the same Spiritual Family This Affection proceeds from the upper springs of Grace the exercise of it is immediately terminated on Men but ultimately respects the Glory of God for whose sake 't is performed To do good and distribute forget not for with such Sacrifice God is well-pleased In short our Love to God must be supream and for himself our Love to Men and other things only in the degrees he allows and not for themselves but for God who commands to love them as they bear his Image or are instrumental in the performance of our Duty Otherwise we are in danger of being alienated from the Love of God when any person or thing becomes a Temptation to us to do any thing either to obtain or preserve them against his Will But if we love them only for his sake we shall readily part with them as a Snare or offer them as a Sacrifice if his Will requires it As if we love some particular Meat because 't is healthful and not because 't is pleasant upon the first discovery that 't is hurtful we shall reject it The properties of this Love are specified in the Command 1. It must be sincere The Apostle directs Let Love be without dissimulation Love is essentially sincere 't is seated in the Heart and express'd in real actions 't is cordial and operative There is an empty noise of Love and Respects that proceeds from a double Heart not entire and ingenuous Some by fair Promises work and wind Men to obtain their Ends and then slip through them How often are the sincere deceiv'd by the liberal expressions of Love untryed and untrue mistaking a shining Counterfeit for a real Ruby But though the Humane Eye cannot see through the disguise he that commands sincere Love pierces into the Heart and if it be wanting there his Anger burns against the vain pretenders to it Some will seem to grace others with a flourish of words that they may tax them more freely and without suspicion To praise without a ground of real worth is sordid Flattery but to commend with a mischievous intent is the worst Treachery Some will assist the Sick day and night and seem to sympathize with them in their Pains and Sorrows but their design is to obtain a rich Legacy They appear like mourning Doves but are real Vulturs that smell a Carcass to feed on There are others less guilty who esteem empty Complements to be Courtly Decencies and though 't is not their design to be injurious to those whom they caress yet their Love is only from the Tongue which in the Apostle's expression is but a tinkling Cymbal Their pretended Friendship is like Leaf-Gold very extensive but soon worn off for want of depth Others are Mercenaries that like the Heathens do Good to those from whom they receive Good their Love degenerates into Traffick and does not proceed from a Divine Principle Ingenuous and Christian Spirits have not such crooked Inclinations always reflecting upon their own Interest 'T is true Christian Love declares it self in alternate acts of Kindness but is also exercised where there are no such inducements This is to imitate our Heavenly Father who does good to all without any desert in the receivers and beyond all requital Affliction is the Furnace wherein sincere Friends are tryed and discern'd from the deceitful their Afflictions are common their Compassions and cordial assistance are common This is the most certain and significant Character of unfeigned Love not to fail in a calamitous season Job aggravates his Sorrows by this reflection that his Friends dealt deceitfully as Brooks that run in a full stream in Winter when Snow falls and there is no want of refreshing Waters but when 't is hot they are dryed up and vanish We may securely rely on their Friendship who afford us undesir'd supplies in time of trouble The Observation of the wise Philosopher is verified in every Age That Men in a flourishing condition are surrounded with Friends but in an afflicted are forsaken This Consideration should inflame us with a holy ambition of the friendship of God for his sincere Love is most tenderly express'd in our distress The Psalmist enforces his Request by this motive Be not far off for trouble is near 'T is often seen that Men fly from their Acquaintance when the clearest tryal is to be made of their Affection but then the blessed God draws nearest to us and affords Relief and Comfort 2. Our Love must be pure Seeing you have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently The purity of Love either respects the cause of it or the exercise and effects of it The cause of pure Love is the Divine Command and the Divine Pattern set before us The Love of God to Men is a leading Rule to us He loves them according to the resemblance of his imitable Perfections in them and consequently the more holy and heavenly the more righteous and gracious Men are the more they should be endear'd to our Affections This is to love God in them and according to their true lovelyness This is to love them by the impression of that Love wherewith God loves himself Our Saviour tells us They that do his Father's Will are his Brothers Sisters and Mothers There is an impure Love that proceeds from the similitude of vicious Affections and is entertain'd by sinful Society that is fatally contagious The Tempter most forcibly allures when he is least suspected He conceals the Serpents Sting in the Tongue of a Friend The Friendship of the World is contracted and cemented by sensual Lusts and the end of it will be the tormenting the Corrupters and the Corrupted together for ever The exercise and effects of pure Love principally respect the Soul the more excellent and immortal part of our Friends We are commanded to exhort one another while 't is called to day and to provoke one another to love and good works Exhortation includes Instruction and Admonition The giving Counsel how to preserve the Purity and secure the Salvation of the Soul how to prevent Sin or to cure it by the conviction of Conscience when ignorant of its Duty by the excitation of the Affections when cold and sluggish and direction to order the Conversation aright The performance of this Duty is inseparable from pure and unfeigned Love and the neglect of it is an argument of deadly Hatred Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart nor suffer Sin to lye upon him If you discover any prognostick or symptom of a Disease growing in a Friend that threatened his Life what a cruel neglect were it not to advise and urge him to apply the best means for his preservation Much more are we obliged to rectifie the Errors in Judgment and Miscarriages in Conversation which they are guilty of especially since Spiritual
Carnal Men abuse the freeness of Grace to looseness and security and the power of Grace to negligence and laziness Our dependance on God inferrs the use of means to save our Souls Our Saviour commands us to watch and pray that we may not enter into temptation To watch without Prayer is to presume upon our own Strength To pray without Watching is to presume upon the Grace of God The Lord's Prayer is the Rule of our Duty and Desires We are ingag'd by every Petition to co-operate and concur with Divine Grace to obtain what we pray for Naaman presum'd he should be immediately cleansed from his Leprosie by the Prayer of Elisha but he was commanded to go and wash himself in Jordan seven times for his Purification A stream preserves its christal clearness by continual running if its course be stop'd it will stagnate and putrifie The purity of the Soul is preserv'd by the constant exercise of habitual Grace In short we must be jealous of our selves to prevent our being surpriz'd by Sin and continually address to the Throne of Grace for the obtaining Grace and Mercy in time of need and by Faith apply the blood of sprinkling that has a cleansing Efficacy The Death of Christ meritoriously procures the Spirit of Life and Renovation and is the strongest ingagement upon Christians to mortifie those Sins that were the cause of his Agonies and Sufferings 2. The parts of the Duty are to be considered The cleansing us from the Defilements of Flesh and Spirit and the perfecting Holiness 1. The cleansing must be universal as the pollution is We are directed to cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts that we may draw near to God with acceptance 'T is observable that in a general sense all Sins are the works of the Flesh what ever is not divine and spiritual is carnal in the language of Scripture For since the separation of Men from God by the rebellious Sin of Adam the Soul is sunk into a state of Carnality seeking for satisfaction in lower things The two jarring opposite Principles are Flesh and Spirit lusting against one another 'T is as carnal to desire vain Glory or to set the Heart on Riches as to love sensual Pleasures For our Esteem and Love are intirely due to God for his high Perfections and 't is a disparagement to set them on the Creatures as if he did not deserve them in their most excellent degrees Whatever things are below the native worth of the Soul and unworthy of its noblest operations and are contrary to its blessed end defile and vilifie it A more precious Metal mix'd with a baser as Silver with Tin is corrupted and loses of its purity and value But in a contracted sense Sins are distinguish'd some are attributed to the Spirit and some to the Flesh. The Spirit is always the principal agent and sometimes the sole agent in the commission of Sin and the sole subject of it Of this sort are Pride Infidelity Envy Malice c. There are other Sins wherein the Body conspires and concurs in the outward acts They are specified by the Apostle and distinguish'd according to the immediate springs from whence they flow the desiring and the angry Appetites The works of the Flesh are manifest Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like The cleansing from carnal foul Lusts is like the washing one that is fallen into the mire which is a mixture of the two lowest Elements heavy Earth and slippery Water that defile by the touching them The more spiritual Lusts are like the stormy Winds and smoky Fire in which the two higher Elements are contain'd Pride swells the Mind and causes violent agitations in the Thoughts Anger darkens and fires it The Lusts of the Flesh are tenacious by the force of the Imagination when conversant upon Objects presented by the Senses but the Lusts of the Spirit are form'd and wrought in its own forge without the concurrence of the sensual Faculties The Lusts of the desiring Appetite Intemperance and Uncleanness are so polluting that the consciousness of such Crimes will cover the guilty with confusion Of all the debasing titles whereby the Devil is characteriz'd in Scripture none is more vilifying than that of the unclean Spirit This is attributed to him from the general nature of Sin But there is such a notorious turpitude in Lusts grosly carnal that they defile and defame the Sinner in a special manner not only as a Rebel against God but the servant of Corruption The Understanding is the leading supreme Faculty Sense that rules in Beasts should serve in Man Now what does more vilifie him than to be dissolv'd in filthy Pleasures to be drown'd in a sea of Wine than a Life sensual and dissolute drawn out in a continual connexion of dreggy delights Gaming succeeds Feasting the Ball follows the Comedy the Impurities of the Night the Intemperance of the Day Sensual Lusts degrade Men from the nobility of their Nature the dignity of their Condition as if they were all Flesh and had not a spirit of Heavenly original to regulate and restrain their lower Appetites within the limits of Purity and Honour The slaves of Sense are like the beasts that perish He that is a Beast by Choice is incomparably more vile than a Beast by Nature It would infect the Air to speak and pollute the Paper to write their secret Abominations wherein they lye and languish and 't is natural for Men to dye in those Sins wherein they live they seal their own Damnation by Impenitence How difficult the purging of these passions is Experience makes evident The radicated habits of Uncleanness and Intemperance are rarely cur'd 'T is the vain boast of the Roman Philosopher Nobis ad nostrum arbitrium nasci licet but we must first die to our selves before we can be born of our selves the forsaking a sinful Course is necessary antecedently to the ordering the Conversation according to the Rules of Vertue How few instances are there of persons recovered from the practice and bondage of those Lusts by the wise Counsels of Philosophers 'T is in vain to represent to them that sensual Lusts are prolifick of many Evils that Intemperance is pregnant with the Seeds of many Diseases it prepares matter that is inflamable into Fevers 't is attended with the Gout Stone Cholick Dropsie c. which are incomparably more tormenting than the pernicious pleasures of taste are delightful Represent to them the foul progeny of Lasciviousness rottenness in the Body wasting the Estate Infamy to sacrifice what is most valuable for the sake of a vile Woman the wisest Considerations are lost upon them they are too weak a Bridle to check their brutish Lusts. But are not these Lusts easily subdued in Christians who have the advantage of clearer Light stronger Motives and more liberal assistance of Grace to rescue
to what a Man has and not according to what he has not A covetous Man though rich will pretend the smallness of his Estate to excuse and palliate his illiberal giving and makes himself doubly guilty of feigned Poverty and real Avarice in God's sight But a liberal Man deviseth liberal things He duely considers the Circumstances of Persons in want and esteems a just Occasion of Charity to be a golden Opportunity and will be noble and magnificent 2. I will consider the difficulty of the Cure This will be evident from the causes of the Disease and the frequent unsuccessfulness of the means in order to it There is no kind of Sinners more inconvincible and incureable than the Worldly-minded 'T is a Rule without exception those Sins which have the greatest appearance of Reason and the least of Sensuality are the most plausible and prevailing So long as there are remains of Reason in Mankind there will be Modesty and brutish Lusts will expose to Shame The high birth and honourable rank of the unclean cannot varnish and disguise their Impurities but renders them more infamous and odious Besides unless Men are not prodigiously bad if they are not free from Fault they will not defend their Intemperance and Incontinency If there be any spark of Conscience alive it discovers and condemns those Sins and assists a faithful counsellor in their Cure But the Covetous by many fair pretences justifie themselves The Apostle expresses them by the cloke of Covetousness to hide its filthiness They pretend to be frugal but not covetous They alledge the example of those who are reputed wise who prosecute the gains of the World as the main scope of their actions They will tell you 't is necessary Prudence to improve all Opportunities to increase their Estates to secure them from Evils that may happen and to neglect providing for our Families is worse than Infidelity Thus Reason is ingaged to joyn with the Affection From hence the Covetous are not only inamour'd with the unworthy Object but averse from the Cure of the vicious Affection The love of Money smothers the Mind with Ignorance and darkens its serenity that the filthiness of the Sin is indiscernible The Covetous are like Persons sick beyond the sense of their Disease and near Death without feeling the presages of it Besides those corrupt Affections which in their rise and degrees depend upon the humours of the Body that are mutable are sometimes with force and violence carried to their Objects but when the disposition of the Body is altered they flag and distasts succeed But the root and principle of Covetousness is in the Will and when that is depraved 't is diabolical in obstinacy The most fierce and greedy Beasts when they have glutted their ravenous Appetites do not presently seek after new prey but Covetousness like a Dropsie-thirst is inflam'd by drinking and inrag'd by increasing Riches And whereas other vicious desires are weakened and broke by tract of time Covetousness derives new life and vigour from age The thoughts and affections of the Covetous are never more deeply tainted with the Earth than when they draw near to their fatal period and their Bodies must be resolved into their original Elements 2. The difficulty of the Cure is evident from the inefficacy of the means used to effect it The Divine Authority of the Scripture the clearest Reason the plainest Experience are often used in vain to reform the Covetous Of a thousand Persons in whom Covetousness is the regent Lust scarce ten are cleansed and changed from covetous to be liberal 1. The Word of God has no commanding perswasive power upon them The Word declares that Covetousness is Idolatry for it deposes God and places the World the Idol of Mens Heads and Hearts in his Throne It deprives him of his Regalia his Royal Prerogatives which he has reserved to himself in the Empire of the World He is infinitely jealous of our transferring them to the Creature Our highest Adoration and Esteem our Confidence and Trust our Love and Complacency our Dependance and Observance are entirely and essentially due to him Who in the Heaven can be compared to the Lord Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to him Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire in comparison of thee The Lord is my portion saith my Soul The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous fly to it and are safe Behold as the eyes of Servants look to the hands of their Masters so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have Mercy upon us These Scriptures are declarative of those eternal respects that are due to God from reasonable Creatures and he is highly dishonoured and displeased when they are alienated from him Now the Covetous deifie the World The rich Man's Riches are his strong City and as an high Wall in his imagination He will trust God no farther than according to visible supplies and means He takes not God for his strength but trusts in the abundance of his Riches His Heart is possessed and polluted with the love of the World and God is excluded Therefore we are commanded not to love the VVorld nor the things of it If any Man love the VVorld the love of the Father is not in him He is provok'd to Jealousie the most severe and sensible Attribute by the coldness of Mens Love From hence it appears how this comprehensive Sin is injurious to God The Psalmist tells us that the Covetous are not only the objects of God's Anger but abhorrence Thus he brands them The covetous whom the Lord abhors The words are of the most heavy signification If his Loving-kindness be better than Life his Hatred is worse than Death 'T is the root of all Evil in Persons of all conditions civil and sacred This bribes those that are in the Seat of Judgment to clear the guilty and which is a bolder Crime to condemn the innocent Of this there is recorded a cruel and bloody Instance in the death of Naboth occasioned by Ahab's Covetousness This corrupts the Preachers of the Word to speak to the Lusts not the Consciences of Men upon whom they have a servile dependance And as the Spirit of Delusion is never more the Spirit of Delusion than under the appearance of an Angel of Light so his Ministers are never more his Ministers than when they pervert the Word of God to support sinful Practices by corrupt Principles Covetousness makes Men faint and false in the time of tryal They will save the World with the loss of their Souls In short it was the impulsive cause of a Sin of the greatest Guilt that ever was committed in betraying the Son of God and his suffering the most cruel and ignominious Death A Sin never to be expiated but by the Flames that shall consume this World the place wherein he suffered Covetousness excludes all in whom
Mercy He that sows bountifully shall reap bountifully Charity is a productive Grace that enriches the giver more than the receiver Honour the Lord with thy substance and the first fruits of thy increase so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy Presses burst out with new Wine He that gives to the Poor lends to the Lord He signs himself our Debtor for what is laid out for him and he will pay it with Interest not only with Eternal Treasures hereafter but in outward Blessings here Riches obtain'd by regular means are the effects and effusions of his Bounty but sometimes by admirable ways he gives a present Reward as by his own Hand As there are numerous Examples of God's blasting the Covetous either by a gangrene in their Estates that consumes them before their Eyes or by the Luxury and Profuseness of their Children so 't is as visible he prospers the Merciful sometimes by a secret Blessing dispensed by an invisible Hand and sometimes in succeeding their diligent Endeavours in their Callings But 't is objected the Liberal are not always prosperous To this a clear Answer may be given 1. External Acts of Charity may be performed from vicious motives without a mixture of internal Affections which make them accepted of God 2. Supposing a Christian abounds in Works of Charity and is not rewarded here this special Case does not infringe the truth of God's Promise for Temporal Promises are to be interpreted with an exception unless the Wisdom and Love of God sees it better not to bestow them But he always rewards them in kind or eminently in giving more excellent Blessings The Crown of Life is a reward more worthy the desires of a Christian than the things of this World Our Saviour assures the young Man Sell all and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven Eternal Hopes are infinitely more desirable than Temporal Possessions The Apostle charges the Rich to do good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up for themselves a good foundation not of merit but assurance against the time to come laying hold of Eternal Life If I could direct the Covetous how to exchange a weight of Silver for an equal weight of Gold or a weight of Gold for an equal weight of Diamonds how attentively would they hear and earnestly follow such profitable Counsel But what comparison is there between Earthly and Heavenly Treasures Godliness of which the Grace of Charity is an excellent part is profitable for all things it makes our Profit eternally profitable 'T is the Wisdom as well as Duty of Believers to lay up Treasures not on Earth the Land of their Banishment but in the Coelestial Country the Place of their Nativity CHAP. III. Pride considered in its nature kinds and degrees It consists in an immoderate Appetite of Superiority 'T is Moral or Spiritual Arrogance Vain-glory and Ambition are branches of it A secret undue conceit of our own Excellencies the inordinate desire of Praise the aspiring after high Places and Titles of Honour are the effects of Pride Spiritual Pride considered A presuming upon self-fufficiency to obtain Mens Ends A relyance upon their own direction and ability to accomplish their Designs Sins committed with design and deliberation are from Insolence A vain Presumption of the goodness of Mens Spiritual Estates Pride is in the front of those Sins that God hates Pride is odious in the sight of Men. The difficulty of the Cure apparent from many Considerations The proper means to allay the Tumour of Pride 4. PRide of Life is join'd with the Lusts of the Flesh and the Lust of the Eyes Pride destroyed both Worlds it transformed Angels into Devils and expelled them from Heaven it degraded Man from the honour of his Creation into the condition of the Beasts that perish and expell'd him from Paradise I will consider the nature several kinds and degrees of it and the means to purge us from it The nature of this Vice consists in an irregular and immoderate appetite of Superiority and has two parts The one is the affectation of Honour Dignity and Power beyond their true value and worth the other is the arrogating them as due to a person beyond his just desert The kinds of it are Moral and Spiritual which are sometimes concealed in the Mind and Will but often declar'd in the Aspect and Actions Accordingly 't is either Arrogance that attributes an undue preheminence to a Mans self and exacts undue respects from others or Vain-glory that affects and is fed with Praise or Ambition that hotly aspires after high Places and Titles of Precedency and Power All which are comprised in the universal name of Pride 1. Pride includes a secret conceit of our own Excellencies which is the root of all its branches Self love is so natural and deeply impress'd in the Heart that there is no Flatterer more subtle and conceal'd more easily and willingly believ'd than this Affection Love is blind towards others and more towards ones self Nothing can be so intimate and dear as when the Lover and the Person beloved are the same This is the Principle of the high Opinion and secret Sentiments Men entertain of their own special worth The Heart is deceitful above all things and above all things deceitful to it self Men look into the inchanting glass of their own Fancies and are vainly enamour'd with the false reflection of their excellencies Self love hinders the sight of those Imperfections which discovered would lessen the liberal esteem of themselves The Soul is a more obscure Object to its Eye than the most distant Stars in the Heavens Seneca tells of some that had a strange Infirmity in their Eyes that where-ever they turn'd they encountered the visible moving image of themselves Of which he gives this Reason It proceeds from the weakness of the visive Faculty that for want of Spirits derived from the Brain cannot penetrate through the diaphonous Air to see Objects but every part of the Air is a reflecting glass of themselves That which he conjectured to be the cause of the Natural Infirmity is most true of the Moral the Subject of our Discourse 'T is from the weakness of the Mind that the judicative Faculty does not discover the worth of others but sees only a Man's self as singular in Perfections and none superiour or equal or near to him A proud Man will take a rise from any advantage to foment Pride Some from the perfections of the Body Beauty or Strength some from the circumstance of their Condition Riches or Honour and every one thinks himself sufficiently furnish'd with Understanding For Reason being the distinguishing excellency of a Man from the Brutes a defectiveness in that is very disgraceful and the title of Fool the most stinging reproach as is evident by our Saviour's gradation Whoever is angry with his Brother without a cause is liable to Judgment whoever says racha
from the Curse of the Law he intercepted the heavy stroke of Vengeance that had sunk us into the Centre of Sorrows and restor'd us to the Favour and Fruition of God Our Misery was extreme and without End if Misery though intolerable has a determin'd issue the passing of every day lessens it but if it be above all Patience to endure and without Hope of Remission or Release this thought strikes deadly inward A Brute has some Memory of past pains and a feeling of present but no apprehension of future pains 't is the woful Prerogative of the Reasonable Nature to exasperate the sense of Misery by the foresight of its continuance and to feel the weight of Eternity every Moment Lost Souls are dead to all the vital sweetness of Being to all sense of Happiness and live to the quickest feeling of Misery for ever Our Rescue from this Misery is more affecting if we consider that without our Saviour's interposing our state was desperate to pass from death to life is a double life We are translated from the guilty wretched state of Rebels into the blessed state of the Children of God and are Heirs of Eternal Glory The duration is as valuable as the Felicity and doubles the Gift Immortality and Immutability are inseparable in Heaven God has made all his Goodness to pass before us in our Salvation Goodness how amiable how attractive and endearing To dye for another is the most noble kind of Love but there are degrees in that kind to die for an Enemy for a Rebel is the highest degree of that Love Now the Son of God assum'd to the Supreme Excellencies of the Divine Nature the tender Infirmities of the Humane Nature that he might be a propitiatory Sacrifice for our Sins In this God commended his love to us that when we were Sinners he gave his Son to die for us Astonishing Love it passes all understanding The Jews askt our Saviour with wonder how is it that thou being a Man makest thy self God We may imagine with equal wonder how being the Son of God he descended from the Throne of Majesty in heaven and stoop'd so low as to become Man St. Peter illuminated by divine Revelation Confest Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God But presently after when our Saviour foretold that he must go to Jerusalem and be kill'd there Peter began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee this shall not come unto thee He could not conceive how such distant and discordant extremes as the Son of the Living God and Death could meet in Christ but his love to us united them A Love above all comparison but with the love of his Father to us In the Sacrifice of Isaac there was a faint resemblance of this Abraham carried the Knife and the Fire and Isaac carried the Wood and himself the Sacrifice and with equal steps they ascended the Mount A Type of the concurrent Love of the Divine Persons to us in the process of Christ's Sufferings The Father laid upon him the iniquity of us all surely he has born our griefs and endur'd our sorrows Admirable Excess of Love The Father gave up his innocent and only Son the bright Image of his Glory to Cruel Sufferings This Immaculate Lilly was pierced with Thorns The Son gave such Life for us as no Creature can give and suffer'd such a Death for us as no Creature can suffer He descended to our lowest Misery to raise us to the highest degrees of Happiness Who can resist the force of these Reflections It may seem that only the Reprobates in Hell that have sinn'd beyond the intended vertue and application of his Sufferings can be unaffected with them From hence this Corollary regularly follows that 't is our Duty to consecrate our highest Esteem and Love to our Redeemer Supreme Love is due to Supreme Excellencies and for the greatest Benefits In our Saviour all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid and all the Treasures of Grace and Mercy are open'd to inrich us What Indignity what Ingratitude is it to be coldly affected to him who by the dearest Titles infinitely deserves our love How unreasonable and unnatural is it to look upon him with an indifferent Eye who died for us and whom the Angels continually behold in a double extasie of Admiration and Joy 'T is most just that our Love should ascend to him in thankfulness as his descended to us in benefits But our Poverty must excuse the not entire payment of our Immense Debt and our fervent desires to love him better If we content our selves with luke-warm Affections 't is most dishonourable to him the coldness of Love as well as the heat of Enmity is very provoking to our Saviour It should be our constant practise by discursive and reflexive Meditation to increase the holy heat of our Affections to Christ. He requires a love of Judgment and Choice The love of Natural Inclination is indeliberate without Counsel and needs no Excitations the stream runs downward freely But love to Christ is Supernatural both with respect to the Object and the quality of the Affection The Love of God is the principal obligation of the Law and the principal Duty of the reasonable and renewed Creature the most just and amiable Duty yet so monstrous is the depravation of the humane Nature that Divine Grace is requisite to recover its Life and Liberty The preventing pleasures of Sin possess the Soul We must therefore earnestly Pray that the Holy Spirit would illuminate our Minds and direct us in the Love of God that he will purifie our Affections and raise them to Heaven The Exercise of our Thoughts is too weak and faint to make indelible impression of Love in our Hearts Love is an eminent Fruit of the Spirit The love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the holy Spirit given to us There is a strong tide of Sensual Desires that carries us downward which we cannot stem without the gales of the Spirit to make our way to Christ. But 't is inconsistent with the Wisdom and Will of God for Men to expect an Inspiration from Heaven and neglect the proper means the considering the powerful Incentives of Love to our Redeemer his alluring Excellency and unvaluable Benefits St. Paul declares The Love of Christ constrains us for we thus judge if one dyed for all then wereall dead and that he died for all that they might live to him If all be not cold and dead within this will increase the sacred Fire and inflame the Affections But as the light of the Sun diffus'd in the Air fires nothing but the Beams contracted in a Glass kindle proper Matter so the considering of the common Salvation will not be so affecting nor so warm and soften the Heart as the serious applicative Thoughts of it to our selves the Apostle expresses it Who loved me and gave himself for me The appropriating by a clear Faith
By inquiring whether we are proceeding to Perfection 2. Propound Directions how we should follow it 1. I shall lay down some Rules whereby we may discern whether we are proceeding to Perfection 'T is requisite to premise there may be an easie mistake in the Judgment about the truth and strength of Grace in Mens Souls Indeed there are clear and plain Rules in Scripture to judge of our Spiritual State but the dark and crooked Hearts of Men misapply them Carnal Men are apt to mistake Presumption for Faith and think the bolder they are in presuming without a Promise the stronger they are in believing They mistake a fruitless sorrow for Sin to be Repentance They sin and repent and after Repentance they sin and walking in a circle of Repentings and Relapsings take not one step towards Heaven But real Saints are often complaining of their want of Grace and condemning themselves for their not improving the Means of Grace Their desires are ardent and ascending to Perfection and they judge of their defects by that Measure He that Sails before the Wind in a River and sees men walking on the Shore to his Eye they seem to stand still because of the swift motion of the Boat Thus the Saints judge of their Imperfections by the swiftness of their desires after compleat Holiness I shall lay down two general Rules of Trial concerning growth in Grace and proceed to particular discoveries 1. The Vanquisting of Sin is a certain indication of the Power of Grace During the present Life from its first rise to its last fall the Corruption of Nature in some degrees remains in the Saints The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that we cannot do the things we would Now the strength of Sin is discover'd by the readiness of the heart to a Temptation Some are entangled at the first sight of a pleasant Object The Tempter needs not raise a battery against them for the treacherous Party within opens the Gates of the Senses to receive his Temptations Others though unrenewed by Sanctifying Grace yet there is in them such a resistance between the Law of the Mind and the Law of the Members such a conflict between Conviction and Corruption that they resolve to forsake Sin and by Restraining Grace are in some Instances kept from doing it but ordinarily when Temptations are very inviting they consent and commit Sin Nay the Saints are sometimes surpriz'd and soil'd by the Tempter David by a sudden glance was overcome and fell into a Sin of a very foul Nature Petâ—â— at the challenge of a Servant denied his Master and was almost frozen to death with Fear 'till the compassionate Eye of our Saviour warm'd and melted him into tears of Repentance To prevent Mistakes it must be consider'd that the ceasing from the acts of Sin does not always proceed from victorious Grace In the absence of alluring Objects there is a ceasing from the vicious acts but the sinful Affections may be then most intense as Hunger is more sharp in a time of Famine when there is no Food to satisfie it and Thirst in a Wilderness where there are no Springs or Fruits to refresh it is more burning and tormenting Sometimes through Impotence or Age Men are disabled from doing the Sin they still Love As a Disease causes such a distast of pleasing Meats and Drinks that an intemperate Person is forced to abstain from them Sometimes a Man from his Constitution may be averse from a particular lust without a Spiritual Change in the Heart Some are frightned from Sin by the Terrors of Conscience they dare not drink the pleasant Wines from an abhorrence of the dregs at the bottom and others are allur'd from a Sin by a new Temptation But Spiritual Mortification consists in this the Carnal Affections are Spiritualiz'd Sensual Love is fastâ—ed upon the Beauty of Holiness Covetous Desires change their Objects and are ardent after the Treasures of Heaven and the dearest Lusts are kill'd Now the more easie frequent and clear the victory over Sin is in proportion Grace is advanc'd in the Soul and its power is seen Every Renewed Person is a Soldier under the illuminating Conduct and Empire of the Spirit and acquires new strength by every new Victory over the Carnal part Sometimes the Carnal Appetite so strongly sollicits the Will to consent to a proposal that 't is wavering and although the Inclination does not proceed to the act of Sin and the Conception be Abortive the Victory is then imperfect and oâ—tain'd with difficulty There are lingering Inclinations still woâ—king in our Hearts towards present and sensible things but when Grace is in the Throne it enables a Man freely and readily to resist those enticing Objects that ravish the Carnal Affections We have an admirable Instance of this in Joseph when tempted to Folly by his Mistress he presently and constantly rejected her Importunity and repeated Sollicitations and as Paul easily shook the Viper from his Hand into the Fire without hurt so he preserved his Purity untainted This argued the dominion Grace had over the sensual Appetite The more frequent our prevalency over Temptations is argues the strength of Sin is broken and the firmer radication and vigour of the Divine Nature As the house of Saul grew weaker every day the house of David grew stronger As the old Man decays the new Man increases in strength The more compleat the victory is over Sin the more clear indication we have of the power of Grace The compleatness either implies the extent of the victory over the whole body of Sin all the Lusts of the desiring and angry Appetites when no Sin is indulged though pleasant and profitable and though it may seem never so small for the Command of God is strict and severe against every Sin as it was against the Amalekites all must be destroyed Indeed no Sin is truly subdued but all are in some degrees mortified Or the compleatness of the victory implies not only the abstaining from the outward act but the mortifying of the inward Affections the first seeds of Sin In short the excellent degree of Grace is most evident in destroying the select and superiour Lust that leads and animates many other as the honour and greatness of a Victory is from the strength of the Enemy that is vanquished And the power of Grace is discovered in securing us from being foil'd by sudden unexpected Temptations We read of the Tempter He came to our Saviour but found nothing in him and could not fasten any impression on him 'T is true 't is morally impossible to attain to this Perfection to be always watchful in this state of frail Flesh then militant Holiness would be triumphant But it should be our earnest endeavour to be so fortified by holy Resolutions and so vigilant that though we are surrounded by innumerable Enemies we may not be surprised by them The present reward of subduing Carnal Lusts exceeds all
brings to our remembrance the Death of Christ in that lively Sacramental Representation and seals the pardoning Mercy of God to our Souls and conveys all the precious Fruits of it to us A lively Faith on our suffering Saviour makes him ours by an intimate and inseparable union and fruition We dwell in him and he in us How many drooping Souls have been raised how many wounded Spirits have been healed how many cloudy Souls have been inlightened in that Ordinance Here the comforting Spirit breaths our Saviour shews his reviving Countenance God speaks Peace to his People A Believer tasts the hidden Manna and the Love of Christ that is sweeter than Wine The bruised Reed becomes a strong Pillar in the Temple of God the smoaking Flax is cherish'd into a purer and more pleasant Light than springs from the Sun in its brightness 3. Love to Christ is increas'd by partaking of this Ordinance wherein his bloody Death is represented Greater Love could not be express'd than in his dying for us and lesser Love could not have saved us from perishing for ever He dyed not only to satisfie his Father's Justice but his own Love to us 'T is said by the Prophet He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied The travel of his Soul implies his Affection and Affliction the strength of his Love and his immense Sorrows Now nothing is more repugnant to the Principle so deeply engraven in Humane Nature than not to return Love for Love Our Saviour by the dearest titles deserves our Love not only for his high Perfections but his deep Sufferings He was without Form and Comeliness in the Eyes of the Carnal VVorld when disfigured by his Sufferings But can he be less lovely in his Sufferings wherein he declar'd his dearest Love Astonishing Love appeared in his dying Countenance flam'd in his quenched Eyes flowed from his pierced Side To a spiritual Eye he is as amiable with his Crown of Thorns as with his Crown of Glory Our Love to Christ like Fire out of its sphere must be preserved by renewing its Fewel or it will decline Now there is nothing more proper to feed it than Christ's Love to us and in this Ordinance the sacred Fire is maintained The Eye affects the Heart The mournings the longings and delights of Love are most sensible in spiritual Communion with our Saviour at this Feast The inflamed Spouse in a Rapture of Admiration and Complacency breaks forth I am my beloved's and he is mine St. Paul who was rap'd up to the third Heavens and heard unspeakable things declares Christ crucified to be the most excellent Object of his Knowledge his most precious Treasure and dearest Joy 'T is true the carnal receiver of the Elements is a stranger to this Love and Joy that is only felt by Faith and Experience There are many Christians in title that never felt any vital emanations from Christ in this Ordinance The most content themselves with Sacramental Communion without Spiritual and feel no correspondent Affections to his extream Sufferings for us But if there be a spark of Life in the Soul if all be not cold and dead within the remembrance of Christ's bleeding and dying Love will inexpressibly endear him to us Now our Sanctification was a principal end of his Death The Apostle declares that Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of the water and by the word That he might present to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Can we allow any Sin in our Hearts and Lives and defeat the design of his Love and disparage the vertue of his Sufferings Can we endure any Sin to reign in us that was the cause of his Death so full of Ignominy and Torment He has declared how precious our Sanctification is in his esteem 't is one of the richest Veins in the whole Mine of Grace and can we slight it Can we imagine that his Death obtain'd for us an impure Indulgence for our Lusts when the end of it was our absolute Purity Can we content our selves with low degrees of Holiness when he paid so dear a Price for our Perfection The comfortable assurance that he was crucified for us arises from our being crucified with him to all the Vanities of the world Indeed the external receiving this Ordinance is not beneficial to an Unbelieveâ— no more than that the setting a Feast before a dead Body that is uncapable of feeding and nourishment Men must believe before they can receive spiritual nourishment by it and have the Life of Grace before they can feed on the Bread of Life But the unfeigned Believer finds his inward Man renewed by it I will add to what has been said that in this Ordinance the Covenant of the Gospel is sealed by the contracting Parties God ratifies his Promise of Grace and we seal our Duty of Obedience 'T is true we are bound by an antecedent right and higher obligation than our own consent the Command of God binds us to take this Covenant and to keep it We are bought with a price and are not our own Now if the Blood of the Son of God be our Ransom from the bondage of Sin and Death and we in the Sacrament partake of his Blood and by that solemn Right dedicate our selves to him That whether we live we live to the Lord or whether we dye we dye to him how constraining is this to make us diligent in accomplishing the sacred ends of Christ's Institution How just is it that since he dyed for our Salvation we should live to his Glory and when we renew our Right in the Blessings of the Covenant we should sincerely renew our Obligations to the Duties of it If after our holy Engagement we renounce our Allegiance to our Prince and Saviour by entertaining his Enemies the Lusts of the Flesh we incur a double Guilt not only by transgressing the Law of God but by violating our Oath of Fidelity and double Guilt will bring double Damnation That the renewing our Coâ—â—â—ant aâ— the Lord's Supper may be more effectual let us consider 1. That holy Resolutions and Engagements are the immediate Principle of Obedience Till the Convictions of our Duty are wrought into Resolutionâ— they are of no efficacy 2. They must proceed from the dâ—liberate Judgment and determin'd Will. The Apostle declares The love of Chriâ—â— constrains us we thus judge if one dyed for all then were all dead and the consequence is strong that we should live 〈◊〉 him who dyed for us Empty valleitâ—â—â— are no volitions faint and waveâ—â—â—â— Purposes have no force Believers aâ—â— exhorted with full purpose of Hâ—art 〈◊〉 â—leave to the Lord. 3. The renewing our holy Engaâ—â—ments are very necessary for perseveraâ—â—â— in our Duty Our Hearts are false 〈◊〉 foolish and apt to fly from God thâ—â— are as changable
't is predominant from the Kingdom of Heaven Lazarus may as soon be expelled from Abraham's Bosom as a covetous Man may be received into it Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God A covetous Wretch is in as direct a progress to Damnation as the most notorious Sinners guilty of the most filthy Lusts natural and unnatural Did Men believe and prize Heaven how would this terrible denuntiation strike them through But what Tongue has so keen an edge as to cut a passage through Rocks the hardned Hearts of the Covetous The Word cannot enter into the Conscience and Conversation of the Earthly-minded If you discourse to them of Righteousness and Judgment to come they are not at leisure to hear or will not attend Tell them of another World when they are ready to be expell'd from this present World We have a most convincing Instance of inefficacy of Divine Instruction upon the Covetous Our Saviour directed his Auditory to the best use of Riches in doing Good to the Saints in their Wants that after death they might be introduced into everlasting habitations And 't is said that the Pharisees who were covetous heard all these things and derided him They were fix'd in their Principles and resolutions to increase and secure their Wealth They had their Religion in numerato Gain was their Godliness and were so strongly conceited of their own Wisdom that they despised the Authority Counsel and Love of the Son of God 2. The love of Money discovered in the heaping up Riches and the tenacious humour in keeping them is directly contrary to the clearest Reason and perfectly vain The notion of Vanity consists either in the change and inconstancy of things or when they have not reasonable and worthy ends In both respects Covetousness is Vanity For the Object of that Passion is the present World the sphere of mutability and the immoderate Care and Labour to obtain and preserve it is not for a solid substantial but a mere imaginary Good In this sense the most beautiful Colours were there no Eyes to see them and the sweetest Sounds were there no Ears to hear them are Vanities According to this Rule the greedy desire of Riches for Riches sake which is the most proper notion of Avarice is the most unreasonable and vain Affection for it has no end The Apostle tells us that an Idol is nothing in the World the matter of it may be Gold or Silver but it has nothing of a Deity in it He that worships it worships an Object not only most unworthy of Adoration but which has no Existence but in the fancy of the Idolater So he that loves Money for it self sets his Affection upon an end that has no Goodness but in his foolish imagination and consequently is no true and valuable end This will be evident by considering there is a double end to which Humane Actions should be directed the particular immediate end and the universal last end The particular end to which Reason directs iâ— acquiring Money is to supply us with Necessaries and Conveniencies in the present state and this is lawful when our Care and Labour to obtain it are not inordinate nor immoderate Fruition gives Life and Sweetness to Possession Solomon observes with a severe Reflection There is one of whose Labour there is no end who is not satisfied with Riches neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good this is also vanity and sore travel If one has a Cabinet full of Pearls and has not a Heart to make use of them 't is all one as if it were full of Cherry-stones For there is no true value in the possession but in order to the true and noble use of them This draws so deep of Folly that 't is amazing that reasonable Men should love Money for it self but the Covetous have reprobate Minds without Judgment and discerning Faculties without using them 2. The universal and last end of our Actions consists in the eternal enjoyment of God Now the possession of the whole World is of no advantage toward the obtaining future Happiness Nay it deprives Men of Heaven both as the love of the World-binds their Hands from the exercise of Charity and as it alienates their Hearts from the love of God The present World cannot afford Perfection or Satisfaction to an immortal Spirit 1. Not Perfection The Understanding is the highest Faculty in Man and raises him above the order of sensible Creatures and this is exceedingly debased by over-valuing Earthly things Indeed Sense and Fancy that cannot judge aright of Objects and Actions if they usurp the Judgment-seat the Riches of this World appear very goodly and inestimable There is no Lust more degrades the eternal Soul of Man from the nobility of its Nature than Covetousness For the Mind is denominated and qualified from the Objects upon which it is conversant Now when Mens thoughts are groveling on the Earth as if there were no spark of Heaven in them when their main designs and contrivances are to amass Riches they become Earthly and infinitely fall short of their original and end 2. Riches cannot give Satisfaction to the Soul upon the account of their vast disproportion to its Spiritual Nature and Capacity and Eternal Duration You may as reasonably seek for Paradise under the Icy Poles as for full Contentment in Riches The Kingdoms of the World with all their Treasures if actually possess'd cannot satisfie the Eye much less the Heart There is no suitableness between a spiritual substance and earthly things The Capacity of the Soul is as vast is its Desires which can only be satisfied with Good truly infinite But carnal Men in a delusive Dream mistake shadows for substance and thin appearances for realities Besides the fashion of this World passes away Riches take wings and like the Eagle fly to Heaven or the Possessors of them fall to the Earth The Soul can only be satisfied in the fruition of a Good as everlasting as its own duration In short the Favour of God the renewed Image of God in the Soul and Communion with him are the Felicity of reasonable Creatures 3. The plainest Experience does not convince the Covetous of their Folly and correct them 'T is universally visible that Riches cannot secure Men from Miseries and Mortality They are like a Reed that has not strength to support but sharpness to wound any one that rests on it Earthly Treasures cannot secure us from the Anger of God nor the Violence and Fraud of Men. How often are fair Estates ravishd from the Owners But suppose they are continued here to the Possessor they are not Antidotes against the malignity of a Disease they cannot purchase a priviledge to exempt the Rich from Death And is he truly rich that must be deprived of his Treasures
Contemplation of its Goodness and Equity constrains the Mind to assent to it From hence we may infallibly inferr that the radical difference and distinguishing character between a Saint and one in the state of polluted Nature is the affection of Love with respect to its objects and degrees Love to God as our sovereign Happiness is the immediate Cause of our Conversion and Re-union with him Love to vicious Objects or when with an intemperate current it descends to things not deserving its ardent degrees alienates the Heart from God Holiness is the order of Love The excellency of holy Love will appear in the following Considerations 1. Love has the supremacy among all the Graces of the Spirit This in the most proper sense is the Fire our Saviour came to kindle on the Earth The Apostle declares that Charity is greater than Faith and Hope which are Evangelical Graces of eminent usefulness For 1. 'T is the brightest part of the Divine Image in us God is Love 'T is the most adequate Notion of the Deity and more significant of his blessed Nature than any other single Attribute The most proper and honourable Conception we can form of the Deity is Love directed by infinite Wisdom and exercised by infinite Power Faith and Hope cannot be ascribed to God they imply imperfection in their Nature and necessarily respect an absent Object Now all things are present to the Knowledge of God and in his Power and Possession But Love is his Essential Perfection the productive Principle of all Good Love transforms us into his likeness and infuses the divinest temper into the Soul In the acts of other Graces we obey God in the acts of Love we imitate him This may be illustrated by its contrary There are Sins of various kinds and degrees Spiritual and Carnal Spiritual such are Pride malignant Envy irreconcilable Enmity delight in Mischief which are the proper Characters of the Devil and denominate Men his natural Sons Carnal Sins which the Soul immerst in Flesh indulges all riotous Excesses Intemperance Incontinence and the like of which a meer Spirit is not capable denominates Men the Captives and Slaves of Satan Now Spiritual Sins induce a greater guilt and deeper pollution than Carnal The exacter resemblance of the evil one makes sinful Men more odious to God 2. Love is more extensive in its influence than Faith and Hope their operations are confin'd to the Person in whom they are The Just lives by his own Faith and is saved by his own Hope without communicating Life and Salvation to others But 't is the spirit and perfection of Love to be beneficial to all Love comforts the afflicted relieves the indigent directs those who want Counsel 'T is the vital cement of Mankind In the Universe Conversation and reciprocal Kindness is the Blood and Spirits of Society and Love makes the circulation 3. Love gives value and acceptance to all other Gifts and Graces and their operations The Apostle tells us Though I have the gift of Prophestes and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge though I have all Faith and could remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my Goods to feâ—d the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Without Charity Faith is but a dead assent Hope is like a Tympany the bigger it grows the more dangerous it proves The most diffusive Beneficence without Love is but a sacrifice to Vanity 'T is not the richness of the Gift but the love of the giver that makes it accepted and rewarded in Heaven The Widows two Mites cast into the Treasury of the Temple were of more value in our Saviour's account than the rich Offerings of others For she gave her Heart the most precious and comprehensive Gift with them The giving our Bodies to be burned for the truth and glory of the Gospel is the highest expression of Obedience which the Angels are not capable of performing yet without Charity Martyrdom is but a vain-glorious blaze and the sealing the Truth with our Blood is to seal our Shame and Folly Sincere Love when it cannot express it self in suitable effects has this priviledge to be accepted in God's sight as if it were exuberant and evident in outward actions for God accepts the Will for the Deed If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a Man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. Love is the perfection of the Law the sum and substance of every Precept All particular Duties though distinguished in the matter are united in Love as their principle and centre St. Austin observes That all other Vertues Piety Prudence Humility Chastity Temperance Fortitude are Love diversified by other names Liberal Love gives supplies to the Poor patient Love forgives Injuries Love is the end and perfection of the Gospel Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Some restrain the word Commandment to the Law thinking that the Gospel is only compounded of Promises But they misunderstand the difference between the two Covenants 'T is not in that the one commands and the other does not command but in the nature of the Duties commanded The Law commands to do for the obtaining of Life the Gospel commands to believe for Salvation This is the command of God that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the Apostle used for the Doctrine of the Gospel As the end of a Science or Art is the perfection of the Understanding in those things which are the proper subject of the Science The end of Philosophy is Knowledge and Moral Vertue the end of Rhetorick is Eloquence Thus the end of the Gospel the Divine Doctrine of our Salvation is Love a Coelestial Perfection Faith in the redeeming Mercy of God is the product of the Gospel not of the Law and Love is the end of Faith Now the end is more excellent than the means to obtain it In this respect Love is greater than Faith Briefly Love is stil'd the Bond of Perfection as it unites and consummates other Graces comprehends and fastens them Love to God draws forth all the active powers of the Soul in Obedience He that with a full and fervent Will applyes himself to his Duty will more easily pleasantly and exactly perform it The Love of God will form the Soul into a more entire conformity to his Nature and obedience to his Law and raise it to a greater eminency of Holiness than the clearest knowledge of all Precepts and Rules can do 4. Love never fails The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are dispensed and continued according to our different states Some are necessary in the present state of the Church with respect to our Sins and Troubles from which there is no perfect freedom here Repentance is
a Duty of constant revolution for while we are cloathed with frail Flesh in many things we offend all He is the best Saint who seldom falls and speedily rises What Tertullian said of himself is applicable to all We are born for Repentance What is more becoming a Christian while so many defects and defilements cleave to him than a mournful sense of them This in our dying Hours will make our Redeemer more precious to us and our relyance upon his Merits and Mediation more comfortable Repentance should accompany us to the Gates of Heaven But Repentance ceases for ever when there is entire Innocence Faith is as necessary as Life for we are justified by it from the Condemnation of the Law But in the future state there is no use of it for in Heaven all Sins are pardoned and in Hell no Sins are forgiven Faith gives us the prospect of Heaven Hope waits for it but Love alone takes the possession Faith reslgns to fruition Hope vanishes in the Enjoyment of our desir'd Happiness but Love is in its Exaltation The Graces requisite for our Militant State are Spiritual Armour the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Hope and when our Warfare is ended they are useless But Love and Peace and Joy are Robes suitable to our Triumphant State 'T is true there are some acts of Love that suppose Want and Misery as acts of Bounty and Compassion for there are no Objects in Heaven to whom they may be express'd Perfect Happiness excludes all Evil. But Love in its Nature implies no Imperfection and is Eternal as the Soul the Subject in whom it Reigns and as God and the Blessed Spirits the Objects upon whom 't is Conversant In Heaven 't is more pure and refin'd Here the Love of God takes its rise from the Love of our selves there 't is principally for the amiable Excellencies inherent in himself Here the Love of the Saints is not absolutely pure but in Heaven whatever is desireable in Love is continued and what is Carnal and defiling is purg'd away The smoaky Fire is chang'd into a Spiritual Flame The Acts of it are more intense and the Exercise is without interruption In Heaven the Saints are enlightned with Knowledge from the Father of Lights and inflam'd with Love from God who is Love the more fully he is enjoy'd the more fervently he is loved Without Love there can be no Felicity in Heaven for as Desire without Fruition is a Torment so Possession without Delight is Stupidity The Joy of Heaven arises either from the direct Fruition of God or from the reflection upon the Happiness communicated to the Saints and Love is the Cause of that Joy Love to Corporeal things often declines in our possessing them for Curiosity is soon cloyed and Experience discovers the Imperfections that were conceal'd and according to the cooling of Love is the lessening of Joy From hence proceeds distasts and a sickle slight from one thing to another without ever receiving any Satisfaction But the amiable Perfections of God are truly Infinite and the more clear the Vision the more satisfying the Fruition is The Brightness and Influence of the Divine Presence maintains equal Love and Joy in the Blessed According to the degrees of Excellency in the Object and the vigorous Exercise of the comprehensive Faculties the Understanding and Will upon it such is our Felicity When the Beams of God's Face are received into the prepar'd Soul 't is ravished with unspeakable Sweetness and Security in his ever-satisfying Goodness and Beauty The perfect and mutual Love of the Saints causes a full overflowing Joy in Heaven Sincere Love is always Benevolent and according to its Ardency is the desire of the Happiness of those who are the Objects of it From hence the delight of the Saints above is redoubled by the sense of their Personal Happiness and the reflexion upon the happiness of all that blessed Society who are cemented by that dear Affection Sorrow is allayed by the Sympathy of our Friends but Joy is heightned by Communication Sorrow like a Stream divided in many Channels runs more Shallow but Joy like a Sun-beam reflects with more intense Heat from the Breast of one endear'd to us by Love In Heaven there is an Eternal Extasie of Love and Joy I shall now proceed to Consider our Love to God which is the First and Great Command in Order and Dignity 'T is the universal Command that binds all Persons and in all times Some precepts are particular and respect the several Relations of men either Natural Civil or Spiritual Other Commands though General yet are to be perform'd in special Seasons Prayer is a universal Duty for all are in a state of dependance upon God and 't is the appointed means to obtain his Favour and Benefits 't is a Duty of daily Revolution for we continually stand in need of his tender and powerful Providence to bestow good things and avert evil but this not to be our perpetual Exercise For there are other Duties to which we must attend that require a great part of our time If there be a disposition in the Heart an aptness for that Holy Duty though the Season be distant 't is sufficient for our Acceptance with God But Love in all periods of Time must be in Act for Obedience must ever be practis'd and that is animated by the Love of God the Spring and Soul of it The Life of a Christian is a continual Exercise of humble grateful and dutiful Love I will consider the Causes and Properties of this Sanctified Affection Love is an Affection drawn forth by Desire in the absence of its Object resting in Complacency when the Object is present The attractive of it is Goodness which implies a convenience and agreement between the Object and the Faculty The Appetite is excited by the apprehension In the Sensitive Nature without Perception and Agreement there can be no desire and delight The Eye is not pleas'd with the most exquisite Musick being undiscernible and unsuitable to it The Ear though exactly temper'd is not affected with Light the first and fairest of Sensitive Beauties for every sense has its proper Object to which 't is Confin'd and cannot perceive or taste any pleasure in another And such is the frame of the Humane Soul the inlightened Understanding instructs and excites the Will to esteem and love choose and embrace God as the Supreme Good for his absolute inherent Perfections and his Relative Attributes whereby he is infinitely the best and most aimiable Being in himself and the most beneficial to us The internal Perfections of the Deity though they are all the same Divine Nature for otherwise they could not be truly Infinite yet we may conceive as distinguisht in a threefold order either as Natural or Intellectual or Moral Natural Perfections Self-Existence Eternity Immensity Omnipotence Intellectual Perfections Knowledge comprehensive of all things that are and all things within the possibility of Being Wisdom sufficient
to Govern and Order innumerable Worlds Moral Perfections Holiness Goodness Justice and Truth Now the Union of these Perfections in God deserves we should glorify him with all the degrees of our Understandings and Wills with the highest Veneration and Esteem and the most ardent Affections If the weak and transient resemblance of some of the Divine Excellencies in the Creatures from whom we neither receive nor expect any benefit raise our Esteem and draw our Love how much more should the Essential Perfections of God fill us with Admiration and the dearest Affections to him His absolute Perfections are not the Objects of our Desires for he is intirely possest of them and can never be devested of them but of our Love and Joy 2. Consider God in his Relative Attributes to us as our Maker Preserver and Benefactor as our Redeemer that saves us from an everlasting Hell and has purchased and prepar'd Eternal Glory for us and prepares us for it The Eternity Omni-presence and Omnipotence of God are awful Attributes and deserve our most humble Adoration for he that lives for Ever can punish for ever yet in conjunction with his propitious beneficent Attributes Goodness Clemency and Benignity are aimable Perfections and deserve our singular and superlative Love for Eternal Power consers and maintains our Happiness At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore The first rise of our Love is from the sense of his Benefits but we must Love him above his Benefits and value his Benefits for his sake as they are the Testimonies of his Love This inspired a holy Heat in the Psalmists Breast What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits That the impressions of his benefits may sink and settle into our Hearts I will Consider The principle from whence they proceed the greatness of them and Gods End in bestowing them 1. The principle of all his benefits is his most free and pure Goodness The Psalmist declares Thou art good and dost good 'T is true his high Perfections are very resplendent in his Works yet this induced no necessity upon God for declarative Glory resulting from the exercise and effects of his Attributes was not necessary He was from all Eternity Infinitely Glorious and Blessed in Himself Neither was any motive or merit in us to determine his Will either to Create or Redeem us For antecedently to the first act of his Goodness we had no being and consequently no possibility or shadow of desert and after our Sin we were deservedly Miserable 2. Let us ponder his benefits that if it were possible we may not miss a grain of their weight 1. In the order of Nature He made us and not we our selves The Humane Body compos'd of as many Miracles as Members was the design of his Mind the various Art and Work of his Hands He immediately form'd the body of Adam of the Virgin Earth and though in the course of Nature our Parents contribute to the matter of our Bodies yet he Organises them in that perfection he disposes all the parts in that order and proportion as is requisite for Comliness and Use. The Psalmist speaks of this with those lively Expressions I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knows right well I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written If one Member had been defective the Eye the Hand the Tongue if one sense had been wanting what inconvenience what deformity had insued To a Body of Flesh the Divine Maker united an immortal Soul capable to know and love to obey and enjoy him who is the Fountain of Felicity A Soul incomparably more precious in the account of our Creator and Redeemer than all the World It heightens the Goodness of God that he first prepared the World reviewed it and approved all as Good and then introduced Man as his Vice-Roy to possess and rule it The great Universe he did not make for the meer show of his Power but for the demonstration of his Goodness unto Man The reflection upon these first Benefits our being Reasonable Creatures which is the foundation of all other Benefits how should it ingage us to love and serve our Maker with all our Powers in their best Capacities Our obligation is founded in Natural and Divine Right The Law of consecrating the first Fruits was figurative of this Love is the first Affection of the Heart the first Fruit of the Soul If God did so strictly exact the payment of the first Fruits can we think he is less jealous of our Love and less severe in requiring it should be consecrated to him The Fruits of a young Plant are not more pleasing to him than of an old Tree but he would instruct us to give the first Affections of our Souls to him 2. If we raise our Thoughts and distinctly consider Creating Goodness our Affections will be more inflam'd in the sense of it We were born in distant spaces of time according to his eternal benevolent Decree Notwithstanding the different temporal circumstances of our coming into the World we are all equally obliged to his eternal Goodness Let us consider that in the pure possibility of being we were not distinguish'd from an infinite number that shall never be for as his Power is without any limits but his Will the possible production of Men is without number yet he was pleased to raise us into actual Being This was a most free Favour and by reflecting on it unless we are dead as the Grave we shall find a warm lively sense of it in our Hearts If a Prince exalt and enrich a Favourite his own Interest is mix'd with the Honour and Profit of the Favourite for he expects Service from him But God whose Happiness is infinite and indeficient cannot receive any benefit from the service of the Creature His Favours are above all desert and beyond all requital 2. If we consider God as our preserver and benefactor our obligations to Love and Thankfulness are infinite The first being and uninterrupted duration of the World is from the same powerful Cause For nothing can make it self when 't is not nor preserve it self when ' t is Some have revived that erroneous Opinion That as a Clock form'd by an Artificer and the Weights drawn up regularly strikes the Hours and continues its Motion and Sound in the absence of the Artificer So the perpetual concourse of the Divine Providence is not necessary for the support and operations of every Creature but Nature may work of it self and turn the Wheels of all Things within its compass But the Instance is defective there being an extream disparity between the Work of an Artificer in forming a Clock whose matter is independent upon him and God's giving the first Being to the Creatures with Powers to act by
his actual concurrence For every Creature is maintain'd by a successive continual production To affect us consider the preserver of Men brought us safely into the World through the dark Valley of Death where thousands are strangled in the birth We are born by him from the belly and carried from the womb How compassionate was his Goodness to us in our Infancy the state of wants and weakness when we were absolutely incapable of procuring supplies or securing our selves from many dangers surrounding us The preparing the Milk for our Nourishment is the work of the God of Nature The Blood of the Mother by the secret channels of the Veins is transfused into the Breasts and is a living Spring there They are but two because 't is the ordinary Law of Nature to have but two Children at a Birth They are planted near the Heart which is the Forge of Natural Heat and transforms the Blood collected in the Breasts into Milk And there is a mystery of Love in it for the Mother in the same time nourishes her Child with delight regards and embraces it From Infancy his Mercy grows up with us and never forsakes us He is the God of our Lives He draws a Curtain of Protection and Rest about us in the Night and repairs our faint Faculties otherwise our Bodies would soon decay into a dissolution He spreads our Table and fills our Cup. He is the length of our days There is such a composition of Contrarieties in the Humours of the Body so many Veins and Arteries and Nerves that derive the vital and animal Spirits from the Heart and Head to all the parts we are exposed to so many destructive accidents that were not the tender Providence of our true Father always watchful over us we should presently fail and dye The Lord is a Sun and a Shield As the Sun is a universal Principle of Life and Motion and pours forth his treasures of Light and Heat without any loss and impoverishing Thus God communicates his Blessings to all the progeny of Men. He is a Shield protecting us from innumerable Evils unforeseen and inevitable without his preventing Goodness Were we only kept alive and sighed out our days in Grief and Pain were our passage to the next State through a barren Wilderness without any refreshing Springs and Showers this were infinite Mercy For if we duely consider his Greatness and our Meanness his Holiness and Justice and our Sinfulness it would cause us to look up to God with admiration and down to our selves with confusion that our Lives so frail and so often forfeited are preserved The Church in a desolate state acknowledges 'T is the Lord's Mercy that we are not consumed because his Mercies are renewed every morning 'T is Mercy upon Mercy all is Mercy Our Saviour with respect to his humble state says I am a Worm and no Man but we are Serpents and no Worms And as 't is usual to destroy venomous Creatures in the egg before they have done actual mischief we that are Children of Wrath by Nature whose Constitution is Poyson might have been justly destroyed in the Conception This ravish'd the Psalmist into an extasie of Wonder whilst he contemplated the glorious Lights of Heaven What is Man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of Man that thou shouldst regard and relieve him He bestows innumerable and inestimable Benefits upon a race of Rebels that boldly break his Laws and abuse his Favours He not only suspends his Judgments but dispenses his Blessings to those that infinitely provoke him Now can we be unaffected with his indulgent Clemency his immense Bounty his condescending and compassionate Goodness Why does he load us with his Benefits every day but for his Goodness sake and to endear himself to us For he is always ready to open his bountiful Hand if we do not shut our Breasts and harden our Hearts not to receive his Gifts His Mercy is like the Widows miraculous Oyl that never ceas'd in pouring out while there was any Vessel to receive it Then the flowing Vein was stop'd How is it possible such rich and continued Goodness should not insinuate it self into our Souls and engage our Love to our blessed Benefactor Can we degenerate so far from Humane Nature nay below the Sensitive for the dull Ox and stupid Ass serve those that feed them as to be Enemies to God How prodigious and astonishing is this degeneracy 3. The Love of God appears in its full Force and Glory in our Redemption The Eloquence of an Angel would be very dis-proportion'd to the dignity and greatness of this Argument much more the weak Expressions of Men. That we may the more distinctly conceive it I will briefly consider the greatness of the benefit and the means of obtaining it Man in his state of unstain'd Innocence was furnisht with power to persevere but left in the hand of his own Counsel He was drawn by a soft Seducer to eat of the forbidden Tree and in that single Instance was guilty of universal Dis-obedience He was ingaged in a deep Revolture with the Apostate Spirits and incurr'd the Sentence of a double Death both of the Body and of the Soul Now where was the Miraculous Physician to be found that could save us from Eternal Death Who could Appease God and Abolish Sin God was affected with tender pity at the sight of our Misery and though the morning Stars that fell from heaven are now wandring Stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserv'd for ever yet he was pleased to recover Man from that desperate state in a way becoming his Perfections This was the Product of his most free Love God's Will and Christ's Willingness were the Springs of our Redemption for he might have pari jure with the same just Severity have dealt with us as with the Rebellious Angels There was no legal constraint upon our Saviour to dye for us for he was holy harmless undefiled and separate from Sinners There was no violent Constraint for he could with one Word have destroy'd his Enemies The depth of his Wisdom the strength of his Power the Glory of his Holiness and Justice were illustriously reveal'd in this great work but Love was the Regent Attribute that call'd forth the other into their distinct Exercise and acts Most Wise Omnipotent and Holy Love saved us What the Psalmist speaks of the Divine Perfections in making us I am fearfully and wonderfully made is in a nobler Sense verified in our Salvation we are fearfully and wonderfully Redeem'd by the Concord of those seeming irreconcileable Attributes Vindictive Justice and Saving Mercy Our Rebellion was to be expiated by the highest perfection of Obedience and thereby the honour of God's Moral Government to be repair'd For this end the Son of God dis-rob'd himself of his Glory and put on the Livery of our frail Flesh and in the form of a Servant became obedient to the Death of the Cross to rescue us
and serious Thoughts his Dying Love to the Soul will cause an irresistible Affection to him stronger than Death We must learn of Christ how to love him His Love was express'd in the most real Actions and convincing Evidence it was an incarnate Love a beneficent Love productive of our Salvation our love must be productive of Obedience This is the surest Trial of it If ye love me you will keep my words saith our Saviour The Frost of Fear will hinder the breaking forth of Carnal Lusts into notorious Acts as the Cold of Winter binds the Earth that noxious Weeds cannot spring up but the heat of Love is productive of all the Fruits of Righteousness Love to Christ will make every Command pleasant and the exactest Obedience to be voluntary liberal and ingenuous Fear may enforce Constancy for a time but Love is a Vital Principle continually operative in all the Transitions of this Life This secures Obedience Christ has fasten'd us to his Service by a Chain compos'd of his most precious Benefits by the pardon of our innumerable sins and to whom much is forgiven they love much Fear tries in vain to make an alliance between the Flesh and Spirit obeys some Commands and transgresses others but Love respects all Fear induces a desertion of our Duty when Evils nearly threaten us but Love encounters them with such a Character of Assurance as becomes those who esteem it a Favour and Honour to Suffer for Christ. Some are harden'd against Afflictions and endure with Courage Persecutions for the Cause of Christ but yield to pleasant Temptations like the Manna that would endure the Fire but melted in the heat of the Sun but Love to Christ by an overcoming delight renders the pleasures of Sin nauseous and insipid In short the properties of natural Love are united in the Love of Christ. Love will transport us to Heaven and transform us into his likeness Love will make us Zealous in constant and excellent Endeavours to be compleatly conform'd to him Resemblance is the common Principle of all unions in Nature 't is preparative to Love and the effect of it Experience is a sensible demonstration of this For the love of Friends if in a degree of Eminence Causes a perfect sympathy an exact correspondence in their Tempers The exercise of Love in the most precious Esteem of him in burning desires after a Propriety in him in the sweetest complacency in Communion with him are intimate and inseparable Qualities in all the Lovers of Christ. Love to him is always joyn'd with an irreconcileable hatred of Sin that cost him so dear to expiate its guilt Our love intirely and intensely is due to him and no lower degree is accepted For 't is a disparagement and infinitely unworthy of him To content our selves with a less Affection is not only far distant from Perfection but from the first disposition of a Saint The tenderest and strongest Affections in Nature must be regulated and subordinate to the Love of Christ. Our Love to him must be Singular and Supreme Briefly his Love to us is Beneficent ours is Obedient He values no Love without Obedience and no Obedience without Love 2. Love must descend from God to our Neighbour This Duty is so often Commanded and Commended in the Gospel that we may from thence understand its Excellency The beloved Disciple that lay in the Bosom of Christ from that Spring of Love derived the Streams that flow in his Writings He declares that God is Love and he that loves dwells in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4. 11. He makes it an Evidence that we are born of God of our renewed state and that we are past from death to life Our Saviour injoyns it with a note of Eminency as his new Command as the distinctive Character of his Disciples as the special Qualification of those at his right hand in the Day of Judgment to recommend it to our Love and Obedience He tells us that to love our neighbour as our selves is like the most divine Precept of loving the Lord our God We read in that Solemn Proclamation of God's Name when his Glory past before Moses that to the Title of Lord God there was immediately annext Merciful and Gracious abundant in Goodness to signifie that Goodness is his dearest Glory and in the Divine Law next to Piety to God Charity to our Neighbour is Commanded to signifie how pleasing it is to him The Gospel Eclipses all other Institutions by the Precept of Universal Love and inspiring a delightful disposition in Christians to exercise it This adorns the Gospel and recommends it to the Esteem and Affections of Men. A Person innocent and pure but of a severe and harsh Temper condemns by his Holy Conversation the Profane and Scandalous but a Good Man charms and captivates the Hearts of others that one would dare to dye for him This Duty is prescrib'd in the Extent and Qualifications of it 1. In the Extent it reaches to all within the compass of Humanity to Strangers and Enemies in all our dealings Let all things be done with Charity The Relation of Consanguinity is the Natural Cause of a Benevolent Affection to all Men. The likeness of kind prevents mischief between the most fierce and hurtful Creatures We never heard that Lyons devour Lyons or Vipers bite Vipers and unless we add Beneficence to Innocence we are but in the rank of Brutes The Love of good Will is express'd by promoting their Good and preventing Evils by rejoycing in their Prosperity and relieving them in their Afflictions This Love is more radicated in the breasts of Men by considering the condition of Nature wherein they are equal whether the original happy state of their Creation or their miserable wretched state since their Fall Similitude either in Happiness or Misery unites Mens Affections How low and despicable so great a part of Mankind is at present yet the remembrance that all Men were equal in their first honourable and happy Condition Inhabitants of Paradise and by deputation Lords of the World will raise our esteem and be an incentive of kind Affections to them And since the Fall the calamitous Condition of Mankind is a proper motive of mutual assistance to one another Society in Miseries endears the Sufferers and produces a tender sympathy between them None are so merciful as those who by Experience know what it is to be miserable The Consideration of the common Evils to which all are exposed in the present state induces a strong obligation to the offices of Love and Kindness But the principal and divine cause of Love is the Law of Christ that enjoyns us to do good to all but especially to the houshold of Faith for the spiritual Relation is more intimate and excellent than the natural That we are the off-spring of the same Heavenly Father united as Members to the same glorious Head renewed to a Divine Life by the same Holy Spirit incorporated into
Diseases are infinitely more dangerous and are not so easily discern'd and felt as Bodily are To suffer unconcernedly a Friend to lye and languish in a course of Sin is Soul-murder and in Murder there are no accessaries every one is a principal 'T is prophesied concerning the time of approaching Judgment that iniquity shall abound and the love of many wax cold by not convincing Sinners in order to reform them This exercise of Love must be frequent while 't is called to day and solemn without bitterness and contempt or a seeming indifference of the success that it may be evident it does not proceed from a censorious Humour or an impertinent Curiosity but from pure Love It must be attended with earnest Prayer to the Father and Physician of Spirits to give healing Vertue to it otherwise 't is but Moral Counsel And it must be received with Meekness and Gratitude The rejecting holy Counsel discovers a double Leprosie for the rise of it is from Pride in the Understanding Self-conceit and Pride in the Will perverse Obstinacy The mutual discharge of this Duty is the most precious desirable and advantageous benefit of Friendship We must perform it to all within the compass of our direction and warm influence we must imitate the Angels earnest Counsel to Lot escape for thy life out of Sodom not to delay that he might not be consum'd O that this Angelical Zeal and Compassion possess'd the breasts of Christians It may justly cover with Confusion many who profess entire Friendship to others and yet their Conversation with them is directly opposite to the Rules of Friendship laid down by the Wise and Vertuous Heathens Scipio prescrib'd this first and inviolable Rule of Friendship That we never desire our Friends to do acts of Moral Turpitude nor do them though desired Another as useful a Rule is laid down by Laelius 'T is the inseparable property of sincere Friendship to give and receive admonition to give it freely not harshly to receive it meekly not with recoil and reluctancy These Vertuous Heathens will rise in Judgment against many who by sordid and base Acts by filthy Lusts and filthy Lucre foment and maintain their Friendships that count it the surest preservative of Friendship to nourish and foment the spring and stream of the Sensual Appetite that will issue into the Lake of Fire 3. Love must be Fervent The degree respects the inward Affection and the outward Effects of it There is such a union of Affections between the Saints that one is as it were transfus'd into another their Afflictions are mutual their Compassions and Assistance are mutual This intenseness of Love is signified by Loving our neighbours as our selves in similitude and likeness How ardent are our desires and earnest our endeavours for our Temporal Happiness and principally if we are inlightned for our Eternal Happiness Accordingly we should be affected and diligent for procuring the present and future Happiness of others How vigilant and active are we to prevent imminent and destructive Evils that threaten us here but specially if we are Serious and Considering to escape from the Wrath to come we should be proportionably careful to rescue others from Temporal or Spiritual Evils to which they are obnoxious How jealous are we of our own Reputation how unwilling to incur Censure to have our Faults aggravated and to bear the Prints of Infamy Love to our Neighbour should make us tender of their good Names to conceal their Faults or to make a favourable Construction of them and not to expose them to Shame and to vindicate them when their Enemies would make them appear Culpable by Calumnies In short our love must be so sincere pure and fervent to our Brethren that we may have a clear and comfortable Evidence that we are born of God and that God dwells in us and we in him But among Christians how rare is Christian Love Their Love is excessive to themselves and defective to others 2. The forgiving Injuries is an excellent Effect of Christian Love This implyes an intire disposition and resolution to pardon all Offences declaring it self in real Acts when there is occasion This Duty is hard and distastful to Corrupt Nature The Apostle injoyns us see that none renders evil for evil follow that which is good The manner of the Expression intimates our proneness to Acts of Revenge For vicious Self-love makes us more apt to retain the sense of Injuries than of Benefits How many receive signal Favours and within a little while neglect their Benefactors withdraw grateful Respects and Converse with them as 't is not usual to walk in a Vineyard when the Vintage is past But if an Injury be once offer'd 't is provoking as if it were re-acted every day by the continual remembrance of it But the Command is strict and universal and allows no freedom but of voluntary Obedience To make us feel the weight of the Duty and to be more tenderly sensible of it our Saviour tells us If you do not forgive neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses An unforgiving Temper is an invincible Bar against our obtaining divine Mercy We can neither receive Pardon nor have it continued nor enjoy the Comfortable Sense of it without pardoning others 'T is a sin of such Malignity that it invenomes Poison it self it actuates the Guilt of all other Sins and seals the doom of the unrelenting and hardned against the offending Brother The Servant that upon his humble Request had Ten Thousand Talents forgiven yet upon his cruel exacting Three Hundred Pence from his Fellow-servant his Pardon was Reverst and he was deliver'd to the Tormentors till his Debt was entirely paid The lines of this Duty are clearly drawn in the divine Pattern set before us God pardons Sins intirely he blots them out as a thick cloud the Saints in Heaven are as accepted in his Sight as the Angels that always obey'd his Commands He pardons frequently In many things we offend all It would tire the hand of an Angel to Register the Pardon 's issued from the Throne of Grace to Rebellious Sinners He Pardons Sins of a very provoking Nature he makes our Crimson Sins to be as white as Snow and Scarlet Sins as white as Wooll The Provocation begins on our part the Reconciliation begins on God's part He beseeches us to be reconcil'd as if it were his Interest that we should not be destroyed by Severe Justice God can destroy his Enemy in the twinkling of the Eye in the beating of the Pulse yet he Supports and Comforts them every day Our Saviour has set us the highest Pattern of Forgiving Love When he was Nail'd to the Cross he prayed for his Cruel Murtherers Father forgive them they know not what they do How perswasive should his Pattern be Shall we be so tenderly sensible of the hatred of an Enemy and so stupidly insensible of our Saviour's Love Shall the resenting remembrance of Injuries deface in us
its Exaltation 2. There is a Fear of Caution that is always joyn'd with the other and excites us to walk circumspectly and exactly that we may be always approved and accepted of God The fear of the Lord is clean effectively This will prevent secret Sins which are only known to God Thou shalt not curse the deaf nor lay a stumbling-block before the blind but fear the Lord. Fear is an Internal Guardian that keeps the Heart pure of which God is the inspector and judge It will not suffer us to Sin freely in Thought nor foully in Act. When Fear draws the Lines of our Duty our Steps will be Regular Fear keeps us close to God by the perswasion of his All-seeing Eye and is oppos'd to the forgetfulness of God the cause of all the Errors of our Lives Holy Fear will make us to perform our Duty in those degrees that are commanded to please God 'T is the Principle of Perseverance thus God assures his People I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall never depart from me The Causes of back-sliding are Allurements and Terrors pleasant Temptations sometimes so strongly insinuate into the Affections that Love calls in Fear to its Assistance to repel them for strong Fear and Delight are inconsistent If Terrors are objected to drive us from our Duty the greater Fear will over-rule the less the Fear of God will expel the fearfulness of Man For the most flaming Anger of Men is more tolerable than a spark of his Displeasure From hence 't is evident that the Fear of God is the Fountain of heroick Courage and fortifies the Spirit that the threatenings of Men cannot supplant our constancy If our residence were perpetual in this World it were a point of Wisdom to secure the Favour of Men but since we must shortly dye as surely as we live 't is extreme folly by compliance and low respects to Men to lose our interest in God and provoke him with whom we must be either in his favourable and felicitating presence or in his terrible presence for ever The Rage of Man cannot reach beyond the Grave but the Wrath of God extends to Eternity 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who lives for ever and can punish for ever Let us therefore be exhorted to pass the time of our sojourning in fear Temptations are frequent and we are frail and are never safe without circumspection The Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom the principal part of it Wisdom is not imployed about trivial things but affairs of moment Now what is there of such consequence in the World as the directing the Soul to Eternal Blessedness How to escape the most imminent and destructive Evil and to obtain the most desirable Good Indeed the Passion of Fear when exorbitant and overwhelming causes a wretched neglect of the means of Salvation If a Ship springs a leak and the Waters pour faster into it than the Mariners can pump it out and they see nothing but the Sea ready to swallow them up their Hearts and Hands faint and they give over all labour If Men are desperate they will be disobedient But we can never raise our Fears of God too high if we retain a firm belief of his Mercy that rejoices over Judgment This will not infringe our Liberty but inlarge it for 't is the most ignominious slavery to be under the dominion of Sin and the just apprehensions of its terrible Consequences The Fear of God ingages him to be our Friend and rescues us from all the perplexities to which we are lyable in this open slate Many Sins are committed for the fear of the Anger of Men and presumption of the Mercy of God but 't is often found that a Religious Constancy gains more Friends than Carnal Obsequiousness When a Man's ways please the Lord he will make his enemies to be at peace with him Especially in all acts of Worship this Grace should be in its highest exercise 'T is the Apostle's direction Let us draw near with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire We must solemnly consider the Greatness of God who dwells in Light inaccessible and is a consuming Fire to all that disparage him by slight and careless Addresses Shall not his Excellency make us afraid In Prayer let us draw near to his Throne in the deepest sense of our meanness and unworthiness and tremble at the hearing of his Word This dispositin will make us acceptable in his Eyes The Lord saith The Heaven is my throne and the Earth is my footstool to him will I look who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word And in times of Temptation when pleasing Lusts are imperious and violent then 't is necessary to controul them by the fearful remembrance that for all these things God will bring us to Judgment This will clear the Mind from the eclipses and clouds of the Carnal Passions and keep the Senses under the dominion of the superiour and surer Faculties Blessed is the Man that fears always that is continually vigilant in secret and society who considers that God's Eyes are always upon him in order to Judgment and whose Eyes are always upon God in order to Acceptance CHAP. X. The Promise that God will be our Father a powerful inducement to strive after the Perfection of Holiness The dignity and happiness of the Relation The Pardon of Sin an adoptive freedom in Prayer an interest in the Eternal Inheritance are the Priviledges of God's Children The influence of this Relation to make us entirely holy considered An Inquiry whether we are proceeding to Perfection The vanquishing Sin an indication of the Power of Grace The habitual frame of the Heart and fixed regularity of the Life discovers our progress in Holiness According to our Love to God and things that have the nearest resemblance to him we may judge of our Spirituality The Spiritual Law of God the Spiritual Worship of God the Spiritual Image of God in the Saints are the principal Objects of the Love of the Spiritually-minded To preserve an equal temper of Mind in the changes of the present state discover excellent degrees of Holiness I Am now come to the Third General Head the Motives to inforce the Duty of striving after pure and perfect Holiness the Promises specified in the antecedent Chapter That the Lord Almighty will receive us and we shall be his Sons and Daughters that he will dwell in us his living Temples and walk in us This divine Relation and Communion the consequent of it should keep the state of Perfection always in our design and view and inspire us with unchangable resolutions to endeavour the obtaining it I will consider the Dignity and Happiness of this Relation 1. The Dignity Secular Nobility that is transfused from the Veins of Progenitors into the Veins of their Progeny derives its lustre from Flesh and Blood and the glory of the
Flesh is like the flower of the Grass so despicably mean and fading A Family that is distinguish'd by an illustrious Lineage if not qualified with internal vertuous Dispositions becoming their Extraction is of no value but in the vain fancies of Men But the Relation to God as our Father confers an Honour substantial and durable in comparison whereof all the magnificent Titles in this World are but Shadows and Smoak and Dreams We are in a state of Union with the incarnate Son of God and in that respect dignified above the Angles for their Lord is our Brother We are made partakers of the Life and Likeness of God and Heirs of his Kingdom This Dignity is truly divine and of more value than Soveraignty over the Principalities and Powers of Darkness Our Saviour speaks to his Disciples In this rejoice not that Spirits are subject to you but rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven 2. The Happiness of this Relation will appear in the Priviledges that are consequent and comprehensive of all Blessings 1. The title of a Son has annex'd to it the promise of the Pardon of Sin This is declar'd by God himself I will spare them as a Father spares his Son that serves him There are spots in the best of God's Children 'T is equally impossible there should be absolutely pure Vertues in the state of Grace as unmixed Elements in the state of Nature But our Frailties lamented and striven against rather move his Compassion than severe Displeasure Sins of a heinous Nature presumptuously committed retracted by Repentance are not excepted from his pardoning Mercy Of this there is the most comfortable assurance in David's case For after his complicated Sin when he was melted in Tears of Contrition God sealed his Pardon and sent the notice of it by Nathan the Prophet God was so entirely reconcil'd to him that after his Death he gave this Testimony of him That David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned not from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his Life except in the matter of Uriah He would not name that Sin of so high a Provocation The Pardon of Sin is attended with all the most excellent Blessings the testimonies of his Favour Guilt seals the fountain and stops the current of Mercies it exposes us to the Terrors of the Lord. If Sin be pardon'd Peace of Conscience is a Rain-bow of Tranquility in the storms of outward Evils If Guilt be not abolish'd a Sinner in the most shining Prosperity has fearful darkness within 2. This Relation gives us an adoptive freedom and joyful access to God in Prayer God upon his Throne of Glory or his Throne of Judgment strikes us with Terror but upon the Throne of Grace as our Father invites our Addresses The Apostle incourages us to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace or Grace upon the Throne dispensing Grace and Mercy in time of need We stand in need of Mercy to pardon and Grace to preserve us from Sin of Counsel and Comfort in our various Exigencies and our Heavenly Father is able and ready to grant our Requests 'T is the Law of Heaven that Blessings are to be obtained by Prayer for that is the homage due to God's eternal Greatness 't is the acknowledgment of his All-sufficiency that he can supply all our Wants satisfie our Desires allay our Sorrows subdue our Fears 't is the glorifying his Mercy that inclines him to relieve the miserable and unworthy of his Benefits The whole Trinity affords incouragement to our Faith in humble Prayer The Mercy of the Father who receives them the Merits of the Son who presents them and the assistance of the Holy Spirit who indites them If we come jealous as Strangers or fearful as Slaves and not with a Filial freedom and relyance we disparage his Love and Power A regular trust of Benignity in the giver and distant from all presumption of Merits in the receiver is very honourable to God and beneficial to us Our Saviour confirms our Hope by a powerful Argument If you that are evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him The deduction is with convincing force and evidence If the Natural Love of a Father be so deeply planted in his Heart that 't is prodigious if any deny necessary support to their Children can you suspect that God will not supply the wants of his Children An Earthly Parent may be unnatural or unable to relieve a Child but in our Heavenly Father Love and Power are truly infinite The stedfast belief of this is the soveraign Cure of piercing Cares the great Composer of our distracted Passions 'T is the Apostle's Counsel Be in nothing careful but let your requests be made known with thanksgiving and the Peace of God that passes understanding shall keep your hearts There is no Blessing so great no Evil so small but we may pray in Faith to God to bestow the one and remove the other Unvaluable Priviledge He protects them from Dangers relieves them in their Troubles and releases them out of Troubles His Eye is intent upon the Righteous his Ear is open and inclined to hear their cry his Hand is as ready as powerful to deliver them from Death David saith I have set the Lord always before me He is at my right-hand I shall not be moved In all his Combats God appear'd as his second When his Dangers were extream the sorrows of Death incompassed him he dispatches a Prayer to Heaven for speedy relief and God appear'd in Arms for his defence I shall add for our Direction and Comfort that the Love and Providence of God is often as visible to the inlightned Mind in denying some Petitions of his Children as in granting others Sometimes they play for temporal things unbecoming their alliance with God and their interest in his special Favour 'T is recorded of that Wise Theban Epaminondas that when a Friend greatly in his Esteem requested his Favour to release a mean Fellow imprisoned for a Crime he denyed him and afterward released him at the desire of a despicable Person and gave this Reason That was not a Favour in proportion to the Dignity of Pelopidas but suitable to the Quality of the other Petitioner Thus the Children of this World who believe no other Happiness but the enjoyment of temporal things sometimes obtain their Desires but the Children of Light are not heard in their Prayers for them they being unsuitable to their Heavenly Dignity and not the sure signs of God's Favour Sometimes by mistakes they pray for things prejudicial to their Salvation and it would be a severe Judgment if God should bestow them We read of the possess'd Person in the Gospel that the evil Spirit made use of his Tongue to request our Saviour that he would not torment him that is not expel him
from his habitation Thus the Carnal part incens'd by the Tempter is often clamorous to obtain as a Benefit that which would be hurtful to the Soul and God is merciful in the denyal We know not what to ask but our Heavenly Father knows what to give Sometimes God bestows equivalent or better Blessings than what his Children pray for If God gives Contentment with Poverty 't is equivalent to Riches if Patience with Sickness 't is better than Health if eternal Life in Heaven 't is infinitely better than a long Life on Earth He did not preserve the Martyrs from the Flames nor forsake them in the Flames but in those fiery Chariots convey'd them to Heaven Briefly God never denies or delays to grant the Petitions of his Children but for a greater Good to them He always hears their main Desires that is bestows such Blessings as are most conducive for his Glory and their Good This is the principal Petition of the Saints in conformity to Christ in his exigency he prayed to be saved from the approaching hour of his terrible sufferings but subordinately to a higher request Father glorify thy name Lastly The Relation of Children to God is not an Empty Title but includes an Interest in the Eternal Inheritance The Apostle infers If sons then heirs heirs of God co-heirs with Christ. The Sons of Earthly Parents cannot all inherit the Eldest is the Heir to maintain the Splendour and State of the Family and the Younger have often but thin Provision If a Kingdom be the Inheritance 't is appropriated to one the Throne is incommunicable When Pharaoh made Joseph Viceroy of Egypt he reserv'd the Throne to himself In the throne I will be greater than thou But all the Saints are Kings Our Saviour comforts his Disciples fear not little flock 't is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom and his Power is equal to his Pleasure They are the Children of the King and Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom with a Note of Excellency in Comparison of it all the Kingdoms of this World in their blazing Glory are but a faint Figure and a Foil Transcendent Priviledge Infinite Bounty All the Conceptions we can form of Happiness are eminently in God He is the Glory the Joy the Perfection the Satisfaction of Intelligent Creatures He alone can fill the Capacity of Comprehensive Immortal Spirits He is their Eternal and Entire Inheritance possess'd equally by all without diminution to any As the Light of the World is enjoyed by all without prejudice to any according to the Apostles Expression The Inheritance of the Saints in Light The Eternal Enjoyment of God excludes all Fears of losing it there is a perpetual security from all change and separation and excludes all possible desires of a better State Without Divine Revelation we could never have had any discovery of this Super-natural Blessedness The Apostle prays for the Ephesians that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of their understanding being inlightned that they may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints God is infinitely Rich in his Perfections in Mercy in Wisdom and Power and as the Father said to his Son in the Gospel Son all that I have is thine so all his Attributes are exercis'd for the happiness of his Children The difference is observable between an Earthly Inheritance and the Heavenly For Estates and Honours conveyed by Descent are not possess'd till the death of the Fathers but we partake of the heavenly Inheritance because our Father lives and we must dye that we may enjoy it for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven What manner of love is it that we should be the Sons of God When Pharaoh's Daughter compassionately preserved Moses an expos'd Infant and adopted him to be her Son 't was rare and wonderful Goodness The Priviledge was so high that the Self-denial of Moses is Recorded with this Illustrious proof of it that he refus'd to be call'd the son of Pharaohs daughter But she had no Son of her own Adoption is a Legal Supply for the want of Natural Progeny But God had an Eternal Son the Heir of his Love and Glory the adequate Object of his Complacency yet he raised us to so near an Alliance Men adopt Sons for their Support and Comfort and usually those in whom some praise-worthy qualities appear God did not want a Son but we wanted a Father in thee the fatherless find mercy There was nothing in us but Sin and Misery an occasion of his Mercy 'T is added by the Apostle we are coheirs with Christ. This may seem to be a Usurpation upon his Prerogative who is invested with the Supremacy of Heaven But this is easily clear'd by considering that Christ has a double Title to the Inheritance 1. A Natural Title as the Son of God in a transcendent and peculiar manner From Eternity there was a mutual Possession of the Father and the Son wherein their Blessedness consists This Title is singular and incommunicable 2. An acquir'd Title by his Meritorious Obedience and Sufferings Therefore God has exalted him above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is nam'd not only in this world but in that to come And such is his astonishing Love he associates us with him in this Title he communicates a right to us in his Kingdom by the Merits of his Death and introduces us into Possession by his Mediation His Glory is consistent with ours and inseparable from ours for when the Head is Crown'd the Members Reign The Saints sit down with him in his throne as he is set down on his Fathers Throne 2. Let us now consider how influential this Priviledge is to make us intirely Holy 1. 'T is most worthy of observation that God who might by meer Empire and Authority command us to do our Duty is pleased by gracious inducements to endear our Duty to us He might by Dominion and Power Constrain us but he is pleased by the sweetest Affections to allure us A wise Prince according to the Rules of true Policy will rather govern by Love than Fear for his Safety and Tranquility is more preserv'd by it Fear may secure him from open Rebellions and Assaults but Love from secret Underminings from Treachery and Poison 'T is true there is no such Motive inclines God to allure our Love but his design is to gain our hearts to Obey him that he may Crown our Obedience Fear restrains us from provoking him but Love makes us Active and Chearful to please him Now what can be a more powerful Obligation to Love him than the receiving us into the high and dear Relation of his Children If we look up to God and down upon our selves we shall be struck with
Carnal Satisfaction What sweeter reflection can there be of Conscience the only true and internal Comforter than upon Innocence and Victory 2. The discovery of our progress in Holiness is made by the habitual frame of the Heart and the fixed regularity of the Life There cannot be a true Judgment of a Christian either when he is best disposed or when he is worst disposed One that has less Grace may sometimes in the use of the Ordinances feel high and holy Affections in an unusual manner An excellent Saint in time of temptation may feel the power of Corruption strangely great A strong Man in a fainting Fit is weaker than another a weak Man in a Fever is stronger than two But we may judge of the degrees of Grace by the spiritual frame of the Heart and the actions flowing from it The character and denomination of Men in Scripture is from two Principles the Flesh and Spirit The Apostle tells us That they that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh and they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Those who are not distinguish'd from the Carnal in the Resurrection of Grace shall not be separated from them in the Resurrection of Glory The Carnal are under the prevalent influences of the outward Senses their Minds and Wills their Imaginations and Affections their Discourses and Actions are all pointed on the Earth their weak Eyes are dazzled with the false lustre of worldly things their Hearts are ravish'd with them With what an accent and emphasis do they express their desires Who will shew us any good The World is the principal Object of their Esteem and Love they labour continually they sweat and freeze and move in a circle of toilsome Employments their desires are uncessant and unsatisfied without obtaining it and their acquiring one thing kindles desires after another But how slow and slack are their endeavours after eternal things They use God to enjoy the World But the Saints are spiritual in their Principles Objects and Ends. God is a pure Spirit and the more we are spiritualiz'd the more we partake of the Divine Nature and are pleasing in his sight This discovers it self by our Esteem Affections and Conversations When the Mind is purified from Carnal Prejudices and Passions then the beauty and goodness of God all his amiable excellencies appear and powerfully attract the Thoughts and Affections The Christian that can say with the Spirit of the Psalmist Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire beside thee and in the Expression of the Church The Lord is my portion saith my Soul he is spiritually-minded He places his Happiness in the Favour and Fruition of God His temporal affairs are subordinate to his main design He prosecutes with the greatest resolution diligence and delight his blessed End He uses the World to enjoy God Riches is principally valued by him as he sees God's Love in them and shews his Glory by them Now 't is an infallible Rule as we are affected towards God and those things that have the nearest resemblance to him accordingly we may judge of the degrees of our Spirituality More particularly 1. The Divine Law is a clear Glass wherein the Wisdom the Rectitude the Goodness and Holiness of God are evident and consequently according to our Valuations and Love to it there is a sure sign of a Divine Temper and its prevalency in the Soul David the Man after God's own Heart declares it to be his incomparable Treasure his dearest Enjoyment 'T was the pleasing Object of his Mind and Will 'T was his meditation all the day He expresses his Love to it in the highest degree by intimating 't is inexpressible Oh how I love thy Law He loved it because 't was pure The Holiness of God so conspicuously shin'd in its Precepts that it was as strong an ingagement to his Affections as the Majesty of God by its Sanction oblig'd his Conscience to obey it 2. When the Worship of God in its purity and simplicity is the Object of our Esteem and Love 't is the effect of a spiritual frame of Soul During the Levitical Dispensation the Service of God was perform'd with Pomp and Lustre suitable to the Church in its minority when Faith did need the assistance of the Senses But now the Church is come to mature Age and brought to nearer Communion with God the gaudy allurements of Sense are taken away Men are naturally under the dominion of Sense of this there is the most clear and palpable Proof in the Heathen World that would rather worship visible Idols than the true invisible God 'T is a certain indication of Mens Carnal Minds that they are pleased with Carnal Service that lavishly runs out in Formalities which by sympathy works upon them This affects the Eye and is far more easie than Spiritual inward Worship that issues from the strength of the Soul and is performed with attention and ardency This is very disparaging to the Nature of God for it proceeds from the conceiving of him to be like themselves who are not Heavenly and Spiritual to be pleased with an Earthly Bodily Service The introducing Theatrical Ceremonies into the Service of God is directly opposite to the simplicity of the Gospel Whatever pretences are made that they set a gloss upon the plainness of Christian Worship and make it more amiable and venerable they are like the artificial Painting of natural Beauty that corrupts and does not commend it The productions of Humane Minds are imperfect at first and are polish'd and arrive to perfection by degrees But Divine Institutions are compleat in their kind at first and the more they recede from their original they lose of their purity and perfection How acceptable those parts of Worship are not chosen and commanded by God we may clearly understand by considering that the enjoyning such new Rites is a tacit presumption that the Reason of Man knows better how God should be honour'd than himself does and how unprofitable they are to us is evident for being used without his Warrant and Promise we cannot expect the conveyance of his Grace and obtaining his Favour by them Only Spiritual Religion the inward reality is of value in his esteem When the Understanding is spiritually inlightened it esteems the simplicity of Gospel-worship to be its true Beauty 'T is like the nakedness of Paradise the indication of the unstained Purity of our first Parents in that state 'T is true in the Worship of God we are to glorifie him with our Bodies to behave our selves in such a manner as may express Reverence and excite Affection but the joining Humane Devices upon that pretence is the snare of Conscience and has been fatal to the Peace of the Church 3. The Mind when spiritually illuminated sees the true worth of the Saints though in an obscure condition and accordingly honours and loves them 'T is the character of one that
an argument of excellent Grace There are many whose Vertue had never appear'd so bright in publick view and gone so far had not Vanity attended it For the relish of Praise they will do praise-worthy things Their Goodness is defective in the principle and when the spring is down their Religion is at an end Their Works appear in their true colours to the inlightened Conscience for no Man can deliberately deceive himself Now in many Instances it is evident that the Judgment of God and of the World are opposite That which is highly esteemed among Men is abominable in God's sight and what is pleasing to God is despised by Men. Now when a person with Religious Constancy proceeds in the way of Holiness and of his universal Duty though he is exposed to the imputation of Folly and consequently the scorn of the World and will not neglect his Duty to preserve his Fame but fully and finally perseveres in his Obedience to God he is a confirm'd Saint For 't is evident he loves Goodness for its own sake without mercenary mixtures and despises all temporal respects that are inconsistent with it The Apostle declares 'T is a small thing with me to be judged by Man's judgment His ambitious labour was to be accepted of the Lord whose favourable testimony of his fidelity would be his eternal honour before the glorious and immense Theatre of Angels and Men at the great day He chose to be among God's treasures though despis'd as the off-scouring of the World The inward testimony of Conscience which is the sweetest Friend or sorest Enemy is incomparably more valuable and to be preferr'd before all the painted air the vain applause of this World 'T was Job's resolution when his undiscerning and severe Friends tax'd him for Hypocrisie My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live There is such a convincing evidence of this Rule to judge Men by that the Roman Philosopher says Whoever despises the Fame and Reputation of a good Man to preserve his Conscience inviolate has attain'd to an heroick degree of Goodness 6. The serious constant and delightful performance of Religious Duties in secret is a sure testimony of a holy and heavenly Spirit The Duties of Prayer and Praise in society are perform'd many times from custom and false respects to the eyes of Men and are fashional without the exercise of holy Affections the life of those Duties Our Saviour tells us That the light of the Body is the Eye if thine Eye be evil thy whole Body is full of darkness Without purity of Intention our Religion tho' varnish'd with a specious appearance is vain But the exercise of Religion conceal'd from publick view is not lyable to the temptations of Vanity Our Saviour commands us to pray in secret and â—e that sees in secret shall reward us openly The secrecy contributes to the free exercise of holy Affections in that Duty The Prophet Jeremy tells the obstinate Jews If ye will not hear my Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride and mine Eye shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lord's flock is carried away into captivity His Sorrow was not counterfeit or shallow but Eyes and Heart were engaged the privacy contributed to the measure 'T is true there may be formality in secret Duties a Prayer may be repeated in the Closet without reverence and solemnity without a holy heat of desires as if the bodily service were accepted But such Worship instead of propitiating God provokes his displeasure Heaven is brass to all cold Petitioners their Prayers cannot pierce through it 'T is observable that secrecy is a counsellor and incentive to a vicious person to do Evil He chooses the silent and dark night as the fittest season When he is secure no ray of Light can discover what is done he is effectually tempted to satisfie his Lusts. On the contrary a real Saint chooses to serve God in secret for then he glorifies him as God the Inspector and Judge of the Heart and the privacy of his Worship is to Conscience an evidence of his Sincerity and of an excellent degree of Grace Constancy is requisite in the performance of Religious Duties in secret Many when they feel present Pain or fear imminent Dangers will address their Requests to God in secret but when freed from Trouble they neglect their Duty But Prayer is a Duty of daily revolution the Natural Life may be as well preserved without Breathing as the Spiritual without Prayer And since we have always peculiar Wants and are often surprised with new Necessities which are not fit to be discover'd to others we should esteem the Precept to be our Priviledge to present our selves to our Heavenly Father and to pour forth our Souls into his Bosom with an Assurance of his gracious hearing our Request Some by the Constraint of Natural Conscience dare not omit secret Devotion but they are brought to it as a troublesome task and are glad when 't is done These are in the state of Carnal Nature But when there is a Sympathy between the Heart and the Duty and the sweetness of Paradise is tasted in Communion with God 't is an evidence the Divine Nature is prevalent Those happy Souls are in Heaven already for in Heaven there is an Everlasting tenor of serving and praising God In short Internal Religion is the immediate and unfeigned issue of the Soul whose praise is not of men that cannot by their most searching Sight dive into the Heart but of God who is the maker and searcher of the Heart Briefly as between Friends Conversation increases Love and Love increases Conversation so between God and a Saint Communion increases Love and Love Communion 7. To forgive Injuries and overcome Evil with Good discovers a Christian to be divinely Excellent Love is the brightest Beam of the divine Beauty wherein God doth most delight and excel The returning good for evil is the noblest effect of Love wherein our nearest resemblance of God consists We have the Example of it in the highest degree of Perfection in our Suffering Saviour If ever any one had a right to Revenge Injuries our Saviour had His Innocence was entire nay his beneficent Goodness to his Enemy was infinitely obliging the Miseries he suffer'd were Extreme a Death equally Ignominious and Cruel the Dignity of his Person was truly Infinite Yet in the extremity of his Sufferings when the sense of Injuries is most quick and exasperating in the midst of their scornful Insultings he earnestly prayed for their Pardon Father forgive them they know not what they do He might have call'd upon the righteous Judge of the World the Revenger of opprest Innocence to have destroyed them by Fire from Heaven but he Addresses his request by that Title that was most endearing him to God Father forgive them 't is the desire of thy Son dying in Obedience to thy Will they know not the greatness of their
guilt Now the more we are conform'd to our meek and forgiving Saviour the more we approach to Perfection And the more the Corrupt Nature in us is provokt and fierce upon Revenge the doing Good for Evil is the more sure proof of excellent Vertue and clear Victory over our selves 8. The more receptive persons are of Spiritual Counsel and Admonition for the preventing or recovery from Sin they are the more Holy 'T is David's desire Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oil which shall not break my head There is no Counsel so truly valuable as that which proceeds from Wisdom and Love in matters of Importance If a Friend discovers by indications and symptoms a disease that insensibly has seiz'd on us does not his compassionate Advice endear him to us How much rather should we meekly and thankfully receive a prudent and seasonable reproof of a Spiritual Friend for the healing our Souls whose Diseases are far more dangerous and less discernable than those of the Body 'T is the most sacred and beneficial Office of Friendship and like the Compassionate Love of the Angel to Lot in leading him out of Sodom And as the most Excellent Metal Gold is most pliant and easily wrought on so the most Excellent Tempers are most receptive of holy Counsels Yet the Natural Man is very averse from a meek submission to reproof for Sin A vicious Self-love of which Pride is the production makes us to overvalue our Reputation now to reprove implies a Superiority which occasions Impatience and Disdain Though the Duty be perform'd with Prudence and Tenderness and respective Modesty yet 't is usually very unacceptable Men will excuse and extenuate and sometimes defend their Sins nay sometimes recoil with Indignation upon a faithful Reprover 'T is as dangerous to give an Admonition to some proud Spirits as 't is to take a Thorn out of a Lions Foot 'T is therefore evident that when a just Reproof is receiv'd with Meekness and Acceptance there is a great Love of Holiness as when one takes a very unpleasant Medicine it argues an earnest desire of Health He is an Excellent Saint that when Conscience has not by its directive Office prevented his Falling into Sin and a sincere Friend endeavors to restore him is not angry at the Reproof but sorry he deserves it Lastly The deliberate desire of Death that we may arrive at the state of perfect Holiness is the effect of excellent Grace There is no desire more natural and strong than of the enjoyment and continuance of Life There is no fear more insuperable than of certain and inevitable Death Those who do not fear it at a distance are struck with Terrors at the aspect and approaches of it Carnal Men whose Heaven is here at the fearful apprehensions and foresight of it are ready to sink into Despair Nay holy Men who have the prospect of Coelestial Happiness beyond Death and believe that the pangs of Death are throws for their deliverance to Eternal Life are apt to shrink at the thoughts of their Dissolution If the change from an earthly to a heavenly state were not by our being uncloth'd but to be cloth'd upon with Glory which St. Paul declares to be the desire of Nature the hopes of seeing Christ in his Glory and being transformed into his Likeness would so inflame their Affections that they would be impatient of being absent from him But the necessity of dying that we may ascend into his reviving presence is so bitter that Divine Grace is requisite to induce us to consent to it St. Peter was an ardent lover of Christ and appeals to our Saviour's omnisciency for a testimony of it Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee yet our Saviour immediately tells him When thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch out thy hands and another shall carry thee where thou wouldst not signifying his Death The circumstance when thou arâ— old implies an unwillingness to dye when the natural term of Life was near expiring Yet Peter had been a spectator of our Saviour's glorious Transfiguration and of his triumphant Ascent to Heaven from Mount Olivet The best of us have reason to joyn in the language and desire of the Spouse Draw us to thy blessed presence and we will run after thee So strong is the band of natural Love that fastens the Soul and Body and such a reluctancy there is against a Dissolution But St. Paul declares I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is far better He was contented to live for the Service of Christ but desirous to dye to enjoy his Presence in the Sanctuary of Life above This was his fixed and unsatisfied desire How few are arriv'd to such a heigth of Spirituality This desire is the fruit of Faith with respect to the Reality and Glory of the Eternal State and our interest in it According as the revelation of the invisible Kingdom is in our Minds such is its attractive power in our Hearts 'T is the effect of Divine Love in a degree of eminence To vanquish the Terrors of Death that are insuperable to Humane Resolutions and with a clear and chearful Spirit to leave the Body in the Grave that we may for ever be freed from Sin and made like to Christ in Purity and Glory is the effect of Love stronger than Death 2. Use is to excite us to follow Holiness to make it the great design study and endeavour of our Lives to grow in Grace 'T is true the beginning the prosecution and perfection of Holiness is from God but 't is by the subordinate concurrence of the renewed Mind and Will the leading Faculties that we are advancing towards Perfection God gives Vertue to the Seeds Temper to the Seasons and Form to the Fruits but Men are to plant and water the Fruits of the Earth Without God our Endeavours are weak and ineffectual but by his Blessing are successful I will first set down Directions how we should follow Holiness Secondly Answer the Carnal Allegations against our striving after Perfection Thirdly Proceed to add other Motives to enforce the Duty Fourthly Propound the Means that may be effectual for this excellent End 1. We must in our early Age follow Holiness Men commonly deceive Conscience and elude their Duty by delays They are unwilling to be holy too soon and in an excellent degree They presume there will be time enough hereafter for to reform themselves after their Voluptuous Affections are satisfied after their Worldly Acquisitions they will forsake their Sins and become holy But this is unaccountable Folly rather a Delirium than Discourse There are innumerable Contradictions of which the Lives of Men are compounded they complain as if Time were intolerably short and waste it as if it were intolerably long They use all Arts that Months may seem as Hours and Years pass as Days But in no
destroy the Saints from a Principle of Revenge and Despite against the high and everlasting Judge and are hindered by the interposing of the good Angels Michael overcome the Devil in the contention about the Body of Moses The Devils have totally lost their Moral Excellency and their Natural Excellency their Lustre and Power are lessen'd But of what Power they have to do Mischief there are terrible Proofs recorded in Scripture They raised the Storm that overthrew the House wherein Job's Children were suddenly destroy'd and struck his Body with loathsome and tormenting Boiles The good Angels inspire holy thoughts and excite holy affections in the Saints For certainly they have an inspiring Faculty for Good as the Devils have for Evil. Satan put it into Judas his Heart to betray Christ. They execute Vengeance upon the wicked The Angel of the Lord destroyed in one night 〈◊〉 hundred fourscore and five thousand of the Assyrian Army When the Saints leave the World the Angels guard them through the Air the dominions of Satan and secure them from the spiritual Pharaoh who pursues them in their passage to the Coelestial Canaan At the last day they shall gather the Elect from all the quarters of the World before the Tribunal of Christ and after the Judgment is past they shall cast the Wicked into everlasting Fire The perfection of their Obedience is signified They obey God readily without delay or reluctancy Delay is a vertual denial of Obedience The Angel told Zacharias I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God It implies his prepared disposition to receive and perform all his Commands 'T is said they hearken to the voice of his Word the first signification of his Will puts them in motion They entirely obey him there is no allay no mixture of Contraries in their Principles nothing suspends or breaks the entireness of their activity in God's Service They obey him with all their Powers and the utmost efficacy of them 'T is said He makes his Angels Spirits his Ministers a flamâ— of Fire to signifiâ— their celerity and vigout in doing God's Will They fly like the Wind to rescue the Saints from imminent destructive Evils and like a flame of Fire are quick and terrible to consume the wicked They fully perform his Commands The two Angels that were sent to preserve Lâ—t from the destruction of Sodom while he lingred they took him by the Hand and brought him out of the City and would not destroy it till he was safe They freely and chearfully obey God esteeming his Service their Glory and Felicity They are stil'd Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers but they are more pleased in the title of his Angels that is Messengers and in the relation of his Servants They esteem it their highest Exaltation and Happiness to obey God They with as much diligence and delight watch over the meanest Saints though never so obscure and despicable in the World as those who are in Royal Dignity because they in it obey the Orders of God They are steddy and uniform in their Duty above all temptations from Hopes or Fears that may slacken their Endeavours and unstring the bent of their Resolutions in his Service There is an eternal constancy in their Obedience It may be said this Example is above our level in the present state Our wings are broke we flag and cannot reach so high a flight We sometimes conceive more clearly sometimes more darkly of our Duty We are sometimes declining sometimes reviving and returning to our Duty We do not practice Obedience with that degree of diligence as 't is commanded The weakness of the Flesh controuls the willingness of the Spirit How should it upbraid us that we fall so short in the imitation of Angelical Obedience who are under equal nay peculiar Obligations to please God The Grace of God in our Redemption is more illustriously visible than in their Creation The Goodness of God was most free in making the Angels but 't is merciful in saving Man from extream Misery the desert of his Disobedience The Divine Power made the Angels but Men are redeemed by the dearest Price the Blood of the Son of God In this God commended his Love to us that when we were Sinners he gave his Son to dye for us Now Beneficence is magnified by the principle and motive of it Gifts are endear'd by the Affection of the Giver and ingenuous Thankfulness chiefly respects it All the precious Benefits and vital Influences that we receive are from the dearest Love of God Supposing the Angels receive as great Favours from his bountiful Hand yet there is a clearer discovery of his Heart his tender and compassionate Love in our Salvation How should this Consideration inspire our Prayers with a holy Heat that God would inlighten our Minds to know his holy acceptable and perfect Will and incline our Wills to choose it and enable us to do it as the Angels the most illuminate and zealous Servants of God 4. The Scripture has lighted up excellent Examples of Holiness in the Lives of the Saints upon Earth for our direction and imitation There is a great advantage by looking on Examples they are more instructive than naked Preâ—â—pts and more clearly convey the knowledge of our Duty A Work done in our sight by another directs us better in the practise of it is more acceptable and of more powerful efficacy to reform us than Counsel and Admonition by words A Reproof if spoken with an imperious air wherein Vanity has a visible ascendant is heard with distaste and often with disdain but an excellent Example is a silent Reproof not directed immediately to irregular Persons but discovers what ought to be done and leaves the application to themselves and the impression is more quick and penetrating than of words In difficult Precepts no Argument is more effectual than Examples for the possibility of doing them is confirm'd by Instances in others and the pretence of Infirmity is taken away The Command binds us to our Duty Examples incourage us to performance The pattern of the Angels who are pure Spirits is not so influential upon us as the pattern of the Saints that is more correspondent and proportionate to our present state as the Light of the Stars that are so vastly distant is not so useful in managing our Affairs as the Light of a Candle that is near us The Saints are nearly allied to us they are clothed with the same frail garment of Flesh they had like Passions and were in the same contagious World yet they were holy and heavenly in their Affections and Actions They lived in civil Conversation with Men and spiritual Communion with God This will take away the pretence of Infirmity for we have the same word of Grace and spirit of Grace to strengthen us The practise of Holiness is regular and uniform wherein the Saints resemble one another yet there is a conspicuous singularity of active or suffering Graces in some