Faith and work out thy own Salvation see you neglect it no longer no Man can save another Mans Soul by his Faith his own he may Faith busies it self about our own Salvation shews us what we must do to be saved were there more of this Faith among Professors we should every one have work enough upon our hands and not find it so easie a matter to secure our Souls into eternity General Professors carry it as if they had nothing to do were sure of Heaven already at this rate we may count it an easie matter to believe but when we come to die we shall not find it so any Faith may serve some Mens turns to live by but every Faith will not serve our turns to die by when we are dying in good earnest a feigned Faith signifies little to our comfort we see thorow it and sink under it If your Faith do not often call upon you to look to your own Souls it cannot be saving Faith he that seeks not to save himself let him talk what he will of his Faith it is not saving Faith that is intent upon the salvation of a believer and finds enough to do in carrying on that work with fear and trembling lest it should not go thorow with it You who have been at this work in good earnest don't find it so easie as some would make it new doubts new difficulties new temptations do arise every day that put the Faith of the best Christians to it if Faith do's not bestir it self the Devil may be too hard for you and your Faith too if the righteous are scarcely saved surely 't is no easie matter to get to Heaven you must run wrestle strive fight contend earnestly else you may miss of Heaven and come short of all your expectation of eternal glory I speak not this to discourage you but to awaken you to that diligence and care that so weighty a business calls for Saving Faith is to cast my Self and my own Soul upon Christ for salvation what ever your Faith may be 't is not come to saving Faith till you do this you may carry all your knowledge and all your Faith to Hell with you any Faith that is not saving but remains separate from it will prove a damning Faith to you 't will greatly aggravate your condemnation that you who knew such things believed such things assented to such Truths and Gospel Doctrins should never put forth an act of saving Faith for your own Souls in particular according to the import of those Doctrins 't is strange to see how many Professors do leave themselves quite out of their own Faith they will not be at the pains to act it for themselves but in general they believe as the Church believes but let me tell you 't is not the Church nor all the Churches in the World 't is not all the Angels in Heaven nor all the Saints upon Earth can believe for you you must every one believe for your selves and act your own business cast your own Souls upon Christ for Salvation else they will be eternally lost How many knowing historical Believers are there in Hell who have Prophesied in his Name Prayed in his Name have Written Disputed Argued strongly for the Faith have done every thing that belongs to a common Faith but could never be brought to put forth one act of saving Faith upon Christ for the Salvation of their own Souls Come unto me all ye that are weary c. is this done till you personally come to Christ for the pardon of your sins and for the Justification of your persons by name John Thomas Mary whatever your names are he or she I am sent this day to give you a particular call to come to Christ and I do warn every one of you and exhort every one to go to Christ by a personal act of your own Faith for eternal life he has purchased it for all who come unto him if you neglect it and will not go your blood be upon your own heads I have delivered my own Soul Brethren be perswaded to hearken to the invitation that is given you in the Gospel before it be too late O what a do is there to bring a sinner to Christ O that you would bethink your selves this day and set about saving Faith act that Faith that will save you and say Lord after all my Knowledge and long Profession after all my Praying Hearing Reading I now see these are but means in order to something else the end of all is real believing in Christ and I am now at last come to do that to commit my self wholly to Christ to cast my sinful Soul upon him for Righteousness and Life Lord help me to do this bring me to a through reliance upon Christ and keep me in the frequent exercise and lively actings of this Faith every day that I may see my self safe in him who is faithful and will keep that which I so commit unto him The Just shall live by his own Faith which he acts for himself and for his own Soul if you do not thus commit your selves to Christ every day by a renewed act of Faith you may lose the joy of your Salvation ere you are aware If you say this is done I will not ask you when you did it first that may seem too nice a question to some but I will ask you when you did it last I hope you do it every day if you are at any stand in your thoughts about this your wisest course is to act over this saving Faith more distinctly more particularly more frequently for the Salvation of your own Soul then your Faces will shine and your Hearts will rejoyce we shall know you have been with Jesus 'T is impossible to experience the power and efficacy of saving Faith till we act it in our own case for our own Souls then it comes home indeed to our selves then we feel the comfort of it we may own the general Doctrin of Faith and be little affected with it or concerned about it but when the Grace of Faith comes and makes a particular application of that Doctrin to thy Soul and my Soul then we believe for our selves and are filled with joy unspeakable and full of Glory that we should be received unto mercy have all our sins pardoned our persons accepted and our Souls eternally saved all this Faith makes out to us by name from such undeniable grounds and reasons that we cannot gainsay They count it easie to believe who shut all acts of self-denial quite out of their Faith they live as they did before it may be walk on more securely in their evil courses from a presumptuous perswasion of mercy at last pray God deliver us from such a Faith that gives encouragement to sin If your Faith do not strongly incline you to a holy Life you may be sure 't is not right saving Faith 'T is a sad thing to consider how little
some sins are majoris reatus but minoris scandali so it is here The sins of Sodom had more Scandal but the sins of Capernaum greater Guilt Q. But wherein lyes the sinfulness of Impenitency under the Gospel above other sin Ans 1. Such will be left without Excuse above all others If the Heathen are said to be without excuse not living and worshipping God according to the dictates of natural Light and the notices of God suggested by the works of Creation Rom. 1.20 If the Jews will have their Mouth stopped having the written Law of God and the Knowledge of God's Will therein and yet transgressing this Law as the Apostle speaks Rom. 3.19 much more will those who live impenitently under the Gospel be without excuse and have their mouths stopped in the day of Judgment Had I not come and spoken to them saith Christ they had had no sin but now they have no cloak for their sin John 15.22 The Gospel strips sinners of every Cloak and so exposeth them more naked to the severe Justice of God John 3.19 For this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light And so are without excuse 1. Such cannot plead as the Heathen may that they were ignorant of a Saviour and how to be saved by him from their sin 2. Neither can they plead that Salvation by him was revealed so darkly that they could not have any distinct knowledge of it as the Jew may plead 3. Neither can they plead that this Revelation was never confirmed from Heaven so that they might certainly believe it to be from Heaven and not the invention of Men. The Confirmation of it is now made evident 4. Neither can they plead that they knew not that Unbelief and Impenitency were damnable sins and would expose men to the judgment and wrath of God 5. Neither can they plead Ignorance of God's punitive Justice The Sufferings of Christ for sin to satisfie offended Justice do clearly evidence this to all that know any thing of the Gospel And this more fully than any Judgments God hath inflicted upon sinners in this world even Sodom it self 6. Neither can they plead Ignorance of a future state of the Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Judgment to come and Heaven and Hell Though the Heathen had but dark notions the wisest of them about these things yet now Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel and a future state is more clearly revealed than before either to Jew or Gentile 7. Neither can they plead ignorance of God's pardoning Mercy and his readiness to pardon upon repentance whereby sinners may be hardned in their sin as being without all hope There is forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared saith the Psalmist Psal 130.3 And knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 2 Cor. 5.19 And God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them His pardoning Mercy is now clearly revealed which is the great Motive to Repentance Obj. But then to be ignorant will be a Man's advantage and will furnish him with an excuse Ans 1. That Ignorance which is invincible will excuse but not slothful and affected Ignorance If a King hath publish't and proclaimed his Law a Man's Ignorance will not excuse him from the penalty And to shut out the Light is as sinful as to sin against it When the light shineth in darkness it will be no excuse if the darkness comprehend it not 2. Impenitency under the Gospel is a resisting the loudest Calls of God to Repentance The Heathen were call'd to Repentance by the Light of natural Conscience and the Works of Creation and Providence The Jews were call'd by the Law God gave them and the Prophets God sent among them but now under the Gospel the Call is louder than before When the Gospel was entring the World in John Baptist's Ministry it entred thus Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 And under Christ's own Ministry the Call was louder The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 And under the Apostle's Ministry the Call went into all the World Acts 17.30 The times of their ignorance God winked at now he calls all men every-where to repent And still the great Work of the Ministry is that which our Saviour speaks of his and the end of his coming Not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And what the Apostle Paul speaks of his Ministry in Asia Teaching Repentance towards God and Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 this is the great Work of the Ministry now And higher Motives are laid before sinners to repent under the Gospel than ever before 3. There is the highest Contempt of God in it He call'd by his Prophets to repentance before but now he hath call'd by his own Son If a King sends his own Son to command Rebels to lay down their Arms and accept of terms of Mercy and they still refuse it is greater Contempt than if he had sent his Servants As the King in the Parable said Surely they will reverence my Son Matth. 21.37 though they misused and killed his Servants There hath been Contempt of God by sinners in every Age as the Psalmist complains Psal 10.13 Wherefore do the wicked contemn God But this Contempt riseth to an higher degree under the Gospel since Christ came into the world 1. An higher Contempt of God's Authority To transgress the Law of God delivered by Angels upon the Mount to Moses and by Moses to the People was a Contempt of God's Authority and received a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 How greater Contempt is it to disobey the Gospel which was preached by the Lord himself as the Apostle there argues To refuse him that spake from Heaven is greater Contempt of God's Authority than to refuse him that spake from Earth Heb. 12.25 Rejecting the Gospel Christ calls it a despising both him and his Father Luke 10.16 And the Law was delivered in the hand of Christ to men when he came into the world so that now disobedience to it is an higher Contempt both of the Law and Law-giver than before If I had not come and spoke saith Christ they had no sin John 15.22 The Authority of the Speaker makes the Contempt the greater 2. An higher Contempt of God's Goodness For the Goodness of God is now revealed in the Gospel more fully and clearly than before Every impenitent sinner under the Gospel puts a Contempt upon the highest revelation of God's Goodness And that Goodness that should lead him to Repentance is now rejected and despised And nothing doth aggravate Sin more than when committed against special Love Grace Kindness and Goodness To turn Grace into Wantonness is great abuse but to put it under
continues still to do in order to the freeing and delivering the Children of God from the fear of death and the bondage that ensues thereon 1. He worketh and increaseth those Graces of his Spirit in them which are destructive hereof and opposite hereunto you 'l say which are they 1. There is the Grace of Faith This is the Grace that conquers the World that conquers the Devil and that conquers also the slavish fear of Death This excellent Grace of Faith hath such an excellent hand in the conquering of all these that it is call'd the conquest and victory it's self This is the victory says the Apostle John 1 John 5.4 even your Faith Our Saviour tells Peter Luke 22.31 32. That Satan had desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat And with what did he sift and shake him Why it was with the fear of Death he was afraid they would deal with him as they did with his Master It was his slavish fear of Death that made him deny Christ and to do it once and again but anon he recovered himself and got above this fear he was reâ—dy by and by boldly to confess Christ and that in the face of Death and danger How came this about Why it was by means of Faith Christ had pray'd for him that his Faith should not fail it may be said of those that are fearful of death that they are of little Faith 2. A second Grace is Love An ardent love of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ will banish all slavish fear of death out of the Soul 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear Of what fear doth he speak The next words tell you he speaks of slavish tormenting fear of that fear which hath torment By perfect love he means a greater measure and degree of love I said but now of fearfull Christians that they have but little Faith I may add also that they have but little Love for perfect or great love expells all tormenting and servile fear 3. A third Grace is Hope The very nature of Hope is quite contrary to fear Where there is a Hope of eternal life there can be no prevailing fear of Death 'T is said of the righteous Prov. 14.32 that they have Hope in their death and those that have Hope in their death they are not afraid to dye Then Hope doth more especially free us from an inordinate fear of Death when it grows up to that which the Scripture calls The full assurance of Faith Heb. 6.11 this is a gracious Gift which the Father bestows upon many of his Children they know that they are in him that they are pass â—â— from death to life 1 John 2.5.3.14 2 Cor. 5.1 that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolv'd they shall have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Ay this is that which steels and fortifies them against the fear and terror of Death This leads me to consider of a second way or means whereby Christ delivers the Children from a slavish fear of death 2. He delivers them from it by convincing and parswading them that they shall not be Losers but Gainers yea great gainers thereby It was this perswasion that made the Apostle Paul to desire death rather than to dread it I desire says he to depart or to be dissolv'd which is far better Philip. 1.23 And again v. 21. he saith For me to dye is gain It were easie here to expatiate and shew the advantage the exceeding great advantage that Believers have by Death It is commonly said to consist in these two things in a freedom from all Evil in the fruition of all Good 1. It consists in a freedom from all Evil which is sub-divided into the evil of Sorrow and the evil of Sin Believers are freed by Death from the evil of Sorrow 'T is one blessed Notion of the life to come that God will wipe off all tears from his peoples eyes and remove all sorrow and causes of Sorrow from their Hearts Believers also are freed by Death from the evil of sin which is indeed the greatest evil the evil of evils all the evils of sorrow are but the effects and fruits of the evil of sin By Death they are deliver'd from all actual sins not only from Fleshly but Spiritual filthiness Now they are deliver'd ordinarily from inordinate actions but then also from inordinate affections they shall never any more be troubled with Pride Passion Discontent Unbelief or the like By Death also they are discharg'd from Original sin and all remainders thereof when the Body dies Believers are rid of that body of death which dwelleth in them and is always present with them they no more complain of themselves as wretched creatures upon the account thereof 2. It consists in the fruition of all Good Believers when they dye they enjoy God Himself who is the chiefest Good He is bonum in quae omnia bona all other things that are good and desireable are comprized in him as the Sun-beams are in the Sun the Saints enjoyment of God in this life is a Heaven upon Earth but our enjoyment of God after death will be the Heaven of Heavens David says in one Place Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There are Saints and Angels and Arch-Angels in Heaven says Musculus with whom David and such as he will have to do but what are these to God Believers won't barely enjoy God after death but they will enjoy him fully In this life they enjoy a little of God and oh how sweet and refreshing it is But in the life to come they shall have as much enjoyment of God as their hearts can wish or hold Now they enjoy God in the use of means in Prayer in hearing the Word and in receiving the Lords Supper but hereafter they shall have not only a full but an immediate fruition of God Now they see the Face of God in the Glass of his Word and Ordinances and 〈◊〉 what a lovely sight is it But then they shall see God face to face and what tongue can mention or heart imagine the loveliness of that sight If it were not too great a digression I could readily demonstrate the gain and advantage of Death from other Topicks Believers in the other life shall possess and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven which doth more transcend the Kingdoms of this World and all the glory of them than the light of the Sun doth excell the light of a Candle they shall be most gloriously perfected both in their Souls and in their Bodies their vile bodies at the Resurrection shall be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.21 Their gain and happiness will be greatly augmented in the other life by the work and employment that they shall do and by the Society and Company that they shall
Gospel of the Grace of God may be carried into the dark corners of the Earth for the Conversion and Salvation of them who are ready to perish and so the Kingdom of Christ get ground in the World is I am sure a most holy and excellent design and so I recommend this also to the Prayers of Godly private Christians These few things being suggested touching those Christians who bear a Publick Character I now shall address my self to all Godly Private Christians and I must exhort and beseech them with all the fervour I can to set their hearts sincerely upon this glorious work and to bestir themselves in it with all their might This belongs to every Christian as such in what circumstances soever the Providence of God doth dispose of them whether they be High or Low Noble or Base Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned Male or Female None are to be excluded or exempted But it is likely This may seem strange to many Private Christians That they should be charged in the Name of Christ to be helpful to promote the spreading of the Gospel all the world over Alas will one say with the Eunuch I am a dry tree and no such fruit is to be expected from me And I will another say am but a Cypher and make no Figure in the world as the Phrase goes and therefore I can signifie nothing But let me beseech all Private Christians to take heed of shifting off from themselves any Duty or Service that Christ calls them to or would employ them in And To suspend their Determination a little until I have shewed them as Christ shall enable me How and wherein Private Christians may be helpful in this Great and Good work And then I hope they will see That they may do much more therein than possibly they have hitherto apprehended The second thing mentioned is Their Duty and Work Which is To be helpful in promoting the Entertainment of the Gospel And the third thing is How or in what ways and by what means they may be most helpful in it But for dispatch sake I shall speak to both these Conjunctly Now That I may proceed herein the more clearly and profitably I think it may be useful to place Private Christians according to their several Circumstances and Capacities as to the matter now under consideration in three Ranks or Orders 1. There are many Private Christians who live very remote from such Places and People as have not the Gospel preached unto them Or at least have not hitherto entertained it 2. There are some Private Christians who may Occasionally go into or may Providentially be cast into such Places 3. There are some Private Christians who live among such people in a more fixed or constant Residence As In our Factories abroad Or In our Plantations in the Indies or other Heathen places Now Tho' it be the Duty of all Private Christians To promote the entertainment of the Gospel yet all cannot take the same Measures nor be Active in the same ways And therefore it may be to very good purpose To let each of them to see wherein their Proper work doth lie That they may contribute their assistance accordingly 1. Most of the Private Christians among us live very Remote from those People who have not as yet entertained the Gospel And so They cannot be helpful unto them by Personal instruction or counsel Neither can they attract them by the Example of their holy conversation And yet they may greatly contribute toward the promoting of the entertainment of the Gospel among them And that they may do several ways e. gr 1. They may and ought to pray in Faith That the Gospel may be sent among them That it may be Received by them And be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of all that are ordained to Eternal life among them For such Prayers being according to the Will of God They may be confident that he heareth them 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth and expecteth such Prayers from them cannot be unknown to any who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures For 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians Matth. ix 37 38. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest Here we may take notice 1. That by the Metaphor or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour would instruct us That as when the Corn is ripe Men use to employ Reapers to cut it down and gather it in So there are some blessed Seasons wherein God hath decreed to send the Gospel among a People and accordingly prepares and disposeth them for the Reception of it and raiseth in them a propensity and strong affection toward it Thus it was when John the Baptist came and Preached That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th Then went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time Matth. xi 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force When therefore ye hear That the Day of the Gospel begins to Dawn in any of the dark corners of the Earth Then Lift up a Prayer That the Grace and Power of the Spirit may accompany it and make it successful 2. Our Saviour teacheth you to pray That the Labourers may be increased proportionably to the work as when he saith The Harvest is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray then that God would imploy such as are Skilful and Industrious such as Paul describes 2 Tim. ii 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth And pray That God would imploy such a number of them as is sufficient for the work A Reverend Person among us hath for many years complained That in many places where there is but One to labour in the Ministerial Work there is enough for three or four tho' all of them be very industrious But it seems that Men either cannot or will not make better provision 3. Private Christians when they perceive How the case stands should be importunate with God that he would send forth Labourers into his harvest Send them by the Efficacious word of his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ejiciat vel extrudat Thrust them out by his Grace working in them and his Providence ordering of circumstances concerning them It is no wonder if Flesh and Blood shrink from the employment of carrying the Lord's Message to a barbarous people Moses would fain have been excused from going into Egypt and he multiplied Evasions and Pretences till the Lord was angry with him Exod. iii. 10 11 14. and Chap. iv 1 10
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
Thanks and holy Wonder And when these thoughts do as it were return again from Heaven to set us more delightfully and strenuously to our needful work on Earth for Heaven and for the most generous and true services to the great benefit of the Church and World O what a Sea of Pleasures and Advantages do Love and good Works cast us then into and keep us in How often have the delicate composures of grave and sprightly Musick well managed by the sweet and skilful Voice or touch provoked and urged my Soul to admire the chief good and the Eternal source of all communicated and communicable ingenuity and expertness in that and in all sorts of Arts and Sciences The delicate composure of the ear to render it receptive of melodious sounds the usefulness of the Air for the conveyance of them to the prepared Ear The pregnancies of humane Souls and Fancies for the endlessness of various compositions The command that the Soul hath over the Animal Spirits to order and command the Voice or Fingers the rules of harmony and the particular gracefulness of relishes and flourishings and humourings of some particular Notes and Touches And the different tempers that God hath made whereto the varieties of sounds have their as various degrees and ways of gratefulness these things with all the Mysteries of sounds and numbers O what is their cry How lovely is the Eternal God that gives us such Abilities and Entertainments How lovely are the Souls of Men that are receptive of such things How lovely are those Labours and Designs that are with Wisdom Diligence and Faithfulness directed to the Cultivation and Salvations of such Souls O how beautiful and lovely are the feet of those and how deserving of our Prayers and universal helpfulness are they themselves who lay out all their Time and Strength to get each other and as many as they can in readiness to bear their parts and take their share in the Melodies and Entertainments of that Triumphant state of Love and Holiness in the Heavenly Glory The cry of all is Love Love These are things and objects that require and deserve our Love in it's most urgent vehemencies to promote their Interests this noble flame is desecrated and prophaned by us and used to it 's own prejudice and reproach when it is not directed to and diligently conversant about Objects and Services truly worthy of it self Gal. iv 18. I should have thought my Thoughts and Heart not only Faeculant but in a sort prophane had I applyed my Studies or this Sacred Directory in my Text to the promoting of fervour noise and stir about things much below or repugnant to the weightier things and matters of Christs Gospel Kingdom Judgment Mercy and Love Mat. xxiii 23. The love of God saith Luk xi 42. Wo worth that Papal zeal and diligence that is for the promotion of an universal Visible Headship wherein they pretend that all the Church Militant must be united into whose Arbitrary and bold dictates it must resolve it's Faith according to whose Edicts it must form all it's practices and to the supports whereof in all it 's secular Grandeurs Pageantries and usurped Prerogatives it must devote and sacrifice it 's all Is He luke-warm in Gods account that will not Anathematize traduce distress destroy Souls Persons Families Churches Kingdoms and the choicest and most useful Persons who will not absolutely devote himself hereto and shew his zeal in desolating flames and slaughters Such Zeal we know by whom it was called Madness Act. xxvi 9. 11. Phil. iii. 6. Wo worth Malignant and Censorious zeal that overlooks much excellence in others and that envies or despises all deserving Services Gifts and Graces if not seated in and performed by themselves Wo worth dividing zeal that intimately espouses particular opinions modes forms and humours and then makes these the main or the only terms of Peace and Concord that lays out all it's Time Strength Interest and Fervours to gain Proselytes and Votaries hereto and to defend their own Fictions and quarrel with and keep at sinful distances from Persons better perhaps than themselves because their Schibboleth is not pronounced by them Wo worth partial zeal that measures things and Persons by their discords and agreements with our own Interests Parties or Perswasions Every thing is Idolatry Superstition and rigorously to be dealt withal that falls not even with our sentiments and ways Wo worth self-conceited zeal that lays it's quarrels upon this cause and bottom that others will not reverence and yield to us as wiser and better than themselves And wo worth all zeal that lays the Christian Interest Peace and Welfare on Covenants Subscriptions or any terms too mean and narrow to sustain them I shall never value vindicate practise nor endure that zeal which bears not all those Characters of God mentioned in Jam. iii. 17 18. Postscript ANd now Reader let me bespeak thy Candour I am very sensible of very great inaccuracies and defects in this Resolution of so great a Case It became my work under unusual disadvantages not fit to be mentioned here I have exposed my first draught to an observant Generation the Truths contained therein are Gods and the Directions offered are for the substance of them according to the Doctrine of the Scripture of Truth May they but prosper to the câ—re of luke-warm hearts I can the better spare the praise of men and bear their Censures and Contempt It is the desire endeavour and design of my poor Soul to think as meanly of my self as other's can I have no time and through the infirmity of my Right hand writing is the most tedious part of my work to correct my first Copy which entertains me in the perusal thereof with many superfluous expressions to be retrenched many inaccuracies of Phrase and Method to be rectifyed many defects to be made up as to that matter which the full Resolution of the Case requires Many hints and heads which might more copiously have been insisted on yea and some passages in the Text it self I find upon review might have been more fully and nervously improved to the exacter Resolution of the Case Much more I could have said and much more than that can a Multitude of my Brethren speak were they to undertake the Subject and handle it according to the Grace and Wisdom which God hath more copiously given unto them than unto me Tho I will leave this Testimony to his Great and Gracious Name upon record that he hath ever helped me and had done more for me had I not unworthily obstructed the Current of his kindnesses to me My Books and helps are nothing to me without him it is ignorance of our selves and of God that makes us proud but our sensible approaches to Eternity and to himself will make us sneak and lay us in the dust before him we being hereby made to see how little we know can signifie obtain or do without him Some may perhaps
at him (e) Psal 8.2 Out of the mouths of very unlikely persons hast thou ordained strength that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger q. d. God doth by the Spiritual Skill and Strength which he gives even to young weak Converts unfit to grapple with an Enemy God enables even such to silence confound and conquer the Enemies of God and his People and the Devil in the head of them whose Kingdom and Power is broken by this means and those that fight under his Banner against God and Christ And pray observe the Title here given him viz. the Avenger he being Sentenced by God to Eternal Torments makes it his business to revenge himself what he can upon God and Christ upon his Children and Servants Christians if you can through Grace make Satan himself against his will help you to profit by the Word this will raise your Souls beyond what is ordinary both for Grace and Comfort Or if God in his Wisdom suspend such manifestations of himself yet such exercise of Grace shall certainly tend to the multiplying of Praises in the other World And now though I have in my pitiful manner answered the Case my work is not yet done till I have answered a Complaint upon the Case and 't is the Complaint of those who have least cause of those who give Christ that Answer to his Question which satisfies him but yet can't give an Answer will satisfie themselves Their Hearts ake from the very proposing of the Question and their Hearts misgive them under all that 's said in Answer to it Complaint We have more Cause to complain than we are able to express Oh the Sermons that we have lost of which we can give no account at all and of those that are not utterly lost we have made no suitable improvement We are convinced that we should be as impartial now in examining whether we have got saving Faith by hearing of the Word We should be as strict now as if we were upon our Dying Bed We know not whether ever we shall have a Death-bed many more likely to live than our selves dye suddenly and why not we Nay rather now for we have not now wearisome Sickness to disable us We have now those helps that we can't have then Freedom of Ordinances in publick Capacities for Duties in secret We may now bring things to an issue which is then next to impossible These and a Thousand such Considerations even fright me when I sit down to think my Thoughts even overwhelm me to reflect what a sorry account I can give of all that I have heard These and more doleful Complaints are the usual entertainments of their most serious Christian Friends To all which I shall offer these Answers Answ 1. The Word of God which they apply to their Sorrow they ought as well to apply to their Comfort for those who are really grieved that they can't satisfie themselves much less as they think Christ They are mistaken for Christ is ordinarily best satisfied with that which the gracious Soul is least satisfied e. g. That Prayer which he is most ashamed of Christ most approves of (f) Cant. 2.12 The Flowers appear on the Earth the time of the Singing of Birds is come and the Voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land 'T is Spring-time in the Soul When the Groans of a contrite Heart sound harsh to others they are Musick in Christs Ears not that Christ delights in his peoples Sorrows but as they are Evidences of his Graces in them and of his Spirit 's abiding with them It is only the gracious Soul that is grieved at Heart that he can't give Christ a better account of his profiting (g) Ezr. 9.6 10. ch 10.2 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God What shall I say after this There 's hope in Israel concerning this thing The Apostle expresly assures us that (h) 1 Cor. 11.31 32. those that judge themselves shall not be judged with a Judgment of Condemnation Chear up therefore poor dropping Soul and to thy comfort consider whether this be not the only thing wherein Christ and you Believers be not of the same mind Christ puts a better interpretation of his actings than he himself dares many a time Christ owns that as Grace which he condemns for Hypocrisie Christ forgives him that which he can never forgive himself Christ says Well done good and faithful Servant for that which he ever finds fault with But the complaining Soul saith I mistake him I speak to the rong person Propose comfort to those that are grieved they can't give Christ a satisfying account whereas I am not troubled enough nor grieved enough a serious reflection upon such returns as mine to Christs kindness would certainly break any Heart but mine But alas I am next to nothing affected with it 2. I therefore further answer Thy complaining for want of sensible complaining entitles thee to Comfort Darest thou own so much as this that thou art troubled thou can'st be no more troubled at the shameful account thou givest to Christ Thou art afraid that Word has overtaken thee (i) Isa 6.9 10. Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the Heart of this People fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes least they see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart c. Surely thou canst not think worse of thy self than this Let me tell thee the more thou thinkest of this the less cause thou hast to apply this to thy self for those who God gives up to judicial hardness never think or speak of such things but in scorn and to make a mock of them and that thou darest not do there 's another word for thee to think of (k) Isa 66.1 2 Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool where 's the place of my rest To this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and that trembleth at my Word If God hath any place upon Earth for his Repose it is in that Soul that stands in awe of his Word and with due Reverence receives it What! Dost thou complain thou art not troubled enough Nor contrite enough Not humbled enough How do many Souls bring their Complaints to Ministers and bring their Bills to Congregations for brokeness of Heart and a deep sense of Sin when they are so much broken already that their other Duties are almost justled out by it Don't therefore overlook that Text (l) Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost We should make it our business to live in a ferious course of Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards Men in the love and practice of Peace with all and in the joyful sense of the love of God and hopes of Glory
the most notorious Sinners among all the Heathens worse than Tire and Sidon before mention'd or any Heathen City and yet shall fare better than Capernaum though none of Sodom's sins be charged by our Saviour upon it But they repented not under the means of Grace and Salvation Because they repented not saith the Text this was their sin Q. But what is this Impenitency under the Gospel A. 1. It is not all hardness of Heart that is Impenitency many good Christians may still find something of it but it is when men harden their own hearts Heb. 3.8 which are two different things 2. It is not any particular act of Sin that may be call'd Impenitency but a trade and course of Sin 3. It implies a wilful rejecting the Offers of Grace and Salvation by Christ in those that live under the Gospel 4. It implies a slighting and contempt of the threatnings denounced against Sin and Sinners 5. It implies a resolved purpose to persist in Sin though Man knows it to be Sin when the Sinner's mind is not changed nor he comes to himself and to grow wise after all his folly as the Greek word for Repentance doth import this is Impenitency This I premise to clear my way to the following discourse As also by answering the following Objection Obj. But Capernaum's case is not ours Capernaum saw Christ in the Flesh which we never did they heard Doctrine preached from his own mouth which we never did they saw his Miracles wrought before their eyes which we never saw Had we had their advantages and priviledges we would not have done as they did nor been impenitent as they were Ans This Evasion is much like that of the Scribes and Pharisees mentioned Matth. 23.30 Had we been in the days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets When they at the same time were fill'd with that malice against Christ which issued in the shedding of his precious blood But I answer 1. Though we have not Christ with us in his fleshly Presence yet we have his Doctrine still with us and preached to us And it was not his fleshly Presence that brought any Sinners to repentance but his Doctrine 2. Though we see not Christ's Miracles wrought before our eyes yet we hâ—â—e them recorded by the four Evangelists and by such as were either eye-witnesses or wrote by an infallible Spirit or rather both And if we believe the Gospel we believe what is there recorded and Faith is the evidence of things not seen and will make their impression upon the Heart as if seen with the Eye 3. Of those many thousands both of Jews and Gentiles that were brought to repentance by the Gospel in the Primitive times not one of an hundred or of a thousand did either see Christ in the Flesh heard him Preach or saw him work any Miracle 4. Of those many thousands that did see him and his Works and hear him preach when he was upon Earth not one of an hundred were brought to repentance thereby vid. John 12.37 And are any sure in these days had they then lived they should not have been of that number Considering that men have now the same blindness and hardness upon their minds and hearts which they had then and the same love to their sins and prejudices against Holiness as was then And therefore Impenitency now will expose a man to as severe punishment and present him as guilty before God at the day of Judgment as it will Capernaum And doth not our Saviour denounce the same severities against them that received not his Disciples preaching as his own Matth. 10.14 15. Whosoever shall not receive you having offer'd peace to them depart and shake off the dust of your feet against them Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah than that City And this holds true in every Age and in the present Age in every City and in this City in every Nation and in our own Nation Thus having made my way clear I now proceed And shew That Impenitency under the Gospel will expose men to the most intolerable Judgment in the day of Christ 1. I shall prove that it will do so 2. Why it will do so 3. Wherein will this greater Intolerableness consist 1. That it will do so I need not prove it by any other Argument than what we have in the Text. I say unto you saith our Saviour And again v. 22. I say unto you it shall be more tolerable c. And he adds his Amen and Verily to it Matth. 10.15 Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tire and Zidon in the day of Judgment c. If we believe not that Christ hath said this we are Infidels to the Gospel If we think he hath said false we are guilty of Blasphemy Is it not he that saith Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away that saith this Is it not he who is styled the Amen the true and faithful witness that hath said this Is it not he who came down from Heaven out of the bosom of God and spake nothing but what he had seen and heard from his Father that saith this And therefore it may seem some reflection upon Christ's Veracity and my Auditor's Infidelity and incredulity to bring any other proof 2. Next Why will it be so at the day of Judgment R. Because Impenitency under the Gospel hath more of sin in it than any sin of the Heathen And this is the general Reason And where there is most Sin there will be the severest Judgment I suppose none of you think as some Philosophers of old that all sins are equal And inequality of sin requires in justice inequality in punishment That saying of Christ to Pilate shews that there are degrees of sin He that delivered me to thee hath the greater sin John 19.11 And so we may conclude there will be degrees of punishment And these degrees of sin must needs be known to God who is a God of Knowledge and being known to him his Justice requires of him Punishment in a proportion though not in this life yet at the day of the Revelation of the righteous judgment of God When all men shall be put into the Scale as Daniel told Belshazzar and Judgment past upon them according to what weight they bear And their Actions also consider'd and weighed in all their Circumstances what Grace and Holiness may be found in the actions of some and what Sin in the actions of others So that many sins that may pass for no sins now may be found sinful then and such as pass for small sins and of little scandal before men now may be found highly sinful in that day There are many sins that have more Scandal than Impenitency under the Gospel and yet not so much guilt As we use to say in Divinity that
greatest generousness to an Adversary so the warmest zeal if true is attended with the purest Charity otherwise it is but Rage and Brutishness which is very forreign to the Christian temper Where true Grace is impressed on the Soul there graciousness and kindness will be expressed to all men When all is said and done all true Christians are sworn Brethren and must love and bear with one another Proh dolor S. Cyprian quid facit in corde Christianorum luporum feritas canum rabies 2. Bitterness can never cure violence As the wrath of Man works not the Righteousness of God so neither doth it work the Reformution of men One sin can never work a right cure upon another We see this in our selves severity and violence cures no body and this should be mens design in all Arguments Disputes and Reproofs namely to recover and cure those that are out of the way but durum super durum non facit murum Hence the expression of that peaceable Bishop Hall I am and profess to be as the terms stand on neither and yet on both parts for the peace of both for the humour of neither how should mortar cement if it lie not between both stones The Kingdom of God stands not in meats in colours in noises in gestures God stands not on such trifles and why should we c. The Wisest of men determines this Prov. 30.33 The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife O but God's Glory you 'l say is at the stake therefore it is not only lawful to be zealous but necessary But 1. Be sure it be so that the Honour of God be really concern'd in these your Contentions It is a dangerous thing to ingage God's Glory in our sinful affections or expressions You know how dear it cost Moses that Servant of the Lord when in great heat against his erring Brethren he brake out unadvisedly with his lips saying Numb 20.10 Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Though otherwise he was the meekest man upon Earth and was at that time sufficiently provoked yet Almighty God would not bear to hear this language from him and shut him out of the promised land for it God knows we are more apt to press God's Glory into the service of our Passions and Interests than to ingage our selves and all our abilities or to deny our humours for the promoting thereof 2. Be it known to you that though your Ends be very sincere yet God's Glory hath no need of your Intemperance As his Truth hath no need of our Lye so his Honour needs not the rotten pillars of mens passions Job 13.7 8. Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Will ye accept His Person Will ye contend for God He requires it not he needs it not The excellency of the end will not legitimate the vitiousness of the means nay by breaking his Law in these uncharitable Contentions you dishonour him God's Truth and Honour have almost suffered as much by weak and passionate Advocates as by open Adversaries 3. If you be indeed so concern'd for God's Glory and for his Truth then you will use all other means to reduce men into the way of Truth His Glory must be promoted by his own means you will not only rebuke them but you 'l pray for them you 'l speak as zealously for them to God in Heaven as you speak against them upon Earth If they hunger you will feed them if they be disparaged or distress'd you will assist them and thus by heaping coals of fire upon their heads you will melt them into Repentance you are not ignorant that the blustering Winds make the Traveller gird his Cloak closer to him when the warm Sun forces him to lay it aside And men generally will strengthen themselves in their Opinions when they are only pelted with wrath and rancour who may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil when they are instructed with meekness III. For Application 1. Then it follows That Vnion is the true means of our Preservation Unity of Judgment this I say again should be endeavoured not only in weighty Points but in all matters of Doctrine and Practice And if men would labour to divest themselves of Prejudice and Interest this might in a great measure be obtain'd Truth is but One and if all did truly seek Truth they would surely find it The integrity of the upright shall guide them and the righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way Prov. 11.3.5 But a violent Prejudice for or against any Opinion or Practice is a notorious hinderance in finding out the Truth it shuts the windows that light cannot â—nter Whoso therefore would find out the plain Truth must strip himself of all such pre-occupation as will not suffer him to make an impartial search into the Mind of God about it and having found it must render himself prisoner unto it So also must all worldly Interests be laid at the feet of Truth and whether the Doctrine or Practice in question be in repute or under disgrace whether it will gain or lose my best Friends whether it will preferr or undoe me are not Considerations worthy of him that hath learned to deny himself and to value the World to come above the Word that now is I say again if men did but sincerely seek they should certainly find according to Christ's Promise Matth. 7.7 and so Vnity in Judgment would be attain'd more than it is which doubtless would be a soveraign Preservative from Destruction But there is another Vnity which is in Affection and that is Charity which is of no less Excellency and Use to our preservation There may be many who may call for Unity not for Truths sake but for their own As Musculus observes upon the Soldiers that would not divide our Saviours seamless Coat but it was not out of any respect to Him but hoping every one that it would fall to his Lot So many cry out for Unity saith he not out of Love to the Truth or Unity but in expectation that the stream shall run in their own Channel But now Charity as it would be in all material things on Truths side so in things more disputable it can bear some contradiction and so concludes In the Substance of Christianity he that is not with us is against us in things Indifferent he that is not against us is for us And to promote this among our selves I mean the Contending Protestants in these Nations Let us consider 1. How many things we agree in And if men would begin at this end and not still at the wrong end to wit the few and small things wherein we differ we could not for very shame be so implacable to one another We agree in the acknowledgment of the Being and Providence of God against Atheists and Epicures In the Doctrine of the Trinity against Mahometans we agree
to Condemnation as by the whole of St. Paul to the Romans ch 8.33 may appear Now we must suppose that the convinced Sinner sets himself as in God's sight and having seriously considered what the Law threatens dreading that Curse and Wrath to come hearing his Conscience pleading guilty to the Accusations of the Law against him he seems to hear the Judge asking of him what he hath to say for himself why the sentence of death should not pass upon him here it is that he names Christ and remembers in Prayer unto God what the Blessed Jesus did and suffered unto the utmost for him he became sin for him he could not be a Sinner but he was dealt withall as if he had been one because he was in the Sinners stead Now the convinc'd Sinner urges God's Promise and Covenant with Christ that He should see of the travel of his Soul c. Thus the Name of Christ is the Souls strong Tower Isa 53.11 Prov. 18.10 Isa 44.24 he runneth unto it and is safe and in Christ who is also the Lord Jehovah he hath righteousness and strength Again Is the penitent Sinner so oppress'd that words fail him only sighs and groans which in his case are never wanting are frequent with him the Name of Christ upholds him for he knows as God said of Aaron that he can speak well Exod. 4.14 Heb. 7.25 and he ever lives to make intercession for him I do not wonder that our being thus made whole only thro the Name of Christ should be by so many gainsayed and ridiculed Rom. 10.3 2 Cor. 5.21 for 't is hard to bring our Thoughts into subjection unto the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ and when I read it so often call'd the Righteousness of God in Scripture as surely he alone could find out the Ransom c. I know it must be something beyond the ordinary apprehension of Man for no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 and Nil diurnum nox capit May this suffice concerning the Subject of my Text viz. He that nameth the Name of Christ We must now speak of the Injunction that is laid upon him or the Direction given unto him Let every such an One depart from Iniquity In which we shall have cause to enquire how it consists with the naming of Christ especially for our Justification as I have explained it and these four Particulars I shall offer to your consideration 1. That departing from Iniquity or Holiness is no Cause of our Justification properly taken notwithstanding 2. Holiness hath an Influence upon our Salvation and also 3. Holiness is indispensibly necessary to all justified Persons 4. Nay more Free Justification or Justification by God's Free Grace in Jesus Christ is the best and most forcible Incentive unto Holiness Departing from Iniquity is no cause of Justification Reason 1 1. It will appear that Holiness is no Cause of our Justification It did neither move God when foreseen to choose us or when actually existing to justifie us Mercy is only from something in God 1. For all God's Works of Mercy arise from something in God himself who is the fountain of Mercy or of living waters and Judgments are said to be his strange Work because he never proceeds to them but when he is necessitated to vindicate the Glory of his injur'd Attributes that is Jer. 17.13 the cause of all God's severities is out of himself and only to be found in the provocations of his Creatures The Cause of all his Mercies are his own Bowels and Compassions and wholly in and from himself O Israel Hos 13.9 thy destruction is from thy self but in me is thy help Nay when God says unto the Soul Live Ezek. 16.6 he sees it in its Blood and it remains in its Blood untill he says unto it Live for in the Apostles Phrase Rom. 4.5 6. he justifies the ungodly and the sinners that is God does for Christ's sake discharge and acquit Sinners who flee unto him and desire Pardon and Acceptance thro the Blood of his Son The Lamb of God that thus taketh away the sin of the World And yet thus the Judge of all the Earth does right too when he makes Christ to become Righteousness unto the believing and penitent Sinners for by the same Reason and Justice that they fell in one Adam they may be made alive in another and where is the Disputer Rom. 5.19 2. There is no commutative Justice betwixt God and his Creature 2. Reason There is no commutative Justice between God and his Creature We can give no Equivalent for the least mercy the least crumb the least drop to be sure as coming from God The giver puts a suitable price upon the Gift as the Giver is in excellency so is the Gift in esteem what a Prince or a King gives is much magnified tho many times otherwise a trifle but here is Eternal Life and a Crown immortal given by the great King of Heaven and Earth to such as know themselves to be but dust and ashes and to be sure they cry Grace Zech. 4.7 Grace unto it God gets nothing by all our holiest Performances devoutest Prayers Job 22.2 and most spiritual Duties Our righeousness cannot profit him Can a Man be profitable unto God that is he cannot by any ways be profitable unto his Maker no 't is for our sakes that God hath given us his Commandments and Institutions that we might by them mend the frame and temper of our hearts and be fitted for to enjoy him to all Eternity in the mean while to stay our longing after him he affords us to see him thus tho as in a glass darkly But if God could be promerited as they speak and obliged it must be by some things that are our own and Secondly It must be by such things as are not due upon any other account whatsoever 1 Cor. 4.7 Now what hast thou which thou hast not received Thy Faculties and Powers thy Grace and Goodness a Heart and Will to do good every Enlargement of Prayer and Exercise of Faith or any other Grace is his it is he that works in us to will and to do accord-to his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Luke 17.9 and if thanks be not due to a Servant when he does what he is bidden as our Saviour expresses what can be due to a Creature from his Creator who gives him Food and Rayment Life and Breath and all things Where is there any proportion betwixt these and any returns we can make In all Trading or Exchanging there 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quid for quo which cannot be given to God by us 2. Departing from Iniquity hath an Influence upon our Salvation tho it be not a Cause of our Salvation Departing from Iniquity hath its influence upon tho no cause of our salvation And tho it cannot
is but a peradventure we have that which will shut it out of all consideration and eclipse that which otherwise might have had some lustre vers 8. God commends his love to us that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us § 2. If the love of relations will not afford us a just Measure for the Love of Christ let 's see if there be any thing else in the whole scale of Nature that may furnish us with a line commensurate to it And we can no sooner think of making the Inquiry but we propose to our selves the height of Heaven the breadth of the Earth Prov. 25.3 The Heaven for height and the Earth for breadth but we must despair of finding any thing that may measure or circumscribe this love since the Apostle has assured us Ephes 3.8 that the riches of Christ are unsearchable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we must expect no footsteps of in the whole Creation The Apostle might Preach it but could not fully reach it The treasures of Gold and Silver which wise providence has hid so deep in the bowels of the Earth yet the vein may be pursued so far till it s worn out but this treasure of Love in the Heart of Christ is so deep and is so rich that we can neither find out nor exhaust the fulness of it when God would give us some shadow of his Love he represents it by the height of the Heavens not that his Love reaches no higher but because there 's nothing in created Nature higher to represent it by Psal 103.11 As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy towards them that fear him The Love of God is only to be measur'd by it self that is by himself for God is Love 1 John 4.8 No Creature no Saint no Angel can fadom the Love of Gods heart Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you And we must say the same of Christ's Love there 's one Dimension more in the Love of Christ than in the Creation Ephes 3.18 That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are taught to distinguish between the measure of a Man and the measure of God All bodies have but three dimensions Rev. 21.17 He measured the City with a Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length the breadth the height were equal according to the measure of a Man but in the measuring Spiritual Heavenly things such as are the Love of God and of Christ there 's one dimension more So we have it in that sublime discourse of Zophar Job 11.7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is as high as Heaven what canst thou do Deeper then Hell what canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea And thus we are taught modesty and not to limit God and his purposes of Love by our narrow conceptions Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts for as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my thoughts then your thoughts saith the Lord. And 1. for the Breadth of the Love of Christ It reaches Jews and Gentiles it extends to all ranks of Men high and low rich and poor it reaches all the cases of Men's Souls the Tempted Deserted the Backslider and Persecutor it reaches the bruised Reed the smoaking Flax it extends to the pardon of all sins truly repented of so that we may say that his promises which are the vehicles of Truth and Love are exceeding broad as well as his Precepts which are the indications of his Authority and Power The Love of Christ is wider than Mans will Rom. 10.21 All the day long I have stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people It s wider than Mans power for John 6.44 No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And yet vers 37. All that the Father has given me shall come unto me It is wider than all our wants and necessities there 's more bread in his house than there are hungry Souls to eat more mansions in Heaven than there are Souls to fill it s wider than our capacities and we may sooner enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. than that joy can enter into us 1 Cor. 2.9 It cannot enter into the heart of Man what things God has prepared for them that love him 2. The length of the Love of Christ An extent of Grace and Love that reaches Souls at the greatest distance It reacht Paul when he was in the heat and height of his desperate fury mad and desperately mad with an inveterate enmity against Christ It reacht Mary Magdalen when she was possest with seven Devils it reacht the Gentiles when they were far off from God estranged from the light and life of God by their Abominable Idolatries Ephes 2.13 Ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ It reacht the Prodigal when he was far off Luke 15.20 And as it finds and reaches Souls at the greatest distance of sin and enmity so it reaches a length which we cannot with consistence of thought conceive of Hebr. 7.25 Able to save to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the uttermost length of Gods Promise and the believers Faith and Hope to the uttermost extent of Gods Purposes and our Prayers to the uttermost duration of this Life and the next through all time beyond all time to eternity 3. The depth of the Love of Christ And here unless we could sound the depth of our Misery we can never fadom the depth of Christs Love unless we could know the power of Gods Anger Psal 90.11 we can never reach the power of Christs Love The Torments of Hell are unknown Torments and those Torments which Christ endured in his Soul to deliver us from thence were unknown Torments The Love of Christ does not only reach the depth of our Misery by reason of Sin but those depths of Sorrow into which sometimes even holy Souls are plunged by Desertion The Psalmist cryed unto God out of the Depth Divine Love heard him and reacht him there Psal 130.1 Jonah cryed unto God out of the belly of Hell Divine Love heard him there and deliver'd him thence Jonah 2.2 Heman was plunged in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps yet Love reacht him in that sad and dismal condition Psal 88.6 4. The height of the Love of Christ All the measure of the height of Christs Love we can take is to say its unmeasurable It is high we cannot attain unto it Psal 139.6 his Love reaches the Soul on Earth and never leaves it till it has conducted it to Heaven he Loves Grace into the Soul and Loves the Soul into Glory what that Glory is Go and see The taste of it is to be had
rejoycing and yet neither ought our mourning to exclude a humble rejoycing in God nor our rejoycing shut out a holy mourning The Men of Issachar are recorded as famous on this account 1 Chron. 12.32 That they had understanding of the time to know what Israel ought to do And herein we are oftentimes at a great loss like those children Matth. 11.17 that complained of their fellows they had piped unto them and yet not been answer'd with dancing that they had mourned to them but they had not lamented Holy Wisdom would teach us to accommodate the present frame of our hearts to Gods present dispensations Providence does not teach us new duties but how to single out those that God has made our duties Secondly We need wisdom that we be not deluded with shadows instead of substances that we take not appearances for realities for want of which O how often are we cheated out of our interests our real concerns our integrity of heart and peace of Conscience We account him a weak and foolish Man who is imposed upon by Copper for Gold that would warm his hands by painted fire or hope to satisfie his craving appetite with painted food yet such are we who spend our mony for that which is not bread and our labor for that which profits us not Isa 55.2 who set our affections on those things that are not Prov. 23.5 Thirdly Another point of wisdom which we need to be instructed in is the worth of Time and what a weight of eternity depends on these short and flitting moments but we weak and silly ones count a day for no more than it stands for in the Calender an hour no more than so much time measured by the hourglass when one hour to repent in a moment to make our Calling and Election sure in may come to be more worth than all the World can be to us Fourthly Wisdom would teach us the due order and method of all things what first what last ought to be our study and our concern wisdom would teach us to seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.33 And then if there be time to spare to bestow some small portion of it for those other things which God in his bounty will not deny and in his wisdom knows in what measure to bestow Fifthly Wisdom would teach us the true worth and value of all things to labour pray and strive for them proportionable to their true intrinsick dignities to think that Heaven cannot be too dear what-ever we pay for it nor Hell cheap how easily soever we come by it wisdom would instruct us that we cannot lay out too much of our time strength contrivance upon Eternals nor too little upon these perishing Temporals that Earth deserves very little of our Hand less of our Head and nothing at all of our Heart little of our pains less of our plotting and least of all of our love and affections III. Le ts pray and strive strive in the due and diligent use of § 3 means and pray for a blessing upon them that we may be filled with a spiritual understanding A carnal heart will carnalize the most spiritual Mercies and a carnal mind will debase the most spiritual Truths the Manna was design'd to feed the Souls as well as the Bodies of the Jews but they ate the spiritual meat and drank the spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.23 with very carnal Heads and Hearts so that they needed the Spirit of God to instruct them in the right use of it Nehem. 9.10 Thou gavest thy good Spirit to instruct them and with-heldest not the Manna from their mouth They might then have eaten their own condemnation as well as we under the Gospel by that Symbol John 3.3 Christ had deliver'd a great and necessary Truth except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven but Nicodemus tho' a great Rabbi turns it into a gross and carnal interpretation How can a Man be born when he is old Can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born again And at the same pass were his rude and carnal hearers John 6.51 I am the living bread says Christ that came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh that I will give for the life of the world but his Capernatical hearers conceive of nothing but a literal and oral Manducation of his natural flesh vers 52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves saying How can this Man give us his flesh to eat And yet Christ had said enough to obviate that gross mistake vers 35. I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst One Man hears the great Duties of the Gospel pressed upon his Conscience and either sitting down despondeth at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else undertakes them in his own strength and the power of his free will not considering that there is Covenant grace to answer Covenant duties and Covenant pardon for those imperfections that attend them Another perhaps hears the curse thundred out against Every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 he hears that the primitive end of the Law was to justifie a righteous person that had perfectly observed it and he falls upon the observation of that Law as the condition of the Covenant of works hoping to drudge out a righteousness thereby that shall present him blameless before God not knowing that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Let us therefore pray for a spiritual understanding that we may know every Truth as it is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 that every line every letter of the Old and New Testament has its center in a Redeemer § 4 IV. Let 's pray again and strive that we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing knowing that all our services all our sacrifices are nothing unless our God smell a sweet savour in them nor can we fill the sails of our Souls with a more noble and generous ambition than to be accepted of God This was the height of the Apostles ambition 2 Cor. 5.9 We labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him which was the glorious frame of our blessed Saviours heart John 8.29 That he always did the things that pleased his Father It s a common delusion of Professors that if they can get the work of their hands not to regard whether ever it comes upon Gods heart or no But what are our Prayers if God receives them not Our Praises if God accepts them not Our Obedience if God regards it not Now that we may reach this great end we must walk worthy of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There ought to be a suitableness between the frame of our hearts and
on the other hand how many partly by meer fictions partly by true nocturnal Apparitions of unclean Spirits assuming dead corps but to deceive miserable Men have on purpose given themselves occasion to be deceived Not heeding Pauls fear lest through the Serpents subtilty their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 1 2 Cor. 11.3 To which impostures the Popish Purgatory Prayer for the Dead Invocation of Saints and that which they call the Adoration of Reliques owe their Original When the Lord hath of old forbidden that the dead should be consulted or heard 2 Deut. 18.11 To conclude 4. Le ts be exhorted to mind Moses and the Prophets Le ts labour in the light of the Scriptures to see the Author of them 3 Psal 36.9 84.11 that we may thereby as the most successful means be brought to repentance of our sins avoid the torments of Hell and enjoy the pleasures of Heaven And if any of us under temptation as looking for somewhat more sensible and lively fall into doubting concerning the Divine Writ or Word of God as written which yet I have shew'd is more credible for that it shews it self in a Diviner way being written as Water in the Fountain or Light in the Sun which while it is strained passing thorow the Pipes and Instruments of Mortals in a traditionary way is defiled or obscured Le ts then take off our Eyes from curiosities and not think to delight our senses with novelties and Preter-Evangelical Doctrins knowing the great Apostle hath Anathematized or cursed all them who bring another Gospel or Doctrins besides the Gospel in the beginning of his Epistle to the Galathians 4 Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. Christ here in my Text represents Abraham as preferring the Sacred Scriptures to be more worthy of credit and beneficial to Conversion than the Reports of those raised from the Dead and Paul by whom Christ himself speaks not writing rashly and unadvisedly when moved by the Holy Ghost but upon mature deliberation with a great deal of gravity repeats As we said before so say I now again confirming what he and others for substance had de-deliver'd for greater certainty If any man preach any other Gospel unto you he doth not say as some of the Ancients have observed * Chrysostom Theophylact. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any contrary but any the least thing besides that we have preached and ye have received tho' he be an Angel from Heaven let him be accursed He prefers the Divine Writ to the Angels coming down with a message from Heaven Evangelical Doctrins to Angelical could it be supposed and that deservedly Because the Angels tho' great yet are Servants and Ministers 5 Heb. 1.14 whereas all the Holy Scriptures are not commanded and sent of Servants to be written but of God himself the Lord of all as hath been shewd 6 2 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet 1.11 12. 2 Pet. 1.20 21. John 20.31 Le ts then depend solely upon the sure Word which is most effectual to convert and comfort us Here 's a firm support for if this Earthly Globe we stand upon tho' heavy and bulkey hang up encompassed by the Heavens not stirring from its centre tho' it hath no Shoars to uphold it but the Word of God 7 Heb. 1.3 certainly it concerns us to stay our selves securely on the infallible promise of the eternal God admiring the excellency of his Holy Writ which saith Augustine * Tract 35. in Joh. Lucerna ardens est idonea alia quae tenebris operiebantur nudare seipsam tuis oculis demonstrare is a burning light fit both to make bare those things which are cover'd with darkness and to demonstrate it self to thine Eyes For indeed it contains the purest Precepts the best Counsels the clearest Examples the strongest Helps and the most cogent motives and encouragements to Duty the most dreadful Threatnings of Wrath to the Disobedient and the surest and fullest Promises of Rest to the Obedient Quest How may it convincingly appear that those who think it an easie matter to believe are yet destitute of saving Faith SERM. VIII Ephes I. 19 20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead THE Design of this Epistle is to set forth the Free-Grace of God in Man's Salvation by Christ I. More generally vers 3. who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings II. By a particular enumeration of those eternal Blessings which were decreed for us in Christ viz. Election and Adoption vers 4 5. Having thus looked so far back before the foundation of the World vers 4. the Apostle sets down what Christ did in time for us in his own Person when he took our Nature upon him and entred into the Office of a Mediator as our Head compleating our redemption in himself by dying for us in whom we have redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of Sins vers 7. Then follow the Blessings that we our selves as Members of Christ are Partakers of in this Life and they are all comprehended in Faith and in the certain consequents of it These Ephesians were called to this Faith by the preaching of the Gospel which the Spirit of God accompanying it became effectual to beget Faith in them Paul was mightily affected with the success the Gospel had among the Ephesians gives God thanks for it vers 15. and prays heartily for a further encrease of that Faith in them vers 16. and shews what a wonderful thing it is that any are brought to believe in Jesus 't is as great a Miracle as the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead that was an effect of Divine Power and so is this I have made what hast I could to bring down my Discourse to the Text and to the Point or Question that I am desired to speak to this morning viz. How it may convincingly appear that those who think it an easie matter to believe are destitute of saving Faith In stating this Case I shall do these three things 1. Shew what a difficult thing it is to believe 2. Give the reason why many Professors count it an easie thing to believe 3. Prove that those who count so are destitute of saving Faith First The Difficulty of Believing I. That which requires the greatest-power and strength to effect it is no easie thing but believing requires the greatest power to effect it therefore it is no easie thing to believe I prove the Assumption viz. That the greatest power in Heaven and Earth is required to raise up Faith in us Because Faith deals with the power of God only about those things which it believes bears it self up upon that and when God is about to perswade a Sinner to believe his Free Grace he first convinces him of his power that he is able to perform his promises 1.
things which we comprehend not III. That which makes believing so difficult is the seeming contradictory acts of Faith it seems not to consist with it self Here I take Faith more generally as it has for its Object the whole Word of God the Law and the Gospel the special Object of Faith as Saving is the Promise Saving Faith seeks Life which is not to be found in Commandments and Threats but in a Promise of Mercy Faith acting upon the whole Word of God seems to contradict it self for Faith believes a Sinner is to die according to the Law and that he shall live according to the Gospel Faith has the Word of God for both both for the Death and Life of a Sinner and both are true the Law must be executed and the Promise must be performed but how to reconcile this is not so obvious and easie to every one Is the Law then against the Promises of God God forbid Gal. 3.21 't is impossible both should be accomplished in the Person of a Sinner he cannot die eternally and live eternally yet both are wonderfully brought about by Jesus Christ according to the manifold Wisdom of God without any Derogation to his Law and Justice God and his Law are satisfy'd and the Promise of Salvation made good to the Sinner and so both Law and Gospel have their ends not a tittle of either falls to the ground Heaven and Earth may sooner pass away than this can be O what a mistery is Christ Flesh and blood can't reveal this to us every believer assents to the truth of the Law as well as the Gospel he knows that both must have their full course the Law is fulfilled in inflicting Death the Gospel in giving Life the Law contributes nothing to the eternal Life of a sinner but kills him and leaves him weltering in his blood is no more concerned about him for ever if God will bring this dead sinner to life again he may dispose of him as he please the Law has done its utmost against him so the Law did against Christ spared him not but killed him out-right and left him for a time under the power of Death but having slain a Man who was God as well as Man Death was too weak to hold him he swallows up Death in victory he whom the Law slew as Man rises as God by the power of his godhead the Law contributed nothing to his Resurrection the Law had the chief hand in his Death but none in his Resurrection And here begins our eternal Life in the Resurrection of him who dies no more and is the Resurrection and Life to all who believe in him IV. The reigning unbelief that is among the generality of Men even among those who are of greatest reputation for Wisdom and Learning Ay and among those who carry the vogue for Zeal and Religion are counted the Head and Pillars of the Church Some pretending to Infallibility others set up themselves and are cryed up by many as such competent Judges in all matters of Faith that their judgment is not to be questioned but readily complied with by all who would not be counted singular and Schismatical So 't was in our Saviours time the Jews who had been the only Professors of the true Religion for many ages in opposition to all Idolatry and false Worship they stumble at the Gospel the Greeks who were the more Learned sort of the Heathen World they counted it foolishness And thus was the whole World set against Christ here was the greatest outward hinderance of the belief of the Gospel that could be imagined and add to this the indefatigable pains and industry of the Devil to keep out the light of the Gospel from shining in upon us he blinds the Eyes of Men by a cursed influence upon their corrupt minds that they should not believe Is it not a hard matter under all these discouragements to embrace the Gospel and declare our belief of it Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who know not the Law John 7.48 49. Why should any regard what a company of poor illiterate people do Their following Christ is rather an argument why we should not follow him they are all but fools and ideots that do so A cursed sort of people This is the judgement the Men of the World have of believers There is nothing among too many self-conceited Scepticks lies under a greater imputation of folly and madness than faith in the Lord Jesus Christ O what a pass are things come too that after so many hundred years profession of Christianity we should grow weary of Christ and the Gospel V. The notorious Apostacy of many Professors this day who have made Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 may convince you all that 't is no easie matter to believe so to believe as to persevere in the Faith VI. Believers themselves find it a difficult matter to act their Faith if their Lives lie upon it they cannot act it at their pleasure without the special aid and assistance of the Spirit 't is God must work in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Believers are hardly put to it great is the labour and travel of their Souls in believing they meet with much opposition from flesh and blood in every act of Faith they put forth they are forced to cry out for help in the midst of an act of Faith lest they should fail in it I helieve Lord help my unbelief q. d. I am now under some light and power of Faith but I see I can't hold it if thou dost not help me I feel flesh and blood rising up against my Faith I begin to stagger already Lord help me that I may not be run down by my carnal Heart Temptations shake our Faith many times there is a perpetual conflict between Faith and Diffidence yet Faith fails not utterly there 't is still Psal 31.22 23. Psal 42.6 9. Faith upholds the Heart still Psal 116.7 Unbelievers they tremble and turn away from God but true believers in their greatest frights and fears do run to God Psal 56.3 make towards him still Were it an easie matter to believe such suddain fits of unbelief would not come so strongly upon believers themselves Secondly The Reson why many Professors count it an easie thing to Believe The main Reason is this and I will insist upon no other viz. Because they mistake a formal Profession of Faith for real believing this undo's thousands who because they are qualified as National Protestants for all worldly preferments here they rest and make no other use of their Religion as if the Articles of their Faith obliged them to nothing A formal Profession is general takes up Religion in gross but is not concerned in any one point of it But real Believing is particular brings down every Gospel Truth to our selves shews us our concernments in it Save thy self saith
to observe and require an account of all their Actions The radical cause of this Hatred is from the Opposition of the sinful polluted Wills of Men to the Holiness of God for that attribute excites his Justice and Power and Wrath to punish Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith They are enemies to God in their minds through wicked works The naked representing of this Impiety that a reasonable Creature should hate the blessed Creator for his most Divine Perfections cannot but strike with Horror O the Sinfulness of Sin 4. Sin is the Contempt and Abuse of his excellent Goodness This Argument is as vast as God's innumerable Mercies whereby he allures and obliges us to Obedience I shall restrain my Discourse of it to three things wherein the Divine Goodness is very Conspicuous and most ungratefully despised by Sinners 1. His Creating Goodness 'T is clear without the lea st shadow of Doubt that nothing can give the first being to it self for this were to be before it was which is a direct Contradiction and 't is evident that God is the sole Author of our Beings Our Parents afforded the gross matter of our compounded Nature but the Variety and Union the Beauty and Usefulness of the several Parts which is so Wonderful that the Body is composed of as many Miracles as Members was the Design of his Wisdom and the Work of his Hands The lively Idea and perfect Exemplar of that regular Fabrick was modell'd in the Divine Mind This affected the Psalmist with Admiration I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 15 16. marvellous are thy works and that my soul knows right well Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them And Job observes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me round about Job 10.8 The Soul our principal Part is of a celestial Original inspired from the father of Spirits The faculties of Understanding and Election are the indelible Characters of our Dignity above the Brutes and make us capable to please and glorifie and enjoy him This first and fundamental Benefit upon which all other Favours and Benefits are the Superstructure was the Effect from an eternal Cause his most free Decree that ordained our Birth in the spaces of time The Fountain was his pure Goodness there was no necessity determining his Will he did not want external declarative Glory being infinitely happy in himself and there could be no superior Power to constrain him And that which renders our Maker's Goodness more free and obliging is the consideration he might have created Millions of Men and left us in our Native Nothing and as I may so speak lost and buried in perpetual Darkness Now what was Gods end in Making us Certainly it was becoming his infinite Understanding that is to communicate of his own Divine Fullness and to be actively glorified by intelligent Creatures Accordingly 't is the solemn Acknowledgement of the Representative Church Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were created Who is so void of rational Sentiments Rev. 4.11 as not to acknowledge 't is our indispensable Duty Our reasonable service to offer up our selves an intire living Sacrifice to his glory What is more natural according to the Laws of uncorrupt Natures I might say and of corrupt Nature for the Heathens practised it than that Love should correspond with Love as the one descends in Benefits the other should ascend in Thankfulness As a polish'd Looking-glass of Steel strongly reverberates the Beams of the Sun shining upon it without losing a spark of light thus the understanding Soul should reflect the Affection of Love upon our blessed Maker in Reverence and Praise and Thankfulness Now Sin breaks all those Sacred Bands of Grace and Gratitude that engage us to love and obey God He is the just Lord of all our Faculties Intellectual and Sensitive and the Sinner employs them as Weapons of Unrighteousness against him He preserves us by his powerful gracious Providence which is a renewed Creation every Moment and the Goodness he uses to us the Sinner abuses against him This is the most unworthy shameful and monstrous Ingratitude This makes forgetful and unthankful Men more brutish than the dull Ox and the stupid Ass who serve those that feed them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up Childen and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2. 'T was the unvaluable goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good report whatsoever are vertuous and praise-worthy In obedience to it the innocence and perfection of the reasonable creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Mans creation by an illustrious revelation to shew him his duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the circle of its precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious design was to keep Man in his love that from the obedience of the reasonable creature the divine goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeined and excellent goodness the sinner outragiously despises for what greater contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it underfoot And this constructively the sinner does to the Law of God which contempt extends to the gracious giver of it Rom. 7.10 Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extreme vilifying of Gods goodness in preferring carnal pleasures to his favour and Communion with him wherein the life the felicity the heaven of the reasonable creature consists God is infinite in all possible perfections all-sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any competitour and requires to be supreme in our esteem and affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an observation of St. Austin * Omnes Deos colendos esse sapienti Cur ergo a numero caeterorum ille rejectus est nihil restat ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra recipere noluerint nisi quia solum se coli voluerit Aug. de Consens Evang. c. 17. That
the Psalmist declaring their inward sentiments The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Lastly The sinner slights the power of God This attribute renders God a dreadful Judge He has a right to punish and power to revenge every transgression of his Law His judicial power is supreme his executive is irresistible He can with one stroke dispatch the Body to the Grave and the Soul to Hell and make Men as miserable as they are sinful Yet sinners as boldly provoke him as if there were no danger We read of the infatuated Syrians that they thought that God the Protector of Israel had only power on the Hills and not in the Vallies and renewed the War to their destruction Thus sinners enter into the lists with God and range an Army of lusts against the Armies of Heaven and blindly bold run upon their own destruction They neither believe his all-seeing Eye nor all-mighty Hand They change the glory of the living God into a dead Idol that has Eyes and sees not and Hands and handles not and accordingly his threatnings make no impression upon them Thus I have presented a true view of the evil of sin consider'd in it self but as Job saith of God how little a portion of him is known May be said of the evil of sin how little of it is known For in proportion as our apprehensions are defective and below the greatness of God so are they of the evil of sin that contradicts his Sovereign will and dishonours his excellent perfections 2. Sin relatively to us is the most pernicious and destructive Evil. If we compare it with temporal Evils it preponderates all that Men are liable to in the present World Diseases in our Bodies disasters in our Estates disgrace in our Reputation are in just esteem far less evil than the evil of sin for that corrupts and destroys our more excellent and immortal part The vile Body is of no account in comparison of the precious Soul Therefore the Apostle enforces his exhortation Dearly beloved brethren abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the Soul The issue of this War is infinitely more woful than of the most cruel against our Bodies and Goods our Liberties and Lives for our Estates and Freedom if lost may be recover'd if the present Life be lost for the cause of God it shall be restor'd in greater lustre and perfection but if the Soul be lost 't is lost for ever All temporal Evils are consistent with the love of God Job on the dunghil roughcast with Ulcers was most precious in Gods sight Lazarus in the lowest poverty and wasted with loathsom Sores was dear to his affections a guard of Angels was sent to convey his departing Soul to the Divine Presence But sin separates between God and us who is the fountain of felicity and the center of rest to the Soul Other evils God who is our wise and compassionate Father and Physitian makes use of as Medicinal preparations for the cure of sin and certainly the Disease which would be the death of the Soul is worse than the Remedy tho' never so bitter and afflicting to sense Sin is an evil of that malignity that the least degree of it is fatal If it be conceiv'd in the Soul tho' not actually finisht 't is deadly One sin corrupted in an instant angelical excellencies and turn'd the glorious Spirits of Heaven into Devils 'T is a poison so strong that the first taste of it shed a deadly taint and malignity into the veins of all mankind Sin is such an exceeding Evil that 't is the severest punishment Divine Justice inflicts on sinners on this side Hell The giving Men over to the power of their lusts is the most fearful judgment not only with respect to the cause Gods unrelenting and unquenchable anger and the issue everlasting destruction but in the quality of the judgment Nay did sin appear as odious in our Eyes as it does in Gods we should account it the worst part of Hell it self the pollutions of the damned to be an evil exceeding the torments superadded to them Sin is pregnant with all kinds of Evils the seeds of it are big with Judgments The evils that are obvious to sense or that are Spiritual and Inward Temporal and Eternal Evils all proceed from sin often as the Natural cause and always as the Meritorious And many times the same punishment is produc'd by the efficiency of sin as well as inflicted for its guilt Thus uncleanness without the miraculous waters of Jealousie rots the Body and the pleasure of sin is revenged by a loathsom consuming Disease the natural consequence of it Thus intemperance and luxury shorten the lives of Men and accelerate damnation Fierce desires and wild rage are fewel for the everlasting fire in Hell The same evils considered Physically are from the efficiency of sin consider'd legally are from the guilt of sin and the justice of God This being a point of great usefulness that I may be more instructive I will consider the evils that are consequential to sin under these two Heads 1. Such as proceed immediately from it by Emanation 2. Those evils and all other as the effects of Gods justice and sentence 1. The evils that proceed immediately by emanation from it and tho' some of them are not resented with feeling apprehensions by sinners yet they are of a fearful nature Sin has deprived Man of the purity nobility and peace of his innocent state 1. It has stain'd and tainted him with an universal intimate and permanent pollution Man in his first Creation was holy and righteous a beam of beauty derived from Heaven was shed upon his Soul in comparison of which sensitive beauty is but as the clearness of Glass to the lustre of a Diamond His understanding was light in the Lord his will and affections were regular and pure the Divine Image was imprest upon all his faculties that attracted the love and complacency of God himself Sin has blotted out all his aimiable excellencies and superinduc'd the most foul deformity the original of which was fetcht from Hell Sinners are the natural Children of Satan of a near resemblance to him The Scripture borrows comparisons to represent the defiling quality of sin from pollutions that are most loathsom to our senses from pestilential Vlcers putrifying Sores filthy Vomit and defiling Mire This pollution is universal through the whole Man Spirit Soul and Body It darkens the mind our supreme faculty with a cloud of Corruption it depraves the will and vitiates the affections 'T is a pollution so deep and permanent that the Deluge that swept away a World of sinners did not wash away their sins and the fire at the last day that shall devour the dross of the visible World and renew the Heavens and the Earth shall not purge away the sins of the guilty Inhabitants This pollution hath so defil'd and disfigur'd Man who was a fair and lovely type wherein
those who preach it at home with your prayers that they may receive grace and assistance from God and be blessed with Success And now I shall take the liberty to present another to you in the behalf of many who preach the Gospel among us your Contributions for Wales and the Collection made at Pinners-hall for the encouragement of several poor Ministers in the Country hath afforded matter of rejoicing to many And I doubt not have drawn forth many praises and prayers to God on your behalf and let me beseech you be not weary of well-doing in this Instance The Apostle found that Professors are as likely to faint and tire in works of Charity especially if they be frequent as in any Christian duty whatsoever and therefore he fixeth his Counsel and Encouragement there Gal. vi 9. And let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not Bear with me if in special I commend to your care those whom the Providence of God hath disposed of in good Market-Towns and Corporations Possibly some may think that such are well enough provided for But many find that the Corinthian temper hath not left the World Even in good Towns Ministers may Preach and want I think I shall not speak beside the purpose if I shut up this with 1 Tim. v. 8. He that provideth not for his own is worse than an Infidel This may suffice to have been spoken touching the second means whereby private Christians who live remote from such places as have not entertained the Gospel may be helpful toward the bringing of it among them 3. The third way wherein private Christians who live far from those places where the Gospel is not entertained may be helpful to promote the admission of it among them is to use their interest in those who on several occasions may go to such places by importunate perswasions and pertinent directions to excite them to carry a Love and Zeal for Christ in their own hearts and from that principle to act to the uttermost of their capacity for the spreading of his Gospel and the enlargement of his Kingdom It was I think a good design of Hugo Grotius who as he tells us wrote his Book Of the verity of the Christian Religion for the use of his Country-men who Sail to the uttermost ends of the Earth to furnish them with proper Arguments which might leave a due impression thereof upon the hearts of the poor Heathen Private Christians may also write to their friends who live abroad to endeavour to convince the miserable Captives of Satan that their Idols are vanities This course did the Prophet Jeremy take to excite and direct the Jews who were in Babylon how they should deal with those among whom the providence of God had cast them Jer. x. 11. Thus shall ye say to them The Gods who have not made the Heaven and the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under the Heavens It is observed by learned men that this verse is written in the Chaldee tongue tho the rest of the book be written in Hebrew whereby he doth as it were put the words into their mouths that they might speak to them in their own language so as to be understood by them and by this he doth instruct us That it is not sufficient for the worshipers of the true God to keep themselves from the pollutions of Idols but they must do more for they must make Profession of the true God and his worship The like course may private Christians take to promote the conversion of the Ignorant Earthly and Profane at home with whom they have no personal converse and that is To stir up others who have that advantage to deal with them about the everlasting concernments of their Souls Thus I have spoken something touching the case of such private Christians as come within the first Circumstance viz. Such as live remote from the places where the Gospel is not entertained and in what ways they may be helpful in order to their reception of it 2. I proceed to consider the case of such private Christians as occasionally or providentially are brought among those people which have not entertained the Gospel and to shew how they may be helpful in bringing them into acquaintance with the Doctrine of Salvation Let none pretend that because this work doth specially belong to the Ministers of Christ that thereupon private Christians are exempted or discharged from that which God hath made their Duty Let none think to excuse themselves by saying They are not learned for they are a Reproach to Christianity who have not learned the Essentials of their Religion and the enforcing and inculcating of these must lead the way in the Conversion of Infidels Let none say They have enough to do to mind their own business For I doubt not but if they minded the Interest of Christ more their own would prosper the better But if they drive on any Design that is contrary to the Faith or Precepts of the Gospel it will be found their Duty and safety to extricate themselves out of it as soon as they can If they suggest that it would be a vain thing for them to expect or attempt to do any good among Infidels That will be found to be only the sluggards Plea There is a Lion in the way Prov. xxvi 13. He who hath no heart to an undertaking will not fail to lay in his own way huge Mountains of insuperable difficulties But to prevent or remove all Evasions it shall be proved that among private Christians if we may judge by circumstances or visible appearance few or none if they really be such as they profess themselves do labour under such disadvantages or improbabilities of succeeding in their attempts of recommending Christ and his Gospel as many of those were under whom yet the Lord made use of and eventually blessed in communicating the knowledge of Himself to such as were before strangers to him To manifest this I shall produce four Examples two out of the holy Scriptures and two out of Ecclesiastical History Out of the holy Scriptures one shall be out of the Old Testament the other out of the New Out of the Old Testament it is surprizing and astonishing to observe what a glorious work the Lord brought about by the Instrumentality of a little captive Maid whom the Syrians had brought out of the Land of Israel Read 2 Kings v. 2 3. to verse 19. The brief summary whereof is this The poor little Girl waiting on her Lady dropt a few words Would God my Lord were with the Prophet in Samaria for he would recover him of his Leprosie Another takes up those words and reports them to Naaman Many such Discourses are breathed and expire in the same moment The more wonderful is the conduct of Gods Providence who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will I may accommodate to this case
may be most helpful to promote the entertainment of the Gospel To assist those whose hearts the Lord shall bow over to mind this excellent work I shall lay before them two Directions 1. They must carefully avoid all those things that have a proper tendency to alienate their minds and affections from the Gospel or to exasperate them against it 2. They must endeavour to use such means and to take such courses as have an aptitude to beget in them an esteem and veneration for the Gospel and so dispose them to embrace it 1. They who design and endeavour to win upon others and to dispose them for the Reception of the Gospel must carefully avoid all such things as have an aptitude to alienate them from it I shall exemplifie this Direction in some instances as 1. Private Christians must prevent or suppress all bitter contentions among themselves It is sad to observe That differences among Brethren are usually managed with such mutual accusations and reproaches as make the name of Christians despicable or odious especially to those who are prejudiced against them Contentions and Animosities among Christians break out on two Occasions 1. There may Quarrels arise about Earthly things What can Heathens think of them when they see them to malign and worry one another for such things as their own Philosophy hath taught them to make little account of Abraham was very apprehensive of the evil consequences that might have attended the strife between his and Lots Herdsmen probably about their pasturage or watering-places and therefore he would not insist upon such pleas as he might reasonably have alledged on his own side but stifled the contention and sought an amicable composure because he dreaded the scandal which would have been given to the Heathen by their brabbles This is suggested Gen. xiii 8 9. The Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt in the Land The Contentions and wranglings of the Corinthians about things that appertain to this life and their going to Law for them especially the bringing of their suits before Heathen-tribunals was to cast reproach on the Christian Religion as the Apostle intimates 1 Cor. vi 1 2. How can Christians without blushing and confuting themselves perswade others To embrace the Gospel which teacheth them to set their affections on things above and not on things on the Earth To have their hearts crucified toward the world and yet for the sake thereof to violate all the precepts and to despise all the Promises of the Gospel And like Dogs that fight about a bone to tear out one anothers throats in their rage and fury we may then conclude that men in whom a worldly Spirit is predominant are very unfit to recommend the Gospel unto others 2. The Cross-sentiments which men espouse and vindicate in things wherein Religion seems to be concerned have begâ—tten the widest breaches and the most furious contentions that were ever found among Christians If we enquire what spark hath kindled this raging fire We shall often find that this Earnest contending is not for that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints but a dispute who shall be greatest or it may be about something that is dark doubtful or unnecessary or about some undetermined Mode Or possibly as in some great conflagrations we see the fire preys upon and devours all and yet we know not who kindled it or how it began This is and must be for a Lamentation Once I am sure the divisions among Christians and the bitter zeal which manageth their controversies about Religion is a mighty impediment and obstruction that stops the progress of the Gospel In the writings of the Ancients we find that the Heathen fortified themselves in their infidelity and resisted the arguments and perswasions of those who recommended the Faith of the Gospel to them with this Objection Ye Christians are not agreed among your selves ye are broken into many Sects and Factions ye confute and condemn one another therefore it is more adviseable for us to continue as we are than to leave our present station before we know where to fix with any assurance that we are in the Right All that I am able to do at present for the removal of this scandal is to beseech private Christians in the bowels of Christ To value love and follow after the things that make for peace Rom. xiv 19. For I fear the Gospel will hardly get ground in the world until the Spirit of Love reigning and acting the hearts of those that profess it do open the way for it In the first planting of it the Concord of believers Acts ii 42. did greatly contribute to its entertainment It became a Proverbial speech touching Christians Ecce quà m se diligunt invicem Behold how they love one another This is a Subject that cannot be too much insisted upon nor too zealously inforced I account them excellent and happy persons indeed who have a right to bear that Motto Beati Pacifici This may suffice touching the first obstruction that hinders the entertainment of the Gospel 2. It is apparent that they do not promote but obstruct the entertainment of the Gospel who would obtrude on those whom they perswade to embrace it such things to be believed or practised as a part of their Religion as are no where to be found in it much more if they be directly contrary to it e. gr The Gospel doth expresly determine that God only is to be the Object of religious worship Mat. iv 10. How then can they recommend the Gospel who tell their Proselites that they may admit mere Creatures to be sharers with God in that worship which is appropriated to him The Gospel saith That there is but one Lord Mediator between God and Man 1 Cor. viii 6. 1 Tim. ii 5. And yet there are these who pretend to win over men to the Gospel who tell them they must conjoin Angels and departed Saints with Christ in his Office and Work of Mediator The Gospel severely chargeth all those who believe it to flie from Idolatry 1 Cor. x. 14. 1 Joh. v. 21. which is the enforcement of the second Commandment Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. What then can they whom they are to instruct think of it when they see them in profound devotion to creep to fall down before and worship Images especially when upon that very account it is notorious that Jews and Mahometans abhor the Gospel upon a supposition that the worship of Images is either Taught or allowed therein If I may have leave to declare my apprehensions I must say That the Gospel propounded in its own Native purity and simplicity as our Lord Jesus Christ delivered it and as they who were divinely inspired have recorded it without any Additional supplements or forreign mixtures is the most effectual way that God hath appointed and promised to bless for the subduing of the world to Jesus Christ And I should beseech those who endeavour the
so doing though very ill requited for it this is high and noble indeed this is an honour not vouchsafed to the elect Angels who are not capable of suffering this is to be a Christian in truth and eminency and to resemble Christ himself who suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps In the words which I have read you may take notice 1. Of one end of Christ in Suffering and that is that he might leave us an example To say that this was the principal end of his passion to deny his satisfaction as if it were impossible or needless is heretical in a very high degree to deny the Blood of Christ to be the price of our redemption is to deny the Lord that bought us And truly the only propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin being rejected there is no other remaining but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries And yet though Christ bare our sins in his own body on the tree He is not only our Redeemer but our Example He hath bequeathed Blessings never enough to be valued in his Testament he has also left us an incomparable Example The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Example is either taken from excellent Writing-Masters who set a fair Copy for their Scholars to write after or 't is taken from Painters who draw a curious Masterpiece for inferiour Artists their Admiration and Imitation 2. They were remarkable steps that Christ took when he was here in the days of his flesh and among them all he did not take one wrong one He was made of a Woman made under the Law and he did not in the least transgress the Law He came upon this Earth to do his Father's Will Heb. 10.7 Lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God And never did he any thing that was in any degree contrary to it 3. The Steps of Christ are to be followed Good men in Scripture are our patterns whose Faith and Patience we are to follow Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise The Cloud of witnesses is to be minded and the bright side of it gives a good light unto our feet but there is a dark side of the Cloud which may make us cautious we must take heed of resembling the best of Men in that which is bad in their falls and infirmities Abraham is renowned for his faith yet not to be imitated in the carnal shifts he made for the saving of his life Barnabas was to be blamed for being carried away by Peter's dissimulation But Christ is such an example as to walk according to it and to walk by the strictest rule is all one for our Lord did whatsoever became him and exactly fulfill'd all righteousness 4. Here is a special intimation as appears by the context of a Christian's Duty patiently to bear injuries and to take up the cross Though the Gospel be the gladdest tidings yet Suffering is a word that sounds very harsh to flesh and blood But the Apostle bids us behold Christ in his Sufferings and not think mâ—ch of our afflictions which were but a drop compared with His which were a vast Ocean The Sufferings of Christ the Head were unconceivably greater than those which any of his Members at any time are called to undergo And indeed when he drank the Cup his Father gave him he drank out the Curse and bitterness of it so that it is both bless't and sweetned to the Lambs followers who are to drink after him 5. The Sufferings of Christ and his Example being joyned together in the Text here is a signification that by his Death he has purchased Grace to assist and enable us to follow his example Our Lord knows our natural impotency nay averseness to follow him or so much as to look to him His death is effectual therefore to kill our Sin and to heal our depraved Nature his power rests upon us that we may tread the Path in which he is gone before us I am able to do all things says the Apostle through Christ strengthning me I am desired this Morning to speak of Christ as our Example and to shew how Christians are to follow him This is a Theme that commends it self to you by its excellency usefulness and seasonableness in such an Age wherein there is such a sinful sad and almost universal degenerating from true and real Christianity Glorious Head had'st thou ever on earth a Body more unlike thee than at this day How few manifestly declare themselves the Epistles of Christ written by the Spirit of the living God! Few Professors have his Image who yet bear his superscription In the handling of this Subject I shall 1. Premise some things by way of Caution 2. Shew you in what respects Christ is an Example to be followed 3. Produce some Arguments to perswade you to the imitation of him 4. Close with some Directions how this duty may be done effectually In the first place I am to premise some things by way of Caution 1. Think not as long as you remain in this world to be altogether free from Sin as Christ was He indeed was from his Conception in the Womb to his Ascension far above all visible Heavens altogether immaculate and without blemish Some have fancied spots in the Sun but sure I am in the Sun of righteousness there is none The Sins of all that are saved were laid upon him but no Sin was ever found in him or done by him The Apostle tells us that he was holy harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 You are indeed to imitate Christ in Purity but perfect Holiness you cannot attain to while you carry such a body of Death about you and are in such a world as this It may comfort you to consider after the fall of the first Adam and the sad consequences of it how the second Adam stood and conquer'd and kept himself unspotted from the world all the while he conversed in it But as long as you remain on Earth some defilement will cleave to you to admonish you where you are and to make you long for the heavenly Jerusalem More and more holy you may and ought to be but to be compleatly holy is the happiness not of Earth but Heaven 2. Think not that Christ in all his actions is to be imitated There are Royalties belonging to our Lord Jesus which none must invade He alone is Judg and Lawgiver in Zion and that worship is vain which is taught by the Precepts of Men. Christ is all in all he fills all in all Eph. 1.23 When the Fathers of the last Lateran Council told Leo the Tenth That all Power was given to him in Heaven and Earth As it was blasphemous flattery in them to give so it was blasphemous pride and right Antichristian arrogancy in
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
Jesus You are espoused to Him and should you not consent to be like to him who has betrothed you unto himself in Loving-kindness Mercy and Faithfulness for ever Hos 2.19 20. Nay you are members of his body Therefore you should grow up into Him in all things which is the Head even Christ Eph. 4.15 You should discover such a mind as Christ had you should manifest the same Spirit and act as he acted when he was here in the World 3. Consider that God did fore-ordain you that are Believers to a conformity to the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.29 For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren If you would appear with Christ in Glory you must be now changed into his Image Holiness and patient suffering will make you like him and is the decreed way unto his Kingdom 4. Walking as Christ walked will make it evident that you are indeed in him 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought to prove what he saith and himself so to walk even as he walked To be in Christ is to be a new creature And these new Creatures do all resemble him for he is formed in them Naming the name of Christ will never demonstrate your Christianity unless you depart from iniquity which makes you so unlike unto your Lord. But likeness to him will prove you His in Truth And an evidence of this what strong consolation will it afford If you are in Christ how safe are you you are secured from the curse of the Law the stroke of vindictive Justice the wrath of the Destroyer the bondage of Corruption and Sin the sting of the first Death and the power of the second If you are in Christ His God is your God his Father your Father Joh. 20.17 You are loved as He is loved Joh. 17.23 That the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And v. 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them You are joint-heirs with Christ unto the same incorruptible inheritance how firm and sure is your title how certain and soon will be your possession and after possession is taken you shall not be dispossess'd unto Eternity 5. Your following the Example of Christ very much honours Him and credits Christianity 't is a sign that Christs death has a mighty vertue in it when it makes you to die to Sin and to be unmoved by the biggest offers that Mammon makes to you 'T is an argument that He is truly Christ when you are truly Christians that He is indeed alive when he lives in you and makes you to live to him and like him 'T is a demonstration that our Lord is risen indeed when you rise with him and seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 Christ is very much unknown and being unknown is undesired and neglected because so little of him is seen in Christians conversation How few deserve digito monstrari to be pointed at and to have such a Character given them There go the persons who discover such a Spirit who talk and walk too after such a manner that 't is evident Christ dwells and speaks and walks and works in them Be all of you prevailed with to honour your Lord Jesus by shewing the world what he was when here upon Earth and how powerfully he works in you though now he is in Heaven Chrysostom with great reason does call good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanswerable Syllogisms and demonstrations to confute and convince Infidels The World would flock into the Church being struck with the Majesty and Glory shining forth in Her if She were but more like unto her glorious Head But when they who are called Christians are so like unto the World 't is no wonder if the men of the World continue still as they are 6. Christ frequently speaks to you to follow him and observes whether and how you do it His word is plain that you should learn his Doctrine and live after his example And his eyes which are as a flaming fire are upon Professours ways His Omniscience should be more firmly believed and seriously considered by the Church it self Rev. 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give to every one of you according to your works I shall here by a Prosopopeia bring in our Lord Jesus speaking to you and himself propounding his own Example that you may hear and heed and follow the Lamb of God To this effect Christ speaks to you Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the Earth Look unto me and become like me all you that profess your selves to be my Members What Do you see in me that in any reason should turn away your faces or your hearts from me Blessed is He whosoever shall not be offended in Me. The Father is well pleased in Me and so should you as you value his favour and would consult your own interest I never took so much as one step in the ways of misery and destruction be you sure to avoid them I always trod in those paths which to you will prove pleasantness and peace though to satisfy for your deviations and going astray I was fain my self to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Consider your Lord and Master you that call your selves my disciples Many look upon you that will not look into my word and will judge of Me by your practices Be not so injurious to Me by misrepresenting Me as if I allowed those evils which you allow your selves in Why should I be wounded in my honour in the house of my Friends Why should you crucify me afresh And put me to an open shame When you yield to Satans temptations are you like to me When you are eager after worldly wealth the applause of men and flesh-pleasing delights are you like to me When you are proud and haughty bitter envious and revengeful do you at all resemble Me When you seek your selves and please your selves and matter not how much God is forgotten and displeased Am I in this your example O all you upon whom my name is called content not your selves with an empty name Be my disciples in truth and let the same mind that was in me be in you also be my disciples indeed live as I did in the World to honour God and to do good to man let it be your business for I have left you an example that you should follow my steps 7. Follow Christs Example that you may enter into his glory For if we be dead with him says the Apostle we shall live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Be of good courage and conflict but do it in his Strength with your Spiritual enemies and
you shall be conquerours nay more than conquerours over them and hark what Christ promises to them that overcome Nay to every one of them Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne Conformity to Christ in his Humiliation will end in a conformity to him in his Exaltation All in the next world shall resemble in glory whom grace in this world has made to resemble him Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory 8. One word farther I would speak to my self and my brethren in the Ministry of the Gospel We are under special obligations to follow Christs Example All the flock should be like the great Shepherd but especially the Vnder-Shepherds should resemble him that they may be able to say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of us for we are followers of Christ How clear should be the light in our Heads who have special instruction from him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 With what authority should we speak who speak in his Name Who speak his words and preach his everlasting Gospel and what we bind on Earth is bound in Heaven and what we loose on Earth is loosed in heaven How should we have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way How faithfully should we warn the secure to flee from wrath How earnestly should we intreat sinners to be reconciled How should we long after Souls in the bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.8 And since He thought not his blood too dear to redeem them we should not think much of our Prayers Tears Study Sweat and Labour for their Salvation How self-denying should we be counting it far greater wisdom to win Souls than to seek great things for our selves How exemplary should we be in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity * Memento voci tuae dare vocem virtutis ut opera tua verbis concinant Cures prius facere qâ—à m docere Sermo quidem vivus efficax exemplâ—m est operis facile faciens suadibile quod dicitur dum monstrat factibâ—â— quod suadetur Bernard Epist 201. Passione ostendit quid pro veritate sustinere Resurrectione quid in aeternitate sperare debeâ—mus Aug. de C. D. lib. 18. c. 49. 1 Tim. 4.12 In all things we should shew our selves patterns of good works That our Sermons being practised by our selves as well as preached may be with greater efficacy upon others And since our Lord Jesus after he had preached the Kingdom of God was himself a Sacrifice we should not be unwilling to confirm the doctrine we deliver with our blood nor refuse if called to it to be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of the Churches Faith Phil. 2.17 This kind of Spirit made the Apostle like to Christ indeed Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus Christ to testify the Gospel of the grace of God In the fourth and last place I am to conclude with some Directions how you may be able to follow the Example of our Lord Jesus 1. Let your unlikeness to Christ be matter of your great humiliation It should be your trouble that you have been so long learning and have learned Christ no better That so much of the old Man remains to be put off that no more of the new man is put on Look upon the passions and lusts of the flesh as so many foul blemishes as so many deforming wrinkles of the Old Adam the more of these there is in you they make you the more unlike to him who is altogether lovely Be humbled for your sin and hate it that 's the way to be rid of it Sin cannot stand before a perfect hatred but languishes and dies away whereas love to it is the life and strength of it 2. Study more the admirable excellency and fairness of the copy Christ has set you And how desireable it is still to be growing up more and more into him in all things The beauty of Men and Angels is black to Christ's fairness to be like Him is to have that which truly deserves the name of excellency With open face and intentive eyes behold as in a glass the glory of your Lord that you may be changed into the same image and become glorious your selves 2 Cor 3. ult 3. Being sensible of your own impotency live by Faith on the Son of God Remember 't is in Him that you have both righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 Grace to be like Christ is from him He strengthens the weak hands he confirms the feeble knees that we may work and walk after his Example If you should attempt to do this in your own might that attempt would be not only vain but an argument of your pride and ignorance Can the branch bear fruit of it self 'T is from the Vine that sap is communicated to it to make it fruitful You must be and abide in Christ and ever be deriving life and virtue from Him that you may bear fruit worthy of Him Joh. 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing 4 Give up your selves to the conduct of Christs own Spirit How often is it said He that hath an ear let him hâ—ar what the Spirit saith unto the Churches The Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus represents his amiableness and anoints the eyes with eye-salve that it may be seen And where-ever the Image of Christ is 't is this Spirit that has instampt it upon the Soul Live in the Spirit and Walk in the Spirit so your feet shall not decline from the Steps of Christ you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16.25 He will cause you to look unto Jesus and enable you to follow him without turning aside or drawing back Till you come to be where he is and behold his glory and then you will be satisfied with his likeness and be for ever with the Lord. The Case Proposed Quest How may a luke-warm Temper be effectually cured I add in our selves and in one another The Resolution given SERMON XIV Heb. x. 24 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day to be approaching THE inspired Author of this profound
and Provisions to bring and keep our God and us together in order to all the Solaces and Satisfactions of Steady Full Eternal Friendship the eminent importance of his Gospel Interest and Kingdom in and to the world the Church and us the loveliness and vigours of his Interest and Image in us as formed fixt and actuated and possessed by his eternal Spirit to his eternal praise by Jesus Christ the solid pleasures peace and usefulness of regular zeal for God Christ Christianity and all that are near and dear to God with all the comforts and renown which this well fixt and ordered zeal prepares us for All that we are saved from by to through the effectual cure of this disease All the solemnities of Christs approaching day and our great concerns therein All the good that is in that attends upon and that issues from the prosperous Successes of the Gospel the holiness and and peace of the Church and the health the usefulness the possession the Conflicts and Conquests of a well cured Soul and all the Honours Ease and Blessings that attend our glorious Gospel All this and much more deserves deep thoughts and all the fervours and acknowledgments and Services of love And the plain truth is this We are both constituted of and surrounded with enflaming objects of this love And the great object and attractive shines even most gloriously in all Nature in all its Harmonies Stores and Beauties Providence in all its illustrations of its excellencies and exactness suiting it self in all the Articles thereof to every thing and being and concern in Heaven and Earth The sacred Scriptures every way entertaining us with what may exercise and enrich the mind of man heal and compose his Conscience enthroning it as Gods vicegerent to inspect the principles designs and practices and State of men to make and keep them orderly safe and easy and so to affect the heart and life as that we may be lovely in the sight of God the blessings of our Stations in our generations and a most comfortable entertainment to our selves Our very selves are most provoking objects unto love So many faculties in our Souls So many passions and affections to be ordered and exercised aright So many sences for reception So many Organs and Instruments for the commodious promoting and securing of our own Good So many Objects Employments and Acquests to be engaged vigorously about and orderly conversant with all continually And God in all this eminently beaming forth those perfections which are so fit and worthy to take endearingly with us How inexcuseable is cold heartedness whenas it may so easily be cured by serious Contemplations of these objects Light and Colours and beautiful proportions to the eye Words and Melodies to the Ears Food to the tast and all the objects exercises and entertainments of every sense afford our very minds and hearts their delicacies to feed on and urge us to love God and Man And let me add this also the beauties and delightfulness of holiness and practical Religion as exemplified in holy persons those excellent ones in whom is my delight saith David Psal xvi 3. O to observe them in all their curious imitations and resemblances of their God in the Wisdom of their Conduct the fervours of their Spirits the steadiness of their purposes the evenness of their tempers the usefulness and blamelessness of their lives the loftiness of their aims the placed gravity of their Looks the savour and obligingness of their Speeches the generous largeness of their Hearts the openness of their Hands the impartiality of their Thoughts the tenderness of their Bowels and all the sweetnesses of their Deportments towards all Such things are really where Christian Godliness obtains indeed Tho meer pretenders or real Christians in their decays and swoons may represent Religion under its eclipses to it's great disadvantage and reproach When therefore we contemplate all these excellencies and many more not mentioned will not our Hearts take fire and burn with love of Complacency where these things are visible and with the Love of benevolence and beneficence to that degree towards those that are receptive of but want them which shall enrage Desires and Prayers and quicken us to diligent endeavours after what by such may be attained unto were they but closely and warmly followed by us and brought to the diligent pursuits thereof Thus you see deep thoughts about lovely Objects will get up love and cure luke-warmness in us to the purpose Let this then be done 3. Heart-awakening and Love-quickning Truths are to be duly and intimately considered And this is indeed in part to truthifie in Love if I may make an English Word to express the valor of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. iv 15. The existence and excellence of the great Jehovah the Trine-Vne Holy one the care which he hath taken and the expensive cost he hath been at to cure this Malady by the fore-mentioned means and helps The critical Inspections of his Eye into the Heart of Man and his making this the test and balance of the Sanctuary to try us by counting and judging us more or less fit for Mercies and Judgments Heaven or Hell Service or to be thrown aside as refuse as our Hearts stand affected No exact soundness in our Spirits no safety in our State no real ease and chearfulness in our Souls no evidence of our acceptance with our God no Duty well performed towards God or Man no Sins subdued no Trial bravely managed and resulted no Talents used fully to the Masters Satisfaction and Advantage nothing profest performed endured or obtained without this Love And according to it's Ebbs and Flows it's Inflammations and Abatements so doth it fare and go with all our Christianity and Concerns The Truth is all the concerns of Souls and Persons in Life Death Judgment Heaven and Hell are hereupon depending These Articles of Truth considered well will make us serious fervent resolute and industrious in the things of God 4. Heart-warming Duties are to be performed throughly in Publick Private and in Secret Eccl. ix 10. Rom. xii 11 12. Pray hard read frequently and seriously hear diligently and impartially meditate closely and concernedly upon all you read or hear relating to the great concern Be much in Christian conference in the due Spirit and to the genuine design and purposes thereof be much in Praise Thanks Self-observation Government and Discipline Look up to Heaven for help and improve faithfully what you thence obtain And I do take the Supreme Essentially Infinite Good to be dishonoured and degraded by us in our Thoughts and Walk if any Creature Interests or Excellencies do ultimately terminate our Affections and Intentions For my part I take converses Employments Ingenious Recreations and even sensitive Entertainments to be most delicious and grateful when they occasion or provoke me to those Observations of God in all which carry up my thoughts through and from them to him with
it were set his Wisdom and Will against Gods Bellum cum Deo suscipit whatever he fancies to himself he undertakes and wages War with God This man sinneth against God as well as against man is a Rebel against the Majesty of Heaven as well as his Prince upon earth refusing the obedience he ows to his Ordinance and Command 3. From the evil and fatal consequence or effect of Rebellion and Resistance of which in the same verse they that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation They commit such a crime as shall most certainly and severely be revenged they had better never have done it for punishment will surely follow it and it may be with a quick and speedy pace either from the hand of the Magistrate to whom the Sword is committed with which he is to animadvert upon all disobedience or by the hand of God who will plead the cause and vindicate the honour of his Lieutenants and Vicegerents so that such Delinquents are never safe but in danger of a Temporal punishment here as Korah and his accomplices experienced and so did that unnatural wretch Absalom or an eternal one in Hell in case hearty repentance do not by an happy interposal prevent it 4. From the end of the Office and the business incumbent upon persons called to it which is singularly good and greatly necessary being designed for and tending to the preventing of vice and promoting of virtue and this is the argument used in my Text for Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes Magistrates they into whose hand the Sceptre is put or the Sword of Justice whether they be Supream or Subordinate whatsoever place they hold in the Political Body These are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terrour a scare a fright they ought not to be it doth not become them to be It is no part of their Office and place to be And so long as they act conscientiously wisely so long as they observe the rules given them and carry in their several Stations as they should they will not be a terrour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to good works or to them that do them whom they ought to defend by their power and encourage with their smiles but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those which are evil It is the latter part of these words which falls under my present consideration My work is to take a view of Magistrates to discourse about them as they ought to be terrours unto evil works all of them so far as they come to their knowledge and fall under their cognizance The Question which I am desired to speak unto being this Quest What is the duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest for the suppressing of prophaneness In the handling hereof I shall observe this method First Enquire what is meant by prophaneness Secondly What is intended by the suppression of prophaneness Thirdly Prove it to be the duty of all Magistrates to imploy their Authority and power for that great and excellent end Fourthly Propound and offer sundry means which they may and should make use of in order thereunto Lastly Shut up our whole discourse with application and the great God assist in the work and bless that which shall be done Amen Our first enquiry then will be what are we to understand by prophaneness In answer whereunto we will consider the word which in Latin is prophanus and as some learned Criticks observe is as much as procul à Fano far from the Temple or holy place far from God that which is far from the mind and will of God that which God doth not approve will have nothing to do with which speaks those that love and practise it a company of persons at a distance from God The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now saith Aretius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth pure such a purity as is in the stars of Heaven or a serene Sky and the syllable Be doth change the signification and import of the word and accordingly we do well understand by it that which is unclean impure polluted filthy So that prophaneness is uncleanness of which there are two sorts First A Ceremonial uncleanness Thus we read of defiled hands and common meats Of the former Mark 7.2 There came together unto him certain of the Pharisees and Scribes and when they saw some of his Disciples eat Bread with defiled that is to say with unwashen hands they found fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with common hands impure ones That was counted by them a profane action which polluted the person that did it and so you read of common meats Acts 10.13 14. Peter saw Heaven opened and a certain Vessel descending unto him as it had been a great sheet wherein were all manner of four-footed Beasts of the Earth and Wild Beasts and Creeping things and Fouls of the Air and there came a voice to him Rise Peter Kill and Eat but Peter said Not so Lord for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There common is opposed to holy it was a thing not fit for that holy people whom God had called out from the rest of the world made his own peculiar That was common unclean or prophane which was lawful to the Gentiles but prohibited the Jews by the Ceremonial Law as to instance Swines flesh That Law is now abolished with this sort of uncleanness we at present have nothing to do as not being intended in the question Secondly There is a moral uncleanness and that is it here meant That is said to be profane which is impure polluted foul loathsome and defiling and so it may be and as we find in Scripture it is applied both to persons and to things First To persons Thus in Ezek. 21.25 when the Lord by the Prophet spake to Zedekiah it was in this language Thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel His prophaneness did arise from or rather consist in his wickedness for he had grievously polluted himself with Idolatry and Perjury with cursed persecutions and the blood of the Innocents He was both a stranger and enemy to all piety and purity he ingulph'd himself in wickedness and laboured with all his might to draw others of his Subjects both noble and base into the same practices and to Plunge them as deep as himself Esau hath the same brand set upon him Heb. 12.16 Lest there be any fornicator or prophane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his Birth-right A prophane person qui nihil habet sacri who hath in him nothing Sacred nothing of holiness who violates neglects tramples under foot holy things who so pleaseth himself in filthiness as to wallow in it in whom the love of the world is so predominant to pleasures riches and honours he is so addicted that he prefers them before the grace of God and the Kingdom
him actions are weighed Magistrates and Officers of all sorts have many eyes upon them more see them than they themselves see There are upon them the eyes of good men and bad of Friends and Foes of Subjects and Strangers And they have upon them one eye more than as I fear some of them think of so much as they should and that is the Eye of the great and most Holy God He sees what is done upon the Throne and at the Council-board what in the Parliament houses and what in the Courts of Judicature what Bills are drawn and what do obtain the Royal Assent what Laws are enacted and how they are executed Now that the Punishment of Vice and Suppression of prophaneness is a special part of the work and duty of their place is evident from this Rom. 13.4 He is the Minister of God an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil Let the man be what and who he will let him be cloathed with what circumstances he will let him make what Figure he will if he will do evil he must suffer for the evil that he doth If men will take a lawless Liberty the Ruler must take vengeance if they will do the evil of Sin He must see to it that they suffer the evil of Punishment This is the work of his Office He is the Minister of God for this purpose being ultor irae divinae and having a vial of wrath put into his hand by the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth which he is to open and pour out upon the Children of disobedience who are for their being such meritoriously filii irae the Children of wrath Thirdly Prophaneness is of that cursed Nature and Tendency that it is not to be tolerated being contrary to the Light and Law of Nature and therefore hath been condemned and punished among Heathen Nations specially such of them as have been civilized and made any improvement of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common Notions and Principles that had been impressed upon their Souls and took any care to demean and carry themselves according to the ducture and guidance of them How much more contrary is it to the greater and more excellent Light of Scripture and Gospel-revelation which God hath caused to so eminent a degree to shine among us and which doth so expresly and abundantly condemn and denounce the Wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Who can sufficiently tell how odious it is to Persons who are moraliz'd and yet more to all them who have been savingly englightned and had their blindness cured by some of Christs eye-salve And by consequence how greatly ought it to be abhorr'd and totally abandon'd in all those Places Countreys and Nations unto whom God hath sent the magnalia legis the great things of his Law and also the precious things of the Everlasting Gospel what Agreement is there what Concord between Light and Darkness between Righteousness and Unrighteousness or what Communion hath Christ with Belial Without all peradventure this is a Work of Darkness and that is not a fit imployment for them that dwell in a Land of Light In Ephes 4.18 19. The giving of themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness is spoken of by the Apostle as the work of those who have their understandings darkened and are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Hearts and altogether indecorous and unbecoming them who have learned Christ and been trained up in the Gospel-School Shall then such things be winked at allowed or countenanced in a Valley of Vision No no say I for as these are the sins so they are the ignominy and shame both of those that do them and of those that suffer them As Gospel Truths and Ordinances and the ordering of a Conversation aright in suitableness to them are as the dying Wife of Phineas said of the Ark the Glory of Israel so Immorality is it's disgrace Both these we are assured of by Solomon in one verse Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalteth a Nation but Sin is a reproach to any People The common opinion of men is that the Exaltation of a Nation is from the prudence of it's Prince the wisdom of it's Counsellours the valour of it's Commanders and Souldiers the success of it's Armies victory over it's Enemies Forreign Domestick flourishing of Trade abundance of Riches the stateliness of it's Palaces and such like and it will easily be yielded that every one of these doth make it's Contribution but know that Righteousness alone doth more toward it than all them put together This this was it that made the faithful City Princess of the Provinces and the Land of Canaan in Israels Possession so long as Israel walked with God a Land of desire an heritage of Glory Jer. 3.19 Plato a great and excellent Heathen could say Nemo rectè honorat animam suam nisi qui vitiis fugatis justitiam colit None truly Honours his own Soul but he that bidding defiance to vice Loves and embraceth Virtue The same may as truly be said of a Nation Righteousness Religion is it's Glory and Defence But Sin is a reproach to any People Mark that any People Let a People be never so low abject contemptible Sin will make them lower yet And let a people be never so great famous and renowned Sin will be a blot in their Escutcheon It is a reproach to an Heathen People to Turks Pagans Indians but much more so to a Christian People to a people that profess themselves Protestants and reformed that call themselves the People of God O England what cause then hast thou to blush How great is thy shame O London who hast had so many of Christs Embassadors sent unto thee with the Counsels of his Will so many bright Stars of the first magnitude shining in thine Orb such Plenty and abundance of means and spiritual Mercies afforded to thee as no Nation hath had more if any so much Thou hast been exalted indeed and lifted up to Heaven like Capernaum by these precious and inestimable enjoyments and yet I fear it may be said no place hath acted at an higher rate of contrariety and desperate Opposition to the Gospel no place hath exprest a greater Enmity to Reformation and the Power of Godliness no place hath so superabounded with prophaneness in no place hath prophaneness been more impudent and daring than in thee Thy lewdness is in thy Skirts Oh how great is thy reproach Now it is unquestionably the Duty of all among us to endeavour the Honour of the Nation and to roll away this it's reproach And if there be any Magistrates higher or lower that will not heartily set both their hands to that work let them know and think of it again and again that that very thing will be to their reproach Yea fall out as much to their reproach as it was to the Honour of
Dedication but by a real inward Sanctification at least of unblameable Conversations free from scandal being without offence though not before God yet before men A prophane wicked Minister is a gross Solecism and deserves to be counted a monster and to be driven from among men as Nebuchadnezzar was when brutified Dan. 4.25 But while you do shine with the bright beams of Holiness and walk according to the blessed Rules of the everlasting Gospel which you ought to preach you may boldly and comfortably without any severe gripes within without any reproaches cast upon you from without bend your utmost force against those extravagants who walk contrary to them Therefore my Brethren let us all study the Gospel we preach and live it as well as know it for knowledge will not be saving until it influence Heart and Life and be reduced into practice Let us I say think with our selves and repeat the thought often and often what manner of Persons we ought to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness and then may we lift up our voices like Trumpets and decry all the wickedness we know to be acted Herein will you do singularly good service both to the great God in Heaven and to our King and Magistrates upon Earth and to the whole Land We read that in the fight with Amalek while Israel was in the valley Moses was in the mount with the Rod of God in his hand which he lifted up And when his hands were weary and ready to flag Aaron and Hur were by to sustain and uphold them Aaron was the Priest of the Lord and Hur was a Prince of the Tribe of Judah Let this example teach all their duty and excite and quicken them to the performance of it When the hand of Moses the Supream Magistrate I mean is lifted up with the rod of God against the Sins of the times let both Aaron and Hur Magistrates and Ministers come in chearfully and strenuously to his assistance For it is a thousand pities that the Magistrate should work alone when set about so great and good a work as this Do you back him and afford unto him all the Assistance that you can Vse 3. I shall now in the last place direct my discourse unto those who are placed in a lower Sphere for the present not put into any Office nor clothed with any thing of Magistratical Power and Authority but altogether in a private capacity I would have you to consider what you have to do For there is a Duty incumbent upon every one Though you are not to reach out your hands to works or acts of Office neither in the State nor in the Church yet you are not to lay aside nor neglect any part of that work which belongs to you as members of both And as there is not the least and meanest Person in a Kingdom but may do a great deal of mischief so there is not the meanest but if he have an Heart may do some good Solomon tells us Eccl. 9.14 15. of a little City that had but few men and was besieged by a great King And there was found in it a Poor man who by his Wisdom deliver'd the City And in 2 Sam. 20. When Sheba rose up in Rebellion against David and being pursu'd went to Abel Joab with his Host cast up a bank against it and batter'd the wall but a Woman saved it from ruine Every one may be instrumental for good Since it is then the Duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest to act what they can toward the suppression of prophaneness there are these two things unto which I would exhort you who are in private stations First Set an high value and esteem upon every one of those Magistrates whom you know or hear to be herein true to their trust and careful to perform their duty You may be sure of this that they will find discouragement enough opposition from the ranting crew The wicked themselves at whose lusts they strike will hate them with an implacable hatred and curse them and drink to their confusion and with longing desire to be rid of them and do whatever they can in order thereunto I do not wonder to hear of the plottings and combinations both of Atheists and Papists in such a case There is nothing that they hate more than Reformation and Religion nothing they will be more impatient under than a restraint laid upon their lusts Therefore those that are pious and sober that fear God and are friends to the Nation should be exceeding dear over them and prize them at an high rate and love them with their hearts and honour them and willingly pay Tribute and bless God for them We are less than the least of mercies and ought to own them much more greater Mercies A good Servant in a Family is a blessing to it Laban confest it to Jacob Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake How great a Blessing then is a good King upon the Throne a good Lord-Mayor in the Chair good Justices upon the Bench Certainly these are Blessings with all thankfulness to be owned they are mercies among temporal ones of the first Magnitude they do make an happy Nation and an happy People unless that People will be so vile and froward as to stand in the way of their own happiness Those that are Protestants in their Hearts who while they verbally profess that Religion are sincere in that Profession cannot but with delight look upon it as a choice and singular Mercy for our gracious God in a day wherein there were great searchings sinkings of heart to set over us our King and Queen a Protestant King and Queen whose hearts we perswade our selves are set for the Maintenance of the true Reformed Religion and we hope for the pulling down whatsoever is contrary and bids defiance thereunto in its Principles and Precepts Love them for this let them be our dear as well as our dread Sovereigns and let us be sure to be subject to them not only for wrath but likewise for Conscience sake yea and out of choice And let us pray for them and plead for them and strive both together and apart with God for them and bring down upon them from Heaven all the Blessings we can This was done by the Jewish Church Psal 20. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble The name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt offerings Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsels and hear thee from his Holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Thus they did bless their King in his Exploits and thus let us bless our King in his Yea let the blessing of Joseph come upon him Gen. 49.25 26. Let the Almighty bless him with the blessings of
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
Duty beforehand that as soon as he came to Capacity of Understanding he should not want for Attractives of his Affection to Convert and Cleave to God And no otherwise doth God deal with you You that know what your Baptism means do know so much Now no sooner do you Understand Consent unto and Profess the Imports of your Baptism but God calls you to his Holy Table There to confirm again and again with great frequency all the foresaid Promises O ye height length bredth and depth of the Divine Munificence and Kindness The Blessing of Abraham and every Iota of it comes on every sincere Convert Gal. 3.13 14. Speak Sirs is God so ill a Master that no offer can perswade you to return unto him Or What is there more than God has offered that you desire Or what further Confirmation and Ratification of his Promises than he gives do you crave Or which is that I listen after will you now straitway turn unto him And here right take on the Spiritual Robe the Ring and the Shoes And make Joy in Heaven and in this Congregation I do hope the Sun shall not go down before some of you are reconciled to God I have heard of a sinful Boy that offered to Convert presently if a Friend of his could make it out to him that he should fare the better for it in his Body and things of this Life Which being done he did Convert and lived and dyed an eminent Saint I am aware there is much of that Boys Spirit in all young People And it likes me to try whether I may so draw you with the Considerations that drew him Hear then what I say to evince that Conversion is a very Friend unto good Health Estate Mirth and Name that the state of Grace is in respect of these like the City Triocala one of Water-springs sweetest Vineyards choicest and Rocks most impregnable That when you once enter into Covenant with God your wants will be of nothing but things worse than nothing and wherever you are lodged the worst of your Wounds will be but Flea bites Or however ye are wounded ye can never be hurt Health is the Salt and sweetest Sawce of Life 'T is Sin Peoples own or their Ancestors or both that ordinarily is the working cause as well as deserving cause of sickness The Spirit and Grace and Service of God every way make for Health Particularly Temperance and good Conscience are the most benâ—gn of all things unto your Blood and Spirits And Converting Grace is not it self without them Go ask Physicians they will tell you Luxury and Lechery do make them an hundred Patients for every one that is made them by Fasting and Prayer No Precept of Christ is for any Duty Fasting it self unto Sickness if his precepts were observed they would prevent more than ever his Miracles healed If a good Man be at any time so weak as to hate his own Flesh he is not led to it by God's Spirit He ought indeed to beat it down and keep it in subjection to Gods Law and from the Usurpation of sinful Lusts But withal 't is those Lusts he is to mortifie and not his Body A Convert's Body is the Holy Ghost's Temple And if so be sure God will be kind unto it and his Servants ought to be duly careful of it An Estate is a very useful Hedge about you to keep off those many Proud that will be trampling upon all that is Poor And nothing raises or keeps up this Hedge like the Grace of God For it spirits you with Diligence which gets Riches with Humility which hates superfluity and saveth what is got with Charity which puts out all to Use and unto that Lord who never pays less than an hundred Fold in this Life it self Sin is this Hedge-breaker Rags are mostly Sins Livery When 't is otherwise and Sin makes you a Hedge it will be full of Snakes and Snares In the fullness of sinful sufficience you will be in straits And 't is odds but the Straits will be long and the Fullness a very little while On the other hand when a Converts Duty to God makes him poor it makes him rather a Martyr than a Beggar For he thereby testifies God's Truth and through the Truth of God to his Covenant he abounds in the middle of his wants For God doth but prune his Vines he burns up none but Thorns By Poverty he may undo Sinners but he still enricheth Saints Do but Convert you can never want what is truly good for you while God has it The first Minute that a great Estate begins to be good for you you shall have it And if you never have a Great one you shall still have a Good one Whereas Unconverts can have but one of these two a vexing Adversity or what is worse a slaying Prosperity One made of thick Clay and deeper Cares Mirth and Comfort are the Hony and Sweetness of your Beings Now Conversion makes exchange but no Robbery of these There is in Africa an Hony lusciously sweet but the Bees gather it from poysonous Weeds and it affects with madness and Frenzy all that eat of it He were no Thief that should take that sort of Hony from you and give the most wholesom to you Conversion deals no otherwise by you Only what it gives is more sweet as more wholsom And the quantity greater as well as the quality better For observe ye God forbids not any one Kind or Degree of pleasures but what is injurious And what your very Nature Reason and Interest do forbid you I deny it not Converts have Valleys of Troubles but then they have doors of Hope They are in Wildernesses but God prepares them Tables therein Dryest Rocks yield them Water and in darkest Dungeons they have shining Lights They receive here their Evil things and have their Hell upon Earth but then 't is a Heaven upon Earth to think this is all the Hell they shall ever endure And as for the Wayes he commandeth Converts to walk in they are all of Pleasantness Mysteriously yet most certainly Godly sorrow is made a sweet thing Every Week almost have I People crying for more of it than I think God allows them O Youth scies cum fies when thou art a Convert thou shalt feel what I tell thee No such Manna falls in Calabria none falls from Heaven like that which feasteth the Camps of sincere Converts The Convert state hath of the Joy as well as of the Purity of Heaven Unthought of Delights Such as don't Dye in the Enjoyment No but be stronger than Death as well as sweeter than Life Such as none of the Busie-bodies of this World ever found in the Mills of their Business or the Circles of their pleasure Gilboa's Mountains had not Rain or Dew Unconvert Youths have not Joy or Peace Madness is theirs Mirth they know not The three Hebrew Martyrs were merrier in the fiery Furnace than their Persecutor was in his
weights of this depressing you And go to Jesus Christ without Farms and Oxen and Wives haling you back Haling you as they do hale away multitudes before your Eyes and as they will ere long be haling your selves If now ye will not come unto him that ye may have Life if you will not now begin running your Race toward the Redeemer what do you do Truly just as a Man that is to run for his Life but cannot be perswaded to stir a foot till he has gotten many more Sheets of Lead upon his back and many more Fetters upon his feet Rise Sinner rise If not these Words shall be thy Souls Eternal Loads R. 6. The Providence of God lendeth you more Physicians and kinder ones than it doth lend Old Diseased Sinners and then it will lend you if you live much longer Especially if you live Vnconvert True it is Gods Love and Mercy unto all is wonderful God sends abundance of Helpers unto all poor sinful Creatures Every Baptized Professor is obliged to be his Brothers Keeper All Believers are bound to be Charitative Ministers unto each other Ministers of Reproof Counsel Comfort In Christ's Body no Member should be all for himself or for less than the good of all But a double Portion of Spiritual help is ordinarily vouchsafed unto you Young People Of Soul-Physicians you have more than two for Old Peoples one They have Ministers so have you or may have if you please They have Religious Friends so have you I hope But then you have Parents which they have not You have Masters and Tutors which they have not And be it considered the Aged People have few or none that will deal so boldly with them as almost all deal with you Ministers and Friends do mostly either fear to offend or despair and think impossible to benefit old Sinners with any Counsels They think it the same thing to give Advice to an Old Body and Physick to a dead one And if they give any 't is as cold as Elie's rebukes But both come more couragiously upon you They less fear your Displeasure and more hope your Reformation And therefore with more frequency and acrimonie deal with you Besides your Parents Love and your Masters and Tutors Interest and the Comfort and Credit of both do engage them to follow you close And to do more than Ministers and Friends are ordinarily capable of doing for the Conversion of your Souls Upon all hands 't is best with you You have the help of most Physicians in number and of all the number you have most of their help Incomparably more than Old Folk have and then you must look to have in your evil days approaching But you will still delay will you not I doubt many will And will as 't were in so many words shew us this is their mind Sick they think themselves Sinners they confess it they are A store of Spiritual Physicians now they have they own it But of these Physicians and Helpers some will by and by die others decay and none be so helpful hereafter as now Nevertheless Live Soul or Dye they will not till hereafter engage in any serious care of their Spiritual Cure and Recovery They will stay till they have Helpers fewer in Number more Chill in their Affection and Care and less capable of taking pains for their Salvation Sad Infatuation A wondrous Will to get out of Probability unto bare Possibility of Life if so much C. 7. You have special Encouragements to Convert now from all general Observation and Experience such as Old People are past and you will e're long be past I must remember my bounds and therefore will name but three One would think they should be enough to move any thing not twice dead And to pull out your Folly unless it be extraordinarily bound up in you Young People 1. God Regenerates the most of his chosen in Early Years If that Early Risers were mostly the Men that grew Rich and lived long in the World who of you would not leave lying late in Bed Truly They that rise in the Morning of their Days and turn unto God be mostly the Men that ever overcome the Devil They that continue in the Bed of their security late are in danger of having their Bed in Hell for ever A Young Saint and an Old Devil is a Proverb which was certainly hatched in Hell God and Men break Colts when they are Young 2. God doth Regenerate most easily those Souls whom he turneth early Know it Sirs Pain is necessary thank Sin for it Had not Sin entred never had we known Pain Grief Fear or Shame But now there is a very natural necessity for it Sin is a painful grievous fearful shameful thing Nor can I see how the Honour of God's Justice could possibly have excused Repentance Spiritually as well as Naturally we are born in Sorrow Both sorts of Children cry before they laugh All New Creatures be first Mourners But all are not in the same degree so Nor are all equally long sowing in Tears before they do reap in Joy Some Sinners are Launced more deeply than others and God keeps open the Wounds of some of his Children longer than others as he pleaseth But ordinarily we see young Timothies be not struck down like Sauls Or if they be they be not kept so many days in frightful darkness And is this a small thing Think of it and say If my Body had a Sore of easie and speedy cure if the Chirurgeon were applyed quickly unto I should not suffer a little matter to hold me from him My Soul and Body is all Spiritual Wounds God alone can heal them Those he doth heal easiest and soonest they be of first Comers most commonly Tardie and late Comers are healed rarely and so as by Fire when they be What should ail me Why should I not presently arise and go to my Father Why should I buy dearly God's hardest blows 3. God doth honour Singularly and Reward with Grace extraordinary his Early Converts If any they be those that have two Heavens Great Service and Sweet Assurance on Earth and greater degrees of Glory also than others above Most Divines think so Late Converts too much imitate the Indians that eat the Hony themselves and offer but the Wax unto their Deities They give God but the Bran of their Life when Satan has had the Flower as some have exprest themselves None so much honour God and none are so honoured by him as those who give Honour to him and accept it from him in your early days Infer you then my Young Folk You must Convert presently or delay with Loss Even with certain danger of Hell and certain loss of much of Heaven And may I not now suppose the Objections of your minds against my Doctrine in good measure removed O that the Oppositions of your Wills were but as much overpowred I conclude that your own Hearts do tell you by this time unless they be
1. Such Deliverances are never compleated and seldom long continue where Repentance doth not immediately follow Though God may command Deliverance first yet he annexeth Holiness to it and where that fails the beginnings of safety prove a snare Obad. 17. Ezek. 36.23 25 and do expose to greater distress When he saved from Babylon he cleanseth them from iniquity 2. Do not we find that Deliverance is at a sensible stop for want of our amendment Instruments to save us seem less apt our Enemies are in better heart and a much more threatening posture The hand of God is at a stop Those hopeful touches on the minds of Men are much defaced They that mean well are less spirited and entrusted They who design ill are more vigorous and countenanced What a Change have a few Months made in our hopes though they were raised by the highest displayes of Divine Power and Goodness It 's almost true 2 Kin. 19.3 Isa 26.18 17. and 33.11 You shall conceive chaff and bring forth stubble your breath as fire shall devour you 2. May not we hope that God will finish our Salvation for his own honour and not suffer a work wherein he hath so immediately appeared to be imperfect notwithstanding we reform not Answ 1. God hath his Honour concerned in giving National Mercies to an impenitent People as well as in not perfecting a begun Deliverance He is Sanctified in afflicting a sinful Land Isa 5.16 Ezek. 28.15 Psal 74.10 18. his Government is exposed in sparing an unperswadable People Nay we oftner find him bear the reproach of not Delivering his Afflicted People than of not punishing a Rebellious People 2. God can secure his Honour in both these respects with great consistency He may ruin Popery in other places whiles he exposeth Protestants to it here He may perfect this begun Deliverance in England as to Papists that they may not blaspheme and yet distress Protestants by each other and so still punish the Land for its impenitency Object 4. God seems to single out some particular Families for Judgments who have been most accessary to the sins of our Land He hath altered the succession and so it 's probable he may not punish the Nation for the iniquity of the Throne Answ 1. God may punish a Land for the sins of a former King though the Government be transferred into another Family God punished Israel with three years Famine in Davids Reign 1 Sam. 21.1 for Saul and his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites 2. If others do not take warning by such Judgments as are levelled against particular persons and repent Judgments will extend beyond those persons or Families Successors by the same neglects and provocations will expose a Land to miseries though their title be not derived by descent from former offenders Yea if a new Government and People purge not the Land of the Crimes which had their rise in a former Court the vengeance will follow to the extent of the infection and the guilty at least be in danger of misery David righted the injured Gibeonites before the Famine ceased 3. How little is Profaneness or Irreligion restrained How faint and few are the attempts for Reforming the Nation since God hath blessed us with a prognostick of good in the Change of our Government Are Men spirited for this as Josiah Ezra Nehemiah c. To be infected by others seems easier than to reform them Object 5. Are we not under such accomplishment of Prophesies as may argue a Protestant Kingdom begun to be delivered shall have its deliverance perfected notwithstanding its sinful distempers Is not the Philadelphian state beginning the Witnesses rising the Ottoman Empire falling and Antichrists ruin just reviving and perfecting even to the utmost of the Judgments determined against him Answ I am well perswaded of all this and have declared it many years when the contrary was more probable as to the posture of affairs here and in the rest of Europe yet let me tell you 1. That in the accomplishment of these Prophesies the Spirit will be abundantly poured out in order to the eminent Holiness of such places as share in these Blessings All the Promises that refer to these latter days are full of Peace Purity of Doctrine and Worship and true Godliness With the Song for Antichrists Fall the Church is made ready and clean linnen which is the righteousness of the Saints is given to her Rev. 19.2 7 8. 2. Almost at the Entrance of fulfilling these Prophesies there will be the most shaking and astonishing Dispensation towards the Churches as ever befel them Then is the great Earthquake and 16.18 and 3.10 such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great This is that hour of Temptation which shall eome upon all the world These Epistles I take to be Prophetick of the most eminent periods of the Church-state from Christs time to the End of the World and this Trial is in the beginning of the Philadelphian State It s true indeed this will benefit the Church at last and be fatal to its Enemies and false Members but it will be terrible to all 3. Such an awful Dispensation seems necessary to purge the Church and lay a good foundation of its real and lasting Glory This will be a means to convince false and irreligious Protestants Rev. 3.9 that said they were Jews and were not It will pluck up every plant out of the Church which God hath not planted Hereby all Constitutions repugnant to Christs Interests will be overthrown Without such a Paroxisme how should degenerated Christianity recover it self How shall the power of reforming the Church be rescued out of the hands of such who hate its Purity and Spiritual Welfare Its next to impossible by any Calmer means to settle Peace in the Church or awaken Protestants out of that formal Temper which is the Epidemick Crime of the Sardinian interval You have it expressed in those Words Thou hast a name to live and art dead Rev. 3.1 Many are really dead as Unregenerate others dead in opposition to Spiritual Liveliness Thus I have represented to you what seems most considerable as to the posture of our Land with respect to National Mercies I shall offer my own thoughts upon the whole I think the Repentance of England for National Sins is short of that which may give us grounds to expect National Mercies The methods of God indeed seem design'd to make us a happy people but it must be in the proper way and season The great things God hath begun to work the Liberty he hath settled the disposition in many young ones to return to God and comply with his Designs his manifest exposing such who were likely to obstruct a Reformation support my Hopes that Blessings are in reserve for this sinful Land but yet its probable that some extraordinary Storm will fall upon the Nation as a means to bring us to
restraints of fear and shame are taken off and every breath of a temptation is strong enough to overthrow the Carnally minded The purest and noblest Chastity is from a principle of Duty within not constrain'd by the apprehension of discovery and severity 4. The Continuance of the temptation she spake to him day by day Her Complexion was lust and impudence and his repeated denials were ineffectual to quench her incensed desires the black fire that darkned her mind She caught him by the garment saying Lye with me she was ready to prostitute her self and ravish him 5. The Person tempted Joseph in the flower of his age the season of sensuality when innumerable by the force and swing of tâ—eir vicious appetites are impell'd to break the holy Law of God 6. His Repulse of the temptation was strong and pereâ—â—tory How can I do this great wickedness He felt no sympathy nâ— sensual tenderness but exprest an impossibility of consenting to her guilty desire We have in Joseph exemplified that property of the Regenerate He that is born of God cannot sin by a sacred potent instinct in his brest he is preserved not only from the consummate acts but recoils from the first offers to it 7. The Reasons are specified of his rejecting her polluting motion Behold my Master knows not what is with me in the House and he hath committed all that he hath to my Hands there is none greater in his House than I neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee because thou art his Wife How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God 'T was a complicated crime of injustice and uncleanness a most injurious violation of the strongest tyes of duty and gratitude to his Master and of the sacred marriage Covenant to her Husband and the foulest blot to their persons Therefore how can I commit a sin so contrary to natural Conscience and supernatural grace and provoke God Thus I have briefly considered the narrative of Josephs temptation and that Divine grace preserved him unspotted from that contagious fire may be resembled to the miraculous preserving the three Hebrew Martyrs unsinged in the midst of the flaming furnace The patience of Job and the Chastity of Joseph are transmitted by the Secretaries of the Holy Ghost in Scripture to be in perpetual remembrance and admiration From this singular instance of Joseph who was neither seduced by the allurements of his Mistriss nor terrified by the rage of her despis'd affection to sin against God I shall observe two general Points I. That temptations to sin how alluring soever or terrifying ought to be rejected with abhorrenc II. That the fear of God is a sure defence and guard against the strongest temptation I will explain and prove the first and only speak a little of the second in a branch of the Application I. That temptations to sin how alluring soever or terrifying are to be rejected with abhorrence There will be Convincing proof of this by considering two Things 1. That sin in its Nature prescinding from the train of woful effects is the greatest Evil. 2. That Relatively to us it is the most pernicious destructive Evil. 1. That sin considered in it self is the greatest Evil. This will be evident by considering the general Nature of it as directly opposite to God the supreme good The definition of sin expresses its essential Evil 't is the transgression of the Divine Law and consequently opposes the rights of Gods Throne and obscures the Glory of his Attributes that are exercis'd in the Moral Government of the World God as Creator is our King our Lawgiver and Judge From his propriety in us arises his just title to Sovereign Power over us Psal 100. Know ye that the Lord he is God 't is he that made us not we our selves we are his people and the Sheep of his pasture The Creatures of a lower order are uncapable of distinguishing between Moral Good and Evil and are determin'd by the weight of Nature to what is merely sensible and therefore are uncapable of a Law to regulate their choice But Man who is endowed with the powers of Understanding and Election to conceive and choose what is Good and reject what is Evil is govern'd by a Law the declared will of his Maker accordingly a Law the rule of his Obedience was written in his Heart Now sin the transgression of this Law contains many great Evils 1. Sin is a Rebellion against the Sovereign Majesty of God that gives the life of Authority to the Law Therefore Divine Precepts are enforced with the most proper and binding motives to obedience I am the Lord. He that with purpose and pleasure commits sin implicitly renounces his dependance upon God as his Maker and Governor over-rules the Law and arrogates an irresponsible license to do his own will This is exprest by those Atheistical designers who said Psal i2 4 With our Tongue we will prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us The Language of Actions that is more natural and convincing than of Words declares that sinful Men despise the Commands of God as if they were not his Creatures and Subjects What a dishonour what a displeasure is it to the God of glory that proud dust should fly in his Face and controule his Authority Daniel 7.10 Psal 103.20 He has ten thousand times ten thousand Angels that are high in dignity and excel in strength waiting in a posture of reverence and observance about his Throne ready to do his will How provoking is it for a despicable Worm to contravene his Law and lift his Hand against him It will be no excuse to plead the Commands of Men for sin for as much as God is more glorious than Men so much more are his Commands to be respected and obeyed than Mens When there is an evident opposition between the Laws of Men and of God we must disobey our Superiours tho' we displease them and obey our Supreme Ruler He that does what is forbidden or neglects to do what is Commanded by the Divine Law to please Men tho' invested with the highest Sovereignty on Earth is guilty of double wickedness of impiety in debasing God and idolatry in deifying Men. It is an extreme aggravation of this Evil in that sin as it is a disclaiming our homage to God so 't is in true account a yielding subjection to the Devil For sin is in the strictest propriety his work The original rebellion in Paradise was by his temptation and all the actual and habitual sins of Men since the fall are by his efficacious influence He darkens the carnal mind 2 Cor. 4.4 and sways the polluted will he excites and inflames the vicious affections Ephes 2.2 and imperiously rules in the Children of disobedience He is therefore stiled the Prince and god of this World And what more contumelious indignity can there be than the preferring to the glorious Creator of Heaven
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
13. When the Lord sent Paul to Preach the Gospel among the Gentiles that he might hearten him for that difficult and dangerous work he promised him Protection Act. xxvi 17 18. Delivering thee from the People to whom I now send thee To open their eyes They stand in need of a mighty presence of God with them who have just cause to fear That those people will seek their death to whom they bring the word of Life and Salvation I thought this Scripture so apposite to the matter in hand and so directive to private Christians that it may plead my excuse for this enlargement upon it 2. That Private Christians may be sure to mind it our Saviour hath put it into the Rule of Prayer Matth. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come I have read That it is one of the Jews Maxims touching Prayer Ista Oratio in quâ non est memoria regni Dei non est Oratio That Prayer in which there is no mention made of the Kingdom of God is no Prayer at all when we pray Thy Kingdom come we beg That the Gospel which is the Rod of Christ's Power and the Scepter of his Government may spread all the world over For where the Gospel is believed and obeyed there doth Christ reign over fallen Man as Mediator 3. The Saints under the Old Testament prayed for the Calling and Conversion of the Gentiles under the Gospel-dispensation Psal lxvii 2 3. That thy way may be known upon Earth thy saving health among all Nations Let the people praise thee O God Let all the people praise thee 4. When by the Preaching of the Gospel in any place the people were wrought upon and brought to Believe in Christ They were exhorted to pray That the Word of the Lord might be carried to all other parts of the Gentile-world 2 Thess iii. 1. Finally Brethren Pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you And such Prayers are not to be thought to be lost or put up to God in vain That Prediction or Promise Rom. xvi 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly did doubtless excite many a Prayer and That Promise was eminently accomplished and those Prayers which were grounded upon it and put up to God in faith took effect when the Kingdom of Satan administred in the Idolatries of the Gentiles was laid waste and the Christian Profession was advanced by Constantine the Great Having now so inviting an occasion offered to me give me leave to present a Request to you and it shall be in the words of the Apostle 1 Thess v. 25. Brethren Pray for us for those who labour among you in the Word and Doctrin And I hope I may without vanity enforce this Request by the same Apostles Argument or Motive Hebr. xiii 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Many reflect upon us with disparagement and we are very sensible of our own many and great infirmities But Help us with your Prayers That we may Be better Live better and Preach better It is no Paradox but a well-weighed Truth That a godly private Christian upon his knees in his Closet may assist the Minister in his Study and in the Pulpit And that I may prevail in my Request I can assure you That whatsoever Gifts or Graces ye obtain of God for your Ministers by your Prayers they will come as Blessings upon your selves like the vapours that rise from the Earth being concocted in the Middle-Region fall down upon it again in fruitful showers 1 Cor. iii. 21 22. For all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas If any say This is a Digression from the Case which I was to speak to I would entreat them to consider what is the general scope and design of it and they will find That it comports very well with it Once I am sure That it is as much the Duty and Concernment of private Christians to pray for the Success of the Gospel that it may be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of Souls in England as that it may be preached entertained believed and obeyed in the uttermost parts of the Earth And so I will return to prosecute my Discourse with two Remarks 1. That From what hath been said touching the Prayers of private Christians for the spreading of the Gospel we may be assured That God hath determined to bestow those Mercies for which he commands his people to pray And more than That He usually bestows them in the disposal of his Providence upon the intervention of his Peoples Prayers as may be collected from Ezek. xxxvi 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness ver 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes ver 30. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the Field compared with ver 37. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 2. That no godly private Christian can object against his Duty in praying that the Gospel may be carried to all Nations and be entertained by them nor alledge any excuse or pretence why they should be exempted from it If any hesitate let me expostulate the matter with their Consciences Have ye received the Spirit of Christ as the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and can ye not pray Do ye feel the Love of Christ warming stirring and constraining your hearts and will ye not pray ye dearly value the Glory of God and sincerely desire That the earth may be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea And can ye refrain from praying that this may be performed ye tenderly compassionate the miserable condition of Poor Perishing Souls and will ye not afford them so much as your Prayers that they may be relieved Are ye not greatly affected with the distinguishing Grace of God in bringing the Gospel to you and opening your Hearts to receive it How then Can ye offer up your Praises to God for so signal a Mercy without making some reflection on the deplorable state of those who have not as yet obtained the like favour without lifting up a Prayer for them that they may be made partakers of the same Grace Or will ye reply That you do pray indeed That God would visit the heathen World with the Gospel of Salvation But ye cannot think that your Prayers will contribute much toward so great and good a work Suffer me to debate this also a little with you Why will you reproach the Spirit and Grace of Prayer in saying it can avail little or nothing when God himself saith Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much Those Prayers which can mount as high as Heaven are able also to reach
the ends of the Earth Why will ye by your disobedience as much as in you lies make void the Commandments of Christ Doth not He expresly charge you To pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest And to pray That his Kingdom may come And will ye say That the Lord Christ doth injoin his Servants to do that which is insignificant and impertinent Why will you by your unbelief go about to make the Promises of God of none effect When as he himself hath assured us That He will fulfil the regular desires of them that fear him Psal cxlv 18 19. And that whatsoever we ask according to his will he heareth us 1 Joh. v. 14. For ever then beware of entertaining that Temptation which is formed and cherished in the hearts of the ungodly Who say unto God What profit should we have if we pray unto him Job xxi 14 15. I shall close this when I have added That were the Prayers of private godly Christians more frequent intense and importunate for the spreading of the Gospel it would be an hopeful indication that the Gospel is about through the blessing of God to find better entertainment in the World than it hath done of later years This may suffice to have been spoken touching the first way and means wherein private Christians who live remote from those places where the Gospel is not entertained may be helpful to promote the spreading of it that it may be brought to them viz. by the Prayers which they put up to God in Faith for the propagation of it 2. The second way and means whereby private Christians who live remote from those places whither the Gospel is not yet come may promote the reception of it among them is By a ready chearful and liberal contribution of supplies and encouragements to them who labour in that holy work And here the different Abilities and Capacities of private Christians are to be considered They who are rich may cast in much into the Lords Treasury and for the proportion the Apostles Rule and Measure should be attended unto 1 Cor. xvi 2. Every one as God hath prospered him When the Tabernacle was to be made every one brought something They who had gold silver and precious stones offered them they who could bring but rams-skins and badgers skins were accepted And those good Women who had nothing to bring did yet spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun and they also were accounted and recorded among the Contributers What private Christian is there who can afford Nothing They who subsist by the labour of their hands should spare something for works of Piety and Charity Eph. v. 28. To excite and encourage you to comply with this Direction I shall lay before you several Examples which will shew you how Practical and Acceptable a work this is 1. Private Christians were helpful to our Lord Jesus Christ himself in his preaching of the Gospel in the days of his flesh upon Earth Tho all things were made by him and he upholds them by the Word of his power and so the Earth is His and the fulness thereof yet for our sakes he became poor and was pleased to receive provisions for his subsistence from some godly women who ministred to him of their substance Luk. viii 1 2 3. 2. The Apostle Paul records it to the praise of the Philippians That they were careful of him and made provision for him not only when he laboured among them and when he was in Bonds for preaching the Gospel And I heartily wish that all private Christians among us yea and such as glory in their profession would keep pace with them so far but also when he was employed in the service of the Lord among such as were then strangers to Christ and the Gospel Phil. iv 15 16. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Church communicated with me as concerning Giving and Receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity 3. St. John drawing up the fair character of Gaius a private Christian placeth this as a beautiful flower in his garland That he was hospitable and liberal to those who for Christs names sake went forth preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles taking nothing of them 2 Ep. John ver 5.6 7. Let private Christians take notice that the name of Gaius and his Charity are registred in the sacred Scripture and if their disposition and practice be like to his theirs also shall be written in Christs book of remembrance Mat. x. 41 42. He that receiveth and so he that encourageth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward 4 Take notice that it stands as a Blot in the Escutcheon of the Corinthians that they were altogether for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratuitum Evangelium A Gospel that should cost them nothing Corinth was the most convenient and so the most frequented Port for Trade in all Greece The Inhabitants are said to have been very Wealthy Proud and Voluptuous They had abundance to spend upon Themselves but could find nothing for Paul while he resided among them and preached the Gospel to them For this the Apostle makes a very mild but a very close reflection upon them enough to make their Consciences to start if they had any Spiritual life and sense and their Faces to blush if they retained any sparks of Ingenuity in them 2 Cor. xi 8 9. I robbed other Churches taking wages of them to do you Service For when I was present with you and wanted I was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me the Brethren which came from Macedonia supplyed It is a sad word but too frequently experienced That a faithful Minister of Christ may Labour and yet Live in want in a wealthy City And I think it cannot be rationally supposed that such as suffer those to want who labour among them will be very forward with their purses to assist them who preach the Gospel to Infidels in the remote parts of the World Upon this Head give me leave to say a little as I did upon the former London doth out-shine Corinth in Trade God grant that it may still flourish in wealth and yet be preserved from those Vices which are the usual Attendants of it May London ever have the Corinthians advantages and the Philippians spirit It will be I hope to the praise of God and of many of Londons Citizens to Recollect what hath been done here to help on the propagation of the Gospel in New-England and I hope also that the care of that work is not extinct but will revive as there may be a necessity and opportunity for it When I shewed how private Christians might he helpful to promote the Gospel by their Prayers I made a Request to you that ye would not fail to befriend