to Love and chuse and keep this way And Faith is the Instrument whereby we Receive Christ as a principle of inward life and strength Quest 3. How do's this way lead to this life Answer This obedience and selfdenyal has a tendency to advance us unto this life 1st Not as matter of merit whereby we deserve at Gods hands that he should advance us unto this life The begger who comes to the door for alms by coming do's not deserve it though without coming he were never like to get it That a Creature should merit from God from whom it has and to whom it owes all that it has and is is both a proud opinion and a senseless one also Especially if we consider in what a pittiful depraved condition man is in whom this merit is supposed and boasted For 1st Were we born with as great moral perfections as Adam himself was created with and did we improue these with the utmost care diligence and Faithfulness unto the greatest advantage so as at no time to omit any duty or to commit any Sin yet we should by thus doing do no more then we were bound to for we owe our whole beings and Lives whatever we are have and are able to do unto that God from whom we received them and by whom we are preserved in them And is there any so Foolish as to fancy that there can be any great merit in paying of debts 2ly As we are darkned in our minds and depraued in our hearts we neither do nor can do half of that which we ought to do we either fail in the matter doing somthing which is unfitting to be done or not doing somthing which is fitting to be done or we fail in the manner doing what we do when we do the best with undue hearts and for undue ends So that we are alwayes affronting and provoking God either by our Sinful omissions or Commissions either in the thing practised or Neglected or in the manner of our Practising or Neglecting it And would it not be an unparalleld impudence in any to claime as due the least reward for such unworthy Carriages how much lâ—ss so great a reward as eternal Life is 3ly As we do not do all the good we might and the good we do we do not with that exactness which we ought even when we do it in the greatest Sincerity so the good we do it is not we who do it but the grace of God which is in us as St. Paul Modestly acknowledges 1. Cor. 15. 10. Not I but the grace of God which was with me So that were there never so great merit in the action we have little reason to lay Claime to it who are at the best but the instruments God being the principall authour for this is certain all the Evil of our Actions is from our selves and all the good of them from God 4ly The good which we do we do rather for ourselves then for God it is certainly so in the issue and ordinarily it is so in our intentions Whether we do well or ill it neither increases nor lessens Gods happiness Job 35. 6. 7. So that what we do we doing for our selves unto whom the advantage of what we do do's solely redound we have no reason to claime any reward from God till we can shew what we have done for him But 2ly As a means whereby we are fitted for this life such a course is both prescribed by God and has in it self a natural tendency to bring us unto the life which we need and are concerned to seek after Psa 50. 23. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright c. By setting our selves about this obedience and selfdenyall 1st We come to understand really and experimentally how much we are without this life For Obedience Would not be so diffcult a Task had we that life unto which this is Naturall we should Love and delight in Obedience were this agreeable unto the frame of our Spirit and were our wills as Conformable to Gods will as they should be and would be if we were not degenerate There would be no more room for selfdenyal in us then there is for it in Heaven among Angels and Saints who find nothing in them to thwart Gods holy Righteous and good will The first step unto true life is to be brought to a sense that we are without it 2ly We come to understand the worth of this life For we cannot but know that to obey God in his holy and Righteous prescriptions is very much our duty we owe this both to God and to our selves and to our Brethren and we can never have quiet in our selves while our Consciences testify against us that we walk contrary to our duty yet this we shall unavoidably do so long as we want that life which alone can make duty gratefull to us while we force our selves to duty as a thing that we are tasked to and which we may in no wise Neglect unless we will run the hazard of beating for our sloth or while duty goes down with us against the stomack we meddle with it as People do with Phisick which they abhor yet take to prevent a greater mischief while we have no Love to duty we are in Danger of a double trouble from it Trouble in Discharging it contrary to our Inclinations trouble in a total Neglecting of it or a superficial slubbering it over when our conscience takes occasion hence to upbraid us with a want of fear of God and care of our own Souls Now those who know how greivous it is ever to lie under one of these Troubles cannot but count that life precious which will totally free us from both and perfectly reconcile our Consciences Inclinations and duties together that there shall be no jarring among them And when once we come to know the worth of this life we are made to Prize Love Desire and seek it 3ly We Subdue that which in its being and workings is most Contrary to this life That which ties us fast in Death is our owne lusts these are the cords whereby Satan and the World do keep us at a distance from God the Fountain of life these like mud in the head of a spring cause such Obstructions that a source of Living water though it be Just at hand cannot gush out Now obedience gives a check to these lusts it hinders them from working while it finds the Soul a far different Imployment it hinders them from thriving by diverting the sap of the Soul some other wayes While men Neglect Obedience and give the reins unto their lusts they bring themselves more under the power of their Lusts and they have the less Command over themselves to refuse doing what their lusts promp them to neither can they so easily exert themselves into their former liberty But if we deny our lusts and discharge duty in spite of them we famish them and thereby weaken them that they cannot have that Rule
wherin the Perfection of God lies And press after such a Perfection as the divine Perfection is then when we are Perfect as God is we shall be Perfect indeed Doct. 1. It is the duty of Christians to endeavour after Perfection Were it not the duty and concernment of Christians thus to do Christ would neither command Counsel nor exhort them to it To be Perfect is to be every way compleat in all the excellencies of a Christian 1st As to the kinds of these to have all those excellencyes which a Christian is capable of he is imperfect who is dificient in any of these Now These are of two Sorts 1st Intellectuall perfecting the understanding whereby the man is made in the true light clearely and distinctly to discern all those truths which are of moment for the bettering the heart and life every way these truths are various 1st Such as concerne the State wherein we are so that we may not be mistaken here Judging our selves to be in the State of grace while we still continue in the state of nature or in the state of nature when we have already passed into the State of grace This full assurance of understanding as the Apostle calls it in Colos 2. 2. Is requisite to compleat a Christian for where this is wanting their will not be that Peace of God which passeth all understanding Phil 4. 7. The Joy unspeakable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1. 8. Which are necessary both 1st To vnite the heart freeing it from distracting feares what to do and what to expect which wherever they prevail hinder a man from being intent upon his main business of glorifying God and Saving Souls his own and others 2ly To satisfy the Heart that it may not adhere to or hanker after Vanityes here below and so be drawen to lay out its time strength and parts for the procuring or securing these and 3ly To inlarg the heart from an ingenious sense of the greatest mercyes received from God unto Sinners and earnest desires of pleasing and honouring that God who has already done much And has given an assurance of doing more And 4ly To strengthen the heart that the man may have both Courage to grappel with all the difficultyes of actiue and passive duties and might to overcome them being not infeebled by those misgivings of heart which those who are doubtfull of their state are Vnavoidably subject to 2ly Such as concerne the heart How to understand it as to all its principles whether good or bad how to observe it as to all its workings and motions with their rise and tendency how to improve it in Purity from defilements in liberty from slavery to Sin the World and Satan in life and strength to do and Suffer the whole will of God 3dly Such as concerne the life to bring it unto an Vniversal conformity to and complyance with the holy righteous and good will of God Hereunto conduce whatever makes known the nature of Sin with Sins Vgliness and mischeivousness The severall instances of duty as we are brought into severall conditions and stand in severall relations to God and man the necessary coincidence of duty with interest so that what ever we are obliged to upon any consideration we are as much concerned about every way and not onely to be perswaded thus much in generall but to discerne the particular duty the prudentiall wayes to be taken according to the varietys of Circumstances times Places and Persons for discharging duty in so advantagious a manner so as to bring most Glory to God most comfort and edification to our selves and brethren The cautious to be used in discovering and declining temptations Least by them we be insnared seduced out of the way of duty and drawn unto any Sinfull and distructive Courses Of such a Perfection in intellectualls St. Paul speakes 1. Corrin 2. 6. We Speak wisdom among them that are Perfect 2ly Morall such as have a more immediate influence both upon heart and life to better Borâ— In the heart are Principally four 1st Purity from all fillthy lusts whether Devillish as Pride and malice or worldly ambition for the vain applause and honours of the World and covetuousness after the wealth of the World or Sensuall Such as carry out after case and Pleasure in meats drinks recreations and other sensuall delights 2ly Humility low thoughts of our selves not onely as finite Creatures who have whatever excellencyes we have not only originally from but dependently upon another who gave them at first limmits them as to their degrees and operations continues them dureing his pleasure can recall them when he will But also as Foolish feeble Sinfull creatures Not knowing how to avoid the Greivous consequences of Sin nor yet how to bear them being pleased in such mean thoughts and very well content that others should entertaine the like of us 3dly Faith I speak not of the first act of faith which vnites the soul unto Christ and thereby puts in it a Principle of new life but of those Acts of faith which proceed from the life allready received from Christ as living upon God both as to our naturall and spirituall life and the comforts of both aboue means when we have them expecting no advantage by them to the making the World-tolerable Death acceptable life fruitfull heart gracious conscience peaceable Further then they are sett in with by the wise Powerfull and living God And without means when God deprives us of these knowing that the alsufficient God is abundantly able in himselfe to supply whatever is wanting in the creature 4thly Love to all God and man Acqaintance Strangers Freinds and Focs which Love puts us upon serious care and faithfull endeavours to please and honour God for that is all which he is capable of from us to promote the solid comfort and real welfare of our brethren so far as in us Lies As to the life there are these 1st Obedience and readiness to do whatever the Lord requires of us be it never so displeasing and cross both to our inclinations and interests never so difficult putting us to great intention of mind great toil of body great expense of estate never so reproachfull losing us not only the Favour but the esteem of those whose approbation we most desire and Exposing us to the contempt and censure of the most Then obedience is right when it is Sincere as to its principle and end universall as to its extent And constant as to its duration Walking in all the Commandments and ordinances Blameless Luke 1. 6. That ye may be Sincere and without Offence till the day of Christ Phil 1. 10. Compleat in the whole will of God 2. Patience Chearfullness in suffering whatever the Lord lies upon us without Grudging inwardly murmuring or complaining outwardly either of our own condition or against God and his instruments be our Condition never so greivous and tedious Strengthened with all might c. unto all patience Col 1. 11. Lett
in any Advantages which they make of their Religion beside the proper Advantages by it which are the Renewing of the heart the Reforming of the Life the saving of the Soul the being Vnited to Christ Interested in him and Influenced by him the being usefull in their Places Contented with their Conditions Prepared for all the Changes of this Life and the great Change at Death If we be not by it brought to Love Fear and trust in God more to make Conscience of all our Wayes following whatever is Good and Eschewing whatever is Evil there is no Foundation laid in us for any durable Advantage by Religion Doct. 3. Whoever in Religious Concerns Build on the Sand are but Foolish Builders Their Folly will appear if we consider 1st That the Concernments which we have by Religion to promote and secure are the highest Concernments which we either have or can have They are the Concernments of our Souls our better and our more lasting Part what makes for the purity Liberty Glory and felicity of our Souls which are the Immediate Work-man-ship of God the Great purchase of Christ Blood They are our Concernments to Eternity what may make for our Everlasting Peace Joy and Glory and these are far greater then any of the Concernments of this short uncertain Life can be They are such Concernments as the wise God accounts great this was the care of Gods Everlasting Councel how to secure these this was the design of Christ great undertaking to promote these 2ly The little provision which is made for Securing these Concernments by such as Build on the Sand. Such slight work will nothing Advantage the Soul For whatever Change is made in the Outward man by it there is none at all made in the Inward the Soul it self after all the Reformation which a bare hearing makes remains as poor as polluted as ever The Soul is still at as great Enmity with the Holy God at as great Distance from the Blessed God in as little Peace with its self in as great Slavery to its Lusts as ever However if such Slight work could Advantage the Soul for the present it cannot long Advantage it for it will never lâ—st An Herb without its Root will soon Wither and House without its Foundation will soon fall 3ly The expence we are at for making this poor Provision is great Those thoughts and that time which is laid out about Hearing if they had been wisely managed might have brought us to the Obedience of Faith whereby we might have come to be Redeemed from all Iniquity to be Purifyed unto God a peculiar People and got our Souls finally Saved wheras now as we use them only to get a little Credit and to make a little Worldly Advantage by a Profession to put off the Rebukes of Conscience a while longer and to delude our selves with a vain hope of Happiness which unless we be Changed greatly from what we were we are like to be great Losers by we lose God Christ and Heaven all these Vtterly and Everlastingly Use Let us take heed we be not such Foolish Builders 1st Lest we undergo the great Reproach of being Fools the greatest Fools of all For none are so great Fools as those who Fool away their Souls and fool themselves into Hell in which there is no Comfort out of which there is no Recovery Whatever men think of us for the present they will then know us to be Fools when we have utterly lost our opportunity of being saved and have Ruined our selves Irrecoverably And we our selves shall call our selves Fools and shall upbraid our selves with and Curse our selves for our own Folly when we find and feel what Miserable Creatures we have made our selves to be And lest we reap the Bitter Fruits of our Folly being utterly excluded from that Joy and Glory which was as seriously offered us as it is offered any and we were as solemnly invited to it as any and we might as certainly have attained it as any had we been but Faithfull to God and our own Souls being finally concluded under that Misery which we can neither bear nor escape That we may be wise Builders we must look well to our Foundation that it be solid and that our Souls be closely united to it Let Christ be our Foundation and let us take care that we be made one with him Doct. 4. All Buildings in Religion which are Founded on the Sand be they never so high and Specious will fall at last and the Fall of them will be Great Sometimes God suffers them to Fall during this Life Thus it was with Judas who betrayed his Master withdrew himself from the Society of the Disciples lost all the Reputation he had got by being an Apostle was greatly disquieted in his own Conscience and Killed himself after he had done much suffered something gained some Repute among Good men and probably had some measure of Peace in his Conscience and some hope of Happiness after Death Thus it was with Hymeneus Alexander and Philetus who though they had professed the Faith and used a Good Conscience in many things and got some Name in the Church yet afterwards fell off from all 1. Tim. 1. 19. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 17. 18. Thus it was with those who are Resembled to Stony and Thorny Ground There is a hearing of the Word and a receiving it with Joy but no good comes of all either through Tribulation and Persecution or through the Cares and Pleasures of the World S. Mat. 12. 20. 21. 22. Thus it was with those in Heb. 6. Who went far who had in their minds a Great Light in their Hearts a Savoury Tast who came under some Powerfull Work of God who were endured with the Holy Ghost and tasted Gods Word yet these are supposed to fall away v. 6. And those who were in some Measure Sanctified by the Holy Ghost and had Received the spirit of Grace even these come to tread under foot the Son of God and to profane the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10. 29. Thus it was with those in 2. Pet. 2. 20. who had a common Knowledge of Christ by which they were brought into the Way of Righteousness and escaped the Pollutions and Entanglements of the World and yet afterwards come to be Polluted and Entangled and overcome to turn from the holy Commandment unto their former Filth However they fall at Death Then they fall wholly all the gifts and graces the good works Credit and worldly Advantages their Peace and hope then fail them they see the â—â—nity of them all they find no Comfort in them no help by them Sometimes they are made to see all this while they are in a Condition to declare it to the World and all about them see that they die Miserably full of horrour and despair Sometimes they see this before they be quite Dead but they are so far gone that they cannot express the Anguish they feel Those ghastly looks and
nature And observe God and you shall find that it is not so much modes and fashions of Religion as love and goodness which God most stands upon These are the essentiall parts of Religion and the immutable parts others as they are accidentall so they are various Love is the summ of the Law Mat. 22. 39 40. Rom. 13. 9 10. owe no Man any thing c. Ye have the vast body of the Law epitomized here Thus Chymists can reduce the vertues of Herbs and Mineralls into a very little roome drawing of the Essences and Spirits and leaving the gross matter behind Love is the end of the law The end of the law is Charity 1. Tim. 1. 5. This is that which the Law aimes to bring Men too and when it has once brought Men to this it has done its work Love is the great designe of ordinances what Christ most prayes for That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Joh. 17. 21. What the Ministers of Christ should most preach up Phil. 2. 1. 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love c. And indeed the main edification is in love Ephe. 4. 16. Unto the edifying it self in love It s also the great designe of providences Does God carry lovingly to his people it is to teach them to love one another Love one another as I have loved you Joh. 15. 12. Does he carry angrily towards them he does but whip them round to make them kiss one another falls out with them all that he may make them agree better among themselves If ye ask what peculiar excellency there is in love which gives it the preheminence to all other attributes Answer 1st It perfects that in God which is the Cheif faculty in him In every rationall being there are three Facultys the Appetitive Faculty the will which carries out to desire what is agreeable to its nature The Directive Faculty the vnderstanding which both discouer the object which is desirable and propounds to the Choice the various methods and means whereby the good desired may be attained And the executive faculty which wants a peculiar name whereby the methods and means pitcht upon by Choice are applied for the attaining the good desired Now of these three facultyes the appetitive is the Chief it being the Spring unto the other two to set them upon motion and keeping a hand over them so as to restrain them when it pleases the Will fits as Queen having the understanding besides it for its Councellour the executive faculty below it for its Minister to act Accordingly whereas there are three habits to perfect these three facultys that which perfecteth the Cheif must be the Cheif of them and consequently love which perfects the Will must have the preheminence of wisdom which perfects the understanding and of Power which perfects the Motive faculty Now though in God by reason of the purity and simplicity of the Divine nature we cannot so properly distinguish these faculties yet being found in the Choicest Creatures and being acknowledged excellencyes in them they cannot be wanting in God himself but must be in him though in a more eminent manner 2dly It most Clearly distinguishes God from all other beings every thing is distinguished from all other things by that which is its Choicest perfection Thus it being the Cheif excellency of man that he is able to take a view of Severall things at once and to compare one thing with another and from principles evident in themselves to deduce conclusions which are more obscure hence he is distinguished from all bruits by this one thing that he is a rationall creature Thus Love being the Cheif perfection of God he is distinguished from all other things by this that he is Love the best that can be said of any other being is that it has love And as God is the most excellent being in the world so the Devil is the basest and the main thing wherein God dos most evidently differ from the Devill is not either wisdom or power for the Devil has a great deal of both these though its true they are but finite in him whereas they are infinite in God but its love and goodness for there is not the least of these in the Divell and the very want of these makes him a Divell were he not so full of malice and naughtiness as he is so imutably Settled in these as he is he would not be what he is a Devill Nay should it be granted what some of Old have strongly fancyed though against all reason that there were two infinite beings the one good the other bad the bad would have all other perfections besides goodness equal unto the good and for want of this one perfection it being the main it would not be God for God and the Cheife good are all one 3dly It has the Soveraigne command of all other excellencies in God There is nothing but what is excellent in God and no excellency in him but what is either a part of his goodness or a Servant to it Gods pitty is but goodness to those in misery his mercy is but his goodness to those that are Sinfull as well as miserable Nay Gods Justice which Seemes most opposite to his goodness is but goodness exerting it selfe with vehemency and indignation against that in men and Devils which most hinders goodness from Communicating it selfe As for Gods Wisdome and power these attend on goodness to execute its commands Wisdome has no other work then to contrive the readiest way to do the most good and power is wholy imployed in removing those obstacles which hinder the doing of good That therefore which do's most sway with God in all his actings and has so great an influence upon all his attributes to point them what way to steer must needs be a very eminent perfection in God 4thly The displaying of love and goodness do's most tend to the glorifing of God I know not whether this do more prove love and goodness to be the prime perfectoon of God or demonstrate why it so Absolute Supermacy how highly soever it may be prized by foolish and proud men yet God do's not look upon it as becoming himself and therefore though he may pretend to it as Justly as any else yet he Counts it not worth his Claim When he is Challenged for unrighteousness by vnreasonable persons he alleadges not that he being the greatest in the world may do what ever he list without Controul or without giving account but he pleads his own cause and submits his providences to the severest censure of those who have reason and will Judge indifferently Exek 18. 25. He accounts it a far greater honour to be reputed a gracous King then a great tyrant Wisdom though it pass among men for a very choice excellency as indeed it is The excellency of a Man as a Man that
communion in affliction there was not that union in affection which might be expected He finds use of all his Rhetorick to perswade them to agree together and Love one another Cap. 2. Ver. 3. Notwithstanding that God by his severer providences did as it were knock of their fingers from laying hold on earthly things and called them to higher Enjoyments there were such as would be minding the World still Chap 3. Ver. 19. This he cannot mention without tears Now St. Pavl being very Sensible how dangerous both these distempers were how distructive to the peace of the Church without which there can be little mutuall edification he does what in him lyes to cure them To this purpose knowing some differences between Euodias and Syntijche two leading Women and considering that clashing of Parties arises from and is fomented by the disagreements of Heads he sets himself most to compose these 1st He declares how much he Loves them and how much they are his Joy and Glory and thereby teaches them how much they should tender one another 2ly He conjures them in all Love to stand fast in the Lord and so discreetly intimates to them that the ground of their Jarring is want of keeping close to God walking in the Spirit 3dly He earnestly intreats them First One then the other that they would agree together in matters of Religion And hereby gives them to understand that one whose Judgment in such matters they have no reason to dispise does discern more harme in their contests then possibly they themselves are aware of it being a great peice of folly to spend ones Zeal time Care and diligence in composing such differences which might continue without any prejudice there never wanting some business of concernment in the Church to employ them about He expresses agreat deal of humble condescention in that he lovingly Beseeches those to agree whom he might have Strictly Comanded And thereby gives a Gentle yet home Check to that pride which usuably is the spring that gives motion to all dissention 4ly He endeavours to engage others to Sett them on improveing the Jnterest they had in these dissenting persons And their prudence to bring them to an accord He intreats A friend of his that as he had formerly found him a faithfull Companion in his Labours He would not now fail him but assist him in this He tells him it is their weakeness that they cannot agree of themselves desires him to help them he minds him setting aside this miscarriage that they were discerning persons Had laboured with him in the Gospell 5thly He calls them to such a Christian duty which if rightly practised would swallow up those foolish base stingy principles which are the root of all discord Pride peevishness self Love As for the other distemper which hangs much upon such as have a reall work of grace begun upon their hearts that they may not give way to it he minds them that it is a troublesome thing it fills with cares tells them 't is a needless thing they might have what they want and need at an easyer rate if they would it is but letting God know what they have use for and what they desire The words are intended as a comon Antidote against both distempers and therefore set in the middle between the more particuler remedyes of each Where you have 1st An intimation of mans Naturall disposition he is prone to be eager and Vehement about matters of Less concernment while in the mean time he can allow himselfe to be careless And negligent enough about matters of higher worth greater weight larger and Lastinger use 2ly A tacit Check to this mans Bent with a plain Declaration of a Christian temper they should not be thus violent they should be more moderate So moderate that all who have any thing to do with them may take notice of this moderation 3dly A serious Exhortation to the practice of this Duty backed and set home with an Argument to perswade the reasonableness of it The exhortation is to Labour after a Spirit of Moderation And then so far as they attain it to express it towards all Men tho of different Judgements ways enemys such as give the greatest provocations to you to make you forget what becomes Christans The motive is short but full capable of different senses so as best to suit the Latitude of the Duty The Lord is at hand You are apt to overprize your own opinions and wayes to Cry them up to impose them upon others to quarrell with those that will not bow to you here you are very Zealous in this you justifye your selves this you make your glory but I wish you did understand and consider that the business of Religion is of an higher Nature then Notions and Observances It is the getting into Christ Living in him and to him And this is attainable sooner then you are aware of Even now while you are wrangling about these Low things for the Lord is at hand sure whilst you thus holy contest about your own fancyes and forget the main and most uncontroverted Principle of Religion I mean the forgiving and forbearing one another you little think Who stands by and Who looks on Know ye that the meek lowly holy God the God of peace stands by is at hand Whilest you are thus eager in Carking and toiling for the outward supply of your life you little consider that he who careth for you is at hand while you are thus hot in pursueing your own vengeance returning Evill for Evill You little consider you take no notice that He is nigh who says Vedgance is mine leave it to me I will repay it Doct. Though it be naturall for men to be violent in what they set about Yet it is the Duty of Christians to behave themselves with such moderation That not onely God and their own hearts but even the Consciences of all men may bear witness to it Here are severall things to be spoke to 1st What moderation is 2ly About what things it is conversant 3ly How men are to blame in the neglect of it about These things 4ly Whence this want of Moderation proceeds 5ly How it comes to be a Christian Duty to press after It and practise it 1. As to the First Moderation as here taken is somewhat within Which does temper allay cool and calm the heat vehemency violence boistrousness of man's thoughts desires intentions resolutions actions whereby they Love choose care for endeavour after any thing person or opinion Besides and be low Christ If not in and for Christ More then they should Not with that indifferency and resignation they should This ought to have place 1st in matters of Religion whether opinions or outward observances which have not such A necessary convexion with the Spirit of the Gospell righteousness and true Holiness faith and Love but without them these may be attained 2ly In matters of the World such things as tend to promote either a Mans credit
amongst men or his outward comfort In matters of Religion men even such as have some thing of Good in them ordinarily over shoot themselves 1st When they cry up their own way as the onely truth and way of Christ decrying all other ways either on the one hand as peices of Heresies and schism's On the other hand as Rags of Rome and Babylon Before they have throughly and impartially considered and compared all And before they have attained the Wisdom which is from above Whereby they might be enabled to discern the nature and designe of reall Religion And to understand in what place every thing stands how it tends to promote the true Spirit of Religion or to thwart stifle and suppress it 2ly When they are so far from allowing others calmly to debate and examine the reallity and righteousness of their principles and practices That they do not forbear a bitter censuring of all such as lay not so great a stress upon their fancys as themselves do Contend not for them with that heat and Eagerness do not presently Damn all that say not as they say And do not as they do these must be Gallia's luke-warm formall temperizers Studying to please Men more then God 3ly When they Love to receive and spread reports which tend to the disgrace and reproach of such as differ in Judgments and practice from themselves Thinking to gaine more credit to their own way by throwing Dirt upon Professors of others Which is most usuall amongst those who come nearest one another Are competitors and justle for preheminence in the Peoples affections 4thly When they endeavour to Force people unto the embracing of them by outward terrour whom they cannot win and perswade to them by clear arguments 5ly When they do allow themselves in any hoistrous and tumuleuons Courses If so be these do but tend to set up their Diana 6ly when they press more upon Peopl's Consciences such Observances as they themselves cannot but acknowledge have been omitted by such as truly feared God and improved themselves in reall grace Nevertheless while they call not at all to the great things of the Gospell such as dying to ones self falling of from the World i. e. The Pomps and Vanities of it getting into that Meek Lowly Obedient Self-denying Loving Spirit which is the Destinguishing Character and Ornament of a Christian 7ly While they decline the Company of such in whom appears much of the true Spirit of Religion and are really acquainted with the ways and Workings of God upon the Hearts of his choycest ones merely because they differ a little and that Conscienciously from them in some few small Punctilioes 8ly When they do not quietly Submit to what is required by Superiours in every thing where there is no apparent harme In these particular Instances of want of Moderation I have dealt very Impartially Not forbearing one Party more then another and purposely Declined meddling with Superiours Whom we have nothing to doe with as well upon Principles of Conscience as Prudence Now this want of Moderation proceeds 1st From Ignorance of the true Nature of Religion Notwithstanding the high pretences made to Knowledge of Scripture or Antiquity Religion does not consist in most things contended about And it may be its designe might as well be carried on without as with them 2ly From an high conceit of their own knowledge For notwithstanding this their Ignorance herein they think that they understand themselves bettet then others 3ly From an over-doating upon their own Opinion as the Birth of a better Informed Judgment then ordinary And their own two 4ly From an Ambitious desire to have their Vnderstanding approved and Applauded by others When they really declare they prefer their own Judgments before all others whilst they conforme to it Stear themselves by it Whereas those who say or do otherwise do Tacitly condemn them either as weak or inconsiderative Persons 5ly From an unaquaintance with the Life of Religion and a gross neglect of the main Duty 's of it to make a mends for what they over do in the outward Cerimonial part of it 6ly From a mistake in the true nature of Zeale Taking their own Passions and Headiness in a blind way for that regular fervour of Love which is directed by a clear understanding and sober Wisdom in an Illuminated Mind Hearing Zeal commended they rush into a turbulent motion while they think to decline that Luke-warmness and indifferency which the Wisemen of the World practise to save themselves 7ly From want of due consideration of the Blindness and Weakness of Mens minds Together with the Obscurity and Intrecacy of the matters of Religion which would make one make due allowance for their Brothers frailty And bear more with one anothers mistakes 8ly From an Inexperience in the way God ordinarily takes to bring Conscientious Persons into the knowledge of the Truth which he does not all at once but by degrees so that one may be Ignorant of their Duty and erre in many things 9ly From forgetfullness that they themselves have Erred and stood in need of that Toleration which they refuse to grant to others 10ly From a false perswasion that any one may Believe as he has a mind himself which were it true it would prove a fine easy way for avoiding of Suffering whatever should be imposed Especially if the Opinion be true at every one fancyes his own to be 11ly From want of observing and considering the unquestionable good which is in others But a modest holding out ones own Apprehensions affording them the best light and evidence one has Without Reproaching or Censuring the Person or Opinions of those of a Contrary perswasion is ordinarily for I shall not Determine what God in an extraordinary way may call unto the Duty of a Christian For 1st It 's most sutable to a Christians Temper and Spirit wherein there is all Meekness Lowliness Love and Tenderness which when any Swarve from whatever it be they do be it never so good in its self they do it othere wise then they ought to do Now a meek Person does Naturally forbear what meerely tends to provoke others an humble Soul is ready to suspect his own Judgment And to believe another may vnderstand himself as well if not better in that business than himself a Loving Heart is very loth to displease when there is no need 2d It is an advantagious Representation of Religion to Standersby that are Strangers to it Men ordinarily measure not the worth of Religion by the high commendations that are given it but they observe what Good it does how it betters them makes them of a more truly Noble and generous Spirit then others Now for those that profess highly Christianity and that in the Loftiest Strain of it to manage their differences one with another with less calmness than Phylosophers could do What a Reproach is this to Religion Is this the way to make it look Lovely Will this Convert a Jew or
a Turk Is not this the Drunkards quarrelling about the praises of peace and Sobriety It was the challenge of Old against the Protestant Religion that it bred nothing but Factions and Rebelions 3ly It is the best way to bring those that are mistaken to the knowledge of the Truth Truth would always prevaile if it was right managed not held forth with disadvantage Boisterousness does give just occasion to others to suspect that what is held forth is not truth since it has so little influence upon the Heart to the purging it from passion Besides Men have a prejudice against such as deal roughly with them and cannot easily think they mean them any great good and therefore expect little from them and so attend not however Scolding is no Argument to convince People they are in an Errour neither is it the way to bring Men into the Truth to knock it into your heads with Hammers Men are men and must be dealt with as rationall Creatures if you wou'd perswade them you must speak to their Reasons and Consciences or you may as well hold your Tongue if you Provoke you do but bemud Mens minds so that they cannot take in the cleare Light of your Argument 4ly It is but a due Conforming to the most Vniversally acknowledged precept of Christ 1st The clearest Rule of Equity in Nature Christ bids his Diciples Love one another This is granted on all sides not one amongst the Various Sects of Christian Religion has the Face to deny this Some indeed do question whether Christ do require of those that profess him that they should do it by taking up and tying themselves to any outward observance whatever and so for other things yet whilest those that do go under the Name of Christians differ almost in every thing else some or other confidently denying and that not without very high pretences of Rational and Scripturall grounds what others with as full perswasons assert some or other slighting as a superstitious invention of man what others very Religiously observe as an ordinance of Christ how ever all agree in this that Christians are bound by Christ's precept to Love one another Now I am sure did but people charge their Consciences more with the discharging of this most unquestionable duty of Love there would be less need of calling them so much to Moderation For if we do but observe the working of that naturall inclination and passion which the World usually gives the name of Love unto And withall do but consider what a powerfull influence it has upon Parents Lovers Friends to the sweeting even the sowrest disposition towards those they Love If we mind how many Distempers affection bears with how many vices it winks at how many faults it excuses how many provocations it puts up and passes by Can we imagine that the Love which is commanded by Christ wrought by the Spirit and is a very reall participation of the divine nature Should come so far short of this Can we think that this more large noble pure strong principle were it indeed in us would not restrain us from quarrelling with one another Because our Brothers Head is not as big as ours because he cannot believe what we call white is so Untill he see it to be so with his own eyes Because he desires he may not be tyed to our Spectacles and takes upon him to wear Cloaths not of The same colour and shape with ours And let me tell you some understanding and conscientious Persons are of the mind that when once the Righteous and Alwise God Shall set up his impartiall Judgment ask What 's the matter and weigh the severall pretences as one day he will many of those hot contests which are kept up amongst Christians with so bitter animosities almost on all sides will be found able to produce no fairer grounds to Justify their unchristian Janglings there those Just now mentioned You see then that while Christ does expresly command us to Love one another Yea all men even Enemys he does vertually and consequentially forbid us to use towards any upon any pretence of difference whatsoever such words and carriages as we could never use towards them did we but Love them though but with the Love of the World Neither must we expect that such a slender Plea as a pretence that it is in the cause of God and Religion will serve our turne to Justify us in the sight of God for a breach of the highest and most undoubted law of Christ any more then the Pharisees Crying It's Corban could excuse them while they refused to supply the necessiti's of their poor Parents Nay rather it will be an agravation of our Sin while we Patronize it upon God and make Religion a Sanctuary for wickedness To oppress is a great iniquity but to plead foâ— and Justify oppressions because hereby we are enabled to give alms to build hospitalls this is an higher abomination it is Offering unto God swines blood and bringing the hire of an Harlot into the Temple 5ly It is a doing that which even the Common light of nature calls for this is acknowledged even amongst the Heathens as one of the Clearest and certainest rules of right that every one should doe as they themselves would be don to this our Saviour Commands Matt. 7. 12. Now look a little into your owne hearts ask your selves would I willingly were I in a mistake be Derided for it Upbraided with it Persecuted for it should I not Judge it more reasonable that others should pitty me endeavour to Convince me Supposing the Errour to be dangerous Does not the greatest damage accrew to my selfe thereby And what because I am blinde and have lost my way must I therfore be Spit on Trampled on abused Because I am not so happy as others in finding out the truth Must I therfore be made more miserable then I am Because God has left me to mine own ignorance and darkness must man add affliction to affliction 6ly To do otherwise is but to misimploy that Heat Vigour Vehemency which God has put into us unto another use then God intended it For God intended this Zeale for the consumeing of our owne Lusts not the singeing smutting of our Brothers Name this fire in us was made to warm our Neighbours not to scorch and Burne them and shall we make no better reckoning of Gods gifts then to wast and abuse them Do our selves and others harm by that which God ment for both our Goods may not this prouoke God to keep his mercys to himself and not put them into Childrens hands to Cut their own Fingers and to Slash their Neighbours with 7ly It is an unreasonable thing to be more Seven in smaller Crimes then we allow our selves to be in greater Let a man distemper his body besott his parts wast his Estate squander away his precious time undo his Wife and Children venture his Soul in swilling and drinking we bear with him let him
waist his strength slur his Reputation disgrace his Relationes in Lewdness and Wantoness we bear with him still do we shun their company as we would do the Plague and cry out with them out of the World But let a poor honest Soul while he is Sincere and earnest in the pursute after truth But stumble into an Errour or what is accounted so we presently Cry Heretick oh take heed of him Come not neare him it is not fit such an one should breath Crucifie him Why what evil hath he done What 's the matter Why him rather then the other 1st Is an Errour more Infectious and catching I am sure there are many that do not so much suite and gratify our Corrupt inclinations as these Lusts do Nay some there are that exceedingly thwart Mans naturall Bent most oft-times bring them into contempt reproach outward sufferings And here I believe the naturall self-Love which is in most will make them wary before they engage 2ly But it may be its more dangerous if it should take Indeed 't is possible such it may be as a mistake in the way may hinder one more in their reaching their Journeys end then a fall or two But as there are many useless truths so many innocent Errours all the harme they do is but to the Persons themselves And these rather expose to outward trouble which God oft times sanctifies to them for the good of their Souls then incline or encourage to Sin or hinder the work of holiness in their hearts do they not walk as closely with God grow as much in Spirituallity Heavenly mindedness in reall and solid Grace notwithstanding their mistakes as others with all their Orthodoxe knowledge And let me tell you God will one day enquire not how ingenious we have begn in our Religion but how sincere diligent faithfull not what our opinions have been but our graces not how we have talked but how we have lived 3ly What then is it a greater Sin to Live in a mistake then to Live in Drunkeness Whoredome Profaneness possibly I might thinke so too could I be perswaded that a mistake does more harme to Souls is less Consistant with Sincerity and honesty is more contrary to the Spirit of Piety and Holyness layes more blocks in the way to Love Meekness Lowliness resignation faith indisposes more to obedience and self denyal But untill I can meet with some Sober Consciencious Persons who are given to these and thinke they ought to be so perswade themselves they are pleasing and serving God in the mean time as I do meet with severall whom I have reason to look upon as very Consciencious in their mistake untill I find Drunken and Profain Persons notwithstanding their Drunkenness and Profaneness growing in Grace as I find some Erroneous persons notwithstanding their errour give me leave to question whether this be the greater Sin or noe 4ly But it may be t is an harder Task to forbeare those Sins then to avoid erring there being so many temptations to entice us to them so great a Suitableness in our nature to them But do's not the Love we bear to our Credits Estates Healths Relations Souls bid us refrain do's not Conscience Reason Scripture Check us for them Would not naturall principles carry us above these When alass how easy a thing is it to mistake Even then when we are most desirous to find the truth most carefull in seeking after it How Blind Dark Narrow Shallow are our understandings How many prejudices do we take in from our very Childhood How obscure and dubious is Scripture when read without the light of God How vain uncertain are the dictates and Creeds of Synods Councells Churches How little concerned do's God look upon himself to secure his People from those mistakes which he knows how to do them good by How apt to be swayed with the opinion of those we have an Esteem for If we consider but these and the like occasions of mistake which every one almost is surrounded with We shall find cause enough to conclude that one May easily err without any great Wilfulness Gal. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. Col. 3. 12. 13. Phil. 2. 1. Vse 1st Then as we would approve our selves worthy of that Name we have taken upon us Let us carry our selves with that moderation that becoms Christians towards those that differ either in Opinions or Observances from us 1st Let us not willingly enrage the Ignorant against them by giving them those Nicknames which the violence of their Adversarys has branded them with 2ly Let us not make a worse representation of their Opinions to others then they deserve by loading them with those odious consequences which they themselves do as much disown and abominate as we do these two practices the Devil the Author of confusion has found very Vsefull to him for the keeping strife on foot in the Christian World 1st Consider how Christ behaued himself to his Ignorant and Erronious Disciples he dos not upbraid them with it quarrells not with them about it but quietly beares with them waits his opportunity further to instruct them better to informe them And 2ly This was the Apostles practice for the Composing of those many Differences of those Times between the Jewish and Gentile Christians They do not Magisterially dictate this is truth and who ever thinks or sayes otherwise are Hereticks No they leave it to the freedome of their Auditors to observe Jewish Ordinances or let them alone and all their diligence and care is to bring Christians to a mutuall toleration one of another so as to overlook those petty differences and not withstanding them to strive together for the faith of the Gospell to help one another in the way to Heaven Rom. 14. Phil. 3. 16. 3ly Vntill that primitive practice of undervaluing Smaller differences bearing with one another in them and laying the maine stress upon the great things of the Gospell Obedience Self-denyall Faith Love be revived I shall wish Peace and Truth may much flourish amongst us but truely I shall not much hope for it 4ly Were there but more of a Gospell Spirit in the World were but People come to that to see and be ashamed and loth themselves in their own sight there World not be such spying moâ—â—s in their Brothers eye there would be more shewing meekness to all Persons considering they themselves were sometims Foolish and deceived Tit. 3. 3. And 5ly If God should bring good people under the lash againe I wish it may make them make a serious and impartiall reflection upon their former Carriages and with Josephs Brethren when they found harsh usage from Joseph enquire whether this be not the just Punishment of their rigour and severity towards their Brethren Gen. 42. 21. It being a Righteous thing with God to mete out to any the same measure they have meted out to others 6ly How knowest thou but that allowance thou art so backward in making 〈◊〉 thy Brother thou standest
in more need he should make to thee Art thou sure he is in the wrong thou in the right how knowest thou this thou thinkest thy self in the right so do's he Thou art confident it may be so is he Thou producest Reason and Scripture so dos he thou alledgest the consent of such and such learned and good Men whom thou greatly accounts of he do's no less Hast thou studyed and prayed for the finding out of the truth he has done so too Hast thou suffered in Testimony to what thou Judgest truth If he have not done so thou knowest not but he may be ready to do the like when God calls him to it Obi. Why but it is a dangerous Arrour Answer How knowest thou it is Canst thou shew wherein the danger of it lyes 2ly Grant it be so thou hast more need to pitty him then to quarrel with him thou hast more need to deal with him so as thou mayest best hope to bring him out of his Errour Thou oughtest to take care least by thy passionate and untoward management of the Cause of Truth thou give people occasion so to loth it that they Chuse rather to fall in with the others errours Que. But would you not have us to be Zealous Answer Yes as Zealous as you will but I would first have you to understand what for I would not have you to run without your Errand as Zealous as you will but I would have you remember that venting of Pride and peevishness in Religion Loving and admiring and violently propagating your Opinions and ways is not Zeal As Zealous as you will but first let Zeal begin at Home let it burne up your Pride and Earthliness and frowardness and then when this Smoke is gone the light of it will serve you to guide the heat of it by Alass Men talk much of Zeal but there is less true Zeal in the World then there is true Love there is as much want of Zeal as Vse of it and it must First be got before exercised and put forth the same spirit enclines to Moderation that Enclines to Zeal Vse 2. Labour for a Spirit of Moderation A meek lowly and tender Spirit It s hard practising a Duty when it thwarts Nature this is a lovely God like Spirit were it not for this in what a sad case were we who hourly try Gods patience by greater provocations then mistakes amount to Vse 3. Condemn not any for putting that Duty in practise which you allow your selves in the neglect of If you will not be moderate your selves be not angry with those who in Conscience to God desire to be so smut them not with odious Names Vse 4. Whatever ill usage thou meetest with from the World be not discouraged in the due practise of Moderation Consider it is thy Duty and though Men may reproach and Curse thee for it the blessing of a peace maker shall be upon thee from the God of Heaven I know such is the madness of the World they are ready to quarrell with every one that will not engage with them in their Contentions one against another and he that goes about to part Two opposite Partyes provokes both against himself and seldom goes away without blows from either But count it no new and strange thing to be used as the Men of God have been used before thee Continue thou in Gods work still and he will answer the damage that accrues thereby to thee Vse 5. Judge those the best Christians who being Consciencious in all other dutys do not neglect this It shews a Christian Spirit it is an Argument of the Wisdome from above Which is pure Peaceable 6ly See thou hast more Cause of humbling thy selfe then Glorying If thou hast neglected Moderation thou hast omitted a Duty deceive not thy selfe nor vainly hope to delude God by putting a good Name upon a bad practise and Calling that Zeal which God Counts Hellish Fury 7ly Conclude not there is most of Religion in such as seem the eagerest all violent heats speaks not so much strength of Nature as the oppressition of some Distemper Let not any by Sin gain the reputation of being more then ordinarily Pious 8ly Learn the Wisdome and Justice of true Religion which requires such practises from its professors as tend most to promote and secure what all generally desire and that is peace to obviate the Slanders cast upon it by the worldly wise that it disturbs societys But 2ly A Christian ought to be moderate about the Concernements of this Life the Comforts and conveniencys Health Wealth and Credit Lovers and Friends c. In these people are then immoderate when they let out their Affections too much upon any of these giving them a greater share in their hearts then of right belongs to them That we love these at all is no fault they being the good Creatures of God But that we love them otherwise then we should more then we should here is the Immoderation As 1st When we love them more then God himselfe the Gift more then the Giver whatever it be in any Creature comfort whatsoever that we find any favour and relish in any chearing and warmth by It is but a drop a spark a ray of that goodness which is in God and is used by God as a bate to allure us to himselfe In whom alone the Fountain is to be found who alone is able not onely to content but satisfye us Now then we love these more then God when 1st We take more care and paines to procure these to our selves then to win the favour of God 2ly To secure these more then we do the Love of God 3ly When we can be quiet without God while we have these let God hide his face forbeare his visits withdraw his directions and Consolations no matter for all this provided Health lasts Mony comes in the World gives us its good word and Friends their smiles 4ly When God himself cannot please us without these let him reason the case with us as Elkana with Hannah am not I better to thee then ten earthly comforts Our hearts are so hardned in sorrow for being deprived of these we mind him not but go on grieving and fretting still 5ly When we will not give God leave to deny us these to Strip us of these as he shall Judge it meet but we will either have our own will in these or we repine at him quarrel with him take no care to please or serve him But 2ly We are then immoderate when we love these more then Grace which being the Life Health Strength Beauty of the Soul a Divine participation and resemblance a reall Substantiall Solid Lasting Good Is of greater worth much more desirable As 1st When we Grieve more deeply for our want or losse of these then we do for our weakness or decay of Grace It 's a trouble to us that we have not some outward comfort we formerly had or at least hoped for and still
has more reallity solidity suitableness Lastingness in it We know no better comforts we have had a veiw of no rarer beauties no tasts of Sweeter delights therefore we admire these 5ly Ill Example we heare those that abound in these Comforts Cryed up by the Vogve of the World for blessed men We see men reputed wise Eagerly striuing for these good men troubled they have no more of these 6ly Nearness of Temptations These we meet with every where and that continually and they steal away our hearts before ever we are aware 7ly The Devils Malice and Subtilty who makes use of these to ensnare our Souls by and thereby to keep us from Looking after some what better Hence he uses all his Rhetorick to woe us for these 8ly No Convictions of the Sinfulness That is in Letting our Affection run loose after these things 9ly No Consideration of the Danger that therby we run our poor Souls upon But yet Moderation is a duty for 1st It is Commanded 1. Joh. 2. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 11 1. Cor. 7. 29. 30. 31. 1. Thes 4. 13. Matt. 6. 23. 19. 2ly It is Practiced by Agur a good man then when he setts himself most in the sight of God when it s presumed he Composes himself so that he may best please God Prov. 30. 8. 9. 3ly Immoderation is prayed against by an understanding person Psal 119. 36. 37. The good of Moderation appears in the evil of Immoderation which is 1st A Contradiction to a Christian frame so far as any is a Christian he is in Love with God which is Inconsistant with the Love of the World one fire eats out another he is Holy Now what is Holiness but a Weanedness from the World the lusts whereof defile the Soul his Conversation is in Heaven There is his Treasure that way is his Love his Hopes his thoughts He is wholy resigned up unto God saying from the heart thy will be done therefore not choosing this or that for himself He delights himself in the Lord above Lower Comforts Trusts in him leans not upon these Lower Confidences he is Called out of the World Crucified unto it of another Spirit then worldly men his heart is not sett on the same things with them 2ly T is a worme unto his Grace While this is in any allowed of it Eats out all the life strength Vigour of the pure innocent meek lowly Nature draws the sap of the Soul another way Love of and care about these things Choake 3ly It s An Hinderer of a Christian progress while his heart is set upon any thing here below his parts and time his thoughts and endeavours his care and industry which should be lay'd out for the improving of the Stock of Grace which one has will be Spent in pursuing what our lusts Call for The sense of our inward wants will be lost the Hunger and thirst of the Soul after Perfection will be quenched Airy Notions and empty formes will be hugged and prized and wrangled about The Word takes no hold on the Man while his Mind workes Another way 4ly It s An interrupter of his duty when he should be setting about something which may be for his own or his brothers Real advantage he is called by some inordinate Desire to go about some thing else 5ly A Disturber of his quiet he cannot be at Râ—â—â— unless he have some thing which God thinks fit to deny him No true lasting Peace can be expected by those who Love any thing in and for its self besides God 6ly 'T is An undervaluing of his hopes He is born an heir of Heaven a Son of God For him to dote on such mean things here Below is much below him 7ly 'T is A robbing of God in what is his due he requires his heart My Son give me thyne heart not a peice of it Thou shall Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Matt. 22. 37. Here 's nothing left for the Creature it is Idolatry setting the Creature on Gods throne 8ly 'T is a Representing of Faith unto others as an ineffectuall principle that has not Power in it to Overcome the World and the lusts thereof and thereby is a reall Scandall to others While they find some cause by what they discerne in thee to Justify themselves in their neglect to pursue after further attainments because were there any thing more to be hoped for in this Life thou so long a stander in Religion Would have reached it 9ly It is an abusing of Creature Comforts making them as Snares to the Soul which were but intended for bodily convenienci's Vse 1st As we desire to evidence we have the feare of God before our eyes Let us lay it upon our Consciences to Eschew Immoderation as well as other sins It is a sin as dangerous as any So much the more dangerous as People are less Suspicious of it Allow themselves without Scruple in it Oh Let not that which should be improved as a motive so to stir us up to a greater Care in avoiding it be abused as a plea to Justify our selves in giving way to it say not we are Naturally prone to it therefore we hope none will blame us much if we be a little guilty here But thus let me keep a more strict guard over my heart let me more shun Temptations let me with greater earnestness beg of God that he would keep me from being overtaken Oh let us take heed and put ourselves in mind that we may be as Immoderate in overloving Prizing Carking about even the very Conveniencys and necessityes of this Life as in over earnest desiring eager pursuing superflueri's 1st What shall we that are but strangers here Travellers into eternity dote of any thing in our Passage Contract Entanglements and burdens to our selves 2ly Have we not Incumbrance enough and shall we so far forget the worth of our Souls as to prostitute them to such mean and low things to Tumble them in mire and dirt 3ly Are there not better things Provided for us Shall we then throw away our selves our Love upon base things 4ly What is there in these things Lovely what reallity what beauty Savour Shall we dote on flitting shadows be so Childish as to cry for Toyes 5ly If there be any thing in the things that can make them desirable any worth in them any Vse of them shall we by Overloving them Constrain God to deprive us of them God is a Jealous God whatever comes to Rivall him in our Affections he must remove it If the Child will hurt its self with its Toyes or fall of sucking Poyson out of what was given to look on is it not time for the parent to take it away 6ly Oh that we did but consider what thoughts we shall have of these things when we come to die when Conscience begins to stirre eternity approaches when passions are laid and we view the Backside of vanity How little Loveliness will there appeare in them then How shall
ordinance of man for the Lords sake and those who know the things Injoyned to be indifferent and do not submit they are the more guilty Those who question the Indifferency of them if indeed they were indifferent and be Commanded Sin still while they do not submit because they do that which ought not to be done in Refusing though indeed they are excusable and to be pitied and born with in all meekness And to be prayed for because what they do they doe not willfully but Ignorantly and so their neglect of duty is rather their weakness then their sin Only they are to be desired and admonished not to hug their own mistakes but to be ready to receive Satisfaction and seek out for it in the vse of all means and not sit down peremtorily Concluding it is not to be had because they do not meet with it as soon as is to be wished They do no small Service unto God and the Nation yea unto poor mistaken Souls also who so far as is Possible endeavour to deliver tender Consciences from these groundless scruples Wherwith they Needlesly Trouble themselves and others and hinder themselves from the vigorous minding the grand vsefull Necessary things of Religion which are almost generally Resolved upon without dispute by all parties And who make People to Understand that they may be as well Superstitious on the one hand while they make that unlawfull to be done yea even when it is Commanded by Authority which God has left wholly to the discretion of his People as on the other hand while they will needs have that Necessary in it self which God Never made so 9ly Knowledge of Sins not sparing to let all know wherein they do amiss and how far they do amisse and what dangers they incur Without fear to loss their Favour though never so valuable to provoke their Indignation though never so Dreadfull to prejudice themselves as to their owne Temporall interests that People being made Sensible which way they do Amisâ—e may know how to prevent Judgment and betake themselves to serious Humiliation and Reformation and this is the greatest Love and Faithfulnesse to Souls and what will in the Isluegain us the greatest Favour and Respect not onely from God but men also when we will not sit still and look on while we see them making hast to undo themselves But throw away all Considerations of our selves and run to save them from Ruine though for our pains at the First we get nothing but ill will and worse words at the best 10ly Knowledge of Providences Nationall domesticall and personall letting them plainly see how God do's appear in his Judgments against Sin and Encourage uprightness with his mercies that so they may lay bold on the Present advantage of Providence while it is fresh in their minds and has the Powerfullest Influence upon the heart to work their Souls up unto a Greater Decestation of iniquity and a more ardent Love of Righteousness Knowledge of these things 1st Ought to be preserued because else the great God will be provoked by mans Sins and so a floudgate let open to all Judgments Precious Souls will be lost Souls better worth then the whole World Souls which Christ counted not too dearly purchased with the price of his own Blood Souls capable of and made for the Enjoyments of God to Eternity will be quite Lost The Nation will be Miserably Distracted by sad devisions which are as well the naturall result of want of Knowledge as the Just Judgment of God upon it 2ly By the Ministers for 1st Who have better Abilities their parts which though they Commend not to God yet none can deny but they make more fit for the Service of God where they are rightly vsed Ordinarily more nimble and solid then others these more enlarged and heightened by education and Converse with the most Understanding Persons Living and the serious most digested thoughts of such as are dead and Further Improved by their own Observation and Experience of their owne hearts and Lives besides that of others whereby they Understand the weakness and Corruption of Nature in its present state the Temptations and Snares which Ordinarily do Occurr the helps which are most vsefull c. 2ly Who have fairer Opportunities they being by the Good Providence of God and the Wisdome and piety of former Ages so competently Provided for that they need not lay out their thoughts time and strength about Providing for themselves and Familys the Necessaries of this Life So that they have more leisure to give themselves up to the studying of and Pursuing after the great things of Eternity and holding out these clearly and distinctly to others engaging them to make sure of them 3ly Whose calling is it but theirs thus to do Others indeed as Christians are obliged to promote Knowledge as far and to preserve it as much as they can without neglect of other Necessary duties which are incumbent on them and which are in the First place to be Considered But who but the Ministers are they whose main work it is whom God the great Master in his Large Family of the World has as it were Comitted the Keyes of Knowledge to take in and lay out as there shall be occasion To whom God as it were has said This is your task Look ye to it my other business I have comitted to the Charge of my other Servants I do not Expect you should trouble your selves with it 3ly This by their Lips for 1st Doctrine is the seed and so more proper to begin a Reformation in the hearts and Lives of People which is most generally wanting 2ly It s more pure Example being Doctrine ripened into some maturity and groweth is not free from it's stubble Chaffe and Tares and few are able to say be ye Followers of me without that Limitation so far as I am of Christ 3ly It s more vniversall Example Reaching unto those few onely with whom we Particularly converse vnless it be by Report which ordinarily makes wrong Representation of every thing 2ly Doctrine rather then writing which do's more Affect dull People more instruct Ignorant People they by reason of their manifold distractions generally being not able to Compose their minds unto a Calm perusall of any Sober Dicourse Vse 1st See the great honour conferred by God himself upon the Minister in that he trusts him with that which is of highest Esteem even with men of the World for who are they allmost that count it not a greater reproach to be called Fool then Knaue yea and that Knowledge too which is of greatest vse of grandest Concernment which is the main Security of Gods Honour and Souls welfare And where are those proud ones then who dare despise such as the King of Heaven is pleased thus to Honour Let others boast of their being keepers of the Liberty of their Country of the Peace of their Country let it be Enough for thee that thou art one of Gods Preservers
the least Intention to do what they hear Men are induced to come to Church for many other ends besides Hearing Some come to see and be seen as many People go to Markets and Fairs not that they have any Business there but they can find nothing to do at home and they have a mind to look about them Thus even Dogs love to be where most company is stirring Others come to please such as they have some Dependance upon and expect some Advantage by whether they be Masters or Parents or Neighbours or Friend It may be these either intreat or command them to come or otherwise Express that it is their Pleasure they should come and they are afraid to incur their Displeasure they would not be frowned upon nor chid nor incur any Inconvenience by not coming yet if they had only themselves to please they had rather sit at home and sleep or drink or play or else go abroad to some Idle People like themselves and spend their time with them in vain Talking Others come for their credits sake that they may not be looked on among sober People as such as are wholly void of all sense of Religion such as have neither Reverence to God nor care of their own Souls such as believe Heaven and Hell to be meerly the Dreams of Melancholique Fools which please themselves with their own dotings or else the Devices of Subtle Politicians to keep simple People within Bounds Others come to save themselves from the Lash of the Law which Requires Peoples attending where they may hear under several Penalties And it may be it would be better for some Souls if these Penalties were more strictly Exacted This might put them upon using those means of Grace which God has provided for them if not for Love of their Souls which the Generality have little sense of and little concern for yet however for Love of their Purses Others come to quiet their Consciences there is in most People an Inward Sense of a Deity which they cannot shake off without offering extreme Violence to the Faculties of their Souls this restlesly puts them upoâ— doing something which may be pleasing to thâ—â—â— God in whose hands themselves their Comfort and their Hopes are Now there are but two things which a awakened Conscience can Expect should finâ— acceptance with God 1st Holiness and Righteousness in the Principles and Practices of them which comprehend under them Faith Love Meekness Lowlinesâ— Patience Resignedness c. With the various Expressions of them 2ly Outward Means which being diligently and Faithfully made use of might through the Influences of the Good Spirit bring unto these Gracious Principles and Practises The First of these considering the degeneracy of our nature are very remote from us and not to be attained without Difficulty The Second are near to us and we may use them in some sort without any Care Toil and Trouble Now those who have some Conscience must have something to quiet it with And those who have but a little Conscience can get it quieted with a small matter and those who are lovers of their own Ease and Pleasure would be 〈…〉 little cost and Trouble with their Conscience as may be Now it is as cheap a way of Pleasing God as can be if it would but serve to give him the hearing as to what he speaks outwardly by his written Word and by his Ministers and when that is done to do what they list Obj. But is it Possible that men should be so Swayed with these Collaterall Inducements to come to hear and not at all be touched with the sense of the Great Inducement which is the Saving of the Soul And sure if they had any regard to that they could not satisfie themselves in Hearing without Doing Ans Indeed we must needs grant this Last that they could not no more than the Patient who is grievously Troubled with a Vexations and Dangerous Malady can rest meerly in hearing what the Physician talks to him without using the Remedies which he prescribes For alass What does it advantage a man to hear of the causes of his Malady or the means of his Recovery if notwithstanding all his hearing he continue afflicted with it as he must do untill he make use of what may help him But yet it is too Ordinary with men to have little sense of the Poverty and Misery the Soul is in little Apprehension of the Danger it is Exposed to they little feel how much it is their Concernment to provide for their Souls and for Eternity whatever become of this Body and its Temporall Life Hence it is that any thing sooner prevails with them to hear than that which should prevail with them They are Carnall Sensual worldly Selfish therefore those Considerations work with them which suit these Principles They know not that their Souls need so much to yield them full and Lasting Satisfaction that which the enjoyment of the choicest Creature Comforts in the greatest fullness and Security can never Promise them They know not that their Souls lies Enslaved to those lusts which they must get compleatly freed from or else it is Impossible they should be happy unto Eternity There can in no wise be any true Peace any true Joy where Pride and Covetousness Envy Wrath and Malice Love of fleshly ease and Pleasure or any one of them or any branch of them are Predominant They know not what great Temptations they lie open to on every hand from without from within from the World from Satan to draw them to Sin to withdraw them from Duty to detain them in those Lusts and Pleasures which they have once given way unto They know not that they can in no wise free themselves from this Poverty Misery and Danger by all their own Policy and power when they have improved them to the utmost to help themselves by them The Grace of God must powerfully put in for their Relief or else they infallibly perish and there is no help for them They know not that it is Gods Ordinary Method to Visit those with his Grace which meet him in the use of those Means he prescribes yet not Expecting from the Means but from God working in them with them and by them Those he Quickens those he strengthens those he Excites he Assists and Directs He never fails to do for those who do the utmost they can for themselves Who have such an earnest desire to be delivered from the Power of their Lusts to be Reclaimed from the Evill of their Ways that they Readily make use of whatever means may help them herein 2ly Others come to hear with some Intention to do what they hear but with no full no settled Intention 1st They come not with a Full Intention something they are willing and ready to do what they can do with ease Credit advantage and Safety but other things they cannot afford to do Iehu will hear the Prophet in whatever he speaks Concerning the