Vert: 2 2. the firth Chapter to the ROMAN s. 153 becaufe Fear is a greater and more commodious Engine of humane Government than Love ; and inflitting Punifhment is the proper work of Mans Law, for its end and ufe is to restrain evil. But Gods Law propoundeth Rewards equal to the Punifhments, becaufe the ufe of Gods Law is to guide men to their proper Happinefs. It is Legis candor, the Equity and Favour of Mans Law to fpealt of a Reward, it commands many things, for- bids many things , but (till under a Penalty , ex malis moribua nafruntur Legs , to re- ftrain evil is its natural work : But Gods Covenant being ordered for another end, Both not only threaten Sinners, but promife life to the holy, and there Threatnings and Pro- miles carry a proportion to Gods Nature , eternal Life on the one hand , and eternal Death on the other, Deaf. 3o. 15. See I have fit before thee this day life and death , good and mil : and Mat. 35. q6. Theft (hall go away into everlaffing punishment , but the righ- teous into life eternal. There are no where fach dreadful Punishments and fuck bounti- ful Rewards , as are propounded to us Chriftians , eternal Punifhment is the reward of the disobedient, and eternal Life is the Priviledge of the holy. Which by the way is a great flame, that we should be fo defe&ive in good , fo fruitful in evil , lets obfervant of the Laws of the Univerfal King, than the Subje &s of any Prince. How often do we pawn our hopes of everlafting Life upon lefs occasions, than Efau did his Birthright, and let Chrift at a lower price than Judas did ? 3. All that have their fruit to Holinefs are capacitated for this bleffed Eltate. Firfl, They earneflly deliire this bleffed Eftate, they hunger and thirft after righteouf nefs, after a larger meafure of Gods fan &ifying Grace , or likenefs to God , Mat. 5.6. The thirft after Honour, Greatnefs, and Preferment in the World are tortures to the Soul, wherein they are harboured ; but they that thirft after more Rolinds, (hall be fatisfied. Secondly, They are prepared for it. For purity of heart is the root wheteof Happi- nefs is the fruit, Mat. 5. 8. Blefed are the pure in heart, for they (ball fee God. Thirdly, They have the Pledge and Earneft of it , 2 Cor. I. 2 2. Who path alfo fealed us, and given the earneft of his Spirit in our hearts : and , 2 Cor. 5.5. Now he which bath wrought us for the felf fame thing is God , who alfo bath given unto us the earneff of the Spirit. The fan &ifying Spirit is given us byGod , as the Earneft of the Glory which he will give us, for it is the feed of it, and breedeth an inclination thereunto, Vfe 1. If this be the Reward of the Holy, then it informeth us, That certainly there is fuch a thing as everlasting Life and Happinefs; for God would not feed us with Fan- cies, or flatter us into a Fools Paradife. r. The Nature of Man Iheweth it, why else did he make a reafonable Creature ? Man of all Creatures would be molt miserable, if obnoxious to fo many infelicities, and were not capable of true Happinefs fome way or other: Certainly he made him to be happy ; is it to be happy here ? in what ? here is no happinefs : is it in eating , drink- ing and fleeping? there are to strengthen us for our fervice which tendeth to our end : better be without meat, if we could be without the need of it , as it will be hereafter, I Cor. 6. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God (hall defiroy both it and them. Beasts have not the cares and forrows of mind that man bath to get and keep what they need. Wherein then lyeth the dignity of Men above the Beasts? Surely there is a Life to come. 2. The Government of God (heweth it ; why doth he tale fuch Methods by his Pre- cepts and Promises, but to bring us to our eternal End ? Why bath he required moral Duties of Temperance, Sobriety, Contentation with a little ; fuch Evangelical Duties of Self - denial , Obedience to Chrift; fuch instituted Duties, as Praying, Hearing, Sacra- ments, and Serioufnefs in all ; fuch confiant diligence in his Service, but that by all there we might come to the blefled Hope? Believers ufe them to thefe Ends, Aas 26.7. Zinto which promife the twelve Tribes infiantly ferving God day and night hope to come : and Phil; I pref toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrift yefus. 3. The Graces planted in us by his Spirit (hew it. What ufe is there for Faith and Hope, if there be no Object to be believed and hoped for, Heh. r 1. r. Now faith is the fiebflance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feed. As the Apoftle faith,0ur preaching is in vain, and your faith is alfo vain, i Cor. 15. 14. Now is Faith and Hope a dotage? and the whole Dottrine of the Gospel a Forgery? and all the fufferinga which Gods Servants have endured for him a meer frenzy and madnefs? Surely thed there is a Reward, and an everlasting Reward for the righteous: Vfi 2. To perfwade us, ,, 1. To have our Fruit to Holinefs. Heaven is the perfeítion of whit is begun by li u is u u Sanâificat
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=