Eight of the Clock Morning and Evening to joyn in Family Prayer c. No had you not impos'd a time 't would have been lawful now 't is not Away with this Foolery In Civils then and Circumstantials of Spirituals the Magistrate hath a Power not meerly directive but legislative to whose Laws all are obliged to be subject in Conscience of the Divine Law the Fifth Command Now suppose the Magistrate by a settled Law have enjoyned some things in their own nature indifferent which 1. Induce some to act against their doubting Consciences for fear of Penalty whereas 2. Others are well satisfied in the lawfulness of their Obedience and accordingly do actually obey but some may be induc'd by their example to obey with a hesitant Conscience What is advisable 1. Though the greatest tenderness ought to be exercised towards Mens Consciences and singular Prudence be requisite in Governors to direct them in the choice of Laws that they may obtain with the greatest inoffensiveness yet will not Mens being scandaliz'd be a sufficient evidence of the sinfulness of a Law or ground to reverse it unless the scandal be very general among the best and wisest or something in the matter or sanction of the Law be at least a moral cause thereof For what can so politickly or wisely be devis'd which Men of soft Heads and hot Hearts may not make occasion of Sin that there would never be an end of making and repealing Laws if Men can but pretend scandal and who beside God knows what is pretence meerly what not 2. If fear of the Penalty occasion the Scandal from a Law about Indifferents those are not faultless who have not proportion'd the Penalty to the Crime an indifferent tolerable pain to an indifferent fault 3. Yet to be scandaliz'd or act against my Conscience for fear of suffering is a Sin the cause or inducement whereof will not excuse though it may extenuate it Will it avail a Man to say I violated my Conscience through Fear any more than I vitiated my Neighbours Wife through Lust when the Fear and Lust themselves are Sins as well as those they introduce Therefore the Rule is Suffer rather than Sin 4. Either 't is evident de facto that some are scandaliz'd through a Law or Example or 't is morally certain 't will follow or probable or only possible This last and probability except the presumption be strong are not to be regarded 1. If the Law cannot be revers'd without prejudice to publick order nor a dispensation obtain'd Men must not defame Laws but submit For the Law does not necessitate Sin there 's an outgate by suffering Yet if the Law be needless 't is the first duty in the use of lawful means to endeavour its Abrogation or get a Dispensation which if not feisible I say with Calvin Instit lib. ult câ—ult §. 231. med No other Mandate is given us but of obeying and suffering 2. To obey the Magistrate is a duty upon an affirmative Precept which not binding ad semper if my obeying induce my Brother to Sin out of tenderness I will suspend for a season though I suffer in the interim endeavouring 1. To give him satisfaction in the lawfulness of my Practice and the necessity of my Duty which if it convince not 2. To demonstrate that my Practice enforces not his Imitation since he may forbear and undergo the Penalty as I have been willing to do for his sake 3. To let him understand that there may be danger of scandalizing my Superiors i. e. irritating them to wrath and to exercise greater severities both against me as a Sinner against my own Conscience which is satisfy'd of my duty to obey even whilst I suspend and also against him and others as obstinate and unsatisfiable Wranglers and disobedient to just Authority without just Reason the matter of the Law being indifferent ex hypothesi This Consideration has weight we both hear and feel it and may at least balance the alledgement that my compliance will edifie the Magistrate in the sin of Persecution Lastly If notwithstanding he continue obstinate since to me 't is clear that only Fancy not Reason bottoms his disobedience I will protest against his Pertinacy earnestly dehort him from acting against his pretended Conscience which indeed is only blind Opinion return to my Duty and leave him to the Law For although my Charity may induce me for a season to be willing to suffer for his sake yet my Conscience will not permit me to do it always Not that I pretend Conscience to prevent suffering but because active Obedience where I can is the primary intention of God in the Law that subjects me to the Magistrate and therefore the first and main office of Conscience Passive Obedience is not the intention of the Law giver at all in the Law as a Law as being not enjoyn'd therein 't is only the enforcement of it as a remedy against its violation the hedge about it 'T will be no plea before God to justifie my breach of his Laws that I was willing to be damn'd but an aggravation of my sin that I chose so great an Evil as the Punishment rather than submission to so great a Good as the Duty I am bound to suspend my Obedience if I can to prevent my Brothers Sin but not sinally to deny my Obedience and therein sin my self to prevent his suffering that is damn my Soul to save his Skin Wilt thou then O my Soul herein follow Christ and perfectly subjugate thy self to that noble Law of Vniversal Love to thy Brother whom thou hast seen that the immortal God whom thou hast not seen may not charge thee with Hypocrifie in thy pretensions of Love to himself Live thou must thou shalt in true Love to thy Neighbour or renounce all Love to thy self Profess and practise as thou lovest thy Purity thy Peace thy Salvation a sincere and cordial not only Subjection and Honour but Affection to thy Prince Benevolence Charity Beneficence to all Men out of Conscience to God as thou wilt answer it before his Judgment-seat Whatever thou wouldst have others to do to thee do thou to them what thou wouldst not have them to do to thee do not to them Make their case thine and act toward them as thy self Do good to all but ospecially the Houshold of Faith Seek their Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Welfare as thine own and do not think to patronize thy regardlessness of them by a careless sluggish unconcernedness in thine own nearest concerns but elevate thine affectionate care for thy self to the utmost degree of Perfection on purpose that according to the second great Command thou mayst have a more excellent measure and rule whereby to square thy affectionate regard of others But 't is not enough O my Soul to partake of a Moral thou must aspire after a Divine Nature as well as escape or fly from the Corruption in the World in Lust or Concupiscence 2
which being cultivated by External Advantages and his own more than ordinary Industry he became an universal Scholar comprehending the whole Encyclopaedia of all profitable Literature a solid Logician a good Linguist a fluent Rhetorician a profound Philosopher and very skilful in the Mathematicks Being thus well accomplished for Learning and Parts after he had taken his Degrees in the University the first Essay he made upon the Publick Stage was about Peterborough where staying but a little season he came into his Native Country about the Year 1660. and his Uncle Mr. William Clarkson who was Parson of Add-hill dying he was presented to that Parsonage by Esq Arthington of Arthington the Patron he accepted of it but enjoyed it but a little space for Dr. Hich Parson of Guiseley challenged it as his by right upon King Charles the Seconds Return having been excluded by the Act against Pluralities made by the Parliament Mr. Sharp was capable of it having been Ordain'd by a Bishop yet he saw there was no contending with so great a Man especially in that juncture he was willing to resign although Mr. Arthington would have tryed his Title to present by Law but he declined it for at that time he saw a Cloud approaching with covered us all and so retired to his Father's House where he was of singular use living privately and following his Studies very close attending upon Publick Ordinances in the Parish Church at Bradford where that worthy Person Mr. Abraham Brooksbank was Vicar till he removed to Reading But when the Licences granted by King Charles 2. in 72. came forth he took the opportunity to exercise his Ministry in his own House being crowded with great numbers that flock'd to hear him About that time he married Mrs. Bagnall's Daughter by whom he had one Daughter but both dyed After a season he married Mr. Sales Daughter an excellent N. C. Minister by whom he had several Children but none are now living but one Son and one Daughter He had a call to Preach at Morley where he was very industrious and highly esteemed But the Inhabitants of that populous Town of Leeds having built a large Chappel upon Mr. Richard Streattons remove to London gave him a call which he embraced living at his own House at Horton riding mostly on Lords day Morning to Leeds and back again at Evening in Summer time at least which was above a dozen Miles and Preaching twice which at length he found too hard for him therefore he bought a House in Leeds repaired it built to it and kept House there and at Horton also where his necessary affairs requir'd his frequent attendance He was in Labours more abundant and spared not his own Body or Estate that he might do good to Souls and edifie the Church of God He was very self-denying and stood not upon Worldly Incomes whether they were more or less he was very well content so that he gave strict charge to those who collected that small Pittance he accepted of in consideration of his Labours not to urge any but only receive the voluntary Contributions of those who were as well able as willing He was exceeding Temperate mortified to all Earthly Enjoyments of great Aequanimity Sociable to all yet prized above all others such as feared God these were his chosen Companions He invited Ministers and Christian Friends frequently to days of Fasting and Prayer in his own House and went upon a call abroad upon those Occasions He was indeed very excellent in Prayer and had a peculiar way of pleading with God by serious sensible Expostulations with great Ardency and Affection which made it appear to Intelligent Christians that he was much with God in Prayer and very familiar with him few had those rare Gifts or exercised Grace at that rate and no doubt God dealt familiarly with his Soul he lived near God and now is with his God His Prayers were usually long but not tedious being flowered with variety of sweet Expressions and Pathetical Expostulations and I doubt not but the Lord graciously accepted his Person and vouchsafed many gracious Answers to his ardent Prayers as might appear in several Instances which I forbear to mention He was a fluent Preacher a Master of Words not so much abounding in Rhetorical Flourishes as in Pithy and Profitable Sentences very taking with his Auditors that fit under his Ministry with great delight His Sermons were Elaborate and Accurate all he did was exceeding Polite and Scholar-like his Method was peculiar to himself and sometimes Cryptical but always suitable to the matter and proper to the end design'd not to please the Fancy but to inform the Judgment convince the Conscience work upon the Will and Affections and change the Heart and Life He hath often said he should never have been so cautious and so careful of his Words had not his Father been so critical and found so many faults with him which he studied to rectifie this did him good though he found it hard to stoop to but as he was sensible of his Paternal Authority and his own Filial Duty so he was convinc'd of his Fathers judicious Exceptions and the tendency thereof to his own Benefit He was very Sound and Orthodox and trod much in the old Path though he was well acquainted with the Controversies of the Times and very able to oppugne Error and defend the Truth yet he was of a peaceable Spirit making the best Constructions of doubtful Phrases and inclined rather to compose Differences Civil and Sacred than to espouse a Party he was of a Catholick Spirit and spake well of what was good in Persons that differed from him he was very unwilling to engage in any Controversie only some knowing his Acuteness and Genius desired his help in three Cases first against the Papists upon occasion of a young Man turning that way and sending a Letter to his Relations which he answered very Learnedly and to great Satisfaction 2dly Two Papers he writ in Reply to two Conformists who grievously and rigidly censured their peaceable Brethren the one in Print the other in Writing both which he Answered and Confuted both well deserved Publishing but the Times would not then bear it and now they may seem out of season but are still preserved as choice Manuscripts in the Hands of Friends As is also 3dly an Answer to some Queries supposed to be Dr. Owens Whether Persons who have engaged unto Reformation and another way of Divine Worship according to the Word of God c. may lawfully go unto and attend on the use of the Common Prayer in Divine Worship c. He had a lofty Poetical Strain wherein he sometimes for a diversion employed himself upon special Occasions as upon the Death of that Worthy Grave Divine Mr. Elkanah Wales and upon the Burning of London in 1666. which being show'd to Dr. Robert Wild he seem'd surpriz'd and ingenuously acknowledg'd that Man should be his Master he would yeild the Laurel to the
Perfection and plenitude of Essence Existence Substance Glory that more of God is every where than of any thing that there is not so much Soul in a body Light in the Sun Matter in the Universe as there is of God in each that they are not as he is They are but derivative Beings of a thin lank Constitution in comparison of that amplitude and fullness of Being in God who is every thing in the utmost Perfection that he can possible be from Eternity to Eternity unalterable and every where the same boundless Perfection that he is any where And wilt thou dare to be or speak or do any thing unbecoming so august so awful so glorious a Presence Shall the eye of a Worm Job 25.6 give Law to thy Tongue and Hands and shall not the Sovereign Majesty of Heaven and Earth have an Empire in thy Conscience Oh do not dare to be other now than at Judgment thou wilt wish thou hadst been For thy Judge is no less present although thou be less sensible Enforce upon thy self nay rather with a spontaneous and generous Freedom of Spirit out of choice entertain and take complacency in such Considerations alway as may better thee because not to be better for them is to be worse ineffectual Thoughts of God being like to be effectual for thy confusion If the Rays of Divine Glory that shine into thy reasoning Powers have no influence upon thy Appetite and Actions if notwithstanding them thou can'st be as vain frothy carnal secure rocky unsavoury unbelieving formal hypocritical worldly lustful lazy disobedient as if thou didst still sit in darkness and the shadow of Death if thy apprehensions of the super-intendency of Heaven do not over-awe thy unruly untoward Will into compliance with that Will which is supreme and universal Goodness do not quicken thee to Penitence and Holiness to an intire and upright observance of the whole Condition of the Covenant of Grace with a persevering resolution and endeavour thou wilt certainly find Oh my Soul that this Light will be mighty to aggravate thy Sin and Punishment everlastingly Oh for a heart so to work toward God under its Sensations of the Unfathomableness of his Understanding Universalness of his Presence Particularity of his Observance Amplitude of his Goodness Beauty of his Holiness Severity and Impartiality of his Justice Extensiveness of his Power in fine Greatness and Incomprehensibleness of his Majesty and Glory as to be altogether unsatisfiable till it can centre it self upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as its only Happiness in an absolute Renunciation of every thing that stands in competition with him and be willing out of love to him readily to embrace his Laws submit to the Government of his Son Jesus Christ and the Conduct of his Spirit of Truth and Grace which if these Thoughts of God will not prevail upon thee to do nothing can since there is infinitely less of Argument in every finite thing nay in all together than there is in the Infiniteness of God Wilt thou hence then be perswaded Oh my Soul to acknowledge that God in all thy ways whom thus thou knowst in some degree though but very imperfect Wilt thou fear and reverence his Greatness love and delight in his Goodness conform to his Holiness stand in awe of his Justice in all things subjugate and submit thy self to his Soveraign Authority and Will as the best and wisest Thine own interest as well as the reason of the thing and the command of thy Maker requires thy speedy and thorow resolution If thou wilt not bid an everlasting adieu to all the Comforts of Heaven thou must thus humbly seek after them which if thou do really 't is no presumption to claim them as thine Eternal Inheritance and Portion This appertains to the First Commandment we shall derive another part of the Psalmist's Character from the Second CHAP. III. A Second Character of the Subject of Comfort Prayer 2. THe Sacred Penman here was a Man of Prayer the whole Psalm is a solemn Address to God and 't is not like the fumbling of one unaccustomed thus to converse with the Divine Majesty the Genius of it gives abundant evidence that it hath been a familiar and frequent practice with such gravity of Expression with such liberty of Spirit with such a holy Parrhesy and Confidence with such variety of Arguments with such endearments of affection does he plead with God as one that long had liv'd upon the trade and was a good Proficient in this heavenly art of Wrestling with God And indeed 't is generally under this Duty that the Lord administers the solace and satisfaction of his Love to revive a drooping Heart Whoever is unacquainted with Prayer is utterly an alien from Divine Peace Those that live most with God in this exercise receive most from God enjoy most in him to sweeten their Spirits under all their Sorrows his Promise engaging him to be found in a way of Peace and Contentation of all those that diligently seek him Beside that his own Glory engages him to answer the Petitions of Peace which are put up in the Name and put into the Hands of his only Begotten to be presented to his Majesty perfumed with the Incense of his Mediation Joh. 14.13 Whatever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do Wherefore is it because you ask or for the merit of your Devotions or the strength of your Faith or the fervency of of your Spirits or the forcibleness of your Arguments or the urgency of your Importunities c. No but I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son Oh gracious Redeemer Oh precious Promise Oh blessed Hope How strong and rich are thy Consolations especially considering the relation which this Promise stands in to another immediately succeeding it viz. that of a Comforter the Holy Spirit which our blessed Mediator prevail'd with his Father to bestow that he might give us an Experiment of the prevatence of Prayer ver 16. I will 〈◊〉 the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever As if he had said my personal Prayer you shall to your satisfaction find effectual but this further assurance will I give you that the Prayers you put up in my Name shall be no less efficacious than those I my self present in mine own Person for upon my request you shall be endow'd with the same Spirit that breaths out mine and my Merit is not confin'd to my Person the vertue thereof will be extended to your pleadings in my Name through the co-operation of that Holy One who shall be your aid and with unutterable groans cointercede for you Indeed this Heavenly Dove comes only in at the Window of Prayer but we must put forth our hand to take it and heartily humbly believingly to beg it is as little as we can do if we sluggishly put our hand into our Bosom and refuse this labour
stand or fall by the Judgment of Conscience as if Conscience's judging them to be or not be Laws gave or depriv'd them of their Obligatory Power but that if there be sufficient light to make it out to Conscience not wittingly and willingly prejudic'd and blinded that this is or is not the will of the Lawgiver supreme or subordinate accordingly it is or is not obliged to receive and own this as Law For if it be clear to any rational consideration what the Legislators Mind is with his intention to bind to observance this is a sufficient Promulgation and doth immediately found the Obligatoriness to us In short an unknowable Law binds none because not to be and not to be known or knowable is to us all one But as soon as known the Law binds the knower For as Dr. Saunderson well determines The present Light in the Mind for the time being is the next and immediate Rule of Conscience though not the supreme and adequate And if this Light be derived from and conformable to its prime and highest Rule the Will of God revealed in Nature or Scripture in acting according to it 't is a good and right Conscience but bad when acting against its Light and Sentiments though they be erroneous i. e. contrary to the revealed mind of God For an erring Conscience hampers and entangles a Man though it really oblige not because the Man judges that really to be the Mind of God which is indeed an Error though to him unknown so to be Finally acting against an erring Conscience is formally evil thongh materially good Acting according to an erroneous Conscience is formally good but materially evil Acting against a well informed Conscience both materially and formally evil Therefore that a Man may act without present and future rebuke of Conscience both his Light and his Act must be according to Rule For then only 't is both materially and formally Good and except it be both 't is not acceptable to God except it be both the Man is not though he may fansie himself to be really Innocent 3. Where therefore both to obey and disobey is questionable a Man must not sin against his Conscience doubting about the matter commanded to avoid sining against his Conscience doubting about the Authority commanding For both are carefully to be eschewed but 1. If the Command require not present observance but permit a suspence for a season a Man must diligently use all means with all speed and readiness of Mind to get his doubts one way or other resolved out of the revealed Will of God which is the Rule of Conscience For that which ties Conscience must loose it or 't is fast for ever As it has a Rule to bind so it must have a Rule to unbind it Pretended Conscience without Rule is but Conceit Conscience against Rule Corruption 2. If no time be allow'd for suspence or if in the use of the utmost means no Resolution can be obtain'd a Man must quietly and patiently submit to the Penalty To suffer though for an erring Conscience is no sin if the best have been done to direct it aright but 't is always a sin to act against Conscience whether resolv'd or doubting as an evident and impudent affronting the real or supposed Authority of God owned by Conscience If then the Authorities and Powers set over thee be good and command Lawful things thou must be subject in Active Obedience else thou sinnest both against God and the King and thy Conscience too if it know them to be such If the Supreme Magistrates be Erroneous Heretical Wicked Tyrannical thou must be still subject in Active Obedience to their Lawful Commands in Passive to their Unlawful To a Tyrant with Title both in Body and Mind To a Tyrant without Title in Body For thy Mind and Heart must follow the Title and Right though thy outward Man be enslaved to the Usurpation Subjection then is absolutely indispensible to all Powers whatsoever Even as 't is in the case of Parents and Children Masters and Servants which therefore are together with Prince and People c. comprehended under one general Name in the Fifth Command and the Duties of the Inferiours under the common notion of Honour That we may rationally carry the particular Instances of that Honour from any one sort to all the rest respectively mutatis mutandis And possibly this may be one reason of St. Peter's subjoyning the Duties of Servants immediately after those of Subjects 1 Epist 2.13 He requires submission to Kings c. 1. For the Lord's sake 2. As the Will of God ver 15.3 accounting this a well doing which 4. will silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Then that Servants be subject with all fear not only to the good and gentle but even froward Masters as 1. Thank-worthy 2. An exercise of Conscience toward God ver 19. though they suffer wrongfully And 3. Honourable though 't is no honour to bear buffetings for Faults ver 20.4 Acceptable to God 5. A thing to which Christians are called 6. A piece of Conformity to Christ ver 20. These are Precepts plain enough and as strongly enforced with Argument that a Man had need to be secure that he have an ample and clear demonstration of a release from the obligation of them if he intend not to violate his Conscience in a non-observance of them From Servants parity nay superiority of Reason will carry the Rule to Subjects in as much as the benefit of the Publick is a more noble and necessary end than that of a Private Family and the neglect thereof more fatal and dangerous issuing in Blood Ruin and Confusion And now seeing Laws so strict and severe are imposed upon Inferiours by God necessitating their obedience a singular Prudence Tenderness and Conscience is required in Superiours as they respect their own Salvation to see that they impose nothing by their Authority that may intangle Men in Sin or Snares as understanding that they are only Lords over their outward Man not their Consciences and that compulsion to Sin renders the Compeller a Principal and therefore if he reform not lyable to a great share of the Damnation However the Subject Party may with a good Conscience obey as in paying unreasonable Taxes where the Supreme does not maintain a good Conscience in commanding but grievously sins both against Man and God I have made a large Excursion if that be not an impertinent Word in so pertinent a case 1. To obviate a Slander as though we generally entertain'd odd and unsound Principles contrary to the Duty of Subjects 2. To direct the tenderest part of Man in the tenderest point of general and present Concernment 3. To correct the unsound and unsafe Principles of two Extremes 1. Of some who needlessly to advance Authority do too much debase Conscience 2. Of others who in an ungrounded deference to Conscience too much depreciate and depress Authority I heartily subscribe to the Doctrine of Rom. 13.
Christians every where called Brethren even by those who were not of the same particular Congregation Acts 10.23 and 11.29 and 14.2 and 15.1 3 23 32 33 40. and 16.2 c. I challenge all the World to give but one Instance out of the Bible where Christians of any particular Church were not stiled and owned under the Name of Brethren by any one or more Persons of another Congregation though of different Nations nay where Christians though not embodied as they phrase it were not so called as Acts 28.14 c. All then that are Partakers of the same heavenly calling are holy Brethren Heb. 3.1 And this Title is not at all given to Christians with relation to a particular Church but only the Catholick and upon common Catholick grounds and no other Since then the whole Community of Christians must be acknowledged for Brethren Love them as Brethren having compassion one of another be pitiful be courteous not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing but contrarywise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a Blessing 1 Pet. 3.8 9. For 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death ver 15. Is a homicide ver 10. Is not of God but manifests himself to be a Child of the Devil chap. 4.20 cannot love God And sure if even Enemies must be lov'd that we may be like our Father Matth. 5.44 45. and brotherly love be extended to Strangers as the coherence in Heb. 13.1 seems to evince but the duty enjoyn'd there with the reason of it much more viz. entertaining them as we would do Angels Neighbours may challenge it upon a stronger ground and Brethren most of all and that in such degrees as take in all things from the meanest Offices to the very laying down our Lives for them 1 Joh. 3.16 Jam. 1.26 If the not bridling a ferocient Tongue render a Man's Religion vain let those with trembling measure the consequence who neither will govern Tongue nor Heart Lastly That part of the Catholick Church comprehended within the confines of any particular Kingdom is and ought to be the more immediate object of every individual Subjects or Members Christian Honour Love Care and Respect to be manifested by his Prayers for it Communion with it defence of it and obedience to it in all lawful things seeking its good in the use of all lawful means with a Religious care and caution neither to say nor do nor allow and permit any thing which we can hinder to be said or done to its prejudice For what is done for or against a part redounds to the whole 1 Cor. 12.26 and this is to be Publick Spirited viz. to embrace the Publick with an universal Love Care and Endeavour active for its Good preventive of its Hurt and Damage deploring its Corruptions and Miseries labouring with affectionate Industry to remedy and heal them Upon these Principles the old Nonconformists Bradshaw Hildersham Ball c. and many of the later edition loved respected defended and held Communion with the Congregations in the Church of England where they could as appears by their publick Writings and known Practice notwithstanding the bitter Reproaches and Censures of some few who I wish had as well studied the Case 'T were a great impertinency and folly for me here to engage in a defence of that which has had and yet hath so many more able Advocates though if I do not forget and flatter my self somethings occur which nearly touch the merit of the Cause yet not observed by any and I will not betray that which for the main my Conscience tells me is a good Cause with so short and imperfect a plea as the straits of a little Chapter confine me to therefore in prosecution of my General design I shall only suggest something of a more common influence and wave particulars till better occasion or call 1. In the Church of England are some I wish there were more Thousands of as Sober Pious Discreet Judicious Christians and Hundreds of as Learned Religious Ministers as Europe affords who in their Judgments and Consciences seem to be abundantly satisfied with and strongly plead for its Communion upon grounds of very great moment to instance only in the late calm Discourses of the Reverend Dean of Norwich Now for me or any Man to send all these quick to Hell as mere Infidels or worse as without Christ Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel the true Church Strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope Atheists in the World Eph. 2.12 may discover what Spirit we are of but will very little recommend our own Christianity in observance of the Rule Phil. 2.3 Rom. 12.10.1 Cor. 13.5 7. 2. The Church of England and Dissenters agree in all the main Substantials of Christianity the difference only lies in a few controverted things of very inconsiderable consequence in comparison The same Christian Doctrine in all the Fundamental Points the same general design to promote Holiness of Life the same Worship in the Essential form and matter and means the same Ministry of Persons separate to perform Divine Offices in the same form of Churches viz. Congregational who are embodied not meerly by the civil Sanction but consent to submit to the Ordinances and Ministers of Christ which with the Departers I call them rather than Dissenters constitute the Explicit Covenant and Essence of the Ministerial Call but differing only in a few circumstantial Doctrines in external Modes and Rites disputed and disputable to the Worlds end And shall so light matters alienate us imbitter our Spirits envenom our Censures when we agree in the main Ah Sirs should God Almighty thus mark Iniquities who could stand Does he appoint a Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance and Infirmity hold Communion with us notwithstanding them not impute them to us And shall such things be unpardonable only in the Church of England which judges its own Constitution the most excellent in the World and thinks it has as much to say against you as you against it as much to say for it self as you for your selves which you can no more convince than it can you Lastly To justifie your departure nothing can be justly alledged but fear of Sin in Communion Now nothing can determine what is what is not Sin but God in his Word You are then obliged to produce Scripture as clear to prove Communion a Sin as 't is clear from Scripture that 't is your duty to obey the Magistrate in lawful things For if the Communion which he commands be not unlawful you ought in Conscience to obey him in it Rom. 13.5 The General includes the Particular But I profess amongst all the Writings against Communion I have not yet seen any one or more Scriptures alledged which apart or in conjunction will evidently and certainly bear such a consequence Now turn we the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just 'T is the Office of Justice to take notice in all its proceedings of Right and Wrong but if the Right approve its reality 't is no Work of Justice to take Cognizance how we came by it whether it be natural Inheritance or personal Acquisition whether our own indefeisible Possession or anothers free Donation these are things Foreign and out of the Circuit of Justice Right must carry it whatever be the Foundation of it whatever be the Nature of it whatever Title it proceeds upon For no Varieties in the Right alter the Justice of the Procedure nor convert Justice into Injustice or any other thing The very Essence and Formal Nature of Justice as Distributive consists in dispensing Right Whereever that is the Act is formally Justice and nothing else although some other Vertue may have an antecedent Influence in forming the Right So here No Man hath a Natural Personal Right to that everlasting Rest neither do the best Services of the most perfect Creatures Angel Archangel Cherubim Seraphim found a right to it able in the nature of the thing to command and necessarily over-rule strict Justice so as 't would be Injustice properly so called to withhold or deny it For Heavenly Glory in its full Latitude which I understand by that Rest is a thing boundlesly above the Proportion of any finite Qualities or Operations Those ever Blessed Spirits are doubtlesly incapable of exerting any Acts that in Arithmetical Proportion can be as considerable and valuable as the Reciprocal Actings of the Deity that are return'd upon them For instance those flaming Ardours of Love in Seraphims which denominate them cannot in the Estimate of Reason and Justice be conceiv'd equally valuable with those reactions of Love in the Deity to them Certainly God loves them better than they can possibly love him and his Love rays out to them in infinite more Varieties than theirs can to him and the least degree of his Love is more honourable and worthy than the highest of theirs So that in Commutative Justice they cannot expect his for theirs especially since theirs is this due and the Payment of a Debt cannot make the Creditor a Debtor I have a Conceit but will not impose it that the Devils sin was not an aspiring to a Coaequality or Superiority to his Creator which his Innocent nay even Corrupt Understanding could not but represent as impossible impracticable therefore not designable But rather a challenge and expectation of those Honours from his Maker as due in Commutative Justice to the Excellencies and Actions which he admired in himself and would have had his Inferiours to adore Whence in that Kingdom of the Beast which he established and upholds this is or has been a principal Pillar though now painted over a new and is indeed the Universal Sentiment of all in whose disobedient hearts he retains the Dominion which he usurpt upon the Fall Even good Souls have a difficult Work to disengage themselves from it However 't is madness to conceit that the imperfect Duties or Graces of the lapsed Sons of Adam can stand in a Parity with Coelestial Recompences Nay the Proportion cannot amount to the heighth of that call'd Geometrical proper to distributive Justice which consists in a likeness of Reason For can there be any comparison betwixt finite and infinite imperfect and perfect temporal and eternal Can any say as the Work to the Wage so is Duty to Heaven The Right then here stands upon another bottom than the reason of the thing and that is the free investiture and gift of Sovereign Love and Mercy by a voluntary Grant and Covenant 'T is not common Soccage but Copy hold only Yet on the other hand Hell and Sin stand more in a Parity or equal Proportion There is full as much evil in the Sin as in the Punishment though not as much good in the Duty as in the Reward The demerit of Sin is unlimitable the Treasures of Wrath and Woe comprehended in it are inexhaustible therefore eternal 'T is just then to recompence Tribulation to the wicked because their Works merit it Just to recompence Rest to the godly not because their Works merit it but because free Grace hath promised it Neh. 9.8 And hast performed thy Words for thou art Righteous God cannot be just to the Wicked if he reward not their Works he cannot be just to himself to his own Word and Covenant if he reward not the Works he hath wrought in the Righteous Now even Troubles and Afflictions are less grievous if recompence may be hoped for upon good and sure Grounds If our Miseries become Antidotes to greater Miseries it encourages our Patience if they Work out greater Mercies it increases our Courage and so our Comfort The gain sweetens the pain and we are not so much offended with our Crosses as pleased with the Compensation The World is as a Lottery for a while we must draw nothing but Blanks or what will more grievously vex disquiet or torment us but the last cast will pay for all to our fullest Contentation if we belong to God's Election For this light Affliction which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 The happiness of the recompence of Reward is a thing of so transcendent Nature that even the serious Thoughts of it may entertain us with more abundant Joy than there can be Grief in the feeling it self of the bitterest Sufferings The Antepasts or Foretasts of Heaven are incomparably a greater delight than the very sense of Misery can be a Torment Therefore sure these exceeding glorious Riches of Coelestial Satisfactions will be an all-sufficient Requital for all the labour of Love the patience of Hope and work of Faith that we exert in this Semibrief moment of our transitory Life And it is no small Comfort to consider that the Fidelity of God has made these Gratuities Justice by making them the subject Matter of so many gracious Promises that what otherwise was mere liberty is now necessity and God by vertue of these his Bonds is become a Debtor to God Oh rich Treasury of strong Consolations God's grace having so ordered it not only that he may but that he must give the penitently troubled Soul in his own way and time the sweetest Peace Comfort and Rest It may indeed be delay'd but never can be finally deny'd and this we owe chiefly to the Justice of God his sweetest Perfection through Christ and the Covenant to an humbled Soul But there are also external Administrations of Justice which are of a refreshing consideration and such did the Psalmist reflect upon and solace himself withal Vers 1 2 15 23. Vindictive Justice is a notable relief to the Oppressed and the sweetness of Revenge a potent Cordial To see those suffer from whom we suffer and the Wicked fall into the trap and snare they lay for us does not a little glad us especially if it
thou dost of his Grace to quicken and sanctifie thee And if thou comfortest thy self without the Spirits Witness concurring thou art a fond self-flattering fool and wilt fantastically solace thy self into confusion Lay a sure Ground Work for his Sealings in thy Sanctification but then thou must build upon it endeavouring to grow in purity of Spirit by frequency in purifying Practices Never build Comforts upon any Recognition of former Comforts except thou wast fully satisfied their Grounds were sure But rather begin again and dig deeper that thou may'st build stronglier Labour to be Heroically good if thou desirest to be eminently happy Make thy way through the Temple of Vertue into the Temple of Honour and Peace that thou deceive not thy self and embrace a Cloud instead of Juno Finally having done all renounce all as unproportionable By thy Faith take Sanctuary in the mercy of God through the Merits of Jesus Christ Make him thy living guide and way to the true Life of everlasting Joys and Consolations Lastly Be fervent and constant in Prayer Peace is not attainable but only by Addresses to the God of Peace 'T is his Gift and must be thy desire exprest in Petition ere thou receivest it Use Prayer and engage Prayer that both thine own and others Interest in Heaven may prevail for thee which last by the Apostle Jam. 5.16 called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwrought inworking Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were such as being moved by a supernatural Power or Agent acted beyond themselves above Nature And Righteous Souls are acted by the Holy Ghost in Prayer Rom. 8.14 15 16. Not by extraordinary Influences as the divinely inspired but ordinary Yet these not common to all but special and proper which no wicked Man over Experiences and this therefore not so much with respect to the Gift which is common as the Grace of Prayer which is peculiar to the New-born Children of God Indeed the Gift is but the Body Grace the Soul of Prayer and the most Essential Grace of Prayer properly so call'd viz. Petition is Desire the most efficacious is Faith For I doubt not to give the title of Grace to sincere Desire notwithstand that it hath been exploded upon a reason something odd viz. That desire of Grace is no more Grace than desire of Health Riches c. is Health Riches c. A ground doubly fallacious for 1. It doubly misrepresents the contrary Opinion which 1. only pronounces concerning sincere Desires 2. Means not that the Desire is formally the Grace and every Grace desired But if upright Desire be not a Grace though not the Grace desired neither is upright Delight nor consequently upright Love whereof these are the special and sole Ingredients Desire being as essential as Delight And if some sincere desire of some Graces be not inchoatively the Graces desired or an Effect or Act issuing from them which amounts to the same thing and will subserve to the same end for which that Proposition is used viz. to satisfie the weak but sincere Christians that question their Grace I cannot tell how that of our Saviour is intelligible Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger c. i. e. desire sincerely as all agree The Ungracious Unrighteous are not Blessed but Cursed now according to the supposition of the Text these have nothing to entitle them to Blessedness save this Hunger c. or Desire therefore this Desire constitutes them so far Righteous as not to leave them liable to the curse due to the Unrighteous 2. It mistakes and misses the case for sure there 's a World of difference betwixt Internal Dispositions of Mind and External Possessions One more imperfect disposition of Mind is capable of being changed into or growing up to a more perfect habit and therefore may be inchoatively that habit and also it is very possible that the first actings of a Grace already received may be in a desire of that Grace as well as the more mature state of that Grace may discover it self in strong desire after a greater measure of it self 'T is certain that the more grown and vigorous our Faith is the more do we desire the increase of it so Delight Hope Fear of God Humility and in summ no Man can sincerely desire any Grace without Grace because without Grace there can be no Sincerity that is the Adjunct without the Subject Sincerity being the Eucracy or good Constitution and Form and Beauty of Grace which cannot be sound if it be not Now to transfer this to External Enjoyments or bodily good things is to leap over the Hedge into a sophism of no very graceful Name I think there are other more solid Methods to club down presumptuous Hypocritical Desires than thus to break the bruised Reed and rotten Stick with one and the same blow I do not say that desires of Comfort are Comfort I know very well that Desires in no manner of Gradation or Modification can be a species of Comfort as Desires may be of Grace nor an inferiour degree of Comfort neither Yet though they cannot be formally Comfort they may be objectively Comfortable That is sincere desires upon reflection will be matter of Comfort 't will be a rejoycing to a Man's Heart to find therein those hungring and thirsting desires which the foremention'd Scripture recommends I know not that any can ever have reason to repent of hearty Breathings and Pantings after the Living God and that plentitude of all desireable Joys in fruition of his transcendent Perfections which is sufficient to replenish and answer all the cravings of the most enlarged Appetite even unto Satiety And 't is certain that without such desires Divine Bounty it self infinite though it be will not administer the least drop of the Cup of Consolation as 't is called Jer. 16.7 Indeed since 't is God which comforteth those which are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 we have little ground to expect his Comforts if we never desire them and little evidence can we give of our true desires if we convert them not into Prayers nor can our Prayers prevail if not made in Faith Jam. 1.5 6. For that 's the Grace of Graces which must beat every end or nothing can prosper The Son of God himself the Lord Owner and Possessor of all yet did not obtain the Comforter for us without Prayer Joh. 14.16 And 't is no dishonour to be ty'd to the same Conditions with our Redeemer in things accommodate to our Nature and State If he procured the Cause of Comfort he will bless our use of the means which if we neglect we what in us lies frustrate the Intercession of Christ and by omission of our Duty of Prayer which is a part even of Natural Religion we cause as to our selves a denial and rejection of the Prayer of Christ himself And how can we expect that God should hear us Praying for our selves afterward when we see a necessity to change our
Memory which are but dead things mere Carcasses of Devotion not to be insisted on in Competiton with an enlarged Heart Take with thee Words and turn unto the Lord. Lord at thy bidding I will take thy Words which thy self here prescribes Hosea 14.2 3. They shall be my stinted Liturgy none can tell which will be acceptable to thee better than thy self What are they Take away Iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the Calves of our Lips What 's that The substance is Praise But some Antients thus descant upon it Calves not of our Stall Mal. 4.2 but Lips When a Calf or other Beast was to be Sacrificed to which this is an allusion God required the Blood the Fat and sometimes the Flesh but never the Skin and Hair these were to be carried away and burnt in another place The Blood of these Calves of the Lips is Faith in the Blood of Christ which is the Life of Prayer and Praise The Fat pure and holy Affection and Grace Sorrow Desire Love Delight Hope c. The Flesh is the matter or thing pray'd for Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption c. The Skin and Hairs the Words and Expressions with the Method Mode Order which if alone and not spirited with the former are of no value with God who looks at Things not Words and Phrases They must indeed be brought to God in vocal Prayer which is never a Duty except when we joyn with others and they with us and we must see that all accord with or do not disagree from the general Rules of the Scripture But 't is a folly to think that we for these are more acceptable in Person or that our Prayers the Flesh the Fat the Blood are more well-pleasing to God We must not lay any stress upon put any confidence in that which God will not vouchsafe his Altar to Sanctifie Offer then even this vocal Prayer God expects in some cases this in Conjunction but take heed O my Soul of relying upon it as such viz. the Skin without the other in Separation Whether form or no form what matters it 't is but Skin and Hair Why so much adoe about it Give the main to God or thou givest nothing God will take off the Skin and burn it burn not thy Fingers about it 't is not for the Altar Oh bring that chiefly which must be presented there God is a Spirit what are Words to him Oh let thy Prayers be all Spirit Words are but the vehicle sometimes only Aereal mere Wind seldom Aethereal defecate and pure Quintescence without Froth and Vanity c. However O see thou that there be an Angel within if there be not an Intelligence to turn about this Orb of Devotion if a Soul do not animate this Body of Duty away with it to the dunghil with it 't is but mere Carrion Bring the Male in thy Flock not this corrupt thing Thou canst never derive Comfort from Heaven if thou lay nothing upon God's Altar but Froth and Wind. Substantial Prayers and all substance is an invisible inward thing and these alone introduce solid and substantial Consolations 2 Thes 2.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting Consolation through Grace 17. Comfort your Hearts and stablish you in every good Word and Work 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of Peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 19.20 Now the God of Peace who hath raised from the Dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant 21. Make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THE Introduction with the Explication of the Terms and their Sense Critical and Moral and Doctrine page 1. Chap. II. The Doctrine explained in a Resolution of three Queries a three-fold Essay p. 9. 1. The Character of the Psalmist not so much Personal as Moral which determines the Subject universally p. 10. 1. He was a Man that lived under a due and deep sense of God ibid. Chap. III. 2. He was a Man of Prayer p. 18. Chap. IV. 3. That lived by Faith not by Sight p. 25. Chap. V. 4. That did not live under the reproach of his own conscience p. 31. 1. He was very sensible of the odiousness of Sin to God ibid. Chap. VI. 2. Consciencious in the observance of his Duty to Man p. 45. Chap. VII 5. Of a Publick Spirit p. 73. Chap. VIII 6. Honours God 's Discipline Instructive Corrective p. 121. Chap. IX 7. A Man of Experience Eyes God in all things p. 133. Chap. X. 8. Seeks Comfort solely in and from God p. 140. Chap. XI 2. The Nature and Quality of the Psalmists Thoughts p. 151. 1. Fearing Thoughts p. 156. 2. Grieving Thoughts p. 164. 3. Despairing Thoughts page 174. Chap. XII 3. What Comforts these are in general p. 175. Chap. XIII 1. Comforts in God which God is derived from p. 182. 1. His Existence ibid. 2. His Names and Titles p. 183. 3. His Attributes p. 184. § 1. His Wisdom and Omniscience p. 185. 2. His Goodness p. 189. 3. His Justice p. 207. 4. His Omnipotence p. 224. 5. His Fidelity and Vnchangableness p. 234. 6. His Presence p. 241. 7. His Eternity p. 258. Chap. XIV 2. Comforts from God which God gives in p. 265. 1. Providence p. 266. 2. Privileges p. 269. 1. Sanctification ibid. 2. Propriety in God and assurance of it p. 276. 3. Experiences p. 286. Chap. XV. Inferences 1. Doctrinal 1. 't is lamentable to be left to our own Thoughts p. 296. 2. The best may be in perplexities inextricable by Nature p. 298. 3. The infinite Condescention of God in the Provision he hath made for us p. 302. Chap. XVI 2. Elenctical 1. Convictive 1. Theoretical confutes the Doctrine of Incertitude p. 305. 2. Practical establishing the conscience in the right method of discriminating true and false Comforts which differ p. 309. 1. In their Origin p. 310. 2. Their Attendants p. 317. 3. Their tendency and effects p. 330. 2. Reprehensive for neglect of preparing for and possessing our selves of Divine Comforts p. 337. Chap. XVII 3. Paideutical or Instructive how to attain solid Comforts p. 352. 1. Be Men of Thoughts p. 353. 2. Indeavour to attain Ability to give Law to Thoughts p. 361. 3. Get a clear notion of God and Goodness p. 366. 4. Lay the Foundation of Peace in Repentance and Holiness p. 375 376. 5. Be fervent and constant in Prayer p. 401. ADVERTISEMENT These BOOKS are Published by the Reverend Mr. Oliver Heywood M. A. Minister of the Gospel and Sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside viz. 1. BAptismal Bonds Renewed being some Meditations on Psal 50.5 2. Closet Prayer a Christians Duty 3. Sure Mercies of David 4. Israels Lamentation after the Lord. 5. The Holy Life and Happy Death of Mr. John Angier Minister formerly at Denton near Manchester 6. Advice to an only Child or excellent Counsel to all young Persons 7. Best Intail a Discourse on 2 Sam. 23.5 8. Family Altar a Discourse on Gen. 35.2 3. for to promote the Worship of God in private Families 9. Meetness for Heaven on Colos 1.12 designed for a Funeral Legacy 10. The New Creature on Gal. 6.15 lately Published 11. The General Assembly or a Discourse of the gathering of all Saints to Christ BOOKS Written by the Reverend Mr. J. How OF Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of Foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in reference to other Mens Sins A Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Richard Adams M. A. sometime Fellow of Brazen-Nose College in Oxford The Redeemer's Tears wept over lost Souls In a Treatise on Luke 19.41 42. With an Appendix wherein somewhat is occasionally discoursed concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost and how God is said to will the Salvation of them that perish A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict enquiry Whether or no we truly love God A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Esther Sampson the late Wife of Henry Sampson Doctor of Physick The Carnality of Religious Contention In Two Sermons preach'd at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street A Sermon for Reformation of Manners A Sermon preach'd on the Day of Thanksgiving December 2. 1697. to which is prefix'd Dr. Bates's Congratulatory Speech to the King A Calm and Sober Enquiry concerning the Possibility of a Trinity in the God-head A Letter to a Friend concerning a Postscript to the Defence of Dr. Sherlock's Notion of the Trinity in Unity relating to the Calm and Sober Enquiry upon the same Subject A View of that part of the late Considerations to H. H. about the Trinity Which concerns the Sober Enquiry on that Subject The Redeemer's Dominion over the Invisible World A Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Hammond A Funeral Sermon for Dr. Will. Bates A Funeral Sermon for Mr. Mat. Mead. This Written by Mr. Flavel THE Fountain of Life open'd or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction Mysterious Incarnation solemn Call and Dedication blessed Offices deep Abasement and Supereminent Advancement