the most notorious Sinners among all the Heathens worse than Tire and Sidon before mention'd or any Heathen City and yet shall fare better than Capernaum though none of Sodom's sins be charged by our Saviour upon it But they repented not under the means of Grace and Salvation Because they repented not saith the Text this was their sin Q. But what is this Impenitency under the Gospel A. 1. It is not all hardness of Heart that is Impenitency many good Christians may still find something of it but it is when men harden their own hearts Heb. 3.8 which are two different things 2. It is not any particular act of Sin that may be call'd Impenitency but a trade and course of Sin 3. It implies a wilful rejecting the Offers of Grace and Salvation by Christ in those that live under the Gospel 4. It implies a slighting and contempt of the threatnings denounced against Sin and Sinners 5. It implies a resolved purpose to persist in Sin though Man knows it to be Sin when the Sinner's mind is not changed nor he comes to himself and to grow wise after all his folly as the Greek word for Repentance doth import this is Impenitency This I premise to clear my way to the following discourse As also by answering the following Objection Obj. But Capernaum's case is not ours Capernaum saw Christ in the Flesh which we never did they heard Doctrine preached from his own mouth which we never did they saw his Miracles wrought before their eyes which we never saw Had we had their advantages and priviledges we would not have done as they did nor been impenitent as they were Ans This Evasion is much like that of the Scribes and Pharisees mentioned Matth. 23.30 Had we been in the days of our Fathers we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets When they at the same time were fill'd with that malice against Christ which issued in the shedding of his precious blood But I answer 1. Though we have not Christ with us in his fleshly Presence yet we have his Doctrine still with us and preached to us And it was not his fleshly Presence that brought any Sinners to repentance but his Doctrine 2. Though we see not Christ's Miracles wrought before our eyes yet we hâ—â—e them recorded by the four Evangelists and by such as were either eye-witnesses or wrote by an infallible Spirit or rather both And if we believe the Gospel we believe what is there recorded and Faith is the evidence of things not seen and will make their impression upon the Heart as if seen with the Eye 3. Of those many thousands both of Jews and Gentiles that were brought to repentance by the Gospel in the Primitive times not one of an hundred or of a thousand did either see Christ in the Flesh heard him Preach or saw him work any Miracle 4. Of those many thousands that did see him and his Works and hear him preach when he was upon Earth not one of an hundred were brought to repentance thereby vid. John 12.37 And are any sure in these days had they then lived they should not have been of that number Considering that men have now the same blindness and hardness upon their minds and hearts which they had then and the same love to their sins and prejudices against Holiness as was then And therefore Impenitency now will expose a man to as severe punishment and present him as guilty before God at the day of Judgment as it will Capernaum And doth not our Saviour denounce the same severities against them that received not his Disciples preaching as his own Matth. 10.14 15. Whosoever shall not receive you having offer'd peace to them depart and shake off the dust of your feet against them Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah than that City And this holds true in every Age and in the present Age in every City and in this City in every Nation and in our own Nation Thus having made my way clear I now proceed And shew That Impenitency under the Gospel will expose men to the most intolerable Judgment in the day of Christ 1. I shall prove that it will do so 2. Why it will do so 3. Wherein will this greater Intolerableness consist 1. That it will do so I need not prove it by any other Argument than what we have in the Text. I say unto you saith our Saviour And again v. 22. I say unto you it shall be more tolerable c. And he adds his Amen and Verily to it Matth. 10.15 Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tire and Zidon in the day of Judgment c. If we believe not that Christ hath said this we are Infidels to the Gospel If we think he hath said false we are guilty of Blasphemy Is it not he that saith Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away that saith this Is it not he who is styled the Amen the true and faithful witness that hath said this Is it not he who came down from Heaven out of the bosom of God and spake nothing but what he had seen and heard from his Father that saith this And therefore it may seem some reflection upon Christ's Veracity and my Auditor's Infidelity and incredulity to bring any other proof 2. Next Why will it be so at the day of Judgment R. Because Impenitency under the Gospel hath more of sin in it than any sin of the Heathen And this is the general Reason And where there is most Sin there will be the severest Judgment I suppose none of you think as some Philosophers of old that all sins are equal And inequality of sin requires in justice inequality in punishment That saying of Christ to Pilate shews that there are degrees of sin He that delivered me to thee hath the greater sin John 19.11 And so we may conclude there will be degrees of punishment And these degrees of sin must needs be known to God who is a God of Knowledge and being known to him his Justice requires of him Punishment in a proportion though not in this life yet at the day of the Revelation of the righteous judgment of God When all men shall be put into the Scale as Daniel told Belshazzar and Judgment past upon them according to what weight they bear And their Actions also consider'd and weighed in all their Circumstances what Grace and Holiness may be found in the actions of some and what Sin in the actions of others So that many sins that may pass for no sins now may be found sinful then and such as pass for small sins and of little scandal before men now may be found highly sinful in that day There are many sins that have more Scandal than Impenitency under the Gospel and yet not so much guilt As we use to say in Divinity that
God asserts his Power he declares himself to be an Almighty God So to Abraham Gen. 17.1 and in the new Testament he often asserts his Power that all thing are possible to him Omnipotency sticks at nothing knows no difficulties what cannot the exceeding greatness of his power do 2. God doth exert and put forth his Power in some visible exemplification of it that fully demonstrates his Omnipotency and can signifie nothing less such an instance we have in the Text in the Resurrection of Christ this overt act Speaks out his infinite power 't is matter of fact and cannot be deny'd 3. God gives the Saints some feeling and experience of the exceeding greatness of his power put forth in their own Souls by working faith in them they see 't is the Lords doing that nothing in Man would ever lead him out to it if God did not perswade him and bring over his heart to believe the Gospel Believers under the new Testament though they hear much of the power of God set forth in the letter of the word and though they experience the efficacy of this power in their own hearts yet that which puts the matter quite out of doubt with them is this undeniabl instance of divine power in the Resurrection of Christ Abraham wanted this though he saw much of the power of God towards him in calling him alone from his Fathers house and greatly increasing him afterwards when he became two bands Gen. 32.10 and in giving him a Son in his old age c. yet the greatest proof of Gods power to Abraham was the inward efficacy of it upon his own heart that he should be brought to believe a Resurrection when there was never any instance of such a thing in the world before 't is a sign he was satisfied in the almighty power of God accounted that God was able to raise him up Heb. 11.19 though he received him from the dead in a figure Isaac was not really slain therefore Abram's Faith was more remarkable that he should believe that God could raise his Son from the Dead and that he would do it rather than break his promise he resolved to obey God for the present and to trust him for the future All that we believe now is but the consequent of Christs Resurrection and follows upon it the Head being risen the Members will also rise every one in his own order not only by a bodily Resurrection at the last day but by a Spiritual Resurrection in their Souls here when the time of their Conversion and Regeneration comes That which convinces us of the Almighty Power of God to perform his Promises is the Resurrection of Christ but that which was the chiefest proof of God's Power to Abram was the inward impression of it upon his Heart when he was first called That he who as a Man had this Law written in his Heart That he should not kill should so readily yield to the killing of his Son and when he was resolved so do had the Knife in his hand ready stretched out was under the highest impulse of Faith to do what God commanded him that he should presently be taken off from it by a counter-command from Heaven How did God try Abram as if he had set himself to puzzle him turns him and winds him this way and that way backward and forward he must not kill and then he must kill and by and by he must not kill God was resolved his Faith should move as he would have it according to his Will and Abram was as ready to comply He is my God says Abram and I will obey him Isaac shall die and Isaac shall live what God will He sees further than I do I 'll follow him though I know not whether I go nor what I do God knows that 's enough for me I 'll trust him Lord what wilt thou have me do tell me and I 'll do it shall I kill my Son or shall I spare my Son it shall be as thou wilt Lord. Herein Abram excelled all Believers under the New Testament though they have some experience of God's Power put forth upon their Souls in believing yet they don't bear only upon this as Abram did they have the Resurrection of Christ to support their Faith which Abram had not and yet believes a Resurrection Power as firmly as they who saw Christ risen from the Grave God appeared to Abram and made such immediate Impressions of his Power upon his Heart that he needs no Sign no visible Instance to confirm his Faith he was satisfy'd without it he saw that in God himself that made him never to dispute his Power afterwards Saints now though they have experience of a Divine Power touching their Hearts and drawing them to Christ yet they cannot so clearly discern this conquering subduing Power of God in themselves as they may in Christ their Head because they are under many infirmities not yet removed they don't see Sin and Death and the Devil and the World quite overcome in themselves but they see all overcome in Christ his Resurrection proves all and they are fain often to reflect upon that to strengthen their Faith and Assurance of Victory in their own persons at last they know that Christ did not die for himself nor rise for himself but for them they see Christ crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2.9 he suffers no more in his Person though he still suffers in his Members but they shall e're long be as free from Suffering as the glorified Person of Christ now is in Heaven thus it will be when Christ mystical shall have all things put under his Feet then Christ and his Saints will reign gloriously to all eternity all tears shall be wiped from their eyes then and this will as surely come to pass as Christ himself is risen from the Dead Be of good cheer I have overcome the World I have and you shall overcome it in me you already are more than Conquerors and in your own Persons you shall be when I come again II. Because no natural Principle in Man can take in the objects of Faith Flesh and Blood can't reveal them to us Faith is an act above Reason how is it possible for a Man as a Man to act above his Reason 't is absurd and irrational to think so Gospel-truths are so deep and mysterious that they do transcend our humane capacities and cannot be discern'd but by the light of a Divine Faith What is humane we may undertake and count that easie to us but what is Divine is above us quite out of our reach therefore Faith is said to be the work of God fulfilled by his Power 2 Thess 1.11 The knowledge of Faith by which we are perswaded of that which we conceive not is higher than all rational understanding we acknowledge the truth of that as Christians which as Men we do not Scientifically know by any Logical Demonstration Faith gives us the certainty of those
eateth up both Truth and Love For such contentions are rather for Victory than Truth Now passion doth nothing well which made one Emperor say over his Alphabet to get the Dominion over his anger Ahasuerus fann'd himself in his Garden Esth 7.7 and he in Plutarch would not smite his Servant because he was angry Passionated persecution makes only Hypocrites become Proselites and in their Breasts also lodge such a revenge as will be satisfied one time or another upon them who have made them offer violence to their Consciences Religion is a free choice upon judgment or 't is not Religion therefore it gets in by perswasion not persecution Yet 't is strangely true they who are so tender of their own Wills that God must not touch them unless by Argument yet laxate themselves to Club Law with their Brethren not content with a moral swasion 2. Loving converse taketh off those prejudices which hinder Mens minds from a true knowledge of others Principles and Practices which at a distance seem horrid and monstrous Opinions and Practices when as a little free converse with them breedeth quite other apprehensions The Papists picture the Protestants as bruits with Tails as Devils with Horns to terrifie the Vulgar but knowing Merchants dare trust them So some Protestants have represented the Puritans as Pestilent and Seditious persons as Mad and having a Devil as the Scribes and Pharisees did John Baptist and Christ but the plain hearted people saw thorough those pious frauds and tricks and were astonished at their Doctrin and Life when they healed Souls and Bodies on the Sabbath day 3. Sincere love and converse breedeth a good opinion of persons who differ from us they can taste humility meekness and kindness better than the more speculative Principles of Religion These get into Mens affections and so bore away into their judgments and cause them to alter their minds Two Heads like two Globes touch but in one point the whole Bodies at a distance but two Hearts touch in plano and fall in with each other in all points Love openeth the Heart and Ear to cooler consideration and second thoughts The Spirit of God directed Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 not in the strong Wind which rent Rocks and Mountains nor in the Earthquake or Fire but in the silent whisper or tranquil voice Vse of Instruction How to carry our selves towards them who are weak in the Faith in these days and doubtless it is a sickly season when there are so many feverish heats among us I will not say what once a Romanist said to me That these are the spuria vitulamina the Bastard frisks of our Reformation in Henry the Eighths days But I rather think the violent endeavours after External Uniformity without the Inward the smothering of the industrious Bees in one Hive was a great cause of their castling into several Swarms Threshing the Corn hath driven it out of the Floor and the grasping so hard the Granes all into the Hands and Power of some hath made them creep out through their Fingers Rigid Impositions and violent Prosecutions and Exactions of Conformity to things extra Scriptural and Divine Institution and without any manifest tendency to Edification have and will make fractions without end As D. W. said Till Men be Infallible and the World Immutable moderation becometh every Man who is in his senses and considereth himself 1. There are some who have all Faith believe incredibly as that Katharina Senensis praying for a new Heart she had her real Heart cut out of her Body and after some days had a new Heart formed by Christ put into her That making a cross on the Body with a Finger driveth the Devil away That a Priest by these words this is my Body transubstantiateth the Bread into the Body of Christ and so he offereth that Sacrifice to deliver Souls out of Prison and then by his Dirges conducteth them to Paradise 2. Others have no Faith at all as that Infallible one who said What vast Wealth hath this Fable of Christ acquired to the Church So when some had Disputed about the Immortality of the Soul most gravely determined in a Verse Et redit in nihilum quod fuit ante nihil That which is nothing must needs come to nothing And I fear there are more Atheists than Papists who seem to believe all on the Stage nothing in their retiring thoughts We are not bound to receive such into our Bosoms or Communion lest we sting our own Breasts out of charity to our Souls we must take heed of receiving such 3. But there are others who seem seriously to believe the Doctrin of the Gospel yet have a weakness in their judgments about little things These we must receive and instruct them Rom. 14.17 That the Kingdom of God is not in Meat or Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Shew them all kindness pity them pray for them and let them see Col. 2.5 Nothing but your order and the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ 1. Stand fast and fix'd in the good Word of God which is setled for ever in Heaven Psal 119.89 as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth Ephes 6.14 and having on the Breastplate of Righteousness This is the grand and perfect rule of Faith Worship and Life Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of protection I know no other method possible to Peace but in an universal resolution to impose nothing upon others but what Christ himself hath imposed what Scripture commands Matth. 28.20 Teach Men to observe whatever I have commanded you and then I am with you to the end of the World This is a Minister of Christs Commission and he cannot look for Christ to be with him if he go either coâ—trary to beyond or not according to his instructions Let this be first done and then Men may consider whether any thing further be necessary or convenient Let us therefore in the Name of God beg his holy Spirit whom Christ hath promised and that he shall lead us into all Truth John 16.13 He is the only infallible Interpreter of Gods mind He shall take of mine says our Saviour and shew it unto you vers 14. Then read the Scriptures as Christ himself did Luke 4.16 his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read and when the Book of God was delivered to him he read the 61 of Isaiah a Prophesie of himself and so he closed the Book and gave it to the Minister then he expounded and applied it to the present circumstances That he came to preach to the poor heal the broken hearted give deliverance to the captives open the Eyes of the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised Oh blessed pattern for every Minister of Christ to follow And sing the Psalms or Hymns as we read he also did Matth. 26.30 and the Ancient Christians
at him (e) Psal 8.2 Out of the mouths of very unlikely persons hast thou ordained strength that thou mightest still the Enemy and the Avenger q. d. God doth by the Spiritual Skill and Strength which he gives even to young weak Converts unfit to grapple with an Enemy God enables even such to silence confound and conquer the Enemies of God and his People and the Devil in the head of them whose Kingdom and Power is broken by this means and those that fight under his Banner against God and Christ And pray observe the Title here given him viz. the Avenger he being Sentenced by God to Eternal Torments makes it his business to revenge himself what he can upon God and Christ upon his Children and Servants Christians if you can through Grace make Satan himself against his will help you to profit by the Word this will raise your Souls beyond what is ordinary both for Grace and Comfort Or if God in his Wisdom suspend such manifestations of himself yet such exercise of Grace shall certainly tend to the multiplying of Praises in the other World And now though I have in my pitiful manner answered the Case my work is not yet done till I have answered a Complaint upon the Case and 't is the Complaint of those who have least cause of those who give Christ that Answer to his Question which satisfies him but yet can't give an Answer will satisfie themselves Their Hearts ake from the very proposing of the Question and their Hearts misgive them under all that 's said in Answer to it Complaint We have more Cause to complain than we are able to express Oh the Sermons that we have lost of which we can give no account at all and of those that are not utterly lost we have made no suitable improvement We are convinced that we should be as impartial now in examining whether we have got saving Faith by hearing of the Word We should be as strict now as if we were upon our Dying Bed We know not whether ever we shall have a Death-bed many more likely to live than our selves dye suddenly and why not we Nay rather now for we have not now wearisome Sickness to disable us We have now those helps that we can't have then Freedom of Ordinances in publick Capacities for Duties in secret We may now bring things to an issue which is then next to impossible These and a Thousand such Considerations even fright me when I sit down to think my Thoughts even overwhelm me to reflect what a sorry account I can give of all that I have heard These and more doleful Complaints are the usual entertainments of their most serious Christian Friends To all which I shall offer these Answers Answ 1. The Word of God which they apply to their Sorrow they ought as well to apply to their Comfort for those who are really grieved that they can't satisfie themselves much less as they think Christ They are mistaken for Christ is ordinarily best satisfied with that which the gracious Soul is least satisfied e. g. That Prayer which he is most ashamed of Christ most approves of (f) Cant. 2.12 The Flowers appear on the Earth the time of the Singing of Birds is come and the Voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land 'T is Spring-time in the Soul When the Groans of a contrite Heart sound harsh to others they are Musick in Christs Ears not that Christ delights in his peoples Sorrows but as they are Evidences of his Graces in them and of his Spirit 's abiding with them It is only the gracious Soul that is grieved at Heart that he can't give Christ a better account of his profiting (g) Ezr. 9.6 10. ch 10.2 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God What shall I say after this There 's hope in Israel concerning this thing The Apostle expresly assures us that (h) 1 Cor. 11.31 32. those that judge themselves shall not be judged with a Judgment of Condemnation Chear up therefore poor dropping Soul and to thy comfort consider whether this be not the only thing wherein Christ and you Believers be not of the same mind Christ puts a better interpretation of his actings than he himself dares many a time Christ owns that as Grace which he condemns for Hypocrisie Christ forgives him that which he can never forgive himself Christ says Well done good and faithful Servant for that which he ever finds fault with But the complaining Soul saith I mistake him I speak to the rong person Propose comfort to those that are grieved they can't give Christ a satisfying account whereas I am not troubled enough nor grieved enough a serious reflection upon such returns as mine to Christs kindness would certainly break any Heart but mine But alas I am next to nothing affected with it 2. I therefore further answer Thy complaining for want of sensible complaining entitles thee to Comfort Darest thou own so much as this that thou art troubled thou can'st be no more troubled at the shameful account thou givest to Christ Thou art afraid that Word has overtaken thee (i) Isa 6.9 10. Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the Heart of this People fat and make their Ears heavy and shut their Eyes least they see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart c. Surely thou canst not think worse of thy self than this Let me tell thee the more thou thinkest of this the less cause thou hast to apply this to thy self for those who God gives up to judicial hardness never think or speak of such things but in scorn and to make a mock of them and that thou darest not do there 's another word for thee to think of (k) Isa 66.1 2 Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool where 's the place of my rest To this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and that trembleth at my Word If God hath any place upon Earth for his Repose it is in that Soul that stands in awe of his Word and with due Reverence receives it What! Dost thou complain thou art not troubled enough Nor contrite enough Not humbled enough How do many Souls bring their Complaints to Ministers and bring their Bills to Congregations for brokeness of Heart and a deep sense of Sin when they are so much broken already that their other Duties are almost justled out by it Don't therefore overlook that Text (l) Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost We should make it our business to live in a ferious course of Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards Men in the love and practice of Peace with all and in the joyful sense of the love of God and hopes of Glory
about the Person Natures and Offices of our Redeemer against all Hereticks both Old and New In short we agree in the same Creeds in all the Articles of the Christian Doctrine yea we agree in the Substance of the same Worsâ—â—â— and in the same Sacraments against both Papists Socinians and Quakers We have one Lord one Faith one Baptism And then in Civils we agree in our hearty Approbation of our Monarchy and in a dutifull Allegianâ—â— to our King and in refusing the Supremacy of any other at home or abroad And how many Particulars of the greatest weight are contain'd under these Heads wherein all we Protestants are agreed And if Unity in the Truth be any ground for Love and Charity it is incomprehensible that they who agree in all these things should be more inveterate against one another than against such as differ not toto Caelo but toto tartaro from them both But it is observed that the nearer some men are to a conjunction some difference remaining the greater is their hatred thus a Jew hates a Christian more than he doth a Pagan and a Papist hates a Protestant worse than he doth a Jew and a nominal Protestant hates a Puritan more than he doth a Papist as Dr. Featley notes The Contention of Brethren are like the Bars of a Castle Prov. 18.19 A most unreasonable though a very common thing 2. Consider the Imperfections of our humane Nature Our Understandings were sore wounded by the Fall of Adam and they are but imperfectly and unequally recovered by all the means which the Gospel affords Why should we condemn every one that is not endowed with our Abilities or advanced to our Capacity Do we fall out with one that is purblind because he cannot see so far nor so quick as we we should rather pity him and praise God who hath been kinder to us They that are most intelligent know but in part And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 That was therefore a good Answer which Melancthon made to those who objected to the Protestants their Divisions saith he The judicious agree in fundamentals but as in a great Army the skill or strength of all the Captains and of all the Soldiers is not equal but they all agree in their wills and honest designs to serve their Prince so all good men have not the like knowledge but all agree in their sincere love to goodness 3. Consider that you who are so violent do differ from others just as far as they differ from you Do you think that one kind of Government in the Church is best they do as verily think so of another do you hold such and such Ceremonies in Religion to be unlawful they are as confident of the lawfulness of them Do you conclude that all Private mens Opinions in such matters ought to be swallowed up and to acquiesce in the publick Determination they verily believe that the Church should leave them as the Apostles did in their first Indifference Now when such as do not otherwise forfeit their Veracity come and profess that they cannot for their Hearts think otherwise than they do you cannot yield to them they cannot comply with you what remedy then is so proper so Christian as Charity to each other relying upon that Promise Philip. 3.15 If in any thing ye be othâ—â—wise minded God shall reveal even this unto you 4. Consider that there have been greater Differences than Ours among those that were the true Members of Christ's Church Witness Act. 15.1 Certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved A material Point and urged you see with great confidence and yet God forbid we should blot these out of the roll of true Christians How resolute were some Great Divines in the Church pro and con in the Case of Rebaptizing those that were lapsed in the Primitive times And what Heart can be so hard as to deny the Lutherans and Calvinists a place in the Church of Christ who yet differ in greater matters than ours Wherefore seeing their Differences were greater than ours we should not aggravate them against one another nor by our violence render them intolerable 5. Consider your own personal moral Failings Hath not each of us some right Eye are we perfectly good are not we all Men of like Passions What if our Judge shall say And why beholdest thou the more that is in thy brothers eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye thou Hypocrite c. Matth. 7.3 Alas if we were truly conscious of our own Neglects of many Duties whereof we have been convinced toward our God our Neighbour and our selves and of the many Transgressions and Faults which we frequently commit we should much abate our Rigour towards others and turn our Indignation against our selves How sad a business would it be if any of those who have censur'd and damn'd their Opposites for some dubious matters should prove Slaves to their own Lusts and be found at last to be wretched Hypocrites in the main things of Religion Vse 2. If Uncharitable Contentions do prepare for utter Destruction Then Woe be to the Instruments and Bellows of our Contentions If the Evil of them be so great if the Danger from them be so dreadful then most wicked and wretched are the promoters of them Wo to the World because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but Woe to that Man by whom the offence cometh Matth. 18.7 If those that set an House or Town on Fire be justly reckon'd and treated as Enemies to humane Society certainly they who inflame the Souls of Christians against one another to the ruine of a Church and Nation deserve the worst Character and the worst Punishment But as Ahasuerus once said to Esther c. 7. v. 5. Who is he and where is he that dare presume in his heart to do so And as she answer'd The Adversary and Enemy is this wicked Haman so I may answer 1. Our common Adversary and Enemy in this matter is Satan Our Contentions do plainly smell of fire and brimstone Legions of Devils though we cannot see them are employed herein He is the Old Accuser of the Brethren both to God and to one another that wicked Spirit is the truest Salamander that lives in the fire of Contention Divisions are the Devil's Musick but that which makes the Devil laugh should make us weep How often have there been Essayes and Endeavours to reconcile our unhappy Differences and this cunning and malicious Enemy hath defeated them all I have somewhere read of a Treaty between a former King of England and another of France which was held and concluded in an old Chappel while their several Armies stood ready expecting the issue The Kings agreed and coming out of the Chappel a Snake or Viper crept out of the
influence the Faith of some confident Professors has upon their Lives they are not they will not be governed by the Faith which they profess the Devil allows of such a profession and 't is all the Religion he will admit of in his followers provided they don 't touch upon the power of godliness all forms are alike to him and in some cases the purest and most Scriptural serve his turn best when separated from the power of godliness then he has some Scripture on his side to perswade them that all is well then he cries The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are ye setled in a Church way according to all the Rules of Discipline laid down in the Word and is not this Religion enough to save you Thus the Devil will sometimes give the best form its due commendation from Scripture when it may serve as an Argument to perswade a formal Christian to sit down short of the power of Godliness he knows God's own form will not save us then though he would make them believe otherwise He put the Jews upon pleading this and possessed them that all was well while they held to the outward form of Worship that God had appointed which made the Lord himself so often to declare against them and the outward forms of Worship that he had appointed because he saw they rested in them and played the Hypocrites under them Let us have a care in these Gospel-times that we do not rest in Gospel-forms only placing the whole of our Religion in that which God has made but a part of it and such a part that should never be divided by us from the Power and Spirit of the Gospel We talk of damnable Heresies and there are such the Lord keep us from them but let me tell you you may pass though more silently into Hell through a formal Profession of the Truth and have your porticn with Hypocrites who profess'd what you do had the same form of Godliness that you have but deny'd the power of it I don't say as some of you do I hope otherwise of you all but let every one examine himself what powerful Influence those Gospel-truths have upon him which he has lived so long under the profession of you know this best and others may more than guess at it by your Lives and Conversations but I spare you having laid my finger upon the soar place I take it off again and leave every one to his own feeling Obj. You seem as if you would put us off from our Profession Answ It may be better off than on in some respects but my design is to bring you up to your Profession that you may be real in it and not mock the Lord nor deceive your selves I have often thought that he who makes a solemn Profession of his Faith and says I believe in God and in Christ had need consider well what he says lest he lie unto the Holy Ghost though what you profess be truth yet your Profession may be a Lie if you say you believe what you do not believe with the Mouth Confession is made but with the Heart Man believes believing is Heart-work which the Searcher of Hearts only can judge of therefore you should consult your Hearts whether you do indeed believe before you tell God and Man that you do 't is a sad thing that the frequeut repetition of our Creed and the renewed Profession we make of our Faith should be charged upon us as so many gross Lies as Psal 78.36 37. Thirdly They who count it an easie matter to believe are destistute of Saving Faith I prove it thus 1. They who have never found any Conflict in themselves about believing are destitute of saving Faith But they who count it an easie matter to believe have never found any Conflict in themselves about believing ergo If Faith did not act in opposition to carnal Reason and carry it against all the strong reasonings of the Flesh to the contrary Supernatural Truths which never enter never be admitted never find acceptance in the Soul we should never be brought over to assent to them so as to make them the sure ground of our trust and confidence in God but Faith captivates all rebellious thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10.5 as if they could disprove all that the Gospel says but the demonstrations of the Spirit are with that power that we cannot resist them Christ teaches as one having Authority besides the instructive evidence of Truth in clear reasonings and full demonstrations of it by the Spirit there is Authority and Power to back all this so that having nothing to object that is and fully answered we dare not but obey because of his Authority lesh Power over us were it not for this Authority and Power proud F the would pertinaciously stand out against all the Reasonings of the Spirit but when the Rationale of the Gospel is made out by art Spirit beyond all contradiction from Flesh and Blood the carnal p et is nonplust and silenced cannot speak sense against the Gospel y e however 't will be muttering and kicking against the Truth her comes in the Authoritative Act and Power of the Spirit suppressing the insolence of the Flesh and commanding the Soul in the Name of God to obey and not stand it out any longer against such clear evidence resisting the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost You must know that Flesh and Blood i. e. that carnal corrupt part that is in every Man is never convinced 't is not capable of any such thing but the Power of the Spirit of God brings on a Conviction upon the Soul from a higher Light notwithstanding all that the Wisdom of the Flesh can say to the contrary Flesh is Flesh still in all chose who are born of the Spirit but 't is overpower'd and kept under by the stronger reasonings of the Spirit which is the cause of that continual Conflict that is between the Flesh and Spirit to talk of easie believing without any resistance from our own corrupt minds is to talk of that that never was nor can be in any man whatever Saints are inclined two contrary ways though one Principle be predominant yet the other is not extinct has not yet lost all its power 't will stir and fight and resist though it can't overcome and Faith it self feels the struglings of unbelief and bears up with more Courage against them 2. They who were never convinced of the sinfulness of sin and of the dreadfulness of God's Wrath against Sinners are destitute of Saving Faith but they who count it an easie matter c. ergo I don't mean that all must pass under the like terrors of Conscience some have a more easie passage from a state of Nature to Grace from Death to Life from Terror to Comfort they may sooner get over their Tears and attain to peace than others may But this I say that
really do not believe they say they have Faith but have it not How to find out such Men and to convince them of their unbelief How to dig up this Fox that is so deeply earthed under a specious profession of Faith This requires some skill we shall find it difficult work yet I conceive it may be done they may be so narrowed up that unless they deny their sense and their reason they must own their unbelief Though we cannot by reason bring Men to believe yet we may by reason convince them of their unbelief here we offer nothing new or surprizing to them we only state the matter as it is in their own Hearts which they know to be so we do but bring them to reason to their own reason we make them Judges of themselves in a matter of fact of their own doing though they say they have Faith yet being close put to it they must needs unsay that again the evidence of the thing it self overthrows all they can say against it I would argue thus with them 1. Let them if they can produce any of those fruits and effects of Faith that are inseparable from it James 2.14 c. To pretend to such an active principle as Faith is and yet do nothing by it is very unreasonable they say they have Faith they may as well say they have Wings and can fly though they cannot bare up themselves one inch from the ground unless some part of the body rest upon it indeed if a Mans feet be upon the ground all the other parts of the body may be erect but for the whole body to carry all its weight upwards through the Air this is flying 'T is equally absurd for Men to say they have Faith are risen with Christ are in an ascending posture when they visibly rest upon the Earth nay when they lie flat upon it are sunk into it covered all over with it are as it were buried alive in their carnal affections Men may say what they will 't is apparently otherwise upwards and downwards cannot be so confounded that one should be taken for tother 't is against common sense Men may and must be convinced of this that what is contrary to Faith is not Faith Faith without works is dead were there any thing of the true Nature Life and Spirit of Faith in them they could not carry it as they do They make Faith an easie thing who make just nothing of it and do nothing by it nay they do that which they might with far more colour of reason do if they did not at all pretend to Faith but to say they believe in Christ and yet act in a direct opposition to him and to their own Faith also is that which no Man in his wits will give credit too 2. Let them try their skill in those indispensible acts of Faith that Christ requires in all his followers Mat. 16.24 25. The reading of those words is enough to convince any considering Man that 't is no easie matter to believe that which is not easie to do is not so easily believed 3. Let them consider the misterious points of Faith that are above our reason and do transcend our humane capacities as the Doctrin of the Trinity of the incarnation of Christ of the Resurrection of Justification by imputed Righteousness how have Men stumbled at these things could never come to any satisfaction in by their own reason and shall we say 't is an easie matter to believe these things they are stupidly ignorant of the misteries of Faith who say so if this be easie there is nothing hard or difficult in the World Object How comes it to pass that any do believe Answ Because God puts forth his power in some and not in others there is not a greater instance of the power of God in the whole World than this In bringing over the heart of a sinner to believe in Christ O the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe This is the undoubted experience of every true Believer You who know not how you came by your Faith but slid into it by custom education and long continuance under the means of Grace and have always counted it an easie thing to believe let me tell you you know not what it is to believe to this day 'T is true God makes it easie to believe but so that we still see it impossible to believe without his help I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me I live yet not I We may soar aloft when upon Eagles wings we may move any where as we are carried but all this while we know we are not the cause of our own motion the Spring of it is not in our selves acti agimus we act as we are acted the root bears us not we the root we feel Christ living in us We live because he lives in us What we receive from another is ours when we receive it but 't is not from our selves because we receive it from another God makes us so to work in such a dependance upon him that we see 't is He that worketh in us both to will and to do To ascribe the free acts of own will to another requires a humble mind sensible of its own weakness and of the secret ways of Gods divine communications to his creature Man exactly suted to the rational nature of so free an agent as Man is the freedom of whose will is preserved under a constant dependance upon God in every thing he do's God that gave him this freedom can cause him freely to act it as he pleases otherwise Man would not be a governable creature if the natural freedom of his will did exempt him from a due subjection to God that made him in which subjection he is as free as he could be supposed to be if left to himself to do what he list A Believer lists and wills what he do's and yet he do's not do what he lists but freely subjects his own will to the will of God whose service is perfect freedom A Saint keeps up the liberty of his will by a voluntary obedience to the will of God and this is his Grace till our stubborn Hearts are brought to this they are and will be rebellious against God What I have said may be convincing to these easie Believers that they are void of true saving Faith unless they resolve not to be convinced and though they do so resolve yet they must be convinced whether they will or no Truth and Reason plainly proposed never want a witness in the Conscience of Man that will speak sometime or other as the thing is Quest What 's the danger of a death-bed Repentance SERMON IX Luke XXIII 42. And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom WE have in this little History of the two thieves crucified with our Lord Jesus a great instance both of Man's wickedness and of Divine grace I.
any thing our Apostle tells him He knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 He is not sufficient as of himself for one good or true thought 2 Cor. 3.5 which cuts the top sinew of Pelagianism and the Champions of the power of Nature 2. His judgment therefore must needs be dubious or wrong whereby he is to compare things that differ or agree together If God leave him or give him up to himself the Prophet is a fool and the Spiritual Man is mad Hos 9.7 so as he will put darkness for light and light for darkness bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter call good evil and evil good Isa 5.20 Conscience the Souls taster and common sense is so vitiated and defiled Tit. 1.15 that he hath no true judgment or discretion having not his senses exercised to discern between good and evil Heb. 5.14 3. His conclusions therefore must needs be distorted from these premises and the Errors in the first and second concoction are not corrected and amended by the third he who cannot make one strait step can never take three together All the Errors and Fallacies in the World are but the products of his Ratiocinations viz. I can go to the Tavern or Exchange I find therefore I can Repent and Believe when I will whereas these are actions of another Life and Nature which he was never born to unless Regenerated by the Spirit of God To Repent and Believe are God's gift Acts 5.31 His work in us John 6.65 and Ephes 2.8 Though for this very Doctrin many of his ignoranter Disciples went back and walked no more with him John 6.66 And so Men jog on in their sensuality presumptuously as if there was something in the pleasures of sin which was sweeter and dearer to them than God or Heaven and when they have no more strength to serve their Lusts nor any thing else to do but to die they can in one quarter of an hour make their peace with God as one of that herd said to me who soon after drawing Water out of his own Well and being Drunk was by the weight of the Bucket drawn into the Well and drown'd Another saith I may sin because Grace aboundeth this is a most disingenuous and unnatural argument I may hate God and my Saviour because he hath so loved me when holy Herbert said Let me not Love thee if I love thee not love being stronger than Death or Hell in the Hearts of Gods beloved ones So without holiness none shall see God therefore we must be justified by our Evangelical Obedience and Righteousness whereas this is only a concomitant for the cause for God pronounceth and declareth none to be Righteous but such as are Righteous now there is none Righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 but in the Righteousness of Christ who of God is made Wisdom Righteousness and Redemption Dav. de Just 1 Cor. 1.36 In sound Davenant's words An Alderman sits in the Court not because he is to come in his Gown but because he is an Alderman by Election c. So you must obey the Laws of the Church if that wedge will drive if not the Laws of the State both which are inconsequent if they be not according to the Law of God the establishing perversness by a Law Psal 94.20 made neither Davids nor Christs sufferings the worse but their sin the greater who twisted such a Law So that we need a new Logick from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Eternal Word as a directory to our Reasonings as well as the common Logick which teacheth us the regulation of the operations of our minds II. As we are lame in our Feet by our Naturals so even those who by the light of the Gospel and Grace are brought over to better understanding yet by vertue of the old crasiness they are not throughly illuminated and refined The very Apostles themselves Luke 18.34 were plainly told by our Saviour that he should suffer Death and rise again the third day yet they understood none of these things these sayings were hid from them until he opened their understandings to understand the Scriptures Luke 24.45 We have all a dark side and Paul says We know but in part 1 Cor. 13.12 we see but one side of the Globe we cannot view things round about they are above our Hemisphere These weak Jews were Zealous for their Ceremonies as being instituted by God the Gentiles as hot for theirs let no Man think himself infallible for these were all out and mistaken Form Custom and Education do wonderfully confirm Men in Error How hardly were People in our first Reformation drawn from their Prayers in Latin to English yet they understood not Latin as hardly would they still be weaned from little formalities though it were to entertain the most real and reasonable service in the World So great a Tyrant is tough custom over Phlegmatick Souls so apt are Men to heats for trifles by which Straw and Stubble they turn the Church into a Brick-kiln These Jews had Divine Right to plead and the usage and practice of all the seed of the Faithful enough to stagger a weak Christian Errors fairly set off may pass for Truths and if but weakly confuted may hang a doubt in Mens minds so Truths ill guarded may go for Errors objections not well cleared had better never have been started for they may puzzle a weak Head and Heart and make them both ake with fear of mistakes A Sophistical Disputant will prove there is no Motion the best way to confute him is in our Saviours words rise up and walk John 5.8 which is a real silent demonstration of it III. Nothing so convulseth Mens reason as interest as Hobs saith Though there is no Problem in Mathematicks more demonstrable than that all strait Lines drawn from the Center to the Circumference are equal yet if this did but cross any Mans interest it would be disputed Now 1 John 2.16 the Apostle reduceth the whole World to those three Elements the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eye and the pride of Life a threefold cord strong enough to pull any Truth in pieces as easily as Sampson did his Wyths 1. The lust of the Flesh modo hic sit bene pleasing the Flesh goeth a great deal further than the Monks Bellies who yet have a lusty share in it as one of their own said They had all things so complacent that they wanted only a Vicar to go to Hell for them when they should die The Bishop of Romes Kitchin and Purgatory mutually support one another Disorders of Life hold up Celibacy in Men in Orders The lust of Idleness inviteth to Stage-plays the nurseries of Vanity and Vice to Cards and Dice in defiance of that Canon which pronounceth them unlawful Games A lusty Dinner makes the Veins so strut they can leap or fly to Heaven by their Free-will without the necessity of Free-grace so strong is Flesh and Blood without the
Jesus You are espoused to Him and should you not consent to be like to him who has betrothed you unto himself in Loving-kindness Mercy and Faithfulness for ever Hos 2.19 20. Nay you are members of his body Therefore you should grow up into Him in all things which is the Head even Christ Eph. 4.15 You should discover such a mind as Christ had you should manifest the same Spirit and act as he acted when he was here in the World 3. Consider that God did fore-ordain you that are Believers to a conformity to the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.29 For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren If you would appear with Christ in Glory you must be now changed into his Image Holiness and patient suffering will make you like him and is the decreed way unto his Kingdom 4. Walking as Christ walked will make it evident that you are indeed in him 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought to prove what he saith and himself so to walk even as he walked To be in Christ is to be a new creature And these new Creatures do all resemble him for he is formed in them Naming the name of Christ will never demonstrate your Christianity unless you depart from iniquity which makes you so unlike unto your Lord. But likeness to him will prove you His in Truth And an evidence of this what strong consolation will it afford If you are in Christ how safe are you you are secured from the curse of the Law the stroke of vindictive Justice the wrath of the Destroyer the bondage of Corruption and Sin the sting of the first Death and the power of the second If you are in Christ His God is your God his Father your Father Joh. 20.17 You are loved as He is loved Joh. 17.23 That the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And v. 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them You are joint-heirs with Christ unto the same incorruptible inheritance how firm and sure is your title how certain and soon will be your possession and after possession is taken you shall not be dispossess'd unto Eternity 5. Your following the Example of Christ very much honours Him and credits Christianity 't is a sign that Christs death has a mighty vertue in it when it makes you to die to Sin and to be unmoved by the biggest offers that Mammon makes to you 'T is an argument that He is truly Christ when you are truly Christians that He is indeed alive when he lives in you and makes you to live to him and like him 'T is a demonstration that our Lord is risen indeed when you rise with him and seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 Christ is very much unknown and being unknown is undesired and neglected because so little of him is seen in Christians conversation How few deserve digito monstrari to be pointed at and to have such a Character given them There go the persons who discover such a Spirit who talk and walk too after such a manner that 't is evident Christ dwells and speaks and walks and works in them Be all of you prevailed with to honour your Lord Jesus by shewing the world what he was when here upon Earth and how powerfully he works in you though now he is in Heaven Chrysostom with great reason does call good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanswerable Syllogisms and demonstrations to confute and convince Infidels The World would flock into the Church being struck with the Majesty and Glory shining forth in Her if She were but more like unto her glorious Head But when they who are called Christians are so like unto the World 't is no wonder if the men of the World continue still as they are 6. Christ frequently speaks to you to follow him and observes whether and how you do it His word is plain that you should learn his Doctrine and live after his example And his eyes which are as a flaming fire are upon Professours ways His Omniscience should be more firmly believed and seriously considered by the Church it self Rev. 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give to every one of you according to your works I shall here by a Prosopopeia bring in our Lord Jesus speaking to you and himself propounding his own Example that you may hear and heed and follow the Lamb of God To this effect Christ speaks to you Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the Earth Look unto me and become like me all you that profess your selves to be my Members What Do you see in me that in any reason should turn away your faces or your hearts from me Blessed is He whosoever shall not be offended in Me. The Father is well pleased in Me and so should you as you value his favour and would consult your own interest I never took so much as one step in the ways of misery and destruction be you sure to avoid them I always trod in those paths which to you will prove pleasantness and peace though to satisfy for your deviations and going astray I was fain my self to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Consider your Lord and Master you that call your selves my disciples Many look upon you that will not look into my word and will judge of Me by your practices Be not so injurious to Me by misrepresenting Me as if I allowed those evils which you allow your selves in Why should I be wounded in my honour in the house of my Friends Why should you crucify me afresh And put me to an open shame When you yield to Satans temptations are you like to me When you are eager after worldly wealth the applause of men and flesh-pleasing delights are you like to me When you are proud and haughty bitter envious and revengeful do you at all resemble Me When you seek your selves and please your selves and matter not how much God is forgotten and displeased Am I in this your example O all you upon whom my name is called content not your selves with an empty name Be my disciples in truth and let the same mind that was in me be in you also be my disciples indeed live as I did in the World to honour God and to do good to man let it be your business for I have left you an example that you should follow my steps 7. Follow Christs Example that you may enter into his glory For if we be dead with him says the Apostle we shall live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Be of good courage and conflict but do it in his Strength with your Spiritual enemies and
apprehension of the approaching day Now seeing the Text is Hortatory Directive and Encouraging hereto and hath as such been treated on accordingly I will wave all further application and only give you the Directions and Prescriptions for the curing of a luke-warm temper 1. Love-quenching and abating principles Interests and Practices are to be exploded and avoided If once you entertain hard thoughts of God as if he were morose and captious a barren Wilderness or Land of darkness and only careful to ruine and distress his creatures upon the meer accounts of Soveraignty and the Prerogative of Dominion tho a poor penitent lye prostrate at his feet for mercy in tears and shame and self abhorrence or in a readiness to do so were there but any hopes of merciful acceptance If you shall represent him to your selves as if he were so tenacious of revengeful purposes and of advantages put into his hands for the full executions of such deserved revenges through former crimes provoking thereunto Alas how can you think upon him or address your selves to him with hope and pleasure We find grace represented to us as Gods Image in his creatures we find that holiness in creatures makes them the sweetest of all persons in their dispositions and deportments and readiest to be charitable and abundant in benign and alluring and obliging remissions constructions and dispensations Such are most backward to make rigid interpretations and constructions of mens miscarriages and neglects when they arise from rather infirmity than malignity and from ignorance and surprize than from contrivance or perverse resolution They hate above all men every thing that savours of stinginess and of a sordid Spirit and they like not to retain revengeful purposes to ruin or disturb those criminals who seriously and pathetically implore their pardon and beg admission to their now much valued favour And doth grace make such persons better than their maker and is that Gods Image in them which hath nothing in God correspondent herewith Or can we think that the Image can exceed its Grand Exemplar Such black and dismal thoughts of God can never kindle love in us to him Did I not know and think that God is love how could I seek to him in hope and love him For my part I verily believe God sent his Son into the world to convince us of his love and goodness and to invite us to himself under the power of this alluring principle of Truth That God loves us dearly and that he will reject no sinner whose heart is touched with such love to him as makes it restless and uneasie in it self till it obtain his pardon image fellowship and presence See Heb. xi 6. And as for Jesus Christ the liveliest Image and the truest and most glorious Mirrour of the Invisible God that ever any Eye beheld or can behold How sweet indulgent humble gracious and endearing was he unto all and how ready to receive all that come to God through him O! do not then mistake his grace design or temper Love cannot live and do its work where Christ is not duly represented in his lovely Excellencies And yet on the other hand represent not God below himself as fond in his respects partial in his dealings slack and easie in his proceedings apt to favour us tho' neglected by us as one ready to indulge us in our sins and to connive and wink at our miscarriages or one that we may trifle with and fondly think that we can at any time procure his favour and extinguish or evade his anger and displeasure by some trifling applications to him or flattering Elogies of his name upon the knee or a copious verbose declaiming against our sins and selves in our stated or occasional addressings of our selves to him when pangs of Death horrours of Conscience or the tasts and expectations of his Wrath make us uneasie to our selves as if by complements and petty observances of God in lower matters we could turn and toss a ductile nature into any aspect shape or posture that may serve our private turns and please our arrogant and presumptuous humours and court God to strip himself of all the glories of his Name and Throne and prostitute his Interest and Honour Laws and Majesty unto the fond conceits of fools and sinners for this is blasphemy and presumption to the height both fit and sure to be punisht by the Judge Could God be Love or lovely in the eyes of sober and discerning men were he thus facile so as to be infuenced by the conceits and humours of sinners in their dotages He that would not signifie one thought of mercy to our revolted Parents before he had represented himself most awful in his Judiciary Process and that so guarded both his Laws and Throne with awful Majesty and Sanctions and that exacted so severe a satisfaction from his Son he surely neither will nor can debase himself and tempt his creatures by unfit relaxations of his Laws and Courses to think him despicable even by such unfit deportments of himself towards them That fool which takes Gods mercies and indulgencies to be at his commands so as to sin and pray and that makes such easie pardons and redresses the continual encouragements of sinful practices and hopes that fool I say again that is of this perswasion and deportment is no way likely to be cured of his luke-warm temper Deut. xxix 19 20. For so easie pardons and redresses would evidently and effectually mortifie the Spirit and defeat the glorious designs of Divine Government amongst men See Heb. xii 25-28 29. x. 26-31 Rom. ii 6-10 Gal. vi 7-9 i Sam. ii 2 3-29 30 ii Chron. xv 2. And if you take your Christianity to be a state of drudgery and disconsolateness if you degenerate into worldliness luxury or voluptuousness as in John ii 15-17 James iv 4. If you grow so tender of your selves as to be swayed more by what affects the outward than the inward man If you give way to partiality to jealousies heats and ferments to a censorious jealous and detracting Spirit or to the Spirit of domination and division or if you form your principles interests and actions according to the measures and concerns of this vain transient world and of the animal life This malady will prove incurable 2. Heart-warming objects are to be contemplated Such as the glories of Gods name The Grandeurs of his Majesty and Throne the Accuracies of his Government in all its Constitutions and administrations The Stores and Treasures of his Goodness with all their provident and yet generous distributions unto all his creatures the riches of his grace in his kindness to us by Jesus Christ the exhibition of his Son and all the amiable excellencies and endearing aspects and addresses made to us by him the life that is in Christ the grace and promises that are given us by him so great and precious all the fellowship and intimacies that we are hereby called and admitted to Gospel Treasures
what there is in that prophaneness and numberless number of God-daring abominations which are to be found in the midst of us In short this is that which I propound and desire of you judge of sin by its utter contrariety to the great holy and ever blessed God and by the sufferings of Christ who was his peoples surety and died a Sacrifice the iniquities of them all being laid upon him and by the fatal consequences of sin upon men and Devils yea upon the whole world upon the face whereof it hath thrown dirt and deformity and in the bowels whereof it hath caused Afflictive Painful Agonies and Convulsions Secondly Be sure that all of you get your hearts filled and awed with the true fear of God In which you ought and are commanded to be all the day Prov. 23.17 Lye down at night in it awake and rise in the morning in it and so walk up and down in all Places and Companies and about all your businesses and affairs No persons in the world are so audaciously and impudently vile as those who have their hearts hardned from this fear That passage is very observable which you find in Psal 36.1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart there is no fear of God before his Eyes Sin hath a voice it cries aloud in the Ears of God and it speaks loud to men to the hearts of good men It speaks that which grieves and saddens them it speaks that which informs them So here The transgression of the wicked his visible and open transgression the life he leads which is flagitious the course he takes which is Leud the Villanies he commits these speak within my heart saith David they speak to my mind and understanding but what do they say Enough so much as amounts to a plain and full evidence so much as is to me a sufficient and firm foundation to build this conclusion upon that there is no fear of God before his Eyes Either he doth not believe that there is a God or else he believes that he is not a terrible God a Consuming Fire and Everlasting Burnings but such an one as himself Psal 50.21 A God not to be trembled before but to be trifled and plaid with One that did not mind what is done here below or that hath pleasure in wickedness as he hath himself What was the reason that Abraham though a good man eminently good and strong in faith yet was not willing to have it publickly known that Sarah was his Wife when he sojourned in Gerar You have the account thereof given in Gen. 20.12 I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place Here is not the worship of God therefore here is not the fear of God but what did he gather from thence What if there be not the fear of God Then there is the fear of nothing they will stick at nothing they will have their will they will stay me for my Wifes sake This is indeed a sweet Place a lovely and pleasant Countrey it wants for no earthly accommodations but as I Conjecture and that not without reason the best and principal thing is wanting here is none of the fear of God and where there is not that curb to restrain men they will certainly run wild and their impetuous lusts will hurry them into the vilest and most monstrous practices Vbi non est timor Dei ibi regnant omnia vitia All vices reign and rage in those places where the fear of God hath not a commanding power Whereas on the other side no persons do hate and oppose sin so much as those who do fear God most for this is that which doth teach men and that effectually to depart from evil Former Governours did so and so but said good Nehemiah so did not I because of the fear of God There was none like Job in all earth and it is said of him by the Lord himself that he feared God and eschewed evil He avoided and resisted it This fear will set the heart of a man against sin and constrain him to lift up his hand against it or his voice at least when there is not any power in his hand Wheresoever there is the fear of God as the greatest and best good there will inseparably accompany it the fear of sin as the basest and worst of evils and that person will be sure to make an universal opposition to it wheresoever it is to be found both in himself and in others at home and abroad in enemies and in Friends too yea in them most As a man that hath a natural antipathy to a Viper cannot endure it lying in his bosom nor lurking in his Chamber no nor creeping in the high-way Thirdly Pray that your Souls may be fill'd and fix'd with an holy zeal for God A zeal for his name and honour for his Law and Interest Cold Lukewarm and basely indifferent persons will never be famous and renowned upon the account of any vigorous appearings for God or against sin A sordid Spirit of indifferency greatly unworthy of every one that is honoured with the Christian name doth evermore carry along with it a Spirit of Slothfulness and Inactivity let the matter be never so important the concern never so great In Acts 18. you read that the blind and hardned Jews with one accord made insurrection against Paul and the Greeks took Sosthenes the Apostles Friend and Companion and beat him before the Judgment Seat but Gallio appear'd neither against the one nor the other He cared for none of those things He thought what were those things to him I believe this wretched Spirit influenceth and acts many a great many among us God is greatly dishonoured his name is taken in vain his precious Sabbaths are openly and wickedly prophaned Religion suffers in its honour and interest the Nation is indanger'd and exposed to the dismal effects of divine indignation young ones are corrupted perverted and drawn aside to their destruction and wrath is pulling down apace and who can tell how soon a holy jealous provoked God may unstop his vials and distribute sorrows in his anger But what is all this to them so long as they can follow their callings and enjoy themselves and gratify their proud vain wanton humours and go fine and fare well and lay up money and live in quiet and mirth and plenty But let me be believed by you whilest I tell you that if there were in you a zeal for the honour and interest of God you would judge and conclude that this is something to you and this concerns you and accordingly it would go to your very hearts and be as a Sword in your bones as it was in the holy Prophet's which extorted from him that passionate exclamation Is it not enough for you to weary men but you will weary my God aâ—so It was this holy zeal that put Eleazar upon that Heroick act of taking such speedy revenge as he did upon
Palace Good Name and Honour be your precious Oyntments The things that make you cheerful in your selves grateful and useful unto others True I would rather my own Heart should commend me than all the World's Mouth beside Next to Gods own praise of us the praise of a well informed Conscience is the most desirable Nevertheless mens good esteem good mens especially is useful to the foresaid purposes And your Conversion is requisite thereto For 't is the King of Heaven is the true Fountain of Honour and he maketh Converts and no others Vessels of Honour Honour both below and above Hypocrites know this and therefore for the praise of men they make an outside Conversion to God Converts do know this and therefore by all the Reproaches of Men will not be beaten off from the way of God Plato could say a wicked man was the Earths vilest Dunghill and a Religious one its most sacred Temple Under the Law we know that God would have those that touch'd a dead Man to be held unclean seven times as long as those that touch'd a dead Beast So teaching how debased and defiled a thing an ill man is more than a brute Creature What need words who be those that you see earthly Potentates advance to Honours but their true zealous and active Friends Turn you truly zealously actively to the King immortal he shall forthwith love you more than any of his Angels can love him And that love it self shall be a crown of Honour enough to make all the Divels in Hell envy you many of the worlds Hypocrites wish themselves in your state and all the Saints of God with holy Angels to prize you beyond expression and without Flattery Every convert whether he consider it or no hath a name greater than of Earls and Dukes God writeth them that give up their names unto him Princes in all Lands and Kings and Priests unto him for ever Psal 45. Rev. 1. Indeed the world counts them and tramples on them as dirt but God calls them and will make them up as Jewels See 1 Cor. 4.13 with Mat. 3.17 The world's Dusts be God's Diamonds If then the best things of both worlds can oblige you see your selves obliged to Turn presently unto God R. 4. You are convinced by your own Consciences as truly as other people be that you ought presently to turn unto God Therefore 't is Duty Young people God's Commands Threats and Promises do oblige whether you learn and know and mind them or not Your Negligence and Unbelief cannot make them of no effect though to your selves they may easily make them of very ill effect But when the kindness of God brings them unto your Knowledge and Thoughts when he sets Conscience which is his Vice-roy and Deputy in your Souls to the work and makes it in your very Heart and Reins to Command his Commands to Promise his Promises and to Threaten his Threats what think you then Believe it then he accounts your Engagement to be heighthened with your Advantage And he stands up for the Honour and Reverence of Conscience the Honour of which he takes for your utmost Honour of himself and Contempt of which he takes for your utmost Contempt of him And if now it appear that his Vicegerent Conscience hath been contemned and you have sinned against the Edicts and Commands thereof your sin then is exceeding sinful in his Eyes Then have you broken many yea all his Bonds and must be beaten with many yea the worst of his stripes The Conscience then which you would not have to be your Ruler shall be your Tormentor Sooner or later it shall What plead you therefore Which of you all can look me in the Face and say that your Consciences are convinced of no such thing And therefore whatever Witnesses I do bring your Consciences are none unto the Truth of my Doctrine You are Men and not Brutes You are English people too You live where the Gospel shines And I must tell you I nothing doubt but the Holy Ghost beams in Light very early into English Children Light convincing them of the Necessity of Conversion and of the Malignity of Procrastination I would be understood especially of the Children of Religious Parents and such as are carried to hear Ministers that do understand and preach Christianity and not scoff at all Regeneration beside Baptismal and do not dispense Stones for Bread and Serpents for Fish But do give Babes sincere Milk designing to Edifie not to Amuse them All such as are like to Hear or Read my Labors I would ask these Questions 1. Think you not that your Minds Wills and practick Powers were given to you to Know Love and Serve your God 2. That you are bound from your first Capacity to exercise them thereunto 3. That in order to your so Exercising them 't is incumbent on you to go learn the Gospel-Covenant and Accept it 's gracious offers and Rely on its Promises and Purpose Promise and Vow by the Grace of Jesus Christ from this time for ever to be the Lords 4. That Haste hereto is your Duty and Delay is Sin very manifold Sin 5. That present Conversion will be unto the present Pardon and Mortification of all Sin but the Delay of it will keep every sin Unpardoned Mortifie no sin but give a growing strength unto all 6. That present Conversion is most Honour to God benefit unto your selves joy to your pious Friends c. I am so far from suspecting the more grown of you that I have satisfactory grounds to believe that most of five six and seven years old do in their hearts believe all Yea and have their Consciences oft-times telling them these things as Parents and Ministers are inculking of them As St. Austin said of Seneca I dare say of most of you youngest ones You make much of what you think nothing worth and declaim against that which you do above all prefer in your heart However can you chuse but see that you all who are convinced are all extraordinarily obliged to convert presently 'T is infinitely the Duty of all but yours it would be if possible more than infinitely No man must tell me Regeneration is a great Mystery above Childrens reach and therefore for all my Confidence I do mistake them Well I know Regeneration is a Mystery of the greatest but I deny that the Necessity of it is a Mystery That is of the plainest principles And I utterly deny that so young Children as I have named are uncapable of Understanding as much of Conversion as God will accept of from them Know it O little ones Give God your All he will not reject it as little give him your Best he will accept it as little good as is in it But oh greater and lesser of you hear and fear Hell gapes for all delaying Unconverts And of any is likest to swallow up those whose delays are against Convictions Peter Martyr says St. Paul dealt more severely with the
the Blessing Young Solomon's chusing Wisdom Young Obadiah's fearing the Lord Young John's lying in Christ's Bosom Yea Young Children crying Hosannah stilling or shaming at least and baulking God's Enemies and ours Origen's Father Leonides would sometimes uncover his Breast as he lay asleep and solemnly Kiss it blessing God that had given him to be a Father to so Excellent a Child And so shall many of us have warrant to do Upon our Houses Schools and Churches it shall be writ and read of all Jehova Shamma the Lord is there Amen and Amen Quest What Repentance of National Sins doth God require as ever we expect National Mercies SERMON XVIII HOSEA 10.12 Sow to your selves in Righteousness reap in Mercy breaks up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain Righteousness upon you THE Prophet joyneth Counsel with Threatnings Amendment is that he calleth them to as a means to save them That he might induce them to this he represents their aggravated Sins and the dangers to which they were exposed by their Provocations Yet least this Call should still be uneffectual through an opinion that Repentance could avail little to a People so guilty he addeth that if they returned to God their Sins tho' great should not prevent Mercy and the threatned Judgments though near might be diverted By this Text God proclaims not only to particular Persons but to Nations how desireable it is to him to execute his Goodness and his extream backwardness to avenge himself on the most provoking Kingdoms unless they add Impenitency under solemn Warnings unto their Rebellion God seems to address himself to Ephraim to this purpose Thou are a very guilty People yet turn that I may forgive Thou art on the very brink of ruine thy obstinateness is so notorious that it will not consist with the Rules or Credit of my Government to spare thee longer Oh yet be perswaded to render thy self a Subject capable of my kindness I have long pleaded and thou seemest even unperswadable Yet I 'll make one further essay I 'll try thee once more Sow to your selves in Righteousness First The words containeth some of the Essentials of Repentance and suppose the rest Under a Metaphor from Tillage God applyeth himself in the description of this Duty q. d. 1. He that will repent must deal with his indisposed Heart Break up the fallow ground whatever pain or difficulty attends so barren or obstinate a frame of Soul you must strive with your selves pluck up those Weeds strike at the root of your Lusts which render the Fruits of Righteousness impossible This sence of that clause is more evident from those words of another Prophet Break up the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 sow not among Thornes 2. When the Heart is thus prepared we must proceed to proper acts of Reformation Sow to your selves in Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad justitiam Isa 61.3 Let the Rule of Righteousness be observed in your hearts and ways be just to God and Men return to God in sincerity be and do what may argue you to be Trees of Righteousness Do thus to your selves i. e. leave it not to others Or you shall reap the advantage of it your selves if you repent 3. You must also seek the Lord i. e. Worship God and not Idols as hath been your way Follow after him who is departed from you call upon him crave his Grace to help you but be not satisfied with faint and short attempts persist in this work till you find his favour in the blessed effects of it even till he come and rain c. These heads of Repentance this Text affords Secondly This Repentance is urged from variety of Arguments but principally from this That National Mercies would certainly follow this National Repentance Reap at the face of Mercy or immediately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reap in Mercy It 's promised more strongly then if it had been said Indicatively you shall reap in the Future Tense Being put thus Imperatively the import of it is this you have no more to do but possess your Mercies upon your Repentance Mercy will of it self grow from that Root God hath provided all antecedent Causes he hath ordained the connexion and it lies on him to make a Repenting People happy You may be assured of this for that which was meer Mercy in making the Promise is become an Act of Righteousness by the Promise You may now expect it from God as just in which sense I take that clause till he come and rain Righteousness upon you That which was Mercy in the first part of the Verse is Righteousness in the last part I know it 's true Doctrine to say till God bestow on you holy inclinations and ability to perform but that 's not the most designed Sense He further argues Ezek. 34.26 from the plenty of those Blessings which God would afford on their Repentance Till he come and rain Righteousness The returns of God to a Repenting People are in a fullness of Blessing and there shall be showers of Blessings There 's one Motive more viz. The seasonableness It 's time to seek the Lord. It 's high time and but barely so you cannot say there is no hope though you must repent soon or not at all The consideration of this Paraphrase must lead any one to the case that I am to handle Can any serious Spirit think it vain to ask What is that National Repentance which may give a sinful people hope of Mercy Which is the same with the Case as it is given me What Repentance of National Sins doth God require as ever we may expect National Mercies I have led you to it by this Text that it may not seem a melancholly fancy a mystery not to be handled or a needless inquiry It 's an awful case It 's not put to satisfie your Curiosity but to guide your Fears and Hopes It 's not only to direct your Minds to a right judgment of the matter but to excite your Hearts to that Repentance which may afford us hope in the midst of our dangers and guiltiness It 's the happiness or misery of Nations are concerned in it It 's the only remedy that a sinful Nation can use or turn to God is peremptory Luke 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utterly be destroyed except you repent you shall all likewise perish My work is 1. To resolve the case in general 2. To apply the case resolved to our own Nation I shall use this method As to the first 1. Shew you what is supposed in the case as stated 2. Explain the tearms National Sins and Mercies 3. State the Case it self 4. Propose the difficulties that attend the resolution of it 5. Resolve the Case which the forementioned particulars will much conduce to I shall as proof to this resolution of the Case 1. Evidence that the Repentance expressed in the fifth head doth ordinarily afford ground