So here 't is not a simple Negation but a Comparative that he approved of Moral Duties more than Sacrifice 2. Observe The two things compared Mercy and Sacrifice In the Prophet Hosea there is another word I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Knowledg of God more than Burnt-Offerings Mercy comprehendeth the Duties of the Second Table as the Knowledg of God the Duties of the First Table Now this Piety towards God and Charity towards our Neighbour was more acceptable Service towards God than all the Rites of their External Worship Doct. There is much to be learned from God's expressing himself in his Word that he liketh Mercy to them that stand in need of it better than the Offering of the richest Sacrifice I frame the Point so as it may comply with Christ's Scope and Purpose Three things especially we learn in it I. The respective Value and Preference of Duties II. The Guise of Hypocrites as our Saviour pincheth and taxeth the Pharisees often by this Point III. The Excellency of Mercy I. I shall speak to the respective Value and Preference of Duties and there I shall lay down these Propositions 1. All that God commandeth must be respected and Obedience endeavoured partly because his Laws are all Holy Just and Good Rom. 7. 12. The Law is Holy and the Commandment Holy Iust and Good viz. that Law by which he was convinced and which had wrought such trouble in his Heart Holy as being the Copy Draught of God's Holiness Iust as doing no Wrong no Infringement of our just Freedom Good as profitable to direct and perfect our Operations nothing therein is in vain or useless And partly because they are all ratified by the same Authority Exod 20. 1. God spake all these words not these words but all these words He that said Thou shalt not commit Adultery said also Thou shalt not Steal as the Apostle improveth the Observation Iam. 2. 11. For he that said Do not commit Adultery said also Do not kill God hath expressed his Will in one thing as well as another And partly because in Conversion we have Grace given to obey all Ephes. 4. 24. The new Man is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness 'T is not only sitted for Righteousness but Holiness not only for Holiness but Righteousness As the Sun is placed in Heaven that he may shed abroad his Influences every where and nothing is hidden from his Heat and Light So is Grace planted in the Heart that it may diffuse it self in an uniform Obedience and that we may be Holy 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he that hath called us is holy in all manner of Conversation The Heart is framed to resist every Sin and to observe all the Commands of God The new Creature never cometh maimed out of the Birth or wanting any part Well then Holiness and Righteousness must ever go together and the Obedience to both Tables be inseparable We must serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all our days Luke 1. 75. Not in Holiness only or in Righteousness only but in both 2. Though all are to be respected yet all Duties are not equal nor all Sins equal A vain Thought is not so heinous a Crime as the killing of a Man And to blaspheme and curse God is a greater Sin than an idle Word and Idolatry than stealing of a Shilling Though all God's Laws stand by the same Authority yet the Matter of all is not of a like moment and consequence And therefore the Sins and Duties are greater and lesser according to the importance of the Law Mat. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandments and shall teach Men so to do shall be least in the Kingdom of Heaven There are Commandments which may be called the least and there are others which may be called the greatest In ordine motum the Order sheweth the Weight The Fundamental Article of the Covenant is to have God for our God and to prefer Natural Worship before Instituted the Means stated before Manner and Time God before Man Parents before others 3. Simple Duties of the first Table are greater than Duties of the Second Christ himself saith Matth. 22. 38. That this is the first and great Commandment They must needs be the greatest because the Object of them is greatest God is greater than Man as 't is said Iob 33. 12. To oppose a Prince in Person is more than to oppose his mean Officer He that sinneth against his Neighbour sinneth against God but not so immediately 1 Cor. 8. 12. And 2. because this is the great Bond on the Heart to enforce the Duty of the second the Conscience of our Duty to God because I love or fear or would honour God therefore I perform my Duty to Man for the Lord's sake And so we turn Second-Table Duties into First-Table Duties And so Alms is a Sacrifice Heb. 13. 16. And so Obedience to Masters is Obedience to God Ephes. 6. 6. And as they inforce so they regulate for we are to obey them in the Lord and so as will stand with an higher Duty we owe to God Acts 4. 19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judg ye So that these are the greatest Duties but yet this must be understood so as the Comparison be rightly made The chief of the First-Table with the chief of the Second the middle with the middle the least with the least Externals with Externals otherwise not Disobedience to Parents is more than an irreverent Speech of God Adultery a greater Sin than coldness in Worship stealing than not giving The People made many Prayers but their Hands were full of Blood Isa. 1. 15. And therefore the Order must be rightly conceived first love to God then love to Men first the Worship of God and then Duty to Men in our several Relations first Acts of outward Worship then Acts of outward Respects to Men Duties of Piety and also Justice and Charity Thus the Circumstantial and Ceremonial Duties of the First-Table must give place to the necessary and moral Duties of the Second But when the Comparison is duly made in the same Rank those Laws which do simply and directly respect God are to be preferred before those Duties which concern Men. And Sins of the highest Degree against the first Table are greater than Sins of the highest degree against the Second And in Duties the Love of our Neighbour must give place to the Love of God As the Love of Father and Mother Wife Children Friends Brethren Luke 14. 26. If any Man hate not Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple God is chief and most worthy of respect 4. Moral and Substantial Duties should chiefly be made Conscience of and ought to take place of Ceremonial Observances though belonging to the First-Table for so in the Text is Mercy preferred before Sacrifices Which is to be regarded to a double end
too early he might meet with a Lion in his range and walk before they were retired into their Dens Thus do Men alarm themselves with their own foolish fears to excuse their idleness and negligence So again Prov. 15. 19. The way of the slothful is as an hedg of thorns but the way of the Righteous is made plain They imagine difficulties and intollerable hardships in a course of Godliness but 't is their cowardise and pusilanimous negligence which maketh the Ways of God seem hard they are all comfortable plain and easy to the pure and upright Heart and willing Mind Come we to the New Testament Luke 14. 18 19 20. They all with one consent began to make excuse The first said I have bought me a piece of Ground and I must go to see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them I pray thee have me excused And another said I have married a Wife and cannot come The meaning is Many were invited to everlasting Happiness but they preferred their designs of worldly advantages Mark they do not absolutely deny but make excuse Excuses are the fruit of the quarrel between Conviction and Corruption They are convinced of better things but being prepossessed and biassed with worldly Inclinations they dare not fully yield nor flatly deny therefore they chose a middle course to make excuses Doing is safe or preparing our selves to do but excusing is but a patch upon a filthy sore or a poor covering of Fig-leagues for a naughty Heart 3. The usual excuses which Sinners may and usually do allege are these four The Difficulty of Religion The danger that attendeth it Want of Time And that they have no power or strength to do good 1. For the first 'T is troublesome and tedious to Flesh and Blood to be held to so much Duty and to wean our Hearts from things we so dearly love and the World thinketh that we are too nice and precise to urge Men to such a strict and holy and heavenly Life and less ado will serve the turn To this I answer 〈…〉 deligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And therefore if you cannot deny the ease and sloth of the Flesh you are wholly unfit for the Work of Godliness 2. This Diligence is no more than needeth whatever the carnal World thinketh who leave the Boat to the Stream and hope to be accepted with God for a few cold and drowsy Devotions or some superficial Righteousness A Painter-stainer will think a Painter-limner too curious because his own work is but a little daubing The broad way pleaseth the World best but the narrow way leadeth to Life 3. This Diligence may be well afforded considering that eternal Life and Death is in the case Life Will you stop a Journey for your Lives because 't is a little tedious or there is Dirt in the way or the Wind bloweth on you and the like Since 't is for God and Heaven we should not grudg at a little labour 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. There is also Death in the case Now which is better To take a little profitable pains in Godliness or to endure everlasting Torments to save a little labour or diligence in the holy Life and run the hazard of being miserable for ever Which is worst the trouble of Physick or the danger of a mortal Disease 2. Another Excuse is the Danger which attendeth it It may expose you to great Troubles to own God and Religion heartily And if there be Peace abroad and Magistrates countenanâ—â— Religion yet many times at home a Man's greatest Foes may be those of his own Houshold Mat. 10. 36. But for the pleasing or displeasing of your Relations you must not neglect your Duty to God as Ierom to Helidorus Per calcatum perge Patrem If thy Father lie in the way tread upon his Bowels rather than not come unto Christ. Our Lord hath expresly told us Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Neither favour nor disfavour of our Friends is a just lett or impediment to our Duty The Advantages we can or are likely to receive from Parents are not worthy to be compared with those we expect from God nor is their Authority over us so great as God's is Luke 14. 26. If any Man come to me and hate not his Father or Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple Though Christianity doth not discharge us from obedience to Parents yet the higher Duty must be preferred namely obedience to Christ and loving less is hating 3. Another excuse is I have no time to mind Soul-affairs My distractions in the World are so great and my course of life is such that I have no leisure I answer Will you neglect God and Salvation because you have worldly things to mind Whatever your business be you have a time to eat and drink and sleep and have you no time to be saved Better incroach upon other things than that Religion should be cast to the Walls or justled out of your thoughts David was a King and he had more distracting cares than most of us have or can have yet he saith Psal. 119. 147 148. I prevented the dawning of the Morning and cried I hoped in thy Word Mine Eyes prevent the Night-watches that I may meditate in thy Word And v. 164. Sâ—ven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments Do you spend no time in idleness vain talking and carnal sports and might not this be better employed about heavenly things Ephes. 5. 15 16. See then that â—e walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time because the days arâ— evil Vitam non accipimus brevem sed fecimus nec inopes temporis sed prodigi sumus God hath not sâ—t you about Work that he alloweth you no time for but we waste our time and then God is straitned Many poorer than you have time because they have an heart and will to improve it 4. I have no power or strength to do good And what will you have us do This is the excuse of the idle and naughty Servant Mat. 25. 24. I knew that thou wert an hard Man reaping where thou hast not sowen and gathering where thou hast not strawed God sets you about work but giveth you no strength is your â—xcuse but certainly you can do more than you do but you will not make trial God may be more ready with the assistances of his Grace thau you can imagine The tired Man may complain of the length of the way but not the lazy who will not stir a foot If you did make trial you would not
that is leave that Office to others who are not designed for this Divine and Holy Employment It seemeth haâ—d to many that Christ should â—eny him to do this little Office of Love to his Father and they know not the meaning of that expression Let the Dead bury their Dead Therefore 1. Let us open the Expression 2. Shew you what Christ teacheth us by this Refusal 1. For the Expression It may be used either Proverbially or Allusively Proverbially Let one dead Man bury another that is let them lie unburied rather than my Service be neglected or there will not want others that will remove the dead out of their sight and 't is our Wisdom to let go things unnecessary and mind the main Or else it is used Allusively to the Law of the Nazarites and the Priests of the Old Testament The Law of the Nazarites is in Numb 6. 6 7 8. All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead Body He shall not make himself unclean for his Father or his Mother for his Brother or his Sister when they die because the consecration of his God is upon his Head All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord that is he must rather follow his Vow in honouring the Lord than to follow natural Duty in honouring his dead Parents Now those whom Christ called especially to follow him were consecrated to that service as the Nazarite unto the Lord during the days of his separation And as they might not meddle even with the interment of their Parents so this excuse was frivolous Or else the Allusion might be to the High Priests of whom we read Deut. 33. 9. Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him neither did he acknowledg his â—Brethren nor know his own Children Some think this hath reference to the Levites Fact who being commanded by Moses killed every Man his Brother Neighbour Friend and Son that had sinned in making or worshipping the Golden Calf Exod. 32. 26 29. Rather 't is meant of the Priests continual Duty who by the Law if his Father Mother Brother or Child did die he might not mourn for them but carry himself as if he did not respect or know them for God would have them more regard their Function or Duty in his Service than any natural Affection whatsoever The Law is Levit. 21. 11 12. He shall not go in to any dead Body nor deâ—ile himself for his Father or his Mother neither shall he go out of the Sanctuary nor prophane the Sanctuary of his God for the Crown of the anointing Oil of his God is upon him Now Christ alludeth to the Law to shew the urgency of this present service and imploiment to which he was consecrated and the burial of the Dead might be left to Persons less sacred or more at leisure 2. The Reasons of Christ's refulsal Christ would shew hereby 1. That all Humane Offices and Duties must give place to the Duty we owe to God Duty to Parents must be observed but Duty to God must be preferred before that or any thing whatsoever A Truth justified by Christ's own Example He began betimes at twelve years old when he was disputing with the Doctors and his Parents sought for him Luke 2. 49. He said unto them How is it that you sought me Wist you not that I must be about my Father's business So Mat. 12. 47 48. When his Mother and Kindred waited for him desiring to speak with him He answered and said unto him that told him Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren Obedience to God and declaring his Father's Will was dearer to him than all Relations Natural and secular respects swayed not with him in comparison of gaining Proâ—elites to Heaven his Mother's Conference with him was nothing to his Father's Service and teaching the People a more acceptable Work than paying a civility to his natural Relations So Iohn 2. 4. Woman what have I to do with thee mine hour is not yet come His Office to which he was sent by God was a matter in which she though his earthly Parent was not to interpose God's Work must be done in God's own Way Time and Method God hath greater authority over you than all the Men in the World 2. He would teach us hereby that the Ministry requires the whole Man even sometimes the omission of necessary Works much more superfluous Give thy self wholly to these things 1 Tim. 4. 15. The words are now explained The practical Notes are these two First That nothing in the World is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ. Secondly That those who are called to follow Christ should follow him speedily without interposing any delays For the first Point That nothing in the World is a matter of such great weight as to be a sufficient excuse for not following of Christ. I will illustrate it by these Considerations 1. There are two sorts of Men Some understand not their Lord's Will others have no mind to do it Luke 12. 47 48. Some understand not the Terms of the Gospel they think to have Christ and the Pleasures of the Flesh and the World too But there are others who understand Christ's Terms but are loth to become Christ's Disciples they know their Master's Will but they do not prepare themselves to do it that is they do not presently set upon the Work but make so many delays that it plainly appeareth that they are loth to yield to Christ's Terms that is to turn their backs upon the Vanities of the World and renounce their most pleasing Sins and to take the Word for their Rule the Spirit for their Guide and eternal Life for their Felicity and Happiness to such we now speak 2. They that have no mind to follow Christ put off the Matter with dilatory shifts and excuses To refuse altogether is more hainous and therefore they shift it off for a time Non vacat is the pretence I am not at leisure Non placet I like it not is the real interpretation disposition and inclination of their Hearts for Excuses are always a sign of an unwilling and backward Heart When they should serve God there is still something in the way some danger or some difficulty which they are loth to encounter with As Prov. 26. 13. The slothful Man saith There is a Lion in the way there is a Lion in the streets Palestine was a Land infested with Lions because of the many Desarts and Thickets that were in it but being well peopled they did rarely appear Now the Sluggard taketh this pretence from thence if his Business lay in the Fields there was a Lion in the way if his Business lay in the Towns and Cities there is a Lion in the streets as sometimes though but rarely they came into places inhabited and of great resort Now if he should go about his Business
partly that we may not rest in them as the better part of our Duty If Men submit never so much to external Institutions about Religion and Worship and think to satisfy their Consciences therewith yet they will not at all be accepted and approved of God No he looketh more to moral Obedience than positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion And therefore you have Morals of the First-Table or the Second often compared with and preferr'd above the Externals of Religion as 1 Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord any delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices To obey is better than Sacrifices and to hearken than the Fat of Rams Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Stubbornness as Idolatry 'T was spoken upon the occasion of Saul's sparing Agag and the Fat of the Cattel for Sacrifice when he was to destroy Man and Beast At other times 't is compared with Duties of the Second-Table The Moral Duties of the Second-Table are better than the Ceremonial Duties of the first If we be scanty in the one and abound in the other 't is a Note of an Hypocrite Rom. 14. 17 18. The Kingdom of God standeth not in Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost If a Man do these things he shall be accepted of the Lord and approved of Men. There are two Expositions of that place both equally probable the one more general That Righteousness is taken for all new Obedience and Peace for Peace of Conscience resulting from the Rectitude of our Actions and Joy in the Holy Ghost for supernatural Comfort which the Holy Ghost puts into our Hearts by reflecting on our Priviledges by Christ and the Hopes of the World to come Now Christianity lieth not in outward Observances but in solid Godliness The other Exposition is in a more limited sense That by Righteousness is meant just dealing by Peace a peaceable harmless inoffensive sort of living by Joy in the Holy Ghost a delight to do good to one another not dividing from or hating censuring excommunicating one another for meer Rituals but pleasing one another to Edification These Morals are more acceptable to God and approved of Men than a furious Zeal for lesser things which belong to the ritual Part or external Order of Religion It 's an Argument of a better Spirit to be more zealous for Morals and Substantials than Rituals certainly without them we shall be of no account with God And partly to that when Moral Duties come in competition with Ceremonial the Moral Duties at that time must take place of the other and all positive Commands concerning the Externals of Religion give way to them The Lord never appointed the Ceremonies of the First-Table to hinder Works of Mercy prescribed in the Second therefore the Mercy must be done and the Sacrifice left undone as the Sabbath is both broken and kept when there is an evident necessity of preserving the Creature When David fainted 't was a Moral Duty to relieve him though there were no Bread at Hand but the Shew-bread 1 Sam. 21. 4. There is no common Bread under my Hands And Christ urgeth that Mat. 12. 3 4. Have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred how he entred into the House of God and did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat nor for them which were with him but only for the Priests In an extraordinary case of Necessity the Shew-bread is as common Bread Now the Reason is plain because Positives bind only in certain Cases but we are everlastingly obliged to things Moral Therefore Externals must give way both to Obedience and Mercy Internal Acts of Worship are never dispensed with 5. Sacrifices come under a double Consideration as they relate to Christ the substance of them all or as External Performances rested in by that People 1. In the first Consideration their Gospel lay much in Sacrifices and the main Duties of Godliness were exercised about them as brokenness of Heart Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise And Faith in Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the Vnclean sanctifyeth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God And Covenanting with God Psalm 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable Service In the second Consideration The outward bare Offering considered in it self without Faith and Repentance so God disclaimeth it Isa. 1. 11. Bring no more vain Oblations And Isa. 66. 2 3. He that killeth an Ox is as if he slew a Man He that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's Neck He that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines Blood He that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol Their great Confidence was in their Sacrifices God therefore sheweth how loathsome these things were to him without that disposition of Soul which should accompany them being such Persons as those were he would take no Offering at their hands The Lord in all Ages is Uniform and like himself in approving and injoining Duty and in disliking Sin Morals are always prized by him before Externals and an impartial respect to necessary Duties was more to him than the greatest pomp of outward Worship 'T was so then and 't is so now Pride and Malice and Envy are greater Evils than Ceremonial Uncleanness and to fear God and work Righteousness a greater Duty than the best Sacrifices The performance of External Duties is not and never was a sufficient Testimony of true Piety nay without the Love of God and Men and an uniform Obedience to his Holy Will is meer Hyprocrisy 6. When the breach of a Ceremonial Precept bringeth with it the Transgression of a Moral Precept and is without any absolute necessity imposed in negâ—lect and contempt of the Law of God then we are to run all Hazards rather than to transgress in the smallest Externals because tho the Matter enjoined be but small yet the Contempt of God is a great Sin and our Sincerity and Obedience to God is a great Matter As for Instance When Antiochus pressed the Jews to eat Swines-Flesh which in case of great Extremity no question they might do yet when he pressed them out of Contempt of the Law they chose rather to be tortured to Death than to yield to it And for this they are registred Martyrs Heb. 11. 35. They were tortured not accepting Deliverance that they might receive a better Resurrection There is a plain Allusion to the Story
the Conscience which we are loth should be touched But if we be sincere with God we will keep our selves from all even from our own Iniquity Psal. 18. 23. such as is most incident to us by temper or custom of Life or course of our Interests to baulk or break with God out of private Reasons of Pleasure Honour or Profit or any corrupt Interest is to prefer these things before God and to set up another chief Good in our Hearts and to prefer it before his Favour Thus in General 2. They place all their Godliness and Righteousness in outward Observances or external Discipline and so their Religion is more in the Flesh and in the Letter than in Heart and Spirit As the Pharisees rested in outward Worship only or some external Rules without the inward and real Duties either of the First or Second Table Mat. 23. 25. They cleanse the outside of the Cup and Platter but within they are full of Extortion and Excess And Vers. 28. Ye appear outwardly Righteous unto Men but within ye are full of Hypocrisy and Iniquity And every where they are represented as painted Tombs without but had much hidden Uncleanness and Corruption within There was an outward formality and shew of Religion when they denied the Power thereof They should join Obedience to God and Love to their Neighbour with their outward Sacrifices but these things were of little value and esteem with them Now what Sacrifices were to them that External Ordinances are to us And what their Rituals were the same is the Mode and Garb of Profession among us And therefore External Profession or the performance of External Duties according to our way is not a sufficient Testimony of true Godliness For Christ saith Mat. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Their Righteousness was an out-side Righteousness without that inward Constitution of Soul which doth belong to a renewed Heart and yet carried on in such a way and applauded by Men that the Jews had a saying That if but two Men out of all the World went to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee Oh Christians 't is one thing to approve our selves to God who searcheth the Heart and another thing to approve our selves to Men who look only to the out-side and fâ—ir appearance without A renewed Heart that is unfeignedly set to please God in all things is more than all the Pomp of External Duties And therefore we should study to give Evidence of this by making Conscience of Obedience as well inwardly as outwardly growing in Holiness all the days of our Lives This will be comfortable to us and this will be approved of God hereafter even such an Holiness as is manifested in all the parts of our Conversation in outward Carriage and secret Practice common Affairs and religious Duties In the Worship of God and Charity and Justice to Men Phil. 3. 3. We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the Flesh. When there is a serious Bent and the true spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart towards God and Man and we do not rest in outward Duties but are still growing in internal Grace Faith Hope and Love and are still purifying the Heart and Life that we may constantly glorify God and do good to Men. This is that which is over and above the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees our Duty is to serve God in the Spirit and to bring the inward Man in subjection to him without which Externals are of little worth 3. They were more in love with Ceremonies than with Substance Sacrifices which belonged to the Ceremonies of the Law were in high esteem with them but Godliness Justice and Mercy were of little regard And as outward things were preferred before Inward so the lesser things before the weighty As to their Duties tithing Mint and Annise and Cummin but they have omitted the weightier Matters of the Law Justice Mercy Faith These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matth. 23. 23. Formality and Hypocrisy maketh Men wise about that which is least to purpose They make a business about Ceremonies but neglect the Substance of Religion They enlarged their Phylacteries which were Scroles of Parchment on which the Law was written but took no care of having the Law of God written upon their Hearts Hypocrisy is an odd trifling Zeal which runneth out upon little things So for avoiding Sin Matth. 23. 24. They strain at a 〈◊〉 and swallow a Camel More scrupulous in a little Sin than a great in small Sins very scrupulous in greater Matters very adventurous And because this is one of the main things here intended I shall give you Instances and Reasons 1. Instances to prove that Hypocrites have such an odd Conscience that straineth greatly at a small Sin We have them every where out of the Word of God Herod's making Conscience of his Oath but not of shedding Innocent Blood The King was sorry nevertheless for his Oath 's sake c. Matth. 14. 9. he caused Iohn the Baptist to be beheaded A Sinner is holden in Bonds which he might lawfully break rather than Herod will break his rash Oath Iohn shall lose his Head Of such an odd Complection is the Conscience of Carnal Men. So the Jews when Iudas laid down the hire of his Treason and cast the Mony at their feet Mat. 29. 6 7. It is not lawful said they to put it into the Treasury because it is the price of Blood Pretending to be afraid to offend in the least things when they had offended in the greater They bogled not at betraying Innocent Blood and yet they would not meddle with the Gain when it was thrown back to them Another Instance of the like Conscience is Iohn 18. 28. Then led they Iesus front Caiaphas into the Iudgment-Hall and it was early and they themselves went not into the Iudgment-Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover They were careful to avoid legal Pollution and yet they were at the same time seeking the Life of the Lord of Glory Just such another fit of Conscience cometh upon them a little after Iohn 19. 31. They went to Pilate and desired that the Bodies might not hang upon the Cross on the Sabbath-day lest their great Feast should be defiled And thus you see that through Formality and Custom Men may be strictly bound in Conscience to perform the Duties of Ceremonial or External Worship whose Consciences notwithstanding never scruple to violate the most weighty Precepts of the Law Just of this Nature was that solemn Case of Conscience Zech. 7. 1 2. about the keeping of their Fasts when the Prophet telleth them they had higher Matters to mind the executing of Iudgment and shewing Mercy and breaking off their Oppressions vers 10. The
Lord would not answer their Cases about the Fasts Some of which were needless and superfluous but would have them break off their known Sins Hitherto may be reduced the Harlot in the Proverbs that inticed the young Man to Adultery and yet she had her Peace-Offerings I have Peace-Offerings with me this day Prov. 7. 14. with the 18 th Made Conscience of her Sacâ—ifices but not of her Honesty and Chastity Yea also we may reckon to this rank of Conscience the Instance of Bathsheba Even the Children of God have much Hypocrisy and an odd kind of Conscience when they give way to wilful and hainous Sin The Passage is 2 Sam. 11. 4. David took her and committed Adultery with her for she was purified from her Vncleanness That Uncleanness was Ceremonial only but in the mean time she was committing a Moral Uncleanness from which she was not so careful to keep her self Well then the Consciences of Men being of such a make well might God say I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Substance and not Ceremony And we have all need to take heed to our selves that we do not boggle and startle at a Shadow when in the mean time we are stupid and sensless in Sins of another nature and deeper dye and preserve a tenderness in lesser things when we give way to Injustice and Oppression 2. The Reasons why Hypocrites never find their Consciences awake so much as in Matters Ceremonial I shall give these two 1. Because these are of easiest digestion and will sooner satisfy the Conscience Slight Duties suit best with an Heart that is unwilling to come under the Power of Religion Conscience is like the Stomach which naturally desireth to fill its self and when it cannot digest solid Food it sucketh nothing but Wind. They that place their Confidence in their own Righteousness presently fly to their External Shows The right stating of the Duties of the Law according to their due weight would convince them of their Mistake Therefore that the Ell may be no longer than the Cloth they confine their Obedience to External Observations and so make their Religion as commodious for themselves as they can Adultery is nothing to eating Flesh in Lent or breaking some External Rule The Apostle saith going about to establish their own Righteousness they have not submitted to the Righteousness of God Rom. 10. 3. Not to the way of Solid Righteousness and broken-hearted acceptance of Christ but an external appearance of Duty is most for their Interest 2. To put the better Pretence upon their vile Practices therefore they must have some External Ceremonies to countenance them Thus the Pharisees to countenance their Oppressions for a pretence make long Prayers Mat. 23. 14. That made them be trusted by the destitute Widows whom they deceived As Iezebel would have the formality of a Fast for the better colour of her impiety in destroying Naboth In days of Fasts they were wont to enquire after heinous Offenders to execute the Law upon them as you may see Numb 15. 7 8. and Psalm 106. 30. so to stop God's Wrath. So some expound that Ioel 1. 14. Sanctify a Fast call a Solemn Assembly gather the Elders That is Call a Court who may enquire into Offâ—â—dersâ— that they may be punished and reformed So Iezebel calls a Fast for the beâ—ter 〈◊〉 of a Court to take cognizance of Naboth's Sin 4. They make Conscience not only of Externals instituted by God but mostly of those that are devised by themselves This very Abstinence from converse with Publicans was a thing not forbidden by the Law but an Institution of their own because of their frequent converse with Heathens they looked upon them as a polluted sort of Men and unworthy of their converse So that this helpeth us to another Character of Hypocrites they are zealous for Humane Traditions but Transgressors of Divine Commands God's Precepts are little regarded and so prefer their own Institutions before the Laws of God So Mat. 15. 3. By your Traditions ye transgress the Commands of God Namely by holding that if a Man had devoted his Estate to God he might chuse whether he would relieve his Parents Men are mightily in love with their own Customs and place much Religion in Man's Injunctions and care not how they loosen or weaken the Obligation of God's Law by their Impositions The Pharisees great Fault was they would outdo the Law in Externals and then when they had set their Post by God's Post they were more zealous for Man's Inventions than for God's Ordinances And this Zeal is shewn either by imposing upon themselves or others Imposing upon their own Consciences when they lie in Chains of their own making On others when they make their own Practice the Rule of others Mat. 9. 14. The Pharisees fast John ' s Disciples fast thy Disciples fast not To this Head we may reduce Saul's rash restraining the People by his Injunction and Oath 1 Sam. 24. 32. with vers 38. The People had gotten a great Victory and Saul out of his Hypocritical Zeal commandeth them to fast till Evening Now what was the Issue The People through Faintness could not pursue the Enemy Ionathan that heard nothing of this Curse and Oath was in danger of his Life and the People being hunger-starv'd for greediness did eat the Flesh and the Blood together contrary to God's Law Gen. 9. 4. Levit. 17. 13 14. Mark there though Hunger could not force to transgress Saul's Commandment for fear of Death yet it forced them to break God's express Commandment in eating the Blood which was so expresly forbidden And at Night when God answered him not Saul thought somewhat was in the Matter he goeth to â—ast Lots and the Lot had found out Ionathan Saul never thinketh of the breach of God's Law first by himself in imposing a rash and sinful Oath or of the Peoples sin in eating the Blood with the Flesh and presumeâ—h it must needs be the breach of that Oath which he had imposed and so like an Hypocrite preferreth his own groundless Command before the Law of God and of punishing this with rigour when the other is never spoken of I have brought this Story to shew you how zealous Men are for their own Impositions on themselves and others and how easily they can dispense with God's Laws to comply with their own And how Drunkenness Whoredom and Fornication do not seem such odious Crimes as violating Man's Customs and Institutions and private Rules of their own 5. Hypocrites have a Conceit of their own Righteousness and a Disdain of others This was the very Case in the Text they were angry because Christ entred into the House of Matthew a Publican and did eat Meat there though he had converted him And else-where 't is made the Characteristick Note of the Pharisees Luke 18. 9. They trusted in themselves that they were Righteous and despised others Men that fly to Externals are soon puffed up and nothing humbleth
so much as a sound sense of Religion and a solemn exercising our selves to Godliness maketh us see and loath our selves and pity oâ—hers I find the Pharisees Enemies ever to the â—reeness of God's Grace to Sinners and the Work of Repentance And that the bringing of poor Sinners to Salvation was the great eye-sore They call Christ a â—ine-bibber and a Friend of Publicans and Sinners because of his social and free but sanctified Converse with all sorts of Men Mat. 11. 18. He would not take such a strict form as Iohn did because he would not seem to justify their Pharisaical Rigors So again Luke 15. 2. This Man receiveth Sinners and eateth with them Because he went to them as a Physician to heal their Souls Christ refused not familiarity with the poorest and worst as was needful for their Cure and would not observe the humour of proud Pharisaical Separation by the Parables of the lost Sheep and the lost Groat but confuteth it sheweth that this is the Spirit of the Elder Brother who envied the Prodigal's Return And telleth them in another place that Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Mat. 21. 30. pleadeth the Case of the Woman against Simon the Pharisee Luke 7. 30. If this Man had been a Prophet he would have known who and what manner of Woman this is that touched him Luke 7. 47. Christ telleth him She had much forgiven her for she loved much Well then a penitent broken hearted sense of our own being indebted to Grace and tender compassion towards others that yet go astray discovereth the true Spirit of the Gospel But to stand aloof from others by a foolish singularity Isa. 65. 5. which say Stand by thy self come not near to me for I am â—â—lier than thou Some though impure and prophane counted all others unholy and unclean but themselves This inclosing Spirit is the Spirit of Pharisaism An outside strictness without that Faith Love Charity Meekness Usefulness and Humility which is the very Soul and Life of Christianity Usually Gifts and outward strictness puff up Men with a vain conceit of their own Righteousness and a censuring and despising others This one Text sheweth us both the Spirit of Pharisaism and the Spirit of Christianity The Pharisees who abounded in External Observances censured Christ for his free Converse disdained these penitent People whom he invited to a better Life But now true Religion maketh Men humble and lowly in their own Eyes by acquainting them with the desert of Sin and their own Misery and maketh Men pitiful and compassionate towards others more ready to help than to censure them and to use all ways and means to do them good But when Men would shine alone in the repute of Holiness they are envious to those who penitently return to their Duty as those Servants who had wrought all the day envied those that came in at the last hour Mat. 22. 12. or as the elder Brother envied the Prodigal or Simon the Pharisee repined at Mary Magdalen's observance of Christ. They esteem much of their own Works Merits Sufferings and Righteousness O take heed of this Spirit The use of this Bâ—anch is to press us to regard Internals more than Externals and the Substantials more than the Ceremonials of Worship and a broken-hearted thankful sense of our Redeemer's Love before a Legal Righteousness Inward Worship is Love Fear and Trust outward Worship is Prayer Praise Hearing Reading Outward Worship is not a Duty at all times but inward Worship is a Duty at all times for we should always love God and delight in God and trust in God Outward Worship may be omitted for a Work of Mercy and in case of invincible Necessities but inward Worship may never be omitted never dispensed with We always owe Love and renewed Obedience to God and must depend upon him and delight in him Outward Worship may be counterfeited and External Worship without Holiness is highly displeasing to God and never pleasing but when 't is in conjunction with it Hypocrites may abound in Externals but Hypocrites will not delight themselves in the Lord nor heartily devote themselves to him so as to serve please and glorify him the inward Graces cannot be counterfeited but the outward Expression may 2. Be more careful of the Substantials than of the Ceremonials of Religion and to mind the Power of Godliness more than the Form The Substantials of Religion are the Love of God and our Neighbour The Circumstantials are those ways of Worship which God hath appointed whereby we are visibly to express our love to him Now our main care should be in the first place to be intirely devoted and subject to God That was Iob's Character One that feared God and eschewed Evil Job 1. 11. To do that we do out of love to him obeying his Laws as our Rule and depending upon his Rewards as our Happiness And as to Men let us be faithful and walk holily in our Places Callings and Relations being just and kind unto all but having an exceeding dear love for our fellow-Saints and everlasting Companions This is more pleasing to God than the costliest Sacrifices than all our Flocks and Herds or any outward thing that we do for him I take notice of those words of God to Solomon when he was building him a magnificent Temple 1 Kings 6. 11 12. And the Word of the Lord came to Solomon saying Concerning this House which thou art building if thou wilt walk in my Statutes and execute my Iudgments and keep all my Commandments to walk in them then will I perform my Word to thee which I spake to David thy Father God hath more respect to Solomon's faithful Obedience than to that glorious Building So far do Morals exceed Ceremonials in Religion 3. That you prefer a broken-hearted thankful sense of our Redeemer's Love before legal and conceited Righteousness of our own Christ's love to Sinners is that which the Pharisees mainly stumbled at An external shew and fair pretence of a good Life which had no bottom of Regeneration was the superficial Righteousness of the Pharisees Nicodemus who had been of that Sect wondred when that was pressed upon him Iohn 3. 4 5. an outward Conformity which was more in Shew than in Substance in Form and Fashion than in Power was their Religion abstaining from gross Sins as Murder and Adultery but not purifying the Heart from Lusts. Murder they made Conscience of but not of Envy Malice and Hatred Theft but not Covetousness and close Extortion Adultery but not Wantonness or looking upon a Woman to lust after her as you may see at large Matth. 5. Thus Christ presseth us to exceed the Pharisees who turned all Obedience into an empty Formality wherein they puffed up themselves as meer Men and so had never been at the Market of Free Grace all their Wares were their own and their Righteousness of their own spinning and therein stood upon their own Bottom
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Concision who instead of circumcising themselves did cut asunder the Church of God But the sound Believers were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Circumcision indeed as being circumcised by the Circumcision made without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flâ—sh by Christ Câ—ll 2. 11. They were the true Children of Abraham who did indeed perform that for which Circumcision was intended For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh. In the words we have a three-fold Description of the True Circumcision How they stand affected To God Christ Self I. They worship God in the Spirit II. They rejoice in Christ Jesus III. They have no confidence in the Flesh. I. They worship God in the Spirit This Clause may be interpreted 1. In opposition to the Legal Ordinances So 't is taken Iohn 4. 23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth The Jewish Worship is in a sense called Carnal the Christian Spiritual Heb. 7. 16. A Carnal Commandment Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the Time of Reformation And Shadows Heb. 10. 1. Now the Lord would have a Spiritual Worship and the Truth of what was in these Shadows these external Forms he allowed instituted in the Infancy of the Church so that they worship God in the Spirit is they have embraced the true Worship of the Gospel and serve God not by the Carnal Rites of the Law but by the pure rational Worship of the Gospel This is part of the sense 2. It implieth worshipping God with the inward and spiritual Affections of a renewed Heart Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear Worship flowing from Grace engaging the Heart in God's Service is that which God prizeth Therefore a Christian should not rest in an External Form God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit Rom. 1. 9. 3. It doth also imply the Assistance and continual Influence of the Holy Spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints And Iude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost The Doctrine is this That a True Christian is known by his Worship or is one that doth worship God in the Spirit Here I shall shew you 1. What is Worship 2. What a true Christian 1. doth worship 2. Why in the Spirit 1. What is Worship 'T is either Internal or External The Internal consisteth in the Love and Reverence we owe to God The External in those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed 1. Internal The Soul and Life of our Worship lieth in Faith and Reverence and delight in God above all other things Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Such a delight as will become the greatness and goodness of God Worship hath its Rise and Foundation in the Heart of the Worshipper there it must begin In our high thoughts and esteem of God especially two things Love and Trust. 1. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is Superlative and Transcendental far above the Love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may sâ—oop and give way to our respect to God 2. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust which is the other Foundation of Worship Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all Times pour out your Hearts before him Delightful adhesion to God and an intire dependance upon him if either fail or be intermitted our Worship faileth If Delight Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he always call upon God Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that love God and delight in him cannot be long out of his company They take all Opportunities and Occasions of being with God So Dependance and Trust Heb. 3. 12. Take Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God James 1. 6 7. Let him ask in Faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a Wave of the Sea driven with the Wind and tossed For let not that Man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Dependance begets Observance They that distrust God's Promises will not long keep his Precepts If we look for all from him we will often come to him and take all out of his hands Be careful that we do not offend him and displease him 2. External In those Offices and Duties by which our Honour and Respect to God is signified and expressed As by Invocation Thanksgiving Praises Obedience God will be owned both in Heart and Life In all these prescribed Duties by which our Affections towards him are acted If God did not call for outward Worship why did he appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Praying singing Psalms Baptism and the Lord's Supper God that made the whole Man Body and Soul must be worshipped of the whole Man Therefore besides the Inward Affections there must be External Actions In short we are said to worship God either with respect to the Duties which are more directly to be performed to God or in our whole Conversation 1. With respect to the Duties which imply our solemn Converse with God and are more directly to be performed towards him such as the Word Prayer Praise Thanksgiving and Sacraments Surely these must be attended upon because they are special Acts of Love to God and Trust in him And these Duties are the ways wherein God hath promised to meet with his People and appointed us to expect his Grace Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee And Mark 4. 24. 'T is a Rule of Commerce between us and God With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given 2. In our whole Conversation Luke 1. 74 75. That we should serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our lives A Christian's Life is a constant Hymn to God or a continued Act of Worship ever behaving himself as in the sight of God and directing all things as to his Glory He turneth Second-Table Duties into First James 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the
be fed and increased in us as the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Word Psal. 119. 102. I have not departed from thy Iudgments for thou hast taught me Then Prayer suing out of our Right John 11. 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your Ioy may be full So for the Sacraments Baptism Acts 8. 39. When they were come up out of the Water the Spirit caught away Philip so that the Eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing The Lord's Supper it is our Spiritual Refection 4. Sincerity of Obedience 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the Feast not with old Leaven neither with the Leaven of Malice and Wickedness but with the unleavened Bread of Sincerity and Truth Practical Delight is the chiefest above that of Contemplation a more intimate sense We come now to the last part of a Christian's Character And have no Confidence in the Flesh. To understand it consider there are two things called Flesh in Scripture 1. External Privileges belonging to the worldly Life such as Wealth Greatness and worldly Honour Now to glory in these is to glory in the Flesh and to trust in these is to trust in the Flesh which should be far from Christians Jer. 9. 23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the mighty Man glory in his Might Let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me that I am the Lord c. Where the Prophet laboureth to beat them off from their vain Confidences that they might not rely upon their Power Policy and Wealth but a saving Knowledg of and Interest in God whose Goodness and Faithfulness could only secure them against all Evils and procure them all manner of Blessings 2. The outward Duties and Performances of Religion especially the Ceremonies of Moses Those consisting in External Observances are called Flesh And to have confidence in the Flesh is to place our Confidence in External Privileges and Duties For the Apostle explaineth himself Vers. 4. Though I might also have Confidence in the Flesh if any other Man thinketh he may have confidence in the Flesh I more He was not any whit inferior to any of the Judaizing Brethren in outward Privileges and Duties yea had greater cause of glorying in the Flesh than any of the Pretenders among them And then instances in his Jewish Privileges Circumcision his Family his Sect a Pharisee his Partial Obedience or External Righteousness as to the Law blameless To rest on these things then for our Acceptance with God is to have Confidence in the Flesh. And elsewhere he saith Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the Flesh. When they reverted to the Ceremonies of the Law This is called Flesh because they consist in outward things Corrupt Nature is pleased with such things and doth plead and stand for them Doct. That a good Christian doth not place his Hope and Confidence of acceptance with God in External Privileges and Performances In the first Character a Christian is described by his Worship in the second by his Joy in the third by his Confidence In handling this Point I shall shew you 1 st What are these Externals which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence 2 dly That naturally Men are for a meer external way of serving God and place their whole Confidence therein 3 dly Why a good Christian should have no Confidence in this External Conformity to God's Law 1 st What are these Externals in Religion which are apt to tempt Men to a vain Confidence They may be referred to two heads They are either commanded by God or invented by Man God 's Externals or Man's Externals 1. God's Externals Such as he hath instituted and appointed either in the Law of Moses or in the Law of Christ. In the Law of Moses such as Circumcision with all the appendant Rites these are called Heb. 9. 10. Carnal Ordinances imposed on them till the time of Reformation These were to be observed while the Institution of them was in force and stood unrepealed which was done at the coming of Christ Iohn 4. 23 24. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth These made great trouble in the Infancy of the Church for the Jews and Judaizing Christians were loth to depart from the Rituals under which they were bred and brought up Though Christ fully evidenced his Commission from Heaven to repeal those Laws and his Apostles strongly pleaded the Ancient Prophecies which foretold it But these are no more of concernment to us except to direct us how to behave our selves in like cases 2. There are Externals in the Law of Christ such as the Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Hearing of the Word External Prayer and the like Now the Rule is that they must be used but the outward Act not rested in as a sufficient ground of our Acceptance with God used they must be in Faith and Obedience because God hath justified them under great Penalties As Circumcision while the Command was in force Gen. 17. 14. The Man-child whose Flesh is not circumcised shall be cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant So Baptism Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Not want but neglect or contempt Therefore all these Duties must be used as Means of Salvation and as Expressions of the inward Truth of our Faith in God and Obedience to him we must not cast off Ordinances but yet they must not be rested in as sufficient Grounds of our Acceptance with God While Circumcision was in force they relied on it as it distinguished them from other Nations as the genuine Seed of Abraham and so reckoned to be within the Covenant But the Servants of God did always disprove this vain Confidence Rom. 2. 28 29. He is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose praise is not of Men but of God They rejoiced in a shadow when they wanted the thing signified if there were no mortification of Sin or putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh. But not only the Apostle but the Prophet long before disproveth their vain Confidence Jer. 9. 25 26. Behold the days come when I will punish them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Edom with the Children of Ammon and Moab are uncircumcised in Flesh and all the House of Israel is uncircumcised in Heart God would proceed against wicked Persons and People circumcised as well as uncircumcised
common Righteousness Love Friends but cannot forgive Enemies It may be they 'l forgive Wrongs but make no Conscience of paying Debts Now there are two Arguments against these these neither understand the Law nor the Gospel Not the Law its Strictness Purity and Spiritual Exactness Nor the Gospel which offereth a Remedy only to the Penitent those who are deeply affected with the pollution of their Natures the Sins of their Lives and the Consequent Misery But those that are puft up with a vain conceit of the goodness of their Estate without any brokenness of Heart 1. They are injurious to the Law As they curtail it and reduce it to the External Work Gal. 4. 20. Ye that desire to be under the Law hear what the Law saith if you will stand to that Covenant Do you know what it is The Duty is impossible Rom. 8. 3. The Penalty is intolerable For the Law worketh Wrath and 't is a Law of Sin and Death to the â—aln Creation Rom. 8. 2. The Curse is very dreadful and terrible Nothing more opposite to the Law than this partial Righteousness The Law well understood would humble them 2. This resting in a partial external Righteousness is also opposite to the Gospel which inviteth us in a broken-hearted manner to accept Christ. He came to call Sinners not those who are Righteous in their own eyes Mat. 9. 13. 'T is a Remedy for lost Sinners not for them that need no Repentance Luke 15. 7. I say unto you That likewise Ioy shall be in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just Persons that need no repentance Nothing is more opposite to the Gospel than this Confidence in the Flesh. The Woman that was a Sinner was preferred before Simon a Pharisee Luke 7. 44. And the Self-condemning Publican before the Self-justifying Pharisee Luke 18. 13. The Penitent Adulteress before her Accusers Iohn 8. 7. The most despised Sinners repenting and believing in Christ find more Grace and Place with him than those that satisfy themselves with some External Conformities A second Vse is by way of Examination Are you of this Temper that you have no Confidence in the Flesh If you are 1. You are still kept humble and thankful Humble with a sense of Sin and deserved Wrath confessing and forsaking your Sins and glorying in Christ only you are kept vile in your own Eyes and in an humble admiration of Grace Luke 7. 47. Wherefore I say unto you Her Sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much c. She loved much because much was forgiven When God is pacified yet you loath your selves Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy Mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God And you ascribe all to the Mercy of God and the Merit of Christ Blessing God for him and imploring Pardon for your best Duties our Righteousness being but as filthy Rags 2. A partial outside Obedience will not satisfy you An Heart that findeth rest in empty formal Services certainly places Conâ—idence in the Flesh. They neither look after the change of their Natures nor their Reconciliation with God by Christ. They challenge God Isa. 58. 3. Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul and thou takest no knowledg And Luke 18. 12. I fast twice in the week and I give tithe of all that I possess 3. Thankfulness or Gratitude sets you awork for God rather than a Legal Conscience Duties are performed as a Thank-Offering rather than a Sin-Offering out of Love to God rather than Fear What kind of PERFECTION Is attainable in this LIFE PHIL. 3. 15. Let therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in anything ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you THese words are inferred out of the foregoing Context as the illative Particle therefore sheweth In the words are two things 1. His Exhortation to the strong and grown Christian Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded 2. His Condescension to the Weak And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you In the former Branch we have 1. The Term by which the strong Christian is expressed As many as be perfect He had said before of himself that he was not yet perfect vers 12. Yet now he supposeth it both of himself and others Let us therefore as many as be perfect Therefore Perfection must be taken in a limited sense to avoid the seeming Contradiction 2. The Advice or Counsel given be thus minded What is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 think the same thing with me What that is must be known by the foregoing Context and may be gathered from the third Verse he had spoken of some false Teachers and judaizing Brethren who gave out themselves to be Patrons and Defenders of the Circumcision and other Ceremonies of the Law as if these thingâ— did commend them to God Now the Apostle reproveth them and saith they were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Circumcision but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Concision Destroyers and Renders of the Church not the true People of God who were sometimes noted by the Term Circumcision they are the Concision the Cutters and Dividers of the Church but we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Circumcision who serve God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the Flesh That is who have no confidence in any superficial Righteousness but seek our Justification before God and the renovation of our Natures from Christ alone and serve God by exercising this Grace in Faith Love and Hope or who seek to Christ alone for his renewing and reconciling Grace that we may serve God in a spiritual Manner and so at length attain the promised Glory Now this he proveth by his own Instance who had as much cause to glory in the Flesh as any of them but suffered the loss of all things and counted all things wherein they gloried and he might have gloried but loss and dung that he might obtain this Grace from Christ Jesus and at length after a diligent self-denying course of Service and Obedience be brought home to God Now saith he As many as be perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mind this take care of this and do you with the loss of all things press to this 3. His Condescension to the Weak who were not satisfied with the abrogation of the Ceremonies of the Law though they had imbraced other Parts and Points of Christianity And if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this to you Here 1. Something is supposed that they should not be cut off from the rest of Christians either by the harsh Censures or rigorous dealing of the Strong or the pertinacious obstinacy of the
Weak The Perfect that have the Truth of their side must not condemn others nor the Weak must not condemn and censure them 2. Something expressed Or the Reason of this mutual Condescension and Forbearance if they be sincere and humble God will at length shew them the Truth I begin with his Counsel to the Strong and Grown Christian and there I shall speak first of the Term by which they are expressed Let as many of us as be perfect Doct. That there is a kind of Perfection attainable in this Life I shall first explain the Point by several Distinctions Secondly Prove that all Christians should endeavour to be perfect For the first There is a double Perfection Perfectio termini praemii perfectio viae seu cognitionis sanctitatis A Perfection of the Reward and a Perfection of Grace 1. Of the Reward which the Saints shall have in Heaven where they are freed from all sinful Weakness 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect shall come then that which is in part shall be done away In Heaven there is perfect Felicity and exact Holiness then the Saints are glorious Saints indeed when they have neither spot nor wrinkle nor blemish nor any such thing Ephes. 5. 27. When presented faultless before the presence of his Glory Jude 24. Now this we have not in the World but because this we expect in the other World we are to labour after the highest perfection in Holiness here because allowed Imperfection is a disesteem of Blessedness Do we count Immaculate Purity and Perfection in Holiness to be our Blessedness hereafter and shall we shun it and fly from it or at least neglect it as if it were our Burden now No surely he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure 1 John 3. 3. That looketh not for a Turkish Paradise but a Sinless Estate will endeavour it now get as much as he can of it now When you cease to grow in Holiness you cease to go on any farther to Salvation you seem to be out of love with Heaven and Blessedness when your Desires and Endeavours are slaked 2. The Perfection of Grace and Holiness is such as the Saints may attain unto in this Life Col. 4. 12. That ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God So we are perfect when we want none of those things which are necessary to Salvation when we study to avoid all known Sin and address our selves to the practice of all known Duty serving God universally and intirely Secondly There is Perfection Legal and Evangelical Legal is unsinning Obedience Evangelical is sincere Obedience the one is where there is no Sin the other no Guile no allowed Guile The one standeth in an exact conformity to God's Law the other in a sincere endeavour to fulfil it the one will endure the Ballance the other can only endure the Touchstone 1. The legal Perfection is described Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all the words of this Law to do them A personal perpetual perfect Obedience It supposeth a Man innocent it requireth that he should continue so for the least Offence according to that Covenant layeth us open to a Curse As the Angels for one Sin once committed were turned out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise The omitting of ought we are to perform the committing ought we are forbidden yea the least warping as well as swerving by an obliquity of Heart and Spirit maketh us guilty before God Now this is become impossible through the weakness of our Flesh. Rom. 8. 3. Man is fallen already and hath mixed Principles in him and cannot be thus exact with God 2. Evangelical When the Heart is faithful with God fixedly bent and set to please him in all things 2 Kings 20. 3. Remember Lord I have walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart This may be pleaded in subordination to Christ's Righteousness this Perfection is consistent with Weakness 2 Chron. 15. 17. Nevertheless the Heart of Asa was perfect all his days And yet he is taxed with several Infirmities This Perfection all must have 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind What is done for God as it must be done willingly readily not by constraint but the native Inclination of the Soul so perfectly that is with all exactness possible As some may do many things which are good but their Hearts are not perfect with God 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which is right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect Heart Not a sincere bent of Soul towards God alone when the Heart is divided between God and other things Hosea 10. 2. Their Heart is divided Jam. 1. 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways An Heart against an Heart In point of Faith between God and other Confidences in point of Love between God and the Vanities of the World and God's Interest is not chief nor do we love him above all things In point of Obedience between pleasing God and pleasing Men and pleasing God and our own vain Fancies and Appetites honouring God and promoting our Worldly Ends you set up a Rival and Partner with God Now this Perfection we must have or else not in a state of Salvation 3. There is a Perfection Absolute and Comparative 1. That is absolutely perfect to which nothing is wanting This is in our Lord Christ who had the Spirit without measure this is in our Rule but not in them that follow the Rule Psal. 18. 30. As for God his way is perfect But that absolute Perfection is not in any of the Saints here upon Earth I prove by these Arguments 1. Where there are many Relicks of Flesh or carnal Nature left there a Man cannot be absolutely perfect but so 't is with all the Godly there is a double warring-working Principle in them Gal. 5. 17. For the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would And 't is actually confirmed in Paul witness his Groans Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death Mark there the Apostle speaketh of himself not of another of himself in his present renewed Estate not of his past and unconverted Estate when a Pharisee His past Estate he had spoken of vers 9. Sin revived and I died but vers 14. I am Carnal and vers 15. That which I do I allow not and vers 18. How to perform that which is good I find not Many things there said cannot agree to a Carnal Man As for instance not allowing Sin vers 15. Hating Sin in the same Verse What I hate that do I so delight in the Law of God vers 22. Again there is
and the Practice the Form and the Power The Form Manner or Model of Truth may be compleat though the virtue of this Religion doth not prevail over all those that come under the profession of it 'T is against all Reason that the excellency of Christ should stand to the courtesy of Man's Obedience The Art is not to be judged by the bungling of the Artist And then for the other The Love of the Brethren will not permit them that they should judg of all the rest by a few and those the worser part This is as if a Man should judg of a Street by the Sink or Kennel or throw away the whole cluster or bunch of Grapes for one or two rotten ones Shall the Apostles be judged of by Iudas or the good Angels by the Bad or Abraham's Family by Ishmael If some make shipwrack of a good Conscience others keep up the Honour and Majesty of Religion as well as they disgrace it 3. The troublesome Poverty and mean outside of those that profess the Gospel and their many Troubles and Calamities As in Christ's time the Grandees and learned Rabbies did not own Christ. Have any of the Pharisees or Rulers believed in him That is Persons of eminency and place Celsus the Heathen maketh the Objection Should a few Mariners meaning Fisher-men prescribe to the World But God never intended that Truth should be known by Pomp nor condemned or disallowed for Troubles that accompany it The drift of Christianity is to take us off from the hopes and fears of the present World therefore he that liketh Christ and his Promises is not likely to be separated from him by Persecution Rom. 8. â—7 He is held to him not only by the Head but by the Heart Now the use that we should make of this is Caution Take heed of being offended in Christ. I shall 1. shew you who are in danger of it 2. I shall shew you the hainousness of it 3. What we should do to avoid it 1. Who are in danger of it I Answer 1. All such as are hardned in malice and opposition against those that profess Godliness and have a male Talent against Strictness and are glad when it meeteth with any trouble or disgrace The clearest Evidence will not convince these Men. Such were the froward obstinate Jews who were hardned and believed not but spake evil of that way Acts 19. 9. Again There are some that are more moderate but are discouraged in their first attempts of a godly Life and so give over through despondency The Bullock is most unruly at the first yoaking The Fire at first kindling casts forth most smoke this they cannot bear therefore give it over as hopeless And then partly the insincere whose League with their Lusts was never dissolved And again weak Christians who are not fortified and rooted in the Love of God and the Faith and Hope of the Gospel 2. I shall shew you the hainousness of it 1. 'T is unreasonable whatsoever hindreth any Man from coming to Christ or embracing the Gospel 't is an Offence not given but taken There is nothing in Christ to make us stumble and be offended at him Jer. 2. 5. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after Vanity and are become vain But every thing that may draw our desire or delight towards him yet by Mens blindness and ignorance 't is very frequent Luke 19. 42. They do not know the things which belong to their peace in this their day 2. 'T is very natural we are apt to set stumbling-blocks in our own way and matter of offence before our own feet And take up every obvious pretence to excuse our selves to our selves from hearkning to the Offers of the Gospel Flesh and Blood will stumble in God's plainest ways Hosea 14. 9. The ways of the Lord are right the Iust shall walk therein but the Transgressors shall fall in them They will count every Mole-hill a Mountain and offended at every thing which concerneth God and their Duty and Obedience to him 3. A prejudicate Opinion and Malice is always apt to pick quarrels at Truth and Goodness Acts 17. 5 6. The Iews which believed not moved with Envy took unto them certain lude Fellows of the baser sort and gathered a Company and set all the City on an uproar and assaulted the House of Jason and sought to bring them out to the People and when they found them not they drew Jason and certain Brethren unto the Rulers of the City crying These which have turned the World upside down are come hither also So Chap. 18. 6. They opposed themselves and blasphemed 4. 'T is a dangerous Sin If we continue to be offended in Christ Christ will be offended at us at the last day We get nothing by dashing against the Corner-Stone we hurt not Christ but our selves Mat. 21. 44. Whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to pouder 3. What shall we do to avoid it 1. Get a clear Understanding or a Zeal according to Knowledg Rom. 10. 2. and Iohn 9. 39. For judgment I am come into the World that they which see not might see and they which see might be made blind This will be the effect of my coming that the Ignorant will be enlightned and learned Men will not see the things before their eyes they were hardned and left to their own prejudices 2. Get a good measure to mete things withal The Jews were offended in Christ because they were leavened with a notion of a pompous Messiah and so judged of all things concerning Christ as they suited with that conceit So Iohn 7. 24. Iudg not according to appearance but judg righteous Iudgment We judg according to appearance but judg not righteous Judgment This is no good measure but an Idol of our Hearts Many are in an evil way but yet want not their pretences As the Tradition of the Elders Matth. 19. 2. And Succession Iohn 8. 33. The Novelty of Christ's Doctrine Mark 1. 27. What new Doctrine is this The vile abject condition of Christ and his Disciples They never enter into the merits of the Cause but determine it by prejudicate Opinions A good measure therefore is necessary there is mensura mensurans and mensura mensurata a measure measuring and the measure that is measured the measure that is measured is an upright unbiassed Mind 3. Labour to get a mortified Heart They are most apt to be scandalized that have a carnal biass upon their Hearts a contrariety of affections to the Gospel Luke 16. 14. Iohn 5. 44. and Iohn 12. 42 43. who are leavened with covetousness jealousy of reputation fear of disgrace and the like 4. Get a fervent Love Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 'T is want of a true and hearty love that maketh us so easy and
complain of God but your selves and beg Grace more fâ—â—lingly In short you are not able because you are not willing And your impotency is increased by evil habits contracted and long custom in Sin I now proceed to the fourth Consideration 4. None of these Excuses are sufficient for not following of Christ. And that 1. Because of his Authority Who requireth this Duty from us or imposeth it on us 'T is the Lord Jesus Christ to whose Sentence we must stand or fall When he biddeth us follow him and follow him speedily to excuse our selves is to countermand and contradict his Authority 'T is flat disobedience though we do not deny the Duty but only shift off and excuse our present complyance For he is as peremptory for the Time and Season as for the Duty Now while 't is called to day harden not your hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. God standeth upon his Authority and will have a present Answer If he say To day 't is flat disobedience for us to say To morrow or suffer me â—irst to do this and that business 2. It appeareth from his Charge to his Messengers Nothing can take off a Minister of the Gospel from seeking the Conversion and Salvation of Souls We cannot plead any thing to exempt us from this Work to plead that the Peoples hearts are hard and that the Work is difficult and full of danger will not serve the turn no Their Blood will I require at thy hands Therefore all excuses set aside we must address our selves to our work Acts 20. 23 24. Paul went bound in the Spirit and the Holy Ghost had told him that in every City Bonds and Afflictions did abide and wait for him But saith he None of these things move me neither count I my Life dear to my self so as I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of my Lord Iesus to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God He was willing and ready to endure what should befal him at Ierusalem and reckoned nothing of it nor of loss of Life if he might successfully preach the Gospel and serve Christ faithfully in the Office of the Ministry If nothing be an excuse to us can any thing be an excuse to you Should your Souls be nearer and dearer to us than to your selves 3. It appeareth from the matter of the Duty imposed on you If you consider the Excellency and the Nececessity of it To begin first the Excellency All Exâ—uses against Obedience to God's Call are 〈◊〉 from the World and the things 〈…〉 in the World Now there is no 〈…〉 between the things of the 〈…〉 following Christ's Counsel 〈…〉 â—verlastingly happâ— The Question will soon be reduced to this Which is most to be regarded God or the Creature the Body or the Soul Eternity or Time The Excuses are for the Body for Time for the Creature but the Injunctions of Duty are for God for the Soul and for Eternity Sense saith Favour the Flesh Faith saith Save thy Soul The one is of everlasting Consequence and conduceth to an happiness that hath no end the other only for a time 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal One turn of the Hand of God separateth the neglected Soul from the pampered Body And then whose are all these things 2. The Necessity that we may please God and enjoy him for ever We can never plead for a necessity of sinning for a Man is never driven to those streights whether he shall sin more or less but sometimes Duties come in competition Duty to a Father and a special injunction of Christ's to follow him One must be subordinated to the other and the most necessary must take place the less give place to the greater Now this is much more true of those things which are usually pleaded by way of hesistancy or as a bar to our Duty as our worldly and carnal satisfactions But you will say We must avoid poverty and shame But it is more necessary to avoid damnation Not to preserve our temporal Interests but to seek after eternal Life Luke 10. 42. One thing is necessary 4. It appeareth from the nature of the Work To follow Christ is not to give to him as much as the Flesh can spare but wholly to devote your selves to his Service to sell all for the Pearl of great price Mat. 13. 46. And you are obliged to walk so that all may give way to the Glory of God and the Service of your Redeemer If he will imploy us thus and thus we must not contradict it or please any thing by way of excuse Vse Do not neglect your Duty for vain Excusâ—s The excusing humour is very rife and very prejudicial to us for the Sluggard hath an high conceit of his own Allegations Prov. 26. 16. The Sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven Men that can râ—nder a reason In the Eastern Countries their Counsel usually consisted of seven as we read of the seven Princes of Media and Persia Esther 1. 14. Therefore let us a little disprove this vain conceit The Sluggard thinketh himself so wise that all others are but giddy and â—raisy-brain'd People that are too nice and scrupulous and make more ado with Religion than needeth But can a Man do too much for God and Heaven 1 Thess. 2. 12. The Sluggard thinketh 't is a venture and he may venture on one side as well as the other but 't is a thousand to one against him in the eye of Reason put aside Faith in doubtful Cases the surest way is to be taken But to draw it to a more certain determination 1. Nothing is a reasonable excuse which God's Word disproveth for the Scriptures were penned to discover the vain Sophisms which are in the Hearts of Men. Heb. 4. 12. For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Ioints and Marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart To discover the Affections of a sensual Heart however palliated with the pretences of a crafty Understanding Certainly our private Conceits must not be lifted up against the Wisdom of God nor can a Creature be justified in going against his Maker's Will Nothing can be Reason which the God of Wisdom contradicts and calleth Folly Jer. 8. 9. Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them 2. Nothing can be pleaded as a reasonable Excuse which your Consciences are not satisfied is Reason Men consult with their Affections rather than with their Consciences Conscience would draw other Conclusions therefore our Excuses are usually our Aggravations Luk. 19. 22. Out of thy own mouth will I judg thee thou wicked Servant The Master expected increase
thing your resolution is unfixed They that only take Christ upon liking will soon be tempted to mislike him and his ways And your resolution is not unbounded whilst you set upon the Profession of Religion and yet keep the World or something of the World your Heart will ever and anon be seeking occasions to withdraw for you were false at heart at your first setting out and treacherous in the very making of your Covenant 2. With respect to the Duties of Christianity or that part of the Kingdom of God which concerneth your Obedience to him You are never â—it for these while the Heart cleaveth to earthly things and you are still hankring after the World A threefold Defect there will be in our Duties 1. They will be unpleasant 2. They will be inconstant 3. Imperfect in such a degree as to want sincerity 1. Your Duty will be unpleasant to you so far as you are wordly and carnal so that you can never yield châ—arful and ready obedience to God Certain it is that we must serve God and serve him with delight his Commandments should be kept and they should not be grievous to us 1 Ioh. 5. 3. Now what is the great Impediment Worldly Lusts are not throughly purged out of the heart for presently he addeth this reason For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 'T is an hard Heart maketh our work hard and the Heart is hard and unperswadable when our Affections are ingaged elsewhere The readiness of our Obedience dependeth on the fervency of our Love the fervency of our Love on our victory over the World our victory over the World on the strength of our Faith the strength of our Faith on the certainty we have of the principal Object of our Faith the principal Object of our Faith is That Jesus is the Son of God whose Counsel we must take if we will be happy And the evidence of that Principle is the double Testimony or Attestation given to him from Heaven or in the Heart of a Believer Once settle in that that you can intirely trust your selves and all your Interests in the hands of Christ and all Duties will be easy 2. You will be inconstant in it and apt to be ensâ—ared again when you meet with Occasions and Temptations that suit with your Heart's Lusts. As the Israelites were drawn out of Egypt against their Wills The Fleshâ—pots of Egypt were still in their minds and therefore were ready to make themselves a Captain and return again Numb 14. 4. and Iames 1. 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways Nothing will hold an unwilling Heart Demas had not quitted this hankring mind after the World and therefore it prevented him doing his Duty 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World He left the Work of the Gospel to mind his own privat Affairs The love of Riches Pleasure Ease and Safety if they be not thorowly renounced will tempt us to a like revolt and neglect of God Therefore to prevent it when we first put our hands to the Plough we must resolve to renounce the World Psal. 45. 10. Forget also thine own People and thy Father's House Look back no more as long as we are intangled in our Lusts and Inticements of the World we are unmeet to serve God Paul counted those things that were gain to him to be loss for Christ Philip. 3. 7 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but Dung that I may win Christ. Paul repented not of his Choice but sheweth his perseverance in the contempt of the World I have counted and do count He seeth no cause to recede from his Choice Many affect Novelties are transported at their first Change but repent at leisure 3. We are imperfect in it I mean to such a degree as to want sincerity for they bring nothing to perfection Luke 8. 14. Their Fruit never groweth ripe or sound for Religion is an underling Some good Inclinations they have to heavenly things but their worldly Affections are greater and overtop them so that though they do not plainly revolt from their Profession yet their Duties want that Life and Power which is necessary so that they bring little honour to Christ by being Christians 3. In respect of the hurt that cometh from their looking back both to themselves and to Religion 1. To themselves 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. For if after they have escaped the Pollutions of the World through the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again intangled therein their latter end is worse with them than their beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them Many have so much of the knowledg of Christ as to cleanse their external Conversation But Sin and the World were never so effectually cast out but they are in secret League with them still and therefore they are first intangled and then overcome first enticed by some Pleasure or Profit and then carried away with the Temptation But what cometh of this Their lattar end is worse than their beginning Their Sin is greâ—ter since they sin against Light and Taste their Judgment is greater both Spiritual and Eternal As God giveth them over to brutish Lusts and to the Power of Satan And this will be a cutting thought to them to all Eternity to remember how they lost their acquaintance with and benefit by Christ by looking back to the World and deserting that good way wherein they found so much sweetness in Christ. 2. The Mischief which is done to Religion They wonderfully dishonour God and bring contempt upon the Ways of Godliness when after they have made trial of it they prefer Sin before it as if God had wearied them Mich. 6. 3. Therefore 't is just with God to vindicate his Honour And Satan after he seemeth to be for a while rejected taketh a more durable possession of them Luke 11. 26. O think of this often to look back after we seemed to escape doth involve us in the greater Sin and Misery Better never to have yielded to God so far than to retract at last partly because their Sins are Sins against Knowledg Luk. 12. 47. That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many stripes Partly because they are unthankful for so much deliverance by the knowledg of Christ as they received and that 's an hainous aggravation of their Offence Partly because their Sin is Treachery and breach of Vows for they turned the back upon the World and all the Allurements thereof when they consented to the Covenant and resolved to follow Christ in all Conditions till he should bring them
Heart to God or else if they should not prevail so far What dissonancy and jarrings are there in a Family when People are unequally yoked the Wife and Husband drawing several ways 2. As to consent of Parents God here in the Text as the common Parent taketh himself to have the greatest hand in the bestowing of his own Children He brought her unto the Man and ordinary Parents are his Deputies which must bring and give us in Marriage especially when young and under their Power The Scripture is express for this Exod. 22. 17. If her Father wholly refuse to give her unto him c. 1 Cor. 17. 28. He that giveth her in Marriage c. 3. As to the manner of procuring it that they labour to gain one another by warrantable yea râ—ligious Ways that we may lâ—y the Foundation of this Relation in the Fear of God not by stealth or carnal Allurements or violent Importunities or deceitful Proposals but by such ways and means as will become the gravity of Religion that weanedness and sobriety that should be in the Hearts of Believers that deliberation which a business of such weight calls for and that Reverence of God and Justice that we owe to all that seriousness of Spirit and that respect to the Glory of God with which all such Actions should be underken Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever we do in Word or in Deed do all in the Name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him When this is observed we are said to take one another out of God's Hands 4. Especially clearing up our Right and Title by Christ. Meats Drinks Marriage they are all sanctified by the Word and Prayer and appointed to be received by thanksgiving of them that believe and receive the Truth 1 Tim. 4. 3 4 5. There is a two-fold Right Dominium Politicum Evangelicum Dominium Politicum fundatur in Providentiâ Evangelicum in Gratiâ Political Right is founded in God's Providence Evangelical Right in Grace We have a Civil Right to all that cometh to us by honest Labour lawful Purchace or Inheritance and fair and comely Means used which giveth us a Right not only before Men but before God not by virtue of their Laws but his Grant By a Providential-Right all wicked Men possess all outward things which they enjoy as the Fruits and Gifts of his common Bounty it is their Portion Psalm 17. 14. Whatever falleth to their share in the course of God's Providence they are not Usurpers meerly for possessing what they have but for abusing what they have They have not only a civil Right to prevent the Incroachments of others by the Laws of Men but a providential Right before God and are not simply responsible for the Possession but the Use. But then there is an Evangelical or New-Covenant Right So Believers have a Right to their Creature-Comforts by God's special Conveyance that sweetneth every Mercy that it comes wrapt in the Bowels of Christ. The little which the Righteous hath is better than the Treasures of many wicked as the mean fair of a poor Subject is better than the Dainties of a condemned Traitor And this we have by Christ as the Heir of all things and we by him 1 Cor. 3. latter end So all those things do belong to them that believe as Gifts of his fatherly Love and Goodness to us in Christ as we take our Bread out of Christ's hands so we must be married to Christ before married to one another the Marriage-Covenant should be begun and concluded between Christ and you 5. For the End the general and last End of this as of every Action must be God's Glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. and Col. 3. 17. A Christian's Second-Table Duties and First-Table Duties should have on them holiness to the Lord. All the Vessels of Ierusalem must have God's Impress More particularly our increase in Godliness and the propagation of the Holy Seed must be aimed at Where one Person is a Believer much more where both they beget Sons and Daughters to God But now are they holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. But those out of the Church beget Sons and Daughters to Men merely to people the World Seth's Children are called Sons of God Gen. 6. 1 2. In the careful Education of Children the Church is upheld 2. When his Providence is owned and acknowledged It is the Duty of them that fear God to own him upon all Occasions especially in such a Business Heathens would not begin such a Business without a Sacrifice There is a special Providence about Marriages God claimeth the Power of Match-making to himself more than he doth of ordering any other Affairs of Men Prov. 19. 14. Riches and Honours are an Inheritance from our Fathers but a good Wife is from the Lord. Inheritances pass by the Laws of Men though not without the intervention of God's Providence who determineth to every Man the time of his Service and the bounds of his Habitation where every Man shall live and what he shall enjoy The Land of Canaan was divided by Lot but Marriage is by the special Destination of his Providence either for a Punishment to Men or for a Comfort and a Blessing Here Providence is more immediate by its influence upon the Hearts of Men here Providence is more strange and remarkable in casting all Circumstances and Passages that did concern it Estates fall to us by more easy and obvious Means and therefore though nothing be exempted from the Dominion of Providence yet a good Wife is especially said to be of the Lord. So also Prov. 18. 22. Whoso findeth a Wife findeth a good Thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord. A Wife that is a Wife indeed one that deserveth that Name he that findeth her it is a chance to him but an ordered thing by God he hath not only experience of God's Care but his Goodness and Free-grace to him in that particular Well then God must be owned sought glorified in this particular The Husband in the Catalogue and Inventory of his Mercies must not forget to bless God for this and the Wife for the Husband the Lord was gracious in providing for me a good Companion I obtained favour from the Lord. God is concerned in this whole Affair he brought the Woman to the Man he giveth the Portion which is not so much the Dowry given by the Parents which is little worth unless his Blessing be added with it as all the Graces and Abilities by which all married Persons are made helpful one to another He giveth the Children Psalm 127. 3. Lo Children are an Heritage from the Lord Their Conception and Formation in the Womb is from God Parents know not whether it be Male or Female beautiful or deformed They know not the number of the Bones and Veins and Arteries He giveth them Life a Sentence of Death way-layeth them as soon as they come into the World He giveth them Comfort there is a great deal of