aside from the truth Let us then bring the Doctrines we hear to the touch-stone of Gods Word and not to reject them because publique neither applaud them meerly because private and so on the other hand Those that are so rigorous against private places what would they have done if they had lived in the dayes of Christ they would have rejected Christ and his Doctrine because he preached on a Mountaine and in a Ship and if they had lived in the dayes of the Apostles they would have done the like A faithfull Minister of Christ whether private or publick will endeavour to approve himself to God by holding forth such things as are consonant and agreeable to the Word of God Truth may be private when errour may be publick as in the dayes of Ahab when some of the Prophets were imprisoned and some put to death and Jezeebel had four hundred Prophets of Baal that fed daily at her table these at that time had the publick places and so in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles I proceed now to the second observation OB. That such persons usually effect their design on such as are either weak and ignorant not able to discern their corrupt and unsound Doctrine or such as are under the power of some base lust or lusts be they men or women for it may be understood of both sexes such being by the just judgment of God left to themselves and so they easily prevail on them Observe what Solomon telleth Prov. 14.15 The simple beleeveth every thing but the prudent looketh well to his goings What doth he mean in that but this A man that is simple and void of understanding you may make him beleeve any thing if you put a fair glosse and colour upon it but a man of understanding will lift and try and examine and see what grounds there are for the Doctrine that is delivered Of such deceivers the Apostle speaketh 2. Pet. 2.14 Now here 1. I shall shew you that they usually effect their designed on persons that are ignorant 2. That they also effect their design on those that are under the power of some lust or lusts that are in bondage to some base lusts 3. That God in his just judgment is pleased sometimes to give over such to be seduced 1. That their design is usually effected on those that are ignorant of Gods Word This you may see if you look into the Scripture Who were they among the Children of Israel that the false Prophets did so easily draw aside you may see they were any such that did not know the Lord. Jer. 5.3.4 5. Now how came this to pass They were led aside and seduced by those false Prophets that Jeremiah complaineth of that did deceive them and speaking smooth things to them did harden and confirm them in their evil wayes Again you may see how they were drawn in Jeroboams time to that grosse and abominable Idolatry they willingly walked after the Commandment Hos 5.11 Now what people were these the Prophet telleth us Hos 4.1 they were such as were without the knowledge of God where there is no knowledge of God in a Land people are easily crawn aside into the most pernicious errours And what was the reason that the Scribes and Pharisees had so many followers and so few followed Christ Why the people were ignorant of the Law and the Pharisees by their grosse and corrupt interpretations did deceive them They were a people that did not know the Law if they had known the Word of God Christ and the truths of Christ would have been very precious to them And what was the cause in this Nation in former dayes and with other Nations that remain under Ponery they are drawn aside to embrace the most-abominable errours to beleeve things that are so grossely corrupt It is because they are without the Word the Scriptures are locked up in an unknown language and people without the Word do beleeve any thing though never so grosse Do you think that absurd and abominable opinion of the Popish Masse would be received viz. That the Bread and Wine is the very Body and Blood of Christ Also that Crossing themselves with their Fingers is that which will defend them from evil and many the like foolish opinions if people were not ignorant of the Word of God 2. That which I am to shew you further is this That as ignorant persons are apt to be drawn aside to errours so likewise those that live under the power of some lust or lusts Consider that Jer. 5. The time that the Prophet Jeremiah speaketh of was a time of loosness and prophaneness They did whatsoever was good in their own eyes v 5. The great men had some knowledge of God but notwithstanding they had burst the yoke and broken the bonds they would not be under the power of Gods Word but would walk according to their own lusts pleasures Likewise that in Jer. 44.16 When the Word that Jere. had spoken in the name of the Lord crossed their lusts see how stubbornly they answer As for the VVord which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken to thee VVhen persons are under the power of any lust they are in a ready way to be seduced to any thing though never so corrupt VVhen men are in love with any sin and do wilfully retain any lust they are fit persons for seducers to work upon And usually such persons with whom the flesh and their own carnal interest prevailes have been drawn away from following the truth though they have lived some time under a profession of it and have had some knowledge of it I say such persons being overswayed by their lusts have been turned aside from the truths which they formerly embraced into the most corrupt and abominable ways We have had experience of it in this our Nation when God was pleased to give us peace and plenty and all that our hearts could desire how many were there that lived under a Profession of Religion when Religion was in credit yet the World having the Mastery of their hearts how suddenly did those persons miscarry and turn aside some to one opinion and some to another And surely those who lie in wait to deceive observe the frame and temper of mens spirits and order their deceits accordingly 3. That God in his just judgment giveth such over to be deceived VVhen once men will indulge themselves in any way of sin when once they wilfully take up their resolutions that they will do so and so though it be expressely contrary to the VVord of God God is pleased to give such over to delusions 2 Thes 2.10 11. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lie For what cause because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Observe that he doth not say that they did not receive the truth but they received not the
Gods people let us endeavour afterwisdom by the improvement of those means that God hath afforded unto us Use 4. Is it so that those that live under the power of lusts are the persons that are deceived by seducers Then consider what enemies they are to their own soules that do ensnare themselves under the power of any lust they betray themselves and lay themselves open to adversaries There is nothing so dangerous to a soul as that is that sets a soul in a ready way to be deeived and undone by those that ly in wait to beguile him We are apt to say of some special sins that our hearts are much set upon this is but a little one when if we did well consider and weigh all circumstances we should find that there is no sin little though there are som sins greater then other som yet no sin can be cal'd little Now observe those that make it their business to deceive mens souls do the frame of 〈◊〉 spirits and they know how to fit their baits to mens inclinations Deceivers are like fishers that have for their several sorts of Fishes their several baits when they have to do with men whose hearts are set on the world they know how to deal with them there and when they are lifted up with pride and ambition they know how to lay a bait to catch them there and when they see that their hearts are filled with the carnal pleasures of the world they know how to lay their baits accordingly And alas how many are there that have lived under a profession of religion and yet by giving their hearts an indulgence and toleration in some lusts they have betrayed their souls into the hands of their adversaries that ly in wait to deceive them And these subtile deceivers though they fall not on a man to beat him suddenly from that which he owneth yet they intangle his affections till his heart by degrees is taken off and he is ensnared by them and comes at length to embrace such abominable opinions which if they had been presented to him at the first he would have fled from them as from a Serpent The Lord graunt that every one of us may consider of it for if we regard iniquity in our hearts and prostitute our consciences to the pleasures of our lusts God may justly suffer us to be seduced wherefore let us make it our business to purge out every iniquity lest it be our ruine USE 5. Let us not wonder then that in such times as we live in there should be such declensions from the Ways of God When we see times in which all manner of looseness and prophaneness reigns and is not suppressed it is no wonder if those that lie in wait to deceive do prosper in their designes though I do not mean of such that are sometimes drawn aside and overcome by their lusts for God may suffer his precious ones to be led aside for a season but he restoreth them again but when I say such that are under the power of lust I mean of such that are ordinarily over-ruled by their lusts and of that which is the usual course by which corrupt persons prevail on such And indeed it is not strange that they prevail on them As I hinted to you out of Jeremiah concerning that gross Idolatry that was among the people it was no wonder that the Prophets prophesying lies should prevail on them for there was horrible prophaneness and wickedness amongst them when corrupt men shall frame such a Religion as shall suit with mens lusts it is not strange that such men should yield unto them whose hearts are set on their lusts It is not strange that Popery should so exceedingly prevail when they have framed such corrupt ways that men may go on cheerfully in the satisfaction of their lusts When men shall be told that some sins are no sins and some sins are venial and greater sins may be done away by enduring some corporal punishments which also it is in he Power of the Priest to mitigate and that if they die in their sins they may by enduring some punishment in Purgatory be purged from their sins and afterwards received to glory and that it is in the Popes Power to deliver them from these pains If these things be well considered we may not wonder that men are so easilâ— drawn aside to gross Popish superstitions Where Christ telleth us of false teachers he telleth us alsâ— that iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax old USE 6. This shouldâ—â—each us to watch our hearts aud to take especial notice of the corrupt inclinations Did we devise a way to entangle our selves and ensnare our own souls we could not find a readier way then to sollow the lustings of our own hearts When once the heart is set on evil it taketh offence at the truth espâ—cially at such truths that give a wound to its beloved sins Herod heard John Baptist gladly but when he toucheth him in his beloved sin he heareth him no more So there are many that make a Profession of Religion who when they come to be touched in their beloved sins cannot digest such plain dealing and by this means their affections do abate to Religion and at last they fall off and are willing to joyn in any way that may indulge them in their susts Therefore that word of Solomon is not unsuitable Keep thy heart with all diligence c. We must see that we do not allow our selves in any evil one sin bringeth in another and frequency of sinning causeth deadnesse of heart and deadnesse of heart taketh off the Sâ—â— from the Ordinances of God till by degrees it comâ—th to have bitternesse of spirit and deadly enmity against those that go on in the practice of those things that are allowable by the Word of God We have seen sad examples of this kind in these our days how many have been ensnared by the world rather then they would lose their honour and esteem with men they leave the honour that Christ hath tendered to them Let us not then be such enemiâ—s to our own souls USE 7 What cause have such that have been preserved from Apostacy and Seduction to acknowledge the in finite goodnesse of God unto them there is none of us but if we would make a diligent search into our own hearts our Consciences will tell us that since we have come to the knowledge of the truth we have sinned against our own light we have done those things which our Consciences have told us we should not have done how might God have suffered us to be deceived and carried aside to those ways that lead to eternal destruction It is sad to look abroad in the world and to see how many in these times have been carried aside from the Truths of God by that corrupt and abominable errour of Popish Merit to establish their own Righteousnesse and some have been carried aside to the same evil under the pretence of the improvement of their natural parts and abilities and have set up their own work and denied Christ How many have despised the Oâ—â—inances of God How many have fallen from their Profession to downright Atheism That it is not so with us is because God hath preserved us and watched over us how should this engage our hearts to that God that hath made his Word good to us in keeping us to himself by his mighty power through faith And again let us not wonder that many should be drawn to this opinion and that opinion but rather wonder that to this day we have not been so deceived If God should leave us and withdraw from any of us if God should say to any soul here go in thy own way and beleeve what thou wilt and embrace whatever thy heart is set upon what opinion is there Nay what damnable Heresy is there that we should not run into It is the Lord that keeps us or else we should have perished Oh what cause hath every soul that hath been kept in the truth to bless God that hath given them his spirit to lead them in the truth It is not our parts nor wisdom nor any thing in us that preserveth us from errour he that beguiled Adam in his innocency might easily beguile us that have so much darkness in our understandings impurity in our affections and perversness in our our wills Our soules bless the Lord and acknowledge that it is of his infinite grace and mercy to us that we have been preserved We have cause to say as the Psalmist did Not unto us but is to thy name be the praise this should be as a bond in our spirits to walk with God The goodness of God should have that effect on us as it had on Jacob when God appeared to him in Bethel it is said he lifted up his feet and went on his way So it should be with us it should make us lift up our feet and walk on in the waies of the Lord FINIS
love of the truth i.e. though they had some illuminations and some knowledge of the truth yet they had not the love of the truth in their hearts they did not receive it as from God and so subject themselves unto it but their hearts did rise against it because it crossed their lusts and wills Now God in his just judgment doth give such over to beleeve a lye This you may take notice of that where God is graciously pleased to afford means of knowledge to a people and that people do either slight it and take little notice of it or else content themselves in a bare external profession and do not receive it in love and submission God is pleased sometime to give such over to be very corrupt indeed and to embrace errours contrary to those truths that formerly they have received how many have there been in these times lately past that have lived under a profession and seemed very zealous and forward and yet some corruption swaying their hearts they have not only fallen off from that fervour in the Ordinances of God but have looked on them as below their attainments and as needless things to them and look on the vaine fancies and conceits that arise in their mindes to be the breathings and moveings of the Spirit of God and at last cast off all shew of Religion and question whether there be any Religion or God yea or no Now consider this what a sad and dreadfull thing is this to fall into such delusions and yet how many were there of those whom God was pleased thus to give over whom one would have thought should never have received such things as these in their hearts But it hath been evident by fad and wofull experience and this indeed is not to be admired at but we may rather marvel that it is not general amongst us considering how we have slighted the Gods Word and denyed the power of it in our lives God is pleased once more to give us this liberty that we should openly enjoy his Ordinances Let us remember that God will not suffer such mercys to be abused It is high time for us to look to our selves to labour to know the mind and will of God and knowing it to embrace it with affection and obedience If we know not the things that belong to our peace in the day of our visitation we cannot expect but that the issue will be sad that God may judicially give men over to a spirit of delusion that they shall run into the most dreadfull and erroneous opinions and all kind of grosse and idolatrous superstitions and wickedness And thus we have cleared the point the grounds follow 1. Because ignorant persons through the ignorance and blindness of their understandings are not able to judge and try things and to put difference between things that differ Men that know not truth from errour may be easily deceived especially when there is an outward shew and fair glosse put upon it A man may easily be overcome in Combate that is discovered or that hath no skill to use his armes Many men live without Gods Word and though they have it do not know how to manage this Sword of the Spirit as it is called by the Apostle they know not how to defend themselves nor to offend those that assault them And Satan is he is especially subtill so his 〈◊〉 have learned this policy of him when they hear men pleading Scripture and observe their unskil fullness in the Scriptures they will plead Scripture too As now for defence of the Doctrine of merit by good works that by these men might be made worthy and obtaine eternal life this Scripture will be strongly pleaded 1 Tim. 6.18.19 Look here say they it is clear and evident that we ought to lay up good works in store for our selves as a good foundation by virtue of which we may obtain eternal life But the falshood of this is easily discovered if we look to the 17. v. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches Charge them â—y plead thâ—â— they are beleevers and that they be not high minded they are apt since they beleeve in God it shall be well enough with them But let them shew their faith by their fruitfullness in good works let their faith be manifested in their practice especially in their readiness to releeve the distressed members of Christ for this is that which Christ will take especiall notice of before the whole world Wherefore we must not so understand the Apostle as if by this expression Laying up in store for themselves were meant the merit of good works which give us right to eternal life but that it might be evident that they are such as have beleeved in Christ by their fruitfullness in good works for where the Spirit of God is in the heart that Spirit teacheth a beleever to manifest the efficacy of his faith in a godly life and conversation and in a readiness to distribute to the necessitous members of Christ Likewise that place Col. 1. â— That ye might walk worthy of the Lord c. Now say they how should we walk worthy and what is our worthiness but by way of reward But that which the Apostle calls worthiness is no more then suitableness and meetness as v. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Now how are we made meet and worthy surely not by any thing in us but by Christ only as the next words shew v. 13 14. So that we are not made meet by any works of our own but we come to be made meet by being clensed from our sins and clothed in the righteousness of Christ by being taken out of Adam and implanted into Christ and so having received the Spirit of Christ we are made meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light There is a suitableness in this life to that heavenly and glorious life that we shall live with God for ever So that this is an abuse of Scripture I might shew you that life cannot be obtained by works of charity or by any thing that we can do It cannot be by works of charity for mind that which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.3 Men may give all their Goods to the poor as too many ignorant souls have done amongst the Papists Nay men may give their bodies to be burned but yet if they have not Charity i. e. if the love of God be not shed abroad in their hearts and the work be not done from a principle of love it is unacceptable Mind also that which the Apostle saith Eph. 2.8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith c. That is to say works have no hand no share at all in this great work Again they abule that place Jam. 2.21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works here to