mention'd and carries along with it this inward and real not acted courteousness Not to insist on it now it gains at all hands with God and with Men receives much Grace from God and kills envy and commands respect and good will from Men. Those showers of grace that slide off from the lofty Mountains rest on the Valleys and make them fruitful He giveth grace loves to bestow it wherethere is most room to receive it and most return of ingenuous and entire praises upon the receipt and such is the humble Heart and truly as much humility gains much grace so it grows by it 1. 'T is one of the Worlds reproaches against those that go beyond their size in Religion that they are proud and self conceited Christians beware there be nothing in you justifying this sure they that have most true grace are least guilty of it common knowledge and gifts may puff up but grace does not He whom the Lord loads most with his richest gifts stoops lowest as pressed down with the weight of them the Free Love of God humbles the Heart most to which it is most manifested And towards Men it graces all Grace and all gifts and glorifies God and teaches others so to do It is the preserver of Graces sometimes seems to wrong them by hiding them but indeed it is their safety Hezekiah by a vain shewing of his jewels and treasures forfeited them all Verse 9. 9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing ofr railing but contrary wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing OPposition helps Grace both to more strength and more lustre when Christian Charity is not encounter'd with the Worlds malignance it hath an easier task but assaulted and overcoming it shines the brighter and rises higher and thus it is when it renders not evil for evil To repay good with evil is amongst Men the top of iniquity yet this is our universal guiltiness towards God he multiplying mercies and we vying with multiply'd sins as the Lord complains of Israel as they were increased so they sinned The lowest step of good mutual amongst Men is not to be bent to provoke others with injuries and being unoffended to offend none but this not to repay offences nor render evil for evil is a Christians rule and yet further to return good for evil and blessing for cursing is not only counsell'd as some vainly distinguish but commanded It is true the most have no ambition for this degree of goodness aspire no further but to do or say no evil unprovoked and think themselves sufficiently just and equitable if they keep in that but this is lame is but half the rule Thou thinkest injury obliges thee or if not so yet excuses thee to revenge or at least disobliges thee unties thy engagement of wishing and doing good but these are all gross practical errours For 1st The second injury done by way of revenge differs from the first that provoked it little or nothing but only in point of time and certainly no one Man's sin can procure priviledge to another to sin in that or the like kind If another hath broken the bonds of his allegiance and Obedience to God and of charity to thee yet thou art not the less ty'd by the same Bonds still 2dly By revenge of injuries thou usurpest upon God's prerogative who is the Avenger as the Apostle teaches Rom. 12. this doth not forbid either the Magistrats Sword for just punishment of Offenders or the Souldiers Sword in a just War but such revenges as without authority or a lawfull call the pride and perversness of Men do multiply one against another In which is involv'd a presumptuous contempt of God and his supreme authority or at least the unbelief and neglect of it 3dly It cannot be genuine upright goodness that hath its dependance upon the goodness of others that are about us that as they say of the vain glorious Man his vertue lyeth in the beholders eye if thy Meekness and Charity be such as lyeth in the good and mild carriage of others towards thee in their Hand and Tongues thou art not owner of it intrinsecally such quiet and calm if none provoke thee is but an accidental uncertain cessation of thy turbulent Spirit unstirr'd but move it and it acts it self according to it self sends up that Mind that lay at the bottom but true Grace doth then most manifest what it is when those things that are most contrary surround and assault it it cannot correspond and hold game with injuries and raylings hath no faculty for that for answering evil with evil a Tongue enur'd to graciousness and mild Speeches and Blessings and a heart stor'd so within can vent no other try it and stir it as you will A Christian acts and speaks not according to what others are towards him but according to what he is through the grace and Spirit of God in him as they say quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis the same things are differently received and work differently as the Nature and way is of that which receives them A sparkle blows up one of a sulphureous temper and many Coals greater injuries and reproaches are quench'd and loose their force being thrown at another of a Cool Spirit Prov. 17. 27. They that have malice and bitterness and cursings within though these sleep it may be yet awake them with the like and the Provision comes forth out of the abundance of the heart give them an ill word and they have another or two for one in readiness for you where the Soul is furnished with spiritual blessings there blessings come forth even in answer to reproaches and indignities the mouth of the Wise is a Tree of Life says Solomon can bear no other fruit but according to its kind and the Nature of the root an honest spiritual heart pluck at it who will they can pull no other fruit but such fruit Love and Meekness lodge there and therefore whosoever knocks these make the answer Let the World account it a despicable simplicity seek you still more of that Dove-like Spirit the Spirit of meekness and blessing a poor glory to vie railings and contest in that faculty or any kind of vindictive returns of evil the most abject creatures have of that great Spirit as follish poor Spirited persons account it but it is the glory of Man to pass by a transgression the noblest victory and as we mention'd the highest example God is our Pattern in Love and Compassions we are well warranted to do 't in this Men esteem much more of some other vertues that make more shew and trample upon these Love and Compassion and Meekness but though these violetâ— grow low and are of a dark colour yet they are of a very sweet and diffusive smell odoriferous Graces and the Lord propounds himself our example in them Matth. 5. 't is to be truly the Children of your Father your
the heart But sure this one thing would make the Soul more calm and sober in the pursuit of present things if their term were truly computed and considered How soon shall youth and health and carnal delights be at an end how soon shall State craft and King-craft and all the great Projects of the highest Wits and Spirits be laid in the dust This casts a damp upon all those fine things but to a Soul acquainted with God and in affection removed hence already no thought so sweet as this helps much to carry it chearfully through wrestlings and difficulties through better and worse they see Land near and shall quickly be at home that 's the way The end of all things is at hand an end of a few poor delights and the many vexations of this wretched life an end of tentations and sins the worst of all evils yea an end of the imperfect fashion of our best things here an end of prayer it self to which succeeds that new Song of endless praises Verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THE Graces of the Spirit are an entire frame making up the new Creature and none of them can be wanting therefore the Doctrine and Exhortation of the Apostles speak of them usually not only as inseparable but as one But there is amongst them all none more cemprehensive than this of Love insomuch that St. Paul calls it the fullfilling of the Law love to God the sum of all relative to him and so likewise is it towards our Brethren Love to God is that which makes us live to him and be wholly his that which most powerfully weans us from this World and causeth us delight in communion with him in holy Meditation and Prayer Now the Apostle adding here of the duty of Christians to one another gives this the prime yea the sum of all Above all have fervent love Concerning this Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Eminent Degree of it 3 The Excellent Fruit of it 1. It is an union therefore called a bond or chain that links things together 2. 'T is not a meer external union that holds in customs or words or outward carriage but an union of hearts 3. 'T is here not a natural but a spiritual supernatural union it is that mutual love of Christians as Brethren There is a common benevolence and good-will due to all but a more particular uniting affection interchangeably one amongst Christians The Devil being an Apostate Spirit revolted and separated from God doth naturally project and work division This was his first exploit and still his grand design and business in the World he first divided Man from God put them at an enmity by the first Sin of our first Parents and the next we read of in their first Child was enmity against his Brother so Satan is called by our Saviour justly a liar and a murderer from the beginning murdered man by lying and made him a murderer And as the Devil's work is Division Christ's work is Union he came to dissolve the works of Satan by a contrary work he came to make all Friends to recollect and reunite all Men to God and Man to Man and both those unions hold in him by vertue of that marvellous union of Natures in his Person and that Mysterious Union of the Persons of Believers with him as their Head so the word Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unite all in one head Thus his great project in all this he died and suffered for and this he prayed for Iohn 17. and this is strong above all ties natural or civil union in Christ this they have that are indeed Christians this they pretend to have if they understood it that profess themselves Christians If natural friendship be capable of that expression one spirit in two bodies Christian union hath it much more really and properly for there is indeed one Spirit more extensive in all the Faithful yea so one Spirit that it makes them up into one body more intensive they are not so much as divers bodies only divers members of one body Now this love of our Brethren is not another from the love of God 't is but the streaming forth of it or the reflex of it Jesus Christ sending in his Spirit into the heart unites it to God in himself by love which is all indeed that loving of God supreamly and entirely with all the mind and soul all the combined strength of the heart and then that same love first wholly carried to him is not divided or impared by the love of our Brethren 't is but dilated and derived from the other he allows yea commands yea causes that it stream forth and act it self toward them remaining still in him as in its source and center beginning at him and returning to him as the Beams that diffuse themselves from the Sun and the Light and Heat yet are not divided or cut off from it but remain in it and by emanation issue from it Loving our Brethren in God and for him not only because he commands us to love them and so the Law of Love to him ties us to it as his Will but because that love of God doth naturally extend it self thus and acts thus in loving our Brethren after a Spiritual Christian manner we do even in that love our God Loving of God makes us one with God and so gives us an impression of his divine bounty in his Spirit and his love the proper work of his Spirit dwelling in the Heart enlarges and dilates it as self-love contracts and streightens it so that as self-love is the perfect opposite to the love of God it is likewise so to brotherly-love shuts out and undoes both and where the love of God is rekindled and enters the Heart it destroys and burns up self love and so carries the affection up to himself and in him forth to our Brethren This is that bitter root of all enmity in man against God and amongst Men against one another Self Man's Heart turned from God towards himself and the very work of renewing Grace is to annual and destroy Self to replace God in his Right that the Heart and all its Affections and Motions be at his dispose so that instead of self-self-will and self-love that rul'd before now the Will of God and the Love of God commands all And where it is thus there this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this love of our Brethren will be sincere Whence is it that Wars and Contests and mutual Disgracings and Despisings abound so but that men love themselves and nothing but themselves or in relation to themselves as it pleases or is advantageous to them that 's the Standard and Rule all is carried by interest so thence are striâ—es and defamings and bitterness against one another but the Spirit of Christ coming in undâ—es all selfishness And now according to God what he
undiscovered unbelief even in that point Therefore the Lord so often makes mention of it in the Prophets Isa. 50. 3. c. And in this point the Apostle particulary expresses I am perswaded that he is able to keep c. So this Apostle chap. 1. 5. Kept by the power of God through faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time This very needful to be considered in regard of the many and great oppositions and dangers the powerful enemies that seek after our Souls He is able to keep them for he is stronger than all and none can pluck them out of his hand says our Saviour This the Apostle here hath in that word Creator if he was able to give them being sure he is able to keep them from perishing This relation of a Creator implies likewise a benign propension and good will to the works of his hands if he gave them us at first when once they were not forming them of nothing will he not give us them again being put into his hand for safety And as he is powerful he is no less faithful a faithful Creator Truth it self They that believe on him he never deceives nor disappoints Well might St. Paul say I know whom◠I have trusted Oh! the advantage of faith It engages the truth and power of God his royal Word and honour lies upon it to preserve the Soul that faith gives him in keeping if he remain able and faithful to perform his Word that Soul shall not perish There be in the words other two grounds of quietness of Spirit in sufferings 1. It is according to the will of God The believing Soul subjected and levelled to that complying with his good pleasure in all cannot have a more powerful perswasive than this that all is ordered by his will This settled in the heart would settle it much and make it even in all things not only to know but wisely and deeply to consider that it is thus That all is measured in Heaven every dram of thy troubles weighed by that skilful hand that doth all in weight number and measure And then consider him as thy God and father who hath taken special charge of thee and thy Soul thou hast given it to him and he hath received it And upon this consideration study to follow his will in all to have no will but his This is thy duty and thy wisdom nothing gained by spurning and struggling but to hurt and vex thy self but by complying all is gained sweet peace it is the very secret the mystery of solid peace within to resign to his will to be disposed of at his pleasure without the least contrary thought And thus as two faced pictures those sufferings and troubles and whatsoever else to look to it on the one side as painful to the flesh hath an unpleasant visage yet go about a little and look upon it as thy fathers will and then it is smiling and beautiful and lovely This I would recommend to you not only for temporals as easier there but in spiritual things your comforts and sensible enlargements to love all he does it s the sum of Christianity thy will crucify'd and the will of thy Lord thy alone desire joy or sorrow sickness or health life or death in all in all thy will be done The other ground is in the first word reflecting on the foregoing discourse Wherefore what seeing your reproaches and sufferings are not endless yea they are short they shall end and quickly end and end in glory be not troubled about them overlook them the eye of faith will do it a moment what are they this is the great cause of our disquietness in present troubles and griefs we forget their end we are affected withour condition of this present life as if it were all and it is nothing Oh! how quickly shall all the enjoyments and all the sufferings of this life pass away and be as if they had not been Tbe End of the Fourth Chapter 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. V. Ver. 1. The elders which are among you I exhort who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed THE Church of Christ being one body is interessed in the condition and carriage of each particular Christian as a part of it but more eminently in those that are more eminent and organick parts of it Therefore the Apostle after many Excellent directions given to all his Christian Brethren to whom he writes doth most reasonably and fitly add this express Exhortation to these that had oversight and charge of the rest The Elders that are amongst you c. The words have 1. A particular definement of the Persons exhorted and exhorting 2. The Tenour of the Exhortation it self The former in the 1 verse the Persons exhorted The Elders among you First Elders This here as often is a name not of Age but of Office yet named by that Age that is or ought to be most suitably qualified to such an office and imports that men though not aged yet if called to that office should be noted with that Wisdom and 〈◊〉 of mind and carriage which may give that authority and command that respect that is requisite for their calling not Novices as St. Paul speaks not as a light bladder being easily blown up as young unstable minds are but such as young Timothy was in humility and diligence as the Apostle testifies of him Phil. 2. 20. and further exhorts him to be 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth but be an example of believers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity The name of Elders indifferently signifies either their age or their calling and of ruling sometimes civil Rulers sometimes Pastors of the Church as amongst the Jews both Here it appears that Pastors are meant as the Exhortation of feeding the flock evidences which though it sometimes signifie ruling and here may comprise it yet is chiefly by Doctrine and then the stile given to Christ in the encouragement added the chief Shepherd A due frame of spirit and carriage in the Elders particularly the Apostles of the Church is a thing of prime concern for the good of it It is one of the heaviest threatnings when the Lord declares that he will give a rebellious People such Teachers and Prophets as they deserved and indeed desired If there be a man to prophecy of wine and strong drink such a one shall be a prophet says he to that People And on the other side amongst the sweetest promises of mercy this is not the least to be furnisht with plenty of faithful Teachers Though prophane men make no reckoning of it yet were it in the hardest times they that know the Lord will account of it as he doth a sweet allay of all sufferings and hardship though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not
IMPRIMATUR Novemb. 25. 1693. Guil. Lancaster R. P. D. Henrico Epis. Lond. Ã Sacris Domesticis A Practical COMMENTARY UPON THE First Epistle General of St. Peter VOL. II. Containing the Third Fourth and Fifth CHAPTERS By the Most Reverend ROBERT LEIGHTON D. D. Some-time Archbishop of Glasgow Published after his death at the request of his Friends LONDON Printed by B. G. for Sam. Keble at the Great Turks-head in Fleet-street over-against Felter-lane MDCXCIV TO THE Christian Reader THE following Discourses of our most Reverend Author contain his judicious and pious Thoughts upon the Third Chapter to the end of the First Epistle of St. Peter which together with the Commentary on the First and Second Chapters published the last year make a compleat and useful Explication of that whole Epistle They might have been all of one Impression and so have come into thy hands at the same time and in one Volume had not some prudent considerations oblig'd us to change the Printer However we have taken care so to print this Second Part that it may conveniently be bound up with the first and there is little loss by the delay but that of time which perhaps is not so much neither but that it may with more profit to thee be happily redeemed I know that some do not relish the phrase and contexture of such Discourses but I am on the other hand assured by others very able and competent judges of such performances that they are highly valuable in their whole scope and tendency for they think that they not only contain the purity of Doctrine according to Scripture but also the life and spirit of Christian Morals and that they happily cement together and bear in upon the heart right notions of God and Religion with solid Piety In a word that as they are written by a Primitive Spirit and in a plain Stile so they may through Gods grace sow the Seeds of Primitive Devotion which is too much worn out in this Age the seat whereof is more in the Heart than in the Head If they serve in any measure those great ends our labour is highly rewarded Let such then as shall reap this benefit by these well designed Papers be pleased to know that it is not so much to me as to the Pious Zeal and Care of our Great and now Blessed Authors surviving Relations that they owe this Happy Enjoyment whose Virtue and Piety afford matter enough for a large Preface if their Modesty did not so awfully restrain my too forward inclinations that I must content my self to say that they now live like him whom they tenderly loved whilst he was amongst them and that as he did so they make it their business to do good without letting the World know of it It has been at their charge and pressing desire that all those papers that are already printed have been copied out prepared for the press and published They neither proposed to themselves nor expect any other advantage but thy Edification and therein the glory of God rich returns indeed and which nothing can rob them of but meerly thy inproficiency and if that happen which God forbid the loss shall be more thine than theirs I was not willing that such good ends should be obstructed by my declining any part of the trouble that fell to my share on the contrary I considered it a Duty I owed first to God and then to the memory of the excellent Author whose divine converse and wonderful example gave me early and powerful Resolutions to dedicate my self to God and the Service of his Church In my performance I have done my best tho short of what I wished to serve thee there remains in our Hands some brief but lively Discourses upon the Epistle to the Ephesians upon the Decalogue the Creed and the Lord's Prayer which possibly may be made publick in a convenient time When this is done I think we have ended all we intend to publish at present Let us therefore set about the reformation of our Lives in the use of these means depending upon God for the success and that he by his free Grace and good Spirit may enable thee and me by this and all other helps which this Age affords to make greater and greater Advances towards Heaven and so to finish our Course with Ioy is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Thy Servant in the Lord I. FALL York March 13 th 1694. Books written by the most Reverend Father in God Robert Leighton D. D. sometimes Archbishop of Glasgow Printed for and are to be Sold by Sam. Keble at the Great Turk's-Head in Fleet-street EIghteen Sermons Printed in 1691 8 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First and Second Chapters of St. Peter by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D. D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1693. 4 o. R mi. D. D. Roberti Leightoni Praelectiones Theologicae in Auditorio publico Academiae Edinburgenae dum Professoris primarii munere ibi fungeretur habitae Vna cum Paraenesibus in Comitiis Academicis ad gradus Magistralis in artibus Candidatos Quibus adjiciuntur Meditationes Ethico Criticae in Psalmos IV. XXXII CXXX 1693. 4 o. A Practical Commentary upon the First Epistle General of St. Peter Vol. II. containing the Third Fourth and Fifth Chapters by the most Reverend Robert Leighton D D. sometime Archbishop of Glasgow 1694. 4 o. ERRATA PAg 16. on the margin for nulla read multa p. 22. l. 22. far very read very far p. 51. l 5. mind read mud p. 61. l. 10. be read the. p. 81. l. 2. re read respect p. 211. l. 1. not be read not to be p. 219. l. 25. caties read Calamities p. 243. l. 16. point it thus we were all sealed to God in Baptism p. 245. l. 1. yea read ye p. 254. l. 20. dele where he reigns p. 261. l. 31. bear read bore p. 277. l. 10. he read the ib. penult it hatest read hatest it p. 281. l. 29. point it thus not to equal that which it were so reasonable c. p. 262 l. 32. their read the. p. 357. l. 21. before you read before you p. 416. l. 14. of the way teaching read the way of teaching p. 441. l. 30 some read foam p. 448. l. 15. turn read turned 1 Ep. St. Peter Chap. III. Ver. 1. Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any one obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the Conversation of the Wives THE Tabernacle of the Sun Psal. 19 is set high in the Heavens but 't is that it may have influence below upon the Earth And the Word of God that is spoke of there immediately after as being many wayes like it holds resemblance in this particular 't is a sublime heavenly Light and yet descends in its use to the Lives of Men in the variety of their Stations to warm and to enlighten to regulate their affections and actions in whatsoever course of
Rule of the Will of God to his Ways and Heart which if he did he would then discover much crookedness in his ways and much more in his heart that now he sees not but takes it for square and even Therefore I advise and desire you to look more narrowly to your selves in this and see whether you be not still living to your own Lusts and Wills instead of God seeking in all your ways to advance and please your selves and not him is not the bent of your hearts set that way do not your whole Desires and Endeavours run in that Channel how you and yours may be some body and you may have where withal to serve the flesh and to be accounted of and respected amongst men and if we trace it home all a man's honouring and pleasing of others tends to and ends in pleasing of himself it resolves in that and is it not so meant by him he pleases men either that he may gain by them or be respected by them or something that is still pleasing to himself may be the return of it So Self is the grand Idol for which all other heart-idolatries are committed And indeed in the unrenewed Heart there is no 〈◊〉 of them Oh! what multituâ—es what heap◠〈◊〉 the Waâ—l were digg'd through and the light of God going before us and leading us in to see them The Natural Motion and Way of the Natural Heart is no other but still secking out new inventions a forge of new Gods still either forming them to it self or worshipping these it hath already framed committing Spiritual Fornication from God with the Creature and multiplying Lovers every where as it is tempted As the Lord complains of his People upon every Hill and under every green Tree You will not believe thus much ill of your selves will not be convinc'd of this unpleasant but necessary Truth and this is a part of our self-pleasing that we please our selves in this that we will not see it not in our callings and ordinary ways not in our religious Exercises for in these we naturally aim at nothing but our selves either our Reputation or at best our own Safety and Peace either to stop the cry of Conscience in present or escape the Wrath that is to come but not in a Spiritual regard of the Will of God and out of pure love to himself for himself yet thus it should be and that love the divine Fire in all our Sacrifices The carnal mind is in the dark and sees not its vileness in living to it self will not confess it to be so but when God comes into the Soul he lets it see it self and all its idols and idolatries and forces it to abhor and loath it self for all its abominations and having discovered its filthiness to it self then purges and cleanses it for himself from all its filthiness and from all its idols according to his promise and comes in and takes possession of it for himself enthrones himself in the Heart and its never right nor happy till that be done But to the Will of God We readily take any little slight change for true conversion but we may see here that we mistake it it doth not barely knock off some obvious apparent enormities but casts all in a new mould alters the whole frame of the Heart and Life kills a Man and makes him alive again and this new life contrary to the old for the change is made with that intent that he live no longer to the lusts of men but to the Will of God He is now indeed a new Creature new Judgement and Thoughts of things and so accordingly new Desires and Affections and answerable to those new Actions old things past away and dead and all things become new Politick men have observ'd it that in States if alterations must be it is better to alter many things than a few And Physicians have the same remark for onâ—s habitude and custom for bodily health upon the same ground because things do so relate one to another that except they be adapted and suited together in the change it availes not yea it sometimes proves the worse in the whole though a few things in particular seem to be bettered Thus half Reformations in a Christian turn to his prejudice its only best to be throughout and to give up with all Idols and not to live one half to himself and the World and as it were another half to God for that is but falsely so in reality it cannot be but the way is to make an heap of all to have all sacrificed together and to live to no lust but altogether and only to God Thus it must be there is no Monster in the new Creation half a new Creature either all or not at all We have to deal with the Maker and the Searcher of the Heart in this turn and he will have nothing unless he have the Heart and none of that neâ—ther unless he have it all If thou pass over into his Kingdom and become his Subject thou must have him for thy only Soveraign Loyalty can admit no rivality and least of all the highest and best of all If Christ be thy King then his Laws and Scepter must rule all in thee thou must now acknowledge no forreign power that will be treason And if he be thy Husband thou must renounce all others wilt thou provoke him to Jealousie yea beware how thou givest a thought or look of thy affection any other way for he will spy it and will not endure it The Title of a Husband is as strict and tender as the other of a King It s only best to be thus thy great advantage and happiness to be thus entirely freed from so many tyrannous base Lord's and now subject only to one and he so great and withal so gracious and sweet a King the Prince of Peace thou wast hurried before and rack't with the very multitude of them thy Lusts so many cruel task masters over thee they gave thee no rest and the work they set thee to was base and slavish more than the burdens and pots and toyling in the Clay of Egypt held to work in the Earth to pain and to soyl and soul thy self with their drudgâ—ry Now thou hast but one to serve and that 's a great ease and it s no slavery but true honour to serve so excellent a Lord and in so high services for he puts thee upon nothing but what is neat and what is honourable thou art as a Vessel of honour in his House for his best employments now thou art not at pain to please this person and others to vex thy self to gain Men to study their approbation and honours nor to keep to thine own lusts and observe their mind None but thy God to please in all and so he be pleased maist disregard who be displeased his will is not fickle and changing as mens are and thine own he hath told thee what
Life they are called to by a perfect revolution or circuit as there is said of the Sun it visites all Ranks and Estates its going forth is from the end of Heaven and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is nothing hid from the heat of it disdains not to teach the very Servants in their low condition and employments how to behave themselves and sets before them no meaner Example than that of Iesus Christ which is the highest of all Examples and here the Apostle proceeds to give Rules to that Relation which is the main in Families Husbands and Wives for the Order it 's indifferent yet possibly he begins here at the Wives because his former Rules were to inseriours to Subjects and Servants and the duty he commends particularly here to them is Subjectiâ—n Likewise ye Wives be in Subjection c. 〈◊〉 Men have said all and much it may be to little purpose in the Parallel of these two Estates of Life the Result will be sound I conceive all being truly reckoned to be very little odds even in Natural Respects in the thing it self saving only as the particular Condition of Persons and the Hand of Divine Providence turns the Ballance the one way or other and the writing of Satyrs against either or Laudatives for the one in prejudice of the other is but a Caprice of Man's Mind according to their own humor but in Respect of Religion the Apostle having scann'd the Subject to the full leaves it indifferent only requiring in those that are so ingaged Hearts as disingaged as may be that they that Marry be as if they Married not c. Within a while it will be all one as he adds that grave reason for the Fashion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this World passeth 't is but a Pageant a Show of an hour long 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes by and is no more seen thus the great Pomps and Solemnities of Marriages of Kings and Princes in former times where are they Oh! how unseemly is it to have an immortal Soul drowned in the esteem and affection of any thing that perishes and to be cold and indifferent in seeking after a Good that will last as long as it self Aspire to that Good which is the only Match for the Soul that close Union with God which cannot be dissolved which he calls an Everlasting Marriage that will make you happy either with the other or without it All the happiness of the most excellent Persons and top of all Affection and Prosperity meeting in Humane Marriages are but a dark and weak Representation of the solid joy that is in that Mysterious Divine Union of the Spirit of Man with the Father of Spirits from whence it issues But this by the way The Common Spring of all mutual Duties on both sides is to be supposed Love That peculiar conjugal Love that makes them one that will infuse such sweetness into the Authority of the Husband and Obedience of the Wise as will make their Lives harmonious like the sound of a well tun'd instrument whereas without that having such an Universal conjuncture of interest in all their Affairs they cannot escape frequent contests and discords which is a sound more unpleasant than the jarring of untuned Strings to an exact Ear. And this should be considered in the choice that it be not as it is too often which causeth so many Domestick ills contracted only as a Bargain of outward Advantages but as an Union of Hearts And where this is not and that there is something wanting in this point of Affection there if the Parties or either of them have any saving knowledge of God and access to him in Prayer they will be earnest Suiters for his help in this that his Hand may right what no other can that he who is Love it self may infuse that mutual Love into their Hearts now which they should have sought sooner And certainly they that sensibly want this and yet seek it not of him what wonder though they find much bitterness and discontent and where they agree only in Natural Affection their observance of the Duties requir'd is not by far either so comfortable and pleasing or so sure and lasting as when it ariseth from a Religious and Christian Love on both sides that will cover many failings and take things by the best side Love is the prime Duty in both the basis of all but because the particular Character of it as proper to the Wise is conjugal Obedience and Subjection therefore that is usually specified Eph 5. 12. Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord So here Now if it be such obedience as ought to arise from a special kind of Love then the Wife would remember this that it must not be constrained unchearful obedience and the Husband would remember that he ought not to require base and servile Obedience for both these are contrary to that Love whereof this obedience must carry the true tincture and relish as slowing from it there it will hold right where Love commands and Love obeys This Subjection as all other is qualified thus that it be in the Lord. His Authority is Primitive and binds first and all other have their Patents and Priviledges from him therefore he is supremely and absolutely to be observed in all if the Husband would draw the Wife to an irreligious course of Life and looseness he is not to be followed in this but in all things indifferent this obedience must hold which forâ—ids not neither a modest advice and representment to the Husband of that which is more convenient but that done a submissive yielding to the Husbands will is the suiting of this rule Yea possibly the Husband may not only imprudently but unlawfully will that which if not in its own Nature a thing unlawful the Wife by reason of his will may obey lawfully yea could not lawfully disobey Now though this Subjection was a Fundamental Law of pure Nature and came from that hand that made all things in perfect order yet sin that hath imbitter'd all humane things with a Curse hath disrelisht this Subjection and made it taste somewhat of a punishment Gen. 3. 16. and that as a suitable punishment of the abuse of that power she had with him to the drawing of him to disobedience against God The bitterness in this Subjection arises from the corruption of Nature in both in the Wife a perverse desire rather to command or at least a repining discontent at the obligation to obey and this is increased by the disorder and imprudence and harshness of Husbands in the use of their Authority But in a Christian the Conscience of Divine appointment will carry it and weigh down all difficulties for the Wife considers her Station that she is set in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is the Rank the Lord's hand hath plac'd her in and therefore she will not break it for respect and love to him she
Conquest 1. It must begin at the heart otherwise it will be but a Mountebank cure a false imagin'd conquest the weights and wheels are there and the Clock strikes according to their motion even he that speaks contrary to what is within him guilfully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge yet speaks conformably to what is within him in the temper and frame of his heart which is double a heart and a heart as the Psalmist hath it A guileful Heart makes guileful Tongue and Lips it is the Work-house where is the Forge of Deceits and Slanders and other Evil-speakings and the Tongue only the outer shop where they vent and the Lips the Door of it so then such Ware as is made within such and no other can be set out from evil thoughts evil speakings from a prophane heart prophane words and from a malicious heart bitter or calumnious words and from a deceitful heart guileful words well varnish'd but lin'd with rottenness And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh as our Saviour teaches That which the heart is full of runs over by the Tongue if the heart be full of God the Tongue will delight to speak of him much of heavenly things within will sweetly breath forth something of their smell by the mouth and if nothing but earth there all that man's discourse will have an earthly smell and if nothing but wind vanity and folly the Speech will be airy and vain and purposeless Ps. 37 30 31. Ps. 40. 8 9. in the midst of my bowels and as from the center thou sends forth the lines and rays of sutable words and will not cannot refrain as there it is so no more can the evil heart refrain the Tongue from evil as here is directed The Tongue of the Righteous says Solomon is as fined silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth makes the Antithesis in the root his heart little worth and therefore his tongue no silver in it he may be worth thousands as we speak that is indeed in his Chests or Lands and yet himself his heart and all the thoughts of it not worth a penny If thou art inur'd to oaths or cursing in any kind or fashion of it taking the great name of God any ways in vain do not favour thy self in it as a small offence to excuse it by custom is to wash thy self with Ink and to accuse thy self deeper that thou art long practic'd in that sin but if thou would'st indeed be deliver'd from it think not that a flight dislike of it when reprov'd will do but seek for a due knowledge of the Majesty of God and thence a deep reverence of him in thy heart and that will certainly help that habituated Evil of thy Tongue will quite alter that bias that the custom thou speakest of hath given it will cast it in a new Mould and teach it a new Language will turn thy regardless abuse of that name in vain Oaths and Asseverations into a holy frequent use of it in Prayers and Praises thou wilt not then dare to indignifie that blessed name that Saints and Angels bless and adore but will set in with them to bless it None that knows the weight of it will dally with it and lightly lift it up as that word of taking in vain in the command signifies they that do continue to lift it up in vain as it were to sport themselves with it will find the weight of it falling back upon them and crushing them to pieces In like manner a purified heart will unteach the Tongue of all filthy impure speeches and will give it a holy strain and the Spirit of Charity and Humility will banish that mischievous humour that sits so deep in the most of reproaching and disgracing others in any kind either openly or secretly for 't is wicked self-love and pride of heart whence those do spring searching and disclosing the failings of others which love will rather cast a Mantle on to hide them 'T is an argument of a candid ingenuous mind to delight in the good name and commendation of others to pass by their defects and take notice of their vertues and to speak and hear of these willingly and not endure either to speak or hear of the other for in this indeed a Man may be little less guilty than the evil Speaker in taking pleasure in it tho' you speak it not And this is a piece of Men's natural perversness to drink in tales and calumnies and he that doth this will readily from the delight he hath in hearing slide insensibly into the humour of evil speaking and it is strange how the most dispence with themselves in this point and that in no Societies almost shall we find a hatred of this ill but rather some touches of pleasingness in it and until a Christian set himself to an inward watchfulness over his heart not suffering in it any thought either of uncharity or vain self esteem upon the sight of others frailties they will still be subject to somewhat of this in the Tongue or Ear at least So for the evil of guile in the Tongue a sincere heart truth in the inward parts that powerfully redresses therefore Psal. 15. 't is express'd that speaketh the truth from his heart Thence it flows seek much after this to speak nothing with God nor Men but what is the sense of a single unfeigned heart O sweet truth excellent but rare sincerity He that loves that truth within alone can work it seek it of him 2dly Be choice in your society sit not with vain persons whose Tongues have nothing else to utter but impurity or malice or folly Men readily learn the dialect and tone of the people amongst whom they live If you sit down in the chair of scorners take a seat with them you shall readily take a share of their diet with them and sitting amongst them take your turn by time of speaking with them in their own language but frequent grave and Godly Persons in whose hearts and lips piety and love and Wisdom are set and 't is the way to learn it 3dly Use a little of the Bridle in the quantity of speech incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing for in many words there wants not sin That flux of the Tongue that prating and babling disease is very common and hence so many impertinences yea so many of these worse ills in their discourses whispering about and enquiring and censuring this and that A childish delight and yet most Men carry it with them all along to speak of Persons and things not concerning us and this draws Men to speak many things that agree not with the rules of wisdom and charity and sincerity he that refraineth his Lips is wise saith Solomon A Vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness and much might be avoided by a little refraining of this much infection and sin by the many bablings
doing of good The main is to be inwardly principled for it a heart stampt with the love of God and his Commandments for conscience of his Will and Love to him and desire of his Glory to do all a good action even the best kind of actions in an evil hand and from an evil unsanctified heart passes amongst evils Delight in the Lord and his ways David's Oh! how I love thy Law can tell that he esteems it above the richest and pleasantest things on Earth but how much he esteems and loves it he cannot express And upon this will follow as in the former a constant tract and course of obedience even contrary to the stream of wickedness about a man and the bent of his own corrupt heart within him moving against all a serious desire and endeavour after all good within our calling and reach but especially that particular good of our calling that which is in our hand and is peculiarly requir'd of us For in this some deceive themselves look upon such a condition as they imagin were for them or such as is in their eye when they look upon others and think if they were such and had such place and such power and opportunities they would do great matters and in the mean time neglect that good to which they are called and have in some measure power and place to do this is the roving sickly humour of our minds and speaks their weakness as sick persons that would still change their Bâ—d or Posture or place of Abode thinking to be better but a staid mind applies it self to its own station and seeks to glorifie him that set it there reverencing his Wisdom in disposing of it so and there is certainty of a a blessed approbation of this be it never so low 't is not the high condition but much fidelity cures it thou hast been faithful in little We must care not only to answer occasions when they call but to catch at them and seek them out yea to frame occasions of doing good whether in the Lord 's immediate Service delighting in that private and publick or to Men in assisting one with our means another with our admonitions another with counsel or comfort as we can labouring not only to have something of that good that is most contrary to our Nature but even to be eminent in that setting Christian resolution and both the example and strength of our Lord against all oppositions and difficulties and discouragements Looking unto Iesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith c. We see our rule and 't is the rule of peace and happiness what hinders but we apply our hearts to it this is our work and setting aside the advantage that follows consider the thing in it self 1. The opposition of Sin and Obedience under the Name of evil and good 2. The Composition of our rule in these Eschew and do Consider it thus evil and good and it will perswade us to eschew and do And if perswaded to it then 1. Desire light from above to discover to you what is evil and offensive to God in any kind and what pleaseth him what is his will for that is the rule and reason of good in our actions that ye may prove what is the good and holy and acceptable will of God And to discover in your selves what is most enemy and repugnant to that will 2. A renew'd mind to hate that evil the closest and most connatural to you and to love that good even that is most contrary 3. Strength and skill that by another Spirit than your own you may avoid evil and do good and resist the incursions and sollicitings of evil the slights and violences of Satan who is both a Serpent and a Lyon and Power against your own inward corruption and the fallacies of your own heart And thus you shall be able for every good work and be kept in such a measure as suits your present estate blameless in Soul and Body to the coming of Iesus Christ. Oh! but I am often entangled and plunged in Soul-evils and often frustrate in my Thoughts against these evils and aims at the good which is my task And was not this Paul's condition may you not complain in his Language and happy if with some measure of his sense happy in crying out of wretchedness was not this his malady when I would do good evil is present with me But know once that tho' thy duty is this to eschew evil and do good yet thy Salvation is surer founded than on thine own good that perfection that answers Justice and the Law is not required of thee thou art to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit but in so walking whether in a low or high measure still thy comfort lyeth in this that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus As the Apostle begins the next Chapter after his sad complaints Again consider his thoughts in the close of the same Chapter perceiving the Work of God in him and differencing that from the corrupt notions of himself and so finding at once matter of heavy complaint and yet of cheerful exultation O! wretched Man that I am and yet with the same Breath thanks to God through Christ Iesus our Lord. So then mourn with him and yet rejoyce with him and go on with courage as he still fighting the good fight of Faith when thou fallest in the mire be asham'd and humbled yet return and wash in the Fountain open'd and return and beg new strength to walk more surely learn to trust thy self less and God more and up and be doing against thine enemies how tall and mighty soever be the Sons of Anak Be of good courage and the Lord shall be with thee and shall strengthen thy heart and establish thy goings Do not lye down to rest upon lazy conclusions that 't is well enough with thee because thou art out of the common puddle of profaneness but look further to purge from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Do not think thy little is enough or that thou art desperate of attaining more but press press hard toward the mark and prize of thy high calling do not think all is lost because thou art at present foyled the experienc'd Souldier knows that he hath often won the day after a fall or a wound receiv'd and be assur'd that after the short combats of a Moment follows an Eternity of Triumph Let him seek peace and ensue it Omitting the many acceptations of the word peace here particularly external peace with Men I conceive is meant and this to be sought and not only so to be sought when'â—is willingly found but to pursue and follow it when it seems to fly away but yet so to pursue it as never to step out of the way of holiness and righteousness after it and to forsake this rule that goes before it of eschewing evil and doing
diligent endeavour to observe them that vehemently hate what most pleases their corrupt Nature and love the command that crosses it most this is an imperfect kind of perfection Phil. 3. 12 15. On the otherside Evil-doers are they that commit sin with greediness that walk in it make it their way that live in sin as their Element take pleasure in unrighteousness as the Apostle speaks their great faculty and their great delight lyes in sin they are skillful and cheerful Evil doers not any one Man in all kind of sins that 's impossible there is a concatenation of sin and one disposes and induces to another but yet one ungodly Man is readily more vers'd in and delighted with some one kind of sin another with some other forbears none because evil and hateful to God but as he cannot travel over the whole globe of wickedness go the full circuit he walks up and down in his accustomed way of sin No one Mechanick is good at all Trades nor any Man expert in all Arts but he is an evil doer that follows the particular Trade of the sin he hath chosen is active and diligent in that and finds it sweet In a word the main of this opposition lyeth in the bent of the affection what way it is set The godly Man hates the evil he possibly by tentation hath been drawn to do and loves the good he is frustrate of and having intended hath not attain'd to do the sinner that hath his denomination from sin as his course hates the good that sometimes he is forc'd to do and loves that sin which many times he does not either wants occasion and means and so cannot do or through check of an enlightened conscience possibly dares not do tho'so bound up from the act as a Dog in a Chain yet the habit the natural inclination and desire in him is still the same the strength of his affection is carried to sin As in the weakest godly Man there is that predominant sincerity and desire of holy walking according to which he is call'd a righteous person the Lord is pleas'd to give him that Name and account him so being upright in Heart tho' often failing There is a righteousness of a higher strain upon which his Salvation hangs that is not in him but upon him he is cloath'd with it but this other of sincerity and of true and hearty tho' imperfect obedience is the righteousness here meant oppos'd to evil doing 2dly Their opposite condition or portion is express'd in the highest notion of it that wherein the very being of happiness and misery lyeth the favour and anger of God As their natures differ most by the habitude of their affection towards God as their main distinguishing character so the differences of their estate consists in the point of his affection towards them spoke here in our language by the divers aspects of his countenance for that our love and hate usually look's out and shews it self that way Now for the other word expressing his favour to the righteous by the openness of his Ear the opposition in the other needed not for either the wicked pray not or if they do 't is indeed no Prayer the Lord doth not account nor receive it as such and if his face be set against them certainly his ear is shut against them too and so shut that it openeth not to their loudest Prayer Tho they cry in mine ears with a loud voice yet will I not hear them sayes the Lord. And before we pass to the particulars of their condition as here we have them this we would consider a little and apply it to our present business what are these Persons the Lord thus regards and opens his ear to their Prayer This we pretend to be seeking after that the Lord would look favourably upon us and hearken to our Suits for our selves and this Land and the whole Church of God within these Kingdomes Indeed the fervent Prayer of a faithful man availeth much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is of great strength a mighty thing that can bind and loose the influences of Heaven as there is instanc'd and the Prayer of a Righteous Man be it but of one Righteous Man how much the combined cries of many of them together And that we judge not the Righteousness there and here mention'd a thing above human estate Elias sayes the Apostle was a man and a man subject to like passions as we are and yet such a righteous Person as the Lord had an eye and gave ear to in so great a matter but where are those righteous fasters and prayers in great Congregations How few if any to be found that are but such in the lowest sense and measure real Lovers and Inquirers after holiness What are our meetings here but Assemblies of Evil doers rebellious Children ignorant and prophane Persons or dead formal Professors and so the more of us the worse incensing the Lord more and the multitude of Prayers tho we could and would continue many days all to no purpose from such as we Though ye make many prayers when ye multiply prayer I will not hear And when ye spread forth your hands I will hâ—de mine eyes from you your hands so filthy that if you would follow me to lay hold on me with them you drive me further off as one with foul hands following a Person that is neat to catch hold of him and if you spread them out before me my eyes are pure you will make me turn away I cannot endure to look upon them I will hide mine eyes from you And fasting added with prayer will not do it not make it pass when they fast I will not hear their cry Jer. 14 'T is the sin of his People that provokes him instead of favourable looking on them to have his eyes upon them for evil and not for good as he threatens and therefore without puting way of that prayer is lost breath doth no good They that retain still their sins will not hearken to his voice how can they expect but that justly threatned retaliation Prov. 1. and that the Lord in holy scorn in the day of their distress should send them for help and comfort to these things they have made their Gods have preferr'd before him in their trouble They will say arise and save us but where are the Gods that thou hast made thee let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble Jer. 2. 28. And not only do fouler Impieties thus disappoint our prayers but the lodging of any sin in our affection if I regard iniquity in my heart says the Psalmist the Lord will not hear my voice if I see iniquity the word is if mine eye look pleasantly upon it his will not look so upon me nor shall I find his ear so ready and open Says not if I do sin but if I regard it in my heart The heart entertaining and embracing a sin be
as I am of Christ. Is it thus with us are we zealous and emulous followers of that which is good exciting each other by our example to a Holy and Christian Conversation provâ—king one another so the Apostles word is to love and to good works Or are not the most mutual corrupters of each other and the Places and Societiâ—â— where they live some leading and others following in their ungodliness not regarding the course of those that are most desirous to walk holily or if at all doing it with a corrupt and evil eye not to study and follow what is good in them their way of Holiness but to espy any the least wrong step to take exact notice of any imperfection and sometimes malign'd only and by this either to reproach Religion or to hearten or harden themselves in their irreligion and ungodliness seeking warrant for their own willing licentiousness in the unwilling failings of God's Children And in their converse with such as themselves following their prophane way and flattering and blessing one another in it What need we be so precise and if I should not do as others they would laugh at me I should pass for a fool well thou wilt be a fool in the most wretched kind rather than be accounted one by such as are fools and know not at all wherein true Wisdom consists Thus the most carried with the stream of this wicked World their own inward corruption easily agreeing and suting with it every man as a drop falling into a Torrent and easily made one and running along with it into that dead Sea where it empties it self But they whom the Lord hath a purpose to sever and save he carries a contrary course even to that violent sâ—ream and these are the Students of Holiness the Followers of Good that leâ—d their endeavours thus and look on all sides diligently on what may animate and advance them on the example of the Saints in former times and on the good they espy in those that live together with them and above all studying that perfect Rule in the Scriptures and that highest and first pattern there so often set before them even the Author of that Rule the Lord himself to be holy as he is hâ—ly to be bountiful and merciful as their Heavenly Father and in all labouring to be as the Apostle exhorts Fellowers of God as dear Children As Children that are beloved of their Father and do love and reverence him will be ambitious to be like him and particularly aim at the following any Vertues or Excellency in him now thus 't is most reasonable in the Children of God their Father being the highest and best of all Excellency and Perfection But this Excellent pattern is drawn down nearer their view in the Son Iesus Christ where we have that highest Example made low and yet losing nothing of its perfection may study God in Man and read all our Lesson without any blot even in our own Nature and this truely the only way to be the best Proficients in this following and imitating of all good In him all even those blessings that men most despise God teaching them by acting them and calling us to follow Learn of me for I am â—eek and lowly in heart but this is too large a subject Would you advance in all Grace study Christ much and you shall find not only the pattern in him but strength and skill from him to follow it 2. The Advantage who is he that wâ—ll harm you The very name of it says so much a good worthy the following 〈◊〉 it self but there is this further to perswade it that besides higher benefit it oftentimes cuts off the occasions of present evils and disturbances that otherwise men are incident to Who is he Men even evil men will often be overcome by our blameless and harmless behaviour 1. In the Life of a Godly Man taken together in the whole body and frame of it there is a grave beauty or comeliness that oftentimes forces some kind of reverence and respect to it even in Ungodly minds 2. Though a Natural man cannot love them spiritually as Graces of the Spirit of God for so only the partakers of them are Lovers of them yet he may have and usually hath a natural liking and esteem of some kind of vertues which are in a Christian and are not in their right nature in any other to be found tho a Moralist may have somewhat like them Meekness and Patience and Charity and Fidelity c. 3. These and other such-like Graces do make a Christian life so inoffensive and calm that except where the matter of their God or Religion is made the Crime malice it self can scarce tell where to â—asten its Teeth or lay hold hath nothing to pull by though it would yea oftentimes for want of work or occasions 't will fall a sleep for a while whereas Ungodliness and Iniquity sometimes by breaking out into notorious Crimes draws out the Sword of Civil Justice and where it rises not so high yet it involves Men into frequent contentions and quarrels Prov. 23. 29. how often are the lusts and pride and covetousness of men paid with dangers and troubles and vexations that besides what is abiding do even in present spring out of them now these the Godly pass free of by their just and mild and humble carriage whence so many jars and strifs amongst the greatest part but from their unchristian Hearts and Lives from their lusts that war in their members their self-love and unmortified Passions he will bate nothing of his Will nor the other of his Thus where Pride and Passion meets on both sides it cannot be but a fire will be kindled when hard Flints strike together the sparkles will fly about but a soft mild spirit is a great preserver of its own peace kills the power of contest as Wooll packs or such like soft matter most deaâ— the force of Bullets A soft answer turns away wrath says Solomon beats it off breaks the bone as he says the very strength of it as the bones are in the body And thus we find it they that think themselves high-spirited and will beâ—r least as they speak are often even by that forcâ—d to low most or to burst under 't while Humility and Meekness escape many a burden and many a blow always keeps peace within and often without too Obs. 1. If this were duely considered might it not do somewhat to induce your minds to love the way of Religion for that it would so much abate the turbulency and unquietness that abounds in the lives of men a great part whereof the most do procure by the earthliness and distemper of their own carnal minds and the disorder in their ways that arises thence 2. You whose hearts are set towards God and your Feet entred into his ways I hope you find no reason for a change but many to commend and endear that way to you every day more
intention and is this a work to be done at random no 't is the most exact and curious of all works to have the Conscience right and keep it so as watches or other such neat pieces of Workmanship except they be dily wound up and skillfully handled they will quickly go wrong yea besides daily inspection it would as they at sometimes be taken to pieces and more accurately cleansed for the best kept will gather soyl and dust sometimes a Christian should set himself to a more solemn examination of his own heart beyond his daily search and all little enough to have so precious a good as this a good Conscience They that are most diligent and vigilant find nothing to abate as superfluous but still need of more The heart to be kept withall diligence or above all keeping corruption within ready to grow and gain upon it if it be never so little neglected and from without to invade it and get in we breath in a corrupt infected air and have need daily to antidote the heart against it You that are studying to be excellent in this art of a good Conscienee go on seek daily progress in it the study of Conscience is a more sweet profitable study than of all Science wherein is much vexation and the most little or no fruit read this book diligently and correct your Errata by that book the word of God labour to have it pure and right other books and works are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 curious and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by works they shall not appear but this is one of the books that shall be opened in that great day according to which we must be judged On this follows a good Conversation as inseparably connexed with a good Conscience Grace is of a lively active nature and doth act like it self holiness in the heart will be holiness in the life too not some good actions but a good Conversation an uniform even tract of life the whole revolution of it regular the inequality of some Christians ways doth breed much discredit to Religion and discomfort to themselves But observe here 1. The order of these two 2. The principle of both 1. The Consâ—ience good and then the Conversation make the tree good and the fruit will be good says our Saviour so here a good Conscience the root of a good Conversation most Men begin at the wrong end of this work would reform the outward Man first that will do no good 't wil be but dead work Do not rest upon external reformations they will not hold there is no abiding nor no advantage in such a work you think when reprov'd Oh! I will mend and set about the redress of some outward things but this is as good as to do nothing the Mind and Conscience being defiled as the Apostle speaks doth defile all the rest 't is a mire in the spring although the pipes are cleansed they will grow quickly fowl again so Christians in their progress in grace would eye this most that the Conscience be growing purer the heart more spiritual the affections more regular and heavenly and their outward carriage will be holier whereas the outward work of performing duties and being much exercis'd in Religion may by the neglect of this be labour in vain and amend nothing foundly To set the outward Actions right though with an honest Intention and not so to regard and find out the inward disorder of the Heart whence that in the Actions flows is but to be still putting the Handle of a Clock right with your Finger while 't is foul or out of order within which is a continual business and does no good Oh! but a purified Conscience a Soul renew'd and refin'd in its temper and affections will make things go right without in all the duties and acts of our Callings 2. The Principle of Good in both is Christ. Your good Conversation in Christ. The Conversation not good unless in him so neither the Conscience 1. He the Person must be in him and then the Conscience and Conversation will be good in him the Conscience that is morally good having some kind of vertuous Habits yet being out of Christ is nothing but pollution in the fight of God it must be washt in his blood ere it can be clean all our pains will not cleanse it floods of tears will not do it 't is blood and that blood alone that hath the Vertue of purging the Conscience from dead Works Heb. 9. 2. In him the perfect pattern of Holiness the Heart and Life to be conformed to him and so made truely good 3. He the Spirit of Grace whence it is first derived and always fed and maintained and made active a Spirit goes forth from him that cleanseth our Spirits and so makes our Conversation clean and holy If thou wouldst have thy Conscience and Heart purify'd and pacify'd and have thy Life certify'd go to Christ for all make use of him as of his blood to wash of thy guiltiness so of his spirit to purifie and sanctifie thee if thou wouldst have thy Heart reserv'd for God pure as his Temple if thou wouldst have thy Lusts cast out that pollute thee and findest no power to do it go to him desire him to scourge out that filthy Rable that abuse his House and make it a Den of Thieves Seek this as the only Way to have thy Soul and ways righted to be in Christ and then walk in him Let thy Conversation be in Christ study him and follow him look on his Way on his Graces his Obedience and Humility and Meekness till by looking on them they make the very Idea of thee new as the Painter doth of a Face he would draw to the Life so behold his Glory that thou maist be transformed from glory to glory but as it is there added this must be by the Spirit of the Lord do not therefore look on him simply as an example without thee but as lâ—e within thee having received him walk not only like him but in him as the Apostle St. Paul speaks and as the word is here your Conversation not only according to Christ but in Christ draw from his fullâ—ess Grace for Grace 2dly The other thing in the Words is the advantage of this good Conscience and Conversation 1 Even external towards the malicious ungodly World they shall be ashamed that falsly accuse you thus often it is â—ven most evident to men the victory of Innocency silent Innocency most strongly confuting all calumny making the ungodly false accusers hide their heads thus without stirring the Integrity of a Christian conquers as a Rock unremoved breaks the Waters that are dashing against it And thiâ— not only a lawful but laudible way of revenge shaming calumny out of it and punishing evil-speakers by well-doing shewing really how false their acâ—users were this the powerfullest Apology and Refutation as his was of the Sophister that would prove there were no motion by rising up
so as to be pleased with that waiting for them in possibility at least of their being reclaimed knowing that however if they return not yet the Lord will not lose his own at their hands Wilt thou said these two fiery Disciples that we call for fire as Elias Oh! but the Spirit of the Dove rested on him that told them they knew not what Spirit they were of you speak of Elias and you think you are of his Spirit in this motion but you mistake your selves that comes from another spirit than you imagine instead of such sudden Jâ—stice without you look inward and see whence that is examine and correct within you When you are tempted to take ill that goodness and patience of God to sinners Consider 1. Can this be right to differ from his mind in any thing is it not our only Wisdom and ever safe Rule to think as he thinks and will as he wills And I pray you does he not hate sin more than you do is not his interest in punishing it deeper than yours And if you be zealous for his interest as you pretend then be so with him and in his way for starting from that sure you are wrong 2. Consider did he not wait for thee what had become of thee if long suffering had not subserv'd his purpose of further mercy of free pardon to thee and why will thou not always allow that to which thou art so much obliged would'st thou have the Bridge cut because thou art so over Sure thou wilt not own so gross a thought Therefore esteem thy God still the more thou â—eest of his long suffering to sinners and learn for him and with him to bear and wait But this was not a dumb forbearance such as may serve for a surprize but continual teaching and warning joyned with it as before We see they wanted not preaching of the choicest kind he the Son of God by his Eternal Spirit went and preached to them it was his Truth in Noah's mouth and with that we have a continued real Sermon exprest in this Verse while the Ark was preparing that spoke God's mind and every knock as the usual Observation is of the Hammers and Tools used in Building preach'd to them threatning aloud designed Judgement and Exhorting to prevent it and therefore that word is added that the long suffering of God waited or expected expected a believing of his Word and returning from their wickedness but we see no such thing followed they took their own Course still and therefore the Lord took his they had polluted the Earth with their wickedness now the Lord would have the cleansing by Repentance that being denied it must be another way by flood and because they and their sins remained one they would not part with them therefore was one work made of both they and their sins as inseparable must be cleansed away together Thus impenitency under much long suffering makes Judgement full and compleat I attest you hath not the Lord used much forbearance towards us hath he not patiently spared us and clearly warned us and waited long for the Fruit of all hath any thing been wanting have not Temporal Mercies been multiplied on us have not the Spiritual Riches of the Gospel been opened up to us And each of you for your selves consider how it s with you after so much long suffering of God that none of you can deny he hath used towards you and so many gracious Invitations with that patience have they gained your hearts or do you still remain Servants to sin still Strangers to him and formal Worshipers I beseech you think on it what will be the issue of that course Is it a light matter to you to die in your sins and to have the wrath of God abiding on you to have refused Christ so often and that after you have been so often requested to receive Salvation after the Lord hath followed you with intreaties hath called to you so often why will ye die yet wilfully to perish and withal to have all these come in and accuse you and make your burden heavier would you willingly die in this estate if not then think that yet he is waiting if at length you will return this one day more of his waiting you have and of his speaking to you and some that were here with you the last day are taken away since Oh! that we were wise and would consider our latter end tho' there were neither Sword or Pestilence near you you must die and for any thing you know quickly why wear you out the day of Grace and those precious Seasons still as uncertain of Christ yea as indiligent after him as you were long ago as you love your Souls be more serious in their business this was their undoing they were all for present things they eat and drank they married in a continued course without ceasing and without minding their after-estate they were drowned in these things and that drowned them in a Flood Noah did eat and drink but his main Work was in that time the preparing of the Ark. The necessities of this Life the Children of God are tied to and fore't to bestow some time and pains on them but the thing that takes up their Hearts that which the bent of their Souls is set on is their interest in Jesus Christ and all your wise designs are but a pleasing madness till this be chief with you Others have had as much of God's patience and as fair opportunity as you whose Souls and Christ have never met and now know that they never shall they had their time of worldly projects and enjoyment as you now have and followed them as if they had been immortally to abide with them but they are past away as a Shadow and we are posting after them and within a while shall lie down in the dust Oh! how happy they whose hearts are not here trading with vanity and gathering vexation but whose thoughts are on that blessed life above trouble Certainly they that pass for fools within the World are the only Children of wisdom that have renounced their lusts and their own wills have yielded up themselves to Jesus taken him for their King and have their minds resting on him as their Salvation While the Ark was a preparing Obs. 1. The delay of the Lords determined Judgement on the ungodly was indeed long-suffering towards them but here was more in it to Noah and his Family the providing for their preservation and till that was compleated for them the rest were spared Thus the very forbearance that the ungodly do enjoy is usually involv'd with the interest of the godly somthing of that readily goes into it and so it is in a great part for their sakes that the rest are both spared and are furnisht with common mercies The Saints are usually the scorn and contempt of others yet are by that love the Lords carries towards them the very Arches Pillars of States
this great task to be gaining further upon it and overcoming and mortifying it every Day and to this tend the frequent Exhortations of this Nature Mortifie your members that are on the earth So Rom. 6. Likewise reekon your selves dead to sin and let it not reign in your mortal bodies Thus here Arm your selves with the same Mind or with this very thought Consider and apply that suffering of Christ in the flesh to the end that you with him suffering in the flesh may cease from sin Think it ought to be thus and seek that it may be thus with you Arm your selves There is still fighting and sin will be molesting you though wounded to death yet will it struggle for life and seek to wound its enemy will assault the graces that are in you Do not think if it be once struck and you have a hit near to the heart by the Sword of the Spirit that therefore it will stir no more No so long as you live in the flesh in these bowels there will be remainders of the life of this flesh your natural corruption Therefore ye must be Armed against it Sin will not give you rest so long as there is a drop of blood in its vein one spark of life in it and that will be so long as you have life here This old Man is stout and will fight himself to death and at the weakest it will rouze up it felt and act its dying Spirits as Men will do sometimes more eagerly then when they were not so weak nor so near death This the Children of God often find to their grief that corruptions which they thought had been cold dead stir and rise up again and set upon them A â—assion or Lust that after some great stroke lay along while as dead stirred not and therefore they thought to have heard no more of it though it shall never recoverfully again to be lively as before yet will revive in such a measure as to molest and possibly to foyl them yet again Therefore is it continually necessary that they live in Arms and put them not off to their dying day till they put off the body and be altogether free of the flesh you may take the Lord's promise for victory in the â—nd that shall not fail but do not promise your self ease in the way for that will not hold if at somtimes you be at under give not all for lost he hath often won the Day that hath been foiled and wounded in the fight but likwise take not all for won so as to have no more conflict when sometimes you have the better as in particular battels be not desperate when you loose nor secure when you gain them when it is worst with you do not throw away your Arms nor lay them away when you are at best Now the way to be armed is this the same mind how would my Lord Christ carry himself in this case and what was his business in all places and Companies was it not to do the will and advance the glory of his Father If I be injured and reviled consider how would he do in this would he repay one injury with another one reproach with another reproach No being reviled he reviled not again Well through his strength this shall be my way too Thus ought it to be with the Christian framing all his ways and words and very thoughts upon that model the mind of Christ and to study in all things to walk even as he walked 1. Studying it much as the reason and rule of Mortification 2. Drawing from it as the real Cause and Spring of mortification The pious Contemplation of his Death will most powerfully kill the love of sin in the Soul and kindle an ardent hatred of it The Believer looking on his Jesus crucified for him and wounded for his transgressions and taking in deep thoughts of his spotless Innocency that deserved no such thing and of his matchless love that yet endured it all for him then will he think shall I be a friend to that which was his deadly enemy shall sin be sweet to me that was so bitter to him and that for my sake shall I ever have a favourable thought or lend it a good look that shed my Lord's blood shall I live in that for which he died and died to kill it in me Oh! let it not be To the end it may not be let such really apply that Death to work this on the Soul for this is always to be added and is the main indeed by holding and fastning that Death close to the Soul effectually to kill the effects of sin in it to stiâ—â—e and crush them dead by pressing that death on the heart looking on it not only as a most compleat model but as having a most effectual vertue for this effect and desiring him intreating our Lord himself who communicates himself and the vertue of his death to the Believer that he would powerfully cause it to flow to us and let us feel the vertue of it It s then the only thriving and growing life to be much in the lively Contemplation and Application of Jesus Christ to be continually studying him and conversing with him and drawing from him receiving of his fullness grace for grace Wouldest thou have much power against sin and much increase of holiness let thine eye be much on Christ set thine heart on him let it dwell in him and be still with him When sin is like to prevail in any kind go to him tell him of the insurrection of his enemies and thy inability to resist and desire him to suppress them and to help thee against them that they may gain nothing by their stirring but some new wound If thy heart begin to be taken with and move towards sin lay it before him the beams of his love shall eat out that fire of these sinful lusts Wouldest thou have thy Pride and Passions and love of the World and self love kill'd go suit for the vertue of his death and that shall do it seek his Spirit the Spirit of Meekness and Humility and Divine Love Look on him and he shall draw thy heart heavenwards and unite it to himself and make it like himself And is not that the thing thou desirest Verses 2 3. Ver. 2. That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine revellings banquetings and abominable idolatries THE Chains of sin are so strong and so fastened on our Nature that there is in us no power to break them off till a mightier and stronger Spirit than our own come into us The Spirit of Christ dropt inâ—o the Soul makes it able to break through an host and leap over a Wall as David speaks of himself furnisht with
he likes and desires and alters not so now thou knowest whom thou hast to do withal and what to do whom to please and what will please him and this cannot but much settle thy mind and put thee to ease and thou maist say heartily as rejoycing in the change of so many for one and such for such a one as the Church says Isa. 26 13. O Lord our God other Lords beside thee have had dominion over me but now by thee only will I make mention of thy name now none but thy self not so much as the name of them any more away with them through thy Grace thou only shalt be my God It cannot endure any thing be named with thee Now that it may be thus that we may wholly live to the will of God we must know his will what it is Persons grosly ignorant of God and of his will cannot live to him we cannot have fellowship with him and walk in darkness for he is light This takes off a great many amongst us that have not so much as a common Notion of the Will of God but besides that Knowledge which is a part and I may say the first part of the renewed Image of God is not a Natural Knowledge of Spiritual Things meerly attained by human teaching or industry but it s a beam of God's own issuing from himself both enlightening and enlivening the whole Soul gains the affection and stirs to action and so indeed it acts and increases by acting for the more we walk according to that of the Will of God which we know the more we shall be advanced to know more that is the real proving what is his good and holy and acceptable will Rom 12. 2. so says Christ if any will do the Will of my Father he shall know of the Doctrine our lying off from the lively use of known Truth keeps us low in the Knowledge of God and Communion with him 2. So then upon that Knowledge of God's Will where it is Spiritual and from himself follows the suiting of the Heart with it the affections taking the stamp of it and agreeing with it receiving the Truth in the love of it the Heart transformed into it and now not driven to obedience violently but sweetly moving to it by love within the Heart framed to the love of God and so of his Will 3. As Divine Knowledge begets this affection so this affection will bring forth action real obedience For these three are inseparably linkt and dependant on the product of another in this way the affection is not blind but flowing from knowledge nor actual obedience constrained but flowing from affection and the affection is not idle seeing it brings forth obedience nor the knowledge dead seeing it begets affection Thus the renewed the living Christian is all for God a sacrifice entirely offer'd up to God and a living sacrifice lives to God Takes no more notice of his own carnal will hath renounc't that to embrace the holy will of God and therefore though there is a contrary Law and will in him yet he does not acknowledge it but only the Law of Christ as now establisht in him that Law of Love by which he is sweetly and willingly led Real Obedience consults not now in his ways with Flesh and Blood what will please them but only enquires what will please his God and knowing his mind thus resolves to demur no more nor to ask consent of any other that he will do and its reason enough to him my Lord will's it therefore in his strength I will do it for now I live to his will it is my Life to study and obey it Now we know what is the true Character of the redeemed of Christ that they are freed from the service of themselves and of the World yea dead to it and have no Life but for God as all his Let this then be our study and ambition to attain this and to grow in it to be daily further freed from all other ways and desires and more wholly addicted to the will of our God displeased when we find any thing else stir or move within us but that that he Spring of our Motion in every work 1. Because we know his Soveraign Will and most justly so is the Glory of his Name therefore not to rest till this be set up in our view as our end in all and to count all our plausible doings as hateful as indeed they are that are not aimed at this end yea endeavouring to have it as much frequent and express before us as we can attain still our eye on the mark throwing away yea undoing our own interest not seeking our selves in any thing but him in all 2. As living to his will in the end of all so in all the way to every step of it For we cannot attain his end but in his way nor can we intend it without a resignation of the way to his prescript taking all our directions from him how we shall honour him in all The Soul that lives to him hath enough not only to make any thing warrantable but amiable to seek his will and not only does it but delights to do it that 's to live to him to find it our life as we speak of a work wherein Men do most and with most deligh employ themselves In that such a lust be Crucified is it thy will Lord then no more advising no more delay how dear soever that was when I lived to it it is now as hateful seeing I live to thee who it thou hatest Wilt thou have me â—orget an injury though a great one and love the person that hath wronged me While I lived to my self and my passions this had been hard But now how sweet is it seeing I live to thee and am glad to be put upon things most opposite to my corrupt heart glad to trample upon my own will to follow thine and this I daily aspire to and aim at to have no will of my own but that thine be in me that I may live to thee as one with thee and thou my rule and delight Yea not to use the very natural comforts of my Life but for thee to eat and drink and sleep for thee and not to please my self but to be enabled to serve and please thee to make one offering of my self and all my actions to thee my Lord. Oh! it s the only sweet life to be living thus and daily learning to live more fully thus it is Heaven this a little scantling of it here and a pledge of whole Heaven this is indeed the life of Christ not only like his but one with his it is his Spirit his Life derived into the Soul And therefore both the most excellent and certainly most permanent for he dieth no more and therefore this his Life cannot be extinguisht hence is the perseverance of the Saints Because being one Life with Christ alive unto God one for all for
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt And besides many other things to animate this that is here exprest Oh! how full is it They shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead And this in readiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the day set and it shall surely come though you think it far off Though the wicked themselves forget them and the Christian slight them and let them pass they pass not so they are all registred and the great Court-day shall call them to account for all these riots and excesses and withal for all their reproaches of the godly that would not run with them in these ways Tremble then you despisers and mockers of Holiness though you come not near it What will you do when these you reviled shall appear glorious in your sight and their King the King of Saints here much more glorious and his glory their joy and all terror to you Oh! then all faces that could look out disdainfully upon Religion and the Professors of it shall gather blackness and be bathed with shame and the more the despised Saints of God shall shout for joy You that would rejoyce then in the appearing of that holy Lord and Judge of the World let your way be now in holiness avoid and hate the common ways of the wicked World they live in their foolish opinion and that shall quickly end But the Sentence of that day shall stand for ever Verse 6. 6. For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit IT is a thing of prime concernment for a Christian to be rightly inform'd and frequently remembred what is the true estate and nature of a Christian for this the Multitude of those that bear that name either knows not or commonly forgets and so is carried away with the vain fancies and mistakes of the World The Apostle hath charactered Christianity very clearly to us in this place by that which is the very nature of it conformity with Christ and that which is necessarily consequent upon that disconformity with the World And as the nature and natural properties of things hold universally thus it is in those that in all ages are effectually called by the Gospel are moulded and framed thus by it thus it was says the Apostle with your Brethren that are now at rest as many as received the Gospel and for this end was it preacht to them that they might be judg'd according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the Spirit We have first here the preaching of the Gospel or suitable means to a certain end 2. The express Nature of that end 1. For this Cause There is a particular end and that very important which the preaching of the Gospel is aimed at this end many consider not hearing it as if it were to no end not propounding a fixed determined end in our hearing This therefore is to be considered by those that preach this Gospel that they aim right in it at this end and no other no self end The legal Priests not to be squint eyed nor evangelical Ministers thus squinting to base gain vain applause and also that they make it their study to find in themselves this work this living to God otherwise they cannot skillfully nor faithfully apply their gifts to this effect on their hearers and therefore acquaintance with God most necessary How sounds it to many of us at the least but as a well couched story whose use is to amuse us and possibly delight us a little and there is an end and indeed no end and turns the most serious and most glorious of all Messages unto an empty sound and if we awake and give it hearing it is much but for any thing further how few deeply before hand consider I have a dead heart therefore will I go unto the word of Life that it may be quickened it is frozen I will go and lay it before the warm Beams of that Sun that shines in the Gospel my corruptions mighty and strong and grace if any exceeding weak there is in the Gospel a power to weaken and to kill sin and to strengthen grace and this being the intent of my wise God in appointing it it shall be my desire and purpose in resorting to it to find it to me according to his gracious intendment to have faith in my Christ the Fountain of my Life more enabled and more active in drawing from him to have my heart more refined and spiritualized and to have the Sluse of Repentance opened and my Affections to Divine things enlarged more hatred of sin and more love of God and communion with him Ask your selves concerning former times and to take your selves even now enquire within why came I hither this day what had I in mine eye and desires this morning ere I came forth and in my way as I was coming did I seriously propound an end or no and what was my end Nor doth the meer custome of mentioning this in prayer satisfie the question for this as other such things usually do in our hand may turn to a lifeless form and have no heat of spiritual affection none of David's panting and breathing after God in his ordinances such desires as will not be still'd without a measure of attainment as the Childs desire of the breast as our Apostle resembles it chap. 2. And then again being returned home reflect on your hearts much hath been heard but is there any thing done by it have I gained my point it was not to pass a little time simply that I went or to pass it with delight in hearing rejoycing in that light as they did in S. Iohn Baptists for a season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as long as the hour lasts it was not to have my earpleased but my heart changed not to learn some new notions and carry them cold in my head but to be quickened and purified and renewed in the Spirit of my mind is this done think I now more esteemingly of Christ and the life of faith and the happiness of a Christian and are such thoughts solid and abiding with me what sin have I left behind what Grace of the Spirit have I brought home or what new degree or at least new desire of it a living desire that will follow its point Oh! this were good repetition A strange folly of multitudes of us to set our selves no mark to propound no end in the hearing of the Gospel The Merchant sails not only that he may sail but for traffick and trafficks that he may be rich The Husband Man plows not only to keep himself busie with no further end but plows that he may sow and sows that he may reap with advantage and shall we do the most excellent and fruitful work fruitlesly hear only to hear and look no
that they go through so many tribulations and tentations so many fightings without and fears within the Christian so simple and weak and his enemies so crafty and powerful The Oppositions of the wicked World their hatreds and scorns and molestations the flights and violence of Satan and the worst of all the strength of their own corruptions And by reason of abounding corruption such frequent almost continual need of purging by afflictions and trials to be still under Physick to be of necessity at sometimes drained and brought so low till there is scarce strength or life remaining in them And truely all outward difficulties would be but matter of ease would be as nothing were it not the incumberance of lusts and corruptions within were a man to meet disgraces and sufferings for Christ how easily would he go through them yea and rejoyce in them were he rid of the fretting impatience the pride and self-love of his own carnal heart these clog and trouble worst and he cannot shake them off nor prevail against them without much pains many prayers and tears and many times after much wrestling scarce finds that he hath gained any ground yea sometimes is foiled and thrown by them And so in all other duties such a fighting and continual combate with a revolting backsliding heart the flesh pulling and dragging downwards when he would mount up finds himself as a Bird with a stone tied to its foot hath Wings that flutter to be upwards but is pressed down with the weight fastened to him what struggling with wandrings and deadness in hearing and reading and prayer and that which is most grievous that by their unwary walking and the prevailing of some corruption they sadden the Spirit of God and provoke him to hide his face and withdraw his comforts How much pain to attain any thing any particular grace of humility or meekness or self-denial and if any thing attained how hard to keep and maintain it against the contrary party how often driven back to their old point if they do but cease from striving a little they are carried back by the stream and what returns of doubtings and misbelief after they thought they were got somewhat above them in so much that sometimes they are at the point of giving over and thinking it will never be for them and yet through all those are they brought safe home there is another strength that bears them up and brings them through but yet these things and many more of this nature argue the difficulty of their course and that it is not so easie a thing to come to Heaven as most imagine it Inf. Thou that findest so little stop and conflict in it goest thy round of eternal duties and all is well art no more troubled thou hast need to enquire after a long time spent in that way am I right am I not yet to begin sure this looks not like the way to Heaven as it is described in the Scripture it is too smooth and easie to be right And if the way of the Righteous be so hard then how hard shall be the end of the ungodly and sinner that walks in sin with delight it were strange if they should be at such pains and with great difficulty attain their end and he should come in amongst them in the end they were fools indeed true if it were so but what if it be not so then the wicked is the fool and shall find he is when he shall not be able to stand in Judgment where shall he appear when to the end he might not appear he would be glad to be smother'd under the weight of the Hills and Mountains if they could shelter him from appearing And what is the aim of all this that we have spoken or can speak in this subject but that ye may be moved to take into deeper thoughts the concernment of your immortal Souls Oh! that you would be perswaded Oh! that you would make in to Jesus Christ and seek Salvation in him seek to be covered with his righteousness and to be led by his Spirit in the ways of righteousness That will seal to you the happy certainty of the end and overcome for you all the difficulties of the way what is the Gospel of Christ preached for what was the blood of Christ shed for was it not that by receiving him we might escape condemnation nay this drew him from heaven he came that we might have life and might have it more abundantly Verse 19. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator NOthing doth so establish the mind in the rollings and turbulency of present things as both a look above them and a look beyond them above them to the steady and good hand by which they are ruled and beyond them to the sweet and beautiful end to which by that hand they shall be brought This the Apostle layes here as the foundation of that patience and peace in troubles wherewith he would have his brethren furnisht Aâ—d thus he closes this in these words Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful creator The words contain the true principle of Christian patience and tranquility of mind in the sufferings of this life expressing both wherein it consists and what are the grounds of it 1. It lies in this committing the Soul unto God the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added is a true qualification of this that it be in well doing according to the preceeding Doctrine which the Apostle gives clearly and largely ver 15 16. If they would have inward peace amidst outward trouble they must walk by the rule of peace and keep strictly to it if you would commit your Soul to the keeping of God know he is a holy God and an unholy Soul that walks in any way of wickedness known or secret is no fit commodity to put into his pure hand to keep Therefore as ye would have this confidence to give your holy God the keeping of your Soul and that he accept of it and take it off your hand beware of willing pollutions and unholy ways walk so as you discredit not your protector and move him to be ashamed of you and disclaim you Shall it be said you live under his shelter and walk inordinately as this cannot well be you cannot well believe it to be loose ways will loosen your hold of him and confidence in him you will be driven to question your interest and to think sure I do but delude my self can I be under his safeguard and yet follow the course of the World and my corrupt heart certainly be it who will he will not be a guardian and patron of wickedness No he is not a God that hath pleasure in iniquity nor shall evil dwell with him If thou
thy teachers be removed into a corner c. Oh! how rich in promises that Jer. 3. 15. I will give you Pasters acording to my own heart Inf. This promise to be prest and suited for by earnest prayer were people much in this duty Pastors would find it and so people themselves receive back their Prayers with much gain into their own bosom have the returned benefit of it as the Vapours that go up from below fall down upon the Earth again in sweet showers and make it fruitful thus went there many prayers up for Pastors their Doctrine would drop as rain and destill as dew and the sweet influence of it would make fruitful the Valleys humble hearts receiving it And at this time it is very needful that the Lord be much suited for the continuance and increase of his savour in this his Church as they that have power would be more careful of those due means that in Schools of learning or otherways are needful for the enablement of men for this service so all generally both People and Pastors and such as are offering themselves to that service would chiefly beg from the higher Academy that teaching abunâ—ance of that Spirit to those imployed in that work that might make them able Ministers of the New Testament Oh! it is an inestimable blessing to have the saving Light of the Gospel shining clear in the faithful and powerful Ministry of it they thought so that said of their worthy Teacher they had rather for them the Sun should not shine than he should not teach 2. The person exhorting I a compresbyter or fellow-elder with you The duty of mutual exhorting lies on each Christian to another little known amongst the greatest part but truly Pastors would be as in other duties so in this eminent and exemplary in their intercourses and converse saying often one to another Oh! let us remember to what we are called to how high and heavy a charge to what holiness and diligence How great the hazard of our miscarriage and how great the reward of our fidelity is whetting and sharpening one another by those weighty and holy considerations And as a Witness of the suffering of Christ. He did indeed give witness to Christ by suffering for him the hatred and persecutions of the World in the publishing of the Gospel and so was a witness and Martyr before the time that he was put to death and this I exclude not but that which is more particularly here intended is his certain knowledge of the sufferings of Christ in his own person as an eye witness of them and upon that knowledge a publisher of them Luke 24. 48. And thus these two suit with the two motives bearing home the exhortation The one couch't in that the flock of God v. 2. His purchase with those his sufferings whereof I was an eye witness And the other of a Crown v. 4. I may speak the more confidently of that for I am one of those that have real interest in it and firm belief of it a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed And these indeed are the things that give weight to a Man's words make them powerful and pressing A witness of the suffering of Christ. The Apostles had a singular advantage in this that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye witnesses and St. Paul that wanted that had it supplyed by a vision of Christ in his conversion But certainly a spiritual view of Christ crucified is generally I will not say absolutely necessary to make a Minister of Christ but certainly very requisite for the due witnessing of him and opening up the excellency and vertue of his sufferings so to preach the Gospel that there needs no other crucifix after so clear and lively a way as that it may in some measure suit the Apostles Word Gal. 3. 1. Before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Men commonly read and hear and may possibly preach of the sufferings of Christ as a common story and that way it may a little move a Man and wring tears from his eyes but faith hath another kind of sight of them and so works other kind of affections and without that the very eye sight of them availed the Apostles nothing for how many saw him suffer as they did that reviled or at least despised him But by the eye of faith to see the only begotten Son of God as stricken and smitten of God bearing our sorrows and wounded for our transgression Jesus Christ the righteous reckoned amongst the unrighteous and malefactors to see him stript naked and scourged and buffetted and nailed and dying and all for us this is the thing that will bind upon us most strongly all the duties of Christianity and of our Callings and best enables us according to our Callings to bind them upon others But our slender view of these things makes light sense and that cold incitements to answerable duty certainly deep impression would cause lively expression Would we willingly stir up our own hearts and one another to holy diligence in our Station study Christ as suffering and dying more thoroughly that is the very life of the Gospel and of our Souls 't is all we have to learn and all we have to teach and press on you I determined to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him crucified To make Christ's Cross the sum of all my learning Of the glory that shall be revealed As a witness of those sufferings so a partaker of the glory purchast by these sufferings and therefore as one insighted and interessed in what he speaks the Apostle might fitly speak of that peculiar duty which these sufferings and glory do peculiarly perswade This the only way of speaking of those things not as a Discourser or contemplative Student but a partaker there is another force of a Pastors exhortation either to his people or his brethren that brings his message written upon his own heart speaks of the guilt of sin and sufferings of Christ for it as particularly feeling his own guilt and looking on these sufferings as taking it away speaks of free grace as one that either hath drunken of the refreshing streams of it or at least is earnestly thirsting after it of the love of Christ from a heart kindled with it of the glory to come as one that looks to be sharer in it and longs earnestly for it that hath all his joy and content laid up in the hopes of it And thus Christians one with another in their mutual exhortings and comfortings all is cold and dead that â—lows not from some inward perswasion and experimental knowledge of divine things that gives edge and sweetness to Christian conference To be speaking of Jesus Christ not only as a King and as Redeemer but their King and their Redeemer Davids stile my King and my God and of his sufferings as theirs applyed by saith and acquitting them in St. Pauls
he is the Lord our maker Power Is here not only ability but authority and Royal Soveraignity that as he can do all things he rules and governs all things is King of all the World Lord paramount all hold their Crowns of him and the Shields of the Earth belong unto God he is greatly to be exalted disposeth of States and Kingdoms at his pleasure establisheth or changeth turns and overturns as seems him good and hath not only might but right to do so He is the Most High ruling in the Kingdoms of the Children of Men and giving them to whomsoever he will and readily pours contempt upon Princes when they contemn his power The term for ever Even in the short Life of Man Men that are raised very high in place and popular esteem may and often do out live their own Glory but the Glory of God lasteth as long as himself for he is unchangeable his Throne is for ever and his wrath for ever and his mercy for ever and therefore Glory for ever Inf. 1. Is it not to be lamented that he is so little glorify'd and prais'd that the Earth being so full of his goodness is so empty of his praise from them that enjoy and live upon it How far are the greatest part from making this their great work to exalt God and ascribe power and glory to his name for that all their ways are his dishonour seek to advance and raise themselves to serve their own Lusts and pleasures and altogether mindless of his glory the Apostles complaint holding good against us all seeking our own things and none the things of the Lord Iesus Christ true some there are but as his meaning is so few that they are as it were drown'd and smother'd in the crowd of self seekers so that they appear not After all the judgments of God upon us how doth still luxury and excess uncleanness and all kind of profaness out-dare the very light of the Gospel and rule of holiness shining in it scarce any thing a matter of common shame and scorn but the power of godliness turning indeed our true glory into shame and glorying in that which is indeed our shame Holiness not only our true glory but that wherein the ever glorious God doth especially glory and hath made known himself so much by that name the holy God And that which is the express stile of his glorious praises uttered by Seraphims Isa. 6. Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory Instead of sanctifying and glorifying this holy name how doth the Language of Hell oaths and cursâ—s abound in our Streets and Houses that blessed name that Angels are blessing and praising abused by base worms Again notwithstanding all the mercies multiply'd upon us in this Land where are our praises our Songs of deliverance our ascribing glory and â—ower to our God who hath prevented us with loving kindness and tender mercies hath removed the stroaks of his hand and made Cities and Villages populous again that were left desolate without Inhabitants Oh! why do we not stir up our hearts and one another to extol the name of our God and say give unto the Lord Glory and strengthâ— give unto the Lord the glory due to his name have we not seen the pride and glory of all flesh stain'd and abased were there ever affairs and times that more discovered the folly and weakness of Men and the Wisdom and power of God Oh! were our hearts set to magnifie him that word often repeated in that Psalm Psal. 107. Oh! that Men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Inf. 2. But what wonder that the Lord loses the reverence of his praises at the hands of the common ungodly World when even his own people fall so far behind in it as usually they do the dead cannot praise him but that they that he hath quickned by his Spirit should yet be so surprised with deadness and dullness as to this Exercise of exalting God this is very strange for help of this 1. We should seek after a fit temper labour to have our hearts brought to a due disposition for his praises and 1. That they be spiritual spiritual services require that but this most as being indeed the most spiritual of all affection to the things of this Earth draw down the Soul and make it so low set that it cannot rise to the height of a Song of praise and thus if we observ'd our selves we would find that when we let our hearts fall and entangle themselves in any inferiour desires and delights as they are unfitted generally for holy things so especially for the praises of our holy God Creature loves abase the Soul and turn it to Earth and praise is altogether heavenly 2. Seek a heart purify'd from self-love and possest with the love of God the heart that is ruled by its own interest is scarce ever content still subject to new disquiet self is a vexing thing for readily all things do not sute our humours and wills and the least touch that is wrong to a selfish mind distempers it and disrelishes all the good things about it a childish condition it is if crost but in a toy throw away all Whence are our frequent frettings and grumblings and that we can drown a hundred high favours in one little displeasure and still our finger is upon that string more male-content and repining for one little cross than praises for all the mercies we have received Is not this evidently the self-love that abounds in us Whereas were the love of God predominant in us we would love his doings and disposals and bless his name in all whatsoever were his will would in that view be amiable and sweet to us however in it self harsh and unpleasant Thus would we say in all this is the will and the hand of my Father who doth all wisely and well blessed be his name The Soul thus framed would praise in the deep of troubles not only in outward afflictions but in the saddest inward condition would be still extolling God and saying however he deal with me he is worthy to be loved and praised he is great and holy he is good and graâ—cious and whatsoever be his way and thoughts towards me I wish him glory if he will be pleased to give me light and refreshment blessed be he and if he will have me to be darkness again blessed be he glory to his name yea what though he should utterly reject me is he not for that to be accounted infinitely merciful in the saving of others must he cease to be praise worthy for my sake if he condemn yet he is to be praised being merciful to so many others yea even in so dealing with me is he to be praised for in that he is just Thus would pure love reason for him and render praise to him but our ordinary way is most untoward
wills and loves that 's Law and a powerful Law so written on the Heart this Law of Love that it obeys not unpleasantly but with delight no constraint but the sweet constraint of love to forgive a wrong to love even thine enemy for him is not only feisible now but deâ—ectable that ere while thou thoughtest impossible That Spirit of Christ is all sweetness and love so calms and composes the Heart that peace with God and that unspeakably blessed correspondence of love with him doth so fill the Soul with lovingness and sweetness that it can breath nothing else hates nothing but sin pities the sinner and carries to the worst that love of good-will desiring their return and salvation but to those in whom appears the Image of their Father those their heart cleaves to as Brethren indeed No advantages natural no birth no beauty nor wit draws a Christian's love so much as the resemblance of Christ wherever that is found it is comely and lovely to a Soul that loves him Much communion with God sweetens and calms the mind cures the distempers of passion and pride that are the avowed enemies of love particularly Prayer and Love suit well 1. Prayer disposes to this love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the beloved Apostle for God is love he that is most conversant with love the spring of where 't is purest and fullest cannot but have the fullest measure of it flowing in from thence into his heart and flowing forth from thence unto his Brethren if they that use the society of mild and good men are insensibly assimilated to them grow like them and contract somewhat of their temper much more doth familiar walking with God powerfully transform the Soul into his likeness makes it merciful and loving and ready to forgive as he is 2. This love disposes to prayer to pray together hearts must be consorted and tun'd together otherwise how can they sound the same Suits harmoniously How unpleasant in the exquisite ear of God that made the ear are the jarring disunited hearts that often seem to joyn in the same prayer and yet are not set together in love and when thou prayest alone thy heart imbitter'd and disaffected to thy Brother altho' upon an offence done to thee 't is as a mistuned Instrument the Strings are not accorded so are not in tune amongst themselves and so the sound is harsh and offensive try it well thy self and thou wilt perceive it how much more he to whom thou pray'st when thou art stirr'd and in passion against thy Brother or not on the contrary lovingly affected towards him what broken disordered unfastened stuff are thy requests therefore the Lord will have this done first the Heart tun'd go thy way says he leave thy Gift and be reconcil'd to thy Brother c. Why is this so much recommended by Christ and so little received by Christians given by him as the cognisance and badge of his Followers and of them that pretend to be so so few that wear it Oh! little real Christianity were more worth than all that empty profession and discourse that we think so much of Hearts receiving the mould and stamp of this Rule these were living Copies of the Gospel ye are our Epistle says the Apostle We come together and hear and speak sometimes of one Grace and sometimes of another and the most never seek to have their hearts enricht with the possession of any of them We search not to the bottom the perversness of our Nature and the guiltiness that is upon us in these or we shift off the Conviction and find a way to forget it when the hour 's done That accursed root self-love that makes man an enemy to God and Men enemies and devourers one of another who sets to the discovery and the displanting of it bends the force of holy Endeavours and Prayer supplicates the hand of God for the plucking of it up Some Natures are quieter and make less noise but till the heart be possest with the love of God it shall never truely love either men in that way due to all or the Children of God in their peculiar relation Among your selves c. That is here the point the peculiar love of the Saints as thy Brethren glorying and rejoycing in the same Father the Sons of God begotten again to that lively hope of glory now these as they owe a bountiful disposition to all they are mutually to love one another as Brethren Thou that hatest and reproachest the godly and the more they study to walk as the Children of their holy Father the more thou hatest them art glad to find a spot to point at on them or wilt dash mire on them where thou findest none know that thou art in this the enemy of God that the indignity done to them Jesus Christ will take it as done to himself truely we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren he that loveth not his Brother abideth in death So then renounce this Word or else believe that thou art yet far from the Life of Christ that so hatest it in others Oh! but they are but a number of Hypocrites wilt thou say Brethren if they be so this declares so much the more thy extream hatred of holiness that canst not endure so much as the Picture of it canst not see any thing like it but thou must let fly at it and this argues thy deep hatred of God holiness in a Christian as the Image of God and the Hyprocrite in the resemblance of it is the Image of a Christian so thou hatest the very Image of the Image of God for deceive not thy self it is not the latent evil in hypocrisie but the apparent good in it that thou hatest The prophane Man thinks himself a great Zealot against Hypocrisie he is still crying out of it but it s only this he is angry at that all should not be ungodly wicked enemies of Religion as he is either dissolute or meerly civil and the civil man is readily the bitterest enemy of all strictness beyond his own size as condemning him and therefore he cries it down as all of it false and counterfeit wares Let me intreat you if you would not be found fighters against God let no revilings be heard amongst you against any that are or seem to be Followers of Holiness if ye will not reverence it your selves yet reverence it in others at least do not reproach it It should be your ambition else why are you willing to be called Christians but if you will not pursue holiness yet persecute it not if you will not have fervent love to the Saints yet burn not with infernal heat of fervent hatred against them for truly that is one of the likliest pledge of these flames and society with damned Spirits as love to the Children of God is of that inheritance and society with them in glory 2. You that are Brethren and