common level ? Thou hadft need therefore to walk humbly with thy God^ and carry it modeftly towards thy Brc^ thren. 3. God hath referv'd to himfelf the fore-knowledge of future contingent E- vents, as his own peculiar Prerogative, *Tis ft ot for you to kfjow the times and Sea- a^s 1.7. fons which the Father hath put in his pwn power. Tis an incommunicable Flower of his Imperial Crown 5 and he who wears that may challenge the whole. Cod himfelf appeals to this as the Teft P 5 where- ^ 1 4. The Covenant vpell Ordered whereby the true Deity may be knawit and diftinguillit from all falfe pretended Ifd. 41. ones. Shew us the things that are to come, 22. that we may know that j/e are Gods, But he will not let us know 'em, becaufe he would have us to underftand that we are not Gods to fore-know Good and Evil (which was the firft Temptation that ru- in'd us all ^) but that we are Men • whofe Minds as well as their Hands are not able to reach very far. Breifly. There are two great Excellen- cies of our Nature, which we can never .be fufficicntly thankful for 5 viz. Know- ledge and Memory. Memory I fay, that moft valuable Talent, which none but Fools flight and negleft 5 without which thou couldft not give a wife Anfwer to any one Queftion, nor follow thy Trade : For how couldft thou fell thy Commodi- ties, if thou didft not remember that thou hadft them, where thou laidft them, what they cofi: thee, and what thou canft af- ford them for. All the other Powers of thy Soul without this would fignifie no- thing ^ and all Religion would be at an 'end, for that's exprefs'd by rcmemhring thy Creator. We are not a little indebted to God for the two contrary Impcrfeftions, viz. Forgztfulnefs of what is pajl^ and Ignorance 'of what is to come. A Man may feel that he with rejpe& to Temporal Bkffings. 1 1 5 he hath loft his Bloud and Spirits, which may make him feeble a good while after. But if he had always as quick a fenfe of Pain as he had when the cruel Inftrument was firft run into his tender Flefh, what an uneafie raiferable life would he lead. Or if a Man had a diftinft view at once of all the Changes he muft run through before he is gather'd to his Fathers, the odd (as we (hould eftcem it) and party colour d Objed, wherein are fuch furpri- fing mixtures of black and white, dark and bright, fair and bloudy, would great- ly affright us and break our Hearts 5 and the fwift turns of the Wheel would make our Heads run round as faft. But God has in mercy hid thefe things from our Eyes, and lock'd them up in his own Bo- fom. Aftronomers indeed have undoubt- ed Rules whereby they can predidt the Eclipfes of the heavenly Bodies, when they fliall happen, how long they fliall laft, when the Sun and Moon ihall emerge out of them. But no Man can forefec how often the dark Shadow fhall obfcure himfelf or his Neighbour, nor how few or how many Minutes the gloomy cover- ing fhall laft, God having kindly hid this dangerous Secret from us : In which re- fpeft his Covenant is wifely and well or- dered, which was the fifth Particular. p 4 vr. Tho- 1 1 6 The Covenant well Ordered VI- VI. Tho' meer Love be not the only, yet 'tis always the predominant Principle in all God's Providences towards his Co- venant People. I muft open this in both the Branches of it. I. All their Temporal Mercies are wo^t to be the EfFeds and Pledges too of his fpecial Love. They are given together ^m. ^- vpith Chriji, For (as the Apoftle fays) he f • that fpared not his own Son^ hovp fiall he tjot together with him freely give us all things ^ They are the performance of the Promife. For he hath faid, Seek ye firfl ihe Kii7gdom of Qod^ and the righteouf- nefs thereof and then all thefe things Jhall be added to yon. This is that which fweet- ens a good Man's temporal Enjoyments, and gives him another kind of tafte and reiifh of them than other Men have of the fame Mercies for Kind and Subftance. This is like a very curious Engraving on Brafs or Iron, that renders it worth a great deal of Silver and Gold. Whereas now the Profperity of wicked Men is of- tentimes the effed of God's deepeft Dif- pleafure : Like a rich Garment that has a jTubtil Poyfon lodg'd in it, which adorns '^he Body, but kills it too. Thus it was fjiii 78. with the Ifra elites 5 they had fiepj rained 37, &c- upon them as dnft^ and feathered fowl likQ fhc /and of the Sea^ but while the meat veas with refpefi to Temporal Blejfing^. a 1 7 yet in their ^ioitths^ the wrath of God came upon them a?jd flew the fatteji of them. But at beft, their worldly Comforts flow but from that common Love that feeds young Lions and Ravens. Their faireft Mercies are but like thofe Medals which a a Prince promifcuoufly fcatters with a negligent Hand among the vile and com- mon Rabble on his Marriage-day to fhew his own Royal Bounty ^ bijt his Pifture does he give to his Spoufe, as a Pledge that he intends to beflow himfelf upon her. God, even our own God fljall hlefs us ^ becaufe he is our own God from whom they come, this gives a greater value to his Bleffings, as well as an alTurance of the continuance of them and an addition to them, when and while they will prove to us Blcilings indeed. How pleafantly may a holy Man view his narrow and. fcanty ProvifionSo I have but a few Crumbs indeed, but then they fall from the Childrens Bread, and are an parneft that I {hall fit down at the Table of my Father in Heaven : A few handfuls of Meal, or it may be of Pulfe only, and a Cup of cold Water, together with Heaven, is a rich fair Portion for any of the Sons of God 5 much more for me, who am not worthy to be called his hired Servant, to jhave the mcancft Place, the loweft Office in his Houfe and Family, yea, or to walh the 1 1 8 The Covenant well Ordered the Feet of the meanefl: of my Lord's Ser- vants. But then obferve, that I faid Tempo- ral BlefTings are worrt to be given as Ef- fects and Pledges of God's fpecial Love. Tis ordinarily fo. But there arc fomc cafes vy^herein 'tis otherwife 5 viz. When we are over eager after them, or over fond of them. We mujl have this or that. God does not give, but V7e fnatch an Eftate out of his hand, procuring it to our fclves, or keeping it by unlawful means. And when he would remove the Mercy, we hold it faft, can*t and wont bring our Hearts to refign 5 then 'tis got and kept by us to our hurt, and it always tends to our forrow. Indeed 'tis fit it fhould be erabitter'd to lis to cure us of thcfe Fits which arc fo dangerous 5 for the more effedual purging out fo very- untoward a Temper , fo unbecoming a Creature^ and much more a Saint ^ which is in truth no better than a fpiritual Ido- latry and Adultery. But then (which brings me to the Second Particular) 2. This and all other Affli(9:ions, tho' they proceed from a mixture of Anger and Love, yet Love is the predominant Principle that lies at the bottom of all, and runs thro* the whole. with refpetl to Temporal BleJJin^s. 219 I do not fay, that all the Afflidlions of good Men proceed from A?7ger ^ becaufc I do not forget the cafe oijob-^ nor that palTage of our Saviour concerning hint that was born blind , Thk Man hath not finfz*d 77or his Parents^ but therefore did this Calamity befal him, that the vrorks of God might be Made fjiamfejlmhim. Which does not imply, that he was not tainted with original Sin. He that draws that In- ference from the words, is blinder than that poor Creature. This does no more follow from thofe words, than it does, that his Parents were /^;e from all aftual Tranfgrellions. For 'tis faid, they had not finned any more than he. The plain meaning of the Pallage is, that it was not an eye to any particular Sin in them or him that was the caufe of that Affliftion 5 but the Evil was laid upon him for no other end than this, that there might be anoccaiion for God toglorifie himfelfby working a miraculous Cure upon him. But then I mufl: add ^ That even in this cafe a good Man will be very jealous of himfelf^ for fear that fome fin lies at the bottom of the bitter Cup, tho' it be fo thick and muddy that he can't look fb far as clearly to difcern it. Ke will there- fore cry out with holy 'job^ Make me to know my trAnfgrcjfion and my pn 5 and if I •h^nte done iniquity j I will do fo no more^ For 3 QO The Covenant well Ordered For moft ufually 'tis for fome Sin or other that God ftrikes : And then Afiliftions proceed from a mixthre ofAz/gcr and Lcve^ but Love is the predominant Principle, From a mixture of Anger, Not that of an Ene/nji indeed which flows from bitter Hatred and fiery Revenge, and is accom- panied with Rigour and utmoft Severity, that intends nothing but felf-fatisfaftion, the hurt and ruin of another. This is ffal. 6$, called wrathful Anger by the Pfalmift, and is what he deprecates. Lord, rebuke me net in thine anper ^ which he explains in the very next V: ords, nor chaften me in thy hot difpleafkre. For God conpders our frame^ and remembers his own Promife, that in meafnre he will debate with us and fiaj his rough wind in the daj of his Eaji vpind. But then there is the anger of a Father^ which is guided by Wifdom, tempered by Love, and intends the good of his offending Child,though he will ufe fharp fevere Methods when 'tis neceffary in order thereunto. And he who does not apprehend when God Chaftizes him for- his Follies,that this proceeds from his Fa- therly Difpleafure, entertains a wild No- tion contrary to plain Scripture, clear Reafon, and the common Senfe of all Holy Men in all Ages. Yet with r effect to Temporal BleJ/ings. nii Yet however. Love is the Predominant Principle. This is more eafily proved than heartily believed, when we are in the School of Afflidion. But whatever a froward unbelieving Heart may fuggeft, *tis a plain certain Truth, as will appear if we confider the Mitigations of 'em as to length or (harpnefs, the inward fnp- forts which God vouchfafes under them, together with the Gracious Ettds of God in them. For Holy Men have their cool Breezes when the Sun ftrikes hotteft upon their Heads, that fan their Faces, and revive their Spirits. The unpleafant and fiery Drops are divided into fmall Parcels, given at diftant times, and arc diluted by being fcattered up and down in a large Vehicle 5 whereas otherwife, they would Scorch our Mouths, Burn up our Entrails,Embitter and Enflameour Spirits. But God is Good and Wire,his defign in all being to purge away Sin, to make us partakers of his Holinefs, and prepare us for Heaven. The working of the Phyfick indeed at firft generally makes the ill Humors tiy about the Body, and the . Patient the more Sick -^ but Strength and Health comes at laft. The firO: flroke or two beats the Vellcl more out of ihape, and makes it look more uncomely than it did before, but repeated blows bring it to a better fafliion. The toiling and tumbling of ^72 TIk Covenant well Ordered of Liquor, puts it into a Ferment, and makes it more muddy ^ but in a little while, the dregs are carried off, and it runs the finer for it : The prefent chafi-. ning which is ffOt joyous hut grievous^ be- caufe of the pain it puts us to, and the corruption it accidentally awakens in us 3 but aJHrvpardJt hringtth forth the peaceable fruits of Right eoupiefs, when for fome time they have been exercifed thereby. So true is that which is written. As many as I love J rebuke and chaJien.WhQVQUpon Holy Men when the fit of Paflion has been over, have heartily blefs'd God for their AfHidions, look'd on them as To- kens of Love, as Marks of Adoption,ad- miring his condefcending Goodnefs in Chaftiling them for their good. And herein is the Admirable manifold Wifdom of God feen, who can carry on two feemingly contrary defi^^ns at once, Judg- ment and Merry 3 as he apparently did in the cafe of Jo/iah : who finfully op- poled Pharaae-iSftro^ who truly alhriDed he had a Commiirion from Heaven for the Expedition he had undertook , the truth of which, good Jofiah never exa. mined into, as he might have done by the Prophets of the I ord who were at hand ^ hut he raflily Marches out againft him.FightsagainftOod in Fighting againft the Egyptian King, whereby he loft his Life with reffeSl to Temporal Blejfings, 125 Life, and forfeited his Title to the pro- mife, that he (hoiild go to his Grave in Peace. For to fay as fome have indif-^ erectly done, that he went to his Grave in Peace^ when he Died a Violent un- timely Death in War, is to fpeak Contra- didtions, and fay Darknefs is Light. Here was a Righteous Judgment that he was thus cut off. But much greater Mercy, for he was hereby taken away frow the evil to come, and fafely lodged before the over-flojving Scourge covered the Land. Some fiiort Application of what has been now delivered, (hall put an end to this Sermon. And I. From that particular, that God has referv^d the whole judgment of this af- fair, viz. Temporal Mercies to himfelfand if vpont to aB accordingly ^ let US be per- fwaded, not Sinfully and Fooliflily to torment our felves, as to what is pafl^ or what is yet to come. One would think there (hould be little need of preffing this ^ but he who fo thinks, muft be a great Stranger to the workings of Humane Nature under Afflidion. (i.) As to what is p aft. In all the Ca- lamities that have already befallen us,the Judgment and Will of God is declared, By unmeafurable Sorrows and Vexa- tions, wq do in effed fay, God is of one mind^ d ^^ ihe Covenant well Ordered mind, and we of another. But God's wiil is fulfilled, and thy will is croifed 5 thy Sheaf muft bow down to his,for his will not ftoop to thine. He is of one wind^ and who can turn him ? and his Power is Infinite, and who can refift him, or un- do what he hath wrought ? what would we have } would we find flaws in his Proceedings ^ bring a Writ of Error, and reverfe his Sentence after Execution > But if the Iniquity of this Carriage does not make us blufli, one would think the Folly of it fliould make us defifl-. How much foever David might be to blame in the former part of his Carriage, yet his Example is worthy of our imitation as to the latter part of it, when he fa id, while the Child was yet dlivc^ I fajied and wept 5 for I faid, who can tell whither God will be gracious to me, that the Child njay live : bnt now he is Dead, wherefore fjjould I fdfl ^ can I bring hint bach again ^ I p)all go to hint, but he flmll not return to Boxi of me. Our Modern Philofophers, tell us inh-^fe'-^^^ P//r/?/V/' Power refiding none knows fwrrdHvu whcre, very flily lodged in feme por- P- *^- tion of matter to reproduce the fame Body after it has been deftroyed. Yea, Kircherus is faid to have been able by a gentle Heat to raifc in well-clofed Vials, the perfed refemblances of Plants that had been deftroyed by Fire. A Fla- ming with refpeff to Temporal Bhjjlngi. 245 ing Love will do fomewhat like this 3 ofv ten bring to our Minds the lovely Idea of a dear departed Relative : but the vvarmcft affeftion can't make the mod beautiful 1^ lant in our Garden fpring up again when once it has been cut down and reduced to Aflies. We may water thofe Afhes, but can't quicken them with all our Tears 5 nor weep them out of the Grave: tho' we may weep our felves into it. Why therefore art thou thus finfully cafl dovpii^ my Soul 3 why art thou thm. vainly difqftkted withht mz } (2) Let us not finfully and fooUfhly difquiet our felves about FtttHre Events 3 feeing God has demed the certain fore^ knowledge of them to US. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof and we can't be fure what Evils will be on the Earth to morrow, nor where we may be before the day dawns. Calamities that we think are hovering over us may be like Birds flying in great Flocks fo as to darken the Air, that make a grievous chattering and a hideous noife, and yet may pafs us by, never lighting upon our Heads. Thus it has been ^ for how often have we fright^ ed our felves with imaginary Evils, and rtartled at the light of thofe Ghcfts which were nothing but airy Phantomes, our own Creatures ? 3^6 Tlbtf Covenant well Ordered Let us fee to it that wc ftnnd on good Terms with God, mind our prefcnt Duty that lies plain before us, and not lofe our time in gazing about after future Events which are quite out of our fight. Let us be careful for nothing fo much as to be of the number of them whom God careth for 5 cafting all our Bi^dens on him, throwing all anxious Cares off from our feivcs : When thus the Troubler is caft out, the Comforter will come in, as Light fuccecds in the room of Darknefs. Then (hall we better know what that Promife means, than Words can inform us. The peace of God which pajjeth all ZJf!dcrJla»d' fffg, Jhall keep your Hearts and Minds thro Jefus Chriji, Keep them as a ftronghold is by a numerous Garrifon, as the word fP«pjf then he muft and will £five Grace and further fupplies of it 5 becaufe without Grace (he (hall never enter into Glory. And if he will give Glory and Grace in order to it, then this bountiful Lord Cod will conjidered Conjun&ly. .265 will be a Sun and Shield : A Sun to di- red, and a Shield to defend us round about, or elfe our many Enemies would prove our death and ruin. And if he will be and give all this to his People, then 'tis plain to demonftration ;, that no good thing will he withhold imm them that walk uprightly. A word or two by way of Application, and fo I fhall conclude at thh time. 1. Be perfvvaded to lay hold on this blefled Covenant of Grace, and do all that in you lies that your Children may do fo too. By Prayers, by Inftrudion, by Counfel, by Admonition and holy E- ducation, endeavour to bring them by their own perfonal confent into the Co- venant of Grace, into which you entered them in Infancy 5 and then you and they are happy beyond Expreflion, and to all Eternity. 2. Let us live like thofethat are Inter- refted in this blefled Covenant. The Moon is bright and fair, there are no Mifts and Clouds ^ its Body is of fuch a contexture, as not to fend forth any fuch evil thing. But there is nothing like this in this lower World. Abundance of Va- pours are (learning up every day, and no wonder they knit in Clouds and break forth in Thunder upon us, no wonder the R 3 Air 2^-6 The Blejfings of the Covenant Air is fometimes darkened and the Tem- peft arifes. Sin is in us while we are in this World, and the black Vapour is pro- ceeding forth every day, and no wonder if it be fometimes Cloudy and Stormy with us too. But now if we are in Covenant w^ith God we may be peaceable and quiet with- in, for God, even our onm God, will blefs us : 'Tis God, even our own God, does corred us, and he will take off the Edge of the Affiidion. A wretched King once fa id ^ Had he been by when God made the World, he would have taught him how to have mended it in many particulars: And fince his days wc have had fome learned Fools, that pretend to go very Mathematically to work, and a great many Errors have they found in the divine Workmanfhip. They don't like the roughncfs of the fur- face of the Earth, the Hills and Moun- tains, the inequality oftheSeafonsof the year -^ they mightily diflike the gaping Chanal of the Sea, the broken Cliffs and the naked Shore cut into many irregular Angles. But now they that have been fuch v/ife Philofophers have been guilty of grofs Miftakes and not God. For if the Earth had been as fmooth as thefe Men would have had it, wc (iiould then liave wanted the conjidered Conjunflly. 167 the fruitful Valleys, the plentiful Springs, and a great many precious Metals. In fliort, all manner of Navigation and Com- merce had been utterly ruined to the pre- judice of Mankind. When we are under the Wheel, and prefTed with a weight of heavy Affiifti- ons, how apt are we to cry out 5 Why fo many broken and rough Steps in my way, why fo many Breaches made in my Health, that create me fo much trouble, and give fo great an interruption to the Bufinefs of Life : But furely we are not altogether fo Ignorant as we would make our felves. Look into thy Heart, Man, and thou wilt be quickly able to anfvver this Queftion thy felf But I demand whether thou haft an In- tereft in the Covenant of Grace, Yea or No > If not, thou haft reafon to turn the ftream of thy Complaints into another Channel : I have heard of the Covenant of Grace, and the great Bleftings of it 5 but my Soul is like to be miferable for ever, or I am very doubtful whither I fhall ever be the better for them or no. If it be thus with thee after all the Sab- baths and Sacraments thou haft enjoyed, what reafon haft thou to weep over thy own Soul. But if indeed thou art intereftcd in the Covenant, and this is cleared up to thy R 4 Soul 1.68 The BleJJings of the Covenant &c. Soul, thou art a happy Man how many foevcr thy Miferies are. If thou dofi: be- thmk thy felf thou wilt fay^ As much poverty and Affiidion as I am in, yet would I not exchange my Condition with the greatefl: Monarch on Earth. Tho' thou art funk down never fo low, yet thou art highly faVoured of the Lord, and fiiall have the Divine Prefence conti- nually with thee 5 whoever fails, God hath faid, he will mverf^il : He hath fa id, My Grace is fnffidefjt for ihce. As per- plexed as thy Affairs be, yet all thwgf jhail work together for good. As miry as the way is, yet chear up, there is a Hea- ven of Eternal Glory in full view. Why then art thou cajl dorvn^ wy Sotil^ why art thou thus finfully and fooliflily dlfqii'i- eted within ^e Is there any Duty Perfonal or Relative, towards God, your felves or others, that you live in the frequent, willful, lazy, known negleft of ? How is it with you as to your dar- ling Sin, fuch as the bent of your Na- tures, your Conftitution and Temper ^ or your with ref^eff to the Termi of it, 279 your Bufinefs and Employment do mofl: of all incline you to ? How ftands it with you in reference to what the Scrip- ture calls the Plagm of a Marts own Hearty and his own Imquity . If fo, however Confcience may be a Sleep, and you may have your Pleafant Dreams, while you are in Health and Strength, and your Thoughts diverted with the Bufinefs and Pleafures of Life 5 You will certainly be in very great ftraights of Soul, when once you are throughly iVwakened, and a Dying Hour comes. 2. Sincerely comply with thefe Terms of the Covenant if you have not yet done it. If any ask ^ but what can we; do in order hereunto. I Anf^ver, Give your felves much toConfideration and Prayer, S a Confider iSo The Covenant vcrell Ordered Confider the Bleffingsof the Covenantj Pardon of Sin, Acceptance with God and Eternal Life and Glory : Things of fuch Ineftimable value, that you cannot but earneftly Govet, and think nothing too much that you may be pofleft of them. And then confider the neceffity of per- forming the Terms, that you may not mifs of thefe Priviledges and Blerfings ^ otherwife then fo, you cannot expedt them and ftiall never have them. And all this will make you thoughtful and ferious, and earneftly Cry to God, that he would grant you Repentance unto Life, and work the work of Faith with power in you, and that through his ftrengthning of you, you may be enabled to do all things. And don''t defer this to an Old Age, a Sick Bed, or an uncertain hereafter. If thefe things are difficult now, they will be more fo hereafter, when your hearts by length of Time and frequent Praftice, are much hardened in Sin. And what is your Life ? 'tis but a Va-» pour. How can you tell you fhall have a long lingring Sicknefs of it, and not be cut off with a fudden ftroke. SomeHoufes moulder away by little and little, and one ftone is pluck'd away after another 5 but fome too fall flat on the ground in a Mo- ment. And with rejpe& to the Terms of it. aS I And how many Difeafcs are you fub- jed too, which may ftupifie all the Pow- ers of your Soul, and take away the ufe of your Reafon in whole or in part. 'Tis a difmal thing to have this work to do when your Heads are clouded, your Un- derftandings fcattered, your Memories broken, your Confcience terrified, and the Thoughts of God and of Eternity overwhelm and diftrad you, and your thoughts fo confufed, that you cannot knit two of them together in an orderly manner. And who can alfure you of the Grace of God, if it be now negleded by you ? You may as foon command the Winds to blow, as him to move as you lift 5 and yet without him, you may as foon remove Mountains, as comply with the Terms of the Covenant. Behold novp ■k the accepted time^ this is the day of Sal" vatiof/. In this your day^ hfiovo the things that belong to your Eternal Peace. Sdly, a?id Laflly. To thofe that have complied with the Terms of the Cove- nant, and have an Intereft in it. Be thankful. Be careful you don't break Co- venant with God. Be comforted under all your Sorrows and Troubles of what nature and kind foever. Be contented, though your Lot and Portion in this World be never fo mean. S ^ k 18? A Brief DISCOURSE O F Infant -Baptifm ; Delivered at the VuhUc Baptifm of an INFANT, A T Kingjlon upon Thames ; June 23. 1700, Beloved in our Lord, BEing defired to Baptize the Child of my Friend and your Paftor 5 before 1 do fo, I flwil fpeak fom,e- what, as briefly and as clearly as I can, for the juflifyin.^ our Prafticc of hifant Baptifm : Which I fliill ^o in the four following Heads or Confiderations, Conjideration I. No Man pretends, that 'tis written in fo many Words in the Scripture, that the Infants of Believers are to be Baptiz'd. S 4 All iS;^. A Brief D'lfcourfe All that we fay in the Cafe is this, viz. We can prove by juji Confeqnence from tb,e Scriptures, that 'tis rhe Mind and Will of Chrift, that their Infants Ihould be Bap- tized. And this we think to be fufficient for thefe Two Reafons. Reafon I. Becaufe Chrift himfelf thought this to htfuffidettt^iox the Proof of a Matter of greater Moment than Infant'Baptifm 5 viz. A Fundamental Ar- ticle of Faith, the Refurremon of the juft and unjuft ^ which as you will find in Mat. 21.31, 32.he doth not prove againfc the Saddnces who denied it,by producing any Text of Scripture, "^vherein it was written in fo many Words or SyUahhs^ that there fhall be a RefurrcBion : He goes another way to work. He proves it fijrf. 3. by Confeqneace from that Scripture, / am the God of Abraham^ the God oflfaac^ and the Gad of Jacob, How many Confequen- CCS are neceffa. y,to prove the Refurrcdion of all Men from thefe Words ? viz.. (i.) That the Souls of Abraham^ and Ifaac^ and '^acoh^ are yet in Being ^ becaufe he does not fay, I was, but I am their God. C2.) That this Expreffion of being their God, doth imply, his being engaged to manifeft himfelf fome time or other, to be their Bcncfa^or in an Eminent Manner 5 that he will do fomething for them, far tetter than for any other Men. (3.) That he of Infant 'Baptifm- 38 5 he did not fully manifeft himfelf to be fo very great a Benefaftor to them, while they were in this World. As to Tempo- ral Bleflings many others exceeded them 5 Pharaoh for Inftance. All that he did for them, fell vaftly fhort of what that Big Ex predion, / aw their God, doth import. (4.) That therefore he will fill it up in another ftate, which is yet to come. ($.) That in order thereunto, they fhall rife from the dead, that they may be com- pleatly happy in Body and Soul. For he is a God not of a Piece only,but of their whole Perfons 5 and therefore their Whole Man, Body as well as Soul, fhall be made exceedingly happy. (6.) If Abraham^ Ifaac and Jacob rife again 5 fo fhall other Men, to whom alfo the Mofl High is peculiarly related as there God.(7.) If the Righteous rife again, fo fliall the Wicked. And therefore there fhall be a Refurredion of the jufl: and unjuft. All thefe Confeqaences muft be drawn, to make good our Saviour's Proof of a Fundamental Article of Faith. We don't need fo long a Train of Confequences to prove the Lawfulnefs and Duty of Baptizing our Infants (as you fhall fee by and by) though if we did, we have the Warrant of our Saviour's Example, who took this Method for Eftablifhing a Point of much greater Concern, R(afo^ g86 A Brief DifcQurfe Reafon 2. Our Adverfarics themfelvcs do the fame, when they Oppnfi Infant- Baptifm ^ as we do, ./hen we contend for it. They don t pretend to bring any place of Scripture, wherein 'tis written in jufl: fo many Words and Syllables^ that Inf ints are not to be Baptized : But they endeavour to prove it by Confequence : Or elfe there could be no Arguing or Difpute about the matter. If they ar- gue trom Confequences again fi Infant- Baptifm 5 we muft not be blamed for doing the fame for it. The Method and Way of Proceeding is the fame on Their Side jnd Ours. This may fuffice for the Firji Conjideration, I proceed to Conjideratlon 11. The turning Point of this Contro- verfie lies here, z/Zz,. Are our Infants with^ in the Covenant, are they the vifible Members of Chrift's Churrh or K.insdom x Yea, or No ? And i befeech you to take fpectal Notice of this ^ whether we are not able to make good thefe Two Things. 1. That our Infants are within the , Covenant, are vifible Members of Chrift's Church or Kingdom. And, 2. That IF they are, then they have a Right to Baptifm. i. That of Infant'Baptifm, 187 I. That our Infants are within the Covenant, and are the Vifible Members of Chrift's Church or Kingdom. That the Infants of Believers were fo of Old, is not denied. That thofe were Privile- ges cannot be queftion'd. None has ever yet produced any Scripture to prove, that they are repealed. Yea, on the con- trary, there are many PafTages in the New Teftament 5 whence it will appear, that thefe Ancient Priviledges are conr tinned to Us and Ours. To name a Few, Luke 18. 15, 16. 7 key brought iif?to him Infants, that he would touch them : but when his Difciples favo it^ they rebuked- them. But Jefifs called them unto him^ and f aid ^ fujfcr Little Children to come unto mc^ and forbid them not : for of fuch is the Kingdom of God. By the Kingdom ofGod^ muft be meant one of thefe two Things. Either, (i.) The Gofpel-Church ; In which Scnfe, that Exprefiion is often to be ta-; ken. Or, (2.) The Future State of Glory. Now let any take which of thefe two he pleafes ^ if the Firji^ viz. The Gofpel- Church -^ then we have what we are plead- ing for, Infants belong tq the Gofpel- Ghurcho If 388 A BriefDifcoiirfe If the Second, viz. T/je future State of Glory ^ thence it will follow, that our Infants are within the Covenant, and belong to the Church and Kingdom of Chrift here on Earth 5 for elfe they can't enter into Heaven. Had it been quite con- trary to this ^ had it been written, that Chrift was very atigry with thofe, who hrofi^ht little Children to him ^ and had he faid. Suffer thew not to he brought unto me ^ for of fuch the Kingdom of Heaven is not : I fuppofe, the Anti-p£do-haptifif would have made great Improvement of it. If our Infants are fived, it muft be by fome Covenant : If by fomc Covenant, it muft be by the Covenant of Grace. (For by the Covenant of Works, ail Flefh is condemned.) They can't be faved by the Covenant of Grace, if they arc not within it 5 if it don't reach and ex- tend to 'em. If Infants dying in their Infancy are faved ^ they muft belong to Chrift's Church which is his Body. For he is the Head, and adually a Saviour to none,but thofe who belong to him ^ who are his Mem- bers and Parts of his Body. If they are not Members of Chrift's Kingdom, then they are Members of the Devil's Kingdom. For the whole World is divided between thefe two. And can any of Infant' Baptifm. ^^^ aiiy who are the Members of the Devil's Kingdom, fo living, and fo dying, be faved ? Again, That our Infants are within the Covenant, and Vifible Members of Chrift's Church and Kingdom ^ will ap- pear from Ro^/. II. 17. where the Apoftlc treating of the Rejedion of the Jewf^ and the Calling of the Gentiles ^ has thefe remarkable Words : If fome of the Bran- ches were broken ojf^ (i. e. That part of the Jeivifi Church who rejeded Chrifl:, were Unchurch'd) And thou fwho waft a Gentile J being a Wild Olive^ wcrt graffed in amo77g them 5 (vi%. The believing jfezvj-, who ftill retained their Ancient ftand- ing in the Church, and thou art added to *em) atid voith them^ partakeji of the Root and Fatnefs of the Olive-Tree. And then ver. 10. Becaufe of Unbelief they were broken off ^ who are called ver. 21. The Natural Branches. And ver. 24, 'tis faid of them, that upon their Con- verfion, they fhall again be graffed into their own Olive-Tree. Now the great En- quiry here will be, what the Apoftlc means by the Olive-Tree. They who oppofe Infant-Baptifm fay, hereby is meant the Invifible Church. Now the Invifible Church is the Company of the Eleft, that have been, are, or (hall be fandified and finally faved. On ^^Q A Brief Dijcourje On the contrary We fay, by the Oliver Tree is meant the Vifihle Church. Now the Vifible Church is a Company of Peo- ple, who profefs the True Religion * fome whereof do it in Sincerity, but others of 'em are not fincere in the Pro- feffion of it. And that by the OUve-Tree is meant, not the Invifble^ but the Pljible Church will appear : Becaufe, The Apoftic fpeaks of fuch an Olive- Tree^ whereof the Jews were Natural Ver. 21. Branches. Now no Man is by Nature (but by meer Grace) a Member of the Invifible Church. And the Apoftle fpeaks of fuch an Olive-Tree^ whence fonie of the Branches Vi- ., 2c, were brohc^i off : Now no Man is broken Rom. 11.^^ from the hvi/ible Church : The 7- Eledlion of God Jfjall obtain 5 the purpofi of God accordif/g to Elc^ion Jlxall flatid. II. ' ' All fuch (hall be finally faved. Again, The Apoflile fpeaks of fuch an Olive-Tree ^ from which, the Generality of the Jews were broken off : Now no Man wiil fay, that the Generality of the Jeivijh Nation in our Saviour's Days, were Members of the hvifllc Church , z. e. were real Saints or Regenerate Perfons. Thefe Confiderations fhew, that by xh^Olive-Tree is meant the Vifible Church. Now of Infant' Baptijm a 9 f Now do but Obferve the Arguments dravvn hence, for proving our Infants being within the Covenant, and Vifible Members of the Church, viz. Firfl, The Apoftle faith, only that fome of the Branches, /. e. of the Jevps^Ver. 17. were broken off t, aixl that it was for 7J?7belief. The Believing Jews therefore ^^f' 20. were not broken off, but retained their Ancient Standing in the Church. And fo did their Infants. For if their Infants wore broken off, it muft be for Unbelief:^ which is the only caufe affigned by the Apoflle. If they were broken off for Unbelief, it muft be for their own Un- belief 5 or, for that of their Pare^itf. For their own Unbelief it could not be, be- caufe by reafon of their tender Age, they were not capable of committing the Sin of Rejefting Jefus Chrift. For their Parents Unbelief it could not be, becaufe we fpeak only of the Children of fuch Jews^ whofe Parents did believe on Chrift 5 when he was Preached to them. Now if the Infants of the believing Jews, were continued Members of the Chriftian Church 5 our Infmts are Members of it too. For there is no Diffe- rence under the Gofpel, between Jew and Gentile. Secondly^ 59 2 ^ Brief DlfcQurfc Scco^idly, We Gentiles are graffed in among the Natural Branches, and with them partake of the Root and Fatnefs of the Olive-Tree : i. e. Believers under the New Teftament, do as amply and fully partake of Covenant Bleffings and Pri- vileges, as Believers under the Old Tefta- ment did 5 of which this was one very valuable One, that their Children were Members of the Vifible Church, were within the Covenant 5 the Moft High cen. 17. promifed (and a great Promife it is) / 1' will he a God to thee, and to thy feed » Thirdly^ The Jitvs upon their Conver- fion, fhall be grajfed in again into their own Olive-Tree. How can that be, if their Church-ftate then, (hall be fo very different from v/hat it formerly was 5 their Children being then to be left out, who were formerly taken in ? In fliort, the unbelieving Jews and their Children were broken otf 5 when the Jews fhall be Converted, they and their Children (hall be taken in again. Believing Jews and their Children kept their Ancient Standing ^ and Believing Gentiles and their Children are taken in among them ^ fhare in the Privileges which the one are continued in, and which the other loft ^ i. e. They and f their of Infant- Baptifm. 2 9 j their Children are Church-Members, and within the Covenant. Which is further proved from that known PafTage, i Cor. 7. 14. Elfe were your Children H7tclean^ but tioro are they Holy, Which can't be underftood of a HoHnefs by real Regeneration, or the In- fufion of Gracious Principles. Alas.' Too many Children, that are defcended from Pious Parents, give plain Evidence that they are not Born of God. Nor can it be meant of Matri/^omal HoUnefs, as the Oppofers of Infant-Baptifm fpeak 5 and fo they make this to be the Senfe of the Place 5 viz. Elfe were your Children tm- clean 5 i. e. fay they, they were Bajiards : But now are they Holy 5 i, e, fay they, are Lavpfally begotten. This Expofition can't be right 3 for this would be to make the Apoftle fay, that if at lead One of the Parents be not a Chriftian, then all the Children are Baftards : which is not true. For Mar- ffeb. 13. riage is Honourable among ALL, Hea- M* thens as well as Chriftians. And if the Parents are Married, whether they be Be- lievers or no, their Children are Legiti- mate, and can't be faid to be Lafely born. It muft therefore be meant of a Focderal or Covenant-Holinefs. Thefe are fome (and but a few) of the Arguments our Divines produce. But T then a 9 4- ^ Brief Difcoiirfe then Obferve what 'tis they are brought for 5 Not to prove Immediately^ that In- fants are to be Baptized, Thefe Argu- ments Im/?M:diatclj and Dire&lj prove no more than this, that our Infants are rcithifi the Covenant ^ Holy by a Covcnant- Holimfs^ as the whole Nation of the J errs were ^ feparated to be the Vifible People of God, Subjefts of his Kingdom, Members of his Houfe and Family. Now this being proved in the Firfl PI ace ^ Hence our Divines argue by jurt Confequence in the Secof/d Place, That IF our Infants arc thus within the Covcnant,and arc Vifible Members of Chrift's Church and King- dom ^ (which hath been proved) That, Henre it follows, they have a Right to Enptifm. Circumcifion, while it was the Initia- ting Sign of the Covenant, was for that cohi. 7. Rcafofj applied to Infants. Now Baptifm doth fuccccd ill the room of Circumcifion, and fhould be applied to our Infants, if they are within the Covenant fas it hath been proved they are.) (jo a??d Teach, (ox rather, as the Word by the con'ent of all Parties doth fignifie, and fliould be Tranflated J Go and Difci- ple all Nations, Baptizing them, &c. Mat, 2"8. TO. If our Infants are Difiiples, they mud thereupon be Baptized. If II, 12. of Infant'Baptifm . 295 If they are Chrift's Soldiers, they muft by this Ordinance be lifted under him as their CaptainJf they are his Subje6i:s,they muft be declared to be fuch by Baptifm, which.isthe External diftinguifliing Badge between his Subjedts, and thofe who are not fo. A&s 7. 53, 59. Be baptized every one of yoH : F'or the Fromife is to ym and to your Ckillren, The Parents are requi- red to be Biptized for this fVcafon,^crtf;(/e the Vromife is to them 5 but the Promife reaches to the Children too 5 and there- fore they alfo are to be Baptized. And 'tis Obfervable, the Apoftle don't fay the Promife WAS, bur the Promife IS to you and to your Children. So much for that Second Confideration that the Turning'' Point of this ^ >ontrover(ie lies here,, viz. Are our Infants within the Covenant^ are they the Viable Members of Chrift's Church or Kingdom 5 Yea, or No > Be fure you mind and confider this. Confideration III. Diftingui(h between a Nation that never had the Gofpel Preached to 'em, having always been Heathens ^ and a Nation to whom the Gofpel hath for many Ages been Preached, the Inhabitants having for feveral Generations been ' profelTed Chriftiaus. T 2 Be- 1^6 A Brief Difcourfe Between a People who have never yet owned Chrift ^ and a People that have owned him. In the former cafe (which was the cafe of thofe to whom the Apoftles firft Preached) We would exhort Pcrfons to Repent and Believe, and upon their Profeffion of both thcfe, we would Baptize them. But then we would alfo Baptize their Infants. Requiring this Profefllon of the Parents before Baptifm, doth not prove that WE would not Bap- tize their Infants. Therefore neither did the Apoftles requiring this Profeffion, prove T/jey were againft Infant-Baptifm* They Preach'd to the Jews, who had not yet owned Chrift 5 and to Heathens, who had not heard of him before ; and to Perfons grown up 5 and therefore we read of Believing put before Baptizing. But Chrift hath been known, owned and profefl'ed in EngUfid for many Ages. Our Parents before we had a Being were Dif- ciples, and We were Bom Dtfiiples by the Covenant^ and fo hi d a Right to the Seal of that Covenant which is Holy Baptifm 5 nithoHt a7iy fore-going Teaching. The Time When^ the Manner Hovp, we come to be Difciples, is not material : Whe- tlier by the Forc-q;oing Teaching of a Minifter, or by God's fpecial and peculiar Vouch fa fement. Ananias finding Paul a Difiiple, he Baptized him, tho* no Man had by Teaching made him fo. Ill of Infant-Baptifm* iii^j In Lev. 25. 41, 4'2. God calls Children his Servants. If Children are God's 6*^^- vaKts, though for the prcfent, they can't do any Work :, why may they not be Dif- ciples, though for the prefent they can't learn any Lejjbn .hat\r done to them ^ To which 'tis replied,our Infants when they are Baptized, are not more ignorant what's done to them than the Infants of the Jews were, when the/ were Circum- cifed. Again, fay they, Baptifm is the Sign and Seal of the Covenant 5 why do you Baptize Infants voho can*t underjiand the Covenant^ much Icfs conjhit to it . In Lieut, 29. 10, 1 1, 1 2. Their Little Ones are entred into Covenant with God. Again, fay they, the End of Baptifm is, that Gofpel-buties, Privileges and Myfterics, might be reprefented hy that Figure • I of Infant- Baptifm. 199 Figure to the Eye, viz. Dying to Sin, and rifing to Newnefs of Obedience ^ 'tis a Sign of Repentance, and Regene- ration, and Faith. Why then do you Baptize I»fa^ts, who cn?t*t vnderflafid the Meaning of that Sign, or what is rcprejcn- ted by Baptizing ^ and give no Proofs of their Repent ancCjOr Regeneration^ or Faith ^ To this 'tis replied, that Circumcifion reprefented Regeneration, Mortification and Purity of Heart (whence Sandifica- tion is fet forth by Circumcifing the Heart) And the JerviJJj Infants did no more un- derftand, what was fignificd and repre- fented by Circumcifion, than our Infants do what is reprefented by Baptifm 5 and gave no more Proofs of Mortification and Regeneration than our Infants do ^ yet the Jews Infants were on other Accounts Circumcifed, and fo may ours be Bapti- zed for all that. Though Baptifm be not adually a Teaching Sign for the prefent to our In- fants, no more than Circumcifion was to the Infants of the Jews 5 yet Baptifm is at p' .jfent a Difiinguijhing Sign, and an Engaging One 5 whereby they are diftin- guifti'd from the Children of Heathens, and obliged to the Duties of the Cove- nant 5 and may be of great Ufe to them, when they come to Years of Underftand- ing. As Circumcifion was a Diftinguifli- T4 i«8 200 A Brief Difcourfe^S^C. ing and Engaging Sign to the Infants of the Jeivs 5 and of great Service to them when they were grown up. (2.) Other Objeftions againft Infant- Baptifm, if they have not this Fault, that they would as well hold againft Infantr Circumcifion, they have another as bad and worfe ^ viz. They would as well hold againft Infants Salvation, Take for In- {lance that Objeftion, about which fo great a Noife is made 5 vt%, 'Tis written, i/e that believeth and is baptized^ Mark \6. 16. Now fay they, Infants cant be- lieve ; therefore they ought not to be Baptized. To this *tis replied, read the Verfe out. He that believeth and is baptized^ JhaB be Caved 3 bnt he that believeth not Jfjall be dawned. Now if there be any thing in their Arguing, Infants can't believe, and therefore they fliould not be Baptized ^ it would as well follow. Infants can't Believe^ and therefore they JJmII not befaved. SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable Sir JOHN SHORTER Knt. Lord - Mayor O F T H E CITY of LONDON; A T GROCERS-HALL, February the i ith, 1 6 8,^ By Nathanael Taylor. Publijhedbyhis Lord/hips Command, LONDON, Printed in the Year 1705. To the Right Honourable Sir JOHN SHORTER Knt. Lord - Mayor O F T H E CI T Y of LONDON. MY LORD, HAD I been at liberty to havefolhwed my OTon htcll nations^ the enfning Difcourfe had been thrown by^ and lain negleded in my own Study only. But having received your Con/mandsfor the Piib- lijhing as well oj the Preaching of it., I here prefent it to your Lordjhip 5 being rcfolved there pall be no defe&s in my Obedience^ how many foever there may be in my Sermon^ But it'^s not the defign of this Dedication to make Apologies.^ or which is another com- mon place nfually infijied. on., write a Fane- gyric. They are generally Hypocrites that blow Trumpets before other Men^ as well as they that of old did it before themfehes. If y^^' take care that your Works fliall praife you, and your own Confcience dpprove and commend The Epiftie Dedicatory. commend yon. 5 this will afford you afolid Satisfa^ioft, when the good Words of Men only will no more comfort^ than the Breath wherewith they utter them^will nonrifi you. And that your Lordjhip and your Honour a- hie Brethren^ may manage your Selves and nil your Affairs in that Station wherein Providence hath Jet you^ fo m to ficure this to your felves x, prevent the Reproaches of Confcience^ and live down thofe of malicious Men • that this great City and Religion may flour iJJj under your prudent and juji Adminiflration^ is and, Jhdl be the JDajly Vrayer of MY LORD, Tour moft Obedient and Faithful Servant^ Nathanael Taylor. 305 SE R M O N Preached before the RIGHT HONOURABLE THE Lord-Mayor, &c. LUKE X. 21. In thdt Hour Jefus rejoyced in Spirit, and faid, I thank thee, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hajl hid thefe things front the Wife and Prudent, and hajl revealed them unto Babes 5 even fo Father, for fo it fiemed goad in thy fight, HE that fhall ferioufly confider the ma- ny exprefs Prophecies concerning the Meffiah 5 the great and incre- dible Diligence wherewith every Iota and Tittle of them was preferved 5 and the general Expeftation among all forts of Men in Jud ^^^ ^^^ fhorter the line is, fo much II. the more unlikely it is in it felf to reach to the bottom for the drawing up of li- ving Waters. If any have the advantage, it fhould be Men of quick parts : for fuch generally take a thing prefently, as fpirits immediately catch fire 5 whereas things do not enter fo eafily, nor pierce fo deeply into thofe that are naturally 4ull and flow of underfVanding, !f the Ecci. 10. Iro^/ be hhmt^ much pains mufl: be taken *^* in rvhctth^gthc edge, or moxQ flrer7gth put forth in the ufing it. 3. Thefavwg h}70\vledge ojDiv'wc things is not denied to all that are wife and p'u- A'Ji 12. ^^f^i->^^or giveji to all inferior Perfons. Some 7. renowned for Wifdom and Learning,have ^^ ^;^, been of Chrift's Retinue. Some curioufly mod £«• carved Pieces have been in our Father's c^iiem Houfe that have exceedingly grac'd and prVus. adorn'd it. Sacred fxccords Inform us »0t77- of Jofeph of Ariniathea^ a rich Man, and ^^„ *l an honour able Councellour \ of Wcodemus fan\vU. a Alajier in IJrael ^ of Sergiits Paulus a «fr*^! />r«^e/7^ man ^ of a profoundly Learned Vol I. Paul :, an Eloquent Apollos ^ and in the ^392• fuccecding Ages there have been fome others of a great name, that have known the trnth as it is in Jefns. Some that have Eph. 4. 21, before the Lord-Mayor. ^ i ^ have had the advantage of the higher ground, have brcath'd in a clear Air, and been refrefli'd with the beams of the Sun 5 while more inconlidcrable Per Ions, like them that dwell in low and marilli Grounds, have been wrapt up in Fogs and thick Darknefs. The very duO: of the Earth, being raifed by the Prince of the Air, flew in Chrill's face ^ the com- mon People, I mean among the Jews^ who cried out Crucifie him, which they would no more have done than their jR«/^rj-,had they kvown the Lord of Glory, i Cor. 2. 4. The favhtg hiovchdge of I^'ivbie ^* thiffgs is niofi nfu ally given to inferior per- forts 5 attd nioft commotdy denied to thofe that are wife and prffdent. The Temple at Jernfalem was made of the richeft and moft coftly ^4atcrials 5 the Spiritual Temple generally of the meaneft, only here and there a few precious and poli- fhed Stones that fet off the whole Build- ing. And the truth of this will appear, if you confider, I. Horv matters flood aboitt the time of our Saviour'* s appearing^ and while he con- tinued in the World. Learning and Policy were then at the highefV. But yet the wife Philofophers were loft in the Fog ^ and by Wiflom the i Cw world knew not God. Like the blinded *'* Sodomites^ they were groping after the V 4 door g J 6 A Sermon Preached door of Knowledge and Eternal Life,wiien the Day-ftar was juft rifing, but were not able to find it. If we leave them, and pafs into the dwellings of the Children of Ifrael, who were now the Gofl^en of the World, as they had been once of Egypt, we fliallfind them encompaft with palpable darknefs. The moft underftand- ing Men want an Eye to fee. One would have thought, that as the light of the Morning ftrikes firll: on the tops of the High Mountains, fo the dawmng of the day of Chrilt Ihould have been firft per- ceived by the High Priefls. That the Sanhedrin fhould have had the mod early notice of the rifing of the Sun of Righte- oufnefs, as they ufed to have of the Pha/is of the New Moon. But on the contrary, the firft: tidings of an approaching Mejfiah were gi\Qn to Zechariah^ an ordinary Prieft: of the courfe o^ Abias -^ to Elizabeth his Wife, to the Babe in her Womb, to Jojep/j the Carpenter, and Alary a defpi- ied Virgin, of a Royal Family, but run to decay, and funk like a dry Root un- der ground. True indeed, three Wife Mjt. 5.1, Me» of the Eajl were informM of Chrift'$ *• Nativity by a fiew Star 5 but a more con- Lk'^e 2. fiderable number of poor Shepherds had it ^* from a higher hand 5 one of the noble Order of Angels, thofe Mormng Stars was their Preacher. And one Meflengcr did before the Lord-Mayor. 5 1 7 did not fuffice ^ there was befides a great widtititde of the Heavenly Hofi, who in^'^'-'S^ their hearing Sung a Pfalm of Praife at the dole of the Angelical Sermon. The Wife Men underftood the matter but darkly and confufedly, fomewhat in the general, which left them under much perplexity and uncertainty, and caufcd them to refort to JernfaJe/!/ to make a farther enquiry. But the poor Shepherds are told allvery plainly, both as to the Nature and Office of ChriO: 5 that he was a Saviour and the Lord : And ns to the i>r. u. particular circumftances of Time and Place, this day^ and in the City of David, It was feveral days to be fure 5 nay, what- ever Baromits faith to the contrary, for the credit of the Roman Calender, a Lear- f^s'^//- ned Man on good ground thinks, above i/si il a year before the Wife Men could obtain P- 452- a fight of Chrift. But the Shepherds find him the very ?/ext niorning^ and don't Vcr. 16. wait fo long for admifTion into his B.oyal Prefence, as the others did. When our Saviour was brought into the Temple, the Learned Scribes and Pharifees knew him no more than Sub- jefts do their Prince when under a dif- guife. Only two aged perfons, Simeon ir^r. 2^, (who in all probability was not the fa- mous Man of that name,the Son of Hillel and Father ofGan/alki^ Prefident of the great 3 1 8 A Sermon Preached great Sanhedrin, as fome imagine) and Vcr. 55. ^^^^ ^\^Q Prophetefs of the Yribe of Ajhcr^ that was always mean, and much more fo fince the Captivity -^ Perfons remarkable for nothing fo much as their extraordinary Piety, by which the Holy Ghoft defcribes them, difcern who he is 5 the one opening his Arras to receive him, and both of them their Mouths to praife God for him. Afterwards Chrift was re- moved from Bethlehem^ as tho' that were a place too near the great Doftors in jfe- rnfalem^ and Nazareth an obfcure corner of the Country was the place of his ufual refidence. Lazarus, Martha, Mary, Per- fons of no extraordinary Quality, were his intimate Friends. Not Princes or Rabbies, but a Publican and Fi(her-men were chofen his Difciples. The Learned Men indeed were fometimes his Hearers ^ but they revile, oppofe, undervalue, en- deavour to enfnare and murther him, ^'^^' "' while the Poor only receive the Gofpel. He blefles little Children, and they are the Perfons that fing Hofanna's to him. JJ}n 4. y{q inftrufts a poor Woman of Samaria. in the Myfteries of Salvation in a long and excellent Difcourfe, tho' fhe feemed Luke 23. to deny him a draught of Water. But as 8- for King Herod, who had long defired to fee him, and if gratified, might have pre- ferved his Life, he could not get a word from before the Lord-Mayor. g \ 9 from Chrift, tho' he hoped for a Mi- racle. There was not a greater Darknefs on the face of the Earth, in the time of Chrift's Pa (lion, than there was upon the Underftandings of Pilate^ the Chief Priefts and Elders. Chrift communicates a faving-light and knowledge of himfelf to a poor condemned Thief that liung by him on the Crofs, and opens his Eyes that were ready to be clofed by Death, while thofe of the Pvulers that v. ere al- moft as near him, were holder that they could ?!ot know him. 2. Thi?7gs ran in the fame Cha?n!cl in the Apojlles Dajs, and the f/ creed 7 ng Age. At Athens^ the Eye of the World, when Paul Preached Jefus and the Fvcfurredion, he was reviled as a Babbler, difputed againft by two Sefts of Philofophers 5 dragg'd before the great Judicatory at Alars's Hill : And tho' the Judges there were remarkable for their "^ number and */o/''' quality, being the moft Famous Men intiiothdr all Greece for Wifdom and Morality, yet "^'^'"^^IjJ certain, yet it could not be fmall, becaufe nine of their i4rc/;o«^ex that U-A Jlul'.d well fcr one year, were annusily cholien into thac Society It muft theretore be a great miflake of thofe that fay they were no more than 9, or 91, or 51. Dhgems Lueytha, tell us that there were 281 of them that condemned Socrates^ befides tliofe that ac- quitted him \ vviio, as PUto in his Apology atlirms, were as manv, wanting three only. And Dhgeiics Laerthti informs us, that no lefs than Zi' of thofe that gave lentcncc in favour of him, afterwards changed their minds ■, fo that atleafi, there were nolcfs than 561, that Voted againft hira. Vide Meurfi Areopag. p. 52. we 5 * o A Sermon Preached A'ls id. ^"^^ ^"^ ^"^ ^^^ °^ thern, t'/z,. Dionypus ^\[ Converted to the Chriflian Faith. The heart of Lydia th^it fold p^irpf e,w^s open'd, while Felix's that wore it was only terri- fied. And though both he,and King Agrippa. and Bermce^ and Feflus heard Faul reafo- ning about Righteoufnefs, and Tempe- rance, and Judgment to come, yet he ^,^^ ^^_ that went fartheft among them was but 28, ah/ofl pcrfivadcd to be a Chriflian. And what the fuccefs of his Labours generally was, he himfelf tells us z, not many wife } c>r. I. mci^ after the jicjl) were called, '^' 3. The great things of the Gofpel, and the facrcd Records of Chriflianity^ are not fitited to the Genius of thefe wife and pru- dent ones^ nor penned fo as to gratifie their njanity. So far are the Apoftles, like fome Modern Mifllonaries in ^he remoter parts of the World, from dr -vving a Veil upon thofe Articles of the Chriirian Doftrine that feem moft naked, and where it lies moft open and exoofed to ihame and re- proach, that that part of it, a Crucified Saviour, they mainly infift on in their Sermons and Writings, and magnifie as the higheft inftance of Divine Wifdcm, Power, Holinefs, Jufticc and Goodnefs, and require all Men heartily to own it c^h^ 2 as fuch. They openly triumph in the Crofs ^^' of Chrift, as he did upon it ^ a thing which the Wife Men of this World have fcorned before the Lord^Mayor. 3 7 1 Rorned in all Ages as the greateft weak- nefs and folly. The Truths, as well as the Laws of Chrillianity tend to promote Holinefs, and are not accommodated to the evil inclinations of Mankind, as a Garment fliaped fo as to humour the body of a crooked Perfon. The Sacred Pen- Men are peculiarly fevere againfl thofe Sins that Men are moft in love withal. They blow on all humane Wifdom and Learning, that they may blaft the Glory of it ^ and the whole of our Religion is fo contrived, as to fuffer Men to glory hi nothing but thts^ that they kfww the Lord. Jer.<$. Had the Holy Scriptures been Penn'd in '^'^' an exaft Method according to the Rules of Humane Art 5 had they been Adorned with all the Beauties of Style and Ex- preffion 5 had they tranfmitted to us the fccret intrigues of Princes, the Politick Maxims of States, or a more accurate Hiftory of the flouriOiing Empires of the World, than all the Prophane Authors have done : Had Paul^ when he came down from the Third Heavens, difcour- fed of the Hierarchy of Angels, and their feveral Orders ^ had his Language been as high as his rapture, thefe Men would have read and ftudied him with a mighty relifh. But here's not Cicero's Rhetorick for an Jinjiin^ nor fublime Metaphyfkal fubtilties for a profound Bradvpurdijig. The ^02 A Sermon Preached The Mantles which thcfe Elijahs dropt and left behind them when they went to Heaven, are not fo finely Wrought, nor fo curionlly Embroider'd as they would have had them, nor of fuch a fafliion as pleafes them. The main fcope of them is nakedly to relate matters of fad con- cerning an obfcure Perron,one Jefus,who was dead, but they affirm to be alive 5 propofe many furprizing and ftupendous Myfteries, and lay down very ilridt and feverc Rules that concern all alike. They don't run out into high ufelefs fpecula- tions,nor ftand on Mathematical Certainty, but prcfs all on the naked authority of God, which thefe Men think below them to bow and fubmit thcmfelves unto. And all this in fuch a m.anner, that tho' 'tis plain enough to Men that are Ver- tuous and Humble, that they are from God 5 yet not fo plain as to hinder Vain, Proud, Atheiftical and Captious Men from ftarting many Objedions ai^ainH: them, and ftumblins; at them. And therefore all Ages have had but too much reafon to complain as they did of Old, that Un- learned Men rife up and take Heaven by Violence, while great Scliolars fink down into Hell, live in Spiritual Darknefs, and pafs into that which is Eternal. t II. Well, before the Lord-Mayon 515 II. Well, but tho' this be true as to matter of Fad, is not this a mighty Re- proach and Scandal to Chrift and Reli- gion } Had it not been iirore for his Honour and Intereft to have had the mfi a?td prudent ones on his fide ? Or howe- ver, feeing it hath pleafed God to take a contrary courfe,had it not been enough patiently to have born this, to have confidered it with Calmnefs and Submi- flion ? Would it not have been more fui- table to his tendernefs, and mighty con- cern for the welfare of Mankind, to have turn'd his Eyes towards thefe Men with all the exprcflions of forrow, rather than to have lifted them up towards Heaven with all the figns of delight ? What rea- fon is here for joy and thankfgiving, con- fidering either the thing it (elf, hiding from Men the things that belong to their eternal peace ^ or the perfin fpoken of ? What ! the Bleifed Jefus^ the great Lover and Saviour of Men ! One would have thought he fhould rather have lifted up his voice, and have wept upon this occa- fion, and as he did on the death of La- zarus^ have groaned rather than rejoiced in fpirit. And here Saint Chryfoftom's anfwer will not help us out, viz. that this Joy and Thankfgiving of Chrift doth not refer to the former^ the hiding thefe thi/igs from tie ^1^ A Sermon Preached the wife ami prudent ^ but to the latter CLiLife only, the revealing of them U7no babes. And fo he parallels it with that Rvn. 6. place of the Apoftle, God be thanked that 17- ye were the ferv ants of fin ^ but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Do^rine which was deliver d to you. Where St. Paid can't be fuppofed to thank God but for the latter only ^ q. d. Though you were once the Oaves of fin, yet now I praifc my God that you are become the Lord's Free- men. But there is a mighty difference between thefe two Scriptures. For the Apoftle doth not in that place afcribe their being the Servants of Sin unto God as the Ah- thor of it,as our Saviour in my Text doth the hiding of thefe things from the Wife Tu ip. and prudent, Thon haft hid them. Moral M- evils come not from God, but penal and judicial ones of this nature are frequently afcribed to him as his marvellous afts. That tremendous Prophetical threatning of Ills making the heart of a rcbcUious people fat, and jhntting their eyes lefl they fljould fee. Sec. is repeated no lefs than fix times iw the New Teftament. God as a Sove^ raign and a Righteous Judge denies or withdraws his Grace when a People have a long time finned againft the light with a higii hand, leaves them to themfelves, and delivers them up to the will of Satan, f who i/4. 5.10. before the Lord-Mjyor. ^35 who blind their Eyes, and hardens their Hearts. The true anfwer therefore is this,That tho' the blinding of any Men confider'd nakedly in if /elf, and as they are rational Creatures made after the Image of God, and capable of Eternal happinefs, is mat- ter of great forrow 5 yet thrift being a true Man^and filled with quick and lively afFedions to God and his Glory, doth rejoice and give thanks for the hiding thefe things from the Wife and Prudent, as well as for revealing them to Men of weaker capacities, as fuch a difpenfation in both the Branches of it tends to the difplaying and glorifying the Wifdom, Goodncfs, JuRice^Powcr and Soveraignty of his Father ; For all thefe afe Magni- fied herein. And, I. Chrift rejoices and gives thanks be- caufe fuch a difpenfation makes exceedi. ^gly for the honour of his Wifdom and Q 00 dnefs l See this in Four things. (i.) Thk tends to deflroy pride ^ and ad- vance the hononr of hk free Grace in the eyes of all rchow he teaches and favts. And 'tis highly reafonable that this (hould be done, confidering the firft rife of our mi- fery, as well as the greatnefs of it. Ton fiall he like (tod's, was the prevailing temptation that ruin'd Man. It was re- quifite that he who had totally undone X himjTelf 516 A Sermon Preached himfelf by afpiring, and bold attempts to exalt himfelf, fhould be greatly deba- fed and humbled, and God alone be ho- noured in the very way of his recovery. That that evil Humour that had caufed his Sicknefs fhould be purged out, and a contrary quality infufed into him in order to the reftoring of his Health.'Tis agreea- ble to the Eternal Reafon of things, that fo vile a Criminal (hould be brought on his Knees, laid in the Duft, in the loweft pofture imaginable, in order to the re- ceivhig fo high an aft of Grace. That fuch extremely mifcrable Wretches, and yet fuch haughty, fvvelling and lofty Creatures too, (hould have thofe proud looks of theirs taken down, that firfl: brought them into, and ftill accompanied them in that moft deplorable ftate. Now this God hath moft effedually provided for by fuch a difpenfation as we are now treating of : And if the Apoftle may be believed, it was his great ciej/g;t therein. I Cir. 1. Hq h^Lth fjot: called many wife men after the flcflK hut hath chofen the foolifj and the weak things of the World^that no jiejlj might glory in his prefence ^ but that whofoever gloriethj fljoiild glory in the Lord alone. Had God taken a contrary method,boaft- ing had not been excluded. For natural and acquired Parts, when alone, are ex- ceeding apt to puff up. Much more would Men 25.5«- before the Lord-Mayor. 527 Men be prone to be ex^ilted in their own Eyes, if fpecial Grace alfo, like a Crown of Gold, were commonly put upon thefe Mens Heads. And on the other hand, even thofe that have renewing Grace only, and little or nothing befides to re- commend them, yet are apt to (vvell : which is fo evident, that the Men of the World take notice of it, thefe being no Sin which they are more ready to re- proach the Generation of the Righteous withal, than fpiritual Pride, except it be Hypocrife. And in truth, this Worm is apt to breed even in this Mannah that comes down from Heaven , not from the nature of the Grace it felf, but from the corruption of thofe Veflels wherein 'tis put : How much more were faving- knowledge given to Men of refined Parts, would they be prone to be lifted up, and not afcribe all with that lowlinefs of mind that becomes them to the free grace of God alone. Inftead of admiring him, they would be applauding themfelves. They and others top would be tempted to afcribe all to their own excellency and defcrts. ft would be thought that a fpiritual underftanding of Divine things was not the effeft of God's Teaching, but of the ftrcns^th of their own Wit and La- bour. That this choice Plant, like the Fruits of the Field in the beginning X 2 ^ of 2 18 A Sermon Preached of the World, did fpring out of the <^''^' --'>> groiwd^ and did thrive and flourifh, not by the Rain falling down from Heaven, but by Vertue of that wifl that vcent up jr^ii the Earth it felf. But now God clearly confutes any fuch vain imaginations, and openly Proclaims that none of thefe Ex- cellencies were motive to him. Seeing he pafTes by the great ones of the World, who, by reafon of their noble Qualifica- tions, appear Beautiful in our Eyes, as Eliab did in SamueVs^ and will not pour tjjhm. out the TJn&ion of the Holy One that tea- 20. cheth all thhigs^ on their heads and hearts (as the Prophet would not the anointing Oil on El'tal)) but generally on the meaneft of all the People, he \iatns the glory of Man^ and plainly declares, to the filcn- cing and humbling of all Flefh, the ab- folute freenefs of the unfearchable riches of the Glory of his own Grace. (2.) By fuch a Difpenfation, Godpoun contempt and ft or n on that wifdomfor which his Enen/icjjo much defpife him^ and mag- Tiifie then/felves. Men of great Abilities arc apt to have the fame extravagant fancy concerning themfelves,as that blind Mari>^ 8. ^j^^j^ wliofe Eyes were half opcn'd, had **' of other Men, that they walk like Trees, far above the ordinary height and ftature of Mankind. And they look down with fcorn on the ways of Chrift, and upon his before the Lord-Mayor. 5 1^ his Followers as a rahhfe of fools a^/d ^aJ- fMcn, But what a mortification may it well be to thefe Men now, and will it certainly be at the lafi: day, to fee thofe very Perfons, whom they thus defpife, Crown'd with Eternal Glory, to which their own fo much admired Wifdom was fo far from advancing them, that it ra- ther help'd, like bags of Gold about a drowning Man.to plunge them the deeper into Hell ! The flames of that infernal Pit fhall at once manifeft their folly, and puniih it ^and the Darknefs thereof iliall not be their only covering ^ for this very thing (hall fpread an Eternal Sham.e and Confufion upon their Souls. Like thofe m^l 1.7, of old they count the Table of the Lord covtef?;ptihle^ and the nnat^ and thofe that fit and eat thereof Therefore will the ^''^- 2.?« Lord alfo wake them contenjptiblc and bafe before all his people in the generally Affem- bly of his firft-born. How will they then be forced to fay. We fools thought their life madnefs,but now it appears that ours was fo -^ and furely thefe are the only wife and underftanding People. (3.) The Wifdom of God is feen herein, in bringing fitch vpeak Perfins fafelj to Hea- ven, and carrying on his inter e (I in the World by them. 'Tis certainly an Argu- ment of great Wifdom fo to order mat- ters, as by little contemptible things to X 3 overconvj 5 go A Sermon Preached overcome ftrong ones. Now God fiiffer Satan to have a 1 moll: all the advantage that he could defire. He is a very fubti Spirit 5 and generally all the policy of Earth, as well as of Hell, is on his fide for the ftrengthning of his Party. And how unequal a match are the poor weak Followers of Chrift to cope and grapple with fuch Enemies whofe policy is fo much fuperiour to theirs ? How unlikely is it to an Eye of Senfe and Rcafon, that thefc Men fliould in fpight of all, bear up Chrift's Name,propa gate his Iniereft,drive on his great Counfels in the World, fend others to Heaven, and at la ft fa fely reach it themfclves } It is one great Argument that our Religion is of God, th.it it wa2 propagated by fuch feeble Inftruments, againil: fuch mighty Enemies as the Phi- lofophers and Princes of this World • and the fwcet favour of the hffowlcdgc of a 2 ear. 2, Crucified Jcf/s was diffufed every- where ^ -4» 'y not like the Spices of ArMa upon the Wings of the Wind, but againft a furious one that arofe from every corner of the Earth. The Skill of a Conunander is very much difcover'd in fecuring the retreat of a few feeble and raw Men, during a long March, quite through the Enemies Country, while a powerful and wcll-difciplin'd Army, under theCondud of a Politick General, hovers about them, watching before the Lord-MayoFe 5 5 1 watching all advantages to defeat them ^ but 'tis much more for his honour if he brings them off with Vidory. When by the ^ftoMths of babes and fucjditjgs God not ovAj flills the Enemy and the Ave^?ger^ r,G/ 8.2. but Conquers him too ^ he perfe^s the praifes of his own Power and Wifdom. (4.) The Wifdom and Good nefscf God is fhewn herein, becaufe hereby he prevents the mca>fefl of his Creatures being difcou" raged from fecking after faving-hwrvkdge. Whatever the proud Sin;/ers that arc at eafe in Sion, may imagine, yet to a poor convinced Soul that hath a lively view of the Divine Majefty and Great- nefs, it feems almoft incredible that ever the King of Kings fhould ftoop fo much* ^'""■ below himfelf, as to cafl: a favourable ^^' "'* Eye on fuch a Flea^ fuch a dead Dog as he : who is fenfiblc, not only that he hath been the greatefl: of Sinners, but is one of the meanelt of Men ^ and whofe Abilities are fo fmall, or rather none, that he can fignifie no more to the ad- vancing his Interefl, than the very dufl: of the ballancc to the turning of the Scales. We naturally think God is altoge- ?f*i 5^- t her fitch a one as ourjehes ^ that we muft ^'' have fome good qualities to recommend us to his favour, as well as to that of Men. None of us will Trade to Barren Countries 5 and we fancy there can be X 4 no 3P A Sermon Preached no Commerce between us and Heaven, unlefs there be feme excellency of our own native growth to invite and encou- rage it. But no\y by this Difpenfation God (liews on the contrary, how much he values the precious Souls of the lowed of his Creatures. That he doth not do by the Treafures of his Wifdom and Knowledge as Princes do by thofe of their Earthly Subftance, lock them up from vulgar Eyes ^ biit is ready to open his Arms and his Heart to thofe that humbly fit at his feet, and are willing to iearn of him, how mean foever their ftite and condition may be. So much for the Wifdom of Chrift. 2. Chrift rejoices and give thanks, be- caufe the hiding thefc things from the wife and prudent^ is an aii of high JHflice in God. And that upon thefe three followr jng accounts. (l^) Such men do defpife and rejeci the Myftcrics of the Gofpel. Tho' there are many things in Nature which they can- not underftand, and dare not deny ^ yet they are exceeding nice and tender about Myfteries in matters of Religion, 'Tis below Men of their refined Parts and piercing Intelleftuals, to aficnt to any thing which they cannot grafp 5 'tis for phildren to fwallow Phyfick which they do before the Lord-Mayor. g ^ 5 do not undcrftand. They are fubtil to evade the force of the ftrongcft Ar- guments, ftart many plaufible Objedions againft the plainpft truths, which we^jker heads never dream of 5 fmart and witty to reprcfent them as contemptible and ridiculous. The barren Sands cannot fend up fo many Vapours to keep off the light of the Sun, as the richer and fatter Soil does. Thefe are the Men that above all others have many high and proud thoughts, and vain imaginations, exalting themfelves in their Souls againft the knowledge of the Gofpel, and will not be brought into Captivity to the obedi- 2Cor.io. ence of Chrift. 4. s- (2.) With the greateft fcorn t^jej/ refitfe the ^rand rondition of the Gofpel-Cove}id?7t, To r<^ly on Chrift alone for Salvation, when they have fo many rare things of their own to depend on : to ftand begging at anothcrs door, and with deep humility and brokennefs of heart to fue for Par- don and Salvation meerly from the Mercy of God, and the Merits of a Redeemer, 'tis fuch a Mortification as their high Spirits can by no means endure to think or hear of Like fooliili Children, they have the advantage of the ground, and therefore think themfelves taller, their heads touch the Clouds, and arc nearer Heaven than others. To lye at the foot of ^ ^ I A Sermon Preached of a Crucified Saviour, they judge a po- fture more fuitable for thofe vile ones of the Earth that are not raifed up out of the Duft 5 but as for them, they will never be brought to it,till hke Panl^ they are fin/ck dovon to the ground. And even then too generally, when they are con- vinced of their Sins, and pained at the heart about them, they choofe any other way to the Father 5 and if they find themfelves under a neceffity of returning to God, they will rather do it in their own names, than his : And this is the fpring of all that Thcifm that begins to fprcaci fo much among thefe Men in our days. To look on all they have done, or can do, as drofs atid. diwg 5 to lay afide their own Wifdom and Prudciice, for which they are fo highly valued b -ih hy themfelves and others 5 to be juflified „.., by the Riditeoufnefs of another ; to re- 'jo/re z;/ JeJ}/s Chriji^ hdvh?g no confidence in the flefl) • to be ruled and faved by him alone, 'tis not a thing fuitable to the greatnefs of their minds. They would fain be doing fomewhat that fhould di- ftinguifh them from the dregs of the People, and recommend them to the Di- vine favour and acceptance. They are not more delirous that their own Wills fhould be their Lord's, than that the Works of their own hands fhould be their before the Lor J-Mayor. 5^5 their Saviour's. They bear up themfelves on empty Bladders, fiU'd with nothing but wind, and defpife that Ark ot God's Building, wherein alone they can avoid finking in the ftorms of Divine Wrath and Vengeance : and tho' Glorified Saints in Heaven above, caji their Croxv^is at Kev.&.io ChrijVs fict^ yet thefe haughty Sinners here belov/, fcornfully refufe to do it. (5 .J They clef per cilcly hat c the great dfi ties of holimfs. That firit and fundamental thing which is recjuired as preparatory to our learning of Chrift, the renouncing our own Ihiderftandings, and becoming as little ChildrtJt 5 the mortifying of our ^^^ beloved Lufts, Crucifying the Klelh with 5.' ' ' ' all its affeftions,purifying the Heart,loving our Enemies, denying our felves, taking up the Crofs, and fuffering the lofs of all things, even their darling Pveputation^ Thefe are hard fayings, againll which their hearts exceedingly rife within them, as a Man's Bloud would do at the fighi" of one that would Murther his dearefi; Friend. And when at any time any ferious thoughts are flaflit into their mnids, they run through their Souls like lightning through the Air, which never warms it, and quickly vaniflies. They clofe their eyes, turn away their faces 5 'tis the Lan- guage of their Hearts and Lives, Depart job 2j. from ffSj rve dejire vot the hwivledge of • 4- "thefi ■ 3^6 A Sermon Preached ihefe ways. They love and cherifli dark- 7icfs rather than light^ hecdiife their deeds John 5. ^re evil. Righteous therefore art thou, *^* O Lord, juft and true are thy Judgment?, O thou God of all Grace, when thou 2Cor.4.4. fnfferelt the God of this World to blind the minds of ihcfe men^ that the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrijl may 7Wt Jhinc in their hearts. 3. Chrift rejoices in, and gives Thanks for fuch a Difpenration,becaure the power of God is magnified herein. He fhcws him- felf to be the mighty Lord of Heaven and Earthy in revealing thefe things unto Babes. In making the fimple wife unto Salvation, elevating their weak Under- ftandings to a faving apprehenfion of thofe matters, which the Wifeft and moft Lc:;irned of thcmfelves are not capable of attaining unto ^ He fhcws the power of his own crrace to be far above the force of Nature when railed to its higheft Pitch and Glory. When he makes things that are not^ do more than things that are :, enables them that have not Logick enough, to perceive the force of an Ar- gument in other matters, yet underftand • the demonfiration of the Spirit, which the moft Learned cannot know becaufe 'tk fpi- ^cr. 14. ritiiaUy difcerned ^ thofe that can't fearch into the vulgar Subjeds of Philofophy, much lefs into the abftrufer parts of it, fee 4- before the Lord-Mayor. 557 fee into the profound depths of the Di- vine Wildom :, thofc whofe difcourfes on all other Arguments are weak and trifling, yet can fpeak of God, Chrift, Heaven, and the great things of the Gofpel in fuch an admirable manner, that the heft Scholars may not only be aftonifli'd at them as the Rulers were when they percei- •vecl Peter and Jolm were igf7ora77t and nn- ^'^^4' learned men ^ but be inftrudted by them *^' too,as Prifijl/a^the Wife of a poor Tent- m:xkcr ^expounded the way of the Lord wore ^^^ '5- perfeBly to an eloquent ApoUos. Thofe^'""' that are not able to dive into the cunning Intrigues of Statefmen, fliall pierce into the infinitely deeper Counfels of God's Will : Thofe that can't manage the Affairs of this Life with common difcretion,but are eafily over-reach'd by their Neigh- bours in every bufinefs, yet are not ig?jo- rant ofSaian\- devices^ nor entangled bv the cunning craftinefs of them that lie iu wait to deceive them to their Eternal ruine : Thofe tiiat are dull and heavy in other matterSj- yet are of a. quick nnderjlanding ^^'*' ' ^• in the fear of the Lord^ and though fools^ //*<. ^5.$, yet they err not in the way of holinefs^ \\\ which the //;/ What, could he not have torn off the Veil from the Heart of the one as vv^eil as ot the other ? Was not the y re/' 34^ Md. 2. I5- A Sermon F reached refiduc of the Sph'if with him > YeS furely, for he is Lord of Heaven and Earthy and hath all Power and all Hearts in his Hands. He could have made the Dews of his laving Grace, as Univerfal as the Drops of the Morning. He could have made his Minifters have blown the Gofpel Trumpet with fuch a Breath, made it give ib loud a found, that like the laft Trump at the Mouth of an Angel, it fhould have awakened all that are dead in Tref- pailes and Sins, and made them to revive. Why therefore hath he not done it ? If you anfwcr,he (hews his Power ,Wifdom and Juftice, in leaving them under Spiri- tual Darknefs 5 it may be replied, thefe very Attributes of Wifdom and Power, befides that of his Infinite Goodnefs he might have glorified the other way -^ and his Juftice had a large Field to difplay it felf in the punifliment of Apoftate An- gels. Why therefore hath he not done it ? You muft Center in this at laft,becaufe his Grace is free :, he is debtor to no Man ^ he doth with his own wh^t fceweth good in his own Eyes 5 he fafhions the favte x,„. 9. Litn/p of filthy and untempcr'd Clay into 10, 21. what VcHels lie pleafes. And v/ho art thou, O Man .' that da reft to difpute or reply againft thy Maker? Be ftill, O proud Duft ! and know that he is God, and a great King over all the Firth. Bowels of Mercy before the Lord-Mayor. 5^5 Mercy made the Motion at firft 5 the Eye of Wifdom direded the Management of the whole 5 the right hand of Power was there to ailirt 5 juftice did not open its Mouth to contradid 5 and Scveraignty (as it bec:^me that Attribute J) fa'-e upon a Glorious high Throne, far above all the Heavens, and from ail Eternity fe- leded the particular Perfons, whom ac- cording to the Counfel of its own. Will, it refolved (hould be infallibly brought to " Salvation through the knowledge and be-' lief of the Truth, III. Inthelafl: place I fhall Briefly apply all. I . By way of Information in fix Things. I. He?7ce learn ''tis po qreat wonder there are fo many Follics^Weahncffes and Mifcar- riages^ dmo?!g the fincere followers of Chrifl, They are a plain, fimple, illiterate fort of People, for the moft part, that mind the Power of Religion, and but few of the prudent ones of this World among them. And therefore, thou eh thev are Wife as to the main, in as much as they avoid the greateft Dangers, and fecure their biggeft Intereft ^ yet it can't be expeded they fhould manage themfelves and all their Affairs, according to the cxad Rules of Humane Policv, which they generally want -; and 'tis not ftrange, Y 2 if 5^,^ A Sermon Preached if in many finc^Ie inftanccs of a lower na- ture, they Irequently miftake their Way, and take many a falfe Step.A Mariner may have fo much Skill in Sea Affairs, as to be able to fleer his Ship through the main Ocean, and make a good Voyage even to the hdies^ efcaping the great Rocks and mighty Sands :^ and yet not know the way into a particular Port, fo well as an ordinary Pilot of the Place, but be apt (through miftakc) fo run his Veflel a-ground, where it may receive great Damage, and be very difficultly brought off again. 2. See Of?c reafoti^ "why the ablefl Mim- flers are feldom fo faccefsftd in their Work as thofe that are more meanly fitrmjh' d. Like Canon mounted too high,they (hoot over the Heads of inferiour Perfons, whom ge- nerally God hath ordained to Eternal Life 5 and fo they heat the Air, but batter down no flrong Holds 5 and are qualified to deal with the wife and more rational part of Mankind, among whom God hath not much People, nor Chrifl many Sheep. The mod Soveraign Remedies prepared according to Art, fhall have no J,hn 9. Succefs, when Clay and Spittle (if Chrifl ^' will but ufe it) (hall reftore Sight to thofe blind Creatures, on whom he hath refolved the Works of God JIjaH be made Ver. 3. manifefi. 3. See before the Lord-Mayor. ^4.5 5. See the Va?nty of that Qhjc^ion tgairfjl fcrious Religion^ dr^iwn from the vfcariTtefs of thofe that fijucrdy embrace 7V, when the far greateft part of the farpous Men are on the other fide. This is an old Engine of the Devils, Have any ofthcl^'^'^i' Rulers or the Pharifees believed on him ? '^ The weaknefs of this Argument appears from what hath been faid ; And indeed, if it be of any force againft a fincere em- bracing of Chrift's ways, it will hold good againft the praftice of common Morality. For 'tis very evident, that Mul- titudes of the Wife and Prudent Ones of this World, are wholly eaten up with their Lufts, as the chciceft Trees are de- voured by Caterpillars. 4. See the rc^f'fi, why weak Chrifiians more fiedfafllj adhere to Chriji^ hk Ways andTrnt'n^ in times of danger than the •wife and prudent. This (aving Revelation of Divine Things, fixes and eftablilhes their Hearts, and keeps them fafter in the Faith than others can be held by meer dry Reafon and naked Arguments 5 fo, that though they arc none of the great Scholars of the World, nor able to anfwer the fpecious Arguments of fubtil Hereticks, yet 'tis not pojfible that all the ^^l' '^' Craft and Policy of Hell (hould finally deceive them. For they that are thus taught of God, have a fpiritual Scnfe y 5 and 546 A Sermon Preached and Judgment to difcern between Good I John 2. and Evil ^rhey inwardly know, and have a 2c, :i, vvitnefs within rhemfelves of the truth of ^'' v^'hat this 'V^jcJ^k hath taught them. And therefore, as all Creatures, Plants as well as Animals, have a natural inftinft where- by they draw to them what is proper for their Frefervation and Nourifhment, but avoid what is deftrucVive to them : So thefe Perfons to whom God hath fpiri- tually reveaPd his Truths, have a fup'er- natural Inftind whereby they turn afide from pernicious Errors, and unmoveably retain the great Things of the Gofpel with a mighty relifh and favour. They can't be beaten out of that Truth which hath been fo plainly difcovcr'd ^ they knov/ thefe things to be sreat Realities, that have made fuch a deep Impreffion on their Hearts ^ and tho' they can't Lear- nedly difpute, they can couragioufly dye for them rather than deny them. They will not be difputed out of them, .no more than a Man will be perfwaded that Honey is not fweet, which his Senfes tell him is fo ^ tho' fome Sophiftical Argu- ments may be propounded againft it, which he has not skill etiough to anfwer. This Divine Knowledge, like poliflied Armour,adorns them in'the fight of God, and defends them from, the fiery Darts of wicked McHo 5. See before the Lord-Mayor. 5^7 5. See what the faithful Mhijlcrs of Chr'ift Miifi cxpcB^ ami tiot he difcojira^cd at it. They are the poor only, that for the moft part will receive Us and our MclTage : And 'tis no very great Service that we do our Mafter or his Intcreft, by bringing in fuch as thefe. But yet, tho' they are the Poor, the Maimed, the Halt, the Blind, (fuch as we can pick up in the Streets and Lanes^ or gather up by the High-ways or Hedges,) herefbfes not them Lui:e 14. for his Table, nor will he be angry with -' us, nnlefs it be, becaufe his Houfe is not filled with them. For our comfort, if re-/. 2 j. wc are but faithful in our Work, we lliall hz a fweet favour to God in thofe that are faved, though they are but inferiour Perfons :, and in thofe that peridi too, though they are the Great and Honou- rables Ones of the Earth. 6. Hence I infer, we ftjonld not idolize the great eji, nor contemfj the meanefl. This is what the Apoftle reproves ^ and to take Men off from it, he propounds this Que^ion to their ferious confideration. Hearken^ my beloved Brethren^ hath not , God chofen the poor of this World ^ rich in 1,2,5, 4^ Faith^ and Heirs of the Kingdom^ which 5« he hath promfed to them that love him 5? 'Tis great Folly not to prefer a rough Diamond before a counterfeit Stone, tho' curioufly cut and fet to the grcateft ad- y 4 vantage. 2i8 A Sermon Preached vantage. We fhould not jadge according to outward Appearance ^ for fhofe that feem but linle in our Eyes, may be, and frequently are, of mighty value ^ as the Stars that lock like fmall Sparks in the Skies only, are in truth, very Great and Glorious Bodies. 2. ZJfe. Exhort. To thofe from whom thefe things are hid ^ and thofe to whom they are revealed. I. To thdfe from whom thefe things are hid ^ chiefly t£e Wife and Prudent, tho' not excluding Perfons of a lower Station. (^I.) Be fiot proitd of nor fatisfied with any Wifdom or Kvo wlcdge^ while the great thi?/gs of God are not favingly undcrflood by you. Some that have drunk as largely at thofe Fountains as any of you, have folemnly profefTed, they have found more fwectnefs and fatisfadion of Soul, in one drop of a Spiritual Knovv'Icdge of Divine Mylleries, than in a whole Ocean of other Learning. They have looked on the decpeft infight into all other things, to be, in comparifon of this, but as congea- led Drops of Water that may look bright and pleafmg, but 'tis to Children and Fools 5 but this, this alone hath been the Pearl of great Price in their account. All Humane Wifdom and Knowledgc,though nfeful and valuable in its due Place and Order, yet is but like an Eye of Chryftal in before the Lord-Mayor, ^ ^9 in the Head of a blind Man, which may- hide his Deformity from the obfervation of his Neighbours, but can't dircd him one ftep in the way wherein he ought to go. The Devils have as much and more of this than the beft of us, and yet are the moft miferable of all God's Creatures. Why will you highly value your fclves on the account of that, v/hich leaves you in as bad a Condition as thofe wretched Afoftate Spirits,and in a worfe State than the moft ignorant Man that hath a fpiri- tual Underftanding of Heavenly Things ? If you have no more than this, you fliall perilh at laft for lack of Knowledge. For at the laft Day, it (hall fare with thofe curious Wits that are ignorant of God and Chrift, as with Carved Statues about a Houfe that is fet on Fire 5 down they drop into the Flames, and are con- fumed, there being none at hand to pluck them out. (2.) ScriohJIy meditate on the deplorable State of thofe from whom thefc things are hid. 'Tis a fad thing when God hides common Wifdom and Prudence from Men, as to the Affairs of this Life. When God infatuates, 'tis a fign he intends to deftroy. When Hawatjs Face was cover 'd with a Cloth, he was near his Execution. When God throws a Veil over the Face of Mens Minds, and hides from them the things 250 A Sermon Preached things thit belong to their Peace, they are on the very Borders of ruin. Tis fad to be given up to judicial Blindnefs as to any Objeds ^ but to be fo as to Di- vine Myfte-ries, fo as to fee no Glory nor 2 Cor. 4. Beauty in them, is the worfl: of all. If ^' our Gofpel he hid, 'tis hid from them that are loft ^ they are loft Men indeed, and undone Creatures, unlefs Infinite Mercy fpeedily give them an Heart to perceive, to whom fuch a Blindnefs hath happened. (:?.) If you are wife and prudent ^be pro- voked unto a godly Jealoufie, by thofe that are comparatively a fooliHi People ; be not out-ftript in matters of the greateft Moment, by thofe that in other things are fo much below you. If you are itzferiom' Perfons, let not your meannefs difcourage you ^ feeing of fuch as you is the Kingdom of Hea- ven. Princes on their Coronation days, ufe to fcatter rich Medals among the common People ^ fo doth Chrift thefe Gifts of his. Do not you lofe them for vyant of ftriving for them. (^4.) Renounce all yoitr Wifdom and Lear- I Cr. 5. mng which you really have^ or fancy you. are pojfejfed of. If any Man among you fee^ meth to be ivife in this world^ let him be- come a Fool that he may be vpife, 2. To thofe to i»hom thefe things are revealed. (i.) Be before the Lord-Mayor. 5 5; i (i.) Be hnrMe. FIcfli and Blond hath not revealed thefe things to you. Had not the Dew of Heaven fallen upon you, you had ftill been dry Trees and withe- red Branches. Out of free rich undefer- ved Grace, to yon it is given of God to know thefe Myflerics ^ to Others it is 7?ot ^>^'«^ 13. given 5 be not proud and lofty as though "' you did not know your felves. (2.) Rejoice and give tha>?ks» If you are Wife and Prndentj Adore that Soveraign Grace that ftept out of its ufual Rode to meet with thee 5 why art thou better than others that fate as high as thou dof)-, that God fhould fingle thee out to anoint thee with this Oyl above thy Fellows, and thine Equals, whom he generally overlooks } If you are meaner Perfons ; what are you that fo Rich a Treafure fliould be put into fuch an Earthen Veffel > Stones fliould not hold their peace, but cry out aloud with the voice of Joy and Praife, when they are turned into Chil- dren of Abraham. Holy Men in all Ages luJic 19. have Admired and Adored this diftingui- 4°' fhing Grace. Jifdas faith to hiw, (not Ifcariot) Lord, how if it that thoit wilt John 14, wanifefi thy filfto ui and not to the World! ^^' The Holy Ghoft takes care that we fhould not miftake the Perfon that was thus affefted with thefe fpecial Difcoveries. Jt was a Jndas^ but not Ifcariot ^ not that Vile 5 5 '3 A Sermon Preached Vile Traytor, not that Son of Perdition : No, it was another kind of Ferfon, a better Man than he, tho' one of the fame Name. Such Men know not the fweetnefs of that Wine they never tailed of 5 and therefore admire not the good- nefs of the Mafter of the Feaft, in the diftribution of it. Chrift rejoiced and gave thanks for the Revelation of thefe things to others :, and will not you do it for the difcovery of them to your felves ? Had you the Tongue of Angels or Power over Devilsjou would iiot have fo great caufe of Rejoycing and Singing Praifes as you now have, becaufe God's Law is written on your Hearts and your Names in Heaveff, (5 .) Envy not the excellent Gifts of others that are Jir angers to the ^Q^race of God in truth. For you have the better part. Tho' tlie furface of the Field appear mean and barren, yet the rich Mines contained in the Bowels of it,render it exceeding more valuable than another Soil, that is Fat and Flourifliing. (4.) Endeavour to grow and improve itt thk faving Knowledge. Your Minds are not yet open'd fo wide as they may be, to receive the higheft fight and fenfe of thefe things 5 no more than a Flower is full-blown in one day, but infenfibly cleaves its Hood, and gradually opens it felf before the Lord-Mayor. - 353 fclf to our view.Spiritnal Underftanding, like the natural One, fhonld come on by little and little 5 and the Sons of God, like the Children of Men, be daily grow- ing up in Wifdom and Stature. (5.) Lo?fg for Heavejt^Tfhereyour K.noTX>- ledge Jhall he compleated. 'Tis with US here below, as with a Man that walks in a cloudy Night, that makes a hard fhift to perceive firft one Star, and by and by two or three more ^ but ftill there is a vaft number of them which he cannot difcern. Something we know, and gradually make fome few frefh Difcoveries ^ but how great a Portion is hid from us } Whereas ^ in Heaven, all that Ignorance fhall be removed,that now hangs about us like the Relicks of a broken Cloud on the top of a Mountain : All that Duft fhall be blown out of our Eyes, that at prefent obftruds our Sight. The Sacred Volumes have many Glorious things written in them, which we can't yet difcern, becaufe they are ac- cording to the ancient Form of Books, rolled up ^ which, tho' God be gradually unfolding, yet 'tis 'in Heaven only that they fhall be fully ftretched out, and lye all plain and open before us. There fhall not be a greater and more glorious Change of the dull Matter of thefe vile Bodies, than in our dark Souls when we reach Hea- ven 3 both fliall fliine clear as the Light + at 554- A Sermon Preached at Noon-day. Our Notions here are bro- ken, confu fed and imperfed, like the rude Images in the Fancies of them that dream 5 j,ri ^ which we our felves fhall defpife upon 2Q. * ^* our aivaknjf7(r in that Morning, when we fiiall behold God's Face, and be fatisfied ,/. * ''with the Viiion of him as well as with our Likcnefs to him. (6.) Follow the Example of Clmjl in an humble Actor at io?7 of the good Pie afire of Gad, as to thofe tlmtgs which may feem ve- ry flrange to yon, I might prefs this as to his Lawsflrdina^ices and Providep^ces.When you meet with many hard Chapters in the Book of Nature,Scripture and Providence, which you are not able to read and un- derftand 5 don't cavil and wrangle 5 lay your Hands on your Mouths 5 or if you do open them, fay no more than thus, tiom; (I. with the greateft lowlinefs o^Mind.Even ^^' fo Fafher/forfo itpleafe.th thee. the depth of the Riches., both of the Wifdom and Know- ledge of God / How Jtnfearchable are his '^itdgmetits^ and hk Ways pajl finding out I Laftly, Lay out your felves to the utmofl^ for the advancing ofGad^s Honour and In^ terefl. This is the Duty of all Men ^ and in a peculiar mnnner, of Chriftian Magi- ftrates that have been taught of God. And ihe fewer of the great Ones of this World, arc on Chris's fide ^ fo much the more zealous and adive Ihould thofe few f be. before the L ord- Mayor. 555 be. You cannot indeed, give ofyenr Oyl unco the foolirti Virgins ^ '/et you may ref.ed the Light of it in good NA^orks,fhining before Men, and induce them to glorifie your Heavenly Fa- ther. And if you do not do this, it had been better for you, you had ihli continued under the J?«/?;f/,remained in your former Obfcurity, M'^ *'• than to be thus advanced on a high Hill. 'Tis a ^^* ferious Quellion that will e're long be put to all of you, by one that hath Authority to ask. it, and w/V/have an Anfwer •, feeing I have done lb much for you more thaji for others^what have yoH done for me more than others ? And I hope, you will betimes bethink your felves what Re- ply to make, and labour to be ready furnifhed wirh a very good one.If you behave your felves like Wife and Faithful Magiftrates, the Power you have now in your Hands,and the Grace of God riding in your Hearts ayid Lii/GS^ while you Rule over Men •, will exceedingly recommend Religion to others,and fee it off with great Ad- vantage. Divine Wifdom and Knowledge in an Aflcmbly of Men in Authority, are like fla- ming Tapers in a Branch of burnifhed Gold, whole glitteringandfparklingSubftance returns Light as well as receives it ^ fheds a Glory on the Room where it hangs , and at once draws and dazzles the Eyes of all both far and near./ havejaidye are Gods •, but be not py^/^ gj, like the ulelefs Idols of the Heathens, that are 6. empty and hollow within, that only fill up the void Places where they ftand ^ and tho' Wor- fliipped by the People,have neither Eyes to fee and difcern between Good and Evil, nor Hands to work Righccouihefs. Tho' you are a fort of inferiour Deities, yet remember you muft dyt like Men j lb live therefore in your prcfent Sta- v-.t > tions, g 5 6 A Sermon Preached j Sec. tions, ai the Children of the mofi High^ that you may not dye in a Civil or a natural Senfe, as a Fool dyeth.'Enconv^ige Religion ;,punifhand fup- prefs that Profanation of God's Name and Sab- baths, that Debauchery and Immorality which to this day walks too open and bare-faced in the midft of us.Sreadily own the truths of God wherein you have been inftrudled. Plead his Caufe in your Places ^ maintain, promote, en- courage his Intereft *, Jiot that of tuny fmgU Party among w.This is the Duty of Magiftrates as well ^ow. 15. as Divines. For^o« alfo are the A