Hope will give Courage will put a Man in heart and make him resolved for God A true Christian to maintain his Hope will not care to quit present worldly Possessions If we could be perswaded to disclaim all interest in and Hope of Heaven to embrace this present World if we could be content to take up with the World for our Portion then certainly we have no sound Hope of Heaven It is a weighty saying O that it may be well weighed They are no true Hopes of Glory to come Mr. Baxt. Ep. ded before his 32. Directions c. if you cannot cast over board all Worldly Hopes when the Storm is such that you must hazzard the One. 11. A sound Hope will raise ones Thoughts Heart and Desires Heaven-ward What is Hope but an expectation with desire or a desiring expectation As the Apostle speaks of his earnest expectation and Hope Phil. 1.20 So we cannot have a lively Hope of Heaven without lively desires after Heaven Rom. 8.23 We which have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body It cannot be that such as have a sound Hope of Heaven should place their happiness or terminate their desires in the World 12. A lively Hope will quicken and raise the Heart in praise and thankfulness to God Psal 71.14 I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more This Hope is called good Hope through Grace 2 Thes 2.16 And Souls that have it cannot but see cause greatly to admire extol and magnifie Divine Grace 13. Sound Hope is a furtherance of Spiritual Joy Rejoycing in Hope As Bernard sed nunquid tantae laetitiae spes erit sine laetitia Yea this Hope oft causeth Joy even in Affliction Psal 119.49 50. Remember the Word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickened me The word of promise giving Hope thus brings in Joy and comfort too Sound Hope will chear the Heart and keep it alive under troubles without which it would faint and sink If our Hearts die within us like Nabals under worldly Troubles this would shew we have not a lively Hope of Heaven Such as rejoyce in Hope of the Glory of God will be ready even to glory in Tribulations as Rom. 5.2 3. Of Spiritual Joy ANd so I come to the Trial of Mens Joyes As there are counterfeit Graces so there are false Joyes As we read of the Hope of the Hypocrite so likewise of the Joy of the Hypocrite Job 20.5 A Joy that will end in sorrow and consternation Yea It is possible for Souls that have true Grace yet to be mistaken in their Joys As we find the Seventy Disciples returning with Joy Luk. 10.17 saying Lord even the Devils are subject unto us through thy Name Notwithstanding says Christ v. 20. in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Where he at once corrects and directs their Joy As one says Many times the more excellent a Sermon is Mr. A. Burg. the more carnal the heart of the Preacher may be So Christians may rejoyce carnally in Spiritual Enlargements and Spiritual Experiences As Grace can find something even in natural comforts to feed and increase Spiritual Joy Joy in the Lord So Corruption sometimes prevailes on the contrary making Spiritual Duties and Spiritual Priviledges and Mercies the matter and ground of carnal rejoycing And further as some Christians through weakness yield to needless fears and take up sad conclusions against themselves and their own Estates debarring themselves of comfort belonging to them So others again through heedlesness please themselves erroneously in their own fancies and rejoyce in sparks of their own kindling which they take for the comforts of the Spirit That we should not only try our Graces but our Comforts For which purpose take these following notes 1. Spiritual Joy is not wont to come in till Godly Sorrow hath prepared and made way for it Bernard Opportunè post tristitiam gaudium subit post laborem quies post naufragium portus Thus the Lord oft turns Water into Wine turns his Peoples Sorrow into Joy Christ was anointed to give the Oyl of Joy for mourning the Garments of Praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy Psal 126.5 6. Hearts that were never broken are not yet prepared for Christ to bind them up Paul had a casting down to the Earth before he was caught up to the third Heavens They that have great elevations of Joy and yet were never humbled for Sin have cause enough to suspect their Joy is not right 2. Spiritual Joy hath the Holy Spirit for its Authour Thus it is the Joy of the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.6 As I said of a lively Hope it is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 Ministers may be helpers of a Believers Joy as 2 Cor. 1.24 but under the Spirit He is the principal efficient Now they that have not the Holy Ghost their Sanctifier cannot have him their Comforter The Disciples were filled with Joy and with the Holy Ghost Act. 13.52 This fruit of the Spirit never grows alone but hath other fruits accompanying it Indeed there may be Saving Sanctifying Grace without actual Joy and Consolation but there cannot be true Joy without Saving Sanctifying Grace 3. Spiritual Joy is never to be found without Saving Faith Rom. 15.13 Now the God of Hope fill you with Joy and Peace in believing No other way that it can be attained Sound Joy is the Joy of Faith Phil. 1.25 Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Rom. 5.1 2. Without true Saving Justifying Faith no Peace with God and without Peace and Reconciliation with God no ground for Joy So then if we would know whether our Joy be right we must inquire after the truth of our Faith Certainly a temporary Faith can have no betrer than a temporary Joy following it 4. Spiritual Joy ordinarily is not attained without self-probation without self-searching Gal. 6.4 Let every Man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself The ground of an Hypocrites Joy ordinarily is out of himself in the good opinion and esteem of others But says the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience And this we see is the Scripture-way and method for attaining Spiritual Joy to commune with our own Hearts to ask our own Consciences seriously what evidence they can give that we are in a state of Grace that our works are done in Sincerity And when Conscience can give testimony of our Godly Sincerity and Integrity then indeed we have good ground to rejoyce But therefore such as are great strangers to themselves and fear examining their Consciences strictly lest
or to condemn Knowledg but indeed to condemn Pride in the opinion or conceit of our Knowledg There is a Woe to those that are wise in their own Eyes Isa 5.21 True Wisdom and Lowliness go together Prov. 11.2 With the Lowly is Wisdom And Wisdom and Spiritual Understanding go together Indeed Sound Spiritual Knowledg would take down the swellings of Pride Pride cannot reign where Sound Knowledg dwelleth Spiritual Knowledg cannot be without a Sound Knowledg of God ‖ Igitur ignorantes quique Deum rem quoque ejus ignorent nec esse est Tertul. de Poenitentia And the more we know of God the more we shall see cause to be humbled in our selves As holy Job the more he saw of God the more he was humbled Chap. 42.5 6. Again Spiritual Knowledg cannot be without a Knowledg of our selves And when the Spirit enlightneth Sinners one of his first works is to convince of Sin Joh. 16.8 Now certainly they that are lifted up in themselves know little of themselves They that are thorowly convinced of Sin and come to know themselves aright cannot but have low thoughts of themselves Again Spiritual Knowledg is not without the Knowledg of Christ * Cui enem veritas comperta sine Deo cui Deus cognitus sine Christo cui Christus exploratus sine Spiritu Sancto Tertul de Anima the only Mediator betwixt God and Man Now the Knowledg of Christ leads us out of our selves makes us appear to be worse than nothing in and of our selves Again Let me add this even they that are best learn'd in the School of Christ cannot but be sensible that they know but in part that they are very defective herein Christ's Scholars the further they learn the more they perceive their own Iâ—norance and Shallowness O the depths in Divinity How short are our Conceptions How many Mysteries here that we are not able to dive into or fathom †Maxima pars corum quae scimus est minima pars corum quae nescimus All we know is but little to what we know not It is the Novice in Religion that is in most danger of being lifted up with Pride 1 Tim. 3.6 While such as know little are too often wise in their own conceits they that have made greatest proficiency cannot but charge themselves with folly See Psal 73.16 22. Prov. 30.2 3. 8. Spiritual Knowledg is nourishing As the Lord promiseth that his People should be fed with Knowledg and Vnderstanding Jer. 3.15 As some have noted with Knowledg and Vnderstanding there may not only respect modum pascendi the manner how their Teachers should feed them scil understandingly and prudently but also materiam pastûs the matter of their Food the sound Knowledg of God's Word This is nourishing There 's Heart in it As Timothy was nourished up in the Words of Faith and of good Doctrine 1 Tim. 4.6 As the Word of God is compared to Milk 1 Pet. 2.2 Indeed there is both Milk and strong Meat Heb. 5.12 It is pabulum Animae The Spiritual Knowledg of God and his Word does Souls good indeed It is as Food to the Graces of the Spirit as Fuel to holy Affections Therefore the Apostle Peter prayeth 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace be multiplyed unto you through the Knowledg of God and of Jesus our Lord. And in his concluding exhortation to grow in Grace chap. 3.18 he addeth and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as a means specially conducing to their growth in Grace I have shewed you even now that Spiritual Knowledg is a great promoter of Humility So doth it further on Repentance As that expression of a Mans knowing the Plague of his own Heart 1 King 8.38 may shew There is no Repentance without knowing the Plague of ones own Heart Spiritual Knowledg is both an In-let and a stay and help to Faith and trust in God Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee So Knowledg is put for Faith Isa 53.11 By his Knowledg i. e. by the Knowledg of himself shall my righteous Servant justify many So it begets and maintains the Fear of God The Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord go together Isa 11.2 Prov. 2.3 5. If thou cryest after Knowledg then shalt thou understand the Fear of the Lord. And if thou knowest God aright surely thou wilt reverence him thou wilt fear before him thou wilt stand in awe of him fear to offend him Again this is ever a Friend to the Love of God Psal 91.14 Because he hath set his Love upon me because he hath known my name They that know his Name will set their Love on him How great is his Goodness and how great is his Beauty If we know him aright we cannot but admire him Jer. 24.7 I will give them an Heart to know me that I am the Lord not only an Vnderstanding but an Heart to know me They shall know me so as to love own and cleave to me It follows and they shall be my People and I will be their God That this Promise I will give them an Heart to know me seemeth to be the same in sense with that Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine Heart to love the Lord thy God The Spiritual Knowledg of God hath both Light and Heat in it It warmeth it enflameth the Heart with love to him It promotes Sincerity Phil. 1.9 10. Psal 36.10 O continue thy loving-kindness to them that know thee and thy Righteousness to the upright in Heart Here they that know God and the upright in Heart are the same Persons They that know God aright would dread to think of mocking God in Religion would fear to play the Deceivers Would not God search this out for he knoweth the secrets of the Heart Thus Spiritual Knowledg is sound indeed Notional-Knowledg is windy and airy Men may have their Heads swelled with it but that 's all Their Hearts are not bettered by it As Meat that lyeth on the Stomack undigested is more noxious than nourishing it breedeth ill Humours a meer speculative Knowledg is like Food that digests not I remember it is Bernard's comparison 9. Spiritual Knowledg is fruitful Good Knowledg is like good Seed As the Apostle says of the Word here Col. 1.6 It bringeth forth Fruit in you since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in Truth It brings forth the Fruits of Repentance and Reformation Psal 119.104 Through thy precepts I get Vnderstanding therefore I hate every false way Job 28.28 The fear of the Lord this is Wisdom and to depart from evil is Vnderstanding And the fruit of Obedience Psal 111.10 A good Vnderstanding have all they that do his Commandments Deut. 4.6 Keep my Statutes and do them for this is your Wisdom and your Vnderstanding 1 Joh. 2.3 4. Hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him
11. True Zeal is for expedition in God's Service As Phinehas Ignis est maxime actuosus maximè mobilis who was zealous for God could not sit still when he saw God so greatly Dishonoured Psal 106. Then stood up Phinehas and executed Judgment Then stood up Phinehas The word may import his readiness and forwardness to appear for God against Sin as occasion was then offered So Nehemiah testified against the Merchants that had lodged but once or twice without Jerusalem under the Wall on the Sabbath threatning to clap them up If they did so again he would lay hands on them Neh. 13.20 21. So David Psal 101.8 I will early destroy all the wicked Though it may point at the usual time of sitting in Judgment in the morning yet withal it may import that he would not be delatory in the work Thus Zeal will set Men early on work for God will make Men quick and speedy in giving check to Sin as they have power and opportunity to put a stop to it as soon as they can Sinful sluggish demurs delays put-offs are contrary to the nature of true Zeal So a listlesness to Duty is no sign of Zeal It is cold that benummeth So it is a sign of the want of Zeal a sign of extream coldness when we cannot find our hands to turn them to any good work when we are like the slothful Prov. 19.24 that hides his hand in his bosom 12. True Zeal makes souls as forward unto so free and lively in God's service What a Man does zealously he does very heartily To be zealous of good Works is not barely to do some good Works but it further implieth earnestness alacrity and fervency of spirit in the doing of Good Works To pray with Zeal is more than saying a Prayer it is no less than to be fervent in Prayer to pray earnestly To be zealous in works of Charity is not meerly to give to such that stand in need but to give willingly and freely Like those of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8.3 that were willing of themselves That needed no spurring on What the Apostle sayes of Love 1 Cor. 13.4 It is kind bountiful this may well be said of Zeal which is the fervour of Love Zeal is bountiful at least in will and desire Cold has a condensing and contracting quality but heat rarifies and extends So Zeal in the Heart enlarges it A zealous Christian would not serve God at an ordinary rate he desires to abound in the work of the Lord. The flame will be mounting upwards A zealous spirit is a raised spirit raised in God's Service But a cold dead heart is still bearing downward We read of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17.6 So one of a zealous spirit never thinks he does enough for God He will desire still to serve him more and to serve him better 13. True Zeal gives courage in the Cause of God filleth the Soul full of resolution for God And indeed that may be the meaning of Jehoshaphat's heart being lifted up in the wayes of the Lord. A zealous Spirit is a magnanimous Spirit An holy Zeal is indeed Cos fortitudinis the Whetstone of Valour As Esther's Zeal for God and his People put courage into her though she might naturally be timorous as is common to her Sex What an heroick resolution was there Esth 4.16 I will go in unto the King and if I perish I perish If we have no Spirit no Courage to appear for God his Truth and Wayes sure we have no Zeal forthem Indeed of all things Sinners are most offended at holy Zeal They that have nothing to say against Christian Meekness or Charitableness and some other Graces yet can ill endure the heat of Godly Zeal O it is scorching and tormenting to them Here they are ready to cry out Fire fire as one says This oft puts them into a great combustion Yet true Zeal will break thorow opposition Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it The like may be said of Zeal It is not quenched or cooled but oft more intended and increased when others would discourage it 14. True Zeal that is a cause of such courage and resolution for God that giveth confidence and boldness before Men yet is joyned with Humility and Holy Fear and Trembling before God One gracious disposition is not contrary to another And true Zeal is not blown up with high thoughts of ones self but with high thoughts of God The Dread and Reverence of the most High of an infinitely Glorious and Holy Majesty promotes true Zeal for God helpeth to set an edge upon it and steeleth the Soul with an holy boldness hardeneth it against a base carnal fear of Man Mr. Vines But it is not right when as one says Zeal that should eat us up is eaten up of Pride 15. Right regular Zeal will more dispose and fit us for our Work and Duty not take off from Duty or transport into Sin That is not Zeal but distempered Passion it is not from Grace but from the workings of Corruption when we are discomposed and unhinged 16. If we have true Zeal for God it will be a joy to us to see any zealous and active for God As on the other hand it will be our great grief to see Men generally cold indifferent lukewarm in Religion To see others regardless of God and of the interest of true Religion will move our displeasure and indignation But it will not offend us to see any acted with regular Zeal for God Indeed the Apostle did and would rejoyce that Christ was Preached though some preached Christ out of envy Phil. 1.15 18. How much more would he have rejoyced to have seen as good proof and evidence of their pure Love and Zeal as he saw of their Envy carrying them out in the work If we are truly zealous for God we shall be taken with those whom we see or hear to be zealous for him our hearts will be towards such yea knit to them as Jonathans was to David And we shall bless God for such As Deborah Judg. 5.9 My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the People Bless the Lord. She desired that the Lord might be praised that put such a spirit into them If others out-shine us here yet if we have true Zeal for God we shall be so far from envying them that the more zealous any are the more we shall honour and be taken with them 17. If we are truly zealous we have an holy emulation a desire to follow yea if it might be to outstrip those that excel in vertue As the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14.12 Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts seek that ye may excel As the Corinthians Zeal and forwardness provoked very many 2 Cor 9.2 We should not envy such as have got the start of us and yet should in a good
Reverence and for Piety and Religion too And as we are required to serve the Lord in fear Psal 2.11 Deut. 6.13 So we cannot serve him acceptably without it Heb. 12.28 Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear And as it is a great duty so it is our safety and security In the Fear of the Lord is strong confidence The more we fear God the less we need to fear Creatures Men or Devils The Fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death The Fear of the Lord is a treasure And he that hath it shall abide satisfied He shall not be visited with evil There is no want to them that fear him And no evil shall befal them Surely it shall be well with them that fear God Blessed is the Man that feareth the Lord. This Fear is oft put for the whole condition of the Covenant in the Old Testament as the word Faith is oft used in the New But before I come to the trial of our Fear there is an Objection or two to be removed Object 1. Is it not Man 's greatest and highest duty to love God and can we both love and fear him Does not the Apostle John say 1 Joh. 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear Answ 1. It must be noted that we are oft expressly required in the Word both to love and fear the Lord therefore certainly they are not opposites That one Text is sufficient to prove that they well agree Deut. 10.12 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in all his ways and to love him Yea take this along with you if we do not love God above all and fear him above all he is not our God Isa 8.13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread 2. That Text of the Apostle John many understand of the love of God to us Calvin Heming Danae apprehended by us expelling fear that is fear of the day of judgment of condemnation As he had said in the verse foregoing vers 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this love is or hath been perfected with us that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment If it be objected that the faithful are not yet without all fear in this respect It is answered Metus verè pellitur quia fidei locum cedit c. Fear may be said to be cast out because it is giving ground to Faith And though it may disquiet it does not confound us It is not prevalent as before Here consult Rom. 8.15 3. Yet I confess I am not so well satisfied with that sense which seems to be forced and does not so well agree with what follows He that feareth is not made perfect in love Therefore understanding the Apostle to speak of our love as other good Expositors take the words and seems to be the plain sense yet we are to distinguish of love and also of fear Love may be said to be perfect either for kinds or for degrees It may be called pefect love Beza Danae Esti Piscat when it is true and sincere and not only when it is consummate Again Fear is manifold and of divers kinds 1. There is a Natural fear which is a passion of the soul implanted by God whereby we naturally abhor and flee from what is destructive or grievous and hurtful to our natures This in it self is neither good nor evil in a moral sense It is not morally good for it is also found in Brutes in irrational Creatures that are not capable of moral goodness Neither is it morally evil For God is the Author of it as of our Natures but he is not the Author of Sin or moral evil Even Jesus Christ himself taking Mans Nature on him was not made without fear Mar. 14.33 Heb. 5.7 But this pure natural fear is good Physically it is greatly useful and very necessary for the Creatures preservation It is a guard to our lives a means to keep us off from rocks of danger Which is the ground of the Latine Proverb Timidi Mater non flet 2. There is a Carnal fear Fear out of its wits The excess of natural fear Such a fear as we read of Prov. 29.25 The fear of Man bringeth a snare which is there opposed to trust in the Lord. An undue or excessive fear of Creatures or outward evils A fearing where no fear is a fearing without just ground or a fearing Creatures more than they are to be feared a fearing without due bounds We may fear Men as the rod of God's anger but we must fear God more He holds the rod in his hand and it is not to be feared but with respect to him that holds it that hath the command and dispose of it Mat. 10.28 Though Christ as he was Man had a natural reluctancy to suffering yet he had no base carnal fear upon him Joh. 19.11 To Pilate boasting of his power Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee c. He answereth Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Carnal fear is not from meer nature but from the corruption of nature and is sinful in it self attributing too much to Creatures and detracting derogating from the power dominion and over-ruling providence of God and is further a cause of much sin as we may see in Peter when through this Fear he denied his Lord and Master It is a great impediment to Grace an hindrance of Duty it quite unbingeth and sadly distracteth the Mind and Spirit where it prevails 3. There is a servile or slavish Fear Timor poenae non culpae A fear of punishment only not of offending or a fear to offend only with respect to the punishment This is the property of Slaves It 's true the wrath and sword of the Civil Magistrate is to be feared Rom. 13.4 Then much more are we to fear the Wrath of God his Judgments As Psal 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee I am afraid of thy Judgments But this is far short of the duty of Fear that we owe to God He is not only to be feared in this respect Nay this Fear is no further good than it leads unto and helps forward an holy filial Fear of God As the Needle draws the Thread after it as Austine has the comparison But as a Natural fear agrees to all Men a meer servile fear is proper to wicked Men. And yet we cannot blame them for fearing such an angry Judge and incensed Majesty or trembling at such punishment as Hell-torments but that their fear of God is separated from all true love to God and that notwithstanding their fear of punishment they have still a love to their sins that it is a torment to them to think of being restrained
the Christian Society As Colledges have their Statutes and other Companies and Societies their particular Orders This is an Order for all that are of Christ's School And without renouncing Self we cannot rightly depend on Christ without forsaking Self we cannot follow Christ without crossing Self we cannot comply with the Will of Christ without denying self we cannot be ready to confess Christ we cannot be willing and prepared to die to suffer for Christ How easily are Men brought to deny the Faith and Truth to deny God and Jesus Christ that have not learnt to deny themselves Will Lovers of themselves will Self-seekers stick to Christ and his Truth when put upon trial whether indeed they are content to sell all for the Pearl of price Whether they can forsake all for Christ When the Cross shall follow those that follow Christ will not such flinch from him then Yea before any such Trials come all that have not learnt to deny themselves have denied God and Christ already in their Hearts and are daily denying him in their Works and Lives Though Men have a form of Godliness yet while they deny the power thereof so far they deny God And to deny the power of Godliness is a sad preparation and introduction to the grossest and most shameful denial of God and Christ when a Temptation thereunto shall come No wonder therefore that Christ says here Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him utterly deny himself The simple Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as to deny that with this Preposition added it seems to signifie more to deny with an Emphasis to deny with contempt and abhorrence of ones self Quest But what is it to deny our selves Answ 1. In the Negative 1. We must not deny our selves to be what indeed we are as we must not feign our selves to be what we are not As the Prophet Ahijah said to the disguised Wife of Jeroboam Why feignest thou thy self to be another It is one thing to disguise and another to deny our selves The Hypocrite that seems to be what he is not and would not appear to be what he is is yet far from that Self-denial Christ calls us to he deceives himself and others while he does not deny himself So likewise many a sensless Sinner when admonished of his Faults will not acknowledg that he is the Man whom such a repoof concerns He will justifie himself though his Lips prove him perverse and though it may further provoke the Lord to plead with him as Jer. 2.35 To deny the Truth here is quite opposite to Self-denial Again Some there are in another Extream For whom God hath done much yet being clouded with Melancholy c. they cannot see so clear as otherwise they might and thereupon soon question yea deny any good wrought in them The condition of these is far better than the others spoken of before Yet they are to be pittied and such an Humour not to be fed or encouraged It is one thing to deny our selves and another to deny God's goodness to us It is no way contrary to Self-denial for a Christian to say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am Some go further yet and charge themselves more deeply than there is just cause As some poor troubled Spirits will not down with it but that they have sinned the unpardonable Sin c. But though we are not to deny our selves we are not falsly to accuse our selves 2. We are not to deny our selves in that sense wherein it is said that God cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 He abideth faithful he cannot deny himself He is ever as good as his Promise constant to his Word We may not in this sense deny our selves may not go back from lawful promises made either to God or Men. We should not use lightness yea and nay 3. We are not to renounce the use of our Reason That is no piece of Self-denial intended or required here That would be to make the Christian Religion unreasonable And how great a reproach would that cast upon Religion What is Man but Animal rationale or Ens ratione praeditum a Creature endued with Reason That it is as natural to him as congruous to that form and kind of being which his Creator has given him that he should use his Reason as that the Sun Moon and Stars should shine and give forth their light And it is certainly the highest and noblest use our Reason serves for to help us in the discovery of Truth and to direct us in the choice of Good Therefore no doubt we may be the Servants of Christ upon more Honourable terms than Nahash would have put upon the Men of Jabesh-Gilead Christ never required his Followers in this sense to put out their right Eyes though we must part with our dearest Lusts which have been as our right Eyes yet when these are pluckt out we should see never the worse But it is the way of Antichrist to perswade Man to an implicit Faith and to blind Obedience It is the drift and design of the Synagogue of Satan to get Men hood-winkt that they may be content to see with the Eyes of their Rulers and Leaders and follow them which way they please But we should be ready always to give an answer to every Man that asketh us a Reason of our Faith 1 Pet. 3.15 And can we give a Reason of our Faith without using our Reason And how oft doth the Lord reason with Men about Matters of Religion See Isa 46. from ver 5. to ver 9. Then would he not have Men use their Reason here Yea how does he upbraid Men that they used their Reason no better that they did not shew themselves Men See Isa 44.19 Chap. 27.11 It is a People of no understanding And it is plain the Scriptures that are a Rule for our Faith and Practice could not be rightly applied and made use of without putting forth our Reason Mat. 22.29 31 32. Where Christ telleth the Sadducees that denied the Resurrection Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures No Man could discover the Resurrection of the Dead in that Scripture brought for it without the use and exercise of Reason And farther We must have Reason to convince those who as yet believe not the Divine Original and Authority of the Scriptures How else should Heathens Infidels be convinced and converted Would we have them change their Way and Opinions without seeing any Reason for it And while Hereticks and Men of unsound Minds abuse their Reason setting it against the Truth should not we use and improve our Reason in defence of the Truth Can we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confute Gain-sayers without using our Reason And the Apostle would have Christians not as Children but Men in understanding 1 Cor. 14.20 And that is a weighty passage which some have laid down who have written to good
approach to God Thus his Prayers proceed not from feigned Lips Psal 17.1 So he praiseth God with uprightness of heart Psal 119.7 The Hypocrite thinks it enough to draw nigh to God with his Mouth and to honour him with the Lips Mark 7.6 Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you Hypocrites as it is written This People honoureth me with their Lips but their Heart is far frem me The Hypocrite contents himself with a form of Godliness with meer Bodily Exercise The upright Man is a true Worshipper one that worshippeth God in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 Phil. 3.3 The upright Man takes not up with any outward Form but laboureth for an inward frame sutable to the Worship he performs 2 Chron. 29.34 The Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves than the Priests The upright Man looks not only to the matter of Duty but to the manner also how it is to be done 2. The upright Man is not one prest to God's Service but a Volunteer in his Service To serve God with a perfect heart and willing mind go together 1 Chron. 28.9 As we read of the People 1 Chron. 29.9 Then the People rejoyced for that they offered willingly because with a perfect heart they offered willingly As of David ver 17. As for me in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies Simplicity is oft used for Freeness or Liberality The simple and sincere heart is a free heart It is free in God's Service and accounts his service perfect Freedom The Hypocrite sets to Duty as a Task and Burden he is glad when a duty is over The upright Man's heart is in these ways Holy Duties that are means of special Communion with God are his best Meal-times Job 23.12 I esteemed the words of his Mouth more than my necessary Food Such would not know how to live without the Word without Prayer c. The World could not hire them to lay Duties aside by all it has to proffer True the upright Man finds not at all times the like chearfulness in God's Service But the spirit is willing when the flesh is weak Or if his Spirit be sometimes straightned 't is his burden when it is so And he prays to be established with a free spirit When he finds any listlessness unto and weariness in God's Service it is a thing he is weary of He has little joy in any thing while he cannot take delight in God and his Wayes 3. The upright Man has a special respect unto God in Duties He looks most at God's Approbation Having a respect to every known Duty and having respect to God in all are great signs of Uprightness To look straight forward Prov. 4.25 the Hypocrite looks asquint He has not a right intention of serving honouring and pleasing God in what he does The Upright looks most at God The Hypocrite looks most at Men. He does all to be seen of Men Mat. 6.5 23.5 The Hypocrite would think all his labour lost if he have not Man's applause or approbation He loves the praise of Men more than the praise of God like those John 12.45 The Upright little regard Man's commendation or censure either As it was a small thing with the Apostle to be judged of Mans judgment but he would account all lost indeed without God's Approbation and Acceptance He would not that his praise should be of Men but of God He more dreads than courts Man's applause Or if he finds himself sometimes tickled and taken with it in cool blood he abhors himself for it But if he may know that God has accepted his Work the Lord's Well done good and faithful servant would do him good at heart 4. The upright Man is for secret Duties He makes conscience of them delights in them The Lord shall see his Nathaniel's under the Fig-tree in their private Walks in their Closets He sees them oft retiring themselves The Hypocrite who is only for making a shew cares not for secret Duties which Men can take no notice of If Conscience will not let him alone without doing something here yet he has no love to them he is very slighty in them 5. The upright Man is not only for Duties that are in fashion and credit among Men but those that may expose him to Scorn or Persecution As Daniel would hold on Praying and giving Thanks to God when it was likely to cost him his Life Dan. 6.10 The upright Man studies the Point of his Duty more than his own safety 13. The upright Man is an humble Man Such as walk uprightly also walk humbly Mic. 6.8 Though Vprightness and Perfection are oft made all one in Scripture yet the Upright have only a perfection of Parts here but as to Degrees they still find great imperfection in themselves that humbles them As the Apostle Phil. 3.12 Not as though I were already perfect The more Gracious the more Humble As the highest Stars seem least None are so sensible of the least sinful warping or stepping awry it troubles none so much as those whose greatest care is to walk Uprightly There is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes and yet are not washed from their Filthiness Prov. 30.12 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Hab. 2.4 Hypocrites as a sound Divine says is but the off-spring of Pride Mr. Bax. 14. The upright Man is one that walks by Faith walks in the Name of the Lord Zech. 10.12 We can walk and stand upright no longer than we are strengthened by him And it is Faith that fetcheth in strength from him Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness leaning upon her Beloved Upright Souls see a necessity of the Grace and Assistance of Christ and so lean and depend on him 15. The upright Man is steady and even in his Course But Hypocrisie is a cause of unsteadiness of inconstancy Psal 78.8 A Generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God And ver 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant The Hypocrite is good only by fits He is in a good Mood sometimes but it is soon over This will not prove one upright to take a right step or two But we must be upright in the Way and upright in our general Course Psal 106.3 Blessed are they that keep Judgment and be that doth Righteousness at all times At all times when alone as well as while in company with the Good at home and abroad On our own Days as well as on the Lord's Day In Prosperity and Adversity Not only when Righteousness is applauded and encouraged but when it meets with the severest checks and greatest rubs The upright though they may sometimes stumble in the way or step aside through Frailty yet they do not wickedly depart from it through falseness of Heart and base