c. And having done this he sends his Word the Message of Reconciliation to Rebels and sends his Spirit into the hearts of these whom he hath appointed to Salvation to change their Spirits that they perish not in Disobedience he brings them near that were far off having slain this enmity by the Death of his Son As many of you then as have hitherto heard this Message of Reconcilement in vain be perswaded at last to give ear to it This is all that Gods Ambassadours require according to their Instructions from himself That men would lay down that enmity against him and not be so foolish as wilfully to perish in it 2 Cor. 5. 20. Consider that this enmity is 1 Unjust 2 Unhappy Unjust it is being against him who is the chief object of Love who is altogether Goodness both in himself and towards his Creatures it is too much not to love him with most ardent and superlative affection but to entertain enmity against him is madness as he said to one who asked why are the beautiful loved it is a blind man's question Certainly we are blind if we see not cause enough not only to desist from enmity but to be inflamed with his love one glance of his amiable countenance is sufficient to cause the most rebellious heart to yield and lay down arms and for ever devote themselves to his service No we know him not and therefore it is we hold out against him is he not the living spring of all our comforts Have we not from him life and breath and all things And is he not ready to forgive Iniquity Transgression and Sin Let mercy melt our hearts to him those sweet rays of love Let his loving kindness overcome these stubborn Hearts or Spirits of ours among Enemies the weaker usually seeks first for Peace but here the Mighty Almighty God comes to intreat agreement with sinful Clay But if this prevail not then think how unhappy this enmity is you that are so afraid of men and these weak men of men like your selves whose breath is in their Nostrils will ye not tremble at his power and be afraid to continue in terms of Hostility against him who is the Lord of Hosts who hath power of the Soul and Body both to kill both and cast them into Hell What is the stoutest of men but as Stubble to the flame of his Wrath Our God is a consuming fire the sinners in Zion are afraid says the Prophet who shall dwell say they with devouring fire and everlasting burnings Then if you would not perish when his wrath is kindled take that word of Eliphaz Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee And to you so many as he hath taken into friendship with himself look backward to the gulf you have escaped and forward to the happiness you are appointed too and let the joynt-consideration of both awaken your Hearts and Tongues to Praises How can your Hearts contain such a wonder of Love as he hath manifested to you and not run over in Songs and Praise And as you owe him praises so study being made his friends to become more like him that same idem velle idem nolle to love and hate the same things with him will be a sure testimony of friendship And because carnality or fleshly and earthly mindedness is here made the Character of Enmity mortifie these affections nail them to that Cross of Christ whereby the enmity was taken away And further being once admitted into friendship labour for a further degree of Intimacy with him and forbear every thing that may hinder that use frequent converse with him for that both entertains and increases friendship If any thing fall out on your part as it too often does that may occasion any strangeness betwixt you and your God rest not till it be removed and if you walk in this way it shall undoubtedly at length bring you where you shall abide in his presence for ever and shall no more fear any breach or interruption of enjoying him To him be praise Amen SERMON X. Rom. XIII 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake THE Wisdom and Goodness of God that shines in the natural order and dependence of things in the frame of the great World appears likewise and commends it self to us in the civil order he hath instituted in the Societies of Men the lesser World As out of the same Mass he made the Heaven and the Earth and the other Elements betwixt them one higher than another and gave them different Stations and Qualities yet so different as to be linkt and concatenated together Concordia Discordia and all for the concern and benefit of the whole Thus for the good of Men hath the Lord assigned these different Stations of Rule and Subjection though all of one Race Acts 17. Raising from among Men some above the rest and Cloathed them with such Authority as hath some representment of himself and accordingly communicating to them his own Name I have said you are Gods And the very power that is in Magistracy to curb and punish these that despise it the Apostle useth as a strong and hard Cord to bind on the duty of Obedience a Cord of Necessity but he adds another of a higher Necessity that binds more strongly and yet more sweetly that of Conscience wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience sake Observe 1. This is the main consideration that closes the discourse the great Cord that binds on and fastens all the rest all the arguments foregoing therefore are mainly here to be prest Have a reverent and conscientious respect to the Ordinance of God in the Institution of Government and to the Providence of God in his choice of those particular persons whom he calls to it Contain thy self in thy own Station and submit to those set higher by the Lord in obedience to him This indeed is the only true Spring of all obedience both to God and to Men for him and according to his Ordinance to regulate the outward carriage without the living principle of an enlightned and sanctified conscience within is to build without a Foundation This is the thing God eyes most he looks through the surface of Mens Actions to the bottom follows them into their source examines from what perswasives and reasons they flow he sees not only the handle of the Dial but all the Wheels and Weights of the Clock that are the cause of its motion and accordingly judges both Men and their Actions to be good or evil as the inward frame and secret motions of the heart are in his own Worship the outside of it may have the same visage and plausable appearance in a multitude conven'd to it and concurring in it and no humane eye can trace a difference and yet oh what vast difference doth Gods eye discover
not only those hidden from Men but even from my self as is clearly his meaning by the words precedeing who knows the errors of his Life Therefore is it necessary that we desire light of God The Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord says Solomon searching the innermost parts of the Belly But it is a Candle unlighted when he does not illuminate it for that search Oh! What a deal of Vanity and love of this World Envy and secret Pride lurks in many of our hearts that we do not at all perceive till God causeth us to see it leading us in as he did the Prophet in the Vision to see the Idolatry of the Jews in his very Temple by which they had provoked him to forsake it and go far from his sanctuary and having discovered one parcel leads him in further and makes him enter through the Wall and adds often Son of Man hast thou seen these I will cause thee see yet more abominations and yet more abominations Thus is it within many of us that should be his Temples but we have multitude of Images of Jealousie one lying hid behind another till he thus discover them to us Oh! What need have we to entreat him thus What I see not shew thou me Now in both these both in the knowledge of our Rule and of our selves though there may be some useful subserviency of the Ministry of Men yet the great Teacher of the true knowledge of his Law and of himself and of our selves is God Men may speak to the Ear but his Chair is in Heaven that Teaches hearts Cathedram habet in caelo Matchless Teacher that Teacheth more in one hour than Men can do in a whole Age That can cure the invincible unteachableness of the dullest heart Gives understanding to the simple and opens the eyes of the Blind So then would we be made wise wise for Eternity learned in real living Divinity Let us sit down at his feet and make this our continual request What I see not teach thou me And if I have done c. That 's any iniquity that I yet know not of any hidden Sin let me but once see it and I hope thou shalt see it no more within me not willingly lodged and entertained This speaks an entire total giving up all Sin and proclaming utter defiance and enmity against it casting out what is already found out without delay and resolving that still in further search as it shall be more discovered it shall be forthwith dislodged without a thought of sparing or partial indulgence to any thing that is Sin or like it or may any way befriend it or be an occasion and incentive of it This is that absolute renouncing of Sin and surrender of the whole Soul and our whole selves to God which whosoever do not heartily consent to and resolve on their Religion is in vain and which is here the point their Affliction is in vain whatsoever they have suffered they have gained nothing by all their sufferings if their hearts remain still Selfwill'd Stubborn Untamed and unpliable to God And this makes their miseries out of measure miserable and their sins out of measure sinful whereas were it thus qualify'd and had it any operation this way towards the subjecting of their hearts unto God Affliction were not to be called misery but would go under the Title of a blessedness Blessed is the Man whom thou correctest and teachest him out of thy Law That suiting with this here desired I have born Chastisement What I see not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do it no more Oh! Were it thus with us M. B. how might we rejoyce and insert into our Praises all that is come upon us if it had wrought or advanced any thing of this kind within us this blessed compliance with the will of God not entertaining any thing knowingly that displeases him finding a pleasure in the denial and destruction of our own most beloved pleasures at his appointment and for his sake whatsoever is in us and dearest to us that would offend us that would draw us to offend him were it the right hand let it be cut off or the right eye let it be pluckt out Or to make shorter work let the whole Man die at once Crucified with Jesus That we may be henceforth dead to Sin dead to the World dead to our selves and alive only to God SERMON III. PREFACE THere is no Exercise so delightful to those that are truly godly as the solemn Worship of God if they find his powerful and sensible presence in it and indeed there is nothing on earth more like to Heaven than that is But when he withdraws himself and witholds the influence and breathings of his Spirit in his service then good Souls find nothing more lifeless and uncomfortable but there is this difference even at such a time betwixt them and those that have no Spiritual life in them at all that they find and are sensible of this difference whereas the other know not what it means And for the most part the greatest number of those that meet together with a profession to Worship God yet are such as do not understand this difference Custom and formality draws many to the ordinary places of publick Worship and fills too much of the Room And somtimes Novelty and Curiosity to places not ordinary has a large share But how few are there that come on purpose to meet with God in his Worship and to find his power in it strengthning their weak Faith and weakning their strong Corruptious affording them provision of Spiritual strength and comfort against times of trial And in a word advancing them some steps forward in their Journey towards Heaven where Happiness and Perfection dwells Certainly these sweet effects are to be found in these Ordinances if we would look after them let it grieve us then that we have so often lost our labour in the Worship of God through our own neglect and intreat the Lord that at this time he would not send us away empty for how weak so ever the means be if he put his strength the work shall be done in some measure to his Glory and our Edification Now that he may be pleased to do so to leave ablessing behind him let us Pray c. Isaiah XXVIII 5 6. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a Crown of Glory and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his People And for a spirit of judgment to him that sittest in judgment and for strength to them that turn the battel to the gate ALL the Works of Divine Providence are full of Wisdom and Justice even every one severally considered yet we observe them best to be such when we take notice of their order and mutual aspect one to another whether in the succession of times or such passages as are contemporary and fall in together at one and the same time
discourse of Light I take it in this resemblance Christ is the Sun and the Gospel his proper Sphere or Heaven wherein he gives light to his Church he is primarily the Glory of the Lord and the Gospel by participation because it declares him so that much of that which shall be spoken here of Christ will be secondarily to be understood of the Gospel of Christ. That Christ is Light the Scripture speaks abundantly his own voice concerning himself notwithstanding the cavil of the Pharisees is above all exception for he is Truth it self I am the light of the World sayeth he he that follows me shall not walk in darkness John 8. 12. The Father that sent him gives him the same title I will give thee for a light of the Gentiles Isaiah 42. 6. 49. 6. And not to multiply citations of the Prophets and Evangelists who with one consent all magnifie this Light take the true testimony of a false Prophet and indeed the favourable witness of an Adversary is strongest It is that of Balaam who saw that Christ was Light though because he saw him afar off as he says himself and had not his eye fortified like the true Prophets he discerned him but as a Star There shall come a Star out of Jacob c. Numb 24. 17. But what need we go so far to be certified what this Light and Glory of the Lord is the Lord of Glory himself seeing the very next verse to the Text assures us of it Upon thee shall the Lord arise And in the 19th verse The Lord shall be thy everlasting light and thy God thy glory By this time I hope it is clear That the Eternal Son of God co-essential with his Father was he that gave accomplishment to this Prophesie by appearing to the World wrapt up in the darkness of Humane Nature He is that day-spring from on high that hath visited us as old Zacharias speaks Luk. 1. 78. Among all created Excellencies none can be borrowed more fitly representing Christ tha◠that of Light And is it not Christ that decks his Church with supernatural Beauty and makes it indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a comely World called out of the World But the manifold agreement of Light with Christ doth require more particular consideration Light is as they call it Primum Visible The first object of Sight And Jesus Christ whom the Apostle stiles God over all blessed for ever is Primum Intelligibile The prime object of the Understanding What 's then become of that Divine Sparkle that understanding Soul that the Father of Spirits breaths into these Bodies that all our Thoughts creep here below and leave their chief and noblest object inconsidered Which of us may not complain though few of us do that our Souls have either no Wings to elevate themselves to the contemplation of him from whom they issued or if they make offers at it our affections engaged to the World make us like a Bird tied by the foot fall presently down again into the mire It is high time to leave Hunting shadows and to turn our Internal Eye to the beholding of this Uncreated Light In this Elementary World Light being as we hear the first Visible all things are seen by it and it by it self Thus is Christ among Spiritual things in the Elect World of his Church all things are made manifest by the Light says the Apostle Eph. 5. 13 speaking of Christ as the following verse doth evidently testifie It is in his Word that he shines and makes it a directing and convincing Light to discover all things that concern his Church and himself to be known by its own brightness how impertinent then is that question so much tossed by the Romish Church How know you the Scriptures say they to be the Word of God without the Testimony of the Church I would ask one of them again How they can know that it is day light except some light a Candle to let them see it They are little vers'd in Holy Scripture that know not that it 's frequently called Light and they are senseless that know not that Light is seen and known by it self If our Gospel be hid says the Apostle it is hid to them that perish the God of this World having blinded their minds against the Light of the glorious Gospel c. No wonder if such stand in need of a Testimony a blind Man knows not that it's light at noon day but by report but to those that have eyes Light is seen by it self Again it makes all other things that are in themselves to become actually visible as they speak so by the word of this substantial word Jesus Christ all things in Religion are tryed and discovered The very Authority of the Church which they obtrude so confidently must be stopt and examined by these Scriptures which they would make stand to its courtesie Doctrines and Worship must be tryed by this Light and what will not endure this Trial must not be endured in the House of God To the Law and to the Testimonies says the Prophet if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8. 20. The rays of Christ's Light are display'd thro'both his Testaments and in them we see him But oh How sublime is the knowledge of him None is ignorant that there is Light yet what Light is few know the best wits are troubled to define it So all that bear the Name of Christians acknowledge that Christ is but to know what he is is of marvellous difficulty In a speculative way unsoundable is the depth of his Nature and Properties and his Generation who can declare says our Prophet I define not whether his eternal Generation or his Incarnation in time These are mysteries that shall hold the very Angels busie in admiration for ever and for experimental knowledge by Faith how small is the number of those that are truly acquainted with it Again Light fitly resembles Christ in purity it visits many impure places and Lights upon the basest parts of the Earth and yet remains most pure and undefiled Christ sees and takes notice of all the Enormities and sinful pollutions in the World as David says of the Sun Psal. 19. there is nothing hid from his Beams ye many of those foul evils he cures and purgeth away these pollutions and yet is never stained by them in the least degree he is a Physician not capable of infection and therefore while he dwelt among Men he shunned not Publicans and Sinners but sought them rather for with such was his business and employment Indeed for a frail Man to be too bold in frequenting profane and obstinate persons though with intention to reclaim them is not always so safe Metus est neattrahant They may pull him in that would help them forth and pollute him that would cleanse them But our Saviour the Light of the World runs no such hazard he is stronger
is used inâ—â— ver 27. conform to that of Moses Gen. 6. Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evil continually The word indeed signifies the wise thoughts so then take the full latitude of it thus The carnal mind in its best and wisest thoughts is direct enmity against God Carnal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What meant by the flesh here It is the whole corrupt Nature of man and that we may know by its opposition to the Spirit not to the Spirit or Soul of a man for so it hath no thoughts nor minding these being proper to the Soul but opposed to the Spirit of God Now the Corruption of Nature is called the Flesh not without very good reason not only to signifie the baseness of it the Flesh being the more ignoble and meaner part of a Man but because the greatest part of the sins of mens lives are about sensitive objects and things that concern the Flesh or the Body it lets in temptation of sin to the Soul by the doors of the Senses and it gives the last perfection or accomplishment to sin by external acting of it The very first sin that brought in Death and Misery with it upon Mankind the pleasure of the eye and of the taste were sharers in the guiltiness of it The carnal mind Man in regard of his composure is as it were the tie and band of Heaven and Earth they meet and are married in him A Body he has taken out of the Dust but a Soul breathed from Heaven the Father of Spirits a House of Clay but a Guest of most noble Extraction But the pity is it hath forgot its Original and is so drowned in flesh that it deserves no other but to go under the Name of Flesh. It is become the Slave and Drudge of the Body and as the Israelites in Egypt made perpetually to moyl in Clay What is all your Merchandise your Trades and Manufactures your Tillage and Husbandry but all for the Body in its behalf for Food and Raiment In all these the Mind must be careful and thoughtful and yet properly they reach it not for it self hath no interest in them It is true the necessity of the Body requires much of these things and superfluous custom far more but it is lamentable that men force their Souls to forget it self and its proper business to attend these things only and be busie in them They spend all their time and their choicest pains upon perishing things and which is worse engage their affections to them They mind earthly things whose end is destruction Philip. 3. 19. The same word that 's here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Will you consider seriously that your Souls run the hazard of perishing because you consider not their Spiritual Nature When that earthly Tabernacle of yours shall fall to the ground and e're long it must your Souls must then enter Eternity and though you had as large a share of earthly things as your earthly hearts now would wish they all lose their use in that moment they are not a proper good for the Soul at any time and least at that time If you keep it all your life long busie about the interest and benefit of the flesh the Body how poor will be when thy part having provided nothing at all for it self but the guiltiness of a sinful life which will sink it into that bottomless Pit Be forewarned then for to be carnally minded is death verse 6. precedeing the Text. The carnal mind Now as Sin hath abased and degenerated the Soul of Man making it Carnal so the Son of God by taking on our Nature hath sublimated it again and made it Spiritual The Souls that received him are Spiritualized yea as Sin made the Soul Carnal Grace makes the very Body to become Spiritual making it partaker and co-worker in spiritual things together with the Soul in doing and suffering and participant of the hopes too of an everlasting reward This is the main Christian Character our Apostle gives here that they are spiritually minded and that their actions suit their minds They walk not after the flesh but after the spirit whereas before with the rest of the World they were eager in the pursuit of Honours and Profits and Worldly Pleasures Now the stream of their desires run in another channel they seek after Honour and are very ambitious of it but it is such Honour as the Apostle speaks of in this Epistle Rom. 2. 7. By patient continuance in well doing they seek for glory and honour and immortality Their mind is upon profit and gain but it is with the same Apostle Philip. 3. that they may win Christ and they account all other things loss in comparison And their desires are after pleasure too but not Carnal Pleasures those are both base and of short continuance but the pleasures they aim at are those that are at Gods right hand and for evermore Psal. 16. 11. And that path of life he there speaks of that way of holiness that leads thither is their delight Spiritual Excercises they go to not as their task only but more as their joy and refreshment And this change the Spirit of God works in the Soul making it yea and the body wherein it dwells of Carnal to become Spiritual as the fire to which the Holy Ghost is compared refines Sand and Ashes and makes of them the purest Glass which is so neat and transparent Enmity against God Sin hath not only made us unlike God by defacing his beautiful Image in us not only strangers by making us wander far off from him but enemies nor enemies only but Enmity in the abstract for that is emphatical The carnal mind is Enmity nothing else but Enmity Now this Enmity is described in the latter clause of the Text by an Antipathy so to call it or Not-compliance with the Law of God it is not subject to the Law of God neither can it be to wit while it remains such There is an absolute impossibility in it to suit with the Law of God and consequently with God himself the reason lies in their opposits qualities God is spiritual and holy and so is the law as our Apostle hath it in the preceeding Chapter and the opposition he there makes betwixt his Unregenerate part and the Law is wholly true of the Unregenerate man The law is holy says he ver 12. And ver 14. It is spiritual to which too he opposes but I am carnal sold under sin Where are now those that so vilifie Grace and magnifie Nature Or shall I rather say Nullifie Grace and Deifie Nature Here is the best Elogy the Apostle will bestow upon the best of Natures Enmity against God Nay all the sparkles of Virtue and Moral Goodness in Civil Men and Ancient Heathens is no better besides many other things to be said to the Vertues of those Philosophers as ignorance of Christ by whom alone this enmity is removed I
condition of the Church Know this to be the great obstructer of its peace making him to withdraw his hand and hide his face and to turn away his ear from our Prayers and loath our Fasts Isai. 1. 15. Jer. 14. 12. The quarrel stands sin not repented and removed the Wall is still standing Oaths and Sabbath breaking and Pride and Oppression and Heart burnings still remaining Oh! what a noise of Religion and Reformation all sides are for the Name of it and how little of the thing The Gospel it self is despised grown stale as trivial Doctrine Oh! my Beloved if I could speak many hours without intermission all my cry would be Repent and pray Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Oh! what Walls of every ones Sin are set to 't Dig diligently to bring down thine own and for these huge Walls of publick National guiltinesses if thou canst do nothing to them more compass them about as Jericho and look up to Heaven for their downfal Cry Lord these we our selves have reared but without thee who can bring them down Lord throw them down for us a touch of thy hand a Word of thy mouth will make them fall Were we less busied in impertinencies and more in this most needful work it might do some good who knows but the Lord might make his own way clear and return and visit us and make his face to shine that we might be saved FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for Samuel Keble and are to be Sold at the Great Turks-Head in Fleet-Street over against Fetter-Lane end A Weeks Preparation Towards a Worthy Receiving the Lord's Supper Preparation to a Holy Life or Devotion for Families and private Persons by the Author of the Weeks Preparations to the Sacrament A Collection of private Forms of Prayer out of the Common Prayer-Book for Morning Noon and Night and other special occasions being in a different Method from any former by the Author of the Weeks Preparation to the Sacrament Together with the Holy Feasts and Fasts as they are observed in the Church of England Explained and the Reasons why they are yearly Celebrated A Table to all the Epistles and Gospels in the Book of Common-Prayer so that you may find any Text of Scripture being contained in them This Table may be put into your Common Prayer-Book without new binding Rules for our more Devout Behaviour in the time of Divine Service in the Church of England An Explanation of the Terms Order and Usefulness of the Liturgy of the Church of England by way of Question and Answer recommended to be learned after the Church Catechism God's Revenge against Murther in thirty Tragical Histories by John Reynolds Heresiography or a Description of all Heresies and Sectaries of the latter times by E. Pagit much enlarged The Innocent Lady The Interpretations of Dreams by Artimedorus Degrees of Marriage that which is Ordered to be had in all Churches The Book of Bertram the Priest in English A Persuasive to the stricter Observation of the Lord's Day in pursuance of His Majesty's Order and Direction to Preach by Matthew Bryan LLD. The Education of young Ladies and Gentlewomen c. The new Youths Behaviour containing First His Duty towards God in Meditation and Prayers for Morning and Evening with some short Rules for a good Life Secondly Decency in Conversation amongst Men c. Ogleby's Aesop. in Two Vol. The Worth of a Penny or a Caution to keep Money c. Epictetus Enchiridion made English in a Poetical Paraphrase by E. W. FINIS Gen. 3. 5. Sophoclâ—'s Hos. 5. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. Psal. 119. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Nature of it * Palge Maijim Pelagus aquarum 3. The Measure 4 The Subject To Baal Shemin Balsamus sic suibus sic male nardus olent Matchiavel * Judg. 9. 20. Psal. 24. 7. * Deus neminem alium quam seipsum sinit de se magnifice Sentire Herodot Julian * Invenit insomni volventem publica cura fata virum casusque urbis cunctisque timentem securumque sui Ille velnt rupes unmota manebat Archimedeâ— Lapiâ— super Lapidem in Theatro 2 Cor. 10. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Linquenda tellus domus placeus uxor c. * Ezek. 8. Behind the Wall