Sermons (pages 357–384) – Part 1 (pages 357–376)
SERMON, XVI. EPHESIANS
iii.
To the Intent that now unto the Principalities and ovjers in heavenljTlaces might he knouun bj the Church the manifold Wijdom of God.
Inf. III.
a T TOW despise and XX p;reat
they are guilty of
reje£l this way of salvation.
"When God hath thus as it were set wisdom on work, and has manifeded such unsearchable riches of wisdom. When all the persons of the trinity have as it were held a consultation from all eternity, in contriving for the providing a way of salvation for us sinful miferahjc' worms. To contrive a way that fhou d be sufficient i
and every way suitable for us. To contrive a way that fliould be such a way as we v/ant, so as to anfwcr all our needs. To contrive a way that should be in a'! things compleat, whereby we might h:ve compleat salvation, not only full pardon of all our sins, and deliverance from hell ; but have full blcftednefs in heaven forever. When he has been so gracious lo us as to magnify his wisdom, more in this work of grace towards men, than in any other work of his. How muQ God needs be provokM, when after all, men reject this way of falus,
vation
When it comes to be preached to them, and salvation and salvation is olTered to them in and they are invited to accept of the bcnefirs of ir they defbifc it, and refuse salvation in that way.
offered to them,
this
They
The Wi/J'.m of God hlfpuy'd
They cafl contempt upon all this rich and glorious wifthey do practically drny ro be a Wife (Jom of God. ir
way.
call this wifdoiii of
God focilifiincfs.
How provoking mull
it be when such a poor creaand t rife find with iha wiiilom (hall up man fau ture as
which is so far above the wisdom of the angels of heathe way that God had found out was an iinruitablc, an infuf icient way, This is one thing wherein confids the heinousness of the sin of unbe'ief, that it implies a rcje ing and despising the wisdom of God in the way of salvation by Jeven, as tho'
fus Christ.
It charges
God with folly
in this contri-
vance.
Unbelief finds fault with the wisdom of God in the ad made an un* choice of the peifon, as tho' God wife choice of the pcrfon for the performing this work* I
It fees no form or It difl.kes the Perfonof Chriff. comellnefs in him, or beauty wherefore he should deAccounts him insufficient for the work that fire him.
ke has been chofcn and appointed to. That pci Ton that the wisdom of God looked upon as the fiiteft pcrfon of any whatsoever, and the only fit person, is defpifcd arid rrje£led by unbelief.
Men ihro' unbelief find fault with the Salvation itself that Chrifl h
purchased
saved as Chrifl would fave.
They don't ];ke to be They don't like to be
made holy, and to have such a happiness as is to be had in God for a portion. It may no- be amiss here to mention two or three ways whereby persons are guilty of a provoking contempt of the wisdom of God in the way of salvation. I. Th'jy are guiity of a provoking contempt, who They that live in a careless neglcfl of their salvation aconcerned much arc fecureiii their fms, and are not earas much so not Are bout salvation or damnation. :
neftly (i::eking
salvation.
This is a praOicuI char 'incr
God witli folly in this aftaif,
In the
Way of Salvation.
The language of it is, that it is all in vain, and to no purpofc that God hath contrived and confuked for ihc obtaining salvation. when there was no need of it. That he has laid out himself, and been at great cod to -procure salvation for them when they don't want salvation. They are well enough as they are. They don't see any great neceffiiy they are in of a saviour. They like that Itatc they are in, and do not
much desire to be de-
livered out of it.
They don t thank him for all his consultation anc} They think he might have (pared his cost. They diO as much as lay thatGod grea ly cared for the contrivance.
finding out and accompliihing a way of falvacion ; whereGod as they don t think it worth their caring about.
has greatly minded that,vvhich they don't think worth a ' minding. God has contrived abundantly for that which
they don't trouble their heads abc ut. 2. They are guilty of a provoking contempt of the wlfdom ol this way of falvatiou; who go about to conThey that are not contrive ways of their own. tent with that way of salvation by the rightcoufnefs of Chrid, which God has provided, arc for contriving soma way of being favcd by their own riglueoufnefs. These find fault with the wildom of God's way that is so much above the wisdom of the angels, and set up
They set up theic
their own wisdom in opposition to it.
own wisdom above God s, as iho they could find out a better way.
How greatly must God be provoked when persons thus set up their own wisdom above that infinite wisdom. manifested in the way of salvation by Jelus Chrilt. 3.
Thofe that
entertain
difcouragcd and
difpairing
apprehensions abou. their salvation, cad contempt on the
wisdom of God.
They that entertain
(uch thoughts
as that, bccaufc they have been such great linncrs, Gud Chrilt vviil not be will not be willing to pardon them :
willing
The Wi/dom of God d'tfplayd
Shr.XVI.
They fear
Christ, in the
willing to accept of them
invitations of t!ic ofpel don't
tures r«s ihcy
much
arc.
mean such wicked crea-
They fear they have committed so
sin, that they have finn'd beyond the reach of the
mercy of C od. They think it is in vain for them to seek for falvarion.
These cafl contempt on the wisdom of God in the
way of salvation, as tho' the way was not an alfufficicnt way. As iho' the wifjom of God had not found out a way that was sufficient for the salvation us great fjnncrs As tho' God had not found out a way to make fatisf ion for so many and \o great sins As tho' the wjfjom of God had not pitched upon a i
per sun worthy enough to be a mediator for such great llnners.
Inf IV. Hence the misery of unbelievers who have no portion or iot in this matter. There is a mof glorious way of fnvation, but you have no interest in it. The wisdom of God hath been gloriously imploy'd for the deliverance of men from a mifcrable, doleful state ; but you are never the and procure happincfs for them You don't fall in better for it, because you rtje(5l it You don t comply with God's cuunfcls and with it This way of salvation is preachdcdgns in this alTuir. If you continue in that flare that ed to you in vain. you arc in, you will not be the better for its being such This wifdorn will do you no good. a wife way. The wisdom of God has pitclied upon a mofl fit and but fuiiablc Pcrlon for the accomplifliing thi> work you have no interest in him. Chrifl is a glorious Per;
every way fit to be
ihat has
a faviuur of sinners
power sufficient, and
wisdom
person
sufficient,
merit fufticient.and love sufficient for the perfecting this nd he is the only fit person for the perfcfling work. of it ; but you have no right in him; you can lay claim to no bencfii
by his power, wisdom, love or merits
Thii
Ser.XVI.
jn the
Way of Salvation,
This wisdom of God bath found cut a way whereby this saviour might satisfy justice, and fulfil ihc law He hath found out a way whereby he might for us. be capable f suffering for us, viz, Thit he should become man, and be both God and man But you have no lot in this matter of the incarnation, death and :
fulterings of Jesus Christ.
The wisdom of God hath conirived a way of salvation that there fliould be procur'dfor us perse<51
happincfs.
& everlafling
The wisdom of God hath contrived that there
should be procured for fallen man all the good that he Hands in need of. Here is purchasM peace with God and the favour of God. Here is that happiness pro* cured that is mod suitable to our nature, and anfwerhere is a mofl: gloable to the salvation of our souls. rious portion purchased for us, viz. The divine Being Mere it is purhimfclf, with his glorious perse£tions. face to face That we Cjod chas'd that we should see and dwell with God in is Ihould converse with God ;
own glorious habitation. 'Tis purchas'd that we should be the children of God
— and be conformed —
to him.
Here is procured for worms every sort of good that the mofl human nature craves the highefl: honours,
abundant riches, the mod fubflaniial fitisfying plea* fures forcvermore.
Here God hath contrived a way for the meriting all needed good both for the souls and bodies of sinners and glory All needed earthly good things, while here for both body and soul hereafter, forever. But you are never the better for all this. You have no lor, or portion in any of it. Notwirhllanding all this rich provision, you remain in ihc same mifeiable flare and condition, in which you came into the world. Tiio' ihc providon of the Gospel be so full, yet your poor soul remains in a famishing, perifliing Itate and You remain dead in trefpaftes iJc sin«;. You condition. your soul ui;der the dominion rCiaainin a loft condition of a :
of latan
WiJJom of God d'tfplayd
In a condemned state, having the wrath of GoJ
abiding on you, and being daily exposed ro the dreadful effect 5 of
in hell ;
notwiihltandipg all this provision,
you yet remain wretched and mifcrable, poor and blind O that you might turn to God through and nnlccd Jesus Chrill, be number'd among his disciples & faithfull folloucrs,
and f» be iniitled to their priviledgcs
They have an intcrcQ in this glorious saviour, and are intitUd to all the inc ffablc blefll-dncfs of his kingdom, so
But you remain without Christ, being aliens from the common wealth of Jfracl, (Irangcrs to the coven-nt of promifc, having no well-grounded hope, and without God in the world. Confidcr several things, It argues the great ness of the misery of finfirft. jicrs, that the wisdom ot God iliould be exerciled to such a degree to find out a way to deliver them from Their It fliews that their misery was very great. it. deplorable infinite was molt required cafe surely It far as their capacities will admit
ivifdom to find out a way for their deliverance. It
flicws
how far they were funk into misery,
that
there Could be no contrivance for their deliverance, but
The the contrivance of the wisdom of the great God. Nothing but wildom of the wj c] was ot fufhcicnr divine wisdom r uld rench and remedy their cafe. :
And th'it God fihniid so lay out himself, that all the pcrfons*
of the IMnity fliould enter into such a consul-
that about it. And th.t the grratefl wisdom fliould appear mod wonderful in t-e sight of the Afigcls, It is not likely ihould be excicifed about this affair. If mans it fliould be K). u less the aflair be very great. misery was not very great, divine wiflom would not
Tition
God been exercifcd for his deliverance from it. not contiivc ami do things f wonderful in a If the falvaiion of a linncr was not a trivial Aft;iir.
Jiave
would
--- lalvaiion; from an exceeding grc
Ser.XVI.
Way of Salvatioiu
not to be supposed, that God's wisdom should be more Signalized in this affair than in any other whatever.
But lb ic is
this contrivance
seems to be spoken of
in fcriprure as the maQer piece of "divine wisdom.
work of redemption is represented
This
most wonderful,
spoken of in scripture in the most exalted manner of any work of Go i. Doubtless therefore salvation is a And confcquentiy the misery that fmners great thing are laved from is a great and unspeakable misery. This is the mifety that all you are in, who remain in This is the condemnation you lie a natural condition. under. This is the wrath of God that abides upon you. The wisdom of God knew it to be a very doleful thing f.ir a person to be in a natural ffate, and therefore did :
finncrs out of it.
lo exercise itself to deliver miserable
But this is the slate that many amung us do yet remain in.
Secondly. Confider that if you continue in the Rate you are in, you will be so far from being the better for this contrivance, that you will be a great deal the more You will be a greit deal the more miserable for it. mirerable for there being such a wife way, such an excellent way of salvation found out.
would have been
better for you, if the way of salvation had been an impcrfcft' way, aa insufficient way
salvation
Or, if there had been
The jaftice and wisdom of the way of
BO way at all.
be your condemnation.
will
condemnation that,
light
come
into
This is the
the world, and
men loved darkness rather than light". Joh. 3. 19. That will be your condemnation, that God concrivM an infinicely wife way of salvation, wherein compleat salvation
was procured for sinner?, and you refused to
accept of it, butfiill went on in your trefpaftea.
If you continue in the (late that you arc now in, it would have been better for you, if Chrifl had never died for sinners If God had left all mankind to pcriHi, :
The W'tjiom of God difplayd
he did the fallen Angels. Your puni menr then Would have been light in companion of what it will be now. You will have greater sins by far to answer for and a!l your sins will be abundantly the more agt ravatcd. Ihavefincel have been upon this fubjefl, obfcrved ihat the work of redemption, is an occasion of the elc£l's being brought to greater happiness than man could have had if he had not fallen. But this isalfo true as to reprobates. It will be an occasion of (heir having greater mi (cry than they would have had, if there had been no redemption. 2 Cor. 2. 15. " For we arc unto God, a sweet favour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the one we are a favour of death unto death and to the other we are a favour of life unto life". If you perish atl. ft you will be the more mias
ferable for the benefits of the gospel being so glorious, and that because your crime in rcjc ling and despising thcin will be the more heinous. If Chrilf had purchased comparatively (mall happiness for sinners If he had purchased a happiness that was imj:>erfc , unfaiisfa ory, and but of finite duration it would have been better for you, Heb. 2. 3. " How shall we escape, if we neglc so great salvation". Thirdly. \Vhilfl you continue an unbelievcr,thc more you hear of this way of salvation, your condition The lon;i.er you miserable. will become the more the more doleful fit under the preaching of the gospel. Y(Hir guilt continually increases. does your c;\ c grow. For your refulals of the Cc>lls of the gospel, and your :
rejections of thi way of salvation, arc sb much the oft-
Every time you hear the gospel preachner repeated. ed, you are guilty of a renewed rcje iun of it. the guilt of which therefore you will ha< e 1\ ing upon you. And the more you hear of the (uiiablenefs and glorioufncfs of this way, the greater is your guilt
who flil! continue the Way of Salvation,
continue to rcje£l it. Every new ilkiQratlon of the wisdom of God, and grace of God in redemption, adds
to your guilt, Mac.
'* Jerusalem Jenifalem 23 37 how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but ye would not !" And that which adds to the mifcry you are under, is, that as long as it continues, it is a growing evil.
Fourthly.
Confider the danger there
that
will never have any lot or p' rtion in this matter.
niuft confider that there arc but few that have. Chriit has told us that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeih unto life, and few there be that fiind ir.
There have been but few in all ages of the world. Maand many hope that they shall obtain There ny seek are but few that intend to be damned. There are ma* ny that hope that they shall fomc way or other find ;
means to escape
eternal
are but sq\f saved.
But after all, ther«
milery.
But few obtain the benefits of re-
demption. I conclude with a
USE of E X H O R T.A T I O N to come to Christ, and accept of salvation in
come- to
this
way.
You are
with And if you do ki, him, and cruft in him for falvarion you shall be one that (hall have the benefit of this glorious contrivance. You fliallhave the benefit of all invited
Clirill,
heartily
close
as much as if the whole end had been contrived for you
alone.
God has already contrived and done every thing thai Nis needful to your salvation
and there is nothing want-
Since God has taken this matter of the redemption of sinners into his own hand, he has made thorough 'work of it; he has not left it for you ing but your confcnt.
to fiaifh.
Sausfa( ion is already made , rightcoufneis is already
The W'tfdom of God difployd Ser. XVI,
already wrought out
there is nothing for
Death and hell are already conquer'd.
you to do.
The redeemer
has already taken poftcflion of glory, and keeps it in his hands to beOow on tl.cm that come to him. There were many difficulties in the way, but they are a 1 removed. The fbviour. has already triumphed over all, and is already in heaven at the right hund of God, to give eternal life to liis people. Salvation is ready brought to your door and the saviour llands and knocks and cals that you would open ;
to him, that he might bring it in to you. There remains nothing but your consent. All the difficulty now rciiiaining is with your own heart. If you perish now, it mud be wholly at your door. Ic must be becaufc you would not come to Chrifl that you might have life : And becaufc you virtually choose death rather than life, Prov. 8. 36. " He that (inneth against me wrongcth his own soul All tl.ey that hate me iove death". All that is now required of you, i , that your heart ftiould close with Chritf as a saviour. Here confidcr, I. That the wisdom of God hath so contrived that he hath forestalled all our obicffions. If you make obje ions against Christ and the way of salvation, ihey must be all unreasonable. You can t reasonably objed that your Gns are of such a nature, that God's honour won't allow of your pardon. 'Tis true God insists upon his own honour. He is a God that will be ho:
noured, and his majeily shall be vindicated
And when
honour requires vengeance But God has so contrived this way, that his honour may be repaired by the puniflimcnt of (in finncrs cast
contempt upon him,
without the sinners fuffcring,
great (ocver ihc sin
Herein the wisdom of
this
appears,
that
there is a (uflicicncy for the greatcll and uioft fecinout tranfgidfjrs.
Ypi;
Ser. XVI.
the Way of Salvation.
You can't objeft that God the father will not be willing to accept you, for the mediator's fake ; for he hath chosen such a person as his own Ton, a person {h near and dear to him to be a mediator, to cut off any such objeflions. receive you
You can't
So you may be sure that God will you go to him thro' Cluift.
objc(5l that
sufficient alTurance
God the father has not given to behevcrs for God
of salvation
has not only promised, but the principal tilings
which would have been mo,si: already fulfilled ;
difficult
thofe
believe,
God has already given his sun to die
This, before it was accompliQied, was a thing
for us.
a great deal more (Irange, and difficult to believe, than
that he should give eternal life to sinners
after
Christ
That the son of God should die, was a much greater thing, than to give eternal life upon the
died for them.
account of it. Rom. 8. 32. " He that fparcd not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how fliall he not with him freely give us ail things.'* And then there is no room to doubt but that if we accept of Christ, God will give eternal life
for he hath
already into the hands of our saviour for us. hath betrufted him with the whole affair. He hath
given
given all things into his hands, that he might give eternal life to as many as (hould come to him. The father
hath appointed him that died for believers, to be
their judge, to have the whole determination of the matter
and disposal of the reward,
in his own
hand,
you can't doubt but that Chrifl will be willing to beflow eternal life on them tlWt he purchased it for. F(ir if he is not willing to beflow it, surely he never would have died to purchase it. Who can think that Chritt would be so desirous of sinners being saved, as to unand not be willing to let them dergo so much for it it, when he bad obtained it for them. have ;
Confider,
The Wljdom of Gcd Ji/plajd
Ser. XVI.
2. The wisdom of God bath contrived that there should be in the pcrfon of the favioiirall manner ofathe has not chosen a mean tra ivcs to draw us to him. pcrlon, a perfbn of but indifferent lovefinefs, lefl flnncrs
Hiould say, that there was not
excellency enough in draw them to him. He did not pitch upon oneof theAngels for tho' they are excellent creatures, Christ
but he hath pitched upon his own son, that there might be no want of excellency in the pcifon. He is not a pcrfon whose excellency is but finite. lie hath in him all possible exyet their excellency is but finite,
cellency.
He is poitefs'd of all the beauty and glory
of the God head.
So that there can be no manner of excellency, nor degree of excellency that we can devise, but what is in By this, it appears, Christ the person of the saviour. Jias excellency enough. For to say, that excellency U'hiih
infin'te
enougli,
conrradi£lion.
But yet so redundant has the wisdom of God been in providing attrsftives to us to come tochrifi,it hath so ordered ihar there ihs uld also be all human excellencies in him. If there be any thing attra£live in this confidera-
one in our own nature, one of us He is not only in the divine, bux in the human nature. He is a man like ourselves and has all poOible human excellencies. He was of a nioft excellent Ipirit. He wr.s wile and holy, lie was of a condescending, meek and lowly, a benign and benevolion, that Christ this
true of Chrifl.
lent disposition.
The wisdom of God hath chosen such who fliould be a person of a great love to fln-
y\nd aguin
peifon.
ncrs,
show that love in the moit endearing What more condescending love can
and (hould
manner possible.
iherc bc.thun the love of a divine pcrfon to luch worms
of the dust And what freer love can there be than \''\r ro enemies And what greater loyc can there be, !
ihao
Ser. XVi.
the Way of Salvation.
And what more endearing cxpreftion So that here is of love, than dying for the beloved not only the excellency of Christ, but his love to mankind to draw us. Again, the wisdom of GoJ hath so contrived that
than dying love
Chriit shall sustain that office that iliould moll tend
The olfice of endear him to us, and draw us to him a redeemer, a redeemer from eternal raifcry, and the purchaser of all happiness. And if all this be not enough to draw us, the vvifjom of God haih ordered more ; It hath provided us a saviour that fliould offer himself to us in the molt endear:
ing relation.
He offers to receive us as friends.
receive us to an union to himfeif, to become our spiritual husband
and portion forever.
And if all this is not enough to draw, there is more yet. The wisdom of God hath provided us a f'aviour that woos us in a manner that has the greatest tendency to win our hearts. His word is moll attraflive. He
He don't meerly comHands at our door and knocks. mand us to receive him but he condescends to apply himself to us in a more endearing manner. He intrcats and beseeches us in his word and by his melfengcrs. 3. The wisdom of God hath contrived that there fliould be all manner of attradlives in the benefits ihac ;
There arc not only the ejcccllencies of the Person of Christ to draw you to him, but the Here is what is most fuitadefirable benefits he offers. Needed rehuman nature of the ble to the cravings Men when diftreffcd and lief for all our diftrelfes. Here it is offered to burden'd, long for cafe and reft.
Christ offers you.
Come unto me, says he, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give yoii reft. Men when in fear of danger, long for safety. Here God promises that he it is provided for us in. Christ. will become the shield and buckler, itrong rock and us in Christ.
iiigli
"The Wisdom of God dlfpla/d
Se R
in him. Thofe that Christ tells us that he came to
high tower to thofc that trufl
mourn need comfort
comfort thofe that mourn, Ifai. 6i. 2. The blind need to have their eyes opened. The light is sweet to men Chrid offers to anoint our eyes with eye salve that we may see glorious light. He will be our sun, and the light of God's countenance. What is more dear to men than life ? Christ hath purchased for men, that ihcy should live forever, Pfal. 21. 4. " He asked life of thee, and thou gaveft it him, even length of days forever and ever". How greatly is a crown prized and admired by the not a corcliildren of men P And Chrid offers this, rupiable crown, but an incorruptable and far more glo:
by earthly kings. A crown cf glory, the luflrc of which Ihal! never fade or decay an cverlafling kingdom. rious crown than any worn
Here are pleafurcs forever* love pleafu/es. What could there be more to draw our hearts ro Jesus Chrifl, to make us willing to accept of him for
more.
our saviour
and to accept of his benefits, in that glo-
rious and wife way that he has provided for us !
true
Christian's
Life,
Journey
towards Heaven.
HEBREWS nJ confessed that they Tilgrims on the Earth.
were Strangers and For they that say
such Things declare plainly that they Jeek a Country,
apostle Is here setting forth the excellencies
of the grace of faith, by the glorious esse ls and happy issue of it in the faints of the old teflament. He had spoken in the proceeding part of the chapter perticularly, of /,£« <:/6, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, I/aac and Jacob, Having enumerated ihofe instances, he takes notice that *' these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having fecn
them afar off, and were persuaded of them & embraced them, and confessed that they were ftrangcrs" Sec. In these words the apoflle seems to have a more particular refpe£l to Abraham and Sarah, and their kindred that came with them from Haran, and from Ur of
Ssr.XVIL
" Chr'tjllans Life,
of the chaldees, by the 15. vcr. where the apostle says, " And truly if they had been mindful of that country
from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned**. It was they that upon God's call left their own country.
Two things may be obfcrved in the text. 1. *'
What these
faints
confeded of themselves, viz.
that they were (1 rangers and pilgrims
on the earth".
Thuswc have a particular account concerning Abraham, *' 1 am
a flranger
And it seems to have been patriarchs,
by what Jacob
a fojoumer
the general
sense
of the
says to Pharaoh.
Jacob said to Pharaoli, the days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage*'* § " 1 am a stranger and a sojourner with thee, as all my fathers were." f 2. The inference that ihe apoflle draws from hence, (viz.) that they sought another country as their home. " For they (hat say such things, declare plainly that In confeflmg that they were they feck a country." declared that this is not ihcir ihey plainly Arangers, where they arc that tlie country not this is country themselves to be pilgiijns, And in confc(nng at home. settled abode their this is plainly that not declar'd they :
but that tliey have refj:e£l to some other country, that
they feck and are travelling to as their home.
DOCTRINE. This only
f Pj'ahn,
ought so to he spf.nt by a journey towards heaven.
life
Ser. XVIL Here I.
a Journey towards Heaven.
would observe,
That ive ought not to reft in the world and it*s enjoyments, but /hould desire heaven,
This our hearts Jhould he
chiefly upon
and engaged
We fliould " feck first the kingdom of God. "f
about.
He that is on a journey, seeks the place that he
ought above all things to desire a journeying to. heavenly happiness To go to heaven and there be If we arc with God ; and dwell with Jesus Christ. surrounded with many outward enjoyments, and things :
If we are settled in families, and have thofe good friends and relations that are very defireable If we have companions whose society is delightful to us If we have children that are pleasant and hopeful, and in whom we see many promising qualifications ; If we live by good neighbours ; have a good have much of the refpe6t of others
that are very comfortable to us
name
are generally beloved
where
v/e are
known
And have comfortable
and pleasant accommodations Yet we ought not to take our reft in these things. should not be willing to have thcfe things for our portion , but should seek a higher happiness in another
world.
We should not meerly feck something elfein
addition to these things
but should be so far from reft-
that we should chufe and desire to leave
jng in them,
ihefe things for heaven
to go to God and Christ there.
We fliculd not be willing -to live here always, if we same firength and vigor of body and mind as when in youth, or in the m:dfl of our days and always enjoy the same pleasure, and dear fricmls, and other earthly comforts. We fliould chufe and desire to leave them nil in God's due time, that we might <go to heaven, and there have the enjoyment of God. We ouglit to pooefs tlicm, enjoy and muke use of ih!?m, could, in the
vviih
The true Chnjllans Life,
Ser.XVII,
with no other view or aim, but readily to quit ihcm, whenever we are called to it, and to change them for
And when we are called a way from ihcro, heaven. we should go chearfully and willingly. He that is going a journey, is not wont to reft in what he meets with that is comfortable and pleasing If he p iftcs along thro' pic a /ant places, on the road. he don't take up flowery meadows or shady groves ;
his content in ihcfe things.
He is content only to take a
trancient view of tbefe pleasant objedls as he goes along.
He is not enticed by thcfe fine appearance s to pur an end to his journey, and leave off the thought of proceed ng.
No, but his journey's end is in his mind
that
So if he meets with comhe aims at. accommodations on the road, at pleasant and sortable entertains he no tho'ts rell there; he don't yet an inn; great thing that
of fettling there. not his own, and is not allotted
He confiders that ihefe things are that he is
but a flranger
for his home.
frefiied himself,
that, that
And when he
has re-
or tarried but for a night, he
leaving ihtfe accommodations, and going forward, and And the getting onward towards his journey's end.
thoughcs of coming to his journey's end, are not at all He don't defirc to be travelling algrievious to him. The ways and never come to his journey's end Eut thoughts of that would be dilcouraging to him. :
'irs
pleasant to him to think that so much of the way
gone, that he is now nearer home ; and that he shall and the toil and fatigue of his prefenily be there ;
journey will be over. So should we thus defirc heaven so much more than the comforts and enjoyments of this life, thac wc should We should long to charge thcfe things for heaven. wait with carnefl dcfire for arrive to our journey's end.
the time,
when we
Hiall
The apoflle mentions
as an encouraging, comfortable confideracion to chrifliar.s
SER.XVII.
a Journey touuards Heaven-
" Now is ans, when they draw nigh their happlnefs. our salvation nearer than when we believed." Our hearts ought to be loose to these things, as it is with a man that is on a journey. However comfortable enjoyments arc.yet we ought to keep our hearts so loose from ihem, as chearfuily to part with them,
whenever God calls
But this I say, brethren, the that both they that have wives, be as tho' they had none and they that ween, as tho' they wept not and they that rejoIce,as tho' they time
fhprt,
remaineth,
rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as iho' they poijefted not ; and they that use this world, as not abuling it : for the fashion of this world pafteth away". | ought to look upon these things, as only lent
to us for a
while, to
little
serve a prcfent
we should set our hearts on heaven as our
inheritance
forever.
H. Jf e ought to seek heaven, by way that leads thither.
travelling in the
The way that leads to heaven, is a way of holincfs.
We should chufe and desire to travel thither in this v ay We fliouid part with all th.ofe and in no other. (Iiis,
thofe carnal appetites that are as weights, that will tend to hinder us in our travelling towards heaven
us Isy a(ide every weight, and the sin which doth foea*
and let us run with patience the race see However pleasant any pratlicc or the gratification of any appetite may be, we mud lay it ?-
fily beset us,
before us"-
it away if it be any hindrance,and llumblingblock in the way to heaven. We fliould travel on in a way of obedience to all
(ide, cast
God's commands, even the difficult as well as the cnfy commands. Wc fliould travel on in a away of fclf-
Jy or, denial;
denying all our
finfiil
inclinations
The way to licavcn is ascending to travel
Ser.XVII.
true Chriflians Life,
& interests.
we mufl be
up hill, tho' it be hard and tiresome,
content iho' it
be contrary to the natural tendency and bias of our flcfh, that tends downward to the earth. W't should fojkiw Chrifl in the path that he has gone. Tlie way that he travelled in, was the right way 10 heaven. We fhc uld lake up our crols and follow him. We fhou d travel along in the same way of mecknefs and iowlinefs of in the same way of obcdier.ce and charity, and heart and patience under afflictions. diligence to do good The way to heaven is an heavenly life we must be travelling towards heaven in a way of imitr.tion of thofe that are in heaven. In imitation of the faints and angels there, in their holy imployments, in their w,,y of ;
spending their time in loving, adoring, serving, prniThis is the path that we and the Lamb.
sing GoJ
ought to prefer before all others, if we could have any If we could go to heaven other that we might chufe. in a way of carnal living, in the way of the enjoyment and gratification of our lufls, we should rather prefer a way of holiness and conformity to the spiritual (cis-denying rules of the gofpcl.
Jfe Jljowd travel on in t/jis way in a laborious manner.
jll.
The going of long journeys is nitendcd wiiii toil and fatigue
efpeciallyif the journey be ihro' a wilderncfs.
Pcrfbns in such a cafe expecfb no other than to ftfflcr bardIhips and wearincfs, in travelling over mountains and ih'o' bad places.
So ue should travel in this way of holiness, in a laborious manner, fliritiount .vav.
improving our
time and firtngth. to are in the
the difliculiics and obllacles that
The land that we have to travoi thro, is a wi,!-