those terms for so it doth it is the scope and end of the Promise to secure Life and Glory to those that accept of it upon the terms propounded the Command directs in the way and the Promise makes over and conveys the blessing Believe and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.31 So Joh. 3.16 and Rom. 2.7 To them that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and Immortality Eternal life is promised Now the Word and Promise of God not only as revealing Life to us and the way to it but as conveying it is the ground of our Faith and Hope though without the Word we might have some more general Knowledge of a State of Happiness in the other World yet without the Word we cannot know the way to it nor ever attain to an Interest in it nor have so full certainty of the very being of it as by the Word we have the certainty of Faith being greater than that of any natural Knowledge whatever we have no ground at all to believe we shall be saved but what the Promise affords us And that is sufficient ground to build our Faith upon and a better we cannot have than the Word of him that is the Truth it self and so can neither deceive nor be deceived God that cannot lie hath promised Eternal life Tit. 1.2 Upon the Infallibility and Veracity of that God in his holy Word the Faith of a Christian rests and a surer Foundation for it cannot be imagined and need not be desired As the certainty of any assent of the Mind to a truth depends upon the strength and firmness of the Reason or Argument which moves to and procures that Assent and is the Cause of it so likewise the certainty of Faith proceeds from the goodness and validity of the Authority which is the Motive to and Reason of our believing or which is the same the ground of it If we believe a man that belief is more or less certain according as the Person on whose Authority our belief is grounded is more or less credible and so when we believe God our Faith is such as its Foundation is the Effect imitates the Cause the foundation of that Faith Gods Veracity is the best and therefore the certainty of our â—aith is the greatest If a man be sure that what he believes is the Word of God he may be sure it is most true and never will fail And this no doubt may be sufficient to satisfie a Believer in his own mind or any one that receives the Scripture as the Word of God concerning the reality of the Faith he professeth that the ground of it is so certain but if he have to do with those that believe not the Scripture and so question the foundation of his Faith in that case he may have recourse to all those Arguments whereby we are wont to prove the Divine Authority of the Word and they all Confirm the Faith of a Christian and so the same account a Believer may give of the foundation of his Faith as of the Divinity of the Scripture if the Scripture be the Word of God and that Word be true his Faith built upon it is certain 3. The Actings of a Christians Faith are perceivable by himself Habits which cannot be discerned of themselves when they lye still yet may be known by their actings such an Habit Faith is which though it discover not it self or be not perceived when unactive yet may be discern'd in its exercise When a man actually believes he may know he believes reflect upon his own act as well as when he hears or sees or walks he may know he doth so and is not deceived in it Inward Sense hath as much certainty in it as outward and spiritual Sense as natural if a man therefore assent to the Truth of Gods Promise he may know he assents to it and if he accept of and close with the good Promised he may know he doth so though sometimes Temptations may be so strong and the Actings of Faith so weak and the Mind so clouded and distracted that a man may hardly be able to pass a right judgement on those Acts yet it is not always so but other whiles when the workings of Faith are more strong and vigorous and a man more clear of temptations he may do it In this therefore a man may give an account to himself of his Faith that it is reall he may know that he believes the Promise of Eternal Life as really as he believes any ordinary Truth proposed to him and that his believing and resting on Gods Word is no more a Fancy than his believing the word of a man As for others with whom he hath to do I know no reason why they should not believe him when he says he believes Gods Promise as well as when he says he believes their word or why one should be a Fancy any more than the other 4. The Effects of a Believers faith are evident to others in a good measure as well as to himself more fully As he may perceive his Faith purifying his heart taking it off from the World drawing it nearer to God so others may see his Conversation ordered correspondently to his believing they may see him Shie of Sin Diligent in Duty Conscientious in his Calling Patient in Sufferings Charitable to those that Need him Meek towards those that Offend him Profitable Spiritual Savoury in his Converse Just and Righteous in his Dealings and in a wâ—â—d the main of his Course and Wayes such as is agreable to thâ— Faith he professeth and the Recompence he expects So that if the lookers on cannot be infallibly certain of the reality of his Faith or that such a Carriage proceeds from such a Faith yet they may not only have their Mouths stopped that they cannot reasonably object against it but they may be bound in Charity to believe his Faith to be true and real when they see so much in him answerable to it and what he professeth to be the effect of it when they see him live like one that expects eternal Blessedness well may they believe that his Faith concerning it and hope of it is not feigned They see him walking strictly mortifying his flesh denying himself as to his outward enjoyments and carnal liberties and generally acting at such a rate as none would do that did not expect Eternal Life and what ground can they then have to suspect the Faith he pretends to to be only a Conceit or Fancy 2. An account may be given of the Practice of a Christian his Obedience and Holy walking the strictness and as the World counts it singularity of his Manners his universality diligence and constancy in the most spiritual and difficult Duties his watchfulness over his words thoughts actions his mortification and self-denyal and whatever it is in a Believers life which the World is most apt to quarrel with and to look upon as the effect of Humour or
of obedience whereby the work of purifying and cleansing the whole person may be carryed on toward perfection see 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Thes 5 2â— 1 John 3.3 And he who is constantly engaged in that work with success will see the folly and vanity of any other pretended way for the purging of sins here or hereafter The consequent of these things is peace with God for they are assured pledges of our justification and acceptance with him and being justified by Faith we have Peace with God and where this is attained by the Gospel the whole Fabrick of Purgatory falls to the Ground for it is built on these Foundations that no assurance of the love of God or of a justified state can be obtained in this life For if it may be so there can be no use of Purgatory This then will assuredly keep the souls of believers in a contempt of that which is nothing but a false relief for sinners under disquietment of mind for want of peace with God SECT XI Some other instances of the same abomination I shall yet mention but with more brevity and sundry others must at present be passed over without a discovery It is granted among all Christians that all our helps our relief our deliverance from sin Satan and the world are from Christ alone This is included in all his Relations unto the Church in all his offices and the discharge of them and is the express Doctrine of the Gospel It is no less generally acknowledged at least the Scripture is no less clear and positive in it that we receive and derive all our supplies of Relief from Christ by Faith other wayes of the participation of any thing from him the Scripture knoweth not Wherefore it is our duty on all occasions to apply our selves unto him by Faith for all supplies Reliefs and deliverances But these men can find no life nor power herein at least if they grant that somewhat might be done this way yet they know not how to do it being ignorant of the life of Faith and the due exercise of it They must have a way more ready and easy exposed to the capacities and abilities of all sorts of Persons good and bad yea that will serve the turn of the worst of men unto this end An Image therefore must be set up for common use instead of this spiritual application unto Christ for relief and this is the making of the sign of the Cross Let a man but make the sign of the Cross on his forehead his breast or the like which he may as easily do as take up or cast away a straw and there is no more required to engage Christ unto his assistance at any time And the vertues which they ascribe hereunto are innumerable but this also is an Idol a teacher of Lies invented and set up for no other end but to satisfie the carnal minds of men with a presumptuous supposition in the neglect of the spiritually laborious exercise of Faith an Experience of the work of Faith in the derivation of all supplies of spiritual Life Grace and Strength with deliverance and supplies from Jesus Christ will secure Believers from giving heed unto this triffling deceit SECT XII One thing more amongst many others of the same Sort may be mentioned it is a notion of Truth which derives from the Light of Nature That those who approach unto God in divine Worship should be careful that they be pure and clean without any Offensive defilements This the Heathen themselves give Testimony unto and God confirmed it in the Institutions of the Law But what are these defilements and pollutions which make us unmeet to approach unto the presence of God how and by what means we may be purified and cleansed from them the Gospel alone declares And it doth in opposition unto all other ways and means of it plainly reveal that it is by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon our Consciences so to purge them from dead Works that we may serve the Living God see Heb. 9.14 chap. 10.19 20 21. But this is a thing mysterious nothing but spiritual Light and saving Faith can direct us herein Men destitute of them could never attain an Experience of purification in the way Wherefore they retained the notion of Truth it self but made an Image of it for their use with a neglect of the thing it self And this was the most ludicrous that could be imagined namely the sprinkling of themselves and others with that they call Holy Water when they go into the places of sacred Worship which yet also they borrowed from the Pagans So stupid and sottish are the minds of men so dark and ignorant of heavenly things that they have suffered their Souls to be deceived and ruined by such vain superstitious Trifles This Discourse hath already proceeded unto a greater length than was at first intended and would be so much more should we look into all parts of this Chamber of Imagery and expose to view all the abominations in it I shall therefore put a close unto it in one or two instances wherein the Church of Rome doth boast it self as retaining the Truth and Power of the Gospel in a peculiar manner whereas in very deed they have destroyed them and set up corrupt Images of their own in their stead SECT XIII The first of these is the Doctrine and Grace of Mortification That this is not only an important Evangelical Duty but also of indispensable necessity unto Salvation all who have any thing of Christian Religion in themselves must acknowledg It is also clearly determined in the Scripture both what is the nature of it with its causes and in what acts and duties it doth consist For it is frequently declared to be the crucifying of the Body of Sin with all the Lusts thereof For Mortification must be the bringing of something to death and this is sin and the dying of sin consists in the casting out of all vitious habits and inclinations arising from the Original depravation of nature it is the weakning and graduate extirpation or destruction of them in their roots principles and operations Whereby the Soul is set at liberty to act universally from the contrary principle of Spiritual Life and Grace The means on the part of Christ whereby this is wrought and effected in believers is the communication of his Spirit unto them to make an effectual application of the vertue of his death unto the death of sin for it is by his Spirit that we mortifie the deeds of the flesh and the flesh it self and that as we are implanted by him into the likeness of the death of Christ By vertue thereof we are crucifyed and made dead unto sin in the Declaration of which things the Scripture doth abound The means of it on the part of Believers is the exercise of Faith in Christ as crucifyed whereby they derive vertue from him for the crucifying of the Body of death And this
commands must give place to a moral duty because they will not justifie our neglect of that Hence on the Sabbath-day we may and ought to lift our Neighbours Ox out of the pit Luke 14.5 and to perform any other act of necessary charity notwithstanding that positive command to worship God upon that day 6. That which God now requires of you and in doing of which you may most glorifie God and edifie your Neighbour that is undoubtedly your present duty Quest How shall we know this Ans 1. Always look within your Calling for your present duty for there it lies Don't go beyond your line Do your own business 1 Thes 4.11 We have different gifts and different talents according to the Grace that is given unto us Let every one attend to that which God hath fitted him for and called him to Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way Prov. 14.8 God hath appointed to every one his way of living in this World from the Smith that blows the coals Isa 54.16 to the King that sins upon the Throne That cannot be our duty which we are not called to We are not absolute Lords to do what we list No we are under command and must obey I am one in authority says the Centurion I say unto my servant do this and he doth it Luke 7.8 God hath the Supreme Authority over us We ought not to move one step but by his direction Our Calling is twofold 1. General As we are Christians so all Saints are of the same Calling Rom. 1.7 called to be saints We are all equally obliged to the duties of our Christian Calling i. e. to serve and worship God to believe in him to love and fear him c. 2. Particular So we differ in our Callings Some are called to the Magistracy some to the Ministry some are Masters some Servants some called to this some to that Trade or Occupation We are called to Christianity by the preaching of the Gospel of Christ We are called to some outward worldly Calling by God's special appointment in his Law Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work Exod. 20.9 Every man hath his work a full business which he must not neglect He must do all his work They walk disorderly who work not at all 2 Thes 3.11 living in pleasures and wantonness Jam. 5.5 having nothing to do Let all idle voluptuous Gallants consider this who spend their days in mirth and jollity scorn the thought of business they must needs be far from their present duty who are imploy'd in nothing or that which is worse than nothing We are called to this or that Imployment by Providence That we should be of some Calling is from the Word that we are of this or that Calling is from Providence Providence follows the Word and is a fulfilling of that some way or other Much of the duties of our Christian Calling do follow us into our particular Callings as duties of worship must be performed in our Families every day let our particular Calling be what it will So the same Graces must be exercised in our particular Callings which were required in our general Callings The same Graces do follow us into our particular Callings and into all the works of our hands They who do not keep up duties of worship in their Families will be as remiss in all duties of practical holiness in their lives They who are not frequent in prayer are never eminent in holiness And as no acts of worship publick or private do please God that are not performed in Faith and in the fear of God So no common acts of our lives are pleasing to God if not done in Faith and seasoned with that inward exercise of Grace that belongs to all the common actions of a Christian In shewing you your present duty in your particular callings I shall not insist so much upon duties of worship you know 'em That Prayer reading the Scriptures Meditation and discourse of what you hear out of the Word are all duties and you know when they should be performed Morning and Evening and as oft as your necessary occasions will permit Whether you do them I must leave that to God and your own Consciences But the present duty I would fix you in is that of Practical Holiness which is your constant duty every moment of the day I would clear up this to you and shew you what it is and where it lies that if it be the will of God you may be always found in it I say then That your present duty lies in a present exercise of Grace suitable to the present work and business in all its circumstances which you are at any time imploy'd in If you buy or sell it must be in the fear of God if you marry it must be in the Lord. Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do you must do it to Gods glory which cannot be if you do not act Grace in every thing you do The true Gospel-holiness of an action lies in that Grace that goes along with it 'T is Grace only that turns an action Heaven ward and God-ward you have no other way to sence your selves from the temptations snares and sins that border upon all the works of your calling but by keeping your selves in a due exercise of Grace being in the fear of God all the day long that is the way to eschew evil and to do good 't is the beginning of wisdom He acts like a Fool who acts without it The fear of God in Scripture is put for all the Graces of the Spirit and in that sense I now press it upon you You see your present duty lies in your present work in the daily business of your particular callings I suppose your callings are lawful that there are no Stage-players Conjurers Diviners Astrologers here Those who are of such callings their duty is to leave them and to betake themselves to some honest Imployment consistent with Grace and then Grace will help you out in it wonderfully I could name some other callings that I would hardly advise a Christian to But whatever lawful Calling you are of whatever Office you bear whatever Relation you stand in as Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants whatever your Trade Occupation or Imployment is there are particular Duties proper to your Callings which cannot be performed but by a suitable exercise of Grace by which you shew the respect you have to God in doing what you do regulating and moderating your selves and all your actions by that rule of the Word You may do the works of your calling and yet not do the duties of your calling if you seek only your selves your own profit pleasure c. this is not to serve God but your selves You must do what you do in Faith as to the Lord and then every thing you do will be an act of worship because it carries in it
breeding bearing and religiously bringing up their children shall work together by Gods infinite wisdom and benign influences for their Temporal safety so far as God sees that good for them y Rom. 8.28 and in the issue for their Eternal salvation Hence I infer to make a short Application of this Doctrine 1. That good Women Applicat when they are call'd to it for all are not call'd to it at all and some not at all times upon several accounts they are so far from hindring that they may forward their own salvation by entring into a marriage state And tho they may think subjection to their own Husbands z 1 Pet. 3.5 only in the Lord as is fit a Col. 3.18 for the Gospel requires no other subjection but in the Lord Christ to be some obstruction to their comfort and happiness yet they are much deceiv'd in such apprehensions For this Doctrine resulting clearly from my Text shews that this kind * Admonentâ— hoc genus obsequi sibi esse salutare Dâ—â— acceptum Calv. in Textum of willing submission and obedience to their own Husbands b Tit. 2.5 Heb. 6.9 is a better thing than they deem of accompanying salvation and acceptable to God being Marriage is honourable in all c 13.4 an Ordinance instituted by him who brings so many good Wives to Heaven to enjoy most contenting sweets there from their afflicting sorrows in Child-bed here Further I infer 2. That hypocritical pretences of Sanctity and unwarrantable vows of perpetual Virginity should not bring a disparagement upon the honourable state of marriage from the pains and perils which child-bearing Women pass through The Disciples of Christ were over hasty in saying d Mat. 19.10 'T is not good to marry But these of Antichrist who embrace the Doctrines of Demons and forbid marrying e 1 Tim. 4.1 2. to their Priests whether they have the gift of Continency yea or no and to such Virgins which for their gain they decoy into an irrevocable Vow as they call it is detestable Yet this is the common practise of the Papists how odious soever it be and in the consequents pernicious * Bernhardinâ—â— in Rosarioâ— as well as the practâ—ses of those before reproved who either to cherish covetousness or cover their wantonness seek to prevent Conceptions or procure Abortions are enemies to the propagation of Mankind and when the subtilties of School-distinctions ‖ Estius in Senten are laid aside will be found culpable of Homicide God deliver us from that mystery of iniquity which they who go a wondring after the Beast f Rev. 13.3 in contempt of Marriage labour to bring in following a wicked Pope * Syric Distinct 82. tho they incur the Anathema of a Council ‖ Concil Gangr c. 10. and tho as we may see some of our first Reformers detecting the Acts of the English Votaries * Bale Myst of Iniquit p. 17 18. Engl. Votar p. 18. cast it out with abomination in that they said the Whorish Papal Synagogue was a great blemish to godly marriage which hath already in our days been ridicul'd by some Atheistical Debauchees whose monstrous Immoralities make them contemptible Whereas Marriage derives its honourable Pedigree from the first pair when innocent in Paradise here below and is no way obstructive to an happy entrance into the Paradise of God above Hence I am at last come to the Obs III. IIId and Principal Observation from the words which will directly answer the Enquiry before us viz. By perseverance in Christian and Conjugal Graces and Duties child-bearing Wives may be best supported against in and under the hazard of their Travail This doth clearly result from the Text as I have explain'd it and needs not much proof By patient continuance in well-doing those who seek for glory and honour and immortality have eternal life saith the Apostle elsewhere g Rom. 2.7 and a prudent Wife abiding in faith charity holiness and sobriety may have such support from the strengthning-word of Promise here and elsewhere that travailing in birth and pained to be delivered h Rev. 12.1 as the borrow'd speech expresseth the Churches sorrow she may have good hope of being preserv'd and seeing a comfortable separation 'twixt her and the burden of her belly when her loins are filled with pain and pangs have taken hold on her i Isa 21.3 * Isa 43.6 The Lord will say as I may allude to that in the Prophet to the loins give up and to the womb keep not â—a k so that all shall be sanctified to her and in a proportion she may rejoyce in hope as Elizabeth from her own experience heartned her Cousin Mary k Luke 1.45 blâ—ssed is she that believeth for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord if not in kind yet in Equivalency or that which is better For tho as the most beloved Wife Rachel in her hard labour she should dye l Gen. 35.17 18. or tho the sad estate of the Church should multiply her groans as Phineas his Wife 's were for the the taking of the Ark m 1 Sam. 4.20 21. yet she may have good evidence from the clear shining of her Jewels and Chains which Christ her Husband hath put upon her as his Spouse * Cant. 1.10 I mean the exercise of her Graces that she shall be eternally sav'd her soul shall pass into that rest which remains to the people of God n Heb. 4.9 where there shall be neither sorrow nor crying nor any more pain for the former things shall be passed away o Rev. 21.4 and that may be written on her Tomb-stone which a Learned Doctor wrote on that of pious Mrs. Wilkinson * Dr. Reynolds in her Life She and her Child were buried together who with her child went to Heaven from her Child-bed viz. Here lyes Mother and Babe both without sins Next Birth will make her and her Infant Twins Those necessary and eminent Graces to perseverance or continuance wherein the promise of salvation is made by the Apostle unto child-bearing Women on which they live for support against and in their Travail are as you have heard these Four viz. Faith Charity Holiness Sobriety 1. Faith which we may distinctly conceive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as comprehending both that which is Divine and Moral or Christian and Conjugal 1 A Divine Faith which is precious and saving p 2 Pet. 1.1 with Heb. 10.39 a Grace of the Holy Spirit whereby the enlightn'd heart being united to Christ doth receive him and resigns up it self to him as Mediator and so is espoused to that one Husband q 2 Cor. 11.2 depending entirely upon him By this Faith receiving the Son of God who is also the Son of Man born of a Woman is the good Wife to live in subjection to Christ her
disobedient Servant because he observed not your time Those in the Gospel Mat. 20.1 2 3 4. came into the Vineyard at the same hour they were called They who were called at one hour did not come in at another hour A call of God to repentance loses much of its efficacy if it be not presently complied with the heart is hardened under it 'T is true God can renew his call but the first is quite lost if it be not presently obey'd straightway they left their nets and followed him Mat. 4.20 22. This was a converting call There are many calls to conversion that are not converting calls Man calls in God's Name but till God speak inwardly to the heart all the Preachers in the world cannot prevail with a sinner to come to Christ Converting Grace is a special Providence towards the Elect. I am now speaking of the call of common Providence to common Duties I mean such Duties as God by his Word hath annexed to such Providences James 5.13 Is any afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing psalms Do the duty of thy present condition keep time with God because he keeps time with thee he gives thee thy daily bread then perform thy daily duty towards him 3. Consult thy conscience 'T is a proper Judg of what thou hast done and what thou shouldst do at this instant Joseph found it so Gen. 39.8 9 Conscience in those who are enlightned cannot easily step over a plain duty 't will stumble at it and demur about it does cast a look towards it tho by the violence of lust a man may be hurried another way yet conscience looks behind there is a mis-giving heart that tells him Thus and thus you ought to do Hear thy conscience speak it may shew thee the right way and turn thee into it He is a profligate wretch indeed who has no reverence for his own conscience A wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment Eccles 8.5 Consult thy conscience in what thou art going about if that startle stop there and consider well with thy self don 't mistake a carnal Objection for a scruple of conscience Under the light of the Gospel conscience is better instructed than to doubt of plain duties All cases of conscience lie in more abstruse matters 4. Consider what present temptation thou art under in the light a present temptation we may see what is our present duty The Devil sets against that might and main He cares not what we do if he can keep us from our present duty He will suffer us to put any thing in the room of that you may read pray and meditate the Devil will allow of any thing but what we should do He knows 't is in vain to tempt some men to gross scandalous sins therefore he will reach a duty over the shoulder to them to justle out the present duty that lies before them Take this for a Rule viz. 'T is always our duty to act in opposition to any present temptation If sinners entire thee consent thou not Prov. 1.10 We do never more effectually resist any present evil than by setting about that good thing that is contrary to it When the Devil sees his temptations have this contrary effect to awaken our zeal for God and to stir us up to a more vigorous prosecution of our duty 't is not his interest to go on in that temptation which he sees is such a provocation to holiness and spurs us on the faster to our duty The Devil knows not this before-hand His temptations are but tryals and experiments that he makes to see how we stand affected and how they will take 5. Consult with the Word of God especially those Scriptures that speak to the state and condition thou art in in the world whether Master Servant Parent Child Rich or Poor gather up those Texts and be often reading them over to thy Faith Mingle them afresh every day with Faith carry them about you in your Memory or in a Book fair written that you may often have your eye upon them they will be a light to your feet and a lanthorn to your paths You can never walk exactly in your place and sphere if you do not walk by this rule often coming to the light that you may see whether your works are wrought in God Some Christians do many things many good things in the dark or at least by a general Scripture-light Some confused Notions they have but no clear distinct understanding of their duty In conversion there are general principles laid in inclining us to all Christian duties which for want of searching the Scriptures we take up by guess but a distinct particular knowledg of these duties is an after-work distinct from our first conversion 't is called Edification or building up which makes us expert skilful Christians The Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished unto every good word and work 2 Tim. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad omne opus bonum perfectè instructus vel omnibus numeris absolutus A man so skill'd in all things appertaining to his duty so exact in it that nothing is wanting nor nothing redundant he does neither more nor less than God requires he keeps close to the Rule puts in all the spiritual Ingredients that may give a duty its right season and savour 6. Devote thy self in sincerity to the fear of God through the whole course of thy life Let it be the full purpose of thy heart to cleave unto God and to do whatever God shall convince thee to be thy duty Labour to bring your hearts into such a holy frame before you make a judgment of your present duty Sincerity towards God does wonderfully enlighten us it clears up the eye of the soul breaks thorow all prejudices makes us judg impartially according to truth Integrity and uprightness will preserve us Psal 25.21 and direct our way Prov. 21.29 This I say That man whose mind is thus set upon his duty will not find it so difficult a matter to discern what is his present duty ordinarily he will not in some extraordinary cases there may be more difficulty sometimes but ordinarily 't is otherwise There is a secret guidance of God in this case The integrity of the upright shall guide them Prov. 11.3 There is a voice behind thee a whisper from Heaven saying This is the way walk in it David took this course first he resolves upon universal obedience Psal 119.8 30 32. I have said ver 5 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dixi i. e. in animo statuit apud se So ver 106 112. and then begs of God to order his steps and tell him which foot he should put formost what he should do first and what in the next place ver 5 35 135. how he should order his conversation aright If the Devil finds you unfixed and unresolved untrusty and wavering he will assault you with more violence
such a year and such a year it may be for many years spent in open profaness and all manner of debauchery As you fill up your time with sin God fills it up with secret wrath which will be revealed one day Time carries along with it all the things good or evil that are done in that time the neglect of a present duty Leave that time void of the duty that belongs to it and there is no going back to fill it up As for instance If your Present duty be Prayer if you don't pray now you can never pray now You may pray afterwards but that does not answer to the present now You may do the same duty for substance at another time but it does not bear the same date That hour in which thou dost omit any duty proper to it will witness against thee when that part of thy life comes under examination have a care that time does not carry an evil report of you to God There is a voice in time Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledg Psal 19.2 Time past is present with God he sees how it slips thorow thy fingers how it is stained by thy sins Time is ill bestowed upon thee it may provoke God to shorten thy days and to cut thee off in the midst of thy years Psal 55.23 4. You can have no tryal of your spirit nor of the truth of your state 'T is impossible you should ever prove your sincerity but by a conscientious discharge of your present duty The power of godliness lies much in this in having a respect to God in all our common actions There can be no Religion without this and in this there is peace true hearts ease Psal 119.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ipsâ latitudine When a man so walks that his conscience meets with nothing that offends it that strikes against it the way is broad enough a plain path of duty which is very satisfactory to conscience But when the business is dark and doubtful looks as much like sin as duty a man cannot be at ease in this case the way is very narrow there is a grating upon the conscience and after all the tricks salves and distinctions that may be used to justifie what we do we cannot have inward peace whilst something always rubs against the conscience as we go 5. You cannot walk evenly with God if you do not your present duty One would wonder to see what broken forms of godliness some men rest in They pick and chuse here a duty and there another this they will do and this they will not do Their Religion is but a voluntary Religion what they please pure will-worship Col. 2.23 They will stint themselves and stint God so much he shall have and no more They draw up to themselves a scheme of Religion such as they think will serve the turn and on they go in this round of duties Here they are now and here you shall find them Seven years hence I am not against a method of Practical godliness provided it be comprehensive enough but 't is very dangerous tying up our selves to these narrow set forms of practical holiness which some men place all their Religion in a step farther they will not go Alas the Providence of God may lead you to such duties which you thought not of in doing or suffering for him John 21.18 Therefore you should be in a readiness to comply with every call of God standing compleat in his whole will Present obedience gives understanding for the future A good understanding have all they that do his commandments Psal 111.10 Let it be the purpose of your heart to walk before God unto all well-pleasing Col. 1.10 and then your hearts will not reproach you while you live Job 27.6 Some men walk very unevenly there are so many gaps in their obedience they move from duty to duty per saltum quite leaping over some and lightly touching upon others as if they had no great mind to any They act Grace so abruptly that it gives no continued sense we know not where to find them There are so many vacant spaces so many blanks of omission so many blots and blurs of commission they drop a duty here and another half a Mile off that you cannot say A man of God went this way This is not even walking their way is crooked in and out sometimes they wander on the right hand and sometimes on the left they never touch upon the right path unless it be in crossing the way from one sin to another which is rather to break thorow a duty than to perform it Here is no beaten path of holiness no continued tract of godliness They don't always exercise themselves to keep a good conscience They who are not frequent in duty are never exact in duty their hearts cool so much between duty and duty that there is no servour of spirit left they are key-cold now and then they take up a Bible read a little dipping at a venture but are no way concern'd in what they read they heed it not now and then they hear a Sermon now and then pray but without any life and spirit They who pray but seldom never pray well Actus perficit habitum Frequent acts beget a habit and frequent acts maintain it We can never perfect holiness but by a constaut tenor in holiness going on from day to day in the practise of it Some trees tho they bring not forth much fruit yet that as is is the bigger and fairer but 't is not so in a Christian The less you are in duty the more lank and lean are your duties As all Graces grow up together in the heart in an apt disposition to actual exercise when occasion is given to draw them forth And as no grace in the heart grows up alone so no duty thrives in the life alone one duty borrows strength from another is bounded within another as stones in a wall do bare up one another so a Christian is built up of many living stones many graces many duties There is the same reason to do thy duty in one thing as in another the same authority commands both Unless you have respect unto all the Commandments you truly respect none 6. You must begin somewhere at some present duty Why not at this It will be as difficult nay more difficult to come to Christ to morrow than 't is to day Therefore to day hearken to his voice and harden not your heart Break the Ice now and by Faith venture upon thy present duty wherever it lies Do what you are now called to You 'l never know how easie the Yoke of Christ is till 't is bound about your necks nor how light his Burthen is till you have taken it up While you judg of holiness at a distance as a thing without you and contrary to you you 'l never like it Come a little nearer to it do but take it
as by abiding in Christ they are spiritually fruitful r Jo. 15.4 so they may well hope that in bringing forth their natural fruit they shall be evermore kept under Gods benign influence and blessing The promise in my Text is ensur'd upon Gods fidelity to all those good women who are interessed in it But all those who have evidence of their sincerity may be well satisfied as to their interest therein and the continuance in the exercises of the Graces of Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety doth clearly demonstrate they are persons qualified with sincerity who in and through Christ in whom the promise is yea and amen shall certainly inherit it ſ 2 Cor. 1.20 Heb. 6.12 I may not enlarge having staid over-long already yet would crave a little further leave to make some use of what hath been said Applicat The Application of this last and chief Observation viz. That perseverance in Christian and Conjugal Graces and Duties is the best support to child-bearing women against in and under their Travail may briefly serve to teach care and administer comfort 1. This teacheth an holy care and that to Men as well as to Women We shall find they of either Sex may hence learn instruction 1. It may teach a lesson to Men whether they be in a single or a married state 1. They who are not yet married but are waiting to meet with good Wives of Gods giving they are concern'd to be careful as nigh as they can to choose such as are so qualified as to be interessed in the promise here of preservation and salvation in their child-bearing Plato * Cratyl p. 284. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. derives the Greek word for a Woman from that which signifies fruitful and a beinger forth And he that seeketh such an one to marry with only in the Lord t 1 Cor. 7.39 that things may go well with her in her child-bearing condition should consult well how she is endowed and stored with the Graces I have been discoursing of both for the good of her self and the seed she may have by him 'T is certainly of great importance to make choice of such a Yoke-fellow as may be assuredly entitled to this good and comfortable word that we have here before us for the support of child-bearing Wives in whose sorrows and joys good-natur'd and conscientious Husbands cannot but have their shares 2. They who have Wives already should take special care upon this account to discharge the duties of good Husbands towards their child-bearing Wives with all good fidelity viz. 1. To dwell with them according to knowledg giving honour unto them as the weaker vessels and as being heirs together of the grace of Life that their prayers be not hindred u 1 Pet. 3.7 yea and to labour daily with them both by their Christian Advice and Holy Conversation to engage their fruitful Wives more and more to the constant exercise of these Graces and Duties that their sorrows may be sanctified to them and they may see the salvation of God in their breeding and bearing of children And if the great and holy God should in his wise Government think it best to take them hence from a child-bed they may learn to submit to his disposing will and rest the better satisfied as having good evidence of their Souls eternal welfare 2. To endeavour as much as may be to discharge the parts of good Christian and tender Husbands towards their dearest Yoke-fellows in such a travailing condition laying much to heart those antecedent concomitant and consequent pains a state of pregnancy involves them in which these Husbands themselves in such a kind cannot have experience of That as it becomes them for the sake of their good and godly Wives they may as is sometimes said of some Sympathizing ones in a sort breed with them and for them by putting on as the elect of God bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering c. w Col. 3.12 and fulfil all the Duties of the Relation they are in readily and timely providing for them not only necessaries but conveniencies as they can for their longing appetites and for the heartning of their dear and suffering Wives apt to be cast down under apprehensions of their approaching sorrows and call in aid of faithful praying Ministers and pious Friends to make requests known unto God for them And if God hears prayers 3. To be heartily thankful to God upon his giving safe deliverance to their gracious Wives from the pains and perils of child-bearing When the kind Husband hath been really apprehensive of the sicknesses pains throws and groans of his dear Wife in her breeding and bearing a child to him by aids from above nothing can be more necessarily incumbent on him than to adore and be thankful to God who hath made a comfortable separation betwixt her and the Fruit of her Womb and that as a return to prayer and hearkning unto her groanings If he who was a Samaritan found himself healed of his Leprosie upon crying unto Christ for mercy tho the other nine likely Jews remained unthankful for the same benefit came and fell down on his face at Jesus his feet giving him thanks and returning to glorifie God with a loud voice x Luke 17.15 16 17 18. as expressive of his heartiest sense of the Divine Favour in the mercy received then certainly the Christian Husband having seen his loving Wife in the exercise of the Graces I have been discoursing of to pass through the peril of child-bearing and admirably preserved therein by Gods power and goodness is greatly oblig'd to return his hearty thanks to God who hath made good his word wherein he caused them to hope in granting so signal a mercy This giving thanks is acceptable unto God and a Duty indispensably incumbent on us * Nullum officium magis quam referenda gratia necessarium Seneca who are charged y Eph. 5.4 20. to give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Much more for a singular Favour earnestly sought for and granted through difficulty and peril Thus briefly I have touch'd upon the care of married men with reference to their child-bearing Wives in the fore-mentioned Particulars Again this Doctrine teacheth 2. A Lesson of care to Women Consider them as the Men either in a single or a married state 1. If yet in a single or unmarried state and by the fair Providence of God called to the change of their condition They are concern'd to take care they may be furnished with the above-mentioned qualifications to covet earnestly not only the best Gifts but to be found in the more excellent way z 1 Cor. 12.31 This sacred ambition or holy covetousness is lawful to Virgins and may commend them to good Husbands i. e. to covet earnestly those excellent Graces of Faith Holiness Charity and Sobriety that
Persons the unpitied Poverty of Huffing Gamesters and in a word the unpleasant Exit of most Pleasure-mongers and for those that escape these common effects they as commonly contract a carnal Security which is as bad as the worst of these And for those pleasures that are above sensual I 'le say no more at present but this the better the Objects of our delights are on this side God and the pleasing of God the more our carnal Wisdom is fortified against the true method to real happiness Upon the whole matter then Pleasures are a kind of dangerous fruit which if not well corrected are Poyson we can scarce taste without danger of surfeiting But now what doth the Power of Godliness in this case What 't will not meddle with unlawful pleasures thô never so tempting 't will strain out the dregs of lawful pleasures that they may not be unwholsome 't will moderate the use of unquestionable delights that they may not be inordinate And 't will teach us to be thankful to God for making our Pilgrimage any way comfortable 't will raise the Soul to prepare and long for Heaven where are pure and full Joyes and that for evermore Thus for a Life of Pleasure What shall we say to a Life of Sorrow and Pensiveness to live 〈◊〉 Recluse from the flattering Vanities of the World a Eccles 2.2 ◠I said of Laughter it is mad and of Mirth what doth it What Musick is the gigling Mirth of the World to a serious Soul Those that the Frothy part of the World count Melancholy the sober part of the World count them Wise But yet to give way to Sorrow disspirits us for any considerable service either to God or Man it unfits us for every thing b 2 Cor. 7.10 the Sorrow of the World worketh Death Such are burdensome to themselves and others they are weary of themselves and every body else is weary of them If a Melancholy mopish temper be not checkt 't will lead to hard thoughts of God to blasphemy infidelity In short a Life of Sorrow is a degree of Hell upon Earth and such Persons torment themselves before their time But what can Religion do in this case Serious Godliness bears up the Soul from sinking under worldly sorrow c Eccles 7.3 4. Sorrow is better than Laughter for by the sadness of the Countenance the Heart is made better The Heart of the wise is in the house of Mourning but the Heart of Fools is in the house of Mirth Religion will teach us how to turn worldly Sorrow into Sorrow for Sin d 2 Cor. 7.9 10. to sorrow to Repentance after a godly manner and godly Sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of 'T is Serious Godliness that teacheth how to mourn for the Sins and Dangers of the Times we live in And Christians pray take special notice that this is our present great duty a duty that every Christian not only ought but may perform and none can hinder it And O that this duty were frequently thought of and more universally practised The Land is even drown'd in Pleasure the Conscientious performance of this duty would be a token for good for the abating of the deluge And thô the times should be such that their own Sorrows should be encreased yet then even then how chearing would the forethoughts of Heaven be to such serious Christians How may they chide their Hearts out of their Dejections e Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet aye and ever praise him who now is and for ever will be the health of my Countenance f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salutes faciei mei and the Salvation of my face and my God Because thou art my God g Psal 67.6 my own God my exceeding great not only rewarder but h Gen. 15.1 reward And thus much for the second Pair Pleasure and Sorrow III. Who knows whether Honour or Obscurity be best for man in this Life At first sight it seems easie to determine but when both sides are heard 't will seem otherwise For Honour every one would be Some-body in the World would be esteemed and preferr'd before others disgrace and infamy seem most intolerable when Job had done contesting with his censorious Friends he is greatly concern'd about the contempt poured upon him thô but by infamons Enemies Job 29. 30. And David thô he could even in desperate cases encourage himself in God yet complains i Psal 69.20 Reproach hath broken my Heart matter of Honour and Reputation is a tender point not any of what rank soever but deeply resent the being slighted But for Honour when we consider how hazardous it is to get thô all are clambering few reach it consider further when 't is got 't is slippery to hold others envy and their own fear distract 'em and then if you adde the falling from it that 's worse than if they never had it but there 's worse than all this the insuperable temptation to pride oppression and impenitency all which nothing but Grace can prevent or cure And for that lesser reputation and esteem which comes short of the Name of Honour 't is troublesom to carry it like a Venice-glass that the least touch may not crack it What can Religion do in this Case Serious Godliness 't will never be beholding to Sin nor Satan for worldly Honour It values it no more than as it adds to a capacity of honouring God He that 's truely Religious is neither so fond of Honour as to Sin to get or keep it neither doth he count himself undone to lose it he values the priviledge of Adoption beyond all the Honours in the World k Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable he is graciously ambitious of doing God and Christ some service in the World he appears for God to discountenance prevent or remove Sin to encourage promote and advance Holiness this God in condescension accounts an honouring of him and hath accordingly promised l 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed In short you may know what Faith you have by what Honour you prize m John 5.44 How can ye believe that receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only This for Honour Some preferr Obscurity in the World to snudge in quiet to live retired and reserved out of the Vexatious hurry of a captious World to keep in the shade out of the scorching Sun to steal out of the World without any noise or notice O how sweet is this to many wise and judicious Persons that are every way above what 's Vulgar But how do these in running from one Vanity fall into another They debase the humane Nature and the reasonable Soul while they
Atheists viz. The Atheist is inquisitive for Arguments to promote his Atheism the tempted Christian as inquisitive for Arguments and Grace to destroy it those that are seriously godly do not only seek a perfect cure of their own in part mortified Atheism but mournfully bewail the insolent Atheism of the age they live in If it be as it is as a Sword in their Bones for their Enemies to l Psalm 42.10 reproach them while they say daily unto them Where is your God If it as it were break their Bones to have their interest in God and Gods peculiar care of them so much as questioned it must needs be as a Sword to their heart a killing wound to hear the Fear of God ridicul'd and the Being of God denied Certainly as Grace is heightned a gracious Person is next to being overwhelmed Thô God hath an evidence of his Deity lies lieger in the worst of his Enemies yet upon the miracles of Mercy he works for and in his own People God may say to them m Isai 43.12 They are his Witnesses that he is God And the more eminent any one is in Grace the more experimental Witness he is that the Lord is God This may not only be sufficient for the instances already given but be sufficiently instructive what to do in all other Cases that might be named I had thought to have proportionably enlarged upon these which I shall but little more than name and therefore shall not add them to the number Who knows whether a full or a vacant employment be best for him A full employment is that which every one that hath dealings in the World gapes after this leaves no room for Melancholy nor Idleness each of which are unspeakably mischievous But those that live in a Hurry of business do neither enjoy God nor themselves 't is tiresome both to Body and Mind the Truth is the desire of it is ordinarily naught in the rise 't is from covetousness and ambition naught in the progress it neglects God and godliness and naught in the close it ends at best in disappointment But here Religion gives relief for a Heavenly-minded Person to be full of worldly business 't is he alone that minds the main business of his Life to work out his Salvation 't is he alone that both will and can keep the World from justling out what 's better the World in this is like the Gout thô you keep it at your feet 't is troublesome but if it reach the Heart 't is mortal the World thrô Grace may be a good Servant but 't is impossible to be a good Master Is vacancy from Employment better 'T is tedious to be alwayes drudging for we know not who nor what to have no time to spare for Refreshment and Recreation that we may enjoy what we have be it more or less this seems better But yet to have little or nothing to do exposeth us to we can't say what Idleness is an inlet to the most monstrous Abominations Relaxation from business and Recreation after weariness is at best but a banquet no way fit for ordinary food besides this Satan watcheth and never misseth prevailing upon an idle Person What can Serious Godliness do in this Case When one whose Heart is set upon godliness hath but little to do with the World he findes enough to do as a Christian The considerate Christian hath not one hour in his Life wherein he hath nothing to do he alone can make a Virtue of Necessity he alone can redeem time for God he alone can fill his Life with Duty and Comfort in short 't is through Grace alone that a man hath never too much nor too little business 'T is the power of Godliness that is thus powerful Who knows whether many or few Friends be best for him For many Friends man is a sociable Creature and cannot live of himself to be destitute of Friends seems very doleful A Friend is born for Adversity a Friend may be better than an Estate to have many dear Friends and Relations it carries us thrô our lives with Comfort it is a Duty to prize 'em it is a sin to slight 'em and therefore this seems unquestionably best But and there 's no Friends on earth without a but in their Commendation Friends themselves are troublesome apt to take exceptions to mistake to be weary of us if we have long need of 'em and besides this there 's none in the World whose Friendship is not founded on Grace can be so much my Friend now but he may be as much my Enemy hereafter And if you can find any Friend above these exceptions how do the thoughts of parting abate the Comfort of enjoying Alas we dare not think of it Can Serious Godliness stand us in any stead here Much every way if our Friends be Irreligious this necessitates us to do what 's possible to make them Friends to Christ and to Religion and this attempt is alwayes successeful if not to make them Gracious yet to make our selves more gracious and if thy Friends be already Religious thou wilt have a foretast of Heaven in the Communion of Saints thô this is rare and rarely enjoyed Some think 't is best to have few or no Friends We are too apt to flatter our selves and to bear upon our Friends to reckon upon their Interest when we ordinarily find disappointments whereas expecting nothing from them makes us learn to live without them and in some sort above them We need neither flatter nor humour any Body But now to be Friendless that 's very uncomfortable a Friend greatens all the Joyes and lessens all the Sorrows we meet with in this World it argues a crooked and perverse disposition to be without Friends or not to care for ' em Besides this we had need to have every man our Friend for we know not into whose hands our Life may come before we dye that Person must needs be miserable who lives undesir'd and dyes unlamented What can Serious Godliness do in this Case A Serious Holy Person thô he have but few or perhaps no worldly Friends he hath the most and the best Friends he hath God to be his Friend he hath an Interest in the whole houshold of Faith and he can make up in God what he wants in any other Persons or things of the World what thô he hath no Friend to stand by him Innocency and Independency dare do and can suffer any thing Who knows whether Freedom from Affliction or an afflicted Condition be at present best for him Freedom from Afflictions seems most desirable both to Nature and Grace we naturally love our ease and would have nothing befall us that is Grievous to Flesh and Blood and Gracious Persons pray and strive to prevent and remove Afflictions But yet the experiences of all good and bad in all ages of the World proclaims this upon the House-tops that more have got good by Afflictions than by being
wherein you will be as careful to fulfill the Conditions as you would have God faithful in fulfilling the Promises Look out so sharp to the Progress of your Sanctification that Sin may not expire but be mortified and that Grace may be so lively as to confute the reproach of Enemies and exceed the Commendation of Friends Bear Afflictions not as a Malefactor goes to Execution because he can't help it but as chary not to miss the Fruit of Affliction the Participation of Gods Holiness Thô you look first to your selves be not only selfish though in the most Gracious manner but endeavour to be Blessings as far as your Name is heard of In short perform all your duties to God your selves and others in the Name of Christ thrô his Strength according to his Command relying upon his Promises that you may feel what it is to be accepted in Gods and your beloved This is to be Serious in Religion Learn to be more than barely contented with your present Condition Vse 2 't is that which God in Wisdom chooseth for you preferring it before any other Condition Every Condition hath some lessons peculiar to it which are better learnt in that Condition than in any other and those things that may be best learnt in thy Condition are the things you most need learning which when you have learnt then God will put thee into other circumstances to teach thee something else Every Condition hath something grievous in it by reason of the Sin and Vanity that cleaves to it but that which is most grievous if it be used as Physick will help to cure thee We all grant 't is best to take Physick when we need it a 1 Pet. 1.6 Now for a season if need be you are in heaviness thrô manifold Trials and when we take Physick we imprison our selves in our Chamber as much as others in a Gaol we abstain from riot as much as they that want bread we tend our Physick and need no Arguments to do so Christians let God be your Physician and prescribe what Physick he pleaseth we have nothing else to do but observe his Instructions for it's beneficial operation Apply this to any Condition that is uneasie to you and you 'l see cause not only to justifie but to praise your wise Physitian but if this arguing be not cogent I will commend one that is I confess I love those Directions that will apply themselves that will work their way for Application That you may so far like your present Condition as to perform the duties of it before you desire an Alteration of it take this course Sit down and consider should God so far humour thee as to let thee frame thine own Condition to thine own mind to give thee thy choice for a worldly Happiness Suppose he allowed thee time to think to consult Friends to alter and add upon second and third yea upon your twentieth Thought whatever the Wit of man could suggest or the Heart of man desire and all this for a whole Moneth together before you fixt your choice I suppose when you chose it should be Wealth without Care Pleasure without Weariness Honour without Hazard Health without Sickness Friends without Mistake Relations without Crosses Old Age without Infirmities and if God should thus alter the course of his Providence unto what would your own Pride and the Worlds Envy expose you O! but you 'l say all this with Grace will do well Do you think so but would not Grace without all this do better Can you think that such a Condition would Wean you from the World and fit you for Heaven or is Earth the place where you would live for ever and have no more Happiness than that can afford you Return Poor Soul return to thy Self and to thy God acknowledge that God is Wise and thou art a Fool And 't is better be employed in the present Duty of thy present Condition than to doze out thy Life in wilde Imaginations Vse 3 Make Conscience of both sorts of Duties Religious and Worldly and allot fit and distinct times for Heavenly and Worldly Business but with this difference let Religion mix it self with worldly business and spare not but let not the World break in upon Religion lest it spoil it Religion will perfume the World but the World will taint Religion Though every thing in the World be clogg'd with Vanity yet there 's something of Duty about every thing we meddle with and we must not call neglect of Duty contempt of the World Use the World as you do your Servants to whom you give due liberty as the best way to prevent their taking more than is due so to take a due care about the World is the best way to prevent Religion's being justled out by worldly cares Count not any Sin or Duty about the least matters so small as to venture upon the one or neglect the other but proportion your carefulness according to the business before you I see more cause every day than other to commend both the Truth and Weight of the Observation that all Over-doing is undoing You can't bestow too much diligence about one thing but you rob something else of what diligence is necessary and marr that about which you are over-solicitous I 'le close this with that of the Apostle b 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. This I say Brethren the time is short we have none to spare It remaineth for the future that both they that have Wives be as though they bad none let 'em not be Uxorious and they that weep as if they wept not if God bring them under sorrrow let them but water their Plants not drown 'em and they that rejoyce as if they rejoyced not we must at best rejoyce with trembling and they that buy as if they possessed not there 's nothing we can purchase worth the name of a Possession and they that use this world as not abusing it to any other use than what God hath appointed for the fashion of this World passeth away the Pageantry of this World will soon be over but I would have you without carefulness without distracting carefulness about worldly things Whatever you do for the bettering of your Condition follow God but Vse 4 do not go before him This is a direction of great moment being a necessary Caution against that Sin that doth always beset us Every man is an Orator to aggravate his own grievances and thinks himself a Politician for fitting them with Remedies yea hath the confidence of a Prophet that they shall certainly be effectual if God will but take his Time and Method for their operation c Job 11.12 Vain man would be wise thô he be born like a wild Asses Colt to kick up his heels against Gods unsearchable Wisdom You may at once see both your proness to the Sin and Christ directing to this Remedy in one and the same instance viz. When Peter had made such a
them which yet may be no true Acts of Obedience to him because not according to his Word They do but obtrude a Worship upon God and Fancy it will please him because it pleaseth them Whereas indeed nothing is acceptable to him but what is enjoyned by him Nothing is Duty but that which hath a Warrant from God for the Performance of it Men may abound in Will-worship and come short in Obedience they may do more than is enjoyned them and yet less too much which will never be reckoned to them as it was never required of them You must judge of your selves not meerly by what you do but by the ground you have for the doing of it when Gods Will is the Reason of it and not the Precepts of men nor your own Fancies so much and no more you do for God as you do in Obedience to his Command 2. Vniversal both as to the extensiveness and continuance of it 1. As to its Extensiveness See that you be not Partial in the Law a Mal. 2.9 that you walk with God in all his Ordinances Luke 1.6 have respect to all his Commandements Psal 119.6 There is the same reason for Obedience to one Command as well as another b Gods Authority who is the Law-giver and therefore when men chuse one Duty and overlook others they do not so much obey the will of God as gratifie their omn Humours and Fancies pleasing him only so far as they can please themselves too and this is not reasonable we never yield him a reasonable Service but when it is universal 2. As to its Continuance and duration If Gods Command be still the same and the Obligation of it it is but reasonable that our Obedience likewise should be still the same Constancy and Perseverance in serious Godliness will greatly confirm and Evidence the reasonableness of our Practice and reality of our Principles Fancies are usually transient and variable and so are their Effects in mens actions few Live by Fancy all their dayes but one time or other they find their Error When a Christians carriage is uniform in the course of his Life and still continues the same in a congruity and suitableness to his Principles it can hardly be imagined that it should be the effect of meer Fancy but must proceed from something in him more fixed and settled 3. Spiritual If the Obedience we yield to God be conformable to his Nature who is a Spirit so far it is reasonable and that is such as Christ requires and this the reason he gives for it John 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth See therefore that the Service you do him be not meerly external and carnal but inward and Spiritual 1. Spiritual in its Principle The goodness of your outward actions proceeds especially from within and you cannot judge rightly of them but by the Principles from which they proceed those Principles are Faith and Love Your work must be the work of Faith d 1 Thess 1.3 Rom. 1.5 your Obedience the Obedience of Faith Faith both in the Command and Promise must put you upon it and if your believing both makes you Act conformably to them the Faith of the Command presseth you to Obedience and the Faith of the Promise encourages you in it you therefore Serve the Lord because you believe him and trust in him that Service cannot be unreasonable And so likewise for Love Love to God must set you at work for God Exod. 20.6 those that love me and keep my Commandments If love within Command all without if that make you Labour in his Service fear to offend him strive to please him if you can not only see your own Obedience but feel your Love to God working your hearts to it you may be sure that Obdience is reasonable because its Principle is so reall Love felt in your Hearts and breaking out in your Lives cannot be a Fancy and what more Reasonable than for him that loves God to do all he can for God 2. Spiritual in the End for which ye Act. 1. Cor. 10.31 See that whatever you do you do it for the Glory of God as the Supreme End It is most Reasonable that as you do all from God so you should do all for him that he who is the first Cause of all you have should be the ultimate End of all you do and if you can be content to be abased that God may be Exalted to deny your selves as to your Credit and Interest and all Worldly concernments purely that God may be Honoured it is your desire that in all things Christ Jesus may be magnified in you whether by Life or by Death e Philip. 1.20 and so in doing or suffering that Obedience which is not only qualified as before mentioned but is directed to such an End is not Folly nor the effetct of Fancy 3. Spiritual in the Acts of it not that all Gospel Obedience or Worship consists only in the internal Acts and workings of the Mind for external Worship it self may be spiritual Worship and so it is when rightly performed that is when it is accompanied with and proceeds from internal but by Spiritual in its Acts I mean that which principally consists in the inward Acts of Faith and Love and Fear c. which is a Serving God in our Spirits f Rom. 1.9 yet withall is productive of and manifests it self in an outward behaviour correspondent to those internal workings See therefore that your Religion do not consist meerly in Externals that you make as much Conscience of inward and Heart-worship as outward and Bodily of the Actings of Faith and Love as of Praying and Hearing look as much at least to what is within as to what comes out Do not rest in the outside of Duty nor satisfie your selves with what you do when yet it is without life and warmth have as much regard to the Manner of Performing as to Performance it self to the motions of your Hearts as to the Labour of your Lips or postures of your Bodies To conclude this direction let your work in the whole of your conversation be as much about your Hearts g Prov. 4.23 as your Lives be the same in secret that you are in publick the same when under Gods Eye only that you are in the Face of the World This I am sure cannot be said to be foolish and unreasonable when it is grounded on the greatest reason God sees in secret h Math. 6.6 looks to the heart 1 Sam. 16.17 and calls for the heart i Prov. 23.26 and therefore it is but reason we should look to them too It is the seat of Sin the Fountain whence it springs and therefore must be look't too that we may prevent the working of it and mortifie the root of it and it is the seat of Grace there is no more good in any man than what is in his
addes the admiration and acknowledgment of Gods forbearing goodness towards them Yet saith he vers 30. didst thou forbear them or as 't is in the Hebrew protract defer Memusbeka Ezek. 12.15 prolong over them yea many years didst thou forbear them and vers 31. when the Jewes were in their Enemies hands for their sins yet nevertheless saith he for thy great mercies sake thou didst not utterly consume nor forsake them When we mourn for the sins of our Places we should much admire Gods forbearing Goodness that he defers to punish those Sins and Sinners which we must not defer to mourn for We should lay Man low but at the same time set up God high and in nothing more than in his Patience towards Sinners Patience I say infinitely exceeding any ever exercised by Man 1. All the Sins we mourn for are most clearly seen by God and known to him He sees sin wherever 't is and infinitely more plainly understands all the odious Circumstances and aggravations of sin than we can do that mourn for them or than they can that did commit them And 2. As he sees sin in all its odiousness so he infinitely more hates it than all the Saints and Angels in Heaven can do as being the only object of his hatred all the Streams whereof are collected in this one Channel Sin being also against his very nature and being a destroying him in the desire of the Sinner and that which should he in the least measure love or less than infinitely hate he would cease to be God Further admire his Patience 3. In sparing those that are perfectly in his power to destroy Rebels that are under his feet Yea lastly whom in all their Rebellions he invites to repentance yea feeds supplies maintains daily and richly Say then in thy Mourning for the Abominations of others How patient art thou in forbearing to punish those sins which it is my duty with an holy impatience to see and hear 2. In mourning for the sins of the Wicked advance God in the acknowledgment of his Justice and spotless Righteousness should he with utmost severity take vengeance upon Offenders This we shall find also to be the temper of holy Nehemiah in the forementioned Chapter the 9th and the 33d verse where mourning for the sins of the People he clears and acquits God from any injustice in executing his heavyest severities upon sinners So Ezra 9.15 Psal 15. Howbeit saith he thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly Say Lord I wonder not at the evils that doe but those that do not befall us Were the fire of thy wrath proportion'd to the fewel of our sins we should be utterly consumed 'T is thy Mercy Lord we are not so Thou wouldst be infinitely just and to be justifi'd if we were so And 3. In spreading before God the wickednesses of great Sinners admire his infinite Power that can not only stop the worst of men in but turn them from their course of opposing God by their Rebellions We are not so to mourn for as to despair of the Conversion of the worst They are as much within the Converting reach as the Destructive reach of Gods hand Say 1. This great Sinner whose Impieties I bewail can easily by thy irresistible Grace which no hard heart can reject as was Saul be made not only of a Wolf a Sheep but even a Shepherd too I censure his way but I dare not determ ine his end Thou hast made white Paper of as black and filthy dunghil raggs What cannot the infinite Power of God accomplish for the Conversion of the greatest Sinner I now bewail him Lord but thou canst also make him more to bewail himself and make him as zealous in setting up as now he is in destroying thy People It should more comfort thee that thou sinnest not with them than trouble thee that thou sufferest from them God can make strait timber of a crooked piece God can take his Garden out of Satan's Waste Oh! how glorious would pardoning Grace and converting Power appear in causing such a change 4. In mourning admire that Grace and Power that hath kept thee from their Excesses and Extravagancies 2. The second Branch of the Manner how we must bewail the Sins § 5 of others is as it respects those for whom and for whose Sins we lament and mourn You may take up this in several particulars 1. We must bewail the Sins of our bitterest Enemies as well as of our most beloved Relations A rare and seldom practised duty I fear that this will be found I suppose there 's no godly man but bitterly mourns for the Impieties of his dear Yoke-fellow or Child but to mourn because a cruel Enemy either dishonours God or damns his own Soul I doubt there are very few that are conscientious therein Nothing is more common than to rail at our Enemies for their Impieties and to expose them to Obloquy and publick Hatred but I fear there 's nothing more unusual than to bewail their Soul their self-destroying Sins before God in secret The former Pride and Self-love will easily put us upon the latter only flows from Christian Charity and holy sanctified Zeal and Compassion Jer. 13.17 To embrace the former and neglect the latter is to exchange a Duty for a Sin A miserable exchange The holy temper of Christ Luk. 19.41 and Paul acted by his Spirit discovered their bewailings and shedding tears for those that desired to shed their blood Doubtless such a mourning as this would if not prevail for the Conversion of Enemies yet be a comfortable evidence to our Consciences of the truth yea the strength of Grace in us and of pardoning Grace bestow'd upon us who discover so high a degree of forgiving our Enemies 'T is a thousand times more eligible that mine Enemies Sins should suffer Shipwrack in a Sea of my tears than their Persons should be born down by the stream of my Power 2. We ought to bewail the Sins of our near and dear Relations § 6 in a greater measure than those of meer Strangers Natural Affection sanctified is the strongest As Nature puts forth it self to nearest Relations in strong affection so Grace engageth to a proportionable degree of spiritualizing that Affection How earnest and desirous was holy Paul for his Kinsmen in the flesh that they should be saved Rom. 10.1 Never did a godly man in the World never durst he neglect the Duty of bewailing the Sins of his Children Job offered Sacrifices Job 1.5 and Prayers and Tears too no doubt for very fear his Children might offend God There is in the Saints a spiritual Storge a natural affection Spiritualized No Godly man knows how to spare any one Child of his for the Devil it must needs trouble him to fear that they who are so near in this should be so distant in the next Life His Soul desires especiasly
extinguish all worldly love And this is an infallible sign of the love of God in the Soul for they two are contrary and mortal Enemies one to the other and seek the destruction of each other The reason is plain 1. They differ in their Rise and Offspring one is Heaven-born Gal. 5.17 the other is Earthly 2. They differ in their Quality one hates what the other loves 3. They differ in their Objects One loves God the other loves the Creature 4. They differ in the Means of their Attainments one minds the Will and Word of God to follow that only the other minds the Wills and Lusts of the flesh to fulfill them Ephes 2.2 and to make provision for them Rom. 13. last v. 5. They differ in their End The love of Creatures is disappointed and lost the Love of God enjoyes him for ever Psal 42.1 2. and rests satisfied in that enjoyment and not before 6. Consider thou canst never keep thy self in the Love of God if thou art not quit and utterly disengaged from the love of the World in the Lusts and Vanities of it by thy inordinate desires and hankerings after it God never comes into the Soul till the World go out Taulerus and then the Soul moves nobly when it moves to its Principle This makes the Circular motion of the Heavens to be most Noble because it returns alwayes to the same point where it began Thus Noah's Dove found no rest out of the Ark but returned to it after long fluttering about because it found no food among the Carrion but the Raven did and therefore abode by it A Bird as long as it flyes aloft in the Air is free from the Fowlers Gin but when it lights down on the ground and falls a picking in the Earth then is nearest unto danger Thus it fares with men of the Earth O poor Soul saith St. Aug. how dost thou debase thy self thou lovest earthly things and thou art better than them thou admirest the Sun and thou art more beautifull and excellent than the Sun only God is above thee and thou wert made to love him only A Child of Heaven and a Son of the Earth differ in this as much as Heaven and Earth Phil. 3.18 19 20. 2 Pet. 3.10 The Ground is cursed and this World shall be burnt up why art thou enamour'd with it Therefore the Lord imbitters the Worlds Breasts to his Children that they may be weaned and no longer suck of them and then when the world begins to be bitter to us the Lord begins to be sweeter to us Math. 17.4 When Peter had found some Sweetness on Mount Tabor he was loth to come down and would dwell there above the World in that heavenly Company That Wife never truly loved her Husband that loves her Jewels above him Did not Israel do so when they made a Calf of the Jewels God gave them and a God of that Calf and themselves Beasts in worshipping of it What abominable Idolatry what Apostasie what Ingratitude is here 1. All that hath hitherto been said of this great Duty of Keeping our selves in the Love of God is Practical and carryes Application with it containing true signs of such as keep themselves in Gods Love What is that but a great Use of Examination of our State and of our Practice 1. Whether we are in the Love of God 2. Whether we do indeed walk so as to keep our selves in it Be not deceived compare your State Heart and Life with these Rules be serious and solemn in it 2. You have had by way of contrary sufficiently hinted the cross Practice of the greatest part of the World herein who keep themselves out of Gods Love by keeping in an evil State of Enmity between God and them And though God hath long beseeched them by his Embassadours to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 yet they will not but stand out in open defiance against God Job 21.14 and desire not the knowledge of his wayes they preferr the Love of men before the Love of God They preferr the love of Money and carnal Delights before the love of God Luk. 8.14 2 Tim. 3.4 They hate the Knowledge of God they hate the People of God they hate the Wayes of God they love those that hate God and whom God hates Can these think themselves in the Love of God Can they keep themselves in the Love of God before they are come into it And this carryes in it a Use of Reprehension Conviction Discrimination and Lamentation all of them respectively O mind and consider it well 3. We have a Use of Exhortation The Text is properly such a Use It contains a Duty to be practised all your Life perform the Duties of that State study what doth please God Qui in amore Dei se custodiunt suaviter habitant instar apum in alvearibus in favis meilis ut Sponsa in finu Sponsi Cant. 1.2 3. cap. 2.4 5 6 12 13. take heed of that which doth offend God shun all that is inconsistent with the Love of God Meditate on the happy Priviledge of such a State Thou art a Candidate of Heaven a Favourite of God such are out of the reach of danger they have a sweet Calm and Sun-shine in their Conscience They have a pleasant Spring of singing of Birds and like the fragrant smell of a Garden of Spices and the fill of Divine Flagons in Christs Banquetting House Cant. 4.16 Cap. 5.1 4. If thou keep thy self in the Love of God thou needest not to fear the Hatred of men This is to be feared of all that are not in the Love of God Those that are in Gods love have no cause in the world to fear worldly mens hate they have the strongest security against it 1. From the Power of God which is omnipotent Gen. 15.1 2. From the Promise of God which is faithful and never fails Rom. 8.31 to 39. Heb. 13.5 6 8. 3. From the Eternity of Christ the same to day as yesterday and for ever He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my Helper and I will not fear what man can do unto me Read Deut. 33. and the four last Verses God will be a wall of fire about those that are in his Love Zach. 2.5 Read Deut. 32.9 10 11 12 13 14. What higher expressions can be uttered to set forth the tender love of God to his People while they are under his Wing Will ye have more consider that of the Prophet Isaiah in Chap. 60.5 As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and you shall be comforted And when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb 5. If ye mind this Duty aright to keep your selves in the love of God 1 You must labour to understand the love of God to his Elect truely and then meditate
the Ministry of the Gospel promotes a mans own Salvation in so far as the work of Christianity is woven in with the right discharge of the Office of the Ministry Many Ministers can say that if they had not been Ministers they had in all appearance lost their Souls The Subject of the Ministers work is the same with that of a Christian's and above all men should he be careful of his Heart and Intentions that all be pure and spiritual No man in any work he is called to is under so strict a necessity of dependance on the influence and assistance of the Holy Ghost both for Gifts and Grace And are not all these great helps unto our own Salvation 2. The Second advantage is thou shalt save them that hear thee There is little hope of that mans being usefull to save others that minds not his own Salvation And therefore the Apostle puts them in this order thy self and then them that hear thee This description of the People them that hear thee saith that the principal work of a Minister is Preaching and the principal benefit People have by them is to hear the Lords Word from them though there be a seeing i. e. of their holy Conversation that is also useful Phil. 4.9 But the Apostle knew no such Ministers as were only to be seen in worldly Pomp and Grandeur and seldom or never heard Preaching Thou shalt save them The great End of both Preaching and Hearing is Salvation and if Salvation were more design'd by Preachers and Hearers it would be more frequently the effect of the action Thou shalt save them Thou shalt by the Lords blessing on thy Ministry be successeful in converting Sinners and in building up of Saints in Holiness and Faith unto Salvation Not that Ministers are of themselves able by all their Endeavours to carry on this great End they are only Gods Tools and Instruments 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Concerning this 1. We find that the Lord hath appointed this great Ordinance of the Gospel-Ministry for this end the Saving of men Eph. 4.11 12 13. It is through their Word that men believe Joh. 17.20 And Divine appointment of the Means declares both it to be usefull and the End to be hopefull 2. He hath also given many Promises of his presence blessing and success to follow and attend them whom he sends on this great Errand Christs first calling of the Apostles had this Promise in it I will make you Fishers of men which not only declared what that Imployment was he call'd them unto but it assur'd them of success in it At his leaving of them Matth. 28.20 he promised to be with them unto the End of the World and this Promise is as good to us as it was to them 3. He hath also revealed much of his Mind about Ministers Duty in order to this end of Saving men This also makes the End more hopefull 4. We find that the Lord doth qualifie and fit them whom he makes successeful He makes men able Ministers of the New Testament the Word of Life 2 Cor. 3.5 6. And still according to the success the Lord hath a mind to bless a man with gifts and qualifications and assistance are proportionably given The Apostles that had the greatest Harvest to gather in were made the strongest Labourers and though in a far inferiour degree the same method is observed by the Lord in dealing with and by ordinary Ministers It 's true that alwayes the most able and learned Ministers are not most successeful yet generally the most skilfull Labourers are most blessed Neither are the most Learned and able men for parts most fit and skilful in dealing with Souls at all times Now having opened the words we shall return to the Question to be resolved By what means may Ministers best win Souls In speaking to which I shall first shew What this Text saith unto this purpose 2ly And then give some further account thereof from other Scriptures 3ly And apply it both to Ministers and People 1. What this Text speaks about this matter It looks two wayes upon this Question 1. It gives a direct Answer unto it and points forth Duty 2. It gives an encouraging Promise of the good Effect and Fruit of the discharge of the Duty I shall carry on both together 1. Take heed unto thy self Wouldst thou be a saved and successeful Minister take heed unto thy self Such Warnings imply alwayes a Case of difficulty and danger wherein he is that gets them Take heed unto thy self in these things 1. Take heed that thou be a sound and sincere Believer The importance of sincere Godliness in a Minister is written in the deep wounds that the Church of Christ hath received by the hands of ungodly Ministers It hath been made a question Whether an ungodly Man can be a Minister but it is none That such men are in a most desperate condition Matth. 7.22 23. Depart from me not because you ran unsent or preach'd Error instead of Truth or preached poorly and meanly all great sins in themselves but because you work iniquity the usual expression of intire ungodliness What use the Lord may make of the Gifts for great Gifts he gives to the worst of men of ungodly men even in the Ministry of the Gospel is one of his deep Paths But no man can reasonably imagine that a walker in the way to Hell can be a fit and usefull Guide to them that mind to go to Heaven If a man would have peace in his Conscience and success in his work of the Ministry let him take good heed to this that he be a sound Christian There is a special difficulty for a Minister to know his Grace Gifts and Grace have deceived many with their likeness although the difference be great both in it self and to an enlightened Eye 2. Take heed to thy self that thou be a called and sent Minister This is of great importance as to Success He that can say Lord thou hast sent me may boldly adde Lord go with me and bless me It is good when a man is serious in this Inquiry It is to be feared that many run and never ask this Question so is it seen in their speed and success Jer. 23. I sent them not therefore they shall not profit this people at all is a standing rule to this day These things if found may serve to satisfie a Ministers Conscience that Jesus Christ hath sent him 1. If the Heart be filled with a single desire after the great end of the Ministry the Glory of God in the Salvation of men Every work that God calls a man to he makes the End of it amiable This desire sometimes attends mens first Conversion Paul was called to be a Saint and an Apostle at once Acts 9. and so have many been called to be Saints and Ministers together If it be not so yet this is found with him that Christ calls that when he is most spiritual and serious
up unto him in all things who is the head despiseth this Image and Dagon will fall to the ground when this ark is brought in yea though it be in his own Temple SECT VIII In the farther opening of this Chamber of Imagery we shall yet if it be possible see greater Abominations At least that which doth next ensue is scarce inferiour unto any of them that went before It is a principle in Christian Religion an acknowledged verity that it is the duty of the Disciples of Christ especially as united in Churches to propagate the faith of the Gospel and to make the doctrine of it known unto all as they have opportunity yea this is one principal end of the constitution of Churches and officers in them Mat. 5.13 14 15 16. 1 Tim. 3.15 This our Lord Jesus Christ gave in special charge unto his Apostles at the beginning Mat. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 16. Hereby they were obliged unto the work of propagating the faith of the Gospel and the knowledge of him therein in all places and were justified in their so doing And this they did with that efficacy and success that in a short time like the light of the Sun their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10.18 And the Gospel was said to be preached unto every Creature which is under Heaven Col. 1.23 The way therefore whereby they propagated the faith was by diligent laborious preaching of the Doctrine of the Gospel unto all persons in all places with patience and magnanimity in undergoing all sorts of sufferings on the account of it and a declaration of its power in all those vertues and graces which are useful and exemplary unto mankind It is true their Office and the discharge of it is long since Leased Howbeit it cannot be denyed but that the Work it self is incumbent in a way of duty on all Churches yea on all Believers as they have providential Calls unto it and Opportunities for it For it is the principal way whereby they may glorifie God and benefit men in their chiefest Good which without doubt they are obliged unto This notion of Truth is retained in the Church of Rome and the work it self is appropriated by them unto themselves alone unto them and them only as they suppose it belongs to take care of the propagation of the faith of the Gospel with the conversion of Infidels and Hereticks Whatever is done unto this purpose by others they condemn and abhor What do they think of the primitive way of doing it by personal Preaching Sufferings and Holiness Will the Pope his Cardinals and Bishops undertake this work or way of the discharge of it Christ hath appointed no other the Apostles and their Successors knew no other no other becomes the Gospel nor ever had Success No they abhor and detest this way of it What then is to be done Shall the Truth be denyed Shall the work be wholely and avowedly laid aside neither will this please them because it is not suited unto their honour wherefore they have erected a dismal Image of it unto the horrible reproach of Christian Religion They have indeed provided a double painting for the Image which they have set up The first is the constant consult of some persons at Rome which they call congregatio de propaganda fide a Counsel for the Propagation of the Faith under the effect of whose consultations Christendom hath long grieved And the other is the Sending of Missionaries as they call them or a Surcharge of Fryars from their over numerous Fraternities upon their errands into remote Nations But the Real Image it self consists of these three parts 1. The Sword 2. The Inquisition 3. Plots and Conspiracies By these it is that they design to propagate the Faith and promote Christian Religion And if Hell it self can invent a more deformed Image and Representation of the sacred Truth and Work which it is a counterfeit of I am much mistaken Thus have they in the first way carried Christian Religion into the Indies especially the Western Parts of the World so called First the Pope out of the plenitude of his power gives unto the Spaniard all those Countreys and the Inhabitants of them that they may be made Christians But Christ dealt not so with his Apostles though he were Lord of all when he sent them to teach and baptize all Nations He dispossessed none of them of their Temporal Rights or Enjoyments nor gave to his Apostles a foot breadth of Inheritance among them But upon this Grant the Spanish Catholicks propagâ—ted the Faith and brought in Christian Religion amongst them And they did it by killing and murthering many millions of innocent persons as some of themselves say more than are alive in Europe in any one Age. And this savage Cruelty hath made the name of Christians detestable amongst all that remained of them that had any Exercise of Reason some few slavish Brutes being brought by force to submit unto this new kind of Idolatry And this we must think to be done in obedience unto that command of Christ Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel unto every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned This is the deformed Image which they have set up of Obedience unto his holy Commands whereunto they apply that voice to Peter with respect unto the eating of all sorts of Creatures Arise Peter kill and eat So have they dealt with those poor Nations whom they have devoured But Blood Murder and unjust War as all War is for the Propagation of Religion with persecution began in Cain who derived it from the Devil that Murderer from the beginning for he was of that wicked one and slew his Brother Jesus Christ the Son of God was manifesâ— to destroy these works of the Devil Heb. 2. And he doth it in the world by his Word and Doctrine judging and condemning them And he does it in his Disciples by his Spirit extirpating them out of their minds hearts and ways so as that there is not a more assured Character of a Derivation from the Evil Spirit than force and blood in Religion for the propagating of it The next part of this Image the next way used by them for the propagating of the Faith and the conversion of them they call Hereticks is the Inquisition So much hath been declared and is known thereof that it is needless here to give a Portraicture of it It may suffice that it hath been long since opened like Cacus's Den and discovered to be the greatest Arsenal of Cruelty the most dreadful Shambles of blood and slaughter that ever was in the World This is that Engine which hath supplyed the Scarlet Whore with the blood of Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus until she was drunk with it And this is the Second way or means whereby they propagate the Faith
can no otherwise command and turn away your thoughts rise up and go into some company or to some employment which will divert you and take them up Tell me what you would do if you heard a scold in the street reviling you or heard an Atheist there talk against God would you stand still to hear them or would you talk it out again with them or rather go from them and disdain to hear them or debate the case with such as they Do you in your case when Satan casts in ugly or despairing or murmuring thoughts go away from them to some other thoughts or business If you cannot do this of your self tell your friend when the temptation cometh and it is his duty who hath the care of you to divert you with some other talk or works or force you into diverting Company Yet be not too much troubled at the temptation for trouble of mind doth keep the evil matter in your memory and so increase it as pain of a sore draws the blood and spirits to the place And this is the design of Satan to give you troubling thoughts and then to cause more by being troubled at those and so for one thought and trouble to cause another and that another and so on as waves in the Sea do follow each other to be tempted is common to the best I told you to what Idolatry Christ was tempted When you feel such thoughts thank God that Satan cannot force you to love them or consent 9. Again still remember what a comfortable Evidence you carry about with you that your sin is not damning while you feel that you love it not but hate it and are weary of it Scarce any sort of sinners have so little pleasure in their sin as the melancholly nor so little desire to keep them and only beloved sins undo men Be sure that you live not idly but in some constant business of a lawful calling so far as you have bodily strength Idleness is a constant sin and labour is a duty Idleness is but the Devils home for temptation and for unprofitable distracting musings Labour profiteth others and our selves both souls and body need it Six days must you labour and must not eat the bread of idleness Prov. 31. God hath made it our duty and will bless us in his appointed way I have known grievous dispairing melancholly cured and turned into a life of Godly cheerfulness principally by setting upon constancy and diligence in the business of families and callings It turns the thoughts from temptation and leaveth the Devil no opportunity it pleaseth God if done in obedience and it purifieth the distempered blood Though thousands of poor people that live in want and have Wivâ—s and Children that must also feel it one would think should be distracted with griefs and cares yet few of them fall into the disease of melancholly because labour keepeth the body sound and leaveth them no leisure for melancholly musings whereas in London and great Towns abundance of Women that never sweat with bodily work but live in idleness especially when from fulness they fall into want are miserable objects continually vexed and near distraction with discontent and a restless mind If you will not be perswaded to business your friends if they can should force you to it And if the Devil turn Religious as an Angel of light and tell you that this is but turning away your thoughts from God and that worldly thoughts and business are unholy and fit for worldly men tell him that Adam was in innocency to dress and keep his Garden and Noah that had all the world was to be Husbandman and Abraham Isaac and Jacob kept Sheep and Cattle and Paul was a Tent maker and Christ himself is justly supposed to have worked at his supposed Fathers Trade as he went on fishing with his Disciples And Paul saith idleness is disorderly walking and be that will not work let him not eat God made souls and body and hath commanded work to both And if Satan would drive you unseasonably upon longer secret prayer then you can bear remember that even sickness will excuse the sick from that sort of duty which they are unable for and so will your disease And the unutterable groans of the spirit are accepted If you have privacy out of hearing I would give you this advice that instead of long meditation or long secret Prayer you will sing a Psalm of praise to God such as the 23 or the 133 c. This will excite your Spirit to that sort of holy affection which is much more acceptable to God and suitable to the hopes of a believer than your repining troubles are IV. But yet I have not done with the duty of those that take care of distressed melancholly persons especially Husbands to their Wives for it is much more frequently the disease of Women than of men when the disease disableth them to help themselves the most of their helps under God must be from others And this is of two Sorts 1. In prudent carriage to them 2. In Medicine and Diet A little of both 1. A great part of their cure lyeth in pleasing them and avoiding all displeasing things as far as lawfully can be done Displeasedness is much of the Disease and a Husband that hath such a Wife is obliged to do his best to cure her both in Charity and by his relative Bond and for his own peace It is a great weakness in some men that if they have Wives who by natural passionate weakness or by melancholly or crazedness is wilful and will not yield to reason they shew their anger at them to their further provocation You took her in marriage for better and for worse for sickness and health If you have chosen one that as a Child must have every thing that she cryeth for and must be spoken fair and as it was rockt in the Cradle or else it will be worse you must condescend to do it and so bear the burden which you have chosen as may not make it heavier to you Your passion and sourness towards a person that cannot cure her own unpleasing carriage is a more unexcusable fault and folly than hers who hath not the power of reason as you have If you know any lawful thing that will please them in speech in company in apparel in rooms in attendance give it them If you know at what they are displeased remove it I speak not of the Distracted that must be mastered by forces but of the sad and melancholly could you devise how to put them in a pleased condition you might cure them 2. As much as you can divert them from the thoughts which are their trouble keep them on some other talkes and business break in upon them and interrupt their musings rouse them out of it but with loving importunity suffer them not to be long alone get fit company to them or them to it especially suffer them not to be
is to be humbled at Gods threatnings and comforted at his Promises for great griefs and Joys leave great Impressions on us And therefore apprehend spiritual things to be very excellent and also receive the Truth in the love of it and you will remember it better but when we have a mean and low opinion of heavenly Truths or only a common kindness for them they are then easily forgotten Ps 119.16 I will delight my self in thy Statutes and what then why I will never forget thy word 5. Serious Meditation is the last help I shall mention When people read or hear and presently plung themselves in forreign business then generally all is lost Jam. 1.24 25. For he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightly forgets what manner of man he was But who so looketh the word signifies to penetrate into a thing with his Eye and continueth therein that is so considering he being not a forgetful hearer but a door of the VVork this man shall be blessed in his deed By which is not meant a speculative and fruitless meditation but that which is practical that is which digests the things we read or hear for use and practise Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hiâ—â—â— my heart that I might not sin against thee Here 's a truth or a duty or promise for such a time or case Such rolling good things in our thoughts doth habituate and familiarize them to the Soul and they abide the longer This is clear in other Cases for if one hath received an injurious or unkind word if it go out at one Ear as it came in at the other it leavs no great impression but if you set your self to ruminate upon it and to aggravate it then it s a long time ere you forget it And so in some measure it would be in good things give them a little heart-room bestow some second thoughts upon them shut the Book when you have read a little and think of it and it will abide it is the soaking rain that enters deepest into the Earth when a sudden showr slides away Hence what one Evangelist Mat. 26.75 calls remembring the word of Jesus that is spoken of Peter the other calls it thinking when he thought thereon he wept But herein our ordinary Hearers are strangely negligent they read they hear they forget for they never think nor meditate of it They turn down Leaves in their Bibles in the Congregation but they seldom turn them up again in reflecting upon what they heard and so their labour is lost and ours also And so much for the Helps to a better Memory which is the sixth point VII I come in the next place to answer some Cavils of the wilful and also some Doubts of the weak The former use to Object and say Obj. 1. Why The Scripture tells us that to fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole Duty of man what need then is there of such Remembring Answ Why this which you mention doth plainly require Remembring Must he not remember the Commandments that will keep them and not the meer words only but the true extent of them or else how can he possibly keep them There are Ten Commandments but there are ten hundred Duties commanded and Sins forbidden and how shall those be performed and these avoided unless we remember them And is there nothing but Commandments to be remembred Are not the Promises of the Covenant Are not the Doctrines of Life and Salvation to be remembred also Surely this Apostle was of this mind when he tells in the Text that if the Corinthians kept not in memory what was preached unto them concerning that only Doctrine of the Resurrection from the dead they would believe in vain and their Salvation was in danger Obj. 2. I but it is impossible to remember so many Scriptures so many Doctrines so many Vses as we have heard what man in the world can do it Answ It is true that Perfection in this Faculty is not attainable in this Life but it is is as true that every Christian ought to endeavour to reach as far as he can We cannot keep all the Commandments perfectly in this Life yet we should strive to do what we can and then our heavenly Father will accept and assist us But it is plain sloth to be urging impossibilities in opposition to Duty I say carnality and sloth for these same men can readily remember a thousand vain Matters and there is no difficulty in it But ye were best to beware of that Curse Mal. 1.13 Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a Male and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing If you have a Masculine strong Memory for other things and only a corrupt crackt Memory for God and Godliness ye are near to Cursing Obj. 3. O but we have as good Hearts as the best though we have not such strong Memories and an honest Heart 's worth all Answ 1. This is a proud boasting for no humble modest man will thus vaunt himself 2. This is meer shuffling for when you are reproved for the defectiveness of your Faculties or the immoralities of your Lives then you plead the honesty and goodness of your Hearts and when you are convinced and urged concerning the newness and holiness of your hearts then you boast of the innocence and orderliness of your lives but you cannot mock God thus he beholds the unregeneracy of your hearts and is witness to all the evil of your lives but if you have as good hearts how is it that you have not as good Memories for the honest heart is good all over and though ye cannot remember as much yet ye will remember as well as they Do not deceive your selves do not imagine that ye are spiritually rich when ye are poor and miserable and blind and naked If many of your Memories were dissected I am afraid they would be found to be stuffed like that Roman Legates Sumpter that was gorgeous enough without but being broken up by a fall in the street was filled with nothing but Boots and Shoos and such like worthless trash but I must turn now to the other Branch of this Point which is to answer the doubts of the weak Christian in this case about the memory Doubt 1. If no Faith nor Salvation without remembring Spiritual things then crys the poor soul to be sure I have no Grace for I can remember little or nothing I hear and love to hear and so I read but nothing abides with me I shall believe in vain Ans There is an Historical memory and there is a Practical memory The former is either a great natural faculty or a particular gift Now though this be a great help to Grace yet it is not absolutely necessary What advantage is it to a mans Salvation if he could do as it is reported of Cyrus and of Scipio Cael. Rhodig Ant. q. p. 525. that they could repeat two thousand Names in order or
our Fathers have told us this and that Observation And likewise as we have heard so we have seen what may be very useful to many a Soul So that you see a good Memory is useful many ways 6. The want of Memory is a great defect and loss when we cannot remember what we read or hear why time is lost I will not say quite lost but it s not improv'd The Chapter 's lost I hope you do not read only to pass the time When Gods Word is remembred then When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee Prov. 6.22 But a broken memory hath heard of Gods famous Acts of Providence but forgotten them hath read rare examples of Gods Mercy Justice Power and Goodness but they are slipt and lost In a word so far as thy Memory fails so far will Meditation fail Delectation fail and Practice in a great measure fail And therefore set your selves in the use of the means prescribed and all other good means to heal and strengthen your memories and give the more earnest heed to the things which ye have heard lest at any time ye let them slip Heb. 2.1 And so far in the third use 4. The fourth Exhortation is to young people to store your Memories in the time of Youth Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth Now your Memories are fresh and strong hereafter they will be shattered with cares and business A new Ship or any Vessel that is new is free from leaks but time and travel will batter it so will it be with you care will batter you grief will batter you and therefore now store your selves now a dozen Chapters a good Catechism a Collection of useful Texts and Doctrines will take no room nor make you go the heavier nor sleep the worse And therefore it concerns Parents both to have such things in their hearts and to teach them diligently to their Children perhaps they may not understand the sense of them at the present but these will be ready in their minds till grace and understanding come and then they will help them exceedingly As we lay some sticks or fagots ready in the Chimney which when fire comes signifies something Yet a measure must be observed both with old and young a Ship may be laden but must not be overcharged lest all the Cargo be sunk and lost A just discretion will best determine the measure herein according to the capacities of the Subjects 5. Let us all labour for more holiness for that raiseth all the faculties and reduces them to their right frame and proper Objects The more Grace we have the better we shall remember and especially better things Grace saith excellent Dr. Harris strengthens the memory always for practice though it serve not always for Discourse some says he have such memories that they can repeat vastly but when they should advance to practise they are nobody when others are more confused in their memories but very clear in their practise A grain of Grace is worth an ounce of Parts For thereby we love truths and duties better and it is easy to remember that which we love and therefore let it be our daily Prayer that the God of Peace would sanctifie us wholly Spirit Soul Body all It is not for Christians to enquire just how little Grace will serve our turn for Salvation but rather how much may be attained and improved to the glory of God 6. Lastly Reduce into practice that which you do remember Christus Magister vitae non schola The end of all true knowledge is Practice Remember his Commandments to do them If it be a Doctrinal Truth which you read or hear consider what influence it hath upon the Heart If it be a duty which is set before you immediately set about it If a sin be exposed presently root it out If Sincerity or Hypocrisie be decyphered try thy spiritual State thereby without delay For as a Treasure in the Chest is in danger of the Robber but when it s laid out on a good Purchase here its safe from starting so while spiritual Notions swim only in the memory you may easily lose them but they are safe when they are once incorporated into your real Practise But alas there are too many that are like those whiffling Chapmen who come to the Shop and lay by a great many rich wares but when all is done they buy few or none so these cheapen and bid for the Pearl but will not buy it they will talk over all the points of Religion before they will seriously Practise any one of them Then you remember the Sabboth a right when you so remember it before it comes that when it comes you keep it Holy Then you remember God truly when you fear and love and trust in him Then you remember your Neighbour as you ought when you remember to do good and Communicate Then you remember your selves best when you remember to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God or men In a word then you remember your latter end rightly when you keep your oyl ready in your Lamps and in your Vessels that your Master may find you so doing But I conclude It is worth observing that Holy David among all the rest of his blessed Psalms hath one which is the Thirty eight Psalm which he Stiles a Psalm of David to bring to remembrance His memory it seems had need of help as well as ours Now the Lord grant that this Sermon may by the blessing of God upon it be herein at least useful namely to preserve better Sermons in your mind so shall I have my end God the Glory and you the Comfort Amen Quest What are the Signs and Symptoms whereby we know we love the Children of God SERMON XV. I. JOHN V. II By this we know we love the Children of God if we love God and keep his Commandments OF all the Marks that are useful in the Trial of our spiritual state in reference to Eternity there is none affords a more clear and comfortable assurance of Gods special and saving Mercy than Love to the Saints This has often resolved the Doubts and quieted the Fears of afflicted enquiring Souls when other Graces have not been so apprehensible in their operations But there is no Mark which the deceitful heart does more securely rest upon through the mistake of natural humane Love for that which is spiritual and divive it is therefore most worthy our serious thoughts the deceit being so easie and infinitely dangerous to shew what is the unfeigned genuine Love of the Brethren to which Salvation is annext to confirm the humble sincere Christian and undeceive presuming hypocrites The great Design of St. John in this Epistle is to excite and enflame in Christians the Love of God and of their Brethren the two comprehensive Duties and Sum of the Law
comprizes all the rest is to die for the Brethren and this we ought to do when the Honour of God and Welfare of the Church require it Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren If Christians thus loved one another the Church on Earth would be a lively Image of the blessed Society above Thirdly The Love of God and Obedience to his Commands the Product of it are to be considered 1. The Love of God has its Rise from the consideration of his amiable Excellencies that render him infinitely worthy of the highest Affection and from the blessed Benefits of Creation Preservation Redemption and Glorification that we expect from his pure Goodness and Mercy This is the most clear and essential Character of a Child of God and most peculiarly distinguishes him from unrenewed men however accomplished by Civil Virtues Now the internal exercise of Love to God in the valuation of his Favour as that which is better than Life in earnest desires of Communion with him in ravishing Joy in the testimonies and assurance of his Love in mourning for what is displeasing to him is in the secret of the Soul but with this there is inseparably joyn'd a true and visible declaration of our Love in obedienc◠〈◊〉 him 1 Joh. 3.16 This is the Love of God the most real and undeceitful Expression of it that we keep his Commandments The Obedience that springs from Love is 1. Uniform and universal for that two principal and necessary Effects of Love are an ardent desire to please God and an equal care not to displease him in any thing Now the Law of God is the signification of his sovereign and holy will and the doing of it is very pleasing to him both upon the account of the subjection of the Creature to his authority and conformity to his purity he declares that Obedience is better than the most costly Sacrifice There is an absolute peremptory repugnance between love to him and despising his Commands And from thence it follows that Love inclines the Soul to obey all Gods Precepts not only those of easie observation but the most difficult and distastful to the carnal Appetites for the Authority of God runs through all and his Holiness shines in all Servile Fear is a partial Principle and causes an unequal respect to the divine Law it restrains from sins of greater guilt from such disorderly and dissolute actions at which Conscience takes fire but others are indulged it excites to good works of some kind but neglects other that are equally necessary But Love regards the whole Law in all its Injunctions and Prohibitions not meerly to please our selves that we may not feel the stings of an accusing Conscience but to please the Lawgiver 2. The Obedience of Love is accurate and this is a natural Consequence of the former The divine Law is a Rule not only for our outward Conversation but of our Thoughts and Affections of all the interior workings of the Soul that are open before God Thus it requires religious Service not only in the external performance but those reverent holy Affections those pure Aims wherein the Life and Beauty the Spirit and true Value of divine Worship consists Thus it commands the Duties of Equity Charity and Sobriety all Civil and Natural Duties for divine Ends to please and glorifie God Heb. 13.16 It forbids all kinds and degrees of Sin not only gross Acts but the inward Lustings that have a tendency to them Now the Love of God is the Principle of spiritual Perfection 'T is called the fulfilling of the Law 1 Cor. 10.31 not only as it is a comprehensive Grace but in that it draws forth all the active Powers of the Soul to obey it in an exact manner This causes a tender sence of our failings and a severe circumspection over our ways that nothing be allowed that is displeasing to the divine Eyes Since the most excellent Saints are Gods chiefest Favourites Love makes the holy Soul to strive to be like him in all possible degrees of Purity Thus St. Paul in whom the Love of Christ was the imperial commanding Affection declares Phil. 3.10 11. it is zealous endeavour to be conformable to the Death of Christ in dying to Sin as Christ died for sin and that he might attain to the Resurrection of the dead that perfection of Holiness that is in the immortal state 1 John 5.3 3. The Obedience of Love is chosen and pleasant This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous Those that are strangers to this heavenly Affection imagine that a solicitous diligent respect to all Gods Precepts is a melancholy Task but it is delightful to the Saints for Obedience is the continual exercise of Love to God the Paradise of holy Souls The mortification of the carnal Appetites and the restraint from such Objects as powerfully insinuate and engage carnal Hearts is with a freer complacency to a Saint than a sensual fruition of them The sharpest sufferings for Religion are allayed nay sweetned to a Saint from the Love of God that is then most sincerely strongly and purely acted The Apostle more rejoyced in sharp Tribulations for Christ's sake than in divine Revelations 4. The Love of God produces persevering Obedience Servile Compliance is inconstant A Slave hates the Duties he performs and loves the Sins he dares not commit therefore as soon as he is releas'd from his Chain and his Fear his Obedience ceases but a Son is perfectly pleas'd with his Fathers Will and the Tenor of his Life is correspondent to it He that is press'd by fear to serve in an Army will desert his Colours the first opportunity but a Volunteer that for the love of Valour and of his Country lists himself will continue in the Service The motion that is caused by outward poises will cease when the weights are down but that which proceeds from an inward principle of Life is continual and such is the Love of God planted in the breast of a Christian Fourthly We are to prove that from the Love of God and willing Obedience to his Commands we may convincingly know the sincerity of our Love to his Children There is an inseparable Union between these two Graces and the one arises out of the other Godliness and brotherly kindness are joyned by the Apostle And it will be evident that where this Affection of Love to the Saints is sincere and gracious there will be an entire and joyful respect to the Law of God by considering the Reasons and Motives of it 1. The Divine Command requires this Love These things I command you saith our Saviour that ye love one another This Precept so often repeated and powerfully re-inforc'd by him made so deep an impression on the first Christians that they had one Heart and one Soul and their Estates
were common between them And in the next succeeding Ages this fraternal Love was so conspicuous in the Professors of his Sacred Discipline Tert. Apoâ— c. 3â— that their Enemies observ'd it as a rare and remarkable thing See how the Christians love one another see how ready they are to die for one another Now the same gracious Principle that inclines us to do one Command will make us universally willing to observe all for sincere Obedience primarily respects the Authority of the Lawgiver which binds the whole Law upon the Conscience James 2. And as he that breaks the Law wilfully in one point is guilty of all because the violation of a single Precept proceeds from the same Cause that induces men to transgress all that is contempt of the Divine Majesty so he that sincerely obeys one Command does with consent of heart and serious endeavors obey all And from hence 't is clear that without a religious and unreserved regard of the divine Commands 't is impossible there should be in any person a gracious affection to the Saints that is the product of Obedience to God and consequently the observance of his Precepts is the certain proof of our Love to his Children 2. Spiritual Love to the Saints arises from the sight of the Divine Image appearing in their Conversation Now if the Beauty of Holiness be the attractive of our Love it will be fastned on the Law of God in the most intense degree The most excellent Saints on Earth have some mixtures of Corruption their Holiness is like the Morning-light that is checquered with the shadows and obscurity of the Night and 't is our wisdom not to love their infirmities but to preserve an unstained affection to them But the Law of God is the fairest Transcript of his Nature wherein his glorious Holiness is most resplendent Psa 19.7 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes This ravish'd the heart of David with an inexpressible Affection O how I love thy Law Psal 119. it is my Meditation all the day And he repeats the declaration of his Love to it with new fervor upon this ground I love thy Law because it is pure Now Love to the Commands of God will transcribe them in our hearts and Lives As affectionate expressions to the Children of God without the real supply of their wants are but the shadows of Love so words of esteem and respect to the Law of God without unfeigned and universal Obedience are but an empty Pretence 3. The Divine Relation of the Saints to God as their Father is the Motive of spiritual Love to them And this is consequent to the former for by partaking of his Holiness they partake of his life and likeness And from hence they are the dearest Objects of his Love his eye and heart is always upon them Now if this Consideration excites Love to the Children of God it will be as powerful to incline us to keep his Commands for the Law of God that is the Copy of his Sacred Will is most near to his Nature and he is infinitely tender of it Our Saviour tells us that it is casier for Heaven and Earth to pass away Luk. 16.17 than for one tittle of the Law to fail If the entire World and all the Inhabitants of it were destroyed there would be no loss to God but if the Law lose its Authority and Obligation the Divine Holiness would suffer a Blemish The Use of the Doctrine is to try our Love to the Children of God to which all pretend by this infallible Rule our Obedience to his Commands This is absolutely necessary because the deceit is so easie and so dangerous and it will be most comfortable if upon this Trial our Love be found to be spiritual and divine The deceit is easie because Acts of Love may be expressed to the Saints from other Principles than the Love of God Some for vain-glory are bountiful and when their Charity seems so visibly divine that men admire it there is the Woâ—m of vanity at the root that corrupts and makes it odious to God The Pharisees are charged with this by our Saviour Mat. 6 2. their Alms were not the effect of Charity but Ostentation and whilst they endeavoured to make their Vices virtuous they made their Virtues vicious There is a natural Love among persons united by Consanguinity that remains so entire since the ruine of Mankind by the Fall and is rather from the force of Nature than the virtue of the Will and this in all kind Offices may be express'd to the Saints There is a sweetness of Temper in some that inclines them to wish well to all and such tender Affections that are easily moved and melted at the sight of others miseries and such may be beneficent and compassionate to the Saints in their afflictions but the Spring of this Love is good Nature not divine Grace There are humane Respects that incline others to kindness to the Saints as they are united by interest Fellow-Citizens and Neighbours and as they receive advantage by Commerce with them or as obliged by their Benefits But Civil Amity and Gratitude are not that holy Affection that is an assurance of our spiritual state There are other Motives of Love to the Saints that are not so low nor mercenary in the thickest darkness of Paganism the Light of Reason discovered the amiable excellence of Virtue as becoming the humane Nature and useful for the Tranquility and Welfare of Mankind and the Moral Goodness that adorns the Saints the Innocence Purity Meekness Justice Clemency Benignity that are visible in their Conversations may draw respects from others who are strangers to the Love of God and careless of his Commandments And as the Mistake of this Affection is easie so it is infinitely dangerous for he that builds his hope of Heaven upon a sandy foundation upon false Grounds will fall ruinously from his Hopes and Felicity at last How fearful will be the disappointment of one that has been a Favourer of the Saints that has defended their Cause protected their Persons relieved their Necessities and presum'd for this that his Condition is safe as to Eternity though he lives in the known neglect of other Duties and the indulgent practice of some Sin But if we find that our Love to the Children of God flows from our Love to God that sways the Soul to an entire compliance to his Commands and makes us observant of them in the course of our Lives What a blessed Hope arises from this Reflection We need not have the Book of the Divine Decrees opened and the Secrets of Election unveil'd 1 Joh. 3.14 for we know that we are past from Death to Life if we love the Brethren This is an infallible Effect and Sign of the Spiritual Life and the Seed and Evidence of Eternal Life Quest What must we do to
Much more joy will flow in upon you if you go farther and overcome evil with good You will bless God heartily who hath enabled you against all temptations and your own natural inclinations to the contrary to perform this excellent and most Christian duty when you find in your selves the joy that will attend it Quest How may the well discharge of our present duty give us assurance of help from God for the well discharge of all future duties SERMON XX. 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36 37. Psal 27.14 Prov. 10.29 2 Chron. 15.2 OUR Reverend and Worthy Brother who hath the ordering of the Morning-Lectures in this place hath both now and heretofore in great wisdom singled out many choice select cases relating to the mystery of practical godliness and of singular use to all those who desire to know and feel more in themselves of the power of inward experimental Christianity Surely 't is not for nothing that God should send to this Auditority so many of his Messengers one after another Morning by Morning rising early and sending To whom much is given of them much will be required See that you improve these extraordinary means of grace The case that is fallen to my lot this Morning is this viz. How may the well discharge of our present duty give us assurance of help from God for the well discharge of all future duties This Question hath Two parts in it and cannot be so well grounded upon a single Text therefore I shall name Three or Four you may have your eye upon all viz. 1 Sam. 17.34 35 36 37. And David said unto Saul Thy servant kept his fathers sheep and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock And I went out after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth and when he arose against me I caught him by his beard and smote him and slew him Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God David said moreover the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine And Saul said unto David Go and the Lord be with thee Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart wait I say on the Lord. Prov. 10.29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity 2 Chron. 15.2 And he went out to meet Asa and said unto him Hear ye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you I do not name these several Scriptures as so many Texts which I intend to preach upon but as so many Proofs of the truth of the Point That it is a Case very agreeable to the Scriptures and to the Analogy of Faith and so I shall take it up and for once preach common place wise upon it which was a way of preaching much in use in the last Century and upwards by many eminent Divines and not without great success Now we tie our selves to single Texts Then they preached upon such and such Subjects proving what they said by Scripture and in this good old way I shall walk for once Pray follow me with due attention This Case or Question may be resolved into two 1. What our present duty is 2. How the well discharge of that may encourage us to hope in God for his help and assistance in all future duties First What is our present duty Before I define this it will be necessary to speak something previous to it which may help us much in this Enquiry and lead us as it were by the hand into a right understanding of our present duty The steps I shall go by are these shewing you 1. What Duty is in the general nature and notion of it 'T is an Act of Obedience to the will of our Superiors God being our Soveraign Supreme Lord Master and Lawgiver our duty lies in subjecting our selves in all things to his will Duty is that which is due from Man to God 'T is Justitia ergâ—â— Deum Gic. de Nat. de lib. 1. 'T is Justice towards God We don't do God right we rob him of his glory if we don't do our duty God knows indeed how to recover his right and the wrong we do in sinning against him will in the end redound to our own souls Prov. 8.36 Every sinner deals injuriously with God he does not give unto God the things that are Gods he withholds the obedience that is due unto God he will not be subject to his Law he does not do his duty 2. Something is our present duty God hath filled up all our time with duty not one Moment left at our own disposal We must give an account to him of every thing we do in the body from first to last every day hath its proper works the things of it self Mat. 6.34 3. Nothing that is sinful and in it self unlawful can be our duty at any time and therefore to be sure not our present duty This needs no proof 4. Every thing that is in it self-lawful is not therefore our duty All things are lawful but all things are not expedient 1 Cor. 6.12 Whatsoever is not forbidden under a penalty is lawful i. e. whatsoever is not contrary to the rectitude of the Law and in the doing of which we incur no penalty from the Law that is lawful but nothing properly is our duty but what is commanded What we have a command to do or not to do the doing or not doing of that is our duty as the command runs in the Affirmative or Negative The Law strictly injoyns some things does tollerate and allow of some others of a more indifferent nature which in intimo gradu-juris in the lowest degree of legality may be called lawful and yet Circumstances may render our doing these things unlawful when God is not glorified nor our Neighbour edified All things edifie not 1 Cor. 10.23 5. Every thing that is commanded and is in its time and place our duty may not be our present duty Affirmative commands do bind semper but not ad semper as Negatives do Affirmatives bind always i. e. we can never be discharged from that obligation that lies upon us to worship God but we are not bound at all times to the outward acts of worship for then me should do nothing else Neither indeed are we bound at all times to inward acts of worship for in our sleep we do not act our Grace A disposition so to do from an inward habit and principle is all that God requires when we are not in a capacity to act either Grace or Reason Besides positive
Resist him and he flies from you give back never so little and he 'l come upon you with double force Till we are thus sincerely fixed upon our duty standing perfect and compleat in all the will of God Col. 4.12 resolving to do our duty wherever it lies Till then we shall be partial Judges of our duty very apt to single out the easiest and shortest duties stepping over all the rest we shall seek rather to please our selves than God in the duty we perform and leaning to a carnal judgment do what seems right in our own eyes and then to be sure we are wrong Object Tho by these directions given I may discern duty from downright sin yet I am at a loss how to distinguish between duty and duty between duty in season and duty out of season When two duties come together and present themselves at once to my Conscience I cannot deny but they are both duties but which to do first I know not Ans If this be the doubt consider whether the Scripture hath not decided it in some cases it hath and upon such grounds as may help us in other cases to know our present duty as Mat. 5.24 First be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift So Mat. 7.5 First cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly c. When the duty postponed by you does hinder the right performance of that other duty which thou art going about and render it unacceptable to God then the second duty as you have ranked them must take place of the first and be first done Acts of worship cannot be done in Faith towards God where Charity towards our Neighbour is wanting He doth not believe in God who loves not his brother 1 John 3.10 23. And so in the other case mentioned 't is gross hypocrisie to reprove another when thou thy self art guilty in the same or a higher kind Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam c. Besides he cannot understand how to reprove another who doth not first reform himself the casting out our own sins gives us light how to deal with others then shalt thou see clearly c. Object But what if after all this it should so fall out that two duties should press upon my conscience for present performance and I cannot either by Reason or Scripture determine which to do first but do hang in suspence am in a strait between two Ans This is hardly to be supposed but admit it to be thy case according to thy present judgment Then 1. Sit down once more and consider weigh them both well and hold the ballance with a steddy hand I am perswaded you may perceive some preponderancy on one side that may direct you what to do from some over-bearing circumstances that turn the scales God is the God of Order and not of Confusion He does never command two inconsistent duties at the same time The Covenant is ordered in all things and so must our Conversations be too else we walk disorderly Therefore consider well what pleases God most and for once leave out the relation to the present time which thou art so much puzled about and consider the nature of the duties themselves which of them is most spiritual which of them the Scripture lays most weight upon for there is a difference between duty and duty all are not alike as Psal 51.16 17. a broken and a contrite heart is beyond all other Sacrifices God did require them too but not without this both together do best but of the two he had rather have this alone than the other alone without this Outward Offerings are never pleasing to God when the heart goes not along with them Be sure to mind that most which God is most pleased with 2. If of two duties you cannot resolve which is most your duty at present then resolve upon both and begin where you will God will not be extreme in that case do one and leave not the other undone but be sure to find time for that also When one duty doth quite take us off from the performance of another necessary duty that stood in competition with it 't is greatly to be suspected that there is a temptation then but if you do both one after another you can err only in point of time and order and God will over-look that in a sincere Christian who acts according to his present light and would do that which God likes best if he could understand his mind but being not able to judg of that he resolves upon both successively 3. Beg of God to resolve thee O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119.5 Shall I go up to Hebron or shall I not 2 Sam. 2.1 God will teach thee what to do Psal 25.12 He shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.5 6. APPLICATION In some moving Considerations to quicken you to your present duty 1. All the sins of your lives break in upon you through the omission of your present duty Do but stop that gap and keep it stopt and then there will be no room for sin I speak not of those unavoidable infirmities that cleave to the Saints under their most conscionable walking with God but of wilful neglects that lie heavy upon the conscience when God awakens it 2. Whatever you do in the room of a present duty is not acceptable to God Not acceptable did I say that is too soft a word 't is an offence to him 't is disobedience and rebellion tho it be a duty yet because it is not that duty that God now requires you sin in doing it Not that I would have Christians live always distracting in fear lest what they do should not be their present duty My meaning is when we neglect a known duty which we are convinced of but if we use means to know our duty and do act according to our present light in what we do we may have peace and hope for acceptance 3. If you don 't now perform your present duty you can never perform it unless you could recall time and make that present again which is past Time passes away and represents a Man to God as he was at that instant what he is the next is another thing but that hour that day week or year which thou hast spent in the neglect of thy duty stands upon record against thee is irrecoverable you must account for that and without a pardon you cannot escape the judgment of God Mis-spent time is the treasury of Gods wrath and what a fiery day of wrath will that make at last when God shall put all together and sum up the sins of every day of thy life and reckon with thee for all at once in the great day of his wrath so much for such an idle hour and so much for such an idle hour so much for such and such a day spent in an Ale-house Tavern or Brothel-house so much for
in actually engage in it and you 'l find Religion carries Meat in its mouth 't is of a reviving nourishing strengthning nature it brings that along with it that enables the soul chearfully to go thorow with it Enter in at the strait gate You cannot judg of the way on this side the gate Most men stick at the strait gate Beg of God to draw thee thorow to lift thee over the Threshold and set thee in the narrow way as narrow as it is yet none who enter in at the strait gate by a true and thorow conversion did ever perish in the way God will lead thee and sustain thee and carry thee on to the end of thy Race Therefore be strong and shew thy self a man and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou mayst prosper in all that thou dost and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 1 Kings 2.3 Secondly How the well discharge of our present duty may encourage us to hope in God for his help and assistance in all future duties 1. 'T is promised 2 Chron. 15.2 The cause of desertion is from our selves God shews mercy for his own sake without any respect to any thing in us But all acts of judgment and wrath take their rise from something in our selves that provokes God to such severities Therefore let us keep close to our present duty and trust God who has promised never to leave us nor forsake us Heb. 13.5 6. vide Isa 40.31 vide Psal 84.11 and Isa 41.10 There is a special promise to the seed of Abraham of help and strength But they who neglect their present duty are greatly threatned Prov. 1.24 and Psal 52.7 vide 2. Present Grace is a pledg of future Grace To him that hath more shall be given Luke 19.17 26. Where God begins a good work he will finish it Heb. 12.2 Phil. 2.6 So Psal 25.3 10 14. Mat. 10.19 20. vide Judg. 13.23 The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil 2 Thes 3.3 3. The experience of the Saints confirms this Psal 18.26 30 31 32. vide 'T was some such thing as this that David had Psal 119.56 4. The Saints made this an Argument in prayer Psal 38.20 21 22. vide Psal 119.30 31 94 121 173. vide Psal 25.21 3. A conscientious discharge of our present duty fits and disposes our minds to the next duty As there is a concatenation of sins so of duties as one sin leads to another so one duty leads to another the breach of one Commandment is virtually the breach of all James 2.10 1 John 4.20 As there is a revolting more and more Isa 1.5 a proceeding from evil to evil Jer. 9.3 waxing worse and worse 2 Tim. 3.13 so a godly man goes from grace to grace from faith to faith from strength to strength Job 17.9 vide Therefore in all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths Prov. 3.6 A man cannot act his Faith upon God for future preservation but in the discharge of his present duty Commit the keeping of thy soul to him in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 and then you 'l find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 6. By the well discharge of our present duty we may attain assurance of salvation Col. 3.23 24. vide 'T is Paul's motive to Timothy when he stirs him up to his present duty 2 Tim. 4.1 2 5 8. vide q. d. I am Paul the aged who have one foot in the grave ver 6. but you are a young man Timothy you are putting on your Armour but I am putting off mine I have finished my course and kept the faith I have discharged the duty of my place and by that means gained assurance of my salvation Henceforth is laid up for me c. He dates his full assurance from that time as the happy result of a well-spent life and exhorts Timothy to tred in his steps to make full proof of his Ministry Fight on Timothy and fear nothing that in the end of thy days thou maist have a comfortable sight of that Crown of righteousness which I am sure of Therefor let us all by patient continuance in well-doing wait for eternal life Rom. 2.7 These are the Scripture-grounds of hope for the time to come that God will help us and stand by us and strengthen us with might in our inward man giving us a sufficiency of grace answerable to all the occasions we may have for it Object May not Saints fail in future duties Ans They may and do fail and when 't is so their former neglects have no small influence into their present miscarriage But tho they may fall yet God upholds them with his hand that they don't fall utterly Psal 37.23 24. God gives them a heart that cannot totally depart from him Jer. 32.40 APPLICATION You see how the way of the Lord is strength to the upright He that is a doer of the word is like a house built upon a Rock which may be shaken but will never fall Mat. 7.24 25. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence Prov. 14.26 A Saint when he relies upon God for help to perform his present duty does not say as Sampson did Strengthen me only this once Judges 16.28 but promises to trust in God at all times hereafter Psal 62.8 to come again and again for help as often as there is need Every single act of Faith implies a universal trust reposed in God for all things at all times He that doth not trust God for every thing cannot trust in him for any thing because there is the same reason for one act of Faith as for another You must bare upon God's Infinite Power Wisdom and Grace in every act of Faith God is always the same in himself If you can believe in him now why not for ever What should discourage you hereafter that may not be objected now You have nothing now to object therefore conclude with David That goodness and mercy shall follow thee all the days of thy life Psal 23.6 He that hath delivered will deliver Not that the doing a present duty does merit assistance for the future but God for our encouragement in well-doing hath graciously promised it This is a great motive to quicken us to our present duty O that every one of you would go home from this Sermon and set upon your present duty You that are Masters of Families take up Joshuah's resolution and say every one of you in the presence of God this day That I and my house will serve the Lord. Fly all appearance of evil declare against every thing that looks like sin let there be no lying swearing drunkenness or any sort of profaneness countenanced by you Be zealous reprovers in your own gates and walk within your houses with a perfect heart live
in a continual fear of offending God beg of him upon your knees to put you into such a daily exercise of grace as may be most suitable to your present circumstances Grace will help you at every turn If you thrive in your calling grace will teach you to give God the praise and to be thankful if you sink and go backwards grace will teach you quietly to submit how to bear with chearfulness all disappointments and losses you meet with how to receive evil as well as good from God Truly a man without grace is a burthen to himself and to every body else he knows not how to receive good or evil is in danger to be undone by one as well as the other The prosperity of the wicked slays them Prov. 1.32 their Table becomes a snare to them and that which should have been for their welfare a trap Psal 69.22 They will run themselves a ground one way or other and come to nothing at last God will turn their way upside down and bring confusion upon them But verily there is a reward for the righteous What I am pressing you to is your present duty what is past cannot be recalled Your present duty is to repent of past sins and to walk with God in your Callings for the time to come Be upright in your way admit nothing into your particular Callings that is inconsistent with the Principles of your general Calling as you are Christians So carry your selves every one of you that all that deal with you may know you are a real Christian Were there a greater savour of grace and of the power of godliness in your Shops did you buy and sell in the fear of God doing all things in Faith as to the Lord as in his sight conversing with others in the fear of God what a comely sight would this be what a Sermon would this be you would be living Epistles of that seen and read of all men and such Sermon-Notes gathered out of the Lives of Professors may make deeper impressions than those that are gathered out of the mouths of Preachers Godliness exemplified in practise shews it self more clearly in the thing than 't is possible for us to do in words Words convey Notions of things to our ears but a holy life holds forth the things themselves to our eyes Nothing is so like a man as himself Godliness in practise is godliness it self extant in the thing in its own substance and nature 't is visible grace 't is the very matter and subject of our Sermons standing forth in the Lives of Professors I wish we had more of this Divinity walking about our Streets more of these living Epistles seen and read of all men These are the Books that will convince gainsayers and provoke them to real holiness You hear good Sermons and read good Books but Doctrines without Examples edifie little You don't see and read that in the men of this Generation that agrees with Gospel-principles The truth is Saints are not so visible so legible as they should be We can hardly spell out any thing that savours of true Christianity 'T would pose a discerning Christian to pick out Grace out of the Lives of some Professors 'T is couched under such sinful mixtures is in such a worldly dress that it does not look like it self Hence it is that many real Saints go for Hypocrites in this World are suspected by good men and hated by bad men upon this account Let your light shine out more away with the Bushel that keeps in the light and take the Lanthorn of Prudence that only keeps out the wind Christian prudence will direct us in the right performance of our duty but true Christian prudence never takes us quite off from our present duty that is Hellish policy not Christian prudence that distinguishes a man quite out of his duty and pretends to give sufficient Reason for it too But God will catch that man in his own craftiness and turn his wisdom into foolishness There can be no Reason given against a present duty if it be duty and thy duty now Reason cannot countermand it You may go to Hell with all your Reasons in a wilful neglect of it But if God incline your hearts every day to make conscience of your present duty you will be always found in a holy frame and the blessing of God will be upon you you will flourish like the Palm-Tree and grow like a Cedar in Lebanon bringing forth fruit in old age you will always be fat and flourishing to shew the Lord is upright Psal 92.12 13 c. Quest What distance ought we to keep in following the strange Fashions of Apparel which come up in the days wherein we live SERMON XXI ZEPH. 1.8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lords sacrifice that I will punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel THAT this Prophecy was synchronal with the Reign of good Josiah appears v. 1. And a heinous aggravavation it was of Judah's sin That they were unreformed under a Reforming-Prince Of him it was said That there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul 2 King 23 25. and with all his might according to all the law of Moses neither after him arose there any like him Of them it may be said That there was no Generation that turned from the Lord that departed from the Law of their God before them tho afterwards there were that equalled or exceeded their wickedness The Prophet therefore without the solemnity of a Preface immediately proceeds to sentence ver 2. I will utterly consume all things out of the land And how could more of wrath be expressed in fewer words Consumption and utter consumption and utter consumption of all things is certainly the abstract and epitome of final and total disolation To silence all Objections that might be made against this righteous sentence of God the Lord commands ver 7. Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord for the day of the Lord is at hand he hath prepared his sacrifice he hath invited his guests 1. Judah was to be the sacrifice They that would not offer a Sacrifice of Righteousness shall be made a Sacrifice to Justice 2. The armed Babylonians were to be the Priests 3. And the Rabble of their Enemies were to be the hungry Guests who would not spare but glut themselves with the spoil of Judah to teach them and us in them That if God be not sanctified in the hearts Lev. 10.3 he will be on the heads of a People professing his Name Now in this day of the Lords sacrifice however the main of the storm and Hericane would fall on the heads of the Idolaters and those that sware by the Lord and Malcham ver 5. upon all the Apostates and such as shook off the worship of God ver 6. yet some
divine disposal and thereupon tasts some sweets in their bitterness and resolves to submit thereunto as her duty and finding her self to have been barren and unfruitful in the knowledg of the Lord Jesus Christ i 2 Pet. 1.8 to bring forth fruit unto holiness which ends in eternal life k Rom. 6.22 Instances of such fruitful Meditation may be seen in Mr. Oliver's Present forecited chap. 5. Further Faith doth exercise it self 2. In Prayer to God that being the Mouth of Faith in God through Christ in whose prevailing Name Christians are concern'd to lift up their hearts unto him for relief in all their straits Those good Wives who own the Religion of the Bible should not with the Heathen in their pains make their Prayers to Lucina or with the Papists to the Virgin Mary or their S. Margaret but unto him alone in whom they believe l Rom. 10.14 and who alone heareth prayers m Psal 65.2 Chrysostome did greatly complain in his time that the tender mind of a Virgin on her Marriage-day should be diverted from minding the things of Christ with immoderate sports and devices of Mirth and from eying of God who alone could effectually give joy to a married couple * L. Viv. de Christian Foem l. 2. p. 148 149. And therefore she should then rather implore his aid as she hath need to do all along in a married state but much more peculiarly and fervently when having conceiv'd and grown big the hour of her child-bed pangs is approaching that her heart is sore pained within her and the terrors of death are fallen upon hâ—r n Psal 55.4 should her precious Faith fervently utter her most necessary and affectionate requests unto him who hath freely given by his Apostle the good word of support in my Text with those of the like import elsewhere and is able to save to the uttermost deliver effectually and keep in perfect peace all that fly to him and stay themselves upon him in that good work he hath appointed them unto Thus of the principal Grace a Divine or Christian Faith There is also 2. A Moral or Conjugal Faith which is more distinctly called fidelity or faithfulness a Grace much strengthned from the former and in a Wife doth more peculiarly respect her Husband as we may particularly gather from our Apostle in this Epistle o 1 Tim. 5.12 compar'd with that which he speaks more generally of it elsewhere p Tit. 2.10 for the adorning of the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things The Wife hath plighted her Troth to her Husband according to the flesh unto whom the Lord hath in the Marriage-Covenant joyn'd her and she is obliged to be constantly faithful in all conjugal duties to him with whom she hath trusted her self and that by Vertue of the Covenant of her God Neither is it enough to be really faithful but also to seem so or be seen as much as may be so to be * Tertull. Not that any Christian woman should be like some of those in the Great Moguls Countrey ‖ Purchas Pilgrim l. 1. p. 225. who to gain the repute of modest loving and faithful Wives will have their own Corps burnt together with their deceased Husbands but she should shew her real fidelity as in an honest and prudent concealment of her Husbands secrets so in avoiding all just suspicion by any familiar converse with others of being false to his Bed and religiously keeping till death the Matrimonial Obligation not deserting her dear yoke-fellow when reduced to straits For so 't is storied of the King of Pontus his Wife that she disguised her self to follow her banish'd Husband saying There she reckon'd was her Kingdom her Riches and Countrey wheresoever she could find her Husband * L. Viv. de Christ Foem l. 2. p. 157 158. The Wife of a certain Count of Castile when the King had detained her Husband in Prison went to visit him whom she perswaded to put on her cloaths and leave her there in his stead Of which Fact the King hearing did much wonder at the fidelity of the Countess and sent her to her Husband wishing he had such Wives for himself and Sons I might produce more Instances but I hasten If Christian Servants should perform the Offices of their Relation as unto the Lord with all good fidelity q Tit. 2.10 Col. 3.22 much more should the Christian Wife who hath solemnly entred into the Covenant of the Lord with her Husband in all faithfulness fill up her Relation towards him with whom she is become one flesh Yet in too many what a defection is there from this Faith Wat a violation of this good fidelity in our degenerate and decrepit Age which unless God give timely repentance of may not only hazard the Temporal but will also the Eternal salvation of many adulterous child-bearers who yet less impudent than some others wipe their mouth it may be and unless their sharp throws face them to confess their falsity would be thought to be most genuine Daughters of the Church when indeed they hasten its ruine in a spurious brood The next Grace required here in my Text is 2. Charity or Love This in a good Wife I take as I did Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that which is Christian and Conjugal respecting Christ and her Husband Be sure every Christian Wife should 1. Love the Lord Jesus Christ considered both personally and mystically She should sincerely love Christ in himself and in his members Her Faith towards him should work by Love r Gal. 5.6 1. It behoves her to give the Primacy of her affection unto Christ himself She is oblig'd above all most entirely and heartily to love the Lord Jesus Christ her spiritual Husband For they come under the Apostolical Benediction who love our Lord Jesus in sincerity or with incorruption Å¿ Eph. 6.24 Our Lord Jesus loves such and is much affected with their doleful condition as with that of his friend Lazarus t John 11.3 11 35. This indeed is a good evidence of a genuine Faith and shews it self to be of a right stamp when there is an holy care to keep all Christs Commandments u John 14.15 Hence Charity is compared by one to an ever-turning spq always providing and labouring for him in whom she resteth Let this be the chief care of the Christian Wife and she may upon good grounds conclude Christ is hers and she is his w Cant. 2.15 and say in all trouble as the good woman when bloody Bonner threatned her in the Popish persecution to take away her Husband and Son Christ is mine Husband and better to me than Ten Sons you cannot strip me of him Now if the good Wife hath Christ present with her in her Travail as they who love him with a prevailing love certainly have in all their affliction she hath All having him who will command deliverance
for her and a blessing upon her x Psal 44.4 Lev. 25.21 who being indeed Christ's Friend as she is to love him in himself so also in the next place 2. She is concern'd to love him in his members Her Christian Charity is to be manifested unto those that are Christs for Christs sake and as the Apostle writes in this Epistle y 1 Tim. 1.5 is such namely which answers the end of the Commandment out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned We certainly prove our love to Christ by keeping his Commandment in loving those that are his sincerely and constantly z John 13.34 Love to the Brethren goes along with our love to God a 1 John 5.1 2. and the continuance of it may well dispose to Angelical comforts b Heb. 13.1 2. However it may be very advantageous to a child-bearing woman to endear Christian brethren who are much in doing of Gods will and prevalent with God to assist her more affectionately with their Prayers having seen her real Charity to promote Gods service and advance piety It will no doubt argue her abiding in the light c 1 John 2.10 and sure passage from death to life d and 3.14 and Gods dwelling or constant presence with her which will be abundant support to her in the greatest pains when she bringeth forth with the most difficulty as the Physician * Hippocrates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aph. 55. finds some to do Then as she should love Christ in himself and in his members so 2. Next to Christ the good Wife is above all other dearly and constantly to love her own Husband and that with a pure heart fervently e 1 Cor. 7.2 Tit. 2.4 1 Pet. 1.22 Yea and she should never entertain low thoughts of him in that Relation whom she could once think worthy of embracing for her Husband and whom by the Covenant of God in all Offices of Love she is oblig'd to please f 1 Cor. 7.34 without this bond of Perfectness all will be loose uneasie and unpleasing yea the Laws and Command of God who by his wise Providence ordered the Match will become tedious and irksome * Lud. Viv. p. 104. But where this conjugal love is consequent upon the foregoing Christian love there all will become easie This is the very life of perfect Friendship and where it resides in power no diligence will be wanting to facilitate all other conjugal duties ‖ Fabr. Bar. de re Vxoria l. 2. c. 1. For never-failing Charity especially in this Relation will enable the good Wife to bear all things to believe all things to hope all things to endure all things g 1 Cor. 13 7 8. This holy flame therefore as the Vestal fire * Alex. Alex. l. 5. c. 12. should be ever-cherish'd that it go not out Indeed Love being as the Soul of Society and of it self Immortal it would argue it were not sincere at first if it should cease Dr. Goad recommending the mothers Legacy to her child unborn written by pious Mrs. Joceline when big with child preparing for her approaching child-bed saith What eyes cannot behold her true and unspotted love to her dearest Husband In her affectionate Letter to him prefix'd to that little Book she declares with thankfulness to God her fears of child-bed painfulness were cured with the remembrance that all things should work together for the best to those that love God which cannot be right in a Wife without this true love to her own Husband and a certain assurance that God would give her patience according to her pain And she bare all patiently So did Mrs. Wilkinson a most loving Wife * Dr. Harris in her Life whose patience was remarkable in the midst of very sore pains which frequented her in the breeding and bearing of children Yet then her speech was I fear not pains I fear my self lest through impatiency I should let fall any unbefitting word 'T is a blessed frame said that grave Divine who recorded it when pain seems light and sin heavy So on the other hand for want of this prevalent conjugal love in conjunction with Christian love a Daughter of King Ethelred having found the difficulty of her first birth she did afterwards perpetually abstain from her Husband's Bed against the Apostle's Rule h 1 Cor. 7.3 protesting from a Principle of unaccountable self-love That it was not fit a Daughter of a crowned Head should commit her self any more to such perils 'T was far otherwise with a young Woman in Euboea who being married to a Man she lovâ—d dearly became Mother and Grand-Mother to an Hundred Children The Story of Mrs. Honywood in our Age is not less famous I might produce many other Instances but 't is more than time I come to the next mentioned Grace viz. 3. Holiness which I take as the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that which is Christian and Conjugal more general and special 1. There is Holiness which is considered more generally being an universal Grace agreeing to a Christian as such wrought by the Spirit in the new creature from the peace made by Christ whereby the soul being chang'd into his likeness there is an abiding in a state of gracious acceptation with God and a striving in some measure to be holy as he is holy in every particle of our conversation both towards God and Man publickly and privately in some degrees As all Christians are to mind their salvation in the holiness of the Spirit and to follow after it by Christ i 2 Thes 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 12.14 and 13.12 So Christian Wives in a child-bearing state that they may comfortably bring forth the Fruit of their Wombs are highly concern'd for that good work to have their fruit unto holiness k Rom. 6.22 Then be sure all shall go well with them both here and hereafter Blessedness belongs to the pure in heart and the undefiled in the course of their lives l Mat. 5.8 Psal 119.1 What knows the holy Wife whether if she should be married to a bad Man by Parents disposal she may save her Husband m 1 Cor 7.16 We read of several Christian Wives whose Husbands have been brought to real godliness by their zealous Endeavours as Clemens by Domitia c. * L. Vivis de Chr. Foem l. 2. p. 253. vide p. 271.211 For the holy conversation of a Wife hath sometimes a great force upon the mind of the Husband who is thereby dispos'd to entertain good and if a work of Grace be wrought upon him then he will be more fervent in prayer for his child-bearing Wife who as she ought through the whole course of her life to be daily dying to sin and living to righteousness so in her approaching sorrows she is more especially concerned 1. To conform to the preceptive or commanding will of God in all the actions of her
Would you then have Communion with God you must not abide in Ignorance but read the Scriptures Enquire into the Mysteries of the Gospel and know the way of coming to God and Communion with him by Christ Jesus and to an Everlasting Communion with him in Heaven And Thirdly Truth is Light and Error is Darkness Take heed therefore of false Doctrines especially such as may tend to the obstructing this Communion with God Take heed of Socinian Doctrines in denying Christs satisfaction the Trinity and the Godhead of Christ c. Take heed of Popish Doctrines which tell you of other merits besides the merits of Christ other satisfaction other Mediation and other Headship of the Church besides Jesus Christ c. Take heed of the Leaven of Quakerism which sets up the Light of Nature for Christ and cast off the use of those Ordinances which Christ hath appointed for our Communion with God Take heed of the old Pelagian Doctrines that set up the Power of Nature and are since revived under other Names to the denyal or neglect of that help of the Spirit which is necessary to our Communion with God And lastly I said Holiness is Light and Sin and Wickedness are Darkness He therefore that would have Communion with God must break off from his Sin betake himself to a course of Godliness and Holy walking with God In the Apostles time rose up a Sect of carnal Professors who would talk high of Fellowship with God and yet walk after the Flesh and indulge their Lusts Whom he is thought especially to referr to in this Chapter that they thus walking in Darkness cannot have Fellowship with that God who is Light The next branch of the Exhortation I direct to such as are in the practice and experience of this Communion with God First Maintain it in what Constancy you can The fewer interruptions are admitted therein so much the better Take heed of violent passions take heed of distracting Cares take heed of Diversions from Duties and Ordinances you ought to attend unto Take heed of the snares of bad Company of the influence of bad Examples of the carnal Counsels of your own Heart of any Complyances against your Consciences of any doubts and disputes in your Mind about the Fundamental Principles of all Religion especially that Christian Religion that you make profession of And watch over the Levity and instability of your own minds which of it self alone may hinder our constancy in this duty Yea and the very lawful Affairs of our calling especially if much incumbred may interrupt us herein Secondly Advance it to an higher degree That your Communion with God may grow up into a greater intimacy such as the Church the Spowse of Christ is represented to have in the Book of Canticles He that can attain it let him attain it In Jacob's Ladder which stood betwixt Heaven and Earth there were many rounds In an high Mountain there are several degrees of ascent At Mount Sinai the people stood at the bottom some of the Priests and the Seventy Elders of Israel went up a little way but Moses was at the top Let us ascend this Mount as high as we can only know it is not Mount Sinai but Mount Sion we must ascend to have Communion with God And be not discouraged if you meet with some difficulties in your ascent through the Natural bent of your Hearts towards things below The sweetness and advantage you will reap herein will abundantly recompence all the labour and endeavours after it And may not some eminent degree of Communion with God be expected of such as do not only live in the times of the New Testament but have had a long standing in the Church of God that your growth herein may in some measure be proportion'd to your time and advantages for it And that which should quicken you the more is the present Complexion of the times both at home and abroad We know not what dayes are coming Mens Hearts are failing them for fear of what Evils are coming upon the Earth as our Saviour foretold Matth. 24. now nothing will so fortifie the Soul against an evil day and an hour of Temptation as this Communion with God This will sweeten a Prison sweeten Poverty sweeten Banishment sweeten the very sorrows of Death This sweetned the Martyrs sufferings of old that Fellowship they had with God in those sufferings wherein they had fellowship also with Christ in his Death Now let these things put you on to this great work And be not discouraged because of the infinite distance betwixt God and us He is come down to us in our own Nature in Christ that we may have access to him and his terror not make us afraid And hear what he speaks himself to our encouragement Isa 57. Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite Spirit c. The most high God thus humbleth himself to men But God is invisible Object and how can I have Communion with one whom I see not It s true We cannot have a sensible Communion with Him Answ as Men have with one another but Spirits that are invisible have converse together as well as sensible Creatures God is a Spirit and the Soul of Man is a Spirit and so may be capeable of Communion with that God who is a Spirit Had not the Apostle Communion with invisible things when he saith We look not to the things which are seen but to the things which are not seen And doth not the Apostle Peter say Whom having not seen you love 1 Pet. 1.8 And is not Faith the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And though in himself he is invisible yet he made himself visible in Christ who is the Image of the Invisible God Col. 1.15 Vse V V. Having spoke of this Communion with God I shall add one Use about the Communion of Saints We know it is one of the Articles of our Creed And that which the Apostle in this Chapter exhorts to These things have we written to you that ye may have Fellowship with us with us as Apostles and with us as Believers So that the fellowship of Saints comprehends their fellowship with the Father and their fellowship with the Son and their fellowship with the Apostles and from thence fellowship with one another All Saints and Churches that hold fellowship with these three ought to have fellowship among themselves To bring in new Doctrines or new Rules of Worship not delivered by the Apostles is to forsake Communion with the Apostles The terms of Communion laid by the Apostles for the Churches of Christ ought to be kept inviolable in all Churches to the end of the World and be the Foundation of their Communion among themselves And for my part I can hold Communion with any Church where these are maintained though there may be some Circumstantial differences either in
follows in the Text doth not seem to be a condition of freedom from the sharp and hazardous pain of Child-birth wherein the visible accidents are common to believing and Pagan women and because since God's sentence of the womans bringing forth in sorrow * Gen. 3.16 there hath been no promise upon any condition that the pain should be abated But experience hath taught us That choice holy women who have been the Lords most dear Servants have tasted of the denounced sorrow as deep as any others and some of them as Rachel and Phineas his Wife expired with their pangs Another Learned Critick mighty in the Scriptures ‖ Gataker Cinnus c. 15. p. 330. thinks that to say The woman shall be sav'd altho she be compell'd to bring forth and bring up children with sorrow which thing seems to be an argument of the divine wrath is an unusual construction and more forc'd Resolution But if by being saved from or out of that hazardous condition of child-bearing tho it otherwise carry the signatures of Gods displeasure upon it import only that it shall be no impediment to pious womens either temporal or eternal salvation however difficult that office of breeding and bearing may seem to be as the faithful Ministers not stop'd in their hard Province by honour or dishonour t 2 Cor. 6.8 but she shall be delivered with Gods favour for the best Then it agrees upon the matter with 4. Our translating of it in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consonant to the most Orthodox Expositors as not signifying the cause or means here but only the bare order or way to the end or wherein the issue is attainable So it is frequently used in the New Testament as of going in that way u Mat. 2.12 and 7.13 Believers continuing faithful in many afflictions antecedent to their entring into the Kingdom of God w Acts 14.22 in the letter and circumcision and in uncircumcision x Rom. 2.27 29. and 4.11 in the body of Christ y and 7.4 in a Parable z Luke 8.4 building the Temple in Three days a Mat. 26.61 Rom. 14.14 c. c. I might also produce many Testimonies from Ethnic Authors to the frequent use of this Particle in them as well as Scripture to signifie in * Plat. in Caes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 'T is plain here in my Text the Apostle doth not discourse of the cause of womans salvation but suggests that bearing and taking the word more largely b 1 Tim. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bringing up of children is the ordinary way wherein pious Wives apt to be suspicions and fearful should meet with saving-help from God who would lead them on therein to salvatian which of his Free Grace through Christ he had designed them to and prepared for them who sensible of the signal Marks of the Divine sentence in their child-bed sorrows are appall'd under the dreadful apprehensions of the first womans guilt and the sad consequent thereof to all of the same Sex ready to swound away in despair For as Abraham was of Gods good pleasure father of the faithful in uncircumcision c Rom. 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which could be no cause of begetting faith or any obstruction to justification So any yea every godly Wife whatever tho not permitted to teach in the Church as a little before my Text d 1 Tim. 1.12 yet in her honest Function Employmet and good work of child-bearing travail allotted to her by the righteous Governor of the World e Mar. 13.34 should in due circumstances be either temporally sav'd i. e. comfortably delivered from those pains so that she should no more remember the anguish for joy that a man or one of Mankind was born into the world f John 16.21 if God in his all-wise disposal of persons and things sees this to be best for her or else eternally sav'd by God in Christ who commandeth light to shine out of darkness g 2 Cor. 4 6. Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being found in her Journey Heaven-ward wherein she goes on with submission to Gods disposal in her proper Vocation Office and Duty for the propagation of Mankind It 's strange then that any should take this causally as if here the Apostle were opening the cause by which women shou'd be saved when rather the cause should have been explain'd why he chiefly mentioned this condition or state * Beza not by which but in which the woman might be saved For he had touch'd on the special punishment wherein the Woman was amercd for deceiving the Man and now he would subjoyn a Cordial to the imposed penalty or give support under it lest tremulous Wives should faint in their child-bearing pangs which however they might have the signature of Divine wrath upon them did not exclude them from happiness but as other Christians in a way of Tryal do pass into glory so religious Wives should not fall from the hope of salvation because through Christ in their Feminine state and Function of child-bearing tho they be not free from all spot of sin they have a blessed Cordial in their sanctified sufferings and shall by a comfortable separation of Mother and Babe be safely delivered of their burden in their appointed time if that be best for them and at the end of their peregrination in this life shall be eternally sav'd supposing they have sustained those troubles in Faith Charity Holiness and Modesty Having thus as well as I could making my passage clear through some difficulties weighed the import of the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these Four Respects 't will be convenient to say a little for the explaining of the compound word it relates to viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Child-bearing or bringing forth Children as expressing the most proper act of a good womans parturition rather than the child brought forth Yet some do not only take it more strictly as noting the very act of a womans being in Labour or Travail wherein are sharp throws and pains antecedent concomitant and subsequent but also more largely from the Apostles use of the word afterward in this Epistle as hath been hinted h Danaeus in loc 1 Tim. 5.14 as comprehending also the nursing and educating of Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord i Eph. 6.4 which is also very painful as Augustin's Mother Monica experienc'd when solicitous for his conversion till Christ was formed in him These burdens will then be born in a Christian acceptable manner if the woman be out of the rich grace and bountiful gift of God so qualified that she is endow'd with saving grace which is 2. The support and strength express'd as the way and means by keeping her Ornament to evidence her Title
or observing the Duties required abiding in the Exercise of Christian and Conjugal Graces wherein they continue to be employ'd Here to speak distinctly we are to look upon the Persons and their Exercises Gagneius Estius 1. The Persons Some following the vulgar would have the word rendred singularly if she continue or remain as conceiting there is nothing Antecedent to agree with a Plural Verb But it is certain that the Original word is in the Plural Number by the full consent of all Copies as Beza notes so that there can indeed be no ground for that conceit The generality therefore render it Plurally according to truth as we do If they continue abide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remain persist or persevere noting the necessity of being constant in holy duties But then of those who render the word thus 1. Some as the Ancients c. * Syriac Aethiopic Hierom c. Estius c. refer it to the children brought forth expounding it of their abiding in the exercise of the following Graces But this doth no way please the most judicious modern Expositors any more than some of the Ancients as not so consonant to the Context wherein we have nothing of children And therefore a Learned Protestant ‖ Chamiâ—r doth justly wonder it could come into the mind of any who understand Greek Be-like they took it to respect the generation of children if they by the Mothers care did continue in the faith c. But these did not well consider that the compound werd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child-bearing is of the Singular Number Waltheri Harmonia When therefore this Verb Plural hath Two Nouns going before it i. e. the Woman and child-bearing we should look to which of the Two continue may be best accommodated If to the word child-bearing what more uncouth Then the Paraphrase would thus trip The Women shall be sav'd in child-bearing if child-bearing continue in the faith c. Who then that duly weighs the thing would refer the Verb continue unto the Person namely the Woman and not to child-bearing which is her allotted work or Function Besides if it should be expounded of her childrens perseverance in Grace it would follow That a godly Mother who had faithfully done her duty towards her children would endanger her own salvation should her children prove untoward and impenitent Whereas this were contrary to Scripture which doth engage both Parents Fathers as well as if not more than Mothers in the pious Education of their children and doth clear godly Parents having done their own duty from being chargeable with the guilt of their children when they perish through their own personal default k Ezek 18.3 Calvin So that tho too often the wickedness of children may be imputed to the Parents neglect yet certainly the righteous God will accept of the faithful Mothers discharging of her own duty tho her children do wickedly miscarry Wherefore 't is most rational yea necessary to refer it as most do 2. To the woman and not to her children to pious Mothers and not their Off-spring Nor is there sufficient warrant considering it is in contexture with the Womans proper Office of child-bearing to take in both Parents as Chrysostome thinks * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. Adv. vitup vit Monastic Enallagen Numeri And however the Verb continue be of the Plural Number that is easily understood by an Hebraism frequent in the New Testament or a Figure very usual in sacred and civil Authors both Greek and Latin suddenly to pass from one Number to another when there is an agreement in the Structure with somewhat understood So here from the Singular to the Plural as before in this very Chapter from the Plural to the Singular speaking of Women ver 9 10. to speak of Woman 1 Tim. 5.4 See 1 Cor. 4.2 Gal 6.1 c. ver 11. and again in this Epistle l from a Widow in the Singular to speak of Widows in the Plural Let them learn to shew piety at home Where in like Construction a Noun Collative singular is joyned to a Verb Plural Woman noting the Sex may be conjoyned with either Number Glassii Gramat Sacra it being a Grammar-Rule That a Verb of the Plural Number is joyned to a Noun of the singular be sure when the Noun is Collective or Indefinite and the reason of the Construction is of it self plain because the Singular Number doth indeed comprehend in it the plurality of the Collective Noun And the reason of the Apostles sudden transition here might be because he had briefly discoursed of the Office of all Christian Women ver 9. But Collectively under the Noun Woman he saith emphatically of Christian Wives if they continue constant noting the whole body of Christian Wives who passing through the pangs of child-bearing as the allotment of God do 2. Exercise the Graces proper to such who mind their eternal welfare by persevering in their Christian walk suitable to their high Calling and holy Profession being qualified and adorned with Faith Charity Holiness and Sobriety those rare Jewels which in the sight of God are of great price And the last of these which some render Modesty or Chastity as a Species of Temperance the Apostle makes necessary to married Women as well as to Virgins * Beza Chamier Tho not as the Papists do ridiculously imagine that Matrimony is a Sacrament and doth confer Grace or that with the Papists we are to restrain the Graces in my Text only to the four Matrimonial Vertues opposite to the four Evils too often incident to a married state ‖ Bellarm. To. 2. de Matrim Sacram. viz. Fidelity in opposition to Adultery Charity to Enmity chiding and brawling Sanctity to Dishonesty or Lasciviousness and Rebellion of the Members Sobriety to Intemperance and Incontinence But I know no warrant we have to speak thus narrowly when 't is most rational to conclude that the Apostle doth respect Faith in Christ for Justification and Salvation and not only the Faith of Matrimony Charity or Love to Christ and his and not only Conjugal Love Holiness which becomes all Christians i. e. sanctification of the whole Inward and Outward Man and not only the peculiar sanctity of the Marriage-bed Sobriety noting that Moderation all who are Christs should be endow'd with m Gal. 5.24 and not only the continency of a Wife So that I shall take these Graces in their Exercises comprehensively as relating to a Christian Conversation in the general and a Marriage-state in special Thus having been took up much longer than I wish'd in obviating the difficulties which some cast in the way to the clearer explanation of the Terms in my Text I shall be straitned in speaking to the Deductions from it as to the present solution of the case propounded by reason I want that dexterity some others might have used I beseech you bear with me a while to touch upon Two or