for using means to attain it when they have not room for so much as a thought of it 2. Suppose Men have time and warning given them Death knocks at the door before it enters and besieges them before it storms them they lie by the brink of the grave before they fall into it yet they may want the Means of grace by which God ordinarily works when he brings Men to Repentance Publick Ordinances in such a case they cannot have and private ones they may not have They may have none with them that have the tongue of the Learned to speak a word in season to them Isa 50.4 they may lack oyl but have none that can tell them where they may buy it None that understand the nature of Repentance none that can instruct them in it or direct them how they may attain it Friends may be as carnal and ignorant and unacquainted with the things of God as themselves and so may Ministers be sometimes They may seek a vision of the Prophet but the Law may perish from the Priest and counsel from the Ancient Ezek. 7.26 True indeed God can work repentâ—nce in Man or any grace without means by his immediate power or by some extraordinary means but he never promiseth to do it and therefore it is a bold presuming and tempting of him to expect he should What if God once stopt a sinner in the midst of his carrear when not only running away from the means of Salvation but bidding defiance to them and converted him in a miraculous way by a glorious light shining about him and the immediate voice of Christ to him Acts 9. shall others hope for the like Live in sin all their days and look for conversion by miracle at last 3. If they have means when they come to die yet they may not have an heart to use them First By reason of bodily weakness failing of natural Spirits racking and tormenting pains which often afflict Men in such a casâ— These may blunt and dull Mens minds or distract them and draw away the intention of them from other things and hold them only to the consideration of their present anguish How unfit are Men for serious minding even of their Worldly affairs when under bodily indispositions and how much more than unfit for Spiritual work When the Soul is wholly taken up with helping the body with which it sympathizes to bear its present burden it is ill at leasure to think of any thing else The Israelites harkned not to Moses tho sent of God to deliver them for anguish of Spirit and cruel bondage Exod. 6.9 and is it any wonder if a Man groaning under a distemper scarce able to bear his pain or think of any thing but his pain be in an ill case to look into his Heart consider his ways listen to the best counsil joyn with the best prayers c. If Gods children that have grace in their Hearts yet in time of sickness may through present weakness find much indisposedness in themselves to the actings of grace so that they are fain to bring forth their old store and comfort themselves with their former experiences rather than with the present frame of their Hearts what wonder is it if they that are altogether graceless be alike indisposed to seek for grace Secondly By reason of contracted hardness Men are naturally backward to good but much more when habituated to evil for the more inclined they are to evil the more averse they are to good and the more accustomed they are to sin the more inclined they are to it The practice of sin hardens the Heart and strengthens the sinning disposition and still the longer Men continue in sin the stronger such dispositions grow Hence the Apostles advice to the Hebrews chap. 3.13 Exhort one another while it is called to day lest your Hearts be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin implying that that would follow upon their continuance in sin We see even in natural things that Mens being accustomed to one sort of actions unfits them for another When Men have lived in the practice of sin all their days and their natural disposition to sin is hightned into an habit it is not strange if they be much more averse to the contrary good Jer. 13.23 How can you that are accustomed to evil learn to do well If one gross sin in a believer may so debilitate and enfeeble those gracious dispositions that were before in him as to unfit him for and deaden him to spiritual duties to what a superlative hardness may a thousand and a thousand repeated acts of wilful sin bring the Heart of a carnal Man and to what not only aversness to any good but confirmedness against all 4. They cannot work repentance in themselves not make the means effectual for the enlightning of their minds the changing softning spiritualizing their Hearts or working a vital principle in them If they say they can either they must assume to themselves a Creating power a power of making themselves new Creatures or creating this grace in their own Hearts there being nothing of it in them by nature and antecedently to their making such a change Or they must say that there is some seed of grace in them beforehand some root or stock which being watered and cultivated by outward means diligence and industry may be made fruitful so that the working repentance in them is not the infusing a new principle into them but a correcting of the old one Conversion not the giving or creating in them a new nature but only a freeing the old one from its former impediments and setting it at liberty to its proper actions But this is 1. Contrary to the whole current of Scripture which affirms Mans will since the fall of Adam to be void of all saving good and impotent to it till renewed by grace John 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing Rom. 5.6 When we were without strength 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves And prone to evil Job 15.16 Man drinks iniquity like water Prov. 2.14 Rejoyceth to do evil Rom. 6.17 He is a servant of sin Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of his Heart are only evil continually Eph. 2.1 He is dead in trespasses and sins This is broadly to charge a lie upon the God of truth 2. To deprive God of the glory of one of his chiefest works the new Creation in which he is said to put forth the same power which he did in creating the World at first 2 Cor. 4.6 and in raising up Christ from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. compared with chap. 2.1 They are said to be born of the Spirit John 3.5 And not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of Man but of God John 1.15 Whereas they that assert the contrary take Gods work out of his hands and grudge him the honour of it 3. To go contrary to the common
Spirit of God Sure he who hath an Immortal Soul within him and a Dubious State to himself as that dreadful Eternity before him should never be sick of his time that lies upon his Hand one hour whereof millions of Wolds can't redeem 2. Covetousness is a weighty Argument Thousands are enough to break the Loyns of most Mens minds too heavy for the back of the strongest Rationalist in the World the Scale of Judgment cannot turn while this beam is in the Eye nor any Argument counterpoise this dead and deadly weight but Tythe Mint and Cummin will outweigh Faith and the Love of God Luke 11.42 St. Briget prophesied Fox's Martyr The Roman Clergy would ruin the Church by their avarice for she said They had already reduced the Ten Commands to two words da pecuniam 3. Pride of Life swells Men till they break all bonds and bounds like Stum in the Cask makes all the Hoops fly off The zeal of a party and having declared for a way makes Men they cannot retreat but will spur on for honour and profit though the Angel of the Lord oppose them till they are crushed to the Wall If Christian Religion be founded in Self-denyal Mortification and bearing the Cross they who seek their own glory are not of God John 7.18 that is either no Gospel or these certainly are no Disciples of Christ We had need look to ourselves for this lust of domination and glory as Charon saith Is the very Shirt of the Soul on from the first but last put off Secondly I am to shew you that the practice of holy Duties clearly commanded is the ready way to have our minds inlightned in the knowledge of Principles Reading the Scriptures discoursing about Heaven and about their Souls everlasting welfare Reproving one another and admonishing Rom. 15.14 comforting and supporting the weak and dejected Soul 1 Thes 5.14 To exhort one another dayly lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Duties so much out of fashion in these days that it is not counted good manners or civility to practise them friendly reproof is esteemed want of good breeding But are they not strange Christians who are strangers to Scripture Duties 1. These Practical Duties performed would give us light He that doth the Truth cometh to the light John 3.21 not only out of boldness but discovery of knowledge Truth is nothing but goodness explained and goodness is nothing but Truth consolidated Rudiments of knowledge are prerequisite to practice but examples clear all things to us Demonstration by the Compasses maketh the Maxim evident He that doth best knoweth best for he seeth the actions as they are in themselves and circumstances he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he seeth the bottom by diving into them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.130 pethac pethaiim the very entrance into the command giveth light the Door is a Window to him that hath a weak sight even those things Men have formerly ridiculed practice hath reconciled them to be their Diana and great delight As the Gnostick in Clem. Alex. who could not taste lewdness till he was in all evil as t is Prov. 5.14 If wicked practices darken the mind as all the works of darkness do than holy actions illuminate the Soul 2. The exercise of holy Duties advanceth light every step a Man takes he goeth into a new Horizon and gets a further prospect into Truth Motion is promoted by motion actions breed habits habits fortifie the powers the new life grows stronger and fuller of Spirit The yoke of Christ is easier smoother and lighter by often wearing it this anoints us with the oyl of gladness and makes the ways of Wisdom pleasantness Prov. 3.17 Life and light are nearly related John 1.4 The life was the light of Men Acts 1.1 These things Jesus first did then taught and so he was mighty in Deed and in Word Luke 24.19 very airing and motion heateth to a flame this made his light burn vers 32. and shine too Truth incarnate in action seems a lively resemblance of God in flesh the unfolding a doubt to another hath often expounded and resolved it to the proponent 3. If any be in danger of Error or got into an ill way keeping up warm Duties Meditation and Prayer will keep him in or help him out communion with the Saints is an admirable antidote against sin or Error As in a Team of Horses if one lash out of the way if the other hold their course they will draw the former to the right path 1 John 2.20 ye have an unction and ye know all things when there are Antichrists and great Apostacies keeping to Duty like keeping the Road preserveth us from by-paths I remember a Snowy night when many wandring homeward were frozen to death A Shepherd feeling himself foiled by often falling set down his Crook in one point and beat a path round and so preserved his life and kept him out of precipices and ditches And we have a promise of light if we press to the mark and prize of our high calling Phil. 3.15 carry the Goale in your Eye and it will direct you a path where there is none upon a plain Sincerely aim at Gods glory and your Souls salvation and you shall not miss your way If in any thing you should miss it and be otherwise minded God will reveal even this unto you Yea our great Lord and Master assureth us John 7.17 He that doth the will of God he shall know the Doctrin whether it be of God or I speak of my self But if Men will make bold with God and Conscience and act for their own ends and glory they rob God of his supremacy and will lose both their way and their end He that walketh uprightly hath God for his guard and guide with devout Zachary he is within the Vail and if he be in a mistake God will reveal it to him For the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will make them know his Covenant Psal 25.14 Go to thy Oracle and pray and a ray of heavenly light shall direct you as the Wise-mens Star to the holy Jesus their minds are Gods candles Prov. 20.27 and as Father of Lights he will light them when they approach him with ardent supplication Thirdly I am to shew that Christian charity and reception will sooner win weak ones to the Truth than rigid Arguments for so the Apostle adviseth them who were to deal with people weak in Faith and strongly zealous for Ceremonies dispute not with them but receive them first 1. In regard opposition breeds oppositions a Man will never believe that he Loves his Soul who cuts his purse belies his actions torments his Body Passion begets passion but love only kindles love when Men do hotly Dispute they jostle for the way and so one or both must needs leave the path of Truth and Peace The Saw of contention reciprocated with its keen teeth
by the Sword of the Spirit all his force was repelled Christians are to look upon the Evil one as an Enemy that Christ has conquer'd and this should encourage them in their conflicts with him they are to despise his offers they are not to be perswaded by his misapplication of Scripture to any thing that is unjustifiable and irregular The Word of God should abide in them that they may be strong and overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.14 The Head always resisted shall the Members yield to this Destroyer Let not your hearts be filled with Satan let not your heads and hands be employed by him who works in the Children of disobedience 4. Christ is to be followed in his contempt of the worlds glory and contentment with a mean and low estate in it Never was the world so set forth in such an alluring dress as when the God of it in a moment of time shew'd unto our Lord Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world and all the glory of them Luk. 4.5 yet the heavenly Mind of Christ is not taken with the sight he knew he saw nothing but what was Vanity and his Kingdom which was not of this world was a far better thing than the worlds best Kingdom Instead of pursuing he flees from a Crown which the people were ready to force upon his head Ambition and covetousness after worldly grandeur and gain which make us so unlike to Christ should be far from us If the world be the great thing with us Mammon will have us at command and Christ will have but little service from us Why should that be high in the esteem and affection of your hearts which Christ so little minded Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Set your affection on things above not on things that are on earth Col. 3.2 If you have the worlds riches let not your minds be high nor your hearts set upon them and be rich in good works if you are in a meaner estate be satisfied remember who said The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head The best men in the world that have done most good in the world have least cared for the world and have been most willing to leave the world and go to a better 5. Christ is to be followed in his living a life so very beneficial doing good being his perpetual business The Apostle Peter who was one of his greatest and most constant attendants says that he went about doing good Act. 10.38 to do thus was meat and drink to him How great was his Kindness and Compassion to Souls how much Mercy does he shew to the Bodies of Men You that are Christians be very active in the best sence the true Members of Christ have the Spirit of the Head in them whose fruit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 What have you Faith for but that it may work by Love Why are you created in Christ Jesus but that you may be employed in good works which God hath before ordained that you should walk in them Eph. 2.10 Be sure to do justly be injurious to none render unto all their dues and do not only consult the dues of others but their needs also and love to be merciful and let the perishing Souls as well as the distressed Bodies of others have a great share in your Compassions As you have opportunity do good unto all men and good of as many sorts as may be especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The Apostle speaks with great authority and asseveration when he presses Christian practice This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 A Christian by Profession who lives wickedly is not a true Member but a Monster in the Church and will not be endured long but is near to be cut off and destroy'd It 's a true Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death does not destroy the Soul but 't is an ill Life that ruins it 6. Christ is to be followed in his most profitable and edifying Communication We read Psal 45.2 That grace was poured into his Lips the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth were the wonder of the hearers Luk. 4.22 Exact truth always accompanied his Speeches he never spake a word that was offensive to God or injurious to any man Was he chargeable with guile or when he was reviled did he revile again No no he gave a better example he speaks words to awaken Sinners to search Hypocrites and how does he comfort the mourners calling all the weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest He takes occasion almost from every thing to discourse of the heavenly kingdom His parables of the sower of leaven of the Merchant man seeking goodly pearls and such like plainly shew that the most ordinary things may spiritually be improved unto great usefulness All Professours and especially you of London set a watch before the door of your lips and let your words be like the words of Christ Jesus Your lying and corrupt communication your slanderous and backbiting words your passionate and angry speeches and revilings are these like Christs language An unbridled tongue though it utters many a falshood yet it speaks one certain truth that your Religion is but vain Jam. 1.26 Let Conscience be tender and purpose with the Psalmist that your mouths shall not transgress Let the word of Christ be more in your Hearts for out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaks Let your speech be always with Grace Col 4.6 Discourse as those who do believe you are debtors of edifying words one to another that idle words are heard by him that is in Heaven and an account must be given of them in the day of judgement 7. Christ is to be followed in his manner of performing holy duties never was He negligent in an Ordinance His cries were strong his tears many Heb 5.7 and how does he wrestle with his Heavenly Father Christians should take heed of doing the work of God deceitfully they should be fervent in Spirit when serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Look to your Hearts in all your performances for Gods eye is fixed upon them and if they are not present and right with him your duties are but dead duties and dead duties are really dead works so far from being acceptable that they are an abomination When Christ was here upon the Earth as he taught in other places so he went to the Temple and to the Synagogues though there was much corruption in the Jewish Church Christians should learn so much moderation as to own what is good even in them in whom there are mixtures of much that is bad and there should be a
of them do eternally miscarry they will die in their Sins but their blood will be required at your hands Whereas your holy care as to them will be very pleasing acceptable unto God as is clear from his former dealings in this very case He took this so kindly at the hand of Abraham that upon the account thereof he would reveal unto him his purpose Gen. 18.17 The Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do Shall I not communicate my Secrets to Abraham shall I do such a Work as I am now resolved upon and not let Abraham know it But why did the Lord ask such a question why might he not hide that or any thing else from him or another if he pleased being Agens liberrimum a most free Agent and giving no account of his Matters But what was the reason of this his so great condescention Or what was Abraham that God's Cabinet-Council should be as to any one particular unlocked and open'd unto him God himself gives two reasons of it one in the 18th Verse Seeing Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations in the Earth shall be blessed in him I have promised him great Mercies and Blessings such as I have not promised to any man besides in the whole world and shall I after that conceal this from him which is a great deal less but the other reason to which I now refer you followeth in the 19th Verse for I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. I know him I am sure he is my Friend He loves me dearly His heart is set for my honour and interest He will commend me and my way to all that are under his charge and He will lay his Command upon them to love fear and serve me and keep my way God will manifest himself unto and set a special mark of favour upon those that are studious of promoting and posteritizing Religion and the Worship of God in their Families These are Men and Women according to his Heart Will you then study heartily apply to your Duty to this purpose will you teach your Children and Servants the good knowledge and fear of the Lord Labour to instil betimes into them right Principles and be dropping as they are capable of receiving Will you be provoking and spurring them on to their Duty by your warm Counsels and Exhortations will you lay your strict Commands upon them to do it as they would have your love and avoid your displeasure Allure them by your own example that is a strong silken Cord which draws sweetly The way to have them write well is for you to set them good Copies Oh let them not see Irreligion in you and Prophaness in you for an hundred to one but if they do that will do them more mischief than all your Precepts and Counsels will do them good Are you in good earnest when you tell them you would have them good then take care that you be good your selves Be sure to set up and keep up in your Families the Worship of God There were indeed Saints in Nero's House and an Ahijah in Jeroboam's in whom there was some good thing toward the Lord God of Hosts who can make Flowers grow in Dunghils and Wildernesses as well as Springs of Water in Deserts but these are Rarities there is no great reason to expect them such soils do not usually afford them Therefore do you worship God and Pray with your Families Morning and Evening a Duty I fear too much neglected by some who know better follow you the pattern of good Joshua in that excellent resolution that He and his house would serve the Lord not He alone nor they alone but all in a Conjunction Company is comfortable and desirable in that which is good Keep a watchful eye upon them do not trust them with themselves for the Scripture tells you that Childhood and Youth are Vanity and that Folly is bound up in the hearts of young ones there is an whole pack of folly in them and if you do not look to them they will both add to the pack and open it They bring into the world with them a great deal of corruption and that is just like Tinder and Touchwood that will quickly catch and be fired by those sparks of Temptation which fly up and down thick in the World Give unto them all the encouragement that is fit for them Children should have ingenuous and liberal Education and Servants not be used like slaves not dispirited and discouraged chid and beaten into Mopes Command mingled with kindness and love will be found to do best and go furthest but never let loose the Reins of Government hold them strait for where too much liberty is given a great deal more will be taken by which means if there be not care taken to prevent it that liberty will soon degenerate into licentiousness for it borders upon it already I beseech you therefore Fathers and Masters Mothers and Mistresses study you to be good in your places And since you are to govern other be sure rightly to govern your selves National Reformation will easily follow when Family-Reformation leads the way Secondly I shall direct my Exhortation to particular persons every one of you to whom I now speak and every one of those to whom this discourse shall come from the highest to the lowest of what rank and quality soever they are and in what place and station soever the hand of Divine Providence hath set them It is not so much matter what you are for greatness as what you are for goodness not so much in what Orb you are fixed if we may speak of such a thing as a fixation in a tumbling and rolling world as with what beams you shine I beseech you all one and other to look to your selves and be very circumspect and careful of your selves what you are what you do and how you carry in the world Every man is charged with himself though not only with himself yet with himself every man is to give an account of himself to God None of you are so high as to be unaccountable It is your unquestionable Duty to keep your hearts with all diligence and to ponder the Path of your feet You ought to be considerate men and curious and exact and to weigh things propounded to you before you close with them and actions before you do them Will you be perswaded to apply to this Duty will you do it will you walk circumspectly accurately not as Fools but as Wise not as Beasts but as Men not as Heathen-men but as Christians as those that have been under Gospel Divine teachings will you endeavour to lead such a conversation as becomes those who do really believe there is a God another Life and State after this a Resurrection from the Dead a Judgment an Heaven and an
the one because they must the other because they ought Some get into the greatest crowd for the advancement of their diving trade of picking pockets they not at all observing how the Devil tricks them of their Souls for perverting the ends of the Gospel 3. Some propose Ends frivolous and trifling though they are sinful too e. g. some to see fashions some to be taken notice of among serious Christians for Worldly not Spiritual advantage Prop. 4. Those that propose a good End must call themselves to a strict and severe account how that end is obtained or lost A slight account is in some respect worse than none at all for by a shuffling account you do but as it were bribe Gods Officer natural Conscience to respit you from time to time till Death surprizeth you with a summons to give up your account to Christ himself I 'll name four Metaphors which will illustrate and prove this 1. We must give such an account as a Scholar to his Teacher of what he learns (r) Mar. 4.13 And he said unto them know ye not this parable and how then will ye know all parables q. d. If you understand not those similitudes that most plainly shew you how you must receive the Word if ever you get saving benefit by it how will you ever profit by any thing else 2. You must give an account as a Steward to his Master (s) Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship c. But here 's the difference between being Stewards to our Heavenly and to an Earthly Master Christ and his Servants have but one and the same interest if we improve whatever he intrust us with for our real profit we do thereby give him the Glory he expects and he will accept of our accounts 3. We must give an account as a Debtor to our Creditor (t) Mat. 18.24 The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a certain King which would take account of his Debtors and when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand talents c. We are so far sinfully indebted to the Justice of God that unless we be discharg'd upon our Suretyes payment we must be imprisoned with Devils unto Eternity 4. We must give an account as a Malefactor to a Judge (u) Mat. 12.36 Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Unprofitable words cannot scape being accounted for Let 's fulfil all these Metaphors in calling our selves to account and when we have done that we have not done all for Prop. 5. The strict Account we take of our selves must be frequent Every Christian is Christs Garden that drinketh (w) Heb. 6.7 in the rain that cometh oft upon it As there must be frequent Showers on Gods part so there must be frequent Weeding on our part or no Blessing to be expected This is not a Duty that can be dispatcht at once those that do not often account never account as they ought Methinks I may allude unto the dying words of Elisha to Joash (y) 2 King 13.18 19. when he bid the King smite upon the ground without prescribing how oft but when he smote only thrice the man of God was wroth with him and told him he should have smitten oftener What do you reflect upon your selves only upon some qualm of Conscience or upon some rouzing Sermon or upon some startling Providence Don't you know that your hearts are incredibly deceitful Satan perpetually watchful to steal away the Word and he will do it unless you (z) Ps 119.11 hide it in your heart Your ordinary Experience tells you that you never let your accompts run on to any length but they are intangled and that your frequent self-reflections are always blessed with growth of Grace But I 'll come to some Inferences from the Doctrine Infer 1. It is not the bare hearing of the best Preachers in the World that will save you Though a Minister be never so successful in the Conversion of Sinners unless your Souls be Converted you had better never have heard him Let not any scoffing Atheist say Then I 'll never hear any of them more Sirs pray believe this one word that will not make your Damnation more tolerable (a) Ezek. 20.32 33. That which cometh into your mind shall not be at all We will be as the Heathen as the families of the Country to serve wood and stone As I live saith the Lord God surely with a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm and with fury poured out will I rule over you God will not send his Word to a people and leave them at their liberty to continue in their infidelity or to return to it at their pleasure if they will live as Heathens their Condemnation shall be far worse Infer 2. Many persons who lay aside other Business spend much time and take much pains to hear the best Preachers but they either not proposing or not pursuing a right end renders all they do worse than nothing and they drop into Hell while they seem to be knocking at Heaven door We read of five thousand Men besides Women and Children may we not moderately reckon the Women and Children to double the number (b) Mat. 14.15 c. and 15.32 c. these poor people when they came from home took Provision with them for several days drank Water lay several nights upon the ground in the open Fields staid after their Victuals was sâ—ent till they were scarce able to get home for saintness all this appears by having Baskets so ready to gather up the Fragments whereas in the Wilderness there was none to be bought or borrowed But alas How few of this Ten Thousand were then savingly Converted We read not of any great numbers of Converts by Christs Preaching for Christ but covertly and sparingly discovered himself to be the Messiah least he should hinder the main thing he came into the World for viz. to dye for sinners for (c) 1 Cor. 2.8 had they known him they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory Besides Christ told his Disciples (d) Joh. 14.12 their Preaching should be followed with the Conversion of more Souls than his Pauze a little and think how many will tell Christ they have heard him Preach in their streets and they have followed him into the Wilderness they have there wanted their sleep in the night and gone with a hungry belly in the day for which Christ fed them by Miracle and yet Christ will profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity (e) Lu. 13.26 27. Let me follow these Inferences with a word or two of Reproof 1. Of those whose other Duties do not hold proportion with their Hearing Mistake me not I had rather never speak word more while
and before God who feedeth them with Christ the Bread of Life especially every Sabbath day Were this or some such course taken from week to week would not this hook into your practice all the great Duties of Religion And so you would give a good account of your hearing but 3. My third Direction is this Do not only satisfie your selves but carry on your enquiry that it may thrô grace satisfie Christ My Text is a question proposed by Christ and to him must we give our answer You may give a plausible account to Ministers but 'pray ' remember you must give an account to Christ You may by leading questions mislead Ministers as persons that go to Law do their Lawyers and they lose their Cause by it but when by studied Hypocrisie you mislead Ministers to gratifie you with a mistaken judgment you lose your Souls by it 'T is Christ that asks the question not to be informed by you for he knows what is in man better than they themselves Christ would have you to be plain-hearted and ingenuous that wherein you see cause to complain he may help you When the trembling Soul after the hearing of such Ministers as would undeceive them is like Jeremy for his peoples being deceived by false Prophets (u) Jer. 23. ◠My heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom wine hath overcome because of the Lord and because of the words of his Holiness q. d. Fear and trembling takes hold of me I am ashamed I am at my Wits end the word of God calls for so much Holiness and I have so little Thou enquirest Lord what I hear for I dare not say that my intentions and ends are so serious as they should be I am afraid to own any thing that is good Christ in a way of compassion is ready to encourage such a Soul Canst thou but sincerely say thou comest to meet Christ and to learn of Christ Jesus Christ welcomes such to him and they may answer him with comfort Under this head consider 1. Christ asks thee here in this World that thou mayst now be able to give such an answer as thou mayst stand by at the last day when there will be neither Hopes nor Time to rectifie it if it be insufficient 'T is in this something like our Pleadings in Courts of Judicature we must put in our Plea and stand to it Thou knowest Lord there is through Grace something of sincerity but for any thing else do thou Lord answe◠for me 'Pray ' mark this when once the Soul can bring the question back again to Christ thus Thou askest me what I come for Lord I come for thee to answer for me I can't satisfie my own Conscience 't is ready to fly in my Face much less can I satisfie my Jealous Master unless tho◠compassionately answer for me Lord thou usest to answer for thine own May we then suppose Christ thus to enquire Who shall lay any thing to the charge of any one who sincerely comes to wait for me in mine Ordinances Can we suppose any one to be so daring as to perk up and say I charge all these to be a company of proud conceited Hypocrites they 'll needs be wiser than their Neighbours they spend their time in running up and down to hear Sermons Christ doth as it were answer Dost thou make this a Crime What he did 't was out of Love to me and Obedience to me He hath chosen that good (w) Luk. 10.42 part which shall not be taken away from him and for you who are so ready to accuse others and excuse your selves for slighting or ill managing all the means offered for your Salvation (x) Mat. 22.13 Bind him hand and foot that he may make no resistance take him away that he may neither make an escape nor have any hopes of Mercy and cast him into outer darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth 2. If you do not give Christ an answer which he will accept of 't is in vain to expect relief from any other If the Father be offended Christ interposeth himself bears the wrath of God and prevents it from us Christ is the days-man between God and us If the Spirit be grieved by our quenching his motions and striving against his striving with us to hear and obey the Lord Jesus provided that rise not to THE Sin against the Holy Ghost which the greatest part of trembling Christians often fear they have committed though by the way let me tell them that their fear they have committed it yields them sufficient assurance they have not committed it for this sin is always attended with such hardness of Heart that they sin without remorse So that while the Spirit overcomes their resistances and prevails with them to comply with Christ through Christ their sins against the Spirit shall be pardoned But (y) Exod. 23.20 21. when the Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ was promised to be sent before the Israelites in the Wilderness to keep them in the way and to bring them into the place prepared for them they are expresly charged to beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions but severely punish them Not that sins against Christ shall never be pardoned though repented of but to keep us from adventuring upon sin as if it should easily be pardoned whereas the Apostle tells us (z) Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin i. e. Those that reject and renounce Christs Sacrifice for sin there 's no other Sacrifice can atone God for them I grant that this Text chiefly concerns the unpardonable sin But I pray you consider those that do not make it the main business of their Lives to give Christ such an account as he will accept of what improvement they have made of his Word if they live and dye in that neglect they shall as certainly perish as they who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost There are but very few can commit that sin but an incredible number commit this without considering the danger of it Now Christians is your time to make up such an account as you must stand or fall by to Eternity Oh that I had but one Minutes such conception of Eternity as 't is possible to be had in this World I reckon 't would influence my whole Life Christs Sentence at last will be according to 〈◊〉 account we give him here and if his Sentence ben't as you would have it there will be no altering of it Your Repentance then will be no small part of your Torment Object I can't think that Christ will be so sharp and severe This affrights me more than any thing This is the most terrible Consideration that ever I heard I expected relief from Christ at last and that Christ should hear me at my
the Spirit of God that he may be a Spirit of Adoption to you as well as of Regeneration pray in the Spirit for the Spirit that you may have the frame of a Child filled with Zeal for the Fathers Name and Interest 'T is the Spirit of Adoption that teaches us to cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 'T is the Spirit of God that gives us an inward freedom and liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Whâ—â—e the Spirit of the Lord is there 's Liberty This Spirit will not give you a liberty unto sin but from it nor from God but with him This Spirit will not break the Bonds of the Commandment but tye up your hearts to it and give you liberty and chearfulness in it We read that the Son makes us free John 8.36 If the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed We read also that the Spirit makes us free too but in different respects The Son makes us free from the Curse of the Law from the guilt of Sin from the Wrath of God but the Spirit makes us free too from the reigning power of sin from the bondage that is in the Conscience The Authority of God has made his Precepts necessary what is necessary in the precept the Spirit makes voluntary in the principle God charges the Conscience with Duty and the Spirit enlarges the heart to obedience Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandment when thou shalt enlarge my heart 3. Pray for the Spirit that he would perform his whole Office to you that you may not partake only of the work of the Spirit in some one or some few of his operations but in all that are common to Believers And especially that he that has been an anointing Spirit to you would be a sealing Spirit to you also that he that has sealed you may be a witnessing Spirit to his own work and that he would be the earnest of your inheritance a pledge of what God has further promised and purposed for you 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed you is God Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit into our hearts 2. To speak a little more particularly what the Apostle prays for his Ephesians in more general Terms he prays for the Colossians more particularly Col. 1.9 10. We do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be fill'd with the knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Vnderstanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and encreasing in the knowledge of God And when I have opened the particulars of this Scripture I shall not need to seek elsewhere for an answer to this Inquiry What is the matter of the fulness of God which we ought to pray and strive to be filled with I. Let us pray and strive and strive and pray again adding endeavours § 1 to prayers and prayers to endeavours that we may be filled with the knowledge of Gods will And we have need to make this an essential part of our prayer for first We may happily do the will of God Materially when we do it not Formally not under that formal and precise consideration that what we do is the will of God and that we do it under that consideration because it is the will of God A Man may perhaps stumble upon some practices that are commanded by the Moral Law and yet in all this not do Gods will but his own that which in all our obedience we are to eye and regard is the Authority the will of God we cannot be said to observe a Commandment unless we observe Gods Authority in that Commandment nor to keep Gods Statutes unless we keep God in our eye as the great Legislator and Statute maker A blind obedience even to God is no more acceptable than a blind obedience to Men is justifiable Secondly We ought to pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of Gods will that there may be more employment for the powers and faculties of the Soul which in every heart wherein the grace of God radically is are in the general inclined to do the will of God There are some well disposed Christians of strong affections and good inclinations to do Gods will who are but slenderly furnisht with knowledge what that will of God is which he would have them do And thus those warm propensions of Spirit either lye like dead stocks upon their hands or else they laid out the zeal of their Souls upon that which is not the will of God and when they have spent their vigour and strength of Soul upon it they come to God for a reward who asks them who required this at your hand And thus even holy Davids zeal was mislaid upon this account that God had not spoken a word nor revealed his will in the Case 2 Sam. 7.7 Thirdly It s our great concern that we may know the will of God and be filled with that knowledge that the knowledge of Gods will may be an operative principle of obedience thus David prays Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will O God We are to pray that God would teach us to know and then teach us to do his will knowledge without obedience is lame obedience without knowledge is blind and we must never hope for acceptance if we offer the blind and the lame to God Luke 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes As therefore all our practice must be guided by knowledge so must all our knowledge be referred to practice Fourthly and lastly We ought to pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of God's will that this knowledge being rooted and grounded in our Souls it may render that obedience easie and delightful which is so necessary to its acceptation when Satan had entred Judas his heart he would not stick at any of the Devils commands and when he had filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira Acts 5.3 how ready were they to lie unto God If our hearts were more filled with the knowledge of Gods will that this Divine Law were written there duty would be our delight obedience our meat and drink nor would there be room left for those corruptions which hang upon us like dead weight always incumbring us in our obedience § 2 II. Let us pray again that we be filled with all wisdom in the doing of the will of God we want knowledge much we want wisdom more we need more light into the will of God and more judgment how to perform it For first It 's one great instance of wisdom to know the seasons of duty and what every day calls for As the providence of God disposes us under various circumstances so it calls for the exercise of various duties one circumstance calls for mourning another for
to be willing to part with your sins till you are parting with your lives nor begin your work till your time is ending and in a word to begin then only to serve God when you can serve your selves your Friends nay your Lusts no longer 2. The sooner you set about the work the more easie you will find it You will have fewer Sins to repent of and mourn over and turn from less guilt to terrifie and dishearten you less stupor in your Consciences less hardness in your Hearts less strength of sin to be wrestled with The Dominion of sin will not be so confirmed with a long tract of time nor the cords of your iniquity hold you so fast Tho it be true that how soon soever you begin and set about the work you cannot of your selves effect it God's Grace must do that yet the sooner you begin the less sin there will be in you to resist his Grace and the more hope that God will afford you Grace to overcome that resistance which is made And tho Grace can subdue and conquer the most strong old overgrown Lusts yet still you will be more ready to hope it will do it when you have not the guilt of a long impenitent Life and refusing former calls to encourage your unbelief and check your hopes and sink your hearts 3. You may expect more comfort in it for the more able you will be to discern its sincerity as having less cause to doubt of it To turn to God when you have something to deny for him some time to spend in his Service and which might have been spent in the service of sin looks much more like true repentance than to turn to him when you are immediately to appear before him The less force and fear there is in your repentance the more like it is to be kindly and evangelical when tears flow and are not squeezed you are rather drawn than driven and your Obedience is freely yielded rather than extorted But the further ye apprehend your selves from Death and Judgment the less there usually is to force your repentance and so the less to make it suspicious and hinder your enjoying the comfort of it And so the sooner you repent the more time you will have to prove its sincerity by its fruits and the more fruit you bring forth meet for repentance Matth. 3.8 the better satisfy'd ye will be as to the truth of it and have the more comfort in it When you cannot so well judge of it by looking to it immediately in the principle you may be better able to judge of it by its actings as tho the root of a Tree be hid under ground yet good fruit will shew it to be good 4. Consider what you lose by putting repentance off to the last beside the comfort of your death as was above intimated ye lose no less than all the comfort of your Lives the comfort of all the good you might have done all the Grace you might have acted all the glory you might have brought to God A Christians greatest comfort is the comfort of faith and holiness the comfort of walking with God and communion with him in Duties and Ordinances the comfort of exercising his Graces and reflecting upon his Graces of seeing his priviledges his interest in the promises his title to his inheritance c. so that where no Grace is there no true comfort can be and where repentance is not there no other Grace can be no Faith for that is always the cause of Evangelical repentance and no holiness for that always supposeth Repentance as the beginning of it There can be no walking in the narrow way if there be not first an entring in at the strait Gate Wisdoms ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3.17 but they only experience that pleasantness that walk in that way and walk in it you cannot if you do not enter into it and that must be by repentance which is your very first stepping into it Think then what comforts the Saints enjoy in their Lives what it is that makes them chearful in their Duties couragious against their enemies strong against temptations patient in sufferings what it is makes them go on singing in the ways of the Lord Psal 138.1 and glorying in tribulations Rom. 5.3 and remember that all this comfort you lose by being so late e're you come into the way wherein alone it is to be found 5. Think what others beside your selves lose by your thus deferring your repentance Every Saint is a publick Good the World is the better for him But while you go on in sin and never think of repenting till the last who is the better for you nay who are not losers by you Angels in Heaven lose the joy they might have had in your Conversion Ministers lose the comfort of being instrumental in it your Families lose the Instruction they might have had of you your Neighbours the provocation they might have had to holiness by your example the wicked lose the convictions they might have been brought under by the power of holiness appearing in your conversation Saints the comfort and refreshment they might have had by your Society Discourse Experience and all generally what good they might have got by your Prayers and that which is more than all doth not God lose the glory you might have given him had that time that life and strength been spent in his Service which you have spent upon your Lusts I need not tell you over again what you hazard even your never repenting at all your being forsaken of God given up to the Devil and your Lusts and so having your hearts hardned your minds blinded your Consciences seared and your Souls in conclusion damned If it be not so no thanks to your selves If God be merciful to you and no body in this World knows whether he will or not yet you do your part to bereave your selves of that mercy and plunge your selves into the Abyss of eternal misery Obj. If you say you are fully resolved to repent of your sins when you come to die and then ask pardon for them Answ Do but seriously consider 1. The Vanity and Folly of such resolutions What is more uncertain more fickle more variable than man's mind you resolve upon this to day and are you sure you shall not break that resolution to morrow Do you know what will be your minds two or three days hence if not how can you know twenty or thirty years before-hand are you sure you shall never meet with any accident any temptation that may change your mind And if you do know your mind what it will certainly be when you are dying yet do you know what God's mind will be then whether he will give you repentance when you set about it and give you a pardon when you seek it If you do know it I pray how came you by that knowledge When did God tell you so and where In what text
and Earth a damned Spirit the most cursed part of the Creation It is most reasonable that the baseness of the Competitour should be a foil to reinforce the lustre of Gods authority yet Men reject God and comply with the tempter O prodigious perversness 2. Sin vilifies the ruling Wisdom of God that prescrib'd the Law to Men. Altho the dominion of God over us be Supreme and Absolute yet 't is exercis'd according to the councel of his Will by the best means 1 Tim. 1.17 for the best ends he is accordingly stiled by the Apostle The eternal King and only wise God 'T is the glorious Prerogative of his Sovereignty and Deity that he can do no wrong for he necessarily acts according to the excellencies of his Nature Particularly his Wisdom is so relucent in his Laws that the serious contemplation of it will ravish the sincere minds of Men into a compliance with them They are framed with exact congruity to the Nature of God and his relation to us and to the faculties of Man before he was corrupted From hence the Divine Law being the transcript not only of Gods Will but his Wisdom binds the understanding and will our leading faculties to esteem and approve to consent and choose all his precepts as best Now sin vilifies the infinite understanding of God with respect both to the precepts of the â—â—w the rule of our duty and the sanction annext to confirm its obligâ—â—â—on It does constructively tax the precepts as unequal too rigid â—â—d severe a confinement to our wills and actions Thus the impious Rebels complain The ways of the Lord are not equal as injurious to their liberty and not worthy of observance What St. James saith to correct the uncharitable censorious Humour of some in his time James 4.11 He that speaks evil of his brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law as an imperfect and rash rule is aplicable to Sinners in any other kind As an unskillful Hand by straining too high breaks the strings of an Instrument and spoils the Musick so the Strictness and Severity of the Precepts breaks the harmonious Agreement between the Wills of Men and the Law and casts an Imputation of Imprudence upon the Law-giver This is the implicit Blasphemy in Sin Besides the Law has Rewards and Punishments to secure our Respects and Obedience to it The wise God knows the Frame of the reasonable Creature what are the inward Springs of our Actions and has accordingly propounded such Motives to our Hope and Fear the most active Passions as may engage us to perform our Duty He promises his favour that is better then life to the Obedient and threatens his wrath that is worse then death to the rebellious Now Sin makes it evident that these Motives are not effectual in the Minds of Men And this reflects upon the Wisdom of the Law-giver as if defective in not binding his Subjects firmly to their Duty for if the Advantage or Pleasure that may be gain'd by Sin be greater than the Reward that is promised to Obedience and the Punishment that is threatned against the Transgression the Law is unable to restrain from Sin and the Ends of Government are not obtained Thus Sinners in venturing upon forbidden things reproach the Understanding of the Divine Law-giver 3. Sin is a Contrariety to the unspotted Holiness of God Of all the glorious and benign Constellation of the Divine Attributes that shine in the Law of God his Holiness has the brightest Lustre God is Holy in all his Works but the most venerable and precious Monument of his Holiness is the Law For the Holiness of God consists in the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his moral Perfections Wisdom Goodness and Justice and the Law is the perfect Copy of his Nature and Will The Psalmist who had a purged Eye saw and admir'd its Purity and Perfection Psal 19. Psal 119.140 The Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the eyes The word is very pure therefore thy servant loves it 'T is the perspicuous and glorious Rule of our Duty without Blemish or Imperfection The Commandment is holy just and good It injoyns nothing but what is absolutely Good without the least Tincture of Evil. The Sum of it is set down by the Apostle to live soberly that is to abstain from any thing that may stain the Excellence of an understanding Creature To live righteously which respects the State and Scituation wherein God has disposed Men for his Glory It comprehends all the respective Duties to others to whom we are united by the Bands of Nature or of civil Society or of Spiritual Communion And to live godly which includes all the internal and outward Duties we owe to God who is the Sovereign of our Spirits whose Will must be the Rule and his Glory the End of our Actions In short The Law is so form'd that prescinding from the Authority of the Law-giver its Holiness and Goodness lays an eternal Obligation on us to obey it Now Sin is not only by Interpretation a Reproach to the Wisdom and other Perfections of God but directly and formally a Contrariety to his infinite Sanctity and Purity for it consists in a not doing what the Law commands Rom. 11. or doing what it forbids 'T is therefore said That the carnal mind is Enmity against God An active immediate and irreconcilable Contrariety to his holy Nature and Will From henee there is a reciprocal Hatred between God and Sinners God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity without an infinite Displicence the Effects of which will fall upon Sinners and tho' 't is an Impiety hardly conceivable Rom. 1. yet the Scripture tells us that they are haters of God 'T is true God by the transcendent Excellence of his Nature is uncapable of suffering any Evil and there are few in the present State arrived to such Malice as to declare open Enmity and War against God In the Damned this Hatred is explicit and direct the Fever is hightned to a Frenzy the blessed God is the Object of their Curses and eternal Aversation If their Rage could extend to him and their Power were equal to their Desires they would Dethrone the most High And the Seeds of this are in the Breasts of Sinners here As the fearful Expectation of irresistible and fiery Vengeance increases their Aversation increases They endeavour to rase out the Inscription of God in their Souls and to extinguish the thoughts and sense of their Inspector and Judge They wish he were not All-seeing and Almighty but Blind and Impotent uncapable to vindicate the Honour of his despised Deity The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God The Heart is the Fountain of Desires and Actions interpret the Thoughts and Affections from whence the Inference is direct and conclusive that habitual Sinners who live without God in the world have secret Desires there was no Sovereign being
pitch of holiness that ye may raise an admiration of you in the judgments of such as otherwise would have no great reverence for religion and give them occasion to say as it is reported that Libanius an Heathen Philosopher did Proh Quales faeminas habent Christiani Oh what excellent women have these Christians The Correspondence between the Text and the Question having been as I think sufficiently insisted upon I shall now apply my self to give a direct and satisfactory answer to the Question propounded And that I may speak to it the more intelligibly and profitably I shall consider 1. The Persons mentioned in it and they are private Christians 2. Their Duty and work and that is to be helpful to promote the entertainment of the Gospel 3 The way that they are to take and the Means that they are to make use of that they may be most helpful in the carrying on of that blessed work 1. The Persons specified And they are private Christians In which is intimated 1. Their general Character as Christians 2. The restrictive term that is added to denote their special circumstance as they are private Christians which limits our Enquiries or calls on us to speak more specially at least of the Duty and work of private Christians in the undertaking mentioned in the Question 1. It is supposed That Christians only will be willing or proper to be made use of in this holy work We may conclude that they who reject the Gospel and put away Salvation from them as those did who are mentioned Acts 13.46 will never while they continue in that temper and disposition promote the entertainment of the Gospel but will endeavour to obstruct and hinder it But all Christians in the most comprehensive latitude both stand obliged in point of Duty and may also Eventually be helpful to promote the spreading of the Gospel even every one who nameth the name of Christ 2 Tim. ii 19. Or that is called by his name as Jer. xiv 8. Even those Christians as are such only by External profession tho they remain destitute of Internal and Real Sanctification may be helpful herein by their common Gifts their Interests their Services and by contributing their Assistance and Encouragement to those who are engaged in this holy work And they may be influenced by such Motives and Inducements as may excite and engage them thereunto Such as these for ought I know may be admitted to contribute their help to Build the Temple of the Lord and are not to be excluded For probably Christs Aphorism Mark ix 40. He that is not against us is on our part may be understood of such But how far such may be Accepted or Rewarded falls not under our present Enquiry This I presume will be admitted by all That such only as are Christians indeed as Christ said of Nathanael John i. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed are the only Persons who are rightly principled and will be found sincerely affected to this blessed work and will be most vigorously Active in carrying it on This may suffice touching the Persons under their general Character as Christians 2. Their special circumstance as they are Private Christians whereby they are distinguished from such as are invested with publick Offices Such are Christian Rulers and Magistrates who are the Ministers of God who bear the Sword and such as are called to preach the Gospel who are Ministers of the Word I confess these come not directly within the compass of our Question for that concerns Private Christians neither yet ought they wholly to be excluded out of it because they are Christians and therefore are not silently to be passed over And so I shall say something yet but little of them Doubtless both Christian Magistrates and Ministers of the Gospel are as much obliged in point of Duty to promote the entertainment of the Gospel as private Christians and they may do more because they have greater Advantages put into their hands for that is a Rule laid down by our Saviour himself Luk. xii 48. Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required 1. For Christian Rulers when their Hearts are throughly knit to Christ in Faith and Love and they act upon Gospel-principles and according to the Rules thereof what wonderful things may they perform toward the enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ in the World If a poor Bond-slave who lies in the lowest rank of men may in his Station serve the Lord Christ Col. iii. 24. What eminent services may Princes and Potentates do him who are placed in the highest rank of men and dignified with the title of Gods The zeal of Constantine the Great for the Christian Religion is praised by more than are disposed to imitate it But when those who have given their Strength and Power to the Beast shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and devote their Crowns and Scepters to the Lamb we may hope for those blessed days wherein the light of the Gospel shall shine forth so gloriously as to illustrate the whole World This should excite all Private Christians to pray hard that God would put it into the Hearts of Kings and those who are in Authority to kiss the Son by whom they reign 2. As for the Ministers of the Gospel all they who understand and attend unto their Office and Duty must acknowledge that they are under the strictest and most forcible engagements in the World to lay out themselves entirely and to the uttermost of their Capacity to serve the Lord Jesus and to help forward the enlargement of his Kingdom And yet it is not the Duty and Work of every ordinary Minister to go up and down the World to preach the Gospel for the Conversion of the Heathen as the Apostles and Evangelists did Rom. xv 20. Yea so have I strived to preach the Gospel where Christ was not named Because they are commanded by Christ to attend upon their proper flocks Act. xx 28. 1 Pet. v. 1 2. But what Measures they are to take farther or what Methods they are to pursue to promote the spreading of the Gospel is indeed a very Christian and noble enquiry At the debate whereof I should most gladly stand as a silent Learner and not presume to be a Director However I hope it will be excusable if I offer one thing to the Consideration of those whose Piety and Learning may challenge a due esteem in the Hearts of all that fear God We have had among us Committees for the Encouragement and Increase of Trade And what if there were some to consult How the Gospel might be propagated The Papists have at Rome their Congregatio de propagandâ Fide Their design may be very ill while they contrive not How that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints may be propagated but how the Leven of their own Superstition may be diffused and especially How the Popes Kingdom may be enlarged And yet to deliberate How the
cause that will pass for just and sufficient at the great day before they resolve upon a total separation from their Brethren 8. Christ is to be followed in his great humility and meekness Mat. 11.29 Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls Pride overcame the first man he affected Divinity and would needs be as God but behold the Lord Jesus who is the Eternal God and he humbled himself and became Man Humility was the constant attire and ornament of the Man Christ Jesus Though this great Redeemer be the chief of all the ways of God though more of God is visible in Him than in the whole Creation besides Though he glorifies his Father more than all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth put together and though he is exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion no◠only in this World but in that which is to come Yet our Lord never was in the least High-minded Humility is one most remarkable feature in the image of Christ therefore resemble him in being humble Be not proud of Habit Hair and Ornaments 1 Pet. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymologists derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies nodus a knot Be cloathed or be knotted with Humility I wish that other knots were less and this which is incomparably most becoming were more in fashion Let not your Estates puff you up Riches are not always to men of understanding and there may be a great deal of Gold in the Purse where there is no true Wisdom in the Head no Grace at all in the Heart Let not your natural parts your acquired endowments your spiritual Gifts though never so excellent make you to look upon others with contempt upon your selves with admiration you owe all Glory to that God from whom you have received all Let Humility look out at your Eyes a proud look is one of the seven things which the Lord hates Prov. 6.16 17. Let Humility express it self at your Lips let it attend you in all your addresses to God and beautifie your whole behaviour and converses with Men. The more humble you are the more of every other Grace will be imparted to you the more Rest and Peace you will have within your selves and since you will be ready to give him all the Praise the Lord is ready to put the more honour upon you in making you useful unto others 9. Christ is to be followed in his love to God great care to please him and fervent zeal for his Name and Glory Joh. 14.31 The World may know says Christ that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do He obeyed that first and great Commandment and loved the Lord his God with all his Heart and Soul and Mind and Strength Christs love made him do whatever his Father pleased Joh. 8.29 He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I always do those things that please him Christs love was stronger than Death no Waters no Flouds could drown it neither could the Baptism of blood quench it Christ was consumed with Divine and Holy zeal and he matters not what befal him so he might but glorifie his Father and finish the work which was given him to do Oh let us bring our cold and careless Hearts hither to the Consideration of this Great Example that the frost may melt care may be awakened and there may be something in us that may deserve the name of Warm zeal for God Let us be importunate in Prayer and restless till we feel the constraints of the Love of God forceable till we find really the greatest delight and pleasure in doing that which pleases him and aiming at his Glory we think not much of labour difficulty and hazzard that this our end may be attained 10. Christ is to be followed in his Sufferings and Death and unto this my Text has a more particular reference Christs Faith was strong though he was under a dismal Desertion The Sun of Righteousness did set in a dark cloud He submitted to his Fathers will and being confident of a joyful Resurrection he endured the Cross and despised the shame When Christians come to die their Faith should be most lively as being near finishing it should by no means fail when there is most need of it Though he slay me says Job yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Christians should submit when the Lord of time will grant no more time to them and they should gladly enter upon a holy and blessed Eternity When the body is about to be sown in corruption by Faith they should see that its lying there will be to advantage for it will be raised in Incorruption and Glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Let Death be more natural or violent it is yours in the Covenant if you are true Believers 1 Cor. 3.22 Fear not to follow our Lord Jesus through that dark passage into the House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And all the while you remain on Earth study a Conformity to your Lords death by crucifying the Flesh and dying to the World The more dead you are with Christ in this sense you will live to the better purpose and die in the greater Peace In the third place I am to produce some Arguments to perswade to the imitation of our Lord Jesus 1. Consider the greatness of the Person that gives you the Example Christ has this Name written on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 A Roman Historian commends a Prince who is maximus imperio Velleius Paterculus l. 2. exemplo major greatest in authority and yet greater by his example Every thing in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth does bow and is subject to the Lord Jesus and yet whose obedience ever was so exact as his was He gives us precepts and he himself is the great Pattern of performance Claudian the Poet has a notable passage concerning the examples of Monarchs and what a mighty influence they have Tunc observantior aequi Fit populus nec ferre vetat cum viderit ipsum Autorein parere sibi componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita Regentis Kings have many observers who very much Eye them and their high estate both awes and allures their Subjects to the imitation of them If they keep within the bounds of their own Laws their Subjects will be the more unwilling to transgress them Christ is the universal Soveraign who commands both Heaven and Earth and has the whole Creation at his beck He has kept the Laws he gives his Church 't is duty 't is interest 't is reasonable 't is honourable to resemble him in obedience 2. Remember the Relation wherein you that are Saints do stand unto the Lord
also how to qualify our selves and how to manage our spirits speeches and behaviour to the procurement of this end and how to provoke our selves to Love and to Good Works by what we see in others and hear from them or concerning them Phil. iv 8 9. Rom. xv 14. i Thess v. 14 15. for we are all of us obnoxious unto very great decays in Christian Affections and Behaviour and who is free throughout from guilt herein and equally concerned in this healthful exercise and temper 3. Actual Endeavours upon consideration to fix the temper and behaviour right for thoughts and purposes are vain things till they be put in execution Such as Mutual Exhortation attending on assembling of our selves together and our growthful progress in these things under the reinforcements and frequent representations of the approaching day Hence then consider we 1. The Text. 2. The Case First The Text. And here we have 1. The Objects to be considered one another 2. The Duty here required as conversant about these Objects Consider 3. The End Provocation to love and to good works 4. The means and manner of performing it to purpose and with good Success not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another 5. The great inducement hereunto so much the more as ye see the day approaching Improving the thoughts belief and expectations of this approaching solemn day and consequently our concerns therein as the most awful motive and quickning encouragement of our Preparatory State and Work And here I must premise that the case here proposed to our present thoughts may and must be resolved into two 1. How a luke-warm temper may be cured by us in our selves 2. How to be cured in each other Now seeing we are all related to the same God and under the same circumstances as to our capacity of pleasing or displeasing God of deserting or adhering to our Christian State and work and all of us as Christians under the same powerful and manifold obligations to be found Right and Faithful in this day And as all of us are determined to solemn Judgment and an Eternal State according to the temper of our Spirits and tenor of our Lives as found to be when that day comes What can we say to one another to provoke each other to love and to good works that will not equally concern our selves Whatever then we consider in each other is as considerable in our selves Whatever we design hereby to provoke others regularly to is to be equally designed and enterprized and promoted upon our selves Whatever we speak to others or plead with others hath the same Errand to and ought deservedly to be as cogent and prevailing with our selves We are all concerned in the helpfulness of present Assemblies and in the process and results of the last general Assembly and what we propose or press by way of Counsel Request Encouragement c. must be as spoken to our selves Taking it then for granted and concluded and needless to be proved and demonstrated 1. That luke-warmness is an heart-distemper 2. And that the formal Nature of it lies in the remissness of due Affections unto their proper worthy objects and so in too mean resentments and distastings of whatever is contrary thereunto 3. That the Cure of this Distemper formally consists in the due fervour of provoked Love invigorating and producing its congenial Operations and Effects here called Good Works which are but answerableness of Practice and Behaviour to this Principle or Grace 4. And that all these means and courses which genuinely and statedly relate hereto as divinely instituted by him whose Blessing is entailed hereon to make them prosperous and successful hereunto are the most likely means to work this Cure 5. And that the purport of my Text amounts to this and is it self of Divine Inspiration and so of God's appointment for this End Taking I say these things for granted for brevities sake I shall dispatch the Text and Case together in the close Consideration of these three General Heads or Topicks of Discourse 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good Works for herein the Cure consists 2. The things that are most likely and prepared to provoke hereto and so the Remedy or Means will be directed to 3. The Course and Method of improving these most regularly and so the skilful faithful management thereof will be considered 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good works Fervour and Vigour in the heart to and for its proper Objects productive of their right Effects are the Soul's Health indeed the very esse formale of this Cure in hand for Knowledge ministers to Faith in its Production and Proficiency and in all its Exercises and Designs Hence establish'd in the Faith as ye have been taught Col. ii 7. and 1 Joh. v. 9. 14. for we must know whom to believe in what and why The credibility of a Witness the trustiness of a Promiser and Undertaker the valuableness and certainty of things Promised and the way of acquisition and attaining what is promised if Promises be attended with and ordered to depend upon any thing commanded by the Promiser to be done by us these must be duly known ere Faith can fasten on them Faith is no blind no inconsiderate no rash no groundless act I know whom I have believed ii Tim. i. 12. And 't is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. xi 1. And Faith works by love or it is inwrought and becoâ—â—â—â—ergetical by Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. v. 6. Building your s◠〈…〉 your most holy Faith keep your selves in the love of God Jude â—â— 21 Faiths proper work and great design upon the Heart or Will 〈◊〉 tâ— kindle feed and keep this holy flame of Love within and to direct and keep it to its due Expressions and Employments Thus Truths and Hearts are brought together and fixt in their reciprocal Endearments ii Tim. i. 13. And then God and the Image Interest Saints and things of God are like the King upon his Throne with all his lovely train about him And then this Faith makes Christ upon the Heart and dwelling there like Manoahs Angel working wonderously in these flames of love for now no faculty sence or member can be idle languid or indifferent amidst such glorious and lovely Objects when urged and provoked by such powerful and busie Principles as Faith and Love to be imployed for God Truths Duty Souls and Glory Let us then consider it in its 1. Objects 2. Actings And 3. Effects I. The Objects of this Love towards which it is to move for which it is to act wherewith it must converse and wherein at last it is to rest and to repose it self for ever and these are the Name the Things the Children of God the good of Men or rather God as in himself the essential source and abyss of perfection bliss and glory Of through and to whom all things are who
up in manifold and mighty clusters What can we mention or fix our thoughts upon that may not kindle and increase this flame of Love and its Eruptions in Good Works The things which we might pertinently and copiously insist upon might be reduced to these Heads 1. The Objects of this Central Grace or Principle 1. Things in Heaven as God Christ the Spirit Angels the Spirits of Just Men there made perfect the glorious Furniture Laws and Orders the Visions Services Ministrations and Fruitions of that State all the Perfections Prerogatives and Employments of that blessed World above with all the accomplishments and accommodations which relate immediately thereto and all the Satisfactions and Advantages that result therefrom 2. Things from Heaven God manifest in the flesh i Tim. iii. 16. the Spirit Works and Word of God the great Provisions and Engagements of Divine Providence for us all that we are or have or meet with express of God's merciful regards to us and his compassionate concernedness for our universal welfare 3. Things for Heaven The Spirit of Grace the Word of Grace all the Ministers and means of Grace with all the Discipline and Encouragements which Providence sensibly affords us the Good and Evil things of time as ordered by God to fit us for and help us to the Glory which we look for The very Sons of men themselves considered in the relations which they bear to God and their expressiveness of his indearing Name and all those marks and notices which they bear and give us in the frame capacity and management of humane Nature of God's incomprehensible Wisdom Power Goodness c. O who can think hereon and yet be unprovoked to Love and to Good Works when as God is so eminently and endearingly discernible in all for God by all this courts our love And should I speak of the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory that Divine Workmanship which is in them and upon them the Impressions Reflections and Refractions of the Divine Nature and Life their capacity of growing up to all the fulness of God and to be eternally the beautiful and delightsome Temple of the Holy Ghost all their relations to the Holy Trinity with all their obligations to him their interest in him their business with him and for him and all their imitations and resemblances of him in their actual and possible motions and advances towards him and their Great Expectations from him Should I insist upon their membership with all the duties and advantages and pleasures which arise there from and pertinently illustrate and apply as I could easily and quickly do what doth so copiously occur in Eph. iv 4. 6. as the Central articles and holding bonds of Union and Endearments would you and I consider all these things and all the loveliness that would then be communicable or observable could our love want its provocation 2. The formal nature of this love 't is fit to be a provocation to itself i Joh. iv 16-21 7-12 This is the beauty health strength pleasure safety and renown of humane nature love is the aim and scope Knowledge the end of faith the Spirit of hope the life of practice and devotion and the bond of perfectness and the true transformation of the Soul into the image of its God No pleasing thoughts of God Christ Heaven or heavenly things no chearful motions towards eternity no foretasts of the highest bliss no warrantable claims thereto nor confident expectations of unseen realities No true and lasting bonds of friendliness in service and affections without this Spirit and state of love this only faces God in his own beautiful and delightful image this only turns the notions of divinity into substantial realities and so exalts the man above the pageantries of meer formal outside service and devotions and the truth is all that we say and do for God or with him and all our expectations from him are but the tricks and forgeries of deceitful and deceived fools and the most provoking Prophanation of the tremendous holy name of God and an abuse of holy things 3. The services which love must do and the fruits it must produce to God to Christ unto the Spirit unto our selves and others God himself must be reverenced addrest unto served and entertained like himself and walked with in all required and fit imitations of himself And all these cannot be without just valuings of and complacency in his eminent perfections near relations and the admirable constitutions and administrations of his Kingdom Christ must be duly thought on heartily entertained gratefully acknowledged and cheerfully obeyed submitted and improved unto the great and gracious purposes of his appearances performances and Kingdom and minded most delightfully in all the Grandeurs of his Grace and Throne the Holy Spirit must possess his Temple to his full Satisfaction and have the pure incense of his graces in their fragrant liberal and continual ascents Praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. And be feasted with the growthful and constant productions of his graces both in their blossoms and full fruits and we must be continually sowing to him if we hope to reap eternal life of him in Gal. vi 8. We must possess our selves in God and for him in our full devotedness and resignations of our entire selves to him pleasing our selves in this that we are not by far so much and so delightfully our own as his and that we cannot love our selves so well as when we find God infinitely dearer to us than we are to our selves And as for others much must we chearfully do and bear and be to bring poor Renegadoes back again to God to testify our great respects unto and pleasure in the grace of God in our fellow Christians to accommodate our selves to their edification concerns and to make our best advantage of every thing discernible in them Helping our selves and them in spirit speech and practice And can these things be brought to pass or our selves reconciled suited to all our Christian duties and interests without provoked love And for the solemnities transactions and results of the approaching day what is that day to those who have no love or very great declensions of it For all that come with Christ from Heaven come in the flames of love to God to godliness and Godly Ones and a Cold Heart will no way be endured there And as to fellow Christians the Duties and Counsels of the Text consideration adhering to the Assembling of our selves together mutual exhortations in the encouraging and quickning Prospect of this day can these things be without love III. The management of these provoking things And here let us follow the method of the Text it self Where we have these Topicks to insist upon 1. Persons must be considered each other and our selves 2. We are not to desert the Assemblings of our selves together as the manner of some is 3. We must exhort each other And so what one proposes the other must Consider
Entertain Accommodate and Improve to the great ends and benefit of the exhortation given 4. And the actuated knowledge of the approaching day must quicken us to and in the more serious and intense performance of these duties Exhorting by so much the more by how much the more as ye see the day approaching Let me but touch a little upon these things 1. Let us consider one another for this provoking work or in order to this Provocation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word here in the Text imports strict observation of and great sollicitousness of thoughts about each other as to great matters for their Good So that we have 1. The Objects each other 2. The Act or Duty towards them Let us Consider 3. The end and scope To a provocation unto love and to Good works 1. The Objects One another 1. As to the great and Stated ends of our Creation and Redemption Such as the Divine nature and Life and Joy Gods image in us service from us and the delightful blissful and that eternal presence with us in the glorious discoveries and Communications of himself to us in heaven And as we are recovered redeemed by Jesus Christ So our loyalty gratitude and fruitfulness to him in all acknowledgements and improvements of his kind Conduct Government Providence and Grace unto the Fathers Glory through him As we are related to the Holy Ghost it is our correspondent Temper and Practice with Improvement of and our fit returns unto the Offered Accepted and Profest relations of the Spirit and his Communications to us his Operations in us and his Effects upon our Spirits that he might thereby suit us to the Concerns Priviledges of our Christian state and that we might be built up furnisht and possest as the Eternal Temple of the living God Linked and laid together and so related and obliged to each other dependant each on other and consequently useful and delightful in being heartily and practically faithful each to other unto the Edification of the whole in love that so God three in One may be eternally and evidently All to Universal Satisfaction For we were made and bought and are committed to the care of Christ and of the Spirit and we are accordingly entrusted with Gospel helps and means that we might hereby be the Mirrours of Divine Communicable excellencies and perfections the Monuments of prosperous and rich Grace and Instruments of special Service For these ends God Created and Redeemed us and in respect hereto are we to be considered each by other 2. As to our capacity of serving and reaching such Great Ends and Purposes The powers of our Souls the members of our Bodies and all our natural accommodations for these Ends. For we are men and so have faculties and powers naturally capable of and formed to a propenseness and appetite to the Supream Good and thereupon receptive of all the attractive influences of the first cause and were it not for our moral depravations and Corruptions and alienations of heart herefrom which we have sinfully contracted espoused and indulged considering Divine Discoveries Assistances and Encouragements procured for us and dispensed to us by Jesus Christ what hinders our return to God and unto those reciprocations of Endearments betwixt him and us to which by our rational Frame and Constitution we are so admirably suited Are we not capable of discerning what may excite enflame preserve and regulate our love and of the fixing and managing it accordingly We are capable of judgment choice and motion and reposes right objects being set before us in their apt illustrations and addresses So that we cannot speak to bruits and stones as we may do to men For nothing but sinful ignorance prejudice negligence and malignity or sad delusions and mistakes through inconsiderateness and unreasonable avocations and diversions can prevent the return of our first love and all these things may be redrest by our judicious well advised and warm discourses about these things duly attended to impartially considered and prudently and pertinently applied unto our selves Thus mistakes may be Rectified known Truths and Notions actuated Hearts affected Lives reformed and Love restored to its regular Fervours and Productions of Good works He that is capable of knowing what he is to do and why and of doing and being what most concerns and best becomes him deserves to be accordingly considered by us 3. As to our obligations and advantages as we are Creatures Subjects Favourites As we are redeemed to God by Christ so our obligations to the returns of Gratitude should be considered by us ii Cor. v. 14 15. We are Christs and Gods by him and so he must be glorified in the whole man i Cor. vi 20. And all the vast advantages of our Gospel day as they are talents and encouraging advantages put into our hands must be considered by us too and our selves and one another as Steward 's entrusted and accountable ii Pet. i. 3 4. i 4.11 So that we must regard each other as under ties and bonds to God and Christ and as greatly helped and furnished to be provoked thus if well considered and managed accordingly 4. As to our Spirits and behaviour according to our Christian Claims and Helps Relations Obligations and Professions Whether we foot it right or not Gal. ii 14. Whether professours value their Souls to their just worth or not in keeping them intent upon their great concern whether their furniture discipline temper and behaviour bear evidently their fit and full proportion hereunto How Gospel transforming and reforming work goes on with them Whether the Christian name and interest the Gospel and its Patron be credited and promoted or disgraced and hindred by us and whether our proficiency and improvements be answerable indeed to our advantages obligations and professions 5. Wherein our helps and hopefulness or our dangers mainly lye their Gifts and Graces and Encouragements and Advantages on the one hand Their Constitutions Customs Callings Company Temptations and secular Concerns and Hindrances on the other hand are all to be considered 2. The Act or Duty towards these Objects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us Consider 1. Bend your minds to observation of one another that ye may understand how matters are with one another concern your selves about the right knowledge of the principles tempers actions circumstances and concerns of persons so far as your duty towards them calls you to it For this injunction doth not countenance what we find elsewhere forbidden ii Thes iii. 11 12. i Tim. v. 13. i Pet. iv 15. So far as you may do or get Good prevent redress or allay evil under such circumstances relations and advantages as may notify that God then calls you to it and so encourages your expectations and endeavours of doing Good or preventing the sin and mischief which God would have prevented by you So far may others be inspected enquired after and observed by you But when it is and evidently appears to be to
If Rulers will not take due that is utmost care to suppress prophaneness in a Nation where their power lyeth they take a direct course to pull down the wrath of God upon that whole Nation as well as upon themselves Solomon hath these passages Prov. 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it But we cannot say if a Magistrate will not discharge his duty but suffer wickedness to pass without controul he alone shall bear it no no the burden may light and lye heavy upon more shouldiers than his own His remissness and neglect may turn to the smart of the Land and people over whom he is set the not shutting the floud-gates of sin which let in a deluge of wickedness below is no other than the opening of the Windows of Heaven above for the letting down Showers and Storms of wrath that shall drown and swallow up all For want of this as you heard under the last particular God did not only with great severity judge the house of Eli but also threatned to do a thing in Israel or unto Israel as some read it at which both the ears of every one that heard it should tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 If any enquire what that terrible thing was I answer it was no less than the delivering of the Army of Israel into the hands of the accursed Philistines so that three thousand of them fell in battel before those their Enemies and which was yet worse the Ark of God was taken before which they worshipt and which was the special and delightful Symbol of the Divine presence with them When the Sword of Magistracy lieth still and dormant in the midst of crying abominations then God thinks it fit and high time to awake himself to the Judgment which he commanded and man neglected and to draw his own and how doth he then lay about him what blows doth he give what stupendous work doth he make When one Jonah that had been disobedient to his God and being sent by him upon a Message to Nineveh took him to his heels and run another way when he I say was in the Ship and lay in peace and at ease the whole was in danger nor did the storm cease though the Heathen Mariners called every one to his God till the guilty Criminal received his deserved punishment in being cast into the Sea That is a notable saying of Solomon Prov. 29.4 The King by Judgment stablisheth the Land When it shakes and totters he shores it up he settles and confirms it again and makes all sure But he that receiveth gifts overthrows it These do blind the eyes of men in place and bind or tie their hands so that they shall not do the things they should And he that receives them that will take bribes to stop the course of Justice doth overthrow the Land he turns it upside down he destroyeth the very foundations of it and when he hath once done that where is the wise man that can tell me what he will do himself I can expect no other but his own being buried in its ruins yea probably he shall go first and not live long enough to be a mourner at its Funeral Whereas on the other side Seventhly Magistrates by a vigorous suppression of prophaneness may most happily both prevent the coming of those Judgments which are impending over a Nation and remove those which are incumbent and heavy upon it They may stay the hand of revenging justice when it is lifted up as Abrahams was and ready to give the fatal stroke and also they may take off the hand of God when it lies heavy upon a people and presseth them sore or to use Davids expression they may remove the stroke away from it and hold his hand when it is about repeating of the blow I shall speak to both these under this head They may prevent a Judgment and dispel that Cloud which threatens a storm Hence it was that when the people had most grievously offended and provoked God by making a Golden Calf and then worshipping it after the manner of Egypt Moses said unto the Sons of Levi who had gathered themselves together unto him as Persons resolved to be on the Lords side Exod. 32.27 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his Sword by his side and go in and out from Gate to Gate throughout the Camp and slay every man his Brother and every man his Companion and every man his Neighbour And the Children of Levi did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the People that day about three thousand men Observe his temper He was the meekest Man in the Earth of a most sweet and loving Disposition knowing how to bear and forbear but now he was all on a flame the Lamb was turned into a Lion He was nearly and greatly concerned for the Name and Honour of his God and He accordingly set upon the doing of Justice and therefore made many a Sacrifice and when that was done he said unto the People upon the Morrow ver 30. Ye have sinned a great Sin and now I will go up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an Atonement for your Sin Now that I have done the Duty of my place now that I have vindicated the Honour of God now that there hath been this due Execution of Justice Now I will go up unto the Lord and I will go up in hope now I have a peradventure to encourage me to think that I shall make an Atonement for you And let us not pass over in silence that which you have in ver 29. of the same Chapter Moses had said Consecrate your selves to day to the Lord even every Man upon his Son and upon his Brother that he may bestow upon you a Blessing this day The shedding of Blood of the Blood of Man the Blood of an Israelite by the hand of Justice in a cause deserving Death did not defile them but consecrate them Acts of Justice are as acceptable to God as Sacrifice the Blood of Sinners as the fat of Rams and abundantly more and saith Moses upon your doing this the Lord may bestow a Blessing upon you Levi therefore by using a Sword of Injustice and Cruelty against the Shechemites lost the Blessing When their Father Jacob called all his Sons together speaking of Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 He speaks of their instruments of Cruelty calls to mind their Sin cursed their Anger and Wrath divided them in Jacob scattered them in Israel but not a word of Blessing That they had lost Now saith Moses do you quit your selves in this great piece of Justice and you may get a Blessing and so they did for God chose the Tribe of Levi for himself above all the Tribes of Israel and appointed and imployed them about his Sanctuary and Service Numb 3.6 c. Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the Priest that
the Lord What Promises more inviting and encouraging than those he hath given us which are exceeding great and precious Where if any one can let him tell us where we shall see Sin so clearly and fully in its deformity and ugliness in order to a real and thorow aversation from it or Religion Godliness and a Conversation order'd aright more in it's loveliness and enamouring beauty in order to our setting our Hearts upon it than we do or at least may see it in the Gospel When all is said and done that can be it is the Grace of God Tit. 2.14 The Doctrine the Gospel of Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all men Jews and Gentiles men of all sorts and ranks it is that yea it is that which teacheth us and all thâ—t sit under it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Oh therefore that this precious and everlasting Gospel of God our Saviour may be the main object of Ministers study and the Principal Theme upon which they insist in their several Congregations therein imitating the great Apostle of the Gentiles who told the Corinthians He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified But this is not all Ministers ought not only to preach Christ but likewise to live him What good are those pretended Ministers like to do in whatever Place Countrey or Nation they are to be found who are scandalous and prophane Grant that some of them preach well I would fain know whether that be enough either to save themselves or those that hear them What such men seem to build up by their Doctrine they pull down by their Practice Let any rational man judge whether they are like to convince and perswade others who do lead self-contradicting lives How can they prevail with others to be sober who will sit and quaffe and be drunk themselves With what face can they perswade others to possess their vessels in Sanctification and Honour who are unclean and filthy themselves In short how are they like to lead others in the way everlasting who do themselves turn aside to crooked paths with the workers of Iniquity Oh that therefore care might be taken by all those who are invested with Power and have the oversight of such things as these that those and none but those may be set as spiritual Guides and Leaders over the several Flocks and Congregations in the Land as may without blushing say to their hearers Walk so as ye have us for an Example and be ye Followers of us even as we are of Christ Tenthly and Lastly In order to the effectual Suppression of prophaneness I would and do heartily commend to all those that are in Authority over us diligent yea and utmost care for the strict observation of the first day of the Week which is in Rev. 1.10 Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day and ought to be kept as the Christian Sabbath to the end of time A day sanctified and set apart for the solemn publick and private worship of God both in Churches Families and Retirements and for a sweet close and intimate Communion with him while we are deliver'd and taken off from those secular affairs that upon the other days of the Week do necessarily engage us and cannot but divert us A day not to be spent in any thing no not any the most minute part of it but the duties of Religion and works of Godliness except those works of Necessity and Mercy which God out of his Goodness and Pity to man doth allow for he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice so that when Acts of Mercy are of absolute Necessity Sacrifice shall give place to it This is a day which God hath seen fit to usher in with a Memento in the fourth Commandment Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day As if the Lord should have said I know your frailty that you have slippery and treacherous memories and possibly may yea certainly will forget some nay many other things in which you are concerned but let this be fastened as a nail in a sure place be sure to think of this to be mindful of this I charge and command you to remember it Remember the Sabbath day before it comes so as to rejoice in the thoughts of it to long for it and to prepare for it that upon the day of Praise you may have on your Garments of Praise Souls in a right frame and remember to sanctifie and keep it Holy when it is come We find the Sabbath was given unto Israel for a sign between God and them So you have it in Ezek. 20.12 I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them By this they were distinguished from all other Nations These were a plain and evident proof that they were the Lords People and that Jehovah was their God This did loudly proclaim Gods choosing and calling them out from the rest of the World and gracious setting them apart for himself as his peculiar Portion and Inheritance And indeed where there is no care of sanctifying the Sabbath by Nations Families or Persons it is a plain case it amounts to a demonstration that they are unsanctified Nations Families and Persons It is an evident sign of a people estranged and alienated from the Life of God of a wicked people that savour not the things of God but only those things that be of men of a People that have not the fear of God before their Eyes that are not carried out in desires of honouring him and lifting up his Name or of enjoying Communion with him in the World To prophane Sabbaths is a very great and notorious piece of prophaneness Sins willfully and out of choice committed upon a Sabbath are Sins in grain Scarlet and Crimson-sins To mind worldly Affairs to sit brooding upon worldly Thoughts to follow the Trades and Callings of the World to open Shops and buy and sell upon a sabbath-Sabbath-day are God-provoking Sins acts of prophaneness These are lawful upon other days in which God hath given you leave nay more he hath made it your Duty to labour and do all that you have to do of this Nature but they are very sinful upon the Sabbath Let me propound Nehemiah to the Consideration of Magistrates and Inferiour Officers and his care and activity in this point as an example richly worth their Imitation Take the account of him as it is drawn up by himself in Neh. 13.15 c. He saw some treading Wine-presses upon the Sabbath-day and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wine Grapes and Figs all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem upon the Sabbath-day the men of Tyre also dwelt there who brought Fish and all manner of wares and sold on the Sabbath to the Children of Judah and in Jerusalem This was exceeding evil
Zimri and Cosbi God himself took notice of it and imputed it to his zeal and was highly pleased with it and mention'd it twice Numb 25.11 He was zealous for my sake among them And again v. 13. He was zealous for his God His heart did burn within him he was all in a flame and could not with any patience endure to see his God so unworthily dealt with and dishonoured While I am writing of this I am informed of that excellent precept against the prophaning of the Lords day sent out by the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Pilkington our present Lord Mayor which being of a more than ordinary strain I look not upon as a matter of custom but an effect of his zeal and let it be for his honour to succeeding generations and an embalming of his name and let God himself remember it for good to him both in time and to eternity One thing more Lastly Frequently seriously call to mind that account which you are at the last and great day to give of your selves and your power and all your actions to a better greater and higher than any of you even to God himself He will for certain he will call you all to a strict account therefore awe and quicken your Souls with the thoughts of it It is but a little very little time that the youngest and strongest of you have to spend in the World Death will certainly come and summon you hence And when it comes it will not stay for you till you have mended faults and supplied defects possibly it will not allow you time enough to say Lord have mercy upon me And then your places will know you no more and your power will know you no more and your comforts and enjoyments will know you no more You that now sit upon thrones and in Parliament-houses and Courts of Judicature must then stand before the divine Tribunal upon an equal level with the meanest of the people everyone of you give an account of himself to God of his trust power how he did carry himself and manage and improve his power And therefore if you have any kindness for your selves make it appear by your care so to live now so to act and rule as that you may give up a good account with boldness and comfort and hear the Judge say Well done good and faithful Servants you have been faithful in your little you have done your duty and fill'd up your places now enter into the joy of your Lord. I shall conclude this Sermon with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 11. We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men so to live in the World so to order their Conversations so to trade with those talents of interest and estates of parts and power for the present that then they may be found faultless and presented with exceeding joy Quest. How may we enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God SERMON XVI ACTS 17.21 For all the Athenians and strangers that were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing IN the Text chosen for me to speak of and for you to hear I do observe and would have you also consider we meet with a Concourse of people who pretended to be the Virtuosi of that Age and for ought I do discern may as well deserve the Character as they do in our Age who spend their time in enquiring into useless Novelties If our Learned Men equal the Learning of these Athenians If Students from Foreign parts flock to us to perfect their course of Studies as to Athens If Merchants in equal Numbers but with unequal Riches attend the Custom-houses and fill the Exchanges with us as with them If there were some Travellers who came onely to see and talk who were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strangers there If each sort had business of greater Importance to mind than to spend their time in hearing what others could tell or telling what others would be pleas'd with hearing which was the Folly and Distemper of those Athenians and Strangers the same is the Epidemical Folly and Disease of our Age and of all sorts of the Beaux-Esprits refineder Spirits with us The Cure of this Disease is the design of this Discourse in this Case How may we Enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God He that Enquires to satisfie his Curiosity or his sinful Prejudices or malicious Wishes and to boast and triumph in the Sorrows of the Church of God and He that Enquires not at all nor concerneth himself with these Works of God do both highly offend The one rejoyce in the Destruction of Sion as 't is Obad. 12. v. The other is at Ease in Sion Amos 6.1 and are not grieved at the Affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 and each do provoke the displeasure of the Lord against themselves Amos pronounceth a Wo against the one Chap. 6.1 and an utter Extirpation is threatned against the other Obad. 18. v. Such careless ones as neither fear the Evil nor hope for the Good of Sion neither pray for its Deliverance nor do praise God for his Salvation to Sion greatly Sin and are likely to be deeply Punished Isa 32.9 10 11 12. That we may Escape both the Case warns us Not to Enquire Athenian-like but to Enquire as becomes Christians and suitably Pray for a Distressed or Praise God for a Delivered Church In stating this unusual Case it will I think be best to draw it out into some previous Propositions which shall make way for the clearer Resolution of it 1. The Casuist doth grant that in some Cases we may Enquire what is the News that is abroad Whosoever asketh Direction how to do an Action is first perswaded of the lawfulness of the thing he would do How shall I come before God implieth that I may yea ought to come before him Mich. 7.6 So here the Casuist is of opinion we may Enquire but is solicitous lest you should with the most enquire amiss and therefore would direct you the best way of doing what is lawful to be done If there were a doubt the Case should be first May it be done not How is it to be done 2. News which spreads abroad in the World is of very different Nature 1. Some Trifling Reports below the gravity and prudence of a Man to receive from a Reporter or to communicate to any Hearer 2. Others of a very particular private personal Concern and among such as are of mean and abject state which as they rise among them so 't is fit they should die
declining Old Age must be judged to come under the name of Evil Dayes No reason appears why all the periods of the contrary Age should not be put under the name of Youthful or Choice Dayes All young Gamesters are here called to God Children from their playing for Pins Boys from their playing for Pence Young Men from their playing for Mony and Land All from their several Games of equal folly The Games in which invaluable Souls be lost and the best that is got is but Yellow Dust These Spritful Sportive People are all called to play wiser parts and lay out their various degrees of Strength for the good that in weak Old Age in the last and worst Childhood they will be as unable as now they are unwilling to seek The Time wherein these Tribes are all of them commanded to Convert is the present Remember hath its Now expresly added Forbidding both your Delay until the Afternoon of your life-Life-day and your Delay unto any other Day Hour or Minute of your Forenoon Requiring that God's Tribute be paid as the Kings Tax is upon sight And that not the least distance of time be admitted between your discerning and your doing your Duty The Doctrine thus offers now it self Present Conversion is the Duty of Youths and Children even the very Youngest that are come to Vnderstanding Or thus It is not for Young Men and Maidens for School-Boyes and Girls or very Children in Hanging-sleeves to put off their Conversion to God so much as a Minute of an Hour This I shall competently demonstrate if I make good these two Assertions viz. 1. That these Young Folk are really bound to Convert presently 2. That they are singularly engaged and encouraged by God so to do and are advantaged more for it than Older People are and than they themselves can be when they are Older And this I essay by these following very Intelligible and Invincible Reasons Hear them as for your Lives O you Young ones to whom I direct them If you hear aright you live and Joy will be in Heaven by and by for your new Birth If not we despised Preachers shall shortly hear you accursing your closed Ears Exclaiming much like unto Joseph's Brethren Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Ministers in that we saw the anguish of their Souls when they besought us to convert presently and we would not hear therefore is distress and it may be remediless Damnation come upon us However in Duty unto all and in hope of gaining some in God's fear I tell you R. 1 You are Commanded as truly as the Oldest People Living to turn unto God presently Therefore 't is your Duty The King of Babylon would have Young Men stand before him So would the King of Heaven He calls you the Youngest of you And as expresly and frequently and more frequently than he calls Old People For he calls you conjunctly with them in most or all Texts in the Bible and he calls you apart here and in other Portions of Scripture by your selves Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye 'T is not turn ye O ye Old decrepit Folk But Turn ye Indefinitely that is Universally O ye of all Ages that hear the Word Psal 148.12 13. Young Men and Maidens and as Old Men Children are called to Praise the Lord. Nagnarim little Children the word indeed is put for Joseph in Egypt Gen. 41.12 and Gideons Son Judg. 8.20 But as the Etymology carryes it 't is most frequently used to signifie New-born Children just shaken out of the Womb And is very often put to signifie Children just able to speak and run up and down 2 Kings 2.23 You the Children of Believing Parents have an Holiness of Covenant-Relation before you are born 1 Cor. 7.14 You have an Holiness of Solemn Dedication by and by after you are born in Holy Baptism Col. 2.11 12. And God requires your Parents and Ministers to be dealing with you as soon as you come to Understanding for Holiness of Inhesion and Qualification He saith there is a way of Holiness in which every Nagnar little Child should go and commands us to Catechise and Train you up in it Prov. 22.6 Ephes 6.4 Nor doth he allow you to delay the little that you can do for your Souls any more than he allows the Oldest People to delay any thing that is in their Power to do Now now is his Word unto all Sinners 2 Cor. 6.2 And Now now is his Word unto you His Command for Duty and for Hast of Duty equally binds Children of tender Years and people of Fourscore Remember it Young People if you be not commanded to come unto God and to abide with him there is no Sinner in the World commanded to Convert nor any Saint in the Church commanded to Persevere Need I tell you what an Authority his is who doth so command And how infinitely obliging 'T is such an one as cannot be told you by Man or Angel Should God command you to cut off your Right hands or to run into the Fire it would be infinitely your Duty and Interest presently to do it For so Supream and Absolute is his Authority that he cannot Command beyond his Right And 't is an Authority so constantly governed by Infinite Goodness that he cannot command us against our Interest So that it is as perfectly impossible for us to Obey him and not benefit our selves as to disobey him and not hurt our selves In a word Could you see this Soveraign Commander but as Moses saw him Exod. 34 Or as Isaiah Isa 6. or as Job Job 42. Or as St. Paul Act. 9. Or as St. John Rev. 1. It would be no Question with you Whether he were to be obeyed or no Or to be obeyed presently or no. You would then think no Obedience great enough no Hast swift enough no Grief for Converting no sooner heavy enough O how late did I love thee St. Austin exclaimed Twenty years was I a bondslave to the Devil cryed Mr. Jo. Machin who was Converted in his Twentieth year Remember not the sins of my Youth saith the Man who knew God's Heart better than to imagine that Youth was Lawless Psal 25. But R. 2. You are threatned just as Old People be if you turn not unto God presently Therefore 't is your Duty Sirs as you are not Lawless so neither are you less under the Menaces and Threats of the Law-giver than other Folk be Psal 9.17 The Wicked shall be turned into Hell 'T is not said Old Sinners shall into the place of Devils No 't is unlimitedly the Wicked all of them Wicked Parents and wicked Children wicked Masters and wicked Scholars or Apprentices Every thing wicked every Minute that you delay your Conversion that Threat stands ready charged against your Breasts And who knows but God will shoot it off this very moment if you Convert not this very moment Rom. 1.18 The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Sin 'T is not said
Galatians than the Romans for the same fault Because the Galatians had been fore-instructed and sinned against more Light In all the Bible though it be an History of more then Four Thousand Years we read of but one that converted just before his Death And we do believe that he also did convert at his first convincing-call Rarely do any savingly Convert who do not upon their first convictions Convert St. Austin's stifled Convictions cost him dear You that will make so bold with Conscience as Spira did should expect to roar for it here as he did or hereafter to fare worse than many hope him to do They are considerable Divines who are not hopeless of his Salvation R. 5. You dye and go to Judgment as ordinarily in your young dayes as others in their older Therefore 't is your Duty to convert presently Come stand forth the liveliest Spark of you all and tell us if you can that no body was ever known to dye at your Years Or if there did your Life is no such Vapor your Flesh no such grass as theirs You know our Weekly Bills of Mortality would shame you And the great multitudes of Graves of all sorts every where You do know your own vanity in putting far from your Minds the fatal day that cannot be thrust off one Minute from your Persons It is an undenyable Truth the day of Life and of Grace be not always of a Length And that if they were that could be no warrant for delaying the work of your Salvation But one would think your Life's uncertainty it self if considered should be of weight enough to press you unto hast And make your wilful delay as impossible unto you as 't is Impious For you are not Papists And if you were Prayers for you after death you could not think regularly to obtain They do not hold it lawful to pray for any after their death that do not Repent and Convert in their Life If you dye unconverted your Fathers and Mothers are taught to consent to your being damned And the best Friends you have be forbid to pray for your being took out of Hell or your being cooled in it You do not imagine I hope that a cold drying God be merciful to you just before death is a saving Conversion If it were we might say Heaven is the receptacle of the most and worst of men And a great part of the Scripture is took up in requiring our needless Labor But we are well sure of the contrary Though you ought to be told also that if it were really so yet were your delay still a prodigious Folly Being of your ability to utter those words at your death you are as uncertain as of any thing And you have little reason to think that your present Obstinacy shall not then be punished with at least Impotency Oh Death of Judgment come look you in the Faces of these secure young Folks Shew your selves unto them ask them whether upon sight of you they can think two or three broken words preparation enough for your Terrors And that it can be time enough to think of peace with God when Pain will not let men be able to think three thoughts together of him I knew an excellent Person that used to Exclaim O Lord Pain will not let one think upon thee R. 6. You as much as elder people are absurd in your promises to Convert hereafter Therefore it is your Duty to Convert presently It is no easie thing to ascend to the height of Atheism in which alone you can dare say There is no God or None that you are bound penitently to convert unto or You will not whatever follows ever Turn to him Wherefore you must be dumb or find somewhat else to say Very many I suspect to Harbor in them a dumb Devil and to say little to themselves about matters between God and their Souls But many there are in whom Conscience will not be so easily muzzled But will have somewhat said or else give no quiet For want of all things beside this is said Hereafter I will convert But who has bewitch'd hearers of the Gospel Neither Law nor Gospel it self knows any way to Heaven by a delayed Conversion The Law requires continuing the Gospel requires Beginning and Persevering neither admit of Delaying Gal. 3.10 Cursed be every one young and old that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them Did you not only Intend but Begin and that this present minute not only to wish but to do not only some but all things of the Law The Law for all this would damn you without Mercy for having ever ceased to do all Glory be to God in the highest for the blessed Gospel And what says that Why Act. 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Thou art a sinner a sinner grievous against Law Gospel and Conscience But what then Believe now on the Lord Jesus Turn to God by him dutifully God will draw nigh to thee graciously But neither there or any where is it said If thou art not minded to believe presently do but promise hereafter to do it thou shalt be saved And for your lives young People consider after Law and Gospel but Example and Presidents When Christ call'd his Disciples all follow'd him presently VVhen the Three Thousand were preached to and were convinced they were converted presently So the Jailor Act. 16. converted straitway But look we a little into these your words you will convert hereafter Fall they not into these two parts 1. We will not Convert now 2. We will hereafter First You will not Convert now That is You will abide Rebels to God Devils to your self Vassals to the Devil Idolizers of this vain VVorld c. This you will do though you know it Vnjust Vnsafe Vnprofitable Vngrateful and all that is worst And though you would think it hard if God should hold you in such a state against your Wills Or suffer Satan to keep you in it by force This you will do though you know if God should now use you like your selves that is like unreconcilable Enemies even against his very intreaties you must be sent quick to Hell Though you know too that every sin you commit makes Conversion harder if ever it be made and Hell hotter for you if it be not made This ye will do of Choice you will And because you will without any Reasons that you dare to produce or let mortal Men hear you speak Secondly You will Convert hereafter Thy Power Foolish Creature thy Power Where is thy Power thy Will or thy Reason Thy Power Man Canst thou live as long as thou wilt Or canst thou keep what ability God has now given thee for Conversion and make it more when thou wilt Canst thou save thy self from Distraction Delusions of Satan c. Art thou able thy self to supply thy self with necessaries Natural and Supernatural now and hereafter