therefore to take down this proud and arrogant Presumption in us so natural to Man and so dishonourable to God together with his Design of making us Holy it was withal God's Intent by such a Dispensation of his Mercies as is given us in the Gospel to create in us such a Reliance and Dependance upon Christ for Salvation as to expect it not on the account of our own holy Performance but in the Vertue of his Mediation with the Father for us for so it is written 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. That to the end that no flesh may glory in God's presence Jesus Christ is by him made to us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption that so he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. And indeed it does exceedingly tend to the praise and glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in the Beloved as it is said in Eph. 1.6 This does eminently set forth the exceeding Lustre of his Mercy towards us in the Gospel that our Imperfect if sincere Obedience shall be accepted through the Mediation of Christ It does utterly exclude Boasting and all occasions of proud Reflections on our Parts as if so mean an Obedience as ours could deserve such infinite Rewards as are made over to us in the Gospel a Temper of Mind which as it is very apt to get Entertainment in our Souls so ought of all things to be supprest within us And thus I have given you a larger account of the Nature of the Christian Religion than otherwise I should have done that I might clear the way towards coming to the Knowledge of those Fundamental Principles thereof which I told you are the proper Matter of a Christian Catechism And now answerably hereunto The Nature of Fundamental Principles the fundamental Principles of our Religion must be such Doctrines as being well understood and throughly believ'd do most powerfully and forcibly perswade and move Men to be thus Religious as to tend to destroy the Power of Sin to mortify our Lusts and all wicked Inclinations within us to render us pious and devout towards God just and charitable and peaceable Neighbours and sober chast and orderly Livers in this World And which shall withal create in us such an humble Opinion of our own Unworthiness that when we have done all that we can to deny our selves and have proceeded never so far in our Zeal to good Works we shall nevertheless confessing that we are but unprofitable Servants depend wholly on Christ's Merits and Mediation and in the Virtue of his Satisfaction and Intercession alone expect Salvation And now such is the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace An Enumeration of Fundamental Principles particularly that part of it the Vow in Baptism wherein all do solemnly promise and vow Repentance Faith and Obedience engaging to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil Whosoever considers this sees what Obligations ly upon him to deny himself the sinful Pleasures of the World I. The general Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and to govern his whole Life and Conversation according to God's Commandments And whoever again understands the Constitution of this Covenant knows that it was obtain'd for him by the Mediation of Christ who is therefore Stiled The Mediatour of the New Covenant Heb. 12.24 and therefore that on his Mediation he must depend for the having those infinite Blessings made good to him which are promised therein to his Obedience And such fundamental Principles also in a prime Sense are the Belief of all the Articles of our Christian Faith as the Belief of God II. The Articles of our Christian Faith and of his Providence that he is our Creatour Governour and will Reward every Man according to his Works The Belief that Jesus Christ came into the World Died and Suffered to Attone for its Sins and Preach'd the Gospel to Reform it The Belief that he gives his Spirit to sanctify us and that he will hereafter come in Person to Judge us In a word The Belief of all the Articles of our Christian Faith These are indeed the true Principles of our Religion for these are all of them as I shall hereafter shew so many very powerful Motives to reform our Lives to forsake our Sins and to follow Holiness as that without which we shall never see God And these do most of them influence us as to a good Life so humbly to rely upon God's Mercies through Christ for the acceptance of it III. â—e Laws of Ten Comâ—â—dments And such also are the Laws of the Ten Commandments which contain the great Instances of our Duty to God our Neighbour and our Selves and to which all others may probably be reduced These Ten Commandments may properly enough be stiled the Principles of Religion for as the Root is the Principle as it were out of which all the Branches Stem forth so out of these Commandments do all the Duties of a Christian grow forth like so many Branches so that whosoever shall well study and digest these Ten Summary Commands shall scarcely fail of growing up to be a Good Christian IV. 〈◊〉 Doctrine Prayer 〈◊〉 of the â—raments And if to these we add the Doctrine of Prayer and of the Sacraments which are the necessary Means and appointed us by God of our procuring and conveying unto us his Assistance to enable us to mortify and forsake our Sins and to become Holy I do not know any other Principles that are Fundamentally necessary either to the promoting of a Good Life here or an Happy One hereafter at leastwise so far as to be the Matter of Catechetical Instruction and the Buisiness of a Catechist to inform you of them And indeed as these Doctrines are every One of them necessary to be Known Believ'd and Practic'd by every Christian that may have the Means of Knowing them and may be taught them being no other than the Covenant of Grace it self or those particular Articles contained in it and which are expresly Enjoined upon us by the Word of God to be Believ'd and Practic'd by us so our Church does account them the only Fundamental and Necessary Principles that are to be the Matter of a Christian Catechism There are it must be confest many other useful Truths contain'd in the Scriptures and those who having first laid the Foundation in these already mention'd would go on to Perfection should endeavour by Reading the Bible and other good Books and by Attending to the Preaching of the Word to gain the Knowledge of them But a Catechism ought not to be crouded with any thing more than what is purely Fundamental to a Good Life here Catechism â—ht not to crouded any thing â—e than â—at is pureâ—â—undamenâ— to a Good 〈◊〉 here and â—ppiness â—eafter and Happiness hereafter And if other Churches have fill'd their Catechisms either with many Unscriptural Tenets as the Church of Rome has hers or with any doubtful and nice Doctrines concerning
and Maker Let them be taught betimes as much as they are capable to understand of this and of their Duty to God and Man and what a solemn Vow Promise and Profession they have made in their Baptism not willingly to offend so good and gracious a Saviour but to serve and honour him for ever Let but these Notions take the first Possession of your Minds and it will be hardly possible for any Temptation to prevail over you and to draw you into Sin you will then Blush to hear the lewd and foolish Talk of the Godless Crew of hardned Sinners you will then Tremble at their bold Oaths and you will be out of Countenance to be so much as Seen in the Company of Drunkards If they shall endeavour to perswade you to joyn with them in their lewd Courses you will have That within you will quickly answer I cannot I dare not do so ill a Thing I cannot be guilty of so great a Piece of Ingratitude as to offend so good a God and gracious a Saviour as mine I dare not be guilty of so high an Injustice as to violate my Covenant Vow and Promise to him for then he will eternally Punish me Away all ye workers of Iniquity for I will keep the Commandments of my God But Youth untaught and unnurtured quickly fly out into all manner of Extravagances for why they know no better they have received no good Principles that should controul them Vanity Youthful Lusts and their wicked Companions hurry them into such bold Villanies as make us admire the Patience of God that forbears striking them quick into Hell but on they go to provoke him to the utmost and how should it be otherwise since they have no Notion of the difference between Good and Evil Nor any Principle within them that should in the least check them in the Pursuit of that which is Evil and stir them up to that which is Good True it is It may too often happen that One that has laid up in store a good Foundation of Religious Principles may be tempted and much staggered in his Constancy and perhaps be overtaken in a Fault so as wilfully to do an ill Thing But then observe the force of Religious Principles Such a One will soon bethink himself what he has done his Conscience will quickly smite him and he will be immediately brought to Repentance through the Power of good Principles and his Fall will but make him more careful of his ways hereafter Nay It may sometimes happen that a very towardly Youth notwithstanding all the care of his Parents and Christ's Ministers to bring him up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord when got too soon from under the Eye of his Parents and wise Counsellors and falling into lewd Company with which this Age does too much abound may at first be a little Laught out of Countenance by them as is their wont for being too Precise Reserv'd and Melancholly and after that be drawn by degrees into one Compliance after another with them in their Ungodly Revels Nay and at length be so drencht in Sin as to deface the whole Image of God that was wrought upon his Soul so as to be even past all hopes of Recovery This is very rare but yet however too often whenever it is II. To Recover out of it when fallen therein But even in this case Secondly The Power of those good Principles that were early Sown shall be wonderfully seen to the Glory of God and the Praise of good Education Let Diseases Distresses Poverty or any sore Affliction befal a lewd and sorry Liver as generally sooner or later it does either as the Fruit of their Sin or as a Chastisement from God to reclaim them If the Person afflicted has been One that was never Instructed in the Fear of God he is never the better nor shall you hear so much as a good Expression from him nor any the least Signs of Amendment for why He Knows not what he is to do nor where he is to begin nor does he distinctly know any good Reason wherefore he ought to Amend for Thanks to the Piety of his good Parents he never had any Principles of Good instill'd into him and therefore as all his Life time he Liv'd like an Atheist so he now does Die like a Beast He was ignorantly brought up and he Dies ignorant and wicked both But if it shall happen that One who had receiv'd the Seed of good Principles within him be overtaken with some sore Affliction and God be so gracious to him as not to cut him off quickly in the midst of his Sins but affords him a leisurely Chastisement such a One shall begin to be serious and to bethink himself He will recal to Mind what he once knew of God and of his Duty to him Those good Principles that have long lain Buried under a Load of Sin will begin to stir within him He will water them sufficiently with Tears of Repentance and they will begin to work and revive within And when he is once come to himself so as to think seriously of Matters with the Prodigal Son he will soon resolve to Arise and go to his Father and to say unto him Father I have Sinn'd against Heaven and before Thee and am no more worthy to be call'd thy Son make me as One of thy hired Servants Luk. 15.18 19. The Seed of good and religious Principles sown in your Hearts by Catechetical Instruction may well be compared to Seed sown in the Ground by the Hand of the Husbandman The Husbandman's Seed may lie Buried in the Earth under many Clods so as to be in danger never to recover but if the Rains shall descend from Heaven so as to melt and dissolve that burden of Earth with which the Seed was overlaid it will then begin to work and revive if it was good Seed and may possibly bring forth a very fruitful Crop So here if you do but take care to have the Seed of good Principles sown in your Hearts and should ye afterwards almost extinguish all good Motions within you by laying on a continued Weight of Guilt and Sin and should God in Mercy hereafter not pour down the Fury of his Wrath so as immediately to Destroy you but Rain down upon you the gentle Showers of Fatherly Chastisements so as to melt you into Tears and bring you into a considering Temper the good Principles that lay long Buried may possibly begin to stir and to work in you a Repentance fruitful in good Works Nay Such is the Force of good Principles that even a serious Sermon or but the Discourse of a good Minister especially of him who first sowed them by his Instructions shall stir them up and put them a working to the Conversion and Reformation of a Sinner In a word Such is the Effect of good Principles that by the Grace of God they are the likeliest way to preserve you in Innocency
yet Eph. 1.3.5.7 Forgiveness of Sins is there specify'd as the distinct Priviledge of Adopted Sons in these words God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his Will in him we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins according to the Riches of his Grace And Thirdly which is an Appendage to this same Priviledge III. To the Children of God is granted an easier Access by Prayer to the Throne of Grace for Pardon of Sins and other Mercies A Child of God upon the Score of such his Relation is permitted to have an easy Access to the Throne of Grace and is admitted to Address himself in Prayer to God as for whatever other Mercies he stands in need of so for Pardon of Sins when he has Transgrest with a full Assurance of a gracious Answer The Gentiles who serv'd no Gods but what their own Imaginations created did it after a Slavish manner for how could they be sure the Offended Deity was to be Entreated when he had Reveal'd no such thing unto ' em And so did the Jews also who serv'd the True God it was in a Servile manner too for when they had committed an Offence against the Law they were to provide their Sacrifice and bring it to the Priest and he was to Offer it for 'em whilst they stood at a distance But now the Veil of the Sanctuary being broke upon the Death of our High-Priest We have therefore the Liberty to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus by a New and Living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh And having him our High Priest over the House of God we may hence-forward draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. that is Every Christian provided he comes not with the guilt of any unrepented Sin upon his Conscience may himself now Offer up his own Prayers to God through Christ without the Mediation of any other Priest or Sacrifice and that with a full Assurance of being graciously heard and answer'd And that this Faith and full Assurance with which we may Approach unto God to Pray to him for the Forgiveness of Sins is our Priviledge only as we are the Sons of God by Adoption is plain from St. Paul Rom. 8.15 Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again unto fear as under the Law but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry unto God Abba Father And again Gal. 4.6 Because ye are thus made his Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And now Lastly If there be any other very considerable Priviledge Lastly A Child of God is more surely instated in the Inheritance of Heaven than others accruing to a Child of God from such his Relation it is That God will more surely Instate him in the Inheritance of Heaven than he will do others that have no such Relation to him And indeed if Children of God then Heirs we are told Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 But the Vastness of this will be best consider'd by us when we come to the Explication of that Third and the last of those Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace viz. What it is Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven â—he infinite â—sen we â—son we â—veto praise â—d for these â—dvantages And now upon the Review of what has been said in the Exposition of this present Article In what Admiration of God's Goodness may we all of us cry out with St. John 1 Epist 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestow'd upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God And what infinite Reason have we â—he infinite â—â—son we â—ve to praise â—d for these â—dvantages with St. Paul thankfully to Praise him for it Eph. 1.3.5 Blessed le the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath Blessed us Christians with all Spiritual Blessings in and concerning Heavenly Places and Concerns of the World to come through Christ having Predestinated us to the Adoption and Priviledges of Children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good Pleasure of his Will He Adopted us to be his Children according to the good Pleasure of his Will This Priviledge that we should be his Children is Attended with very rich Advantages all which have accru'd to us not from any Merit and Desert of ours being suppos'd Enemies unto him but only from his free Goodness towards us which was pleas'd so to determine it And as it is both Great and Free we ought certainly with all possible Acknowledgments to Magnify and Extol both his infinite Condescension and Goodness and our owa unspeakable Priviledge and Dignity therein Indeed for God to be a Father by Creation and Providence as One observes tho' it be a Mercy yet it is no Priviledge for in that Sence he is Parens rerum the common Parent of all things But that God should be thy Father by Adoption that he should make thee his Son through his only Begotten Son that he should rake up Dirt and Filth as thou art and lay it in his Bosom that he should take Aliens and Strangers near unto himself and Adopt Enemies and Rebels into his Family Register their Names in the Book of Life make them Heirs of Glory Co-heirs with Jesus Christ his Eternal Son as the Apostle doth admiringly re-count it Rom. 8.17 This is Mercy and Miracle both It is indeed an invaluable Grace and Favour that we should be Adopted his Children were it only for this that he will be ready to Pardon our Sins and Infirmities and will Admit us favourably to Address our Selves and Prayers to him But this Priviledge of being his Children will farther appear to be beyond all Expression Great since if Children as the Apostle infers Rom. 8.17 then Heirs Heirs of God and Joint-Heirs with Christ If a Child of God then which Crowns all the rest of his Covenanted Mercies Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven which yet it is said we shall be But what and how Great that Third and Last Priviledge of the Covenant is I am in the Explication of the next Article to declare unto you THE Eighth Lecture And an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven HAving hitherto spoke to the Two First Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace that thereby we are First made Members of Christ and Secondly Children of God Having both Explain'd to you the Meaning and Importance of those Two Articles and laid out to you the Vastness of those Priviledges and Advantages contain'd therein I come now in like manner to Explain to you the Third which is that we are made thereby Inheritours of the Kingdom
many Places of the Scripture particularly Matth. 4.3 and 1 Thes 3.5 he is styl'd the Tempter and from his unwearied Diligence in Tempting us he is said to be continually walking about seeking whom he may Devour He is here by way of Eminence call'd the Tempter because he is the Chief of all those Enemies of ours which would withdraw us into Sin He is the grand Engineer that puts the World and the Flesh on work that does Order and Appoint which way they shall Batter us and does Direct and Manage their several Temptations And now The vast concernment it is to us to know his Temptations as it does infinitely concern you to Know his Temptations and in what Ways and Methods he usually Tempts Men Lest Satan should get an Advantage over you So by the Help of God I will discover to you his manifold Policies and Wiles for tho' he be himself a Spirit and his ways also are not always visible to mortal Eyes yet through the Discoveries that God has made to us in his Holy Scripture we are not Ignorant of his Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 And I do think they may all of them in a manner be Reduc'd to these Four Heads First Such whereby he Attempted the whole Race of Mankind The several Heads of Satan's Temptations to draw it off from Obedience to God to do Service to him Secondly Such as he levels against the Church of Christ the true Servants of God either utterly to destroy it from off the Face of the Earth or at least-wise to Corrupt its Notions of God and Religion so that by our very Religion we might Dishonour him Thirdly Such whereby he Attempts to Overthrow Men of greater Eminency on the account of their Station Order or Piety upon whose Fall many Others are likely to Reâ—olt over to him And Lastly Such whereby he Applies himself to any Persons indâ—fferently to draw them into Sin All these his Methods of Temptation I shall consider severally and distinctly and shall discover 'em to you that you may avoid the Force of ' em And I shall confine my self mostly to such Discoveries as the Scripture does give us There being no other certain way of distinguishing Satan's Temptations from those which arise from other Principles but by Revelation only By what Methods he first Tempted our first Parents and still does continue to Tempt us And First Let us Consider his first and more general Temptations those whereby he Attempted the whole Race of Mankind to draw it off from Obedience to God to do Service to him No sooner did God Create Mankind but this Inveterate Enemy to the Divine Authority had the Boldness to Attempt the drawing off from their Allegiance the whole Race of Men to join with him in his wicked Rebellion against their Maker This he did in Corrupting our First Parents Knowing that if the Fountain were Poison'd all the Streams that Issue thence must needs run muddy and defiled as it accordingly happen'd For By that One Man Sin Enter'd into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that all have Sinned Rom. 5.12 And the Means whereby he Attempted the Universal Rebellion of Mankind were I. By insinuateing into the Minds of Adam and Eve false Notions of God and an ill Opinion of their Maker and Governour particularly with respect to his Justice and Mercy First By Insinuating into the Minds of Adam and Eve false Notions of God and an ill and mean Opinion of their Maker and Governour This is the Method of all great Traytors who Head a Party against their Prince either to create unreasonable Jealousies and Fears or undue Thoughts concerning him especially concerning the Proceedings of his Justice and Mercy in the Minds of his Subjects And this Policy as Satan does Inspire 'em with So he Practiced it himself to the Destruction of Mankind Yea and hath God said says he slily to the Woman Ye shall not Eat of every Tree of the Garden Gen. 3.1 This is a most cruel Piece of Tyranny and Oppression to lay before a Man Objects that are grateful and pleasing to his Appetites and Senses and then to forbid him the Use of ' em And what tho' you may Eat of all the Trees but One why not of every Tree Why should a Man's Appetites be restrain'd from any Thing that is delightful in this World But however you need not be afraid for tho' God does deal so hardly with you as to deny you those proper Enjoyments you might take yet it cannot be that he will destroy you for your Disobedience in so reasonable a case He will be more favourable to you in the End however he threatens you now What Of the Fruit of the Tree which is in the midst of the Garden hath God said ye shall not Eat of it neither shall ye touch it lest ye dye And the subtle Serpent said unto the Woman Ye shall not surely dye It cannot be but he must be more Favourable to you than so he may Threaten you to Frighten you But ye shall not surely dye But all such â—onceits of 〈◊〉 are to And by this very Method of Satan's Infusing by our Entertaining false Notions of God's Justice and Mercy of his Justice as if he commanded us unreasonable Things and laid greivous Restraints upon our Lusts and Appetites And by Entertaining false Notions of God's Justice and Mercy do Men generally Encourage themselves in Sin at this Day and by conceiving unduly of his Mercy as if notwithstanding the severity of his Threatnings he would in time Relent and like an Easy and Fickle-minded Man Reverse his own Judgment and Decrees against sinners By these ill Notions I say of God's Justice and Mercy do the general Part of Mankind to this Day Encourage themselves in sinning against their God and in Rebelling against his Authority This is One of the more General Policies of Satan whereby he did at first and does still endeavour to draw all Mankind to venture upon a Revolt from God But whatever Conceits of this Kind do at any time enter into your Hearts you are to Renounce and Abhor But all such Conceits of God are to be utterly renounc'd and cast out of our Thoughts as Diabolical Suggestions most destructive to our Souls and immediately to cast them out of your Thoughts as the undoubted Suggestions of Satan on purpose to take off your Fears and to lull your Souls into a most dangerous security in a Course of Sin No sure the Laws of God which he has given us you must consider are most Just and Reasonable in themselves and yet farther to Encourage us to Obey 'em in the most difficult Cases he has Propounded infinite Rewards in Heaven to those who shall persevere to the End in well-doing but on the contrary to discourage Disobedience he does Threaten as infinite and eternal Punishments in Hell to all licentious and wicked Living And as he
Subjection to Right Reason which is called Crucifying of the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 and mortifying our Earthly Members Col. 3.5 Thus must the whole Corrupt Nature be Restor'd as near as it can to its first Constitution and that Divine Likeness wherewith it was at first stamp'd The Image of God must be Restor'd as far as it can in â—his Corrupt State Thus I say it must be Restor'd as near as it can for as long as we are in this Mortal State some Relicks of Sin and Corruption will still remain within us so that even in the Regenerate Nature The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5.17 That is we cannot without the Resistance and Opposition of our Fleshly Nature act in Obedience to the Spiriritual and Renewed Nature so long as we are here on this side the Grave but the most Holy Persons that are have their Graces allayed with a mixture of Sin and Corruption The most Universal Knowledge is not free from Ignorance and Error the Will which is most complying with the Commands of God has sometimes its contrary Velleities or Wouldings the Affections which are most Refin'd are sometimes Inordinate and Earthly so that every Faculty of our Nature and every Action we do have some mixture of Sin and Frailty In a word we cannot attain whilst here on Earth to these degrees of Perfection wherein we were first Created But the Image of God which is restored to us in our Regeneration tho' it have not the Perfection of Degrees yet it must indispensably have the Perfection of parts It must be Renew'd to a perfection of Parts tho not Degrees as Divines do distinguish that is we must have an Universal Inclination to all that is Holy Just and Good and an Universal Aversion from all Sin And we must have our selves actually Adorn'd with all Divine Graces and Holy Dispositions and we must actually forsake every known Sin And then tho' something of Humane Frailty will mix it self in the Exercise of all our Vertues yet through the Mercies of God the Father in Christ his Son it will be graciously dispens'd withal So that thus you see when the whole Nature of Man in every part and faculty thereof is Chang'd Repair'd and Renew'd according to the Happy Constitution and Subordination of the several Faculties one to another wherein Man was at first Created and consequently when the Divine Image which is now defac'd is in some good measure restor'd when thus we shall have put on the New Man Eph. 4.24 partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. and be conformed ro the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 then can we be truly said to Renounce the Flesh 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul toward God 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God Smith's Select Discourses p. 374. 430. This is the true Property of the Regenerate Nature to be exalted above all Worldly Things and to be carried out in Love and Affection towards God The Soul says a Learned and Pious Author is a more vigorous and puissant thing when it is once Restor'd to the possession of its own Being than to be bounded within a narrow Prison of Sensual and Bodily Delights but it will break forth with the greatest Vehemence and Ascend upwards towards Immortality For it is only true Religion that teaches and Enables Men to die to this World and to all Earthly Things and to rise above the Sphere of Sensual and Earthly Pleasures which darken the Mind and blind it that it cannot enjoy the brightness of Divine Light so that whereas the Fleshly Mind never minds any thing but Flesh and never rises above the Outward Matter but always creeps up and down like Shadows upon the Surface of the Earth and if it begin at any time to make any faint Essays upwards it presently finds it self laden with a weight of Sensuality which draws it down again Holy and Religious Souls being toucht with an Inward Sense of the Divine Goodness and Beauty are mov'd swiftly after God and as the Apostle expresses himself forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before they press towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus that so they may attain to the Resurrection of the Dead In short therefore whereas there is now a continual Conflict betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh Lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh we must never cease Mortifying and Subduing all the Motions of Corrupt Nature tending downward towards the Creature till they be brought in Subjection to the Power and Influence of God's Holy Spirit which alone can lift up our Hearts and Affections to God and Heavenly Things THE XXI Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN order to the full Explication of these Words the sinful Lusts of the Flesh The sinful Lusts of the Flesh what Having already shew'd you First what is meant by the Flesh and in what sense and how far we must Renounce the Flesh 2. I am now to give you in like manner the full Meaning and Importance of the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to shew you in what sense and how far we are to Renounce them And as by the Flesh is meant the whole Unregenerate Nature of Man Soul as well as Body in its State of Corruption and as it Acts contrary to the Holy Will and Spirit of God so proportionably by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh must be understood all the Faculties and Powers of this Corrupted Nature as they carry us out to commit Sin as well the Faculties of the Soul the Understanding and Will as the Bodily Powers viz. the Affections Lusts and Appetites These are all of 'em in their own Nature the Effects of God's Workmanship and were pure as they came forth of his hands But ever since the Fall of Adam they are wofully Corrupted and there is none of these Faculties or Powers either of Soul or Body but may be called a sinful Lust of the Flesh Every Faculty and Power of Soul and Body is properly enough term'd a Lust as it Craves and Desires its Object And they are all of 'em sinful Lusts of the Flesh just as the whole Unregenerate Nature was said to be Flesh that is either First as those several Faculties of the Soul do move downwards from God and Heavenly Things Immediately and Inordinately towards the Creatures Or Secondly as the Inferior and Bodily Powers the Affections Lusts and Appetites do disorderly Rebel against the Superior Faculty of
Redemption of his Soul is precious Psal 49.7 And what now shall be done to rescue Mankind out of this miserable State Why Man being himself uncapable to make it by less than suffering an everlasting Punishment when unhappy Man was in this desperate and forlorn Condition past all hopes of Remedy or Recovery then did God's unspeakable Goodness choose to appear for to the wonder of Men and Angels he does himself find out this way to raise us out of the Abyss of Misery into a State of Happiness again that he So loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 3.16 So infinitely great I say were the Mercies of God to us The Son of God undertook and so admirable was his Wisdom in the Expression of 'em that he himself contriv'd when no one else could this Expedient for our Deliverance out of this desperate and forlorn State First I. To satisfy for the Breach of the First Because his Justice must be satisfy'd for the Breach of his Covenant and yet on the other side he would not have us Eternally punish'd he therefore gave his own Son to Dye in our stead and by the infinite Merit of his Sufferings to make Satisfaction to infinite Justice which we could not so 2 Cor. 5.21 He made him to be Sin or a Sin-offering for us who knew no Sin II. To Cancel it and in its stead to make a Covenant of Grace consisting of conditions performable in our fallen State that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him And then Secondly Because it was impossible to be Sav'd by the First Covenant which required Unsinning Obedience which we in our fallen State could not perform he gave him therefore to Cancel the First Covenant and by his Blood-shedding to Purchase for us a Second whose Terms and Conditions being more possible and easy we might be capable of obtaining Salvation under it Hence is he styl'd The Mediatour of a better Covenant Heb. 8.6 And his Blood call'd The Blood of the New Covenant or the Blood by which the New Covenant was purchas'd and which was shed for many for the Remission of Sins Matth. 26.28 And the Terms and Conditions of this Second Covenant Wherein Repentance Faith and a sincere Obedience is accepted instead of a perfect exact and unsinning Obedience being no more a perfect exact and unsinning Obedience Repentance is henceforward to be admitted as a Means of Reconciliation and a sincere Obedience to the best of our Power will be accepted and Faith in God and in Jesus Christ accompany'd with Living like those who Believe the Gospel shall be henceforward imputed to our Justification so that we shall have our Sins pardon'd and be receiv'd to Happiness This in short was the Tenour both of the First Covenant made with Adam and the Second procur'd for us by the Mediation of Jesus Christ Not to speak here of the different Measures and Degrees of its Promulgation nor of that Legal Covenant whereof Moses was the Mediatour and was made only with the People of Israel and was annex'd as an Appendix and Codicil to this Covenant of Grace for Reasons too many and too large now to be consider'd For tho' to shew how that the whole Promulgation of this gracious Covenant was not made all at once but that it seem'd good to the Divine Wisdom that so stupendious and grand a Scene of Mercy should not be open'd but by degrees tho' to shew this I say and the several Reasons of adding this Legal Covenant to the Covenant of Grace may be useful Points of Divinity to be explain'd in their due time yet I look upon 'em as none of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ but rather part of that Strong Meat spoke of Heb. 5.14 which belongeth to them who are of full Age and have been already competently well instructed and and so to be no proper Matter of Catechetical Doctrine To proceed therefore and in a word we may consider the Second Covenant not as such indeed which is made betwixt a Master and his Servant wherein the Master engages to allow Meat Drink and Wages on Condition the Servant will perform unto him such and such Services which are just and reasonable and the Servant is capable to perform which expresses more the Nature of the Covenant of Works Do this and Live But rather for this comes nearer to the Nature of the Covenant of Grace between God and us which is full of advantageous and profitable Considerations on our side we may rather compare it It resembles Articles of Accomodation made thro' the Intercession of a Prince's Eldest Son betwixt him and his Rebellious Subjects I say to an Accord made betwixt a Gracious Prince and his Rebellious Subjects as suppose some City or State wherein the Prince is graciously pleas'd through the Intercession of some great Favourite to grant unto those his Subjects not only Pardon of their former Crimes but moreover certain great Priviledges and Freedoms Protection and several particular Favours Lands and Possessions and the like on Condition they will thence-forward Renounce and Forsake all his Enemies and place no farther Trust nor Confidence in 'em and will not Disobey him for the future in any of his just and reasonable Commands but pay him a true and faithful Obedience to all his Laws And much of the same Nature I say is the Covenant of Grace made betwixt God and all Christians thro' the Mediation of his only Son only with this difference That on God's part the Benefits and Advantages are of most infinite Value which are made over to us his Rebellious and Disobedient Subjects and this upon the most reasonable just and easy Conditions considering the Assistance he affords us by the Vertue of the same Covenant to perform ' em For Almighty God in the first place vouchsafes us in this Covenant to be made Members of Christ Children of God and Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven which are Mercies and Priviledges of invaluable Benefit and Advantage to us And we on the other side Engage and Promise but to Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh to Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith to Obey God's holy Will and Commandments and to walk in the same all the days of our Life which I say are most reasonable just and easy Conditions considering the Assistance he will afford us to enable us to perform ' em This will very clearly appear by that time I have Explain'd to you distinctly and severally the Terms and Articles of this Covenant both the Advantages made over to us on God's part and the Conditions to be perform'd on ours as they are taught you in the Words now read to you And it is a Subject indeed that does extreamly concern you
inflames their Lusts and Appetites after the Enjoyment of ' em But he draws a dark shade over the deformed Part of the World that we may not perceive those manifold Troubles and Vexations and Disappointments and Punishments attending these Things in the unlawful getting of 'em and the never-failing Remorses and Regrets of Conscience Amazing and Distracting and stinging with a Venom more inflam'd and furious than that of Scorpions the Souls who wickedly pursue and attain to those Things All this dark Part he reserves till this World's Goods are so unjustly got to work upon their Shame and Despair in order to promote his farther Designs upon 'em as you will see in his following Temptations IX â—â—ving preâ—il'd thereâ— upon Perâ—s to comâ— some greâ—us Sin to â—ain them 〈◊〉 then lays 〈◊〉 shame and â—grace of â—ir Sins beâ—e 'em perâ—ading 'em 〈◊〉 commit aâ—her horrid â—ckedness to â—e from the â—s of Men 〈◊〉 shame of â—e former As Ninthly When any have been once prevail'd upon by the Conveniency the Beauty the Honour or the Pleasure of any of these Outward things which the Devil has presented to their Fancies to commit Sin to obtain them Then he fails not to lay the Shame and Disgrace of their Sins before them and will perswade them to commit another horrid Wickedness to hide from the Eyes of Men the Shame of the former Thus when he had Tempted David to commit Adultery with Bathsheba the Wife of Vriah then must the Injur'd Husband be made Drunk that his Lying with his Wife might not be Discover'd when he return'd from the Battle but that He and the World might think the Child Begotten was his own And when that would not make Vriah go in unto his Wife then at last he must be Murder'd by being put into the Front of the Battle and then Treacherously left to be Cut off by the Enemy that she being freed of her former Husband he might without Scandal to the Eye of the world Enjoy her as his own Wife And how often do we see the like Device to draw Men into Sin Acted over and over at this Day and many lewd ungodly Persons after they have committed Uncleanness privately to Murder their own Off-spring to prevent the Shame and Disgrace that will follow the Fact being known And when Children and Servants have done amiss how commonly are they prompted to tell a Lye nay and sometimes to Swear to it that it may not be Discover'd The Devil well knows that Sin is like laying a Train of Gun-powder which if you Fire but One Corn it will presently give Flame to all the Rest So one Sin committed the shame of that will engage you to commit another to hide the former And therefore it is I say the usual Policy of Satan when he has Tempted any Person to commit a Wickedness then to lay the Shame and Disgrace thereof so sensibly before him that he shall again commit a worse on purpose to cover the Knowledge of the former from the Eyes of Men. And then Tenthly X. Having once Engaged a Person into many Sins he either lulls him in Security or drives him into Despair When he has once Engag'd a Person into many Sins either he will lull him into a fatal Security whereby he foolishly perswades himself that God will deal more mercifully with him than he has declared in his Word or else Satan will not fail to present at last to such an enormous Sinner's Conscience the infinite Guilt and Horrour of his Crimes to make him despair if he can that ever they will be Forgiven they are so many and Monstrous That so he may never endeavour to Repent or so much as fly to God in Prayer to have Mercy on him At first he presented to the Sinner's Fancy nothing but the Beauty the Conveniency the Pleasure the Glory of the Things of this World as of the Pleasures Riches and the Honours of this Life with all their Advantages without any thing of that Sting and Remorse and Trouble that must necessarily attend them if unlawfully pursued and obtain'd But when by this Means the Sinner has run on without the least stop or stay into a vast Number of wasting Sins some of them perhaps of such a Nature that no Reparation or Restitution can be made for them as Adultery and Murder Then will he pour in all of a sudden whole Broad-sides such an Horrour and such an amazing sence of Guilt into the Soul of such a Sinner that thinking it to no purpose to Retreat he shall push on to commit the most outragious Villanies till at length when Death seizes him he goes down into Hell desperately Cursing the Day he was Born and Blaspheming that God who gave him a Being And now Lastly I shall not mention any other way Lastly there are those whom God does in a great Measure give up to the Delusion of Satan Others whom he does wholly Abandon to the Power of the Devil wherein Satan tempts Men except it be when God in Punishment to some sort of Sinners does abandon them to the Devil to be wholly in a manner Ordered and Acted by him And there are Three sorts of Sinners that do seem to be thus abandon'd by God and given up some in a great measure others wholly to the Management of Satan First Such ill-dispos'd Minds as out of Hatred to the Ways of God and out of Love to their own Lusts do endeavour to possess their Minds with such Principles and do seek such Teachers as will make Sin easy to their Consciences and will reconcile the Hopes of Heaven and a bad Life together And such are in danger of being justly left in a great measure to the Delusion of the Devil As to such Men I. Such ill dispos'd Minds as out of love to their Lusts seek after such Principles Teachers as will make sin easy to their Consciences are justly left to the Delusions of Satan because They receive not the Love of the Truth that they might be Saved God does threaten to send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye 2 Thes 2.10 11. And because the Generality of the World is so ill-dispos'd that it cannot endure sound Doctrine which would discover or hinder or gall their Consciences in their evil Practices God does therefore most justly permit so many to be deluded by Satan into the most vile Principles and Practices Hence no doubt has the Church of Rome in these latter Days as 't was foretold it would 1 Tim. 4.1 Departed from the Faith giving heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils And hence also amongst our selves do so many particular Persons When they will not endure sound Doctrines heap to themselves Teachers having itching Ears and do turn away their Ears from the Truth and are turned unto Fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. There are a Second sort of Sinners II. Such as by a long Course of many Damnâ—â—g Sins have â—id wast
in our state of Weakness might be capable of performing Who then was so proper to propose to and obtain of the Father such gracious Terms for us as one who was himself Man and so could be sensible of all the Weakness and Infirmities of Man Sin excepted and had experienced himself what was in the Power of Man to perform Why all this does of it self appear to have been considered in the Divine Wisdom and in the Contrivance of Man's Recovery to a state of Salvation through the Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour but for our better assurance the Author to the Hebrews does expresly declare it to have been so Heb. 2.17 18. telling us That since he had undertaking to mediate a Peace for us with God that therefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted By being God he was qualified to be a faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God and to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People That is as God alone he knew what Satisfaction was sufficient to be offered to God and was fit for him to accept ere he would be reconciled to Sinners and by being Man he was also qualified to be a merciful High Priest for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted That is as Man who is sensible what Temptations and Infirmities we lie under he was more proper to be entrusted with the Appointment of such Terms and Conditions as Man was capable to perform and therefore did prescribe us a Covenant of Grace consisting accordingly of such reasonable and performable Conditions And thus you see also by whose Mediation we obtained such a Covenant of Grace such a state of Salvation viz. that it was through Jesus Christ our Saviour And now Fourthly let us consider The infinite Care of God the Father to call us into it as you are also taught in your Catechism by whom and how you are called to this state of Salvation And truly the same Heavenly Father who granted us and the same Jesus Christ our Saviour who purchased this state of Salvation for us have also most mercifully called us to it And behold and consider first I beseech you what infinite Care our Heavenly Father hath taken in this great Affair to call us to this state of Salvation And we have seen and do testifie says St. John that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 Epist 4.14 And how hath he sent him to save it Why as was long before prophesied Isai 61.1 He put the Spirit of the Lord upon him to preach the Gospel to the Poor he sent him to heal the broken-hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable Tear of the Lord Luke 4.18 19. Such was the very earnest Care of the Father that he Commissioned and sent his own Son to envite us his rebellious Creatures and Subjects to lay down our rebellious Arms against him and to embrace those Overtures and Conditions of Mercy and Salvation that he offered to us by the Preaching of the Gospel Nor was the Ever-blessed Son of God less intent upon this Blessed Work 〈◊〉 Ever-blessed Son of God no less intent upon this blessed Work than the Father No sure it was his Meat to do the Will of Him that sent him and to finish his Work John 4.34 It was his Meat and Drink to save Men's Souls and therefore He went about doing good Acts 10.38 Doing good that is executing that Office to which the Father had authorized him in order to the Salvation of Men that Office of Mercy instructing and calling of the World to Repentance and in order to that winning 'em to it by other Works of bodily Charity with which carnal Men are most taken as Curing their Diseases Casting out Devils by the Power of him who was present with him He went about doing good of all kinds but all in order to the good of Men's Souls and he was zealous also to the highest degree in this blessed Work How mightily he importuned us to come into this state of Salvation For good God! with what mighty Importunity and winning Rhetorick did he the Son of GOD address himself to his own foolish Rebellious Subjects to come into this state and to receive freely the Means of Salvation Ho every one that thirsteth cries he as the Evangelical Prophet represents him bespeaking the World Isai 55.1 2 3. come ye to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without Price Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness Encline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David It is not to be expressed nor imagined with what mighty Zeal and Persuasion he did himself whilst on Earth pursue this blessed Work of our Salvation Nor was he contented himself whilst on Earth thus to call us into this state of Salvation but moreover when he was to leave the World he provided a Succession of Ministers which he has left behind him He has left a succession of Ministers behind him to do the like to continue to the end of the World to do the same good Office under him for the Salvation of Mankind empowering them with the Gifts of the Holy Ghost to enable 'em to do it effectually As my Father hath sent me so send I you John 20.21 And accordingly has he committed it to our care as he made it his own to Preach the Gospel to Mankind to make known the Love of God as manifested in Christ to the World to receive those that believe into the Covenant of Grace and Society of Christians by Baptism and by this means to call you into a state of Salvation And as he hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation we therefore as the Ambassadors for Christ and as though God did beseech you by us we do pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 20. We are perpetually preaching and declaring this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this good Tidings to you we instruct you in the Nature of that Salvation which is wrought for you we direct you to the means of attaining it and with all the powerful Motives drawn from the Word of GOD we do all we can to move you to seek