here the feast is reserved for hereafter wrath to come and life to come are unconceivable and therefore unexpressible we can neither order our Speech by reason of our inward darkness nor of that ineffable Light thoughts fail us words fail us we are lost in the thoughts of future blessedness as well as in those of our former misery What therefore we cannot perfectly understand let us silently and reverently Admire and Adore What a prodigious height did Man fall from when he fell from his God What a desperate Abyss of misery did he fall into when he fell into sin And therefore what a stupendious height is that which Love shall raise him to in Glory All we can do is to put no bounds to our Love to Christ The true measure of our Love to Christ should be to Love him without measure and the true degree of our Love to a Redeemer is to Love him in the highest Degree But alas Where is our Love to Christ How weakly do we express our Love to him who has given us the fullest clearest demonstrations of his to us beyond all expressions His was stronger then death ours ready to die the water-floods coulds not quench his a few drops extinguish ours he shed blood for us with more freedom than we a few tears over him and his bleeding almost dying interest in the World he loved sinners better than we can love Saints he died for us with more flame of zeal than we can live to and for him Let us be ashamed that we can find a love so vehement for our perishing comforts nay for our killing corruptions and yet have so indifferent affections for a Saviour How shall we be able to Love our enemies for his sake when we can neither Love him with an intense Love for his sake nor our own Let us mourn therefore bitterly that the Love of Christ should be unconceivable and invisible and that our Love to him should be so too upon such different accounts his for the greatness of it ours for its smallness II. Prop. There is a sufficiency of the Love of Christ to us that may be known The Love of Christ to sinners may be considered either in the cause or as in the effects in the Spring and Fountain or in the streams that flow from thence into Souls Love as it was in the heart of Christ is unmeasurable the Spring the original cause and reason of it was his own unaccountable Love and can only be measured by the Love of the Father to his Son which is equally unmeasurable John 15.9 As the Father has loved me so I have loved you But Christs Love in the effects that it has been pleas'd to produce in and upon our Souls may be understood and in some good measure apprehended If we cannot fix our eyes immediately upon the body of the Sun in its meridian glory yet we may comfortably refresh our selves with its beams and feel the healing warmth of the Sun of righteousness arising and shining upon our Souls If we cannot measure Christs Love when it dealt with God in making his Soul an offering for sin nor what that Love was wherewith he loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2.20 yet we may know that Love wherewith he loved us and washt us from our sins Rev. 1.5 The Love of Satisfaction passes knowledge the Love of Sanctification may be known As that poor Man John 9.15 tho' he could not give a Philosophical account to the Scribes and Pharisees how Clay and Spittle should contribute to the opening his Eyes yet could say This one thing I know that whereas I was born blind I now see So may a renewed Soul say Tho' I know not from what unmeasurable Fountain this Grace and Mercy did proceed tho' I am ignorant of the manner of its working yet this one thing I can say Whereas I was a lover of sin I now hate it and whereas I have been a despiser of Christ I now prize and love him as the chiefest of Ten thousand I can say That that vanity that corruption which sometime had a mighty power over me is now subdued and conquered More particularly 1. Altho' we cannot perfectly know the Love of Christ yet may we know so much of it as may raise our desires to know more As he that meets with a Vein of precious Metal tho' it be small yet it gives him hopes of meeting with more and those hopes encourage his labours to dig deeper and search further so that little we can attain of the knowledge of Christs Love in our wayfaring state makes the Soul labour and strive and hope and pray that it may come to fuller knowledge of that love in its own Country As that sight which Moses had of God encouraged him to pray Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory So that view we have of Christ in a glass darkly serves to engage our endeavours and sharpen our desires to see him face to face in glory As we gain upon the knowledge of Christ so we grow and as it were encroach upon him still if God will condescend and come down to visit the Soul the Soul will make an argument from thence that he would take it up to himself A taste of Christs Love whets the Spiritual appetite after a feast 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire ye the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious 2. However our knowledge of Christs Love is imperfect yet we may know so much as may shame us that we have loved him no better we know the Love of Christ carried him out to suffer most dreadful things upon our account and may hence reflect upon our selves with great shame that our love has been so weak as not to carry us out to suffer for his Name he endured the cross we are terrified at the sight of it The argument is very strong 1 John 3.16 Thus if Christ laid down his life for us we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren But how weakly does it work upon us How little a matter can this love constrain us to lay down for their sakes And it s a most concluding argument Col. 3.13 that we should forbear and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel against any as Christ forgave us but alas how little does this instance of the Love of Christ prevail upon us That Love which prevail'd with him to forgive us Talents will not does not prevail with us to forgive our brethren a few Pence Matth. 18.27 28. The Love of Christ was a conquering a triumphant Love it bore down what-ever stood in its way It grapled with the displeasure of God with the malice of Devils the fury of unreasonable Men and with the unkindness of his Friends it broke through all Discouragements and trampled upon all Oppositions the waters could not quench it the floods could not drown
who is weak in the Faith who though he hath embraced the Doctrin of our Saviour yet is not of a mature concocted judgment clear enough about the abolition of Ceremonial observations things he judgeth ought to be forborn or done Now let things be never so indifferent in the general definition or Thesis yet when they come to be used and exercised in their individual circumstances they will be determinately good or determinately evil in all moral agents and actions And that which in general seemeth indifferent to one is not so to another these Gentiles could freely eat things strangled but the Jews could not Therefore it is a very strong weakness or wilfulness in some who love to turn Straws into Trees and Feathers into Birds and not to leave things as Christ hath left them and as they are in their own nature but will transpeciate as others transubstantiate by their own breath in their own Opinions and more fiercely contend for their own Laws than the commands of God as Saul was more severe on Jonathan for tasting hony than on himself for rebelling against Gods express command These heats indicate an Hectick Fever to be in the body preternatuâ—â—â—â—y eating up and preying on the vital heat Love to God and our Neighbour the zeal for Mens own Chimnies eateth up the House of God II. Here is the injunction of Charity towards weak ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take them to you receive them into your Houses use Hospitality towards them supply their necessities Rom. 12.13 not magnificent receptions such as Levi gave our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 5.29 But when they fly for their Religion and Lives supply their wants though they be not just of your size or Opinion do not force him to practise what he cannot freely do to buy your Charity this is a dear purchase and a cruel sale Generous hospitality is a duty of another fashion receive them into your Arms into your bosoms into your Love and Converse that you may instruct them and win upon them receive them into your Society into your Communion treat this weak Brother with all humility condescention love and kindness yea with all the warm graces Christianity hath indued you with Let not these least differences cause the greatest distances as often they do if he hath so much candor as he will be received and be not sullen and angry receive him and by strength of Love bear with him and forbear him till by Love you soften and overcome him by heaping coals of fire upon his Head For if he be weak yet seriously and sincerely a lover of Christ and beloved of him the Lord hath received him vers 3. therefore do you also receive him 3. The limitation of this exception not to doubtful Disputations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some would render it discerning of thoughts and 1 Cor. 12.10 there was such an extraordinary guift as the discerning of Spirits So there may be an ordinary prying into Mens thoughts and what is Mark 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Luke 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus seeing their thoughts and thoughts are but Mens dialoguing and discoursing with themselves and so the sense it thus Receive him but not to the discerning or judging of his Opinion or Thoughts or that he should be hardened to judge others Thoughts to be altered because they receive him But receiving is receiving him into their Society therefore not receiving him must be not to something which was apt to be in their Society and among them which was not the discretion of the strong but their disputes which were not fit for these weak ones And the word most commonly signifies disputing with others Acts 19.9 Paul disputed dayly in the School of Tyrannus And Mark 9.34 The Disciples disputed who among them should be greatest But in Jude 9. both words are met together Michael contending with the Devil disputed about the body of Moses Doct. Christians are to receive such as are weak in the Faith into their Hearts by Love and not to trouble or heat their Heads with cramping disputes For practical Piety will sooner rectifie the judgment of the weak than fierce argumentations Lay aside this heat about Ceremonies on all Hands and attend to Reading and Hearing the Word and Exhortation Pray and Praise God together and Converse in holy Ordinances in Love to each others Souls let but this fire live upon the Altar of your Hearts and then all other strange fire and heats will die away 1. I will shew you that weak Christians cannot well judge of arguments 2. That the practice of known duties is the way to get more light 3. That Christian Love will sooner win others from error than rigid Arguments 4. The Inferences from all for Instruction and Direction First then Disputations and Arguments are not easily judged of by such as are weak in Faith and Knowledge of Christian liberty Now this is evident from the first Dispute that ever was in the World For Satan was a Disputer from the beginning and is still the Father and Author of all insnaring and contentious Disputations The first thing he disputed was Gods command The Prohibition and Threatning was absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moth tamuth Gen. 2.17 but the Woman who was first in the Transgression faltreth in the recital of it with a perhaps we shall die Gen. 3.3 But by this first dispute with the Serpent our first Parents when in uprightness and strength of the image of God newly stamped on them in knowledge and holiness yet this Father or fomenter of Disputes foiled them and so all mankind being naturally and federally in them was drawn into their guilt and filth So that reason is ever since debased and deposed and no Man is able to rule himself much less another his rule and measures being broken he hath only some fragments and splinters of the Tree of Knowledge which he darts against God and himself The holy Lamp and Flame is so extinguished that now he only compasseth himself about with his own sparks till he lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Creatures as Creatures are fallible and failable witness Men and Angels especially by the impulse of false Arguments It is God's only Prerogative to be intrinsecally Infallible and Immutable And it is a perfection incommunicable to Men or Angels But now sinful Man is in a much more dark and doleful state For 1. He cannot form an Idea of any thing nor frame a true notion of any thing as it is in it self but he conceives by the Air of Metaphors Smilitudes and Phantasms he cannot see into things themselves nor their Essences He is hardly put to it to tell what dull Matter or Body is much more what nimble forms motion or Spirits are or what his own Soul is though so nigh to him and part of himself He is so in the dark he cannot define what light it self is If any be so confident as to think he knoweth
See hence what little Reason men have to boast of their Knowledge or Gospel-priviledges when these may turn to their sorer Condemnation He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luke 12.47 And so Christ speaks to the Pharisees who boasted themselves to be the Pechachim the seeing men whose eyes were opened Because you say we see therefore your sin remaineth John 9.41 And thus the Jews boasted over the Gentiles That they knew God's will were instructed out of the Law and were instructers of the foolish and teachers of babes Rom. 2.18 19 20. and boasted themselves to be the Circumcision but yet they not keeping the Law the Uncircumcision should judge and condemn them v. 27. We have many among us who boast of a little Knowledge they have more than others and have learn'd to talk and dispute of Religion and despise others as foolish ignorant blind and babes when all this may make their Judgment the more intolerable Some of the Jews have a Tradition that the holy Fire of the Altar was hid in an hole of a Rock all the time of the Captivity and when at their return they lookt for it it was turned into a Jelly which they took and laid upon the Altar and there was kindled into a Fire again by the beams of the Sun When the Light that is in the Mind kindles a Flame of Love in the Heart and thence are presented holy Sacrifices to God this is Light sanctified and sanctifying the Soul but when it rests in the Mind and is resisted in the Heart and Practice of Men it will whether Men will or no shine into their Consciences first or last to their greater Terror and Condemnation And therefore let Men take heed of Sin against Light and Knowledge Against the Light of Nature the Light of Education the Light of good Example especially the Light of the Gospel For such Sins make the greatest noise in the Conscience do most harden Mens hearts make Men self-condemned and will most expose Men at the day of Judgment Vse 5. And so I come to the next Use which is To awaken us of this City and this Nation who have had Gospel-favours and Priviledges above most people under Heaven May we not say of London as Christ of Capernaum O London who hast been lift up to Heaven And if any from hence shall perish and be cast down to Hell how great will their fall be It would be better perishing out of Tire and Sidon and Sodom than out of London Tolluntur in altum ut Casu graviore ruant as the Poet speaks of Men that fall from high places What though God hath by a wonderful Hand open'd us a door of Liberty What though we have such plenty of excellent Preaching and what though we are such constant Hearers of these Lectures Morning by Morning yet if any of us still continue Impenitent it will but encrease our Doom at Dooms-day Obj. But we hope that that day will never come and all this Talk of it is but to fright people a little into good manners A device of Princes to keep People under Government or of Priests to make Markets of their Consciences Ans 1. It 's true few live as if they believ'd it But can any Man say that he is sure it will never come I think no Man dare say that Therefore it is our best wisdom to prepare for that day which may come though we should not be sure it will come A wise Man will provide against an Evil that may possibly come though he is not sure it will come especially considering the dreadful consequence of being surprized 2. And it 's true that this day is delayed but it is because God waits for Sinners repentance and would have Men saved and enter in before the door be shut 2 Pet. 3.9 3. Do any of us not believe it when the Devils themselves believe and tremble When they said to our Saviour Art thou come to torment us before our time It shew'd they believed a day of Judgment But I spake of this before Q. But what will preserve us then from Damnation seeing such a Judgment-day must certainly come Ans That which would have preserved Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum will preserve us and that is true repentance which you may know what it is by the description I have given before of its contrary which is Impenitency Let us all in good earnest turn to God and repent Let us repent of our Pride and immodest Dresses in Apparel and reform Let our Women take down their high towring Dresses and our Men shorten their monstrous Perukes Let us repent of our Strife and Contention and the Persecutions that have been amongst us Let us repent of the great neglect of Family-duties and our spending so much time at Taverns and Coffee-houses Let others repent of their Frauds in Commerce and Trading and others of their Oaths and Blasphemies and others of their Extortion and Oppression others of their base temporizing in Religion Let Children repent of Disobedience to Parents and Parents of their neglect of the Instruction and Education of their Children so Masters and Servants of the neglect of the Duties of their mutual Relation Let us rerent of our careless Hearing and our unprofitable Hearing of our loose Observation of the Sabbath and unworthy Receiving the Lord's-Supper and bring forth fruits meet for Repentance Let London remember what befel Sodom for not repenting and take heed of Sodom's Sins which are said to be Pride Ezek. 16.49 2 Pet. 2.6 Jude 7. Idleness and Fulness of Bread and Fornication and going after strange Flesh and now have suffered the Vengeance of Eternal fire That this City may not be called Sodom's Sister as Jerusalem was for being so like her in her Sin Ezek. 16.48 and her Fruit not like the Apples of Sodom fair without and within nothing but Ashes But I have better hope concerning this City and that as God hath wonderfully saved it so he will do still and that its case is not as Sodom's not to have in it ten righteous persons when Abraham interceded for the sparing of it And though this City was once laid in Ashes yet not as Sodom which was never built again and is now a bituminous Lake call'd Asphaltites and the Waters of it are deadly and the Fumes out of it mortal and the Ground and Trees about it barren which Pliny Solinus Diodorus Siculus and other Heathen Writers have taken notice of But London stands up out of its Ruins to the terror of those that design'd it to oblivion and perpetual desolation and is more populous than ever and the joyful Sound of the Gospel and the Voice of the Turtle are yet heard in her Streets and not the Voice of Owls and Satyrs as is foretold of Babylon And is spiritually called Sodom Rev. 11.8 And was Typed by the City Jericho which would expose the Man to a fatal Curse that
should attempt to re-build it Vse Last From all that hath been said we may lastly conclude That Sinners that are impenitent have little reason to flatter themselves because of their present impunity Let them consider how it will fare with them in the day of Judgment Christ refers to that in the Text. And those who have Eyes to see afar off will look so far as that day So did Paul 2 Cor. 5.11 Wherefore we strive whether present or absent to be accepted for we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ And hereupon he counted it a small thing to be judged of Men or at Man's day looking to the Judgment to come and that great Day of the Lord 1 Cor. 4.5 6. The fal'n Angels are said to be bound in Chains of Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the great Day and so are impenitent Sinners reserved to that day when notwithstanding their present Impunity they shall then fall under Judgment more intolerable than that of Sodom As a Malefactor that is kept in the Gaol under Bolts and Fetters till the Assize hath little reason to rejoyce in his present freedom from the Sentence of the Judge And this is the case of Sinners Because Sentence is not speedily executed their hearts are fully set to do evil Eccles 8.11 And so I make the Conclusion of this Discourse with that which Solomon makes the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments c. For God will bring every work to Judgment and every secret thing whether Good or Evil. Quest How the uncharitable and dangerous Contentions that are among Professors of the true Religion may be allayed SERMON III. GALAT. V. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another MY Business from this Scripture is to enquire into the Cause the Danger and the Cure of uncharitable Contentions in the Church of God The Holy Apostle Paul having some few Years before planted a Church in Galatia a region in the upper parts of the lesser Asia there soon crept in a sort of false Teachers who contended that the Mosaical Ceremonies in particular that Circumcision was still to be observed even by the believing Gentiles and that the Christians were not justified before God by Faith but by the Works of the Law Which two Errors when he had fully confuted in the former part of this Epistle he Applies in this Chapter and in the Next 1. By way of Exhortation to stand fast in this their Christian Liberty ver 1. which he backs with divers Arguments 2. By way of Direction to use the same aright not for an occasion to the Flesh ver 13. the Works whereof he afterwards reckons up at large but rather that they should by Love serve one another and abound in all Holiness and Goodness which he inlargeth upon in the rest of this Chapter and in the Next This Text in hand lies within the Verge of this latter Vse where the Apostle using their own Weapon the Law whereof they crack'd so much against themselves he roundly tells them that the whole Law to wit the second Table which also hath an inviolable connexion with the first is fulfilled in loving their Neighbour as themselves and so though they were free from the Law of Ceremonies yet not from the Law of Love and though the Moral Law had now no power to justifie the Sinner nor to condemn the Believer yet still it hath the force of a Rule to guide them in that grand Duty as much as ever before These Words then come in as a Motive to press the Galathians to exercise that Charity which he had affirm'd before to be the summe and scope of the whole Law and it is drawn from the Danger of the contrary temper Plain Commands of God should be sufficient to sway us to our Duty but generally we have need of the most powerful Motives especially when the violent streams of Rage Lust or Revenge do oppose it as in the Case â—efore us But if ye bite and devour one anothir take heed that ye be not câ—â—â—â—med one of another In which Words you may see 1. The Sin specified whereof they were suppos'd to be guilty But if ye bite that is reproach and defame one another some violently maintaining these Jewish Ceremonies and others passionately opposing them and devour one another that is tear and oppress each other by all the mischievous Hostilities ye can for religious Feuds are always sharpest 2. Here is the Danger forewarn'd in Case they proceeded therein take heed that ye be not consumed one of another that is you will certainly destroy one another The Division of the Members must issue in the Dissolution of the Body The Decay of your Love will weaken your Faith both parties will rue it ye will be in danger of total ruine Body and Soul here and hereafter Now if we consider these words only in Hypothesi or in Relation to these Persons in the Text they teach us 1. That there were Contentions in the Church of Galatia So that Vnity is no infallible Mark of a true Church Unity may be out of the Church of Christ and Dissention may be within it 2. That many People were Violent in them For the Apostle would scarce have express'd himself in such terms of biting and devouring unless there had been some outragious Carriage among them toward one another 3. That these Contentions were very dangerous to them all They threatned no less than the overthrow of both the contending Parties the consumption of them all But considering the words of the Text in Thesi or Absolutely which we may safely do seeing the same Causes do still produce or at least dispose unto the same Effects we may collect this Conclusion That Vncharitable Contentions do prepare for utter Destruction And here I shall 1. Clear and open the Terms 2. Amplifie and confirm the Truth And 3. Apply and bring home the Influence of this Point unto our selves I. To understand the Subject of this Proposition to wit Vncharitable Contentions we must distinguish 1. Of the Matter of Contentions and they are either of a Civil or of a Spiritual Nature 1. Of a Civil Nature which concern Men in their Lives Liberties Names or Estates And these are either Private or Publick 1. Private Contentions which are about Meum and Tuum and these are troublesome to those which are in the right and damnable to those that are in the wrong and oftentimes ruinous unto both and therefore are by all good means to be prevented or else by all fair and just means to be managed and all fit opportunities are to be watched not so much to obtain a full Victory as a quiet Conclusion lest the Remedy prove as it doth frequently worse than the Disease 2. Publick Contentions which are usually about the Succession Power or Prerogative of Princes and the Liberties or Properties of Subjects And here
Christ is most gratefull and most forcible 1. It must be most Acceptable unto God being it speaks the Soul truly affected with and sensible of God's Free Grace and Mercy It does not come to God with any Purpose to deserve at God's hands Psal 103.1 2. but with a What shall I render With many blessings of God for his pardoning of his Iniquity and healing his diseases 2. Thankfulness as low as sin hath sunk Man is yet left as visibly engraven on the Nature of Man Hence the Heathen could account Unthankfulness as the summ of all vices Isa 1.3 and Scripture makes the unkthankfull Man worse than a Beast Now if Thankfulness remain and be cogent what can oblige more than the Mercies of God in Christ If we serve them that give us Food and Rayment what Service is too much for Him that gives us all things Nay that gives us Christ and with him all things Oh! there is a vast difference in having Christ the Peace and Love of God through Him in having Christ his Spirit to enable us to improve what we have from God and not having Christ with our present Enjoyments Methinks when we see our Children or Servants run or go where we would have them do any thing to please or gratifie us we cannot but blush to think how little we do and how awkward it is what we do for God Who is it that considers the Love of God in Jesus Christ and can forbear crying out with the Psalmist Truly Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant Psal 116.16 Away with all formal Pops It is ingeminated because of our Obligation to God's service from our Redemption as well as from our Creation And if thou dost say so as thou doest in effect in every Prayer let not God find thee with a Lye in thy mouth God's and Christ's Love constrains us 3. Love unto God for all his glorious Excellencies especially for his Mercy in Christ Jesus is the best Principle of Holiness and our departing from Iniquity Prov. 23.26 God requires his Children to give him their Heart And indeed in all the Acts of Religion and Devotion what the Heart does not doe is look'd upon by God as not done at all Nay it were well for the Hypocrite that all his outside Services and formal Professions had never been 2 Thes 3.5 This made St. Paul to pray for the Thessalonians That the Lord would direct their Hearts into the Love of God Cant. 8.7 Now Love is as a Fire which many waters cannot quench Difficulties will be overcome and Obedience will be permanent where true Love to God is And this Love in the Soul to God is begun by and flowes from God's Love first unto the Soul 1 John 4.19 as Fire kindles Fire he loved us first and had it not been a very great Flame it could never have thawed and warm'd our frozen Hearts We do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love when we are beloved but when we are made sensible of Christs Love the freeness efficacy and usefulness of it I know not what to say first or last concerning it 2 Cor. 5.14 it passeth Knowledge then we are constrained that is as effectually thô inwardly forced as any strong man can by his strength force us to do any outward act He that acts according to any of Gods Commandments out of hope to merit by them may act out of Love indeed but it must be then self-love to obtain as he vainly thinks by his Obedience Eternal Happiness Our Love of God should exceed Self-love as far as God himself exceeds us which is infinitely Our Love of God is a Vertue and the Foundation of all the rest Our Love of our selves thus taken is a sin and a Mother-sin the Cause of all the rest of our sins To hear a penitent and believing Sinner exulting in his Praises unto God professing his deep sense of his Mercies considering what Returns he shall make unto God Psal 51.12 for the Spirit of God is a free and ingenuous Spirit it were the pleasantest and desirablest Musick on this side of the heavenly Quire Thou mayst set about it thy self and make this Melody in thy own Heart Eph. 5.19 Ruminate on what God hath done for thee and what he daily does What thou owest for the Mercies of every Day and Night and Moment and what suitable sense thou oughtest to have of them and to thy poor power thy little all what Returns thou oughtest to make for them But when thou settest thy self as in the sight of God to consider what thou shouldest return to thy God for his Mercy in Christ Jesus thou wilt find that thy self thy Service thy All is too little but you must cry out with Mr. Herbert Alas my God I know not what APPLICATION I cannot wholly omit Application Applicat though I have in a great measure prevented my self Take what remains in these few Uses 1. This Justifies God For no Doctrine Instruct This justifies God no Dispensation of his did ever countenance Sin Nay nothing does shew so plainly Gods hatred of Sin as the Gospel does If we take a walk in the Garden where our Saviour sweat those drops of Blood Luke 22.44 Matth. 27.46 or be within hearing of that lamentable Cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me If we ask Why does the Son of God thus cry out what makes him thus sweat The Gospel informs us that it was our Sin that press'd this Blood out of him and forced this bitter Cry from him Luke 23.31 And if this be done in the green tree what shall be done to the dry It discovers vain Pretensions 2. This discovers the groundless Pretensions and vain Confidence of most men who live in Sin and yet hope or would seem to hope to live with God Oh! Know ye not your own selves Read the whole Testament over either that is not the Gospel or you cannot receive comfort from it Not one good word is there in it to any in whom sin reigns unless those Threatnings of Hell and Destruction may be call'd good Oh that they might prove so to awaken you to a due sense of your Condition and be as a Schoolmaster to lead or drive you to Christ to take him for your Lord as well as for your Saviour if he be not both 2 Pet. 1.11 Ch. 2.20 he is neither unto you You cannot be saved by your Book could you read it and understand it never so well unless you practise it also Christ must be in you Coloss 1.27 2 Thess 2.16 his Spirit entertained in your Heart or there is no Hope of Glory for you All good Hope is through Grace Thou flatterest thy self that God is thy Father and so thou callest him in thy Prayers but if thou beest not like him 2 Pet. 2.4 if thou partakest not of His divine Nature thou takest his Name
tells us may be gained to Christ by his Wife thus a Servant that does his Service as to the Lord may convert his Master Oh! up and be doing your labour shall not be in vain No 1 Cor. 15.58 but great shall be your Reward in Heaven When you shall be taken up to shine as the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Matth. 25.11 But if you shall neglect or refuse my Soul shall mourn in secret for you as knowing that the crying Lord Lord will not avail you nor any confident Profession of Christs Name stand you in any stead When the Deluge came how many perishing Wretches ran to the Ark and laid hold on it cryed earnestly for to be admitted into it but in vain Fac quod dicis fides est You know whom the Ark represented even this Christ in whom alone is Salvation Oh get into him by a true and living Faith and that to day whilest it is called to day 2 Pet. 2.1 least swift destruction come upon you 2 Cor. 5.11 May we all so know and consider the terrors of the Lord that we may be perswaded Quest What is that fulness of God every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with SERMON VI. Ephes III. 19. And to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the Fulness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THESE words are a considerable part of that excellent Prayer put up to God by the Apostle for his beloved Ephesians from vers 16. to the end And indeed Prayer was his tryed Engine by which he always could bring down supplies of Grace from the God of all Grace for his own and the Souls of others In this Branch of it you will easily observe he prays for Grace the End and Grace the Mean to reach that End 1. He Prays for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God This being the utmost of the Souls Perfection ought to be the height of its Ambition beyond this we cannot reach and therefore in the attainment of this we must rest 2. He Prays for Grace the Mean to compass that End viz. To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge As we grow up into a greater Measure of the knowledge of the Love of Christ to us we shall enjoy more of the fulness of God in us But here we meet in each of these parts of the Text with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a seeming contradiction in the Terms To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge What is that but to know what is unknowable And to be filled with all the fulness of God What is that but to comprehend what is incomprehensible The narrow vessel of our Heart can no more contain the boundless and bottomless Ocean of the Divine fulness than our weak intellectual Eye can drink in the glorious Light of that knowledge And yet there are many such expressions in the Holy Scripture Thus Moses Hebr. 11.27 saw him that was invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw him by the Eye of Faith in the glass of a Revelation whom he could not see by the Eye of Reason in the glass of Creation And thus we are instructed in the Gospel how to approach that God who is unapproachable 1 Tim. 6.16 To approach that God by Jesus Christ according to the Terms of the New Covenant to whom considered absolutely in himself we could never approach Let us therefore first clear and remove the obscurity of the Phrases that we may more comfortably handle the Divine matter contained in them Always taking along with us this useful caution That we run not away with a swelling metaphor and from thence form in our minds rude undigested Notions of Spiritual things nor fancy we see Miracles when we should content our selves with Marvels 1. The former of these seeming repugnances is To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge If this love of Christ passeth knowledge why do we pray why should we strive to know it If it be our duty to pray that we may know it how is it supposed to pass knowledge Must we endeavour to reach that which is above all heights To fathom that which is an Abyss and has no bottom Or to take the Dimensions of that which is unmeasurable To remove this difficulty there have been many expedients found out 1. I. Some carry the sense thus To know the Love of Christ which passeth or surpasseth the knowledge of all other things There is an excellency an usefulness in the knowledge of Christs Love which is not to be found in the knowledgc of any thing else A man may know to his own pride to the Admiration of others he may have the knowledge of all Tongues and Languages may understand all Arts and Sciences may dive deep into the secrets of Nature may be profound in Worldly Policies may have the Theory of all Religions true and false and yet when he comes to cast up his Accounts shall find himself never the better never the holier indeed never the wiser never the nearer satisfaction till he can reach this blessed knowledge of the Love of Christ Only the excellency of the knowledge of the Love of Christ consists herein 1. It must be a knowledge of Christs Love by way of Appropriation to know with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 That he loved me and gave himself for me 2. By way of efficacious Operation Rev. 1.5 That he loved us and washt us from our sins in his own blood 3. By way of Reflection that his Love has kindled a mutual Love in our Souls to him 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 4. By way of practical Subjection when his Love subdues our Hearts to himself and constrains us to new obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constrains us it restrains us from sinning against him and engages us to obey him To know that we may know and make knowledge the end of it self is nothing but vain curiosity To know that we may be known is nothing but vainglorious arrogancy To know that we may make others know is indeed an edifying charity but to know that we may be transformed into the image and likeness of what we know of the Love of Christ this is the true the excellent the transcendent way of knowledge And this was that knowledge of Christ and of his Love which the Apostle set such a price upon 1 Cor. 2.2 when he determined not to know any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified That he might there see the Love of Christ streaming out of his heart at his wounds in his blood and there see Divine Justice satisfied the Law fulfilled and thence feel his Conscience purified and pacified and his Soul engaged and quicken'd to walk in all new obedience This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The transcendent
is but a peradventure we have that which will shut it out of all consideration and eclipse that which otherwise might have had some lustre vers 8. God commends his love to us that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us § 2. If the love of relations will not afford us a just Measure for the Love of Christ let 's see if there be any thing else in the whole scale of Nature that may furnish us with a line commensurate to it And we can no sooner think of making the Inquiry but we propose to our selves the height of Heaven the breadth of the Earth Prov. 25.3 The Heaven for height and the Earth for breadth but we must despair of finding any thing that may measure or circumscribe this love since the Apostle has assured us Ephes 3.8 that the riches of Christ are unsearchable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we must expect no footsteps of in the whole Creation The Apostle might Preach it but could not fully reach it The treasures of Gold and Silver which wise providence has hid so deep in the bowels of the Earth yet the vein may be pursued so far till it s worn out but this treasure of Love in the Heart of Christ is so deep and is so rich that we can neither find out nor exhaust the fulness of it when God would give us some shadow of his Love he represents it by the height of the Heavens not that his Love reaches no higher but because there 's nothing in created Nature higher to represent it by Psal 103.11 As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy towards them that fear him The Love of God is only to be measur'd by it self that is by himself for God is Love 1 John 4.8 No Creature no Saint no Angel can fadom the Love of Gods heart Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you And we must say the same of Christ's Love there 's one Dimension more in the Love of Christ than in the Creation Ephes 3.18 That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are taught to distinguish between the measure of a Man and the measure of God All bodies have but three dimensions Rev. 21.17 He measured the City with a Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length the breadth the height were equal according to the measure of a Man but in the measuring Spiritual Heavenly things such as are the Love of God and of Christ there 's one dimension more So we have it in that sublime discourse of Zophar Job 11.7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is as high as Heaven what canst thou do Deeper then Hell what canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea And thus we are taught modesty and not to limit God and his purposes of Love by our narrow conceptions Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts for as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my thoughts then your thoughts saith the Lord. And 1. for the Breadth of the Love of Christ It reaches Jews and Gentiles it extends to all ranks of Men high and low rich and poor it reaches all the cases of Men's Souls the Tempted Deserted the Backslider and Persecutor it reaches the bruised Reed the smoaking Flax it extends to the pardon of all sins truly repented of so that we may say that his promises which are the vehicles of Truth and Love are exceeding broad as well as his Precepts which are the indications of his Authority and Power The Love of Christ is wider than Mans will Rom. 10.21 All the day long I have stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people It s wider than Mans power for John 6.44 No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And yet vers 37. All that the Father has given me shall come unto me It is wider than all our wants and necessities there 's more bread in his house than there are hungry Souls to eat more mansions in Heaven than there are Souls to fill it s wider than our capacities and we may sooner enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. than that joy can enter into us 1 Cor. 2.9 It cannot enter into the heart of Man what things God has prepared for them that love him 2. The length of the Love of Christ An extent of Grace and Love that reaches Souls at the greatest distance It reacht Paul when he was in the heat and height of his desperate fury mad and desperately mad with an inveterate enmity against Christ It reacht Mary Magdalen when she was possest with seven Devils it reacht the Gentiles when they were far off from God estranged from the light and life of God by their Abominable Idolatries Ephes 2.13 Ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ It reacht the Prodigal when he was far off Luke 15.20 And as it finds and reaches Souls at the greatest distance of sin and enmity so it reaches a length which we cannot with consistence of thought conceive of Hebr. 7.25 Able to save to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the uttermost length of Gods Promise and the believers Faith and Hope to the uttermost extent of Gods Purposes and our Prayers to the uttermost duration of this Life and the next through all time beyond all time to eternity 3. The depth of the Love of Christ And here unless we could sound the depth of our Misery we can never fadom the depth of Christs Love unless we could know the power of Gods Anger Psal 90.11 we can never reach the power of Christs Love The Torments of Hell are unknown Torments and those Torments which Christ endured in his Soul to deliver us from thence were unknown Torments The Love of Christ does not only reach the depth of our Misery by reason of Sin but those depths of Sorrow into which sometimes even holy Souls are plunged by Desertion The Psalmist cryed unto God out of the Depth Divine Love heard him and reacht him there Psal 130.1 Jonah cryed unto God out of the belly of Hell Divine Love heard him there and deliver'd him thence Jonah 2.2 Heman was plunged in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps yet Love reacht him in that sad and dismal condition Psal 88.6 4. The height of the Love of Christ All the measure of the height of Christs Love we can take is to say its unmeasurable It is high we cannot attain unto it Psal 139.6 his Love reaches the Soul on Earth and never leaves it till it has conducted it to Heaven he Loves Grace into the Soul and Loves the Soul into Glory what that Glory is Go and see The taste of it is to be had
it Cant. 8.7 So much we know and may blush that our Love to Christ is so easily quenched discouraged and disheartned 3. Although our knowledge of Christ be imperfect yet so much we may know as may serve to guide and encourage our obedience to him All our knowledge of Christ is vain all our love to him is a pretense if we know him not that we may love him and love him not that we may keep his Commandments 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him for as that is not reputed with God to be any obedience which is not performed by a principle of love so neither is that accepted as any love that is not productive of obedience The Authority of Christ over us is the reason of our obedience but the Love of Christ in us is the true principle of that obedience John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Christ will not acknowledge any Man to love him that does not serve him And as the Love of Christ was an universal Love it extended to all our Spiritual necessities so must our Love to Christ be as universal and have a sincere respect to all his Commandments And upon lower terms than these Christ will not own our love to be any thing John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you 4. Although we cannot perfectly understand the Love of Christ in this our present state yet may we know so much of his Love as shall be of more true use and worth than all we know besides we may know something of God and know it to our terror and confusion There may be such rays of Divine knowledge let into a guilty Soul as may make it wish it could shut them out again And hence it is that sinners say Job 21.14 Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways The most ungrateful unwelcom thing to an impenitent sinner in the World is to see God and to be convinced that God sees him That Gods omniscience looks into his rotten heart and the sinner must needs sit very uneasie under this knowledge of God till he can see God reconciled to him in Christ and have the light of that knowledge comfortably shinning into his heart in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 There is no knowledge to be compared with the knowledge of God no knowledge of God comparable to the knowledge of God as reconciled in Christ no knowledge of Christ to be compared with the knowledge of his Love nor any knowledge of his Love to be compared with that knowledge of it which subdues our hearts to his obedience transforms our Souls into his likeness and raises up the Soul to aspire after his enjoyment Thus it is that we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5.11 All other knowledge may swell the head sooner than better the heart or reform the life A Man may go silently down to Hell by hypocrisie he may go triumphantly thither by open prophaneness and he may go Learnedly down to Hell with great pomp and ostentation what-ever he knows if he knows not the Love of Christ ruling in him and giving Laws to him and conforming him both to the Death and Resurrection of his Saviour And let this suffice to have spoken of the second Proposition That tho' the Love of Christ in its highest elevation passes all perfect knowledge in our present dark imperfect state yet there 's enough of the Love of Christ that may be known to engage our desires and endeavours to know more to shame us that we know so little of what may be known to engage our hearts to him and make us confess that whatever else we know without this is not worth the knowing Come we now to the second part of the Text viz. the Apostles Prayer for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God wherein we meet with a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or something that implies a contradiction in appearance The Apostle prays that the Ephesians might and certainly we ought to add our Prayers to his that we may and to second our Prayers with endeavours that God would fill us with all his fulness And yet we are here aground again To be filled with Gods fulness With all his fulness seems rather the object of our Despair than of our Prayer 't is that which startles Faith discourages Hope which supersedes Prayer and Endeavour for how can our finite grasp his Infinite Our narrow vessel comprehend the Sea of his Divine perfections We can no more comprehend the incomprehensible of God than we can apprehend the unapprehensible Love of Christ Our hearts must needs be narrow because our minds are so we can see but little we can love no more than we can see what the Eye cannot behold the Hand cannot hold For the solution of this I shall only observe at the present That as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God Rom. 1.19 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be known of God in which respect we are like the Athenians and erect our Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Acts 17.23 so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be comprehended of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be comprehended in which respects we are all scepticks and must confess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot comprehend it For the clearing therefore of this difficulty perhaps we may have some relief from the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may render thus That ye may be fill'd unto all that fulness of God There is a measure of Grace unto which the Divine Wisdom has appointed Believers unto that measure that degree of fulness we ought to aspire and to pray that God would fill us with it which seems to be the purport of that other Prayer of this Apostle for the Thessalonians 2 Thes 1.11 We pray always for you that God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the Fountain his Saints are Vessels These Vessels are of several capacities God according to his good pleasure has gaged these Vessels now it is our duty to pray and strive to strive and pray that God from the inexhaustible Fountain of his goodness would fill these Vessels with Grace up to the brim and that according to that capacity which God has graciously bestowed he would graciously fill up that capacity For if you should pour the whole Ocean upon a Vessel yet it receives only according to its own Dimensions And this is the Interpretation of Theophylact who when he had recited and rejected some other interpretations fixes on this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive says he this
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
sublime nervous Epistle whether St. Luke or Barnabas or Clement or Apollos or the Apostle Paul as I most think I here dispute not is evidently walking in the searches of the great Excellency of Christianity as it was brought unto us by and took its denomination from and serves the purposes and speaks the Eminence Unction and Prerogatives and Designs of Christ the Son of God And this discourse he here directeth to the Hebrews by whom we may understand those Christian Jews that were in Syria Judea and principally at Jerusalem for those that were dispersed through the Provinces of the Roman Empire were commonly called Greeks And those indeed who were Converted to the Christian Faith were terribly persecuted by the Jews their Brethren and assaulted by Seducers to work them back again to their deserted Judaism and much ado they had to stand their ground Whereupon this Author mindful of what his Lord had said in Mat. xxiv 9-13 attempts to shew the Eminencies of their State and that Judaism was every way transcended by Christianity The Author of it was a greater and better Person than Moses Aaron or Melchizedeck The Doctrines were more mysterious and sublime The Laws more spiritual and most accurately suited to the compleating and perpetuating of the Divine Life and Nature in them and to the advancing them unto all Conformities to God imitations of him and intimacies with him The Promises were more glorious rich and full and all the Constitutions Furniture Services Ministry and Advantages of the Gospel Polity and Temple carried more glorious signatures of God upon them and were more eminently attested patronized and succeeded by God than ever Judaism was or than it could pretend unto Why therefore should it be deserted or coldly owned or improved negligently or defectively This Author having therefore gained his point and throughly proved the dignity of the Christian state and calling beyond all possibility of grounded Cavils or competition He next proceeds to shew these Hebrews the genuine and just improvement of what he had demonstrated Heb. x. 19-39 xi xii xiii 1-19 The Casuistical consideration of the Text best serves the stated purpose of this hour And that I may be evidently pertinent clear succinct and profitable let me now lay the Case and Text together and consider them in their relative aspects each toward the other 1. Luke-warmness is the remissness or defectiveness of heat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a middle thing betwixt cold and heat When there is not heat enough in subjecto capaci to serve the purposes that such a thing under such circumstances should subserve Now God and Christ expect a fervent Spirit burning and flaming Love and in the Text Love is here represented as needing Provocation Heart-warmth is nothing else but love suiting and accommodating it self to worthy objects according to their apprehended dignity usefulness or concerns Love is the endearing to our selves of apprehended Excellence or Goodness and our letting out our selves or the issuings forth of our pleased wills in correspondent motions towards reposes in obsequiousness to and engagements for what we admire and affect for worth or excellence discerned makes us accommodate our selves unto the pleasure and concerns thereof according to its nature place and posture towards us and our affairs therewith When therefore this Affection Principle or Grace or Passion if Love may properly be called so is grown too weak to fix the will and to influence the life so as to please its God and turns indifferent and unconcerned and variable as the winds and weather change this languor of the Heart and Will and its easiness and proneness to be drawn off from God and things Divine we call Luke-warmness which is nothing else indeed but the sluggishness and dulness of the heart and will to such a degree as that it is not duly affected with nor startled at nor concerned intimately about what is truly excellent and of great consequence and importance to us And hence our Author phrases it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that Love may and ought to be smart and keen heating and urging all the powers of the Soul to excite all their vigours and to perform all their Functions with strength and pleasure Consider well Cant. viii 6 7. ii Cor. v. 14. i Thess ii 8. Heart unaffectedness unconcernedness and inactivity let Souls and their concerns God's interest and the Matters of Christ's Kingdom go and be as they will Phil. ii 20 21. This is the malady to be cured 2. It is not so much a single instance of luke-warmness as a temper that the case speaks of Nor doth the Text intend an intermittent Feaver in the heart 't is not a transient Paroxysm by fits and starts for hearts to burn but 't is a stated frame that must be changed and fixt The Malady is a luke-warm temper a frame and constitution of the inward man too weakly bent and byassed towards God and heavenly things to make them statedly its predominant ambition business and delight Act. xi 23. ii Cor. v. 9. A frame of Soul that sits too loose towards God to do to bear to be to hope to wait much for him in the stormy and dark day 3. It is the effectual cure hereof that the case aims at and in this Paroxysm of Love and of Good Works the cure consists Hence Labour of love Heb. vi 10. i Thess i. 3. Love abounding more and more in knowledge and in all judgment that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the Glory and Praise of God Phil. i. 9. 11. when Love is fervent fixt and genuinely fruitful then is this luke-warm temper cured indeed Hence zealous of good works See Tit. ii 11. 14. 4. How this Cure of such a temper may be effectually wrought is the next thing to be enquired into and the great import of the case before us and a great cluster of apt and pertinent Expedients doth the Text here entertain us with Such as 1. Determining and designing to enterprize the thing here called Provocation to love and to good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · This is the great concern to be espoused and the great scope of our intentions resolutions and endeavours Love and good works are the great Cure of this Distemper to which we must direct our thoughts words deeds provokingly Col iv 5 6 Such a Distemper must not be ordinarily expected to be cured by accident nor are their Labours likely to be prosperous who do not cordially design this Cure 2 The mutual Considerations of Persons Consider one another to a Provocation So the Greek We must take into serious deep and frequent thoughts the quality capacity spirits courses and concerns of one another and see wherein they are defective or exemplary and proficient in these things as
also how to qualify our selves and how to manage our spirits speeches and behaviour to the procurement of this end and how to provoke our selves to Love and to Good Works by what we see in others and hear from them or concerning them Phil. iv 8 9. Rom. xv 14. i Thess v. 14 15. for we are all of us obnoxious unto very great decays in Christian Affections and Behaviour and who is free throughout from guilt herein and equally concerned in this healthful exercise and temper 3. Actual Endeavours upon consideration to fix the temper and behaviour right for thoughts and purposes are vain things till they be put in execution Such as Mutual Exhortation attending on assembling of our selves together and our growthful progress in these things under the reinforcements and frequent representations of the approaching day Hence then consider we 1. The Text. 2. The Case First The Text. And here we have 1. The Objects to be considered one another 2. The Duty here required as conversant about these Objects Consider 3. The End Provocation to love and to good works 4. The means and manner of performing it to purpose and with good Success not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another 5. The great inducement hereunto so much the more as ye see the day approaching Improving the thoughts belief and expectations of this approaching solemn day and consequently our concerns therein as the most awful motive and quickning encouragement of our Preparatory State and Work And here I must premise that the case here proposed to our present thoughts may and must be resolved into two 1. How a luke-warm temper may be cured by us in our selves 2. How to be cured in each other Now seeing we are all related to the same God and under the same circumstances as to our capacity of pleasing or displeasing God of deserting or adhering to our Christian State and work and all of us as Christians under the same powerful and manifold obligations to be found Right and Faithful in this day And as all of us are determined to solemn Judgment and an Eternal State according to the temper of our Spirits and tenor of our Lives as found to be when that day comes What can we say to one another to provoke each other to love and to good works that will not equally concern our selves Whatever then we consider in each other is as considerable in our selves Whatever we design hereby to provoke others regularly to is to be equally designed and enterprized and promoted upon our selves Whatever we speak to others or plead with others hath the same Errand to and ought deservedly to be as cogent and prevailing with our selves We are all concerned in the helpfulness of present Assemblies and in the process and results of the last general Assembly and what we propose or press by way of Counsel Request Encouragement c. must be as spoken to our selves Taking it then for granted and concluded and needless to be proved and demonstrated 1. That luke-warmness is an heart-distemper 2. And that the formal Nature of it lies in the remissness of due Affections unto their proper worthy objects and so in too mean resentments and distastings of whatever is contrary thereunto 3. That the Cure of this Distemper formally consists in the due fervour of provoked Love invigorating and producing its congenial Operations and Effects here called Good Works which are but answerableness of Practice and Behaviour to this Principle or Grace 4. And that all these means and courses which genuinely and statedly relate hereto as divinely instituted by him whose Blessing is entailed hereon to make them prosperous and successful hereunto are the most likely means to work this Cure 5. And that the purport of my Text amounts to this and is it self of Divine Inspiration and so of God's appointment for this End Taking I say these things for granted for brevities sake I shall dispatch the Text and Case together in the close Consideration of these three General Heads or Topicks of Discourse 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good Works for herein the Cure consists 2. The things that are most likely and prepared to provoke hereto and so the Remedy or Means will be directed to 3. The Course and Method of improving these most regularly and so the skilful faithful management thereof will be considered 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good works Fervour and Vigour in the heart to and for its proper Objects productive of their right Effects are the Soul's Health indeed the very esse formale of this Cure in hand for Knowledge ministers to Faith in its Production and Proficiency and in all its Exercises and Designs Hence establish'd in the Faith as ye have been taught Col. ii 7. and 1 Joh. v. 9. 14. for we must know whom to believe in what and why The credibility of a Witness the trustiness of a Promiser and Undertaker the valuableness and certainty of things Promised and the way of acquisition and attaining what is promised if Promises be attended with and ordered to depend upon any thing commanded by the Promiser to be done by us these must be duly known ere Faith can fasten on them Faith is no blind no inconsiderate no rash no groundless act I know whom I have believed ii Tim. i. 12. And 't is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. xi 1. And Faith works by love or it is inwrought and becoâ—â—â—â—ergetical by Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. v. 6. Building your s◠〈…〉 your most holy Faith keep your selves in the love of God Jude â—â— 21 Faiths proper work and great design upon the Heart or Will 〈◊〉 tâ— kindle feed and keep this holy flame of Love within and to direct and keep it to its due Expressions and Employments Thus Truths and Hearts are brought together and fixt in their reciprocal Endearments ii Tim. i. 13. And then God and the Image Interest Saints and things of God are like the King upon his Throne with all his lovely train about him And then this Faith makes Christ upon the Heart and dwelling there like Manoahs Angel working wonderously in these flames of love for now no faculty sence or member can be idle languid or indifferent amidst such glorious and lovely Objects when urged and provoked by such powerful and busie Principles as Faith and Love to be imployed for God Truths Duty Souls and Glory Let us then consider it in its 1. Objects 2. Actings And 3. Effects I. The Objects of this Love towards which it is to move for which it is to act wherewith it must converse and wherein at last it is to rest and to repose it self for ever and these are the Name the Things the Children of God the good of Men or rather God as in himself the essential source and abyss of perfection bliss and glory Of through and to whom all things are who
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
The Vsefulness of the worshipping Assemblies of Saints and Christians to this great and needful provocation must quicken us unto and keep us in these Courts of God Psal .xcii. 13. 15. Exod. xx 24. There God commands the blessing even Life for evermore Psal cxxxiii 3. There you have the openings of the Gospel Teasury there are these golden Candlesticks which bear the burning shining Tapers whose light and heat diffuse themselves through all within their reach who are receptive of them The Gifts and Graces the Affections and Experiences of Gospel Ministers are in their Communicative Exercises there God the Father sets and keeps his Heart and Eye there the Lord Redeemer walks by and amongst his Commissionated Officers and Representatives dispensing warmth and vigour through their Ministry to Hearts presented to him at his Altar There doth the Holy Spirit fill Heads with Knowledge Hearts with Grace and all our Faculties and Christian Principles with Vigour There Mysteries are unfolded Precepts explained and enforced Promises fulfilled in Soul improvements Incense is offered up in golden Censers and foederal concernments are solemnly transacted and confirmed in open Court And there through the Angel of the Covenant his moving upon the Waters of the Sanctuary are Soul distempers and Consumptions healed And there you are informed acquainted with and confirmed in what may instruct you in and encourage you unto this Provocation to Love and to good works And there Prayer gets fuel and gives vent to Love drawing forth all the Energies of Souls and Thoughts towards God And thus fervent Prayers and love quickning returns thereto are like the Angels of God ascending and descending from and upon the Heart while the deserters hereof grow cold thereto and starve their Love and practical Godliness thereby All there is known obtained and exercised There you may fill your Heads with Knowledge your Hearts with Grace your Mouths with Arguments your Lives with Fruitfulness your Consciences with Consolations and your whole selves with those experiences of Divine regards to Soul concerns which may inflame your Hearts with Love to God and Christ to Holiness and Heaven and fit you both to kindle and increase this holy flame both in your selves and in each other And indeed what greater advantages can be derived into our Souls to make our Altars burn than what our Christian Assemblies duly managed will entertain us with What understanding do the Inspirations of the Almighty here afford Such curious Explications of the Name and Counsels of your God Such large and full accounts of all the endearing Grace of Christ Such Critical dissections and anatomizings of the state of Souls Such over-shâ—dowings of the Spirit of God Such clear and full descriptions and accounts of the Divine Life and Nature in all their Strength and Glory How are desires invigorated and twisted to make them more effectual to our selves and others This Sanctuary Love is like the best wine going down sweetly and causing the Lips even of those that are asleep to speak Keep then to these Assemblies that you may duly know whom what how and why to Love and how to suit your selves in spirit speech and practice towards God your selves and towards each other unto this generous and noble Principle Thus will you grow exceedingly both in the knowledge and savour of what is most considerable and most deservingly affecting both as to Things and Persons for Christianity is contrived for Love and Godliness in all its Doctrines Laws and Ordinances and in assemblies you have the Explications and Enforcements of those Truths which will compleat the Man of God as to his Principles Disposition and Behaviour Here you may know your most holy Faith as to it's matter evidences and designs upon you and it 's improvableness by you to it 's determined and declared ends and services That Faith which is to illuminate your Eyes to exercise your thoughts to fix your holy purposes to form and cherish expectations to raise desires to embolden prayer to fire your affections and regulate them as to their Objects Ends and Measures and Expressions And when you there attend you are in the way of Blessings How oft and evidently are Divine Truths there sensibly sharpened and succeeded by the God of Truth Rom. i. 16. Paul and Barnabas so spake as that a Multitude believed of Jews and Gentiles Act. xiv 1. And thither must you and I resort and there attend for Doctrine Exhortation and Instruction in Righteousness The Priests Lips must preserve Knowledge how to speak of God with him and for him there Gospel luminaries are to diffuse their Light and there must we receive it and know what is considerable eligible practicable and encouraging to love and to good Works Why then should we forsake that 3. But let us exhort each other â—or consideration and attendance on Assemblies are for our own and others good for personal and mutual quickenings to Love to good works I know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used more largely for any pleading of and pressing home a thing pursuant to it's import and design whether by Counsel Comfort or sometimes it imports Consolation or Encouragement This is too well seen and known to need its Scriptural Instances and Quotations That which is here intended I offer in this Paraphrase Draw forth all the Spirit and Strength of what you know and have advisedly considered as to your selves and others of what you have seen and heard in your Assembling of your selves together concerning your obligations to attend them their fitness to advantage you and all the benefit derived or deriveable therefrom Draw forth the vigour of all your received Discoveries Directions Assistances and Inducements to do and be what is required and expected from you professed by you and of eternal Consequence and Concernment to you Plead this throughly with your selves and one another that so your Christian love be not extinguisht or abated but wrought and kept up to its genuine and just pitch of fervour and effectual Operations and Eruptions in Good works Drive home upon your selves by deep and serious thoughts and pertinent applications of them to your selves and warm debates about them with your selves the things which God hath manifested and proposed to you as credible acceptable and practically Improveable He that expects this flame upon his heart must be a thoughtful man severely contemplative and sollicitous about the things of the Kingdom of God and the Name and Interest and Servants of the Lord Redeemer How can that man be warm and active or zealous of Good works whose knowledge is not actuated by self-awakening Meditations and whose furniture Principles and Spirit are commonly neglected by himself What! are divine Truths Laws Promises and Institutions only to be with us or in us as empty Speculations or thin Notions Have Divine Revelations and Endearings no Errand to our Hearts and Consciences and no business there and no practical Vigours to
weights of this depressing you And go to Jesus Christ without Farms and Oxen and Wives haling you back Haling you as they do hale away multitudes before your Eyes and as they will ere long be haling your selves If now ye will not come unto him that ye may have Life if you will not now begin running your Race toward the Redeemer what do you do Truly just as a Man that is to run for his Life but cannot be perswaded to stir a foot till he has gotten many more Sheets of Lead upon his back and many more Fetters upon his feet Rise Sinner rise If not these Words shall be thy Souls Eternal Loads R. 6. The Providence of God lendeth you more Physicians and kinder ones than it doth lend Old Diseased Sinners and then it will lend you if you live much longer Especially if you live Vnconvert True it is Gods Love and Mercy unto all is wonderful God sends abundance of Helpers unto all poor sinful Creatures Every Baptized Professor is obliged to be his Brothers Keeper All Believers are bound to be Charitative Ministers unto each other Ministers of Reproof Counsel Comfort In Christ's Body no Member should be all for himself or for less than the good of all But a double Portion of Spiritual help is ordinarily vouchsafed unto you Young People Of Soul-Physicians you have more than two for Old Peoples one They have Ministers so have you or may have if you please They have Religious Friends so have you I hope But then you have Parents which they have not You have Masters and Tutors which they have not And be it considered the Aged People have few or none that will deal so boldly with them as almost all deal with you Ministers and Friends do mostly either fear to offend or despair and think impossible to benefit old Sinners with any Counsels They think it the same thing to give Advice to an Old Body and Physick to a dead one And if they give any 't is as cold as Elie's rebukes But both come more couragiously upon you They less fear your Displeasure and more hope your Reformation And therefore with more frequency and acrimonie deal with you Besides your Parents Love and your Masters and Tutors Interest and the Comfort and Credit of both do engage them to follow you close And to do more than Ministers and Friends are ordinarily capable of doing for the Conversion of your Souls Upon all hands 't is best with you You have the help of most Physicians in number and of all the number you have most of their help Incomparably more than Old Folk have and then you must look to have in your evil days approaching But you will still delay will you not I doubt many will And will as 't were in so many words shew us this is their mind Sick they think themselves Sinners they confess it they are A store of Spiritual Physicians now they have they own it But of these Physicians and Helpers some will by and by die others decay and none be so helpful hereafter as now Nevertheless Live Soul or Dye they will not till hereafter engage in any serious care of their Spiritual Cure and Recovery They will stay till they have Helpers fewer in Number more Chill in their Affection and Care and less capable of taking pains for their Salvation Sad Infatuation A wondrous Will to get out of Probability unto bare Possibility of Life if so much C. 7. You have special Encouragements to Convert now from all general Observation and Experience such as Old People are past and you will e're long be past I must remember my bounds and therefore will name but three One would think they should be enough to move any thing not twice dead And to pull out your Folly unless it be extraordinarily bound up in you Young People 1. God Regenerates the most of his chosen in Early Years If that Early Risers were mostly the Men that grew Rich and lived long in the World who of you would not leave lying late in Bed Truly They that rise in the Morning of their Days and turn unto God be mostly the Men that ever overcome the Devil They that continue in the Bed of their security late are in danger of having their Bed in Hell for ever A Young Saint and an Old Devil is a Proverb which was certainly hatched in Hell God and Men break Colts when they are Young 2. God doth Regenerate most easily those Souls whom he turneth early Know it Sirs Pain is necessary thank Sin for it Had not Sin entred never had we known Pain Grief Fear or Shame But now there is a very natural necessity for it Sin is a painful grievous fearful shameful thing Nor can I see how the Honour of God's Justice could possibly have excused Repentance Spiritually as well as Naturally we are born in Sorrow Both sorts of Children cry before they laugh All New Creatures be first Mourners But all are not in the same degree so Nor are all equally long sowing in Tears before they do reap in Joy Some Sinners are Launced more deeply than others and God keeps open the Wounds of some of his Children longer than others as he pleaseth But ordinarily we see young Timothies be not struck down like Sauls Or if they be they be not kept so many days in frightful darkness And is this a small thing Think of it and say If my Body had a Sore of easie and speedy cure if the Chirurgeon were applyed quickly unto I should not suffer a little matter to hold me from him My Soul and Body is all Spiritual Wounds God alone can heal them Those he doth heal easiest and soonest they be of first Comers most commonly Tardie and late Comers are healed rarely and so as by Fire when they be What should ail me Why should I not presently arise and go to my Father Why should I buy dearly God's hardest blows 3. God doth honour Singularly and Reward with Grace extraordinary his Early Converts If any they be those that have two Heavens Great Service and Sweet Assurance on Earth and greater degrees of Glory also than others above Most Divines think so Late Converts too much imitate the Indians that eat the Hony themselves and offer but the Wax unto their Deities They give God but the Bran of their Life when Satan has had the Flower as some have exprest themselves None so much honour God and none are so honoured by him as those who give Honour to him and accept it from him in your early days Infer you then my Young Folk You must Convert presently or delay with Loss Even with certain danger of Hell and certain loss of much of Heaven And may I not now suppose the Objections of your minds against my Doctrine in good measure removed O that the Oppositions of your Wills were but as much overpowred I conclude that your own Hearts do tell you by this time unless they be
feared in them is yet of some sense in you Parents and other Reprovers that have done long ago with them are still plying you And yet as they you say unto God Depart from us we desire no Communion with thee With more violence than they you take the Kingdom of Hell by force The path to Hell is harder unto your Feet than theirs Infer 9. It is your Duty to shame your Vnconvert Fathers and Mothers For observe you you shame them if you remember and they forget God If you come to Christ and they either come not or come behind after you God Angels and Men will pronounce you Wise and them Fools But what then Would God have you stay for them and not Convert until they do By no means He commands you to Convert just now and consequently to shame them if they have not and do not By so shaming them some Children have been the blessed Instruments of Converting their Parents Of Spiritually Begetting their Natural Fathers The only way this seems wherein a Child can requite a Parent For if a Beggers Child win a Kingdom and give it his Father his debt to him is too big to be so paid But if he Converts him he pays him in broad Gold methinks Parents think ye of this And Children this know ye 't is therefore I do not caution you against all sinful ways of shaming your Parents because well I know Becoming dutiful to God you cannot but honour and love your Parents next unto God himself That which I see of many Parents in City and Countrey hath extorted this Inference from me Infer 10. Your Present dayes are your precious and best So the Word in the Text and words following speak plainly Sirs your young Dayes be but Dayes and of Short Continuance yea and dubious Some are Old as we speak sooner then others Their Flowers sooner fade and their Grass more quickly withers But when ever your Evening falls you shall wish it again Morning with you If nothing else will do it Old Age will convince you of the Excellence of Youth It was wittily that by some Time was thus pictured of old Time to come had the head of a fawning Dog Time present the head of a stirring Lion Time past the head of a biting Wolf So teaching that though silly Souls fancy still that their best days are tâ—â—ome yet if they bestir not well themselves in their present ones they will be very miserably bitten and torn in their future I sadly remember sometimes the Tears and Words of a very ancient Gentleman to my self and my School-fellows in our Childhood Children said he Your Age is good for every thing that you can desire to get mine is good for nothing but to spend whatever one has got A thousand Worlds I would give for a few of your learning getting dayes again Of all things prize your time and of all time your young which is your Sowing-time 'T is upon Eternities account that any thing can be judged Excellent Nor doth ought make for our blessed Eternity but vital Piety And surely for that there is no season like to Lifes Morning Poets say 't is a friend to the Muses Divines must proclaim it the Friend of Graces For why as incongruous as Atheistic Vermin do conceit Youth and Religion 't is plain as Noon-day Light that Religion is specially framed for Youth and Youth for Religion Let Shame be their Portion who are ready to drop the Italian Proverb upon every Religious young head Tanto buon This Puritan Youth is so good that he is good for nothing Young people remember the seven Stars in your Firmament and tell me how fit they are for Religion and Religion for them Quick Wit and Fruitful Invention What are these for but Religion and what appearance makes Religion without these Age will make you Lame and Barren in Mind as in Body Tenacious and Prompt Memory What is this Treasury for but Religion and how Poor must Religion live if Live without it Age will dry your Brains and make Sieves of your Memories Lively and Stirring Affections VVhat are these Horses for but the Chariot of Religion and how heavily must the wheels move if move without them Age keeps no such Horses nor Travel old Souls but upon Crutches and the pace of Snails Flexibleness and Self-denial VVhat are these Spiritual Joints for but Religious bowings And how little can the most profoundly Religious Soul stoop to its Maker without them Old Age has stiff joints of Soul as well as Body Amatoriousness and Love of Love VVhat is this Soul of the Soul for but Religion And how is Religion her self if her Soul has lost it self Love is all the Religion that I know of But Old Age layes your Souls in Frost and Snow Alacrity and Cheerfulness What is this Godlike quality for but Religion toward God and what likeness has Religion to it self without it For God taketh all things not cheerfully given as forced Spoils rather than free Gifts Now Old Age's Clouds do so return after the Rain that it admit's little of this Sunshine Rarely 't is that old Sanahs bear Isaac's Vigor and Strength of Body What is this for but Religious Service to him whose the Body is as well as the Soul And how little can the Soul while 't is in this Body do without it But where 's the Old Body that can let the Wind blow on it at least where is the Head of Gray Hairs that has a Body of Brass for a Soul of Gold Sirs in a word The Truth I beg deepest engravement of upon your Hearts is this of the Matchless Excellence of your present days Verily so fit is Youth the best of Life for Religion the best of Employment and so Useless yea Harmful are the endowments of Youth without Religion and so poor and unlovely an aspect has Religion without the use of Youths Endowments that it is a pity but Youth and Religion should Marry and Unite All time is too good for Satan but if he must have any let him not have the best which is your Youth But Cynthius aurem I was minded to wave all partâ—â—ular Exhortation and remit you unto my Call unto Sinners in which I have said the things which you do most of all need and with more Plainess and Brevity then I have discerned any where else But second thoughts bid me give you these Directions to improve my Doctrine And the rather because they are of experienced Usefulness Direction 1. Chuse each of you a Spiritual Guide in the affairs of your Souls There are Men ordained by God to be Eyes unto the Blind and Feet to the Lame and Fathers to all that would be Gods Children Refuse not Eyes and Feet for your Souls nor live you Orphans when you may have Fathers Go unto some one or another of them tell him you hear that Christ's Ministers are his Representatives And that Christ's Word without his appointed Ministry of it
I live than speak a word to gratifie scoffers at Religion who scornfully twit those that are better than themselves with their Hearing so many Sermons but yet I dare not sooth up those in their Hypocrisie whose Religion lies all in Hearing of Sermons as if there were no other Duties to be minded no Family Duties no Relative Duties whereas only Hearing will make at best but rickety Christians 2. They are also to be reproved that only go to See a Sermon What went ye out into the Wilderness to see What To see Fashions They can give a more exact account of every fantastical Dress than of any one savoury Truth they heard whereas 't is said of Christs hearers (f) Luk. 4.20 the Eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him A wandering Eye is an infallible evidence of a wandring Heart But I 'll come closer to the Case in a Use of Exhortation With Directions to all sorts of Hearers that they would sorthwith set upon the practice of this great comprehensive Duty to give Christ a satisfying account why they attend upon the Ministry of the Word Every one must give an account of himself to God That you may do it with Comsort take these or such like Directions Dirâ—ctiâ—n 1. Set your selves towards the removing of those Hinderances whiâ—h tiâ—l you iâ— good earnest set upon the removing of them you can never give a good account to your selves much less to Christ of any Soul-business I 'll name but four and with the naming of them give a word of Direction how to attempt their removal e. g. 1. The state of Vnregeneracy is a dead weight to the Soul it keeps it down from lifting up it self Heaven-ward One dead in sin blesseth himself that his Conscience is not troublesome i. e. 't is neither squeamish to boggle at sin nor inquisitive after the danger of it The only Remedy I shall name is this viz. Mind Conversion as far as 't is possible for an unconverted person to mind it How far is that Thou canst never tell till thou hast tryed Query Whether ever any pusht this forward to the utmost and missed of Conversion Not that any thing an Unconverted person can possibly do can merit Grace but the Soul 's holding on in its attempt and in some measure breaking through the Corruptions and Temptations that way-lay it is a token for good that the Spirit of Grace is hopefully at work to bring over the Soul to Christ the Spirit of God saying to that Soul what David said to his Son Solomon (g) 1 Chr. 22.16 Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee 2. The second hinderance is love of Ease Persons don't love to meddle with that which they apprehend will be a troublesome business What To be always upon our watch To be always examining why and to what end we so much as hear a Sermon This is wearisome and intolerable For Remedy Rouze up thy Soul as thou would'st do thy Body in a Lethargy thou wouldst then be jogg'd and pull'd and shook there 's more need in thy Soul-Lethargy 'T is the voice of him that deserves to be thy Beloved that calls thee do not give an answer directly contrary to Christs Spouse (h) Cant. 5.2 I am awake but my heart is asleep 3. A third hinderance is Vnbelief As to this I speak not now of the state of Unbelief but they do not believe this to be so needful as 't is represented The truth is if we run up sins into their causes we shall find Vnbelief to be the most teeming Mother of most omissions and of more than omissions e. g. Why do you omit such a Duty I do not believe it to be necessary Why do you not reflect upon the Duties which you do not omit I do not believe God requires it For cure Consider you have more grounds and Motives for Faith in this matter than you have for any thing you practise e. g. You Pray I hope you do I would not have my supposition fail me 't is more your Duty to reflect why you Pray and how you Pray than 't is meerly to Pray you may teach a Parrot to speak words of Prayer but 't is a special exercise of Grace to Pray aright as to the manner of it So you believe 't is a Duty to attend upon the Word 't is more your Duty to propose a right End and to reflect how that end is pursued attained or lost than 't is barely to hear Pardon me if I use a nauseous Metaphor to set forth an odious sin Some of you bring your Dogs with you and they hear the sound of words lye still and depart when the Sermon is ended Upon reflection you 'l be ashamed to do no more 4. A fourth hinderance is the satisfaction that natural Conscience takes in a little tiny Devotion Natural Conscience requireth a little and but a little a little will satisfie it so it be but something Doeg (i) 1 Sam. 2.7 was detained before the Lord. It had been better for him to have been sick in 's Bed than to have been quieting his Conscience with such circumstantiated devotion For cure Do but review what thy natural Conscience takes satisfaction in and thou wilt be more dissatisfyed bring but thy Conscience with thy Duty to the Rule and then examine it To act only like (k) Gal. 4.30 a Slave that desires no more than to turn his Work off hand to do no more than he needs must this leads to rejection whereas a Conscience guided by Scripture will put you upon doing all as a Child that the Manner of it may please your heavenly Father and this will qualifie you for an heavenly Inheritance This is the first Direction remove hinderances Direct 2. Call your selves to an Account before in and after the hearing of the Word to what End thou camest and how the end is pursued or dropt 1. Before you hear Solomon adviseth thus (l) Eccles 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of Fools be more ready to receive Instruction and to accept of what God says which will be thy Wisdom than to offer Sacrifice and neglect Obedience like foolish Hypocrites And a greater than Solomon (m) Luke 14.28 31. our Lord Jesus Christ cautions us by a double Metaphor at his School-door when we come to be his Disciples viz. That spiritual Edification will be in this like worldly building cost more tha we imagine and our Spiritual warfare will be in this like the carnal more costly than at first we conceive 't will cost us more careful thoughts more waking nights more painfull days more Prayers and Tears more Self-denyal and Contempt of the World than inconsiderate persons will believe For your care before you hear I shall propose but three things 1. Renew your Repentance of the Sins of your hearing the
first Call though I have neglected to hear him so as to have any practical regard to what he said all my Life The thoughts of what you say would amaze me did I believe it But I hope to find it otherwise Answ 1. Do not flatter your selves with vain hopes but let what I have spoken fright you to your Duty not from it You may expect as much from Christ as you can reasonably desire Would you have Christ to be to you like a foolish Mother to a cocker'd Child Let the Child do what he will do but chide him or threaten him he runs to his Mother and she 'll excuse all and bear him out in all though it be to his future undoing of Soul and Body Christians never expect it Christ will never do so Christ tells us before hand that none shall be more ready than he to help us against sin provided we will be ruled by him But we shall find none will be more severe against it if they be impenitently rebellious (a) Zech. 7 1â— As he cryed and they would not hear so they cryed and I would not hear saith the Lord of Hosts And 2. How absurdly disingenuous is it to be careless of our account and to expect that Christ should answer for us Christ was more ready to answer for his Disciples than they could be to ask him when through Infirmity they were Sleeping when they should have been Praying But 't is absurd to expect any thing like it when 't is not Infirmity but Wilfulness through dislike of his Service and hatred of Holiness You 'd verifie the Pharisees slander of Christ that he is a friend of Publicans and Sinners a friend to their sins not to their Souls In short therefore be Conscienciously sollicitous to give an account to Christ such as may be graciously acceptable and though there 's nothing beyond this yet there may be something over and above Let this therefore be my last Direction 4. Make it your care to give a silencing account to the Devil and all his Agents I grant that neither he nor they will ever be silent they 'll reproach and revile you they 'll mutter and whisper and secretly say and do all they can against you and they 'll never want something out of which they 'll force matter of reproach You have Christ in this very Context saying (b) Mat. 11.16.17 18. Whereunto shall I liken this Generation It is like unto Children sitting in the Markets and calling unto their fellows and saying We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented for John came neither eating nor drinking and they say He hath a Devil The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a man Gluttonous and a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners But Wisdom is justified of her Children They do as it were say of John the Devil enables him to endure such hardship and therefore they reject his Doctrine and they reproach Christ's person as if his more free temper encouraged Licentiousness Let a Godly Mans Conversation be what it will 't will never please those that hate Holiness But yet my Brethren 't will strangely muzzle them they can but grumble out a reproach or if they speak out 't is by clamour to drown the whispers of their Consciences when they can say something like that (c) Ruth 2.15 18 19 So she gleaned in the field until even and beat out that she had gleaned And she took it up and went into the City and brought forth and gave to her that she had reserved after she was sufficed and her Mother in Law said unto her Where hast thou gleaned to day c. q. d. Such of Christs Harvest-men have been at work and I have been gleaning after them I have met with that which to me hath been a feast the Word hath been refreshing and I can shew you some of the handfuls that I have gleaned I have attended upon the Ministry of the Word and have pickt up some Knowledge who was before an ignorant wretch and never minded my Soul I have pickt up something of food for my Soul whereas I was pining away in mine iniquities My Conversation will witness where I have been gleaning and I humbly resolve there I 'll abide in the use of such means while God vouchsafes them When you thus resolve you must expect Satan will do his utmost to flatter or fright you out of your purposes But while you can approve your ends to Christ your selves may answer Satan in the hindrances he 'll throw in your way e. g. Satan Why art thou so sollicitous for thy Soul thou mayest be saved without all this adoe 't is more then needs Soul No Satan all I can do is too little did not Christ undertake for me but I will not do the less for Christs doing so much Satan All thou dost is to no purpose thou shalt be damned at last Soul Should it be so I 'll rather serve God for nothing than thee for all thy flattering lying Promises I 'll do God all the service I can for the Mercies I have received though I should never have more the very work of Religion is better than the work of Sin even without a Reward Satan Spare thy self poor Soul thou art not all Spirit thou hast Flesh and Blood as well as others why wilt thou expose thy self to Contempt and Sufferings no Man in his Wits will court a general hatred Soul Peace Satan be it known to thee and to all thy Imps I had rather have your hatred than your love all your kindness to me is to ruine me Satan Be not so conceited of thine own Wisdom look about thee in the World have not others Souls to save as well as thee and they don 't proudly pretend to be wiser than their Neighbours Soul Be gone Satan I 'll parly no longer if others neglect Salvation therefore must I Will their missing of Salvation relieve me for the loss of mine Though a Peter perswade Christ to spare himself Nay when (d) Mar. 3.21 31. his friends went out to lay hold of him thinking his Zeal had crazed him Nay when his Brethren had wheedled in his Mother to send to him to abate his work he would not yield a minute By the Grace of God though I shall come infinitely short I 'll make Christ my Pattern and therefore Satan say thy worst and do thy worst through Christ I defie thee Will not some such account in some respect I may say to the Devil himself more confound him When he shall see all his spightful insinuations work out comfortable Evidences of present Grace aye of growing Grace and future Glory If this will not silence him 't will make him roar in his Chains When he finds himself tyed up from doing what mischief he would he roars for vexation while the gracious person Thanks to Christ laughs
articulately call to us to lay our quarrels to sleep and cordially to joyn our Prayers and Endeavours in our places to rescue our common Faith from so great a danger but yet we have been since that time biting and devouring one another as sharply as ever before And now once more we have a fair Call and each Party hath professed a serious Inclination to unite together against our common Adversaries God forbid that our Prejudices Humours or Interests should still hinder so great a Blessing I come now in the Third and Last place to direct the best Method to cure this great Evil and to prevent this great Danger And 1. Lament your own and others sin in this particular All sound Amendment begins in godly sorrow We are glowing hot in wrath and strife Tears are necessary to quench this Flame mourn for others fierceness and for your own For the Divisions of Reuben let there be great searchings of heart When we are once truly humbled and penitent before God our Brethren will have better quarter from us Consider how often you have added fewel to this fire how you have exasperated this burning Fever and how little you have done to asswage and mitigate it How easily you have been prejudiced how easily provok'd how hardly pacified If you should have met with such treatment from your Heavenly Father as your Brethren have had from you you had been devour'd and consum'd long ago .. Do not think that needless Divisions in Christs Church is so light a fault that reproaches and revilings are venial sins when Our Saviour hath assured us Matth. 18.6 That it were better for him that shall offend one of his little ones that believe in him to have a Milstone hanged about his Neck and be drowned in the depth of the Sea And how wittily soever it be exprest yet he that shall say to his Brother Thou fool shall be in danger of Hell-fire Mat. 5.22 Whatever uncharitable Reflexion therefore you have been guilty of repent of it speedily and also mourn for the miscarriages of others When we are a little melted for our own and others faults then we are fit for the healing mercy of God And the Lord turned the Captivity of Job when he prayed for his Friends Job 42.10 2. Learn Christian Wisdom Thereby you will be able to weigh and consider things and to look at them on every side What mischief hath Zeal without Wisdom done in the Church of God! A wise man will observe the weight and consequence of the things he undertakes to oppose and defend and then he will consider what are the most proper means to convince and to reduce his mistaken Adversary He that hath knowledge and a man of understanding is of an excellent that is a sedate calm and cool Spirit Prov. 17.27 A wise Man distinguisheth between tolerable mistakes and intolerable and proportions his zeal and the expressions thereof accordingly Whereas a fools lips enter into contention Prov. 18.6 He is hurried by his folly into all the terms moods and figures of Provocation And therefore the Apostle James calls for such wisdom upon this account Jam. 3.13 Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge among you Let him come with his meekness of wisdom As the deepest Rivers run most calmly so the wisest minds are ever most peaceable A wise Man will consider that it will be in the Church as it is in an House some Children do work and others make work some are for the School some for the Field some for the Cradle and yet all Children and thus God hath tempered the Body that there may be a various love among the Members in the strong to the weak a love of Care in the weak to the strong a love of Reverence Again a wise Man can govern his passions and not cast Fire-brands Arrows and Death and then say Am I not in sport Prov. 26.19 No he will make Controversies as few and then as short as he can and manage Sacred matters with a solid gravity And therefore get wisdom and with all your getting get understanding And to that end add to earnest Prayer reading in God's Book especially and as far as your Calling and Capacity will permit in the Histories of the Church and withall Observe and Digest those things which you have seen or heard or read so will you be able perhaps to make peace among others how ever to keep the peace your selves 3. Endeavour for a Catholick Spirit that is a due and tender respect to all the parts and members of the Christian Church For of that whole Mystical Body every true Christian is a Member For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular 1 Corinth 12.13.27 Hereby we shall not suddenly un-Church others at home or abroad for some imperfections or corruptions for he is but meanly read in the Records of the Church that hath not observed manifold defects deformities and corruptions in all the Christian Societies which have been in the World and on the other side that some holy Persons in all Ages have in some thing or other dissented from the Common Opinions and that many weak and peevish people have and ever will exercise the Patience and Charity of the rest On the contrary a poor narrow spirit in many hath not been the least cause of our Contentions whereby they have confined the Grace Presence and Goodness of God to some few Persons or Societies that have been more strict and devout than others No godly People but they none godly Ministers but theirs And the Papists are notoriously culpable in this point while they would impropriate all Christianity to themselves not valuing any person how Learned and Holy soever who will not be of their Communion But a true Catholick though he be fully perswaded in his own Mind of his Principles and Practices yet he can wish well unto and think well of and cordially embrace all that are sound in the Fundamentals of Religion though in divers things they do err and go astray 4. Be cloathed with Humility For whatsoever Pleas and Pretences are hung out it is Pride within which hath an hand in the beginning and maintaining of our quarrels Prov. 22.10 Cast out the Scorner and Contention shall go out Yea strife and reproach shall cease Hereby we are wise in our own eyes we look not on others things but only on our own This makes the Superiour look upon the Inferiour that differs from him with great contempt and this prompts him that is on the lower ground to all the envious Reflections and constructions imaginable of him that is got above him Sayes the one Shall I give way or yield a jot to Men so ordinary for their Parts and so obnoxious for their Circumstances I that neither need them
continues still to do in order to the freeing and delivering the Children of God from the fear of death and the bondage that ensues thereon 1. He worketh and increaseth those Graces of his Spirit in them which are destructive hereof and opposite hereunto you 'l say which are they 1. There is the Grace of Faith This is the Grace that conquers the World that conquers the Devil and that conquers also the slavish fear of Death This excellent Grace of Faith hath such an excellent hand in the conquering of all these that it is call'd the conquest and victory it's self This is the victory says the Apostle John 1 John 5.4 even your Faith Our Saviour tells Peter Luke 22.31 32. That Satan had desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat And with what did he sift and shake him Why it was with the fear of Death he was afraid they would deal with him as they did with his Master It was his slavish fear of Death that made him deny Christ and to do it once and again but anon he recovered himself and got above this fear he was reâ—dy by and by boldly to confess Christ and that in the face of Death and danger How came this about Why it was by means of Faith Christ had pray'd for him that his Faith should not fail it may be said of those that are fearful of death that they are of little Faith 2. A second Grace is Love An ardent love of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ will banish all slavish fear of death out of the Soul 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear Of what fear doth he speak The next words tell you he speaks of slavish tormenting fear of that fear which hath torment By perfect love he means a greater measure and degree of love I said but now of fearfull Christians that they have but little Faith I may add also that they have but little Love for perfect or great love expells all tormenting and servile fear 3. A third Grace is Hope The very nature of Hope is quite contrary to fear Where there is a Hope of eternal life there can be no prevailing fear of Death 'T is said of the righteous Prov. 14.32 that they have Hope in their death and those that have Hope in their death they are not afraid to dye Then Hope doth more especially free us from an inordinate fear of Death when it grows up to that which the Scripture calls The full assurance of Faith Heb. 6.11 this is a gracious Gift which the Father bestows upon many of his Children they know that they are in him that they are pass â—â— from death to life 1 John 2.5.3.14 2 Cor. 5.1 that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolv'd they shall have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Ay this is that which steels and fortifies them against the fear and terror of Death This leads me to consider of a second way or means whereby Christ delivers the Children from a slavish fear of death 2. He delivers them from it by convincing and parswading them that they shall not be Losers but Gainers yea great gainers thereby It was this perswasion that made the Apostle Paul to desire death rather than to dread it I desire says he to depart or to be dissolv'd which is far better Philip. 1.23 And again v. 21. he saith For me to dye is gain It were easie here to expatiate and shew the advantage the exceeding great advantage that Believers have by Death It is commonly said to consist in these two things in a freedom from all Evil in the fruition of all Good 1. It consists in a freedom from all Evil which is sub-divided into the evil of Sorrow and the evil of Sin Believers are freed by Death from the evil of Sorrow 'T is one blessed Notion of the life to come that God will wipe off all tears from his peoples eyes and remove all sorrow and causes of Sorrow from their Hearts Believers also are freed by Death from the evil of sin which is indeed the greatest evil the evil of evils all the evils of sorrow are but the effects and fruits of the evil of sin By Death they are deliver'd from all actual sins not only from Fleshly but Spiritual filthiness Now they are deliver'd ordinarily from inordinate actions but then also from inordinate affections they shall never any more be troubled with Pride Passion Discontent Unbelief or the like By Death also they are discharg'd from Original sin and all remainders thereof when the Body dies Believers are rid of that body of death which dwelleth in them and is always present with them they no more complain of themselves as wretched creatures upon the account thereof 2. It consists in the fruition of all Good Believers when they dye they enjoy God Himself who is the chiefest Good He is bonum in quae omnia bona all other things that are good and desireable are comprized in him as the Sun-beams are in the Sun the Saints enjoyment of God in this life is a Heaven upon Earth but our enjoyment of God after death will be the Heaven of Heavens David says in one Place Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There are Saints and Angels and Arch-Angels in Heaven says Musculus with whom David and such as he will have to do but what are these to God Believers won't barely enjoy God after death but they will enjoy him fully In this life they enjoy a little of God and oh how sweet and refreshing it is But in the life to come they shall have as much enjoyment of God as their hearts can wish or hold Now they enjoy God in the use of means in Prayer in hearing the Word and in receiving the Lords Supper but hereafter they shall have not only a full but an immediate fruition of God Now they see the Face of God in the Glass of his Word and Ordinances and 〈◊〉 what a lovely sight is it But then they shall see God face to face and what tongue can mention or heart imagine the loveliness of that sight If it were not too great a digression I could readily demonstrate the gain and advantage of Death from other Topicks Believers in the other life shall possess and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven which doth more transcend the Kingdoms of this World and all the glory of them than the light of the Sun doth excell the light of a Candle they shall be most gloriously perfected both in their Souls and in their Bodies their vile bodies at the Resurrection shall be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.21 Their gain and happiness will be greatly augmented in the other life by the work and employment that they shall do and by the Society and Company that they shall
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
knowledge of Christ in comparison of which all other things were loss and dross and dung That he might know Christ and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Phil. 3.8 10. And this is one way of clearing the difficulty and reconciling the seeming contradiction 2. Others have recourse to a Hyperbaton and would clear the Thing by transposing the words And they order the words thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To know the surpassing Love of the knowledge of Christ and then the sense will be this I pray that you may know that surpassing that incomparable Love of God which appeared in giving you the knowledge of Christ And it must be for ever acknowledged that this was a marvellous instance of the Love of God that he was pleased to Communicate to the World the knowledge of a Redeemer but yet it seems rather to impoverish the sense than to give us the full import of the expression 3. There is no need to fly to Critical Niceties nor to call in Rhethorick and its figures to our Relief The words will be consistent and freed from all appearance of self-contradiction if we attend to these following Positions 1. That which cannot be known by a meer humane understanding may yet be understood by the Spirit of Christ which searcheth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And the Spirit of God is given for this end to shed abroad the Love of God and so the Love of Christ in our Hearts Rom. 5.5 2. That which cannot be fully known of the Love of Christ in this present state where our understandings are very much clouded and our faith weak thro' the remainders of inward Corruption yet shall be more gloriously known when we come to see God in Christ face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we know but in part but then we shall know as we are also known 3. Although there be much of the Love of Christ which passes all our present knowledge yet there 's enough of that Love that may be known enough to feed our knowledge that it starve not in this life and yet to whet the edge of the Souls appetite to know more in the life to come enough to guide us and conduct us thro' our pilgrimage and abundance more reserv'd for our portion The Love of Christ has Depths in it wherein the daring Soul may drown and yet those shallows wherein the humble Soul may safely wade and comfortably bathe it self without danger of being swallowed up And we have some parallel expressions in Scripture which may well illustrate this of the Text Phil. 4.7 The peace of God passes all understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it exceeds all conception and yet there is that in the Peace of God which may be conceived and expressed too even something of that inward satisfaction which arises from a well grounded hope that our peace is made with God and that peace copied out upon and exemplified in a pure and quiet Conscience so in the verse following my Text we read that God is able to do exceeding abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above that we can ask and think and yet we may conceive something of what God will do for us and cloath those conceptions with suitable expressions and make our humble Addresses to him for what he has promised to give to us and do for us in such a way as shall be acceptable to God thro' the Interest of our Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ In a word As Moses could not see Gods face and live Exod. 33.20 And yet Moses could not live except he saw Gods face so is there a measure a degree of the knowledge of the Love of Christ which we cannot reach if we would die for 't and yet there is such a measure such a Degree of the knowledge of that Love of Christ which we must reach or we die for 't And hence I will briefly touch upon two Propositions I. Prop. There is something in the Love of Christ which in this present state surpasses all perfect knowledge of it Something of which we may say as one said of a Learned Book If that which I understand be so admirable what is that which I do not understand Take any one mystery of the Gospel and when we have pursued it as far as our faculties are able to trace it we must be forced to make a stand and as Paul upon the shore of the Ocean of Gods unsearchable untraceable Counsels Rom. 11.33 to cry out O the Depth or as Job chap. 26.14 Lo these are parts of his ways and how little a portion is heard of him There are two things that are unmeasurable The evil of sin and the Love of a Saviour And the Love of a Saviour must be therefore unmeasurable to the sinner because the evil of sin is unmeasurable He that knows not the exceeding greatness of his debt can never fully know the exceeding greatness of his Love that became a surety for it He that cannot measure the greatness of the Curse he lay under can never measure the Love of his Deliverer And he that never could fully estimate the misery of his bondage can never fully value or conceive aright of the Love of his Redeemer 1. The evil of his is unmeasurable It is so whether we consider the Object against whom sin is committed or the Punishment which sin hath deserved or the Agonies which the Redeemer suffer'd to Atone it 1. If we consider sin as committed against an infinite God so sin is infinite objectively and therefore unmeasurable the malignity of sin is unconceivable it strikes at the Authority the Glory the very Being of the chiefest Good Every sin would in its tendency dethrone the most High 2. If we consider the demerit of sin it is that which passes all understanding Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of thine anger We cannot take the just and Adequate measure of that wrath which is due to sin by all the Plagues and Judgments by which God ever bore witness against the evil of sin The fire of Sodom and Gomorra was dreadful fire but yet it was quencht a little time extinguisht it but that fire of wrath which burns upon but never burns up sinners is inextinguishable fire Mark 9.44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fire is inextinguishable It is everlasting punishment Matth. 25.46 The Deluge that drowned the old World argued great Displeasure against sinners yet neither was that a just measure of Gods wrath that is due to sin for the waters of the Deluge were soon dryed up but so will not the Floods of Divine Vengeance poured out upon sinners to the uttermost for the breath that is the anger of the Lord as a stream of fire and brimstone kindles and feeds the matter of those flames The Plagues of Egypt were exceeding great demonstrations of Divine anger against sin yet they were determinate for number
and duration and so could not give us a just measure of the demerits of sin 3. If we consider the sufferings of Christ they will prove that the evil of sin is unmeasurable they were such as could not be expressed and therefore the Ancient Christians used in their Prayers to beg of Christ that he would deliver them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thy unknown torments Lord deliver us And hence we may infer that the Love of Christ must needs be unmeasurable because he delivered us from unmeasurable wrath by unconceivable torments 2. The Love of Christ to sinners is unmeasurable for these Reasons 1. Reas We have no scale in nature in which we can weigh no line in created things by which we can measure it § 1. If we examine the love of Relations we find them all limited and bounded and they ought to be so The love of a Father to a child is an intense love the love of a Father to an undutiful child a rebellious child may stretch the line somewhat farther yet this will fall vastly short of the Love of Christ to sinners The highest instance of this love that I remember was that of David to his rebellious Son Absalom expressed 2 Sam. 18.33 O Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son Here is Paternal love strained up to the highest pitch imaginable That a King should desire to die for a Rebellious Subject that a Father should be willing to die for the most disingenuous and rebellious of Sons This was great but yet we find this love extended but to a natural death he would have been unwilling to have died a Cursed death to have been made a Curse for him to have been made sin for him And yet the torrent of this impetuous love soon dryed up it was founded in passion rather than judgment and perhaps in cool blood he would have been unwilling to have died that such a wretch might live I question much whether David durst deliberately advisedly and premeditately have laid down his life to save that of a vitious debauched Son yet such was the Love of Christ who laid down his life for sinners the greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And laid it down voluntarily when none could take it away John 10.18 and not only died against the persuasions of his friends to save his life Mark 8.32 but against that bitter malice of his Enemies which always sparkled and at last flamed out in the most cruel bloody implacable fury that ever was in the World nay against the just displeasure of God as a Judge all which he had a clear prospect into and yet gave this great pregnant proof of his unconquerable Love that he not only poured out his Soul in tears Luke 19.41 his Soul in prayers Luke 23.34 Father forgive them but his Soul in sacrifice too unto the death Isa 53.12 But if the love of a Father to his Son will not measure this Love of Christ perhaps the love of a Mother to her Son may And this is indeed naturally the more soft and passionate Sex and of this love the case is put Isa 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb The case is put exceeding strong A Child a sucking Child that hangs upon the breast and is always crying for pity in its natural dialect the Son of the Womb that 's more than the Child of the breast she can hardly forget that at any rate which she brought forth at such a dear rate yet the circumstances may be such that this tender Mother may forsake and forget nay kill and destroy too this innocent Child such exigences they have been in that Nature has prov'd unnatural or Nature in one instance has overcome Nature in another A Mothers hunger has caus'd her to forget her pity to the Child of her Womb Lam. 4.10 The hands of the pitiful Women have sodden their own children to forsake to forget to kill to cook and at last to eat is certainly the greatest stemming of the current and stream of natural affection that we can conceive of but Christ's Love will not suffer him to forget to forsake he has oftens forgotten himself to remember them he has forgotten his own food that he might provide for their Souls John 4.34 he has forgotten his own approaching death that he might provide for their life 1 Cor. 11.23 The same night in which he was betrayed he took bread c. And yet perhaps the love of the Husband to his Wife may come up to this example of Love Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Here 's an argument indeed to enforce that conjugal Love and here 's a president for conjugal Love to look upon but that As is not a note of equality but of some general similitude for the Husband gives himself to his Wife but will not is not bound to die for his Wife he cannot be persuaded to have her sins charg'd upon his Soul How short are all the Loves the Affections of Relations to give us a pattern and example of the Love of Christ But possibly we may find a love in Nature more strong than any of these And that if any where must be amongst some of those great instances of Love which have been amongst friends It is indeed said 1 Sam. 18.1 3. That Jonathan loved David as his own Soul and in Deut. 13.6 The friend is said to be as a Mans own Soul But yet when we come to examine these expressions they fade away and signifie nothing but the life where is the friend that will make his Soul an offering for sin Isa 53.10 However this is the highest flight that ever humane love took to lay down life for a friend but Christ has put this quite out of countenance John 15.13 Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friend but a far greater Love than this had Christ that he laid down his life for enemies Christ laid down a better life for them that were worse And this is proposed to our consideration as that which has out-done all the love in the World Rom. 5.7 8. Scarcely for a righteous Man will one die No I think it s out of question that none will for who would be so friendly to him that walks by the rules of strict justice that will do no wrong yet shews no mercy but peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die If there be an instance found in the World of any that has laid down his life for another it must be for a good Man one that is a publick blessing to the age wherein he lives some one may throw away his private life which is not very useful for so generous a Person that is a Common good to his Country but if such an instance be found which
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
6.12 Ye are not straitned in me but ye are straitned in your own Bowels Our hearts are narrow towards Spiritual and Heavenly things because they are so enlarg'd towards earthly and visible things when the heart is enlarged as Hell and death that cannot be satisfied Hab. 2.5 For these perishing things no wonder if there be little room for the Graces of the Spirit This is therefore our great concern to pray that God would enlarge our desires that he may satisfie and fill them 4. We ought to pray and strive That all the Powers and Faculties of the whole man may be filled according to their measures There is much room in our Souls that is not furnish'd much waste ground there that is not cultivated and improved to its utmost We might have more light in the Understanding more tractableness in the Will more heat in our Love and a sharper edge set upon our Zeal And we have warrant to pray for this measure of the fulness of God 1 Thess 5.23 Now the God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. Every gracious Soul ought to pray and strive for such a measure of Grace that he may be qualified for any Duty and Service that God shall call him to and engage him in The Hebrew word which we render Consecration or separation to an Office is Filling the hand Exod. 29.9 Consecrate ye Aaron and his Sons in the Hebrew Fill the hand of Aaron and his Sons Where God employs the hand he will fill the hand we have ground to believe that he will send us about no Errand but he will bear our Charges where-ever he gives a Commission he will bestow a competent qualification when we go about his Work we may expect his presence and assistance in the Work And Moses seems to stand upon these terms with God Exod. 33.15 If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence As therefore there is great variety of Duties in our Christian Calling we may in Faith expect and from that believing expectation pray that we may be furnish'd with a suitable variety of Grace for the discharge of them 6. Every true Christian ought to pray strive for such a measure of Grace as may enable him to bear patiently chearfully and creditably those afflictions and sufferings which either God's good pleasure shall lay upon us or for his Names sake we may draw upon our selves We ought to pray that either he will lay no more upon us than our present strength can bear or if he encreases our trials he will encrease our Faith There 's no danger of excess in our Prayers when we confine them to the limits of his gracious promises Now here we have encouragement from his Word 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 7. Every true Christian ought to pray and strive for such a measure of Grace as may bring the Soul to a settlement and stability that he be not soon shaken by the cross and adverse evils that he shall meet with in this Life And the Apostle Peter has gone before us in this Prayer 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you And herein especially let us keep an eye upon these particulars § 1. Pray that God would so stablish you in the truth that ye may not be blown away with every wind of Doctrin A sorry trivial Error many times oversets and puzzles a weak Understanding Now 't is our great Interest to pray and strive that we may reach such a clear distinct coherent Light into the Doctrin of the Gospel that every small piece of Sophistry may not perplex and stagger our Belief of it So the Apostle Paul Eph. 4.14 would have Believers be no more Children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive § 2. Pray also that God would so stablish you in the truth of the promises that your Faith may not be shaken with every wind of Providence We are apt to have our hearts tossed by contrary Dispensations So upon a rumour Isa 7.2 The heart of Asa was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind It argues great weakness of Faith that we cannot maintain an equality of mind under various Providences the only remedy of which evil is to pray that God would encrease and strengthen our Faith that we may be so firmly built upon the unmoveable rock that we may not be afraid of evil tidings having our hearts fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 And this was the glory of Job's Faith Job 13.15 That tho' God should slay him yet would he trust in him § 3. Let us pray and strive that God would so settle and stablish us in Love to himself that no blast of Afflictions from his hand may cool the fire of Divine Love in our hearts We want exceedingly the Faith that God carries on a design of Love under all his various and seemingly contrary dealings with us he can love and correct why then cannot we love a correcting God Whether he wounds or heals his love is the same and why not ours Can we not love God upon the security of Faith that he will do us good as well as upon the experience that he has done us good § 4. Pray we and strive that God would so settle and stablish us in our inward peace that no wind of temptation may overthrow it 'T is a slender and ill-made peace which every assault of the Tempter dissolves The Psalmist stood upon a firmer bottom when the terrifying Onsets from without made him fly more confidently to his God Psal 56.3 What time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee And we have Gods own promise to answer our Faith Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusteth in thee And thus I have return'd some Answer to the second Branch of the Question What is the measure of the fulness of God with which every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled There will still remain an enquiry How we may reach to such a measure of the Divine fulness as has been described To which tho' the limits of this discourse will not allow a full and just Answer yet the importance of the Question will oblige me to point at some few things upon which your own Meditations may find matter of enlargement 1. And first it is necessary that we be convinced that we are very far short
standing principle of actual repentance and whereby it is both enabled and disposed to it Now this repentance being a grace of Gods Spirit and yet inherent in Man as to the habit and exercised by him as to its acts or which is the same being Gods work and yet Mans duty we are to consider what is Gods part in it and what is Mans. First Gods work is 1. To infuse the grace or principle repentance in the habit which constantly is ascribed to God in Scripture Acts 11.18 Granred repentance 2 Tim. 2.23 If God will give them repentance 2. To actuate and enliven that Principle when infused as he doth other Graces Phil. 2.13 not meerly in a moral way by suggesting such Reasons and Arguments as may excite and move the Will to the exercise of Repentance but by the powerful and efficacious Influence of his Grace drawing out the habit into that exercise or causing the Soul to act suitably to this Divine Principle infused into it Secondly Mans Duty is 1. To seek and labour after Repentance in the use of all means by which God is wont to work it in the hearts of Men such as diligent attendance on the Word Repentance no less than Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 and what external means of Grace are appointed in it Intention of the Mind in that attendance on the means Mens applying the Truths delivered to themselves comparing their Cases with it examining themselves by it considering their ways c. which are but the actings of their reasonable Faculties and as much in their power as other moral Actions are and need not the Supernatural Influence of Divine Grace but only those common assistances God affords to Man in the ordinary actions of a rational Life and in a word these are but such kind of workings as shew them to be Men not to be Saints Isa 46.8 To these means in the use of which God is wont to work repentance I refer Prayer for it which though by an unregenerate Person it cannot be performed graciously and unto acceptance yet we may say it may be thus far performed successfully as that those Prayers may be heard and answered in relation to the Grace they seek and in the Elect of God they are heard tho' not with respect to the Persons which being graceless faithless cannot be accepted of God yet with respect to his own thoughts of Love towards them and his eternal purpose of conferring that Grace upon them 2. To excite and stir up in himself the Grace of Repentance when God hath wrought it in him for the putting forth Acts agreeable to the Principle he hath received and to which by that Principle he is both empowred and inclined unto the production of which Acts he is no more to question the concurrence of God's Special Grace than his common concurrence to the ordinary actings of his Reason and Will it being God's usual method to work with his Creatures according to their Natures and those Principles of Acting he hath put into them Though God quickens Grace as well as works it yet Man is to use those means for the quickning it in himself which God hath appointed and with which he is wont to work 2. The reasons of this Concession or which prove that a Death-bed Repentance may be sincere 1. It appears by the the instance of this Thief that a late Repentance and as late as one upon a Dying Bed hath been sincere and therefore the like may be again He did truly repent and therefore it is possible others may And that his Repentance was sincere we have sufficient Proof not only from Christs gracious acceptation of it manifested by the peremptory promise he gave him of admitting him into his Kingdom To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But by the other Graces we here find him exercising in concurrence with his repentance I. Faith which is the Principle of Evangelical Repentance and which never fails to work it where it is it self sincere He owns Christ as a King when he mentions his Kingdom and prays him to remember him when he comes into it This likewise implies his belief of and confidence in the Grace and Love as well as Power of Christ when he commits his departing Soul into his hands expecting his Salvation from him And indeed his Faith was not only sincere but strong and vigorous God had put as much of the Spirit of Faith into a poor Novice in Religion at the very first as he doth into many an old Disciple at the last It is a good argument of a strong Faith when it bears up against great discouragements as we see in Abraham's Faith Rom. 4.19 20. and that of the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15. from v. 22. to 28. Two great discouragements the Thief had which yet could not hinder his Faith 1. The heinousness of his Sins aggravated by long impenitence and perseverance in them to the last hour in a manner of his Life Well might he fear that God was so provoked by the continual rebellion of his wicked Life as totally to reject him now at his Death 2. The low and despicable condition he saw Christ in condemned as well as himself and hanging upon a Cross as well as himself slighted and mocked at by so many he might look on as better and wiser than himself no less than the Governours of the Church v. 33. The Rulers derided him This might have made him think there was little hope of help from him What was there in a crucify'd dying Man that to an eye of reason could make him look like a Saviour Meer Nature would as soon have looked for Life in Death it self nay Heaven in Hell as eternal Salvation in one who not only had formerly been so mean but now seemed so miserable II. Several other Graces we find in him as the fruits at least the concomitants of his Repentance 1. A free ingenuous and open confession of his Sins in the face of the World and thereby giving glory to God v. 41. We indeed justly c. Nor can it be said that his Confession was extorted from him by the Torments he suffer'd when we see his Companion impenitent under the like 2. He owns the Justice that had brought him to that end We receive the due reward of our deeds He neither murmurs against God nor quarrels with Men. 3. He sharply taxeth the impiety and profaneness of his fellow Thief in reviling Christ as well as his still continuing obstinate and impenitent v. 40. Dost not thou fear God c. and hereby he shews his indignation against Sin when he so heinously resents it not only in himself but in another Like David he beholds a transgressor and is grieved Ps 119.158 4. He doth what he can to bring his Companion to repentance Dost not thou fear God The Reproof implies an Exhortation as well as Instruction Now the communicativeness of Grace is a good argument of the sincerity of it
Had he had none himself he would not have been so much concerned for the others want of it 5. He makes a publick profession of his faith in Christ and owns him to the very teeth of his Enemies and that too when Peter had denied him the other Disciples forsaken him and those that had rallied after their rout and were now come to be the Spectators of the most doleful Object had ever been presented before their eyes were so far from making any such publick confession of him that their Faith was ready to expire with him ch 24.21 II. Repentance being Gods gift and God being a Sovereign Agent he may give it where and when he pleaseth as to whom he will to one and not to another so at what time he will to one sooner to another later He may give it to one early in the morning of his days to another late and when his Sun is Setting And if the great Master of the Vineyard shall call some into it not only at the sixth or ninth hour but even at the last minute of the eleventh hour what is that to any who shall call him to an account for it 3. God being not only a Sovereign Agent but an Almighty one can by his Power and that in an instant remove all hindrances on the Creatures part and whatever might obstruct his work and so with one turn of an Omnipotent hand bring about the heart of the most obdurate Sinner work repentance in the most unlikely Subject and where there is most within to make head against him and resist his Grace suppose the most obstinate and rooted habits of sin Grace is an infused and supernatural habit and the power that works it a supernatural and creating Power and we are not to confine God in his working Grace to those methods whereby men acquire natural or moral habits In these I grant there may need time to unlearn and extirpate those vitious habits they have so long been contracting and to acquire new ones by a long series of and accustoming themselves to better actions Custom in Men may be strong and like another Nature and they may not be able presently to overcome it nor on the sudden to bring themselves to a readiness and easiness in doing those things which tho their reason approves yet their boysterous appetites strengthned too by custom hurry them against But let the habit of sin be never so deeply radicated in the Soul and the Heart of Man never so averse to holy actions yet God can soon make a change soon remove the sinful disposition and enable and encline the Soul to what it was most averse and impotent He can even in a moment overcome that love of sin and hatred of holiness which is either natural to a Man or contracted by him and both abate lessen weaken the power of sin in the Soul whereby it was wont to resist the workings of his Spirit and restrain and suspend any actual resistance it might make Let the mind of a Man be as dark as darkness it self yet he that caused light to shine out of darkness can enlighten that mind when he pleases 2 Cor. 4.6 Let the Soul be never so dead in sin and destitute of all Spiritual Life yet he that quickens the dead and calls things that are not as tho they were Rom. 4.17 can quicken it and breathe the Breath of Spiritual Life into it and whatever there be in the Soul to oppose him in his working yet the same power can at once quell the opposition and produce the Grace 4. God having infused the habit can as easily enliven it and draw it out into act in those that are capable of exercising grace wrought in them as I suppose dying sinners to be at least when they are capable of exercising their rational faculties For there is less to make opposition against God than in the former case the prevailing power of sin being broken and something in the Soul to take Gods part in the work viz. grace now begun and some habitual promptness and disposedness of the heart to spiritual good and compliance with the will of God It doth not require more power to awaken a vital principle tho dormant than to infuse it where there was none before 5. It may be for Gods honour sometimes to give Repentance to dying sinners the honour of his Sovereignty and free Grace in shewing that he hath mercy on whom he will Rom. 3.18 and that the deepest guilt even of an old hardned sinner cannot hinder the outgoings of his grace and mercy and the honour of his power when it prevails over the most setled habits of corruption Should God work only upon lesser sinners and who are not so confirmed in evil Man might be apt to think that he could not do it and that Mens lusts might be too hard for his power and so reflect on his Omnipotence or to think he could not find in his heart to do it and so reflect upon his Mercy II. By way of Position or Assertion It is a very dangerous thing to run the hazard of a death-bed Repentance or defer Repentance till the approach of death that is to neglect the doing a Mans own part in order to the obtaining this grace as was above premised viz. the seeking it of God and using all those means by which he ordinarily works it The danger of this neglect may appear by the following considerations 1. That no Man knows the time of his death any more than the manner of it or means by which it shall be brought about Our breath is in Gods hands Dan. 5.23 No Man hath a lease of his earthly Tabernacle but is Tenant at will to his great Landlord Who knows when he shall die or how Whether a natural death or a violent one To how many thousand unforeseen accidents are Men subject Not only Swords and Axes may dispatch them but God can commission Insects and Vermin to be the executioners of his justice upon them Hatto Archbishop of Mentz A great Prelate may be eaten up of Mice and a potent Prince devoured by Worms Acts 12.23 And who doth not carry the principles of his own dissolution perpetually within him Death lies in ambush in every vain in every member and none know when it may assault them It doth not always warn before it strikes If some Diseases are Cronical others are Acute and less lingring and some are as quick as lightning kill in an instant Men may be well in one moment and dead in the next God shoots his arrows at them they are suddenly wounded Psal 64.7 How many are taken away not only in the midst of their days but in the midst of their sins The lusting Israelites with the flesh between their teeth Numb 11.33 Julian if Historians speak truth with blasphemy in his mouth and how many frequently with the Wine in their heads In such cases what place what time for repentance for seeking it
open but for a time and when that is past it will be shut Matth. 25.10 and all your calling and knocking will never prevail with God for the opening of it again And what then shall you be the better the nearer repentance or nearer pardon for all that Ocean of mercy that is in God if you seek it too late and when he will not let out one drop of it to you 2. Gods justice is as great as his mercy All his Attributes are alike infinite one doth not overtop the other And then if you delay and put off repenting to your latter end why may you not as reasonably fear lest he should in justice punish you for your long impenitency as in mercy give you repentance Quest How doth Practical Godliness better rectifie the Judgment than doubtful Disputations SERMON X. Rom. XIV 1. Him that is weak in the Faith receive but not to doubtful Disputations THIS Epistle to the Romans is an Epitomy or Body of Divinity containing Faith and Love in Christ Jesus from which Rome degenerating hath separated from her self and the Scriptures of Truth the only grand Charter of all Christianity In the beginning of the Epistle the Apostle discourseth about Original Sin 〈◊〉 having infected the whole Nature of Man with its guilt and filth 〈◊〉 Jews and Gentiles all become abominable fallen short of the glory and image of God Chap. 3.23 For by one Man Sin entred upon all Chap. 5.12 and Death by Sin Whence he inferreth there is no possibility of our Justification by the Works either of the Ceremonial or Moral Law so that he concludeth a necessity of our being Justified by Faith without the Works of the Law Chap. 3.28 Through the Redemption of Jesus Christ But though we are justified freely by his Grace yet we are not to live freely and licentiously in Sin because Grace abounds God forbid Chap. 6.1 for holiness is inseparably entailed on our most holy Faith Jude 20. Then he proceedeth to shew the Privileges of the adopted Children of God that there is no condemnation due to them Chap. 8.1 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the Law of Sin and Death and that they are heirs of God vers 17. which is more than all the World Till he arriveth at the Head-spring of all Grace and that is Eternal Election Chap. 9. without any foresight of Faith or Works But as in time he chose first the Jews rejecting them he chose the Gentiles without any view of Merit or Eligibility in either of them before others for the Jews were the smallest and meanest of all Nations Deut. 7.7 and the Gentiles all over-run with Idolatry and Profaneness Yet this Conversion of the Gentiles was foreknown and therefore forewilled of God from the beginning Acts 15.18 After these sublimer Doctrins he descends Chap. 12. to Practical Duties and he who will understand the eleven first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans must practise the five last be acquainted with the mysterious Duties of Love and then you will better understand the mysteries of Faith Chap. 13.8 He exhorteth them to owe no body any thing but Love be in no bodies debt yet owe every one Love a debt always to be paying and yet always owing yet still abiding our proper treasure This 14th Chapter is a branch of some particular Duties of Love and this Verse is the sum of this whole Chapter of Charity which words are said to have occasioned the Conversion or Confirmation of Alipius as the foregoing words were of Augustines Such is the Autority and Energy of the naked Word of God upon the Consciences of Men in the day of Christs Power And the naked Sword cuts better than when it is sheathed in a gaudy scabbard of the inticing words of Mans wisdom 1 Cor. 2.4 The Apostles were frequently exercised with difficulties how to compose the differences among Christians the Jewish Converts were eager to bring their Circumcision with their observation of times and meats along with them into Christianity Gal. 4.10 The Gentiles were not accustomed to these things and therefore opposed them yet were as ready to bring a Tang of their own old Errors with them also as their Doctrin of Demons 1 Tim. 4.1 and their worshipping of Angels Col. 2.18 and probably some of their Heathenish Festivals and Customs So that both parties were in an error and neither of them fully understood that liberty Christ had brought to them from these beggerly Elements Rudiments and Ordinances to which they were in bondage For if God saw good to free his Church from those Ceremonies which were instituted by himself he would never allow them to be in a slavish subjection to the Superstitions and Ceremonies of worldly Mens inventions tho' never so Dogmatically and Magisterially imposed For as Learned Davenant on that Col. 2.18 observes such injunctions are apt to grow upon Men forbidding first not to touch or eat such and such meats then not to taste after not so much as to handle them Now to compose these differences the Apostles met at Jerusalem Acts 15.20 where they made no positive injunctions for the Christians to practise any Ceremonies or Observations of either party against their Consciences but limited the exercise of their liberty which they truly had by the Gospel but that they should abstain from Fornication which to explain is too great a digression Blood things Strangled and what was offered to Idols These they would have them to avoid that they may not offend those weak Jews who could not suddenly concoct these practices till Judgment should be brought to Victory over these feeble fancies And they laid this also as a burthen on them for a time till they could be brought to better understanding and all this by way of advice from the Apostles Elders and the whole Church vers 22. their Letter also was read to the whole multitude vers 30. So here the Apostle adviseth the Romans how to do in the like case with these weak ones Him that is weak receive c. 1. Here is the description of the person who is to be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not him that is weak and sick to death erring in the foundation of Faith one who doth not hold the Head Col. 2.19 Who denieth the Lord who bought him these are destructive Heresies which bring on Men swift damnation 2 Pet. 2.1 we are not to say to such God speed you 2 Epistle John 10. their very breath is blasting to Mens minds 2. Nor is it one who is sick about questions 1 Tim. 1.4 2 Tim. 3.23 foolish endless unlearned unedifying questions which only ingender contention such are idle busie-bodies seekers and disputatious quarrellers about some minute things which hypocritical and vain minds Trade in to keep themselves buzzing about the borders of Religion that they may keep off from the more serious duties and substantial parts thereof 3. But he is one
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
as Euscbius and Pliny also saith Vsed early to sing Psalms and Praise to Christ Administer the Sacraments in the very words of Christ But guard the Door that the grosly ignorant and profane may not come in 1 Cor. 5.11 If any degenerate so as first and second admonition reclaim not shut the Door upon him Let him be to you as an Heathen or a Publican for so is the rule of Christ Matth. 18.17 Every Natural Body and Civil Body or Society hath a power to take in or cast out such as are for the Benefit or Damage of the Community to Infranchise or Disfranchise when there is just cause The Church is Christs Body and a Society of visible Saints Most Epistles to the Churches in Scripture were directed to the Saints at Rome Rom. 1.7 at Corinth 1 Epist 1.2 and so on Now if out of Custom carnal Policy Flattery or other ill motive the whole World must come into the Church and the Church and the World which lieth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 are one thing then in cometh also the god of this World too And will Christ have fellowship with Devils If Swearers Drunkards and Unclean persons come in it may be a Market-house or House for Merchants but not the Lords-house John 2.16 A Drunken Saint an Unclean Saint a Swearing Saint if they be not contradictions yet they sound very harshly No sin hath less tentation of gain or pleasure than Swearing and Cursing and no sin more debaucheth the Conscience and strips it even to Atheism of all reverence and for Men to have no more pity on them than to let them cram damnation down their Throats as soon as they have made the imprecation on themselves is dreadful I remember an Ear-witness told me he heard Dr. Ham. preach before King Charles the First at Oxford when his Affairs were at a low ebb and he told him While God-dam-me led the Van and the Devil confound me brought up the Rear he would be routed in all his designs And they are very unlikely to be good Subjects to Princes who are open Rebels to the Laws of God and Men and their own reason But let us keep to the Rule the Principles of Christs Kingdom are Rock and Steel not calculated for the soft Meridians of this World but can abide and stand in all times the same they need not load the secular Arm to hold them up Let us be faithful Executors of our Lords Will not Law-makers or Testament-makers for untempered Morter will be always falling and fowling them who daub it up Let us therefore stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free he and his Truth only can make us free from all Errors and mistakes John 8.36 Let us be of the same mind which was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 then nothing will be done out of contention or vain-glory But God will make good his own Promise all his shall have one Heart and one way Jer. 32.39 then our Lords Prayer shall be answered Joh. 17.21 That all his may be one as he and his Father are One. One in the World that is impossible but let them be one in us in our appointments and then the World will believe that thou hast sent me otherwise Divisions will breed such tentations as if Christianity was no reality Now what can any Man say against this method Who are they that make Divisions but they that make more Duties in Religion and Worship than Christ hath made They who build upright on the foundations or they who will jet over and drop upon their Neighbours 2. As we should keep to our rule so practise accordingly let the one Foot of the Compass keep the Center and the other walk the rounds let us live so as M. Felix says Non magna loquimur sed vivimus We do not talk great things but live them Exact walking would be as a miracle in this loose age to confirm the Faith we do profess Catechize your Children and Servants as Abraham did Gen. 18.19 to walk in the way of the Lord so most excellent Theophilus was Cathechized and instructed in the things of Christ Luke 1.4 Pray in your Families dayly bread you have twice at least then you are directed to dayly prayer for it If Nations and Kingdoms have Gods wrath poured out upon them that call not on his Name Psal 79.6 then surely Families much less can escape We and our Families need dayly Grace dayly Pardon as well as dayly Bread therefore unless we dare die in our Sins we should dayly pray for in Gods hands is our breath and his are all our ways Dan. 7.23 who then dare breath a day without compassing him about with Prayer and Praises And let us adorn our Profession of Godliness with honesty Tit. 2.10 1 Tim. 2.2 Labour to think as near to the truth of things and actions as you can and as they are in themselves Job 26.3 then speak and declare the thing as it is in your mind Jos 14.7 then do as you speak Psal 15.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplifie your self in Epictetus's phrase from all composition of Frauds Policies and Hypocrisie then besure you be just and do as you would have others do to you the grand skale of Righteousness if Men would but weigh their Thoughts Words and Actions by this standard of equity Matth. 7.12 how would this make Ministers Lawyers Physicians and all others take as much care of Peoples Souls Bodies and Estates as of their own then would come that golden age wherein they would have if not so many dirty Fees yet a cleaner and a greater reward of Peace of Conscience and joy in God Let us all be humble meek and patient as our Lord modest in Apparel and all civil Conversation as those that resolve to walk in Christ as they have received him Col. 2.6 and to wear him as they have put him on Rom. 13.14 1 Tim. 2.9 This Primitive simplicity would revive charity which is frozen to pieces in this cold Age this being the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 All the commands of God must needs be broken by the very want of it When all is done live so accurately Ephes 5.15 as if you were to be justified by your works and then as unprofitable Servants cast your selves wholly on Free-grace in Christ Luke 17.10 least by the conceit of any merit when you have anointed our Saviours feet you fling the box at his Head and rob him of his Priestly Office and Crown As for disputing of Controversies let your discourses be rather in private than before others that you argue in Love to the Souls of your Brethren not for Victory and Triumphing over their infirmities The Jewish Rabbins say He deserveth Hell-fire who putteth his Brother to the blush Therefore in meekness of Wisdom argue with your week Brethren that Christ was faithful in Gods House or Church Heb. 3.2 in commanding all things necessary for Salvation and the Worshiping of
to observe and require an account of all their Actions The radical cause of this Hatred is from the Opposition of the sinful polluted Wills of Men to the Holiness of God for that attribute excites his Justice and Power and Wrath to punish Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith They are enemies to God in their minds through wicked works The naked representing of this Impiety that a reasonable Creature should hate the blessed Creator for his most Divine Perfections cannot but strike with Horror O the Sinfulness of Sin 4. Sin is the Contempt and Abuse of his excellent Goodness This Argument is as vast as God's innumerable Mercies whereby he allures and obliges us to Obedience I shall restrain my Discourse of it to three things wherein the Divine Goodness is very Conspicuous and most ungratefully despised by Sinners 1. His Creating Goodness 'T is clear without the lea st shadow of Doubt that nothing can give the first being to it self for this were to be before it was which is a direct Contradiction and 't is evident that God is the sole Author of our Beings Our Parents afforded the gross matter of our compounded Nature but the Variety and Union the Beauty and Usefulness of the several Parts which is so Wonderful that the Body is composed of as many Miracles as Members was the Design of his Wisdom and the Work of his Hands The lively Idea and perfect Exemplar of that regular Fabrick was modell'd in the Divine Mind This affected the Psalmist with Admiration I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 15 16. marvellous are thy works and that my soul knows right well Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them And Job observes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me round about Job 10.8 The Soul our principal Part is of a celestial Original inspired from the father of Spirits The faculties of Understanding and Election are the indelible Characters of our Dignity above the Brutes and make us capable to please and glorifie and enjoy him This first and fundamental Benefit upon which all other Favours and Benefits are the Superstructure was the Effect from an eternal Cause his most free Decree that ordained our Birth in the spaces of time The Fountain was his pure Goodness there was no necessity determining his Will he did not want external declarative Glory being infinitely happy in himself and there could be no superior Power to constrain him And that which renders our Maker's Goodness more free and obliging is the consideration he might have created Millions of Men and left us in our Native Nothing and as I may so speak lost and buried in perpetual Darkness Now what was Gods end in Making us Certainly it was becoming his infinite Understanding that is to communicate of his own Divine Fullness and to be actively glorified by intelligent Creatures Accordingly 't is the solemn Acknowledgement of the Representative Church Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were created Who is so void of rational Sentiments Rev. 4.11 as not to acknowledge 't is our indispensable Duty Our reasonable service to offer up our selves an intire living Sacrifice to his glory What is more natural according to the Laws of uncorrupt Natures I might say and of corrupt Nature for the Heathens practised it than that Love should correspond with Love as the one descends in Benefits the other should ascend in Thankfulness As a polish'd Looking-glass of Steel strongly reverberates the Beams of the Sun shining upon it without losing a spark of light thus the understanding Soul should reflect the Affection of Love upon our blessed Maker in Reverence and Praise and Thankfulness Now Sin breaks all those Sacred Bands of Grace and Gratitude that engage us to love and obey God He is the just Lord of all our Faculties Intellectual and Sensitive and the Sinner employs them as Weapons of Unrighteousness against him He preserves us by his powerful gracious Providence which is a renewed Creation every Moment and the Goodness he uses to us the Sinner abuses against him This is the most unworthy shameful and monstrous Ingratitude This makes forgetful and unthankful Men more brutish than the dull Ox and the stupid Ass who serve those that feed them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up Childen and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2. 'T was the unvaluable goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good report whatsoever are vertuous and praise-worthy In obedience to it the innocence and perfection of the reasonable creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Mans creation by an illustrious revelation to shew him his duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the circle of its precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious design was to keep Man in his love that from the obedience of the reasonable creature the divine goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeined and excellent goodness the sinner outragiously despises for what greater contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it underfoot And this constructively the sinner does to the Law of God which contempt extends to the gracious giver of it Rom. 7.10 Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extreme vilifying of Gods goodness in preferring carnal pleasures to his favour and Communion with him wherein the life the felicity the heaven of the reasonable creature consists God is infinite in all possible perfections all-sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any competitour and requires to be supreme in our esteem and affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an observation of St. Austin * Omnes Deos colendos esse sapienti Cur ergo a numero caeterorum ille rejectus est nihil restat ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra recipere noluerint nisi quia solum se coli voluerit Aug. de Consens Evang. c. 17. That
it was a rule amongst the Heathens that a wise man should worship all their Deities The Romans were so insatiable in Idolatry that they sent to forreign Countries to bring the gods of several Nations an unpolisht Stone a tame Serpent that were reputed Deities they received with great solemnity and reverence But the true God had no Temple no Worship in Rome where there was a Pantheon dedicated to the honour of all the false gods The reason he gives of it is that the true God who alone has Divine Excellencies and Divine Empire will be worshipt alone and strictly forbids the assumption of any into his Throne To adore any besides him is infinitely debasing and provoking to his dread Majesty Now sin in its nature is a conversion from God to the creature and whatever the temptation be in yielding to it there is signified that we choose something before his favour Sin is founded in bono jucundo something that is delectable to the carnal Nature 't is the universal character of carnal Men they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God To some riches are the most alluring object The young Man in the Gospel when our Saviour commanded him to give his estate to the poor and he should have treasure in Heaven went away sorrowful as if he had been offer'd to his loss To others the pleasures that in strict propriety are sensual are most charming Love is the weight of the Soul that turns it not like a dead weight of the Scales but with election freely to its object in the carnal ballance the present things of the World are of conspicuous moment and outweigh Spiritual and Eternal blessings Altho the favour of God be eminently all that can be desir'd under the notion of riches or honour or pleasure and every atom of our affection is due to him yet carnal Men think it a cheap purchase to obtain the good things of this World by sinful means with the loss of his favour This their actions declare Prodigious folly as if a few sparks struck out of a Flint that can neither afford light or warmth were more desirable than the Sun in its brightness And how contumelious and provoking it is to God he declares in the most moving expressions Be astonished O ye Heavens Jer. 2.12 13. at this and be horribly affraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out broken cisterns that can hold no water This immediately was charg'd upon the Jews who set up Idols of jealousie and ador'd them rather than the glorious Jehovah and in proportion 't is true of all sinners for every vicious affection prefers some vain object before his Love and the enjoyment of his glorious presence that is the reward of obedience 5. The sinner disparages the impartial Justice of God In the Divine Law there is a connexion between sin and punishment the evil of doing and the evil of suffering This is not a mere arbitrary constitution but founded on the inseparable desert of sin and the rectitude of Gods nature which unchangably loves holiness and hates sin Altho the threatning does not lay a strict necessity upon the Lawgiver always to inflict the punishment yet God having declar'd his equal Laws as the rule of our duty and of his judgment if they should be usually without effect upon offenders the bands of Government would be dissolved and consequently the honour of his justice stain'd both with respect to his nature and office for as an essential attribute 't is the correspondence of his will and actions with his moral perfections and as Sovereign Ruler he is to preserve equity and order in his Kingdom Now those who voluntarily break his Law presume upon impunity The first rebellious sin was committed upon this presumption God threaten'd if you eat the forbidden fruit you shall die the Serpent says eat and you shall not die and assenting to the temptation Adam fell to disobedience And ever since Men are fearless to sin upon the same motive Psalm 50. God chargeth the wicked Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self not concern'd to punish the violation of his sacred Laws The sinner commits the Divine Attributes to fight against one another presuming that Mercy will disarm Justice and stop its terrible effects upon impenitent obstinate sinners From hence they become bold and hardnen'd in the continuance of their sins Deut. 29.17 19 20. There is a root that beareth gall and wormwood and when the curse of the Law is declar'd and denounc'd against sin the wicked blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace tho I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst This casts such a foul blemish upon the Justice of God that he threatens the severest vengeance for it The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that Man and all the curses written in this book shall be upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Psalm 50. Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver 6. The sinner implicitly denies Gods omniscience There is such a turpitude adhering to sin that it cannot endure the light of the Sun or the light of Conscience but seeks to be conceal'd under a mask of vertue or a vail of darkness There are very few on this side Hell so transform'd into the likeness of the Devil as to be impenetrable by shame What is said of the Adulterer and Theif sinners of greater guilt and deeper dye Job is true in proportion of every sinner If a Man sees them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death Now from whence is it that many who if they were surpriz'd in the actings of their sins by a Child or a stranger would blush and tremble yet altho the holy God sees all their sins in order to judge them and will judge in order to punish them are secure without any fearful or shameful apprehensions of his presence Did they stedfastly believe that their foul villanies were open to his piercing pure and severe Eye they must be struck with terrors and cover'd with Confusion Will he force the Queen before my face was the speech of the King inflamed with wrath and the prologue of Death against the fallen favourite Would Men dare to affront Gods authority and outragiously break his Laws before his face if they duly consider'd his omnipresence and observance of them it were impossible And infidelity is the radical cause of their inconsideration It was a false imputation against Job but justly applied to the wicked Jâ—â— 22.13 14 Thou sayest How does God know can he judge through the dark cloud Thick clouds are a covering to him that he sees not And such are introduced by
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
and terrifie the imagination that may work upon the Principles of Reason and Sense by which Men are naturally and strongly moved 1. Sinners shall be excluded from Communion with the blessed God in Heaven in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore In the clear and transforming vision of his glory and the intimate and indissolvable union with him by love consists the perfection and satisfaction of the immortal Soul The felicity resulting from it is so entire and eternal as God is great and true who has so often promis'd it to his Saints Now sin separates lost Souls forever from the reviving presence of God Who can declare the extent and degrees of that evil For an evil rises in proportion to the good of which it deprives us it must therefore follow that Celestial blessedness being transcendent the exclusion from it is proportionably evil and as the felicity of the Saints results both from the direct possession of Heaven and from comparison with the contrary state so the misery of the damned arises both from the thoughts of lost happiness and from the lasting pain that torments them But it may be replied if this be the utmost evil that is consequent to sin the threatning of it is not likely to deter but few from pleasing their corrupt appetites for carnal Men have such gross apprehensions and vitated affections that they are careless of Spiritual glory and joy They cannot taste and see how good the Lord is nay the Divine Presence would be a torment to them for as light is the most pleasant quality in the World to the sound Eye so 't is very afflicting and painful to the Eye when corrupted by a suffusion of humors To this a clear answer may be given in the next state where the wicked shall for ever be without those sensual objects which here deceive and delight them their apprehensions will be changed they shall understand what a happiness the fruition of the blessed God is and what a misery to be uncapable of enjoying him and expell'd from the Celestial Paradise Luke 15.28 Our Saviour tells the infidel Jews There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves shut out How will they pine with envy at the sight of that triumphant felicity of which they shall never be partakers Depart from me will be as terrible a part of the judgment as eternal Fire 2. Gods justice is not satisfied in depriving them of Heaven but inflicts the most heavy punishment upon Sense and Conscience in the damned for as the Soul and Body in their state of union in this life were both guilty the one as the guide the other as the instrument of sin so 't is equal when reunited they should feel the penal effects of it The Scripture represents both to our capacity by the worm that never dies and the fire that never shall be quenched and by the destroying of Body and Soul in Hell fire Sinners shall then be tormented wherein they were most delighted they shall be invested with those objects that will cause the most dolorous perceptions in their sensitive faculties The lake of Fire and Brimstone the blackness of darkness are words of a terrible signification and intended to awaken sinners to fly from the wrath to come But no words can fully reveal the terrible ingredients of their misery the punishment will be in proportion to the glory of Gods Majesty that is dishonour'd and provok'd by sin and the extent of his power And as the Soul was the principal and the Body but an accessary in the works of sin so its capacious faculties will be far more tormented than the more limited faculties of the outward senses The fiery Attributes of God shall be transmitted through the glass of Conscience and concenter'd upon damned Spirits the fire without them is not so tormenting as this fire within them How will the tormenting passions be inflam'd What rancour reluctance and rage against the power above that sentenc'd them to Hell What impatience and indignation against themselves for their wilful sins the just cause of it How will they curse their Creation and wish their utter extinction as the final remedy of their misery But all their ardent wishes are in vain for the guilt of sin will never be expiated nor God so far reconcil'd as to annihilate them As long as there is justice in Heaven and fire in Hell as long as God and Eternity shall continue they must suffer these torments which the strength and patience of an Angel cannot bear one hour From hence we may infer what an inconceivable evil there is in sin and how hateful it is to the most High when God who is love who is stiled the Father of mercies has prepared and does inflict such Plagues for ever for the transgression of his holy Laws and such is the equity of his judgment that he never puniâ—â—es offenders above their desert I shall now apply this Doctrin by reflecting the light of it upon our minds and hearts 1. This discovers how perverse and depraved the minds and wills of Men are to chuse sin rather than affliction and break the Divine Law for the obtaining temporal things If one with an attentive Eye regards the generality of mankind what dominion present and sensible things have over them how securely and habitually they sin in prosecution of their carnal aims as if the Soul should not survive the Body as if there were no Tribunal above to examine no Judge to sentence and punish sinners if he has not marble bowels it will excite his compassion or indignation What comparison is there between the good things of this World and of the next in degrees or duration Aiery honour Sensual pleasures and Worldly riches are but the thin appearances of happiness shadows in masquerade that cannot afford solid content to an immortal Spirit the blessedness of Heaven replenishes with everlasting satisfaction What proportion is there between the light and momentary afflictions here and a vast eternity fill'd with indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish and desperate sorrow What stupid Beast what monster of a Man would prefer a superficial transient delight the pleasure of a short dream before ever-satisfying joys Or to avoid a slight evil venture upon destruction Yet this is the true case of sinners if they can obtain the World with the loss of Heaven they count it a valuable purchase if they can compound so as to escape temporal troubles tho involved under guilt that brings extream and eternal misery they think it a saving bargain Amazing solly Either they believe or do not the recompenses in the future state if they do not how unaccountable is their impiety If they do 't is more prodigious they do not feel the powers of the World to come so as to regulate their lives and
Favour of God he is eminently precious Who can break the Constraints of such Love If there be a spark of reason or a grain of unfeigned Faith in us We must judge that if one died for all then all were dead and those that live should live to his Glory who died for their Salvation Add to this that in the Sufferings of Christ there is the clearest Demonstration of the Evil of 〈◊〉 and how hateful it is to God if we consider the Dignity of his Person the Greatness of his Sufferings and the innocent recoilings of his humane Nature from such fearful Sufferings He was the eternal Son of God the Heir of his Fathers Love and Glory the Lord of Angels he suffered in his Body the most ignominious and painful Death being nail'd to the Cross in the sight of the World The Sufferings of his Soul were incomparably more afflicting For though heavenly Meek he indured the Derision and cruel Violence of his Enemies with a silent Patience yet in the dark Eclipse of his Fathers Countenance in the desolate state of his Soul the Lamb of God opened his Mouth in that mournful Complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me His innocent Nature did so recoil from those fearful Sufferings that with repeated ardency of Affection he deprecated that bitter Cup Abba Father all things are possible to thee let this cup pass from me He address'd to the Divine Power and Love the Attributes that relieve the Miserable yet he drank off the dregs of the Cup of Gods Wrath. Now we may from hence conclude how great an Evil Sin is that could not be expiated by a meaner Sacrifice then the offering up the Soul of Christ to atone incensed Justice and no lower a Price than the Blood of the Son of God the most unvaluable Treasure could Ransom Men who were devoted to Destruction 4. The consideration of the evil of sin in it self and to us should excite us with a holy circumspection to keep our selves from being defiled with it 'T is our indispensable duty our transcendent interest to obey the Divine Law entirely and constantly The tempter cannot present any motives that to a rectified mind are sufficient to induce a consent to sin and offend God Let the scales be even and put into one all the delights of the senses all the pleasures and honours of the World which are the Elements of carnal felicity how light are they against the enjoyment of the blessed God in glory Will the gain of this perishing World compensate the loss of the Soul and Salvation for ever If there were any possible comparison between empty deluding vanities and celestial happiness the choice would be more difficult and the mistake less culpable but they vanish into nothing in the comparison so that to commit the least sin that makes us liable to the forfeiture of Heaven for the pleasures of sin that are but for a season is madness in that degree that no words can express Suppose the tempter inspires his Rage into his Slaves and tries to constrain us to Sin by Persecution how unreasonable is it to be dismayed at the Threatnings of Men who must dye and who can only touch the Body and to despise the terrors of the Lord who lives for ever and can punish for ever Methinks we should look upon the perverted raging World as a swarm of angry Flies that may disquiet but cannot hurt us Socrates when unrighteously prosecuted to Death said of his Enemies with a Courage becoming the Breast of a Christian They may Kill me but cannot Hurt me How should these Considerations raise in us an invincible Resolution and Reluctancy against the Tempter in all his Approaches and Addresses to us And that we may so resist him as to cause his flight from us let us imitate the excellent Saint whose Example is set before us 1. By possessing the Soul with a lively and solemn Sense of Gods Presence who is the Inspector and Judge of all our Actions Joseph repell'd the Temptation with this powerful Thought How shall I sin against God The fear of the Lord is clean 't is a watchful Sentinel that resists Temptations without and suppresses Corruptions within 'T is like the Cherubim plac'd with a flaming Sword in Paradise to prevent the Re-entry of Adam when guilty and polluted For this end we must by frequent and serious Considerations represent the Divine Being and Glory in our Minds that there may be a gracious Constitution of Soul this will be our Preservative from Sin for although the habitual thoughts of God are not always in act yet upon a Temptation they are presently excited and appear in the view of Conscience and are effectual to make us reject the Tempter with Defiance and Indignation This holy Fear is not a meer judicial Impression that restrains from Sin for the dreadful Punishment that follows for that servile affection though it may stop a Temptation and hinder the Eruption of a Lust into the gross act yet it does not renew the Nature and make us Holy and Heavenly There may be a respective dislike of Sin with a direct affection to it Besides a meer servile Fear is repugnant to Nature and will be expell'd if possible Therefore that we may be in the fear of the Lord all the day long we must regard him in his endearing Attributes his Love his Goodness and Compassion his rewarding Mercy and this will produce a filial Fear of Reverence and Caution lest we should offend so gracious a God As the natural Life is preserved by grateful Food not by Aloes and Wormwood which are useful Medicines so the Spiritual Life is maintained by the comfortable Apprehensions of God as the Rewarder of our Fidelity in all our Trials 2. Strip Sin of its Disguises wash off its flattering Colours that you may see its native Ugliness Joseph's reply to the Tempter How shall I do this great wickedness Illusion and Concupiscence are the Inducements to Sin When a Lust represents the Temptation as very alluring and hinders the Reflection of the mind upon the intrinsick and consequential Evil of Sin 't is like the putting Poison into the Glass but when it has so far corrupted the mind that Sin is esteemed a small Evil Poison is thrown into the Fountain If we consider the Majesty of the Law-giver there is no Law small nor Sin small that is the Transgression of it Yet the most are secure in an evil course by conceits that their Sins are small 'T is true there is a vast difference between Sins in their nature and Circumstances there are insensible Omissions and accusing Acts but the least is Damnable Besides the allowance and number of Sins reputed small will involve under intolerable Guilt What is lighter than a grain of Sand you may blow away a hundred with a Breath and what is heavier than a heap of Sand condenst together 'T is our Wisdom and Duty to consider the Evil of Sin
1. In that here is no intimation given that he intended any other Not one of those Characters are set upon them whereby the Pastors or Guides of the Church use to be distinguished from the Community of Believers 2. The Duties which he exhorts them unto may undoubtedly and ought to be performed by private Christians As To continue instant in prayer and to watch in the same with thanksgiving verse 2. To pray in special for the Apostle himself that he might receive Divine Assistance and be blessed with success in the Ministry of the Gospel verse 3 4. To walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time verse 5. That their speech be always with grace ver 6. With all which the same persons are charged Now to walk in wisdom toward them that are without is a Duty of a great latitude And if it comprehend the promoting of their Conversion and Salvation as certainly it doth having an aptitude tendency and efficacy to help it on Then must private Christians take themselves to be concerned therein For to them is this Exhortation directed And so we have gained a very considerable point That we may from this Text charge the Duty upon the Consciences of private Christians in the name and authority of Jesus Christ 2. We have an account of the Persons with respect to whom in a special manner private Christians are counselled to walk wisely And they are described by this Periphrasis Them that are without i. e. Such as had not as yet entertained the Gospel nor professed subjection to it but still continued in a state of Infidelity This is clear from 1 Cor. v. 12 13. What have I to do to judge them also that are without Do not ye judge them that are within But them that are without God judgeth The sum whereof is this That scandalous Christians are to be corrected by Church-censures when milder remedies prove ineffectual But those flagitious persons who are out of the Pale of the Church are to be left to the judgment of God and of the Civil Magistrates Thus we are advanced one step farther For we have discovered that those to whom private Christians may be very helpful may be such as are without i. e. Heathen or Infidels and therefore they must not cast off all care of them 3. We are to enquire what is that special work and business in the disposal and management whereof private Christians are charged To walk wisely toward them that without I suppose none are so weak as to surmize that the Apostles intent and meaning was to caution them to make sure and advantageous bargains when they traded with Infidels who being false and crafty might be likely to over-reach them This was too low for the Apostles Spirit It was something of a more sublime import and tendency viz. To admonish and excite private Christians so to demean themselves in all things that they might beget even in the Heathen themselves a due veneration for the Gospel and a love and liking of that holy Religion which they professed And to enforce this his Counsel the Apostle did set them a fair example in his own practice 1 Cor. x 33. Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved And hence we learn further That private Christians in their negotiations with Heathens and Infidels should not mind only the enriching of themselves but chiefly the promoting of the Conversion of those poor miserable Souls to the Faith of Jesus Christ 4. In order to the winning over of Infidels to Christ private Christians ought sedulously to endeavour to promote the admission of the Gospel among them For the Gospel is the glorious Chariot in which Christ is carried about the World And that it may be entertained among them to procure the Preaching of it to them For that is Gods method and the Apostles way of reasoning is clear and strong Rom. x. 14 15. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Here then are many things wherein private Christians may be very helpful As in seeking out and procuring those who may preach the Gospel among them Encouraging and supplying those who give up themselves to that blessed work In disposing those poor creatures as much as they may toward the Reception of the Gospel and preventing or removing all impediments that might obstruct their entertainment of it This shews us In what private Christians should desire and endeavour to be Helpful viz. In promoting the entertainment of the Gospel 5. The last thing the former four being established and admitted is to enquire How private Christians may be most helpful herein The Text gives a general Direction when it enjoyns them to walk in wisdom toward them that are without And this will administer to us occasion to lay out this general direction more distinctly and particularly Thus I hope the opening of the Text hath reflected some light upon the Question and all that I have to offer may be gathered up in this Observation Private Christians walking in wisdom toward them them that are without may be exceeding helpfu l to promote the entertainment of the Gospel among them This they may do and more For they may be helpful to promote their Conversion and Salvation To further the entertainment of the Gospel among them is but the Means To promote their Conversion and Salvation is the End And the Means are for the end Now it is expresly affirmed That a Private Believer may save an Infidel 1 Cor. vii 16. For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband Or how knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt save thy Wife i. e. The believing party may be induced to cohabit with the unbeliever upon a hopeful prospect that it is possible to conquer them by love to attract them to have an esteem for holiness by an exemplary conversation and to obtain Gods grace for them by ardent prayers and so be the Means of saving their Souls The Apostle Peter exhorts Christian Women who were yoaked with unbelievers to become eminent for their Modesty Chastity Humility and Respectfulness to their Husbands by the same argument 1 Pet. iii. 1 2. Likewise ye Wives be in Subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of their Wives while they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear Christian graces being so exercised that they may be seen in their proper luster are excellent Orators and have a mighty power to perswade It is more to live vertue than to commend it Let me have leave to say to women professing godliness as the Apostle stiles them 1 Tim ii 10. O live to such an eminent
and brought under his Government Rom. x. 14 15 17. If ye then promote the spreading of the Gospel ye enlarge the Kingdom of Christ 3. Tenderly pity and compassionate the many Millions of the Sons and Daughters of Adam who were hewn out of the same Rock and dig'd out of the same hole of the Pit with your selves who as yet lye in thraldom under Satan and are Members of his visible Kingdom It would doubtless be very grateful to you if your assistance might contribute any thing toward their deliverance out of that miserable bondage and the means to procure it is to help on as far as ye may the bringing of the Gospel among them for that is God's appointed way to effect it Luk. iv 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the captives Acts xxvi 17 18. and from the Gentiles to whom I now send thee To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of Sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified 4. Remember That Grace when it hath its freedom of exercise will draw you off from centering in Self and raise in you a spirit of freedom and nobleness to seek the good of others especially to advance the Glory of God in the Salvation of Souls Take heed that ye be not found in the number of those of whom the Apostle speaks Phil. ii 21. For all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs 5. I hope ye do not desire to be excused or excluded from bearing any part in that honourable and glorious work of being employed by Christ in your Stations and according to your Capacities in the affairs of his Kingdom but that it would grieve you at the very heart to be laid aside as a despised broken Idol when all this is recollected and maturely pondered where is that godly private Christian that will deliberately say I am not concerned to be helpful in such ways as are proper for me in promoting the Entertainment of the Gospel Secondly As for those godly private Christians whose hearts are sincerely willing to be serviceable to the Lord Jesus Christ and would exceedingly rejoyce to contribute all the assistance that they are able to afford for the Conversion and Salvation of perishing Souls but complain That the work in which this Discourse would engage them lies a great way off and is out of their reach But could they be employed about any thing of that nature within the compass of their sphere of activity they would most gladly embrace it and vigorously bestir themselves in it If that be really the Case of any Then I say to such Up and be doing and the Lord be with you to direct help and succeed you for ye will find enough to do at your own doors and probably in your own Houses Briefly and plainly then the matter stands thus There are many who have entertained the Gospel as far as a general ignorant customary Profession will go but are so far from admitting the spirit life and power of it into their hearts that they are not only utter strangers to it but are full of bitter enmity against it Will ye be helpful now to prevail with them to receive it with Faith Love and Obedience It will be as acceptable and I fear ye will find it as difficult a work to bring a wicked hard-hearted Christian to believe in Christ to the Salvation of his Soul as an open Infidel to make profession of the Gospel Ye will find many as ignorant of the very Essentials of Christianity as the very Pagans as froward perverse and opposite to all means of Instruction as Indians many that love their Lusts and hold them as fast as any in the world The Barbarians are prejudiced against our Religion because they understand it not or have had it mis-represented to them but the more plainly and truly it is set forth before prophane ones at home the more bitterly do they hate it and discover the greater aversation to it So ye see That tho' the Scene of the Question seemed to be laid afar off yet the purport and design of it reacheth us at home And I believe No godly private Christian will say that he is not concerned to seek the Conversion and Salvation of the ignorant sensual prophane and ungodly ones among whom they live If ye ask me then How may we be helpful thereunto I answer That generally the same Methods are to be made use of that have already been insisted upon As To endeavour in our several Stations and Capacities That such may be employed and encouraged to Preach the Gospel as are themselves seasoned with the Spirit and grace of it and zealously seek the Conversion and Salvation of Souls To Pray more fervently for the pouring out of the Spirit to make the Preaching of the Word successful To remove all Impediments and Obstructions as far as we can out of their way To assist them with what help we can by obliging instructing and perswading and walking exemplarily before them But I shall not proceed farther in this because it would draw out the Discourse to too great a length and I think it would be for your Edification to review over again what hath been already insisted upon and then upon second thoughts ye may discover more than fell under your notice in the first cursory reading I shall conclude all with Jam. v. 19 20. Brethren If any of you do err from the faith and one convert him Let him know that he which converteth the Sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and hide a multitude of sins Quest How Christ is to be followed as our Example SERMON XIII 1 Pet. 2.21 lat part Leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps THE Persons to whom the Apostle wrote this Epistle are in the beginning of it styled Strangers So they were because dispersed and scatter'd in several Kingdoms of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 3.7 and they were Pilgrims and Sojourners in the Earth it self being regenerated and born from above and minding a better Country than was to be found here below The Apostle endeavours to strengthen their Faith to enliven their Hope to fix their hearts upon the incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance and to keep them in the way that leads to it In this Chapter where my Text lies He admonishes them to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul he exhorts them to a conversation that would glorifie God convince the World and adorn the Gospel their Zeal ought to be so great of those works that are good that they should not think much to suffer for well doing Bona agere mala pati to do good and to hold on in
Him to accept the honour When our Lord was upon Earth there were several acts of Power which he exerted as giving sight to the blind raising the dead and such like which Christians now must not think of doing Elegit Apostolos humiliter natos inhonoratos illiteratâ—â— ut quicquid Magnum essent facerent Ipse in eis esset faceret Aug. de C. D. l. 18. c. 49. I grant that the power of working Miracles was communicated to the Apostles and others but it was Res unius aetatis a thing that lasted little longer than One age These Miracles were necessary when the Gospel was first to be planted in the world but now they are ceased and if there were but a general exactness and exemplariness in Christians lives and practises this might be majus omni miraculo a great deal more than Miracles towards the Gospels Propagation 3. Think not that your obedience can be meritorious as was the obedience of our Lord and Saviour The Apostle tells us that by the obedience of One i. e. the second Adam many are made righteous and to this obedience is owing that abundance of grace which believers receive the gift of righteousness and also reigning in life eternal Rom. 5.17.19 The Merit of our Lord Jesus is so every way sufficient that Believers Merit is as needless as all things consider'd 't is impossible It was very Orthodox Humility in Jacob when he confessed he was less than the least of all mercies And Nehemiah though he speaks again and again of the good deeds he had done was certainly very far from the opinion of Merit As appears Neh. 13.22 Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy 4. You must not imagine that your greatest sufferings for the sake of righteousness are in the least expiatory of sin as Christ's Sufferings were Christ was deliver'd for our offences and by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 the offering was but one the Sacrifice of himself and it was offer'd but once other Sacrifices are unnecessary 't is unnecessary that this should be again offer'd Our Lord upon the Cross with his last breath cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is finished Joh. 19.30 q. d. All is done all is undergone that was needful for my Churches acceptation with God and the full remission of all their Trespasses Understand that no Sufferings that you can undergo for Christ's sake are satisfactory for your iniquities do not by such a thought offer to derogate from Christ's compleat satisfaction We read of some that came out of great tribulation but did the blood of these Martyrs justifie them no such matter they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 In the second place I am to shew you in what respects Christ is an Example to be followed 1. Christ is to be followed in his great Self-denial It had been a great Stoop in the Son of God if his Deity had been veiled with the Nature of Angels a greater Stoop it would have been to be made Flesh though he had been born of an Empress and had been as glorious a Temporal Monarch as the Jews fancied he would be But this is exceedingly amazing to behold Him that thought it no robbery to be equal with God making himself of no reputation and taking upon him the form of a Servant Phil. 2.7 He did not abhor a poor Virgins Womb nor afterwards to be laid in a Manger And though he was Lord of all yet for our sakes he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 thus he pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 neither did he seek himself and his own honour but the honour and glory of him that sent him Joh. 7.18 How can he be a follower of Christ who is so utterly unlike him in being selfish Our Lord knew the prevalency of self-self-love and how opposite 't is to the love of God and care of the Soul therefore he strictly requires Self-denial Luk. 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seipsum abdicet as Beza translates it Self-abdication is called for a man must have no regard to himself to his own ends and inclinations as they are opposite unto and lead him away from God and from his Duty Oh act as new Creatures and as those that are not your former selves seek not your own things Let nothing be done through vain glory be ever diffident and jealous of your selves Self is the Enemy that is always present and most within us and that has the greatest power to sway us We are not our own we are bought with a price we should glorifie the Lord that has bought us as those that are Debtors not to our selves but of our selves to Him 2. Christ is to be followed in his Patient enduring the worlds hatred and the slights and contradiction of sinners It was the Fathers and the Sons love to the world that brought Christ into it and he came not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3.17 Yet what strange kind of usage from the world did he meet with The world was mad upon Sin venturous upon Hell and wrath and with contempt and hatred rejected the only Saviour His Person they are prejudiced against his Doctrine they contradict and his Design they oppose though their Deliverance and Salvation was designed Christians should not think it strange that they meet with hard and unworthy usage from the world Cain did quickly shew his enmity against Abel his Brother because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 If the world hate you says Christ ye know it hated me before it hated you if ye were of the world the world would love his own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Joh. 15.18 19. Now as Christ was unmoved by the worlds Malice either from doing his work or from looking to the joy that was set before him so should Christians also be Conquer the world by contempt of its fury overcome its evil with good and as Christ made intercession for the transgressours that cryed Crucifie him crucifie him so do ye love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Mat. 5.44 3. Christ is to be followed in his resisting and overcoming the Prince of darkness Satan assaulted the first Adam and was too hard for him He was so bold as to set upon the second Adam but was foil'd by the Captain of our Salvation If you read the History of Christ's Temptation Mat. 4. you may perceive that nothing from the tempter fastens upon our Lord Jesus The subtlety of the old Serpent was in vain and
by the Sword of the Spirit all his force was repelled Christians are to look upon the Evil one as an Enemy that Christ has conquer'd and this should encourage them in their conflicts with him they are to despise his offers they are not to be perswaded by his misapplication of Scripture to any thing that is unjustifiable and irregular The Word of God should abide in them that they may be strong and overcome the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.14 The Head always resisted shall the Members yield to this Destroyer Let not your hearts be filled with Satan let not your heads and hands be employed by him who works in the Children of disobedience 4. Christ is to be followed in his contempt of the worlds glory and contentment with a mean and low estate in it Never was the world so set forth in such an alluring dress as when the God of it in a moment of time shew'd unto our Lord Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world and all the glory of them Luk. 4.5 yet the heavenly Mind of Christ is not taken with the sight he knew he saw nothing but what was Vanity and his Kingdom which was not of this world was a far better thing than the worlds best Kingdom Instead of pursuing he flees from a Crown which the people were ready to force upon his head Ambition and covetousness after worldly grandeur and gain which make us so unlike to Christ should be far from us If the world be the great thing with us Mammon will have us at command and Christ will have but little service from us Why should that be high in the esteem and affection of your hearts which Christ so little minded Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Set your affection on things above not on things that are on earth Col. 3.2 If you have the worlds riches let not your minds be high nor your hearts set upon them and be rich in good works if you are in a meaner estate be satisfied remember who said The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head The best men in the world that have done most good in the world have least cared for the world and have been most willing to leave the world and go to a better 5. Christ is to be followed in his living a life so very beneficial doing good being his perpetual business The Apostle Peter who was one of his greatest and most constant attendants says that he went about doing good Act. 10.38 to do thus was meat and drink to him How great was his Kindness and Compassion to Souls how much Mercy does he shew to the Bodies of Men You that are Christians be very active in the best sence the true Members of Christ have the Spirit of the Head in them whose fruit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 What have you Faith for but that it may work by Love Why are you created in Christ Jesus but that you may be employed in good works which God hath before ordained that you should walk in them Eph. 2.10 Be sure to do justly be injurious to none render unto all their dues and do not only consult the dues of others but their needs also and love to be merciful and let the perishing Souls as well as the distressed Bodies of others have a great share in your Compassions As you have opportunity do good unto all men and good of as many sorts as may be especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The Apostle speaks with great authority and asseveration when he presses Christian practice This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they who have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 A Christian by Profession who lives wickedly is not a true Member but a Monster in the Church and will not be endured long but is near to be cut off and destroy'd It 's a true Saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death does not destroy the Soul but 't is an ill Life that ruins it 6. Christ is to be followed in his most profitable and edifying Communication We read Psal 45.2 That grace was poured into his Lips the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth were the wonder of the hearers Luk. 4.22 Exact truth always accompanied his Speeches he never spake a word that was offensive to God or injurious to any man Was he chargeable with guile or when he was reviled did he revile again No no he gave a better example he speaks words to awaken Sinners to search Hypocrites and how does he comfort the mourners calling all the weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest He takes occasion almost from every thing to discourse of the heavenly kingdom His parables of the sower of leaven of the Merchant man seeking goodly pearls and such like plainly shew that the most ordinary things may spiritually be improved unto great usefulness All Professours and especially you of London set a watch before the door of your lips and let your words be like the words of Christ Jesus Your lying and corrupt communication your slanderous and backbiting words your passionate and angry speeches and revilings are these like Christs language An unbridled tongue though it utters many a falshood yet it speaks one certain truth that your Religion is but vain Jam. 1.26 Let Conscience be tender and purpose with the Psalmist that your mouths shall not transgress Let the word of Christ be more in your Hearts for out of the abundance of the Heart the mouth speaks Let your speech be always with Grace Col 4.6 Discourse as those who do believe you are debtors of edifying words one to another that idle words are heard by him that is in Heaven and an account must be given of them in the day of judgement 7. Christ is to be followed in his manner of performing holy duties never was He negligent in an Ordinance His cries were strong his tears many Heb 5.7 and how does he wrestle with his Heavenly Father Christians should take heed of doing the work of God deceitfully they should be fervent in Spirit when serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Look to your Hearts in all your performances for Gods eye is fixed upon them and if they are not present and right with him your duties are but dead duties and dead duties are really dead works so far from being acceptable that they are an abomination When Christ was here upon the Earth as he taught in other places so he went to the Temple and to the Synagogues though there was much corruption in the Jewish Church Christians should learn so much moderation as to own what is good even in them in whom there are mixtures of much that is bad and there should be a
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
Well if thou couldest say plainly what is thy Will 'T is a Will not moved by Gods Threats or Promises to Fear or Love him If it were so thou wouldst Convert now And if it be not so what is thy Purpose for all thy fair Promise Dost intend hereafter to turn unto a God neither Feared nor Loved Surely thou dost not Thinkest thou that thou shalt hereafter Fear and Love him I ask what should make thee so think He will for ever be the same God that now he is Lay to thy Heart what I tell thee If God be not just now worthy of Fear and Love then he never was or will be so for he Changes not In a word VVhat if thou hadst both power to Convert when thou wouldest and hadst a real will to Convert hereafter to God where is the Reason for staying without and against God all the while Thou art Servant he is Lord thou the Child he the Father When Servants run away and will not return to their Masters and very Children run away and will not come back to their Fathers No though the Masters and Fathers call and send and promise and do not need them while they all the while need their Masters and Fathers All people conclude there is a cause of this and a fault must lie somewhere in one of the Parties Either the Fathers Unnatural and the Master Cruel or else the Child is a Viper and the Servant a Monster Speak Man and say now where is the fault what is the cause that thou canst not yet be prevailed with to return to thy Lord and Father Thou must charge Him or thy self with most black and bloody faults If thou lay'st it on God thou makest him worse than the Devil and proclaimest Satan the better Master and Father of the two If thou takest the blame on thy self I ask thee how thou canst endure to see hear or think of thy self A Creature hating it's God that is all Love and all Loveliness No words I think no words of mine I am sure can express how Blasphemous or how Self-condemned they are all that put off Conversion to another time Alas here is Life and all in the case Conversion is the Life of thy Soul Man 'T is Dying till it Convert 'T is in Hell till thou Convert And is this a fit word I will then Convert hereafter Thy darling Child drops into the Fire and thou promisest to come help it out to morrow A very Kind creature thou wilt be thought and as Wise an one Upon every account I may say of these Promises of Turning hereafter as was said of Judas It had been better they had never been born And they be Judasses indeed for though they Flatter and Kiss they Betray and Kill poor Souls R. 7. You as plainly as elder people do dare God to damn you all the while you delay your Conversion Therefore 't is your duty to convert presently I have heard of a Man much accustomed to cursing in his health that could not utter any word but a curse in his sickness Could not pronounce Yes or No but as oft as he spoke in several Months time he bid God to damn him A most frightful thing you will say And yet young people I take you to be in very like condition all that delay your Conversion For the Language of Practice is with God and Men as significant as any if not more If you practically bid God damn you you are of the same spirit with them who verbally bid him so do And if I know any thing Delayers do bid him in deeds as certainly as any sinners do in their words I appeal to your very own thoughts in the case You are corrupted with sin and condemned for it The grace of God calls you to come take your Pardon and your Cure But tells you Now is your Time Promises you no Breath of Life but what 's in your Nostrils nor any offer of Cure or Pardon after the first In every Precept requires present coming Your Delaying therefore is running the Venture And that adventuring is plain saying Lord if now just now be the time I shall not take hold of it Though I Burn I will not yet Turn Thou dost not promise to stay longer for me but if thou wilt not Damn and do thy worst with me I would rather thou wouldst change thy Word Blot now in the dayes of thy Youth out of the Bible Write Remember thy Creator when thou art old and bedridden But if this thou wilt not do I will live under thy Threatning VVrath And let its Vials fall on me if they must I am set against present Conversion for thy Peace Let me add but this Sirs There is but one way possible to Hell which is by Sin For nothing else can incense God against You. He cannot be in the least displeased for ought beside But sin is that which he cannot but Hate and Punish Now to go on wilfully delightfully and resolutely in sin is in effect as if you should kneel down on your knees and beg and pray with tears in your eyes that you may never be saved But may be assured of a place in the lowest Hell The former is interpretatively the latter O madness beyond compare though not Admired because so much Practised R. 8. You as well as Elder people do hate and rob God and imitate and obey Satan till you do Convert Therefore 't is your duty presently to Convert Young people it may be you know not what you do but knowingly or ignorantly these things you do do till you Convert You hate God Interpretatively you hate him By your actions no other can be judged of you If you desired to express hatred of him you could not take a more direct way for it then that you are in For you walk contrary unto him Comparatively you hate him If you have any love to him sure it 's nothing and less than nothing in comparison of that which you bear unto your idolized things and persons Yea Absolutely you hate him as an holy and just Ruler and Judge In his Government you hate him and wish you could dethrone him Deny it if you dare In his Children and Friends you hate him Their Company is an Eye-sore and Burthen unto you his Image on them you cannot bear If it were otherwise you could not but Convert unto him You Rob him yea and all his You rob him of a Child Christ of a Member the Holy Ghost of a Temple the Heavenly Host of a Joy the Church of a Star the World of a Pillar And in the mean time what do you VVhy Satan in the God of every unconvert Creature Him in your Spiritual impurities you Imitate in your bodily you Obey in both you Serve and Gratifie Horrid Servitude Unendurable by Souls and jod less senseless than Plants or less wild than Brutes R. 9. You as elder People do out-sin Satan himself till you do Convert Therefore
necessary to our Common Weale Let us all cry Turn us O Lord and we shall or will be turned Frame your doings as men determined to turn unto the Lord. Set heartily to it with all your might for it 's hard work delay it not a moment Oh God bow our wills that the Land may jointly answer Lo we come unto thee Jer. 3.22 for thou art the Lord our God Can you pretend wherein shall we return Alas Mal. 3.7 wherein have we not departed from him All in a manner is out of frame every thing every person considerably needs amendment Let us all Unite in this and God will bless us with Light and Love for Union in other things This work needs all our hands let us make up that wherein others will be defective all striving to begin and outdo each other Oh that all emulation and strife were reduced to this which of us shall first and most Reform 3. If the generality will not be perswaded to repent of National Sins let not particular persons neglect it I am loath to descend so low yet this is better than none Who knows how many may be convinced by the Repentance of a few At least you may preserve your selves Ez. 9.4 6. and view the publick Calamity with more composure than other Men as having done your utmost to prevent them We know not but God may delay Judgments for the sake of a few remarkable Penitents though we may not commonly expect it Shall there be so great cause and none set themselves to it Hath God none among us that regard his loudest Calls Can there be so little Love to his Name and Honour in England that even a few will not afflict their Souls that he is so provoked that a few will not testifie against this common Apostacy Poor Nation that hast none that love thy wellfare that all will lose showers of Mercy for thee rather than sow in Righteousness Ezek. 22.30 Oh that some would resolve this day Let not God say I fought for a man but I found none Repent of your Personal Sins otherwise how can you repent of National Sins Examine thy self how far thou art infected with the National Provocations What hast thou contributed thereto Charge thy Soul therewith Say the measure is so much the fuller for my sake Bewail thy share mourn over the faults of others thou mayest grieve for what thou canst not reform but be sure to reform thy self to thy utmost reform thy Family yea set thy self to bring all thou art in thy place capable to amendment Do not judge of faults by the common Opinion let not the Example of others be thy Standard but set the Divine Rule before thee and review things thereby Resolve to stem the Tide and to judge and act in the face of it What though the multitude be against thee what though Bigots rail what though many Professors yea Men of thy own Party condemn thee All is nothing whiles God will accept and approve thee A Man must be singular that will reform himself in a degenerate Age he must be resolved that will attempt to reform others 2. Let us enquire whether we may expect National Mercies from our present frame and state I believe God will not forsake us but in time he will do us good But the Enquiry is meant thus Whether Mercy will be immediately enjoyed is the wrath of God turned away and will his progress in a way of Judgments be stopped Can we reasonably conclude though the Sword hath been furbished it shall not destroy Our Warfare is accomplished the Clouds are past the bitterness of Death is over Dare I say rejoyce O Land in the favour of a reconciled God For good only good shall presently be unto thee I shall by way of Objections give you what is matter of Hopes and in the Answer to those Objections give you the ground of my Fears and in the end declare my Thoughts Object 1. Are there not some Testimonies of National Repentance from whence we may hope Mercy is towards us As 1. Penal Laws against the Worship of God are as good as disannulled and Persecution is at a stop Answ 1. I wish the general remains of Malignity argue not a sorrow for that Liberty 2. I find most of them that were guilty of Persecution instead of repenting of it do justifie it as a just Prosecution though it was an Usurpation of the Rights of People as Men and as Christians 3. Are the Sacrament Test and Act of Uniformity removed 2. We had a publick Fast-day kept with outward Solemnity Answ I 'll judge of no Mans Heart yet I cannot but observe 1. The most polluting Sins of the Land were not solemnly owned much less bewailed Where was a publick acknowledgment of the sinful Silencing Two Thousand Ministers because they durst not profane their Office and plainly Lye and Perjure themselves I might name many such other sins alas general Confessions avail little 2. What publick Reformation in Life and Manners appears since that day What fewer Oaths Profaneness is no way abated Men are returned with the Dog to the vomit Now Fastings without amendment are but a mockery with God and profit not a people 3. Men are so far from Repentance that they cannot endure to be reproved for their sins They say you irritate if you mention their offences They like to hear others accused but abhor the least hint against their own faults Tell the imposer on the Church that uninstituted terms of Communion are sinful and rage is awakened Perswade the bitter Spirit to be Peaceable and his Tongue is soon envenomed and you shall be railed on as the great disturber Object 2. But a great part of the Land is innocent of some of the most notorious Crimes the sober Persons are many who share not in the Profaneness of the Land The persecuted and ejected cannot be guilty of the oppressions they were under and many of the Church of England never agreed thereto Answ 1. How little do such truly mourn for those sins of other Men How much more common is it to hear the better sort scoff and laugh at Profaneness than bewail it Persecutors are more railed at than mourned for By this we become guilty 2. Are not there iniquities with the soberer part of the Nation impenitently continued in to this day Do we see backslidings healed how much more Mortified Heavenly Circumspect Charitable or Fruitful are the hopefullest persons in the Land by all our Calls Yea our Complaints though so general little tend to alter us Isa 64.6 7. Our Righteousness is as filthy rags we fade as a leaf Object 3. But if we consider the Sovereign dealings of God with us may not we expect Mercy though we see not Repentance As 1. God hath lately wrought a great Deliverance when we were on the brink of ruin and that by a series of Miracles when we were as unworthy as we are now Answ