justifie your Faith before Men you will never be able to justifie your Religion and your Sincerity therein Never tell Men of your Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ unless you shew Repentance from dead Works they will not believe and this was St. Paul's Practice of Piety Acts xxiv 16. Herein do I exercise my self always to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men But because this is that Convincing Point which must if ever recover the Credit of Religion let me be allowed to prescribe some more general Rules for the right and comely ordering of our Conversation § 1. Be very zealous in Gods cause meek and yielding in your own Be content to lie at the Footstool that the honour of God may have the Throne I recommend to you the great Example of our Blessed Saviour he was a Lamb in his own Cause a Lion in his Fathers He that could be Scourged and not open his Mouth could open it in Holy Indignation and Scourge the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple He submitted to be called Beelzebub Impostor and whatever opprobrious Terms a Rancorous Heart could voâ—…it upon him but in the Cause of his God and Father 〈◊〉 could Lighten and Thunder and flash Fire in the Face of the most obdurate Conscience Be ye therefore followers of Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not but committed himself and his cause to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. ii 23. And again Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing 1 Pet. iii. 9. § 2. Be strict and severe to your selves but very charitable towards others Concerning our brethren we have this Rule Rom. xiv 13. Let us not judge one another any more but concerning our selves we have this 1 Cor. xi 31. If we would judg our selves we should not be judged We are incompetent Judges of others because we know not upon what Principles our Brother may proceed we cannot take a just Measure of the Latitude of his Understanding by which he Governs himself there we ought to be sparing in our Censure but thou mayst know what is in thy own Heart and know more by thy self than either all the World knows by thee or thou knowest by all the World This has brought no little scandal upon Religion that the Professors of it have been sharp-sighted Abroad but blind at Home could see a Mote in their Brothers Eye and not the Beam in their own not duely considering that we who exact a few Pence from our Brother need the forgiveness of many Talents from our God Matth. xviii 24. § 3. Let us abridge our selves in the use of things which are in their own nature indifferent He that will go to the utmost length of his Tedder will easily break it It 's difficult to know where the lawful ends and the sinful begins He that will always go as far as he may go shall sometimes go further than he ought to go How much safer to keep an Ell within our limits than to go an Inch beyond Better do less than is lawful than what is sinful It 's an excellent Caution the Apostle prescribes Rom. xiv 16. Let not your good be evil spoken off The Glory of Christ the honour of our Holy Religion teach us to Retrench in what is merely lawful and still let us attend that Rule Rom. xiv 21. It 's good neither to eat flâ—…sh nor drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brâ—…ther stumbleth or is offendâ—…d or is made weak Three things thâ—… are included in this Canon 1. That we lay not a stumbling Block before our Brother to draw him into sin 2. That we provoke not his Passion to speak evil of the good ways of God 3. That we enfeeble not our Brother nor make him weak in his walking with God by an unseasonable use of our Christian Liberty 4. § Let your visible Righteousness towards Men be an inseparable Companion of your invisible righteousness before God With what Arguments will you persuade Men that you are Sincere and Upright in his sight if you cannot convince them that you are so in your Dealings with them So the Apostle Rom. xii 17. Provide things honest in the sight of all men I look upon that Man lost who has lost all regard to the judgment of others and doubly lost who has cast off all respect to the Judgment of his final Judg. § 5. Be Ambitious of a publick Spirit Express the Image of him who is Good and doth Good The Sun does not Monopolize his own Beams to his Disc or Orb but shines upon the Good and Bad. The Air incloseth not it self but lends breath in common to All. The Rain is not imprison'd in the Clouds but sheds fruitfulness on the Field of the Saint and Sinner the Ocean supplies the upper and the lower World with its Waters Let us then pray to be made partakers of the Promise given to Abraham Gen. xii 2. I will bless thee and make thee a Blessing Those little narrow Souls that make themselves their own Center and Circumference that dwell within their own Shell and bless themselves that All is well at home and never look abroad how it fares with the Oppressed Fatherless and Widow the Sick the Hungry and Naked that Consider not the Afflictions of Joseph are great Scandals to a Holy Religion not imitating the blessed Jesus who Act. x. 38. Went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil for God was with him Such was the Counsel of the Apostle Tit. iii. 8. This is a faithful saying and thâ—…se things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto mâ—…n ver 14. And let curs also lâ—…rn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful § 6. Let the Holiness of the inner Man shine with a convincing Light into all the Actions of the outward Man True Holiness will diffuse it self into and through the external Carriage and Demeanour that a Man shall be forced to say God is there in that Soul of a Truth as the Pride the Wantonness of filthy ones steams and reeks through the Skin into their Apparel their Language their Converses so should so will the Humility the Meekness Modesty Chastity Heavenliness of Holy ones discover it self in their external Behaviour especially in Food and Raiment 1 Tim. ii 9 10. That women adorn themselves with modest apparel the Modesty and Chastity of the Heart will evidence it self in the Modesty and Chastity of Cloathing with shame-fac'dness and sobriety not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly array But which becometh women professing godliness with good works For thus saith St. Peter 1 Epist. iii. 4 5. Did the holy women of old time who trusted in
Decus Tutamen OR Practical Godliness THE ORNAMENT and MUNIMENT OF ALL RELIGION Being the Subject of several SERMONS Preached at WESTMINSTER UPON TITUS ii 10. By V. Alsop Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed for John Barnes at the Crown in the Pall-Mall 1696. To all that Love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity especially to those who attend upon his Ministry Grace and Peace Beloved Brethren WHAT was once preached to your Ears is now presented to your Eyes accompanied with fervent Prayers that the God of all Grace would powerfully impress it upon your Hearts The importunity of Friends is a common Apology for publishing some Pieces which if Affection had not more prevail'd than Judgment might as well never have seen the Light How much of this I might plead to justify or excuse my appearing in Print upon this Subject many of you do know but I shall willingly wave those Reasons The Weight the Worth the Necessity of the Argument as they have been my strongest Inducements so are they all I shall offer for my Vindication The Age into which Sovereign Providence has cast our Lot does much boast of Light I wish that a proportionable measure of holy Heat had accompanied that Light that Grace Truth and Peace might have been the Glory of our Times But here we must bitterly lament that the holy Flame of Zeal for the Concerns of Jesus Christ that fervent Love to all that bear his Image in Righteousness and true Holiness has degenerated into or been expelled by another Fire not kindled from Heaven but if we may judge of the Cause by the Effects from a contrary Original The Spirit of Envy has almost eaten up holy Emulation and we have disputed so furiously about Truth that we have almost lost the other half of our Religion Charity The noise of Axes and Hammers in building the Temple has been as great as once it was in destroying it this Clamour has drowned the softer whispers of the Spirit of Holiness and Peace our Speculations about what is too high for our Reach and our Quarrels about what is too low for our serious Regard have insensibly worn out Practical Godliness and in the mean time Religion suffers its Enemies triumph it s few Cordial Friends mourn over it and suffer with it The Gospel of our blessed Saviour if it might have been heard would easily have compromised all our Differences but it has fared no better with Religion than with that charitable Person who interposing between two Friends engaged with drawn Swords was in the heat of passionate folly wounded by them both for an unkind Reward of his Kindness It is much to be feared that this will be the undeserved fate of whoever shall undertake to reconcile contending Friends to make them both his bitter Enemies for in an Age of Fiery mistaken Zeal he that is not Scalding Hot shall be censured for Lukewarm and not to be a Bigot will be to be reputed not a Christian The only Expedient I can recommend to you my beloved Brethren in this sad Case is To maintain Innocence in your own Souls Peace in your own Consciences to keep close to your Duty and if for endeavours of Love you must be so unhappy as to contract Enmity to retire with the Psalmist to your God Psal. cix 4. and give your selves unto Prayer But as the Holy Goâ—…pel of God our Saviour suffers unworthily by our Divisions and Contentions it suffers no less by our unsuitable Conversations which yet is but the evil Effect of an evil Cause the bitter Fruit of that poisonous Root For as when one part of the Natural Body grows great beyond its Proportion it robs the rest of their due Nourishment and Growth such is our deplorable Case we have furnish'd the Head so plentifully with Notions that we have starved the Members of their proper Supplies that they cannot perform their proper Operations We have laid out so much of our Zeal and Vigor upon Controversies that there 's little left to support the necessary things of Practical Religion Holiness towards God Repentance from dead Works and the exercise of good Works and a heavenly Conversation I Bless God from my Soul that most of you are of another Temper and Character though I cannot deny that the Enemy has studied to sow Tares among you and while we slept his Emissaries and Instruments have watch'd to bring in among you some Doctrines and Practices which would have Wounded if not mortally Stabbed our Holy Profession But blessed be the Great Superintendent of his Church who faithfully watched over you and against them and has prevented and defeated their subtle Malice It 's for the sake of humble sincere Ones principally that I have drawn up and sent forth these Papers who cannot perhaps wield a heavy Argument for the Cause of Christ and against its Opposers and yet their Integrity and Uprightness keeps them secure and the Grace of God on which they humbly and securely depend enables them to Live down all the Objections of Atheists Deists and Profane Persons by a regular and exemplary Conversation We Read of a Philosopher who when a subtle Sophister disputed zealously that there was no such thing as Motion in the World said nothing but rose up and walked You may possibly meet with such Profane Wretches who with great Noise and Clamour would bear you down that there 's nothing real nothing solid in Religion that its an empty ineffectual Notion a curious airy Speculation that has no power upon Mens Hearts no command over their Lives now if you shall meet with this importunate Clamour which is the best Argument they have say you nothing but rise up and Walk Let Men see your Holy Heavenly Conversation and this will silence all their Cavils and stop the Mouths of all their Objections better than you can do by fine force and Dint of Argument And indeed let us Dispute Write what and while we please nothing will vindicate Religion from the Reproaches thrown upon it by impudent Atheism but the Holy Walking of those that profess it And it 's a thousand pities that false Doctrine should be credited by a severe morose and rigid behaviour while Truth it self is blemish'd and brought into Contempt by a loose one Let me therefore Anticipate the following Discourse thus far as to assure you that the Credit of our Holy Religion can never be recovered without 1. A more Consciencious Sanctification of the Lord's Day all practical Religion Rises Falls Ebs Flows with that When a Generation of Men removed the Observation of that Day from Divine Institution and laid it upon the Churches Tradition or the Civil Sanction the repute of it sunk presently and the observation of it dwindled away to nothing 2. A more constant fixed Worshipping God in our Families As Personal Remisness will creep into the Family so will Family-Looseness easily infect the Churches It is in vain to Dream that Congregations will be Holy if
pregnant Proof that God is with us and Religion in us of a Truth But let thus much susfice to the first general Inquiry viz. what this Exhortation to adorn the Doctrine of our God and Saviour doth presuppose § 2. Proceed we now to the second general Inquiry What doth it imply to adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel in All things To this the answer must be returned in many Particulars 1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel must be Adorned in Civil as well as Sacred Affairs It 's not enough that we demean our selves decently and reverently in Acts of immediate Worship we must walk in the same fear of God under the same holy awe in our secular Businesses Religion must command even our Recreations our Diversions our Converses our particular Callings As carnal earthly Hearts will carnalize their Religious Performances so will spiritual Minds spiritualize their common Employments It 's far short of the Whole Duâ—…y of Man That we Sanctify the Lord's Day we must Sanctify our own God has indeed graciously indulged us six Days in the Week to labour in but not one of those Days nor one moment in any of those hours wherein we may do the Work of the Devil and the Flesh. If ever we will pretend to Credit our Religion we must evidence Holiness in the Shop as well as in the Church in our own Houses as well as the Lord's we must be Holy in Trading as well as Praying we must Sanctify the Name of God at our own Tables as well as the Lord's Table 1 Cor. x. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God And again 1 Pet. i. 15. As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation ' Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all the windings and turnings of your livâ—…s There 's nothing lawful though never so remote from Heaven but may be laid in a right line and due suborâ—…ination to it and when we cannot actually intend our ultimare end yet must we virtually refer all unto it this is that which has reproach'd Religion that what warmth we get in the Worship of God we presently lose it and grow luke-warm perhaps stone-cold when we depart from it And thus whatever we build up at the Church in one day we are plucking down all the week after 2. We must adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things In second Taâ—… Duties as well as those of the first The same God who sees and observes the temper of our Hearts in Dealing with himself observes it also in our Treatings and Dealings with Men would we approve our sincerity before an all-seeing God approve it also in our Treatings Conversings and Transactings with Men. There are some excellent first Table Christians who will not swear lightly not take God's Holy Name into their Mouths profanely that seem to make a Conscience of the Lord's Day that are severe in regulating the Worship of God by his Word And yet if common Fame may be credited are under no such severe Bonds of Conscience in their Covenants Contracts and Engagements with their Brethren but the Doctrine of the Gospel would have taught them another Lesson Tit. ii 12. which teaches us to carry it Righteously towards our Neighbour Soberly towards our selves and Godly towards our God What a rare Pattern was David Psal. ci 2. I will behave my self wisâ—…ly in a perfect way I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart He will be a Holy King upon the Throne a Holy Judge upon the Bench a Holy General in the Field Holy in the City and Holy in the Country for a perfect Heart had taught him to walk wisely in a perfect way If therefore we design to vindicate the Glory of Religion none must go beyond over-reach or defraud his brother 1 Thess. iv 6. our Covenants must be kept tho' we suffer by it Psal. xv 4. Truth must be spoken to and kept with our Neighbour and that Neighbour must be every one that partakes with us of Humane Nature 3. In all things In holy Works as well as holy Words It 's not well-saying but well-doing that must wipe off the Reproach that has been thrown upon our holy Profession 1 Pet. ii 15. So is the will of God that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Foolish Men will be lavish of their Tongues they will be reproaching Religion and the Religious this evil-speaking is the effect of their ignorance but the question is how shall we silence them and stop their Mouths for the future This he resolves as the Direction of God himself 'T is by well doing Words are cheap Works are chargeable and will cost us more to perform them It 's a mortal stab that is given to Religion when the Professors of it talk as high as Heaven and yet walk as low as this dirty Earth When our Ntions and Professions seem too high for this World and yet too low for the next Words without Works are a Language which Men do not understand we speak to them in an unknown Tongue but to be Beneficent Charitable to do them good to relieve the Distressed to deliver the Oppressed to make peace among Contending Neighbours This is a Dialect which is Vernacular to all the World Had we judged of a Pharisee by the Ear and not by the Eye he had been the most excellent Saint on Earth but our Saviour notes them for this Matth. xxiii 3. They say and do not Nay our blessed Saviour rebukes his own Disciples upon this Account Luke vi 46. Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Let that therefore be ours which was the Motto of a great Man in his time Non magna loquimur sed vivimus Let Men see as well as hear us that our light may so shine â—…fore mâ—…n that they seeing our good works may glorifie our fathâ—…r which is in heaven Matth. v. 16. 4. In all things In Passive as well as Active Obâ—…dience In suffering according to the will of God as well as acting in obedience to it It 's a very poor Religion that is not worth suffering for We must expect otherwise no better Language than this surely if these Professors did really believe their God to be Faithful and True they would trust him Did they believe thâ—… Râ—…compence of Râ—…ard they would venture their All upon it Did they believe their God able to repay them to reimburse them in what they should lay out and lose for his sake they would generously forsake all at the Call and for the Cause of their God Sufferings have ever been the Test the Ordeal by which Christ has Proved his Disciples Mark x. 17 18. A young man comes running to Christ as if in great haste for Heaven and that he might justifie his Obedience which he hoped would justifie him he avouches
it to Christ that he had kept all the commandmâ—…nts from his youth he began early continued long promised to persevere to the â—…nd I confess I suspect he either lyed against his Conscience or else had a very bad one and he had been more hopeful if from a sound Conviction he had bitterly cried out All these commandments I have broken from my youth But be it so Christ willing to try the truth of his Active by his Passive Obâ—…dience put him upon this Trial Go and sell all that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven This was a pinching Word indeed The Neck-Verse for a Hypocrite Methinks I see his Courage cool his Countenance change and grow pale Amazement and Confusion in his Looks he turns about and goes away sorrowful sar he had great possessions Upon no lower Terms than these must wâ—… hope to Recover the Glory departed from our Profession Then when we can cast all at Christ's Feet resign all into his Hands and whether he gives or takes say with holy Job Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. Let us therefore set before our Faith and imitate the Father of the faithful Gen. xxii who when called of God to offer up his Son his only Son his well-beloved Son the Son of the Promise and that in a way which seemed to Contravene the Law of Nature the positive Law of God yet disputed not delayed not but gave this clear Demonstration that he had nothing too Dear for his God 5. In all things Whether in a more narrow and private or in a more enlarged and publick capacity The Heavenly Orbs are of different Diameters yet they move regularly according to the Laws imposed upon them by their Creator The Stars are of differing Lustre and Glory and yet they shine and grudge not their influences to this lower ungrateful World which returns them nothing but Fogs and Mists to obscure their Light and Beauty God has placed us All in Spheres of different Circumferences how small soever they be let our Motion be Regular and Orderly he has filled us with various degrees Grace and Gifts let us lay out all faithfully There are various Talents with which our Soveraign Lord has intrusted us for kind for number 1 Cor. xii 11. Wrought by that one and the same spirit dividing to every one severally as he will If then our Talents be few let 's be faithful in the using diligent in the improving them the unprofitable servant Matth. xxv was not condemned because he had but one Talent but because he hid it in a Napkin He that has but a little spot of Ground may Cultivate it and shew that diligence in improving it that it may reward his Labour with a blessing Since I considered that passage in the History of Absalom 2 Sam. xv 4. O that I were made judg in the Land that every one that has any suit or cause might come unto me and I would do him justice It has taught me never to be ambitious of great things without more Grace to manage them but we are frank and liberal in our Promises to God to Men and to our selves The poor Man says O had I Riches how rich would I be in good Works The Illiterate says O that I were Learned what service would I do But let us Pray that we may have Grace to be useful and serviceable with what we have that whether in a narrow or more dilated Capacity we may Adorn the doctrine of our God and Saviour in all things 6 In all things In affirmative as well as negative Duties 'T is not enough that we Curse not God we must Bless him The Pharisee Luke xviii 11. had a Religion made up most of Negatives with a small sprinkling of lesser Duties and not without a mixture of Superstition God I thank thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican When the final Sentence shall pass upon every wicked Man it will proceed thus Matth. xxv 42. I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was naked and ye cloathed me not I was sick and in prison and ye visited me not The Indictment will not be laid that they plucked the Bread out of the Disciples Mouths but that they did not feed them Nor did the Charge run that they stripp'd the Cloaths off the Saints Backs but that they did not Cloath them They are not Accused that they Cast them into Prison but that they relieved them not visited them not when there we have all cause to Pray with the holy Person Lord pardon my sins of Omission Negatives will never intitle us to that blessing of living many days and seeing much good We must join the Affirmative with them Psal. xxxiv 14. Depart from evil and do good 〈◊〉 In all things In all Companies whether holy or unholy The Apostle discharges the Corinthians 1 Cor. v. 9 10. from the Company of Fornicators And yet he seems to correct or limit the Prohibition yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world or with the covetous or extortioners or with Idolaters for in that Latitude the Command would not be practicable for then says he ye must needs go out of the world Either a Christian must retire wholly from all Business in the World or must quite remove his Station into the other World A godly Man then may possibly be cast amongst them though a prudent Man will not of Choice frequent them The holy Art and Skill is how he may Adorn the Gospel when he is inevitably thrown amongst them And it 's a good Rule that if we cannot make wicked Men ashamed of their wickedness yet should we neither be ashamed of nor a shame to Holiness if they will not go to Heaven with us let us not in complaisance go to Hell with them Though Prudence will advise us to be wise as serpents a good Conscience will oblige us to keep our selves innocent as Doves That our unseasonable Rashness may not expose us to the fury of Men nor our temporizing Compliance to the wrath of God David had studied this Case with great accuracy Psal. xxxix 1 2 3. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me I was dumb with silence I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred My heart waxed hot within me while I was musing the fire kindled then spake I with my tongue Here was a notable conflict in David's soul betwixt his Prudence and his Zeal while the wicked were before him Prudence advised Silence Zeal counselled Speech while the Case was desperate and no hope of doing good appeared Prudence prevailed he was silent but as soon as there appeared fair probability of doing more good than harm or rather some good and no harm then Zeal unlock'd his Lips and he spake with his tongue A modest
wast false to my Honour and Interest thou didst betray me Thou that didst call me Lord and Master and yet disobey my Commandments And if Christ and his Gospel finds no fairer Quarter from Friends what may he expect when he falls into the Hands of Thieves It was this which cut David to the heart to be so treacherously dealt with by a pretending Friend Psal. xli 9. Minâ—… own familiar friend in whom I trusted that did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me May not we take up the same heavy and doleful Complaint on the behalf of Religion They that have eaten her Bread and drank her Wine have kicked and spurned at her Hear the Psalmist again mournfully bewailing his Case Psal. lv 12 13 14. It was not an enemy that reproached me sor then I could have born it neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me then I would have hid my self from him But it was thou a man mine equal my guide my acquaintance We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in company This was the cutting killing Stroke And this aggravates the Case of Religion in this dismal day Religion has been wounded betrayed reproached by pretended Friends when yet the Upright like that holy dying Woman 1 Sam. iv 22. know not how to out-live the departing glory but are willing to die with it It 's a matter of the greatest Difficulty to persuade us to Repent of our guiltiness in this Thing and before I can hope to prevail I must premise a few Particulars 1. Whatever Reproach the Professors of Religion draw upon their own Persons will certainly be fastned upon their Profession Now tho' this be an unjust Procedure to Reproach a Holy Truth because he that owns it holds it in Unrighteousness yet thus it will be in Fact the Crimes the Excesses of Men will reflect upon the Doctrine They that will Reproach Men for their Duties will much more revile them for their Iniquities and from thence take a welcome occasion to revile their Principles and Professions 2. Whatever Reproach falls upon Religion will reflect upon the Author of it even our Blessed Saviour himself And this should sway with all our Consciences to walk inoffensively to give no just Occasion to them that seek it and watch for it to blaspheme the Name of our God Hear how affectionately the Psalmist prays Psal. lxix 6. Let not them that wait on thee O Lord be ashamed for my sake let not them that wait on thee be confounded for my sake O Lord God of Israel And he had reason to be sensible that some Pious Souls might be justly offended at him and reproached for him when by his sin he had caused the Enemies of God to blaspheme 2 Sam. xii 14. But that I may more effectually Prosecute this Use in inviting you to Humiliation for and Lamentation over those Scandals which our Holy Religion has contracted upon our Account I will endeavour to lay before you these three things 1. I will shew what an Excellent Religion we have reproached 2. I will lay before you the great Zeal of the Primitive Christians to Adorn their Religion in those purest Times 3. I will further open how unworthily we have defiled it in ours § 1. Let me shew you what an Excellent Religion that is which we have thus shamefully Reproached Amongst the many Great and Glorious Excellencies of the Christian Religion as it stands described and recorded in the Scriptures of Truth this is one 1. It is a sound Doctrine 1 Tim. vi 3. wholesome words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are sound in themselves and make sound Tit. ii 1. Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All is sound all sincere nothing rotten 1. This Doctrine imbibed will make a sound Head not filling it with empty Notions aiery Speculations much less with rotten Matter which will breed Impostumes and break out into Ulcers but with such due Conceptions of God as will settle our Faith engage our Fear provoke our Love command our Obedience and in all secure the Souls everlasting Interest 2. It will make a sound Heart the Psalmist prays Psal. cxix 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I may not be ashamed As the Truth received into the Head will keep us sound from Heterodoxy so the same Truth entertained in its Power into the Heart will secure it from Hypocrisy 3. It will make a sound Conscience for herein alone is that Doctrine of Peace and Reconciliation with God revealed through Christ whose Blood sprinkled on the conscience purges it from dead works to serve the living God Heb. ix 14. 4. It will produce a sound Conversation we may lay it down for a Rule that Religion which begins in Hypocrisy will end in Apostacy And there 's little difference whether we go in a True way with a false Heart or forsake that way through a false Heart a sound Heart is the great preservative against both Now here we have cause to mourn till we have exhausted the Springs of Tears and can weep no more Lamenting over the rotten Doctrines of our Days which have defied and defaced this Holy and Sound Doctrine the rotten Conversations that have shamed it and rendred it contemptible The Truth is we can neither bear our Remedy nor our Disease we are sick with our Food and sick with our Physick The Scripture gives us True Notions of God but Men are ignorant and too proud to be taught 1 Tim. vi 3. Proud knowing nothing This Doctrinâ—… would be a lamp to our feet but we shut our Eyes against it and a light to our paths but we will not use it nor admit it to be our Guide in the ways of Holiness 2. Another Excellency of the Gospel is that it 's a Doctrine according to Godliness 1 Tim. vi 3. And a Doctrine after Godliness Tit. i. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if the whole System of Divine Truth were squared and modelled by Godliness It 's not only true that Godliness must be tried and proved by this Doctrine but that the Doctrine is formed and fashioned by the Rule of Godliness every Leaf Line Proposition is adapted to the advancement of Godliness Here 's no Indulgence for Sin no Toleration for Lust not one loose Principle in the Body of Scripture Divinity and if any Doctrine offers it self that breaths not Purity we may safely reject it as that which is not after Godliness And let this also renew our Lamentation that such a Doctrine has been tortured upon the Rack of unsanctified Wits to abet filthiness and uncleanness Men have reap'd what God never sow'd and gather'd what the Holy Spirit never strew'd when this Grace of the Gospel is turned into lasciviousness and Men have abounded in sin because the Grace of God has abounded towards Sinners 3. It has this Peculiar Excellency that in every respect it
's Good and Profitable to Men. It is calculated expresly according to the Image of him that is good and doth good Psal. cxix 68. Such is this Holy Doctrine it 's a sanctifying and a saving Doctrine Prov. iv 1 2. Hear ye children attend to know understanding for I give you good doctrine forsake ye not my law This Doctrine reveals Eternal Life and the only way to it it discovers what we must know that we perish not in Ignorance what we must believe that we perish not in Infidelity what we must do that we perish not by Disobedience what we must avoid that we perish not in our Rashness It reveals the end of Creation Redemption and how to reach the end of our Faith Hope Prayers in the Enjoyment of God blessed for ever to Eternity But if you would have the Particulars in which 't is good and profitable laid before you at once read that place 2 Tim. iii. 16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnisht unto all good works And upon this Account if our Eyes were Rivers and our Heads a Fountain of Tears we could not enough mourn that Men have turned God's glory into shame Psal. iv 2. The Divine Glory has displayed it self gloriously in the Gospel the Glory of his Mercy manifested to lost self-lost Sinners the Glory of his Justice manifested and satisfied in his Son the Glory of his Holiness shining out in the Precepts the Glory of his Truth shining out in the Promises the Glory of his Wisdom manifested in adjusting all Interests and answering all the Pretensions of the Holy Law and yet all these impiously turned into Shame § 2. To shew the Zeal of the Primitive Christians to Adorn their Religion In those Purest Times Religion had another Face than now it wears it was delivered Pure to them by Christ and his Apostles and they represented it suitably to the worst of their Enemies and these things were their Glory 1. First There was nothing more eminently sound amongst them than Love without Dissimulation The Heathen among whom they dwelt could not but say O how these Christians love one another Act. ii 1. They were all together with one accord in one house as if one Soul animated so many Bodies They were of one Heart one Lip and one Shoulder that they might bear one anothers burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. Gal. vi 2. 2. A second Excellency in them was their fervent Zeal for the Honour of their Redeemer a Zeal so hot that it quench'd the Flames and the heat of the Fires which devoured their Bodies This they copied out from Christ the Grand Exemplar of Holy Zeal for his Father's Glory Joh. ii 17. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up Christ's time for Sleep Food Rest was all eaten up by his Holy Zeal to do his Father's Will and finish his Work Such was the Original which they propounded to themselves for Imitation and they wrote after it with great Exactness they minded pursued more the concerns of their Lord than their own the publick Interest of the Church drowned thâ—…ir own private little Interests as the Sun shâ—…ing upon our culinary Fires extinguishes them so did their Zeal for Christ burn up all those petty Animosities which when peace and rest from Persecution indulged them broke out into dividing and consuming Flames Thirdly It was their Glory that they lived in a continual waiting for and expâ—…ctation of the coming of their Lord which glorious Day tho' they could not hasten yet their longing praying Souls hastened unto that Day 2 Pet. iii. 12. Looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of God How did they patiently wait and yet passionately pray come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. xxii 20. They longed to see their Lord upon his Throne to see all the Kingdoms of the World brought into subjection to the King of Saints and their preparations were answerable to their expectations making ready for the blessed Appearance of their blessed Saviour Fourthly Their Discourses their Lives savoured of Heaven their Business their Conversation was above whence they looked for their Saviour their Persecutors when they stript them of all the accommodations of their Pilgrimage would say with scorn We do but ease you of what you say is your burden and impediment in running your Race and others when they dragged them to the Stake and Fire would scoff We do but send you whither you long and pray to go How wretchedly we have copied out those Excellencies all the World sees better than they who have most cause to be ashamed If we had holy Paul s Heart we should shed his Tears Phil. iii. 19. Many wâ—…lk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that thâ—…y are enemies of thâ—… cross of Christ who mind earthly things An earthly Conversation bears the clearest Contradiction to a heavenly Revelation And now what would dry up the Apostles Tears or what would wipe off this filth from the face of Religion but that gracious Temper of his vâ—…r 20. Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his glorious body And let us from thence draw this Inference If we look that Christ should once at last vindicate our Bodies from the Dust let us be ambitious to vindicate his Gospel from the Dirt Do we look and hope that he will redeem our vile Bodies from the Grave let us labour to recover his precious Gospel from its Tomb and pray that at length it may have a glorious Resurrection § 3. Let us in the last place consider how Unworthily this Glorious Gospel has been defaced in our Generation and from thence furnish our Souls with Matter for Humiliation and Lamentation The Primitive Christians are remarkable for All Love we may be justly reproached for All Hatred they were united we divided and subdivided and crumbled into Parties when they were All one Bread Love and Affection is now confined to some discriminating mode of Profession and the Enquiry is not now whether a Man bears the Image and Superscription of Christ but whether he bears ours The old Heat of Primitive Zeal is turned into a feavourish preternatural Heat against each other It would be difficult to touch this Point and not to break out into Satyr but that we cannot Reprove another but we must Reproach our selves We have been so fiercely biting one another that it 's a Miracle of Divine Mercy that we are not devoured by one another Sheep whose Character has been Meekness and Mildness are become Roaring and Ravenous Lions How little do we express the likeness of Christ who was meek and lowly in heart The Gospel would have taught us another Spirit Col. iii. 13. Forbearing one another