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
taking pleasure in the promoting of the Graces and Comforts of others in our way to Heaven Christians forget not that the joy of the Lord is your strength (m) Neh. 8.10 The serving of God with chearfulness strengtheneth both Body and Mind whereas excess of grief damps the Spirit and infeebles the Body unfitting us for the Service of either God or Man But the complaining Soul will still complain Say what you will or can Comfort belongs not to me (n) Ps 77.3 4. I may say with Asaph My Soul refuseth to be comforted I remember God and am troubled I complain and my Spirit is overwhelmed God holds mine Eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak q. d. I cannot but reject all the Consolations that my Friends suggest to me The thoughts of Gods Goodness Wisdom and Power have sometimes been refreshing to me but now they are matter of terror to me God is angry with me and I cannot bear it my trouble is so great I can't express it your speaking Comfort to me is but as the Singing of Songs to a heavy Heart 3. Notwithstanding all this and a great deal more of such Complaints yet I 'll assert and make good my assertion That Comfort belongs to them that conclude against themselves that their case is hopeless and I 'll try to make those very persons confess it We are not to take Mens own word that either the Promises or Threatnings are their portion but we must examine the grounds of their peremptory assertion e. g. If a wicked wretch shall confidently boast he doth not in the least doubt but he shall as certainly be saved as any of those that take most care about their Salvation though he ne're troubles his thoughts about it Do you think that in taking his Accounts Chist will let his Confidence pass for saving Faith and give him Heaven for his Presumption surely you can't think he will while he hath given us so plain a Rule how to judge of words by things viz. By their fruits you shall know them (o) Mat. 7.16 c. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil fruit So then as a Man shall not save his Soul for his groundless Presumption so neither shall he lose his Soul for his groundless despondency Thou complainest of thy self not of Christ he is precious (p) 1 Pet. 2.7 in thine eye therefore thy Faith is saving thou fearest that thou dost not cleave to Christ yet thou hadst rather die than offend him this is a Faith of adherence and that is saving Thou complainest but restlesly strivest to be more inwardly outwardly universally holy that is a good Evidence thy state is good though while under a Temptation or under a Cloud thou canst not see it to be so But thou still sayest I am an unprofitable Hearer and I cannot believe that Christ will pardon what is amiss and accept of any thing as good of what I can do and therefore pray quit this way of answering my complaint by telling me of Comfort If you have any thing else to offer I 'll hear it I may expect rather to hear of Christ in a clap of Thunder than in a soft and still voice 4. I 'll speak to thee no more directly of Comfort but only ask thee a Question about the Comforts of others What are thy thoughts about the Comforts and Joys of the Holy Ghost are there any such things or are they meer Fancies If there be any such things what thinkest thou of those that partake of them Is the enjoyment of them desirable Are they happy that have them Whether is more eligible to spend your Life in mourning Complaints or to spend it in the joyfull Praises of the Lord our Redeemer Are these Questions hard to be answered These Questions are out of question Oh! there are no joys like the joys of the Holy Ghost the best of carnal joys are incomparably below them Though I fear I shall never be so happy as to enjoy them yet I can't but admire them that do Do you ask which is more eligible a life of mourning Complaints or a life of Joys Ask a Man under a fit of the Stone whether that is more eligible than a state of health Well dost thou speak this heartily Ask thy Heart again that thou mayest not mistake me or go back from thine own answer Are the joys of the Holy Ghost Realities Are they unspeakably beyond all other joys Are they happy that enjoy them Wilt thou stand to thy word Then they are all thine own thou hast a title to them at present and as sure as thy Redeemer lives thou shalt be put into the possession of them Mark how I prove it Every one that hath Truth of Grace hath an indefeasible Title to Glory (q) 1 John 5.13 These things which I have written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that you have eternal life (r) 2 Cor. 1.22 They have a Seal for Assurance but an earnest which is a begun possession elsewhere called the first-fruits (Å¿) Rom. 8.23 but every one that prizeth the holy joys of the Holy Ghost hath Truth of Grace Graceless Persons make a mock of the joys of the Holy Ghost they can scarce forbear sneering at the mention of them he perfers carnal Comforts before them (t) Psal 4.6 7 Many say who will shew us any good But the gracious Soul says Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased ver 3. This is the godly Man whom the Lord hath set apart for himself Not any one that is not a Saint himself hath any esteem for a Saint as a Saint (u) 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Now I dare appeal to your selves in the very midst of all your complaints when thou fearest thou shalt never have any of these joys yet thou hast a value for them above any other Thou preferrest thy complaints before worldly Pleasures thou dost not thou canst not but follow Christ though it be tremblingly If all these be not infallible Evidences of Grace what are Chide thy self and pray thy self out of thy complaining temper (w) Eccl. 9.7 Go thy way eat thy Bread with joy and drink thy Wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth thy works And thus you have my Answer as well to the Complaint as to the Case God make it beneficial to all that shall read it There remains some questions depending upon the Case that require some Answer I 'll attempt that also Qu. 1. When we make choice of a Minister to be under Christ the special Guide of our Souls How shall we avoid the sinfull preferring of one before another How may we escape that
Spirit of God Sure he who hath an Immortal Soul within him and a Dubious State to himself as that dreadful Eternity before him should never be sick of his time that lies upon his Hand one hour whereof millions of Wolds can't redeem 2. Covetousness is a weighty Argument Thousands are enough to break the Loyns of most Mens minds too heavy for the back of the strongest Rationalist in the World the Scale of Judgment cannot turn while this beam is in the Eye nor any Argument counterpoise this dead and deadly weight but Tythe Mint and Cummin will outweigh Faith and the Love of God Luke 11.42 St. Briget prophesied Fox's Martyr The Roman Clergy would ruin the Church by their avarice for she said They had already reduced the Ten Commands to two words da pecuniam 3. Pride of Life swells Men till they break all bonds and bounds like Stum in the Cask makes all the Hoops fly off The zeal of a party and having declared for a way makes Men they cannot retreat but will spur on for honour and profit though the Angel of the Lord oppose them till they are crushed to the Wall If Christian Religion be founded in Self-denyal Mortification and bearing the Cross they who seek their own glory are not of God John 7.18 that is either no Gospel or these certainly are no Disciples of Christ We had need look to ourselves for this lust of domination and glory as Charon saith Is the very Shirt of the Soul on from the first but last put off Secondly I am to shew you that the practice of holy Duties clearly commanded is the ready way to have our minds inlightned in the knowledge of Principles Reading the Scriptures discoursing about Heaven and about their Souls everlasting welfare Reproving one another and admonishing Rom. 15.14 comforting and supporting the weak and dejected Soul 1 Thes 5.14 To exhort one another dayly lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Duties so much out of fashion in these days that it is not counted good manners or civility to practise them friendly reproof is esteemed want of good breeding But are they not strange Christians who are strangers to Scripture Duties 1. These Practical Duties performed would give us light He that doth the Truth cometh to the light John 3.21 not only out of boldness but discovery of knowledge Truth is nothing but goodness explained and goodness is nothing but Truth consolidated Rudiments of knowledge are prerequisite to practice but examples clear all things to us Demonstration by the Compasses maketh the Maxim evident He that doth best knoweth best for he seeth the actions as they are in themselves and circumstances he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he seeth the bottom by diving into them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.130 pethac pethaiim the very entrance into the command giveth light the Door is a Window to him that hath a weak sight even those things Men have formerly ridiculed practice hath reconciled them to be their Diana and great delight As the Gnostick in Clem. Alex. who could not taste lewdness till he was in all evil as t is Prov. 5.14 If wicked practices darken the mind as all the works of darkness do than holy actions illuminate the Soul 2. The exercise of holy Duties advanceth light every step a Man takes he goeth into a new Horizon and gets a further prospect into Truth Motion is promoted by motion actions breed habits habits fortifie the powers the new life grows stronger and fuller of Spirit The yoke of Christ is easier smoother and lighter by often wearing it this anoints us with the oyl of gladness and makes the ways of Wisdom pleasantness Prov. 3.17 Life and light are nearly related John 1.4 The life was the light of Men Acts 1.1 These things Jesus first did then taught and so he was mighty in Deed and in Word Luke 24.19 very airing and motion heateth to a flame this made his light burn vers 32. and shine too Truth incarnate in action seems a lively resemblance of God in flesh the unfolding a doubt to another hath often expounded and resolved it to the proponent 3. If any be in danger of Error or got into an ill way keeping up warm Duties Meditation and Prayer will keep him in or help him out communion with the Saints is an admirable antidote against sin or Error As in a Team of Horses if one lash out of the way if the other hold their course they will draw the former to the right path 1 John 2.20 ye have an unction and ye know all things when there are Antichrists and great Apostacies keeping to Duty like keeping the Road preserveth us from by-paths I remember a Snowy night when many wandring homeward were frozen to death A Shepherd feeling himself foiled by often falling set down his Crook in one point and beat a path round and so preserved his life and kept him out of precipices and ditches And we have a promise of light if we press to the mark and prize of our high calling Phil. 3.15 carry the Goale in your Eye and it will direct you a path where there is none upon a plain Sincerely aim at Gods glory and your Souls salvation and you shall not miss your way If in any thing you should miss it and be otherwise minded God will reveal even this unto you Yea our great Lord and Master assureth us John 7.17 He that doth the will of God he shall know the Doctrin whether it be of God or I speak of my self But if Men will make bold with God and Conscience and act for their own ends and glory they rob God of his supremacy and will lose both their way and their end He that walketh uprightly hath God for his guard and guide with devout Zachary he is within the Vail and if he be in a mistake God will reveal it to him For the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will make them know his Covenant Psal 25.14 Go to thy Oracle and pray and a ray of heavenly light shall direct you as the Wise-mens Star to the holy Jesus their minds are Gods candles Prov. 20.27 and as Father of Lights he will light them when they approach him with ardent supplication Thirdly I am to shew that Christian charity and reception will sooner win weak ones to the Truth than rigid Arguments for so the Apostle adviseth them who were to deal with people weak in Faith and strongly zealous for Ceremonies dispute not with them but receive them first 1. In regard opposition breeds oppositions a Man will never believe that he Loves his Soul who cuts his purse belies his actions torments his Body Passion begets passion but love only kindles love when Men do hotly Dispute they jostle for the way and so one or both must needs leave the path of Truth and Peace The Saw of contention reciprocated with its keen teeth
cause that will pass for just and sufficient at the great day before they resolve upon a total separation from their Brethren 8. Christ is to be followed in his great humility and meekness Mat. 11.29 Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls Pride overcame the first man he affected Divinity and would needs be as God but behold the Lord Jesus who is the Eternal God and he humbled himself and became Man Humility was the constant attire and ornament of the Man Christ Jesus Though this great Redeemer be the chief of all the ways of God though more of God is visible in Him than in the whole Creation besides Though he glorifies his Father more than all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth put together and though he is exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion no◠only in this World but in that which is to come Yet our Lord never was in the least High-minded Humility is one most remarkable feature in the image of Christ therefore resemble him in being humble Be not proud of Habit Hair and Ornaments 1 Pet. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymologists derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies nodus a knot Be cloathed or be knotted with Humility I wish that other knots were less and this which is incomparably most becoming were more in fashion Let not your Estates puff you up Riches are not always to men of understanding and there may be a great deal of Gold in the Purse where there is no true Wisdom in the Head no Grace at all in the Heart Let not your natural parts your acquired endowments your spiritual Gifts though never so excellent make you to look upon others with contempt upon your selves with admiration you owe all Glory to that God from whom you have received all Let Humility look out at your Eyes a proud look is one of the seven things which the Lord hates Prov. 6.16 17. Let Humility express it self at your Lips let it attend you in all your addresses to God and beautifie your whole behaviour and converses with Men. The more humble you are the more of every other Grace will be imparted to you the more Rest and Peace you will have within your selves and since you will be ready to give him all the Praise the Lord is ready to put the more honour upon you in making you useful unto others 9. Christ is to be followed in his love to God great care to please him and fervent zeal for his Name and Glory Joh. 14.31 The World may know says Christ that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do He obeyed that first and great Commandment and loved the Lord his God with all his Heart and Soul and Mind and Strength Christs love made him do whatever his Father pleased Joh. 8.29 He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I always do those things that please him Christs love was stronger than Death no Waters no Flouds could drown it neither could the Baptism of blood quench it Christ was consumed with Divine and Holy zeal and he matters not what befal him so he might but glorifie his Father and finish the work which was given him to do Oh let us bring our cold and careless Hearts hither to the Consideration of this Great Example that the frost may melt care may be awakened and there may be something in us that may deserve the name of Warm zeal for God Let us be importunate in Prayer and restless till we feel the constraints of the Love of God forceable till we find really the greatest delight and pleasure in doing that which pleases him and aiming at his Glory we think not much of labour difficulty and hazzard that this our end may be attained 10. Christ is to be followed in his Sufferings and Death and unto this my Text has a more particular reference Christs Faith was strong though he was under a dismal Desertion The Sun of Righteousness did set in a dark cloud He submitted to his Fathers will and being confident of a joyful Resurrection he endured the Cross and despised the shame When Christians come to die their Faith should be most lively as being near finishing it should by no means fail when there is most need of it Though he slay me says Job yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Christians should submit when the Lord of time will grant no more time to them and they should gladly enter upon a holy and blessed Eternity When the body is about to be sown in corruption by Faith they should see that its lying there will be to advantage for it will be raised in Incorruption and Glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Let Death be more natural or violent it is yours in the Covenant if you are true Believers 1 Cor. 3.22 Fear not to follow our Lord Jesus through that dark passage into the House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And all the while you remain on Earth study a Conformity to your Lords death by crucifying the Flesh and dying to the World The more dead you are with Christ in this sense you will live to the better purpose and die in the greater Peace In the third place I am to produce some Arguments to perswade to the imitation of our Lord Jesus 1. Consider the greatness of the Person that gives you the Example Christ has this Name written on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 A Roman Historian commends a Prince who is maximus imperio Velleius Paterculus l. 2. exemplo major greatest in authority and yet greater by his example Every thing in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth does bow and is subject to the Lord Jesus and yet whose obedience ever was so exact as his was He gives us precepts and he himself is the great Pattern of performance Claudian the Poet has a notable passage concerning the examples of Monarchs and what a mighty influence they have Tunc observantior aequi Fit populus nec ferre vetat cum viderit ipsum Autorein parere sibi componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita Regentis Kings have many observers who very much Eye them and their high estate both awes and allures their Subjects to the imitation of them If they keep within the bounds of their own Laws their Subjects will be the more unwilling to transgress them Christ is the universal Soveraign who commands both Heaven and Earth and has the whole Creation at his beck He has kept the Laws he gives his Church 't is duty 't is interest 't is reasonable 't is honourable to resemble him in obedience 2. Remember the Relation wherein you that are Saints do stand unto the Lord
address your selves in your Devotions to him serve him and walk before him trust him and depend upon him all that you are and have design and do let it be suited to and worthy of that Glorious and fearful Name the Lord Your God whose eminent and perfect Name you love so well Hebr. xii 28. i Thess ii 10-12 Rom. xii 1 2. Mat. v. 16. Joh. xv 8. i Pet. iv 11. away with such mean Things and Actions such flat Devotions and such tantum non offensive Conversations and such lean and stingy Offerings to God or actings for him as must put Charity upon the Rack to observers of you for to conclude or think you love him Mal. i. 13 14. ii Pet. iii. 11. i Cor. xv 58. nothing below that cluster in Phil. iv 8. and that in Tit. ii 10-14 can escape its Mene Tekel in this balance of the Sanctuary rich in Good Works i Tim. vi 18. and rich towards God Luk. xii 21. and fruitful in every good work Col. i. 10. actings continually towards God and for him facing the Eyes and Consciences of all Observers with such illustrious and large Characters and Signatures of this Divine Principle of Love as to convince even the most critical Observers of you and to extort Confessions from them that none could act and live as you do did they not love God dearly and most entirely and constantly live to him and upon him as their all i Pet. ii 12. and iv 16 Hebr. xi 13-16 for I take not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to import what may be barely Good but something generous and fit to strike the Beholders Eye and Conscience with some astonishing Convictions that what you do for God looks too majestically great to come from any ordinary Principle yea from any thing below your God enthroned in your best affections Love is the very Soul of Godliness the very Heart of the new Man a Principle so impetuous and charming as that it scorns where it is Regent to be confined to or signalized by any thing mean or base Such objects and concerns in its most intimate and close embraces and in its stated prospect and yet act sparingly sordidly or sneakingly for God! Love burns and blushes at the thought And Heaven it self ere long will irritate exert and shew the Purity and generous Vigours of this Grace in such a stated and inviolable series of great and generous actions so full of God and every way so fully for him and so worthy of him as that the life of God in glory shall evidence the force and excellence of that spring and principle whence it proceeds and yet even here even in this its Infant and Imperfect State it groans and labours to have God's Will done on Earth as it is in Heaven Well in a word such must your Actions and your Conversations be as that whatever you are conversant about or with the temper of your Spirits and the fervours and vigours of your love to God his Image Interest Son Spirit Gospel and all that do profess and own respects hereto every step you take and every thing you do ought to be great and exemplary and impregnated with what may speak the greatness largeness chearfulness and energies of your enflamed exalted and invigorated Souls through love to God Christ Souls and Christianity O to be exemplary in all Conversation to live each other into awakened Considerations of Spiritual concerns to dart forth all those glorious rays of Christian Wisdom of which we are told in Jam. iii. 17 18. to make men feel as well as see the force and flames of Christian Love to charm Exasperated Passions down by all the sweetnesses of true Wisdom Patience Meekness Gentleness and every way endearing Conversation with them to have the Law of Kindness always in your Mouths the notices of true Friendliness in your Looks the gifts and proofs of generous Charity in your Hands in constant readiness to minister to the Necessities of the Saints as God shall prosper your Endeavours in your lawful and regularly managed Occupations and Employments to have your Dealings and Commerces each with other accurately and severely just and yet sufficiently securing the credit and concerns of Christianity And in a word to be blameless and harmless as the Sons of God without rebuke shining as lights and holding forth the Word of Life to Universal Satisfaction and Advantage wherever groundless prejudice and partiality do not prevail and govern and to fill up every relation step and station with the fruits of Goodness Righteousness and truth these are the good and generous Works of Love whereto we are to be provoked For thus we do not love in word and tongue but indeed and truth i Joh. iii. 28. 4. The Intenseness of the principle and vigor of the practice called here as the designed effect of the prescribed means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Provocation the warmth and vigour wherewith Love and Good Works are as it were to be inspired Zealously affected in a good thing Gal. iv 18. zealous of good works Tit. ii 14. the Motive so effectually Cogent as to fix and fortifie the Principle and the Principle so powerful as to go thorow with its great enterprize and concern Principles are the Springs of Action and Love importeth intimacy it is a Principle rooted in the heart and it lays its beloved objects deep therein warmth it is essential to it and where it is perfect or considerably grown it is serious and fervent It is a commanding thing and affects Regency over all the Actions Faculties and Passions it is peremptory in its Precepts fixt in the Purposes and Concerns which it espouses it is powerful in its Influences pressing in its Claims diffusive of it self through all that is performed by us Impatient of Resistances Denials or Delays and moved to Jealousies Indignation and vigorous Contentions when any Injury Affront or Rape is threatned attempted or pursued that any way is prejudicial to its object and its concerns therewith it claims and pleads it urges and provokes to diligence and to all eager prosecutions of what it aims at and endears unto it self and it entirely reconciles the whole Man to all the cost and difficulties of its Divine pursuits 'T is never well but in its motions towards its actings for its conversation with and its reposes in its Pearl of Price and hence its actions are invigorated it gives no faint blows in its holy War it runs not in its Race it deals not triflingly in its Merchandize for God and Heaven it is all mettle fortitude patience action desire and delight in every thing relating to its grand Affair and Scope and it makes all its actions and performances to bear their Testimony to its own fortitude and fervours and this is the Paroxysm of Love and Good Works 2. The things provoking hereto And here behold a Troop as it was said of Gad Gen. xxx 11. How do inducements and incentments spring
his Royal Captives who helped to draw his Charlot looking wistly on the Wheel how the part now lowest was presently uppermost so that he considering the mutability of these sublunary things released him from that bondage And however forget not what the Holy Ghost saith Jam. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment 10. My last Advice is to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem This every one may do and this every one ought to do Psal 122.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces There are few greater Reasons for our solemn Fasting and Prayer than this If some Plague or War or Drought come upon us we reckon it 's high time to Fast and Pray But alas those are in themselves but Miseries but our Contentions are so our Miseries that they are our sins also Those will but destroy some of our People but Uncharitable Contentions will consume us all But whatever Others do herein let it be every sincere Christian's care to lay holy violence to Heaven upon this Account You have done all that is in your Power to restore Love and Peace and it is in vain try thâ—â— what God can do Abi in cellam dic miserere Deus He can make Men to be of one mind in a House City and Nation He can bow the Hearts of a whole Nation even as the Heart of one man and that in a moment of time He can bring the Wolf and the Lyon and the Lamb to feed together so that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain Isa 65 25. And O that the Prayer of our most Blessed Saviour Joh. 17.21 may yet prevail with God to pour down a spirit of Love and Peace into us all In the mean time let all those that are passive that are upright humble and quiet comfort themselves with Salvian's saying Insectantur nos in nobis Deum Christ is a fellow-sufferer with all that suffer as Christians and their design is against God himself that devour his servants And then pergant nostrae patientiae praecones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beatos nos hoc modo facient dum vellent miseros They that speak and write all manner of evil of you so it be falfely while they endeavour to render you miserable do thereby make you happy True Virtue and Piety shines most in the fire and therefore in Patience possess your Souls if you can possess nothing else And for Others if after all Warnings and Endeavours their Hearts be still fill'd with Rancour and bent upon mischief we must leave them to St. Augustine's Sentence Quos Deus vult perdere prius dementat There is a God who tells his Servants wandrings and puts their tears in his bottle and who will execute judgment upon all that have spoken or done hardly toward them and though they may support themselves with their present impunity and prosperity yet the Lord of that servant that began to smite his fellow servants will come in a day he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder Matth. 24.50 And though they may think it a long time to that day they will find there is a longer space after it They that choose the Fire shaâ—â— have their fill of it For to them that are contentious there remains indignation and wrath and Fire that is everlasting But I despair not of so much Remorse in such as have without Prejudice and with Consideration read these Pages but that they will awake and shake off the Inchantment which hath possess'd them and discerning their Sin and our common Danger they will embrace all their faithful Brethren and become sincere lovers of Truth and Peace which effect the God of Love and Peace work in us all by his Holy Spirit for the sake of the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ our Redeemer Amen Amen Quest From what Fear of Death are the Children of God delivered by Christ and by what Means doth He deliver them from it SERMON IV. HEB. II. 15. And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto bondage IN this and in the foregoing Verse you have some Account of the design and end of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Incarnation and Passion There were divers weighty Reasons why he assum'd our Nature and therein subjected himself to Death and two of them are told us in this Context 1. That he might destroy the Devil 2. That he might deliver the Elect People of God 1. That he might destroy the Devil who is describ'd to be one that had the power of Death not the supream but a subordinate Power of Death a Power of Death as God's Executioner to inflict it and affright men with it to make it terrible and formidable to them by heightning their guilty Fears and representing to them its dreadful consequents In these and in divers other respects that might be mentioned the Devil is said to have the Power of Death Him as it follows hath Christ destroyed That is disarm'd and disabled Christ hath not destroy'd him as to his being and substance but as to his Power and Authority over the Children and chosen of God And this Christ did by his own Death Through or by death he destroy'd him that had the power of Death viz. The Devil It was upon the Cross that be spoil'd Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 2. To come to what I intend another End and reason of Christ's Incarnation and Passion was that he might deliver the Elect People of God These he calls the Children in the foregoing Verse not the Children of Men as some expound it but the Children of God Such Children as the Father had given the Son so they are said to be Ver. 13. Behold says Christ I and the Children which thou hast given me such as were predestinated to the adoption of Children as it is phras'd Ephes 1.5 These the Text also describes and tells us in what Condition they were by Nature Through fear of Death they were all their life-time subject to bondage By all their Life time you must understand all that time which they liv'd before they were deliver'd This is the Condition of the Elect of God as they come into the World they are not only subject unto Death but unto the Fear of Death and unto bondage by reason thereof The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is render'd subject signifies they were held fast and manacled as Birds that are taken in a snare or as Malefactors that are going to their Execution The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred bondage signifies a state of servitude or slavery such as men dislike but cannot avoid One calls it a poenal disquietment or perplexity of mind that ariseth from a
have they shall associate with an innumerable company of Angels and with just men made perfect with many of their dearest Relations and Friends whom whilst alive they dearly lov'd and whose death and departure hence they greatly lamented Let me close this with one Text 't is in 1 John 3.2 There the Apostle tells us wherein the gain and glory of the godly consisteth after death he summs it up in two things They shall be like Christ and they shall see him as he is Ay that is the happiness of the Children when they dye it lyes in Conformity to Christ and in the Vision the beatifical Vision of him 3. Christ delivers Believers from the slavish fear of Death by giving them some real Foretastes of Heaven and of Eternal Life It is usual with God to give his People some Cluster of the Grapes of Canaan here in the Wilderness to give them some drops and sips of that new Wine which they shall drink full draughts of in the Kingdom of their Father he gives them to taste not only of the good Word of God and of the heavenly gift but of the powers of the world to come and this sets them a longing to have their fill thereof Even as the Gauls when they had tasted the Wines of Italy they were not satisfy'd to have those Wines brought to them but they would go and possess the Land where they grew This foretaste of Heaven is that which the Scripture calls The earnest of our Inheritance Eph. 1.14 't is both a pledge and a small part of that Happiness which the Saints shall hereafter inherit Rom. 8.23 We says the Apostle that have the first-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves do groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the redemption of our body By Redemption he means the Resurrection of the Body at the last day which the Scripture calls a Resurrection unto Life The Apostle knew there could be no Redemption of the Body without the dissolution thereof therefore in waiting for the one he must needs also wait for the other The Apostle and the Believers with him did groan for this they were so far from groaning under the fears of Death that they rather groan'd to be partakers of that which follows after Death nay In this they groan'd earnestly 2 Cor. 5.2 as he elsewhere speaks Now whence was this but from their having the first-fruits of the Spirit which are all one with the foretastes of Heaven and everlasting Happiness of which I have been speaking Those that whilst they live have these tastes of future Blessedness they are not afraid of Death the door by which they enter into the full enjoyment of them Having thus resolved this Question in both its Branches give me leave to make some short Application of what I have said and I 'le conclude I would Exhort you that are the Children of God and Oh that all that read these Lines were of the number of such I would earnestly beseech and exhort you to prize and improve this great Priviledge to wit a deliverance from the slavish Fear of Death 1. Be perswaded to Prize it it is a Priviledge that was purchas'd for you at a dear rate even with the precious Blood of Christ Oh what a blessed Priviledge is this not only to be delivered from the second Death but also from the servile and enthralling fear of the first Death This is the benefit and blessing that the Apostle Paul seems to be so much affected with Thanks be to God says he who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ What Victory doth he mean The foregoing words tell us 1 Cor. 15 5â— that he means a Victory over Death with all its fearful concomitants and consequents Death is become a Friend and not an Enemy 't is without any Sting or Curse attending of it Oh! this is owing to Jesus Christ he is the great Deliverer he hath so order'd the matter that though we must dye yet we shall not be in bondage all our dayes through a slavish Fear of Death 2. Be perswaded to Improve this Priviledge put in for a part and share therein See to it that you be Partakers of this benefit of Christ's Death to live without any tormenting fear of your own You 'l say how shall we help it can we contribute any thing towards our Deliverance from the Fear of Death I answer You may And therefore as I have shewn you what Christ hath done and doth to deliver you so now give me leave to shew you farther what you must do towards your own Deliverance I 'le give you some short hints of things which you may enlarge upon at your leisure in your own thoughts 1. You must be earnest with God that he would apply to you this benefit of his Sons Death by his blessed Spirit Oh! begg of God and that with all importunity that the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus may set you free from a tormenting Fear of Death This hath been done for others and who can tell but it may be done for you likewise Ezek. 36.37 only remember that God will be enquir'd of by you to do this for you 2. You must give all diligence to the attaining of a greater measure of Faith Love and Hope yea to the attaining of a full Assurance of Hope 't is by means hereof as you heard before that the Children are deliver'd in part from the Fear of Death 'T is Grace and the Assurance of Grace that is the Anchor of the Soul that keeps it safe from the fear of Shipwrack 3. You must resist the Devil and withstand his Temptations not only to other sins but to the sin of Despondency in particular You must not give place to Satan nor give way to enthralling Fear when he tempts you thereunto Remember as I told you before 't is the Law of the Combate betwixt the Devil and you that if you fight he shall fly if you stand your ground he must give ground 4. You must have frequent Meditation of Death and of the gain that is to be gotten thereby the frequent thoughts hereof will familiarize Death to you and if once Death and you be familiar together you won't be so much afraid of it 5. You must have frequent Contemplation also of the Resurrection You find that Job had conquer'd the Fear of Death and if you read the 9th Chapter of Job and Ver. 26 27. you will see that his thoughts of the Resurrection were very helpful to him herein He is a Conqueror over the Fear of Death that considers with the Apostle Paul that the Grave shall lose its Victory 1 Cor. 15.56 It was the saying of a worthy Minister of our Nation That nothing lifted him over the Fear of Death like the belief and Meditation of the Resurrection to Eternal Life 6. You must take heed of living or allowing your selves in any known Sin if it be as
Nay 2. Reason From the requisites in the Gospel its self 2. All the Priviledges of the Gospel do include or presuppose departing from Iniquity An unholy Person whilst such Ipsa salus non potest salvare Salvation its self cannot preserve How did the Jews search every hole and corner of their houses to find out leaven and how earnestly did they cast it away or else the Paschal Lamb would not have availed them and the destroying Angel would not have pass'd from them 1 Cor. 10.6 And these things are our Examples and tell us that unless we industriously search out and cast away the leaven of sin and wickedness the very Death of Christ the Lamb of God will profit us nothing 'T is as the first Principle of the Christian Religion that the Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God which the Apostle took for granted the Corinthians could not but know Vers 10. And what a Bead-roll is there of such as he declares shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! No less than ten abominations are there mentioned to exclude from Heaven and some of them valued in common account but as Peccadillo's Men are apt to say of any sin Is it not a little one and my Soul shall live But as the Apostle there cautions Be not deceived deceits of this nature are frequent but very dangerous And this is the Gospel to which we appeal when we are scared and frighted by the Law But in all the Gospel there is nothing that can take away or lessen our Obligation to God's Commandments but what does every way straighten and strengthen it Now we are bound with a double Cord which is harder to be broken and it shews that sin under the Gospel hath acquired greater strength when it snaps it asunder Let us take a view of the Priviledges of those that are saved by the Gospel and see how they are obliged to Holiness by them Eph. 1.4 1. Election is the first and if we are chosen in Christ Jesus the Apostle tells us that We are chosen in him that we should be holy and without blame before him 2 Pet. 1.10 and if we should make our Calling and Election sure it must be with fear and trembling The Book of Life is with God in Heaven thou canst not see thy Name there but it is transcribed for thy comfort in thy Heart when thou art sanctified and the more thou proceedest in Holiness the more legible it will be unto thee 2. Our Vocation is unto Holiness Does God call any of his to come from the World and Sin unto him As Christ called Saul and His Sheep do hear his voice they are called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 they are called to be made holy and to be sanctified whatsoever they were before when once they come to Christ 1 Cor. 6.11 but ye are washed but ye are sanctified Christ comes by Water and Blood and not by Water or Blood only and Christ is made of God unto us not only Righteousness but Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 3. Our Regeneration or being Born again which the Gospel insists so much upon is in being made like unto God 2 Pet. 1.4 partakers of the Divine Nature enabled to love what he loves and to hate what he hates and to be conformed unto him in all things So that God and regenerate Ones have but one Will Thus they are said to be created again unto good works 4. And what is Glory which we seek for and endeavour after Rom. 2.7 but only Holiness in perfection Grace is Glory in the Bud Glory is Grace in the Flower hence they are put together and we are said to be called to Glory and Vertue Wheresoever true Grace is 2 Pet. 1.3 there will be Glory and in whomsoever Glory is there hath been Grace God hath put these two together and let no Man put them asunder As Laban's two Daughters were disposed of the Elder thô less lovely must be first accepted by Jacob Gen. 29.26 so God deals with his two Grace and Glory Grace is the elder and thô not so desireable every one would covet Glory yet this is the Law of the Land the Younger must not be given before the Elder you must woo for and obtain Grace before you can be admitted to the enjoyment of Glory Nay we are only so far Christians as we are like Christ in Principle and Practice as we partake of the Spirit which he had and lead such a Life as he did Christian is not an empty name and being called so makes us not to be so Every one is not a Scholar or an Artist in any faculty who is called so Besides Christianity is a practical Science and thou hast no more of it than thou dost practise Oh how little have most men The Heathen painted their Deified Heroes with this sentence proceeding from them Si feceritis sicut nos eritis sicut nos We may imagine we hear our Saviour telling us from Heaven If ye do as I did ye shall be as I am And certainly thô Heaven and the Glory of it be freely promised and 't is no contradiction to say that it is fully purchas'd and sufficiently paid for Eph. 1.14 being the Apostle calls it a purchased possession yet there must be a meetness and suitableness to it in every one that shall be admitted to the fruition of it We must be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1.12 What should an unholy heart do in Heaven Heaven would not be Heaven unto it that is it could not be a place of Bliss and Joy unspeakable unto such There are no carnal delights not so much as the here lawfull because necessary ones of eating and drinking marrying and giving in mariage there is no Gold and Silver to fill the Bags of the covetous Earth-worms no Dalilah's for the Wantons no Company to debauch and carouze with If a Sermon or a Lord's day be so tedious when will it be gone How unhappy would an unchanged unsanctified Soul think its self to hear perpetual Hallelujah's and Praises to be confined amongst the Souls of just men and Holy Angels God certainly will not cast his Jewels before such Swine Heb. 12.23 14. Besides the Gospel does by no means take away the ground of that Discrimination which will be at the last between the Sheep and Goats between them that shall stand on the right hand and on the left of the Judge of the quick and dead In the final Sentence there must be a Truth in what shall be said to the Blessed I was an hungred and ye gave me meat Mat. 25.35 vers 42. as well as the final Condemnation of the Cursed I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat c. But I need not multiply Reasons to prove that every one must depart from Iniquity even such as hope to be saved For
in vain and he will not hold thee guiltless for thy Prayers will be turned into sin unto thee Psal 109.12 And yet Pray thou must or thou runnest into a greater Iniquity by neglecting to acknowledge thy dependence upon God thou wilt at least border upon Atheism Oh what a miserable Dilemma does thy wickedness betray thee unto If thou hadst a design to dishonour God thou couldst not more effectually execute it than by saying That thou art his Servant or Child and by sin to disparage him thy Father or Lord and Master As he must needs provoke any great and noble Person who in the Livery of his Servant or Garb of his Child acts filthiness and abominations And as for laying hold on Christ and shrouding of thy self amongst his Retinue calling him thy Husband or professing him to be thy Head what a Monster pardon the expression I tremble to mention it wouldst make him As if he were a Dagon whose head was like a Man but his lower parts like stinking Fish The truth is the pretensions of such unto Salvation would make Scripture a Lye and Christ the Minister of unrighteousness Gal. 2.17 ult which God forbid Dost thou think it will serve thy turn well enough if thou canst but with Stephen say at last Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Unless thy Spirit be sanctified and sins washed away in his Blood thou wilt now soon hear him say unto thee Depart thou Cursed into everlasting fire Men Brethren and Fathers hear our Apology If we be taxed because we maintain free Grace and Free Justification that we make a way for free sinning and free living and doing what we please and yet geting thus into Heaven at last and that we may be assured of it in the mean while we justly abomnate such Inferences and think they can least of all be inferr'd from such premises May we all agree to stand up for God and to oppose sin to our outmost which is the last and only Use that remains and the best and suitablest to the Text that can be made It is foretold concerning the times of the Gospel Exhortation To Depart from Iniquity Hos 3.5 That in the latter dayes they should fear the Lord and his goodness Oh that these words might be now fulfilled That men would fear to abuse the Goodness of God which is design'd to lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 The richest and sweetest Wines they say make the sharpest Vinegar I am sure sweetest Promises when neglected or abused issue in the severest Torments Wo to thee Chorazin wo to thee Bethsaida why is so sad a wo denounc'd beyond that on Tyâ—e and Sidon Mat. 11.21.23 And Capernaum too is threatned with a more terrible destruction than that of Sodom and Gomorrah because those miserable ones perished without having had the Means of Salvation declared in the Gospel amongst them these refused to come to be saved though invited by Christ himself The hotter the Sun-beams are the more they harden the Clay that will not be softned by it If you keep your Sins now you do despite unto the Spirit of Grace that in the Gospel Heb. 10.29 invites perswades and offers to enable you to forsake them You trample under foot the precious Blood of the Son of God which should wash you from all your Impurities you count it as a common thing and let it be spilt in vain as water on the ground One brings in Satan upbraiding our Saviour with the fewness of his Followers and true Disciples he Satan did never any good for Man he is Mans Enemy on all accounts and yet upon the offer of any foolish Toy Profit or Pleasure he is obeyed and men yield themselves up to his service tho so hard and tyrannical a Master Our Blessed Lord became Man liv'd meanly dyed miserably that he might gain Obedience to such just Precepts and Commandments that are for our good and yet hath so very few that will serve and obey him Jerem. 2.12 Rom. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.27 Eph. 1.22 Psal 66.7 Be astonished O ye Heavens Therefore Christ dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord of the living and of the dead All things are put under his feet and by his Power he ruleth over all whether they will or no But Christ died and fuffered that he might obtain a willing People Psal 110.3 such as out of choice and love would obey him And do any of you pretend to be bought with a Price even with the precious Blood of the Son of God 1 Cor. 6.20.7.23 then you ought to glorifie him with those Bodies and Spirits which are his 'T is now Sacriledge indeed to rob God and he will bring thee into Judgment and indite thee ay and condemn thee too without serious and timely Repentance for it And Oh how hot is that Hell which is especially prepar'd for Hypocrites and Unbelievers Thy Obligation is as strict and as you heard stricter too under the Gospel than it was to any under the Law and yet the Transgressors of the Law deserv'd then to perish without mercy Heb. 10.28 and how shall we escape One difference there is indeed betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law required the full tale of Brick but afforded no Straw It required Obedience but the Law as such afforded no means to perform it The Means how thou mayest be enabled to do the Will of God and to depart from Iniquity is manifested in the Gospel here thou art shewn a fulness in Christ Colos 1.19 out of which thou mayest have Grace for Grace Thou art invited to come thou art assured to be welcome bring never so many empty Vessels thou mayest fill them freely 't is in vain to say Thou canst not Isa 55.1 but thou wilt not be holy Did any now in a sense of their weakness and inability beg Strength and Power from him to do his Will and walk in his Commandments there would be Joy in Heaven for such a Petition Luke 15.7 10. so readily would it be heard and granted You have heard that every one that calls himself a Christian does it therefore because he pretends to be married to Jesus Christ but in good earnest to use the words of Rebecka's Friends Wilt thou go with this Man Wilt thou go with Christ and be a Follower of him Say and do it Gen. 24.58 and God speed thee well I cannot wish thee more Joy than thou wilt find And Oh what Advantages would this bring would Christians be what they profess and would seem to be were the Precepts of Christ obeyed and his Life copyed out by them this would mend the World indeed Pagans and Mahometans Papists and Jews would not be able to stand out against the power of Godliness when it once appear in the lives of Men Not only Ministers may Convert 1. Pet. 3.1 but even Women too thus the Husband the Apostle
Fulness in God viz. his essential self-fulness which is infinite inexhaustible undiminishable and therefore incommunicable 2. A second thing we must suppose is That there is a fulness of God with which we may and therefore ought to pray and labour that we may be filled We cannot reach the original fulness but we may a borrowed derivative fulness tho' we cannot attain the fulness of the Fountain we may receive a fulness of the Vessel from that Fountain and if we cannot partake any thing of Gods Essence we may partake of his Influence we cannot be filled with the formal holiness of God for that holiness is God yet may we derive holiness from him as an efficient cause who works all things according to the counsel of his Will Eph. 1.11 The Wisdom of God there 's Principium dirigens the Will of God there 's Principium imperans and he works according to these there 's the Principium exequens His Will commands his Wisdom guides his Power executes the Decrees and Purposes of his wise Counsel and holy Will Having thus cleared the way we proceed to the direct Solution of the Question What is that fulness of God which every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with For seeing we have supposed that there is a fulness of God which we cannot be filled with we must lay aside all ambitions and vain aspirings after that fulness and seeing we have supposed that there is a fulness of God wherewith we may be filled and the very Prayer of the Apostle supposes it We therefore are to take up this holy and humble ambition to be filled with it Now this Question can be no sooner proposed but our thoughts will suggest to us these two things First What is the matter of that Fulness and what is the measure of that Fulness with what of God and with how much of God ought we to pray and strive that we may be filled And therefore of necessity we must divide the Question into these two Branches First Branch of the Question What is the matter of that Fulness of God which we are to pray and strive to be filled with When we speak of Filling we conceive immediately that under that Metaphor there must be comprized these three things A Fountain from whence that Fulness is communicated A Recipient a Vessel a Cistern into which that Fulness is derived And then of something Analogous to the matter which from that Fountain is communicated and by that Vessel received Now in the Case before us This Fountain must needs be God the Author of every good and perfect Gift Jam. 1.17 Souls are the Vessel into which the Fulness is received but what we are to conceive and understand by the matter or the quasi materia with which these Vessels from that Fountain are filled is the Subject of our present Enquiry And to this branch of the main Inquiry I shall answer First more generally Secondly more particularly 1. To speak generally That which we are to pray and strive to be filled with is the Spirit of God Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit where first the Apostle dehorts against Intemperance we may have too much of the best outward things It 's easie to run into excess in these matters The Psalmist assures us Psal 104.15 That Wine makes glad the heart of man And the Prophet Hos 4.11 assures us too that Wine takes away the Heart It 's no more but this the Use is good the Abuse is sinful and the danger is lest from the lawfulness of the Use we slide insensibly into the Abuse Be not therefore filled with wine wherein is excess but then he exhorts too But be ye filled with the Spirit No fear of excess or Intemperance in this case when God fills the Souls of his People with his Spirit he fills them with all the Spiritual good things that their hearts can fill their Prayers with Compare but these two places Matth. 7.11 How much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Luke 11.13 How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him The comparing of these two Scriptures evidently proves that in praying for the Holy Spirit we pray virtually for all good things and that when God is graciously pleased to communicate his Spirit he communicates all good things when the Father gives his Son he gives all things So the Apostle has taught us to believe and argue Rom. 8 32. He that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us All how shall he not with him freely give us all things And we have equal reason to believe that he that spared his Spirit and gave him to us will in him and with him freely give us all things But these all things are to be taken in suo genere The Gift of Christ comprehends all things that are to be done for us the gift of the Spirit includes all things to be wrought in us Christ is all things for Justification the Spirit is all things for Sanctification and Consolation I shall touch at present upon some few things 1. Do you find an emptiness of Grace and do you long to have your Souls replenisht with it You go to the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 That he would give you more Faith more Love more Patience more Self-denyal more Heavenly-mindedness c. you do well but the compendious way is to pray that God would fulfil that Promise and so fill your Souls with his Spirit Zech. 12.10 I will pour out upon the House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication First the Spirit of Grace that we may pray and then the Spirit of Prayer that we may be filled with more Grace Can we be content with a few drops when God has promised to pour out his Spirit John 7.38 He that believes in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water this spake he of the Spirit Can we satifie our selves that we have so much Grace as just keeps us alive when if we would pray and strive for the Spirit we might be more lively and vigorous Christians Can we be content with a Taste when God has provided a Feast Some of the Ancients who were anointed with material Oyl were anointed with the Cruise others with the Horn O let us not be satified that we have a few drops from the Cruise when God is ready to pour out his Grace more abundantly John 10.10 2. Would you answer the glorious Title of a Child of God with a more glorious and suitable Spirit that you may pray as Children walk as dear Children come to God not as Slaves but as Children and walk before God not under the resemblance of the Spirit of Bondage but with an ingenuous Liberty and Freedom as becomes the Heirs of Salvation Pray for
only give an uncertain sound till evidenc'd to be from Heaven as the Word is 3. For Conversion i. e. From all sin to God which imports a thorow change of Heart and Life and that it is indeed from God the Author by his Spirit 3 2 Thess 2.13 Tit. 3.5 above the creatures power and activity 4 John 1.13 yet God useth Christs Embassadors in the Ministry of Reconciliation 5 2 Cor. 5.19 20 Acts 26.18 and those who are Instructors in him 6 Job 22.21 that we may be acquainted with God receive forgiveness and be built up 6 even an habitation of God through the Spirit upon the foundation doctrinal of the Prophets and Apostles Christ personally being the chief Corner-stone 7 Eph. 2.20 Wherefore Paul urgeth Timothy to read the Divinely inspired Scriptures in that they were able as an Instrument in God's hands to make him wise to Salvation 8 2 Tim. 3.15 as they were a ground of hope and comfort to others 9 Rom. 15.4 by means of which we are begotten or born again 10 Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 1.23 yea and from God's appointment and ordination or as it were Common Law we are not only first converted from Sin to God but are carried on in a state of grace till we in exercising our selves unto Godliness are afterwards brought unto glory It remains before I leave the Explication that I touch upon 4. The Persons whom the Rich Man is here represented to desire to come from Heaven or Hell to give an Information to his Relatives how things go in those unchangeable States of Happiness or Misery are only brought in ex hypothesi upon supposition or condition granting it were so Not that there is a ground for the expectation of any new Messengers from the other World we may yield the thing possible tho not probable we are not to limit the Holy One who is most perfect he is not bounded as to his Omnipotency any more than his Omnisciency He could if he would reveal himself now as he did to John in the Isle of Patmos 11 Rev. 1.9 He might if he would in the dispensation of his Grace and Providence use the Ministration of Angels 12 Heb. 1.14 without giving any account of his matters 13 Job 33.12 13 and put them upon Obedience extraordinarily for those Heavenly Spirits must be at his Service in the affairs of his Kingdom 14 Rev. 22.9 Indeed the great instance of their Ministry was about the Person of Christ yet he did use them afterwards to reveal his mind 15 Rev 1.1 19.10 How far he is pleased to do it at this day in any rare instance is not for me to determine but some have pretended to have Revelations from Angels which have prov'd Delusions There is it 's true a Ministry of them in this Chapter where my Text is vers 22. to carry holy Souls to Abraham's bosom which is ordinary But we will suppose there should be any extraordinary yet that would not be any more if so much regarded than the ordinary means and we should through the Grace given be careful not to be wise above that which is written 16 Rom. 12.3 Having thus explained the sense of the Answer to the Case before me I hope according to the Explication given you will come to conclude with me that it doth clearly result from my Text and is proved thence II. The Second General is to shew How or upon what grounds the ordinary means of Grace are more certainly succefsful for Conversion than if Persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there as hath been explained That I may do this as well as I can in a little room I shall be concern'd like Bezaleel and Aholiab 17 Exod. 36.7 tho' not with the like Wisdom to lay by much of the good stuff would offer it self to me in this case Somewhat methinks I should premise in the General and then proceed to particular grounds 1. Let me premise in the general these two or three things 1. From my Text and in a Christian Congregation I am not necessitated in shewing how this comes about which I have deduced from it to prove Moses and the Prophets or which is all one for substance more largely the Holy Scriptures to be the Word of God That being the Hypothesis or what is presupposed and not Question'd in this Dialogue between the Richman and the Father of the Faithful as we find vers 29th as well as in the words compared with vers 16th of this Chapter The Jews did acknowledge it and never denyed it when our Saviour and his Apostles did ever and anon shew them how the Scriptures were fulfilled manifested and accomplish'd So that not to grant this were to take away the substratum or foundation of the Case Which the Jews frankly yielded 17 John 9.29 We know that God spake unto Moses indeed it was evident enough when he refuted any objection against it 18 Exod. 3.2 6 14 4.1 2 c. 14.31 20.1 c. Numb 11.17 comforting of them by shewing them that God was with him We find they did readily agree to it that God was the Author of the Old Testament Apollos we read 19 Acts 18.24 28. did mightily convince many of the Jews from the Scriptures i. e. those Books which they did own to be of Divine inspiration And by consequence if people be not worse than Jews the New Testament should be owned to be so too being the Old directs to it When Christ was transfigur'd Moses and Elias appear'd talking with him 20 Mat. 17.2 3 and so gave their Testimonies to the main subject and substance of the Gospel sith In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge 21 Col. 2.3 2. Man in his innocent state had an innate pure light consisting in the knowledge of God the Creator Lawgiver Governor and Rewarder presently enlarg'd by Revelation from without in the Sacramental precept of the Divine will under the first Covenant 22 Gen. 2.17 and from the consideration of Gods works which were all very good 23 Gen. 1.31 and this was necessary to that state But sith Man being mutable sought out many inventions 24 Eccles 7.27 and harken'd to the Serpents suggestion 1 Gen. 3.5 had obscur'd this light God of his infinite goodness pitying the vanity of faln Man as mortal not knowing how to deliver his Soul from the hand of the grave Ps2al. 89.47 48 2 did think it necessary to reveal himself and magnifie his grace in condescending to enter into a new Covenant with this faln creature giving his Word or first Promise that the seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head 3 Gen. 3.15 John 1.14 Herein Christ was promised and hence called the Word being He indeed concerning whom that saving Word of God or Word of Promise is made As we
way as is most agreeable to his Nature The Head which is the governing part in the Organical Body may move most uniformly with Members of the same nature 7 Deut. 18.15 who have the irrefregable Authority of God's Word to back them wherein they speak for God to stubborn ones and tho' the Treasure is presented in Earthen Vessels 8 2 Cor. 4.7 yet the excellency of the Power is of God 9 1 Cor. 1.17 Converse with good Angels is a Dignity which our present state in the Body cannot well bear and therefore it is rare There is indeed a Story related in Bodin * Lib. 1. de Magorum cum Satana commercio of one who had desired much the guidance and assistance of an Angel and from the thirty seventh year of his Age he said he had a Spirit that assisted and followed him to his Death He would knock and awake him early in the morning if he spake unwary words he would reprove him for it by a Dream in the night if he was reading a bad Book the Angel would strike oâ— the Book for him to leave it and give some pre-notice to him in a Dream when some accident was like to befall him c. This is related from the Man as matter of Fact But it concerns us to be wary and not to be wise above that which is written 10 1 Cor. 4.6 If we are not satisfy'd with the infallible Testimony of God himself how should the coming of a Creature in a strange way give us satisfaction The Father of Lies may impose on our simplicity and deceive us in the Habit of an Angel of Light 11 2 Cor. 11.14 Too many easie People have been impos'd on by the Popish Legends Luther * In Genes c. 22. being acquainted with such Impostures said Satan indeed hath often tempted me even as Augustine who deprecated that an Angel might not appear to him that I might ask a Sign of God But far be it from me that I should hearken to this temptation The Martyrs without the apparition of Angels confirm'd by the Word alone did meet Death for the name of Christ and why should not we acquiesce in the same 'T is said when once he had kept a day of Humiliation and Prayer he had a Vision of Christ when he said Away away In Cap. 37 Gen. pactum feci cum Domino Deo meo c. I know no picture of Christ but the Scripture And elsewhere I have made a Covenant with the Lord my God that he may not send me Visions or Dreams or Angels for I am content with this Gift that I have the Holy Scripture which doth abundantly teach and supply all things that are necessary both to this and a future Life Let us all then content our selves with the ordinary means of Grace which are more successful for Conversion to carry it on from first to last rather than expect persons from Heaven or Hell to acquaint us what is done there Except If some rare instance should be alledg'd of some Atheisttical Persons who having been intimate Companions in wickedness had agreed that when either of them should depart this World and find a joyful Heaven or dreadful Hell he would if possible acquaint the Survivor with it And thereupon some Spectre or Voice hath been heard or seen or fancied to be so upon such a Discovery there hath been an inclination to return to God and an amendment of Life Answ I fear such an inclination and amendment have been but some temporary emotions upon such a prodigious occurrence and have soon evanish'd like a blush or have occasion'd only some fainter Essays towards amendment of Life which have not come to a thorow change only to be an Almost Christian as Agrippa and not such an Altogether Christian as Paul himself was when Converted 10 Acts 26.27 upon the Call of Christ by whom God spake to him 11 Gal. 1.1 Heb. 1.2 having ordained to reveal himself by the Word but we do not now find the revelation by Angels or the Spirits of those who are departed this Life to be any stated Ordinance of God for man's Conversion as the Scriptures be For should we suppose Bad Angels to come to us they are Enemies to man's Conversion Good ones as God's Ministers would confirm his Word should we suppose wandring Spirits or Spectres from the Dead according to Dives his Conceit to be Monitors of the living we must reckon them to be either the Souls of Believers or Vnbelievers If of Believers they will after the example of Christ their Head send us to the Holy Scriptures as Agustine thought he heard a voice saying Take and Read Take and Read They will say with God the Father concerning his Son and our Saviour Hear ye him 15 Mat. 17.5 If the Souls of Unbelievers and wicked Miscreants Who would hearken to them or give credit to what they Say Further what these supposed ones say do either agree with the Written Word or are contrary to it If the former they are received not because they are believed by them but because contained in the Word of God which hath been found a successful means of God's own appointment for man's Conversion If the latter i. e. They be contrary to the Word they ought by no means to be receiv'd Should we suppose that which is not possible an Angel from Heaven should speak to them But I fear I am become tedious yet I beg your Patience a little longer whiles I touch upon III. Some short Applâ—cation of this stated Case that The ordinary means of Grace are more certainly successful for Conversion than if some Persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there And it shall be for 1. The Reproof of those who disvalue the Sciptures and discourage such as would search them in the language they understand according to our Saviours injunction to search the Scriptures 11 John 5.39 which we find to be Authentical from God himself as hath been evidenc'd and might be further by other Arguments which have been urg'd by others * See Grotius Mornaeus Mr. Baxters Saints Rest Sir Charles Wolsey Mr. White c. The truth is if God himself were not the Author of the Bible it must be some Creature either Good or Bad. If Bad why forbids he evil so rigorously and commands good so expresly aiming at nothing but Gods glory and Mans happiness If Good why doth he challenge to himself that which is proper to God alone As to make Laws for the heart to punish and reward eternally If no Creature God himself must be the Author 'T is highly blame-worthy then to have low thoughts of Gods own Book Yet such is the corruption of faln Man that even the generality of those who make some profession of the truth are too apt to set light by Moses and the Prophets which Paul stiles the Oracles of God 12
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
the Psalmist declaring their inward sentiments The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob regard it Lastly The sinner slights the power of God This attribute renders God a dreadful Judge He has a right to punish and power to revenge every transgression of his Law His judicial power is supreme his executive is irresistible He can with one stroke dispatch the Body to the Grave and the Soul to Hell and make Men as miserable as they are sinful Yet sinners as boldly provoke him as if there were no danger We read of the infatuated Syrians that they thought that God the Protector of Israel had only power on the Hills and not in the Vallies and renewed the War to their destruction Thus sinners enter into the lists with God and range an Army of lusts against the Armies of Heaven and blindly bold run upon their own destruction They neither believe his all-seeing Eye nor all-mighty Hand They change the glory of the living God into a dead Idol that has Eyes and sees not and Hands and handles not and accordingly his threatnings make no impression upon them Thus I have presented a true view of the evil of sin consider'd in it self but as Job saith of God how little a portion of him is known May be said of the evil of sin how little of it is known For in proportion as our apprehensions are defective and below the greatness of God so are they of the evil of sin that contradicts his Sovereign will and dishonours his excellent perfections 2. Sin relatively to us is the most pernicious and destructive Evil. If we compare it with temporal Evils it preponderates all that Men are liable to in the present World Diseases in our Bodies disasters in our Estates disgrace in our Reputation are in just esteem far less evil than the evil of sin for that corrupts and destroys our more excellent and immortal part The vile Body is of no account in comparison of the precious Soul Therefore the Apostle enforces his exhortation Dearly beloved brethren abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the Soul The issue of this War is infinitely more woful than of the most cruel against our Bodies and Goods our Liberties and Lives for our Estates and Freedom if lost may be recover'd if the present Life be lost for the cause of God it shall be restor'd in greater lustre and perfection but if the Soul be lost 't is lost for ever All temporal Evils are consistent with the love of God Job on the dunghil roughcast with Ulcers was most precious in Gods sight Lazarus in the lowest poverty and wasted with loathsom Sores was dear to his affections a guard of Angels was sent to convey his departing Soul to the Divine Presence But sin separates between God and us who is the fountain of felicity and the center of rest to the Soul Other evils God who is our wise and compassionate Father and Physitian makes use of as Medicinal preparations for the cure of sin and certainly the Disease which would be the death of the Soul is worse than the Remedy tho' never so bitter and afflicting to sense Sin is an evil of that malignity that the least degree of it is fatal If it be conceiv'd in the Soul tho' not actually finisht 't is deadly One sin corrupted in an instant angelical excellencies and turn'd the glorious Spirits of Heaven into Devils 'T is a poison so strong that the first taste of it shed a deadly taint and malignity into the veins of all mankind Sin is such an exceeding Evil that 't is the severest punishment Divine Justice inflicts on sinners on this side Hell The giving Men over to the power of their lusts is the most fearful judgment not only with respect to the cause Gods unrelenting and unquenchable anger and the issue everlasting destruction but in the quality of the judgment Nay did sin appear as odious in our Eyes as it does in Gods we should account it the worst part of Hell it self the pollutions of the damned to be an evil exceeding the torments superadded to them Sin is pregnant with all kinds of Evils the seeds of it are big with Judgments The evils that are obvious to sense or that are Spiritual and Inward Temporal and Eternal Evils all proceed from sin often as the Natural cause and always as the Meritorious And many times the same punishment is produc'd by the efficiency of sin as well as inflicted for its guilt Thus uncleanness without the miraculous waters of Jealousie rots the Body and the pleasure of sin is revenged by a loathsom consuming Disease the natural consequence of it Thus intemperance and luxury shorten the lives of Men and accelerate damnation Fierce desires and wild rage are fewel for the everlasting fire in Hell The same evils considered Physically are from the efficiency of sin consider'd legally are from the guilt of sin and the justice of God This being a point of great usefulness that I may be more instructive I will consider the evils that are consequential to sin under these two Heads 1. Such as proceed immediately from it by Emanation 2. Those evils and all other as the effects of Gods justice and sentence 1. The evils that proceed immediately by emanation from it and tho' some of them are not resented with feeling apprehensions by sinners yet they are of a fearful nature Sin has deprived Man of the purity nobility and peace of his innocent state 1. It has stain'd and tainted him with an universal intimate and permanent pollution Man in his first Creation was holy and righteous a beam of beauty derived from Heaven was shed upon his Soul in comparison of which sensitive beauty is but as the clearness of Glass to the lustre of a Diamond His understanding was light in the Lord his will and affections were regular and pure the Divine Image was imprest upon all his faculties that attracted the love and complacency of God himself Sin has blotted out all his aimiable excellencies and superinduc'd the most foul deformity the original of which was fetcht from Hell Sinners are the natural Children of Satan of a near resemblance to him The Scripture borrows comparisons to represent the defiling quality of sin from pollutions that are most loathsom to our senses from pestilential Vlcers putrifying Sores filthy Vomit and defiling Mire This pollution is universal through the whole Man Spirit Soul and Body It darkens the mind our supreme faculty with a cloud of Corruption it depraves the will and vitiates the affections 'T is a pollution so deep and permanent that the Deluge that swept away a World of sinners did not wash away their sins and the fire at the last day that shall devour the dross of the visible World and renew the Heavens and the Earth shall not purge away the sins of the guilty Inhabitants This pollution hath so defil'd and disfigur'd Man who was a fair and lovely type wherein
Gospel of the Grace of God may be carried into the dark corners of the Earth for the Conversion and Salvation of them who are ready to perish and so the Kingdom of Christ get ground in the World is I am sure a most holy and excellent design and so I recommend this also to the Prayers of Godly private Christians These few things being suggested touching those Christians who bear a Publick Character I now shall address my self to all Godly Private Christians and I must exhort and beseech them with all the fervour I can to set their hearts sincerely upon this glorious work and to bestir themselves in it with all their might This belongs to every Christian as such in what circumstances soever the Providence of God doth dispose of them whether they be High or Low Noble or Base Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned Male or Female None are to be excluded or exempted But it is likely This may seem strange to many Private Christians That they should be charged in the Name of Christ to be helpful to promote the spreading of the Gospel all the world over Alas will one say with the Eunuch I am a dry tree and no such fruit is to be expected from me And I will another say am but a Cypher and make no Figure in the world as the Phrase goes and therefore I can signifie nothing But let me beseech all Private Christians to take heed of shifting off from themselves any Duty or Service that Christ calls them to or would employ them in And To suspend their Determination a little until I have shewed them as Christ shall enable me How and wherein Private Christians may be helpful in this Great and Good work And then I hope they will see That they may do much more therein than possibly they have hitherto apprehended The second thing mentioned is Their Duty and Work Which is To be helpful in promoting the Entertainment of the Gospel And the third thing is How or in what ways and by what means they may be most helpful in it But for dispatch sake I shall speak to both these Conjunctly Now That I may proceed herein the more clearly and profitably I think it may be useful to place Private Christians according to their several Circumstances and Capacities as to the matter now under consideration in three Ranks or Orders 1. There are many Private Christians who live very remote from such Places and People as have not the Gospel preached unto them Or at least have not hitherto entertained it 2. There are some Private Christians who may Occasionally go into or may Providentially be cast into such Places 3. There are some Private Christians who live among such people in a more fixed or constant Residence As In our Factories abroad Or In our Plantations in the Indies or other Heathen places Now Tho' it be the Duty of all Private Christians To promote the entertainment of the Gospel yet all cannot take the same Measures nor be Active in the same ways And therefore it may be to very good purpose To let each of them to see wherein their Proper work doth lie That they may contribute their assistance accordingly 1. Most of the Private Christians among us live very Remote from those People who have not as yet entertained the Gospel And so They cannot be helpful unto them by Personal instruction or counsel Neither can they attract them by the Example of their holy conversation And yet they may greatly contribute toward the promoting of the entertainment of the Gospel among them And that they may do several ways e. gr 1. They may and ought to pray in Faith That the Gospel may be sent among them That it may be Received by them And be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of all that are ordained to Eternal life among them For such Prayers being according to the Will of God They may be confident that he heareth them 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth and expecteth such Prayers from them cannot be unknown to any who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures For 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians Matth. ix 37 38. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest Here we may take notice 1. That by the Metaphor or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour would instruct us That as when the Corn is ripe Men use to employ Reapers to cut it down and gather it in So there are some blessed Seasons wherein God hath decreed to send the Gospel among a People and accordingly prepares and disposeth them for the Reception of it and raiseth in them a propensity and strong affection toward it Thus it was when John the Baptist came and Preached That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th Then went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time Matth. xi 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force When therefore ye hear That the Day of the Gospel begins to Dawn in any of the dark corners of the Earth Then Lift up a Prayer That the Grace and Power of the Spirit may accompany it and make it successful 2. Our Saviour teacheth you to pray That the Labourers may be increased proportionably to the work as when he saith The Harvest is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray then that God would imploy such as are Skilful and Industrious such as Paul describes 2 Tim. ii 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth And pray That God would imploy such a number of them as is sufficient for the work A Reverend Person among us hath for many years complained That in many places where there is but One to labour in the Ministerial Work there is enough for three or four tho' all of them be very industrious But it seems that Men either cannot or will not make better provision 3. Private Christians when they perceive How the case stands should be importunate with God that he would send forth Labourers into his harvest Send them by the Efficacious word of his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ejiciat vel extrudat Thrust them out by his Grace working in them and his Providence ordering of circumstances concerning them It is no wonder if Flesh and Blood shrink from the employment of carrying the Lord's Message to a barbarous people Moses would fain have been excused from going into Egypt and he multiplied Evasions and Pretences till the Lord was angry with him Exod. iii. 10 11 14. and Chap. iv 1 10
so doing though very ill requited for it this is high and noble indeed this is an honour not vouchsafed to the elect Angels who are not capable of suffering this is to be a Christian in truth and eminency and to resemble Christ himself who suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps In the words which I have read you may take notice 1. Of one end of Christ in Suffering and that is that he might leave us an example To say that this was the principal end of his passion to deny his satisfaction as if it were impossible or needless is heretical in a very high degree to deny the Blood of Christ to be the price of our redemption is to deny the Lord that bought us And truly the only propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin being rejected there is no other remaining but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries And yet though Christ bare our sins in his own body on the tree He is not only our Redeemer but our Example He hath bequeathed Blessings never enough to be valued in his Testament he has also left us an incomparable Example The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Example is either taken from excellent Writing-Masters who set a fair Copy for their Scholars to write after or 't is taken from Painters who draw a curious Masterpiece for inferiour Artists their Admiration and Imitation 2. They were remarkable steps that Christ took when he was here in the days of his flesh and among them all he did not take one wrong one He was made of a Woman made under the Law and he did not in the least transgress the Law He came upon this Earth to do his Father's Will Heb. 10.7 Lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God And never did he any thing that was in any degree contrary to it 3. The Steps of Christ are to be followed Good men in Scripture are our patterns whose Faith and Patience we are to follow Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise The Cloud of witnesses is to be minded and the bright side of it gives a good light unto our feet but there is a dark side of the Cloud which may make us cautious we must take heed of resembling the best of Men in that which is bad in their falls and infirmities Abraham is renowned for his faith yet not to be imitated in the carnal shifts he made for the saving of his life Barnabas was to be blamed for being carried away by Peter's dissimulation But Christ is such an example as to walk according to it and to walk by the strictest rule is all one for our Lord did whatsoever became him and exactly fulfill'd all righteousness 4. Here is a special intimation as appears by the context of a Christian's Duty patiently to bear injuries and to take up the cross Though the Gospel be the gladdest tidings yet Suffering is a word that sounds very harsh to flesh and blood But the Apostle bids us behold Christ in his Sufferings and not think mâ—ch of our afflictions which were but a drop compared with His which were a vast Ocean The Sufferings of Christ the Head were unconceivably greater than those which any of his Members at any time are called to undergo And indeed when he drank the Cup his Father gave him he drank out the Curse and bitterness of it so that it is both bless't and sweetned to the Lambs followers who are to drink after him 5. The Sufferings of Christ and his Example being joyned together in the Text here is a signification that by his Death he has purchased Grace to assist and enable us to follow his example Our Lord knows our natural impotency nay averseness to follow him or so much as to look to him His death is effectual therefore to kill our Sin and to heal our depraved Nature his power rests upon us that we may tread the Path in which he is gone before us I am able to do all things says the Apostle through Christ strengthning me I am desired this Morning to speak of Christ as our Example and to shew how Christians are to follow him This is a Theme that commends it self to you by its excellency usefulness and seasonableness in such an Age wherein there is such a sinful sad and almost universal degenerating from true and real Christianity Glorious Head had'st thou ever on earth a Body more unlike thee than at this day How few manifestly declare themselves the Epistles of Christ written by the Spirit of the living God! Few Professors have his Image who yet bear his superscription In the handling of this Subject I shall 1. Premise some things by way of Caution 2. Shew you in what respects Christ is an Example to be followed 3. Produce some Arguments to perswade you to the imitation of him 4. Close with some Directions how this duty may be done effectually In the first place I am to premise some things by way of Caution 1. Think not as long as you remain in this world to be altogether free from Sin as Christ was He indeed was from his Conception in the Womb to his Ascension far above all visible Heavens altogether immaculate and without blemish Some have fancied spots in the Sun but sure I am in the Sun of righteousness there is none The Sins of all that are saved were laid upon him but no Sin was ever found in him or done by him The Apostle tells us that he was holy harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 You are indeed to imitate Christ in Purity but perfect Holiness you cannot attain to while you carry such a body of Death about you and are in such a world as this It may comfort you to consider after the fall of the first Adam and the sad consequences of it how the second Adam stood and conquer'd and kept himself unspotted from the world all the while he conversed in it But as long as you remain on Earth some defilement will cleave to you to admonish you where you are and to make you long for the heavenly Jerusalem More and more holy you may and ought to be but to be compleatly holy is the happiness not of Earth but Heaven 2. Think not that Christ in all his actions is to be imitated There are Royalties belonging to our Lord Jesus which none must invade He alone is Judg and Lawgiver in Zion and that worship is vain which is taught by the Precepts of Men. Christ is all in all he fills all in all Eph. 1.23 When the Fathers of the last Lateran Council told Leo the Tenth That all Power was given to him in Heaven and Earth As it was blasphemous flattery in them to give so it was blasphemous pride and right Antichristian arrogancy in
up in manifold and mighty clusters What can we mention or fix our thoughts upon that may not kindle and increase this flame of Love and its Eruptions in Good Works The things which we might pertinently and copiously insist upon might be reduced to these Heads 1. The Objects of this Central Grace or Principle 1. Things in Heaven as God Christ the Spirit Angels the Spirits of Just Men there made perfect the glorious Furniture Laws and Orders the Visions Services Ministrations and Fruitions of that State all the Perfections Prerogatives and Employments of that blessed World above with all the accomplishments and accommodations which relate immediately thereto and all the Satisfactions and Advantages that result therefrom 2. Things from Heaven God manifest in the flesh i Tim. iii. 16. the Spirit Works and Word of God the great Provisions and Engagements of Divine Providence for us all that we are or have or meet with express of God's merciful regards to us and his compassionate concernedness for our universal welfare 3. Things for Heaven The Spirit of Grace the Word of Grace all the Ministers and means of Grace with all the Discipline and Encouragements which Providence sensibly affords us the Good and Evil things of time as ordered by God to fit us for and help us to the Glory which we look for The very Sons of men themselves considered in the relations which they bear to God and their expressiveness of his indearing Name and all those marks and notices which they bear and give us in the frame capacity and management of humane Nature of God's incomprehensible Wisdom Power Goodness c. O who can think hereon and yet be unprovoked to Love and to Good Works when as God is so eminently and endearingly discernible in all for God by all this courts our love And should I speak of the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory that Divine Workmanship which is in them and upon them the Impressions Reflections and Refractions of the Divine Nature and Life their capacity of growing up to all the fulness of God and to be eternally the beautiful and delightsome Temple of the Holy Ghost all their relations to the Holy Trinity with all their obligations to him their interest in him their business with him and for him and all their imitations and resemblances of him in their actual and possible motions and advances towards him and their Great Expectations from him Should I insist upon their membership with all the duties and advantages and pleasures which arise there from and pertinently illustrate and apply as I could easily and quickly do what doth so copiously occur in Eph. iv 4. 6. as the Central articles and holding bonds of Union and Endearments would you and I consider all these things and all the loveliness that would then be communicable or observable could our love want its provocation 2. The formal nature of this love 't is fit to be a provocation to itself i Joh. iv 16-21 7-12 This is the beauty health strength pleasure safety and renown of humane nature love is the aim and scope Knowledge the end of faith the Spirit of hope the life of practice and devotion and the bond of perfectness and the true transformation of the Soul into the image of its God No pleasing thoughts of God Christ Heaven or heavenly things no chearful motions towards eternity no foretasts of the highest bliss no warrantable claims thereto nor confident expectations of unseen realities No true and lasting bonds of friendliness in service and affections without this Spirit and state of love this only faces God in his own beautiful and delightful image this only turns the notions of divinity into substantial realities and so exalts the man above the pageantries of meer formal outside service and devotions and the truth is all that we say and do for God or with him and all our expectations from him are but the tricks and forgeries of deceitful and deceived fools and the most provoking Prophanation of the tremendous holy name of God and an abuse of holy things 3. The services which love must do and the fruits it must produce to God to Christ unto the Spirit unto our selves and others God himself must be reverenced addrest unto served and entertained like himself and walked with in all required and fit imitations of himself And all these cannot be without just valuings of and complacency in his eminent perfections near relations and the admirable constitutions and administrations of his Kingdom Christ must be duly thought on heartily entertained gratefully acknowledged and cheerfully obeyed submitted and improved unto the great and gracious purposes of his appearances performances and Kingdom and minded most delightfully in all the Grandeurs of his Grace and Throne the Holy Spirit must possess his Temple to his full Satisfaction and have the pure incense of his graces in their fragrant liberal and continual ascents Praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. And be feasted with the growthful and constant productions of his graces both in their blossoms and full fruits and we must be continually sowing to him if we hope to reap eternal life of him in Gal. vi 8. We must possess our selves in God and for him in our full devotedness and resignations of our entire selves to him pleasing our selves in this that we are not by far so much and so delightfully our own as his and that we cannot love our selves so well as when we find God infinitely dearer to us than we are to our selves And as for others much must we chearfully do and bear and be to bring poor Renegadoes back again to God to testify our great respects unto and pleasure in the grace of God in our fellow Christians to accommodate our selves to their edification concerns and to make our best advantage of every thing discernible in them Helping our selves and them in spirit speech and practice And can these things be brought to pass or our selves reconciled suited to all our Christian duties and interests without provoked love And for the solemnities transactions and results of the approaching day what is that day to those who have no love or very great declensions of it For all that come with Christ from Heaven come in the flames of love to God to godliness and Godly Ones and a Cold Heart will no way be endured there And as to fellow Christians the Duties and Counsels of the Text consideration adhering to the Assembling of our selves together mutual exhortations in the encouraging and quickning Prospect of this day can these things be without love III. The management of these provoking things And here let us follow the method of the Text it self Where we have these Topicks to insist upon 1. Persons must be considered each other and our selves 2. We are not to desert the Assemblings of our selves together as the manner of some is 3. We must exhort each other And so what one proposes the other must Consider
and Provisions to bring and keep our God and us together in order to all the Solaces and Satisfactions of Steady Full Eternal Friendship the eminent importance of his Gospel Interest and Kingdom in and to the world the Church and us the loveliness and vigours of his Interest and Image in us as formed fixt and actuated and possessed by his eternal Spirit to his eternal praise by Jesus Christ the solid pleasures peace and usefulness of regular zeal for God Christ Christianity and all that are near and dear to God with all the comforts and renown which this well fixt and ordered zeal prepares us for All that we are saved from by to through the effectual cure of this disease All the solemnities of Christs approaching day and our great concerns therein All the good that is in that attends upon and that issues from the prosperous Successes of the Gospel the holiness and and peace of the Church and the health the usefulness the possession the Conflicts and Conquests of a well cured Soul and all the Honours Ease and Blessings that attend our glorious Gospel All this and much more deserves deep thoughts and all the fervours and acknowledgments and Services of love And the plain truth is this We are both constituted of and surrounded with enflaming objects of this love And the great object and attractive shines even most gloriously in all Nature in all its Harmonies Stores and Beauties Providence in all its illustrations of its excellencies and exactness suiting it self in all the Articles thereof to every thing and being and concern in Heaven and Earth The sacred Scriptures every way entertaining us with what may exercise and enrich the mind of man heal and compose his Conscience enthroning it as Gods vicegerent to inspect the principles designs and practices and State of men to make and keep them orderly safe and easy and so to affect the heart and life as that we may be lovely in the sight of God the blessings of our Stations in our generations and a most comfortable entertainment to our selves Our very selves are most provoking objects unto love So many faculties in our Souls So many passions and affections to be ordered and exercised aright So many sences for reception So many Organs and Instruments for the commodious promoting and securing of our own Good So many Objects Employments and Acquests to be engaged vigorously about and orderly conversant with all continually And God in all this eminently beaming forth those perfections which are so fit and worthy to take endearingly with us How inexcuseable is cold heartedness whenas it may so easily be cured by serious Contemplations of these objects Light and Colours and beautiful proportions to the eye Words and Melodies to the Ears Food to the tast and all the objects exercises and entertainments of every sense afford our very minds and hearts their delicacies to feed on and urge us to love God and Man And let me add this also the beauties and delightfulness of holiness and practical Religion as exemplified in holy persons those excellent ones in whom is my delight saith David Psal xvi 3. O to observe them in all their curious imitations and resemblances of their God in the Wisdom of their Conduct the fervours of their Spirits the steadiness of their purposes the evenness of their tempers the usefulness and blamelessness of their lives the loftiness of their aims the placed gravity of their Looks the savour and obligingness of their Speeches the generous largeness of their Hearts the openness of their Hands the impartiality of their Thoughts the tenderness of their Bowels and all the sweetnesses of their Deportments towards all Such things are really where Christian Godliness obtains indeed Tho meer pretenders or real Christians in their decays and swoons may represent Religion under its eclipses to it's great disadvantage and reproach When therefore we contemplate all these excellencies and many more not mentioned will not our Hearts take fire and burn with love of Complacency where these things are visible and with the Love of benevolence and beneficence to that degree towards those that are receptive of but want them which shall enrage Desires and Prayers and quicken us to diligent endeavours after what by such may be attained unto were they but closely and warmly followed by us and brought to the diligent pursuits thereof Thus you see deep thoughts about lovely Objects will get up love and cure luke-warmness in us to the purpose Let this then be done 3. Heart-awakening and Love-quickning Truths are to be duly and intimately considered And this is indeed in part to truthifie in Love if I may make an English Word to express the valor of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. iv 15. The existence and excellence of the great Jehovah the Trine-Vne Holy one the care which he hath taken and the expensive cost he hath been at to cure this Malady by the fore-mentioned means and helps The critical Inspections of his Eye into the Heart of Man and his making this the test and balance of the Sanctuary to try us by counting and judging us more or less fit for Mercies and Judgments Heaven or Hell Service or to be thrown aside as refuse as our Hearts stand affected No exact soundness in our Spirits no safety in our State no real ease and chearfulness in our Souls no evidence of our acceptance with our God no Duty well performed towards God or Man no Sins subdued no Trial bravely managed and resulted no Talents used fully to the Masters Satisfaction and Advantage nothing profest performed endured or obtained without this Love And according to it's Ebbs and Flows it's Inflammations and Abatements so doth it fare and go with all our Christianity and Concerns The Truth is all the concerns of Souls and Persons in Life Death Judgment Heaven and Hell are hereupon depending These Articles of Truth considered well will make us serious fervent resolute and industrious in the things of God 4. Heart-warming Duties are to be performed throughly in Publick Private and in Secret Eccl. ix 10. Rom. xii 11 12. Pray hard read frequently and seriously hear diligently and impartially meditate closely and concernedly upon all you read or hear relating to the great concern Be much in Christian conference in the due Spirit and to the genuine design and purposes thereof be much in Praise Thanks Self-observation Government and Discipline Look up to Heaven for help and improve faithfully what you thence obtain And I do take the Supreme Essentially Infinite Good to be dishonoured and degraded by us in our Thoughts and Walk if any Creature Interests or Excellencies do ultimately terminate our Affections and Intentions For my part I take converses Employments Ingenious Recreations and even sensitive Entertainments to be most delicious and grateful when they occasion or provoke me to those Observations of God in all which carry up my thoughts through and from them to him with
Thanks and holy Wonder And when these thoughts do as it were return again from Heaven to set us more delightfully and strenuously to our needful work on Earth for Heaven and for the most generous and true services to the great benefit of the Church and World O what a Sea of Pleasures and Advantages do Love and good Works cast us then into and keep us in How often have the delicate composures of grave and sprightly Musick well managed by the sweet and skilful Voice or touch provoked and urged my Soul to admire the chief good and the Eternal source of all communicated and communicable ingenuity and expertness in that and in all sorts of Arts and Sciences The delicate composure of the ear to render it receptive of melodious sounds the usefulness of the Air for the conveyance of them to the prepared Ear The pregnancies of humane Souls and Fancies for the endlessness of various compositions The command that the Soul hath over the Animal Spirits to order and command the Voice or Fingers the rules of harmony and the particular gracefulness of relishes and flourishings and humourings of some particular Notes and Touches And the different tempers that God hath made whereto the varieties of sounds have their as various degrees and ways of gratefulness these things with all the Mysteries of sounds and numbers O what is their cry How lovely is the Eternal God that gives us such Abilities and Entertainments How lovely are the Souls of Men that are receptive of such things How lovely are those Labours and Designs that are with Wisdom Diligence and Faithfulness directed to the Cultivation and Salvations of such Souls O how beautiful and lovely are the feet of those and how deserving of our Prayers and universal helpfulness are they themselves who lay out all their Time and Strength to get each other and as many as they can in readiness to bear their parts and take their share in the Melodies and Entertainments of that Triumphant state of Love and Holiness in the Heavenly Glory The cry of all is Love Love These are things and objects that require and deserve our Love in it's most urgent vehemencies to promote their Interests this noble flame is desecrated and prophaned by us and used to it 's own prejudice and reproach when it is not directed to and diligently conversant about Objects and Services truly worthy of it self Gal. iv 18. I should have thought my Thoughts and Heart not only Faeculant but in a sort prophane had I applyed my Studies or this Sacred Directory in my Text to the promoting of fervour noise and stir about things much below or repugnant to the weightier things and matters of Christs Gospel Kingdom Judgment Mercy and Love Mat. xxiii 23. The love of God saith Luk xi 42. Wo worth that Papal zeal and diligence that is for the promotion of an universal Visible Headship wherein they pretend that all the Church Militant must be united into whose Arbitrary and bold dictates it must resolve it's Faith according to whose Edicts it must form all it's practices and to the supports whereof in all it 's secular Grandeurs Pageantries and usurped Prerogatives it must devote and sacrifice it 's all Is He luke-warm in Gods account that will not Anathematize traduce distress destroy Souls Persons Families Churches Kingdoms and the choicest and most useful Persons who will not absolutely devote himself hereto and shew his zeal in desolating flames and slaughters Such Zeal we know by whom it was called Madness Act. xxvi 9. 11. Phil. iii. 6. Wo worth Malignant and Censorious zeal that overlooks much excellence in others and that envies or despises all deserving Services Gifts and Graces if not seated in and performed by themselves Wo worth dividing zeal that intimately espouses particular opinions modes forms and humours and then makes these the main or the only terms of Peace and Concord that lays out all it's Time Strength Interest and Fervours to gain Proselytes and Votaries hereto and to defend their own Fictions and quarrel with and keep at sinful distances from Persons better perhaps than themselves because their Schibboleth is not pronounced by them Wo worth partial zeal that measures things and Persons by their discords and agreements with our own Interests Parties or Perswasions Every thing is Idolatry Superstition and rigorously to be dealt withal that falls not even with our sentiments and ways Wo worth self-conceited zeal that lays it's quarrels upon this cause and bottom that others will not reverence and yield to us as wiser and better than themselves And wo worth all zeal that lays the Christian Interest Peace and Welfare on Covenants Subscriptions or any terms too mean and narrow to sustain them I shall never value vindicate practise nor endure that zeal which bears not all those Characters of God mentioned in Jam. iii. 17 18. Postscript ANd now Reader let me bespeak thy Candour I am very sensible of very great inaccuracies and defects in this Resolution of so great a Case It became my work under unusual disadvantages not fit to be mentioned here I have exposed my first draught to an observant Generation the Truths contained therein are Gods and the Directions offered are for the substance of them according to the Doctrine of the Scripture of Truth May they but prosper to the câ—re of luke-warm hearts I can the better spare the praise of men and bear their Censures and Contempt It is the desire endeavour and design of my poor Soul to think as meanly of my self as other's can I have no time and through the infirmity of my Right hand writing is the most tedious part of my work to correct my first Copy which entertains me in the perusal thereof with many superfluous expressions to be retrenched many inaccuracies of Phrase and Method to be rectifyed many defects to be made up as to that matter which the full Resolution of the Case requires Many hints and heads which might more copiously have been insisted on yea and some passages in the Text it self I find upon review might have been more fully and nervously improved to the exacter Resolution of the Case Much more I could have said and much more than that can a Multitude of my Brethren speak were they to undertake the Subject and handle it according to the Grace and Wisdom which God hath more copiously given unto them than unto me Tho I will leave this Testimony to his Great and Gracious Name upon record that he hath ever helped me and had done more for me had I not unworthily obstructed the Current of his kindnesses to me My Books and helps are nothing to me without him it is ignorance of our selves and of God that makes us proud but our sensible approaches to Eternity and to himself will make us sneak and lay us in the dust before him we being hereby made to see how little we know can signifie obtain or do without him Some may perhaps
Dedication but by a real inward Sanctification at least of unblameable Conversations free from scandal being without offence though not before God yet before men A prophane wicked Minister is a gross Solecism and deserves to be counted a monster and to be driven from among men as Nebuchadnezzar was when brutified Dan. 4.25 But while you do shine with the bright beams of Holiness and walk according to the blessed Rules of the everlasting Gospel which you ought to preach you may boldly and comfortably without any severe gripes within without any reproaches cast upon you from without bend your utmost force against those extravagants who walk contrary to them Therefore my Brethren let us all study the Gospel we preach and live it as well as know it for knowledge will not be saving until it influence Heart and Life and be reduced into practice Let us I say think with our selves and repeat the thought often and often what manner of Persons we ought to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness and then may we lift up our voices like Trumpets and decry all the wickedness we know to be acted Herein will you do singularly good service both to the great God in Heaven and to our King and Magistrates upon Earth and to the whole Land We read that in the fight with Amalek while Israel was in the valley Moses was in the mount with the Rod of God in his hand which he lifted up And when his hands were weary and ready to flag Aaron and Hur were by to sustain and uphold them Aaron was the Priest of the Lord and Hur was a Prince of the Tribe of Judah Let this example teach all their duty and excite and quicken them to the performance of it When the hand of Moses the Supream Magistrate I mean is lifted up with the rod of God against the Sins of the times let both Aaron and Hur Magistrates and Ministers come in chearfully and strenuously to his assistance For it is a thousand pities that the Magistrate should work alone when set about so great and good a work as this Do you back him and afford unto him all the Assistance that you can Vse 3. I shall now in the last place direct my discourse unto those who are placed in a lower Sphere for the present not put into any Office nor clothed with any thing of Magistratical Power and Authority but altogether in a private capacity I would have you to consider what you have to do For there is a Duty incumbent upon every one Though you are not to reach out your hands to works or acts of Office neither in the State nor in the Church yet you are not to lay aside nor neglect any part of that work which belongs to you as members of both And as there is not the least and meanest Person in a Kingdom but may do a great deal of mischief so there is not the meanest but if he have an Heart may do some good Solomon tells us Eccl. 9.14 15. of a little City that had but few men and was besieged by a great King And there was found in it a Poor man who by his Wisdom deliver'd the City And in 2 Sam. 20. When Sheba rose up in Rebellion against David and being pursu'd went to Abel Joab with his Host cast up a bank against it and batter'd the wall but a Woman saved it from ruine Every one may be instrumental for good Since it is then the Duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest to act what they can toward the suppression of prophaneness there are these two things unto which I would exhort you who are in private stations First Set an high value and esteem upon every one of those Magistrates whom you know or hear to be herein true to their trust and careful to perform their duty You may be sure of this that they will find discouragement enough opposition from the ranting crew The wicked themselves at whose lusts they strike will hate them with an implacable hatred and curse them and drink to their confusion and with longing desire to be rid of them and do whatever they can in order thereunto I do not wonder to hear of the plottings and combinations both of Atheists and Papists in such a case There is nothing that they hate more than Reformation and Religion nothing they will be more impatient under than a restraint laid upon their lusts Therefore those that are pious and sober that fear God and are friends to the Nation should be exceeding dear over them and prize them at an high rate and love them with their hearts and honour them and willingly pay Tribute and bless God for them We are less than the least of mercies and ought to own them much more greater Mercies A good Servant in a Family is a blessing to it Laban confest it to Jacob Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake How great a Blessing then is a good King upon the Throne a good Lord-Mayor in the Chair good Justices upon the Bench Certainly these are Blessings with all thankfulness to be owned they are mercies among temporal ones of the first Magnitude they do make an happy Nation and an happy People unless that People will be so vile and froward as to stand in the way of their own happiness Those that are Protestants in their Hearts who while they verbally profess that Religion are sincere in that Profession cannot but with delight look upon it as a choice and singular Mercy for our gracious God in a day wherein there were great searchings sinkings of heart to set over us our King and Queen a Protestant King and Queen whose hearts we perswade our selves are set for the Maintenance of the true Reformed Religion and we hope for the pulling down whatsoever is contrary and bids defiance thereunto in its Principles and Precepts Love them for this let them be our dear as well as our dread Sovereigns and let us be sure to be subject to them not only for wrath but likewise for Conscience sake yea and out of choice And let us pray for them and plead for them and strive both together and apart with God for them and bring down upon them from Heaven all the Blessings we can This was done by the Jewish Church Psal 20. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble The name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt offerings Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsels and hear thee from his Holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Thus they did bless their King in his Exploits and thus let us bless our King in his Yea let the blessing of Joseph come upon him Gen. 49.25 26. Let the Almighty bless him with the blessings of
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
restraints of fear and shame are taken off and every breath of a temptation is strong enough to overthrow the Carnally minded The purest and noblest Chastity is from a principle of Duty within not constrain'd by the apprehension of discovery and severity 4. The Continuance of the temptation she spake to him day by day Her Complexion was lust and impudence and his repeated denials were ineffectual to quench her incensed desires the black fire that darkned her mind She caught him by the garment saying Lye with me she was ready to prostitute her self and ravish him 5. The Person tempted Joseph in the flower of his age the season of sensuality when innumerable by the force and swing of tâ—eir vicious appetites are impell'd to break the holy Law of God 6. His Repulse of the temptation was strong and pereâ—â—tory How can I do this great wickedness He felt no sympathy nâ— sensual tenderness but exprest an impossibility of consenting to her guilty desire We have in Joseph exemplified that property of the Regenerate He that is born of God cannot sin by a sacred potent instinct in his brest he is preserved not only from the consummate acts but recoils from the first offers to it 7. The Reasons are specified of his rejecting her polluting motion Behold my Master knows not what is with me in the House and he hath committed all that he hath to my Hands there is none greater in his House than I neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee because thou art his Wife How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God 'T was a complicated crime of injustice and uncleanness a most injurious violation of the strongest tyes of duty and gratitude to his Master and of the sacred marriage Covenant to her Husband and the foulest blot to their persons Therefore how can I commit a sin so contrary to natural Conscience and supernatural grace and provoke God Thus I have briefly considered the narrative of Josephs temptation and that Divine grace preserved him unspotted from that contagious fire may be resembled to the miraculous preserving the three Hebrew Martyrs unsinged in the midst of the flaming furnace The patience of Job and the Chastity of Joseph are transmitted by the Secretaries of the Holy Ghost in Scripture to be in perpetual remembrance and admiration From this singular instance of Joseph who was neither seduced by the allurements of his Mistriss nor terrified by the rage of her despis'd affection to sin against God I shall observe two general Points I. That temptations to sin how alluring soever or terrifying ought to be rejected with abhorrenc II. That the fear of God is a sure defence and guard against the strongest temptation I will explain and prove the first and only speak a little of the second in a branch of the Application I. That temptations to sin how alluring soever or terrifying are to be rejected with abhorrence There will be Convincing proof of this by considering two Things 1. That sin in its Nature prescinding from the train of woful effects is the greatest Evil. 2. That Relatively to us it is the most pernicious destructive Evil. 1. That sin considered in it self is the greatest Evil. This will be evident by considering the general Nature of it as directly opposite to God the supreme good The definition of sin expresses its essential Evil 't is the transgression of the Divine Law and consequently opposes the rights of Gods Throne and obscures the Glory of his Attributes that are exercis'd in the Moral Government of the World God as Creator is our King our Lawgiver and Judge From his propriety in us arises his just title to Sovereign Power over us Psal 100. Know ye that the Lord he is God 't is he that made us not we our selves we are his people and the Sheep of his pasture The Creatures of a lower order are uncapable of distinguishing between Moral Good and Evil and are determin'd by the weight of Nature to what is merely sensible and therefore are uncapable of a Law to regulate their choice But Man who is endowed with the powers of Understanding and Election to conceive and choose what is Good and reject what is Evil is govern'd by a Law the declared will of his Maker accordingly a Law the rule of his Obedience was written in his Heart Now sin the transgression of this Law contains many great Evils 1. Sin is a Rebellion against the Sovereign Majesty of God that gives the life of Authority to the Law Therefore Divine Precepts are enforced with the most proper and binding motives to obedience I am the Lord. He that with purpose and pleasure commits sin implicitly renounces his dependance upon God as his Maker and Governor over-rules the Law and arrogates an irresponsible license to do his own will This is exprest by those Atheistical designers who said Psal i2 4 With our Tongue we will prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us The Language of Actions that is more natural and convincing than of Words declares that sinful Men despise the Commands of God as if they were not his Creatures and Subjects What a dishonour what a displeasure is it to the God of glory that proud dust should fly in his Face and controule his Authority Daniel 7.10 Psal 103.20 He has ten thousand times ten thousand Angels that are high in dignity and excel in strength waiting in a posture of reverence and observance about his Throne ready to do his will How provoking is it for a despicable Worm to contravene his Law and lift his Hand against him It will be no excuse to plead the Commands of Men for sin for as much as God is more glorious than Men so much more are his Commands to be respected and obeyed than Mens When there is an evident opposition between the Laws of Men and of God we must disobey our Superiours tho' we displease them and obey our Supreme Ruler He that does what is forbidden or neglects to do what is Commanded by the Divine Law to please Men tho' invested with the highest Sovereignty on Earth is guilty of double wickedness of impiety in debasing God and idolatry in deifying Men. It is an extreme aggravation of this Evil in that sin as it is a disclaiming our homage to God so 't is in true account a yielding subjection to the Devil For sin is in the strictest propriety his work The original rebellion in Paradise was by his temptation and all the actual and habitual sins of Men since the fall are by his efficacious influence He darkens the carnal mind 2 Cor. 4.4 and sways the polluted will he excites and inflames the vicious affections Ephes 2.2 and imperiously rules in the Children of disobedience He is therefore stiled the Prince and god of this World And what more contumelious indignity can there be than the preferring to the glorious Creator of Heaven
and Earth a damned Spirit the most cursed part of the Creation It is most reasonable that the baseness of the Competitour should be a foil to reinforce the lustre of Gods authority yet Men reject God and comply with the tempter O prodigious perversness 2. Sin vilifies the ruling Wisdom of God that prescrib'd the Law to Men. Altho the dominion of God over us be Supreme and Absolute yet 't is exercis'd according to the councel of his Will by the best means 1 Tim. 1.17 for the best ends he is accordingly stiled by the Apostle The eternal King and only wise God 'T is the glorious Prerogative of his Sovereignty and Deity that he can do no wrong for he necessarily acts according to the excellencies of his Nature Particularly his Wisdom is so relucent in his Laws that the serious contemplation of it will ravish the sincere minds of Men into a compliance with them They are framed with exact congruity to the Nature of God and his relation to us and to the faculties of Man before he was corrupted From hence the Divine Law being the transcript not only of Gods Will but his Wisdom binds the understanding and will our leading faculties to esteem and approve to consent and choose all his precepts as best Now sin vilifies the infinite understanding of God with respect both to the precepts of the â—â—w the rule of our duty and the sanction annext to confirm its obligâ—â—â—on It does constructively tax the precepts as unequal too rigid â—â—d severe a confinement to our wills and actions Thus the impious Rebels complain The ways of the Lord are not equal as injurious to their liberty and not worthy of observance What St. James saith to correct the uncharitable censorious Humour of some in his time James 4.11 He that speaks evil of his brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law as an imperfect and rash rule is aplicable to Sinners in any other kind As an unskillful Hand by straining too high breaks the strings of an Instrument and spoils the Musick so the Strictness and Severity of the Precepts breaks the harmonious Agreement between the Wills of Men and the Law and casts an Imputation of Imprudence upon the Law-giver This is the implicit Blasphemy in Sin Besides the Law has Rewards and Punishments to secure our Respects and Obedience to it The wise God knows the Frame of the reasonable Creature what are the inward Springs of our Actions and has accordingly propounded such Motives to our Hope and Fear the most active Passions as may engage us to perform our Duty He promises his favour that is better then life to the Obedient and threatens his wrath that is worse then death to the rebellious Now Sin makes it evident that these Motives are not effectual in the Minds of Men And this reflects upon the Wisdom of the Law-giver as if defective in not binding his Subjects firmly to their Duty for if the Advantage or Pleasure that may be gain'd by Sin be greater than the Reward that is promised to Obedience and the Punishment that is threatned against the Transgression the Law is unable to restrain from Sin and the Ends of Government are not obtained Thus Sinners in venturing upon forbidden things reproach the Understanding of the Divine Law-giver 3. Sin is a Contrariety to the unspotted Holiness of God Of all the glorious and benign Constellation of the Divine Attributes that shine in the Law of God his Holiness has the brightest Lustre God is Holy in all his Works but the most venerable and precious Monument of his Holiness is the Law For the Holiness of God consists in the Correspondence of his Will and Actions with his moral Perfections Wisdom Goodness and Justice and the Law is the perfect Copy of his Nature and Will The Psalmist who had a purged Eye saw and admir'd its Purity and Perfection Psal 19. Psal 119.140 The Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the eyes The word is very pure therefore thy servant loves it 'T is the perspicuous and glorious Rule of our Duty without Blemish or Imperfection The Commandment is holy just and good It injoyns nothing but what is absolutely Good without the least Tincture of Evil. The Sum of it is set down by the Apostle to live soberly that is to abstain from any thing that may stain the Excellence of an understanding Creature To live righteously which respects the State and Scituation wherein God has disposed Men for his Glory It comprehends all the respective Duties to others to whom we are united by the Bands of Nature or of civil Society or of Spiritual Communion And to live godly which includes all the internal and outward Duties we owe to God who is the Sovereign of our Spirits whose Will must be the Rule and his Glory the End of our Actions In short The Law is so form'd that prescinding from the Authority of the Law-giver its Holiness and Goodness lays an eternal Obligation on us to obey it Now Sin is not only by Interpretation a Reproach to the Wisdom and other Perfections of God but directly and formally a Contrariety to his infinite Sanctity and Purity for it consists in a not doing what the Law commands Rom. 11. or doing what it forbids 'T is therefore said That the carnal mind is Enmity against God An active immediate and irreconcilable Contrariety to his holy Nature and Will From henee there is a reciprocal Hatred between God and Sinners God is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity without an infinite Displicence the Effects of which will fall upon Sinners and tho' 't is an Impiety hardly conceivable Rom. 1. yet the Scripture tells us that they are haters of God 'T is true God by the transcendent Excellence of his Nature is uncapable of suffering any Evil and there are few in the present State arrived to such Malice as to declare open Enmity and War against God In the Damned this Hatred is explicit and direct the Fever is hightned to a Frenzy the blessed God is the Object of their Curses and eternal Aversation If their Rage could extend to him and their Power were equal to their Desires they would Dethrone the most High And the Seeds of this are in the Breasts of Sinners here As the fearful Expectation of irresistible and fiery Vengeance increases their Aversation increases They endeavour to rase out the Inscription of God in their Souls and to extinguish the thoughts and sense of their Inspector and Judge They wish he were not All-seeing and Almighty but Blind and Impotent uncapable to vindicate the Honour of his despised Deity The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God The Heart is the Fountain of Desires and Actions interpret the Thoughts and Affections from whence the Inference is direct and conclusive that habitual Sinners who live without God in the world have secret Desires there was no Sovereign being