grant a Legal Claim and Title thereto by giving his solemn Promise and engaging his Truth for the Performance that he will infallibly bestow upon him the most unspeakable Joys of Heaven provided he swerves not from his Allegiance and Obedience to him but Renouncing all God's Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil will Believe in him and Obey him truly and faithfully all the days of his Life I do say and pray mark it That God through Christ It is through Christ alone not owing to the Merit of our Obedience that we are Intitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven has vouchsafed to grant us a Legal Claim and Title to this Inheritance for so it is said that we are Heirs through Christ Gal. 4.7 And far be it from any to imagine that there is any thing of Merit or Worth in our imperfect Obedience whereby of it self it should deserve such a precious Inheritance It would be an Arrogance and Presumption in the highest Saint that ever liv'd and such as would render him more liable to be punisht for his Pride than rewarded for his Vertue should he pretend to Claim Heaven meerly upon the Score of his own Sanctity or should he pretend a Claim and Title to the Inheritance of Heaven at all otherwise than through Christ and because God has promis'd it However since God has been pleas'd to Ensure it to us by Covenant we may safely call it a Right which God who is Faithful in all his Promises and Just in all his Dealings will never debar us of except by our Disloyalty and Disobedience to him we forfeit all Right and Title to it Which brings me to my Third Proposal The Vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven which was to lay before you the Vastness of our Priviledge in being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven And if we do but consider it it will soon appear to be both in it self very great and in Comparison of what the rest of the World enjoys a very singular Priviledge this of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say In it self very Great Indeed what can be greater than to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven I. It is in it self a very Great Priviledge to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to One. so setled and ensur'd to us as to have a Legal Claim and Title thereto made over to us in Christ We see as to those Earthly Possessions how an Heir does value his Condition above the rest of the Children not only on the account of a greater share commonly in the Estate than the rest but because of the greater security he has of Enjoying those Earthly Possessions An Inheritance being an Estate for which he does not so precariously depend as has been shew'd upon the meer arbitrary and uncertain Will and Pleasure of another but a Right which without breach of Justice cannot be detain'd from him It is the Priviledge of an Heir that he has all the Security that the Engagements of an Honest Person and the Solemnities of a Covenant can give him to make him a Title but when the Kingdom of Heaven is the Possession and when he who cannot deceive has solemnly setled this Inheritance upon us this is a Priviledge so much beyond what Words can express that it is far easier to be Admir'd than Utter'd II. If compar'd with what oâ—hers enjoy â—t is a singuâ—ar Priviâ—edge An as it is in it self exceeding Great so it is if compar'd with what Others enjoy a very singular Priviledge This of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven To be made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say is a very singular Priviledge which those who are without Christ and who are Strangers to the Covenants and Promise do not enjoy True it is a few of the more Contemplative and Thinking amongst the Gentile Philosophers did raise to themselves some faint Hopes The best aâ—ongst the Moral Heaâ—hens could have but â—aint Hopes built upon unâ—ertain Conâ—ectures of a â—uture Hapâ—iness and doubtful Expectations of a future Happiness after this Life They consider'd the noble Nature of the Soul of Man to be such that nothing in this Life is of that Excellency as to give it a full Satisfaction and as to the Body they look'd upon it more as the Prison of the Soul than any Advantage to it and therefore they did hope to be deliver'd one Day from its Incumberance that the Soul might be at liberty to Act freely without such a clog of Flesh washing it in all its noble Flights and Operations But then all this was in them but Conjecture what possibly might be not what certainly would be their Happiness And being but a faint Hope And their Hopes being â—aint they could not in the Strength â—hereof overcome great Temptations and uncertain Expectation built upon doubtful Reasonings of their own and more their Wishes and Desires than what they could certainly promise themselves they were not able to support their drooping Spirits under any great Difficulties and to overcome in the Strength of such an Expectation the greater Temptations and Tryals of their Vertue But did generally shrink from their Vertuous Professions when to Act honestly was become dangerous But the Christian's Expectation of an Inheritance in Heaven being founded upon the Express Promises of the God of Truth But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being founded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth and those Promises given in Covenant and so Confirm'd by an Oath as it were For God willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel Confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation These things being so the Christian has a hope which as an Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast Heb. 6.17 18 19. And his Hope being thus built not upon uncertain Conjectures but upon the express Promises of God who cannot lie there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great that such a Hope will not be able to overcome And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome But he that hath this Hope purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 And may with St. Paul be perswaded That neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate him from the Love of God which is in Christ Rom. 8.38 39. Thus certain are the Christians hopes of Heaven it being Instated upon him as an Inheritance And having his Hopes so well grounded there is no difficulty
be What shall be done in this Case Why Thirdly Truly when it thus happens to you that your Employment and necessary Occasions draw you forth into the World that which you have then to do is to refuse to Conform your selves to the Manners of such Company But Thirdly when Employment and necessary Occasions draw Men forth in to the World they must refuse to Conform themselves to the Manners of ill Company First By discountenancing their Profaneness and Riot But First you must with all wariness and circumspection watch lest framing your selves to the Humours of profane Persons you countenance and encourage 'em in what is sinful and wicked and so partake with 'em in their Sins and make their Guilt your own Nay but on the contrary you must at least-wise by a pious and discreet Behaviour and by shewing a dislike and uneasiness at their Hellish Talk discountenance the Folly of those that do thus Offend II. By diverting 'em by useful Discourse from both Secondly You must not fail to do what you can to divert the Company you happen amongst from Riot and Excess and from vicious and filthy Talk by drawing 'em with what Dexterity possible into more manly Discourse and into a more Christian sober rational Conversation III. If all Methods fail by openly Reproving them But Thirdly if after all if all these wise and modest Methods will not do but on they will go and good Sense must give way to such unsavoury Entertainment Why then then there is no help but you must boldly and bravely Rebuke their impudent Folly and openly Reprove it For why You must consider that you have Listed your selves in your Baptism To do this Service to God we are particularly Listed in our Baptism the Souldiers of Jesus Christ and no faithful Souldier will patiently hear his General abus'd his Honour trampled upon his Commands slighted and scorn'd but will stoutly stand up in Vindication of him and his Orders As you will not therefore be accounted in the Day of Judgment such as have Deserted the Great Captain of our Salvation Jesus Christ you must not stand by and tamely suffer profane Wretches to dishonour God's Holy Name and Word by their unsavoury Oaths and Speeches and you must not cowardly permit 'em to Brag of their Contemptuous breaking of his sacred Laws without Rebuking their Wickedness and stoutly standing up in Defence of him and them We shall be much discouraged from this by Men. You must expect I will own it to meet with but rude Entertainment for such your Fidelity to your great Master You shall be sure to be accounted Fools Mad and Rude for your Pains And it is odds but you shall be reproacht as Hypocrites that would fain seem Better than others but can privately be as Bad as they But have infinite Encouragements to such Fidelity from God But consider the more you suffer for the Honour of your Lord the more like good Souldiers you behave your selves and the better he will reward you Consider what a glorious Thing it is to be Evil spoken of for Well-doing Blessed are ye when Men shall Revile you and say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your Reward in Heaven Matth. 5.11 12. Consider your Saviour and Leader who suffer'd worse Reproaches and The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Matth. 10.24 25. Consider that a Christian must not fear the Face of any Man but must suffer Martyrdom it self in the Cause of Christ if call'd out to it Fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul but fear him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell ver 28. Nay consider lastly that this Standing up resolutely for the Honour of God and Religion is the next Degree to Martyrdom and will be rewarded like it It is call'd a Confessing of God before Men and on the other side a fearing and forbearing to appear in His behalf a Denying of him and consider what our Saviour declares concerning such who do so Confess or Deny him Whosoever shall Confess me before Men him will I Confess before my Father which is in Heaven but whosoever shall Deny me before Men him will I also Deny before my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 10.32 33. So much it concerns you to refuse Conformity to the Evil Company of the World And so much for this time THE Eighteenth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh THAT which I am now upon is to Forewarn you against the Temptations of the wicked World by shewing you the dangerous Ones you shall meet withal from the Wicked Men of the World and in what Sence and how far you must Renounce both them and their wicked ways of Tempting others to Sin This I have already done as to their Evil Examples and Evil Company and have deliver'd these Instructions to you that by God's Help may I hope be sufficient to prevent your being infected by the Poison of either But the wicked Men of the World have other ways of Tempting Men to Sin and what they are and how bravely you must Resist them I am next to declare unto you III. Flattery a great Temptation to Sin Thirdly Then amongst the greatest Temptations proceeding from Evil Men we may deservedly reckon their Flatteries Now the Flatterer is One who observing the general Self-love and Pride of Mankind who cannot endure Reproof or any thing that shews a Dislike of what they say or do does compose himself to Admire and Extol or at least-wise to Approve as Well-done very bad Actions or at best such as if Good in themselves are but indifferently Perform'd The Ground of his Flattery I say is That immoderate Self-love The Ground thereof our own immoderate Self-love he observes Natural to most Men whereby they do extravagantly esteem and admire their own Performances and can see no Defects therein And therefore whoever shall endeavour to discover their Faults tho' in never so Prudent a manner to any of these Self-admirers he is presently lookt upon as One that either envies his Abilities and good Qualities or as St. Paul was to the foolish Galatians He is therefore become his Enemy because he tells him the Truth Gal. 4.16 And now the Flatterer observing this predominant Humour in him puts on the Vizard of a Friend And composes himself to Admire and Extol or at least-wise to Approve as Well-done his very bad Actions or at best such as if Good in themselves are very indifferently Perform'd The Flatterer's care is to Please not to Profit him to whom he pretends to be a Friend to make a Prey of
Ruine you will thereby bring upon your selves and Families why you must consider that in such Case our Saviour tells us that a Man must even Hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also or he cannot be his Disciple and that whosoever doth not bear his Cross and come after him shall not be his Disciple Luk. 14.26 27. â—r Fourthâ— must â—reatnings 〈◊〉 Frowns â—ght us â—n it Nor Lastly must a Souldier of Jesus Christ be frighted out of the way of his Duty or Aw'd into any sinful or slavish Compliance by the Threats and Frowns of any Man living Shrink not from the Exercise of Religion and Uprightness because many about you and they perhaps Above or Richer than you are profane and lewd and utterly regardless of any thing that is Good and moreover do Discourage and Affront it For this if you should you will most certainly offend your Great Lord and Master the Lord of Heaven and Earth and who has call'd upon you not to fear a mortal Man no tho' he could Kill the Body but to be afraid of displeasing him rather who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell Yea I say unto you fear him Luk. 12.4 And now Lastly I cannot call to Mind any other Temptations Lastly The evil Customs which have prevailed in the World are a powerful Temptation to Sin usual amongst wicked Men to Tempt others to Sin besides Some Evil Customs so rise amongst many That the Heathen Idolatries and those filthy Practices committed in 'em were so universally Complied with by all sorts of Men in the Pagan World was because they were Commended and Established by Publick Custom Many of their wisest Men and Philosophers had other Conceptions of God than to think it was fit to Change the Glory of God into the Similitude of an Ox that eateth Grass and thought also he ought to be Worshipt not by Fooleries and Impurities but with a chast Mind and a clean Heart And yet even those Men submitted to Common Custom and whatever they thought or spoke Privately amongst themselves they acted and spoke in Publick as the rest did And it was to the Prevalency of Custom that the Apostle imputed those Enormities of the Ephesians before their Conversion telling 'em that In time past they walked according to the Course of this World Eph. 2.2 And indeed so great is the Power of Evil Custom that it does still amongst Christians constrain Persons to do many ill Things even contrary to their Nature and Inclinations as well as Religion And when grown prevalent and common it does strangely take off the sence and fear of Hurt in the most Unchristian Practices Custom I say does still amongst Christians constrain Persons to do many ill Things even contrary to their Nature and Inclinations as well as Religion Hence among the Men of Honour as they would be thought shall many become even Self-murderers meerly in Compliance with Custom insomuch that those Persons who of all men Living have most reason to preserve their Lives having all their good Things they can ever expect in this World yet desperately spill one another's Blood in your cursed Duels It is no Inclination in these men I dare say to be so Prodigal of their dear Lives that makes 'em so desperately throw 'em away but meerly out of a Cowardly Fear they should be Branded with Disgrace for not complying with so common a Custom amongst Persons of their own Character So again among Persons of all Ranks you shall have men of no manner of Inclinations to Intemperate Drinking yet when they come to any Great Man's House where it is the barbarous and brutish Custom of Drinking Men hard Yet at such times they will not scruple to Exceed very far It is the Custom of the Place they 'll say and they were forc'd to it they could not help it And Custom also Custom takes off the Sence and Fear of Hurt in the most Vnchristian Practices when grown prevalent and common among Societies of Men will strangely take off the Sence and Fear of Hurt in the most Unchristian Practices Hence amongst Sea-men and Souldiers the most outragious Whoredoms and Adulteries and the most execrable Oaths and Curses are hardly accounted amongst the number of Sins And all the Arts of Cheating and Over-reaching nay of downright Lying and Swearing to the Soundness and Goodness of bad Commodities is little scrupled amongst some sort of Dealers the thing is grown so common And Custom it is which is so commonly Pleaded for the Omission of most necessary Duties as well as the Commission of most horrid Sins Hence do Multitudes make not the least scruple of Absenting their whole Lives from the Blessed Sacrament because it is so common amongst many to do so Thus powerful you see are the Evil Customs of the World so as almost to force Men whether they will or no to do many ill things and what is worse to seare their Consciences in the Commission of the worst Sins and in the Omission of the chiefest Duties A Christian â—ust couraâ—ously and â—gorously reâ—unce and â—ithstand the â—orce of all â—ful Customs â—hatsoever And now what must a Christian do in this Case Custom we know is a Second Nature and when it has been of a long Date Time out of Mind as the Phrase is it pleads Prescription and obtains the Force of a Law amongst Men. So that be a Custom never so contrary to Honesty Sobriety to common Sense and Reason or any the Laws of Christianity an old Custom must not be broken it is the Custom of the Place and must be kept up Such are the Sentiments of the Vulgar in this matter But you must resolve with all Courage and Stedfastness like true Souldiers of Jesus Christ to Renounce and Withstand the Force of all sinful Customs whatsoever and not to suffer your selves to be over-born thereby into any sinful Compliances When Christianity was first Preach'd amongst Men such barbarous and brutish Customs had of a long time prevail'd over the greatest Part of the Heathen World that many Practices which the meer Light of Nature would teach Men to Abandon as Sins and Wounds of Conscience Were as the Learned Dr. Hammond observes Embrac'd by whole Nations at once and continued in without any Check as innocent sinless Qualities Nature and Reason being so early engag'd and silenc'd by popular Custom and vicious Education that many knew it not to be a Sin to Steal or Rob if they were so Cunning as not to be taken others to Kill and Eat their Aged Parents conceiving that by this means they gave 'em a more Honourable Burial others to throw themselves murderously into the Flames to accompany their Dead Princes out of the World Many the like irrational Sins through some local Customs got the Reputation not only of sinless and lawful but of laudable also But all who Embrac'd Christianity as they
to be well Instructed in and to be consider'd by you None of you shall be able to perform a Bargain except you know what you have bargain'd and agreed to do No One can discharge a Bond except he knows distinctly what he is oblig'd to pay no more can any of you be able to perform the Covenant of Grace except you do well understand the Nature Terms and Conditions of it And indeed Little more of universal Concernment to be known but the Articles of this Covenant there is perhaps but little necessary to be known in Religion besides the Articles of this Covenant We may without Prejudice to our Salvation doubtless be ignorant of many Points that are Canvast with Heat enough in the Controversies of Men of all Perswasions but to know what inestimable Blessings God has Promis'd and Ensur'd to us and what we are to perform to make our selves Inheritours of those Blessings is what every Body who believes a future State and the Immortality of his Soul and that it is worth his while to study the Salvation of his Soul must think it necessary except he can imagine it safe to take his Journey to Heaven blindfold when he cannot think of getting but to his short Home here on Earth without his Eyes open A distinct and clear Understanding of the Nature Terms and Conditions and of all that pertains to the Covenant of Grace is without doubt of all things in the World the most necessary The Catechetical Method most useful to that Purpose And there is no Method of Instruction whereby it can be so distinctly and clearly known as the Catechetical way For not to say that Preaching now upon one Head and immediately after upon another without any dependance and coherence of the several parts of Christianity together is not so likely to give Persons a clear understanding of the whole Nature and Design of Christianity as may be requisite The Catechetical way by treating orderly on all the Parts of our most Holy Religion and by giving thereby a distinct View of their natural Connection with and Dependance one upon another has this Excellency in it no doubt that thereby Persons shall be better able to judge of the beautiful Contexture and admirable Contrivance of the whole and shall easily discern what End it is that Christianity aims at and how admirably every Part of it is fitted to carry on that great End It is without all doubt a most useful Method of Instruction and it would soon appear to be so in its happy Effects would all Persons but lay aside their unhappy Prejudices against it as if it were proper only for Children to be Hearers thereof Whereas indeed it is no ways unbecoming the Eldest and most Knowing Persons to hear the great and fundamental Doctrines of Religion explain'd and handled distinctly and clearly and separated from all unnecessary Mixtures But where all the Means and Methods of Instruction are little enough to give Men a sufficient Understanding in all that is necessary to Salvation instead of comparing 'em one with another we had better to make use of all and to Pray to God to give a Blessing to all his Ordinances that every one may be useful to the Edification and Salvation of every Christian which that they may all prove may God Almighty grant of his infinite Goodness thro' Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE Fifth Lecture Wherein I was made a Member of Christ THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Catechism do give you a general Account of all the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both of the Priviledges made over to us by God and of the Conditions to be perform'd by us And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ expressing the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over unto us in this Covenant on God's Part I shall therefore endeavour as well as I can to Explain and open to you what they do Import Christ is in Scripture often styl'd The Head of the Church as particularly Col. 1.8 And he is the Head of the Body the Church it is there said and we are also styl'd Members of this Body the Church Thus Eph. 5.30 We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones so that to be a Member of Christ is to be a Member A Member of Christ is a Member of Christ's Church or Part of that Body of which he is the Head or to be a Member of Christ's Church And to make it appear to you how happy a Thing it is to be a Member of Christ's Church First I will shew you What kind of Body the Church of Christ is Secondly What it is to be a Member of it And then Thirdly What exceeding great and invaluable Priviledges do belong to a Member of Christ's Church And First let us see What kind of Body that is which is call'd the Church of Christ And tho' it does not belong to this Part of your Catechism to give you a full account of all that is Necessary to be known concerning Christ's Church which may more properly be refer'd to that Article of our Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church However since the High Priviledge and Dignity of any Member as a Member cannot be sufficiently understood nor valued without knowing the Nature and Excellency of that Body of which it is a Member I do therefore think my self obliged in order to let you into a through Understanding of what is meant by A Member of Christ's Church and of the greatness of that Priviledge to speak something largely in this Place concerning the Nature and Constitution of the Church it self and I shall therefore Define it and also Explain and prove each Part of the Definition I shall give of it as follows â—â—nition â—â—ist's â—o The Church of Christ is the universal Society of Christians consisting both of Lawful Governours and Pastors and also of the People of God committed to their Charge and who are call'd forth out of the wicked World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling Namely To Repentance from dead Works to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and to the Enjoyment of those inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. Most reasonable and excellent Laws to Conduct 'em to Heaven Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable 'em to Obey those Laws Pardon of Sins upon Repentance for the Violation of 'em and Eternal Life and Happiness upon sincere Obedience to ' em And who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him at Baptism and do often Renew the same in the Lord's Supper and are Incorporated thereby into one Body subdivided indeed into several particular Bodies
Member and cut off from the Body for so doing And so much was mutual Kindness and Charity to be the distinguishing Character of Christ's Church that our Saviour declar'd Joh. 13.35 That by this should all men know his Disciples that they had love one for another â—hurch 〈◊〉 into â—â—dy â—esus â—its suâ— Head And now Lastly It only remains to compleat this my Explication of Christ's Church to shew you That this whole Society of Men call'd forth out of the World to such Duties and Priviledges as has been spoke is to be United into one Body as has been declar'd under Jesus Christ its supreme Head Every Society of Men must have some supreme Head to keep it both in Being and Order and Christ is so much to all Intents and Purposes the Head of the Church that there is no respect in which any thing is the Head of the Body in which Christ is not in like manner the Head of the Church 〈◊〉 Poâ— Head â—â—urch And First There is the Political Head in every Kingdom which is the Prince that gives Laws to his People and Heads and Protects them against their Enemies And such a Head is Christ in that Spiritual Kingdom the Church of God Whom the Father having Raised from the Dead did put all things under his Feet and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body Eph. 1.20 21 22 23. And therefore pursuant to this Power which was Given him in Heaven and in Earth to give Laws to Mankind did he Commission his Disciples and send them forth into the World to Proclaim his Laws to Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever he had Commanded them assuring them withal that Lo he would be with them always even unto the End of the World Matth. 28.18 19 20. that is That he would be ever with 'em to Head and Protect 'em against their Adversaries Secondly There is also a Domestick Head viz. the Husband in respect of the Wife and so likewise is Christ the Head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the Body Eph. 5.23 And indeed the Holy Spirit does love to Represent him as such a Head as also by the Title of a Shepherd over the Flock to signify the Gentleness of his Government and the Sweetness and Goodness of his Laws tending all for the Good of those he Governs And Thirdly There is the Natural Head of the Body which is the Fountain of Life and Spirit from whence it is deriv'd into all the Parts of the Body to enable and enliven all the Members thereof to discharge their several Offices and Duties And in Allusion to this â—ist the â—al 〈◊〉 of the â—h is Christ said to be the Mystical Head of the Church from whom all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment ministred increaseth with the Increase of God Col. 2.19 And thus I have at length sufficiently in order to my Design of Explaining this Article Wherein I was made a Member of Christ shew'd you What kind of Body the of Church of Christ is And by the By from what has been said it does appear That the Church of Christ is a Spiritual Kingdom put up in the World by God The Church of Christ a spiritual Kingdom on purpose to reduce Man to his due Allegiance to his Maker and to destroy the Dominion of Satan which he had so long Usurpt over Mankind It is a Kingdom as it consists of inferior Governours and Subjects combined together by special Laws of Allegiance to the Sovereign King of Kings and Lord of Lords and by Priviledges granted by that Supreme Head and Governour to such his Subjects and therefore it is so often in the Scripture call'd a Kingdom But you see withal it is a Spiritual Kingdom by the Nature and Design of which God is to Rule in the Hearts and Spirits of Men and therefore it is all over the New Testament call'd the Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Christ For Christ does Reign and Rule therein by his Gospel as the Laws of that Kingdom over the Spirits of Men and those are the People or Subjects of this Kingdom who own him for their King and his Gospel for the Laws of this Kingdom and who do give themselves up wholly both Body Soul and Spirit to be Governed by those Laws And the Church is also often call'd in the Holy Scripture the Kingdom of Heaven for indeed it is not a Kingdom of this World supported with outward State and armed Forces in order to promote and to secure from those who would Invade 'em our temporal Interests If my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be deliver'd to the Jews Joh. 18.36 but it is a Kingdom or Society of Men associated together and Listed to Fight under Christ the Great Captain of our Salvation against much more formidable Enemies than any Earthly Potentates Even against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickedness in high Places Eph. â— 12 that is against the Devil and his wicked Angels who would despoil us of our Heavenly Inheritance Listed I say to fight under Jesus Christ the Great Captain of our Salvation for so he is call'd Heb. 2.10 and to our Comfort who are to fight under him he has already Spoiled these Principalities and Powers and has made a shew of them openly upon the Cross triumphing over them in it Col. 2.15 So that our Work is in a great measure already done under his Conduct for he himself has divested the Devils of much of their Power he has thrown 'em out of their Temples silenc'd their Oracles and does daily by his Assistances enable us to Foil ' em So that the Church of Christ you see is a Spiritual Kingdom But yet notwithstanding that this Society the Church But yet notwithstanding a Visible Society is a Spiritual Kingdom both as its Laws are Spiritual reaching to the Government of the Inward Man and also as it is a Body Listed under a Spiritual King to fight against Spiritual Enemies Yet however from what has been said it does appear that the Church or Kingdom of Christ is a Visible Society of Men consisting of such who make an Outward and Visible Profession of Allegiance to Christ having visibly by an Outward Sacrament Enter'd into Covenant with him and being such as do visibly Communicate together in his Holy Ordinances And therefore it is not only of such who by an inward real and true Faith are United to Christ that the Church and Kingdom of God in this World does consist but of all those outward Professors of Christianity who by the Sacrament of Baptism have Enter'd into Covenant with God Such indeed as besides an outward Covenanting which is certainly necessary are Renew'd withal to
any Sin he is to be Suspended from Communion in that till he amends Scandalous Members to be suspended from the Lord's Supper So it is order'd in the Rubrick before the Communion Service that if any be an open and notorious Evil-Liver so that the Congregation be thereby Offended The Curate having Knowledge thereof shall Call him and Advertise him that in any-wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly Repented and Amended his former Naughty Life that the Congregation may thereby be saisfy'd which before were Offended And the same Order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Hatred to reign not suffering them to be Partakers at the Lord's Table till he Knows them to be Reconciled But otherwise till a Member become Notorious and Scandalous for his Evil Principles or Practices he may claim the Right to be Admitted to the Lord's Supper for even Judas himself before he Betray'd our Saviour did Partake with him at the first Institution of the Supper as you will find Matth. 26.25 26. So that as to the Outward Institutions and Ordinances of Christ they are Priviledges you see that do belong to all the Members of Christ's Church to all such as have been Baptized and Profess themselves to be Christians And now Secondly If we compare but these Outward Priviledges of God's Holy Ordinances with what others do want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members of Christ's Church and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to I. Christian Ordinances are a singular Favour which Aliens and Vnbelievers do not nor have any Right to enjoy For alas The Infidel part of the World whether Jews Turks or Pagans have none of these Divine Ordinances amongst ' em They neither Know the Lord's Day nor Hold any Assemblies thereon for the Instruction in his Laws neither do they Profess Belief in nor Pray to the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and they are utter Strangers to our Holy Mysteries And hence it comes to pass that those miserable People continue still in Blindness Ignorance and Barbarity remain perfect Slaves to Satan and their own Brutish Lusts and for the most part of 'em are degenerated into such Inhumanity Cruelty and Brutality that Tygers Wolves and Vipers the most Devouring and Venemous Creatures in the World are not so mischeivous to Mankind as that Part thereof who either know not or contemn God's Holy Ordinances are one to another So true it is what Solomon has Observ'd Prov. 29.18 that Where there is no Vision or no Word and Ordinances of Divine Revelation the People perish Which brings me Lastly To consider What excellent Priviledges they are in themselves II. They are excellent Advantages consider'd in themselves And that they are upon Two accounts First As being most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws Secondly As being exceedingly comfortable to those who Enjoy ' em I. â—onducing â—htowards 〈◊〉 Edificaâ— And First Divine Ordinances are most Excellent Priviledges as being most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws and in order to a Holy and Good Life For why In these Holy Ordinances we have all the Means both Outward and Inward afforded for our Conversion As to the Outward you have the very Scriptures themselves the Body of those Holy Laws publickly Proclaim'd and Read out to you the Scripture it self I say Which was given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. In these Holy Ordinances again you are not left to the Deceits and Whispers of a private Spirit but you have the Doctrine of the Church collected into a Form of sound Words and containing all that is necessary whether as to Faith or that Love which is in Christ Jesus or which is required in the Christian Religion 2 Tim. 1.13 You have this Collected I say partly by the Apostle's themselves and partly by others the wisest and best Divines out of the Holy Scriptures and propos'd to you as a Rule to walk by And moreover you have the Ministers of Christ constantly Applying both to your direction The Ministers of Christ I say who as his Ambassadors do Pray you in Christ's stead to be Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Again In these Holy Ordinances you do not wrestle with God for his Mercies in the strength only of your own private Prayers but you have your Devotions mingled with the concurrent Prayers of all God's People and so by your joint Forces after an humble but powerful manner do Besiege Heaven for the joint and united Prayers of Christians have above all others the Promise of a Gracious Answer Matth. 18.20 Our Saviour assuring us there that Where Two or Three are gather'd together in his Name there he will be in the midst of them And lastly You receive herein from the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ that Food which is necessary to the Nourishment of the Soul as Meat is to the Strength of the Body the same Blessed Saviour of the World assuring us as you will see John 6.55 and the 63. compar'd together that His Flesh is Meat indeed and that his Blood is Drink indeed And then as to the Inward Means of performing God's Laws viz. The Grace and Assistance of his Holy Spirit this as it is absolutely necessary to enable our Weakness in this our faln State so it is no otherwise to be expected than in the Use and Ministry of Divine Ordinances as shall be presently seen In a word The outward Ordinances and Institutions of the Gospel together with the Holy Spirit accompanying them are the only ordinary Means of Conversion Some may pretend to be above Ordinances but Experience tells us that accordingly as Men do slight and neglect 'em accordingly do they decay in Grace and Vertue and when once they begin wholly to lay them aside they become perfectly Graceless and are given up to a Reprobate Mind as is daily seeni in such as make nothing of Profaning the Lord's Day and do totally lay aside Prayers and Sacraments â—ost comâ—ble to Souls of those who enjoy them Secondly And they are not more Profitable and Edifying than they are Comfortabler to the Spirits of all Pious Souls who Enjoy ' em Holy David was a most eminent Instance of this My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42.2 See what earnest Longings he had for the publick Service And I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord Psal 122.1 And Psal 65.4 he expresses his sense of this Matter thus Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to
or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer for all that do these things are an Abomination unto the Lord and because of these Abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee For these Nations which thou shalt possess hearken'd unto Observers of Times and unto Diviners A Second sort of those Diabolical Sins II. Such as express more of the Devil's Temper than others viz. Pride which may be more particularly stiled the Works of the Devil are those which Express more of the very Natural Temper and Disposition of Satan than others And such are Pride Envy and Malice That Pride is the very Temper of Satan may be gather'd from 1 Tim. 3.6 He was Tempted by that Glorious Condition in which he was Created to conceive highly of his own Dignity and Greatness and Merits and to have tow'ring and ambitious Thoughts of Usurping to himself a greater Power and larger Province perhaps than God had given him and for this his Pride and his Rebellion the Effect of it he was cast out of Heaven and Excluded the Blessed Mansions of the Poor in Spirit whose is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5.3 And it does therefore concern every One of you to take care of harbouring in your Breasts the least Degrees of Pride and Vanity and of being Exalted in your own Minds upon the account of any thing you Enjoy above others whether a more flourishing Condition in the World or greater Success in your Affairs or upon the account of your greater Skill and Knowledge Lest being lifted up with Pride you fall into the Condemnation of the Devil as it is in the now cited Place of Timothy And indeed Pride in whatever ways it shews it self ought most carefully to be Subdu'd and Mortify'd as a Sin most truly Diabolical for it is to be consider'd That tho' the Devil be the first Author of all Sin and instigates to every Kind yet there are many which Satan himself cannot commit As for Instance He cannot be Drunk nor commit Lewdness and the like himself because these are committed only in and by the Body whereas he is a Spirit but yet he is Naturally Proud and Ambitious And therefore tho' those other as being more visible and sensible are more Scandalous in the Eyes of Men yet this more Spiritual Wickedness Pride and Ambition and a Pharasaical Censoriousness and Thinking more Highly of One-self and more Disrespectfully of Others than is meet are more truly Diabolical and have more in their Nature of the Devil's Temper And as Pride so Envy Envy is another of the Devils Qualities The Devil through his Pride and Rebellion having lost that high Station and Dignity he once enjoy'd in Heaven and seeing Man exalted to a Capacity of obtaining a Share in that Glory and Happiness from which he is excluded He is possest with the utmost Envy both towards God and Man Envying God the Service of us his Creatures and us both the Happiness of serving so Good a Master and those infinite Rewards which will be given us for our faithful Service and Obedience to him And from this his Envy proceeds that Rancourous Malice Malice also wherewith he is ever since Acted so as to be continually Contriving how to do us the greatest Mischief from whence he is called our Adversary the Devil 1 Pet. 5.8 Envy and Malice are indeed the very Natural Temper and Disposition of Satan so that he seems to be wholly made up thereof 'T was Pride as One said made him Envious his Envy that made him Spiteful and Malicious all which together make him a Devil And therefore as you would not appear to have something Diabolical in your very Natures Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamour and Evil-speaking be put away from you with all Malice and be Kind one to another Forgiuing one another even as God for Christ's Sake hath Forgiven you Eph. 4.31 32. III. Such as are more the practice of Satan himself than other Sins viz. Murder Lastly There are some Sins more the Devil 's own Practice than others and do therefore deserve to be more particularly Styl'd the Works of the Devil And there are these Three Apostacy Murder and Lying which are expresly mention'd as his own Sins in that One remarkable Place of Scripture Joh. 8.44 The Devil was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him When he speaketh a Lie he speaketh of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it He was a Murderer from the beginning He delights in humane Gore and no doubt the vast Slaughters of Men which have been made in Bloody Wars have been through the Instigation of Satan stirring up Ambitious Princes unjustly to Invade their Neighbours Countries that he might Glut his Appetite with Blood And for the same Reason he Oblig'd the Pagans his Worshipers to offer Men in Sacrifice to him And there is no Duel fought but he is first at the making of the Challenge and then at the Murderer's Elbow to direct the fatal Thrust In these last sort of Murders he hopes to do Two Works at once to destroy both Body and Soul in one instant and to be sure he will never fail being present where he can to all Intents and Purposes so effectually do the work of a Destroyer as he is styl'd Revel 9.11 Apostacy He abode not in the Truth Hereby is denoted his Apostacy and Falling off from God and his Service another of Satan's principal Works of Sin And if any of you who have given up your Names to Christ to be his Disciples and Followers should hereafter instead of Renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil as you have solemnly Professed in your Baptism give your Selves up to the Service of Satan of Mammon and of your filthy Lusts why you will be reckon'd amongst those that are Apostates from God and are turned aside after Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 Nay and if you should fall off from the Truth as it is here Profest in this Church of which you are Members to any Heretical Doctrines you will Imitate Satan in his Apostacy who abode not in the Truth â—â—ng and â—â—â—ially Caâ—â—iating and Evil-speaking When he speaketh a Lie he speaketh of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it A Lie was that whereby he deceiv'd and ruin'd Man at first 〈◊〉 shall not surely dye said Satan Gen. 3.4 So contrary to what God himself had Threaten'd our First Parents in case they should Eat of the forbidden Fruit And it is by erroneous and false Doctrines which as Tares he sows in the Field of the Church whereby he has undone so many Souls ever since You must therefore Abhor a Lye or Speaking that which you do not Know to be exactly agreeable to the Truth of Things as you will not make your Selves Children of such a Father the Devil
Knowledge of God and of our selves and of our Duty to him is the Eye of the Soul whereby alone it can see its Way and steer its Course safely towards Heaven Whereas on the other side Ignorance of God and Religion is the same in the Mind as Blindness in the Eye and therefore as a Blind man may with the greatest Ease be drawn aside into Pits and over Rocks to his Downfal and Destruction and it is next to impossible he should ever get safe to his Journeys End so an Ignorant Man in Religious Matters must needs be an easy Prey to Satan and False Deceivers and he cannot possibly tell how to steer his Course safe towards Heaven but must almost necessarily suffer Ship-wrack of Body and Soul in Hell So that this Policy of the Devil in Corrupting the Understanding and Reason of Man by putting him upon curious Enquiries and a sinful Experiment in order as he pretended to enlarge his Knowledge but in reallity with a design to draw over his Soul a thick Cloud of Ignorance that so he might lead him blindfold into into any Sin and Misery is a Depth of Satan that was and still is most Fatal and Destructive to our Innocence and to our Happiness And this therefore is another Wile of Satan's This therefore another Wile of Satan's which must be carefully avoided which you must also carefully avoid You must above all things Beware of ever making Experiments of the Pleasures of Sin vainly deceiving your own Souls with the Expectations that having once known what is in 'em you will the more Abhor'em for the future Few of those who do make such sinful Experiments do afterwards return to a sound and sober Sense of things Not that they find any reason to stick to those Courses but because the ways of Sin are meer Mazes which once Enter'd into are hardly got out of and because Sin often committed does at length scar the Conscience and drives away the Holy Spirit and so the wretched Sinner becomes utterly Ignorant of God's Ways and Happiness therein And in their Ignorance what Pits of Destruction are there which Satan cannot draw them into You must therefore I say above all things endeavour as to Expel all Ignorance of Divine Things out of your Minds so the great Causes thereof of Satan's Contrivance namely Curiosity after vain and unprofitable Things which will divert you from what does infinitely more concern you viz. The good State of your Souls and you must carefully beware of Experimentally knowing Sin the Commission and Acquaintance with which will draw a thick Cloud of Ignorance over your Minds as has been spoke And hereby you will also Renounce and Defeat another considerable Temptation and Wile of Satan's to draw us into a Course of Sin III. 〈◊〉 Bribing 〈◊〉 Affectiâ—◠〈◊〉 with â—â—ething â—est our â—rts and â—her than â—blige and 〈◊〉 which will comâ— anything 〈◊〉 is Evil. A Third of those First and more general Methods of Satan's Temptations whereby he did in the Beginning and does to this Day Inveigle the greatest Part of Mankind into many a sin Is by bribing their Affections with something that is nearest their Hearts and rather than disoblige and lose which they will commit any thing that is Evil. Thus he did Tempt Adam to partake of the forbidden Fruit by the sollicitations of his Wife Eve Gen. 3.4.6 Adam must needs have Lov'd his Wife Eve above all Things and even equally with himself she being Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh Gen. 2.23 And Satan therefore if he could make sure to his Party such a Favourite what might he not obtain of him He knew it and therefore he Tempted Eve first and by her Importunity gain'd the Consent of Adam and so he also Transgrest â—d bywhatâ—â— we most â—â—e our Afâ—â—ions upon 〈◊〉 he still â—â—eigle us to 〈◊〉 what is â—â—bidden And the same is also still his Method to Ruine us If there be any thing which we do particularly place our Affections upon he will be sure to Inveigle us by the Perswasions of that to do the forbidden Thing If Achan once begins to set his Heart upon the Wedge of Gold and the goodly Babylonish Garment then tho' it be an Accursed Thing he will put the Discovery of it to the Venture If Gehazi once begin to hanker after the Talent of Silver and the Two Changes of Raiment that shall put him upon Lying and Cheating to obtain them And the love of Money is the root of all Evil we are told 1 Tim. 6.10 And the like may be said of any thing else whatever is our Darling shall be his Instrument to Tempt us And therefore it does nearly concern us as we will preserve our selves free from the Danger of Satan and all his snares to have a Jealous Eye upon what we do most love that it do not Entice us into Sin by his Art in managing of it â—nd thereâ—â—e our Saâ—ur would â—â—ve us bear â—â—t Indiffeâ—â—cy of Afâ—â—tion toâ—â—rds our â—â—arest Relaâ—â—ns as to be â—â—le to Forâ—â—e them â—â—d their Inâ—â—ests raâ—â—er than â—od And therefore does our Saviour Caution us in such unusual Terms against Loving too much our very nearest Relations telling us That if any one come to him and Hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be his Disciple Luk. 14.26 that is he would have us to take care we bear that Indifferency of Affection towards even our nearest Relations as to be able to Forsake them and their Interests which they and the World will count Hating of them rather than God and lose his Favour for that otherwise if we set our Hearts too much upon them they will prove a dangerous Snare to us and a Man's greatest Enemies as to his real Injury and Hurt will be those of his own House and Family because he does most Love them It is a very great Temptation to be too warmly Affected towards any thing on this side Heaven Satan will be sure to Tempt us thereby if he can to Set our Affections not on things Above but on things of the Earth so contrary to what we are commanded Col. 3.2 We must therefore cautiously Beware least he Attack us on that side Lastly by â—iting their Lusts Appetites after the forbidden Fruit by proposing the fairest Objects and most delicious Dainties to their Senses Fourthly And Lastly to compleat the Rebellion of Man from God and to render the Apostacy of our First Parents such as should Reflect the greatest Dishonour upon our Maker Satan did excite their Lusts and Appetites also after the forbidden Fruit by proposing the fairest Objects and the most delicious Dainties to their Senses And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food and that it was pleasant to the Eye she took of the Fruit thereof and did Eat and gave also unto her Husband with her and
â—s to the fitâ—ess of the â—eason he is â—exterous in Accomodateâ—ng his Counâ—els his Actiâ—ns and his â—anner of â—cting to such Seasons as are most proper to his Purpose of seducing Mankind Nor Thirdly Is Satan less Subtle in Distinguishing which are the most fit and advantagious Seasons of sowing his Tares of corrupt Doctrines in the Field or Church of Christ Indeed his great Dexterity and Policy is eminently seen in suiting his Counsels his Actions and his manner of Acting to such Seasons as are most proper to his Purpose of Seducing Mankind And tho' it be his constant and perpetual Endeavours to Exercise his utmost Enmity against the Seed of the Woman and to Establish his Kingdom amongst Men Yet to fit his Counsels to proper Seasons to suit 'em to the several Ages of the Church to the Studies and Dispositions and Occupations of Men that so he may commit no Blunder in his Politicks is his great and mighty Care and Cunning. Of which amongst other Instances that might be given I will choose but One. In the dark and ignorant Ages of the Church which were from about the Ninth Century till towards the Time of the Reformation when Men's Studies and Dispositions savour'd wholly of Superstition we hear of nothing so much in the Stories of those Times as of the Apparitions and Visions Hence in dark and ignorant Ages nothing so common as the Apparitions of Saints as was pretended to introduce the belief of Purgatory Image Worship and the like Superstitions that the Founders of their several Orders and superstitious Doctrines did receive Insomuch that no New Order of Monks and Fryars nor any New Doctrine of Purgatory Image-worship Prayers to Saints or any Pilgrimage to the Shrine of some Saint departed was to be Invented but either the Virgin Mary or some other Saint is said to have Appear'd and to have Appointed it And as Legendary and Fabulous as were the Histories of those Times I am apt to Believe there were such Apparitions as I am throughly perswaded that Samuel did Appear to Saul But then as it was not really Samuel himself for his Body was in the Grave and his Soul in Paradise and it was not in the Power of the Witch of Endor to Raise up the One from the Dust much less to Recal the Other out of Heaven but the Devil who did assume Samuel's Shape So it is more than probable he might appear in the Resemblance of the Blessed Virgin and Others to seduce the superstitious People of those Times into Idolatrous Practices who throwing aside the Scriptures Gave heed to Fables and Doctrines of Devils It was infinitely then the Interest of his Kingdom so to do But pray Observe his different Policies at this Day And in learned and Philosophical Ages he is as shy in appearing lest he should destroy the prevailing Sadducism Now we live in a Learn'd and Inquisitive Age wherein Men are naturally very suspicious and not easy to Believe what they do not see And therefore partly through such an incredulous Temper of Mind and partly through a Spirit of Atheism and Sadducism now Reigning many like the Sadducees of Old will Believe no Spirits And therefore now we do very seldom hear of any Apparition and the Atheist cannot obtain One tho' he desires it and would go many Miles to see One. The Reason is plain Should the Devil appear to him it would convince him there are those Invisible Powers which now he denies and therefore Satan who is so Politick will be as backward to appear now as he was forward then Because it is as much his Interest to detain Men in Atheism and Sadducism in this as in Superstition in former Ages Fourthly IV. As to the skilfulness of the Seedsman Satan is wonderfully cunning in making choice of fit and proper Instruments and in furnishing those with the proper Arts of Deceiving and with suitable Qualities whom he employs to sow the Seed of corrupt Doctrine in the Souls of Men. And that there may be nothing wanting to compleat his Delusions Satan is wonderfully cunning in making choice of fit and proper Instruments and in furnishing those out both with all the plausible Arts of Deceiving and also with suitable Qualities whom he employs to sow the Tares of corrupt Doctrines in the Souls of Men. This the Holy Spirit is particularly careful to Inform us of and to Forewarn us against 'em especially 2 Cor. 11.14 where the Apostle tells us That As Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of Light which he is when under the plausible Appearance and Colour of Advancing God's Honour in some of his Attributes and of setting up Gospel-Truths as he would have 'em taken to be he does Introduce Heresies and Vile Practices into the Church that do most effectually undermine God's Authority amongst Men and wholly Overthrow all Reverence to him So that those Teachers his Agents who do Infuse any of his false Doctrines into Men's Hearts Are deceitful Workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ ver 13. They are deceitful Workers Teaching the Doctrines of Christianity by Halves sometimes Advancing Morality and a Virtuous Life with the Neglect if not with the Contempt of and in opposition to an Orthodox and sound Faith sometimes on the other side placing all Religion in Believing aright concerning God and Christ and decrying the Interest of Good Works in our Justification before God And to the End they may be the better fitted to Deceive he is not wanting to Furnish out his Instruments with all the most plausible Arts of Deceiving And their deceitful Working is usually in the very same manner as the Devil 's was That wicked Spirit would have Tempted our Saviour desperately to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple and to presume upon God's working of a Miracle to preserve him in so doing And to Encourage him therein he quotes a Text of Scripture which is in Psal 91.11 12. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee and they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy Foot against a Stone In the Quotation of which Place of Scripture you may observe he leaves out what makes against him which are these Words To keep thee in all his Ways The Words Entire are He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all his Ways meaning That so long as a Man keeps himself in the Ways of God and in the Use of those due Means which he has prescrib'd he will not fail to Preserve him And in the very same manner do most Heretical Deceivers delude the World They will pretend the highest Veneration and Respect for Scripture and none are so apt to quote it for every Thing they say as they But then if you observe them they either leave out such Expressions as make against them or consider not the Scope and Meaning thereof with reference to the Context and Meaning of the foregoing and
the â—onscience â—nd have â—ffled all the Methods of â—od's Grace 〈◊〉 Reclaim â—m these are â—metimes eâ—en in this â—ife abanâ—on'd by God 〈◊〉 be acted by â—â—e Devil who seem to be wholly abandon'd by God and yielded up to Satan to be Tempted by him at his Pleasure and they are such Who in a long Course of many damning Sins that lay wast the Conscience have baffled all the Methods of his Grace to reclaim them and have resisted and grieved his Holy Spirit so long till Grace be wholly withdrawn from them Such are called Children of Disobedience Eph. 2.2 which in the Phrase of Scripture does signify Persons extreamly Disobedient and of such it is said in the same Verse that the Evil Spirit worketh in them He does act them as the Soul does the Body and does hurry them into such vicious Extravagancies and to commit such outragious Impieties that they seem to be Devils Incarnate Thus did the Devil enter into Judas Luk. 22.3 after he had formerly Baffled all the good Admonitions of our Saviour to reclaim him from his Thievery and other Villanies and at length spur'd him on to commit the Blackest Crime that ever was heard of even to Betray the Lord of Life into the Hands of his Enemies And there are many ungodly Wretches now a-days who do seem to sin with so much Enmity and Despite against God that it is hard to say whether they are not Devils in Humane Shapes But it is the same thing they have sinn'd themselves to that Degree that God has given them up and the Devil seems to Animate them And lastly so â—e Witches Magicians â—nd Conjuâ—rs who â—ave Coveâ—anted away â—th Body â—oul to the â—evil on â—ondition he â—ill be for â—me time at â—eir Beck to â—ecute their â—ile and maâ—cious Purâ—ses A Third sort of Persons abandon'd by God and that utterly to the Power and Management of Satan to actuate them as he pleases Are Witches and Magicians or Conjurers such as was that Woman of whom we read 1 Sam. 28. And these are a sort of miserable Wretches so far forsaken of Grace and the Fear of God that they have expresly Covenanted away both Body and Soul to the Devil on Condition he will be at their Beck to Execute their vile and malicious Purposes For Envy Malice and Revenge seems to be the Soul that animates these Children of the Devil or else the Pride and Vanity of doing Wonders and an insatiable Curiosity of knowing those secret Things to come which belong to God alone to know has put 'em upon making such a Contract with Satan And these wretched Miscreants sure must be suppos'd to be utterly shutout from the least Glimpse of God's Favour and cast out of his Protection and to be wholly under the Power of the Devil The thing is self-evident so as not to need any Pains to make it appear And in all Probability they have also their Eternal Damnation seal'd in this World Even before they go hence and be no more seen And thus I have at length shew'd you as before Who the Devil is and what are his Works of Sin and how you are to Renounce both him and them So I have now laid open before you as fully as I could not indulging meer Conjecture but fetching my Discoveries from the Holy Scripture from which alone we can learn any thing of Certainty in such a dark Subject I say I have fully laid before you those manifold Methods of Temptation whereby he did and does still Attempt First The whole Race of Mankind Secondly The Church of Christ Thirdly The most Considerable and Leading Persons therein and Lastly Every single and individual Person indifferently amongst us Vpon the geâ—eral View of â—he Works of â—he Devil both of Sin and Temptation it does appear his Drift is no less than to usurp God's Throne and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same Cursed Rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven with himself And upon the general View of what has been said it does appear that the whole Drift of that wicked Spirit and of all his Works both of Sin and Temptation is no less than to Usurp God's Throne and to put up a Dominion in Opposition to his and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same Cursed Rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven owning him the Devil for their Lord and Master 'T is indeed a thing almost incredible that a Creature could possibly be guilty of such impudent Pride and Ambition as to justle God as it were out of his Throne and to Arrogate to himself the Homage of all the Creatures but yet it appears to be plainly so by his Tempting even of the Son of God himself to Worship and Adore him and in his Plying him so diligently with one Temptation after another never letting him rest till he saw there was no Hopes He perceiv'd that his Coming into the World was to Destroy his Kingdom and therefore he first Attacks him in the Wilderness thinking he had him at an Advantage after a long Fast of Forty Days and that in his Hunger he would do any thing to get Bread And when our Saviour alledg'd his sufficiency in God alone without material Bread he then takes him up into the Holy City and setteth him on the Pinacle of the Temple bidding him if he were so confident of God's Protection and Preservation of him to cast himself down from thence and no doubt he would order his Holy Angels to receive him And when in that also he was Repuls'd Satan try'd him farther yet and taking him into an exceeding high Mountain where he gave him a Visionary View of all the Riches Glory and Splendor of the World and proffer'd him that if he would Fall down and Worship him that is Desert the Service of the God of Heaven and coming over to him would Propagate and Promote his Kingdom and do Homage himself and cause all others to do the like to him This if he would do Satan Promis'd him all these Things would he give him Thus like a Politick Prince who would Bribe with Riches and Honours and Preferments the General of another's Army to come over to him and to Betray into his Power all his own King's Subjects So did the Devil Tempt our Saviour the Great Captain of our Salvation to Revolt himself from God and to bring over the whole Church along with him So infinitely Bent is Satan upon the Dishonour of God and our Slavery and Ruine which as it is enough to rouze us up to make a most diligent Enquiry till we fully discover all the Arts and Methods whereby he would Accomplish it So it will I hope sufficiently Justify my having been so long in laying before you Who the Devil is and what are his Works both of Sin and Temptation Lastly And now it remains only to shew you What it is and how we must renounce this great Work of the Devil his
oblig'd to Renounce and in what sence and how far you are to Renounce it And a more nice and critical Enquiry and State of this Matter is the rather necessary because the World as hardly as it is spoke of is not absolutely and in its own Nature Evil as the Devil is for consider'd in it self it is the Creature of God and consequently very Good according to that Divine Testimony given thereunto Gen. 1.31 God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very Good And it is only Evil accidentally by our Abuse of it That therefore you may Err on neither side neither despise the Workmanship of God's Hands to the Disparagement of God's Goodness in giving us of his Creatures for our Use and Convenience nor too much Dote upon the Creature to the Neglect of the Creator which is a Degree of Idolatry It is to be consider'd both generally and particularly I will with what Skill God shall enable me state this whole matter to you and shew you What is meant by the World and in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce it And for the more full and compleat Explication of this Point I will do it both Generally and Particularly I. By the world in general is meant that whole Frame of Nature which we behold and all that variety of Creatures which it contains and is given us by the Bounty and Goodness of God for our Vse and Benefit And First as to the World in General it is visible what is meant by it viz. The whole Frame of Nature which we behold with whatever is contain'd therein True it is the World is put many times in Scripture as Joh. 7.7 and often elsewhere to signify Evil Men because that the Wicked make up the greatest Part of Men in this world But this is an improper and figurative meaning of the world Evil Men being but a part of the world and in this Sence will better be consider'd by us under the next general Point to be spoken to viz. The wicked World But Matth. 4.8 and in innumerable other Places of the Scriptures by the World is meant that whole Frame of Nature which we behold and all that Variety of Creatures which it contains and is given us by the Bounty and Goodness of God for our Use and Benefit And now the great Question will be In what Sence and how far we must Renounce the World in this Sence of the Word And there are not ordinary Mistakes about it For some shall Cry out most grievously against this World as the Author of all their Sin and Misery and therefore many have endeavour'd to fly out of it as it were into Desarts living separate from Mankind and without the Conveniencies of Life as the Hermits of Old and into Cloysters and Monasteries as the several Orders of Monks and Friars at this Day in the Church of Rome The world in this Sence is not in it self Evil but only accidentally by Man's abuse of himself or it But certainly the World does not deserve to be so spitefully us'd as the Words and Actions of Superstitious and mistaken Men do import For to use the words of a great Man The World is certainly in it self Good and is not Evil but accidentally by Man's Abuse of himself or it It doth contain a general supply of Objects answerable to the Desires of our sensible Nature and the Exigencies and Conveniencies of it It is a great Shop full of all sorts of Wares answerable to our Wants or Conditions There is Wealth and Places and Delights for the Senses and it becomes an Enemy to us by reason only of the Disorder and Irregularity of those Lusts and Passions that are within us and by reason of the Over-value that we are apt to put upon them They are indeed Temptations but they are only Passive as the wedge of Gold did Passively Tempt Achan but it was his own Lust and Covetousness that did him the Harm The Rock doth not strike the Ship but the Ship strikes the Rock and breaks it self Nay this World as it is not Evil in it self Considered in it self it is very Good and convenient to us so most certainly it is full of Goodness and Benevolence to us It supplies our Wants it is accommodate to the Exigencies and Conveniencies of our Nature it furnishes us with various Objects and Instances of the Divine Goodness Liberality Bounty of his Power and Majesty and Glory of his Wisdom Providence and Government which are so many Instructions to teach us to Know and Admire And as it is not absolutely in it self Evil so neither is it entirely to be Renounced but being Good in it self it may insome measure be desired and enjoy'd by us and Magnify him to walk Thankfully Dutifully and Obediently unto him to teach us Resignation Contentedness Submission and Dependance upon him A good Heart will be made the better by it and if there be Evil in it it is such as our own corrupt Natures occasions or brings upon it or upon our selves by it and it is a great Part of our Christian Warfare and Discipline to teach us to use it as it ought to be used and to subdue those Lusts and Corruptions that abuse it and our selves by it So that the World you see is not absolutely and in it self Evil nor is it consequently entirely to be Renounced by us But it is in it self Good and as such it may in due measure be desir'd and enjoy'd by us Nevertheless through our own Corruption Nevertheless through our own Corruption whereby we abuse the good Things of the world it becomes accidentally the occasion of most of our Sins and of our Estrangement from God our sovereign Good whereby we abuse these good Things of the World which the Divine Bounty has bestowed upon us for our Support Comfort and Convenience the World becomes Accidentally the occasion of most of our Sins and of our Estrangement from God our soveraign Good And how the World does accidentally become the occasion of much Sin committed by us and as such how far it ought to be Renounced I take to be a Point that is very requisite you should be well instructed in And the Case you must know betwixt Us and the World stands thus Man is a Compound Being made up of Two different and distinct Natures a Body and a Soul the one purely Material and Earthly the other Spiritual and Heavenly the one Inferior the other Superior in Worth and Dignity the one Mortal and Perishing the other Immortal and Everlasting Hence Man is by some called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Akin to Two Worlds the Knot as it were that ties 'em both together or the Button that fastens 'em one to another How the World becomes so Now Man consisting of these Two Principles according to One whereof and that the Principal he is nearly ally'd to God for according to his Soul he is
the very Image of God it is very reasonably requir'd of him That he should chiefly mind Heaven and Heavenly Things his near and chief Relations if I may so say which he is Everlastingly to enjoy and that he should not much concern himself with the Things of this world which he must shortly leave behind him and then all Relation betwixt 'em will cease But all the time of his Pilgrimage here Living and Conversing for the most part with the Things below he becomes sooner acquainted with them and they with him they have an easier Access to him than Heavenly Things and have therefore greater Opportunities to court his Affections and to win upon 'em So that in the End it too often falls out that St. Paul's Rule is liv'd Counter to and Men generally Set their Affections on things below and not on things above 〈◊〉 what manâ— it does â—ptivate us 〈◊〉 draw us â—m God The manner how the world Captivates and Enslaves and Draws the whole Man in Triumph after it is this It presents to the Senses Riches Honours and Pleasures and dazles 'em with their Glory and Beauty Men's outward Senses being so extreamly taken with these do easily bribe the Affections to love 'em above all other and cause 'em to Covet and Lust after ' em The Affections becoming hereby most eagerly desirous of 'em do put a false Biass upon the Judgment so that our Understanding and Reason usually becomes thereby so far Corrupted as to dictate to the Will that these outward and sensible good Things are the Objects which are above all others worthy of its Choice And thereupon the Will does immediately choose the present Objects of Sense the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this World prefering 'em far before spiritual Things And thus the whole Man Body and Soul is made a Slave to the world and neglects Heaven and minds not to perform the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace the way thither 〈◊〉 far thereâ—e as it enâ—ges our Afâ—tions too â—sely to it â—s to make 〈◊〉 Inordiâ—ely and â—egularly 〈◊〉 mind it â—d to neglect 〈◊〉 great Conâ—n the Buâ—ess of Reâ—ion it is to â—â—e Renounâ— and Reâ—â—ed by us So that upon the whole Matter the world is so far only our Enemy and to be Renounced and Overcome by us as it Engages our Affections too closely to it so as to make us Inordinately and Irregularly that is with an Affection to it or any Thing in it beyond its due Desert to mind it and too much to neglect our great Concern the Business of Religion and the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace our way to Heaven and Happiness * So long as we wear these Earthly Bodies about us we are permitted the Vse and Enjoyment of worldly Things provided in Things lawful and in Degrees allowable So long as we live in this World and are Parts of it our selves and carry these Bodies of Earthly Materials about us there is no doubt but it is necessary for us and we are permitted to be concern'd in it and we may without scruple gratify our selves with the Enjoyments of it provided it be in Things lawful and in degrees allowable and that we suffer not our Hearts and Affections to be too much fixt upon it But in regard our Souls the principal Part of us by far are the Natives of Heaven and are only as Pilgrims and Tenants here Below to stay but for a short Time For As the Dust shall return to the Earth as it was so the Spirit shall return to God â—t being our â—uls our â—ncipal â—rt are soon 〈◊〉 remove to â—eaven we â—â—st chiefly 〈◊〉 our â—fections on â—ings above â—d mainly â—â—eavour to â—ain them who gave it Eccl. 12.7 we must therefore Set our Affections chiefly on things above on God the Society Interests and Enjoyments of that Ever-blessed State making it our main Business to Possess to Attain and Enjoy them and not on things below the foolish Interests and Satisfactions of this perishing and transitory State here on Earth Col. 3.2 And so far as the world or any thing in it Inveigles our Hearts and Affections to fix upon it and seduces us to commit any Thing sinful and hinders to mind the Business of Religion and the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace our way to Happiness and everlasting Satisfaction it is to be Renounced Rejected and Overcome by us It is the Matter of a Christian's Warfare and the subject of his Victory And so far as this Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 1 Joh. 5.4 and in this sence St. Paul Professes Gal. 6.14 that The world was Crucified unto him and he unto the world And thus you see in General in what sence and how far we are to Renounce the World But Secondly II. Concerning the World consider'd in its Particulars those Temptations result both from the Good and the Evils thereof For the more full and compleat Explication of this Point of Renouncing the world it being a Matter wherein it concerns you to receive the most distinct Directions I will farther consider the Particulars of which this World is made up and will also shew you in what sence and how far you are to Renounce each of ' em And here it is observable that when we come to take a nearer View of the world in its Particulars it does not then appear as it does in the General to have nothing in it but Good but to contain withal a great mixture of Evil and indeed to be in the present State thereof almost wholly made up of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit And both the Good and the Evil Things thereof do give us considerable Temptations to Sin Now the Good Things of this world are summ'd up under these Heads The Riches Honours and the Pleasures it affords The good things of this World Riches Honours Pleasures the Evils Poverty Disgrace and Afflictions And Things of a middle Nature are the different Callings Conditions and Cares of this World And its Evils on the contrary may be reduc'd to Poverty Disgrace and those Afflictions of all sorts which in innumerable ways do assail us And there are also some Things therein of a middle Nature as different Callings Conditions or States of Life and the Cares of this World which are the Appurtenances to it and afford great matter of Temptation and Tryal to us therein And in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce it with reference to each of these I will endeavour to shew you And First As to the Riches of this World These are not in themselves Hurtful but Good and are bestowed by the Divine Providence upon those that have 'em to very excellent Purposes and Uses that they may do Good therewith and that not only in providing for their own Houshold but also by Stewarding them out to the Support and Advancement of Religion and Vertue I.
As to Riches these are not in themselves Hurtful but Good and are bestowed upon us to good Ends and Purposes to the Relieving the Poor and Distressed to the Encouragement of Industry and in many other ways which the Laws of Piety and Charity do direct * And those who enjoy 'em have great Advantages of doing Good therewith to others Comfort and the Benefit of their own Souls And those therefore on whom God has bestowed Wealth have admirable Advantages put into their Hands to do Good therewith to the Comfort of others and to lay up to themselves Treasures of Reward in Heaven by their good Works Nevertheless it was no hard Censure our Saviour pass'd upon Riches in saying That a Rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19.23 For both Scripture Nevertheless Riches are a mighty Temptation whether we conâ—â—er Men as â—etting Posâ—ssing or as â—arting with 〈◊〉 Losing of â—em and daily Experience tells us that Riches are a very great Temptation to manifold Sins and Offences against God and that whether we consider Men with respect to their Getting Possessing or their Parting with or Losing of them First Consider Men in the State of getting Riches and St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 6.9 That they who would be Rich fall into a Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Destruction and Perdition And our own Experience also gives us to see I. In the over-â—â—ger Pursuit 〈◊〉 Richesmen 〈◊〉 run themâ—lves into â—any grievâ—â—s Sins how many horrid and black Crimes and into what miserable Snares so as never to be able to disentangle themselves out of 'em do Men run themselves into by an over-eager Pursuit of Riches A dividing betwixt God and Mammon is the lowest Degree of Sin that is occasion'd hereby which yet God will not endure as you will find Matth. 6.24 The Neglect of Religion and Contempt of Heavenly Things is the next And it is not seldom we see that Men to raise themselves Estates in this world will not stick at Oppressing the Poor at Cheating of Orphans and Widows at Corrupting of Witnesses and Juries and Forging of Evidences and to add Impiety to Injustice to get but a small Pittance of worldly Wealth they will Rob God in his Tythes and Offerings by Sacrilegiously detaining those Dues which were allotted both by the Laws of God and Man for the Maintenance of the Worship of God and his Ministers a Sin compar'd by St. Paul with Idolatry it self Rom. 2.22 As also into â—any miseraâ—le Snares so â—s to behardâ— ever able 〈◊〉 disent angle â—hemselves â—ut of ' em And then as to the Temptations and Snares into which Men by the unjust acquiring of Riches do often Entangle themselves it is indeed Terrible to consider how they do frequently thereby run themselves into such a Condition that like a wild Beast entangled in a Net they cannot get out For when once Riches are got by any methods of Wrong or Robbery there must be an entire Restitution of all that has been unjustly gain'd or ever the Man can be said to Repent or hope to Recover the Favour of God And yet this Restitution after many and repeated Acts of Injustice becomes almost Impossible to be done For why the Love of Money is so near to the Miser's Heart that he can sooner spill the Blood thereof than part with it And if that which he has Ill-got has not Thriven with him as seldom it does why then he has not where-withal to Restore to every Man his own without reducing Himself and Family to extream Beggary which how hard a thing it is to bring himself to and in Practice how seldom heard of I leave it to your own Observation to Inform your selves So that you see into what a miserable Temptation and Snare Men do Entangle themselves by grasping after unlawful Gain For as Restiâ—ution is necessary to Peace with God so it is â—xtreamly difficult to be willing or â—ble afterwards to make it They have it not in their Will or if in their Will not in their Power to make Restitution and yet without Restitution they can have no Peace with God and therefore such at length do usually fly for Refuge from their upbraiding Consciences if not into utter Atheism as is usual with other great Sinners At least-wise they 'll shelter themselves under some lewd Anti-nomian Principles which teach Men to rely upon Christ and to roll upon his Promises notwithstanding any Extortions Oppressions or other unrepented Sins they may be at the same time Guilty of for which Reason perhaps your Dealers and Men of Business are so apt to be found at the Feel of Fanatick Teachers Such Temptations to Sin are Men liable to in the Getting the Riches of this World Secondly And no less also are those subject to who do Possess them II. And no less Temptations are those subject to who do possess ' em Experience tells us that a great Estate is a very great Temptation to Idleness and Luxury to Pride and Insolence to Irreligion towards God and a Profane Idolatrous Trust in Riches And in a word to Commit the highest Offences towards God their Neighbour and Themselves I say to Idleness and Luxury the former whereof is the Rust of the Mind the latter is a Canker that devours and destroys the Body And how great a Temptation to Idleness and Luxury Riches are is eminently seen in the Case of the Rich Man in the Gospel Luk. 12.19 He had no sooner got his Barns and his Coffers full but he Sings a Requiem to his Soul Soul thou hast much Good laid up for many Years take thine Ease Eat Drink and be Merry And so likewise they are a strong Temptation to Pride and Insolence and that in Respect both to God and Man As to his Behaviour towards God how apt is the Rich Man in the midst of all his Successes to Sacrifice to his own Net and to Burn Incense to his own Drag as the Prophet words it Hab. 1.16 that is to Attribute all to his own Wit and Policy and Conduct exclusive of God's Providence And then as to his Carriage towards Men how often do Riches make those that have 'em to carry themselves with a most unreasonable Haughtiness and Disrespect towards Persons of lower Fortunes to look upon Men of little or no Estates as the Cattle only and Vermin of the World and to treat 'em as their Slaves and Vassals as if they were not Creatures of the same Kind with themselves and had not Souls as Precious in God's sight as their own And then as to Irreligion and Insolence towards God The impious Contempt of God and of all that is Sacred which Men in the midst of their Abundance do cast upon that Bountiful Benefactor who Gave 'em all things Richly to Enjoy cannot be more exactly describ'd than in the Case of the Israelites Deut. 32.13 14
pluck thee out of thy Dwelling-place and root thee out of the Land of the Living And who is this that he will serve so Lo the Man that made not God his Strength but Trusted in the Abundance of his Riches and strengthen'd himself in his Substance ver 7. The Reason wherefore Men do so much Covet after and so closely Hug their Riches is because they take 'em to be a sure Security against all Misfortunes and Troubles and will be a Refuge to 'em they think in the Days of Calamity But alas There is nothing more Uncertain and indeed more Dangerous to the Owners thereof than Riches They can neither Fence off Death nor Sufferings but do most usually bring on both and that both from the Reason of the thing as they Excite the Envy and are a Bait to the Covetousness of others to Dispossess him who Enjoys 'em and by the just Judgment of God when Men have unlawfully got or abus'd ' em And now all this consider'd since Idleness and Luxury Pride and Insolence and a Trust in Riches are so highly Provoking to God and since the Rich are so extreamly liable to these of all others The Possessors of great Estates would do well and wisely too so far to Renounce 'em as to Pare off those Superfluities in their Fortunes and to bestow all that to Pious and Charitable Uses which Tempt 'em to such Pernicious Vices Nor is this a more hard and unreasonable Lesson than what was given by our Saviour in a like Case Matth. 5.29 says he If thy right Eye offend thee pluck out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that One of thy Members should perish and not that thy whole Body should be cast into Hell And so we may say in this If Superfluity and Abundance and more than is necessary to provide a Person of those Conveniencies which are requisite to that State and Condition wherein Providence has Plac'd him in the World does directly tend to those Vices now nam'd then it is much better that with Crates he should even throw away that Superfluity For much better it is that his worldly Wealth should sink into the Bottom of the Sea than that it should sink him both Body and Soul in Hell But there is no Necessity for any Man to throw that away which God has bestow'd upon him for better Uses Take care to do Good therewith and then it will Open unto you the Gates of Heaven In so doing you will Renounce those Superfluities of an Estate as to your own proper Use but however it will return into your own Bosoms at last with infinite Advantage and Interest Which brings me in the â—â—d lastly 〈◊〉 suffering â—oss thereâ—â— rather 〈◊〉 Apostaâ—â— from the â—â—th Last Place to shew you How far the Rich are to Renounce their Wealth in Parting with it in Works of Mercy and in suffering the Loss thereof rather than Incur Apostacy And to give you my Sence thereof in a few words God true it is does not always make it the Condition of a Disciple to Sell all that he hath and to give it to the Poor as he Commanded him in the Gospel upon an extraordinary Occasion Nor does he always put us upon the fiery Tryal either to leave all or preserve a good Conscience But however there is doubtless requir'd a better Use to be made of Riches and larger Distributions of what God hath Blest them withal to Pious and Charitable Uses than most of our Rich Ones do commonly think And it is also requir'd that tho' we are not always put to the actual Tryal whether we will follow Christ in the Adherence to Truth and by Renouncing of Error or retain our Riches Yet it is ever requir'd that we should be readily dispos'd to Forsake all and follow Christ suppose there were Occasion which must be the Import of these words Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Every One is not actually call'd to take up the Cross by abandoning his worldly Possessions or in any other way the Meaning must be that every Disciple must let this World's Goods hang very loose about him so that he could easily put 'em off when call'd to it And God who searches the Heart and tries the Reins sees whether we are so dispos'd or no. And tho' he puts us not to the actual Tryal he will however Judge us accordingly as he sees we are actually dispos'd And let this suffice for the present whereby you have seen how far we must Renounce the World in general and also in that particular Instance of its Goods the Riches thereof There are several other Ingredients of which this World does consist and in what Sence and how far you must Renounce them shall also God willing be shew'd you But of this the next Opportunity THE Fifteenth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh THE Point that we are now upon is to lay before you the Strength of those Temptations which do arise from the World in General and the several Things therein contain'd in Particular whether they be the Goods or the Evils thereof or such as are of a middle Nature and to shew you in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce ' em And as to such Considerations which concern the World in general and also that first and principal of its Materials the Riches thereof and which are necessary to he laid before you This I have already done and now I am to pass on to the Consideration of A Second of its Particulars viz. The Honours thereof and to shew you what they mean and in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce the Honours of this World What is meant by the Honours of this World in whatsence and how far they are to be Renounced Honour is accounted one of the Principal of this World's Goods and tho' it be much supported by Wealth and Riches yet it is often and sometimes deservedly prefer'd before ' em And Honour properly and strictly What is meant by Honour properly and strictly does signify an inward Esteem bore to a Person upon the account of some worthy Accomplishments and Advantages he is possest of and this inward Sence of his Worth testified by some outward and suitable Respects exprest either by our Carriage towards him or by our Speeches to or concerning him This is what Honour does strictly signify But to the more general and usual Meaning of the Thing What in the General Meaning of the Word both in Scripture and common Language by Honours are also meant the Advantages or Qualities themselves upon the account of which Persons are so Honour'd and Esteem'd and Respected and those outward Respects given 'em upon the account of those Advantages And they may be reduo'd
Herod had done Luk. 3.19 And in the World to come such a One above all Men will be Beaten with many Stripes Luk. 12.47 So much is that Honour to be Renounc'd which pretends to put a Man above the Laws of God or Man or beyond Reproof or Punishment for the Violation of ' em Secondly And so likewise is that to be Renounced and Detested which exalts Persons above their Brethren to that degree as to despise and oppress the rest of Mankind as if they were but a lower Rank of Creatures and had not the same God to their Father Bodies formed out of the same Clay and Souls as excellent in their Natures and as capable of Improvements as precious in God's sight and as much the Heirs of Heaven as their own II. As also that which exalts Persons above their Brethren to that degree as to despise and oppress the rest of Manâ—â—nd as if â—â—y were but â—lower Rank 〈◊〉 Creatures â—â—d had not â—â—e same God 〈◊〉 their Faâ—â—er Bodies â—ormed out 〈◊〉 the same â—lay Souls 〈◊〉 Excellent 〈◊〉 their Naâ—â—res and as â—â—pable of Imâ—â—ovements 〈◊〉 precious 〈◊〉 Gods sight â—â—d as much â—â—e Heirs of â—eaven as â—â—eir own This is indeed observ'd to be for the most part the Property of those only of Vpstart Quality for whether it be that such are Transported above themselves by a sudden Rise of Fortune so as not to know their mean Beginning or whether it be that their Fathers being rais'd to their Greatness meerly by Vertue of their successful Fortunes in the World not for any noble and worthy Performances these have not that Vein of Magnanimity Largeness of Soul Generosity Courtesy and Liberality running in the Blood as it were of some Families whose Nobility was founded in some noble Exploits of Vertue Whatever may be the reason it is generally observ'd that your New Gentry are apt above others to carry it with an unreasonable Haughtiness and Disrespect towards their poorer Brethren But alas There is no Ground in the World for this Distance nor that Slavery they put 'em to Have we not one Father and hath not one God made us Mal. 2.10 And was it not out of the same Lump of Clay that he made one Vessel to Honour and another to Dishonour And when this Earthly Tabernacle of ours shall be dissolved who shall be able to distinguish betwixt the Dust of Princes and their meanest Vassals And is not the Soul of the poorest Indian Slave as Spiritual and Immortal as that of the Richest Merchant in Europe And had it but the Education which our Europians have it is capable of receiving as clear Notions of God and of Religion and of Vertue as any of us all And no doubt were it adorn'd therewith and so had the Image of God consisting in these Graces restor'd within it it would be as Precious and Dear to him and be receiv'd into those Mansions of Bliss from which those proud Tyrants over their Fellow-Creatures Liberty will certainly be Excluded if they continue to treat 'em with such Distance and Slavery Sure I am the Poor Lazarus is now in Abraham's Bosom when the Rich and Noble Dives who treated him not with that Respect and Kindness as he did his Dogs is scorching in the Flames of Hell All which consider'd it does become the highest in Birth and Quality to carry it with all due Humility and Courtesy to the lowest and to Renounce and Abandon those Thoughts of Honour and Quality which thrust away their Fellow-Servants to the same God so far off 'em tho' they may not have the Pretence of the Pharisee for so doing nor can say to 'em Come not near me I am Holier than thou III. Such ought â—ven to Reâ—ounce all â—retensions to Honour who â—ave degeneâ—ated from â—hose worthy Qualities â—hich Ennoâ—led their Ancestors But Thirdly Those Persons ought indeed even to renounce all Pretensions to Honour who have degenerated from those worthy Qualities which Ennobled their Ancestors The true Nobility of those who are really of Birth or Quality was founded as I have told you in the Heroick and extraordinary Vertues of their Ancestors and therefore their Quality cannot be suppos'd to remain with 'em when those Vertues which gave Being to it are departed from ' em But so it is that none are half so apt to Pride themselves in their Families and to talk so much of their Pedigree as those who have the least of any true Worth remaining in 'em And sure it is a sign they have but little of their own who do so much value themselves upon others Deservings and seem to have nothing to Brag of but borrowed Titles We have Abraham to our Father was the constant Cry of the Jews when they had least of the Faith and Vertues of Abraham However as apt as such are to assume this Honour to themselves there is no reason in the World but what was purchas'd by the Merits of others should be forfeited by their ill Deserts and that Vice should lose what Vertue did gain And this our Saviour and his Apostles did determine in the Case This the Determination of our Saviour and his Apostles in their Case of those Jews Think not to say within your Hearts we have Abraham to our Father for I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 that is by having degenerated from Abraham you have forfeited your Title to the Name and Honour of being Abraham's Children and the vile Gentiles as you account 'em shall be taken into that Dignity and Relation For he is the Father of all them that Believe tho' they be not of the Circumcision And accordingly in a true Estimation of Things all those and those only are Honourable who are Vertuous tho' they cannot derive their Pedigree from noble Ancestors The Honour of my House beginneth with me and the Honour of thine endeth with thee said a worthy Commander in Plutarch to a Banisht Wretch who upbraided him with the meanness of his Parentage Lastly And such ought also even to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour amongst Christians at leastwise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues as Qualities beneath them Lastly and such ought to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour amongst Christians at least-wise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues as Qualities beneath ' em And yet those are the Persons who take themselves to be the only Men of Honour who can talk most Atheistically and Profanely whose Life and Conversation is made up of Lewdness and Debauchery and as to those grand distinguishing Graces of Christianity Humility Meekness and a patient Enduring of Injuries and Affronts who count them a meer Jest which Men of Quality and Honour it is impossible should submit to But be it so only let 'em withal consider that Not many Mighty not many Noble were called but the base things of the World and things which are despised hath God
the King of Heaven and deliver'd them by his Ambassadours the Preachers of his Word No the End of all Pleasure as well as of Recreations is to render us not less but more vigorous and lively in the Service of God and the proper Business of our Calling Which brings me Lastly To consider Recreative Pleasures and to shew you what they are in what sence and how far we are to Renounce those sort of Pleasures Now these are meerly of a middle and of an indifferent Nature Recreative Pleasures of a miâ—â—le and indifferent Nature They are neither wholly Mental nor altogether Bodily Pleasures but may be either And they are neither necessarily Good nor Evil but either one or other according as they are used For when the Mind has been long intent upon Study and Meditation it may be very convenient to Vnbend it by giving our selves some bodily Diversion as Walking Riding or other innocent Recreation And when the Body has been long fatigued and wearied with Labour it is requisite to give it Ease and it is no wise hurtful either to Soul or Body to fall into a chearful provided it be an innocent Conversation And indeed the moderate use of innocent Pleasures and Recreations is both useful and necessary It enlivens Nature brisks up our Spirits and renders us more able to set again about serious Business and Employment For to intermix no Gratifications nor Diversions with our more serious Affairs makes the Mind unactive dull and useless But Recreations the most innocent of 'em are to be moderately and sparingly us'd The most Innocent thereof are to be sparingly used by every Christian for he that shall much indulge himself in the allowed Pleasures of the World shall quickly bring himself into a Frame of Spirit that will not easily endure Patience Self-denial and Mortification and other the more difficult and considerable Parts of Religion Ease and Diversions soften the Sinews dissolve the Nerves and are apt to render us Nice and Delicate and Effeminate a Temper the most unsuitable for any Souldier because it will utterly indispose him for Military Severities Ease and Pleasure therefore must be warily Indulg'd to by the Souldier of JESUS in whose Warfare there are both Conflicts and Severities far surpassing the hardest which other Wars engage us in No if you will become Excellent in Religion nay keep but within the Bounds of Innocence you must innure your selves much to Christian Severity and Reservedness and the most harmless of this World's Delights are to be more rarely us'd than is commonly thought of He that constantly eats a full Meal will not endure a Day of Fasting and he that does not sometimes deny himself in lawful Enjoyments will be hardly able to Resist a Temptation to immoderate Gratifications But however no Man should make Sports his Business nor Pastimes his Employment no more than Cordials his Drink nor Sauces his Meat To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under Heaven there is a time to weep as well as a time to laugh a time to mourn as well as a time to dance Eccl. 3.1.4 And therefore such who think they have nothing else to do with their Time must consider that they have that precious Talent given 'em to greater Ends than to wast it in Divertisements Nay and those whose Ample Fortunes in the World put them above the common Condition of Mankind and are not to eat of their Bread in the sweat of their Brows need not live by a Profession and a Calling would do well to consider that the greatest part of their Time ought to be laid out in doing Good in the World in being Useful and Beneficial to the Society whereof they are Parts and Members In enquiring into the Necessities of their poorer Brethren in contriving Ways and Means both to Employ and Relieve ' em And above all in promoting Religion and the Honour of God amongst Men so far at least as their own Authority and Power reaches whether in their Families or amongst their Tenants Neighbours and Dependants And these are Employments which will yield both Satisfaction here and will be rewarded with eternal Joys hereafter These are Employments and Pleasures both and which Pleasures seldom do will turn to good Account hereafter And thus I have at length finisht all that I think necessary to say to you concerning Renouncing either the World in general or those particular Good things into which it is divided viz. The Riches Honours and the Pleasures of it There was great variety of useful Matter to be consider'd under these several Heads and therefore I have been the longer upon 'em I shall be more short upon the rest The next of which are Secondly The Evils of the World viz. Poverty Disgrace and Afflictions The Evils of the World are Poverty Disgrace Affliction These are opposite to the other Goods and they are Instruments whereby Satan our great Adversary does Attack us when the other fail him as is eminently seen in the Case of Job Chap. 1 2. But these are not so successful to Ruine us as those which are call'd the Good things of the World commonly are There is less Variety in the ways wherein these do Tempt us And we do not open the Gates of our Souls to these as we do to the Enjoyments of this World But do rather fortify our selves against them However there is Temptations in these also and I will consider 'em as briefly as I can and how they are to be Resisted by us To proceed then First As to Poverty and Afflictions for I shall not consider these Two altogether apart the Temptations that either give us being much the same These indeed instead of Temptations to Sin and Hindrances to Vertue do very often prove Mortifiers of Vice and the great occasions of a Holy Life Poverty and Afflictions instead of Temptations to Sin and Hindrances to Vertue do very often prove Mortifiers of Vice and the great occasions of a holy Life For besides that in a State of Adversity and Want we are not so subject to Pride Insolence and a Contempt of Religion nor so liable to Luxury Ambition and Covetousness and many other Sins which are too often the Effects of a prosperous and flourishing Condition The divers sorts of Afflictions and Adversities as Sickness Loss of Goods and of Friends Poverty and Want and the like are naturally Advantagious and do mightily tend to the Encrease of many the most precious Graces in the sight of God as might be easily made appear These wean us from the World and instead of Setting our affections on things below they do cause us to put our affections on things above Seeing the Vanity Emptiness Transitoriness and great Inconstancy of this World's Enjoyments we are apt to thirst after those Permanent Certain and Everlasting Joys prepared in Heaven for us When Afflictions and Want and all other Hopes and Expectations fail us we do
guilty of Committing and is with the greatest Ease drawn aside to his Destruction by every lewd Harlot that lies in wait for him as Solomon most excellently observes Prov. 7. It is evil Company that draws so many into the sad Trade of Thievery and Robbery Thieves and Robbers They entice and inviegle others to join with 'em in those desperate Undertakings in which so many miscarry that not One in a Hundred that being once Engag'd can rid himself of 'em or comes not at last to some End of Shame or Sorrow And there are few of those who are Condemn'd for Theft or Murder when they come to Dye but wofully complain in their Confessions that it was evil Company that brought them to it Come say they with those in the Prov. 1.11 12 13. Let us lay wait for Blood let us swallow them up as the Grave and whole as those that go down into the Pit we shall find all precious Substance fill our houses with Spoil cast in thy Lot amongst us let us all have one Purse It is evil Company that makes Men Drunkards Drunkards and Sots There is not One at first however that loves Drinking for Drinking sake 'T is the Witchery of good Fellowship as they falsly call it that first Enters 'em and afterwards holds 'em in that Course of Living to the Ruine of their Families their Estates their Health their Bodies their Souls and all that is Precious in this or the other World It is Evil Company that often keeps some from Church and the Worship of God Withdraws from the worship of God that perswades some to idle at Home others to wander in the Streets and Fields whilst they should be a serving of God in his House What shall I say It is Evil Company that discourages from all Good and hardens Men in all manner of Sin and Wickedness The fairest Vessels have split upon this Rock the most promising Hopes and Expectations of Families of their Countries have been Ship-wrackt have been lost in this Sea Evil Company therefore if of all things to be abhor'd But let me add the Wise-man's Advice Prov. 1.10 11. c. My Son if sinners entice thee consent thou not nay my Son walk not in the way with them refrain thy foot from their path No go not into their Company Evil Communications corrupt good Manners 1 Cor. 15.33 'T is dangerous even to Talk with 'em but Associate thy self to 'em upon no account There is Contagion and Infection where-ever they are Thou may'st enter a House infected with the Plague tread upon the Adder's Nest put thine Hand into a Lion's Den but on no Hand enter the Society of those Sons of Belial who seem to defy Heaven with Oaths and Blasphemies strive to load themselves with so much of that Hellish Guilt as if they fear'd they should not sink deep enough into the bottomless Pit Beware of 'em their Houses are the way to Hell going down to the Chambers of Death And First Particularly you that are Young Women let me warn you to shun the Company of those Young Men I. Young women must shun the corrupt Conversation of young Men. be they who they will who shall offer to talk loosely and lewdly and wantonly before you I am afraid that Filthy Communication and foolish Jesting which are not convenient are too much the subject of Conversation when the Youth of both Sexes meet together especially amongst such of lower Rank and who have not been Blest with the best Education and Breeding But as to offer at Filthiness and foolish Talking before you is the greatest Affront any can give you as signifying no good Opinion they have of you so Young Men will not have the Confidence to Entertain you so Indecently and Rudely if at the very first Offers of that Nature you shall appear to conceive that Anger and Indignation as infinitely becomes the modesty of your Sex to put on And I am sure you would both heartily detest such Conversation and not fail to shew your Detestation thereof if you would seriously consider what the Apostles says of it Eph. 5.3 4 5. Fornication and Vncleanness let it not be once named amongst you as becometh Saints Neither Filthiness nor foolish Talking nor Jesting which are not convenient For this know that no Whoremongers nor unclean Person hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of God and of Christ Let no man deceive you for because of these words cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience Pray observe this whole Passage of St. Paul Wanton and lascivious Discourse is as Infectious as the very Plague and kindles such a Fire of Lust as without Repentance will certainly bring you to the Fire of Hell Therefore fail not to express your utmost Abhorrence thereof and if you cannot stop it fly from those that utter it as from Persons infected with a Plague-Sore having such an Air of Anger and Indignation and Abhorrence as you go off as no Man dare thereafter disturb you with the like And indeed Secondly it concerns all sort of Persons of either Sex both Young and Old as they would prevent Infection of evil Company II. All Persons of either Sex both Young and Old as they will prevent the Infection of evil Company must take all possible Care to avoid it and considering how dangerous it is to be taken therewith And how the Tincture of their Manners and Customs with whom we do frequently Converse is observ'd to slide insensibly into our Imitation so as to be hardly ever after wore off All these things consider'd It concerns you I say to take all possible Care to avoid the Company of bad Men. I say to avoid it if it be possible for it is not always nay it is very rarely in this State of the World that it can be done For if ye must not Company with the Fornicators of this world or with the Covetous or Extortioners or with Idolaters then must ye needs go out of the world said St. Paul 1 Cor. 5.10 The Truth of it is your Employment and necessary Occasions as to most of you is or will be such that you will unavoidably be drawn forth into the World and the World we know is full of Atheistical and profane Persons and common Swearers of Drunkards and riotous Livers of debauch'd and lewd Companions and lastly of the Contemners of God and Religion and I am afraid it is the general Conversation now a-days of those Companions to break Jests and laugh at one another upon these their Dishonours done to God and Religion whereby they Do not only do ill things themselves but have pleasure in them that do them which St. Paul does add Rom. 1.32 as the highest Aggravation of all Impiety To speak freely and not to flatter the present State of the World I am afraid you shall seldom go into Promiscuous Company but some such you shall meet withal And now the great Enquiry will
from affecting such Respects as are above our Merit that we should not over-eagerly desire those that are deserv'd and due to us nor must we Plume and Pride our selves when we have ' em To do otherwise proceeds from an Ambition which ill-becomes the Disciples of Him that was so exceeding Lowly Who tho' he was Lord of all yet came here into the World not to be Ministred unto but to Minister Matth. 20.28 And we should not be angry with others that do think or speak ill of us but at our selves that we deserve to be so thought or spoke of And herein also we have our Blessed Saviour for our Example who tho' He he did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth when he was Reviled Reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.22 23. Fourthly The last Instance of sinful Vanity does appear in the Affectation of costly Apparel and Ornaments IV. In the vain Affectation of costly Apparel and Ornaments As when Persons exceed what becomes their Rank and Degree in what they wear when they are proud of their Cloaths and Ornaments when they Adorn themselves to undue Ends and Purposes and lastly when they spend too much Time and at unfitting Seasons therein I. When Perâ—â—s exceed â—â—at becomes â—â—eir Rank â—â—d Degree 〈◊〉 what they â—ear First As for the use of costly Ornaments for Distinction sake it seems to be intimated by our Saviour when he says that Those who wear soft Raiment are in Kings Houses Matth. 11.8 And no doubt as Honour is to be paid to whom Honour is due so a Distinction in Habits according to the Dignity and Quality of Persons is allowable and useful but this Distinction is quite lost when Persons of lower Rank do strive to be seen as early in a new Dress and as Rich in their Attire as those that are above ' em II. When they â—â—e proud of â—â—eir Ornaâ—ents Secondly And the Vanity is Intolerable when Persons of either Sex of what Rank and Quality soever they be grow Proud of their Dress so as to be pufft up in their own Minds on so mean an Account and Insolent so as to despise others for want of the like as if outward Ornaments can add any thing to real and inward Worth When alas we every Day behold many an ignorant empty stupid Wretch and many a vicious Beast flutter in a gaudy Garb when those Minds that are best adorn'd with Wisdom and Vertue choose but plain and mean Apparel But such vain Self-admirers would do well to consider how ill it far'd with Herod when Array'd in his Royal Apparel and receiving the profane Applauses of the gazing Croud he forgot himself And gave not the Glory to God as you may see Act. 12.21 22 23. He was eaten up with Worms and if those Worms were Lice it was a Punishment exactly suited to his Pride III. â—hen they aâ—dorn themâ—â—lves to unâ—â—e Ends â—urposes Thirdly But the Vanity of those is most odious in the sight both of God and Man who Deck themselves to inflame Lust in the Beholders and like Her mention'd Prov. 7.10 Meet men in the Attire of an Harlot It is a kind of Adultery says the Excellent Hammond in that Woman who not only Exposes and Prostitutes her self to the Eyes of Men but so Dresses and sets her self out to that End she may be thus Lookt upon and call to her self the Eyes of all Men. If she strike not wound not others she shall yet be Punisht for she hath mixt the Potion prepar'd the Poison tho' she hath not given the Cup to Drink Yes and hath done that too tho' none be found that will Drink of it It seems there is a piece of Christian Chastity requir'd of Women in this Kind that is not generally thought on but would be carefully practiced if all of the Female Sex would seriously read over and consider that admirable place in Isaiah 3. describing the Vanity and Wickedness of Women in this Respect and the Anger of God towards 'em for it It is a Character of Women's Vanity too long here to give you but begins at the 16th Verse of the 3d Chapter ending at the 25th and you had best read it at your Leisure and you cannot too often meditate upon it Our Church is pleas'd to Condescend in one of her Homilies to consider the Excuses that such make who paint their Faces and deck themselves in Gay Apparel and Dress immodestly That it is to please their Husband to delight his Eyes and Retain his Love towards them but she plainly tells them That thereby they go about to please others rather than their Husbands that it is to provoke others to Tempt 'em to deceive their Souls by the Bait of such Pomp and Pride and that they make of the indecent Apparel of the Body the Devil's Net to catch the Souls of them which behold 'em But Fourthly and Lastly Lastly when they spend too much Time and at unfitting Seasons therein the Pride and Vanity of those is Sacrilegious who spend so much of their Time in this weighty Business every Morning that they have not room to say their Prayers nay who are so long and critical in Decking themselves on the Lord's Day that the Service of God is almost over before they can force themselves from their Glass Such I say are plainly Sacrilegious in Robbing God of his Portion of Time and employing that in setting forth their own Glory which should be wholly spent to his Honour And they are most injurious to their own Souls in Decking their Carkasses with outward Ornaments when they should be Adorning their Souls with inward and Divine Graces But alas they that are much occupied says our Homily in caring for things pertaining to the Body are most commonly Negligent and Careless in matters that concern the Soul Well But after all I am sensible I have fall'n upon as Nice a Subject as any can be Handled there being Nothing wherein the World will with so much Uneasiness bear a Contradiction as in this Point of its Vanities and especially in the matter of Apparel For whilst some are so Strait-lac'd as to Censure every thing that is Ornamental in our way of Living and so many others on the contrary are so strangely Profuse to a high degree of Vanity it is hard to determine this case so as not to incur the Prejudice of one or other I will therefore choose to give in the Words of the Learned Dr. Hammond the true State of this matter shewing what Allowances without imputation of Vanity may be granted in the Use of Ornamentals and how far on the other side they are to be Renounc'd by you And herein this Great Father of our Church gives this prudent Advice That none go above what the Soberer and Graver sort of his Quality and Condition do use that they Abstain as much as may be from the frequent Changing and Inventing of Fashions from the being earliest in
every New Dress or from Singularity of Apparel us'd on purpose and on that Affectation because it is Singular for all these seem so far to Betray the sinful Principle that tho' it is not reasonable for one Man to judge another for every thing of this nature yet it will be fit for all that do thus to examine and charge it upon themselves and if they cannot perfectly clear themselves from that evil Principle or worse End then to remember that this is it which they Renounced in their Baptism The short is this Decency Decency according to what is suitable to Age Sex or Quality the Rule in this Case is that he says which must give Limits to Attires This Decency is to be taken from that which is Usual and Customary amongst those with whom we Live and is oft varied by Change of Times and of the Condition of the Age or Dignity of each Person that being Comely for one Age and Sex and Quality of Persons which is not for another And He or She that rests contented with those ways of Adorning themselves which are most usual among the more Sober and Grave of their Age and Quality are not to be judg'd guilty of the Breach of this Vow tho' there are perhaps some Things in their Attire Gold Jewels and the like which might be thought to own this Title of Pomps and Vanities as those words signify Bravery and Superfluity Nevertheless the Truth is as he goes on it were to be wisht that Men and Women of the highest Quality would choose to Distinguish themselves from others rather by that Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit commended to the weaker Sex by St. Peter as a far more amiable Ornament than that of Apparel and make shew of their Wealth by those more profitable beneficial Expences for the supply of the Wants of others And no doubt this would contribute more to their own Ends if they be the Aims of Christians and would set them out more in the Opinion of all wise and good Persons But this being affirm'd will not conclude the Use of any of those Ornaments which are agreeable to Time and Place and Callings to be Sinful or of the Number of those Vanities that are to be Renounced in our Baptism THE XX. Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN the Explication of these Words I have fully laid before you the Stratagems and Wiles of Satan and the various Temptations also wherewith the World doth assault us to withdraw us from God and to make us break our Covenant with him And it only remains to compleat this Account of our Spiritual Warfare to consider the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to know in what sense and how far we are also to Renounce and Resist them And indeed this is a most Material and Important Part of Christian Knowledge To Know our selves is next in Dignity and Usefulness to the Knowledge of God himself To know our selves especially our natural Imperfection a most useful part of Knowledge And if we did but distinctly Know the Imperfection and Weaknesses of our Corrupted Nature and of all the Powers and Faculties within us neither the whole World with all its formidable Host of Temptations nor Satan himself Marshalling and managing of 'em against us with all the Malice and Cunning he is Master of would be in much danger of doing us hurt For tho' our case is that of a Besieged Fort to take which there are not only a numerous Army under the Conduct of a wary General who narrowly views every part of us and orders the Attack where he finds us weakest But what is worse the whole Fabrick of our Corrupted Nature is extremely decay'd and all the Faculties and Powers thereof are but so many Traitors within us ready to deliver us up to our Enemies Yet however in Knowing the Weakness of our Nature we may be able to repair its Decays and by Knowing also the Treachery of all its Faculties we shall successfully prevent their delivering of us up to our Adversaries And therefore for the more full discovery of so Useful and Important a Subject to you 1. I will shew you what is meant by the Flesh 2. What by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and together with each of these will also declare unto you in what sense and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh and its sinful Lusts. And â—he Flesh vaâ—ously exâ—â—est First Let us enquire what is meant by the Flesh and in what sense and how far we are to Renounce the Flesh And in order to this we are to consider that as the Knowledge of Things does much depend upon understanding those Phrases whereby they are usually express'd so there are very many Words in the Holy Writings of like Meaning and Importance with this of the Flesh And indeed there is not any one thing so variously express'd in the Holy Striptures as this is It is called the Old Man as to denote the Antiquity of this Corruption and from whom it descended even from Adam the first Father of us all so to signifie that it has universally infected the whole Race of Mankind It is called the Natural Man both because this Corruption over-spreadeth the whole Nature and because it is become Natural to Man in this Corrupt State to Sin It is called the Flesh because the very Soul in a Man and all its Faculties are Carnal and Sensual And Lastly 't is termed Evil Concupiscence because this Fleshly Nature of ours Lusteth after Evil Things And so much for the meaning of the Word Flesh and its synonimous Phrases What is meant â—y the Flesh And now by the help of what has been said we may form this Account of the Flesh That it is the whole Vnregenerate Nature of Man as spoil'd as to its Original Frame and Constitution and despoil'd of that Image of God consisting in the Perfection Order and Purity of all his Faculties whereby he was Originally making towards GOD his Chief End and Happiness And it is that Corruption of this his Nature and Faculties whereby he is inordinately Converted in all the Tendencies of Soul and Body and of all the Faculties and Powers thereof towards the Creature 1. I say by the Flesh is meant the whole Vnregenerate Nature of Man not only the Body 1. The whole Vnregenate Nature of Man Soul and Body but also the Soul not only the Inferior Powers as the Affections Lusts and Appetites but also the Superior Faculties as the Understanding Conscience and the Will For it is not only said Tit. 1.15 That the Mind and Conscience is defil'd but the Mind as well as the Body is said to be Fleshly Col. 2.18 and Carnal Rom. 8.7 And Gal. 5.20 we find Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Seditions Heresies reckon'd amongst the Works of the Flesh tho' they are
Sins that have their residence in the Mind only So that the whole Man as he is by Nature and all the Faculties of his Soul as well as Body as they are unregenerate and till they are sanctified by the Spirit and Grace of God come under this one Title of the Flesh But 2. The Flesh is the whole Man not as he was Created by God but as he is now in the State of Corrupted Nature 2. The whole Man not as created by God but as he is now in the State of Corrupted Nature No Humane Nature as it came out of God's Hands was of another Frame and Constitution to what it appears to be now in its Natural State and Condition God made Man upright but he sought out many Inventions Eccl. 7.24 He has found out many ways to crook and bend down towards the Earth that Upright Nature which God once gave him 3. Then the Flesh is the whole Vnregeaerate Nature of Man as it is spoil'd as to its Original Frame and Constitution and as it is inordinately converted in all the Tendences of Soul and Body and of all the Faculties and Powers thereof towards the Creature 3. As spoil'd in his Original Frame and Constitution as despoil'd of the Image of God and as inordinately tending towards the Creature In order to the more perfect Understanding of which Matter we must in the first place enquire what was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man In what the Image of God wherein he was created at first consisted And how that in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body his whole Bent and Inclinations were originally Heavenward for by thus comparing the upright Nature of Man as it was at first Created with what it now is in this State of Corruption we shall be able clearly to apprehend what is meant by the Flesh the important Subject of our present Enquiry And now as to the Original Frame and Constitution of our Nature The Original Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature what wherein God made us it seems to have been this He gave Man a Faculty of Understanding whereby he could Contemplate upon and Know in an Extraordinary Measure the wonderful Nature and Perfections of his Creator his Amazing Works of Creation his Surprizing Works of Providence and thereby was able to discover the Good and Evil in any Objects that were presented to him Next he plac'd in his Bosom another wonderful Faculty called Conscience which is the practical Judgment in every Man whereby his own Mind out of that vast Treasure of useful Knowledge did dictate to him what was Good and to be Chosen what was Evil and to be refus'd by him and upon which Choice of Good and Rejecting of Evil its Office was to give its Testimony of Well-done to the Good and Faithful Servant to his unspeakable Comfort and Satisfaction Next in the Upright Nature of Man as it bore upon it the Image and Likeness of God there was plac'd a Will which of it self is a blind Faculty and chuses and refuses according to the Information of others And in the State of Innocence it was entirely complying with the Dictates of Reason and Conscience And to descend from the Rational to the Inferior and Bodily Powers It was the Divine Goodness did implant in our Natures those which we call the Passions and Affections in a Man which are principally these Admiration Love and Hatred And it was to very Excellent Purposes that these were given us The Use of Admiration was as to Things which should offer themselves to our Approbation if Good that we might put a true value upon them according to their Worth if Bad that we might despise 'em according to the Vanity and Evil we should find in ' em And as to the two other principal Passions of Love and Hatred God's Design in implanting in our hearts the former was to move and stir us up with Vigour and Activity to pursue whatever we should find good and convenient to us And the Passion of Hatred was put into our Natures that we might avoid on the contrary whatever might be found Hurtful and Offensive And it was no other than the Divine Goodness which in the Nature of Man did place certain Appetites and Lusts Every particular Man had even at his first Creation Appetites to Food and Sustenance in order to preserve his own Being in Life and Health And Cupidity or the Inclinations of the Sex to each other was in order to the Multiplication of Mankind This now was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man And in the Perfection Order and Purity of all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body according to this Original Frame and Constitution did the Image of God in which he was at first Created The Image of God wherein Man was at first Created what consist So long as the whole Nature of Man was perfect in all parts the Understanding quick in discerning momentous and weighty Truths the Conscience faithful in Dictating Right ways the Will entirely Obedient to the Directions of Conscience and Reason so long as the Affections were only plac'd upon worthy Objects and the Lusts and Appetites were always under the Power and Government of Right Reason so long as Man remained in this State the Image of God continued unsullied And so long as he continued thus it is plain also that the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul was towards God The Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God what that to him it did point in all its Motions and did fix upon him as the End of all its Actions and did love him with the intensest degrees of Affection And that even the Bodily Part was perfectly compliant with the Soul in serving it entirely and solely to that End So that thus you see what was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man In what the Image of God wherein he was created at first consisted And that in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body his whole Bent and Inclinations were Heaven-ward But now in the Unregenerate Nature all this Excellent Frame and Constitution is broken This Image of God is defac'd and all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body instead of Inclining towards and Centring upon God and Heavenly Things tend downwards towards the Creature 1. In the Unregenerate Nature I say That Excellent Frame and Constitution wherein Man was Originally Created is now broken 1. In the Vnregenerate Nature of the Originall Frame and Constitution of Man wherein he was Created is broken So that instead of that Harmonious Subordination of the Inferior Faculties to the Superior instead of the Wills being subject to the Dictates of the Understanding and the Affections being subject to the Commands and Sovereignty of the Will and the Lusts and Appetites being Obedient to Right Reason and a well-inform'd Conscience instead of this the whole Order and Frame of Humane Nature is now
turn'd upside down The Affections Lusts and Appetites do now Reign and Reason and Conscience are dragg'd after them in miserable Slavery And as to the Will of an Unregenerate Man the most that it can do is not without Reluctance and Regret to comply with the Temptations of the Senses like him in St. Paul I know that in me that is in my Flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the Good that I would I do not but the Evil which I would not that I do Rom. 7.18 19. The best that can be suppos'd of the Unregenerate Man is this that after the Preaching of the Laws of God to him and a Divine Light has been let thereby into his Understanding he does approve in his own Mind of the Ways of God as most excellent Such was he in St. Paul Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward Man that is according to the Understanding or Superiour Faculty contrary to the carnal or bodily part of him such a one does approve of what the Laws of God do prescribe But then alas he must own that he sees another Law in his Members warring against the Law of his Mind and bringing him into Captivity to the Law of Sin which is in his Members v. 23. So that the State of an Unregenerate Man is a State of meer Confusion Disorder and Rebellion the Affections Lusts and Appetites rising up in Opposition to the Dictates of the Mind and Conscience And it is a State of meer Impotency and Weakness the Mind and Conscience being so far unable to govern the Affections Lusts and Appetites that these latter get the better of the day carry the Mind and Reason captive and force it slavishly to do what the Flesh requires to have done by it so exceedingly spoil'd and broken in the Unregenerate Nature is all that Excellent Frame and Constitution wherein Man was at first Created 2. And consequently then the Image of God wherein Man was at first Created must needs be miserably defaced 2. The Image of God wherein he was first Created defac'd in a State of Unregeneracy For why In that Excellent Perfection and Order which appear'd in the Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature it was that those lively Strokes of the Divine Power Wisdom and Goodness were plainly visible But as a mishapen and monstrous Picture in which there is nothing of Regularity and good Feature cannot without Injury be said to Resemble some Excellent and Goodly Personage so neither can the defac'd and deform'd Nature of an Unregenerate Man be said to be made after the Likeness of God Some Faint and Remote Resemblances true it is do still remain under all those Defacements even as in the Ruines of a Stately Palace there may appear something of Admirable Architecture There is still remaining in the most Corrupt Nature True it is that part of the Image of God which consisted in those things which are Essential to Man as Man that is the Soul and all its Faculties of Understanding Will and Affections these do still remain the same for Substance as they were before But the Image of God as it consists in our Moral Perfections viz. in the Order and good Harmony of the several Faculties of Humane Nature with respect one to another and in that Perfection which did Originally belong to each single Faculty The Image of God I say in this respect is miserably defac'd in the Natural Man As to the good Harmony of the several Faculties and Powers of Humane Nature you have already seen how that is spoil'd And as to the Perfection which should be in every one of these several Faculties that in an Vnregenerate Man is very little Alas in his Understanding what is there now but Blindness and Darkness What in his Will but Stubborness and Perverseness What in his Affections but Violence and Disorder And what in his Lusts and Appetites but Sensuality and Irregularity So sadly is the whole Nature of the Unregenerate Man Corrupted so that little or nothing of the Image of God does now remain in him But Lastly Above all Man in his Unregenerate Nature is now miserably Alter'd from what he was in that all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body instead of Inclining towards and Centring upon God and Heavenly Things tend downwards towards the Creature Lastly the Tendency of all the Faculties both of Soul and Body are towards the Creature As to the Appetites and Desires in the Unregenerate they are in a manner wholly sensual and are hardly ever to be satisfy'd with what Gratifies the Senses The Affections also are wholly set upon Worldly Enjoyments and the Will does also preferr and chuse such far before Spiritual Consolations And what is more in the Unregenerate Man the very Mind and Conscience is defil'd Tit. 1.15 And they who are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh Rom. 8.5 do mind Earthly Things Phil. 3.14 Their whole Thoughts and Contrivances their Meditations and Purposes are wholly upon those poor and paltry Vanities of this World and are altogether taken up in making Provisions for the Flesh and their Hearts and Affections cling closely and solely to the Earth Hence it is said of such that they live after the Flesh Rom. 8.13 and that they walk after the Flesh 2 Pet. 2.10 they are so wholly Addicted to Fleshly and Worldly Things And thus you see what is meant by the Flesh And now it is time to consider in what sense and how far we must Renounce the Flesh And 1. The Flesh must be Renounc'd by our being Renew'd in the whole Frame and Constitution of our Nature after the Image of God To Renounce 〈◊〉 Flesh is be renewed 〈◊〉 the whole â—rame and â—â—nstitution 〈◊〉 our Nature â—â—ter the Iâ—age of God Thus we are commanded Eph. 4.22.23 24. to put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and to be Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds and to put on that New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness So that the whole Corrupt Nature must be Restor'd as near as it can to its first Constitution and that Divine Likeness wherewith it was then stamp'd That is the Mind which is now covered with Darkness and Ignorance must be Enlightned with true and practical Knowledge Ye have put on the New Man which is Renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that Created him Col. 3.10 The Will which is now obstinately bent against the Ways of Righteousness must be made compliant with God's Will The Affections which are now set upon Worldly Things must be called off from these Earthly Vanities and fix'd upon Spiritual and Heavenly Objects And Lastly the Lusts and Appetites which in the State of Nature are continually Rebelling against the Mind must be Reduc'd to their Original
Subjection to Right Reason which is called Crucifying of the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 and mortifying our Earthly Members Col. 3.5 Thus must the whole Corrupt Nature be Restor'd as near as it can to its first Constitution and that Divine Likeness wherewith it was at first stamp'd The Image of God must be Restor'd as far as it can in â—his Corrupt State Thus I say it must be Restor'd as near as it can for as long as we are in this Mortal State some Relicks of Sin and Corruption will still remain within us so that even in the Regenerate Nature The Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5.17 That is we cannot without the Resistance and Opposition of our Fleshly Nature act in Obedience to the Spiriritual and Renewed Nature so long as we are here on this side the Grave but the most Holy Persons that are have their Graces allayed with a mixture of Sin and Corruption The most Universal Knowledge is not free from Ignorance and Error the Will which is most complying with the Commands of God has sometimes its contrary Velleities or Wouldings the Affections which are most Refin'd are sometimes Inordinate and Earthly so that every Faculty of our Nature and every Action we do have some mixture of Sin and Frailty In a word we cannot attain whilst here on Earth to these degrees of Perfection wherein we were first Created But the Image of God which is restored to us in our Regeneration tho' it have not the Perfection of Degrees yet it must indispensably have the Perfection of parts It must be Renew'd to a perfection of Parts tho not Degrees as Divines do distinguish that is we must have an Universal Inclination to all that is Holy Just and Good and an Universal Aversion from all Sin And we must have our selves actually Adorn'd with all Divine Graces and Holy Dispositions and we must actually forsake every known Sin And then tho' something of Humane Frailty will mix it self in the Exercise of all our Vertues yet through the Mercies of God the Father in Christ his Son it will be graciously dispens'd withal So that thus you see when the whole Nature of Man in every part and faculty thereof is Chang'd Repair'd and Renew'd according to the Happy Constitution and Subordination of the several Faculties one to another wherein Man was at first Created and consequently when the Divine Image which is now defac'd is in some good measure restor'd when thus we shall have put on the New Man Eph. 4.24 partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. and be conformed ro the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 then can we be truly said to Renounce the Flesh 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul toward God 2. To Renounce the Flesh is to be Converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God Smith's Select Discourses p. 374. 430. This is the true Property of the Regenerate Nature to be exalted above all Worldly Things and to be carried out in Love and Affection towards God The Soul says a Learned and Pious Author is a more vigorous and puissant thing when it is once Restor'd to the possession of its own Being than to be bounded within a narrow Prison of Sensual and Bodily Delights but it will break forth with the greatest Vehemence and Ascend upwards towards Immortality For it is only true Religion that teaches and Enables Men to die to this World and to all Earthly Things and to rise above the Sphere of Sensual and Earthly Pleasures which darken the Mind and blind it that it cannot enjoy the brightness of Divine Light so that whereas the Fleshly Mind never minds any thing but Flesh and never rises above the Outward Matter but always creeps up and down like Shadows upon the Surface of the Earth and if it begin at any time to make any faint Essays upwards it presently finds it self laden with a weight of Sensuality which draws it down again Holy and Religious Souls being toucht with an Inward Sense of the Divine Goodness and Beauty are mov'd swiftly after God and as the Apostle expresses himself forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before they press towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus that so they may attain to the Resurrection of the Dead In short therefore whereas there is now a continual Conflict betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit the Flesh Lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh we must never cease Mortifying and Subduing all the Motions of Corrupt Nature tending downward towards the Creature till they be brought in Subjection to the Power and Influence of God's Holy Spirit which alone can lift up our Hearts and Affections to God and Heavenly Things THE XXI Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh IN order to the full Explication of these Words the sinful Lusts of the Flesh The sinful Lusts of the Flesh what Having already shew'd you First what is meant by the Flesh and in what sense and how far we must Renounce the Flesh 2. I am now to give you in like manner the full Meaning and Importance of the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and to shew you in what sense and how far we are to Renounce them And as by the Flesh is meant the whole Unregenerate Nature of Man Soul as well as Body in its State of Corruption and as it Acts contrary to the Holy Will and Spirit of God so proportionably by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh must be understood all the Faculties and Powers of this Corrupted Nature as they carry us out to commit Sin as well the Faculties of the Soul the Understanding and Will as the Bodily Powers viz. the Affections Lusts and Appetites These are all of 'em in their own Nature the Effects of God's Workmanship and were pure as they came forth of his hands But ever since the Fall of Adam they are wofully Corrupted and there is none of these Faculties or Powers either of Soul or Body but may be called a sinful Lust of the Flesh Every Faculty and Power of Soul and Body is properly enough term'd a Lust as it Craves and Desires its Object And they are all of 'em sinful Lusts of the Flesh just as the whole Unregenerate Nature was said to be Flesh that is either First as those several Faculties of the Soul do move downwards from God and Heavenly Things Immediately and Inordinately towards the Creatures Or Secondly as the Inferior and Bodily Powers the Affections Lusts and Appetites do disorderly Rebel against the Superior Faculty of
squeamishly Refuse â—he Objection â—rom Rom. 7 â—leared But that you may not make Shipwrack of a good Conscience by falling into the usual Mistakes about the sense of this place you are to know that St. Paul's design in this 7th to the Romans being to Represent the Ill Condition of the Jews as under the Law of Moses which only Enlightn'd their Minds so far as to Convince 'em of many things to be Sins which otherwise they could not have known to be such but gave no power to 'em to overcome those Lusts because the Jews could not bear such a Charge against themselves and their Law he does suppose himself in the case of a mere Jew and personating such a one does accordingly argue as from experience against the Converting power of the mere Law of Moses which was destitute of those Assistances afforded in the Gospel And this is a Scheme and Figure of Speech usual with this Apostle in many other places Thus for their sakes he did transfer in a Figure those things to himself which could not be personally spoken of him 1 Cor. 4.6 And nothing is more usual than the same way of speaking amongst Men especially in Reproofs and such cases as would be ill Resented to be downright charg'd withal but when we say We do so and so under this disguise it is usual with more Success and less Offence to Disparage and Correct very Ill Practices But that St. Paul should speak it of himself when he tells 'em That he saw another Law in his Members warring against the Law of his Mind and bringing him into Capiivity to the Law of Sin which was in his Members and that with the Mind he did serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of Sin is contrary both to what he affirms elsewhere of himself and of those who are truly Regenerate For of himself he affirms Rom. 8.2 That the Law of the Spirit of Liâ—e had made him free from the Law of Sin and Death And Ver. 1. he says of those who are in Christ Jesus and to whom Condemnation does not belong and who are consequently Regenerate that they walk not after the Flesh We must Renounce the Flesh and all â—ts Sinful Lusts so as to have an Averâ—ion an Antiâ—athy in our hearts thereunto but after the Spirit And Gal. 5.24 it is said that they who are Christs have Crucify'd the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts In short therefore and to draw towards a Conclusion we must not content our selves in this great Work of Renouncing ALL the sinful Lusts of the Flesh that we have our Minds enlightned so as to know what we ought to do whilst our Affections and bodily Powers do remain Rebellious against the Dictates of our Minds and Consciences But we must have our whole Natures possess'd with an Aversion an Antipathy from the very Heart against all Sin and we must have both the Mind Will and Affections nay the very Lusts and Appetites fully bent against it And we must have on the contrary a hearty Love and Disposition to all Vertue wrought in all the same Faculties both of Soul and Body VVe must be Renewed in the Spirit of our Minds and put on the New Man which after God is Created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.23 24. And when a Person is thus inwardly Chang'd throughout in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body it is then only that he can be truly said to be a New Creature a New Man And this indeed This the hard Part. to become thus Renew'd in the Spirit of our Minds so as to have the Heart and Affections set against Sin and sinful Pleasures as well as the Mind Convinc'd of the Evil of 'em is the hard Work This is certain that it is not possible for any Man to work so great a Change in his Nature of himself but it is the Spirit of God that must Assist wonderfully in the doing of it And indeed That we may be said sincerely and throughly to Renounce the Flesh and ALL its sinful Lusts that Renovation of our Corrupted Nature wherein this Renuntiation does consist must be such as is wrought in us by the Spirit and Grace of God This I say because it is very possible for a Man to be Chang'd from some sensual Courses to an utter hatred thereof and yet remain in God's Eyes a Carnal and Vnregenerate Man and the reason is because his Change proceeds not from any Inward Vital Principle of Vertue but from some prudential Methods in the management of his Pleasures as some the most sensual Epicures that live shall become at length temperate and sober because their Constitutions will not bear a Debauch but as the Spirit of God had nothing to do in the Change so in their Hearts and Minds they remain still to be sensual And others again you shall meet who have a full Conviction in their Minds and Consciences through the preaching of the Word of the Evil of Sin and yet in their Affectiens they Love it and their Lusts and Appetites Rebelling against the Reason of their Mind will have it and their Wills do finally chuse it so that these Persons with the Mind do serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of Sin as St. Paul in that much mistaken Chapter Rom. 7.25 does represent as was now shew'd you the Case of the Carnal Jew abiding only under the Conviction of the Law But where the Spirit of God works the Change that Person is Sanctify'd wholly and the whole Spirit and Soul and Body will be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.23 So that such a Person shall effectually Renounce the Flesh and All its sinful Lusts both of the Inward and of the Outward Man And accordingly as we will draw nigh to God and have him draw nigh to us we must cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts and not be double-minded James 4.8 We must through the help of his Grace Cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 We must be always I say in the perfecting of one degree after another our Holiness and that Image of God which we lost by our Fall for the subduing of All our Lusts must be the Work of Time and it is not of a sudden that we can get an intire Conquest over 'em ALL. But if in our Strivings against 'em we find our selves still more and more to get ground upon 'em we are in a hopeful Condition In a Word therefore Brethren we are Debtors not to the Flesh to live after the Flesh for if ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if through the Spirit ye do Mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom. 12.13 14. The Reason of having enlarg'd so
always distinguishable from those of the World and the Flesh which are manag'd and directed by him pag. 127 Some of the most considerable of his Methods of Tempting us discovered First He permits if not furthers some in a partial Obedience to God in some Particulars the better to detain them perfect Slaves to himself in others This a most fatal Delusion when some Sins only of a scandalous Name are exchanged for contrary Vertues but with the Retention of Impieties of a higher Nature pag. 128 Such the most Irreclaimable of all Sinners Secondly By putting plausible Names upon the worst of Sins under that disguise he does cheat Persons into a good Opinion of 'em and then to commit ' em Sin in that disguise gets Reputation amongst Men. pag. 129 Thirdly By changing the Nature of several Divine Graces so that they degenerate into very great Sins Sins thus mistaken are seldom Repented of Fourthly By putting Novices upon undertaking Severities greater than they can go thro' with on design that when they grow weary thereof they may together with those their voluntary Severities throw all Religion aside as too Burdensom and not at all Practicable pag. 130 The difference between God's Ordering and the Devil's Management of Men in these Matters Fifthly By injecting of evil Thoughts into our Minds at our Devotion to unhallow those Services whereby we do really and most immediately glorify God and benefit our own Souls pag. 131 And thus he hinders the Efficacy of the Word Sixthly The Devil observing the outward Wants and Necessities of Persons he accordingly Tempts them by the use of unlawful Means to remove those Evils Seventhly Knowing every particular Person 's inward Dispositions he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a Man to commit some grievous Sin pag. 132 Eighthly Above all by Representing to the Fancies of Men the Conveniency of Riches the Glory of Honours and the Sweetness of Pleasures he does thereby Bribe 'em to Rebel against God and to Sin against their own Souls In his Representation of this World's Goods he shews only the fair Out-side to allure into Sin industriously concealing all that is Hurtful therein and would deter Men from it pag. 133 Ninthly Having prevail'd thereby upon Persons to commit some grievous Sin to obtain them he then lays the shame and disgrace of their Sins before 'em perswading 'em to commit another horrid Wickedness to hide from the Eyes of Men the shame of the former pag. 134 Tenthly Having once Engag'd a Person into many Sins he either lulls him in Security or drives him into Despair Lastly There are those whom God does in a great measure give up to the Delusions of Satan others whom he does wholly Abandon to the Power of the Devil First Such ill-dispos'd Minds as out of love to their Lusts seek after such Principles and Teachers as will make Sin easy to their Consciences are justly left to the Delusions of Satan Secondly Such as by a long Course of many damning Sins have laid wast the Conscience and have baffled all the Methods of God's Grace to Reclaim 'em these are sometimes even in this Life abandon'd by God to be acted by the Devil pag. 135 And lastly so are Witches Magicians and Conjurers who have Covenanted away both Body and Soul to the Devil on Condition he will be for some time at their Beck to execute their vile and malicious Purposes Upon the general View of the Works of the Devil both of Sin and Temptation it does appear his Drift is no less than to usurp God's Throne and to draw the whole Race of Mankind into the same Cursed Rebellion against the Majesty of Heaven with himself pag. 136 What it is and how we must Renounce this great Work of the Devil his Tempting of us to Sin pag. 137 The Temptations of the Devil are then only properly Renounced when they are Resisted by us That they may be successfully Resisted First We must keep our selves always Sober Sobriety First As opposite to Drunkenness a necessary Preservative against Satan's Temptations pag. 138 Secondly As opposite to Passion Secondly Watchful over those our Weaknesses especially where Satan will be likeliest to Attempt us And Thirdly we must be constant and fervent in Prayer to God to Protect us from them pag. 139 LECT XIV What is meant by the Pomps and Vanity of the wicked World and in what sence and how far we must Renounce the wicked World with its Pomps and Vanity Three things here to be Explain'd and accordingly Renounc'd 1. The World 2. The wicked World and 3. The Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World The World a great Enemy to God's Glory and our own Happiness pag. 141 It is to be consider'd both Generally and Particularly First By the World in general is meant that whole Frame of Nature which we behold and all that variety of Creatures which it contains and is given us by the Bounty and Goodness of God for our Use and Benefit The World in this sence is not in it self Evil but only accidentally by Man's Abuse of himself or it pag. 142 Consider'd in it self it is very Good and convenient to us And as it is not absolutely in it self Evil so neither is it entirely to be Renounced but being Good in it self it may in some measure be desir'd and enjoy'd by us Nevertheless through our own Corruption whereby we abuse the good Things of the World it becomes accidentally the occasion of most of our Sins and of our Estrangement from God our sovereign Good How the World becomes so pag. 143 In what manner it does Captivate us and draws us from God So far therefore as it engages our Affections too closely to it so as to make us Inordinately and Irregularly to mind it and to neglect our great Concern the Business of Religion it is to be Renounced and Rejected by us So long as we wear these Earthly Bodies about us we are permitted the Use and Enjoyment of worldly Things provided in Things lawful and in Degrees allowable But being our Souls our principal Part are soon to remove to Heaven we must chiefly set our Affections on things Above and mainly endeavour to attain ' em pag. 144 Secondly Concerning the World consider'd in its Particulars and those Temptations result both from the Good and the Evils thereof The good Things of this World Riches Honours and Pleasures the Evils Poverty Disgrace and Afflictions And Things of a middle Nature are the different Callings Conditions and Cares of this World First As to Riches these are not in themselves Hurtful but Good and are bestowed upon us to good Ends and Purposes And those who enjoy 'em have great Advantages of doing Good therewith to others Comfort and the Benefit of their own Souls Nevertheless Riches are a mighty Temptation whether we consider Men as Getting Possessing or as Parting with or Losing of them pag. 145 First In the over-eager Pursuit
of Riches Men do run themselves into many grievous Sins As also into many miserable Snares so as to be hardly ever able to disentangle themselves out of ' em For as Restitution is necessary to Peace with God so it is extreamly difficult to be willing or able afterwards to make pag. 146 Secondly And no less Temptations are those subject to who do possess ' em In the Possession of Riches Men are Tempted to the highest Offences against God their Neighbour and Themselves But lastly the great Sins of all are occasion'd by a Lothness to part with and a Fear of losing ' em pag. 147 From a lothness to part with Riches arises Unmercifulness to Men. From the Fear of losing 'em Apostacy from God In what sence and how far Riches are to be Renounced pag. 148 In General being they are not Evil in themselves they are in Cases only to be Renounced by us wherein we cannot without Sin Pursue Possess or Retain them As First Riches consider'd in the Getting no Man must so put his Heart upon 'em as to Esteem 'em his chiefest Good and Happiness Nor must he labour after 'em with immoderate Care so as to neglect the great Duties of Religion and Devotion Especially he must beware of Enriching himself by unjust Means pag. 149 Particularly not by Sacriledge Whoever has unjustly gain'd any thing must renounce it by making Restitution thereof Secondly Riches consider'd in the Possession are to be renounced by paring off those Superfluities which tempt Idleness and Luxury Pride and Insolence and an Idolatrous Trust in Riches and by bestowing it to Pious and Charitable Uses pag. 150 And Lastly By suffering the Loss thereof rather than Apostatize from the Faith pag. 152 LECT XV. What is meant by the Honours of this World and in what Sence and how far they are to be Renounced What is meant by Honour properly and strictly What in the general Meaning of the word pag. 153 First Nobility or Gentility The original Nature of Nobility or Gentility The Abuses it is subject to and in what Instances to be renounced First A Gentleman be he of what Rank or Quality soever must utterly renounce all that Honour which pretends to Place him above the Laws of God or Man and beyond Reproof or Punishment when he has Violated either pag. 154 Such a One is bound above others to be a strict and orderly Liver and upon his Failure is more open to Reproof and more liable to be severely Punished Secondly As also that which exalts Persons above their Brethren to that degree as to despise and oppress the rest of Mankind as if they were but a lower Rank of Creatures and had not the same God to their Father Bodies Form'd out of the same Clay and Souls as Excellent in their Natures and as capable of Improvements as precious in God's sight and as much the Heirs of Heaven as their own pag. 155 Thirdly Such ought even to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour who have degenerated from those worthy Qualities which Ennobled their Ancestors pag. 156 This the Determination of our Saviour and his Apostles in their Case Lastly And such ought to Renounce all Pretensions to Honour amongst Christians at least-wise who despise Religion and its chiefest Vertues as Qualities beneath ' em But if such are accounted Honourable by vain Men they are Despicable in the Eyes both of God and of all Wise and Good Men. pag. 157 The Summ how far Paternal Honour is to be Renounced Secondly In what Sence and how far Civil Honour is to be Renounced whether the Favour of Princes or the Effects of their Favour Posts of Honour pag. 158 These kind of Honours and outward Glories are dazling and bewitching Things But First A Prince's Favour tho' extreamly Valuable when it can be had without Sin yet no Man must gain possess or retain it by wicked Arts or sinful Compliances Nor Secondly the Effects of their Favours high Places and Titles of Honour First In the obtaining of these no Man must grasp at that which is above his Capacities and Abilities to manage to the Publick Good pag. 159 This Mischievous to the State This Mischievous to the Church Nor Secondly ought Persons of the best Capacities and greatest Abilities be over-eager and importunate in their Suits and Applications to those who bestow them pag. 160 Thirdly How far and in what Sence that Honour which consists in the high Esteem and Reputation of the wise and vertuous part of Mankind is to be Renounc'd This is what the Wise Man calls a Good Name and is more Valuable than Riches or precious Ointments pag. 161 It is a more peculiar Blessing than any the greatest Treasures and procures better Security to our Persons and Estates It is a necessary Qualification to the Episcopal Promotion It is Comfortable to a Man 's own self pag. 162 And smells Sweet in the World It renders a Person capable of doing Good in it And active in Promoting it A desire of Reputation and Credit is a thing Implanted in our Natures by God And to preserve a Reputation untainted and unsuspected of Evil is a Duty enjoin'd us by his Laws pag. 163 Nevertheless even a Good Name is in some measure to be Renounced by us and the Temptations it gives us As First we must so far Renounce the Honour that shall accrue to us from our good Works as not to make our own Glory the End and Reason of any Good we do pag. 164 Secondly We must not affect but renounce those Praises which are above our Deserts Thirdly We must beware of taking the Honour and Respects given us for any worthy Performances wholly to our selves and of not transferring it to God to whom the Glory of all that is Good in us does properly belong pag. 165 Fourthly We must abhor making a Reputation for Religion an Instrument only to our own Advancement But must use the Authority our Credit gives us to discountenance Vice and to encourage Vertue in the World pag. 166 Fifthly As valuable as is a Good Name and Reputation amongst Men we must renounce all undue Means of preserving it Such are Duelling upon the account of Slanders amongst the great Ones Going to Law thereupon usual amongst common People Lastly We must utterly renounce and forfeit the Esteem of Men rather than incur the Dis-favour of God pag. 167 Fourthly How far that Honour is to be renounced which consists in the Applauses of the Vulgar upon what they do account Praise-worthy and Honourable pag. 168 This sort of Honour must be utterly and absolutely renounced Lastly In what Sence and how far we must renounce those outward Expressions of Respect either by Word or Deed which are usually given upon the account of any of the foremention'd Honours pag. 169 First No Created Being either Men or Angels must suffer those Respects to be given them whether by word or deed which are proper and peculiar to signify our sence of God's Majesty
their Neighbour and Themselves And whatever I say those several Duties are which arise from their several Stations in the Church they shall have a competent measure of Divine Grace Enabling them to discharge ' em They shall not have Gifts that are necessary to the Discharge of other's Offices but not of their own that is a private Christian call'd to no Office in the Church is not to expect nor ought to pretend to have received Gifts of Government and Teaching in a publick Ministerial way For God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace in all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 But every Member of the mystical Body by keeping himself United to the Head in such ways as has been shew'd shall have such Graces and Assistances derived down to him from Christ who is that Head as are necessary and proper for him And that too in such Measures and Proportions And also in such Measures as according to different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting as according to the different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting Thus in the first Plantation of the Gospel when the Work was so Extraordinary that there was need of Miracles to convince the Jews of the Insufficiency of Moses's Law and the Gentiles of the Falshood of the Pagan Superstition then did Christ bestow upon his Apostles divers Extraordinary Gifts viz. Of Miracles Prophecy discerning of Spirits divers kind of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues 1 Cor. 12.10 And as to all Christians in general as the Malice of Satan did then most violently rage against the Church Persecuting to the Death those who would not Renounce Christ and his Religion so all the Christians in those Times were very extraordinarily Strengthen'd no doubt to Resist such strong Temptations But now that the Church is Establish'd and the Truth of Christianity already Prov'd and Believ'd God does assist the Ministers of Religion only with the ordinary Graces of his Spirit in the discharge of their Ministry And as to Lay Christians therefore except it be when the Orthodox are call'd out in any Part of the World as sometimes they are to this Day to suffer for the Truth they receive no other than ordinary Assistances But this both Ministers and People are sure to do in the use of those Means that Christ has Appointed in his Church for that Purpose so very considerable on many accounts are the Priviledges that do belong to the Members of Christ's Church THE Seventh Lecture Wherein I was made a Child of God THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Church Catechism as I have already told you do give you a general Account of the whole Covenant of Grace And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ being the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us in this Covenant on God's Part I have already explain'd and open'd to you what they do Import The next of those Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace is exprest in these Words Wherein I was made a Child of God in order to make you sensible of the Vastness of which Priviledge also First I will shew you what is meant in Scripture and here in your Catechism by a Child of God Secondly What an inestimable Priviledge accordingly it is to be a Child of God â—hat is â—â—t in the â—chism by â—hild of 〈◊〉 And first let us Enquire What is meant both in Scripture and here in your Catechism by a Child of God To understand which we must Enquire into the several meanings of this Phrase in the Holy Scriptures and then in which of those Sences it is to be understood here in your Catechism when every Catechumen is taught to Answer that In his Baptism he was made a Child of God And as to the several Acceptations of this Phrase in the Holy Scriptures I. 〈◊〉 the Son â—od by an â—nal Geâ—â—ion First In the highest most natural and most proper meaning of the Word there is He who is the Son or Child of God by an Eternal Generation viz. Our Saviour Jesus Christ who being Begotten of God the Father from all Eternity in a peculiar inconceivable and inexpressible manner so as to be Co-equal Co-eternal with the Father himself is call'd the Onely Begotten Son of God Joh. 3.16 But then being he is in so peculiar and high a manner the Son of God as infinitely to exceed that wherein any one else whether Angels or Men can be call'd his Sons he cannot in any measure be meant here by a Child of God which signifies a Priviledge common to many as will be presently shew'd â—ot every â—by Temâ—â— Creaâ—â— which is â—ence too 〈◊〉 Secondly There are those who are the Sons of God by a Temporal Creation and such are Reasonable Creatures both Angels and Men both being call'd the Sons of God as you will see Job 1.6 and Luk. 3.38 And that both upon the account of the manner of their Production which was by the immediate Power of God and because of their Spiritual and Immortal Natures in which both do so immediately resemble God But this is an Acceptation too wide That which is meant here by a Child of God is a Priviledge which all Men in the World do not enjoy but is the Favour which is granted to a selected Body of Men who are separated from the rest of the World Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we shoould be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Thirdly III. Nor such only who are Children of God by spiritual Regeneration which is a Sence too narrow There are those who are the Children of God by Spiritual Regeneration by being renew'd in the Spirit of their Minds and by being Created anew in Righteousness and true Holiness And these are such Who have put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and who have put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4.22 23 24. They are such who are Born not only of Water but also of the Spirit that is who have not only been Baptized into the Christian Church but have been Sanctify'd by the Holy Spirit and have their whole Natures and Dispositions so altered for the Better that from Vicious and Ungodly they are chang'd to Vertuous and Holy Dispositions and Inclinations And such a vast Change wrought in our Natures by the Word and Spirit of God may very justly give those who Enjoy it the Title of the Children of God for if in the way of Natural Generation the Communicating of a Principle of Life and of suitable Operations does found the Relation and Title of a Father there is as good Reason why in Regeneration the deriving such Holy and Heavenly Dispositions and Powers from the Word and the Spirit of God to the Soul as give to a Man a
Divine Nature whereby he is a Partaker of the Life and Likeness of God himself should Entitle God to be also a Father and such who are so Regenerated and Renew'd his Children And accordingly in the Holy Scripture we find that such a derivation of Strength and Grace from the Word and Spirit of God does Entitle those who are Renew'd thereby to be Children of God St. Paul not only attributing to the Ministry of the Word a Power of Begetting in Christ 1 Cor. 4.15 But withal expresly assuring us that As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 So that he is undoubtedly a Child of God whoever giving himself up to the Guidance of God's Word and Spirit is thereby Sanctify'd wholly in his own Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 so as to sudue and mortify every Lust and every naughty inordinate and worldly Desire And indeed every truly Regenerate Child of God does do so such a One does by the power of the Word and in the use and strength of that Grace that God does afford him subdue and mortify every Lust and every naughty inordinate and worldly Desire So we are expresly told 1 Joh. 3.9 Whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is horn of God that is a sanctify'd Child of God does really hate Sin the very Temper and Bent of his Soul is against it and as to living in any gross and wilful Sin he cannot without much Reluctancy force himself to it his renew'd Nature is so much contrary thereto Such I say is every Regenerate Child of God and such indeed in a peculiar manner â—ch indeed in a peâ—ar manâ— and in 〈◊〉 highest â—e the â—ldren of â—l and in the highest and strictest sence of the Word that it can be apply'd to a meer Man is a Child of God But then all who are the Children of God either in the sence of Scripture or of your Catechism are not actually thus Regenerate As to the sence of Scripture it is plain as will presently appear that every One who bears the Relation of a Child to God is not Dutiful to his Father â—ut every â—â—d of God â—t actualâ— Regeneâ— either in sence of â—â—ture of your â—chism which is in Heaven no more than all Children are to their Natural Parents It is a monstrous Thing indeed that any Child should be Undutiful to so good and gracious a Father but it is too true that too many are so Hear O Heaven and give ear O Earth for I the Lord have spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me Isa 1.2 And as to the meaning of a Child of God here in your Catechism it is also plain tht it is not only such as are Renew'd in the Spirit of their minds and do imitate God that are there to be understood for every One who is Catechized is requir'd to Answer that In his Baptism he was made a Child of God whereas many Catechumens are not actually as yet Renew'd and really Converted and by their own Fault many will never be so that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration and a God-like Imitation expresses rather the Duty of every One what he ought to be than the Notion and Nature of a Priviledge which many may Enjoy who in the mean time are not over Dutiful So that a Child of God by spiritual Regeneration or a God-like Imitation is a meaning of the Word as much too narrow to be the sence of it here in your Catechism as a Child by Creation was too wide To proceed then Fourthâ—â— Child â—od as 〈◊〉 in the â—hism is one who by Verâ—â—f a Coâ—â—t Relaâ— Fourthly There are the Children of God by Vertue of a Covenant Relation and also by Adoption who are neither all the Sons of God by Creation nor yet on the other side such onely as are Renew'd in the Spirit of their Minds and do imitate God But they are all those who have been Baptiz'd into the Covenant of Grace and have been Incorporated into Christ's Church and who do profess the true Religion and themselves the Servants of the True God Thus before the Law Gen. 6.2 the whole House and Posterity of Seth are call'd the Sons of God as on the contrary the Posterity of Cain are call'd the Daughters of Men. They are there call'd the Sons of God because that in the Family of Seth â—was the â—â—n of a 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the Worship of the True God was continued and establish'd from which the Posterity of Cain had Revolted And so likewise under the Law the whole Body of the Children of Israel are call'd the Children of God Deut. 14.1 and that for this Reason â—der the 〈◊〉 as it follows ver 2. because they were a Holy people unto the Lord and the Lord had chosen them to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the Nations that were upon the Earth They were a Holy people unto the Lord not all of 'em by an inward and real Change in their Natures but by a Foederal Holiness and by reason of their separation from the rest of the Idolatrous and wicked World by a Holy Covenant Alas as to their inward Holiness this very Body of Men who were call'd the Children of God are said Deut. 32.5 to have Corrupted themselves and to have not the spot of Children but to be a very froward Generation Children in whom is no Faith ver 20. But their outward Relation to God continued notwithstanding and that whole Body of People being in Covenant with God were styl'd thereupon his Children And under the Gospel likewise Vnder the Gospel all that are Members of the Church and in Covenant with God are styl'd his Children Thus 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. you will find that with Relation to all those concerning whom God declar'd He would be their God and that they should be his People which are the express Terms of the Covenant betwixt God and all Christians as you will see Heb. 8.10 and with Relation to all those whom he commanded to Come out from among the Gentiles and to be separate and not to touch the unclean thing that is not to Partake in their Idolatry which is the very Description of the Members of Christ's Church I say with Relation to all these he declar'd he would be a Father unto 'em and that they should be his Sons and Daughters And such are called Sons by Adoption Also a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every One who is so by vertue of Adoption concerning whom it is said Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come that God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to Redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Now this word Adoption is much used in