the vital Members From hence we are inform'd how to judge of our Hopes whether they are saving and will attend us to the Gates of Heaven If they purifie us they will certainly be accomplish'd in Heavenly Blessedness If we be like our Saviour in Grace we shall be like him in Glory But carnal and loose Hopes will issue in disappointment Our Saviour tells us that every visible Christian in a spiritual sense is a builder and raises a fabrick of Hope that may appear fair to the Eye but there is a time of tryal a coming that will discover how firm it is 'T is our Wisdom to descend to the foundation of our Hope that we may understand whether it be a Rock that cannot be shaken or the quick Sand that cannot bear the weight of it Those who hear the Words of Christ and do them build upon a Foundation more stable than the Centre the perfect Veracity of God is engaged in his Promises But those who hear without doing build upon the sinking Sand. Carnal Men will pretend they hope for Salvation only for the infinite Mercies of God and Merits of Christ 'T is true these are Eternal Foundations but to secure a Building the Superstructure must be strongly fasten'd to the Foundation or it cannot resist a Storm If we are not united to Christ by the sanctifying Spirit and a purifying Faith our Hopes will deceive us When Sin has dominion which is certainly discovered by the habitual course of Mens Lives when there is a remanent affection to it in Mens Hearts which is known by their reflections upon past Sins with pleasure and the prospect of future Sins with desire their Hope is like a Spider's web that can bear no stress Hope is subordinate to Faith and Faith is regulated by the Promise Some believe without Hope they are convinc'd of the reality of the Future State of the Eternal Judgment and the consequents of it but are careless and desperate in their wickedness Others hope to be well hereafter without belief of the Gospel Indeed there is none can bear up under despairing Thoughts when they are raging in the Breast He that is absolutely and with consideration hopeless falls upon his own Sword The Tempter deals with Sinners according to their conditions If they are swimming in Prosperity he stupifies Conscience and induces them to be secure if they are sinking in deep Distress he is so skilful in all the arts of aggravation that he plunges them into Despair And both Temptations are fatal but the most perish by fallacious hopes 'T is strange that the greatest number of Professors are more unwilling to suspect the goodness and safety of their condition than to mistake and be deceived for ever But they are so strongly allur'd by worldly Objects that though in their Lives there are the visible marks exclusive of Salvation they are unconcerned They are satisfi'd with carnal vain hopes which are the seed of all Evils committed and the spring of all Evils suffered Hope that should incourage Holiness emboldens Wickedness and that should lead Men to Heaven precipitates them into Hell How great will their fall be from a conceited Heaven into a real Hell Hope of all the Passions is the most calm and quiet but when utterly disappointed in a matter of high concernment 't is most turbulent for the consequent Passions Despair Impatience Sorrow Rage are the cruel tormentors of the Minds of Men. Now what will become of the hope of the Hypocrite when God shall take away his Soul He may feed and cherish it while he lives but in the fatal moment when he dyes his blazing presumption will expire not to be reviv'd for ever But the Righteous has hope in his death The sanctified Spirit inspires and preserves Life in it till 't is consummate in that Blessedness that exceeds all our Desires and excludes all our Fears for ever 2. The Hope of Glory should be a constant and commanding motive to purifie our selves Hope is the great spring of actions in this World it enters into all our designs and mixes with all our endeavours The Husbandman ploughs in all the Frosts and Snows to which he is exposed in hope of a fruitful Harvest The Mariner sails through dangerous Seas often inrag'd with Storms and Tempests and among Rocks and Sands for a hopeful Venture How much more should the Hope of Heaven make us active and ardent in seeking for it considering we have infinitely greater security of obtaining it the Word of God and the Object is above all comparison with the things of this World Here the wisest and most diligent are uncertain to obtain their Ends the trifles which they earnestly expect and are certain after a while to lose them But if we in the first place seek the Kingdom of God we shall certainly obtain it and 't is unforfeitable for ever I will conclude with the efficacy of this Argument declar'd by the Apostle The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation has appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live godly righteously and soberly in this present World looking for that blessed hope the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. This will keep us stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord. 4. The Fear of God is a Grace of excellent efficacy to perfect Holiness in us 'T is the Apostle's direction perfecting Holiness in the fear of God The Divine Wisdom has annex'd Rewards and Punishments to strengthen the authority of the Law to work upon Hope and Fear which are the secret springs of Humane Actions and for the Honour of his Goodness and Justice that are principally exercised in his Moral Government That Hope may be a powerful motive to do our Duty and Fear a strong bridle to restrain from Sin the reward must exceed all the temptations of Profit or Pleasure or Honour that can accrue by transgressing the Law and the penalty of all the Evils that may be inflicted for obedience to it From hence it is that divine Hope and godly Fear have such a commanding conquering power in the Hearts of true Believers and are so operative in their Lives that they will not neglect their Duty to avoid the greatest Evil nor commit a Sin to obtain the greatest Good The Grace of Fear I have discours'd of in another place and shall be the shorter in the account of its nature and cleansing Vertue here Fear introduces serious Religion preserves and improves it 'T is the Principle of Conversion to God and knocks at the door of the Soul that Divine Love may have admission into it It arises from the conviction of Guilt and the apprehension of Judgment that follows When Paul discoursed of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled The Prisoner with the assistance of Conscience made the Judge tremble This Fear has more torment than reverence According to the greatness and
it are clear and pure directing us in our universal Duty the Promises are precious encouraging us by the prospect of the Reward the Threatenings terrible to preserve us from Sin There is an instrumental fitness in the Word preached to perfect the Image of God in us for the manner of conveying the Revelation to us has a congruity to work upon the subject to whom 't is revealed The first insinuation of Sin was by the Ear the first inspiration of Grace is by it Through the Ear was the entrance of Death 't is now the gate of Life In Heaven we shall know God by sight now by hearing When a Minister of the Gospel is inlightened from Heaven and zealous for the Salvation of Souls he is fitter for this Work than if an Angel were a ministring Spirit in this sense and imployed in this holy Office For he that Preaches has the same interest in the Doctrine declar'd by him his everlasting Happiness is nearly concern'd and therefore is most likely to affect others When a holy fire is kindled in the Breast it will inflame the Lips the Mind convinces the Mind and the Heart perswades the Heart But we must consider that as the Instrument cannot effect that for which 't is made without 't is directed and applyed for that end so without a superiour influence of the Holy Spirit that gives vital Power to the preaching of the Word 't is without efficacy What our Saviour speaks of the Natural Life is applicable to the Spiritual Man lives not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from God's mouth A Minister with all his Reason and Rhetorick cannot turn a Soul from Sin to Holiness without the Omnipotent Operation of the Spirit The Apostle tells the Thessalonians that the Gospel came not to them in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost The Gospel then comes only in Word when it pierces no further than the Ear that is the sense to try Words and distinguish different Sounds and Voices But the Truth of God directed and animated by the Spirit doth not stop at the Ear the door of the Soul but passes into the Understanding and the Heart that make a change so real and great in the qualities of Men as is express'd by substantial productions 'T is therefore said We are begotten and born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word The Word becomes effectual for the increase of Holiness when 't is mix'd with Faith which binds the Conscience to entire Obedience 'T is the Word of God our King Law-giver and Judge the Rule of our present Duty and of future Judgment in the great day of decision The Divine Law is universal and unchangable and the Duties of it are not necessary for some and needless for others but must be obeyed without partiality notwithstanding the repugnance of the Carnal Passions When 't is seriously believed and considered the hearers are induced to receive it with preparation and resolution of yielding to it There is no Truth more evident nor injur'd than this that perfect Obedience is due to the Will of God declar'd in his Word This all profess in the general but contradict in particulars when a Temptation crosses the Precept Now the first act of Obedience to the Truth is the believing it with so stedfast an assent wrought by the Spirit that it purifies the Heart and reforms the whole Man 2. With Faith there must be joyn'd an earnest desire to grow in Holiness This is declar'd by St. Peter As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby In the Natural Life there is an inseparable Appetite of Food to maintain it the inward sense of its necessities causes a hunger and thirst after suitable supplies to preserve and improve it This is experimented in every one that is born of the Spirit they attend and apply the Word of God to them not merely to prevent the sharp reflections of Conscience for the impious neglect of their Duty for that proceeds from Fear not from Desire but to grow in Knowledge and Holiness not in an aiery flashy Knowledge that is only fruitful to increase Guilt and Punishment but substantial and saving Knowledge that is influential upon practice Hearing is in order to doing and doing is the way to Happiness 'T is not the forgetful hearer but the doer of the Word shall be blessed in his deed The bare knowledge of Evil does no hurt nor the bare knowledge of our Duty without practice does no Good Feeding without digesting the Food and turning it into Blood and Spirits affords no Nourishment nor Strength The most diligent hearing and comprehensive knowledge of our Duty without practice is not profitable The enemy of our Souls is content that Divine Truths should be in our Understandings if he can intercept their passage into our Hearts and Conversations He practices over continually the first Temptation to induce us by Guile to choose the Tree of Knowledge before the Tree of Life We are therefore commanded to be doers of the Word not hearers only deceiving our own Souls 3. That the Spiritual Life may be increased by the Word it must be laid up in the Mind and Memory and hid in the Heart David says I have hid thy Word in my Heart that I may not sin against thee His Affection to the Word caused his continual Meditation of it that it might be a living Root of the Fruits of Holiness in their season If there were the same care and diligence in remembring and observing the Rules of Life prescrib'd by the Wisdom of God in the Scriptures as Men use in remembring and practising Rules for the recovery of the Health of their Bodies and 't is justly requisite there should be more since the Life of the Soul infinitely excels the Life of the Body how holy and blessed would they be The Advice of the Roman Physician that is conducive for the Health of the Body is applicable to the Soul After a full Meal abstain from laborious Actions that the heat of the Spirits may be concentered in the Stomach for Digestion otherwise if diverted and imployed in Labour the Stomach will be filled with Crudities Thus after hearing the Word our thoughts should not be scattered in the World but we should recollect and revolve it in our Minds that it may be digested into practice 'T is said of the Virgin Mary She kept thâ—se sayings and pondered them in her heart There are powerful Motives to ingage us to a conscientious attendance upon this Duty Our Saviour tells us He that hears me that is with subjection of Soul hath Eternal Life And in one Instance he has declar'd how much approv'd and acceptable it was to him For when Martha was imployed about entertaining him and Mary was attentive to receive his Instructions he said Mary has chose the better part that shall not be taken from her His feeding Mary was more
from the Curse of the Law he intercepted the heavy stroke of Vengeance that had sunk us into the Centre of Sorrows and restor'd us to the Favour and Fruition of God Our Misery was extreme and without End if Misery though intolerable has a determin'd issue the passing of every day lessens it but if it be above all Patience to endure and without Hope of Remission or Release this thought strikes deadly inward A Brute has some Memory of past pains and a feeling of present but no apprehension of future pains 't is the woful Prerogative of the Reasonable Nature to exasperate the sense of Misery by the foresight of its continuance and to feel the weight of Eternity every Moment Lost Souls are dead to all the vital sweetness of Being to all sense of Happiness and live to the quickest feeling of Misery for ever Our Rescue from this Misery is more affecting if we consider that without our Saviour's interposing our state was desperate to pass from death to life is a double life We are translated from the guilty wretched state of Rebels into the blessed state of the Children of God and are Heirs of Eternal Glory The duration is as valuable as the Felicity and doubles the Gift Immortality and Immutability are inseparable in Heaven God has made all his Goodness to pass before us in our Salvation Goodness how amiable how attractive and endearing To dye for another is the most noble kind of Love but there are degrees in that kind to die for an Enemy for a Rebel is the highest degree of that Love Now the Son of God assum'd to the Supreme Excellencies of the Divine Nature the tender Infirmities of the Humane Nature that he might be a propitiatory Sacrifice for our Sins In this God commended his love to us that when we were Sinners he gave his Son to die for us Astonishing Love it passes all understanding The Jews askt our Saviour with wonder how is it that thou being a Man makest thy self God We may imagine with equal wonder how being the Son of God he descended from the Throne of Majesty in heaven and stoop'd so low as to become Man St. Peter illuminated by divine Revelation Confest Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God But presently after when our Saviour foretold that he must go to Jerusalem and be kill'd there Peter began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee this shall not come unto thee He could not conceive how such distant and discordant extremes as the Son of the Living God and Death could meet in Christ but his love to us united them A Love above all comparison but with the love of his Father to us In the Sacrifice of Isaac there was a faint resemblance of this Abraham carried the Knife and the Fire and Isaac carried the Wood and himself the Sacrifice and with equal steps they ascended the Mount A Type of the concurrent Love of the Divine Persons to us in the process of Christ's Sufferings The Father laid upon him the iniquity of us all surely he has born our griefs and endur'd our sorrows Admirable Excess of Love The Father gave up his innocent and only Son the bright Image of his Glory to Cruel Sufferings This Immaculate Lilly was pierced with Thorns The Son gave such Life for us as no Creature can give and suffer'd such a Death for us as no Creature can suffer He descended to our lowest Misery to raise us to the highest degrees of Happiness Who can resist the force of these Reflections It may seem that only the Reprobates in Hell that have sinn'd beyond the intended vertue and application of his Sufferings can be unaffected with them From hence this Corollary regularly follows that 't is our Duty to consecrate our highest Esteem and Love to our Redeemer Supreme Love is due to Supreme Excellencies and for the greatest Benefits In our Saviour all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are hid and all the Treasures of Grace and Mercy are open'd to inrich us What Indignity what Ingratitude is it to be coldly affected to him who by the dearest Titles infinitely deserves our love How unreasonable and unnatural is it to look upon him with an indifferent Eye who died for us and whom the Angels continually behold in a double extasie of Admiration and Joy 'T is most just that our Love should ascend to him in thankfulness as his descended to us in benefits But our Poverty must excuse the not entire payment of our Immense Debt and our fervent desires to love him better If we content our selves with luke-warm Affections 't is most dishonourable to him the coldness of Love as well as the heat of Enmity is very provoking to our Saviour It should be our constant practise by discursive and reflexive Meditation to increase the holy heat of our Affections to Christ. He requires a love of Judgment and Choice The love of Natural Inclination is indeliberate without Counsel and needs no Excitations the stream runs downward freely But love to Christ is Supernatural both with respect to the Object and the quality of the Affection The Love of God is the principal obligation of the Law and the principal Duty of the reasonable and renewed Creature the most just and amiable Duty yet so monstrous is the depravation of the humane Nature that Divine Grace is requisite to recover its Life and Liberty The preventing pleasures of Sin possess the Soul We must therefore earnestly Pray that the Holy Spirit would illuminate our Minds and direct us in the Love of God that he will purifie our Affections and raise them to Heaven The Exercise of our Thoughts is too weak and faint to make indelible impression of Love in our Hearts Love is an eminent Fruit of the Spirit The love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the holy Spirit given to us There is a strong tide of Sensual Desires that carries us downward which we cannot stem without the gales of the Spirit to make our way to Christ. But 't is inconsistent with the Wisdom and Will of God for Men to expect an Inspiration from Heaven and neglect the proper means the considering the powerful Incentives of Love to our Redeemer his alluring Excellency and unvaluable Benefits St. Paul declares The Love of Christ constrains us for we thus judge if one dyed for all then wereall dead and that he died for all that they might live to him If all be not cold and dead within this will increase the sacred Fire and inflame the Affections But as the light of the Sun diffus'd in the Air fires nothing but the Beams contracted in a Glass kindle proper Matter so the considering of the common Salvation will not be so affecting nor so warm and soften the Heart as the serious applicative Thoughts of it to our selves the Apostle expresses it Who loved me and gave himself for me The appropriating by a clear Faith
Saints that eminently distinguish them from others and these we should especially regard Enoch walked with God His Life was a continual regard of God therefore he was translated into his glorious Presence Abraham's Faith was illustrious in that without reluctancy he address'd himself to offer up his beloved Son a Command so heavy that God would not permit his performing it Moses Self-denial was truly admirable in choosing to live in a solitary naked Desert rather than in the Egyptian Court wherein was the heigth of Pomp and the centre of Pleasure Job's Patience was unparallel'd when encompass'd with the sharpest Affliction Daniel prefer'd a Den of Lyons to Darius's Palace rather than neglect one day his desired Duty of Prayer to God Whom would it not inflame to read the Narrative of the Tryals of the excellent Saints recorded in the 11th to the Hebrews They were persecuted and patient afflicted and resign'd they were victorious over the blandishments of the alluring World and the terrors of the enraged World From those Instances the Apostle exhorts us to run our race with Patience looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith The Knowledge that is in our view from the practice of others will make Obedience more easie and best lead us to practice These excellent Examples should make us blush with Shame and bleed with Grief that notwithstanding there is a more copious communication of Grace by the Gospel than under the Law and a more clear revelation of the glorious Reward we are so many degrees below them Nothing will convince us more of our Negligence than comparative and exemplary Instruction There is an envious Emulation among those that are in Publick Places 't is not so pleasing to see many below them as 't is uneasie and grievous to see any above them This seems to be one of those Plants that in its native Soil is poisonous but transplanted into another Climate and under another Heaven is not only innocent but healthful 'T is a noble Emulation worthy the breast of a Saint to strive to excel others in Holiness 5. Our present Joy and future Glory are improved according as we rise to Perfection here The Life of a Saint may be compar'd to the Labour of the Bees who all the day either fly from their Hives to the Flowers or from the Flowers to their Hives and all their art and exercise is where there is fragrancy or sweetness In divine Worship the Soul ascends to God by holy thoughts and ardent desires and God descends into the Soul by the communication of Grace and Comfort 'T is true the Carnal Man cannot see nor taste the divine delight that a Saint has real Experience of for a lower Nature is incapable of the perceptions and enjoyments of an higher A Plant cannot apprehend the pleasure of Sense nor a Beast the pleasures of Reason and Reason must be prepared and elevated to enjoy the pleasures of Holiness which makes all the charming Contents of this World insipid and nauseous For according to the excellency of the Objects and the capacity and vigour of the Faculties exercised upon them such is the delight that results from their union The holy Soul is a Heaven inlightened with the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness a Paradise planted with immortal Fruits the Graces of the sanctifying Spirit and God walks in it communicating the sense of his Love Are not Life and Light and Liberty productive and preservative of Joy And consequently as the natural Life the more lively and vigorous the more pleasant it is so the spiritual The more we are like God the more we are loved of him and the more clear revelations of his Love are communicated to us The more we are freed from the chains of Sin and bondage of Satan the more joyful and glorious is our Liberty Indeed the Saints are sometimes in darkness but their Sorrows are from their defects in Holiness from their not improving the means of Grace whereby they might rise to Perfection For as when Sadness oppresses us the vital Spirits retire to the Heart and are shut up in their springs that Nature does not perform its operations with delight so when the Holy Spirit the Eternal Comforter is grieved by our quenching his pure Motions he withdraws his comforting Influences and the Soul is left desolate The Experience of all the Saints is a demonstration that Religion the more it fastens us to our Duty and to God by the bands of Love the happier we are and that the state of a renewed Christian is so far from being gloomy and melancholy that 't is the joyful beginning of Heaven By excelling in Holiness our future Glory will be increas'd The life and order of Government consists in the dispensing Rewards and Punishments God will recompence the wicked according to the Rule of Justice and their Desert and the future Happiness of the Saints will be in degrees according to the degrees of their Holiness Not as if there were any Merit in our Works to procure the Eternal Reward which is the Gift of his most free Love but his Love rewards us according to his Promise that they who sow bountifully shall reap bountifully and in proportion as the Graces of the Saints are exercised here their Glory will be in Heaven In this the Goodness of God is admirable he works all in us and rewards his own work His Service is the best for he that commands works and he that obeys reigns If we respect the Glory of God and our own let us endeavour to be compleat in Holiness 'T is true God bestows his Favours as a free Lord and liberal Benefactor variously but he distributes Rewards in the next Life as a Governour according to the inviolate Rule establish'd by his Wisdom in his Word As the quality of the Reward is according to the kind of our Works so the degrees are according to the measure of them To imagine that a Carnal Man may be saved without Holiness is as unreasonable as to think that a Man may be made miserable without Sin It is to attribute an irregular Clemency to him We must distinguish between the desert of the Reward and the order of dispensing it There is no possibility or shadow of Merit for the Grace of Obedience is antecedent to the Grace of the Reward CHAP. XII The effectual means to rise to Perfection in Holiness Unfeigned Faith in our Saviour who is the efficient and exemplary cause of inherent Holiness Prayer a means to obtain an increase of Holiness Frequent and attentive hearing reading and meditation of the Word a means of growth in Grace The Word must be mix'd with Faith and an earnest desire to improve Grace by it It must be laid up in the Mind and Memory It must be sincerely received The Religious Use of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper an excellent means to increase Grace Repentance Faith and Love are improved by it The renewing our
brings to our remembrance the Death of Christ in that lively Sacramental Representation and seals the pardoning Mercy of God to our Souls and conveys all the precious Fruits of it to us A lively Faith on our suffering Saviour makes him ours by an intimate and inseparable union and fruition We dwell in him and he in us How many drooping Souls have been raised how many wounded Spirits have been healed how many cloudy Souls have been inlightened in that Ordinance Here the comforting Spirit breaths our Saviour shews his reviving Countenance God speaks Peace to his People A Believer tasts the hidden Manna and the Love of Christ that is sweeter than Wine The bruised Reed becomes a strong Pillar in the Temple of God the smoaking Flax is cherish'd into a purer and more pleasant Light than springs from the Sun in its brightness 3. Love to Christ is increas'd by partaking of this Ordinance wherein his bloody Death is represented Greater Love could not be express'd than in his dying for us and lesser Love could not have saved us from perishing for ever He dyed not only to satisfie his Father's Justice but his own Love to us 'T is said by the Prophet He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied The travel of his Soul implies his Affection and Affliction the strength of his Love and his immense Sorrows Now nothing is more repugnant to the Principle so deeply engraven in Humane Nature than not to return Love for Love Our Saviour by the dearest titles deserves our Love not only for his high Perfections but his deep Sufferings He was without Form and Comeliness in the Eyes of the Carnal VVorld when disfigured by his Sufferings But can he be less lovely in his Sufferings wherein he declar'd his dearest Love Astonishing Love appeared in his dying Countenance flam'd in his quenched Eyes flowed from his pierced Side To a spiritual Eye he is as amiable with his Crown of Thorns as with his Crown of Glory Our Love to Christ like Fire out of its sphere must be preserved by renewing its Fewel or it will decline Now there is nothing more proper to feed it than Christ's Love to us and in this Ordinance the sacred Fire is maintained The Eye affects the Heart The mournings the longings and delights of Love are most sensible in spiritual Communion with our Saviour at this Feast The inflamed Spouse in a Rapture of Admiration and Complacency breaks forth I am my beloved's and he is mine St. Paul who was rap'd up to the third Heavens and heard unspeakable things declares Christ crucified to be the most excellent Object of his Knowledge his most precious Treasure and dearest Joy 'T is true the carnal receiver of the Elements is a stranger to this Love and Joy that is only felt by Faith and Experience There are many Christians in title that never felt any vital emanations from Christ in this Ordinance The most content themselves with Sacramental Communion without Spiritual and feel no correspondent Affections to his extream Sufferings for us But if there be a spark of Life in the Soul if all be not cold and dead within the remembrance of Christ's bleeding and dying Love will inexpressibly endear him to us Now our Sanctification was a principal end of his Death The Apostle declares that Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of the water and by the word That he might present to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Can we allow any Sin in our Hearts and Lives and defeat the design of his Love and disparage the vertue of his Sufferings Can we endure any Sin to reign in us that was the cause of his Death so full of Ignominy and Torment He has declared how precious our Sanctification is in his esteem 't is one of the richest Veins in the whole Mine of Grace and can we slight it Can we imagine that his Death obtain'd for us an impure Indulgence for our Lusts when the end of it was our absolute Purity Can we content our selves with low degrees of Holiness when he paid so dear a Price for our Perfection The comfortable assurance that he was crucified for us arises from our being crucified with him to all the Vanities of the world Indeed the external receiving this Ordinance is not beneficial to an Unbelieveâ— no more than that the setting a Feast before a dead Body that is uncapable of feeding and nourishment Men must believe before they can receive spiritual nourishment by it and have the Life of Grace before they can feed on the Bread of Life But the unfeigned Believer finds his inward Man renewed by it I will add to what has been said that in this Ordinance the Covenant of the Gospel is sealed by the contracting Parties God ratifies his Promise of Grace and we seal our Duty of Obedience 'T is true we are bound by an antecedent right and higher obligation than our own consent the Command of God binds us to take this Covenant and to keep it We are bought with a price and are not our own Now if the Blood of the Son of God be our Ransom from the bondage of Sin and Death and we in the Sacrament partake of his Blood and by that solemn Right dedicate our selves to him That whether we live we live to the Lord or whether we dye we dye to him how constraining is this to make us diligent in accomplishing the sacred ends of Christ's Institution How just is it that since he dyed for our Salvation we should live to his Glory and when we renew our Right in the Blessings of the Covenant we should sincerely renew our Obligations to the Duties of it If after our holy Engagement we renounce our Allegiance to our Prince and Saviour by entertaining his Enemies the Lusts of the Flesh we incur a double Guilt not only by transgressing the Law of God but by violating our Oath of Fidelity and double Guilt will bring double Damnation That the renewing our Coâ—â—â—ant aâ— the Lord's Supper may be more effectual let us consider 1. That holy Resolutions and Engagements are the immediate Principle of Obedience Till the Convictions of our Duty are wrought into Resolutionâ— they are of no efficacy 2. They must proceed from the dâ—liberate Judgment and determin'd Will. The Apostle declares The love of Chriâ—â— constrains us we thus judge if one dyed for all then were all dead and the consequence is strong that we should live 〈◊〉 him who dyed for us Empty valleitâ—â—â— are no volitions faint and waveâ—â—â—â— Purposes have no force Believers aâ—â— exhorted with full purpose of Hâ—art 〈◊〉 â—leave to the Lord. 3. The renewing our holy Engaâ—â—ments are very necessary for perseveraâ—â—â— in our Duty Our Hearts are false 〈◊〉 foolish and apt to fly from God thâ—â— are as changable
Man sowed Tares He did not by Force enter into the Field 'T is not so much from Impotence as Carelesness that Temptations are let into the Heart and Corruptions break out 'T is not so much the stock of Habitual Grace that secures us but Grace in its vigorous Exercise Surely David in his Youth had seen as exquisite Beauties as Bathsheba and was preserv'd by Watchfulness but the neglect of his Duty was fatal to his Purity and Peace Therefore the Duty is so often inculcated upon us We must be watchful to fly from Temptations He that prays Lead me not into Temptation and leads himself into it mocks God despises the danger plays upon the hole of the Asp and walks upon the brink of a Precipice He provokes God justly to desert him If a General commands a Soldier to fight a single Combat with an Enemy he will furnish him with Armour of proof and secure him from Treachery but if one be Fool-hardy and engages himself he may dearly pay for his rashness If by the order of Providence one be brought into tempting Circumstances he may Pray in Faith for Divine Assistance that the Lord will be at his right hand and he shall not be moved but if one ventures into Temptation he will hardly escape We are directed to be sober and vigilant against our spiritual Enemies Vigilance discovers the Temptations and Temperance substracts the Materials of them Adam by Intemperance stain'd his Innocence and forfeited his Felicity We must be clad with the armour of Light to oppose the powers of darkness Strange Armour that is transparent and may be seen through The Graces of the Spirit are Armour and Ornament the Strength and Beauty of the Soul They are call'd The Armour of God for he furnishes us with them and teaches us to use them and makes us Victorious We must not only Watch but Pray against Temptations We are preserved by the Intercession of Christ in Heaven and the Spirits Illumination and Protection in our Spiritual Warfare There are some things that directly strengthen our Enemies all tempting Objects that excite and influence Fleshly Lusts that war against the Soul Some things indirectly strengthen them whatever diverts us from Prayer and other Holy Ordinances disarms us whatever distracts the Mind and dissolves the firmness of the Will exposes us more easily to be overcome To be careless and secure as if we were in a safe Sea when there are so many visible Shipwrecks is unaccountable Folly 'T is our Duty and Wisdom to keep a Jealous Watch over our Hearts to suppress the fix'd Inclinations to Sin Thoughts and Desires are the Seeds of Action and to guard our Senses that we may not be suddenly corrupted Lot's Wife by a lingering Look after Sodom was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt to make us fearful by her Example of the occasions of Sin Especially we must direct our Care to prevent our being surpriz'd against the Sins that so easily encompass us and whereby we have been often foil'd If a besieged City has one part of the Walls weaker and more liable to be taken Care will be taken to strengthen it and to double the Guards there Let us be watchful against small Sins if we desire to be preserv'd from greater for we are train'd on by sins of weaker evidence to sins of greater Guilt Some are so Confirm'd in Holiness that the Devil does not tempt them to transgress the Law in a notorious manner but lays Snares for them in things of lesser moment Besides there are Sinners of different degrees yet they all finally perish Some with a full Career throw themselves head-long into Hell Others go slowly step by step but certainly drop into it To Conclude if we desire to be preserv'd from Sin let us avoid engaging Company many Persons would resist the force of Natural Inclination but when that is excited by the Examples of others they are easily vanquish'd A pure Stream passing through a Sink will run thick and muddy On the contrary Society with the Saints is a happy Advantage to make us like them As Waters that pass through Medicinal Minerals derive a Healing Tincture from them In short the present World is a continual Temptation and we should always be employed in those things either in our General or Particular Callings that either directly or virtually may preserve us from its Contagion We are in a state of Warfare though not always in Fight yet always in the Field expos'd to our Spiritual Enemies that War against our Souls and our Vigilance and Care should be accordingly 2. The Duty of Watchfulness respects the doing good in its season and with the Circumstances proper to it To him that orders his Conversation aright I will shew the Salvation of God Order in an Army contributes to Victory more than Numbers The acceptable Performance of a Duty must depend upon its season The Beauty of it is impair'd when done out of its proper time I will instance in one Duty very influential unto a Holy Life We are commanded to Watch unto Prayer that is to preserve a Holy Frame of Spirit suitable to this Duty and to redeem time from the Vanity and Business of the World for Prayer This Duty is as necessary for the Spiritual Life as breathing for the Natural and 't is a part of Wisdom so to order our Affairs that we may have chosen Hours for Communion with God And we are to watch in Prayer against distraction and indevotion We are commanded to draw near to God with reverence and godly fear for our God is a Consuming Fire to those who disparage his Majesty by Coldness and Carelesness in his Service There must be a strict Guard to prevent the excursion of our Thoughts in Divine Worship The Soul should ascend to God on wings of Fire with all possible Ardency of Affections The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man avails much Watchfulness respects both the time and degrees of our Duties We are commanded as we have opportunity to do good unto all Men especially to the houshold of Faith and to shew Mercy with chearfulness We should not lose the golden opportunity of relieving the Objects of Charity and be diligent in our Business and to cut off superfluous Expences that we may be liberal We should be careful to keep every Grace in its vigorous exercise In short the Soul is a principle of Life to the Body from its first Being to its last Breath guides its motions prevents the dangers to which 't is liable provides for its welfare How much more reasonable is it that it should be a Soul to it self vigilant and active to improve every Advantage for its Happiness and Perfection 6. A due regard to the Duties of our several Relations is very necessary in order to our perfecting of Holiness Relations may be consider'd under three general Heads Domestical Sacred Civil Domestical between Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants There is
was by Seduction Eve being deceived was in the Transgression Our Liberty is restor'd by Light The Truth makes us free The necessity that proceeds from external Compulsion and from the indeliberate and strong sway of Nature that determines to one thing is inconsistent with Liberty The Understanding is a free Faculty in the apprehension of Objects the VVill free in the election of them But in the consequent choice of the VVill that infallibly proceeds from Light and Love the perfection of its freedom consists VVhen God and his Commands are duely represented in their amiable excellencies the Love of the Law-giver and his Laws certainly produces Obedience to it with Choice and Complacency David expresses his Affection to the Divine Law and the principal motive of it I love thy Law because 't is pure As the Hands are free when they are directed by the Eyes and VVill so a Saint that with understanding and voluntary veneration worships God and obeys his Precepts which is our reasonable Service exercises and enjoys the truest sweetest and most honourable Liberty If the Son make you free ye are free indeed Freedom and Felicity are inseparable Servitude is the fatal concomitant of Vice VVhen a Philosopher was ask'd what Advantage he had obtain'd by the Study of Philosoyhy he replyed This among others that if all the Laws were cancell'd a Philosopher would live as uniformly according to the Rules of Decency and Honesty as before A Christian that has an inward Principle of Divine Knowledge and Love without the constraint of Paenal Laws will from a clear Judgment and Election obey God with delight and constancy There is a servile Liberty There are three mistakes in the VVorld of eternal destructive consequence to the Souls of Men concerning VVisdom and Folly Happiness and Misery Liberty and Servitude Some are seeming wise whose Ignorance is esteemed Judgment Such are the worldly wise who contrive and labour to lay up treasures for themselves here but are not rich towards God Our Saviour gives them a true Character They are Fools Others are esteemed happy in enjoying what they love whereas if they set their Love upon those Objects that deserve not that principal Affection but are pernicious to their Souls they are truly miserable in the fruition of them 'T is the sign of God's severe displeasure to give Men up to satisfie their vile Affections Some are seeming free whose Bondage is esteem'd Liberty Carnal Men presume of their Liberty because they follow the swinge of their Appetites But they serve divers Lusts and Pleasures and are under the dominion of Satan taken captive by him at his Will As if a Horse that takes a career in a pleasant Plain were free when the Bridle is in his Mouth and he is carb'd by the Rider at his pleasure The Apostles say of Idolaters That what they sacrific'd to Idols they sacrific'd to Devils 'T is equally true that when Men serve their Lusts they serve the Devil constructively doing things pleasing to them VVhen Man turn'd Rebel against God he became an absolute Slave His Understanding is now in the Chains of Darkness under Ignorance and Errors his VVill is inflav'd by infamous Lusts his Affections are fetter'd by insnaring Objects If no Man can serve two Masters how wretched is their Condition whose numerous and fierce Passions exact things contrary and are their Tyrants and Tormenters continually St. Peter speaks of impure Persons Their Eyes are full of the Adulteress they cannot cease from Sin This is true of all Sinners whose Hearts are possess'd by any kind of Lusts. They are hurried by them against the Reason and Rest of their Minds to the commission of Sin which is the most cruel and contumelious Bondage and the more shameful because voluntary But they are insensible of those subtle Chains that bind the Soul and think themselves to be the only free Men As when the Angel awaken'd Peter to release him from Prison he thought he saw a Vision so when they are excited to go out of their dark Prison they think the freedom of Duty the gracious Liberty of the Sons of God to be a mere Imagination Like one in the Paroxism of a Fever who sings and talks high as if he were in perfect Health but after the remission of the Disease feels his Strength broken with Pains and himself near Deaths Thus within a little while when the furious precipitancy of their Passions is cool'd and check'd by Afflictions they will feel and sink under the weight of their woful Bondage Another Objection and pernicious Fallacy of the Tempter whereby he frights many young Persons from the strictness of a holy Life is That Religion is a sowre Severity they must renounce all Delights turn Capuchins if they seriously engage themselves in a Religious Course and resolve to strive after pure and perfect Holiness But there is neither Truth nor Terror in this Suggestion to the inlighten'd Mind 'T is impossible true Holiness should make Men joyless and in the least degree miserable which is in the highest Perfection in God who is infinitely joyful and blessed Religion does not extinguish the joyful Affections but transplant them from Egypt to Canaan The Pleasures of Sin which are only forbidden in the first taste ravish the Carnal Senses But like Jonathan's Honey they kill by tasting when the Sweetness is vanish'd the Sting remains Whereas the Joy that proceeds from the exercise and improvement of Divine Grace and the Love of God shed abroad in the Heart by the Holy Ghost the Eternal Comforter the present Reward of it is vital and reviving the foretaste of Eternal Life 'T is true Carnal Men are strangers to this Joy they cannot relish Divine Delights but the Spirit of God like a new Soul inspires the sanctified with new Thoughts new Inclinations new Resolutions and qualifies them that Spiritual Objects are infinitely pleasing to them And whereas Carnal Pleasures are but for a season and within a little while dye and end in bitter distaste Amnon's excessive Love was suddenly turned into more excessive Hatred Spiritual Joys are increasing and ever-satisfying Now 't is an infallible Rule to direct our choice that is true Happiness which the more we enjoy the more highly we value and love I thought it fit to shew the Unreasonableness of these Objections that are perverse and poysonous which if not remov'd would blast my Design and desir'd Success in the subsequent Discourses But 't is more easie to prove our Duty to follow Holiness than to perswade Men to practice it I shall only add that the Reward of Holiness being so Excellent and Eternal our Zeal should encounter and overcome all Difficulties that oppose our obtaining it The strongest and swiftest Wings are too slow to dispatch our way to Heaven The Lord give his Blessing to make Sacred Truths effectual upon the Souls of Men. ERRATA PAge 15. Line 13 14. for Love read Law p. 29. in the Margent for iras
carentur r. irascarentur p. 29. l. 24. for content r. concent p. 34. l. 19. for last 1. worst p. 84. in the Margent dele audeo dicere Aug. p. 103. l. 〈◊〉 dele as p. 135. l. 7. for a 〈◊〉 in p. 164 in the Margent for aequanimitur imperitas r. aequanimiter imperitus for insolentur r. insolenter p. 181. l. 21. for never r. ever 2 COR. VII 1. Having therefore these Promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God CHAP. 1. The Coherence opened The inconsistency and danger of the Communion of Christians with Infidels The dignity of Believers prohibits it The Promise of Divine Communion obliges them to separate from contagious Converse with Unbelievers The Inference from those Motives The cleansing from all Pollutions and perfecting Holiness Purifying themselves is the Duty of Christians A Principle of Holiness actuated by the supplies of the Spirit is requite to enable Christians to purifie the 〈◊〉 The Pollutions of the Flesh 〈◊〉 the desiring and the angry Appetiâ—â—â—ey defile and debase Humane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 difficulâ—… makes an easie entrance into the Soul He seems to devest himself of his Apostolical Commission and in the mildest and most tender manner mixes intreaties with his Authority as in a parallel place I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ c. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2. The matter of the Address The cleansing us from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit and the changing us into the unspotted Image of God's Holiness These are the comprehensive sum of renewing Grace and are inseparable The Holy Spirit works both together in the Saints as the Sun by the same emanation of Light dispels the darkness of the Air and irradiates it But they are not merely different notions but different parts of Sanctification For the corruption of Nature is not a mere privation of Holiness as Darkness is of Light but a contrary inherent quality the Principle of all sinful Evils We are commanded to put off the old man and to put on the new To cease to do evil and to learn to do well We must purifie our selves from the pollutions of Flesh and Spirit The Soul and Body in the state of depraved Nature are like two Malefactors fastened with one Chain and by their strict union infect one another The pollution is intimate and radical diffusive through all the Powers of the Soul and Members of the Body The Spirit of the Mind the supreme Faculty with the Will and Affections want renewing We are commanded to perfect Holiness to aspire and endeavour after our original Holiness and to be always advancing till we arrive at the final consummate state of Holiness in Heaven In the fear of God That Grace has an eminent causality and influence in this Sanctification of Christians It is a powerful restraint from Sins in thoughts and acts in solitude and society to consider God's pure and flaming Eye that sees Sin wherever it is in order to Judgment Holy Fear excites us to exercise every Grace and perform every Duty in that manner that we may be approv'd and accepted of God 3. The Motive arises from the excellency of the Promises and the qualifications requisite for the obtaining them 'T is promised that God will dwell in us and walk in us whose gracious presence is Heaven upon Earth Strange Condescension that the God of Glory should dwell in Tabernacles of Clay far greater than if a King should dwell in a Cottage with one of his poor Subjects He will adopt us into the Line of Heaven I will be your Father and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters The qualifications are the purifying our selves from all defilements and striving to be entirely holy By the order of God every Leper was to be excluded from the Camp of Israel and will he have Communion with the Souls of Men over-spread with the Leprosie and covered with the Ulcers of Sin There is a special emphasis in the words saith the Lord Almighty Without the cleansing and renewing of Sinners Omnipotence cannot receive them into his Favour and Family There are fatal bars fix'd which the unholy cannot break through The Proposition that arises from the words is this The Promises of the Gospel lay the most powerful obligations on Christians to strive for the attainment of pure and perfect Holiness In the management of this Subject I will first consider the Duty as acted upon our selves 2. The parts of it The cleansing from Sin and perfecting Holiness 3. The force of the Motives the precious and unvaluable Promises of the Gospel And make Application of them 1. We are commanded to cleanse our selves which is our Duty and implies an ability deriv'd from Christ to perform it It may seem strange that Men in their depraved state should be excited to renew themselves Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one yet this Duty is frequently inculcated upon us Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Cleanse your hearts ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double-minded A clear answer may be given to this 1. There is no productive Principle of Holiness in Man's corrupt Nature but strong aversions from it and inclinations to what is contrary to it There is a miserable impotency to all spiritual Good better express'd with tears than words 'T is natural and hereditary more difficultly cur'd than what is accidental God is the sole efficient in the regeneration of the Soul and the first infusion of Grace and the principal in the growth and improvement of it The Holy Spirit does not work Grace in us as the Sun forms Gold in the Earth without any sense in our selves of his operations but we feel them in all our Faculties congruously to their Nature inlightning the Mind exciting the Conscience turning the Will and purifying the Affections 2. After a Principle of Life and Holiness is planted in us we are by a continual supply of strength from Christ assisted to exercise it in all the acts that are proper to the Divine Life There is a resemblance between the Fruits of the Earth and the Graces of a Christian Seed must be first sowed in the Earth before it springs out of it and when 't is sowed the natural qualities of the Earth Coldness and Driness are so contrary to fructifying that without the Influences of the Heavens the heat of the Sun and showers of Rain the Seed would be lost in it Grace is drawn forth into flourishing and fruitfulness by the irradiating and warm influx of the Spirit But we are subordinate agents in carrying on the work of Grace to Perfection The Apostle exhorts us to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling for 't is God works in us to will and to do
Carnal Men abuse the freeness of Grace to looseness and security and the power of Grace to negligence and laziness Our dependance on God inferrs the use of means to save our Souls Our Saviour commands us to watch and pray that we may not enter into temptation To watch without Prayer is to presume upon our own Strength To pray without Watching is to presume upon the Grace of God The Lord's Prayer is the Rule of our Duty and Desires We are ingag'd by every Petition to co-operate and concur with Divine Grace to obtain what we pray for Naaman presum'd he should be immediately cleansed from his Leprosie by the Prayer of Elisha but he was commanded to go and wash himself in Jordan seven times for his Purification A stream preserves its christal clearness by continual running if its course be stop'd it will stagnate and putrifie The purity of the Soul is preserv'd by the constant exercise of habitual Grace In short we must be jealous of our selves to prevent our being surpriz'd by Sin and continually address to the Throne of Grace for the obtaining Grace and Mercy in time of need and by Faith apply the blood of sprinkling that has a cleansing Efficacy The Death of Christ meritoriously procures the Spirit of Life and Renovation and is the strongest ingagement upon Christians to mortifie those Sins that were the cause of his Agonies and Sufferings 2. The parts of the Duty are to be considered The cleansing us from the Defilements of Flesh and Spirit and the perfecting Holiness 1. The cleansing must be universal as the pollution is We are directed to cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts that we may draw near to God with acceptance 'T is observable that in a general sense all Sins are the works of the Flesh what ever is not divine and spiritual is carnal in the language of Scripture For since the separation of Men from God by the rebellious Sin of Adam the Soul is sunk into a state of Carnality seeking for satisfaction in lower things The two jarring opposite Principles are Flesh and Spirit lusting against one another 'T is as carnal to desire vain Glory or to set the Heart on Riches as to love sensual Pleasures For our Esteem and Love are intirely due to God for his high Perfections and 't is a disparagement to set them on the Creatures as if he did not deserve them in their most excellent degrees Whatever things are below the native worth of the Soul and unworthy of its noblest operations and are contrary to its blessed end defile and vilifie it A more precious Metal mix'd with a baser as Silver with Tin is corrupted and loses of its purity and value But in a contracted sense Sins are distinguish'd some are attributed to the Spirit and some to the Flesh. The Spirit is always the principal agent and sometimes the sole agent in the commission of Sin and the sole subject of it Of this sort are Pride Infidelity Envy Malice c. There are other Sins wherein the Body conspires and concurs in the outward acts They are specified by the Apostle and distinguish'd according to the immediate springs from whence they flow the desiring and the angry Appetites The works of the Flesh are manifest Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like The cleansing from carnal foul Lusts is like the washing one that is fallen into the mire which is a mixture of the two lowest Elements heavy Earth and slippery Water that defile by the touching them The more spiritual Lusts are like the stormy Winds and smoky Fire in which the two higher Elements are contain'd Pride swells the Mind and causes violent agitations in the Thoughts Anger darkens and fires it The Lusts of the Flesh are tenacious by the force of the Imagination when conversant upon Objects presented by the Senses but the Lusts of the Spirit are form'd and wrought in its own forge without the concurrence of the sensual Faculties The Lusts of the desiring Appetite Intemperance and Uncleanness are so polluting that the consciousness of such Crimes will cover the guilty with confusion Of all the debasing titles whereby the Devil is characteriz'd in Scripture none is more vilifying than that of the unclean Spirit This is attributed to him from the general nature of Sin But there is such a notorious turpitude in Lusts grosly carnal that they defile and defame the Sinner in a special manner not only as a Rebel against God but the servant of Corruption The Understanding is the leading supreme Faculty Sense that rules in Beasts should serve in Man Now what does more vilifie him than to be dissolv'd in filthy Pleasures to be drown'd in a sea of Wine than a Life sensual and dissolute drawn out in a continual connexion of dreggy delights Gaming succeeds Feasting the Ball follows the Comedy the Impurities of the Night the Intemperance of the Day Sensual Lusts degrade Men from the nobility of their Nature the dignity of their Condition as if they were all Flesh and had not a spirit of Heavenly original to regulate and restrain their lower Appetites within the limits of Purity and Honour The slaves of Sense are like the beasts that perish He that is a Beast by Choice is incomparably more vile than a Beast by Nature It would infect the Air to speak and pollute the Paper to write their secret Abominations wherein they lye and languish and 't is natural for Men to dye in those Sins wherein they live they seal their own Damnation by Impenitence How difficult the purging of these passions is Experience makes evident The radicated habits of Uncleanness and Intemperance are rarely cur'd 'T is the vain boast of the Roman Philosopher Nobis ad nostrum arbitrium nasci licet but we must first die to our selves before we can be born of our selves the forsaking a sinful Course is necessary antecedently to the ordering the Conversation according to the Rules of Vertue How few instances are there of persons recovered from the practice and bondage of those Lusts by the wise Counsels of Philosophers 'T is in vain to represent to them that sensual Lusts are prolifick of many Evils that Intemperance is pregnant with the Seeds of many Diseases it prepares matter that is inflamable into Fevers 't is attended with the Gout Stone Cholick Dropsie c. which are incomparably more tormenting than the pernicious pleasures of taste are delightful Represent to them the foul progeny of Lasciviousness rottenness in the Body wasting the Estate Infamy to sacrifice what is most valuable for the sake of a vile Woman the wisest Considerations are lost upon them they are too weak a Bridle to check their brutish Lusts. But are not these Lusts easily subdued in Christians who have the advantage of clearer Light stronger Motives and more liberal assistance of Grace to rescue
them from the power of Sin The wise observer tells us I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and her hands are as bands whoso pleases God shall escape from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Behold this have I found saith the preacher counting one by one to find out the account but I find not one man of a thousand have I found but a woman among all these have I not found 'T is astonishing that for a short dream of pleasure men should despise Heaven and Hell what is most desireable and most fearful How just is the reproach mixt with Compassion and Indignation How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and fools hate knowledge 'T is worth the inquiry how men are sottishly seduced to live unchastly and intemperately against the reason and rest of their Minds 1. The great Temptation to Sin is the love of Pleasure accordingly the degrees of sensual Pleasure being more intense in those carnal Faculties that are for the preserving and propagating Life especially when heightned by the carnal Fancy the love of the Members prevails against the love of the Mind 'T is said of unclean persons whose Eyes are full of the Adulteress they cannot cease from Sin they cannot dis-entangle themselves from the embraces of the circling Serpent 2. Carnal pretences are made use of to defend or at least excuse the sin of Intemperance which makes it more easily indulg'd and pernicious in effect Men if it were possible would sin without sin without discovering the guilt and turpitude of it that they may enjoy their pleasures without accusing recoiling thoughts which will turn the sweetest Wine into Vinegar Now since Meats and Drinks are necessary for our vital support and the measure is uncertain and various according to the dispositions and capacities of mens bodies Intemperate persons feed high and drink deep without reflection or remorse and pretend 't is for the Refreshment of Nature 3. Fleshly Lusts steal into the Throne by degrees An Excess of Wickedness strikes at first sight with Horror No Prodigal design'd to waste a great Estate in a day yet many from immense Riches have fall'n into extream Poverty This Expence is for his Pleasure this for his Honour this will not be ruinous thus proceeding by degrees till all be squander'd away he becomes voluntarily poor An Intemperate Person begins with lesser measures and is not frequently overtaken Conscience for a time resists and suspends the entireness of his consent to the Temptation He drinks too much for his Time for his Health and Estate but he will not totally quench his Reason Yet by degrees he becomes hardned and freely indulges his Appetite till he is drown'd in Perdition A Lascivious person begins with impure Glances tempting Words and Actions and proceeds to unclean mixtures 4. Sensual Lusts stupify Conscience they kill the Soul in the Eye and extinguish the directive and reflexing Powers Wine and Women take away the Heart that 't is neither vigilant nor tender Chastity and Temperance joined with Prayer to the Father of Lights clarifie and brighten the Mind and make it receptive of sanctifying Truths but carnal predominant Passions sully and stain the Understanding by a natural Efficiency and by a moral and meritorious Efficiency When the Spirits that are requisite for intellectual operations are wasted for the use of the Body the Mind is indisposed for the severe exercise of Reason Although the dispositions of the Body are not directly operative upon the Spirit yet in their present state of union there is a strange simpathy between the Constitution of the one and the Conceptions and Inclinations of the other Luxury and Lust fasten a rust and foulness on the Mind that it cannot see Sin in its odious Deformity nor Vertue in its unattaintable Beauty They raise a thick mist that darkens Reason that it cannot discern approaching dangers The Judicative Faculty is by the righteous Judgment of God impaired and corrupted that it does not seriously consider the descent and worth of the Soul its duty and accounts for all things done in the Body but as if the Spirit in Man were for no other use but to animate the organs of Intemperance and Lust they follow their Pleasures with greediness 'T is said of the young Man enticed by the flatteries of the Harlot that he goes after her like an Ox crown'd with Garlands that insensibly goes to be sacrific'd He looks to the present Pleasure without considering the Infamy the Poverty the Diseases the Death and Damnation that are the just consequents of his Sin The sensual are secure The effects of Carnal Lusts were visible in the darkness of Heathenism Lusts alienates the thoughts and desires of the Soul from Converse with God His Justice makes him terrible to the Conscience and Holiness distastful to the Affections of the unclean We read of the Israelites they were so greedy of the Onions and Garlick and Flesh-pots of Egypt that they despised the Food of Angels the Manna that drop'd from Heaven Till the Soul be defecate from the dregs of Sense and refin'd to an Angelick Temper it can never taste how good the Lord is and will not forsake sensual Enjoyments The conversion of the Soul proceeds from the inlightened Mind and the renewed Will ravish'd with Divine Delights that overcome all the Pleasures of Sin There are for our caution recorded in Scripture two fearful Examples of the inchanting Power of Lust. Sampson inticed by his Lust became a voluntary slave to a wretched Harlot that first quench'd the Light of his Mind and then the Light of his Body and expos'd him to the cruel scorn of his Enemies Solomon by indulging his sensual Appetite lost his Wisdom and was induced by his Idolatrous Concubines to adore Stocks and Stones and became as very an Idol as those he worship'd that have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not He rebell'd against God who had made him the richest and wisest King in the World and miraculously revealed his Goodness to him Dreadful Consequence of Sensuality 5. There is a special Reason that makes the recovery of the sensual to Sobriety and Purity to be almost impossible The internal Principle of Repentance is the inlightened Conscience reflecting upon past Sins with heart-breaking sorrow and detestation This is declared by God concerning Israel Then shall ye remember your evil ways and your doings not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations The bitter remembrance of Sin is the first step to reformation Now there are no Sinners more averse and uncapable of such reflections than those who have been immerst in the Delights of Sense The unclean wretch remembers the charming Objects and exercise of his Lusts with Pleasure and when his instrumental Faculties are disabled by Sickness or Age for the gross acts he repeats them in his Fancy renews his Guilt and the Sin
is transplanted from the Body to the Soul The intemperate Person remembers with delight the wild Society wherein he has been ingaged the rich Wines wherein he quench'd his Cares the ungracious Wit and Mirth that made the hours slide away without observation Now 't is a Rule concerning Remedies applyed for the recovery of the Sick that Physick is ineffectual without the assistance of Nature but the case of the Sick is desperate when the only Medicine proper for his Cure increases the Disease and brings Death more certainly and speedily Those who are defil'd by Carnal Lusts have a special Curse they provoke God to withdraw his Grace according to that fearful Threatning my Spirit shall not always strive with Man for he is Flesh and after so desperate a forfeiture they are seldom redeemed and released from the Chains of Darkness wherein they are bound Accordingly Solomon frequently repeats this Observation The strange Woman flatters with her words Her house inclines to the dead and her paths to the dead None that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the path of Life The mouth of a strange Woman is a deep pit he that is abhorred of the Lord shall irrecoverably fall therein If it be said that this representation of the deplorable state of the unclean seems to cut off all hopes of their reclaiming and Salvation and may induce Despair I answer with our Saviour in another instance With Men it is impossible and not with God for with God all things are possible He can open and cleanse adorn and beautifie the most obstinate and impure Heart He can by omnipotent Grace change a Brutish Soul into an Angelick and plant a Divine Nature that abhors and escapes the Corruption in the World through Lust. Notwithstanding the Severity of the Threatning yet the Divine Mercy and Grace has been exercised and magnified in the renewing such polluted Creatures The Apostle tells the Corinthians they were Fornicators and Adulterers but they were washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Let them address their Requests to God that he would cleanse them from the guilt of their Sins in the Blood of Christ the only Fountain of Life and baptize them with the Holy Ghost as with Fire to purge away their Dross and Pollutions An unholy Life is the off-spring of an unclean Heart The loose vibrations of the impure Eye the inticing words of the impure Tongue the external caresses and incentives of Lust are from the Heart The Heart must be purified or the Hands cannot be cleansed 2. Suppress the first risings of Sin in the Thoughts and Desires Sins at first are easily resisted but indulged for a time are difficultly retracted 3. Abstain from all Temptations to these Sins As Wax near the Fire is easily melted so the Carnal Affections are suddenly kindled by tempting Objects The neglect of this Duty fills the World with so many incorrigible Sinners and Hell with so many lost Souls Men venture to walk among snares and serpents without fear and perish for the neglect of circumspection 4. Do not presume that you will forsake those Sins hereafter which you are unwilling to forsake at present There is in many a Conflict between Conviction and Corruption They love Sin and hate it they delight in it and are sorry for it they cannot live without it nor with it in several respects Now to quiet Conscience and indulge their Lusts they please themselves with resolutions of a future Reformation The Tempter often excites Men to consent for once and obtains his aim But 't is a voluntary distraction to think Men may without apparent danger yield to a present Temptation resolving to resist future Temptations For if when the Strength is intire a Temptation captivates a Person how much more easily will he be kept in bondage when the Enemy is more tyrannous and usurping more bold and powerful and treads upon his neck and he is more disabled to rescue himself The inlightned natural Conscience is arm'd against Sin and if Men regarded its dictates if they believed and valued Eternity they might preserve themselves from many Defilements But God has never promised to recover Sinners by special Grace who have neglected to make use of common Grace In short consider what is more tormenting than all the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a season can be delightful the reflection of the guilty accusing Conscience and the terrible impression of an angry God for ever CHAP. II. Anger is a Lust of the Flesh. No Passion less capable of Counsel Directions to prevent its rise and reign Motives to extinguish it The Lust of the Eyes and Pride of Life are joined with the Lusts of the Flesh. Covetousness consider'd 'T is radically in the Understanding principally in the Will vertually in the Actions The love of it produces many vicious Affections 'T is discovered in getting saving and using an Estate The difficulty of curing Covetousness made evident from the Causes of it and the unsuccessfulnss of Means in order to it 'T is the root of all Evil. Excludes from Heaven 'T is the most unreasonable Passion The present World cannot afford Perfection or Satisfaction to the Immortal Soul The proper Means to mortifie Covetousness 2. ANger is another Lust of the Flesh. Of all the Passions none is less capable of Counsel nor more rebellious against the Empire of Reason It darkens the Mind and causes such a fierce agitation of the Spirits as when a Storm fills the Air with black Clouds and terrible flashes of Lightning It often breaks forth so suddenly that as some acute Diseases if check'd at first become more violent there is no time for remedy nor place for cure so there is such an irrevocable precipitancy of the Passions that the indeavour to repress their Fury inrages them 'T is astonishing what enormous Excesses and Mischiefs are caused by it How many Houses are turned into Dens of Dragons how many Kingdoms into Fields of Blood by this fierce Passion To prevent its rise and reign the most necessary Counsel is if possible to quench the first Sparks that appear which are seeds pregnant with Fire But if it be kindled do not feed the Fire by exasperating Words A prudent silence will be more effectual to end a Quarrel than the most sharp and piercing reply that confounds the Adversary Julius Caesar would never assault those Enemies with Arms whom he could subdue by Hunger He that injuriously reviles us if we revile not again and he has not a word from us to feed his Rage will cease of himself and like those who dye with pure Hunger will tear himself Hezekiah commanded his Counsellors not to say a word to Rabshekah 2. Try by gentle and meek addresses to compose the ruffled Minds of those who are provoked 'T is the observation of the wisest of Men that a soft Answer breaks the Bones 'T is usually successful to
't is predominant from the Kingdom of Heaven Lazarus may as soon be expelled from Abraham's Bosom as a covetous Man may be received into it Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Effeminate nor abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God A covetous Wretch is in as direct a progress to Damnation as the most notorious Sinners guilty of the most filthy Lusts natural and unnatural Did Men believe and prize Heaven how would this terrible denuntiation strike them through But what Tongue has so keen an edge as to cut a passage through Rocks the hardned Hearts of the Covetous The Word cannot enter into the Conscience and Conversation of the Earthly-minded If you discourse to them of Righteousness and Judgment to come they are not at leisure to hear or will not attend Tell them of another World when they are ready to be expell'd from this present World We have a most convincing Instance of inefficacy of Divine Instruction upon the Covetous Our Saviour directed his Auditory to the best use of Riches in doing Good to the Saints in their Wants that after death they might be introduced into everlasting habitations And 't is said that the Pharisees who were covetous heard all these things and derided him They were fix'd in their Principles and resolutions to increase and secure their Wealth They had their Religion in numerato Gain was their Godliness and were so strongly conceited of their own Wisdom that they despised the Authority Counsel and Love of the Son of God 2. The love of Money discovered in the heaping up Riches and the tenacious humour in keeping them is directly contrary to the clearest Reason and perfectly vain The notion of Vanity consists either in the change and inconstancy of things or when they have not reasonable and worthy ends In both respects Covetousness is Vanity For the Object of that Passion is the present World the sphere of mutability and the immoderate Care and Labour to obtain and preserve it is not for a solid substantial but a mere imaginary Good In this sense the most beautiful Colours were there no Eyes to see them and the sweetest Sounds were there no Ears to hear them are Vanities According to this Rule the greedy desire of Riches for Riches sake which is the most proper notion of Avarice is the most unreasonable and vain Affection for it has no end The Apostle tells us that an Idol is nothing in the World the matter of it may be Gold or Silver but it has nothing of a Deity in it He that worships it worships an Object not only most unworthy of Adoration but which has no Existence but in the fancy of the Idolater So he that loves Money for it self sets his Affection upon an end that has no Goodness but in his foolish imagination and consequently is no true and valuable end This will be evident by considering there is a double end to which Humane Actions should be directed the particular immediate end and the universal last end The particular end to which Reason directs iâ— acquiring Money is to supply us with Necessaries and Conveniencies in the present state and this is lawful when our Care and Labour to obtain it are not inordinate nor immoderate Fruition gives Life and Sweetness to Possession Solomon observes with a severe Reflection There is one of whose Labour there is no end who is not satisfied with Riches neither saith he for whom do I labour and bereave my Soul of good this is also vanity and sore travel If one has a Cabinet full of Pearls and has not a Heart to make use of them 't is all one as if it were full of Cherry-stones For there is no true value in the possession but in order to the true and noble use of them This draws so deep of Folly that 't is amazing that reasonable Men should love Money for it self but the Covetous have reprobate Minds without Judgment and discerning Faculties without using them 2. The universal and last end of our Actions consists in the eternal enjoyment of God Now the possession of the whole World is of no advantage toward the obtaining future Happiness Nay it deprives Men of Heaven both as the love of the World-binds their Hands from the exercise of Charity and as it alienates their Hearts from the love of God The present World cannot afford Perfection or Satisfaction to an immortal Spirit 1. Not Perfection The Understanding is the highest Faculty in Man and raises him above the order of sensible Creatures and this is exceedingly debased by over-valuing Earthly things Indeed Sense and Fancy that cannot judge aright of Objects and Actions if they usurp the Judgment-seat the Riches of this World appear very goodly and inestimable There is no Lust more degrades the eternal Soul of Man from the nobility of its Nature than Covetousness For the Mind is denominated and qualified from the Objects upon which it is conversant Now when Mens thoughts are groveling on the Earth as if there were no spark of Heaven in them when their main designs and contrivances are to amass Riches they become Earthly and infinitely fall short of their original and end 2. Riches cannot give Satisfaction to the Soul upon the account of their vast disproportion to its Spiritual Nature and Capacity and Eternal Duration You may as reasonably seek for Paradise under the Icy Poles as for full Contentment in Riches The Kingdoms of the World with all their Treasures if actually possess'd cannot satisfie the Eye much less the Heart There is no suitableness between a spiritual substance and earthly things The Capacity of the Soul is as vast is its Desires which can only be satisfied with Good truly infinite But carnal Men in a delusive Dream mistake shadows for substance and thin appearances for realities Besides the fashion of this World passes away Riches take wings and like the Eagle fly to Heaven or the Possessors of them fall to the Earth The Soul can only be satisfied in the fruition of a Good as everlasting as its own duration In short the Favour of God the renewed Image of God in the Soul and Communion with him are the Felicity of reasonable Creatures 3. The plainest Experience does not convince the Covetous of their Folly and correct them 'T is universally visible that Riches cannot secure Men from Miseries and Mortality They are like a Reed that has not strength to support but sharpness to wound any one that rests on it Earthly Treasures cannot secure us from the Anger of God nor the Violence and Fraud of Men. How often are fair Estates ravishd from the Owners But suppose they are continued here to the Possessor they are not Antidotes against the malignity of a Disease they cannot purchase a priviledge to exempt the Rich from Death And is he truly rich that must be deprived of his Treasures
what they deserve to be desir'd and what is due to the Persons desirous of them is not easily discovered Partly in that the aspiring after Dignity is in the universal consent of Men an argument and indication of a sublime Spirit whereas the modest refusal of it exposes to Infamy as if the refuser had a Leaden Soul whose Body is rather its Sepulchre than its Instrument And the Heart is the arch-deceiver the most partial parasite and its natural falseness is fomented by the artificial Flatteries of servile Spirits Every Man is a stranger to himself as the Eye sees things without but is blind as to the seeing it self Men study to know more of others than of themselves and therefore know less In curing the Diseases of the Soul we are directed by the method of curing the Diseases of the Body which is sometimes by Medicines contrary to their Nature and sometimes by those which are like to it The Feverish Heat is not only quench'd by cooling Juleps but by Cordials that fortifie the Vital Heat which consumes the peccant Humours that foment the Fever 1. Consider those things which may allay the tumor of Pride and Vanity Reason is the perfection of Man and the knowledge of God and our selves is the perfection of Reason From hence proceeds the magnifying God and vilifying our selves God is the eternal Jehovah and there is none besides him He alone has an independent and infinite Existence All other things are from his Efficiency Every spark of Life and degree of Being is from him Without the least strain of his Power he made the World and as easily upholds it All created things have but an appearance and shew of Being in him alone is the solidity and stability of Being for ever He dwells in Light unapproachable not only to mortal Eyes but to the immortal Angel He is the only Wise and Good and Immortal Being In the present state great and small are not words of absolute but comparative signification with respect to the various conditions of Men as one Pearl is called great respectively to another though small in it self But there is none absolutely great but God who is truly infinite In Heaven where the blessed Spirits have the most immediate and fullest view of the Deity the Lord alone is exalted 2. Consider that the whole World intellectual and sensible compar'd to God are but as the drop of the bucket and the dust of the ballance And what part are we of that drop and dust If we consider Men in the state of primitive Nature it is an evident Principle written in their Hearts with characters of the clearest Light That 't is their most reasonable Duty entirely to renounce themselves and to devote themselves to the Glory of God But if we consider them as Creatures and Sinners that can assume nothing as their own but their Sins and Miseries the penal consequents of them this will humble us below the Brutes who never transgress'd the order of their Creation We are less than the least of all God's Mercies and our Sins deserve the heaviest of his Judgments Consider the Men that most excel others are as naked of Natural Good as destitute of Moral and Spiritual Good as others Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights And as those are the best Gifts that come from him in that notion so they are most depending upon him and are continued by irradiations from him There is a difference between the impressions of Sounds and the emanations of Light in the Air. Sounds are propagated by successive motion from one part of space into another after the first cause the sounding instrument is silent But a line of Light extended through the Air depends intirely and necessarily upon the original point of Light from whence it proceeds The Rays of Light that fill the Air in the first instant that the Sun withdraws from the Horison all vanish Thus all Spiritual Gifts depend continually upon the influxive presence of God Now how can we be proud of his most precious Gifts of which we make a forfeiture and cannot possess without Humility The most eminent advantages which some have above others are the shining marks of his Bounty How absurd is it for one to boast of Wealth who daily lives upon Alms The more we receive the higher are our Obligations and the more heavy will be our account The Mind is darken'd with the thickest dregs of ignorance that no Light can penetrate that arrogates the Honour of his free Favours and bountiful Hand to the Creature To be more instructive let us Consider what are the usual Incentives of Pride and we shall discover that Ignonorance and Vanity are always mixt with them Women by Mens Wretched Idolizing them are vainly proud of their Beauty and more jealous lest their Faces be deform'd than their Souls Now what is Flesh and Blood but a mixture of Earth and Water What is Beauty a superficial Appearance a Flower blasted by a thousand Accidents How soon are the Colours and Charms of the Face vanisht How often does it betray them to those Sins that are signally punisht with the foulest deformity and rottenness The most beautiful are not less Mortal than others they must shortly be the prey of Death and pasture of Worms and can such a fading Toy inspire Pride into them Some are swell'd with the Conceit of their Riches but this is very unreasonable for no external accession can add real value to a person Fools only worship a Golden Calf If any air of Pride rises in a Rich Possessor it may as justly provoke God to recal his Blessings as he liberally bestowed them Others presume upon the Nobility of their Extraction but whoever our more immediate Parents be if we ascend in our thoughts we must come to our grand Progenitor Adam the Son of the Earth and Fountain of Mankind All are Streams from him if some slide along in the low Grounds and some are received in Marble Repositories they all flow from the same Original How often do the Honourable tarnish the Colour and Lustre of their Blood by degenerous Actions How often are the Rich and Great forsaken of their Dependents and only attended by a train of Miseries maintain'd by their Expences Such Revolutions are not more strange than Eclipses are to the Moon Some are rais'd to the heighth of Secular Honour and there is nothing sends up more hot fuming and intoxicating Spirits than Soveraign Power Humility in a state of the highest Honour is a very rare vertue But there are many things which duly consider'd will lower the train of Pride even in Kings The Pre-eminence of external Order is seldom joyn'd with the Pre-eminence of inherent Excellencies How many wear Royal Crowns that are Slaves to their Lusts and govern others who cannot govern themselves Besides there is no Heighth and Eminence upon Earth but is encompast with precipices and perils The Throne leaves some and
in the scene of Fancy and the imagination of old Sins becomes a new Temptation and deeply stains their Minds And as 't is usual what pleases is favour'd and defended they by carnal Discourse pervert Scripture to countenance their Lusts which is the highest Wickedness 3. Spiritual Sins are most frequently committed being of quick dispatch without the toil of the Body From hence their number is as the Sand upon the Sea-shore They infinitely increase Mens accounts with the high and eternal Judge whose Understanding is as searching as 't is unsearchable The Judgment of the last Day is distinguished from the process of inferiour Humane Courts which are confin'd to take cognisance only of Mens intentions by overt acts for then there shall be a revelation of the thoughts and secrets of the Heart 4. Spiritual Sins are more incurable than those that are done by the Body For when the sensitive Faculties by Diseases and Age are disabled then the vicious habits of the Soul may be strongâ— and like the Poyson of a Serpent be more deadly by Age. Notwithstanding inward Pollutions induce such a Guilt yet Carnal Men are apt to think that till Sin be perfected in the gross act 't is not deadly And for this they pervert Scripture wherein 't is said That when Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when 't is finish'd brings forth Death But in God's sight the contemplative commission of â—in renders one as truly guilty as the actual and Consent to the doing it renders as obnoxious to his inlightened and impartial Tribunal as the Performance His pure and perfect Law the Rule of our Duty forbids all defilements fleshly and spiritual and that shall be the Rule of our Judgment And as the Soul is the first and principal agent in Sin it shall first receive the recompence of it In the interval between Death and the Resurrection while the Body is without sense in the Grave the Soul is tormented in Hell Before I proceed to the next Head it will be useful to add That many sincere Saints are in perplexity from the injections of Satan â—earing they arise from their own Hearts 1. They may be distinguish'd by their quality Unnatural Thoughts against our selves and blasphemous of God are usually from the Tempter 2. When they make terrible impressions upon our Spirits they are his fiery Darts For the native off-spring of our Hearts are conceived with freedom and complacency 3. They are our infelicities but induce no Guilt when resisted by us A Rape may be committed on the Mind and as the ravish'd Virgin that cryed out for rescue from Violence was declared by God himself innocent so when the tempted Soul with strong cryes prays for Divine Relief God will not say those terrible injections to our charge Our Saviour was tempted by the unclean Spirit yet was holy harmless and undefiled and has a compassionate tenderness for those who are tempted and will make them partake of the Fruits of his glorious Victory 'T is true if the injections of Satan are cherish'd by the Carnal Mind they are ours by adoption though of his begetting The Devil put in the Heart of Judas the design of betraying Christ but it was entertain'd by his Covetous Mind and involv'd him under the heaviest Guilt The inclinations of Carnal Men are to various Sins to which they are more inclinable by the Temptations of Satan but that does not excuse them from Guilt CHAP. V. The Perfection of Holiness Consider'd The Perfection of Innocence The Perfection of Grace The Perfection of Glory The Essential Perfection of Grace consists in Sincerity Constancy proceeds from it Integral Perfection Comparative Perfection Intellectual and Moral The threefold comparison of Moral Perfection Relative Perfection according to the Conditions of the Saints in this Life Absolute Perfection only attain'd in Heaven I Now come to Discourse of the Perfection of Holiness the sublime Object and Aim of the Desires and Endeavours of sincere Christians I shall premise there is a Threefold Perfection of Holiness spoken of in Scripture The perfection of Innocence the perfection of Grace and the perfection of Glory 1. The perfection of Innocence God made Man upright in the bright Image of his Holiness The Excellency of the Efficient Cause infers the Excellency of the Effect and the final Cause was for his own Glory and Man's Happiness in order to which he was endowed with those Moral Perfections as qualified him to obtain that end There was an exact Regularity in all his Faculties The inlightned Mind directed the Will the Will commanded the Affections the Affections rul'd the Senses He had power to stand but was free to Fall with his original perfection there was a possibility of sinning and dying The Eyes of his Mind were clear discovering his Duty and Felicity and the assisting Grace of God was like the Sun shining in the Air to actuate his visive Faculty but he wilfully shut his Eye and fell from that heighth of Happiness into a pit without a bottom 2. The perfection of Grace This in the Language of Scripture signifies uprightness and sincerity and is attributed to the Saints in several respects which I will particularly consider 3. The perfection of Glory This implies a Union of all Excellencies in a Soveraign Degree The Church in the present State is compared to the Moon that receives Light from the Sun in half its Globe but in the next State will be fill'd with Light as a Ball of Christal penetrated by the Sun Beams The Church shall be Glorious in Holiness without spot or wrinkle or any such thing Natural Righteousness was of short continuance as Nature left to it self always is but the Supernatural State is not only undefil'd but fades not away The perfection of Paradise was frail for Man in his best state was changing from this Root his Ruin sprang but the perfection of Heaven is immutable for there God is all in all His Influxive Presence is the Productive and Conservative Cause of their Holiness and Blessedness I will now Consider the perfection of Grace that is attributed to the Saints in the present state 1. There is an Essential perfection that Consists in the unchangable nature of things and is absolutely requisite to the kind A gradual perfection belongs to individuals and is various All Gold is not refin'd to the same degree and heighth of Purity but true Gold though in the lowest degree of fineness will endure the Furnace and the Touchstone and by that tryal is discern'd from Counterfeit Metal There are different degrees of active heat in Fire sometimes it Flames but always Burns if fed with Combustible matter Now the Essence of true Holiness consists in a Conformity to the Nature and Will of God whereby a Saint is distinguisht from the unrenewed World and is not acted by their Principles and Precepts not govern'd by their Maxims and Customs There are different degrees of Holiness in the Saints but Sincerity
in his dying Hour A sincere Life is attended with a happy Death and that is attended with a more happy Life God is the Rewarder of Moral Vertues with Temporal Blessings but he is the Eternal Reward of Godly Sincerity This is the first Notion of perfect Holiness in the present state 2. There is an Integral Perfection of Holiness that is an entire conjugation of all those Sanctifying Graces of which the Image of God Consists The New Creature in its forming is not like the effects of Art but the living productions of Nature A Sculptor in making a Statue of Marble finishes the Head when the other part is but rude stone But all the parts of a Child in the Womb are gradually form'd together till the Body is complete The Holy Spirit in renewing a Man infuses a universal habit of Holiness that is Comprehensive of all the variety of Graces to be Exercis'd in the Life of a Christian. As the Corrupt Nature stil'd the Old Man is complete in its Earthly Members all the Lusts of the Flesh both of the desiring and angry Appetite and disposes without the corrective of Restraining Grace the Natural Man to yield to all Temptations he will be Fierce with the Contentious Licentious with the Dissolute Intemperate with the Drunkard Lascivious with the Impure Impious with the Scorners of Religion Thus the Divine Nature stil'd the New Man is complete in all Spiritual Graces and inclines and enables the Sanctified to do every good Work The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Although they are distinguisht in their Activity and particular Objects yet they always are joyn'd in the same Subject and Concentre in God who is Immutably Holy and One. They are mixt in their Exercise without Confusion As in a Chorus the variety of Voices is Harmonious and Conspiring Spiritual Graces according to the degrees of their Perfection such is the degree of their Union Every real Saint is conform'd to Christ of whom he receives grace for grace There are Spiritual Gifts of Arbitrary Dispensation the word of Wisdom the word of Knowledge the gifts of Healing the works of Miracles are separately given But when the Spirit prepares a Soul for his Habitation he purifies it from Sin and adorns it with every Grace if there be a defect of any Grace the opposite Sin in its power remains in the Soul and makes it impossible for the Holy Spirit to dwell there 'T is to be observed that when a Promise is made to any particular Grace in Scripture that Grace is to be considered in union with other Graces Our Saviour tells us Whoever believes shall be saved And St. Paul inspired by the Spirit of our Saviour saith That Faith separate from Charity is of no avail for Salvation Though I have all Faith so that I could remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing A Faith that does not work by Love and is not productive of Obedience is of no saving efficacy St. James puts the Question What doth it profit my Brethren though a Man says he hath Faith and hath not Works Can Faith save him 'T is evident it does not For nothing asserts or denies more strongly than a Question He that does not by Faith in the Son of God live a holy Life must dye for ever St. John assures us That we are in a state of favour with God if we love the Brethren We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren But the sincerity of our Love to the Children of God is proved by our Love to God and keeping his Commandments and is inseparable from it Where-ever Salvation is promised to a particular Duty it must be understood in a collective sense We read Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved But a prevailing Prayer must proceed from a holy Person that keeps the Commands of God and does those things that are pleasing in his sight The Prayer must be mix'd with Faith and Fervency The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man avails much The connexion of saving Graces cannot be broken St. Peter excites us to give all diligence to add to our Faith in the Mysteries of Godliness Vertue an active power to render it lively and operative otherwise Faith is a mere speculative dead assent To Vertue Knowledge Prudence to direct its exercise in the seasons wherein and the manner how our Duties are to be performed To Knowledge Temperance to regulate our Appetites and Enjoyments in the use of things pleasing to the Senses To Temperance Patience to endure the Evils to which we are exposed in this lower state which is equally if not more necessary and excellent For Humane Nature is more affected and tempted by sharp Pains and Grief than delighted with Pleasure Without the exercise of these Graces our Religion will be by fits and flashes with interrupting intervals To Patience Godliness that is a respect to the Commands of God as our Rule and his Glory as our End that is distinguish'd from mere Morality that proceeds only from Humane Reason and respects the civil Happiness To Godliness Brotherly-kindness A sincere Love to all of the same Heavenly Extraction in whom the Image of God shines And to Brotherly-kindness Charity That extends to all the partakers of our common Nature All Spiritual Graces take their residence together in the Soul not one singly enters and keeps entire possession Our Saviour tells the young Man who had lived so regularly that he was lovely in his Eyes If thou wilt be perfect go and sell all and give to the Poor and come follow me He wanted Charity and Self-denyal to make his Obedience entire 3. There is a comparative Perfection This in Scripture is Intellectual or Moral 1. Intellectual Perfection The Apostle excites the Hebrews Wherefore leaving the Doctrine of the beginning of Christ let us go on to Perfection To more eminent degrees in the Knowledge of the Gospel both of the supernatural Doctrines of the Gospel or the Duties contained in it Of the first the Apostle is to be understood We speak Wisdom among those that are perfect That is declare Divine Mysteries to those who are prepared to receive them The Light of Nature declares the Being of God and his Essential Perfections Wisdom Power and Goodness shining in his Works but not his Counsels in order to our Salvation No Man hath seen God at any time The only begotten which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him There are some notices of Good and Evil of Vertue and Vice by the instructive Light of Reason but not sufficient to inform us of our full Duty The discovery of the purity and perfection of the Moral Law is from God The Gospel like a clear and equal Glass that discovers the beauties and blemishes of the Face makes known to us what defiles and
what beautifies the Soul Now 't is our Duty to increase in Knowledge both in the extent and degrees and in the quality and efficacy of it 1. In the extent and degrees There is a mutual dependance of Divine Truths one illustrates and infers another There is an harmonious agreement between them one supports another and 't is our Duty to apply our Minds intensely to understand them How many that have the Revelation of the Gospel are mean proficients in the School of Heaven Of these the Apostle speaks with reprehension They needed to be taught again the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are become such that had need of milk and not of strong meat Whereas others were come to full age and had their senses exercised to discern more perfectly good and evil How many Professors need the first Principles of Religion to be planted in them They pretend to exempt their Ignorance from discredit that it only belongs to the Ministers of the Word to study the Mysteries of Religion But 't is of infinite consequence they should be wise to Salvation Our Saviour tells us This is Life Eternal to know thee to be the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent The dispensation of the Gospel is a state of Perfection 'T is the full and final declaration of God's Will in order to our future Blessedness 'T is not a provisional establishment as the Levitical Law There is no other alliance to be made between God and Men no other Sacrifice to be offered for Sin All the Types and Prophesies are compleatly fulfilled in Christ. Now some understand more clearly and distinctly the contrivance and parts of our mysterious Redemption and are comparatively perfect All the Treasures of the World are in real value infinitely inferiour to saving Truths There may be Knowledge without saving Grace but no saving Grace without Knowledge The Understanding is the leading Faculty Conversion begins in the renewed Mind Ye were darkness now ye are light in the Lord. The Gospel cannot be profitable for our Holiness and Comfort but by the intervening of the inlightned applicative Understanding the Conscience that discovers the Will of God to us from whence our immediate obligation arises to obey it 'T is true some Doctrines of the Gospel are fundamental and some are perfective Some are not of that consequence and clearness as others and the Ignorance of them is not damning not the Knowledge of them saving But every Divine Truth is worthy of our attentive Consideration according to our Capacity for they contribute to our Perfection We should strive to advance in Knowledge that as the Sun gradually ascends the Horizon till it gives Light to the Day and Day to the World so our knowledge of Christ should be more clear and extensive till we are compleatly transformed into his glorious Image When we shall see him as he is we shall be intirely like him 2. As our Knowledge is more vital affective and practical 't is more perfective of us Divine Truths have a Goodness in them and are not duely known without a stedfast belief of their Truth and a just valuation of their Goodness when the conviction of the Mind and the consent of the Will is influential upon our Lives The knowledge of some things is merely speculative One knows that the Eclipse of the Sun is from the interposing of the Moon between that globe of Light and our sight and the Mind acquiesces in the Theory for 't is of no practical use But the knowledge that Sin separates between God and us and intercepts the Light of his Countenance from shining upon us is infinitely profitable to make us fearful to offend him that we may not be deprived of the joyful sense of his Love Spiritual Knowledge includes a correspondent permanent impression upon the Heart and in the Life to the nature of sanctifying Truths In civil matters there is a knowledge of discourse and direction and a knowledge of performance And in holy things there is a knowledge of apprehension and in words and a knowledge that orders the Conversation aright The first is not onely fruitless but accidentally pernicious according to Solomon's Expression he that increases knowledge increases Sorrow A smaller degree of knowledge of God and Christ that is productive of Love and Obedience is far more valuable than a more large and accurate knowledge of the Divine Attributes of the union of the Natures and Offices of Christ that is not fruitful in Good Works as a spot of Ground Cultivated according to its quality is more profitable than a large Field that lies Waste 2. Moral Perfection is evident by a Threefold Comparison 1. Of the Saints with visible Sinners 2. Of the Saints among themselves 3. Of some eminent acts of Grace with lower acts in the same kind 1. The Comparison of Saints with visible Sinners makes them appear as perfect 'T is true there is a mixture of Principles in the best here of Flesh and Spirit inherent Corruption and infus'd Grace and the operations flowing from them accordingly are mixt But as one who has not the brightest Colours of white and red in the Complexion appears an Excellent Beauty set off by the presence of a Blackmoor so the Beauty of Holiness in a Saint though mixt with blemishes appears complete when compar'd with the foul deformity of Sinners Thus the opposition between them is express'd He destroys the perfect and the wicked 'T is Recorded of Noah that he was a just and perfect man in his generation in an Age when Wickedness reign'd when Chastity was expell'd from the number of Vertues and Modesty was censur'd as a Vice when Impiety was arriv'd at the highest pitch and the Deluge was necessary to purge the World from such Sinners then the sanctity and piety of Noah shin'd as brightness issues from the Stars He appear'd perfectly good compar'd with the prodigiously bad 2. In comparing the Saints among themselves some are stil'd perfect There are different degrees among Sinners some are so dispos'd to Wickedness that they may be denominated from as many Vices that possess their Souls as the Evil Spirit in the man spoken of in the Gospel answer'd his name was Legion from the number of Devils that possess'd him They drive through all the degrees of Sin so violently and furiously that compar'd to them other Sinners seem Innocent and are far less obnoxious to Judgment Thus there are singular Saints whose Graces are so Conspicuous and Convincing and a universal Holiness appears in their Conversation as makes them venerable among the vicious Their presence will restrain the dissolute from Excesses either in Words or Actions as effectually as a Magistrate by the terror of his Power Other Saints though sincere yet there is such a mixture of Shades and Lights in their actions that they are in low esteem Compare meek Moses with the passionate Prophet Jonas who justified his anger to the
temptations from the prevalency of these motives upon Men in all places and times If these Methods are unsuccessful to turn Men from God he tryes to make terrible Impressions upon the Minds of Men by afflicting Evils by the rage of the perverse World Now Faith is the victorious Principle that defeats all his designs and overcomes all his strength In Mechanical Operations we judge by the force of the Mover how easily a weight will be moved Thus when Eternal Realities are by Faith put into the Scales against Temporal Vanities they infinitely outweigh them The Apostle makes a judicious comparison Our light Afflictions that are but for a moment work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory He extreamly vilifies things present and magnifies things future All that is pleasant or painful here is but for a moment and in true value is infinitely inferiour to the good things and the evil to come I count saith the Apostle the Afflictions of the present time are not to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed And since the impressions of Pain are incomparably stronger and more affecting Humane Nature than impressions of Pleasure one sharp Pain deads the sensitive Faculties to the most vehement Pleasures We are assured by irresistible evidence that the Happiness of this World is in true value infinitely inferiour to the Happiness of the next The most pleasant things here cannot satisfie the narrow Faculties of Sense The Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing but the Favour of God and the blessed effects of it pass all Understanding our most comprehensive Faculty There is more Shadow than Light in our brightest Condition more Gall than Honey in our sweetest Fruitions But suppose the appearance of Worldly Happiness gilded with specious tinctures were truly great and goodly joyful and satisfying according to the Fancies of Carnal Men yet the Price would extreamly fall by considering they are of no longer continuance than the flight and expiring Breath of our present Life The Glory of this World is like a flash of Lightning in its appearing and vanishing The longest Line of Time from its first rise to its last period is but a point to Eternity Now that Happiness which is fading is not true Happiness in its own Nature nor correspondent to our reasonable Desires For the apprehension of its approaching end will imbitter the relish of the present enjoyment But the Happiness of the next Life is doubly infinite in the degrees and duration The least part of that Happiness is a perfect freedom from any touch or shadow of Evil. Humane Language has not words worthy or fully significant to describe it God who is an infinite Good and Goodness communicates himself to the immortal Soul according to its utmost Capacity and Desires It seems impossible for Men to offer such violence to their Understandings as calmly considering and in cold blood to prefer the Fashion of this World that passes away before the perfect and unchangeable Happiness in the next World 2. According to the degrees of our assent to future eternal things such is their victorious power in our Souls The objective efficacy of things is not from their existence but from their evidence to our Minds Now according as our Apprehensions are more clear and our Belief more stedfast of things future such impressions are made either of terrour or desire in our Breasts The Apostle defines Faith to be The substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen It represents things future and distant as present and in our actual possession A superficial fluctuating belief of the good or evil things in the next state is of no force to encounter present Temptations and vanquish the Carnal Affections The report of the Senses concerning things present will preponderate the Authority of God's Word that declares things future infinitely to exceed them All Fire has Heat but not strong enough to melt down Gold and Silver There is an assent in every degree of Faith but not able to overcome the World A radicated firm belief of the infallible Truth the transcendent Goodness and our sure right in Heavenly things will cause all the false colours of this World the shadows in masquerade to disappear The evidence and importance of things fixes our Resolutions to adhere to them The Son of a King and Heir of a Kingdom will invincibly assert the truth of his Relation and Title A sincere Believer of the Heavenly Glory and his Eternal Interest in it will live in that Faith and dye in it and dye for it if necessity require The belief of it has a vital taste a Joy sincere and sweet that makes the pleasant temptations of the World nauseous As Faith is the foundation and basis of Hope 't is the substance of things hoped for so Hope is reciprocally as a strong Pillar that establishes the basis upon which 't is fix'd For one voluntarily and stedfastly believes that which is for his advantage and comfort The serious belief of the prepared Plagues for those who are unfaithful to God and their Souls hereafter will make all the Evils threatened and inflicted upon the godly here to be contemptible If we are surrounded with an army of Evils let Faith draw forth the Powers of the World to come we shall be more than Conquerors There are many Temptations we cannot avoid there are none but we may vanquish by the Power of Faith The Fear of God like Aaron's Rod turned into a Serpent that swallowed up the Rods of the Magicians will over-rule the Fear of Men and make those Evils that to naked Nature are invincible easily endur'd This is evident from the Courage and Constancy of the Martyrs who despised the proudest Tyrants upon their Thrones and the most cruel Executioners upon the Scaffold The effects of Faith in the time of its triumph If the same Objects have not the same efficacy in the Minds of Men 't is for want of Faith If Faith declines we shall faint and dye away Peter walk'd on the Sea while he relyed on the Word of Christ but when a blast of Wind shook his Faith he presently sunk The Apostles doubted of Christ's Power when a Storm fell upon the Ship Our Saviour first rebuk'd their Fear before he laid the Storm Why are ye afraid O ye of little Faith as a danger more near and of worse Consequence Let us try the singular efficacy of Faith by exercising of it upon eternal Objects Let our Faith represent to us in as lively a manner the eternal Judgment as Enoch had a prospect of it Behold the Lord comes with ten thousand of his Saints to judge all the ungodly Let Faith direct its view to him rending the Heavens and coming in his own Glory as the Son of God and in his Father's Glory as constituted by him to be Judge of the World and in the Glory of the mighty Angels his Attendants Let
universal Providence in the regular disposal of Natural Causes superiour middle and lowest in such a union that from the insuperable Discord of Natures the insuperable Concord of Operations proceeds for the preserving of the World The Afflictions of the Saints are medicinal to prevent or recover them from Sin And what Man of Understanding does not esteem his Physician that prescribes bitter Remedies for his Health before a Cook that prepares things pleasant to his Taste Faith sees the Love of a Father through a Cloud of Tears and that he is as gracious when he corrects us for our Transgressions as when he incourages us in his Service In the Sufferings of his People from the wickedness and wills of their Enemies his Wisdom and Power appear in ordering them for excellent Effects For the same things that increase the Guilt and Punishment of their Enemies increase the Graces and Reward of the Saints These light Afflictions that are but for a moment work out for them an exceeding eternal weight of Glory When all the Folds of Providence shall be opened we shall clearly understand every Dispensation was as it ought to be and for the best The belief of this is the reason of those Commands Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God And the Peace of God that passes understanding shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Jesus Christ. An unbelieving Heart anticipates future Evils exasperates present Evils and makes sharp reflections on past Evils It makes Men dead with Fear drunk with Sorrow mad with Oppression Faith in the gracious Providence of God frees us from vain fears sad prognosticks and the miserable perplexities that torment the Minds of Men. Musing on our Miseries is like chewing a bitter Pill that is readily swallowed by resignation to the blessed Will of God the Rule of Goodness Faith inlightens us to consider things with a rectified Judgment and not with the partiality of the Passions In the Churches extremity when the conspiring Enemies are great in numbers and power Faith raises the drooping Spirits If God be for us who can be against us When Antigonus was ready to ingage in a Sea-fight with Piâ—lomy's Armada and the Pilot cryed out How many are they more than we The couragious King replyed 'T is true if you count their numbers but for how many do you value me One God is All-sufficient against all the combin'd Forces of Earth and Hell We are therefore commanded to cast all our care on him for he cares for us 'T is very dishonourable to God to distrust him in doing our Duty For it proceeds either from a jealousie of his Goodness or low thoughts of his Power as if he were unable and unwilling to save us A prudent use of Means is requisite otherwise we do not trust but tempt his Providence There is a vicious Carelesness and a vertuous Care but diffident and anxious Cares as if all things run at random without the ordering of our Heavenly Father is not only fruitless but pernicious The Apostle tells the believing Hebrews Ye have need of Patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye may inherit the Promise Some Evils would admit of no Consolation without the Promise But the just shall live by Faith of God's presence with them to support and relieve them in their Sorrows and of a perfect and gracious deliverance out of them God will shortly put an end to the Malice of the Wicked and the Patience of the Saints In the next State when he has clear'd our sight we shall justifie his Wisdom and discover that all Events were divinely ordered and are beautiful to admiration Now in the Churches distress we are apt to say with Gideon If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us But then we shall turn the current of our wonder upon our Ignorance and Infidelity that notwithstanding the Evidence of the Word and the Experience of the Saints prove that God turns all Temporal Evils to their Spiritual Good yet we are unbelieving CHAP. VIII Love the leading Affection Men are distinguish'd by their Wills rather than by their Understandings Holy Love has the supremacy among other Graces The excellencies of Love specified Love to God the first Command in order and dignity The Causes and Properties of it considered The absolute and relative Perfections of God the motives of our Love The Benefits received from God in the order of Nature Creation and Preservation The Love of God appears in its full force in our Redemption We must learn of Christ how to love him Love must descend from God to our Neighbour 'T is commended in Scripture The extent and qualifications of it It must be sincere pure and fervent The forgiving Injuries an excellent effect of Love THE second particular Grace that we should strive to increase is Love 'T is the Apostle's Prayer for the Philippians That their Love may abound more and more in knowledge and all understanding Love is the affection of Union Of this we have an illustrious Instance recorded in Scripture That the Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own Soul Love is to be directed to a double Object God and our Neighbour I will consider the excellency of this sanctified Affection and its exercise and reference to the supreme and subordinate Objects of it 'T is requisite to premise that Love is the leading Affection that draws the whole train with it not only Desire and Joy that are of near alliance with it but Anger and Hatred between which Affections and Love there is a repugnance and entire opposition are inseparable from it For aversion and flight from Evil proceeds from the love of some Good that the Evil deprives us of From hence it follows that 't is a matter of the highest Consequence by Wisdom discreet and severe to direct our Love to worthy Objects Love is the principle of all the Passions and either sanctifies and refines them from the reliques of carnal infection or seduces and corrupts them The Mind is so clouded by Carnal Love and over-rul'd by pleasant Error that it prefers sensual Happiness before spiritual that is suitable to the nature and dignity of the Soul If the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness The Angels of Light are distinguish'd from the Angels of Darkness not so much by Knowledge and Power as by Love and Holiness The Devils are immortal Spirits but under the tyrannous power of Hatred and Revenge of Envy and Malice which are their Sins and Torment Men are not distinguish'd so much by their Understandings as their Wills not meerly by Knowledge but Love the first act of the Will the Faculty that rules in Man and obeys God There may be knowledge of the Divine Law and an approving it by those who do not practise it For the
Contemplation of its Goodness and Equity constrains the Mind to assent to it From hence we may infallibly inferr that the radical difference and distinguishing character between a Saint and one in the state of polluted Nature is the affection of Love with respect to its objects and degrees Love to God as our sovereign Happiness is the immediate Cause of our Conversion and Re-union with him Love to vicious Objects or when with an intemperate current it descends to things not deserving its ardent degrees alienates the Heart from God Holiness is the order of Love The excellency of holy Love will appear in the following Considerations 1. Love has the supremacy among all the Graces of the Spirit This in the most proper sense is the Fire our Saviour came to kindle on the Earth The Apostle declares that Charity is greater than Faith and Hope which are Evangelical Graces of eminent usefulness For 1. 'T is the brightest part of the Divine Image in us God is Love 'T is the most adequate Notion of the Deity and more significant of his blessed Nature than any other single Attribute The most proper and honourable Conception we can form of the Deity is Love directed by infinite Wisdom and exercised by infinite Power Faith and Hope cannot be ascribed to God they imply imperfection in their Nature and necessarily respect an absent Object Now all things are present to the Knowledge of God and in his Power and Possession But Love is his Essential Perfection the productive Principle of all Good Love transforms us into his likeness and infuses the divinest temper into the Soul In the acts of other Graces we obey God in the acts of Love we imitate him This may be illustrated by its contrary There are Sins of various kinds and degrees Spiritual and Carnal Spiritual such are Pride malignant Envy irreconcilable Enmity delight in Mischief which are the proper Characters of the Devil and denominate Men his natural Sons Carnal Sins which the Soul immerst in Flesh indulges all riotous Excesses Intemperance Incontinence and the like of which a meer Spirit is not capable denominates Men the Captives and Slaves of Satan Now Spiritual Sins induce a greater guilt and deeper pollution than Carnal The exacter resemblance of the evil one makes sinful Men more odious to God 2. Love is more extensive in its influence than Faith and Hope their operations are confin'd to the Person in whom they are The Just lives by his own Faith and is saved by his own Hope without communicating Life and Salvation to others But 't is the spirit and perfection of Love to be beneficial to all Love comforts the afflicted relieves the indigent directs those who want Counsel 'T is the vital cement of Mankind In the Universe Conversation and reciprocal Kindness is the Blood and Spirits of Society and Love makes the circulation 3. Love gives value and acceptance to all other Gifts and Graces and their operations The Apostle tells us Though I have the gift of Prophestes and understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge though I have all Faith and could remove mountains and have not Charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my Goods to feâ—d the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing Without Charity Faith is but a dead assent Hope is like a Tympany the bigger it grows the more dangerous it proves The most diffusive Beneficence without Love is but a sacrifice to Vanity 'T is not the richness of the Gift but the love of the giver that makes it accepted and rewarded in Heaven The Widows two Mites cast into the Treasury of the Temple were of more value in our Saviour's account than the rich Offerings of others For she gave her Heart the most precious and comprehensive Gift with them The giving our Bodies to be burned for the truth and glory of the Gospel is the highest expression of Obedience which the Angels are not capable of performing yet without Charity Martyrdom is but a vain-glorious blaze and the sealing the Truth with our Blood is to seal our Shame and Folly Sincere Love when it cannot express it self in suitable effects has this priviledge to be accepted in God's sight as if it were exuberant and evident in outward actions for God accepts the Will for the Deed If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to what a Man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. Love is the perfection of the Law the sum and substance of every Precept All particular Duties though distinguished in the matter are united in Love as their principle and centre St. Austin observes That all other Vertues Piety Prudence Humility Chastity Temperance Fortitude are Love diversified by other names Liberal Love gives supplies to the Poor patient Love forgives Injuries Love is the end and perfection of the Gospel Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Some restrain the word Commandment to the Law thinking that the Gospel is only compounded of Promises But they misunderstand the difference between the two Covenants 'T is not in that the one commands and the other does not command but in the nature of the Duties commanded The Law commands to do for the obtaining of Life the Gospel commands to believe for Salvation This is the command of God that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the Apostle used for the Doctrine of the Gospel As the end of a Science or Art is the perfection of the Understanding in those things which are the proper subject of the Science The end of Philosophy is Knowledge and Moral Vertue the end of Rhetorick is Eloquence Thus the end of the Gospel the Divine Doctrine of our Salvation is Love a Coelestial Perfection Faith in the redeeming Mercy of God is the product of the Gospel not of the Law and Love is the end of Faith Now the end is more excellent than the means to obtain it In this respect Love is greater than Faith Briefly Love is stil'd the Bond of Perfection as it unites and consummates other Graces comprehends and fastens them Love to God draws forth all the active powers of the Soul in Obedience He that with a full and fervent Will applyes himself to his Duty will more easily pleasantly and exactly perform it The Love of God will form the Soul into a more entire conformity to his Nature and obedience to his Law and raise it to a greater eminency of Holiness than the clearest knowledge of all Precepts and Rules can do 4. Love never fails The Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are dispensed and continued according to our different states Some are necessary in the present state of the Church with respect to our Sins and Troubles from which there is no perfect freedom here Repentance is
a Duty of constant revolution for while we are cloathed with frail Flesh in many things we offend all He is the best Saint who seldom falls and speedily rises What Tertullian said of himself is applicable to all We are born for Repentance What is more becoming a Christian while so many defects and defilements cleave to him than a mournful sense of them This in our dying Hours will make our Redeemer more precious to us and our relyance upon his Merits and Mediation more comfortable Repentance should accompany us to the Gates of Heaven But Repentance ceases for ever when there is entire Innocence Faith is as necessary as Life for we are justified by it from the Condemnation of the Law But in the future state there is no use of it for in Heaven all Sins are pardoned and in Hell no Sins are forgiven Faith gives us the prospect of Heaven Hope waits for it but Love alone takes the possession Faith reslgns to fruition Hope vanishes in the Enjoyment of our desir'd Happiness but Love is in its Exaltation The Graces requisite for our Militant State are Spiritual Armour the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Hope and when our Warfare is ended they are useless But Love and Peace and Joy are Robes suitable to our Triumphant State 'T is true there are some acts of Love that suppose Want and Misery as acts of Bounty and Compassion for there are no Objects in Heaven to whom they may be express'd Perfect Happiness excludes all Evil. But Love in its Nature implies no Imperfection and is Eternal as the Soul the Subject in whom it Reigns and as God and the Blessed Spirits the Objects upon whom 't is Conversant In Heaven 't is more pure and refin'd Here the Love of God takes its rise from the Love of our selves there 't is principally for the amiable Excellencies inherent in himself Here the Love of the Saints is not absolutely pure but in Heaven whatever is desireable in Love is continued and what is Carnal and defiling is purg'd away The smoaky Fire is chang'd into a Spiritual Flame The Acts of it are more intense and the Exercise is without interruption In Heaven the Saints are enlightned with Knowledge from the Father of Lights and inflam'd with Love from God who is Love the more fully he is enjoy'd the more fervently he is loved Without Love there can be no Felicity in Heaven for as Desire without Fruition is a Torment so Possession without Delight is Stupidity The Joy of Heaven arises either from the direct Fruition of God or from the reflection upon the Happiness communicated to the Saints and Love is the Cause of that Joy Love to Corporeal things often declines in our possessing them for Curiosity is soon cloyed and Experience discovers the Imperfections that were conceal'd and according to the cooling of Love is the lessening of Joy From hence proceeds distasts and a sickle slight from one thing to another without ever receiving any Satisfaction But the amiable Perfections of God are truly Infinite and the more clear the Vision the more satisfying the Fruition is The Brightness and Influence of the Divine Presence maintains equal Love and Joy in the Blessed According to the degrees of Excellency in the Object and the vigorous Exercise of the comprehensive Faculties the Understanding and Will upon it such is our Felicity When the Beams of God's Face are received into the prepar'd Soul 't is ravished with unspeakable Sweetness and Security in his ever-satisfying Goodness and Beauty The perfect and mutual Love of the Saints causes a full overflowing Joy in Heaven Sincere Love is always Benevolent and according to its Ardency is the desire of the Happiness of those who are the Objects of it From hence the delight of the Saints above is redoubled by the sense of their Personal Happiness and the reflexion upon the happiness of all that blessed Society who are cemented by that dear Affection Sorrow is allayed by the Sympathy of our Friends but Joy is heightned by Communication Sorrow like a Stream divided in many Channels runs more Shallow but Joy like a Sun-beam reflects with more intense Heat from the Breast of one endear'd to us by Love In Heaven there is an Eternal Extasie of Love and Joy I shall now proceed to Consider our Love to God which is the First and Great Command in Order and Dignity 'T is the universal Command that binds all Persons and in all times Some precepts are particular and respect the several Relations of men either Natural Civil or Spiritual Other Commands though General yet are to be perform'd in special Seasons Prayer is a universal Duty for all are in a state of dependance upon God and 't is the appointed means to obtain his Favour and Benefits 't is a Duty of daily Revolution for we continually stand in need of his tender and powerful Providence to bestow good things and avert evil but this not to be our perpetual Exercise For there are other Duties to which we must attend that require a great part of our time If there be a disposition in the Heart an aptness for that Holy Duty though the Season be distant 't is sufficient for our Acceptance with God But Love in all periods of Time must be in Act for Obedience must ever be practis'd and that is animated by the Love of God the Spring and Soul of it The Life of a Christian is a continual Exercise of humble grateful and dutiful Love I will consider the Causes and Properties of this Sanctified Affection Love is an Affection drawn forth by Desire in the absence of its Object resting in Complacency when the Object is present The attractive of it is Goodness which implies a convenience and agreement between the Object and the Faculty The Appetite is excited by the apprehension In the Sensitive Nature without Perception and Agreement there can be no desire and delight The Eye is not pleas'd with the most exquisite Musick being undiscernible and unsuitable to it The Ear though exactly temper'd is not affected with Light the first and fairest of Sensitive Beauties for every sense has its proper Object to which 't is Confin'd and cannot perceive or taste any pleasure in another And such is the frame of the Humane Soul the inlightened Understanding instructs and excites the Will to esteem and love choose and embrace God as the Supreme Good for his absolute inherent Perfections and his Relative Attributes whereby he is infinitely the best and most aimiable Being in himself and the most beneficial to us The internal Perfections of the Deity though they are all the same Divine Nature for otherwise they could not be truly Infinite yet we may conceive as distinguisht in a threefold order either as Natural or Intellectual or Moral Natural Perfections Self-Existence Eternity Immensity Omnipotence Intellectual Perfections Knowledge comprehensive of all things that are and all things within the possibility of Being Wisdom sufficient
the same Spiritual Family This Affection proceeds from the upper springs of Grace the exercise of it is immediately terminated on Men but ultimately respects the Glory of God for whose sake 't is performed To do good and distribute forget not for with such Sacrifice God is well-pleased In short our Love to God must be supream and for himself our Love to Men and other things only in the degrees he allows and not for themselves but for God who commands to love them as they bear his Image or are instrumental in the performance of our Duty Otherwise we are in danger of being alienated from the Love of God when any person or thing becomes a Temptation to us to do any thing either to obtain or preserve them against his Will But if we love them only for his sake we shall readily part with them as a Snare or offer them as a Sacrifice if his Will requires it As if we love some particular Meat because 't is healthful and not because 't is pleasant upon the first discovery that 't is hurtful we shall reject it The properties of this Love are specified in the Command 1. It must be sincere The Apostle directs Let Love be without dissimulation Love is essentially sincere 't is seated in the Heart and express'd in real actions 't is cordial and operative There is an empty noise of Love and Respects that proceeds from a double Heart not entire and ingenuous Some by fair Promises work and wind Men to obtain their Ends and then slip through them How often are the sincere deceiv'd by the liberal expressions of Love untryed and untrue mistaking a shining Counterfeit for a real Ruby But though the Humane Eye cannot see through the disguise he that commands sincere Love pierces into the Heart and if it be wanting there his Anger burns against the vain pretenders to it Some will seem to grace others with a flourish of words that they may tax them more freely and without suspicion To praise without a ground of real worth is sordid Flattery but to commend with a mischievous intent is the worst Treachery Some will assist the Sick day and night and seem to sympathize with them in their Pains and Sorrows but their design is to obtain a rich Legacy They appear like mourning Doves but are real Vulturs that smell a Carcass to feed on There are others less guilty who esteem empty Complements to be Courtly Decencies and though 't is not their design to be injurious to those whom they caress yet their Love is only from the Tongue which in the Apostle's expression is but a tinkling Cymbal Their pretended Friendship is like Leaf-Gold very extensive but soon worn off for want of depth Others are Mercenaries that like the Heathens do Good to those from whom they receive Good their Love degenerates into Traffick and does not proceed from a Divine Principle Ingenuous and Christian Spirits have not such crooked Inclinations always reflecting upon their own Interest 'T is true Christian Love declares it self in alternate acts of Kindness but is also exercised where there are no such inducements This is to imitate our Heavenly Father who does good to all without any desert in the receivers and beyond all requital Affliction is the Furnace wherein sincere Friends are tryed and discern'd from the deceitful their Afflictions are common their Compassions and cordial assistance are common This is the most certain and significant Character of unfeigned Love not to fail in a calamitous season Job aggravates his Sorrows by this reflection that his Friends dealt deceitfully as Brooks that run in a full stream in Winter when Snow falls and there is no want of refreshing Waters but when 't is hot they are dryed up and vanish We may securely rely on their Friendship who afford us undesir'd supplies in time of trouble The Observation of the wise Philosopher is verified in every Age That Men in a flourishing condition are surrounded with Friends but in an afflicted are forsaken This Consideration should inflame us with a holy ambition of the friendship of God for his sincere Love is most tenderly express'd in our distress The Psalmist enforces his Request by this motive Be not far off for trouble is near 'T is often seen that Men fly from their Acquaintance when the clearest tryal is to be made of their Affection but then the blessed God draws nearest to us and affords Relief and Comfort 2. Our Love must be pure Seeing you have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure Heart fervently The purity of Love either respects the cause of it or the exercise and effects of it The cause of pure Love is the Divine Command and the Divine Pattern set before us The Love of God to Men is a leading Rule to us He loves them according to the resemblance of his imitable Perfections in them and consequently the more holy and heavenly the more righteous and gracious Men are the more they should be endear'd to our Affections This is to love God in them and according to their true lovelyness This is to love them by the impression of that Love wherewith God loves himself Our Saviour tells us They that do his Father's Will are his Brothers Sisters and Mothers There is an impure Love that proceeds from the similitude of vicious Affections and is entertain'd by sinful Society that is fatally contagious The Tempter most forcibly allures when he is least suspected He conceals the Serpents Sting in the Tongue of a Friend The Friendship of the World is contracted and cemented by sensual Lusts and the end of it will be the tormenting the Corrupters and the Corrupted together for ever The exercise and effects of pure Love principally respect the Soul the more excellent and immortal part of our Friends We are commanded to exhort one another while 't is called to day and to provoke one another to love and good works Exhortation includes Instruction and Admonition The giving Counsel how to preserve the Purity and secure the Salvation of the Soul how to prevent Sin or to cure it by the conviction of Conscience when ignorant of its Duty by the excitation of the Affections when cold and sluggish and direction to order the Conversation aright The performance of this Duty is inseparable from pure and unfeigned Love and the neglect of it is an argument of deadly Hatred Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart nor suffer Sin to lye upon him If you discover any prognostick or symptom of a Disease growing in a Friend that threatened his Life what a cruel neglect were it not to advise and urge him to apply the best means for his preservation Much more are we obliged to rectifie the Errors in Judgment and Miscarriages in Conversation which they are guilty of especially since Spiritual
the Gospel it produces earnest inclinations and hopes of partaking of it 2. 'T is very congruous to our present state Love in its perfection is the Grace of Heaven where God exhibits his Brightness and Beauty without a Veil to the Saints This is above our Conception and Capacity here Fear sometimes degenerates and has a servile aspect on Punishment which is consistent with the love of Sin Hope of the Happiness to which we aspire is not so elevated as Love nor so low as Fear but very becoming the Breast of a Christian We are now in a state of expectancy in a middle state between the two Worlds Hope is the proper Grace to be exercised here This gives us the foretaste of the Fruits of Paradise 'T is of no use to those who are possess'd of Happiness and those are incapable of it who are Miserable without Remedy As Shadows vanish at Mid-day and at dark-night so Hope ceases in Heaven for 't is accomplish'd in full Fruition it never enters into Hell for 't is extinguish'd in Despair In the Glorious Light above the Perfection of Hope is obtain'd the blackness of Darkness below excludes the least glimmering of Hope to refresh the Horrors of the Place 3. 'T is a necessary Grace in our present State of Tryal We are surrounded here with many Temptations some Inviting and Alluring some Forcible and Terrifying the Pleasures of Sin and the Terrors of the Persecuting World to make us desert our Duty and be unfaithful to God and our Souls Now Hope is our helmet and breast-plate the principal parts of defensive Armour to preserve us invulnerable in the heat of Battle 'T is the Anchor of the Soul sure and stedfast that enters within the veil and is fix'd on the immortal Shore though we are liable to Storms it secures us from Shipwrack It gives Cordial Spirits and Coelestial Vigour to a Christian. The Apostle who had seen the Glory of Heaven and had suffer'd the Rage of the perverted World in Combination with Satan to Extinguish the Light of the Gospel declares I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us The hope of the Reward was so Comfortable to St. Peter he slept securely when Condemn'd to dye next day the brightness of an Angel could not wake him without a blow on the side It sweetens all the sharp and bitter Accidents that befal us and mixes reviving drops with our deepest Sorrows We rejoyce in the hope of glory Joy is the affection of Prosperity Hope of all the joyful Affections is consistent with the most afflicting Evils and makes us happy here Our Saviour pronounces Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven This chang'd the Persecutions of the Martyrs into Pleasures Those who are encouraged by this blessed Hope no Loss can make Poor no Disease can make Sick no Disgrace can make Contemptible no Misery can make Miserable It has a Soveraign Strength to support us under all the Evils Malice can do and Innocence suffer Now if the hope of Heaven can make all the Evils of this World tractable and easie much more will it make all its good things despicable for we are far more capable of afflicting Impressions than of joyful Set the Beam right and put into one Scale all the Treasures and Honours and Delights of the present World and in the other the lively Hope of Heaven they are of no more value or moment in Comparison than Feathers in one Scale against Talents of Gold in another 'T is true Carnal Men feel not the attractive Force of the blessed Rewards above for 't is Spiritual and Future but when they shall be releas'd from the narrow Confinement of Flesh and shall understand things by another way than the report of the Senses their inlightned active Spirit will tear and torment them for preferring vanishing shadows before Substantial and Eternal Blessedness the Sense of it will cause extreme Sorrow for their loss of Heaven and Indignation for others obtaining it Our Saviour tells the Infidel Jews When ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and your selves thrust out there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth In short Hope is of excellent use to encourage our faint languishing Affections when we are assaulted with Evils and to compose and order the impetuous Passions when they are strongly excited by the Temptations of what is pleasant to the Fleshly Lusts. 2. Divine Hope is distinguish'd from Carnal Presumption by its inseparable Effect our Purifying Hope is an exciting Principle that draws forth all the Active Powers for the obtaining a desir'd Good 'T is the inward Spring of fervent Desires and reviving Joys and consequently of Zealous Endeavours We are begotten to a lively hope 't is a substantial vigorous Grace I press forward for the high price of our Calling saith the Apostle Vain and Groundless Hopes are inspirations of Wind loose and ineffective The principal effect of Christian Hope is specified he purifies himself I shall but glance upon this having largely discours'd of it already He purifies himself by the assistance of the Holy Spirit from whom the Spiritual Life and all the Operations of it proceed The extent of this Purifying is comprehensive of the outward and inward Man from sinful Inclinations and vitious Acts from Carnality and Hypocrisie The continuance of this purifying must be till we are cleansed from every spot and become glorious in holiness We are contracting defilements every day and need the constant influence of Divine Grace to preserve and restore our Purity Our Saviour tells Peter He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet but is clean every whit and ye are clean but not all 'T is an allusion to the Custom in the Eastern Countrys where they Travell'd in Sandals and had their Feet soil'd with the Dust or Sand that requir'd washing upon their coming into a House In the Renovation of a Sinner all the Faculties are purified though not perfectly and 't is requisite he should daily cleanse himself from the Reliques of Sin The Regular Hope of Heaven has a cleansing Efficacy from the quality of the Object the Enjoyment of the Holy God Now whoever has a prospect of a desireable Good in future Expectation will endeavour if possible to have present Possession and consequently he that hopes to be intirely like to Christ in Heaven will strive to be as like him as he is capable in this Life If we did expect a Paradise of Sensual Pleasures we might without Contradiction by an impure Indulgence gratifie our Carnal Appetites but the State of future Blessedness is signified by the Apostle that God shall be all in all The Communication of God to the blessed may in some degree be conceiv'd by those Titles that are attributed to him indistinctly to the
By inquiring whether we are proceeding to Perfection 2. Propound Directions how we should follow it 1. I shall lay down some Rules whereby we may discern whether we are proceeding to Perfection 'T is requisite to premise there may be an easie mistake in the Judgment about the truth and strength of Grace in Mens Souls Indeed there are clear and plain Rules in Scripture to judge of our Spiritual State but the dark and crooked Hearts of Men misapply them Carnal Men are apt to mistake Presumption for Faith and think the bolder they are in presuming without a Promise the stronger they are in believing They mistake a fruitless sorrow for Sin to be Repentance They sin and repent and after Repentance they sin and walking in a circle of Repentings and Relapsings take not one step towards Heaven But real Saints are often complaining of their want of Grace and condemning themselves for their not improving the Means of Grace Their desires are ardent and ascending to Perfection and they judge of their defects by that Measure He that Sails before the Wind in a River and sees men walking on the Shore to his Eye they seem to stand still because of the swift motion of the Boat Thus the Saints judge of their Imperfections by the swiftness of their desires after compleat Holiness I shall lay down two general Rules of Trial concerning growth in Grace and proceed to particular discoveries 1. The Vanquisting of Sin is a certain indication of the Power of Grace During the present Life from its first rise to its last fall the Corruption of Nature in some degrees remains in the Saints The flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh that we cannot do the things we would Now the strength of Sin is discover'd by the readiness of the heart to a Temptation Some are entangled at the first sight of a pleasant Object The Tempter needs not raise a battery against them for the treacherous Party within opens the Gates of the Senses to receive his Temptations Others though unrenewed by Sanctifying Grace yet there is in them such a resistance between the Law of the Mind and the Law of the Members such a conflict between Conviction and Corruption that they resolve to forsake Sin and by Restraining Grace are in some Instances kept from doing it but ordinarily when Temptations are very inviting they consent and commit Sin Nay the Saints are sometimes surpriz'd and soil'd by the Tempter David by a sudden glance was overcome and fell into a Sin of a very foul Nature Petâ—â— at the challenge of a Servant denied his Master and was almost frozen to death with Fear 'till the compassionate Eye of our Saviour warm'd and melted him into tears of Repentance To prevent Mistakes it must be consider'd that the ceasing from the acts of Sin does not always proceed from victorious Grace In the absence of alluring Objects there is a ceasing from the vicious acts but the sinful Affections may be then most intense as Hunger is more sharp in a time of Famine when there is no Food to satisfie it and Thirst in a Wilderness where there are no Springs or Fruits to refresh it is more burning and tormenting Sometimes through Impotence or Age Men are disabled from doing the Sin they still Love As a Disease causes such a distast of pleasing Meats and Drinks that an intemperate Person is forced to abstain from them Sometimes a Man from his Constitution may be averse from a particular lust without a Spiritual Change in the Heart Some are frightned from Sin by the Terrors of Conscience they dare not drink the pleasant Wines from an abhorrence of the dregs at the bottom and others are allur'd from a Sin by a new Temptation But Spiritual Mortification consists in this the Carnal Affections are Spiritualiz'd Sensual Love is fastâ—ed upon the Beauty of Holiness Covetous Desires change their Objects and are ardent after the Treasures of Heaven and the dearest Lusts are kill'd Now the more easie frequent and clear the victory over Sin is in proportion Grace is advanc'd in the Soul and its power is seen Every Renewed Person is a Soldier under the illuminating Conduct and Empire of the Spirit and acquires new strength by every new Victory over the Carnal part Sometimes the Carnal Appetite so strongly sollicits the Will to consent to a proposal that 't is wavering and although the Inclination does not proceed to the act of Sin and the Conception be Abortive the Victory is then imperfect and oâ—tain'd with difficulty There are lingering Inclinations still woâ—king in our Hearts towards present and sensible things but when Grace is in the Throne it enables a Man freely and readily to resist those enticing Objects that ravish the Carnal Affections We have an admirable Instance of this in Joseph when tempted to Folly by his Mistress he presently and constantly rejected her Importunity and repeated Sollicitations and as Paul easily shook the Viper from his Hand into the Fire without hurt so he preserved his Purity untainted This argued the dominion Grace had over the sensual Appetite The more frequent our prevalency over Temptations is argues the strength of Sin is broken and the firmer radication and vigour of the Divine Nature As the house of Saul grew weaker every day the house of David grew stronger As the old Man decays the new Man increases in strength The more compleat the victory is over Sin the more clear indication we have of the power of Grace The compleatness either implies the extent of the victory over the whole body of Sin all the Lusts of the desiring and angry Appetites when no Sin is indulged though pleasant and profitable and though it may seem never so small for the Command of God is strict and severe against every Sin as it was against the Amalekites all must be destroyed Indeed no Sin is truly subdued but all are in some degrees mortified Or the compleatness of the victory implies not only the abstaining from the outward act but the mortifying of the inward Affections the first seeds of Sin In short the excellent degree of Grace is most evident in destroying the select and superiour Lust that leads and animates many other as the honour and greatness of a Victory is from the strength of the Enemy that is vanquished And the power of Grace is discovered in securing us from being foil'd by sudden unexpected Temptations We read of the Tempter He came to our Saviour but found nothing in him and could not fasten any impression on him 'T is true 't is morally impossible to attain to this Perfection to be always watchful in this state of frail Flesh then militant Holiness would be triumphant But it should be our earnest endeavour to be so fortified by holy Resolutions and so vigilant that though we are surrounded by innumerable Enemies we may not be surprised by them The present reward of subduing Carnal Lusts exceeds all
Instance is this Folly more visible than in neglecting the working out their own Salvation till Time and Grace are past when no person can assure himself of the next Minute They presume upon such a remote possibility that after the best of their days are spent in the Vanities and Business of the World there will be time to do the one thing necessary How many are dispatch'd to the Grave and Hell in the midst of their hopes of long Life and their resolutions of future Repentance Death often steals upon Men unobserv'd and sometimes unfelt Now since Time is so short and slippery and Life is dying every day it is astonishing that so many are careless of securing future Blessedness But suppose their Time is lengthened out how is the difficulty increas'd of their being renewed and reformed in their Hearts and Conversations The natural vicious Inclinations by custom in Sin are confirm'd Habits their Passions are more violent the power and liberty of the Mind is broken and cannot reduce them under the empire of Reason Men think there will be an ebbing and retiring of their Carnal Affections in Age when the sensitive Faculties are disabled from the gross acts of Sin but vicious desires are not cur'd by Impotence The love to Sin increases by the repeated pleasure of it Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye that are accustomed to do evil do well By Custom Mens Lusts are more rebellious to Reason more untractable to Discipline more a verse from holy Counsel The good or the evil Habits of one Age are with their Vertues and Vices transfus'd to the next 'T is extraordinary when an evil Child becomes a sober modest Youth or a dissolute Youth becomes a religious Man Childhood is as the Seed in whose Vertue the Tree of Life is contain'd The Characters that are cut in the Bark when the Tree grows deeply and visibly remain 'T is as painful as Death to change a sinful Life of many Years and begin a contrary course of Actions There are two branches of Folly visible in the World Men will not do when they can and afterwards cannot do when they would Besides the Holy Spirit is griev'd and quench'd by their resisting his pure motions and if he be withdrawn 't is impossible they should be renewed by a serious Repentance 'T is as reasonable to expect that the Sun should cross the order of Nature and rise in the West as that the Sun of Righteousness should arise with healing in his wings upon an habitual obstinate Sinner in the hour of Death They are usually left to hardness and stupidity to presumption or to despair Some are as insensible some presume to obtain an easie entrance into the Kingdom of Life and their disappointment exceedingly exasperates their sad exclusion others who were fearless of the last Enemy when afar of in his approaches they remember what they have been and apprehend what they must be without a miraculous change and Conscience like a Pulse beats quick and faint the prognostick of Eternal Death The Consideration they are come to the end of their days and shall lose the end of their desires and hopes Eternal Happiness cuts them more terribly than the pangs of Death The reflection on their wasting the treasure of Time without any improvement for their Souls is a pricking thorn in their Eyes and forces out just but unprofitable tears How doleful is the separation of Soul and Body here and how woful will their union be at the last day O that Men were wise to consider their latter end that they would call Death to counsel with what evidence and efficacy would it convince them of the necessity of a timely preparation for Eternity 'T is too late to go to buy Oyl when the Bridegroom is coming 2. Let us follow Holiness zealously Desires without consequent Endeavours are pretences ineffectual Resolutions contradict themselves What fire vigour and activity does the Apostle express If by any means I may attain to the resurrection of the dead I follow after it that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press forward to the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ. I follow as the Huntsman pursues the Game with full speed It should excite Compassion and Indignation to see the Love of this vain perishing World to be more active and zealous than the Love of the blessed eternal World That the Tempter with such wretched wages the trifles of Time should induce Men to be his Slaves and God with the glorious Reward of an everlasting Kingdom should not perswade them to be his Sons to be like him in Holiness That Men should so violently run down the Hill to the Earth and be so remiss and slow in their motion upward to Heaven The vain-glorious excited by the edge of Ambition will venture on present Death with fond hopes of future Fame Strange purchase The covetous with the most eager application of means strive to heap up uncertain Riches The voluptuous with vehement Affections follow Pleasures But to obtain the highest Honour Coelestial Treasure to enjoy the purest Delights Men think lazy formality and slack endeavours sufficient Whereas the most serious Thoughts flagrant Desires steddy Resolutions and all possible Industry are requisite in our holy Calling that we may have an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God 3. Let us follow Holiness with alacrity and chearfulness Our Saviour tells us 'T is his meat and drink to do his Father's will The practise of Holiness is vital and nourishing and pleasant to the taste There is a high relish in Victory of any kind but especially over our most dangerous Enemies it replenishes with cordial Contentment what Joy arises from subduing unruly Passions Suppose Anger has often foil'd me and like an unmanaged and unbridled Horse has hurried me into dangers if by Divine Grace by Circumspection and Care by Resolution and Striving I finally overcome it and all its former Victories what a spring of Joy rushes into the Soul If the Graces of the Spirit are more radiant and vigorous in their exercise the Reward is such a clear serenity of Mind as is the reflection of Paradise a Heaven upon Earth Prosperity in a Calling makes Men diligent and delightful in it But when the practise of Religion is constrain'd and tedious God receives no Honour and Man receives no Praise nor Joy as the Reward of it 4. Let us with unfainting perseverance strive after perfect Holiness There are tinctures of Original Sin cleaving to the best Saints defects in their Graces and best Duties There are many degrees of ascent before we come to the highest point of Perfection Let us strive with our utmost possibility to anticipate Heaven We must not be satisfied
Covenant with Christ in that Ordinance is of great use for the advancing of Grace The Religious Observation of the Lord's day makes us more holy The frequent discussion of Conscience is very instrumental to increase Holiness It must be distinct in comparing our Actions with the Rule serious and sincere as previous to divine Judgment with resolution to reform what is amiss and frequent I Will now proceed to declare the means that are effectual for our obtaining Holiness in degrees of eminence 1. Unfeigned Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the meritorious efficient and exemplary Cause of inherent Holiness and Actions flowing from it The Death of Christ was our Ransom not only to release us from the Curse of the Law but the dominion of Sin These were inseparable in the design of our Redeemer and are in the accomplishment of it None are pardon'd but they are sanctified If the reimpression of the Image of God in us had been only requisite for the restoring us to his Favour our Saviour's dying had been unnecessary his Instruction and Example with the sanctifying Spirit 's Operations had been sufficient But till our Guilt was expiated the Fountain was sealed no emanations of Divine Grace flow'd forth Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie us to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Christ is the efficient Cause of our Holiness We receive from God the Author of Nature the Natural Life with all its Faculties and by the concurrence previous and concomitant of his powerful Providence we act in the order of Nature But the Supernatural Life is conveyed to us from the Son of God the Mediator Of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace Our increase is from our Head the Fountain of Spiritual Sense and Action The Holy Spirit who inspires us with the divine Life confirms and improves it was purchased by his Sufferings and is confer'd in his Exaltation As in the operation of the sensitive Faculties though the Eye be clear and qualified for sight yet 't is necessary there be a supervenient Light to irradiate the Air and actuate the visive Spirits that there may be a discovery of Objects Thus after the Soul is renewed by habitual Grace there is necessary the exciting assisting Grace of the Spirit to draw it forth into exercise every hour The Sun is the heart of the World from which all vital cherishing Influences are derived Thus from the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings continual Influences proceed without which the Life of Grace would languish and decay In this there is a disparity between the visible Sun and the spiritual though the fruitfulness of every Plant is from his vital Heat and descending Influences yet the quality and kinds of the Fruits is from the Sap that distinguishes them Grapes are from the Vine and Peaches and Apples are from several Trees but every Grace in the Saints is from the descending influences of Christ. Now Faith is the means by which we receive the emanations of Grace from Christ. The Apostle tells us The Life that I live in the flesh is by Faith in the Son of God The first plantation of Holiness and the highest perfection of it attainable in the present Life is by Faith that unites us to Christ. A sincere reliance on him for continual supplies of Grace gives vertue and efficacy to the means prescribed in the Word We are commanded to grow in Grace and in the experimental knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the effectual means to obtain it 3. Contemplate our Saviour as the exemplary Cause of our Holiness His Pattern is not only a powerful one which is considered before but means to bring us to Perfection We are directed to look to Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith that we may run the race set before us till we come to its period and perfection In the Gospel there is a divine representation of the Obedience and Sufferings of our Saviour wherein every Grace that adorns the Children of God is exactly represented and all the Afflictions and tender Tryals wherewith God exercises them in order to their Glory were consecrated by his Example This is not a dead Object proposed to our view but has a vital efficacy to transform us into his Likeness as the sight of the Brazen Serpent conveyed a healing Vertue to the wounded Israelites The Apostle tells us that we all with open Face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Gospel is the Glass wherein there is a permanent Image of Christ in his Life and Death a full manifestation of all his Vertues and this sight by the operation of the Spirit changes us into his Likeness from Glory to Glory that is by several degrees of Grace to a full conformity to him in Glory As a Painter often fixes his Eye upon the Object to form in his Imagination the Idea that guides his Hand in the designing and colouring the Face that the Copy may resemble the truth of Nature in the original So we should consider the Holiness and Perfection of our Saviour's Actions and draw the first Lines of Resolution to imitate him and every day endeavour to fill and compleat them in Actions till Christ be form'd in us Let us often compare our Lives with the Life of Christ that we may see our Imperfections in his Excellencies which will discover them and how to correct them Now in that particulars are most instructive I will consider two Examples of our Saviour for our Imitation in Duties of difficult practice The first is the Duty of Admonition wherein great Prudence is requisite mix'd with tender Love lest the Reproof be taken for a Reproach and the Person be provok'd and not reform'd and with Zeal that may give efficacy to our Counsel A Reproof must be managed like binding of a wounded part which must be neither too strait nor too slack lest it should oppress and exasperate the Wound or lest there be not a close application of the Medicine Of this mixture of Affections we have a clear discovery in our Saviour's carriage towards his Enemies 'T is related in the Gospel That a Man with a wither'd hand was present in the Synagogue and some watched whether our Saviour would heal him on the Sabbath-day that they might accuse him of profaning it And when he propounded the question whether it were lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath-day they maliciously held their peace which occasion'd his looking on them with Anger being grieved for the hardness of their Hearts This exact Pattern we should follow joining mild Severity with melting Compassion in reproving offenders The other instance is how to Compose our Spirits and resign our Wills to God in the approaches of very afflicting Evils Our Saviour in the apprehension of
his impendent Suffering exprest a great perplexity Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say The fearful expectation of the just and heavy punishment due for our Sins perplex'd his Holy and Humane Nature he address'd a Request to God Father save me from this hour but it was with a Revocation but for this cause came I to this hour it was subordinate to his main desire Father glorifie thy Name When he was seized by his bloody Enemies and Peter struck with his Sword one of them he repress'd his rash Zeal with that Consideration The Cup which my Father has given shall I not drink of it He regarded his Soveraign Will in giving it and with Submission drank of the dregs of it How instructive is this to us to take the hottest and bitterest Potion that God our Father and Physician prepares for us 2. Prayer is an Effectual Means to obtain an increase of Spiritual Blessings 'T is the Law of Heaven that Blessings are to be obtain'd by Prayer for this is most Honourable to God and Beneficial to us 'T is the Supreme Act of Religious Worship discover'd by the Light of Nature to the Heathens Prayer is the Homage due to his Eternal Greatness the most glorious acknowledgement of his All-sufficiency that he is Able and Willing to relieve our Poverty from his immense Treasures notwithstanding our unworthiness for we are less than the least of his mercies and deserve the severe inflictions of his Justice 'T is the setting our Seal to his Truth that he is a God hearing Prayer 'T is very beneficial to us for it engages us to receive his Benefits with Adoration and Thankfulness and prepares us to receive new Favours and by our obtaining Blessings in this way we have a more Clear and Comfortable Sense of his Love that gives the sweetest Tincture and Relish to them 'T is true Prayer is not requir'd to inform God or to incline him to be Gracious and sometimes from his exuberant Goodness he prevents our desires but we cannot regularly expect his Blessings without the Sense of our Wants and Prayer to supply them Now all Blessings are originally from God but some are immediately from him As the Sun inlightens the World by its presence in the Day and the Moon and Stars inlighten it in the Night by Light borrowed from the Sun St. James tells us Every good and perfect gift descends from above from the Father of Lights All Blessings in the order of Nature the Qualities of the Body Beauty Strength Health or the Endowments of the Mind Knowledge Wit Eloquence are his Gifts all Temporary Talents Riches Power Dignity are from him by the mediation of second Causes but there are more precious and perfect Gifts that come from him immediately as the Father of Lights Sanctifying Graces and Spiritual Comforts by the Illumination and Infusion of the Holy Spirit The first sort of Blessings we are not to pray for absolutely for they may be pernicious by our abuse of them to our Souls and are often bestowed upon Reprobate Sinners But the other kind saving Graces deserve our most ardent desires As the hart pants after the water-brooks our Souls should seek after the Favour of God and Sanctifying Grace the infallible Testimony and effect of it We must pray for them unsatisfiedly not content with any thing else nor without excellent degrees of them David breaks out his ardent desires O that my wayes were directed according to thy Statutes O that my Soul may be baptiz'd with the Holy Ghost as with Fire to purifie and refine me from all my dross that as Gold taken from a vein of Earth receives such a lustre from the Fire as if it were the sole product of Fire so my renovation by the Spirit may be so intire that all Carnality may be abolish'd Our Prayers should be for our perseverance in well-doing Perseverance is a most free Gift of God a new Grace superadded to what we have received without it we shall forsake God every Hour God promises to give the sanctifying Spirit as a permanent Principle of Holiness in his People to cause them to walk in his Statutes and declares for this I will be enquired of by the house of Israel We must imitate Jacob who wrestled with the Angel and would not let him go till he had blest him This is an Emblem of fervent Prayer wherein we strive with the strength and sinews of our Souls and as it were offer violence to the King of Heaven to bestow Spiritual Blessings upon us Carnal Men are intemperate greedy and passionate in their desires of Temporal Blessings tho' Reason Religion and Experience of their Vanity should regulate them They are impatient and insatiable and will bear no denial nor delay but with regret and reluctancy But how remiss and cold are their desires for spiritual and eternal Blessings they invite a denial Their Prayers are defective in the Principle they do not understand the value and their want of them Divine Grace the gift of God's saving Mercy the dear purchase of the Sufferings of Christ the precious fruit of his Holy Spirit are of little price in their esteem Our Saviour tells the Samaritan Woman If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that asks thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water We are encouraged to be earnest and resolved Suppliants for the Graces of God's Spirit because we are assur'd he is most willing to bestow them Our Saviour sometimes encourages us from the resemblance of a Father who cannot so unnaturalize himself and devest his tender Affections as to renounce his own off-spring to deny a Child necessary Food for his subsistence Will he give him a stone for bread or a serpent for a fish If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask it Sometimes he excites us to pray and not to faint from the Parable of an incompassionate Stranger a Judge that was overcome by importunity to afford relief to one in distress God delights to hear and answer those Prayers that are for his best Blessings When Solomon prayed for Wisdom to Rule his People God was so pleas'd that he gave him Wisdom in an Eminent Degree and as an accession Riches and Honour If we imitate Solomon in his Prayer we shall have his Acceptance St. James directs us If any man wants wisdom let him ask it of God who gives liberally and upbraids no man the Wisdom to manage Afflictions that may be for his Glory and our Spiritual Advantage He gives Liberally which either respects the Affection of the Giver or the Measure of the Gift or the repeated Acts of Giving and upbraids not neither with their unworthiness nor the frequency of their Addresses Liberality among men is a costly Vertue and but
few have a Natural Generosity or Christian Mercy and Means to express and exercise it The Necessities of others do not affect Men with so quick a sense as the parting with their Money to relieve them As the Balsam Tree does not drop its healing Liquor till the Bark is Cut. Sometimes the great number of Suiters is a pretence to excuse from the exercise of Bounty None of these can be Conceived of God There is nothing more Divine in the Deity and becoming his Nature than his Inclination to do good As the Mother with equal Pleasure nourishes the Child with her Milk as the Child draws it For the breast is uneasie till emptied God much more rejoices in doing Good than we in receiving it We are also assur'd of obtaining Spiritual Blessings by the Intercession of the Mediator The dignity of his Person who is higher than the Heavens the Son of his Love the Merits of his Obedience and Sufferings assure us of his Power with God He takes us by the hand and brings as to the Father perfumes and presents our Requests to obtain a favourable Reception When we are under impressions of Fear that God will deny our Prayers for Spiritual Blessings 't is as if there were no Love in the Mediator nor prevalency in his Mediation Besides the Spirit of Holiness is plenteously Conveyed under the Dispensation of the Gospel The gift of the Spirit in the richest degrees was reserved as an Honour to Christ in his Ascension 'T is said The Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified The Blood of Christ was liberally shed that the Spirit might be liberally poured forth But the bestowing of the Spirit was at the Triumphant Ascension of Christ. Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive and received gifts for men that is from the Father as the Reward of his Victory that he might dispense them to Men. The Principal Gift is the Holy Ghost comprehensive of all good things The Promise is perform'd under the Gospel I will pour forth of my Spirit the Spirit of grace and supplication upon all flesh There were some Sprinklings of it under the Law and confin'd to a separate Nation but now showers are poured down upon all Nations to purifie them and make them fruitful in Good Works The Apostle declares the admirable Efficacy of the Gospel The Law of the Spirit of Life has freed me from the Law of Sin and Death The Spirit of the Fiery Law so call'd with respect to its Original and Operations convinc'd of Sin and constrain'd Conscience to inflict tormenting impressions on the Soul the Presages of Future Judgment but afforded no Spiritual Grace to obey it Therefore 't is said to be weak and unprofitable But the Gospel conveys Supernatural Strength to obtain Supernatural Happiness 'T is foretold concerning the state of the Church in the times of the Gospel He that is feeble among them shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the Angel of the Lord before them Add farther the Holy Spirit directs our desires and God knows the mind of the Spirit who makes intercession for us according to the will of God Christ is our Advocate in Heaven and the Spirit in our Hearts by inflaming our Affections and exciting in us filial Trust in the Divine Mercy They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength If we are impotent in resisting Temptations and in doing the Will of God when Divine Assistance is ready upon our desires to confirm us our Impotence is voluntary and does not excuse us from Consequent Sin but is an antecedent Sin The sharpest Reproof we read from our Saviour to his Disciples was for their guilty Impotence Jesus answer'd and said O faithless and perverse generation How long shall I be with you How long shall I suffer you He had given them Power to heal Diseases and expel Evil Spirits but they had not used the means of Prayer and Fasting that was requisite for the exercise of that Power How justly do we deserve that stinging Reproach who notwithstanding the Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit do not by continual fervent Prayer apply our selves to God to partake of a rich abundance of Grace from the Holy Spirit I shall only add that as Prayer is a means to obtain more Grace by impatration so by the exercise of Grace in Prayer 't is increas'd Frequent Prayer has a cleansing Vertue in that as those who often come into the King's Presence to speak to him are careful to be in decent Habits that they may not be disparag'd in his sight so those who draw near to God will cleanse themselves from Sin that they may be prepar'd to appear before his Holy Majesty Humility Faith Reverence Love Zeal Resignation to the Divine Will Compassion to the Afflicted and other excellent Graces are exercised in Prayer as the sphere of their activity and as acquir'd Habits so infused are improved by exercise Frequent shooting not only makes persons more skilful in directing the Arrow to the Mark but more able to draw a stronger Bow None are more holy in Conversation than those that give themselves to Prayer Our Saviour prayed himself into Heaven and a Divine Lustre appear'd in his Countenance By our drawing near to God the beauty of Holiness will be impress'd upon us and brighten our Conversations Briefly according to the raised operations of Grace in Prayer we shall obtain more excellent degrees of it from Heaven for in bestowing the first Grace God is a pure Giver but in dispensing new degrees of Grace he is a Rewarder according to the Promise To him that hath shall be given 3. Frequent and attentive Hearing and Reading the Word and serious Meditation of it is a means appointed by the Divine Wisdom and Goodness for our growth in Grace The conception and propagation the sustaining and increasing the Spiritual Life is by the Word of Truth 'T is therefore compar'd to those things that are the productive and preserving Causes of the Natural Life 'T is the incorruptible Seed and Food to beget and nourish the Spiritual Life 'T is Milk for Babes Wine for the faint and strong Meat to confirm those of maturer Age. There is an objective Vertue in it whereby 't is apt and sufficient to regenerate us and to increase the vigour and activity of the new Life The Apostle calls it The Power of God to our Salvation The word of Grace is able to build us up to an inheritance among them that are sanctified 'T is a kind of Miracle in Nature that a Sience of a good Tree grafted into a sowre Stock draws the vital Moisture from the Root and converts it for the producing generous and pleasant Fruit The ingrafted Word being a Divine Doctrine over-rules the Carnal Nature and makes the Mind Will Affections and Actions holy and heavenly answerable to its quality The Commands of
pleasing to him than to be fed by Martha But how many neglect and despise this Duty Some pretend they know enough such if they do not want Instructers want Remembrancers of their Duty Others are infected with Pride and a worse Leprosie than Naaman's of whom we read that when the Prophet sent him a Message that he should go and wash in Jordan seven times and he should be clean he was wroth and said Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than the Rivers of Israel May I not wash in them and be clean So there are some who being directed to wash themselves often in the waters of Life the Scriptures of Divine Inspiration are apt to think Are not the Rivers of Greece and Rome the eloquent Discourses of Philosophers better more perfective of their Minds and Actions than the plain Rules of the Word But this proceeds from affected Ignorance and wilful perverseness for not only supernatural Doctrines necessary to be believed are only revealed in the Scripture but the Rules of Moral Duties necessary for practice are clearly and compleatly only laid down in it Besides as every thing in Nature has its Vertue by the appointment of God and works for that end for which it was ordain'd so the preaching of the Gospel was appointed to begin and maintain the Life of the Soul and powerfully works to that end The attendance 〈…〉 has a Blessing annex'd and the neglect exposes to Divine Displeasure He that withdraws his Ear from hearing the Law his Prayer shall be an abomination And let it be seriously ponder'd there is a time coming when only Prayer can relieve them I shall add that the serious reading the Scripture that there may be an impression of the Characters of its Purity on the Soul is a Duty of daily revolution We are commanded that the Word of God should dwell richly in us in all wisdom As the Soul quickens the Body by its residence and directs it in all its motions so the Word should be in the Soul an inward principle of Life to direct and excite and enable it for the performance of every Duty This Advice of the Apostle is comprehensive of all other Precepts and the effectual means of obtaining Perfection Our Reading must be with observation and applying the Word for our Good There is a great difference between sailing on the water for Pleasure and divinâ— in it for Pearls Some read the Scriptures to please their Minds in the History of the Creation and the Wonders of God's powerful Providence and the various Events in the Kingdoms of the World recorded in them But there must be diligent Enquiry for Spiritual Treasures to enrich the Soul How Careless are the most of this Duty There are above Eight Thousand Hours in a Year and how few are employed in Reading the Scriptures that direct us in the Everlasting Way The common pretence is necessary Business but all Excuses are vain against the Command of God Is the working oâ— our Salvation an indifferent idle matter Must the principal Affair of our Life be subordinate to lower Concerns The infinite business of Governing a Kingdom is no exemption to Princes from Reading the Word of God for the Command is to him that sits on the Throne to read the Law of God all the days of 〈…〉 Life that he may fear the Lord and do 〈…〉 Statutes 3. The Word must be sincerely received as 't is sincerely deliver'd The Rule is to lay aside all superfluity of naughtiness and receivâ— the engrafted word that is able to save our Souls There is no food more easily turn'd into Blood thaâ— Milk but if the Stomach be foul 〈◊〉 sowers and corrupts and is hurtful to the Body The Word of Grace if received into a sincere Heart is very nutritive it Confirms and Comforts the Soul but if there be false Principles Carnal Habits Sensual Affections it proves dangerous A Carnal Man will set the Grace of the Gospel against the Precepts and apply the Promises without regarding the Conditions of them and from holy Premisses draw sinful Conclusions Briefly Hearing the Word is not an Arbitrary but an indispensable Duty The Psalmist puts the question He that planted the ear shall not he hear and it may be said with the same Conviction He that gives us the faculty of hearing shall not he be heard But we must not rest in the bare hearing for 't is an introductive preparing Duty in order to practise There may be an increase in Knowledge some Convictions like a flash of Lightening some melting of the Affections like a dash of Rain soon over some Resolution of Obedience but without sincere practise the Man is a Hearer only and deceives himself Every Sermon that he hears will notwithstanding his vain Hopes be an argument against him at the Day of Judgment The Residence of the practical Truths is rather in the Heart than in the Head if they are only in the Head they are kept in unrighteousness yet there is no deceit more Common Men think they are enrich'd with the Ideas and Notions of Divine Truths in their Minds without the habits of Graces in their Hearts Briefly The End and Work of the Evangelical Ministry is the Perfection of the Saints as the Apostle declares We warn every man and teach every man that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus This testimony is given of Epâ—phras a Servant of Christ That he always labour'd fervently in Prayer that the Colossians might be perfect and compleat in all the will of God 3. The Religious Use of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is an excellent Means for the Increase of Grace The state of Grace is represented under the Similitude of a New Man born from Heaven and partaker of a Spiritual Life that Consists in Holiness and Joy This Spiritual Life supposes a Spiritual Nourishment to preserâ—â—e it and a Spiritual Appetite and that a Spiritual Eating and Drinking Our Saviour denominates himself by the Character of Life I am the way the truth and the life he being the Principle and Preserver of the Spiritual Life In the Sacrament he is the Bread of Life there are the Sacred Memorials of his Crucifixion of his Body and Blood which are meat indeed and are drink indeed that afford a more substantial and excellent Nourishment for the Life of the Soul than the perishing Food that supports the Body Our Saviour tells the Jews Your fathers eat Mannâ— in the wilderness and are dead the Bread of Angels could not preserve them from Death but the Bread of God is the Principle of Eternal Life He is pleased to deal familiarly with us suitably to our Composition and Capacity and humbles himself in a Sacramental Union with the Elements that sight may assist Faith This is a positive Institution that derives its Authority and Goodness from the Precept of our Soveraign and Saviour It was his dying Charge to his Disciples to which a special and
most reverent observance is due 'T is revocable in its Nature but not to cease without the Will of the Legislator either expresly declar'd or vertually by the ceasing of the end of it As the Ceremonial Law is abolish'd by the same Authority that ordain'd it the end of the Institution being obtain'd But this Ordinance is by our Saviour commanded to continue till his Second Coming in Glory the end of it being the revival of the memory of his Death I will not insist upon the several Conformities between the Natural Food and the Spiritual for the principal Comparison and resemblance is in the End for which food is necessary and appointed without which there can be no subsisting Life but consider how the Life of the Soul is strengthened in this Ordinance which is not a naked sign of his Sufferings for us but the seal of the Covenant of Grace and wherein our Saviour though his bodily Presence be confin'd to Heaven yet does really and spiritually exhibit himself with all his saving Benefits to sincere Believers Consider how Repentance Faith and Love are increas'd by this Ordinance 1. Repentance is a Vital Operative Grace not only in mortifying Sin but in bringing forth many excellent Fruits suitable to it All the Terrors at Mount Sinai in giving the Law cannot make such an impression on the Conscience of the righteous and fearful Anger of God for Sin as the infliction of Wrath upon our dying Saviour He receiv'd into his Breast the Arrows of the Almighty that drank up his Blood and Spirits though in himself he was perfectly Holy Surely he has born our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are heal'd We read that Nathan was sent from God to David when insensible of his Guilt of Murder and Adultery to awaken him to review his Sin he for that end us'd a very moving Parable of a Rich Man that had many Flocks yet to entertain a Stranger rob'd a Poor Man of his only Lamb and drest it for him This David so resented that he threatned the severest Revenge for such an unrighteous and unmerciful action And when Nathan turned the point of the Parable against his Breast charging him Thou art the man in what Agonies and Confusion was he surpriz'd as his mournful Complaint declares When we read in the Narrative of our Saviour's Sufferings of the Treachery of Judas the Malice of the Priests the Fury of the People the Cowardise of Pilate and the Cruelty of the Soldiers how apt are we to conceive Indignation against his Murderers but when Conscience like the true Prophet shall with a piercing Reproach charge us that our Sins Condemn'd and Crucified him how will this open the Springs of Godly Sorrow and looking on him whom we have pierced cause us to Mourn as those that mourn for a first-born How will the Contemplation of him in his Sufferings excite Indignation with Zeal and Revenge against our selves for our choosing and committing those Sins that were the meritorious Cause of his Sufferings Since he bore our Sins 't is just we should simpathize in his Sorrows How instructive and exemplary was insensible Nature as if capable of Knowledge and Affection in the time of his Sufferings It was disorder'd in the Heavens and simpathiz'd in the Elements The Sun was obscur'd against all possibility of Nature for the Moon was opposite and in the Full and in the twinkling of an Eye past half the Circle of the Heavens and being empty of Light towards the Earth by its interposition hid the body of the Sun behind it The Air was as dark at mid-day as at mid-night The Earth trembled the Rocks rent Have the Rocks softer Bowels than obdurate Sinners 'T is a greater prodigy that those whose Sins made his Death necessary are unaffected with it than that Nature seemed to have changed its Principles and Properties to signifie its resentment of it God's Anger darkens the Sun and shakes the Earth and shall sinful Men be unrelenting If by Faith and Consideration we transport our selves to Mount Calvary and with the blessed Virgin stand at the foot of the Cross when our Saviour was dying we shall feel the working of her Affections when a Sword pâ—erc'd through her Soul Now in the Sacrament there is a representation of Christ Crucified before our Eyes which is the most powerful motive of Godly Sorrow and the inseparable consequent of it the destructive hatred of Sin and of holy Resolutions that as he dyed for Sin we will dye to it 2. Faith that is the Root from whence other Graces spring and flourish is increas'd and confirm'd by the use of this Ordinance As by the looking on the mysterious Brazen Serpent there was an Antidote conveyed to heal the Israelites stung by the Fiery Serpents so by the looking on Jesus in his Sufferings our wounded Spirits are healed The dignity of his Person the depth of his Sufferings and his voluntary yielding of himself to them are the supports of Faith The Sin-Offerings under the Law were entirely consumed in their Consecration to Divine Justice and no part was reserved to be eaten by the Offerers To signifie their Imperfection and Inefficacy to reconcile God to Sinners and to pacifie their accusing Consciences The Beasts by substitution suffer'd Death for those who offer'd them but could not purchase Life for them Our Saviour is as truly given to us to communicate Life as he was given for us in his Death When he offer'd himself the most solemn Sacrifice on the Cross he was not consum'd His Body and Blood are the Feast of Love upon his Sacrifice the clearest assuring sign of God's being reconcil'd to us The Blood of the Lamb the true Winâ— has rejoic'd the Heare of God and Man Our High Priest continually presents his Father in the Coelestial Sanctuary his bloody Sacrifice of which there is a Commemoration on the Holy Table If God remember our Sins we remember his anointed Priest to expiate them If the timerous Conscience be in anxiety for the number and heinousness of Sins and the number of Sinnerâ— who must perish for ever without this Miracle of Mercy as if one Sacrifice were not sufficient to abolish their Guiâ—â— let it be consider'd that his Death is of infinite value and what is infinite cannot be divided he was intirely offer'd for every penitent unfeigned Believer The weakest has as full an Interest and Benefit in it as if it had been offer'd solely for him and may apply and appropriate it to himself with as true solid Comfort as if he had been present at our Saviour's Crucifixion and heard him speaking the words of Life I give my self for thee His Blood cleanses from all Sin and is a propitiation for the Sins of the world These are no fictions of Fancy but the real operations of the Holy Spirit who
and by a Temporal Holy Rest are prepar'd for an Eternal Glorious Rest. The observing this Command enables us to do the rest for the Duties of it are Divine and Spiritual and have a powerful influence in the Souls of Men for the exercise of Grace by a proper efficacy increases it and in their sanctifying that day God sanctifies them and liberally bestows the Treasures of Grace and Joy the consequent Blessing of the divine Institution The Profaners of that Holy Time do vertually renounce their Allegiance to the Crâ—ator and Redeemer they will not attend upon his Oracles but despise the Persons and Office of the Ministers of Christ and their Contempt reflects upon him They make the Sabbath their delight in another sense than the Commandment intends they make it a Play-day Others who are call'd and counted Christians who are good in every thing but wherein they should be best they are Just and Merciful Temperate and Chaste Affable and Obliging to Men but wretchedly neglect the duties of Piety to God and the sanctifying his day That precious and dear interval to a Saint from the business of the World is a galling restraint to Carnal Men from their secular Employments 'T is true they will go to the publick Worship either for seculary respects Custom or the Coertion of the Laws or the impulse of Conscience that will not be quiet without some Religion but they are glad when 't is done and by vain discourses dash out of their minds the instructions of the Word of God They spend a great part of the day as if it were unsanctified time in curious dressing in Luxurious Feasting in Complemental Visits in Idleness and sometimes in Actions worse than Idleness The certain Cause of this Profaneness is they are not partakers of the divine Nature that inclines the Soul to God and raises our esteem of Communion with him as a Heaven upon Earth and from hence it follows that they come and go from the Publick Ordinances neither cleansed from Sin nor chang'd into the divine Image But those who conscientiously employ that day in Duties proper to it in Prayer and Hearing and Reading the Scriptures and spiritual Books in holy Conference whereby Light and Heat is mutually Communicated among the Saints and in the Meditation of Eternal things whereby Faith removes the Vail and looks into the Sanctuary of Life and Glory as Moses by Conversing with God in the Mount came down with a shining Countenance so a divine Lustre will appear in their Conversations in the following Week 5. The frequent discussion of Conscience and review of our Ways is an effectual Means of rising to Perfection in Holiness This Duty is difficult and distastful to Carnal Persons for Sense is prevalent and fastens their Thoughts upon External Objects that they are unfit for reflecting upon themselves for the proper and most excellent operations of the Reasonable Soul wherein they are rais'd to the Rank of Angelical Spirits and to a resemblance of the Deity who Eternally Contemplates with Infinite Delight the Perfections of his Nature and the Copy of them in his Works They are insensible of the Nobility of their Nature and cannot sequester themselves from Worldly things and enter into the Retirements of their Souls They are afraid and unwilling to look into their Hearts lest they should be Convinc'd and over-argued by Conscience of their woful Condition Home is too hot for them Their study is to Charm their Cares and not to be disturb'd in their Security But the Duty is indispensable requir'd of us We are commanded to stand in awe and sin not and commune with our own hearts to search and try our wayes and turn to the Lord to prove our own work The benefit resulting from it is worth our Care and should make us to digest all difficulties in the performance David declares I thought on my wayes and turned my feet to thy testimonies He first reflected on his ways and then reform'd them Conscience must be awaken'd by Grace or Judgment to Self-reflection The examen of Conscience either regards our spiritual State or our Actions in their Moral Qualities of Good and Evil. The first is of infinite moment that we may understand whether we are in the state of polluted Nature or in a renewed state and consequently whether in the present Favour of God or under his Displeasure and accordingly what we may expect in the next World a blessed or miserable Eternity But as was before observed Men are very averse from the severe tryal of their state for fear the issue will be perplexing the exact inquiry into their Lives is like the Torment on the Rack Or if sometimes they turn their thoughts inward to consider themselves they do it slightly not with sincere Judgment and though their spiritual state be uncertain or apparently evil yet they are resolved not to doubt of it This neglect is fatal to many who comfort themselves with their Company because the most are in no better condition than they are This I shall not insist on but consider the survey of Mens Actions Conscience is the centre of the Soul to which all Moral Good and Evil has a tendency 't is an internal supervisor and guardian which a Man always carries in his Bosom To perform its Office it must 1. Be inlightened with the clear knowledge of the Divine Law in its Precepts for Duties unknown cannot be practised and Sins unknown and unconsider'd cannot be loathed and forsaken The Law like a clear and equal glass that reflects the Beams according to their incidence discovers the beauties and spots of the Soul There are contain'd in it general Rules that respect all and particular Precepts that concern the several relations of Men. 2. The discussion of Conscience that it may be effectual must in the manner of it be regulated by the matter of the discussion that is good and evil Actions which are of eternal Consequence and the end of it the making us better Accordingly it must be 1. Distinct in comparing our Actions with the Rule that we may understand the defects of our best Duties and the aggravations of our Sins The Law enjoyns the Substance and Circumstances of our Duties and forbids all kinds and degrees of Sin The more particular the discussion is the more perfect 2. It must be serious and with sincere Judgment as previous to our Tryal at God's Tribunal This Consideration will excite the Conscience which is the directive and applicative Mind to be vigilant and impartial in sifting our selves that no Sin of omission or commission may be past over for what a high strain of Folly is it to be subtle to conceal any Sin from our selves which are open to the all-seeing Eyes of God Men are apt to be insensible of Sins of omission but there is no mere Sin of omission for it proceeds from a dislike of the commanded Duty which exposes to Judgment The more the Mind
is mended and renewed it discovers the Sins that were undiscern'd 3. There must be a fixed resolution to reform our Lives wherein we have been culpable The Soul can never recover its lapse from above but by returning thither that is by a real performance of the Duties of the Law that fully represent the Law-giver's Will and Soveraignty Now the reflecting upon our Hearts and Lives to improve the Good and correct the Evil in them is very useful for that end 4. It must be frequent lest we become ignorant and forgetful of our selves Some of the wiser Heathens made a scrutiny of their Actions every day 'T is related of Sextius a Philosopher that in the end of the day he throughly examin'd the Actions of it What Evil have I cur'd What Vice have I resisted In what am I become better Seneca tells us it was his daily practice to give an account of his Actions before the Judicatory of Conscience The Author of the Golden Verses gives Counsel in order to proficiency in Vertue to revise in our thoughts at night Wherein have I transgress'd what have I done what have I omitted In doing this we shall preserve Conscience more tender and sensible for continuance in Sin hardens it This will be a preventive Medicine for if the sting of Remorse follows our omissions of Good and commissions of Evil and a divine Joy is felt in remembrance of our progress in Holiness this will be a constant motive to restrain us from disorderly Actions and to form us to Perfection Besides there is a great difference between the habits of the Body and of the Mind the first wear and decay by continual use the habits of the Mind by frequent practice whether vicious or vertuous increase and are confirm'd And since in the most excellent Saints there remain Sins of unavoidable weakness the renewing our Repentance every day is necessary to obtain the pardon of our Sins which is promised to all that mourn and strive against Sin We are commanded not to let the Sun go down on our wrath much less on God's In short let us every Morning consider the Duty of the day which is a valuable part of our Lives and the proper seasons of doing it and charge our Souls with a diligent regard to it 'T is prudent Advice how to make slothful Servants industrious in the Morning to prescribe their Work in the Evening to require an account what is done or left undone and to commend or censure to reward or punish according to their diligence or neglect There are rarely found Servants of so depraved a temper so rebellious to Authority and Reason so untractable but they will mend by this managing If this Duty be constantly practised in a due manner it will be of infinite profit to us We read in the process of the Creation that God revis'd the Works of every day and saw they were Good and in the end saw they were very good and ordain'd a Sabbath a sign of his complacence in his Works Thus if in the review of our Actions we find our Conversation has been in godly sincerity that we have been faithful to God and our Souls in striving after Perfection this reflection will produce Rest and Joy unspeakable Joy that centres in the Heart and is united to the substance of the Soul Joy that will flourish in Adversity when Carnal Joy withers a Joy that will not leave us at Death but pass with us into the eternal World This Oyl of Gladness will make us more active and chearful in our universal Duty But if we have been slack and careless in Religion if Sins have been easily entertain'd and easily excus'd the remembrance will imbitter Sin and make us more vigilant for the future To make this Duty more profitable we should compare our selves with our selves and with others 1. With our selves that we may understand whether we are advancing towards Perfection Sometimes there is a gradual declension in the Saints themselves not observed When Sampson had lost his mysterious Hair upon the preserving of which his Strength depended and the Philistines had seized him he awoke out of his sleep and said I will go out as at other times before and shake my self and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Thus many decline in their valuations and affections to things spiritual and are less circumspect in their Conversations less fervent in their desires of Grace and faithful in the improvement of it than formerly and this deserves Heart-breaking Sorrow 2. Besides the comparing our selves with others who have excell'd us in Holiness and have been more watchful to abstain from Sin and more zealous in doing Good is very useful This will wash off the colour of the common Excuse That without the Holiness of an Angel 't is impossible to be preserved undefiled in the midst of sensual Temptations But as the Philosopher demonstrated the possibility of Motion by walking before a captious Caviller that denyed it so when many Saints that have the same frail Natures and are surrounded with the same Temptations keep themselves pure in their Dispositions and Actions when they are regular in Duties of civil Conversation with Men and in holy Communion with God and we that have the same Spirit of Grace and Word of Grace to instruct and assist us fall so short of their attainments how will the comparison upbraid us and cover us with confusion I shall add that the deceitfulness of the Heart is discovered in this Men are very apt to please themselves in the comparison with those who are notoriously worse but averse from considering those who are eminently better But this will be of no avail in the day of Judgment for the Law of God is the Rule to which we must conform not the Examples of others Besides how can any expect that the Wickedness of others should excuse them in Judgment and not fear that the Holiness of others shall accuse and condemn them CHAP. XIII Continual watchfulness requisite for our advancing to Perfection This respects the preventing Evil and doing Good The Malice the Craft the Diligence and Numbers of our Spiritual Enemies We are very receptive of Temptations Watchfulness respects our doing Good in its season and with its proper Circumstances A due regard to the Duties of our several Relations is necessary in order to the perfecting of Holiness Domestick sacred and civil Relations considered The last Counsel Let our progress towards Heaven be with the same Zeal as at our first entrance into it and the same Seriousness as when we come to the end of it 7. COntinual Watchfulness is requisite that we may be rising towards Perfection in Holiness The state of Sin in Scripture is represented by a deep Sleep that is the true Image of Death Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light The spiritual Sleep is understood by comparison with the natural In
the natural the Instruments of Sense and Motion are bound up the apprehensive Faculties that discover dangers and the active Powers that resist or avoid them are suspended from their exercise Now spiritual Security is call'd a Sleep as it implies ignorance of dangers that threaten the Soul and unpreparedness to prevent them Accordingly in opposition to carnal security Watchfulness consists in two things in the foresight of approaching Evils and furnishing our selves with means and using them for our safety There is the Life of Grace in every regenerate Person but Watchfulness implies the lively exercise and activity of Grace In the present state the spirit of Slumber is apt to steal upon us even the wise Virgins slumber'd and slept The three Disciples at Christ's Transfiguration in the Mount when it might be imagin'd there could be no inclination in them and no temptation to sleep for that the glorious Light would powerfully excite and actuate the visive Spirits yet fell asleep and at his private Passion in the Garden when there was the greatest cause of their sorrow and simpathy yet were siez'd with unwelcome heaviness for which our meek Redeemer so gently reprov'd them Could ye not watch with me thus one hour The best are liable to relapses into security till they shall be awakened and raised by the Omnipotent Voice of the Son of God at the last day to Immortality and Perfection Watchfulness may be consider'd either with respect to the preventing Evil or the doing Good With respect to the preventing Evil there are such Motives as should make us very circumspect lest we be overtaken and overcome by Temptations 1. If we consider the Subtilty and Strength the Malice and Diligence with the mighty numbers of our Spiritual Enemies there is great reason we should not only be awake but watchful to oppose them 1. The Tempter is surprizingly subtle and understands all the arts of circumventing and corrupting us He knows the several Characters of Mens Dispositions the commixture of their Humours all the radical Causes of their different Inclinations and of those Lusts that have dominion in them He knows the various impressions of Nature from the Sex the Age the Country from inherent or external Causes from Health or Sickness Nobility Obscurity Riches Poverty Prosperity Adversity He tempts to Sensuality in Youth and Covetousness in Old Age like the possess'd person in the Gospel that was sometimes cast into the Fire and sometimes into the Water Men often exchange their Lusts and deceive themselves as if a dead Palsie were the Cure of a burning Fever Sometime he will try to cool the Zeal of the Saints who are serious in working out their Salvation by suggesting that their diligence is not necessary But if he cannot recall them to their former security by the allurements of Sense he will discourage their Hopes and represent God as irreconcileable and damp their Resolutions in seeking his Favour and doing their Duty Thus by stratagem and ambush or by open assault he attempts to ruine their Souls 2. His strength is superiour to ours Evil Spirits are stil'd Principalities and Powers and spiritual Wickednesses We are frail Flesh and Blood But we are encouraged that by our vigilancy and the assistance of the Holy Spirit we shall be preserved against his utmost Power and Cruelty For greater is he that is in the Saints than he that is in the World 3. His Malice is deadly Nothing can allay his Torment but the involving Men under his Judgment and Misery 4. His Activity and Diligence is equal to his Malice The Spirits of Darkness never slumber nor sleep They are not capable of weakness or weariness as our faint Flesh is He is restless in following his pernicious designs What is recorded of Martellus the Roman General is applicable to Satan If he obtains a Victory he fiercely insults and pursues it if he be repuls'd he returns afresh His Spight is never spent He tempted our Saviour with distrust of God's Providence with Presumption and Vain-glory and being foil'd in all attempts 't is said he departed for a season and afterward made use of Peter as his Instrument to make him decline his Sufferings for the Salvation of Men. 5. He has a mighty number of Principalities and Powers and spiritual Wickednesses under his Commands There was a legion in one Man St. Peter earnestly excites us to watchfulness for our adversary the Devil with innumerable infernal Spirits goes about seeking whom he may devour He is the most formidable and least fear'd Enemy in the World We are surrounded with invisible Enemies sooner felt than seen and usually not discerned but by the Wounds they give us and yet the Senses of Men are unguarded and all the Gates are open to give them an easie entrance into their Souls And tho' their operations in destroying Souls are secret yet the deadly effects of their Hatred are visible for how few are there in whom the signs of the Spiritual Life appear 2. The World is the store-house of his Temptations the Men of the World to allure us to Sin or terrifie us from our Duty The things of the World are suitable to our vicious Appetites and foment them like Food that is pleasant but unwholsome and seeds the Disease He puts a gloss and flattering colours upon earthly things to give them a lustre in our Imaginations 3. In our depraved state we are very receptive of his Temptations The Innocence of the first Adam did not secure him from seduction The Carnal Affections are like Gun-powder a spark sets all a-fire and we cannot easily quench the unruly Flame when 't is inspir'd by the Tempter 'T is true he cannot immediately act upon the Soul But as in Paradise he made use of the Serpent to deceive the Woman and of the Woman by her blandishments to allure Adam so he makes use of the carnal part in every one which proves as fatal as the Serpent and the Woman were All the corrupt Appetites and disorder'd Affections are manag'd by him and draw Men with unforc'd consent to yield to him He knows the insidious party within us that will admit his Temptations When the Heart is dejected and sorrowful he sends in Terrors and Griefs knowing that his Faction within are ready to receive them When 't is cheerful and lively he sends in vain Thoughts excites the Carnal Affections which are ready to comply with his design and betray the Soul to Folly and Security Now considering our Enemies without and the deceitful Heart as the traytor within that keeps correspondence with the Tempter our danger is infinite We are not by priviledge exempted from Temptations nor invulnerable in our encounters with the Powers of Darkness but by vigilance and managing the Armour of God we are victorious There is no Saint on Earth but may fall as foully as David did without a constant jealousie over his Heart and Ways 'T is said While the Husband-man slept the envious
as the Weather and 〈◊〉 Temptations are presented apt to 〈◊〉 fir'd with Carnal Desires or frozen wâ—â—â— Carnal Fears and to desert our Dutâ— Therefore 't is necessary to fix them by repeated Vows of Obedience We 〈◊〉 directed to arm our selves with the same Minds that is with firm Resolutions to cease from Sin The girdle of Truth is a principal part of our spiritual Armour that fastens it upon us Stedfast Engagements to obey God are powerful to excite every Grace in its season to rise up in defiance against our spiritual Enemies David says I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy Precepts By the solemn and frequent renewing our Vows of Obedience the Tempter is discourag'd and flyes from us Let us every Morning next our Hearts resolve to walk with God all the day 4. God is well pleased with our sincere Resolutions to keep close to him Who is this that engages his Heart to close with Men He is the Inspector and Judge of our Hearts and notwithstanding ouâ— Infirmities accepts our sincerity 5. There are peculiar Circumstances that enforce the inviolable observation of our Sacramental Vows Our original and permanent Obligation that we contracted in our Baptism in the presence of the Church when we were listed under our Redeemer's Colours to oppose his Enemies and ours Satan in combination with the Flesh and the World should have a strong and constant influence into our Lives Our understanding and voluntary renewings of this at the Lord's Supper makes it more binding 'T is mentioned before that God is pleased by an admirable Condescension to be a party in the Covenant and binds himself to bestow his most free Favours and takes pleasure in performing what is promised 'T is becoming his Wisdom to glorifie his Moral Perfections in his Transactions with Man not only his Mercy but his Truth in saving us The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments The Attribute of Faithfulness is set next the Deity as very dear and pleasing to him He engages himself partly for our Comfort to dispel the Clouds of Fear that are apt to rise in our Bosoms from the sense of our many and mighty Sins therefore his Mercy is secur'd to us by a Covenant and that Covenant establish'd by an Oath the sure evidence 't is irrevocable and seal'd by the Blood of the Mediator and partly to instruct us by his Example to maintain our Integrity which we engage in sealing our part of the Covenant 'T is said of God that he cannot Lye from the Veracity of his Nature and the unchangeableness of his Will and he reckons of his People they will not Lye from that Divine Disposition that is proper to them Now that God is pleased in that Ordinance to give us the clearest and strongest Assurance of his Pardoning Mercy should make us very observant and exact in performing the Condition of it What our Saviour said to the Man heal'd Miraculously of his Lameness is vertually signified in every Pardon we receive Go away sin no more lest a worse thing befal you Sin is extremely aggravated when Perfidiousness and Ingratitude are mix'd with Disobedience Our Resolutions against Sin are preventing Physick but in breaking them the Remedy increases the Disease and accelerates Death more painfully and suddenly I will hear what God the Lord will speak he will speak peace to his people but let them not return to folly To sin against the Law is a high provocation but to sin against special Love grieves the Holy Spirit and deeply wounds our Spirits Now since our hearts are deceitful above all things and since our Resolutions are fleet and fading let us earnestly pray for Divine Grace to Establish them and entirely depend upon it 'T is more easie to raise a Fortification in time of Peace than to defend it in time of War In the absence of a Temptation we readily purpose to abstain from Sin but when they assault us how often are we surpriz'd and vanquish'd David resolves I will keep thy Statutes but to keep his Resolution inviolate he prays O forsake me not utterly He Promises I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth as with a bridle but he Addresses himself to God for assistance Set a watch before my mouth and keep the door of my lips Our Resolutions are Light and Feathery soon scatter'd by a storm of Fear 't is as dangerous to trust in a Heart of Flesh as in an Arm of Flesh. Nothing is more unstable than Water but when pour'd into a strong Cistern 't is as sure as that that contains it Thus Divine Grace preserves our unstable Heart from slipping 4. The Religious observation of the Lords Day is an Excellent means for the increase of Holiness 'T is worthy of our serious Observing that the Fourth Commandment is enforc'd with a Note of Excitation Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day to impress the sense of our Duty upon Conscience and to coâ—fine our transgressing Nature that is so apt to alienate that time that is Sacred to God and the Interest of our Souls to Carnal and Profane Uses 'T is sanctified and set apart by the Lord of our Persons and Time for the celebrating the most Excellent Works of his Power and Goodness in Creation and Redemption He that gave us our Beings and rais'd us from the Dust to an Honour little lower than the Angels those Heavenly Spirits and has ransom'd us from our woful Bondage he that dignified us with the Impression of his own Image and the Assumption of ours The Morality of the Command is perpetual that one day of seven be Consecrated and Separated for Divine Worship but the designation of the Day to the Jewes was in remembrance of their Deliverance from Egypt and to Christians in remembrance of our Deliverance from the Tyranny of the spiritual Pharaoh Satan and his infernal Army Benefits exceeding those of Creation and rescuing from the Bondage of Egypt Indeed every Day we should Redeem Time from business and pleasures for the immediate Service of God but on the Lord's Day we must be entirely Conversant in Holy Duties Publick and Private and abstain from Common Works unless of Necessity and Mercy The Religious Rest of the Fourth Commandment is to be observed by Christians so far as 't is requisite for our attendance on the Service of God 'T is not only our Duty but our heavenly Priviledge that being tir'd in the dust and toil of the World we have a freedom and are call'd to draw near to God with the promise that he will draw near to us that when we pay our Homage we shall receive infinite Blessings for then in the Communion of Saints we present our requests with a filial freedom to God and we receive his Precepts for the ordering our Lives to please him