in more need he should make to thee Art thou sure he is in the wrong thou in the right how knowest thou this thou thinkest thy self in the right so do's he Thou art confident it may be so is he Thou producest Reason and Scripture so dos he thou alledgest the consent of such and such learned and good Men whom thou greatly accounts of he do's no less Hast thou studyed and prayed for the finding out of the truth he has done so too Hast thou suffered in Testimony to what thou Judgest truth If he have not done so thou knowest not but he may be ready to do the like when God calls him to it Obi. Why but it is a dangerous Arrour Answer How knowest thou it is Canst thou shew wherein the danger of it lyes 2ly Grant it be so thou hast more need to pitty him then to quarrel with him thou hast more need to deal with him so as thou mayest best hope to bring him out of his Errour Thou oughtest to take care least by thy passionate and untoward management of the Cause of Truth thou give people occasion so to loth it that they Chuse rather to fall in with the others errours Que. But would you not have us to be Zealous Answer Yes as Zealous as you will but I would first have you to understand what for I would not have you to run without your Errand as Zealous as you will but I would have you remember that venting of Pride and peevishness in Religion Loving and admiring and violently propagating your Opinions and ways is not Zeal As Zealous as you will but first let Zeal begin at Home let it burne up your Pride and Earthliness and frowardness and then when this Smoke is gone the light of it will serve you to guide the heat of it by Alass Men talk much of Zeal but there is less true Zeal in the World then there is true Love there is as much want of Zeal as Vse of it and it must First be got before exercised and put forth the same spirit enclines to Moderation that Enclines to Zeal Vse 2. Labour for a Spirit of Moderation A meek lowly and tender Spirit It s hard practising a Duty when it thwarts Nature this is a lovely God like Spirit were it not for this in what a sad case were we who hourly try Gods patience by greater provocations then mistakes amount to Vse 3. Condemn not any for putting that Duty in practise which you allow your selves in the neglect of If you will not be moderate your selves be not angry with those who in Conscience to God desire to be so smut them not with odious Names Vse 4. Whatever ill usage thou meetest with from the World be not discouraged in the due practise of Moderation Consider it is thy Duty and though Men may reproach and Curse thee for it the blessing of a peace maker shall be upon thee from the God of Heaven I know such is the madness of the World they are ready to quarrell with every one that will not engage with them in their Contentions one against another and he that goes about to part Two opposite Partyes provokes both against himself and seldom goes away without blows from either But count it no new and strange thing to be used as the Men of God have been used before thee Continue thou in Gods work still and he will answer the damage that accrues thereby to thee Vse 5. Judge those the best Christians who being Consciencious in all other dutys do not neglect this It shews a Christian Spirit it is an Argument of the Wisdome from above Which is pure Peaceable 6ly See thou hast more Cause of humbling thy selfe then Glorying If thou hast neglected Moderation thou hast omitted a Duty deceive not thy selfe nor vainly hope to delude God by putting a good Name upon a bad practise and Calling that Zeal which God Counts Hellish Fury 7ly Conclude not there is most of Religion in such as seem the eagerest all violent heats speaks not so much strength of Nature as the oppressition of some Distemper Let not any by Sin gain the reputation of being more then ordinarily Pious 8ly Learn the Wisdome and Justice of true Religion which requires such practises from its professors as tend most to promote and secure what all generally desire and that is peace to obviate the Slanders cast upon it by the worldly wise that it disturbs societys But 2ly A Christian ought to be moderate about the Concernements of this Life the Comforts and conveniencys Health Wealth and Credit Lovers and Friends c. In these people are then immoderate when they let out their Affections too much upon any of these giving them a greater share in their hearts then of right belongs to them That we love these at all is no fault they being the good Creatures of God But that we love them otherwise then we should more then we should here is the Immoderation As 1st When we love them more then God himselfe the Gift more then the Giver whatever it be in any Creature comfort whatsoever that we find any favour and relish in any chearing and warmth by It is but a drop a spark a ray of that goodness which is in God and is used by God as a bate to allure us to himselfe In whom alone the Fountain is to be found who alone is able not onely to content but satisfye us Now then we love these more then God when 1st We take more care and paines to procure these to our selves then to win the favour of God 2ly To secure these more then we do the Love of God 3ly When we can be quiet without God while we have these let God hide his face forbeare his visits withdraw his directions and Consolations no matter for all this provided Health lasts Mony comes in the World gives us its good word and Friends their smiles 4ly When God himself cannot please us without these let him reason the case with us as Elkana with Hannah am not I better to thee then ten earthly comforts Our hearts are so hardned in sorrow for being deprived of these we mind him not but go on grieving and fretting still 5ly When we will not give God leave to deny us these to Strip us of these as he shall Judge it meet but we will either have our own will in these or we repine at him quarrel with him take no care to please or serve him But 2ly We are then immoderate when we love these more then Grace which being the Life Health Strength Beauty of the Soul a Divine participation and resemblance a reall Substantiall Solid Lasting Good Is of greater worth much more desirable As 1st When we Grieve more deeply for our want or losse of these then we do for our weakness or decay of Grace It 's a trouble to us that we have not some outward comfort we formerly had or at least hoped for and still
wherin he does greatly transcend brutes yet 〈◊〉 it be seperated from goodness it is a most mischeiuous thing and though fool be looked upon as a great reproach rendering a man very contemptable as good to little yet knave is a greater reproach rendering a man odious for it represents him as a dangerous person And of all knaves the subtil knaue is looked upon as the worst Power is a thing which many are very ambitions of for they think its a brave thing for any to be in a capacity to do what ever they have a mind none being able to oppose them but certainly if a mighty man be not a good man too he may be feared as Devils are in some places and tyrants every where but he shall never be intirely Loved and Cordially honoured The onely thing therefore that does discover how excellent a being God is how amiable and honourable he is that setts forth his glory unto the life and represents him in such a way that every one is ready to love him adore him admire him every one according to the Principle they are acted by such as are truely gracious in a gracious way and such as are still in their naturall estate according to the inclinations of naturall ingenuity the dictates of naturall Consciences I say the only thing which does make the most lovely representation of God is his carring on things so that it may evidently appear that he has no designe upon any and that he does hearâ—â—ly seek the good of all so far as he may without doing otherwise then is fitting 1. Vse For information 1st If God be a God of so universall love and goodness then certainly none can Perish utterly irrecouerably everlastingly if he can prevent it It s true God is so absolute in his supremacy that he might do whatever pleases him without being in danger of being called to account by any he is so mighty in his Power that he might do any thing which can be done for the salvation of Souls he is so reaching in his Wisdome that if any advantage Offers it selfe for the reclaiming any from their lusts and Sins he can seasonably sett in with it for the improving it to the utmost And yet it must be acknowledged that some are ruined beyond all hope and help and will be ruined and God does not hinder not because he will not for were this the reason certainly he would not be a God of that infinite love and goodness which he is taken to be But because he cannot and yet this impotency of God proceeds not from his weakness that he is not able to do what is necessary to be done But from his excellency that he cannot be willing to do any thing which is not Fitting to be done which is contrary to the rules of prudence Justice and honour For it is a thing altogether Vnreasonable that people should be dragged into Heaven whether they will or no when they dispise all the glories of it disgust all the joyes of it neglect all the means which may bring them thither resists and stifle all the importunate Perswasions which the influences of the Spirit the Power of ordinances and providences press them with It is very certain and will be found so at the Great day whatever men fondly conceit in this their day whilest they make things Just as they would have them that none do Perish but through their owne gross and strange negligence though none be Saved without the infinite mercyes and Almighty power of God 2ly Then surely animosities and quarrelings and persecutions can never please God lett them be carried on under what pretence soever for what is so diametrically opposite to his very nature can never be gratefull to his will Nay to pretend Religion for that which is so extremly contrary unto the nature and designe of Religion is an abomination in his sight I do not reflect here upon any partyes upon account of their different opinions and different practises in ways of Religion for I am of that mind that unless men wink and Suffer themselves to be led blind-fold by one who sees no further then his brethren no better if so well there will be variety of Judgments and wayes But what need 's this alienate affections Why should this fill with Jealousies and aniâ—osities one against another Why should this whet tongues And why should this fill hands with Swords and Clubs and fagots Can such practises as these be acceptable to that God who is the God of love and peace Can these promote the end of that Religion whose precepts promises examples does aime all at love and Charity There is one Religion which has the inpudence to Condemn all Religions besides its selfe and for the most part finds the same measure that it metes out to others being condemned by all others and one of the maine things which she is Justly blamed for is that vncharitableness she shewes to all but her self wherein she is too much followed by the most that Seperate from her But let Religions pretend never so speciously so long as the true Nature of God is understood which is love and goodness so long as the main designe of Religion is understood which is to advance men unto that frame of Spirit which is most conspicuous in God that Religion will never be imbraced which ownes any thing contrary unto true love and goodness And certainly there is little love shewed unto those persons who suppose they be in an errour are forthwith sent to Hell to carry their errour with them And as little love to others who possibly by crueltyes may be terifyed but will never be Convinced 2. Vse For consolation to all those who are really interested in God If God have such a love as extends to all that are not only Strangers but enemies what love must he have for those who are intimate friends his Children if he has Love for those who are like the Devil how great love must he have for those who are like himself that Vniversall love which God beares to all if rightly understood is so far from distroying or undermining his peculiar love to his chosen and Choice ones that nothing can possibly be sound more conducing to establish it St. Matthew 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect HAVING dispatched the insinuation viz. that Vniversall love is the perfection of God himself who is every way the most Perfect being I come now to the exhortation which consists of 1st A duty exhorted see to be Perfect that is to do what in us lies to be so 2ly A motive to induce unto a consciencious setting about the discharge of this duty God is Perfect and therefore we should endeavour to be so too 3dly A direction to guid us in our endeavour after perfection that we may not be deceived and take up with a false perfection in stead of a true Let us rightly understand
waist his strength slur his Reputation disgrace his Relationes in Lewdness and Wantoness we bear with him still do we shun their company as we would do the Plague and cry out with them out of the World But let a poor honest Soul while he is Sincere and earnest in the pursute after truth But stumble into an Errour or what is accounted so we presently Cry Heretick oh take heed of him Come not neare him it is not fit such an one should breath Crucifie him Why what evil hath he done What 's the matter Why him rather then the other 1st Is an Errour more Infectious and catching I am sure there are many that do not so much suite and gratify our Corrupt inclinations as these Lusts do Nay some there are that exceedingly thwart Mans naturall Bent most oft-times bring them into contempt reproach outward sufferings And here I believe the naturall self-Love which is in most will make them wary before they engage 2ly But it may be its more dangerous if it should take Indeed 't is possible such it may be as a mistake in the way may hinder one more in their reaching their Journeys end then a fall or two But as there are many useless truths so many innocent Errours all the harme they do is but to the Persons themselves And these rather expose to outward trouble which God oft times sanctifies to them for the good of their Souls then incline or encourage to Sin or hinder the work of holiness in their hearts do they not walk as closely with God grow as much in Spirituallity Heavenly mindedness in reall and solid Grace notwithstanding their mistakes as others with all their Orthodoxe knowledge And let me tell you God will one day enquire not how ingenious we have begn in our Religion but how sincere diligent faithfull not what our opinions have been but our graces not how we have talked but how we have lived 3ly What then is it a greater Sin to Live in a mistake then to Live in Drunkeness Whoredome Profaneness possibly I might thinke so too could I be perswaded that a mistake does more harme to Souls is less Consistant with Sincerity and honesty is more contrary to the Spirit of Piety and Holyness layes more blocks in the way to Love Meekness Lowliness resignation faith indisposes more to obedience and self denyal But untill I can meet with some Sober Consciencious Persons who are given to these and thinke they ought to be so perswade themselves they are pleasing and serving God in the mean time as I do meet with severall whom I have reason to look upon as very Consciencious in their mistake untill I find Drunken and Profain Persons notwithstanding their Drunkenness and Profaneness growing in Grace as I find some Erroneous persons notwithstanding their errour give me leave to question whether this be the greater Sin or noe 4ly But it may be t is an harder Task to forbeare those Sins then to avoid erring there being so many temptations to entice us to them so great a Suitableness in our nature to them But do's not the Love we bear to our Credits Estates Healths Relations Souls bid us refrain do's not Conscience Reason Scripture Check us for them Would not naturall principles carry us above these When alass how easy a thing is it to mistake Even then when we are most desirous to find the truth most carefull in seeking after it How Blind Dark Narrow Shallow are our understandings How many prejudices do we take in from our very Childhood How obscure and dubious is Scripture when read without the light of God How vain uncertain are the dictates and Creeds of Synods Councells Churches How little concerned do's God look upon himself to secure his People from those mistakes which he knows how to do them good by How apt to be swayed with the opinion of those we have an Esteem for If we consider but these and the like occasions of mistake which every one almost is surrounded with We shall find cause enough to conclude that one May easily err without any great Wilfulness Gal. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. Col. 3. 12. 13. Phil. 2. 1. Vse 1st Then as we would approve our selves worthy of that Name we have taken upon us Let us carry our selves with that moderation that becoms Christians towards those that differ either in Opinions or Observances from us 1st Let us not willingly enrage the Ignorant against them by giving them those Nicknames which the violence of their Adversarys has branded them with 2ly Let us not make a worse representation of their Opinions to others then they deserve by loading them with those odious consequences which they themselves do as much disown and abominate as we do these two practices the Devil the Author of confusion has found very Vsefull to him for the keeping strife on foot in the Christian World 1st Consider how Christ behaued himself to his Ignorant and Erronious Disciples he dos not upbraid them with it quarrells not with them about it but quietly beares with them waits his opportunity further to instruct them better to informe them And 2ly This was the Apostles practice for the Composing of those many Differences of those Times between the Jewish and Gentile Christians They do not Magisterially dictate this is truth and who ever thinks or sayes otherwise are Hereticks No they leave it to the freedome of their Auditors to observe Jewish Ordinances or let them alone and all their diligence and care is to bring Christians to a mutuall toleration one of another so as to overlook those petty differences and not withstanding them to strive together for the faith of the Gospell to help one another in the way to Heaven Rom. 14. Phil. 3. 16. 3ly Vntill that primitive practice of undervaluing Smaller differences bearing with one another in them and laying the maine stress upon the great things of the Gospell Obedience Self-denyall Faith Love be revived I shall wish Peace and Truth may much flourish amongst us but truely I shall not much hope for it 4ly Were there but more of a Gospell Spirit in the World were but People come to that to see and be ashamed and loth themselves in their own sight there World not be such spying moâ—â—s in their Brothers eye there would be more shewing meekness to all Persons considering they themselves were sometims Foolish and deceived Tit. 3. 3. And 5ly If God should bring good people under the lash againe I wish it may make them make a serious and impartiall reflection upon their former Carriages and with Josephs Brethren when they found harsh usage from Joseph enquire whether this be not the just Punishment of their rigour and severity towards their Brethren Gen. 42. 21. It being a Righteous thing with God to mete out to any the same measure they have meted out to others 6ly How knowest thou but that allowance thou art so backward in making 〈◊〉 thy Brother thou standest
Can we expect that People should ever give over Separating from our Congregations how strict soever the provision made by the Laws be when having a great famine in their Souls and a thirst for the word of Knowledge they come amongst us and get none If there be any here that can account it nothing though the great and dreadfull God be provoked poor Souls be Everlastingly undone a Flourishing Nation laid desolate a Church well ordered as to the main miserably torne in pieces by Schismes a Ministry which hitherto God has Honoured by using it to the Converting and edifying of Souls laid aside as an useless instrument I know not what to say to them which I can hope will take the least hold of them they may go and follow their Pleasures â—ark and â—oil in the World to be Rich and great and in the mean while quite forget that it was any part of their duty to preserve saving Knowledge Only let me tell them this time may come when they shall too late find it was a duty when Judgements have pursued and overtaken them and Conscience is awakened out of its long sleep when outward afflictions press and pinch and Terrours of Death and Hell Affright and all Comfort and help from Creatures fails and the man knows not which way to turne him or what will become of him then they will wish they had Considered it sooner But for you My Brethren who have engaged in this great work following the inward call of God being fully perswaded in your hearts that by devoting your selves this way you might do God and his People best service let me speak a word to you and my self Let us make it appear that how hard conceits soever some have of us we have a sense of and regard to our duty as well as they while we faithfully discharge it Let us confute the prejudices which prevail much in the World against us as if we were a generation of men that might be best spared by being really usefull let us manage our business so that their Consciences may Justify us when their humours and Interests engage them most in the quarrell against us 1st Let us Labour to grow in Knowledge Reall Spirituall Experimentall Solid and usefull Knowledge let us faithfully set our selves to do Gods will and he will make us know it Get our hearts made more pure then our heads will be more clear Earnestly press after the Spirit of truth and Knowledge which is able to reveal unto us the hidden things of God and to lead us into all truth Let us study throughly our own hearts we need not read over the Whole impression and the Bible these we shall find the best Books out of which we may be sufficiently furnished with what ever is usefull Let us faithfully make use of our talents that God may encrease them 2ly Let us in holding out Knowledge be faithfull instant in season and out of season and wise also let us meddle little with disputable Points these take them generally come not near the heart of Religion they do small good a great deal of harm making People proud Talkative and quarrelsome Diverting them also from the main of Religion to impertinencies Deal gently with Conscientious dissenters they will not be won by being reproached and â—ttaunted by being rendred odious to those about them by Nicknames Railing against their mistakes will not confute them neither will it heal their Sores to be ever in handling them No it is Found by Experience that False opinions are sooner undermined then battered and the warm Sun causes the Traveller to lay aside that Cloak which the Blustering wind could never have forced from him Make vse of Knowledge rather than shew of it lest thou prejudice the more sober and understanding persons against thee by giving them too Just cause to believe that thou art studying more to gain applause then to do good Some while they affect to seem learned make themselves Ridiculous yea and nauseous too while they vomit up as it were amongst the People their crude Matters which if they had been throughly digested into strength of reason would have made the Consciences of People feel that they do understand themselves So while they seek credit they miss it and also oft times render weighty matter inefficacious by Intermixing Dilute stuff with it which Weakens the Force of it Let us thus set our selves to preserve Knowledge and Knowledge shall preserve yea advance us God himself will own us wipe away our reproach and secure our interest and every way bless us People shall owne us and readily hear us Chearfully submit to us in the Lord heartily bless God for us And we shall either see of the Travell of our Souls amongst them and be Satisfied or however we shall know that our Judgment is with the Lord and our work with our God though Israel be not gathered and great shall be our reward in Heaven Proverbs 3. 5. 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not unto thine understanding In all thy wayes Acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths THis Book was writ by one of great naturall parts who had all imaginable advantages whereby to improve them to the height besides those Supernaturall Endowments of Knowledge and wisdom he begg'd of God and obtained It containes in it severall usefull directions learned and tryed by Experience for the ordering of ones wayes in the fear of God with discretion so as to decline the snares of this present life comfortably to wade through all its troubles profitably to make use of all the Occurrences of it so as daily to get ground of Corruption to grow in purity and Heavenly mindedness fear of Love to faith in God submission to him meekness and holiness of heart ingenuity and goodness towards men to provide for and make sure of peace Joy and Glory to the Soul unto all eternity In the begining of this Chapter he falls upon his instructions with a winning insinuating compellation a temper expressing much tender Love and serious care My Son He enforces them with very powerfull perswasions from the reall advantages they bring along with them If a long Comfortable and honourable life be of any worth the rules which point out the certain way to these are of weight But what are these In generall Two 1st Make Conscience of all thy ways and keep thine heart Continually in Exercise to find out what is thy duty in every particular case that thou mayest set about the serious practice of it Ver. 3. Know that mercy and truth goodness reality are the main things ye ought to addict your selves unto you must get your hearts purged your lives Reformed from all malice and guile filled and adorned with what ever is akin to tender Love and honest sincerity But how shall one know what is Duty and what will really promote mercy and truth in the heart and life This is wisely inquired for
for any thing we know come short of it too 3. Is there nothing to be done by us for the 〈◊〉 if it Must God do all and we sit still 〈◊〉 what purpose are all Gods Counsels and commands and prohibitions and Threatenings and promises if we can do nothing to further our selves in the way to Heaven nothing to hinder us Now if it be worth getting and may be missed but never can be got without our bestirring our selves unless it Suffer Violence by us why do not we Enquire the way which leads to it why do we not labour to get into it Why do not we count all our time and Labour lost which is not Employed in order to it 1. Care we not if we never come there is Heaven so despicable then Are Souls so vile Will Hell be so easy How know we but our dallying and triffling and putting off from time to time may shut us out of Heaven and plung us into Hell before ever we are aware Can God suffer without high Indignation his gracious offers of no less then a Kingdome unto Sinners and Wormes to be so basely slighted Do not they deserve to have Heaven door shut on them who will not Enter when it stands wide open and they so fairly invited in 2. Are we affraid to come to Heaven over soon will it be any inconvenience unto us to be raised above the vain Comforts of the Creature and to be brought to full Satisfaction in God himself Will it be any loss to us to Exchange our lusts for Christ and Earthly Comforts for Heavenly ones If Heaven will not make us happy why would we be there at all and if it will make us happy why would we not be there soon can we be happy over soon Doct 2. Men may be fair professours and yet not do the will of God This is evident out of Christ words for if every one who said Lord Lord did God's will they would certainly enter into Heaven which yet Christ denyes they do They may openly pretend that they are Christs Servants and that he is their Lord they may pretend that in many things they are willing ye desirous to yeild him that obedience and Observance which is due from a Servant to a Lord they may have those Expectations from him of Countenance Protection Maintenance which a servant has from his Lord they may make those Ceremoniall addresses to him which a servant does to his Lord in prayers and Religious duties and yet live in Disobedience to him This God observed in the Jewes Isa 29. 13. This People draw near me with their Mouths c. Isa 58. 2. Yet they seek me Early c. They may abound in these Religious Complements so much that God shall be quite tired with them and yet lead very bad lives be as bad as the worst Isa 1. 11. To what purpose is the Multitude of your Sacrifices c. The reason of this is taken from themselves Profession is easy but Sincere impartiall obedience is difficult it cannot be done without denying themselves in there Inclinations and interests profession neither puts to Toyle nor shame nor Cost to speak of neither do's it inwardly disquiet them and therefore they can easily bear an empty profession a form without power they may be professours without any great Trouble But why must they be professours why may they not let the form of Religion alone as well as the power Because Profession is convenient if not necessary 1 To quiet Conscience which will not be content without somthing like Religion as men give Children Counters instead of Gold to keep them from Crying 2 To serve Temporal interest for though the power of Religion be Troublesome as disturbing people in their sinfull pleasures yet a form of Religion is very acceptable and to be a professour after such a mode as is most in request brings much repute So that this is a means oft-times to procure unto persons Esteem and love with some Persons and parties which may conduce much to the bringing them Custome if they be Tradesmen advantaging them in their marriages if they be single persons c. 3ly Profession may be sufficient to reach all those ends of Religion which men generally think it of use for for men do not look on Religon as designed for the Cleansing of their hearts and Reforming of their lives but they only conceit it is intended to please a great God pacify an angry God and they fancy God to be such an one as those proud Fools are who are soon pleased with caps and Cringes and a parcel of good words Vse Let us take heed that we be not such like Sounding brass or Tinkling Cymbals 1. Cor. 13. 1. All shew and Noise but nothing within know this that me cannot affront God more highly then to go about to Cheat him while we pretend to serve him like many Courtiers who carry with much Cermoniall Formality when they have settled designs to Mischieve As if God were so Foolish as not to understand that to present him with empty observances is as great a mockery as to offer another the shell while we keep the Kernell of the Nut to our selves or so Blind that he could not see that there wants our heart when there is nothing but fair words in our Mouth see how God abhors such Carriages as these Isa 66. 3. He that Kills an Oxe as if he slew a man c. See how highly he is provoked against these who allow themselves to lead Evil lives and yet keep a deal of do about the Temple of the Lord c. Jer. 7. 3. 4. 11. Doct 3. Those who profess fair though they live in disobedience to God they may fancy to themselves a liklyhood of their entering into the Kingdome of Heaven This is too much confirmed by daily Experience for we find how Difficult a thing it is to perswade People that they are in danger of missing Heaven even when there is nothing but Disobedience in their lives Jer. 4. 14. The reason is because 1st People are not willing to lay aside those hopes which they cannot part with but be plunged into desparate Fears and Troubles for if they be not such as shall enter into Heaven what will become of them should they be taken away by death before any Alteration be made in them 2ly People think they have grounds for these hopes considering the miserable Condition of the generallity in case their hopes should prove vain and groundless for these have no more to rely on then themselves have 3ly People are so Blind naturally have blinded themselves by sinfull Customes are so blinded by Satan their Malicious Enemy are given up to that Blindness by God the Righteous Judge that they cannot see the Unreasonablness of their hopes they see not the desperate Wickedness of their own hearts they do not see the great purity and exact Righteousness of God their Saviour and Judge who alone can sit there
in any Advantages which they make of their Religion beside the proper Advantages by it which are the Renewing of the heart the Reforming of the Life the saving of the Soul the being Vnited to Christ Interested in him and Influenced by him the being usefull in their Places Contented with their Conditions Prepared for all the Changes of this Life and the great Change at Death If we be not by it brought to Love Fear and trust in God more to make Conscience of all our Wayes following whatever is Good and Eschewing whatever is Evil there is no Foundation laid in us for any durable Advantage by Religion Doct. 3. Whoever in Religious Concerns Build on the Sand are but Foolish Builders Their Folly will appear if we consider 1st That the Concernments which we have by Religion to promote and secure are the highest Concernments which we either have or can have They are the Concernments of our Souls our better and our more lasting Part what makes for the purity Liberty Glory and felicity of our Souls which are the Immediate Work-man-ship of God the Great purchase of Christ Blood They are our Concernments to Eternity what may make for our Everlasting Peace Joy and Glory and these are far greater then any of the Concernments of this short uncertain Life can be They are such Concernments as the wise God accounts great this was the care of Gods Everlasting Councel how to secure these this was the design of Christ great undertaking to promote these 2ly The little provision which is made for Securing these Concernments by such as Build on the Sand. Such slight work will nothing Advantage the Soul For whatever Change is made in the Outward man by it there is none at all made in the Inward the Soul it self after all the Reformation which a bare hearing makes remains as poor as polluted as ever The Soul is still at as great Enmity with the Holy God at as great Distance from the Blessed God in as little Peace with its self in as great Slavery to its Lusts as ever However if such Slight work could Advantage the Soul for the present it cannot long Advantage it for it will never lâ—st An Herb without its Root will soon Wither and House without its Foundation will soon fall 3ly The expence we are at for making this poor Provision is great Those thoughts and that time which is laid out about Hearing if they had been wisely managed might have brought us to the Obedience of Faith whereby we might have come to be Redeemed from all Iniquity to be Purifyed unto God a peculiar People and got our Souls finally Saved wheras now as we use them only to get a little Credit and to make a little Worldly Advantage by a Profession to put off the Rebukes of Conscience a while longer and to delude our selves with a vain hope of Happiness which unless we be Changed greatly from what we were we are like to be great Losers by we lose God Christ and Heaven all these Vtterly and Everlastingly Use Let us take heed we be not such Foolish Builders 1st Lest we undergo the great Reproach of being Fools the greatest Fools of all For none are so great Fools as those who Fool away their Souls and fool themselves into Hell in which there is no Comfort out of which there is no Recovery Whatever men think of us for the present they will then know us to be Fools when we have utterly lost our opportunity of being saved and have Ruined our selves Irrecoverably And we our selves shall call our selves Fools and shall upbraid our selves with and Curse our selves for our own Folly when we find and feel what Miserable Creatures we have made our selves to be And lest we reap the Bitter Fruits of our Folly being utterly excluded from that Joy and Glory which was as seriously offered us as it is offered any and we were as solemnly invited to it as any and we might as certainly have attained it as any had we been but Faithfull to God and our own Souls being finally concluded under that Misery which we can neither bear nor escape That we may be wise Builders we must look well to our Foundation that it be solid and that our Souls be closely united to it Let Christ be our Foundation and let us take care that we be made one with him Doct. 4. All Buildings in Religion which are Founded on the Sand be they never so high and Specious will fall at last and the Fall of them will be Great Sometimes God suffers them to Fall during this Life Thus it was with Judas who betrayed his Master withdrew himself from the Society of the Disciples lost all the Reputation he had got by being an Apostle was greatly disquieted in his own Conscience and Killed himself after he had done much suffered something gained some Repute among Good men and probably had some measure of Peace in his Conscience and some hope of Happiness after Death Thus it was with Hymeneus Alexander and Philetus who though they had professed the Faith and used a Good Conscience in many things and got some Name in the Church yet afterwards fell off from all 1. Tim. 1. 19. 20. 2. Tim. 2. 17. 18. Thus it was with those who are Resembled to Stony and Thorny Ground There is a hearing of the Word and a receiving it with Joy but no good comes of all either through Tribulation and Persecution or through the Cares and Pleasures of the World S. Mat. 12. 20. 21. 22. Thus it was with those in Heb. 6. Who went far who had in their minds a Great Light in their Hearts a Savoury Tast who came under some Powerfull Work of God who were endured with the Holy Ghost and tasted Gods Word yet these are supposed to fall away v. 6. And those who were in some Measure Sanctified by the Holy Ghost and had Received the spirit of Grace even these come to tread under foot the Son of God and to profane the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10. 29. Thus it was with those in 2. Pet. 2. 20. who had a common Knowledge of Christ by which they were brought into the Way of Righteousness and escaped the Pollutions and Entanglements of the World and yet afterwards come to be Polluted and Entangled and overcome to turn from the holy Commandment unto their former Filth However they fall at Death Then they fall wholly all the gifts and graces the good works Credit and worldly Advantages their Peace and hope then fail them they see the â—â—nity of them all they find no Comfort in them no help by them Sometimes they are made to see all this while they are in a Condition to declare it to the World and all about them see that they die Miserably full of horrour and despair Sometimes they see this before they be quite Dead but they are so far gone that they cannot express the Anguish they feel Those ghastly looks and
by sense and if they may have ease for the present they care not what Extream misery they plunge themselves into afterwards 4ly They please themselves with some Slight hopes of doing well to Eternity because as to the Externall part of Religion they do as the best do and they differ much from the generality of the World who pretend to mind nothing but Earthly things therefore they presume they shall be a Difference between them at the great day and seing here they separate themselves in some sort from those who are openly loose and Wicked God will Separate them hereafter also Now men like it very well when by an easy Piece of Formality they can get themselves raised unto Hopes that it shall be well with them when this short Vncertain Life is at an end and can withall freely indulge themselves in the Enjoyment of whatever Pleasures are here below Vse Though by our Religion we may raise some Building for our selves if it be not such a Building as will afford us Comfort in the Greatest distress we can be in on this side the Grave either during this Life or in Death such as will do us good after this Life assuring us of Heaven and securing us against Hell we have little reason to rest here Indeed it is observed in all ages that it is some of this Building that undoes most as Christ in his time Observed that the Publicans and Sinners were in a fairer way then Scribes and Pharisees S. Mat. 21. 31. Not that hearing reading praying c. hinders men from Heaven but the Resting in these Duties doth when men pride and please themselves in these without pressing after something which is higher and better then these When men Build by their Religion and Build nothing to purpose they Ruin themselves by it When men have either no Religion at all or set nothing by their Religion they are far more easily wrought upon they are more ready to Consider truth when it is proposed and to submit unto truth when it is discovered Nothing but an Extraordinary Vivification of Christ could take S. Paul off from that Religion which he had profest and found advantage by Phil. 3. 7. What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Had not Demetrius found some Worldly advantage by the Religion he also professed he would never have to pertinaciously adhered to it and so stifly have opposed S. Paul when he acquainted him with a better Acts 19. 35. Doct. 2. They that only hear Christs sayings but do them not do only Build on the Sand that is they Build without a Foundation or on such a Foundation as will last but for a little while For 1st The Credit they get upon a Religious account has no Foundation they are not Really what they are taken to be though they have a form of Godliness they are without the Power of it if they do not deny it 2 Tim. 3. 5. Though they have a name to live yet they are Dead Rev. 3. 1. 2ly The Advantage they make by their Religion as to their Trades or Marriages has no Foundation All the ground there is for their being better Customed and more Desired then others are is their being supposed to be such as truly fear God when they are far from that Fear 3ly The Quiet they have in their Consciences is without Foundation It is only grounded on a Mistake that their Hearts and Lives are far better then they are that their Condition is a great deal safer then it really is 4ly The Hopes they have of Heaven and Happiness is without Foundation If they have any Grounds for these it is either because they suppose that all who Profess Religion shall go to Heaven and if so then will Judas and Simon Magus also for they were great Professors in their time or else they suppose that there is some Reason for their going to Heaven when others are excluded thence whereas notwithstanding that Profession they still have as Vile natures as any have Now thus it must needs be because there are but two Foundations on which to raise and continue any of these advantageous Buildings and both these are wanting in Men who Hear Christs sayings but do them not 1st Read Goodness within And this can in no wise be where there is no Change of Nature and there will never be any change where Christs words are only heard but never heeded The main Drift of all Christs Discourses are to bring unto Regeneration and this men will never be brought unto by a bare Hearing of Christs words There must be a Vehement striving of a mans Spirit and a potent work of Gods spirit upon the Soul before any can be brought to this Let men hear or read the Counsels Commands promises and Threatnings of the Gospel never so much if they be not hereby Excited unto the great Work of Believing S. Joh. 6. 29. Which is a laying hold of Gods power for the Cleansing of us throughly there is nothing of Worth and Goodness which may be a Foundation of outward Love and Esteem or of Inward peace and hope Good nature and good Parts good Morall qualifications and a fair profession of Religion will not serve here 2ly Gods peculiar favour It is God alone who gives Repute and Honour who raises Friends that shall be ready to help us when we stand in need When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. It is he who speaketh True peace to the Soul he Challenges this as his Prerogative Isai 57. 19. I create the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord. Hence this peace is called the Peace of God Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding And God the Author of it is called the God of peace 1. Thes 5. 23. The very God of Peace sanctify you wholly When he giveth quietness who can make Trouble Joh. 3. 29. It is he who begets hope in his People if any be Begotten again to a lively hope it is by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his Abundant mercy hath Begotten us again to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ He is the God of hope Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and Peace When the Lord Roars out of Sion all other hope which is not of his Raising quite fails Joel 3. 16. The Lord also shall Roar out of Sion and utter his Voice from Jerusalem the Heavens and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his People we must not Expect then that any of these Advantages should last when we have them only by Gods Common Providence not by his Peculiar favour Vse Let men please themselves never so much