and inflam'd with a Holy Affection in a lowly Imitation of the Divine Zeal wherewith God performs all his Holy Ordinations Thus as Princes they have power with God because they offer him their Petitions according to his Established Rules of Government and his own Holy Will concerning the things wherein they pray to him Now the understanding these Rules was extraordinary and infallible to the Prophets and Servants of God inspir'd by him but to us in ordinary by the light of the Word of God by the Laws of True and Right Reason in deductions from that word And in which word and the deductions from it if we are not mistaken the Efficacy will be certain because if we ask according to his will we are sure he heareth us and that we have in some true sense the Petitions we ask of him This is so valuable a Rule of prayer that Daniel though so great a Man of Vision yet betook himself to this ordinary means of Instruction in the mind of God Dan. 9. By Books of Holy Records and general Chronology he knew that the time of the Babylonish Captivity was near its Expiration and so set himself to prayer and was crown'd with this wonderful success and acceptance Thus prayers prevail with God and yet without any change in him there being a Configuration or Concurrence of all things according to his own unchangable Will His Counsels of old that are Faithfulness and Truth are remonstrated to him by the humble servent desires of his servants that knew them to be his Counsels and who are ordered by the same counsels to enquire or beseech him by prayer according to them and therefore by his spirit the spirit of prayer He draws the parallel lines to his own Intentions upon their Hearts Desires and Affections I have pursued this the further because it gives a solution to that Doubt how God without any change in himself hears prayers and also assures us this prayer being so remarkable as to be twice us'd in the same words most certainly bears it self upon some certain principle from which we may argue to general practise The principle it rests upon must be this There is an Establish'd order betwixt the wrath and displeasure of God His Fury and Vengeance and the Nations or Families not knowing not calling on his Name and this is known by very light of Nature His Wrath according to unchangable Laws is always prepar'd against those that forsake him and that Duty they owe to him as Nations It had been else a great presumption upon God and Breach of Charity to the Nations so to pray against them which may also give us account of all those Dreadful Imprecations and Curses David and other Prophets and Holy men pour out against their own Enemies and the Enemies of their people They are founded in their being Enemies to God his True Worship Love and Service and as such their Final Destruction was decreed against them by the most Righteous Laws of Divine Government made known unto those Holy men and so they prayed for it as publique persons and not out of private Wrath and Revenge but this by the way I proceed now in the main Argument And this principle I am upon That the Wrath of God is against the Nations that are without National Religion lyes deeper in a First and more Original principle viz. There is an Obligation a great Duty lying upon Nations as Nations to know and worship the True God For else why should God find fault why should he be angry when none had resisted his Will From hence it is That there is a Natural Order established by God between his Love and Favour and a People and their publique True Religion because it is the Observation of a Duty and the Observation of Duty is the fitting us for Blessing and â—avour as the neglect and Transgression of Duty cannot be without wrath and displeasure For thus God hath placed Life and Death one over against another yet so that Life and Blessing are always first even as Duty is always before sin For God never made Death and Destruction even as he never could be the cause of sin but they come in by the Failing of our Duty and so of that Life and Blessedness entail'd on our Duty Yet the Obligation to National True Religion is much more evident from these Holy men praying down Wrath upon them that know not God and that call not on his Name then it could have been from the praying for his Favour to them that did know him and that did call on his Name because his Favour might have been vouchsafed upon Terms much below our substantial and inviolable Duty As many of the Jewish Rites might be Arguments for and Pledges of Gods gracious Regard to the people he had so distinguish'd when the want of those signs would not have argued to the effusion of his Wrath and Vengeance there being no natural or positive Duty lying upon any but the Jews to such observances There may be many Arguments for the Bounty and Favour of God from External Rites appointed by him and observ'd by his people though indeed these all refer to their Essential Duty and argue nothing without it Yet the contrary will not enforce to the opposite Degrees of Wrath and Indignation because they are not observ'd when no substantial Duty is violated Vncircumcision that keeps the Law may have in the main the same security from wrath with Circumcision that keeps the Law also Seeing then there is so great wrath against those that know not God that call not on his Name It assures us the Duty the Obligation and the Reason of it lye deep that the omission is so subjected to the Divine Revenges and it is in this A society without Religion is a High contempt of God a making flesh our arm and departing from the Lord and so from his Favour and Blessing A principality without an Inscription a Dedication to the Glory of God to which all things are to be devoted is like the building a Tower up to Heaven A sin like the sin of Herod when he let that Sacrilegious Applause sink into him and gave not the Glory to God and therefore subjects men to be at any time smitten and blasted by God who has said Those that honour him he will honour but all else shall be lightly esteem'd whether Nation or Person It is not therefore only the Judgment upon the Irreligion of particular persons of particular Families that is here intended though this is included and suppos'd but especially upon the Irreligion of Societies knitting and strengthning themselves without the True God upon Principalities exalting themselves and not by and with the Almighty and Supreme Majesty On the other side if there be a Duty an Obligation of being publiquely Religious there is a Blessing upon it according to that Fundamental Principle He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder
wholly naked and uncovered of any pretence according to acknowledged Principles of Natural Religion and the Word of God yet they are not without the Shelter of some Scandal and if they are driven out of all else they yet retire under this It is an undesirable state for a free-born Understanding and Will to be under Subjection there is something Tyrannick and Oppressive in it that they may not know and chuse what is best for themselves and so there is a resolvedness in corrupt Nature to do whatever goes out of its own Mouth The Apostle observes The Carnal Mind is Enmity to the Law of God it is not subject to it neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. It is always offended at it it always pretends some Cause against it and if there be no other that it is too Arbitrary A pretence a shew of Reason seems necessary to a Rational Mind and Will that is so made under the power of Truth and Goodness it cannot sin but by being deceived and grasping at some forbidden appearing Good Hence even the Devils think their Case justifies an eternal quarrel against God their Misery is to them a just Cause But the various Degrees Kinds and Shapes of Scandal are so many so confused so perplexing that the very view of it would enforce a thinking Soul to cry out I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord as the Patriarch Jacob in a Prophetick Prospect upon Dan out of whom some have fansied Antichrist should arise describes him as one would describe Scandal and therefore near enough to Antichrist that Man of Scandal and Son of Perdition that yet will be as Dan Judge over the Tribes of Israel Scandal is a Serpent by the Way an Adder in the Path that biteth the Horse heels so that his Rider shall fall backward most mischievous Ruine Considering therefore the Danger the Multitude of Scandals We wait for thy Salvation O Lord. Scandals then in particular Persons and Cases are Infinite but the more general may be reduced In Persons of no sense no true love to Religion 1. To the almost Universal Insolency of Wickedness in Humane Nature bearing away with the force and authority of so bad Example all before it And if defended by Atheistick Boldness wicked men clap their hands among themselves and multiply words against God they go in Company Job 43. 7. one with another and fulfill or justifie and make good the judgment of the Vngodly They drink scorning like Water and add Rebellion to their sin 2. To the Ignorance Sottishness and Unconcernedness in Religion of Vulgar Minds which rests under such Shadows as these God is Merciful and will not Damn his Creatures All have their Faults even the Best the Wisest and the most Religious There is more ado than needs Religion drives Men out of their Wits 3. To a False a Formal Religion Damnable Heresies or a Superstition in place of Religion raging with great shew of Zeal and Devotion against True Religion which while men bloodily pursue they think they do God good service From those that are more serious in the True Religion these Scandals especially arise 1. All Immoralities impure Interest of Ambition Pleasure or Coveteousness are very Offensive and expose Religion both to Strangers and even among themselves it being so very difficult or almost impossible in this Scandalis'd state to sever in our Censures Religion it self from the miscarriages of those that profess it men will know the Religion and not only the men by the Fruits they bring forth though Religion be the first and most severe in condemning what ever is bad and so should be judg'd only by it self 2. The great and many and sharp Differences among those that are the Professors of Religion made most remarkable by the high Feuds and furious Rencounters that give sport to the Enemies of it in traducing it and every way enfeeble it among themselves are great Scandals 3. The strange Antipathy in Religious persons against permitting the due Liberty to Conscience in things indifferent or in all things that are not expresly commanded or forbidden by God that men either upon the known Principles of Natural Religion or their own Principles and acknowledged Consequences from them cannot deny which is many ways destructive of the true power of Religion wherever it takes being the Scandal of acting against Sense or Conscience The Apostle as hath been shewn so remarks upon and is however a great discouragement to the entrances into and loss of Reputation to the profession of it by the Clashes between those that cannot comply because they Doubt and those that either will not believe them when they say they Doubt or think them not able to understand whether they doubt or not or would drive them against the express Rule of the Apostle though it be allowed they do doubt Thus I have described Scandal in which the whole unconverted Nature of man is Seated though some are deeper than others in it The very best men are under the Remains of it and are never perfect from it till in the state of Just Spirits made perfect where Scandal cannot enter In Hell it remains for ever even under the Convictions of Everlasting punishment There is an Eternal Dislike and Discontent at a Reply against God and his Government as not worthy of love and submissive Reverence but to be rebelled against in the very midst of those Convictions Could there be that humble deference so due to God it would be Repentance and Recovery to Heaven And now the misery of Scandal runs along with it All Disobedience to the Divine Commands which are Eternal Life is Scandal in the Deception first and after falls down into the miserable state in which it always remains but never ends expressed by the Worm that never dies the Fire never quenched the weeping wailing and gnashing of Teeth for ever Every one that maketh and he that receiveth the lye of Scandal are cast into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death but he that maketh that â—ye sinks deepest for though they are so miserable so great a Woe is to them that receive it yet still Woe in an Eminency to him by whom Scandal cometh hath been pronounced by the Lord and cannot be reversed And now I am more immediately and nearly to fall upon what concerns us in a way of Practice from the consideration of Scandal 1. Let us seriously apprehend the great Folly of taking hold of Scandal and making advantage of it against any of the Rules and Laws of Religion It is no other than sucking in a Common Infection or Contagion because it is common or taking into our selves a Reason or a pretence of Reason to be Eternally undone and miserable because the most are so The Scandalising and the Scandalised World perish together they that bring the Pestilentitial Contagion that runs deep in their own Veins and they that draw it in to themselves from
others What recompence or allay of Anguish will it be to us that there were such and such Offences or Causes of Exception to Religion and the Ways of it And that we saw they took mightily in the World that they were generally received When all is but making a Covenant with Death and binding over our selves to it Can there be any Cause just enough why we should be Damned and lose our selves for ever Or will it satisfie us for our Souls that others perish with us 2. It is therefore every Mans Interest to arm himself with all the Reasons he can against Scandal as there are sufficient and to resist this Enemy at the very Gates It is only that we are deeply Scandalised first against Religion that we go up and down as it were inquiring for Scandal for some to Scandalise us and to give us further shew of Reason against being Religious Were our Hearts but true to Religion we should easily find they are more and stronger that are with it than that are against it If our Eyes were opened the Reasons for Religion are like a Mountain full of Charriots and Horses of Fire that cannot be resisted Our business therefore is not if we sincerely resolve that we and our 2 kings 6. 17. House shall serve the Lord to search every where for Offences Josh 24. 17. against such a resolution but to find out the pressing and undeniable Arguments why we should so resolve to fortifie our selves against all the seeming pretences to the contrary by setting them before us as Joshua does before the People of Israel to animate our selves the higher against them That we are so unequally poised so propense upon Scandal is because our Hearts are first bribed toward Sin and Apostacy from God 3. This should engage us to take heed to our selves to beware of our own proper Scandal the motion prejudice and passion that grows from our own false Understanding or Lust and does and will scandalise us though there were no other Scandal in the World these will make us fall into Dislike or Discontent with any of the ways of Holiness and our Duty when they do not satisfie our particular Apprehensions Affections or Desires Let us commit our ways wholly to the Lord and he will give us the desires Psal 37. 1. c. of our hearts a hundred fold in our Design of Good even in this Life in the room of what we would purchase with Scandal Let us rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him and he will bring it to pass for us But let us not fret our selves in any wise to do Evil because any thing in our Duty lies cross to our inordinate Concupiscence We cannot do well in being angry to Scandal for that is indeed to be angry to our Death we foolishly pervert our own way when ever our hearts fret against the Lord. If we love the Law of God nothing can offend us If we love God and our Brother we can have no occasion of stumbling or Scandal in us 4. Seeing Scandals are so every where abroad and our own Hearts so weak on the part of Scandal it is most necessary to commit our selves to Infinite Grace and the Divine Spirit as our greatest Security and Protection without which no Flesh could be saved not the very Elect If we set our love upon God and place our trust in him we shall dwell in the secret place of the Most High and rest under the Shadow of the Almighty and he will deliver us from the Snare of the Fowler from noisome Scandal though a thousand Psal 91. fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand They that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish Psal 92. 13. c. in the Courts of our God they shall still being unscandalised bring forth fruit in their old-age they shall be fat and flourishing not blasted with Scandal's East Wind to shew that the Lord is upright a Rock of Security not of Scandal and there is no unrighteousness no cause of Scandal in him Oh how great is thy Goodness to them that fear thee to them Psal 31. 19. that trust in thee before the Sons of Men. Thou shalt hide them in the Secret of thy presence from the Pride of Scandal that compasseth men as a Chain yet they are proud of it from the strife of Tongues the Tongue of Scandal that are a World of Inquity that are set on fire of Hell that are set against Heav'n and walk through the Earth 5. We may from hence learn the great unreasonableness of being Scandalised that there are so many Scandals against Religion not marked with Vengeance If we consider well the state of the World how can it be otherwise It is neither a Heaven nor a Paradise upon Earth that immediately spue out Scandal and having once spued it out never receive it any more for ever Nor is it a Hell where there is Scandal all Scandal and no Religion but Scandal under Divine Vengeance Scandal all in a Flame with the Wrath of God discovering what it is so that it can intrap none any longer but those that are its Vassals for ever This World then is a World of Scandals and scandalised only it is under a Discipline an Administration of Grace like an Hospital a Bethlehem for Lunaticks the Lunaticks of Scandal the Infani as Holy Writ calls them They are under a gracious Provision of all Necessaries and a Method for Cure In the mean time that they that are at the height of this Lunacy should throw about Scandal with all their might is no more strange than that there are Mad Men in such a Bethlehem at the height of Distraction Indeed the Patience the Bounty that God uses to these is greater than of the most compassionate Hospitals generally in this world yet no doubt they have the cruel twinges and lashes of Conscience in order to their Cure if they might proceed to their Effect but that their Cure grows desperate is no more to be wondered at in the one Case than in the other Many never come to themselves They truly have Devils and are Mad Devils that are never cast out Others there are that are brought to a more quiet but sullen state others that have their lucid Intervals others again that have generally fair appearance of Reason yet not in their Right Minds and lastly some that are reduced beyond danger of relapse but not perfect What Reproach is it now to Right Reason to Sobriety that Lunaticks of all sorts erre from it or that some rally at it or that the very best among them do some things unbecoming to it No more is it that Evil Men or Imperfect Men not sanctified to the Perfection of Paradise or Heaven do unsuitable to Religion according to their several states though they do insanire cum ratione seem to be in their Wits and Reason while they do so Or that there