more needful than really are I observe here that as there are very few who have not in their Nature very considerable Infirmities so are there as few who have not in their Fortune very considerable Inconveniencies And if they would apply themselves to the Mastering of both these as they ought they would stand in less need of the Discipline of Arbitrary Austerities There are many things too trifling to be taken notice of which yet do prove sufficient to disturb the quiet of most and betray them to many Passions and Indecencies Nay the weaknesses of good Men are sometimes fed by Temptations of very little moment Now to surmount these Temptations and to frame and accommodate the Mind to bear the little shocks and justles which we daily meet with without any Discomposure or Displeasure is a matter of great use to the Tranquility of Life and the Maturity of Vertue To be able to bear the Pride of one and the Stupidity of another one while to encounter Rudeness another while Neglect without being moved by either to submit to Noise Disorder and the Distraction of many little Affairs when one is naturally a lover of Quietness and Order or when the Mind is intent upon things of Importance in one word to digest the perpetual disappointments which we meet with both in Business and Pleasure and in all the little Projects which not the Elegant and Ingenious only but People of all Stations and all Capacities pursue to suffer all the Humours and Follies the Errors Artifices Indecencies and Faults of those we have to do with with that Temper we ought that is with a Calmness which proceeds not from an unconcernment for the good of others but a just Dominion over our own Spirits This is a great Height and to train our selves up to it daily with much Patience Vigilence and application of Mind is the best Discipline Though I do not mean hereby to exclude all voluntary Impositions for in order to Master the Evils which we cannot avoid it may be of good use now and then to form the Mind by voluntary Trials and Difficulties of our own choosing 3. Lastly we must ever have a care not to loose the Substance for the Shadow not to rest in the Means and neglect the End being much taken up in Discipline without producing any Fruits of it For this is taking much pains to little purpose travelling much without making any Progress But much more must we take care in the next place that the Discipline we put our selves upon do not produce any ill Fruit. To which end we must carefully observe three things 1. That we keep to that Moderation which Spiritual Prudence requires neither exposing nor entangling our selves nor discouraging others by Excesses and Extravagancies 2. That our Self-denial never betray us into Pride or Vncharitableness for if it tempt us to over-rate our selves and despise others this is a flat Contradiction to one of the main Ends of Christian Discipline which is the Humiliation of the Heart 3. That we ever preserve nay increase the Sweetness and Gentleness of our Minds for whatever makes us sour and morose or peevish and unsociable makes us certainly so much worse And instead of begetting in us nearer Resemblances of the Divine Nature gives us a very strong tincture of a Divelish one Athanasius therefore in the Life of Anthony the Hermite observes amongst other his great Vertues That after Thirty Years spent in a strange kind of retired and solitary Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did not appear to his Friends with a sullen or savage but with an obliging sociable Air And there is indeed but little reason why the Look should be lowring and contracted when the Heart is filled with Joy and Charity Goodness and Pleasure A Serene open Countenance and a chearful grave Deportment does best suit the Tranquility Purity and Dignity of a Christian Mind § 5. Lastly Some kinds of Life are better suited and accommodated to the great Ends of Religion and Vertue than others I shall not here enter into an Examination of the Advantages or Disadvantages there are in the several kinds of Life with reference to Religion The setling this and several other things relating to it was one main design of my last Book All therefore that I have here to do is but to make one plain Inference from all that has been advanced in this Chapter If Perfection and Happiness cannot be obtained without a frequent and serious Application of our selves to the Means here insisted on then 't is plain that we ought to cast our Lives if we can into such a Method that we may be in a capacity to do this To speak more particularly and closely since Meditation Prayer and Holy Conversation are so necessary to quicken the Conscience excite our Passions and fortifie our Resolutions it is evident that it is as necessary so to model and form our Lives that we may have time enough to bestow on these For they whose Minds and Time are taken up by the World have very little leisure for things of this Nature and are very little dispos'd to them and as ill qualified for them As to Conversation as the World goes now 't is not to be expected that it should have in it any relish of Piety unless between such as have entered into a close and strict Friendship But the Worldly Man is a stranger to true Friendship 't is too sacred too delicate a thing for a Mind devoted to the World to be capable of A regard to Interest to some outward Forms and Decencies the gratification of some natural Inclination the necessity of some kind of Diversion and Enjoyment may invite him to more Familiarity with some than others But 't is hard to believe that there should be any thing in such Combinations of that which is the very Life and Soul of Friendship a sincere and undesigning Passion increased by mutual Confidences and Obligations and supported and strengthen'd by Vertue and Honour As to Prayer Men of business do I doubt oftner read or say Prayers than Pray for 't is very hard to imagine that a Soul that grovels perpetually here upon Earth that is incessantly Solicitous about the things of this World and that enters abruptly upon this Duty without any Preparation should immediately take Fire be filled with Heavenly Vigour and be transported with earnest and impatient desire of Grace and Glory Ah! How hard is it for him who Hungers and Thirsts perpetually after the profits of this World to Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness too If such Minds as these retain the Belief of a Providence some awe of God and some degree of Gratitude towards Him 't is as much as may reasonably be expected from them and may this avail them as far as it can Lastly as to Meditation how can it be imagined that such whose Minds and Bodies are fatigued and harrassed by Worldly Business should be much inclined to it or
we courted till we be possess'd of a Habit of that Vertue which is a direct Contradiction to it and take as much pleasure in the Obedience as ever we did in the Transgression of a Divine Command 2ly There are some Sins of that provoking Nature so criminal in their Birth and mischievous in their Consequences That one single Act or Commission of one of these is equivalent to a Habit of others such is Murther Idolatry Perjury Adultery these cannot be committed without renouncing Humanity as well as Christianity without resisting the Instincts and Impulses of Nature as well as the Eight of the Gospel and the Grace of the Spirit We must break thorough a great many Difficulties and Terrors e're we can come at these Sins we must commit many other in order to commit one of these we must deliberate long resolve desperately and in Defiance of God and Conscience and what is the Effect of Habit in other Instances is a necessary Preparative in these that is Obduration In this Case therefore the unhappy Man that has been guilty of any one of these must not look upon himself as set free when he is come to a Resolution of never repeating it again But then when he loaths and abhors himself in Dust and Ashes when he has made the utmost Reparation of the Wrong he is capable of when if the Interest of Vertue require it he is content to be oppress'd with Shame and Sufferings when in one word a long and constant Course of Mortification Prayers Tears and good Works have washed off the Stain and Guilt 2. We must be free not only from a Habit but from single Acts of deliberate presumptuous Sin The Reason is plain Mortal Sin cannot be committed without wounding the Conscience grieving the Spirit and renouncing our Hopes in God through Christ for the time at least The wages of Sin is Death is true not only of Habits but single Acts of Deliberate Sin Death is the penalty the Sanction of every Commandment and the Commandment does not prohibit Habits only but single Acts too Nor is there indeed any room for Doubt or Dispute here but in one Case which is If a Righteous Man should be taken off in the very Commission of a Sin which he was fallen into Here indeed much may be said and with much Uncertainty But the Resolution of this Point does not as far as I can see minister to any good or necessary End and therefore I will leave it to God In all other Cases every thing is clear and plain For if the Servant of God fall into a presumptuous Sin 't is universally acknowledg'd that he cannot recover his Station but by Repentance If he repent presently he is safe but if he continue in his Sin if he repeat it he passes into a state of Wickedness widens the Breach between God and his Soul declines insensibly into a Habit of sin and renders his Wound more and more incurable 'T is to little purpose I think here to consider the vast Difference there is in the Commission even of the same sin between a Child of God and a Child of Wrath because a Child of God must not commit it at all if he do though it be with Reluctancy though it be as it were with an imperfect Consent and with a divided Soul though the Awe of Religion and Conscience seems not utterly to have forsaken him even in the midst of his sin though his Heart smite him the very Minute it is finish'd and Repentance and Remorse take off the Relish of the unhappy Draught yet still 't is Sin 't is in its Nature Damnable and nothing but the Blood of Jesus can purge the Guilt 3. The Perfect Man may be supposed not only actually to abstain from Mortal Sin but to be advanced so far in the Mortification of all his inordinate Affections as to do it with Ease and Pleasure with Constancy and Delight For it must reasonably be presumed that his Victory over ungodly and worldly Lust is more confirm'd and absolute his Abhorrence of them more deep and sensible more fixt and lasting than that of a Beginner or Babe in Christ The Regenerate at first fears the Consequence of sin but by Degrees he hates the Sin it self The Purity of his Soul renders him now incapable of finding any pleasure in what he doted on before and the Love of God and Vertue raiseth him above the Temptations which he was wont to fall by old things are past away and all things are become new 4. Lastly The Perfect Man's Abstinence is not only more easie and steady but more entire and compleat also than that of others He has a regard to the End and Design of the Law to the Perfection of his Nature to the Purity and Elevation of his Sowl and therefore he expounds the Prohibitions of the Law in the most enlarg'd Sense and interprets them by a Spirit of Faith and Love He is not content to refrain from Actions directly criminal but shuns every Appearance of Evil and labours to mortifie all the Dispositions and Tendencies of his Nature towards it and to decline whatever Circumstances of Life are apt to betray the Soul into a Love of this World or the Body he has crucified the World and the Body too That Pleasure that Honour that Power that Profit which captives the Sinners tempts and tries and disquiets the Novice is but a burthen a trouble to him he finds no Gust no relish in these things He is so far from Intemperance so far from Wantonness so far from Pride and Vanity that could he without any Disadvantage to the Interest of Religion he would imitate the Meanness the Plainness the Laboriousness the Self-denial of our Saviour's Life not only in Disposition and Affection of his Soul but even in his outward State and Deportment and would prefer it far above the Pomp and Shew of Life In one word he enquires not how far he may Enjoy and be Safe but how far he may deny himself and be wise he is so far from desiring forbidden Satisfactions that he is unwilling and afraid to find too much Satisfaction in the natural and necessary Actions of an animal Life I need not prove this to any one who has read the foregoing Chapters for it is what I have been doing throughout this Treatise It is nothing but what is consonant to the whole Tenour of the Scripture and to the Example of the best Times And 't is conformable to what the best Authors have writ who have any thing of Life and Spirit in their Works or have any true Notion of the great Design of Christian Religion which is an heavenly Conversation Let any one but cast his Eye on St. Basil or any other after him who aim'd at the same thing I now do the promoting Holiness in the World in the Beauty and Perfection of it and he will acknowledge that I am far from having carried this matter too high I
will quote but one or two Passages of St. Basil (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 454. his Description of the Perfect Man with regard to his Self-denial runs thus He is one that consults the Necessities not the Pleasure of his Nature and seems to grudge the Time which he bestows on the Support and Nourishment of a corruptible Body He is so far from looking upon eating and drinking c. as an Enjoyment that he rather accounts it a Task or troublesome Service which the Frailty of his Nature demands at his hands Nor was this great Man more severe against the Lusts of the Flesh than against those other Branches of the Love of the World the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 456. All Vanity and Affection of Praise and Respect all the Ostentation saith he and shew of Life is utterly unlawful for a Christian And all this is directly consonant to his Gloss (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 457. on those words of S. Paul they that use the World as not abusing it whatever is beyond use is abuse directly consonant to his Definition of Temperance (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 454. That it is the Extirpation of Sin the Extermination of unruly Passions and the Mortification of the Body extending even to the natural Appetites and Affections of it I know not what Scruples or Mistakes the Doctrine I here advance concerning this Part of my Perfect Man's Liberty may be encounter'd with But I am Confident I have given no just Occasion for any I do not say of the Perfect with Jovinian that they cannot fall but I say they may and ought to stand and if it be not their own fault will do so I do not affirm of them as the Hereticks in Vincentius Lyrinensis did of their Part that they are priviledg'd from sin by a peculiar Grace and transcendent Favour but I affirm that they shall not want Grace to preserve them from it unless they be wanting to themselves I do not go about to maintain that God sees no sin in his Children but I maintain That Mortal Sin is not the Spot of his Children But do not I in this fall in with the Papists who assert the Possibility of keeping the Commands of God I answer That taking them in the sense in which they themselves in the Conference at Ratisbone defend this Doctrine I do They there tell us that when they talk thus they take the Law or Commands of God not in a strict and rigid but in a favourable and equitable i. e. a Gospel Construction And this is so far from being Heterodox that Davenant accounts it a plain giving up the Question in Controversie But am I not run into the Error of the Pelagians and Quakers I answer if the one or the other assert That the Perfect Man passes thorough the whole Course of Life without falling into any Sin or That in the best part of Life he is impeccable and not subject to sin as in the Heat of Disputation their Adversaries seem sometimes to fasten on them I am at a wide Distance from them But if they teach That the Perfect Man has Grace and Strength enough to forbear Wilful Sin and that many actually do so I am I must confess exactly of their Mind But then I am at the same time of the same Mind with St. Austin and St. Jerome too For they teach the very same Doctrine For they never contended about the Possibility of Freedom or Deliverance from Mental Sin but only from Venial St. Jerome * Dial. Secund adv Pelag. p. 189. shall explain his own Sense Etenim absque vitio quod grecé dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominem posse esse aio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est sine Peccato esse nego Which is the same thing that St. Austin commonly admits That Man may be sine Crimine but not sine Peccato without Mortal but not without Venial Sin And in this they are certainly of the Mind of the Scripture which every where represents the Perfect Man as holy blameless undefiled without Spot walking with God and in one word as free from Sin If any Man can reconcile these Texts which are very numerous with Mortal Sin I will not say in the best state of the best Men but a state of Sincerity and Regeneration I will acknowledge my Mistake But till then I cannot but think the Doctrine I advance necessary to establish the true Notion of Holiness and convince us of our Obligation to it This Doctrine is again necessary to wipe off those Aspersions and Calumnies the Quakers cast upon our Church as if it held That the Regenerate themselves may continue in their Sins nay cannot be freed from them Our Church teaches indeed Artic. 14. That the most Perfect Men are never utterly exempt from Defects Failings and Human Infirmities and I believe they themselves are not confident enough to teach otherwise only they will not call these Infirmities Sins And then the whole Controversie is reduced to this we agree in the thing but differ in the Name And in this Difference we are not only on the humbler but the safer side too for acknowledging them Sins we shall be the better disposed sure to be sorry for them to beg pardon of them and watch against them The Fruit of this Liberty has been sufficiently accounted for Chap. 3. And therefore I proceed S. 3. To propose some Rules for the Attainment of it 1. The Mind must be grounded and rooted in the Faith it must be thoroughly convinced and perswaded of these great Articles of the Christian Religion That there is a God and such a God Holy Just Omniscient and Omnipotent one the Incarnation Suffering and Glory of the Blessed Jesus a Judgment to come and the Eternal Rewards and Punishments of another Life The firm Belief of these things does naturally promote these two Effects 1. It will awaken a Sinner out of his Lethargy and Security it will disturb him in his sinful Enjoyments and fill his Mind with guilty Fears and uneasie Reflections And when the Man finds no Rest no security in his Sins this will naturally oblige him to endeavour the Conquest of them But then we must not stifle and suppress these Thoughts we must give Conscience full Liberty we must hear the Dictates of our own Minds patiently and consider seriously those terrible Truths which they lay before us till we go from this Exercise deeply impress'd with such Notions as these That our Sins sooner or later will certainly bring upon us temporal and eternal Misery That nothing but sincere Righteousness can produce true and lasting Happiness That it is a dreadful Danger to dally too long with Indgination or presume too far on the Mercy of a just and holy and Almighty God That the neglecting the great Salvation tender'd by the Gospel and procured by the Blessed Jesus the
Case of Herod he had yielded no doubt to the Power and Force of the Baptists Reasons if he had not been drawn back by the Charms of his Herodias And this is the Case of every Man who is but almost a Christian he is under the Ascendant of some silly or vile Lust or other this is that which spoils the Taste of the hidden Manna and diminisheth the Price of Canaan Without doubt Men would apply themselves more vigorously to spiritual Things were they not too fond of the Body and the Pleasures of it they would certainly seek the Kingdom of Heaven more earnestly and make a better provision than they do for the other World were they not too much taken with this and therefore too apt to set up their Rest on this side Jordan Now if this be so what can we expect they only who conquer are crowned they that sow to the flesh and to the world can reap nothing from these but Corruption These kind of Christians though peradventure they are not Slaves to any infamous and scandalous Lusts are yet entangled by some other not muchless injurious though not to Reputation yet to Purity of Heart they are captived to the World and Flesh though their Chains seem better polished and of a finer Metal they cannot mount upwards they cannot conquer being retarded and kept under if not by the Strength of Temptation yet by their own Softness and Weakness and yet why should I doubt but these are conquer'd by Temptation The more innocent the Object of any ones Passion is generally the more fatal because we are the more apt to indulge our selves in it The Causes of Lukewarmness being thus pointed out 't is evident what the Cure of it consists in namely in forming just and correct Notions of Vertue and Vice in strengthening and confirming our Faith and in perfecting and compleating our Reformation I will now endeavour to possess the Minds of Men with an Aversion and Dread of this State of Lukewarmness by shewing 1. The Folly 2. The Guilt and 3. The Danger of it 1. The Folly How reasonably may I here address my self to the Luke-warm in the words of Elijah to the Israelites How long halt ye between two Opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him 1 King 18.21 If you do indeed believe that your Safety and Happiness depends upon God then serve him in good earnest but if you think this depends upon the World the Flesh and the Devil then serve these if you really think that Vertue and Religion are the most solid and stable Treasure then strive sincerely and vigorously to possess your selves of them but if you really think that the Ease and Pleasure of the Body Respect and Pomp and State is the proper Portion and soveraign Good of Man then devote and offer up your selves to these For what a folly is that Life which will neither procure us the Happiness of this World nor of another To what purpose is it to listen only so much to Conscience as to damp and chil our Pleasure and so much to Pleasure as to disturb the Peace and Repose of Conscience But indeed as the Words of Elijah were rather an Irony than any real Doubt whether Baal or the Lord were God rather a scornful Derision of their Folly and Stupidity than a Serious Exhortation to deliberate whether Idolatry or the Worship of the true God were to be chosen I doubt not but mine will seem to you to carry no other Sound in them The Disparity is so vast between God and the World between Religion and Sensuality Covetousness or Ambition between those Hopes and Enjoyments we may reap from the one and those we can fancy in the other that there is no place for doubting what Choice we are to make or to which Side we are to adhere Nay in this we are more criminal than the Israelite being self-condemn'd The Israelites indeed seem to be at a Loss whether the Lord or Baal were God they doubted under whose Protection they might thrive best But at this day whoever believes a God knows very well there is none besides him Whatever passion we have for the World and the Things of it whatever spiritual Idolatry we are guilty of our Opinions are not yet so far corrupted as to attribute to them in Reality any thing like Divinity Whilst we dote on Wealth we at the same time know that it makes its self Wings and flies away whilst on Greatness and Power we know that 't is but a piece of empty and toilsom Pageantry and often the Subject of Misery and dismal Tragedies not incident to a lower State whilst we dote on Pleasure we are well assur'd that 't is dishonourable and short and intermixt with Fears and Shame and Torment We know that nothing here below is able to free our State and Fortune from Calamity our Mind from Guilt the Body from Death much less the whole Man from a miserable Eternity In one word we know that what we admire is Vanity and what we worship is indeed an Idol This being so I will insist no longer on this Topick for since the World bears no Competition with God in our Opinion though it often rival him in our Affections we are not to impute the halting of a Laodicean Christian to any Perswasion of Omnipotence or Alsufficiency or any thing like Divinity in the things he dotes on serves and worships but we must find out some other Reason of it And that is generally this we are willing to believe that our Fondness for the World and our Indulgence to the Body is consistent enough with Religion That it is no Violation of our Faith nor Provocation to God nor conserquently Prejudice to our Eternal Interest And then 't is no wonder if we blend and compound Religion and Sensuality and stand divided in our Affections and consequently halt in our Service between God and the World To prevent this I will shew 2. That this is a great Sin which is sufficiently evident from this Single Consideration That it frustrates the Efficacy of the Gospel and the Spirit and entirely defeats the great Design of the Christian Religion For 1. Religion has no effectual Influence upon the Lukewarm himself the Gospel works no thorough Change in him The Sinner is not converted into a Saint nor Human Nature perfected by Participation of a Divine one 2. The Laodiceans can never offer up to God any Gift any Sacrifice worthy of him nor render him any Service acceptable to him the Kingdom of God is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men. But alas these Men are almost utter Strangers to these things a few faint and irresolute Wishes formal and customary Prayers nigardly and grumbling Alms and an Attendance upon God's Word rather out of spiritual Wantonness than Devotion these are the Offerings
never to be enjoyed by any but some few rare and happy Creatures the Favourites of God and Nature Pleasures that have Matter and Substance in them for such as I can no more grasp and relish than I can Dreams and Visions But to this I answer this pretty talk is all but stupid Ignorance and gross Mistakes For 1. As to innocent and vertuous Pleasure no Man needs part with it I endeavour not to deprive Man of this but to refine and purifie it And he that prefers either silly or vicious Pleasure before Religion is wretchedly mistaken For 2. Perfect Religion is full of Pleasure Had we but once arrived at true Purity of Heart what could be so full of Pleasure as the Business of Religion what can be more delightful than blessing and praising God to a grateful Soul Allelujahs to a Soul snatched from the brink of Destruction into the Bosom of its Master what can be more Transporting than the melting Tendernesses of a holy Contrition made up like Mary Magdalen's of Tears and Kisses Sorrow and Love Humility and Glory Confusion and Confidence Shame and Joy what can be more transporting than Love the Love of a Christian when he is all Love as God is Love when he desires nothing in Heaven nor on Earth but God when all things are dung and dross to him in Comparison of Jesus 4. If the Pleasures of the World be more transporting than those of Religion 't is because our Faith is weak our Love imperfect and our Life unsteady A constant and exalted Pleasure is I grant it the Fruit of Perfection alone The Peace and Joy of the Holy Ghost reigns no where but where that Zeal and Love which is an Effect of the Fulness of the Spirit reigns too I had once proposed to have insisted on the Reasons of this here but this Labour is prevented for they are very obvious to any one who hath read the Chapter of Zeal with Seriousness and Attention Lastly what is insinuated in the Objection that the Pleasures of the World are more numerous or obvious than those of Religion is altogether a false and groundless Fancy In every Place and in every State do the Pleasures of Vertue wait upon the Perfect Man They depend not like those of the Body on a thousand things that are not in our power but only on God and our own Integrity But this part of the Objection I have I think for ever baffled Sect. 1. Chap. 4. These Obstacles of Perfection being thus removed and the Mind of Man being fully convinced of the Happiness that results from a State of Perfection and of his Obligation to surmount the Difficulties which obstruct his way to it there seems to be nothing now left to disappoint the Success of this Discourse but somewhat too much Fondness for the World or somewhat too much Indulgence to the Body which I am next though but very briefly to consider § 4. There is a Love of the World which though it be not either for the Matter or Degree of it Criminal enough to destroy our Sincerity and our Hopes of Salvation yet is it strong enough to abate our Vigour hinder our Perfection and bereave us of many Degrees of Pleasure at present and Glory hereafter The Indications of this kind of Love of the World are too much concern for the Pomp and Shew of Life too much Exactness in the Modes and Customs of it too quick a Sense of Honour and Reputation Pre-eminence and Praise too much Hast and too much Industry to grow rich to add House to House Land to Land and to cloath our Selves with thick and heavy Clay too brisk a Relish of the Pleasures of the World too great a Gaiety of Mind upon the Successes too much Dejection upon the Disasters and Disappointments of it too much Care and too much Diligence an encumbring and embroiling ones self too far in worldly Affairs too much Diversion too much Ease These I say are the Symptoms of a Mind tainted with a Love of the World though not so far as to Sickness and Death However it will be enough to check the Vigour and dilute the Relish of the Mind Now the only way to overcome this Defect and to captivate the Mind entirely to the Love and Service of Religion and Vertue is to consider frequently and seriously the Rewards of Perfection the Pleasure that will attend it in another Life Had the young Man in the Gospel done this had he had as lively a Notion and as true an Estimate of the Riches of Eternity as he had of Temporal ones he would never have gone away sorrowful when he was advised to have exchanged the Treasures of Earth for those of Heaven Had the Soul of Martha been as much taken up with the Thoughts of Eternity as that of Mary she would have made the same Choice as she did They who often think how soon the Fashion the Pomp and Grandeur of this World passes away and how much better their Heavenly Country is than their Earthly how much more lasting and how much more glorious the New Jerusalem that City that has Foundations whose builder and maker is God than this City of ours which may be over-thrown in a moment will neither weep nor rejoyce with too much Passion neither buy nor possess with too much Application of Mind In one word he that so often and devoutly thinks of that day wherein Christ who is our Life shall appear and we also appear with him in Glory that he comes to love and long for it such a one will have no great Taste of the Honours or the Pleasures or the Interests of Life nor will he be slothfull or remiss but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Whatever Degrees of Affection he had for any thing of that Nature they will all vanish he will have no Emulation but for good Works no Ambition but for Glory I mean that which is Eternal In the pursuit of this will he lay out the Strength and Vigour of his Mind for this he will retrench his Profit for this he will deny his Pleasure for this he will be content to be obscure mean and laborious for if the World be once crucified to him he will the more easily bear the being crucified to it § 5. After all there is an Infirmity in the Flesh against which if we do not guard our selves if we do not struggle heartily we shall miscarry The Spirit is willing said our Saviour but the Flesh is weak Without much Care and much Watchfulness the Vigour of our Minds will be relax'd the Exultation of our Spirits will flag and droop and we shall soon loose the Relish there is in Religion The most effectual Remedies against this Frailty and Fickleness of our Nature are two First Godly Fear and this the Purity and Presence of God the Strictness and the Impartiality of a Judgment to come the Loss of an Eternal Crown the Terrors of Eternal Punishment the
proceed to the Fruits or Advantages of it and in the last place prescribe the Method by which it may be attained SECT I. Of Perfection in general The Fruit of it And the way to obtain it CHAP. I. The Nature of Perfection explained and Asserted from Reason and Scripture MOst Disputes and Controversies arise from false and Mistaken Notions of the Matter under Debate And so I could shew it has happened here Therefore to prevent Mistakes and cut off all occasions of Contention which serves only to defeat the Influence and Success of Practical Discourses I think it necessary to begin here with a plain account what it is I mean by Religious Perfection Religion is nothing else but the purifying and refining Nature by Grace the raising and exalting our Faculties and Capacities by Wisdom and Virtue Religious Perfection therefore is nothing else but the Moral Accomplishment of Human Nature such a Maturity of Virtue as Man in this Life is capable of Conversion begins Perfection consumates the Habit of Righteousness In the one Religion is as it were in its Infancy in the other in its Strength and Manhood so that Perfection in short is nothing else but a ripe and setled Habit of true Holiness According to this Notion of Religious Perfection He is a Perfect Man whose Mind is pure and Vigorous and his Body tame and obsequious whose Faith is firm and steady his Love ardent and exalted and his Hope full of Assurance whose Religion has in it That Ardour and Constancy and his Soul That Tranquility and Pleasure which bespeaks Him a Child of the Light and of the Day a Partaker of the Divine Nature and raised above the Corruption which is in the World through Lust This account of Religious Perfection is so natural and easie that I fancy no Man will demand a Proof of it nor should I go about one were it not to serve some further Ends then the meer Confirmation of it It has manifestly the Countenance both of Reason and Scripture And how Contradictory soever some Antient and Latter Schemes of Perfection seem to be or really are to one another yet do they all agree in effect in what I have laid down If we appeal to Reason no Man can doubt but that an Habit of Virtue has much more of Excellence and Merit in it then single accidental Acts or uncertain Fits and Passions since an Habit is not only the source and spring of the noblest Actions and the most elevated Passions but it renders us more regular and steady more uniform and constant in every thing that is good As to good natural Dispositions they have little of Strength little of Perfection in them till they be raised and improved into Habits And for our Natural Faculties they are nothing else but the Capacities of Good or Evil they are undetermined to the one or other till they are fix'd and influenced by Moral Principles It remains then that Religious Perfection must consist in an Habit of Righteousness And to prevent all impertinent Scruples and Cavils I add a Confirmed and well established One. That this is the Scripture Notion of Perfection is manifest First from the use of this Word in Scripture Secondly from the Characters and Descriptions of the best and highest State which any ever actually attained or to which we are invited and exhorted 1. From the use of the Word Where-ever we find any Mention of Perfection in Scripture if we examine the Place well we shall find nothing more intended than Vprightness and Integrity an unblameable and unreproveable Life a State well advanced in Knowledge and Virtue Thus Vpright and Perfect are used as terms equivalent Job 1. and that Man was Perfect and Vpright fearing God and eschewing Evil and Psalm 37.37 Mark the perfect Man and behold the upright Man for the end of that Man is Peace Thus again when God exhorts Abraham to Perfection Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect all that He exhorts him to is a steady Obedience to all his Commandments proceeding from a lively Fear of and Faith in Him and this is the general use of this word Perfect throughout the Old Testament namely to signifie a sincere and just Man that feareth God and escheweth Evil and is well fix'd and established in his Duty In the New Testament Perfection signifies the same thing which it does in the Old that is Universal Righteousness and Strength and Growth in it Thus the Perfect Man 2 Tim. 3.17 is one who is throughly furnished to every good work Thus St. Paul tells us Coll. 4.12 that Epaphras laboured fervently in Prayers for the Collossians that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God In Jam. 1.4 the Perfect Man is one Who is entire lacking nothing i. e. one who has advanced to a Maturity of Virtue through Patience and Experience and is fortified and established in Faith Love and Hope In this Sense of the word Perfect St. Peter prays for those to whom he writes his Epistle 1 Pet. 5.10 but the God of all Grace who called us into his Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered awhile make you Perfect Stablish Strengthen Settle you When St. Paul exhorts the Hebrews to go on to Perfection Heb. 6. he means nothing by it but that state of Manhood which consist in a well setled Habit of Wisdom and Goodness This is plain first from ver 11 12. of this Chapter where he himself more fully explains his own meaning and we desire that every one of you do shew the same Diligence to the full Assurance of hope unto the End that ye be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promise Next from the latter end of the 5 Chapter where we discern what gave occasion to his Exhortation there distinguishing Christians into two Classes Babes and Strong Men i. e. Perfect and Imperfect he describes Both at large thus For when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one Teach you again which be the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of Milk and not of strong Meat For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the word of Righteousness for he is a Babe but strong Meat belongeth to them that are of full Age even those who by reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern both good and evil And though here the Apostle seems more immediately to regard the Perfection of Knowledge yet the Perfection of Righteousness must never in the Language of the Scripture be separated from it Much the same Remark must I add concerning the Integrity of Righteousness and the Christian's Progress or Advance in it Though the Scripture when it speaks of Perfection do sometimes more directly referr to the one and sometimes to the other yet we must ever suppose that they do mutually imply and include one
Liberty the Constancy and Uniformity of an Holy Life and both Strength and Passion are generally owing to a Tender and Enlighten'd Conscience For while the Conscience preserves a quick and nice sense of Good and Evil all the great Truths of the Gospel will have their proper Force and natural Efficacy upon us These then are the Genuine Fruits of Meditation the Eucharist Psalmody and such-like If they do not add Life and Light to the Conscience if they do not augment our Strength nor exalt our Passions if they do not increase our detestation of Sin and our Love to God and Goodness if they do not quicken and excite Devout Purposes if they do not engage and refresh the Soul by Holy Joy and Heavenly Pleasure if I say they do not in some degree or other promote these things we reap no benefit at all from them or we can never be certain that we do But though the Ends I have mentioned be of this great use to all and consequently all are obliged to aim at them yet may the different Defects and Imperfections of different Christians render one of these Ends more necessary then another And by consequence it will be Wisdom more immediately and directly to intend and pursue that For Example if a Man's Temper be such that his Passions do soon kindle and soon die again that he is apt to Form wise and great Projects and as unapt to accomplish any thing in this Case it will be his Duty to aim especially at the increase of Strength But if on the other hand a Man's Temper be Cold and Phlegmatick Slow and Heavy it is but fit that he should particularly apply himself to the awakening and exciting Devout Affections in his Soul For as excellent purposes do often miscarry for want of Constancy and Firmness of Mind so Steadiness and Firmness of Mind doth seldom effect any great matter when it wants Life and Passion to put it into Motion Again if one's past Life has been very Sinful or the present be not very Fruitful it will behove such a one to increase the Tenderness of Conscience to add more Light and Life to its Convictions that by a daily Repetition of Contrition and Compunction he may wash off the Stain or by the Fruitfulness of his following Life repair the Barrenness of that Past Having thus in few words both made out the Usefulness of those three Ends I proposed to a Christian in the performance of Instrumental duties of Religion and shewed in what Cases he may be obliged to aim more immediately at one then another I will now enquire and that as briefly as I can how these three Ends may be scured and promoted 1st Of Tenderness of Conscience or the full and lively Convictions of it To promote this the first thing necessary is Meditation No Man who diligently searches and studies the Book of God can be a Stranger to himself or to his Duty Not to his Duty for this Book reveals the whole Will of God in clear and full Terms it gives us such Infallible Characters of Good and Evil Right and Wrong as render our Ignorance or Error inexcusable It points out the great Ends of Life so plainly and conducts us to them by such general and unerring Rules that there is no variety of Circumstances can so perplex and ravel our Duty but that an honest Man by the help of this may easily discover it For this Reason 't is that the Word of God is called Light because it does distinguish between Good and Evil Right and Wrong and like a Lamp does manifest the Path which we are to choose and disperses that Mist and Darkness with which the Lust of Man and the Subtilty of Hell has covered it And for this Reason 't is that the Good have such a Value and the Wicked such an Aversion for the Book of God For every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved But he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3.20 21. Nor can he that Studies the Word of God be a Stranger to Himself any more then to his Duty For this Light ransacks all the Recesses of the Soul it traces all its Affections back to their first Springs and Sources it lays open all its Desires and Projects and strips its most secret Purposes of all their Disguise For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two Edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart Heb. 4.12 In a word if we would preserve the Conscience quick and sensible we must be daily conversant in the Book of God For this commands with that Authority instructs with that clearness perswades with that Force reproves with that Purity Prudence and Charity that we shall not easily be able to resist it it describes Righteousness and Sin in such true and lively Colours proclaims Rewards and Punishments in such powerful and moving Language that it rouses even the Dead in Sin penetrates and wounds the stupid and obdurate To Meditation we must add Prayer For this is a very proper and essential Means to refresh and renew in the Soul the Hatred of Sin and Love of Goodness and to improve those Impressions which Meditation has made upon it We cannot easily put up Petitions to God with Confidence unless we do the things that please him for our Hearts will misgive us and our very Petitions will reproach us And the meer Thought of entring more immediately into the Presence of God does oblige us to a more careful Tryal and Examination of our Actions For God being not only Omniscient but Just and Holy too we can no more flatter our selves with the Hope of Pardon for any Sin into which we are betrayed by fondness or negligence then we can imagine him Ignorant of it But this is not all we are to pray that God would enable us to search out and discover our own Hearts Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my Heart Try me and know my Thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting And if we do this sincerely God will undoubtedly grant our Requests and will lay open to us all our present Defects and Infirmities and shew us how far short we come of the Glory of God that Perfection of Holiness and Happiness which many Eminent Saints actually arrived at upon Earth And we way be sure that Light which breaks in upon our Mind with this Brightness will not suffer any latent Corruptions to continue undiscovered nor permit us to forget the Stains and Ruins which the Sins of our past Life have left behind them Conversation is another way by which we learn to know our selves and by which Conscience
so directly suited to a Devout Mind that it presently enters it moves and actuates it inspires and informs it with the very Passions it describes And though all good Men are not equally mov'd in this Duty yet all I believe are more or less mov'd It was very much the business of the Prophets and all of Prophetick Education our Lord and his Disciples practis'd it frequently it was ever a great part of Religious Joy and one of the greatest Pleasures of pious Retirement And I wish from my Heart the esteem of it were revived in our Days I perswade my self it would add much to the Warmth and Pleasure of Devotion it would contribute to introduce Religion into our Families and for ought I know into our very Recreations and Friendships And this minds me that as I have under every foregoing Head taken notice of the Advantages of Conversation so I should not forget it here This has a lively influence upon our Minds and always kindles in the Soul a gentle heat And did we but accustom our selves to entertain one another with Discourse about another World did we mingle the Praises of God with the Feasts and Joys of Life did we retire to our Country-Houses to contemplate the variety and riches of Divine Wisdom and Bounty in those natural Scenes of Pleasure which the Country affords and did we now and then invite our Friends to joyn with us in offering up Halelujahs to God on this account what Brightness and Serenity what Calm and Pleasure would this diffuse through all our Souls through all our Days To this that I have said touching the exciting Holy Passions I will only add one Observation formed upon those words of the Apostle Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted Let him Pray is any merry Let him sing Psalms That Religion must be accommodated to Nature and that devout Passions will soon shoot up when they are engrafted upon a Natural Stock With which I will joyn this other That since we are most affected by such truths as are most particular circumstantiated and sensible and therefore imprint themselves more easily and deeply on our imagination for this Reason I should recommend the Reading the Lives of Saints and excellent Persons were they not generally writ so that we have reason to desire somewhat more of the Spirit of Piety in the Learned and more of Judgment in the Pious who have employed their Pens on this Argument § 4. The immediate Ends of Discipline are the subduing the Pride of the Heart and the reducing the Appetites of the Body By Discipline I here understand whatever voluntary Rigours we impose on our selves or whatever voluntary Restraints we lay upon our allowed Enjoyments And when I say that the Humiliation of the Heart and subjection of the Body are the immediate Ends of both I do not exclude any other which may be involved in these or result from them Now of what Importance these two things are I need not shew For since all Sin is distinguished in Scripture into the filthiness of the Spirit and the Flesh it is plain that the Pride of the Heart and the Lust of the Body are the two great causes of all Immorality and Uncleanness And therefore these are the two great Ends which the Wise and Good have ever had in their Eye in all their Acts of Self-denial and Mortification This is sufficiently attested by the Example of David Psal 131. Lord I am not high minded I have no proud looks I do not exercise my self in great matters which are too high for me But I refrain my Soul and keep it low like as a Child that is weaned from his Mother Yea my Soul is even as a weaned Child And from that other of St. Paul 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. And every one that striveth for the Mastery is temperate in all things Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly So fight I not as one that beateth the Air But I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Whoever thus mortifies the Pride of the Heart whoever thus brings under the Body will soon find himself truly set free and Master of himself and Fortune He will be able to run the way of God's Commandments and to advance on swiftly towards Perfection and the Pleasure and Happiness that attends it And to attain these blessed Ends I do not think that we need ensnare our Souls in the perpetual Bonds of Monastick Vows I do not think that we are to expose our selves by any Ridiculous or Fantastick observances There is I say no need of this for we may as oft as we shall see fit retrench our Pleasures abate of the Shew and figure of Life we may renounce our own Wills to comply with theirs who cannot so well pretend either to Authority or Discretion And if these things cannot be done in some circumstances without becoming Fools for Christ that is without that Tameness that Condescension that Diminution of our selves which will never comport with the Humours and the Fashions of the World here is still the more room for Mortification and for a nearer and more eminent Imitation of the Blessed Jesus Provided still we decline all Affectation of Singularity and when we Practise any extraordinary instance of Self-denial we be ever able to justifie it to Religious and Judicious Persons by the Proposal of some excellent End Fasting indeed is plainly prescribed in Scripture and though the Obligation to it with respect to its Frequency and Measure be not the same on all yet all should some time or other Practise it as far as the Rules of Christian Prudence will permit And I have often thought that Fasting should generally consist rather in Abstinence from pleasing Meats than from all not the Food which nourishes our strength but that which gratifies the Palate ministring most directly to Wantonness and Luxury For the better Regulation of Voluntary Discipline I propose by way of Advice three things 1. I do not think it best to bring our selves under any perpetual and unalterable ties in any instance of Self-denial There is a Vertue in Enjoying the World as well as in Renouncing it and 't is as great an Excellence of Religion to know how to abound as how to suffer want Nay what is more all voluntary Austerities are in order to give us a Power and Dominion over our selves in the general course of a prosperous Life and Lastly I very much doubt when once a Man has long and constantly accustomed himself to any Rigour whether it continue to have much of Mortification in it or whether it so effectually tend to promote our Spiritual Liberty as it would if we did return to it but now and then as we saw occasion 2. We must not multiply unnecessary Severities and that no Man may think
had nothing of internal Purity or solid Righteousness in it So that upon the whole the Jew and Gentile were alike wicked Only the Wickedness of the Jews had this Aggravation in it above that of the Gentiles that they enjoy'd the Oracles of God and the Favour of a peculiar Covenant This being the state of Darkness which lay upon the Face of the Jewish and Gentile World our Lord who was to be a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of his People Israel advanced and established in the World that Doctrine which directly tends to dispel these Errors and rescue Mankind from the Misery that attends them For all that the Gospel contains may be reduced to these three Heads First the Assertion of one only true God with a bright and full Revelation of his Divine Attributes and Perfection Secondly an Account of the Will of God or the Worship he delights in which is a Spiritual one together with suitable Means and Motives in which last is contained a full Declaration of Man's supream Happiness Thirdly the Revelation of one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus through whom we have access with boldness to the Throne of Grace through whom we have obtained from the Father Grace and Pardon and Adoption and through whom Lastly all our Oblations and Performances are acceptable to Him The Design of this glorious Manifestation was to open Mens Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Living God That they might obtain Remission of Sins and an Inheritance of Glory These then are the truths which Illuminated the Gentile and Jewish World And these are the truths which must Illuminate us at this day These dispel all destructive Errors that lead us to Vice or Misery These point out our supream Felicity and the direct way to it These open and enlarge the Eye of the Soul enable it to distinguish and judge with an unerring Exactness between Good and Evil between Substantial and Superficial Temporal and Eternal Good And I wish from my Soul whatever Light we pretend to at this Day we were well grounded and established in these Truths I doubt notwithstanding our Belief of one God and one Mediator and notwithstanding we are well enough assured that God who is a Spirit must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and notwithstanding our pretending to believe a Life to come I say I am afraid that notwithstanding these things we do generally err in two main points namely in the Notion we ought to have of Religion and the value we are to set upon the World and the Body For who that reflects upon the Pomp and Pride of Life upon the ease the softness and the luxury of it upon the frothiness and the freedom the vanity and Impertinence to say no worse of Conversation will not conclude that either we have renounced our Religion or form to our selves too complaisant and indulgent a Notion of it For is this the imitation of Jesus Is this to walk as he walked in the World Can this be the Deportment of Men to whom the World and the Body is Crucified Can such a Life as this is flow from those Divine Fountains Faith Love and Hope Who again can reflect upon the Passion we discover for Superiority and Precedence our thirst of Power our ravenous desire of VVealth and not conclude that we have mistaken our main End that we set a wrong value upon things and that whatever we talk of an Eternity we look upon this present World as our portion and most valuable Good For can such a tender concern for such an eager pursuit after temporal things flow from nay consist with purity of Heart and poverty of Spirit the Love of God and a Desire of Heaven Whoever then will be Perfect or Happy must carefully avoid both these Errors He must never think that Religion can subsist without the strength and vigour of our Affections Or that the Bent and Vigour of our Souls can be pointed towards God and yet the Air of our Deportment and Conversation be earthy sensual and vain conformed even to a Pagan Pride and shew of Life Next he must never cherish in himself the love of this World He must never look upon himself other than a Stranger and Pilgrim in it He must never be fond of the Pleasure of it He must never form vain Designs and Projects about it nor look upon the best things in it as ingredients of our Happiness but only as Instruments of Vertue or short Repasts and Refreshments in our Journey And because all our mistakes about the Nature and Perfection of Religion and the Value of Temporal things do generally arise from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that peculiar Sin to which our Constitution betrays us therefore the Knowledge of our selves an intimate Acquaintance with all our natural Propensions and Infirmities is no inconsiderable Part of Illumination For we shall never address our selves heartily to the Cure of a Disease which we know nothing of or to the rectifying any inclination till we are throughly convinced that 't is irregular and dangerous 2. The Second Character of Illuminating Truths is that they are such as feed and nourish corroborate and improve the Mind of Man Now the Properties of Bodily strength are such as these It enables us to Baffle and repel Injuries to bear Toil and Travel to perform difficult Works with speed and ease and finally it prolongs Life to a much further date than weak and crazy Constitutions can arrive at And of all these we find some Resemblances in Spiritual Strength But as much more Perfect and Excellent as the Spirit is above the Body Those Truths then are indeed Illuminating which enable us to vanquish Temptations to endure with Constancy and Patience the Toils and Hardships of our Christian warfare to discharge the Duties of our Station with Zeal and Vigour and which Lastly render us firm steady and immortal And these are the glorious effects which are attributed to the Truths of God Hence is the Gospel called the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 and hence it is that we read of the Armour of God Ephesians 6.11 The Sword of the Spirit the Shield of Faith the Breast-plate of Righteousness c. to intimate to us the Strength and Vertue of the Word of God and that it brings with it safety and success And hence it is that the Word of God is said to quicken and strengthen that Man is said to live not by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God that Righteousness is called Everlasting and that he that doth the Will of God is affirmed to abide for ever To teach us plainly that there is nothing steady and unalterable nothing durable nothing eternal but God Divine Truths and those that are formed and modeled by them There are Truths indeed which are meerly Barren and Vnactive which amuse and suspend the
consequently acceptable to all faithful Christians in the next CHAP. III. Of Liberty AFter Illumination which is the Perfection of the Vnderstanding follows Liberty which is the Perfection of the Will In Treating of which I shall First give an account of Liberty in General And then discourse of the several Parts of it as it regards Wickedness Vnfruitfulness Human Infirmities and Original Corruption § 1. What Liberty is There have been several Mistakes about this Matter But these have been so absurd or extravagant so designing or sensual that they Need not I think a serious Refutation However 't is necessary in a word or two to remove this Rubbish and Lumber out of my way that I may build up and establish the Truth more easily and regularly Some then have placed Christian Liberty in Deliverance from the Mosaick Yoke But this is to make our Liberty consist in Freedom from a Yoke to which we were never subject and to make our Glorious Redemption from the Tyranny of Sin and the Misery that attends it dwindle into an Immunity from external Rites and Observances 'T is true the Mosaick Institution as far as it consisted in outward Observances and Typical Rites is now dissolved The Messias being come who was the Substance of those Shadows and the Beauty of Holiness being unfolded and displayed without any Vail upon her Face But what is this to Ecclesiastical Authority Or to those Ecclesiastical Institutions which are no Part of the Mosaick Yoke From the Abrogation indeed or Abolition of Ritual and Typical Religion one may infer First That Christianity must be a Rational Worship of Moral Spiritual Service And therefore Secondly That Human Institutions when they enjoyn any thing as a necessary and essential Part of Religion which God has not made so or when they impose such Riâ—es as through the Number or Nature of them cherish Superstition obscure the Gospel weaken its Force or prove burthensome to us are to be rejected and not complied with Thus much is plain and nothing farther There have been Others who have run into more intolerable Errors For some have placed Christian Liberty in Exemption from the Laws of Man And Others advancing higher in Exemption even from the moral and immutable Laws of God But the Folly and Wickedness of these Opinions sufficiently confute them Since 't is notorious to every one that Disobedience and Anarchy is as flat a Contradiction to the Peaceableness as Voluptuousness and Luxury is to the Purity of that Wisdom which is from above But how absurd and wicked soever these Notions are yet do we find them greedily embraced and industriously propagated at this day And behold with Amazement the baffled and despicable Gnosticks Priscilianists Libertines and I know not what other spawn of Hell reviving in Deists and Atheists These indeed do not advance their Errours under a Pretence of Christian Liberty but which is more ingenious and less scandalous of the two in open Defiance and confessed Opposition to Christianity They tell us that we impose upon the World false and fantastick Notions of Vertue and Liberty That Religion does enslave Man not set him free awing the Mind by groundless and superstitious Principles and restraining and infringing our true and natural Liberty Which if we will believe them consists in giving Nature its full swing letting loose the Reins to the most head-strong Lusts and the wildest and the most corrupt Imaginations But to this 't is easie to answer That while these Men attempt to establish their Errours and fortifie their Minds in them by Arguments of some sort or other as they do 't is plain that they suppose and acknowledge with us That we ought to be ruled and governed by Reason And if this be true then by undeniable Consequence true Liberty must consist not in doing what we list but what we ought not in following our Lust or Fancy but our Reason not in being exempt from Law but in being a Law to our selves And then I appeal to all the World whether the Discipline of Vertue or Libertinism whether the Schools of Epicurus or Christ be the way to true Liberty I appeal to the Experience of Mankind whether Spiritual or Sensual Pleasure whether the Love of God and Vertue or the Love of the World and Body be the more like to qualifie and dispose us to obey the Dictates of sober and solid Reason But the Truth is here is no need of Arguments The Lives and Fortunes of Atheists and Deists proclaim aloud what a glorious kind of Liberty they are like to bless the World with 2 Pet. 2.19 Whilst they promise Liberty they themselves are the Servants of Corruption And this Corruption draws on their Ruin The dishonourable and miserable Courses in which these poor Wretches are plunged and in which generally they perish before their time are such an open Contradiction to Reason that no Man doubts but that they have abandoned its Conduct that they have given themselves up to that of Lust and Humour And that they earnestly endeavour to force or betray their Reason into a Compliance to Screen themselves from the reproach and disturbance of their own Minds and from the shame and contempt of the World I have dwelt long enough on this Argument 'T is now time to pass on and resolve what Christian Liberty really is This is in a manner evident from what has been suggested already For if Reason be the governing Faculty in Man then the Liberty of Man must consist in his Subjection to Reason And so Christian Liberty will be nothing else but Subjection to Reason enlighten'd by Revelation Two things therefore are Essential to true Liberty A clear and unbiassed Judgment and a Power and Capacity of Acting conformable to it This is a very short but full Account of Liberty Darkness and Impotence constitute our Slavery Light and Strength our Freedom Man is then free when his Reason is not awed by vile Fears or bribed by viler Hopes When it is not tumultuosly transported and hurried away by Lusts and Passions nor cheated and deluded by the guilded appearances of Sophisticated Good but it deliberates impartially and commands effectually And because the great Obstacle of this Liberty is Sin because natural and contracted Corruption are the Fetters in which we are bound because the Law in the Body wars against the Law in the Mind obscuring the Light and enfeebling the Authority of Reason hence it is that Christian Liberty is as truly as commonly described by a Dominion over the Body by the subduing our corrupt Affections and by Deliverance from Sin This Notion of Liberty may be sufficiently established upon that Account of Servitude or Bondage which the Apostle gives us Rom. 7. where he represents it as consisting in Impotence or Inability to do those things which God commands and Reason approves for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not ver 18. Liberty therefore must on
in the Exercise of Truth Justice and Charity And no where is the ill Influence of Selfishness Sensuality and the Love of the World more notorious than here For these rendring us impatient and insatiable in our Desires violent in the Prosecution of them extravagant and excessive in our Enjoyments and the things of this World being few and finite and unable to satisfie such inordinate Appetites we stand in one anothers Light in one anothers way to Profit and Pleasures or too often at least seem to do so and this must unavoidably produce a thousand miserable Consequences Accordingly we daily see that these Passions Selfishness Sensuality and the Love of the World are the Parents of Envy and Emulation Avarice Ambition Strife and Contention Hypocrisie and Corruption Lewdness Luxury and Prodigality but are utter Enemies to Honour Truth and Integrity to Generosity and Charity To obviate therefore the mischievous Effects of these vicious Principles Religion aims at implanting in the World others of a benign and beneficent Nature opposing against the Love of the World Hope against Selfishness Charity and against Sensuality Faith And to the end the different Tendency of these Different Principles may be the more conspicuous I will briefly compare the Effects they have in reference to our Neighbour Selfishness makes Men look upon the World as made for him alone and upon all as his Enemies who do any way interfere with or obstruct his Designs it Seals up all our Treasures confines all our Care and Thoughts to our private Interest Honour or Pleasure employs all our Parts Power and Wealth and all our Time too in Pursuit of our particular Advantage Sensuality tempts a Man to abandon the Care and Concern for his Country his Friends and Relations and neglect the Duties of his Station that he may give himself up to some sottish and dishonourable Vice it prevails with him to refuse Alms to the poor Assistance to any publick or Neighbourly good Work and even a decent nay sometimes a necessary Allowance to his Family that he may waste and lavish out his Fortune upon some vile and expensive Lust In a word it makes him incapable of the Fatigues of Civil Business and much more of the Hardships and Hazards of War So that instead of imitating the glorious Example of Vriah who would not suffer himself to be courted into the Enjoyment even of allowed Pleasures nor indulge himself in the Tendernesses and Caresses of a Wife and Children while Joab and the Armies of Israel were in the Field he on the contrary dissolves and melts down his Life and Fortunes in Vncleanness and Luxury the shame and burden of his Country and his Family at a time when not only the Honour but the Safety of his Country lies at stake and Prince and People defend it by their Toil and Blood What should I mention the Love of the World are not the Effects of it as visible amongst us as deplorable does not this where-ever it reigns fill all Places with Bribery and Corruption Falshood Treachery and Cowardise Worse cannot be said on 't and more needs not for what Societies can thrive or which way can Credit and Reputation be Supported what Treasures what Counsels what Armies what Conduct can save a People where these Vices prevail Let us now on the other side suppose Selfishness Sensuality and the Love of the World cashiered and Faith Hope and Charity entertained in their Room what a blessed Change will this effect in the World how soon will Honour and Integrity Truth and Justice and a publick Spirit revive how serviceable and eminent will these render every Man in his Charge These are the true Principles of great and brave Actions these these alone can render our Duty dearer to us than any temporal Consideration these will enable us to do good Works without an Eye to the Return they will make us These will make it appear to us very reasonable to Sacrifice Fortune Life every thing when the Honour of God and publick good demand it of us The Belief and Hope of Heaven is a sufficient Incouragement to Vertue when all others fail the Love of God as our Supream Good will make us easily surmount the Consideration of Expence Difficulty or hazard in such Attempts as we are sure will please Him and the Love of our Neighbour as our selves will make us compassionate to his Evils and Wants tender to his Infirmities and Zealous of his good as of our own How happy then would these Principles make the World and how much is it the Interest of every one to encourage and propagate these and to discountenance and suppress the contrary ones I have done with the second Effect of Christian Liberty and will pass on to the Third as soon as I have made two Remarks on this last Paragraph First 't is very evident from what has been said in it that solid Vertue can be Graffed on no Stock but that of Religion that universal Righteousness can be rais'd on none but Gospel Principles who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Jesus is the Christ 1 Joh. 5. I do not oppose this Proposition against Jew or Gentile God vouchsafed in sundry times and in divers manners such Revelations of his Truth and such Communications of his Grace as he saw fit and to these is the Righteousness hereof whatever it was to be attributed not to the Law of Nature or Moses But suppose it against the bold Pretensions of Libertin's and Atheists at this day Honour and Justice in their Mouths is a vain Beast and the Natural Power they pretend to over their own Actions to square and govern them according to the Rules of right Reason is only a malitious Design to supplant the Honour of Divine Grace and is as false and groundless as arrogant Alas they talk of a Liberty which they do not understand for did they but once admit Purity of Heart into their Notion of it they would soon discern what Strangers they are to it How is it possible but that they should be the Servants of the Body who reject and disbelieve the Dignity and Pre-eminence of the Soul How is it possible they should not be Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God who either believe no God or none that concerns himself much about us and how can they chuse but be selfish and sensual and doat upon this World who expect no better who believe no other Take away Providence and a Life to come and what can oblige a Man to any Action that shall cross his temporal Interest or his Pleasure what shall reward his espousing Vertue when it has no Doury but Losses Reproaches and Persecutions what shall curb him in the Career of a Lust when he may commit it not only with Impunity but as the World sometimes goes with Honour and Preferment too Though therefore such Men as these may possibly restrain their outward Actions yet are they all the
a gracious Master and thus the Child does with respectful Love meet the tenderness of his Parent and the Wisdom and Vertue which sometimes raises some one happy Mortal above the common size and height of Mankind does not surely diminish but increase the Affection and the Pleasure of his Friends that enjoy him Again the Nature of Enjoyment varies according to the various Faculties of the Soul and the senses of the Body One way we enjoy Truth and another Goodness One way Beauty and another Harmony and so on These things considered I saw there was no necessity in order to make God the Object of our Fruition either to bring Him down to any thing unworthy of his Glory or to exalt our selves to a Height we are utterly uncapable of I easily saw that we who love and adore God here should when we enter into his Presence admire and love him infinitely more For God being infinitely amiable the more we contemplate the more clearly we discern his Divine Perfections and Beauties the more must our Souls be inflamed with a Passion for Him And I have no Reason to doubt but that God will make us the most gracious Returns of our Love and express His Affections for us in such Condescensions in such Communications of Himself as will transport us to the utmost Degree that created Beings are capable of Will not God that sheds abroad his Love in our Hearts by his Spirit here fully satisfie it hereafter will not God who fills us here with the Joy of his Spirit by I know not what inconceivable ways communicate Himself in a more ravishing and Ecstatick manner to us when we shall behold him as he is and live for ever encircled in the Arms of his Love and Glory Upon the whole then I cannot but believe that the Beatifick Vision will be the Supream Pleasure of Heaven yet I do not think that this is to exclude those of an inferiour Nature God will be there not only all but in all We shall see him as he is and we shall see him reflected in Angels and all the Inhabitants of Heaven nay in all the various Treasures of that Happy Place but in far more bright and lovely Charcters than in his Works here below This is a state now that answers all Ends and satisfies all Appetites let 'em be never so various never so boundless Temporal Good nay a state accumulated with all temporal Goods has still something defective something empty in it That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred And therefore the Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing but all things are full of Labour Man cannot utter it And if this were not the state of temporal Things yet that one Thought of Solomon that he must leave them makes good the Charge of Vanity and Vexation And the contrary is that which compleats Heaven namely that it is Eternal Were Heaven to have an End that End would make it None That Death would be as much more intolerable than this here as the Joys of Heaven are above those of Earth For the Terrour and the Evil of it would be to be estimated by the Perfection of that Nature and Happiness which it would put an End to To Dye in Paradise amidst a Crowd of Satisfactions how much more intollerable were this than to Dye in those accursed Regions that bred continually Briars and Brambles Cares and Sorrows And now I doubt not but every one will readily acKnowledge that an Heaven were it believed were such a Fruit of Christian Liberty such a Motive to it as none could resist Did I believe this have I heard one say I would quit my Trade and all Cares and Thoughts of this World and wholly apply my self to get that other you talk of There was no need of going thus far But this shews what the natural Influence of this Doctrine of a Life to come is and that it is generally owing to Infidelity where 't is frustrated and defeated What is in this Case to be done what Proof what Evidences are sufficient to beget Faith in him who rejects Christianity and all Divine Revelation He that hears not Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles neither will he believe though one rose from the dead This Doctrine of a Life to come was generally believed by the Gentile World It was indeed very much obscur'd but never extinguished by the Addition of many fabulous and superstitious Fancies so strong was the Tradition or Reason or rather both on which 't was built The Jews universally embraced it The general Promises of God to Abraham and his Seed and the several Shadows and Types of it in the Mosaick Institution did confirm them in the Belief of a Doctrine which I do not doubt had been transmitted to them even from Enoch Noah and all their pious Ancestors Nor must we look upon the Sadduces amongst the Jews or the Epicureans amongst the Gentiles to be any Objection against this Argument of a Life to come founded in Tradition and the universal Sense of Mankind because they were not only inconsiderable compared to the Body of the Jewish or Pagan World but also Desertors and Apostates from the Philosophy and Religion received To what End should I proceed from the Gentile and Jew to the Christian were Christianity entertained as it ought the very supposal of any Doubt concerning a Life to come would be impertinent Here we have numerous Demonstratitions of it Not only the Fortune of Vertue in this Life which is often very calamitous but even the Origine and Nature of it do plainly evince a Life to come For to what End can the Mortification of the Body by Abstractions and Meditations be enjoyned if there be no Life to come What need is there of Renovation or Regeneration by the Word and Spirit of God were there no Life to come One would think ' the common End of this natural Life might be well enough secured upon the common Foundation of Reason and Human Laws What should I here add the Love of God and the Merits of Jesus from both which we may derive many unanswerable Arguments of a Life to come For though when we reflect upon it it appears as much above our Merit as it is above our Comprehension yet when we consider that Eternal Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord what less than an Heaven can we expect from an infinite Merit and Almighty Love The Love of God must be Perfect as Himself and the Merits of Jesus must be estimated by the Greatness of his Person and his Sufferings He that cannot be wrought upon by these and the like Gospel-Arguments will be found I doubt impenetrable to all others 'T is in vain to argue with such a one from natural Topicks and therefore I will stop here I should now pass on to the Third Thing the Attainment of Christian Liberty But
World we project for the World and what can this produce but a carnal and worldly Frame of Spirit We must meditate Heavenly Things we must have our Conversation in Heaven we must accustom our selves to inward and Heavenly Pleasures if we will have Heavenly Minds We must let no day pass wherein we must not withdraw our selves from the Body and sequester our selves from the World that we may converse with God and our own Souls This will soon enable us to disdain the low and beggerly satisfactions of the outward Man and make us long to be set free from the Weight of this corruptible Body to breath in purer Air and take our fill of refined and spiritual Pleasure I have insisted thus long on the Cure of Original Sin not only because it is the Root of all our Misery but also because there is such an Affinity between this and the Sin of Infirmity which I am next to speak to that the same Remedies may be prescribed to both so that I am already eased of a part of the Labour which I must otherwise have under-gone in the following Chapter I am now by the Laws of my own Method obliged to consider the Effects of this Branch of Christian Liberty in the Perfect Man and to shew what Influence it has upon his Happiness But having Sect. 1. Chap. 4. discoursed at large of the Subserviency of Perfection to our Happiness and in Sect. 2. Chap. 3. of the happy Effects of the Christian Liberty in general I have the less need to say much here on this Head Yet I cannot wholly forbear saying something of it The Conquest over Original Corruption such as I have described it raises Man to the highest pitch of Perfection that our Nature is capable of makes him approach the nearest that Mortality can to the Life of Angels and plants him on the Mount of God where Grace and Joy and Glory shines always on him with more direct and strong Raies Now is Virtue truly Lovely and truly Happy now the Assurance of the Mind is never interrupted its Joy never over cast It enjoys a perpetual Calm within and sparkles with a peculiar Lustre that cannot be counterfeited cannot be equall'd Some faint and partial Resemblances I confess of this Vertue or rather of this State or Consummation of it have I though very rarely seen in some masterly strokes of Nature I have observed in some that sweetness of Temper in others that Coldness and absolute Command over themselves with respect to the Pleasures and in several that innate Modesty and Humility that natural Indifference for the Power Honour and Grandure of Life that I could scarce forbear pronouncing that they had so far each of them escaped the Contagion of Original Corruption and could not but bless and love them But after all there is a vast Difference between these Creatures of Nature and those of Grace the Perfection of the one is confined to this or that particular Disposition but that of the other is in its Degree Universal The Perfection of the one has indeed as much Charm in it as pure Nature can have but the other has a Mixture of something Divine in it it has an Heavenly Tincture which add something of Sacredness and Majesty to it that Nature wants The Perfection of the one is indeed easie to its self and amiable to others but the Perfection of the other is Joy and Glory within and commands a Veneration as well as Love from all it converses with Blessed State when shall I attain thy lovely Innocence when shall I enter into thy Divine Rest when shall I arrive at thy Security thy Pleasure CHAP. V. Of Liberty with respect to Sins of Infirmity THis is a Subject wherein the very Being of Holiness or Vertue the Salvation of Man and the Honour of God are deeply interessed For if we allow of such Sins for Venial as really are not so we destroy the Notion or evacuate the Necessity of Holiness endanger the Salvation of Man and bring a Reflection upon God as a Favourer of Impiety On the other hand if we assert those Sins damnable which are not really so we miserably perplex and disturb the Minds of Men and are highly injurious to the Goodness of God representing Him as a severe and intolerable Master But how important soever this Subject be there is no other I think in the compass of Divinity wherein so many Writers have been so unfortunately engaged so that it is over-grown with Dispute and Controversie with Confusion and Obscurity and numberless Absurdities and Contradictions This I have thought necessary to observe in the Entrance of my Discourse not to insult the Performances of others or to raise in the Reader any great Expectation for my own but indeed for a quite contrary Reason namely to dispose him to a favourable Reception of what I here offer towards the rendring the Doctrine of Sins of Infirmity intelligible and preventing the Disservice which Mistakes about it do to Religion By Sins of Infirmity both Ancients and Moderns Papists and Protestants do I think understand such Sins as are consistent with a State of Grace and Favour from which the best Men are never entirely freed in this Life though they be not imputed to them This then being taken for granted I shall Enquire into these three Things 1. Whether there be any such Sins Sins in which the most Perfect live and dye 2. If there are what these be What it is that distinguishes them from Damnable or Mortal ones 3. How far we are to extend the Liberty of the Perfect Man in Relation to these 1. Whether there be any such That the best Men are not without Errors without Defects and Failings and that not only in their past Life or unregenerate State but their best and most Perfect one is a Truth which cannot one would think be controverted For what Vnderstanding is there which is not liable to Error what Will that does not feel something of Impotence something of Irregularity What Affections that are meerly Human are ever constant ever raised Where is the Faith that has no Scruple no Diffidence the Love that has no Defect no Remission the Hope that has no Fear in it what is the State which is not liable to Ignorance Inadvertency Surprise Infirmity where is the Obedience that has no Reluctancy no Remisness no Deviation This is a Truth which whether Men will or no they cannot chuse but feel the Confessions of the Holiest of Men bear Witness to it And the Pretension of the Quakers to a Sinless and Perfect State is abundantly confuted by that Answer one of the most eminent of them makes to an Objection which charges them with arrogating and assuming to themselves Infallibility and Perfection viz. That they were so far Infallible and Perfect as they were led by the Spirit of God For what is this but to desert and betray not defend their Cause 'T is plain then as to
Desire and Passion that it works in us we must shun every Appearance of Evil we must press on towards Perfection we must watch unto Prayer we must spend the Time of our sojourning here in fear we must rejoyce and glory in the Lord and we must wait for the blessed Hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Christ Jesus And now I have finished what I had to say on this Subject of the Perfect Man's Liberty as it relates to Mortal or Wilful Sin I have shewed what this Sin is how far Man may be freed from it and referring the Reader to Chap. 4. for the Fruit of this Freedom I have here Lastly given that Advice which I thought most serviceable to the Attainment of it And thorough this whole Chapter I have had regard not only to Perfection but Sincerity it being indeed improper to do otherwise since we cannot arrive at the one but thorough the other For Sincerity is Perfection in its Infancy or Non-age and Perfection is nothing else but Sincerity cultivated by Meditation and Discipline and cherish'd by the Influence of Heaven And now let no Man's Heart fail him while he contemplates the Difficulties which block up the Way to his Liberty The Way indeed is steep and the Top is high but Serenity and Happiness Security and Glory dwell there Many indeed are the Temptations which would forbid our assent and thrust us down But we are Armed all over they cannot hurt us the Spirit supports and encourages us and nothing but our Cowardise and Inconstancy can prevent our Success Watch ye stand fast quit ye like Men be strong and then you shall be sure to Conquer and enter into Rest CHAP. VII Of Unfruitfulness as it consists in Idleness UNfruitfulness is a fit Subject to conclude a Discourse of Liberty with or begin one of Zeal for lying like a Tract of Ground between two bordering Kingdoms it may indifferently be laid to either As it implies a direct Opposition to Spiritual Life and Sincerity it naturally falls in under the Consideration of Zeal As it implies a Servile Subjection to some vile Lust or or other it naturally falls in under the Consideration of Liberty So that by allotting it this Place I shall at once compleat my Reflections on the Argument of Liberty and make a good progress into that of Zeal Barrenness or Unfruitfulness may in general best be understood by comparing it with a State of Wickedness From which as it is usually distinguished in the Notion of the Vulgar so does it really differ on many Accounts The one has in it an Air of Defiance the other of Vnconcernment for Religion the one forgets God the other contemns Him the one has no Relish nor Savour of that which is good the other finds too much Gust and Pleasure in that which is evil the one makes us by Degrees Enemies the other Strangers to God In short there is little Doubt to be made but that the Omission of a Duty and the Commission of a Crime Lukewarmness in that which is good and Eagerness and Confidence in that which is evil may and generally do differ very widely in the Degrees of Guilt From hence it is the Sinner being always a partial and indulgent Judge of himself that it is not unusual for many who seem to have some Abhorrence of Wickedness to be far enough from apprehending much Evil or much Danger in Unfruitfulness This is a fatal Error it frustrates the great Design of Religion and robs it of its truest Honour good Works For what can Religion effect by that Man who retains nothing of it but the bare Form and Profession and dares promise himself not only Impunity but a Heaven in an useless and unprofitable Life Unfruitfulness if more particularly inquir'd into consists in two Things a Neglect of Duty or a lifeless and unprofitable Performance of it The Former I will call Idleness the Latter Lukewarmness Coldness Formality and treat of each in order Of the Former in this and of the Latter in the following Chapter And because each of them are encumbered with Mistakes and Errors which arise not only from Self-Love and Partiality but also from Shallowness of Judgment joyn'd with Tenderness of Conscience I shall endeavour so to mannage this Subject as neither to discourage the weak nor embolden the careless § 1. Of Idleness The Omission of a Duty may be either Habitual or Occasional and Accidental And accordingly the Case of Omission may be very different 1. An Habitual Omission of Duty cannot consist with Sincerity A general Neglect of Duty defeats the main End of Religion which is to Honour God adorn our Holy Profession and promote the Good of Human Society all which can never be attained but by following after Righteousness and abounding in the Fruits of it By this Rule an idle though innocent Life must necessarily be accounted irreligious and vicious being a flat Contradiction to our excellent Profession He who does not pray nor meditate nor pursue any End of Charity though he be otherwise civil and regular in his Life yet because be does not work Righteousness because he is so far from imitating the Zeal or Charity of the Blessed Jesus that he acts directly repugnant to both therefore must he not be looked upon as a Disciple of Jesus but as an Alien and a Stranger He whose Life is spent in Vanity or Drudgery in Pleasure or Business though his Pleasure be not impure nor his Business unjust yet is he before God a Criminal because unprofitable he has received the Grace of God in vain the Light of the Gospel has risen upon him in vain and he has serv'd no Interest of Vertue or Religion in his Generation and therefore he will be excluded Heaven with the slothful Servant who hid his Masters Talent in a Napkin Luke 19.20 2. The Case of an accidental or occasional Omission of Duty is very different from that of habitual Neglect of it an occasional Omission may be not only lawful but necessary but the Neglect of Duty never can be either The Circumstances of positive Duty and the Measures or Degrees of Moral Good are not strictly fix'd and setled and therefore a single Omission either in the one or the other where-ever there is a sufficient Reason for it can neither grieve the Spirit nor frustrate the Design of Religion nor consequently imply any Corruption in the Heart But then we must take Care 1. That our Omission be not too frequent We must always have regard in this matter of Duty to the great End and Designs of its Injunction we must take care that our Omissions in moral Duties be not so often that either the Honour of our Religion or the Welfare of our Neighbour suffer by it Nor must we so often omit Instrumental Duties Prayers Reading the Sacrament and the like as thereby to abate or much less extinguish our Spiritual Gust and Fervour Omission of Duty too
often repeated breeds a kind of Indifference or Lukewarmness and soon passes into Coldness and Insensibleness and this often ends in a reprobate Mind and an utter Aversion for Religion 2ly We must endeavour some way or other to compensate the Omission of a Duty to make up by Charity what we have defalc'd from Devotion or to supply by short Ejaculations what we have been forc'd to retrench from fix'd and regular Offices of Prayer And he that watches for Opportunities either of Improvement or doing Good will I believe never have Reason to complain of the want of them God will put into his hands either the one or the other and for the Choice he cannot do better than follow God's 3ly A single Omission must never proceed from a sinful Motive from a Love of the World or Indulgence to the Body Necessity or Charity is the only just and proper Apology for it Instrumental or Positive Duties may give way to moral ones the Religion of the Means to the Religion of the End and in Moral Duties the less may give way to the greater But Duty must never give way to Sin nor Religion to Interest or Pleasure Having thus briefly given an account what Omission of Duty is and what is not sinful and consequently so setled the notion of Idleness that neither the careless nor the scrupulous can easily mistake their Case I will now propose such Considetations as I judge most likely to deter Men from it and such Advice as may be the best Guard and Preservative against it 1. The First Thing I would have every one lay to heart is That a State of Idleness is a State of damnable Sin Idleness is directly repugnant to the great Ends of God both in our Creation and Redemption As to our Creation can we imagine that God who created not any thing but for some excellent End should Create Man for none or for a silly one The Spirit within us is an active and vivacious Principle our rational Faculties capacitate and qualifie us for doing Good this is the proper Work of Reason the truest and most natural Pleasure of a rational Soul Who can think now that our wise Creatour lighted this Candle within us that we might oppress and stifle it by Negligence and Idleness That he contriv'd and destin'd such a Mind to squander and fool away its Talents in Vanity and Impertinence As to our Redemption 't is evident both what the Design of it is and how opposite Idleness is to it Christ gave himself for us to Redeem us from all Iniquity and to purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Tit. 2.14 and this is what our Regeneration or Sanctification aims at We are God's Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2.10 How little then can a useless and barred Life answer the Expectations of God What a miserable Return must it be to the Blood of his Son and how utterly must it disappoint all the purposes of his Word and Spirit But What need I argue further the Truth I contend for is the express and constant Doctrine of the Scriptures is not Idleness and fulness of Bread reckoned amongst the Sins of Sodom what means the Sentence against the barren Fig-tree Luke 13.7 but the Destruction and Damnation of the Idle and the Sluggish the Indignation of God is not enkindled against the Barrenness of Trees but Men. What can be plainer than the Condemnation of the unprofitable Servant who perished because he had not improved his Talent Matt. 25.38 and how frequently does the Apostle declare himself against the idle and disorderly and all this proceeds upon plain and necessary Grounds Our Lord was an Example of Vertue as well as Innocence and he did not only refrain from doing Evil but he went about doing good We can never satisfie the Intention of Divine Precepts by Negative Righteousness when God prohibits the Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit he enjoyns the perfecting Holiness in his Fear when he forbids us to do evil he at the same time prescribes the learning to do well What need I multiply more Words Idleness is a flat Contradiction to Faith Hope Charity to Fear Vigilance Mortification and therefore certainly must be a damning Sin These are all active and vigorous Principles but Idleness enfeebles and dis-spirits manacles and fetters us These are pure strict and self-denying Principles but Idleness is soft and indulgent These Conquer the World and the Body raise and exalt the Mind but Idleness is far from enterprising any thing from attempting any thing that is good it pompers the Body and effeminates and dissolves the Mind and finally whatever Innocence or Inoffensiveness it may pretend to it does not only terminate in Sin but has its Beginning from it from Stupidity and Ignorance from Vanity and Levity from Softness and Sensuality from some prevailing Lust or other 2. Next after the Nature the Consequences of Idleness are to be considered and if it be taken in the utmost Latitude there is scarce any Sin which is more justly liable to so many tragical Accusations for it is the Parent of Dishonour and Poverty and of most of the Sins and Calamities of this mortal Life But at present I view it only as it is drawn with a half Face and that the much less deformed of the two I consider it here as pretending to Innocence and flattering it self with the Hopes of Happiness And yet even thus supposing it as harmless and inoffensive as it can be yet still these will be the miserable Effects of it It will rob Religion and the World of the Service due to both it will bereave us of the Pleasure of Life and the Comfort of Death and send us down at last to a cursed Eternity For where are the Vertues that should maintain the Order and Beauty of Human Society that should relieve and redress the Miseries of the World where are the Vertues that should vindicate the Honour of Religion and demonstrate its Divinity as effectually as Predictions or Miracles can do where are the bright Examples that should convert the unbelieving part of Mankind and inflame the believing part with a generous Emulation Certainly the lazy Christian the slothful Servant can pretend to nothing of this kind As to the Pleasure of Life if true and lasting if pure and spiritual 't is easie to discern from what Fountains it must be drawn Nothing but Poverty of Spirit can procure our Peace nothing but Purity of Heart our Pleasure But ah how far are the Idle and Unactive from these Vertues Faith Love and Hope are the Seeds of them Victories and Triumphs Devotion Alms and good Works the Fruits of them But what a stranger to these is the Drone and Sluggard Then for the Comfort of Death it must proceed from a well spent Life he that sees nothing but a vast Solitude and Wilderness behind him
of Men who at the last Day will fall under the same Character and Condemnation not because they perform no Duties but because their Performance of them is depretiated by Coldness and Formality Men who make a fair Appearance of Religion and yet have no inward spiritual Life Men who do generally observe the external Duties of Religion but with so little Gust with such Indifference and Lukewarmness that they are neither acceptable to God nor useful to themselves This State of Deadness may be consider'd either more generally as it runs thorough the whole course of our Lives and Actions or more particularly in this or that Instance of Religion 1. When 't is so general that the Bent and Course of our Lives is for want of relish of the Things of God perverted and depraved when we have no Designs drive on no Ends that are suitable to the Excellency and Dignity of our Nature to the Holiness of our Profession and to the great and manifest Obligations of God when we have no Joys or Pleasures no Thirsts or Appetites that do truly become a Christian when we make no Progress no Advance towards our great End when our Discourses and Employments have no Tincture of the Spirit and no Tendency to Edification I think we may then boldly conclude that this is a state of Carnality and Death And that this want of Relish in the general Course of our Lives proceeds from a real want of a Sincere Faith and true Illumination For were the Mind once truly Enlighten'd were it once clearly convinc'd firmly and habitually perswaded of the Beauty and Excellence of the Things of God as we should have Notions different from those of worldly carnal Men so would there consequently be a Difference in the Nature of our Hopes and Fears of our Desires and Designs of our Joys and Sorrows and as necessarily in the main Scope and Tendency of of our Conversation Whoever therefore finds this general Stupidity in the Course of his Life let him not flatter himself in the Performance of any of the Duties of Religion he has a corrupt carnal and blind Heart his Performances proceed not from true Principles and have not that Life and Vigour in them that they ought they are as different from the Performances of a Man truly regenerate and sanctified as the Civilities and Complements of a well-bred Acquaintance from the substantial Offices of a Sincere and affectionate Friend Nor can any Man who will take the least pains to examin himself be ignorant of or mistaken in the Condition of his Soul if this be it For whoever will act honestly and impartially ought not to pass a Sentence of Absolution on himself upon the bare Performance of some relative or instrumental Duties of Religion but he ought to Inquire First What Vertues he Practises which put him upon Expence Hazard or Travel what Works of Piety or Charity he performs and what Proportion they bear to his Ability Next he ought to consider the Design and End he proposes to himself in all his Religious Performances whether he seek the Honour of God the Welfare of Man and his own Improvement and Growth in Goodness or whether he does this meerly to acquit himself of a task and discharge himself of what he takes for granted as a Duty though he finds no pleasure no advantage in it Thirdly he must reflect upon the Frame and Temper of his Mind in reference to these Duties what hunger and thirst he has for Righteousness what Warmth Ardor Elevation or Earnestness of Mind accompanies his Performances what Peace and Pleasure his Reflection on them or whether Religion be not a burthen to him or something to which Custom only reconciles him Lastly he ought to examine what Operation what Influence his Religious Performances have upon him Prayer Hearing Reading and such-like Duties do naturally tend to enlighten the Mind purifie the Heart increase our Love strengthen our Faith and confirm our Hope and therefore where this is not the Effect of them we may conclude that they are not discharg'd in that manner and with that Sincerity they ought He therefore that will examin himself aright must not ask himself how often he reads how often he hears c. and then rest there but must ask himself what Effect these Performances have had upon his Mind which he will soon discern if he demand of himself what the bent and scope of his Life is how much he advances and improves in the Conquest of any Vice and the Attainment of any Vertue what he loves or what he hates what Esteem he has for the Things of God and what for the things of Men. And in a word how he follows after Universal Righteousness and how he encreases in Purity of Heart and Poverty of Spirit 2. Lukewarmness or Coldness may be consider'd more particularly as it discovers it self in the Performance of this or that Duty in Hearing Reading Prayer and Participation of the Lord's Supper Now 't is certain that there is a Deadness in these Duties which proceeds from a carnal and unsanctified Heart and is a plain Symptom of a State of Sin And yet it is too common that they who are subject to it make little Reflection upon it and are little concerned for it On the other hand many complain of Lifelessness in Duty where there is no just ground for this Complaint And this is no small Evil to such for it disturbs the Peace of their Minds damps the Chearfulness and Alacrity of their Service and clogs and encumbers their Religion with needless doubts and Scruples Some have gone about to set this matter right very unskilfully and whilst they have as they thought shun'd Enthusiastick Raptures and irregular Heate have really betray'd the Cause of true and solid Fervency of Spirit and talked of Prayer and such other Duties in such a manner as cannot but reflect disadvantagiously on themselves amongst such as are moderately vers'd in the Scriptures and have any Experience of the Power of God's Word and Spirit upon their Souls But what surprises me most is that some of very deserved Repute have taught That the seeking spiritual Pleasure in Prayer is an Enemy to Perfection That Heat and Ardor of Spirit in Prayer does often happen to the weakest Christians and very seldom to the Perfect But my business not being to combat the Opinions of Men but to advance Truths in the most charitable and in the most effectual manner that I can Therefore without taking Notice of the Motives or Reasons which have byass'd any on this Subject I will lay down two or three Propositions which will I hope clear this Matter and promote the Design I am now carrying on 1. Then Lifelessness or Lukewarmness in these Duties must never be constant There is a vast Difference between habitual and accidental Coldness in Duty the Former is the Symptom of worldly carnal and unregenerate Minds but not the Latter Many are the Accidents which
Holiness in the true genuine and Gospel Notion of it have endeavour'd to enlarge the Way and widen the Gate that leads to Life and have therefore form'd to themselves more soft and pliant Notions of Vice and Vertue Such as may be more easily accommodated either to their particular Inclinations or to the Modes and Fashions of the World than those of Christ and his Apostles can Hence it is that amongst such as pretend to some regard for Religion Humility Poverty of Spirit Self-denial Abstinence and Mortification are so far from being visible in their Practice that we seem to have almost lost the Notion of them And the Pride of Life and the Lust of the Eyes are so universally practised that though we know that these in St. John are the Names of Vices we scarce know what the Things themselves are We have confounded the Mears and Bounds of Vice and Vertue and such are the Freedoms I will now say of those who profess Debauchery but Christianity that if they be consistent with the Sanctity and Purity of the Gospel 't will be hard to determine what Excess is And in a word how many are there who making a Profession of living by Faith and looking for the blessed Hope and the glorious Appearance of Christ do yet live as if all the business of Life were to get and enjoy as much of this World as they can who professing themselves the Disciples of Christ whose Heart was lowly his Fortune mean and his Appearance humble do yet lay out their Time their Labour their Wealth on this one Design to make such a shew such a Figure in the World as may render them the Gaze and Envy of their Neighbours And as our Indulgence to our selves in these things which relate to the Pride and Vanitfy of Life and the Ease and Appetites of the Body is very great so on the same ground and for the same reason is our Zeal for the Interest of Vertue and the Honour of God very little faint and remiss Conversation has very little Savour very little Grace in it and we are so far from being resolute and industrious to awe or shame Vice abroad that we our selves should be almost out of Countenance if we should be observ'd to pay any particular Respect to Religion or Vertue in Company The Government of our Families is so lax and easie that it savours more of Coldness and Indifferency than Fervency of Spirit 'T is true indeed these I am speaking of do generally frequent the House of God and they sit before him as his People and delight to hear his Word But so did the Jews when God tells them in the Prophet Ezek. 33.31 that their hearts went after their Covetousness And in the Prophet Isaiah we have but an odd Character of the Morals of these People of whom God saith yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways nay further they delight in approaching to God Isa 58.2 Now though such as I am speaking of may not be guilty to this Degree so as to be chargeable with open Wickedness yet I am very much afraid that even in this Duty they but promote the Cheat and Imposture they put upon themselves and make their Diligence in this point minister to quiet their Consciences in their Laodicean State for 't were easie to prove that such as these do more generally aim at the Entertainment of the Ear than the Reformation of the Heart And we may say of Preachers now as God did of Ezekiel And lo thou art unto them as a lovely Song of one that has a very pleasant Voice Ezek. 33.32 the Musick of the Voice the Gracefulness of Delivery a Flow of Words the Surprize of Novelty and Notion the Beauty of Sentences and the Sparkling of Wit and Fancy or an Appearance of Learning these are I doubt too aften the things that draw together and charm an Auditory And so all are pleased but none converted or edified for who sweats or blushes who trembles or grows pale at these Sermons who goes away from them wounded or struct through serious and pensive full of pious Fears and devout Desires 2. A Laodicean State springs from Sloth and Pusillanimity or the Want of a thorough and well-grounded Resolution This was one Cause of the Israelites Fluctuation and Uncertainty they were indeed desirous of a Canaan but were not forward to purchase it by tedious Marches hazardous Encounters and the Hardship of Hunger and Thirst and such like They were ever and anon willing to have preferr'd the Dishonour and Servitude of Egypt with Security and Fulness before a Canaan on these Tems And thus it is this day with Christians of a Laodicean Spirit and a doubtful staggering Allegiance An Heaven they would have but would not purchase it at too dear a raâ—e they would be accounted the Disciples of Christ and share in the Merits of his Sufferings but they would not take up his Sufferings but they would not take up his Cross in any sense and follow him But alas Israel might as well have gained their Liberty without going out of Egypt or a Canaan without Travel and Hardship and Blood as these Vertue and Heaven without Watchfulness and Industry We may as well hope to-support and increase the Health and Strength of the Body without Food or Exercise as that of the Soul without Meditation and Prayer we may as soon Conquer our Enemies without Discipline Expence and Blows as master our Corruptions and become Vertuous without spiritual Watchfulness Travel or Contention There is indeed Force and Efficacy enough in the Word of God to enlighten the Mind and purifie the Heart if we would but frequently and seriously Read and Meditate it The Grace of the Spirit is sufficient to conquer our Corruptions and strengthen and establish us in Faith and Obedience if we did but earnestly and frequently pray for it and cherish and improve it when obtain'd The Means which God has prescribed are undoubtedly proper and suitable powerful and effectual to the Attainment Preservation and Increase of Holiness and all his Ordinances have a Divine Vertue and Energy in them if they be but duly and consciensciously made use of But if we do not watch if we do not meditate if we do not pray if we expose our selves to a vain and trifling Conversation if we Indulge the Body all the Ease it is inclined to and put our selves upon no Duties practise no Discipline that we have any Reluctancy for 't is not to be wonder'd at if our Vertue be crazy and sickly if our Performances be cold and unedifying our Faith weak our Affections low and grovelling our Life unsteady and unprofitable our Religion destitute of true Pleasure and our latter End of any rational Comfort or well-grounded Confidence 'T is naturally to be expected that the Soul of the Sluggard should be like his Field Prov. 24.30 I went by the Field of the Slothful and by the Vineyard of the Man
void of understanding and lo it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof and the stone wall thereof was broken down this is one plain Cause and commonly the First of our halting between God and Baal namely our Idleness and Sloth in Religion joyned with Pusillanimity and Cowardise which moves us to decline all Difficulties and disables us to make a bold Resistance against Temptations how criminal and guilty this must render us in the sight of God 't is no difficulty to guess Is this the Zeal the Revenge of an humble and active Penitent Is this to redeem the Time and efface the Memory of our past Sins and Provocations Is this the Conversation that becomes the Children of the Light and of the Day Is this our hunger and thirst after Righteousness is this our Ambition our Passion for an Heaven Finally is it thus we requite the Mercies and Obligations of God and the Love of Jesus that passeth Knowledge shall such halting trimming Christians as these think ye ever be judg'd endued with a true and living Faith who express it the whole Tenour of their Lives so much Coldness and Indifference for that Salvation which the Son of God thought worth the purchasing by so much Travel and so much Sorrow so much Shame and so much Blood 3. A Third Cause of our Halting between God and Baal is some Degree of Infidelity This was the Case of Israel too They were ever prone to Idolatry partly train'd up to it in Egypt and elsewhere partly being more capable of forming an Idea of a Finite and Topical God than of an Infinite and Universal one Jer. 23.23 Partly being fond of following the Fashions of other Nations And lastly mov'd partly by that great and long Prosperity which Egypt and other Idolatrous Nations enjoy'd and no doubt comparing it too with the Variety and Uncertainty of their own Fortune and the frequent Disappointment of their Expectations Hose 2. never laying it to Heart all the while that the way to secure their Prosperity was to change not their God but their Manners I would to God this were not too lively a Description of the State of too many Christians and that we could not trace our Lukewarmness and Fickleness in Religion too plainly back to the same Source or Origine namely some Degrees of Infidelity I wish the Prosperity of the wicked do not somewhat undermine the Belief of a Providence I wish whatever we talk of a Treasure in another World we do not now and then think it wisest to have our Portion in this I am afraid that the Decays and Dissolutions of our Nature in Death the Rottenness and Corruption of the Grave and the Variety of Changes and Fortunes our very Dust undergoes may tempt us to some Scruples and Jealousies about a post-humous Life But however it be in these points I am too too well assur'd that we do often doubt whether Vertue be the true Blessedness of Life whether there be that Pleasure in Righteousness the Scripture affirms there is I am confident the Notions of Righteousness and Holiness with which the Scripture furnishes us are often blur'd and blotted by the Maxims and Customs of the World and perswade my self that there is scarcely one of those that are Laodiceans and Trimmers in Religion that do not flatter themselves that God will not be as severe as his Threats and that he will receive them into Heaven upon milder and softer terms than the Gospel proposes Some such kind of Infidelity as this must possess the Heart where-ever the Life is so infinitely below our Profession When the Word preached doth not profit it is because it is not mingled with a due Measure of Faith in those that hear it If we did truly believe the Revelations of God if we did see the Promises of God as evident and present by Faith though distant in themselves 't were impossible but they must move but they must take us 't were impossible but they must enkindle in us another sort of Desire and this Desire would soon produce another sort of Endeavours another sort of Life When Moses beheld Canaan from Pisga how passionately did he desire to enter into that good Land When the Disciples had seen Jesus Ascend up into Heaven how were they transported with a Desire of following him how unspeakable was their Joy how fervent their Prayers how lasting and enlarged their Gratitude they returned to Jerusalem with great Joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God How does a Prospect of Gain captivate the Covetous How does the Fancy or Expectation of Pleasure enflame the Voluptuary how does the Sight of Vanity and Grandure infect the proud and the Hope of Glory fire the Ambitious What hath the Beauty and Pleasures of Holiness no Attraction has Heaven no Charms in it has the Favour and Love of God and of Jesus no Force no Power in them Surely we have not the face to deny but that the Promises of God are great and precious one and if they raise no Passion in us it must not be through want of Excellent and Loveliness in them but want of Faith in us And then judge you how acceptable this kind of Infidelity must render us to God what Value can God have for a People whom no kindness can oblige no Arguments convince with whom no Miracles can gain Belief no Assurances or Promises find Credit Hell is the portion of the fearful and unbeliever Rev. 21.8 And what dreadful Judgments did overwhelm Israel as often as they thus halted between God and Idols It did not excuse them that they had some sort of Veneration for the Memory of Moses and his Miracles since this was not able to over-rule their Prejudice and Superstition that they retain some Honour for Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that God which was the Fear of their Fathers since they had as much or more for the Nations round about them and their Gods too And whatever Power they did acknowledge in the God of Heaven or whatever Benefit they did own themselves to have deriv'd from him as I can hardly think the Memory of either was utterly extinguish'd amongst them all this avail'd them nothing while they made their Court to other Gods too and put their Trust in their Patronage and Protection Though this be sufficient to make us sensible of the Guilt of a Laodicean Vertue and an uncertain halting Faith yet I must advance on and observe unto you a worse Principle if worse can be of this Deportment yet which is 4. The Fourth Fountain of this Unsteadiness and Remisness in Religion is some Remains of Corruption the Prevalency of some vicious Passion or other Mens Actions are the plainest Indications of their Affections If the Life looks two ways we need not doubt but that the Heart does so too This was that made the young Man in the Gospel fluctuate so between Christ and Mammon this was the
they can make God and will God be better pleas'd with these than he was with those of Israel that were deform'd with Maims and Blemishes Mal. 1.8 offer now these to thy Governour will he he pleased with thee or accept of thy Person saith the Lord of Host The Magi indeed left their Country and offer'd Gold Frankincense and Myrrh to our Saviour Mat. 2. David would not Sacrifice to God of that which cost him nothing 2 Sam. 24. 24. The Primitive Christians offered up to God Prayers and Tears Labours and Travels Nay their Honours their Fortunes their Lives their Blood But alas what have these Men to offer they have not Love enough to put them upon any Expence nor Faith enough to put them upon any Hardships for the sake of God and Vertue For though they think themselves rich and incresed in goods and to have need of nothing yet are they poor wretched and miserable and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 And shall these receive a Crown of Righteousness shall these share in the Kingdom of Jesus shall these partake in the Triumph of the Last Day it can never be they do nothing worthy of the Gospel nothing that can entitle them to the Benefit of the Cross of Christ 3. The Life of the Laodicean Christian will never do any do any Credit to Religion or reflect any Honour on the Gospel No Man will be ever able to discern the Beauty of Holiness or the Power and Efficacy of Divine Truths from the Practise and Conversation of such an one Ah! had the Carriage of the Primitive Times been such as his I know not what Miracles might have done I am sure Examples would never have made many Proselites But the Christians then acted those Vertues which the Pagan only pretended to and Faith in Jesus atchiev'd those Victories over the World which the Jews so debauch'd and stupid were they grown did in the Declension of that State neither understand nor pretend to This was that which made the World admire and love Christianity After thus much said of the Effects of this sort of Carriage I need scarcely put any one in Mind what will be the last and saddest Effect of it for if our Christianity be such that it neither truly sets us free from our Bondage to the World and Flesh nor enrich our Soul with true and solid Vertues if it neither promote the Honour of God nor the Good of Man it must unavoidably follow that having no true Title to God's Favour nor any rational Ground on which to build an Assurance of it we can reap no true Comfort or Pleasure from Religion here nor any Reward from it hereafter Alas what talk I of Comfort and Reward Distress and Anguish must take hold of the Sinners in Sion and Fearfulness must suprize the Hypocrite And from the Troubles and Miseries of thu Life they must go down into the Everlasting Torments of another The Scripture is plain God will spue them out of his Mouth as he did the Laodicean He will shut the Gate of Heaven against them as against the foolish Virgins that had no Oyl in their Lamps And their Hell will have one Torment in it which is incident to no others that they had once the Hopes of Heaven and it is no small Aggravation of Misery to fall into it even from the Expectation of Happiness This is not as I observed above to be apply'd to accidental Dulness or Deadness in Duty nor are the Decays or Abatements of Love which good Men somtimes suffer immediately to be pronounced damnable But yet these are to be put in Mind of the Danger they are in and recall'd to their former Zeal in the Words of the Spirit to the Church of Ephesus Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first Works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remote thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2.4 5. CHAP. IX Of Zeal Or the First thing to be consider'd in a State of Zeal namely what Holiness or Righteousness he may be supposed to have arrived at I Am arriv'd at the last Stage of Perfection which I chuse to call a State of Zeal not only because the Scripture seems to direct me to this Expression but also because it seems to me more full and proper than others that may be or are made use of for the same End A State of Vnion is an Expression that better suits another Life that this For the Lesson the Perfect Man is ever and anon to revolve in his Mind is That the present Life is a Life of Labour and Travel and Sufferings the future one of Rewards and Crowns and Enjoyments Then as to that other Expression the State of Love it suits my purpose well enough but does not come up so justly and exactly to it as the State of Zeal for I take Zeal to be Love in the utmost Elevation and Vivacity that it is capable of And now what a noble what a fruitful Argument am I entering upon Methinks I feel my Soul grow warm and enkindle upon my approaching it and my first Views or contemplations of it inspire me with Desires of the same Nature with it self I am concern'd to see my self confin'd and limited by the Laws of Method and find my self inclin'd to wish That I were now to write rather a just Volume than a few Pages Here the Heroick Acts or what is more the Heroick Lives of Saints Martyrs and Confessors present themselves to my Thoughts Here Human Nature enriched adorned and elevated to the utmost Degree by a Participation of the Divine one Here the Power of God's Word the Energy of the Holy Ghost the Triumphs of Faith and the Exstasies of Love would be described Here the different Excellencies of different Vertues and the different Value of good Works should be stated and setled and the various Paths in which Men pursue the Heights of Vertue and the noblest Designs be examin'd and solid Piety and true Wisdom be refin'd from the Alloys and Mixtures of Enthusiasm Superstition Fancy or whatever else they are disfigur'd and debas'd by But this cannot now be done and it may be it could not at all be done by me No Measure of the Spirit peradventure below that with which the Apostles were inspir'd is sufficient to treat this Argument as it requires Besides according to my Capacity I have been all along making this point When in the First Section I stated the Notion of Perfection shew'd by what Steps we advanced to it what Means we are to make use of and what would be the Fruit of it I did in Effect describe to my Reader the State of Zeal and mark'd out the Path that leads to it When in the Second I labour to establish the true Liberty of Man upon the Overthrow and Extirpation not only of Mortal Sin and
of Idleness and Lukewarmness but also as far as it might be even of Sin of Infirmity and Original Corruption what else was I doing but prosecuting this one Designe namely the implanting and propagating in the World the State of Zeal However something there seems to me yet wanting to compleat my Undertaking and that I am to endeavour now To which End I will here discourse of three Things 1. What it is in general I mean by Zeal 2. What is that Perfection of Holiness or Righteousness wherein it consists And 3. Of the Efficacy or Force of this Holiness as it exerts it self in good Works Of these the two Former shall be the Argument of this the Third of the following Chapter § 1. of Zeal in General what it is I do not exclude some Degrees of Zeal from every Period of the Christian's Life Sincerity cannot subsist wholly without it The Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness which is the subject of one of our Saviour's Beatitudes must be more or less in every Child of God But it may signifie one thing in the Infant another in the Adult Christian in the one the Conquest of Sin or rather of the Reliques and Remains of former sinful Habits and the Attainment of habitual Goodness is the Object of this Hunger and Thirst In the other it imports a vehement Desire of whatever is yet wanting to a further Accomplishment and Consummation of Righteousness already fix't and establish'd the entire and ultimate Perfection of it in Heaven and in the mean Time the promoting the Divine Glory upon Earth whatever it cost him to do so By a State of Zeal then I here mean Vertue or Holiness not in the bud or in the blossom but in its full Strength and Stature grown up and ripe and loaded with blessed Fruits I mean that Holiness that is the Result of Illumination or Clearness of Judgment of the Strength and Force of Holy Resolution and the Vigour and Energy of Holy Passions In a word I mean that folie spiritual and operative Religion which may be felt and enjoy'd by us our selves in the Serenity and Tranquility of Conscience the Longings and Breathings of Pious Desires the Joys and Pleasures of a Rational Assurance discern'd by the World in our Lives and Actions in the Modesty of our Garb in the Plainness and Humility of all things else that pertain to the Port of Life in the Temperance of our Meals the Purity and Heavenliness of Conversation the Moderation of our Designs and enjoyments the Instruction of our Families with a tender and undefatigable Watchfulness over them the Constancy of our Attendance upon and the Devoutness of our Deportment in the publick Worship of God and finally in the Activity and Generosity of our Charity Or to speak my Thoughts in the Language of St. Paul a State of Zeal is that Perfection or Maturity of Holiness which abounds in the Work of Faith the Labour of Love and the Patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father 1 Thess 1.3 Now the end of all this is the advancing the Glory of God and therefore Zeal is well enough describ'd or defin'd by an ardent or vehement Desire of doing so Now this is advanced two Ways First by our Personal and Inherent Holiness And Secondly by the Fruit of it good Works Of both which I will now speak a little more particularly § 2. Of that Perfection of Holiness which constitutes the State of Zeal Here I will Enquire into two Things 1. Whether the Perfect Man must be possessed of all the Treasures of Goodness Whether he must be adorned by a Confluence and an Accumulation of all Vertues 2. What Height of Vertue what Degree of Holiness he may be supposed to arrive at 1. Of the Extent of Righteousness It is generally thought That Universality is as essential and necessary a Property of Gospel Righteousness as Sincerity and Perseverance That there is an inseparable Connexion and Union between all Christian Vertues so that he who wants any must be concluded to have none This want being not like a Blemish that diminishes the Beauty or a Maim that weakens the Strength but like a Wound that dissolves the Frame and Contexture of the Natural Body This Opinion is partly built upon Reason which tells us That there is a native Lustre and Beauty in all Vertues and therefore there is no one in the whole Systeme of Morality but must be lovely and amiable to a good Man Partly upon Scripture in which we find the Christian represented as holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 perfect in every good work Heb. 13.21 as fill'd with all the Fulness of God Eph. 3.19 as fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 and exhorted in the most comprehensive Terms imaginable to the Practice of every Vertue Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any Vertue and if there be any praise think 〈◊〉 these things To which may be added numerous Texts importing That Faith is a Principle of Vniversal Righteousness and That the Fear and Love of God do equally oblige us to all his Commandments and That the Violation of one involves us in the Guilt of all And the result of all this seems to be plainly this That the whole Chain of Graces is dissolved and lost if there be but one Link wanting But at this rate as the Sincere Man must be endow'd with all manner of Vertues so must the Perfect excel in all But the one and the other Assertion If we consider things closely seems to have in them insuperable Difficulties There is a vast Variety in the Natures of Men in the States and Conditions of Life and in the kinds and Degrees as well of the Sanctifying as of the Miraculous Gifts of God St. Paul tells us every Man has his proper Gift of God 1 Cor. 7.7 From whence it seems naturally to be inferr'd That every Man is not capable of attaining to an Excellence and Eminence in every Vertue Experience tells us That there are different kinds of Natures as well as Soils and that some kinds of Vertues like some kinds of Seed will thrive better in one than in another Nor does Grace alter the Matter much since it generally accommodates it self to Nature Lastly it seems very hard That every Man should have the Vertues of all Men of all States of all Capacities every particular Member the Vertues of the whole Church the Beauty and Strength of the Church as well as of the natural Body or Common-wealth consisting not in the All-sufficieney of every Member but in that Variety of Gifts and Graces that cements and unites enriches and Supports the whole To come up to Matter of Fact I read of the Faith of Abraham the Meekness of Moses the Patience of Job the Love of
of all things O my God may I at least be one to fill the Train of this Triumphant Procession in that blessed Day when thou shall Crown the Zeal and Patience of thy Saints Thus have I given a short Account of Zeal I will now endeavour to kindle it in every breast by some few Considerations which will at once evince the Necessity and declare the Fruit of it 1. Our own Security and Happiness demand of us a Zeal fruitful in good Works 2. It is indispensable to the Welfare and Good of our Neighbour 3. It ministers most effectually to the Glory of God 1. Our own Salvation and Happiness depend upon it For without this we reject on at least frustrate the Counsels of God against our own Souls 't was for this Christ Died that he might purifie to himself a peculiar People Zealous of good Works This is the great End of our Election God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love Eph. 1.4 which is to be explain'd by Eph. 2.10 where God is said to have before ordain'd that we should walk in good Works And the beginning of the ver minds us that 't is for this End God imparts the Light of his Word and the Vigour of his Spirit that for this End he sanctifies and renews our Nature We are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works St. Peter tells us That this is that which all the great and precious Promises of God immediately aim at First Godliness then Life First Vertue then Glory What shall I say more Our Lord in his Narrative of the Last Judgment and elsewhere and his Apostles in almost innumerable Places have with great Power and great Earnestness inculcated this Doctrine that we shall be judged according to our Works that Immortality and Glory is the Portion not of Knowledge but Patience and Charity not of an Orthodox Belief and Specious Pretention but of Righteousness and Zeal for the incorruptible the never-fading Crown is a Crown of Righteousness Or if Men will be judg'd by their Faith which is not the Language of the Gospel this does not alter the Matter at all Since Faith it self will be judg'd by its Works And as a happy Eternity depends upon our Zeal so nothing else can give us any comfortable any rational Assurance of it in this Life The Reason is plain because 't is Zeal that is the only unquestionable Proof of our Integrity and Good Works are the Fruit which alone can evidence the Life and Truth of our Faith and Love hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments 1 Joh. 2.3 Yea a Man may say thou hast Faith and I have Works shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works Jam. 2.18 Dost thou believe in God why art thou not holy as He is holy Dost thou believe in Jesus why dost thou not deny thy self take up thy cross and follow him why dost thou not walk as he walk'd Dost thou believe a Judgment to come why dost thou not work out thy Salvation with fear and trembling why dost thou not prepare to meet thy God why art thou not rich in good Works that thou mayest lay up a good foundation against the time to come and lay hold on Eternal Life Nor are good Works less necessary to prove our Love than Faith Certainly if we love Holiness if we hunger and thirst after Righteousness we shall never live in a direct Contradiction to the strongest Passions of our Soul we shall never refuse to gratifie an Inclination which is not only fervent in us but its Gratification will procure us Eternal Rewards too Certainly if we love God we cannot but seek his Glory we cannot but be desirous to maintain Communion with him And if so do we know any Sacrifice that is more acceptable to God than good Works do we know any that he delights in more than Zeal Do we Love the B. Jesus are not good Works the very Test of this Love which himself has appointed If a Man love me he will keep my Commandments Joh. 14.15 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15.14 The Love of Christ saith the Apostle constrains us what to do to live not to our selves but to him that Died for us and rose again 2 Cor. 5.15 What other Returns can we make to Jesus what other way can we express our Gratitude to him He sits on the Right hand of God all Power is given him in Heaven and in Earth he does not himself need our Ministry nor want our Service and Charity But hear what he says in as much as you did it to one of these my little ones you have done it to me Matt. 25.40 2. Our Zeal is indispensably necessary to the Welfare and Happiness of Others Do we regard our Neighbours Eternal Interest 't is Zeal represses Sin and Propagates Righteousness 't is Zeal defends the Faith and suppresses Heresie and Error 't is Zeal converts the Unbeliever and builds up the Believer 't is Zeal that awakens the drousie quickens the lukewarm strengthens the weak and enflames the good with a holy Emulation 't is Zeal that baffles all Objections refutes all Calumnies and vanquishes all Oppositions raised against Religion and oppresses its Enemies with Shame and Confusion 'T is in a word Zeal and Zeal alone that can make Religion appear lovely and delightful and reconcile the World to it for this alone can adorn the Gospel for it renders Vertue more conspicuous more taking in Life and Example than it can be in the Precepts and Descriptions of Words Nor is Zeal less serviceable to the Temporal that Eternal Interest of Mankind When God laid the Foundations of the World he laid the Foundation of Vertue too and when he form'd Man he wove the Necessity of good Works into his very Nature How necessary is Justice to poor Creatures who lie so open to Wrongs and Injuries how indispensable is Charity or Generosity to these who are expos'd to so many Accidents to so many Wants to such a Viscissitude of Fortune and being all subject to so many Follies and Infirmities to so many Mistakes and Fancies how strong must be our Obligation to mutual Forbearance Patience and Gentleness In a word Sin and Misery abounds in the World and if there were not Vertues and good Works to ballance the one and â—o relieve and support us under the other Life would be intollerable So that Reveal'd and Natural Religion do necessarily terminate and center in a Zeal for good Works as their ultimate End and utmost Perfection in this Life and that Rule of our Saviour whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so unto them is an Abstract not only of the Law and the Prophets but of the Code of Nature too and this single Principle if sincerely pursued
aside the natural Right which He has over him as his Creature and to transact with him as free and Master of himself But this is all infinite condescension Secondly it seems unsuitable to the infinite Goodness of God to bereave Man of the Life and Happiness he has once conferr'd upon him unless he forfeits it by some Demerit The Gifts and calling of God are without Repentance nor can I think how Death which has so much Evil in it could have enter'd the World if Sin had not enter'd it first In this Sense unsinning Obedience gives a kind of right to the Continuance of those good things which are at first the meer Effects of Divine Grace and Bounty Lastly a Covenant of Works being once establish'd 't is plain that as Sin forfeits Life so Obedience must give a right to it and as the Penitent could not be restored but by an Act of Grace so he that commits no Sin would need no Pardon But then Life it self and an Ability to work Righteousness must be owing to Grace antecedent to the Covenant and so such a one would have whereof to boast comparatively with respect to others who fell but not before God The Sum of all is Man has nothing to render to God but what he has received from him and therefore can offer him nothing but his own Which is no very good Foundation for Merit But suppose him absolute Master of himself Suppose him holding all things independent of God Can the Service of a few Days merit Immortality and Glory Angelical Perfection and a Crown He must be made up of Vanity and Presumption that dares affirm this 3. God stands in no need of our Service and 't is our own not his Interest we promote by it The Foundation of Merit amongst Men is Impotence and Want the Prince wants the Service and Tribute of the Subject the Subject the Protection of the Prince the Rich needs the Ministry and the Labour of the Poor the Poor Support and Maintenance from the Rich. And it is thus in Imaginary as well as Real Wants The Luxury and Pleasure of one must be provided for and supported by the Care and Vigilance of others and the Pomp and the Pride of one part of the World cannot subsist but on the Servitude of the other In these Cases therefore mutual Wants create mutual Rights and mutual Merit But this is not the Case between God and Man God is not subject to any Wants or Necessities Nor is his Glory or Happiness capable of Diminution or Increase He is a Monarch that needs no Tribute to Support his Grandeur nor any Strength or Power besides his own to guard his Throne If we revolt or rebel we cannot injure Him if we be loyal and obedient we cannot profit Him He has all Fulness all Perfection in himself He is an Almighty and All-sufficient God But on the quite contrary though God have no Wants we have many and though his Majesty and Felicity be subject to no Vicissitude we are subject to many Our Service to God therefore is our own Interest and our Obedience is design'd to procure our own Advantage we need we daily need his Support and Protection we depend entirely on His Favour and Patronage in him we live and move and have our Being and from Him as from an inexhaustible Fountain we derive all the Streams of Good by which we are refreshed and improved To know and love Him is our Wisdom to depend upon Him our Happiness and Security to serve and worship Him our Perfection and Liberty to enjoy Him will be our Heaven and those Glimpses of his Presence which we are vouchsafed thorough the Spirit in this Life are the Pledges and Foretaste of it This is the constant Voice of Scripture Every good Gift and every perfect Gift is from above and cometh from the Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 If I were hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the Fulness thereof Will I eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most high and call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50.12 13. c. If thou be Righteous what givest thou unto him thy Wickedness may hurt a Man c. Job 35.7 8. SECT III. Of the Impediments of Perfection THough I have been all along carrying on the Design of this Section that is the Removing the Obstacles of Perfection yet I easily foresaw there might be some which would not be reduc'd within the Compass of the foregoing Heads For these therefore I reserv'd this Place These are Five 1. Too easie and loose a Notion of Religion 2. An Opinion that Perfection is not attainable 3. That Religion is an Enemy to Pleasure 4. The Love of the World in a higher Degree at least than will consist with Perfection 5. The Infirmity of the Flesh § 1. Some seem to have entertain'd such a Notion of Religion as if Moderation here were as necessary as any where else They look upon Zeal as as an Excess of Righteousness and can be well enough content to want Degrees of Glory if they can but save their Souls To which End they can see no Necessity of Perfection Now I would beseech such seriously to lay to Heart that Salvation and Damnation are Things of no common Importance and therefore it highly concerns them not to be mistaken in the Notion they form to themselves of Religion For the Nature of Things will not be altered by their Fancies nor will God be mocked or imposed on If we will deal sincerely with our selves as in this Case it certainly behoves us to do we must frame our Idea of Religion not from the Opinions the Manners or the Fashions of the World but from the Scriptures And we must not interpret these by our own Inclinations but we must judge of the Duties they prescribe by those Descriptions of them by those Properties and Effects which we find there We must weigh the Design and End of Religion which is to promote the Glory of God and the Good of Man and to raise us above the World and the Body and see how our Platform or Model of Religion suits with it And if after we have done this we are not fully satisfied in the true Bounds and Limits which part Vice and Vertue it cannot but be safest for us to err on the right hand We ought always to remember too That the repeated Exhortations in Scripture to Diligence and that the most earnest and indefatigable to Vigilance to Fear and Trembling to Patience to Steadfastness and such-like are utterly inconsistent with an easier lazy gentile Religion That the Life of Jesus is the fairest and fullest Comment on his Doctrine and That we never are to follow the Examples of a corrupt World but of the best Men and the best Ages This this one thing alone will convince
us what Endeavours what Vertues are necessary to gain an incorruptible Crown See with what Eagerness the Disciples of Jesus pressed towards the mark See with what Courage nay Joy too they took up their Cross and followed Him how generous were their Alms so that the Riches of their Liberality were conspicuous in the very Depth of their Poverty What Plainness and Singleness of Heart what Grace and Warmth what Peace and Joy shew'd it self in their Conversation what Modesty what Humility in their Garb Deportment and the whole Train of Life how frequent how fervent and how long too were their Prayers and Retirements In one word the Spirit and Genius of a Disciple of Christ discover'd it self in all they said and did and the Vertues of their Lives did as evidently distinguish a Christian from a Jew or Pagan as their Faith How lovely was Religion then how full its Joy how strong its Confidence Then did Christians truly overcome the World then did they live above the Body then was the Cross of Christ more delightful than the Ease or Honour the Pride or Pleasure of a sinful Life then did they truly thorough the Spirit wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith Let us now compare our Lives with theirs and then sit down content with poor and beggarly Attainments if we can Let us put our Vertues in the Scales against theirs and if we have any Modesty the Inequality will put us out of Countenance we shall blush at our Vanity and shall not have the Confidence to expect the same Crown the same Kingdom with them But as too laxe a Notion of Religion is apt to beget too much Indifference and Unconcernment so will it be said too exalted a one is apt to beget Despair which is a Second and no less Obstacle of Perfection § 2. Many there are who forming their Judgment upon the Slips and Defects of good Men and the Corruption of Human Nature conceive Perfection to be a meer imaginary Notion They believe indeed that considering how apt Man is to fall short of his Duty 't is very fit that the Rule prescrib'd him should be exact and that he should be frequently pressed and exhorted to Perfection but that the thing it self is too too difficult for Mortal Man to attain in this Life But to this Objection I must oppose these few things which I believe will be sufficient to remove it 1. The Beginning of Vertue is the most difficult part of it the nearer we approach to Perfection the easier as well as pleasanter is Religion And therefore whoever startles at the Difficulties which lie in the way to an exalted Vertue has as much reason to be startled at those which will encounter him in his first Enterance upon Religion and yet these must be conquered 2. The avoiding the Difficulties of Religion does but plung us into worse We are necessarily under this Dilemma If we will attain the Peace and Tranquility of the Mind we must mortifie and reduce the Appetites of the Body if on the other hand we propose to gratifie the Appetites of the Body and enjoy the Pleasure of Sin we cannot do so without offering much Violence to the Mind And if this be so if such be the War and Opposition between the Soul and the Body that there is no way to a true and well setled Peace and Pleasure but by the Reduction and Mortification of the one or the other then it will be easie to resolve what we are to do For those Appeals which Atheists themselves make to Reason proclaim the Soul of Man to be the Ruling and Nobler part of him Besides the Soul is the more vital the more tender and sensible part of us and consequently the Affliction of this must render us far more miserable than any Hardships or Difficulties Vertue can impose upon the Body 3. Whatever be the Difficulties of Vertue they will soon vanish if we often call to mind That Peace and Joy are the Fruit of Vertue but shame and Remorse of Sin That no Man ever yet did not repent of following his Lust unless he died as much a Brute as he lived That Heaven is a cheap purchase whatever it costs us but the Pleasure of Sin a very dear one how easily soever we come by it And finally That we are not our own Masters there is a God to whom we stand accountable for our Actions and consequently whether we will or will not we must either undergoe the Hardship and Discipline of Vertue or the Eternal Plagues and Punishments of Sin Lastly the Truth is this Opinion of the Impossibility of Perfection has both been begot and cherished by those wild Schemes of it which have been drawn by the hands of a flaming indeed but an indiscreet Zeal But I have here recommended to the World no fantastick or Enthusiastick Perfection I have advanced no Heights of Vertue but what many do I hope at this day actually feel and experiment in themselves none I am sure but what the Followers of the blessed Jesus actually attain and practise Be ye followers of us said the Apostle as we are of Christ Their Lives were as bright a Rule as their Doctrine and by their own Actions they demonstrated the Power of the Faith they taught They did not like the Scribes and Pharisees bind heavy Burdens upon others and not move them with their finger they did not like Plato and Aristotle magnifie Temperance and Modesty at the Tables and Carnivals of Princes nor commend the Pleasure of Wisdom in in the Gardens of Epicurus but they lived as they taught unspotted by the Pleasures unbroken by the Troubles of the World modest Serene equal and Heavenly minded in Honour or Dishonour Want or Abundance Liberty or Prison Life or Death Let us then no longer Object or Dispute but with Faith and Patience be followers of those who have inherited the Promises being encompass'd with a Cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every Weight and the Sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with Patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God For consider him that endured such Contradiction of Sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your Mind Heb. 12.1 2. I have done with those who endeavour to soften or shun the Difficulties of Religion not to conquer them § 3. There are others who will look upon this setting up the Doctrine of Perfection as a Design against the Pleasures of Mankind What says such a one shall I let go my present Pleasures out of my hands to hunt after I know not what and I know not where Shall I quit Pleasures tha◠are every where obvious for such as have no Being it may be but in Speculation or at least are
will never like the Israelites see a Canaan before him Life must be fill'd with good Works or else Death will look but dark and gloomy when the Conscience enquires every where after the Effects of the Word and the Spirit and the Blood of Jesus and can discover in all the parts in all the paths of Life no Tracks of any thing but Fancy and Fortune Humour and Indulgence How will it shrink and faint and tremble what pensive melancholy Doubts will damp and choke its Hope And how can it be otherwise Alas the Mind of a Christian is sufficiently informed that every Man shall receive according to what he has done in the Body God will judge every Man according to his Works what then must become of him who has none to shew If Immortality and Glory if Life and Peace be the Reward of well-doing nay of patient continuance in well-doing what will become of the drousie and supine and careless the Sot and the Sluggish who have slept and fool'd and trifl'd away Life 3. I might aggravate the Guilt of Idleness by taking an Estimate of the Talents it wastes the Obligations it slights and the Hopes it forfeits I might render Man more jealous and apprehensive of falling into it by observing how generally it prevails which is a plain Proof either of the strength of the Temptation or our Propension a plain Proof either that there is I know not what secret Magick in the Sin or else that the Cheat it imposes upon the World is a very clever a very dexterous one But I have said enough and where the former Considerations fail these will hardly succeed Therefore I will now pass on from Arguments to Advice which was the next thing proposed to be done And here my Advice must have regard to two different sorts of Persons 1. To such as are born to plentiful or competent Fortunes 2. To such as are to raise their own or to provide for the Support and Maintenance of themselves and their Families by their Labour or Industry in some Calling or profession To the Former the best Directions I can give are these 1. He that is Master of his Time ought to devote the more to Religion to whom God has given much of him much will be required Nor has such a one any Excuse left either for Omission or a hasty and cursory Performance of Duty but one one that will increase his Guilt i. e. Laziness Pleasure or some Sin or other Such a one therefore ought to be constant and diligent in frequenting the publick Assemblies of the Church his Attendance upon Prayers Sacraments Sermons must be such as becomes a Man who as it has pleased God seems born not to provide for Life but only to live only to improve and enjoy Life and carry on the nobler Designs of it and as becomes a Man whose good or ill Example is of such vast Importance to the Service or Dis-service of Religion Nor must such a ones Attendance on the Publick excuse him from the religious Offices of the Closet or his Family he ought to abound in each He may be more frequent in Meditation and Prayer in Reading and Instruction and perform each with more Justness and Solemnity than others can 2. Persons of Fortune ought to be careful in the Choice of Intimates and Friends Conversation is not always a Loss but sometimes a Gain of Time We often need to have our Forgetfulness reliev'd our Drowsiness awaken'd by the Discourses and Reflections of our Friends If Discourse were generally season'd with Grace Conversation would be the greatest Blessing if with Sense and Reason Innocence and Prudence it would be the most agreeable Entertainment of Human Life But how mischievous is the Acquaintance which infects us with Vanity and Lightness of Spirit which shews us nothing but a Gaudy out-side and a Frothy Soul whose Example binds Men in Civility to be foolish and makes Confidence and Vice and Mis-spence of Time a Fashion 3. It were to be wished That Persons of the best Rank were ever bred up to something to something that might improve to something that might amuse and innocently engage their Minds to something that might employ Life without encumbring it And yet alas what need I wish this how many excellent Qualities are necessary to render a Gentleman worthy of the Station where God has placed him Let him pursue these how many are the Vertues how many the Duties to which a Christian is oblig'd for him attend these There is a great deal requisite to make a good Master a good Husband a good Father a good Son a good Neighbour a good Parishioner an excellent Subject and an excellent Friend and yet there are many other Relations besides these In a word there is no Man who when he shall appear before God will not be found to have omitted many Duties and to have perform'd many other with less Care and Diligence than he ought and surely such a one cannot justly complain for want of Business I doubt rather on the contrary That whoever takes a just and full view of things will have reason to complain That Life is short and our Work great That let us use all the Diligence we can and be as frugal of our Time as we will we arrive much sooner at a Maturity of Years than of Knowledge and Vertue 4. The Diversions of Persons of this Quality ought to be well regulated such as become the Character of a Gentleman and the Dignity of a Christian that is that must be neither mean nor vicious But I have treated this and the foregoing Heads more copiously in Human Life to which I refer my Reader As to such in the next place who are engag'd in a Profession I have particularly considered their State in several Places and find little to add here but only to mind them That they may be guilty of Idleness too That their Idleness is the more criminal the less Temptation they have to it They may neglect the Duties of their Calling I mean their Secular Calling and if they be unfaithful and negligent in their Temporal Concern it is not to be expected that they should be more Sollicitous and Industrious about their Spiritual one They may again suffer the Cares of this Life to thrust out those of another and then they are truly idle and slothful Servants to God how industrious and faithful soever they are to the World for Life is but wasted and mis-spent if it make not Provision for Eternity and it matters little whether it be wasted in Pleasure or in Drudgery CHAP. VIII Of Unfruitfulness as it consists in Lukewarmness Coldness or Formality IN the former Chapter I consider'd that part of Unfruitfulness which consists in the Omission of Duty I am now to consider another part of it which consists in too perfunctory a Performance of it Besides those who are truly unprofitable because they slight or neglect the Duties of Religion there is another Sort