wonderful efficacy of Love to God and Divine things VI. SIxthly Labour to be affected as much as is possible with the Love of God and Divine things To Faith add Love they are joyned together in Scripture and should be conjoyned in the hearts of Christians In 1 Thessalonians 5.8 Love as well as Faith is called a breast-plate whereby we may be secured against the assaults of temptations If the Love of God be perfected in us we shall find Self-denial and Self-Resignation as easie and pleasant as heart can wish Love will make us think nothing precious that God will have us part with it will make us with great chearfulness to part with a right eye a right hand our own will if it offend us It will make us without grudging to cross our own will when it contradicts the Will of our Beloved It will cause us to believe no suffering harsh that God shall inflict no duty difficult which he shall command This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous 1 John 5. 3. If you love me is a familiar and potent form of speech with us to perswade one another to the doing or forbearing any thing and what humane love doth work among men that and wuch more will be effected by divine Love This is a far more powerful and vigorous principle of action And yet the effects of that Love have been very strange and wonderful the observation whereof hath caused them to be sung by Poets and copiously set forth in Romances which are imitations of true Histories Solus amor est qui nomen difficultatis erubescit It is Love alone that is ashamed to mention difficulty saith St. Austin Nay Love welcomes difficulties and pleaseth itself in hard instances of obedience because by them it sheweth forth more of its reality strength and power Easie and ordinary performances being but mean and short significations of a hearty love And the greatest and bravest atchievements such acts as are most heroick as denying our selves in what is most dear to us are the true and proper results and expressions of divine Love these are the worthy exploits of this holy affection Love makes the noblest Champions in the Holy War against Sin the World and Satan and animates a Christian to the greatest adventures As for easie and common performances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cheap and costless Religion and Self-denial in small matters viz. in such things as a man is but little inclined to and are less for his pleasure and advantage the divine Love is less solicitous about them But it chuseth rather to awaken and animate the Soul to the harder services of Religion It doth not think it quitteth it self in engaging against the weaker lusts or in taking some of the slight out-works but it sets its self against the most powerful Corruptions it plants its batteries against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong holds the inmost Fort where Self-will hath ensconced her self The weapons of its warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations or reasonings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. There is a lion in the way is the voice of the cold and lazy Sluggard but this is no discouragement to the Lover of God it affrights him not Nay so far is this Love from being cooled and disheartned by difficulties and oppositions that it is rather kindled and improved By these it heightens it self into an holy indignation against whatsoever would attempt to draw it from God Many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Nay as water cast into lime they increase instead of lessening its heat Love though it be a soft and delicate affection yet it is hardy and strong withall Love is strong as death and it is as ingenuous and noble as strong for if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Neither the hard and evil things which the world threatens nor the most tempting allurements of the world or the flesh can either affright or corrupt that heart where the divine Love rules from a faithful adhering to the will of God But to the several temptations it meets with in the world this is the constant resolute answer of every holy Lover as it was Iosephs How can I do this wickedness and sin against God Yea Love enables a Christian to do his duty much sooner and better That which is in others the effect of great severity to the body long fastings and other toilsome exercises often repeated is done in a more compendious and effectual way by the power of Love in such Christians as are indued with a more than ordinary measure of it Now that this Divine Love may be inkindled in us and the flame of it more and more increased First Let us very often lift up the eyes of our mind and fix them upon those infinitely lovely perfections glories and excellencies that are in God which the holy Scriptures do so abound with the mention and celebrations of Let us view these frequently in the Scriptures and also in the works of Creation and Providence Let us often consider with our selves how that all the lovelinesses and sweetnesses that are in Creatures are but so many drops from the fountain of them that is God and that every Love-attracting excellency every thing which the world calls precious and desireable is but a very weak resemblance of what is to be tasted and enjoyed in him Secondly Let us also as frequently contemplate those transcendent and invaluable mercies and favours those numberless benefits and kindnesses which we stand obliged to God for And above all that Gift of Gifts his Son in whom he expressed a Love to us that passeth knowledge Would we have the fire of holy Love kindled in our Breasts let us I say dwell very much in the admiring contemplation of the Divine Excellencies and the Divine Benefits The Contemplation of the infinite Perfections that are in God will render all things contemptible compared with him and consequently make them weak unperswading untempting things What Pythagoras said he learned by his Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to admire nothing we shall learn by this Contemplation When the Soul hath inured her self to view the Divine Glories how near to nothing is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Universe in its eyes what a little spot and point When she hath been upon the Mount with God and ravished her self with his astonishing beauty she must needs be affected with such a magnanimity and generosity of spirit as will couragiously repell the strongest temptations she meets with to withdraw her from a close union and conjunction of will and affection to him And the consideration of the
innumerable and transcendent Blessings we receive from God will work in us such an ingenuous gratitude as will excite us to give up our hearts and our all to him The excellencies of his Nature and the exceeding riches of his Bounty will represent him as most worthy to be known 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the flower of our mind as Zoroaster expresseth it and our highest apprehensions And to be loved with the flower of our hearts so that our sweetest and dearest affections will not be thought too precious for him Let us briefly reflect upon the power of worldly and sensual Love and see what this will do First The Love of Money How doth this oblige and inforce the men of this world to hard labours dangerous adventures anxious cares To rise early sit up late eat the bread of sorrows to deny themselves many of the comforts aud contents of this life to fare hardly and to live a toylsom and painful life and in a word to use the Apostles phrase to pierce themselves through with many sorrows Secondly The Love of Honour Dignities and Preferments How doth it put ambitious men upon restless labours tedious attendances servile offices base flatteries and compliances Such stick at nothing for the obtaining their ends devote and surrender themselves to the will and humour of their Patron as if he were their God and they his Creatures more than God's They deport and address themselves to him by whose favour they hope to be raised in such a form of respect and devotion as approacheth near to that regard and reverence which is onely due to the most high God So full of zeal and observance is this civil kind of Superstition Thirdly The Love of Beauty What a strange power and force hath it upon the fond man To him no services no sufferings seem grievous that his Mistress wills him to undertake With all submission and devotion he admires and adores this his Souls Idol this Deity of Clay and that in such strains as blasphemously resemble that most affectionate and humble devotion which none but his Creator may challenge from him He gives her his whole heart and resigns his whole will to her will complies with all her humours yields an entire obedience to all her commands be they never so unreasonable He patiently suffers tedious delays and waitings meekly bears her frowns affronts and disdains her harsh language and hard usage and all the other arts she hath of afflicting him besides the troubles and hazards he sometimes meets with from his Rivals This Love Bigot such is his devotion neglects himself his rest his food his health renounceth all his own contentments and denies himself in whatsoever is for either his delight or advantage if he understands it to be the pleasure of his Mistress He mortifies himself pines and consumes and is lean from day to day for her as lustful Amnon was for Tamar These and such like are the severe Penances Mortifications and Austorities that this man is wont to undergo in this idolatrous Love-service yea and sometimes he sacrificeth his very life which the poor wretch calleth Love's Martyrdom Here is Self-denial Self-Resignation with a witness With what a deal of pains and trouble doth this poor creature purchase to himself misery With much more ease and less vexation had his love been placed upon the best of objects he might have been happy to eternity He might have lived with God who is Love it self holy and unspotted Love and reigned with Christ the faithful lover of his Soul in a Kingdom of peace and joy for ever By these instances we may discern the strange force of a degenerate and impure Love and what a degree of Self-renunciation it forceth those to in whom it reigns And is the Love of uncertain Riches a little white and yellow Clay so powerful with men and shall not the Love of the true durable Riches the glorious Inheritance in Heaven which is incorruptible and fadeth not away be more forceable Hath the Love of airy Honour such power and shall not the Love of that Honour which is from God that honour and glory that he hath promised to every soul that worketh good that honour of shining forth as the sun in the Kingdom of the Father shall not the love I say of such inexpressible honour as this have as powerful effects upon us and much more powerful Shall the Love of a fading Skin-beauty the love of a little red and white the love of withering Roses and Lillies and Violets with which fond Lovers bestick the Cheeks and Hands and Veins of their Mistresses besides I know not how many more such gay embellishments of their foolish fancies shall this impotent kind of love so potently command poor mortals and shall not the Love of God do much more who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first-fair and original Beauty as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first good whom Angels the flower and top of the Creation admire and adore with the greatest complacency and ardor of affection Shall not Love fixed upon such an object as this inflame us with an holy resolution to undertake or undergo any thing for the fulfilling and satisfaction of his Will Considering withall that his Commands are as hath been shewn in themselves most reasonable most fit to be approved and observed by us agreeable to the dignity of our Souls in their own nature most lovely excellent and worthy and have moreover a mighty recompence of reward which cannot be said of the Commands of Lust and sensual impure Love but the perfectly contrary they being most vain and foolish unreasonable and cruel and obedience to them of most pernicious and sad consequence Nor is there any thing that God would have us part withall but what it is better for us to be without better for our ease peace and pleasure and more for our liberty to be freed and disintangled from As hath been already proved And so I pass to that other branch of this Direction viz. that we should labour to be affected with a strong and ardent Love as of God so of Divine things of Vertue and Holiness the impressions of the Divine Image upon the Soul Had we a worthy resentment of Spiritual Excellencies and a due sense of the beauty of Holiness they would even ravish our hearts and mirabiles amores excitare excite in us strange and wonderful affections to them as Tully speaks of Vertue and consequently secure us from the allurements and attractions of any earthly vanity whatsoever But till a man comes to admire and be enamoured with the Divine Graces and Vertues every thing will be ready to get his heart which gratifieth sensuality and to carry him away captive By one unacquainted with the loveliness of Holiness will the least twinkling of this worlds glory be admired but there can be no better way to put by and frustrate the attempts and temptations of the things below than to be
for the propagation of it as being truly sensible that it is the very Life and Soul of Christianity He appeared to all that knew him to have a vigorous sense of this Principle most of his Discourses in the Pulpit were much tinctured with it and he gave many singular proofs of his living under the power and government of it If the Author's Copiousness of Style and repeating according to his usual manner the same thing somewhat often in different expressions shall offend any I would desire them to consider that this way is not without its advantages both to Hearers and Readers For by this means the matters discoursed are made the more intelligible to the meaner Capacities and apt to make in all sorts the deeper and more abiding impression And however it happens we find by experience that one manner of expressing a thing doth frequently more affect us than another that 's as proper as significant and as easily understood If any shall object against the Author's repeating some of his Motives to the seeking among his Directions for the obtaining a Resigned Temper they ought to remember that the same Considerations may serve very properly both those purposes in different respects If some of the Arguments in the former Section shall seem in effect and for substance the same this will not be looked upon as a just ground of exception by those that shall perceive that they occasion however distinct Discourses and those very pertinent and profitable and 't is sufficient if there be but a modal difference betwixt heads of discourse Now the God of all Grace without whose Blessing all our Endeavors prove ineffectual make this Treatise with all other the pious Labours of his Servants instrumental to the furthering the great End of our Christian Faith The conforming us more and more to the Divine Will and Likeness the qualifying us by Purity of Heart and a participation of that Image of God which consists in Righteousness and true Holiness for his special favour and complacential love in this World and a glorious Immortality in the complete enjoyment of the ever blessed Trinity in the World to come And to conclude with that excellent Prayer in our Liturgy Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Edward Fowler THE CONTENTS Of the following Treatise SECT I. Considerations recommending the Duty of SELF-RESIGNATION to our most serious and diligent Practice pag. 7 CHAP. I. THat it is the Law of our Creation both first and second The Consideration of God as a second Creator shewed mightily to inforce our Engagement to this Duty upon a fourfold account 7 CHAP. II. That Self-Resignation is that which doth eminently difference a good man from the Devil and the wicked And that mere external Performances do not distinguish between the one and the other 12 CHAP. III. That Self-Resignation is the most acceptable way of glorifying God and that he is honoured by no performances separated from this 17 CHAP. IV. That Self-Resignation is the way to light even in the greatest difficulties and perplexities whether they be in reference to our duty or in reference to our condition and state 21 CHAP. V. That Self-Resignation is the way to rest and peace That those that have attained thereunto find satisfaction and pleasure both in doing and suffering the Will of God That it procures outward as well as inward peace and that Self-willedness is that which puts the World into Confusion 30 CHAP. VI. That Self-Resignation is the way to true Liberty and Freedom of Spirit and the contrary to perfect Slavery and Thraldome 37 CHAP. VII That Self-Resignation is the Sum of the Gospel-Commands That all the Ordinances of the Gospel and even Faith it self are in order to this 46 CHAP. VIII That Self-Resignation is that wherein consisteth the power of Godliness and that as it distinguisheth both from the insincere and the weak Christian. 50 CHAP. IX That Self-Resignation is the Establishment of God's Kingdom in us here and is an Introduction to his Kingdom of Glory hereafter 58 CHAP. X. That Self-will is the Root of all Sin and Misery 61 CHAP. XI That the Love of Christ in dying for Sinners makes the Duty of Self-Resignation most highly reasonable and lays the greatest obligation upon us thereunto 64 CHAP. XII That the high and holy Example of Christ layeth a mighty Obligation on Christians to Self-Resignation 68 SECT II. Directions for the attaining this most excellent Temper of SELF-RESIGNATION 75 CHAP. I. THat in order to the resigning our Wills intirely to the Will of God we should frequently consider such principles as are most available to the effectual subduing them thereunto And several such Principles further inlarged on 75 CHAP. II. That humble and fervent Prayer is a necessary and effectual means to the attaining the grace of Self-Resignation 90 CHAP. III. That in order to our being entirely resigned to the Divine Will we must be willing pati Deum to suffer God and abide the power of his Spirit working in us 95 CHAP. IV. That we are not onely to suffer the Spirit to work in us but ought also to work with him in heartily opposing our Self-desires and what endeavours we should use is shewed in five Particulars 99 CHAP. V. Of the great power and efficacy of Faith in God Faith in his Power and Goodness 106 CHAP. VI. Of the wonderful efficacy of Love to God and Divine things 120 CHAP. VII That Humility is a powerful means to the attaining of Self-Resignation where it is particularly shewn how it is effectual thereunto both as it implieth obedience to God's Commands and as it implies patient submission to his disposals 136 CHAP. VIII That the serious observation of the great Examples of Self-Resignation which are recorded in the Scriptures is of great use and advantage And first of the Example of ABRAHAM 147 CHAP. IX Of the Example of JOB 158 CHAP. X. Of the Example of ELY 177 CHAP. XI Of the Example of DAVID 180 CHAP. XII Of the Example of our BLESSED SAVIOUR 190 CHAP. XIII Of the Example of the Apostle Saint PAUL 195 CHAP. XIV That the consideration of Christ crucified is a very effectual means for the crucifying of the old man 205 CHAP. XV. That the frequent consideration of the great Recompence of Reward is a mighty help to the attaining of Self-Resignation 226 Errata PAg. 82. lin 1. for power r. prosper p. 233. in the marg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 235. l. 13. for momentary r. momentany THE INTRODUCTION AMongst all Divine Truths none are more frequently more powerfully to be prest and urged than those that are wholly practical that refer to Spiritual Obedience that pertain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to life and
manu Coeli excepto timore Coeli was an antient Maxim of the Hebrew Doctors implying that God himself cannot absolve and free men from the religious fear and observance of himself and a most obedient regard to his holy Will What the Apostle saith of Love that it is an old and yet a new Commandment is true also of this high and holy Commandment of Self-Resignation It is a new Commandment not as if it were first brought in by Christ as was said for men were never free to will their own wills to walk in the ways of their own hearts but it is new as the Commandment of Love is new in that it was enlivened and inforced anew by Christ had its power and virtue renewed and increased and the engagement to it heightned both by the Doctrin and Example of our Saviour Both tending to the advancement of Self-Resignation in a way beyond any Doctrin or Example of Life that ever appeared before or since in the world And therefore it is also the Law of the new Creation and by virtue thereof its Obligation is now doubled The Consideration of God as our second Creator mightily inforceth our engagement to this Duty For 1. The relation of the New-Creature is more noble and honourable In the second Creation the Image of God is repaired in the soul and man that was a disfigured and disordered thing by reason of his Apostasie and fall from God is restored now to that better and more excellent state As he is a New-Creature he partakes of the Spirit and is heavenly and spiritual Which is far more than having a natural Being by which as the Apostle speaks he is of the earth earthy 2. It is also a sweeter relation there is a most dear Love to be admired rather than to be express'd manifested herein 1 John iii. I. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Abba Father comes more freely from the lips and heart of the New-Creature Such may draw near to God with a filial freedom and humble boldness 3. Besides it is a more advantageous relation For if children saith the Apostle then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. And the Inheritance they are heirs to is uncorruptible and undefiled reserved in the heavens for them such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard and the glory and advantages of which no heart can conceive Of which according to the abundant grace of the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ they are begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead 4. This new Creation impowers capacitates and enables us for this Duty These things might be largely insisted upon but thus much is briefly intimated that the Obligation to Self-Resignation may appear more from the notion of a New-Creature than from that of a Creature And to this purpose is that of the Apostle Eph. ii 10. We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works created unto intire obedience to the Will of God the Foundation and also the Sum and Abridgment whereof is Self-Resignation CHAP. II. That Self-Resignation is that which doth eminently difference a good man from the Devil and the wicked And that mere external Performances do not distinguish between the one and the other II. SElf-Resignation is that which doth eminently difference a good man from the Devil and the wicked The Angels that would not continue in Resignation that would have another will of their own that rended their wills from the will of God they are the evil and miserable Angels and still they are impetuously acted by a boisterous Self-Will and are impatient of having it checked Belial is the Devils name and that word signifies without Yoke and the Children of Belial are for a boundless lawless liberty they set themselves against the Lord and his Christ saying Let us break their bands insunder and cast away their cords from us They altogether break the yoke and burst the bonds are impatient of restraint Wicked men in whose hearts the Apostate Spirit worketh are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of disobedience they are not for intire subjection to the Divine Will though wise good sure and perfect but addicted to their own will which is childish vain perverse and boisterous and all for gratifying their many foolish and hurtful desires and longings They are all for walking after the imagination and stubbornness of their own hearts a phrase often used in the Prophesie of Ieremiah and for fulfilling the wills of the flesh and of the mind Whereas the children of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children of obedience 1 Pet. i. 14. not conformed to their former lusts but to the will of God as it was said of David Acts xiii 22,36 And here it is fit to advertise and admonish Christians that it is a piece of Mystery-Wickedness a policy of Satan in all ages to set up and magnifie some pieces of Outward Religion and put such a value upon them as from them to denominate men Good and Religious and so men are reputed Saints and the Children of God by such and such Opinions and Notions such Expressions such Observances such things as may be performed by very bad men So that on these different Forms are founded different Parties and Sects and each magnifies its own mode and thereupon men are tempted and invited to associate and link themselves with one or other because hereby they shall be reputed Religious and apologized for by those of that rank and way and all others shall be unsainted and decried But in the mean while the main thing is little minded that which doth intrinsecally and eminently difference the good from the wicked and that is Self-Resignation that which our Saviour makes the essential Character of a true Christian Self-Denial Now this Doctrin of denying and resigning our selves the Doctrin of the inward Cross of being dead to self-desires and self-interest is very unacceptable and grievous to the Pharisaical and formal Christians they would fain live to themselves please themselves being lovers of their own selves covetous proud incontinent fierce heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God as the Apostle speaks of some who hereby denied the Power of Godliness whereof yet they had a Form Now it is a good service done to Religion to endeavour both by Life and Doctrin to rescue it from these abuses from being thought to consist in such outward shews and to place the Kingdom of God where it should be It is for the interest of the pure and undefiled Religion and for the advancement of real Holiness to lessen the credit of such appearances viz. such an habit tone form of words mere Outward performances to lessen the repute of any sort of Mock-Holiness a mere outward Profession and Observance of only the externals of Religion be they
himself hath not and therefore that which is utterly unworthy of so excellent a name and is indeed the vilest and most intolerable slavery The Commands of Sin are most tyrannical and unreasonable never was poor Israelite so abused by Egyptian Task-masters as the Soul of man is by sensual Lusts they command impetuously and cruelly and one or other of them is continually putting upon such offices and employments as are no less contrary to freedom than to the excellency and dignity of our nature To be acted by hot and eager Ambition or greedy and unsatiable Covetousness or a vehement thirst after bodily Pleasures what a miserable bondage and servitude must it needs be to the free and heaven-born Spirit of man But there is no such liberty as to be free to good and enlarged to spiritual Obedience He that is so hath an Empire within him he is in his own power he hath victory over the world both the good and evil things of it His mind is unhampered disintangled and set loose and it is Lord over those whom it before obeyed Solomon expresseth the excellency of the freedom this man enjoyeth in these words He that ruleth his own spirit or passions is better than he who taketh a City Prov. xvi 32. There is no victory more glorious than that whereby we become Conquerours over inordinate affections saith St. Cyprian Nor is there any Victory so glorious To do good with a free and willing spirit with readiness of mind and without reluctance is the most glorious of liberties and this is the happy consequent of Self-Resignation For the farther clearing of this grand Truth know that God is not cruel or over-severe in his restraint of our Wills He doth not like Rehoboam and wicked Rulers affect to lay any unmerciful burdens and loads on men Nor doth he as one ambitious to shew his Superiority and absolute Soveraignty over us give out his Laws and Commands meerly for his own will and pleasure But be we possest with this important Truth That the business of Religion is wholly for the good of man therein God seeks not any advantage that may accrue to himself for he is Self-happy All-sufficient and an infinitely perfect Being He is not worshipt with mens hands as though he needed any thing Acts xvii 25. Our goodness extendeth not unto him Psalm xvi 2. If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he at thine hands Job xxxv 7. In all his injunctions he seeks the good the well-being the spiritual interest of his Creatures We cannot hurt God by our Self-willedness and Disobedience but we shall thereby most certainly wrong our selves destroy our own Souls and knowing that this pleasing our own will is no better than sweet poison the Lover of our Souls warns us of the danger of so doing In short thus God most Holy and Wise our Creator and Lord as he is worthy and most fit to give us a Law and Rule to walk by so is that he hath given us most holy just and good He doth not command us any thing nor is there any thing in that Law written in mens hearts and more fully declared in the Holy Scripture but it is absolutely better for us to be obliged to the observance of it than otherwise nor hath he forbidden us any thing but it is absolutely better for us that it should not be allowed us than that it should be as would be easie to demonstrate by enumerating the particular Commands and Prohibitions declared in the Gospel and therefore it cannot be doubted but that the truest Liberty consists in the Resignation of our Wills to the Divine Will This excellent and weighty Truth is most clearly discerned by the Self-resigning Soul for he never feels himself so free or so much master of himself and in his own power as when he is engaged in God's Service But the Natural that is the Sensual man cannot receive this Doctrin and it is foolishness to him He looks upon the Laws of his Creator and Redeemer as too nice and severe and the entire observance of them as unnecessary and troublesome strictness as if the Wisdom of God did not better know the just bounds and measures where man was to be restrained and where he might be indulged than he doth As if God did not best know what belongs to humane nature and the ordering and regulating mens affections and actions As if there were envy in the infinitely good God ill will and an evil eye towards us in denying us any thing that is for our good But to suppose this to have such an inward thought is blasphemy in an high degree It becomes us therefore to have our minds deeply affected with this Truth That it cannot be Liberty to be loose from God the substance of all he commands us being in its own nature unchangably good and all his Laws being such as it is most fit for us to be governed by That both his Commands and Restraints proceed from his tender love and care of us Though Souls as yet unskilful and unexperienced in Religion do not understand thus much at first but are apt to think that God might have dealt less severely with them than he hath done yet they come to be of another mind when they are once grown up to good maturity in Christ then they evidently see that all God commands or forbids was out of the most tender Goodness And therefore what at first was grievous to them becomes their choice nor do they wish to be indulged in this or that which is forbidden nor that they might be free from this or that which is commanded They esteem with David all God's precepts concerning all things to be right They do not think the way too strait or narrow that leads to life nor wish it broader than it is They do not wish the yoke and burden of Christ to be more easie or lighter then it is all they wish is that they were more strong to bear it to obey more chearfully and constantly They choose the Way of God's Precepts they choose it as that which best tends in it self to their happiness and wellfare That which grieveth them is that they are not so strong in Obedience as they should be and pray for Grace to enable them to obey better but they seek not an indulgence or relaxation They know for certain that the onely way to have their wills is to give and resign them to God And that it is for their own advantage not God's that he calls for their hearts and that he requires them for this end that he may fill them with true peace rest and Heaven That he commands them to quit and forsake their false selves that they may enjoy their best and true selves that he forbids them to gratifie that which the world accounts self-Self-love because it is indeed no other than Self-hatred The great foundation of mens backwardness to receive this Doctrin is their mistake
that is not merely that we may have a sense of our being forgiven but it hath a farther aim viz. that we being delivered from anxious and tormenting fears about the pardon of our sins may love God and Christ more may obey more and our obedience may be more free ingenuous natural and constant as that is which flows from Love In a word Faith looks at the Divine Promises that thereby we may be partakers of the Divine Nature for to this end were the Promises given 2 Pet. i. 3. And to this end they are to be applied And when we partake of the Divine Nature our Wills become one with the Divine Will CHAP. VIII That Self-Resignation is that wherein consisteth the power of Godliness and that as it distinguisheth both from the insincere and the weak Christian. VIII THis Self-Resignation as is manifest by the last Chapter is that wherein consisteth the Power of Godliness 't is the great instance proof and expression of it By the Power of Godliness I do not mean that onely which is opposed to an empty form and slight appearnce of Godliness but also Godliness in its strength and vigour that which is powerful as well as sincere and real To suffer no Will to rule in us but what is agreeable to God's Will to regulate all our inordinate desires and unruly passions to cross their cravings and to have the love of the world and all Self-love overcome in us these are the worthy Atchievements of those Souls who are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might These are the mighty Acts of those Christians that quit themselves like men these are the Magnalia the Great things of Religion 1. This Self-Resignation is the onely expression of that power of Godliness that differeth from the false and insincere Christians These are as the Publicans and Sinners so the Pharisees and formal To die to their own will and through the Spirit to mortifie all the deeds of the body is death indeed to these and the King of Terrors The separation of their hearts from the lusts they have cleaved to is like the separation of Soul and body to them and their spirits and lives declare that as much as they may excell in some commendable things here they are sadly short And it is worth our observation that these people being inwardly conscious of their deficiency herein love to represent some outward Observances in Religion as high and hard matters some things that any carnal man may do if he please as well as they as the great instances of the power of Godliness The phrase is very common both in their Lips and Books but it is not therefore to be found in their spirits and lives They are not able to hide their being acted by and under the power of either sins of the flesh or of the spirit They cannot so artificially ape a Christian as not to bewray an inordinate affection to the world either the profits pleasures or honours of it and in too many instances a Will unresigned to his whose Disciples and Followers they pretend to be And from what hath been discoursed it therefore appears that the power of Godliness is but a word in fashion among them a meer sound named but not known and experimented by them There is a form of Godliness which may very well agree with the power of Self-will And men may discover a great zeal for this or that mode and way for these or those opinions and against some certain sins profess a great love to Christ faith in his merits and zeal for his honour they may speak in such a strain of words as is wonderfully taking with the vulgar have notable gifts in discoursing about the things of God and in praying to him and herein discover much life and affection They may strain at Gnats and be very scrupulous in some small and disputable things and yet be self-lovers seek rellish and please themselves be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God covetous envious proud high-minded unrighteous unfaithful unmerciful uncharitable and such as are any one of these for all their specious form are perfect strangers to the power of Godliness Now I would offer that Question of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what do ye more than others What excellent what difficult thing such as is worthy to be thought an instance of the power of Godliness do ye You constantly it may be frequent the publick Worship of God you hear God's Word and read the Bible and religious Books frequently you pray in your Closets and with your Families you do not run with the profane to their excess of riot these are good things and woe be to them that despise or neglect the external duties of Religion but if you do no more than this comes to what extraordinary thing do you May not any man void of the Spirit do the same Thou canst pray without the same form of words thou canst dispute and discourse about matters of Religion and in such a way as is apt to affect others thou canst deny thy self in some things which will not disadvantage thy more beloved sins thou dost reform in some things as to outward garb and deportment but in all this what dost thou more than others Shall the power of Godliness be placed in those things which meer outward notional Christians and unregenerate persons may be as ready and dextrous in as others Alas what are all these and the like to that which the Scripture calls cutting off the right hand plucking out the right eye selling all for the pearl of great price What are these to the mortifying of earthly members to the crucifying of the body of sin to the being dead to sin All which expressions are not to be look'd upon as high Metaphors or Hyperbolical Schemes of Speech but as sober realities and our necessary duty And these are the things wherein that power of Godliness shineth forth which distinguisheth between those that are indeed alive and those which have onely a name to live Thou shewest that thou hast read much and heard much hast had good Education hast kept good company and art of good natural parts but how hast thou prospered in Self-Resignation Art thou more crucified to the world Hast thou more power over thy Spirit Is the power of thy Self-will more broken Art thou more free and ingenuous in thy obedience God looks at the heart the temper and quality of the mind the difference between men and men is mainly within in the influences and impressions of Religion upon their spirits in its bettering their inward frame and by this means mending the outward conversation and course of life 2. Self-Resignation is likewise the onely proof of the power of Godliness in the second sense that as was said which differenceth strong from weak Christians those that are grown nearer to a perfect stature in Christ and others which though they be sincere are but
and to rise with him to newness of life such a knowledge would not have availed him in the end The third passage is that in Rom. vi 4 5 6. Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection By this likeness of Christ's Death and likeness of his Resurrection it appears that there is a lively resemblance of both which a Christian is obliged to endeavour after Then it follows Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 3. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are very powerful to engage and enable us to the great duties of crucifying worldly lusts and mortifying corrupt affections as they are effectual to work in us the most heart-bleeding sorrow for sin the most vehement hatred and detestation of it and to raise the soul to the greatest degrees of love and ingenuous gratitude 1. To work in us the most heart-bleeding sorrow for sin Who can seriously consider Christ crucified Christ bleeding on the Cross bleeding from the sixth to the ninth hour from our twelve a Clock to three his bleeding Head crowned with sharp thorns his bleeding Hands and Feet and Side I say who can consider this and not bleed within Who can look upon him that was pierced and not be inwardly pierced himself not be prickt to the heart as they are said to be Acts ii 37. at the preaching of Christ crucified And when we consider that he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities or as the words are rendred by some of our transgressions and iniquities When we consider that we have crucified the Lord of Life and Glory that our sins nailed him to the Cross wounded him to the heart and put him to all the grief and pain he underwent how can it be that our hearts should not be wounded within us How can we forbear to express our sorrow for sin in some such words as those of Ieremiah My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart O that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears And can we consider his Agony in the Garden the exceeding sorrowfulness of his Soul his extream heaviness and sore amazement his strong crying and tears and his sweating great drops of bloud and not be melted into holy mournings and relentings for our sins and for all our unkind and unworthy behaviour towards Christ who thus suffered for us How hard is that heart which the so great and dolorous sufferings of our Saviour cannot melt and dissolve At the Passion of Christ besides other Prodigies it is said the rocks rent and are our hearts harder than rocks not to be affected with remorse at the consideration of Christ crucified It is Saint Hierom's observation When Christ died all creatures were his fellow-sufferers the sun was eclipsed the earth shook the rocks were cleft in sunder the veil of the Temple was rent in twain the graves opened Man alone for whom onely Christ died suffered not with him Certainly if the consideration of our Saviour's Sufferings for our sakes cannot prevail to melt our hearts into an holy sorrow for our sins nothing will ever do it And if it hath such a peculiar and soveraign efficacy to work an heart-bleeding sorrow for Sin it will consequently be very effectual to the disengaging us from it to the taking us off from all those vanities and lusts which were formerly most dear and pleasing to us If we are grieved at the heart for our Self-will self-Self-love and manifold disobediences we will not continue to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof 2. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are effectual to work in us the most vehement hatred and detestation of Sin It appears from thence how hateful and abominable a thing Sin is to God who is original Rectitude and infinite Purity For how could he demonstrate a greater antipathy and displeasure against Sin than in being pleased to bruise and put to grief the Son of his love and to give up the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person to inexpressible dolours to the end he might make expiation for it If Sin were a sleight inconsiderable thing if it were not a thing of a most odious and vile nature a high injury to God and of sad and dismal consequence to man he would not have required such a Sacrifice for it This consideration must needs be most forceable to the working in us detestation of Sin whatsoever grace and favour it hath found in our eyes Suppose we our selves to have seen Christ in the last Scene of his Sufferings and to have accompanied him from the Garden of Gethsemene where he was in his Agony and sweat drops of bloud to the High Priests house thence to the Judgment Hall before Pilate thence to Mount Calvary in which places he was reproached spit upon the face scourged and at last nailed alive to the Cross And suppose him speaking to us as in another sence Pilate spake of him Behold your King Behold your Lord and Saviour See the wounds which your Sins have given me See how they have torn my flesh and despitefully used me But the unseen wounds the inward sorrows of my Soul are such as the heart of man cannot conceive as neither hath the eye seen nor the ear heard what may compare to them Thus have your lusts dealt with me and in all this see their cruelty If we had I say beheld our blessed Lord in his direful Sufferings and heard him thus expressing himself to us do we think we could still cherish and entertain hug and embrace those Enemies of his which have put him to all this shame and torment But if we have an inward knowledge and feeling of Christ crucified it will most undoubtedly inflame us into a just indignation against those Lusts which suckt the Life-bloud of Christ which slew and crucified the Lord of Glory We shall say concerning them what the Iews cried concerning him Away with them away with them they are not worthy to live Let these murderers of the just one die the death but let Iesus live and let the Life of Christ be manifested in us How can that be longer sweet to me which made Christ's Cup so exceeding bitter How can I delight in that which made his Soul sorrowful unto death How shall that be my pleasure which was his pain and put him to grief such grief that there was no sorrow like unto his sorrow How should I glory in that which put him to such an open shame 3. The Death and Sufferings of Christ are powerful to raise the Soul to the greatest degrees of Love and Gratitude We have already shewn
of that which they call themselves their generally valuing themselves by their Body and their reference to this present world by which means they are chiefly carried out in their affections towards the things thereof to the pleasing the Body and satisfying its appetites though never so unreasonable and prejudicial to their Souls wellfare The vulgar opinion is that the Body is the Man and consequently to love the Body is for a man to love himself and to make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof is to make provision for himself But the Ancient and wisest Philosophers as also the Primitive Greek Fathers especially and great Lights of the Church would not so much as allow the Body to be one half or part of the Man But this was their sense Animus cujusque is est quisque Every mans Soul is he and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The man is not that part which is seen and the Holy Scripture puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soul for the person very frequently Man is a Creature that can think reason and understand and that which doth this is the Soul onely and therefore this is the true Man To do acts proper to a Man is above the power of Body or matter and therefore the Body is called by those low names of an house and tabernacle wherein the Soul dwelleth both in the holy Scripture and the Writings of Philosophers Upon this account God though he allows us to provide for the necessities and due conveniences of the Body forbids us to love our Bodies better than our Souls or equally with them and permits us not to satisfie the cravings of our bodily appetites to the hurt and dammage of our Souls And all the declarations of his will concerning us are for the great end of restoring to the Soul its dominion over the Body and sensual part and maintaining its dignity and superiority And when it is able so to do by cleaving to God and willing as he wills its slavery ceaseth and it hath recovered true amplitude largeness and liberty I will walk at liberty saith the Psalmist for I seek thy precepts Psal. cxix 95. Adam affecting to be loose from the will of God thought to have gained more liberty but he was sadly mistaken for he hereby became a poor contracted and straitned thing David would once be free to gratifie the unwarrantable desires of his heart but by this licentious and false freedom he lost the true he miserably sunk himself into a poor narrow and slavish spirit And therefore he prays that God would renew a right spirit within him and that he would establish him with a free spirit Psal. lj 10 12. CHAP. VII That Self-Resignation is the Sum of the Gospel-Commands that all the Ordinances of the Gospel and even Faith it self are in order to this VII SElf-Resignation is the Sum of the Gospel-Commands the totum hominis the whole Concernment of a Christian If there be any other Commandment as the Apostle saith of Love it is briefly comprehended in this Thou shalt resign thy self thou shalt deny thine own will and surrender it up to the Divine Will This is the great Lesson in the School of Christ He saith our Saviour that will be my Disciple must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me As Plato would have it written upon his School-door Let none enter that is unskilled in Geometry so this is the most proper Motto for the School of Christ Let none enter in here that is not resolved on Resignation Lord what wouldest thou have me to do as it was St. Paul's first saying to Christ is the first Lesson to be minded by all his Disciples And as it is the Alpha so is it the Omega also 't is both the first and the last lesson of Christianity All is done when this is done and till this lesson be learnt all that we have done or learnt signifies but very little When we have well gotten this we are Disciples indeed 'T is not the saying Lord Lord but the doing the will of God that will give us that title 'T is observable that in Rom. xii a Chapter as full and thick set with practical Rules as richly fraught with divine Morality and matters of Christian Practice as any one Chapter in the Epistles I say 't is observable that in this Chapter the Apostle describing and inculcating the most excellent and becoming instances of Practical Christianity sets this first as comprehensive of all the particular duties mentioned afterwards viz. the giving up our selves as a sacrifice and entire oblation to God v. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies that is your selves bodies being here put for the whole man because of the decorous allusion to the bodies of Beasts offered in Sacrifice under the Law a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service In this general Exhortation together with the words following which are an illustration of it is summed up whatsoever is particularly mentioned in the following verses relating to the practice of the several graces required of a Christian in this world From hence flow the particular duties hereafter exprest and they are all contained herein as in the seed and root Plainly thus If ye give up your selves as an entire Oblation to God and so your will is resigned to his and not conformed to this world Ye will shew mercy with chearfulness love without dissimulation be fervent in spirit you will rejoyce in hope be patient in tribulation and continue instant in prayer you will distribute to the necessity of Saints and be given to hospitality ye will not recompence evil with evil but overcome evil with good ye will as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men And so for all other duties which concern a Christians life in this world So that the Root the Basis and Foundation of Christian Practice is Self-Resignation and from it may be expected every duty and act of a religious life There is nothing difficult in Christianity but this one thing when our Wills are once resigned all other duties will flow as naturally from us as streams from a Fountain Let me adde that Prayer and all the Ordinances of the Gospel are in order to this the business of them all is to fasten and unite our Wills more and more firmly and inseparably to the Divine Will And even that great and high grace of Faith it is wholly subservient to the attainment of this Self-Resignation The design of Faith in the power of God is to encourage us to go forth against those Anakims those lusts that war against our Souls that at last all may be destroyed in the mind and will of man which is contrary to the Will of God and that we may be perfectly free to obedience And as for Faith in the Goodness and Mercy of God in Christ as to the pardon of Sin the end of