life tâ— behold the faire beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple The latter part of this is called by the same David the longing of the soule after God by Saint Paul desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ S. What are the motives to this kind of love C. 1. Gods loving us first and dying for us an expression of that love able to constreine and extort a reciprocation or returne of love 2. The true superlative delight even to flesh and bloud that is in sanctity and the practice of Christian virtues beyond all that any sensuall pleasure affords so great that when they are exprest by the Apostle in these words Neither eye hath seene nor care heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man toconceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him They are ordinarily mistaken for the description of Heaven 3. Those joies in the vision of God in another life thus described by the Psalmist In thy presence are fulnesse of joies and at thy right hand pleasures for evermore S. Well you have gone through the two parts of the love of God And told me that the sincerity required in it requires me to love God with all my heart May not I then love any thing else but God C. You may but with these conditions 1. that it be not some prohibited object as the world and the things of the world for if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. 2. That it be in a degree inferiour to the love of God thus God being loved above all other things may lawfully in a lower degree be loved also 3. That those other things be loved for Gods sake and in that order that he prescribes them S. But may not the outward expressions of love in many good Christians be greater to some other object then to God or is this incompatible with the sincerity of the love of God C. Our love of God may be sincere though it be accompanied with some frailties now the sensitive faculty may have a sensitive love of some sensitive objects which though it be moderated so as not to fall into sinne either in respect of the object or the excesse yet through the nature of mans sence may expresse it's selfe more sensitively toward that inferiour object then toward God himselfe and this is a peice of humane frailty not to bewholly put off in this life And yet for all this the love of God may be more deeply radicated in that soule and that will be tried by this that if one were to be parted with I would part with any thing rather then God But that not to be judged by what I could answer if I were asked the question nay nor what I would resolve at a distance but in time of temptation and actuall competition betwixt God and that any thing else that could not be held without sinning against God what then I would really doe This may best be understood by that other passion of sorrow I may weepe more for the losse of a freind then for my sinnes yet my sorrow for sin may be the deeper and more durable sorrow though it be not so profuse of these sensitive expressions So may and must our love of God be most firmely rooted though not so passionately exprest as through the infirmity of our flesh and neerenesse of other objects to it our love to them is wont to be S. Shall we proceed to the other branch of Charity that of our Neighbour and first what doe you meane by the word Neighbour C. Every man in the world for so Christ hath extended the word Luk. 10. 36 37. Not onely to signifie the Jew in relation to the fellow Jew who was the Old Testament-Neighbour but to the Samaritan in relation to the Jew i. e. to him that was most hated by him as appeares by the parable in that place S. What is the love of my Neighbour C. 1. The valuing him as the Image of God one for whom Christ died and one whom God hath made the proxey of his love to receive those effects of it from us which we cannot so well bestow on God 2. The desiring And 3. The endeavouring his good of all kinds S. In what degree must this be done C. As I desire it should be done to my selfe S. How is that C. Why in all things to deale with other men as if I might be my owne chooser I would wish that other men nay God himselfe should doe to me This will certainly retaine me within the strictest bounds of justice to all men I have to deale with because it is naturall to desire that all men should deale justly with me and teach me all mercy to others both in giving and forgiving and blessing them because I cannot but desire that God should be thus mercifull to me S. But will not my love of God be sufficient without this other love of my neighbour to denominate me Charitable C. It will not 1. Because this loving my neighbour is one nay many of the Commandements which he that loveth God must keepe 1 Joh. 3. 23. 2. Because God hath pleased to appoint that as the test of the sincerity of the love of God in judging of which we might otherwise deceive our selves and prove lyers had we not this evidence to testifie the truth of our love according to that of Saint John 1 Ep. 4. 10. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seene how can he love God whom he hath not seene Which place argues that all the arguments or motives which we have to love God we have to love our brother also God having devolved all his right to our love upon our brethren here and therefore interpreting whatsoever is done to them as done to himselfe not so as to devest himselfe of it but to accumulate it on this image here below communicating all his claimes to it to which claims of God our relation to our brethren superadding one more that of acquaintance and affinity of our humane nature exprest by those words his brother whom he hath seene it followes in all necessity that he that loves not his brother that behaves not himselfe to all men superiours equalls inferiours strangers freinds enemies Turkes Iewes Heathens Heretiques sinners according as the rules of Christian charity of justice and mercy oblige him is not a lover of God S. Is there any more that I need know concerning this grace C. No more at this time The particulars farther considerable will come in out rode hereafter S. Your proposed method than leades me to Repentance next what is Repentance C. A change of minde or a conversion from sinne to God Not some one act of change but a lasting durable state of new life which I told you was called also Regeneration S. But is not Regeneration an Act of new birth C. No it is the state of new
frequent fasting and withall by that meanes much advance his spirituall ends have greater vacancy for holy imployments greater store for workes of mercy c. and then sure in this case the commands of praying and mercifullnesse will be also tacite commands of fasting So that though there be not any particular explicite precept obligeing every man whatsoever under paine of sinne to fast simply thus or thus often yet tacite commands there may be to them that are by any of these circumstances fitted for it and even to those that for the present are not it will yet be fit to be considered and counted of as a duty that they may be concerned in and that if in no other respect yet in this that they are Christians who aspire to an angelicall life and invisible joyes and should therefore deny and by that weane themselves of those sensuall corporeall pleasures of eating or drinking so farre as to preservation of life and health and to their duty to themselves may be agreeable S. How often then should a Christian fast C. By what hath beene said you will guesse it unlikely that I should undertake to prescribe set rules for this the duty I shall leave to you as a voluntary oblation for you to offer as frequently as prudence joyned with due care of your health and as piety and the spirit of God shall prompt you and onely tell you these three things 1. That the Pharisee fasted twice every weeke and that never censured in him as a peice of Pharisaisme or hypocrisie or fault of any kind but as commendable if he had not boasted of it 2. That every Christian ought to have his solemne set dayes for the performing that great and weighty duty of humiliation in calling himselfe to account for all his wayes and confessing his sinnes to God more particularly and those dayes should not be too slow in their returnes lest his soule be too deep in arreares and so unwilling to come to accounts at all 'T is very reasonable for every man or woman of leisure to set apart one day in the weeke for this turn if the whole day or any other part of it may not thus be spared from the businesse of his calling yet the dinner time that day may be borrowed from eating and thus more usefully emploied without any disturbance to his other affaires And he that useth not some such constant course which yet on speciall occasions may be altered will be in great danger to be found and censured a neglecter of the duties of a Disciple of Christ 3. That over and above this common duty of all men some other wants there are or may be in this or that man to the repairing of which fasting may be very instrumentall as hath beene shewed and so proportionably is to be more frequently used by them who have this need of it Of which their owne conscience in the feare of God is left the judge All this hath beene said of private fasting because that is peculiar to this place For publicke fasting the direction must be had from the lawes where we live which so farre at least oblige every one that he offend not against them either contemptuously or with scandall S. I shall now desire Gods direction and grace to incline me to the performance of this my duty so as may be acceptable to him and to pardon me for my former omissions of it which truly have hitherto beene very great You may please now to proceed to the caution interposed wherein I shall presume it superfluous for you to say much having twice already insisted on it in order to prayer and almes-giving C. The caution is it selfe in plaine intelligible words When you fast be not as the Hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure or discolour their faces that they may appeare to men to fast but rather then so doe thou when thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face for thy outward guise appeare in thy ordinary countenance and habit for the Jewes were wont to anoint themselves daily unlesse in time of mourning that thou appeare not to men to men to fast that no man out of thy family be witnesse of thy private fasts but to thy father which is in secret that thou mayest appeare desirous to approve thy selfe to him onely who onely is able to reward thee S. You have now past through those three great Christian duties which by their so neare confederacy here and by what you have said of them I find so linked together that it is very reasonable we should set apart some time for the joint practice of them alltogether for though it may be fit to give almes when I pray not nor fast not and to pray when I neither give almes nor fast yet sure my fasts wherein the expence of a dinner is saved should be joined then with almes-giving to wit giving to the poore that which is thus spared and allwayes with prayer God give me a heart thus to practice it § 4 Having thus farre advanced you may please to proceed to that that followes which I perceive to be a new matter Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth c. And so on in one continued thread to the end of the Chapter Of all which what is the cheife summary importance you may breifely tell me C. There are two things to which all the ensuing sixteene verses belong and the second of them appendant to the former unto which the discourse insensibly glides The former is for the mortifying of all desire and love of wealth the latter for the moderating our worldly care or secular providence The former in the six ensuing verses 19 20 21 22 23 24. S. Why doe you referre these words Lay not up c. to the mortifying of desire and love of wealth C. Because a treasure is a metaphoricall word to signify that which men desire and love most importunately and set their heart upon and so the prohibition of laying up our treasure on earth is in effect the forbidding to love or desire or set the neart upon any earthly riches as a possession but onely to use them so as may most improve our future account i. e. by liberall dispensing of them to raise a banke which may enrich us for ever in another world For the enforcing of which prohibition and exhortation he mentions 1. The vanity and uncertainty of worldly riches which evidences how unfit they are for our hearts to be set upon One kind of them that which consists in costly vestments the moth a poore despiseable creature can and doth destroy and make uselesse another kind our corne and other the like fruits of the earth which the foole so applauded himselfe that he had store of for many yeares earing for so the word rendred rust doth signify whether of men or the ordinary attendants of granaries vermin bringeth to nought or if you will retaine the word in our
is whether his sorrow bring forth fruits of amendment if so this is not the sinne of Desperation yet he hath the Grace of Hope which brings forth fruits of Hope though it be so clouded over with a melancholy vapour that it be not discernible even to himselfe But if this trouble of minde set him a sinning farther like Judas who had sorrow but then hanged himselfe this is Despaire indeed S. I shall sollicite you no farther in this point but for your prayers that God will keepe me from all premature perswasion of my being in Christ that he will give me that Hope that may set me a purifying and not suffer me to go on presumptuously or desperately in any course Onely upon occasion of this Grace of Hope give me leave to aske you whether he that now lives in sinne and hopes he shall one day repent and go to Heaven this Repentance and that Heaven being a future good and so the object of Hope may be said to have the Grace of Hope in any kind C. By no meanes Because God hath made no such promise that he shall repent nor without Repentance that any man shall have Heaven This is a ground-worke of carnall security and no degree of the Grace of Hope S. Once more may he that hath gone on in a continued course of sinne and at last is overtaken with Gods judgments and seeing Hell gates open upon him doth greive for his former wicked life and upon that hopes for mercy be conceived to be saved by that Hope C. I list not to passe sentence on any particular because I cannot throughly discerne his state onely I can say in generall I know no promise of pardon in Scripture to a bare death-bed sorrow because indeed none to any sorrow at any time but that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godly sorrow which worketh Repentance which Repentance as it is available if true though never so late so is seldome true when it is late nor can well be knowne to be true but by persevering fruits which require time And though a serious purpose of amendment and true acts of Contrition before or without the habit may be accepted by God to my salvation yet in this case there is no sure judgment whether this purpose be serious or these acts true acts of Contrition And so in this case there is no foundation for his Hope and then a groundlesse Hope or a bare Hope without the other conditions to which the promises belong will never be able to save any S. Shall we now proceed to the third Grace that of Love or Charity C. Most willingly it is a precious Grace and that which Saint Paul preferres before Hope and Faith S. But is any Grace to be prefer'd before that of Faith I thought that had beene the most necessary Gospell-grace C. It is most certaine there is Faith being taken in that notion which I told you belongs to that place because Saint Paul hath affirmed it that Charity is the greatest of the three 1 Cor. 13. 13. And it is as sure that no other Scripture hath contradicted this and although very great things are said of Faith as of the onely condition of Justification and Salvation yet 1. This is when it is in conjunction with Charity Faith consummate by love And 2. 'T is observable that the most imperfect things are alwaies the most necessary and consequently the great necessity of Faith is no argument of it's dignity in comparison of this other Grace For indeed Faith is necessary so as without which Charity cannot be had but then this alone is unsufficient to save any if Charity be not added to it Faith is the foundation which though it be the most necessary part of the building yet is it the lowest and most imperfect Charity the superstruction which is never firmely built but when grounded in Faith and when 't is so 't is farre more excellent then it's foundation Besides Charity is a Grace not out-dated in Heaven as Faith and Hope are S. But what is Charity C. The sincere love of God and of our neighbour for his sake S. Wherein doth the love of God consist C. As love in its latitude is of two sorts of Freindship and of Desire the first betwixt freinds the second betwixt lovers the first a rationall the second a sensitive love so our love of God consists of two parts 1. Esteeming prizing valuing of God 2. Desiring of him S. How shall I know whether I doe Esteeme God as I ought to doe C. If you would be content to doe any thing or suffer any thing rather then loose his favour rather then displease him If you love me saith he keepe my Commandements And therefore loving him and obeying him love and workes to wit Evangelicall workes are taken for the same thing in Scripture S. How must this love be qualified C. The speciall qualification or rather indeed essentiall property of Charity is the sincerity of it as that is opposite to hypocrisy or a double heart or divided love or joining any rivall or competitor in our hearts with him The loving God above all and all other for his sake this is set downe both by Moses and Christ in these words Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy mind with all thy strength The Heart as I conceive signifying the Affections The Soule the Will or elective faculty The Minde the Understanding or rationall faculty And the Strength the powers of the body for action and all foure together making up the whole man and the word All affixt to each not to exclude all other things from any inferiour part in my love but onely from an equall or superiour to exclude a partiall or a halfe love S. What are the motives that may stirre up this love in my heart C. 1. The consideration of Gods infinite essence And 2. Of his most glorious Attributes And 3. Of his bounteous actions towards us in creating redeeming preserving and providing such rewards for those that love him S. What is that other part of love which you call the Desiring of him C. The actuall appetition or fastening our affections on him desiring to enjoy him 1. His Grace or sanctifying Spirit here And 2. The perpetuall vision of him hereafter The former part of this is called hungering and thirsting after righteousnesse A hatred and impatience of sinne a desiring to be out of that polluted condition and to be made like unto God in holinesse and purity and you may know the sincerity of that 1. By assiduity and frequency and fervency in prayer that way of conversing and communing with God a most infallible concomitant of this kind of love 2. By loving and seeking the meanes 1. of resisting sin and 2. of receiving and 3. of improving of Grace that one principall desire of Davids That he might dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of his
and against the law of Nature by which hating or hurting is avowed onely in case of injuries done and even then also the contrary commended and so that which Christ hath here to doe is partly to recall and reforme the Jewes to the law of nature and to command that which that commended partly to advance and set it higher then the law of the Jewes had required of them before S. What then is now the law of Christ in this matter C. It is set downe v. 44. But I say unto you love your enemies c. to the end of this Chapter The summe of which is that other mens faults or sinnes against us nay against God himselfe for the Jewes enemies the people of the seven Nations Amorites c. being most detestable sinners before God are here referr'd to in this word Enemies give not us any dispensation for the non-payment of that great debt of our nature love to all our kind 'T is true indeed the passions and affections that our nature is subject to doe incline us to revenge against our enemies or if we can conquer that yet we cannot choose but make a distinction betweene freinds and foes and at least have a great coldnesse and indifference to those who have deserved so ill at our hands But Christ is come to mortify those affections of rage and revenge and to leade us higher then nature would bring us to affections and words and actions of kindnesse and benignity to those that have exprest the contrary of every of these toward us S. But is it not aboundantly sufficient if my affections and behaviour toward mine enemy be not like his to me unkind retaliating of injuries c Is there any more required of me C. Yes undoubtedly of a Christian who is to transcribe that copy that Christs owne dealing with us when we were enemies did set us I must not onely negatively not hate or curse or pursue with injuries but love and blesse and doe good and pray for my greatest enemy S. What is meant by Loving him C. That denotes the affection of charity and kindnesse and benignity toward him 1. Wishing him all the good in the world but that especially which he most wanteth the good of his soule conviction of sinne reformation c. 2. Pitying and compassionating him and that the more for being mine enemy because that implies a sinne in him which is of all things the most proper matter of compassion 3. Being cordially affected toward him S. What is meant by Blessing him C. The word in Greeke and the opposition to cursing i. e. evill or bitter speaking noteth kindnesse and freindlinesse of language giving them all freindly and courteous words who have nothing but railing and evill speaking for us commending in them whatever is capable of it though they doe nothing but defame and backbite us S. What is meant by Doing good to them C. All outward reall effects and actions of charity Such are almes if they be in want feeding giving to drinke clothing them when they are hungry thirsty naked comfort if in any distresses Counsell if in any difficulty rescuing their goods c. if we see them in danger admonishing them in a freindly manner and such as may be most likely to prevaile with them when we see them falling into any sinne reproving and correcting fatherly when we see them fallen In a word contributing our utmost to the good of their bodies estates families reputations but especially their soules and all this without any tincture of our revenge or rage mixing with it S. What is meant by Praying for them C. Desiring of God for them whatsoever they want 1. Pardon of sinne with an expression of my free pardoning them 2. Grace for amendment of life 3. All other blessings temporall and spirituall which they stand in need of S. This is a duty of some difficulty what helpe can you direct me to to facilitate the performance of it C. Many considerations there are which will tend to that end Three there are here named S. What be they C. The first is the example of God who sheweth mercy to sinners who are his enemies and in the outward disspensation of temporall blessings giveth as liberall a portion many times to the wicked unthankfull provokers as to his good servants and for the common advantages of life Sunne and Raine dispenseth them generally in an equality to all And then for us to doe the like is a God-like thing the greatest dignity that our nature is capable of S. What is the second helpe C. The consideration of the reward which God hath decreed for such who doe this and that proportioned to their actions retribution of good to evill of mercy and happinesse though we are sinners and enemies Whosoever doth but thinke of that how much the joies of Heaven for eternity are beyond the pleasure of a little revenge for the present will never thinke fit to make such an unequall exchange to lose so rich a reward for so poore a pleasure S. What is the third helpe C. The consideration of what is done by all others the vilest and wickedest men in the world For such were the Publicanes accounted and yet they could thinke themselves obliged to love their freinds and satisfy that obligation they could use civilities and courteous compellations and salutations to their neighbours c. And if we who are bound to exceed the Scribes and Pharisees the strictest sect among the Jewes shall be but in the same ranke with Publicanes who are otherwhere put with heathens and harlots and sinners the vilest and most abominable of all men this will sure be a great reproach to us Christians S. What other motives can you adde in this matter why I should love my enemies C. 1. That by this meanes I shall conquer my selfe my unruly passions with a most glorious heroicall peice of victory 2. That by this I shall preserve my selfe in a great calmenesse and quiet of minde which thoughts of revenge wholly deprive me of 3. That this is of all others the most probable way of overcoming my enemies Revenge being a meanes of exasperating and enflaming him charity of melting him Which if I doe I first get a freind for an enemy and secondly have the honour and claime to the reward due to them that convert sinners from the errour of their wayes 4. That this is a way of excelling all other men in the world none but Christians thinking themselves obliged to doe this 5. That this is the speciall way of Christian perfection and is so called in the close of this Chapter Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect In stead of which Saint Luke reads 6. 36. Be ye mercifull c. nothing this mercy or almes or benignity to enemies to be the highest degree of Christian perfection S. I beseech God by his renewing quickning spirit to mortify the contrary sinne and worke this truly Christian
off to so long a date as the reversion in another world and consequently these two are most diversely rewarded the first with a great degree of glory for the glory we have brought to God's name the second so odious in the sight of God that even our almes giving or best actions are eaten thorow and smitten as the gourd with the worme and come to nothing find no reward in another world the little reputation gotten here and affected by us must serve our turnes the only reward we are to hope for which shewes the unhappynesse and folly of this sinne of vaine-glory it robbes us of all the reward that our most esteemeable acceptable free-will-offerings our workes of mercy can hope for from God S. Is this desire to be seene and have glory of men a sinne or no C. A sinne surely it is as a deflexion to the creature and if it be the principall motive of our actions then a wasting sinne unreconcileable with charity or the favour of God for it seemes the praise ef men rules in us and not the love of God and then how can you beleeve Jo. 5. 44. but if the love of God be the principle or prime mover of our actions and this other of the desire to be seene of men do only steale in as a secondary carnall interest of our owne then though it be a sinne still and such an one as will deprive us of all future reward of that good worke to which it is adherent yet through God's mercy in Christ and his equitable interpretation of our infirmities it will not prevaile so farre as to seperate betweene God and us eternally or to cast us out of his favour this I conceive may be concluded by analogy from that hard place of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 3. 12. or an example whereby that being of a larger extent and belonging first to matters of doctrine then to many other things may be illustrated The foundation being once layed i e. Jesus Christ he being set the principle of all our actions the faith in love of him being depeest grounded in our hearts superstructures on this are either of pure substantiall metall which will beare the test or tryall or judgement of God for that is meant by the day which word in all languages almost signifyes judgement when done without this mixture of drosse or hypocrisie or else of a baser allay which will not hold out the tryall but will perish in the fire when they are brought to it for tryall such are these almes-givings c of ours which have this desire of vaine-glory mixed with them The former of these workes as gold c. not consumable by the fire abide the tryall and are rewarded v. 14. the latter like wood c. combustible matter perish in the fire or tryall are burnt v. 15. come to be acounted to him for reward and so all those good deeds of his are lost come to nothing eaten through with that cankar of vaine-glory this mulct or punishment lies upon him for this fault but yet the foundation remaining still firme the faith and love of God in his heart he himselfe shall be saved or escape shall not himselfe be burnt though his workes are yet so as by fire or through or out of fire As one that being in the midst of a fire hath his very clothes burnt from his backe and scapes onely with his life these tainted workes of his are lost but himselfe escapes naked and bare to be one of the Nethinim as it were or doore-keepers in the Kingdome of God meane while this favour which he finds that is thus guilty of this blasting sinne will give him but little encouragement or comfort to indulge to it when he knowes that when 't is cheife in his heart the principle of his actions or superiour to the love of God in him 't is then an act of arrant infidelity and little mercy to be expected then and even when it comes in but as a secondary appendant to his good deeds 't is yet then a meanes to deprive him of all the reward or benefit of his best actions his Almes-giving prayer and fasting and brings him low to a very sad estate here and comparatively meane one hereafter all which he that will adventure for a little paultry praise that meere blast and wind and breath of sinfull men is sure very ill advised S. This being so unhappy a sinne and yet so hardly gotten out of us what meanes can you direct me to to prevent it C. 1. A consideration of the price it costs us Ye have no reward of your Father which is in Heaven or they have their reward here and so none behind in another world 2. A resolution before hand never to make my good deed more publicke then the circumstances necessarily attending the present occasion extort from me If I doe every good deed in the season and place that God represents the object to me let him alone to provide for his owne glory that is to rise from it and therefore I shall not need in that respect to use any artifice to publish it under pretence of making my light shine before men Therefore I say the second meanes will be a resolution not to make my good action more publicke then it needs as by browing a trumpet or using any meanes proportionable to that though in a lower degree to call mens eyes towards me or to doe what I doe on purpose and by choice in the market place or street or places of publicke meeting and concourse for so the word rendred Synagogues signifies But 3 rather on the other side if I find that humour of vanity getting in upon me to labour for the greatest secrecy imaginable for that is meant by that impossible phrase of not letting the left hand know what the right hand doth which by the way gives also a very usefull advertisement for our direction in our dispensing of almes Not to doe them so much to the beggar in the street who 1. Is here by accident literally forbidden v. 2. not in the streetes And 2. For the most part is a disorderly walker and not the fittest object of such charity releife of his wants without his labour being the nourishing his idlenesse And withall 3. Is the most proper food for our vaine glory as to the poore labourer in secret the house-keeper that comes not abroad and yet needes aide and releife more truly to support the burthen of a numerous hungry family and withall cannot be any temptation to our vaine-glorious humour at least so probably is not as the other 4. The contemplation of the reward that attends my contempt of the praise of men a thousand times more even in kinde then that which the vaine man attaines to to wit being praised of God openly before Men and Angells whereas a few spectators of sinfull men is all that can here be compassed in a full quire all looking upon us
favoured or indulged unto may be also reconcileable with a regenerate state so farre as not wholy to quench the spirit of God to cause spirituall desertion though it do greive that spirit wast the conscience wound the soule and provoke Gods displeasure from which nothing but hearty repentance can deliver us and commonly bring some temporall judgement upon us S. What then are unreconcileable with a regenerate state C. Whatsoever are not compatible with an honest heart a sincere indeavour particularly these two Hypocrisie and Custome of any sinne Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne 1 Jo. 3. 9. i. e. doth not live in sin as in a trade or course for his seed remaineth in him there is in the regenerate a new principle or seed of life a principle of cognation with God which whilst it continues in him is still a hazening him out of sin and he cannot sinne in such manner because he is borne of God or if he do he is no longer a child of Gods or regenerate person or as Gal. 5. 16. walke in the spirit and you shall not fullfill the lusts of the flesh i. e. these two are unreconcileable when we say an honest man cannot do this our meaning is not to affirme any naturall impossibility that he is not able but that he cannot thinke fit to do it the principles of honesty within him as here the seed of God or new principles in him will resist it or if he do it he is no longer to be accounted an honest man S. This place in Saint Johns Epistle hath sure great difficulty I beseech you make it as intelligible to me as you may C. I shall do it and that most clearely by bringing downe the sense of the whole chapter from the begining to this place in this breife paraphrase do you looke upon the words in your Bible whilst I do it v. 1. Gods love to us is very great in that he hath accepted us Christians to be his Children which by the way is the reason that the world which rejected Christ rejecteth us also v. 2. being children though we know not exactly the future benefit which shall accrue to us by this meanes yet this we know that when this shall be revealed to us we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and that vision will assimilate us to him v. 3. the very hope of it now hath the same power of making us pure as he is pure for 1 Hope includes desire and love of the thing hoped for which being Heaven a place of purity the hope of Heaven must include a desire of purity and therefore the Heaven that the sensuall man desires if he desire it for the present is a mockeheaven and if it be the true Heaven the state of purity then he desires it not for the present but hereafter when sensuall pleasures have forsaken him And 2 the condition of Gods promises being our purification or sanctification and the particular condition of this seeing God being Holynesse 't is madnesse for us to hope any thing but upon those grounds and therefore he that hath this hope of seeing him or being like him hereafter labours to become like him now in purity a speciall imitable quality of his And v. 4. he that wants it i. e. every one that committeth sin is guilty of the breach of the law of this Evangelicall law of his that sin it selfe is that breach upon which consequently followes the forfeiture of those promises contained in it v. 5. and to that end that we for whom he dyed should not thus sinne it was without doubt that he came amongst us and sinne or any such impenitent committer of sinne is not in him v. 6. For every one that remaineth in him as a member of his sinneth not wilfull deliberate sinnes if any man do so pretend or professe be what he will he hath neither seene nor knowne Christ v. 7. I pray suffer not your selves to be deceived Christ you know is righteous and the way to be like him is to be righteous also and that cannot be but by doing righteousnesse living a constant Christian life v. 8. He that doth dot so but goes on in a course of sin is of the Devill and by his actions expresses the stocke he comes of For 't is the Devill that began his age with sinne and so continued it and so sin is his trade his worke this was a speciall part of the end of Christs comming to destroy his trade to dissolve that fabricke he had wrought i. e. to turne sinne out of the world v. 9. and therefore sure no child of God's none of that superiour stocke will go on in that accursed trade because he hath God's seed in him that originall of cognation betweene God and him Gods grace that principle of his new birth which gives him continuall dislikes to sin such as though they doe not force or constreine him not to yeild to Satans temptations yet are sufficient to enable him to get out of those snares and if he be a Child of God of Christs making like him that begat him in purity c. he cannot he will not thus go on in sinne v. 10 So that hereby you may clearly distinguish a child of God from a Child of the Devill he that doth not live a righteous and charitable life to do justice and to love mercy as Micah saith is no child of Gods hath no relation of consanguinity to him I shall need proceed no farther by this you will understand the sence of the verse to be this and no more Those that are like Christ and so God's children 't is supposed that they have such a seed or principle of Grace in them that inclines them to dislike and enables them to resist all deliberate sinnes and if they doe not make that use of that grace sure they are not like Christ none of his fellow-Sonnes of God a regenerate man remaining such will not nay morally cannot do so so doing is contrary to a regenerate state S. I heartily thanke you for this trouble I shall divert you by another scruple which is this Will not I pray you the flesh as long as we continue in these houses of clay be we never so regenerate lust against the spirit the members warre against the mind and so keepe us from doing the thing that we would yea and captive us to the law of sin and so will not this captivity and thraldome to sinne so it be joyned with a contrary striving and dislike be reconcileable with a regenerate estate C. Your question cannot be answered with a single Yea or Nay because there be severall parts in it some to be affirmed others to be denyed and therefore to satisfy you I shall answer by degrees 1. That there is a double strife in a man the one called a warre betwixt the law in the members and the law in the minde the other the
this while are not subject to this censure or danger And of this nature you may see in the New Testament these severalls Ia. 2. 20. O vaine man i. e. literally Racha Mat. 23. 17. The fooles and the blind spoken by Christ And againe v. 19. and Luk. 24. 25. Ye fooles c. and Gal. 3. 15. O foolish Galatians and v. 3. are yee so foolish Which is directly the other expression thou foole which now you will see and discerne easily if you consider the affection of the Speakers to be out of love not causelesse inordinate passion and so not liable to the censure in this text But then 3. There is little doubt but that all detraction censoriousnesse back biting whispering that so ordinary entertainment of the world to busy our selves when we meete together in speaking all the evill we know or perhaps know not of other men is a very great sinne here condemned by our Saviour and upon his advertisement timely to be turned out of our communication as being most constantly against the rule of doing as I would be done to no man living being pleased to be so used by others as the detractor useth others S. I beseech God to lay this to my heart that by his assistance I may be enabled to suppresse and mortify this inordinate passion that my nature hath such inclinations unto to that end to plant that meekenesse and patience and humility and charity in my heart that may turne out this unruly creature to arme me with that continuall vigilance over my selfe that it may not steale upon me unawares but especially to give me that power over my tongue that I may not fall into that greater condemnation But I see you have not yet done with this theme for before our Saviour proceeds to any other commandement I perceive he buildeth somewhat else on this foundation in the foure next verses Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the Altar c. Be pleased then to tell me 1. How that belongs to this matter And 2. what is the duty there prescribed C. For the dependance of that on the former or how it belongs to it you will easily discerne if you remember that old saying That repentance is the planke to rescue him that is cast away in the Ship-wracke Our Saviour had mentioned the danger of rash anger and contumelies c. And because through humane infirmity he supposes it possible that Disciples or Christians may thus miscarry he therefore addes the necessity of present repentance and satisfaction after it S. What is the duty there prescribed C. It is this 1. Being reconciled with the brother v. 14. and agreeing with the adversary v. 25. i. e. using all meanes to make my peace with him whom I have thus injured For the word be reconciled signifies not here to be pacified towards him for he is not here supposed to have injured thee for if he had the anger would not be causelesse but to pacify him to regaine his favour and thus the word is used in the Scripture dialect in other places confessing my rash anger and intemperate language and offering any way of satisfaction that he may forgive me and be reconciled to me which till he doe I am his debtor in his danger to attache me as it were to bring me before the Judge and he to deliver me to the Baily or Sergeant and he to cast me into prison c. i. e. This sinne of mine unretrived by repentance will lye very heavy upon my score and without satisfaction to the injured person will not be capable of mercy or pardon from Christ which danger is set to enforce the duty The second part of the duty is that the making this our peace is to be preferred before many other things which passe for more specious workes among us as particularly before voluntary oblations which are here meant by the gift brought to the Altar such as those of which the Law is given Lev. 1. 2. Not that the performance of this duty is to be preferred being a duty to my neighbour before piety or the duties of true Religion toward God but before the observation of outward rites sacrifices Oblations c. Mercy before sacrifice Mat. 9. 13. and 12. 7. And that those offerings that are brought to God with a heart full of wrath and hatred will never be acceptable to him Our prayer exprest 1 Tim. 2. 8. by lifting up of holy and cleane hands must be without wrath or else like the Fast Isa 58. 4. Ye fast for strife and for debate and the long prayers Isa 1. When the hands were full of bloud T' will be but a vaine oblation in Gods account like Cains when he resolved to kill his brother S. Is there any thing else you will commend to me out of these words before we part with them C. Yes 1. That the time immediate before the performing of any holy duty of prayer of oblation of fasting of receiving the Sacrament c. is the fittest and properst time to call our selves to account for all the trespasses and injuries we are guilty of toward God and men If thou bring thy gift and there remembrest v. 23. That it seemes a season of remembring 2. That though the not having made my peace with those whom I have offended make me unfit for any such Christian performance and so require me to deferre that till this be done yet can it not give me any excuse to leave that Christian performance undone but rather hasten my performance of the other that I may performe this also He that is not yet reconciled must not carry away his gift but leave it at the Altar v. 24. And goe and be reconciled and then come backe and offer his gift He that is not in charity or the like and so unfit to receive the Sacrament must not think it fit or lawfull for him to omit or neglect that receiving on that pretence or if he doe t' will be a double guilt but must hasten to recover himselfe to such a capacity that he may with cleane hands and heart thus come to Gods table whensoever he is thus called to it 3. That a penitent reconciled sinner may have as good confidence in his approaches to God as any Then come c. v. 24. 4. That the putting off or deferring of such businesses as these of reconciliation satisfaction c. 1. Is very dangerous And 2. The danger of them past reversing when it cometh upon us 5. That there is no way to prevent this but in time of life and health quickly instantly to doe it the next houre may possibly be too late Agree quickely whil'st thou art in the way v. 25. 6. That the punishment that expects such sinners is endlesse indeterminable the till thou hast paid v. 26. is not a limitation of time after which thou shalt come out any more then she had no children till she died is a marke or intimation of her having
care of our selves and those things wherein we are most concerned the summe of the three latter To which if we annex the Doxology for thine is the Kingdome c. which is the reflecting on God's gloryagain the observation will be enlarged that the glory of God c ought to be our first and last care and all that is good to our selves taken in only as it may best consist with that on each side limited with it Just as we read of the Liturgy used by the Jewes that of the eighteen prayers used in it the three first and three last concerned God and the rest betweene themselves and their owne wants But the truth is the ancientest Greeke copies have not those words of Doxology and there is reason to thinke that they came in out of the Liturgies of the Greeke Church where as now in many places the custome was when the Lords prayer had beene recited by the Presbyter for the people to answer by way of Doxology as after the reading of every Psalme a Glory be to the Father c. For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen S. Please you then to enter on the particular survey of this prayer Where first occurres the title which we bestow on God in it which I already conceive as a meanes to raise up our hearts to him and a ground of confidence that he can and will heare our prayers But what is the particular importance of it C. 1. That we looke on God as children on a father with all reverence and love and gratitude as on him who is 1. Our creatour and father of our being 2. More peculiarly set out to us in that relation then to any other sort of creatures as Plato said God was a maker of other things but a father of men 3. That all the acts of a father on earth are by him performed to us but in a farre higher and more excellent degree as farre as heaven is above earth Such are 1. His begetting us a new to a lively hope i. e. his giving us his spirit the principle of spirituall and celestiall life 2. His continuance of assisting grace to preserve what he hath begotten 3dly His 1 preventing 2 exciting 3 illuminating grace as a kinde of education to our suoles fourthly His providing an inheritance for us in another world not by the death of the father but by the purchase of the sonne to be enstated on us at our death which is the comming out of our nonage as it were And besides all this wherein he is a Father to our soules and spirits many nay all kind of paternall acts to our very bodies which we owe more to him then to our earthly parents who begat them as also the feeding preserving maintaining adorning and at last crowning of them 2. By this title and in it that particle Our we 1. signifie our beleife of Gods free bounty and fatherly respect to all our kind and labour not to ingrosse or inclose it to our selves 2. We extend our prayers to them as well as to our selves 3. We expresse our faith and relyance and totall plenary dependance on him as Ours and without whom we can hope nothing 3. By the adjunct of this title which art in heaven we celebrate his infinity immensity all sufficiency and all the rest of his attributes whereby he differs from our fathers on earth i. e. from men and the honourablest of creatures S. From the title you may please to descend to the petitions and first to those which concerne God of which all together if you would teach me any thing I shall be ready to receive it C. I shall onely trouble you with this from thence That the forme of wish rather then prayer retained in all those three different from the stile of the three latter doth conteine under it a silent prayer to God to take the meanes or way of performing this into his owne hands and by his grace or providence or however he shall see fit to take care that by us and all mankind His name may be hallowed His Kingdome may come His will be done c. S. What is meant by the first petition hallowed be thy name And 1. what by Gods name C. By his name is meant himselfe God in his essence and attributes and all things that have peculiar relation to him It being an ordinary Hebraisme that thing and word doing and speaking being called and being name and essence as his name shall be called Wonderfull i. e. he shall be a wonderfull one should be taken promiscuously the one for the other S. What is meant by hallowing C. The Hebrew word or Syriacke dialect in which Christ delivered it signifies to seperate from vulgar common use to use in a seperate manner with that reverence and respect that is not allowed to any thing else in that notion that holy is opposed to common or profane Thus is God hallowed when he is used with a reverence peculiar to him above all other things when such power majesty dominion goodnesse c. are attributed to him that are compatible to nothing else Thus is his Name hallowed when it is reverently handled His word or Scripture when weighed with humility received with faith as the infallible fountaine of all saving truth applied to our soules and the soules of our hearers as the instrument designed to our endlesse good the power of God unto salvation Thus is his House consecrated to his service his Preists designed to wait on him and officiate the Revenues of the Church instated on God for the maintenance of his lot or Clergy the first day of the weeke among us as among the Jewes the last set a part for the worshipping of God publickely and solemnely And every of thesâ— is hallowed when it is thus according to the designe used separately when none of these mounds to fence each are broken downe but all preserved from the inrode of sacrilegious profaners S. Having explained the single termes what is now the meaning of the complex or petition C. I pray to God that he will be pleased by his grace poured into my heart and the hearts of all men and by the dispensation of his gracious providence to worke in all our hearts such a reverence and aw and separate respect unto him his Majesty his attributes his workes of grace his name his word his day his Ministers his consecrated gifts the patrimony of the Church divolved from him upon them that the sinnes of sacriledge and profanenesse and idolatry and irreverence and in devotion c. may be turned out of the world and the contrary virtues of Christian piety set up and flourish among us S. O blessed Father Thus be thy name hallowed by me and all mankind Please you now to proceed to the second Thy Kingdome come And 1. What is meant by Gods Kingdome C. The exercise of Christs spirituall Regall power in the
meaning of them they are v. 22. and 23. The light of the body is the eye if therefore the eye be single the whole body shall be full of light But if thy eye be evill the whole body shall be full of darknesse If therefore the light that is in thee bedarkenesse how great is that darkenesse C. These words as they are mostly interpreted concerning the goodnesse or illnesse of iutentions are not indeed very pertinent to the businesse in hand of liberality and of love of money you may therefore give me your patience while I give you the naturall genuine interpretation of them and then you will discerne how pertinent they are to the present matter To which purpose I shall first tell you what is meant by a single and an evill eye 2. By light and darkenesse 3. By the similitude here used And then 4. how all belongs to the point in hand S. What is meant by the single and evill eye C. The word single signifieth in the New Testament Liberall the single eye liberality bounty distribution of our wealth to the poore So Rom. 12. 8. He that giveth in singlenesse or as our margent readeth liberally 2 Cor. 8. 2. the riches of your singlenesse we read liberality c. 9. 11. To all singlenesse we read to all bountifullnesse and v. 13. Singlenesse of distribution we read liberality of distribution or liberall distribution Ja 1. 5. that giveth to all men singly we read liberally Contrary to this the evill eye signifies envie covetousnesse unsatisfiednesse niggardlinesse and all the contraries of liberality So Mat. 20. 15. is thy eye evill because I am good i. e. Art thou unsatisfied therefore because I have beene more liberall to another thou hast thy due why art thou discontent or unsatisfied So Mat. 7. 22. Out of the heart cometh the evill eye i. e. envie covetousnesse unsatisfiednesse For this is observable that envy is generally set as the opposite to all liberality and God by the fathers called without envy meaning most liberall and bountifull The word which is here rendred evill being aequivalent to an Hebrew word which signifies the greatest degree of illiberality or uncharitablenesse and the word eye being added proverbially perhaps because that part hath most to do in covetousnesse which is called the lust of the eye 1 Ja. 2. 16. S. What is meant by light and darkenesse C. By light Christianity or the state of the Gospell We are of the light and walke like children of light and darkenesse contrary to that unchristian heat henish affections or actions S. What is meant by the similitude here used C. That as in the body of a man the eye is the directer shewes it what it should do and if it be as it ought directeth it the right way but if not leadeth into most dangerous errours so in the body the heart mentioned immediately before if it be liberally affected having laid up its treasure in heaven and fastened it selfe on it it will direct the man to all manner of good Christian actions but if it be covetous unsatisfied worldly hard it brings forth all manner of unchristian heathenish actions And then if the light that be in thee be darkenesse if the heart in thee be unchristian heathenish how great is that darkenesse what an unchristian condition is this S. I shall not now asks you how all this belongs to the point in hand C. It is indeed plaine enough allready that it belongs perfectly to the businesse And this is the summe of all 1. That liberality and charity in the heart is a speciall part of Christianity hath a notable influence toward the production of all Christian virtues and a main argument and evidence it is of a Christian to have this grace in him 2. That uncharitablenesse worldly-mindednesse unsatisfiednesse uncontentednesse envie covetousnesse is a sinne of a very evill effect and consequence betrayes a man to all most unchristian sinnes fills him full of iniquity according to that of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 6. 10. for the love of money is the root of all evill c. and a sad symptome wherever we finde it of a great deale of ill besides All which comes in very pertinently on occasion of those words where the treasure is there will the heart be also are a foundation for that appendant affirmation You cannot serve God and Mammon S. You have fully cleared this difficulty and past thorow the first of the two things contained in the remainder of this chapter that which pertaines to the mortifying all desire and love of wealth God make it successefull in my heart to worke all covetous warthy affections out of it and plant all contrary graces of liberality and mercifullnesse in their steed § 5 You will please now to proceed to the other thing the moderating of our worldly care and providence in the following words Take no thought for your life c. and that taking its rise from the former therefore say unto you take no thought c. C. I shall now proceed to this point which takes up all the verses to the end of this chapter and in it onely detaine you with two things 1. The precept or doctrine of worldly thoughtlessenesse 2. The enforcements of it shewing how reasonable it is to be observed though it seeme a strange doctrine S. To begin with the first what care and sollicitude is it that is here forbidden C. It is set downe in these three severall phrases 1. Take no thought for your life what you shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what you shall put on v. 25. 2. Take no thought saying what shall we eate c. v. 31. and 3. Take no thought for the morrow v. 34. From all which it appeares that the thing here forbidden is that whatever it is which is the full importance of the Greeke word rendered taking thought which being derived by Grammarians from a phrase which signifies in English to divide the minde doth then signifie a dabiousnesse of minde or anxiety and that a want or littlenesse a defect of faith v. 30. a not beleeving as we ought that God that gives us life and bodies will allow us meanes to susteine one and aray to ther Saint Luke calls it by a word which we render doubtfull minde or carefull suspence but signifies hanging betwixt two a not knowing how to resolve whether God will do this for us or no. Now that I may give you the cleare evidence of the Christian doctrine in this matter I will deliver it distinctly in these few propositions 1. That this is a truth infallible truth of Gods that God will for the future provide for every servant of his food and rayment a competence of the necessaries of life this truth may appeare by the promises to this purpose in the scripture two there are of this nature that the margents of our Bibles in this place referre to Psal 55.
the young ones as soone as they are hatcht leaves them meatelesse and featherlesse to struggle with hunger as soone as they are gotten into the world and whether by dew from heaven a kind of manna rained into their mouthes when they gape and as the Psalmist saith call upon God or whether by flies flying into their mouthes or whether by wormes bred in their nests as some thinke or by what other meanes God knowes God feedeth them And therefore perhaps it was that that creature to make its returne of gratitude to God flies presently on its errand to feed the prophet elias in the wildernesse in which this was surely very observable that that creature which is so unnaturall as not to feed its owne young ones did yet at God's command feed the prophet As sometimes those baggs of the miser are opened liberally to Gods children at their death in building hospitalls c. which had beene shut to their owne all their life This example our Saviour shuts up with an expostulation are not you much better then they Man a much more considerable creature then those birds man the Monarch of all them and the life of my Lord the King worth ten thousand of theirs and therefore surely a farre greater part of God's providence then they though no thoughtfulnesse of his contribute to it But then this must be taken with some caution along with it not that we should neither sow nor reape because the foules do neither but that we should take no anxious thought as they neither sow nor reape that it is as unreasonable for a Christian to distrust Gods providence to bury his soule in an anxious care for earthly things though the very necessaries of life as for the raven to be set to husbandry Had men acquired but as much religion dependance trust reliance on God by all the preaching of the Gospell by all the cultivation of so many hundred yeares as nature teacheth the young ravens as soone as they are hatcht to gape toward heaven and so in a plaine downeright naturall inarticulate way to call on God the Mammonists idoll would soone be driven out of the world and instead of it a cheerefull comfortable dependance on heaven in despight of all our jealous traiterous feares that worldly hearts betray us to an obedient submission to Gods direction in using those meanes that he directeth us and then resigning all up into his hands to dispose of with an If I perish I perish and I will waite upon the Lord which hideth his face and I will looke for him and though he kill me yet will I trust in him The other example concerning rayment from the lillies of the field lies thus God in his forming of the world hath bestowed a strange proportion of naturall be auty and ornament upon the lillies that grow in every field or garden though those are of a very short duration and being inanimate do contribute nothing to their owne beauty but most evidently the whole worke wrought by God only and all the care and sollicitude and temporall advantages of gold and the like artificiall bravery cannot equall or compare with that naturall beauty which God hath endued them with Which consideration as it may well lessen our desire of the gallantry of clothes and mortifie our pride which they feed in us the utmost that we can attaine to in this kinde being not comparable with that which is in the meanest creatures so may it give us a fiduciall relyance on God for all things of this nature who sure can cloth us as well as those and will certainely provide for us such rayment as is convenient for us by our use of ordinary meanes without our anxious care and sollicitude for the future S. What is the next inforcement of this duty C. An argument taken from our owne experience in things of some what a like nature v. 27. For the stature of ones body or the age of ones life for the same word signifies both but seemes in this place rather to denote the former only every of us know and confesse that our care and sollicitude can do nothing to make any considerable addition to it Now certainely the lengthening of the life for a few dayes or houres is not so great a matter as life it selfe nor the tallnesse or stature of the body as the body it selfe for what matters it how tall a man is and therefore it being so confestly the worke of God only to dispose of these lesse things our stature c. how much more reasonable is it to beleive that the same God without any anxious sollicitude of ours can and will conserve our life and body by giving us those things which are necessary to their conservation S. What is the next inforcement C. The contrary practice of the Gentiles v. 32. The heathen indeed who either acknowledge no God at all or deny his providence over particular things do use this kinde of sollicitude seeking vehemently and importunately for all these things i. e. for food and drinke and cloathing for the remainder of their lives or for such a proportion of wealth as will be able thus to furnish them for their lives end and this may be allowed or pardoned them that have no better principles to build on but would be a shame for Christians to have gotten no higher by the acknowledgement of the true God and his particular providence and care over all creatures but especially over us men for whose use all other creatures were created and by the doctrine of Christianity which teacheth us faith or dependance on Christ for all and desires to mortifie all love of the gaines and pleasures of this world in us by promising us a richer inheritance then this earthy Canaan and to worke in us an indifference and untroublednesse of minde for all outward things and many other graces in order to this which no heathen could ever arrive to S What is that fifth inforcement C. It is set downe in these words v. 32. For your heavenly father knoweth that you have need of all these things i. e. these things that are necessary for you and others you need not seeke after God knowes you have need of as well as you and that God is your father and cannot be so unkinde to you as not to be willing to bestow them on you and that father an heavenly father and consequently is perfectly able to bestow them S. What is the sixth inforcement C. This that there is a farre more easie Christian and compendious way to all these necessaries of life then your sollicitude or anxious care To wit the setting our minds upon our higher interests minding and intending of those joyes in another life and that way of Christian obedience which will lead us to them which if we do thus intend God hath promised to give us these necessaries of life as an appendage or addition over and above Piety having the
of digniâ—ies acts of Jewish Zelots c. to the favouring or authorizing of any kinde of lust of divorces forbidden by Christ c. to the nourishing of rash anger uncharitable either timerarious or unmercifull censuring envie emulation variance strife malice revenge contumelious speaking whispering backbiteing c. to the excusing or justifying of piracy rapine oppression fraud violence any kinde of injustice c. to the spreading of lies slanders defamations c. to covetousnesse unsatisfiednesse uncontentednesse in our present condition desire of change casting the crosse on other mens shoulders that we may free our owne from it to dealing with others as we would not be well pleased to be dealt with our selves or in a word if they tend to the discouragingor discountenancing any Christian virtue set downe in this or any other sermon of Christ or by his Apostles or to the granting any dispensation or liberty from that Christian strictnesse in these duties or in those other of repentance selfe-denyall meekenesse mercifullnesse peaceablenesse c. by these markes and characters you may know this to be a False Teacher Yet not so farre this as that whosoever is guilty himselfe of any of these sins shall be if he be a Teacher a false one for 't is possible his Doctrine and Actions may be contrary but that if these be the fruits and naturall effects of his Doctrine then shall his Doctrine be thus condemned otherwise an ill man he may be and yeta teacher of truth a wicked but not a false Prophet S. But is it not said of these False Prophets that they come in sheepes clothing which sure signifies their outward actions to be innocent How then can they be discerned by their fruits C. I answer first that the fruits of their Doctrine may be discerned though their owne evill Actions be disguised and varnished over 2. That though their Actions most conspicuous and apparent be good yet their closer Actions which may also be discerned by a strict observer are of the making of the wolfe ravenous and evill 3. That though they begin with some good shewes to get authority though they enter as sheep doe some specious acts of piety at first yet they continue not constant in so doing within a while put off the disguise and are discernible S. What now is the fourth or last generall Precept C. The summe of it is that it is not the outer profession of Christianity or Discipleship though that set off by prophecying doing miracles c. in Christs name i. e. professing whatsoever they doe to be done by Christs power which will availe any man toward his account at that great day without the reall faithfull sincere universall impartiall performing of obedience to the lawes of Christ S. But can or doth God permit any wicked man to doe such miracles c C. Yes he may for the end of miracles and preaching c. being to convince men of the truth of the Doctrine of Christ that may well enough be done by those that acknowledge that truth though they live not accordingly the miracles done by them being not designed by God to the commendation of the instruments but to the perswading of the spectators S. § 3 Having received from you the full tale of the precepts you proposed there now remaines onely the conclusion of the whole Sermon to be discharged and then you have paid me all that your promise hath obliged you to C. It is this occasioned by the last precept of doing as well as professing Gods will that the profession of Christianity lending a patient eare to those doctrines will if it be as oft as it is trusted to and depended on to render us acceptable to Christ prove a very fallacious and deceitfull hope Whensoever any storme comes any shaking disease or affliction which gives us occasion to awake throughly and examine our selves to the bottome we are not then able to retaine any hope or comfortable opinion of our selves although in time of quiet and tranquillity before we were thus shaken we could entertaine our selves with such flattering glozes Hearing of Sermons and professing of love to and zeale for Christ may passe for piety a while but in the end it will not be so 'T is true Christian practice that will hold out in time of triall and that hope of ours which is thus grounded will stand firme and stable in time of affliction and temptation at the houre of death and the day of judgement This doctrine of Christian duty and obedience is such that can never deceive any man that is content to build upon it Nor infirmity nor sin committed but repented of and forsaken nor Devill shall ever shake any mans hold that is thus built endanger any mans salvation that lives according to the rule of this Sermon nor shall all the flattering deceitfull comforters of the world bring in any true gaine to any other And it came to passe when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes OHoly Jesu that camest downe from heaven and wert pleased to pay that deare ransome on the Crosse for us on purpose that thou might redeeme us from all iniquity and purify unto thy selfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes we beseech thee to write thy law in our hearts that most excellent divine law of thine that we may see it and doe it that we may know thee and the power of thy resurrection and expresse it in turning every one of us from his iniquities That we no longer flatter our selves with a formall externall serving of thee with being hearers of thy word partakers of thy Sacraments professours of thy truth knowers or teachers of thy will but that we labour to joine to these an uniforme faithfull obedience to thy whole Gospell a ready chearefull subjection to thy Kingdom that thou maiest rule and reigne in our hearts by Faith and that we being dead unto sinne and living unto righteousnesse may have our fruit unto holinesse may grow in Grace and in the practicall knowledge of thee Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and at last persevering unto the last attaine to that endlesse glorious end the reward of our Faith the fruit of our labours the perfection of our Charity and the crowne of our Hope an everlasting blessed life of love and holinesse with thee O Father of mercies O God of all consolations O holy and sanctifying spirit O blessed Trinity coeternall To which one Infinite Majesty We most humbly ascribe the honour glory power praise might majesty and dominion which through all ages of the world have beene given to him which sitteth on the Throne to the Holy Spirit and to the Lambe for evermore Amen FINIS Theologia est scientia affectiva non speculativa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glem Al. in pedag Of the first Covenant Of the second Covenan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
so had both equall right to it but being but one and undividible could not both enjoy and therefore to make them freinds he having two peices of silver doth upon contract divide them betwixt the pretenders and hath the stone in exchange from them having it he goes on his journey and coming to Ierusalem shewes it the Goldsmith who tells him that it was a jewell of great value being a stone falne and lost out of the high Preists Ephod to whom if he carried it he should certainly receive a great reward he did so and accordingly it proved the high Preist tooke it of him gave him a great reward but withall a box on the eare bidding him trust God the next time The story if true is an instance of the matter in hand if not yet an embleme or picture of it So againe Prov. 22. 9. He that hath a bountifull eye shall be blessed for he giveth of his bread to the poore Where the affirmative promise is most punctuall and the reason to confirme it most remarkeable being but the repetition of the thing it selfe as principles are faine to be proved by themselves the bountifull minded man shall be blessed why because he is bountifull i. e. no other argument needfull to prove it but this the promise infallible promise belonging peculiarly to such And Prov. 28. 27. He that giveth to the poore shall not lacke A most definitive large rule from whence no exception is imaginable if we had but faith to depend upon it And lest you should thinke that this referred onely to the state of the Iewes under the Old Testament and belonged not at all to us Christians you may first observe that these Proverbs of Solomon are not truths peculiar to that state but extensive even to us Christians and more purely so then to them many of them 2. That in the Gospell one place there is that repeates in sence one part of these places that of 19. 17. He that giveth to the poore lendeth to the Lord. to wit Mat. 25. 43. In as much as ye did it to one of these you did it unto me And then why may not the latter part belong to us also 3. One plaine promise of temporall things there is in the Gospell also to those that part with any of their goods for Christs sake and such sure are the Christian Almes-givers that doe it in obedience to Christs law and charity to fellow Christians Mat. 19. 29. and that in a generall unlimited stile excluding all exception Mark 10. 30. There is no man that hath left house or brethren c. and lands i. e. worldly goods but he shall receive an hundred sold now in this time this first lower harvest this season of retributions houses c. i. e. temporall blessings here and then over and above in another world everlasting life Onely with a mixture of persecutions as Saint Marke or Saint Peter who had asked the question which occasioned this speech of Christs and whose Amanuensis Saint Marke was hath it as before I told you Prov. 11. 31. after all those temporall promises to the Almes-giver it is added He shall be recompenced or receive his portion of afflictions in the earth By all these testimonies from the word of God both in New and Old Testament I conceive this doctrine as cleare as any in the Scripture That the promise of temporall plenty to the liberall is so distinct and infallible that it can be no lesse then grosse ignorance of plaine Scripture not to observe it and arrant infidelity not to beleive it and strange Vn-Christian sinne not to practice that so amiable a duty that to him that beleives this there is not the least temptation imaginable against it even the covetous man himselfe being allowed to be the objector S. I cannot but acknowledge the truth of your premises and reasonablenesse of the conclusion from them and onely mervaile what artifice the Devill hath gotten to ensnare men by and keepe them from doing that which is so agreeable to their humours and dispositions even as they are partakers of but ingenuous nature God melt the heart and open the hand of the obdurate world and teach us the due practice of it I shall presume you have no more necessary to be added to the explication of the duty here supposed and thou when thou doest almes I shall call you from thence to the second particular mentioned The Caution interposed and desire to know what that it C. The Caution is that we do not our almes to be seene of men or use any meanes in the doing of them to have glory of men to be praised or commended by them For this is an infirmity very ordinarily insinnuating it selfe in our best actions to blast and defame them in the eyes of God every man being apt to desire to be better thought of by man for the performance of this duty especially if he be an exceeder in it S. But were we not commanded before that our light should shine before men What is that but to do our good workes so that men might see them C. To this I shall answer 1. By telling you that the performance of duties to God may be either publicke or private the one in the congregation the other in the closet the former ought to be as publicke as it may that so they may be more exemplary and tend more to the glorifying of God to that the shineing of our light belongs the second as private as it may to approve our selves the more to God and to that this caution here pertaines And though this be more illustriously observable in the two following duties of prayer and fasting yet will it hold in some measure in this also the Church being designed for giving also and every Christian antiently wont to bring some what to the Corban every time he came to Church a remainder of which custome we have still in the offertory 2. That there is great difference betwixt doing our good workes so that men may see them and doing them to be seene of men and againe betweene doing them so before men that they may see and glorifie our father in heaven and that we may have glory of men The former if it have not the latter to blast it and if it be truly so it excludes the latter is only a Christian charitable care that my good actions may be exemplary to others the second that they may be matter of reputation to my selfe The former respects only God's glory and not mine owne the second mine owne vaine aiery credit here and not or more then God's The first a most divine Christian act expression of great love of God and desire to propagate his Kingdome of great love of my brother and desire to make all others as good as my selfe by setting them such copies on purpose to transcribe the second is an evidence of great passion and self-selfe-love and impatience of having our reward put