poor vanity or other instead of him Surely the Godly Man when he thinks on this is exceedingly ashamed of himself cannot tell what to think of it God his exceeding joy whom in his right thoughts he esteem's so much above the World and all things in it yet to use him thus when he is speaking to him to break off from that and hold discourse or change a word with some base thought that steps in and whispers to him or at the best not to be stedfastly minding the Lord to whom he speaks and possess'd with the regard of his presence and of his business and errand with him This is no small piece of our misery here these wandrings are evidence to us that we are not at home but yet for this tho we should be humbled and still labouring against it yet not so discourag'd as to be driven from the work Satan would desire no better than that it were to help him to his wish and sometimes a Christian may be driven to think what shall I do still thus abusing my Lords name and the priviledge he hath given me I had better leave off no not so by any means strive against the miserable evil in thee but cast not away thy happiness be doing still 'T is a froward childish humour when any thing agrees not to our mind to throw all away thou mayest come off with halting from thy wrestlings and yet obtain the Blessing for which thou wrestled 4. Those Graces which are the due qualities of the heart disposing it for prayer in the exercise of it should be excited and acted as Holiness the Love of it the Desire of increase and growth of it so the humbling and melting of the heart and chiefly Faith which is mainly set on work in prayer draw forth the sweetnesses and vertues of the Promises to desire earnestly their performance to the Soul and to believe that they shall be performed to have before our eyes his Goodness and Faithfulness who hath promised and to rest upon that and for success in Prayer exercising Faith in it it is altogether necessary to interpose the Mediator and look through him and to speak and petition by him who warns us of this that there is no other way to speed no man cometh to the Father but by me As the Jews when they prayed look'd toward the Temple were was the Mercy-Seat and the peculiar presence of God thus ought we in all our praying to look on Christ who is our Propitiatory and in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily The forgetting of this may be the cause of our many disappointments 5. Fervency not to seek coldly that presages refusal fire in the Sacrifice otherwise it ascends not no sacrifice without incense and no incense without fire Our remiss dead hearts are not likely to do much for the Church of God nor for our selves where are those strong cries that should pierce the Heavens his ear is open to their cry He hears the faintest coldest Prayer but not with that delight and propenseness to grant it his Ear is not on 't as the word here is he takes no pleasure in hearing on 't but cries heart-cries Oh! those take his Ear and move his Bowels for these are the voice the cries of his own Children A strange word of encouragement to importunity give him no rest Is. 62. 7. Suffer him not to be in quiet till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth A few such Suiters in these times were worth thousands such as we are our prayers stick in our Breast scarce come forth much less go up and ascend with that piercing force that would open up the way for deliverances to come down But in this must be some difference of temporal and spiritual things the Prayer in the right strain cannot be too fervent in any thing but the desire of the thing in temporals may be too earnest a feverish distemper'd heat which diseases the Soul therefore in these things a holy indifferency concerning the particular may and should be joyn'd with the fervency of Prayer but in spiritual things there is no danger in vehemency of desire covet these hunger and thirst be uncessantly ardent in the suit yet even in those in some particulars as for the degree and measure of Grace and some peculiar furtherances they should be presented so with earnestness as that withal it be with a reference and resignation of it to the Wisdom and Love of our Father For the other point the answer of our Prayers which is in this openness of the ear it is a thing very needful to be considered and attended to if we think that Prayer is indeed a thing that God takes notice of and hath regard to in his dealing with his Children 't is certainly a point of Duty and Wisdom in them to observe how he takes notice of it and bends his ear to it and puts to his hand to help and so answers it this both furnishes matter of praise and stirs up the heart to render it therefore in the Psalms so often the hearing of prayer observed and recorded and made a part of the Song of Praise and withal it endears both God and Prayer unto the Soul as we have both together Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications the transposition in the Original pathetical I love because the Lord hath heard my voice I am in love and particularly this causes it I have sound so much kindness in the Lord I cannot but love he hath heard my voice And then it wins his esteem and affection to Prayer seeing I find this vertue in it we shall never part again I will call upon him as long as I live seeing Prayer draweth help and favours from Heaven I shall not be to seek for a way in any want or strait that can befall me In this there is need of direction but too many Rules may as much confuse a matter as too few and do many times perplex the mind and multiply doubts as many Laws do multiply pleading Briefly then 1. Slothful minds do often neglect the answers of God even when they are most legible in the very thing it self granted that was desired It may be through a total inadvertence in this kind never thinking on things as answers of our requests or possibly a continual eager pursuit of more turns away the mind from considering what it hath upon request obtain'd still so bent upon what further we would have that we never think what is already done for us one of the ordinary Causes of ingratitude 2. But tho' it be not in the same thing that we desire yet when the Lord changes our petitions in his answers 't is always for the better regards according to that known word of St. Augustine our well more than our will We beg deliverance we are not unanswered if he give patience and support be it under
in his way to Heaven This the Apostle's scope here and doth it 1. By an Assertion 2. By an Exhortation The Assertion that in suffering for righteousness they are happy The Exhortation conform to the Assertion that they fear not why should they fear any thing that are assured of happiness yea that are the more happy by those very things that seem most to be feared The words are in part borrow'd from the Prophet Esay and he relates them as the Lord's words to him and other godly persons with him in that time countermanding in them that carnal distrustful fear that drove a prophane King and people to seek help rather any where than in God who was their strength fear not their fear but sanctify the Lord and let him be your fear c. Isa. 8. 12 13. This the Apostle extends as an universal Rule for Christians in the midst of greatest troubles and dangers The things opposed here are a perplexing troubling fear of sufferings as the Souls distemper and a sanctifying of God in the Heart as the Sovereign Cure of it and the true Principle of a healthful sound Constitution of Mind Natural Fear though not evil in it self yet in the Natural Man is constantly irregular and disorder'd in the actings of it still missing its due object or measure or both either running in a wrong Channel or over-running the Banks As there are no pure Elements to be found here in this lower part of the World but only in the Philosophers Books they define them so but find them no where thus we may speak of our natural Passions as not sinful in their Nature yet in us that are naturally sinful yea full of sin they cannot escape the mixture and allay of it Sin hath put the Soul into an universal disorder that it neither loves nor hates what it ought nor as it ought hath neither right joy nor sorrow nor hope nor fear a very small matter stirs and troubles it and as waters that are stirr'd so the Word signifies having dregs in the bottom become muddy and impure thus the Soul by carnal Fears is confus'd and there is neither quiet nor clearness in it A troubled Sea as it cannot rest so in its restlessness it casts up mire as the Prophet speaks Thus it is with the unrenewed Heart of Man the least blasts that arise disturb it and make it restless and its own impurity makes it cast up mire yea 't is never right with him either he is asleep in carnal confidence or being shak'd out of that he is hurried and tumbled too and fro with carnal Fears either in a Lethargy in a Fever or trembling Ague Readily when troubles are at distance he â—olds his hands and takes ease as long as it may be and then being surpris'd when they come rushing on him his fluggish ease is pay'd with a surcharge of perplexing and affrighting fears And is not this the condition of the most Now because those Evils are not fully cured in the Believer but he is subject to carnal security as David I said in my Prosperity I shall never be moved and with undue fears and doubts in the apprehensions or feeling of trouble as he likewise complaining confesses the dejection and disquietness of his Soul and again that he had almost lost his standing his feet had well nigh slipt therefore 't is very needful to caveat them often with such words as these fear not their fear neither be ye troubled If you take it objectively their fear be not affraid of the World's malice or any thing it can effect or it may be subjectively as the Prophet means do not you fear after the manner of the World distrustfully troubled with any affliction can befall you Sure it is pertinent in either sense or both together fear not what they can do nor fear as they do If we look on the condition of Men our selves and others are not the minds of the greatest part continually toss'd and their lives worn out betwixt vain hopes and fears providing uncessantly new matter of disquietness to themselves Contemplative Natures have always taken notice of this grand Malady in our Nature and have attempted much the cure of it bestow'd much pains in seeking out Prescriptions and Rules for the attainment of a settled tranquillity of Spirit free from the fears and troubles that perplex us but they have prov'd but Mountebanks that give big words enow and do little or nothing all Physicians of no value or of nothing good for nothing as Iob speaks Some things they have said well concerning the outward Causes of this inward Evil and of the inefficacy of inferiour outward things to help it but they have not descended to the bottom and inward Cause of this our wretched unquiet Condition much less ascended to the true and only Remedy of it In this Divine Light is needful and here we have it in the following verse Verse 15. 15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear IMplying the cause of all our fears and troubles to be this our ignorance and disregard of God and the due knowledge and acknowledgment of him to be the only establishment and strength of the mind In the words consider these three things 1. This respect of God as 't is here express'd Sanctifie the Lord God 2. The seat of it in your hearts 3. The Fruit of it the Power that this sanctifie God in the heart hath to rid that heart of those fears and troubles to which 't is here opposed as their proper remedy Sanctifie He is holy most holy the Fountain of Holiness 't is he he alone powerfully sanctifies us and then and not till then we sanctifie him When he hath made us holy we know and confess him to be holy we worship and serve our holy God we glorifie him with our whole Souls and all our Affections we sanctifie him by acknowledging his Greatness and Power and Goodness and which is here more particularly intended we do this by a holy fear of him and faith in him these confess his Greatness and Power and Goodness as the Prophet is express sanctifie him and let him be your fear and your dread And then adds if thus you sanctifie him you shall further sanctifie him he shall be your Sanctuary you shall account him so in believing in him and shall find him so in protecting you you shall repose on him for safety and these particularly cure the heart of undue fears In your hearts To be sanctified in our Words and Actions but primely in our Hearts as the Root and Principle of the rest He sanctifies his own throughout makes their Language and their Lives holy but first and most of all their Hearts and as he chiefly sanctifies it it chiefly sanctifies him acknowledges and worships him often when the Tongue
death and resurrection study them set thine eye upon them till thy Heart take in the Impression of them by much Spiritual and affectionate looking on them beholding the Glory of thy Lord Christ then be transformed unto it 2 Cor. 3. It is not only a moral Patern or Copy but an effectual Cause of thy sanctification having real influence into thy Soul dead with him and again alive with him Oh Happiness and Dignity unspeakable to have this Life known and cleared to your Souls If it were how would it make you live above the World and all the vain hopes and fears of this wretched Life and the fears of Death it self yea it would make it most lovely to them that is the most affrightful Visage to the World It is the Apostles Maxime that the carnal mind is enmity against God as it is universally true of every carnal mind so of all the motions and thoughts of it even where it seems to agree with God yet it s still contrary if it acknowledge and conform to his Ordinances yet even in so doing it s in direct opposite terms to him particularly in this that which he esteems most in them the carnal mind makes least account of He chiefly eyes and values the inside the Natural Man dwells and rests in the shell and superfice of them God according to his Spiritual Nature looks most on the more Spiritual part of his worship and Worshippers The carnal mind 's in this just like it selfe altogether for the sensible external part and cannot look beyond it Therefore the Apostle here having taken occasion to speak of Baptism by terms of Paralel and resemblance with the Flood is express in correcting this mistake It is not says he in putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience Were it possible to perswade you I would recommend one thing to you learn to look on the Ordinances of God suitably to their Natures spiritually and enquire after the spiritual effect and working of them upon your Consciences We would willingly have all Religion reduced to outwards this is ouâ— natural choice and would pay all in this coyn as cheaper and easier by far and would compound for the Spiritual part rather to add and give more external perâ—ormance and ceremony Hence the natural complacency of Popery which is all for this service of the flesh and body-services and to those prescribed of God all deal so liberally with him in that kind as to add more and frame new Devices and Rites what you will in this kind Sprinklings and Washingâ— and Anointings and Incense but whither all this is it not a gross mistake of God to think him thus pleased or is it not a direct afront knowing that he is not pleased with these but desires another thing to thrust that upon him that he cares not for and refuse him what he calls for that single humble heart worship and walking with him that purity of Spirit and Conscience that he only prizes and no outward-service but for these as they tend to this end and do attain it Give me says he nothing if you give not this Oh! saith the carnal Mind any thing but this thou shalt have as many washings and offerings as thou wilt thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea rather then fail let the Fruit of my Body go for the Sin of my Soul Thus we will the outward use of Word and Sacraments do it then all shall be well baptised we are and shall I hear much and communicate ofâ—en if I can reach it shall I â—e exact in poâ—nt of Family Worship shall I pray in secret all this I do or at least I now promise Ay but when all that is done there is yet one thing may be wanting and if it be so all that amounts to nothing is thy Conscience purged and made good by all these or art thou sâ—â—king and aiming at this by the use of all means then certainly thou shalt â—ind life in them But does thy heart still remain uncleansed from the old ways not purified from the Pollutions of the World do thy beloved sins still lodge with thee and keep possession of thy heart then art thou still a stranger to Christ and an enemy to God the word and seals of Life are dead to thee and thou still dead in the use of them all Know you not that many have made shipwrack upon the very rock of Salvation that many which were baptised as well as you and as constant attendants on all the Worship and Ordinances of God as you yet remained without Christ and died in their sins and are now past recovery Oh! that you would be warned there are still multitudes running headlong that same course tending to destruction through the midst of all the means of Salvation the saddest way of all to it through Word and Sacraments and all heavenly Ordinances to be walking hellwards Christians and yet no Christians baptised and yet unbaptised as the Prophet takes in the prophane multitude of God's own People with the Nations Jer. 9. 26. Egypt and Iudah and Edom all these Nations are uncircumcised and the worst came last and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the Heart Thus thus the most of us unbaptised in the heart and as this is the way of personal destruction so it is that as the Prophet there declares that brings upon the Church so many publick Judgments and as the Apostle tells that for the abuse of the Lord's Table many were sick and many slept Certainly our abuse of the holy things of God and want of their proper Spiritual Fruits are amongst the prime sins of this Land 〈◊〉 which so many 〈◊〉 have fallen in the Fields by the Sword and in the Streets by Pestilence and more likely yet to fall if we thus continue to provoke the Lord to his Face for it is the most avowed direct affront to prophane his holy things and thus we do while we answer not their proper end and are not inwardly sanctify'd by them we have no other Word nor other Sacraments to recommend to you than these that you have used so long to no purpose only we would call you from the dead forms to seek the living power of them that you perish not You think the renouncing of Baptism a horrible Word and that we would speak only so of witches yet it is a common guiltiness that cleaves to all who renounce not the filthy lusts and the self will of their own hearts for Baptism carries in it a renouncing of these and so the cleaving unto these is a renouâ—cing of it Oh! we all were sealed for God in Baptism who lives so few that have the Impression of it on the Conscience and the expression of it in the walk and fruit of their life We do not as clean washed persons abhor and fly all pollutions all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness We have been a
but true willingness of heart so this willingness should not arise from any other but pure affection to the work not for filthy gain but purely from the inward bent of the mind As it should not be a compulsive or violent motion by necessity from without so it should not be an artificial motion by weights hung on within avarice love of gain the former were a wheel driven or drawn going by force the latter little better as a Clock made go by art by paces hung to it But a natural motion as that of the heavens in their course a willing obedience to the Spirit of God within moving a Man in every part of this holy work that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his mind carried to it as the thing he delights in loves to be exercised in it There may be in a faithful Pastor very great reluctances in ingaging and adhereing to the work upon a sense of the excellency of it and his unfitness and the deep apprehension of those high interests the glory of God and the Salvation of Souls and yet he enter into it and continues in it with this readiness of mind too that is with most single and earnest desires of doing all he can for God and the flock of God only grieved that there is in him so little suitableness of heart so little holiness and acquaintance with God for enabling him to it but might he find that he were satisfied and in attendance upon that goes on and waits and is doing according to his little skill and strength and cannot leave it is constrained indeed but all the constraint is that of love to Iesus and for his sake to the Souls he hath bought and all the gain sought is to gain Souls to Christ which is far different from the constraint and that gain here discharged yea is indeed that very willingness and readiness of mind which is opposed to that other constraint this without this within that other gain is base filthy gain this noble and divine Inf. 1. Far be it from us that necessity and constraint be the thing that moves us in so holy a work The Lord whom we serve sees into the heart and if he find not that primely moving accounts all our diligence nothing And let not base earth be within the cause of our willingness but a mind toucht with Heaven It is true the tentations of earth with us in matter oâ— â—gain are not great but yet the heart may cleave to them as much as if they were much greater and if it do cleave to them they shall ruin us as well a poor stipend and glebe if the affection be upon them as a great Denary or Bisâ—oprick if a Man fall into it he may drown in a small brook being under water as well as in the great Ocean Oh! the little time that remains let us joyn our desires and endeavours in this work bend our strength to him that we may have joy in that day of reckoning And indeed there is nothing moves us aright nor shall we ever find comfort in this service unless it be from a cheerful inward readiness of mind and that from the love of Christ thus said he to his Apostle lovest thou me then feed my Sheep and feed my Lambs love to Christ begets love to his peoples Souls that are so precious to him and a care of feeding them he devolves the working of love towards him upon his flock for their good puts them in his room to receive the benefit of our services which cannot reach him in himself he can receive no other profit from it It is love much love gives much unwearied care and much skill in this charge How sweet is it to him that loves to bestow himself to spend and be spent upon his service whom he loves Iacob in the same kind of service endured all and found it light by reason of love the cold of the nights and the heat of the days seven years for his Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because he loved her Love is the great endowment of a Shepherd of Christs flock He says not to Peter art thou wise or learned or eloquent but lovest thou me then feed my Sheep The third evil is ambition and that is either in the the affecting of undue authority or the overstraining and tyrannical abuse of due authority or to seek these dignities that suit not with this charge which is not Dominium but Ministerium Therefore discharg'd Luke 22. There is a ministerial authority to be used in discipline and more sharpness with some than others but still lowlinâ—ss and moderation predominant and not domineâ—ring with rigour rather being examples to them in all holiness and especially in humility and meekness wherein our Lord Jesus particularly propounds his own example But being ensamples Such a pattern as they may stamp and print their Spirits and carriage by and be followers of you as you are of Christ and without this there is little or no fruitful teaching Well says one either teach not or teach by living so the Apostle exhorteth Timothy to be an example in word but withal in conversation that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best printed copy But this pares off will some think all encouragements of learning No advantage no respect nor authority Oh! no it removes poor worthless encouragements out of the way to make place for one great one that is sufficient which all the other together are not that is Verse 4. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away THou shalt loose nothing by all that restraint from base gain and vain glory and Worldly power No matter let them go for a Crown that weighs them all down that shall abide for ever Oh! how far excellent A Crown of Glory pure unmixt glory without any ingrediency of pride or sinful vanity or any danger of it And a Crown that fadeth not of such a flower as withers not not a temporary garland of fading flowers such as all here are Wo to the Crown of pride Isa. 28. 1. Though it is made of flowers growing in a fat valley yet their glorious beauty is a fading flower but this fresh and in perfect lustre to all eternity May they not well trample on base gain and vain applause that have this Crown to look to They that will be content with those let them be doing but they have their reward and it s done and gone when faithful followers are to receive theirs Joys of royal pomp marriages and feasts how soon do they vanish as a dream that of Ahazverash that lasted about half a year but then ended and how many since that gone and forgot But this day begins a triumph and a feast that shall never either be ended or be wearied of still fresh new delights all things here the choicest pleasures cloy but satisfie not Those
and Body do not and possibly cannot well joyn with it Fears and Loves and Trusts in him which properly the outward Man cannot do tho' it does follow and is acted by these affections and so hath share in them in its capacity Beware of an external superficial sanctifying of God for he takes it not so he will interpret that a prophaning of him and his name be not deceived he is not mocked he looks through all Visages and Appearances in upon the Heart â—ees how it entertains him and stands affected to him if it be possess'd with reverence and love more than either thy tongue or carriage can express and if it be not so all thy seeming-worship is but injury and thy speaking of him iâ— but babling be thy Discourse never so Excellent and the more thou hast seemed to sanctifie God while thy heart hath not been chief in the business thou shalt not by such service have the less but the more fear and trouble in the day of trouble when it comes upon thee No estate so far off from true consolation and so full of horrors as that of the rotten-hearted Hypocrite his rotten Heart is sooner shakt to pieces than any other If you would have heart-peace in God you must have this heart sanctifying of him 'T is the heart that is vex'd and troubled with fears the disease is there and if the prescribed remedy reach not thither 't will do no good but let your hearts sanctifie him and then he shall fortifie and establish your hearts This sanctifying of God in the Heart composes the Heart and frees it from fears 1. In general the turning of the Heart to consider and regard God takes its off from those vain empty windy things that are the usual causes and matter of its fears it feeds on wind and therefore the bowels are tormented within the Heart is subject to disturbance because it lets out it self to such things and lets in such things into it self as are ever in motion and full of instability and restlesness and so cannot be at quiet till God come in and cast out these to keep the Heart within that it wander out no more to them 2. The particulars of Fear and Faith work particularly in this 1. That Fear as greatest overtops and nullifies all losser fears the Hearâ— possess'd with this fear hath no room for the other it resolves the Heart in point of duty what it should and must do not offend God by any means lays that down as indisputable and so eases it of doubtings and debates in that kind whether shall I comply with the World and abate somewhat of the sincerity and exact way of Religion to please Men or to escape persecution or reproaches no 't is unquestionably best and only necessary to obey him rather than Men to retain his favour be it with displeasing the most respected and considerable Persons we know yea rather chuse the universal and highest displeasure of all the World for ever than his smallest discountenance for a moment counts that the only indispensible necessity to cleave unto God and obey him If I pray I shall be accused might Daniel think but yet pray I must come on 't what will so if I worship God in my Prayer they will mock me I shall pass for a Fool no matter for that it must be done I must call on God and strive to walk with him this puts the mind to an ease not to be hanging betwixt two but resolv'd what to do we are not careful said they to answer thee O King our God can deliver us but however this we have put out of deliberation we will not worship the Image As one said non oportet vivere sed oportet navigare 't is not necessary to have the Favour of the World nor to have Riches nor to Live but 't is necessary to hold fast the Truth and to walk Holily to sanctifie the name of our Lord and Honour him whether in Life or Death 2. Faith in God clears the mind and dispels carnal fears the most sure help what time I am afraid says David I will trust in thee It resolves the mind concerning the event and scatters the multitude of perplexing thoughts that arise about that what shall become of this and that what if such an enemy prevail what if the place of our abode grow dangerous and we be not provided as others are for a removal no matter says Faith though all fail I know of one thing will not I have a Refuge that all the strength of Nature and Art cannot break in upon or demolish a high Defence my Rock in whom I trust c. Psal. 62. 5 6. The firm belief of and resting on his Power and Wisdom and Love gives a clear satisfying answer to all doubts and fears It suffers us not to stand to jangle with each triffling grumbling objection but carries all before it makes day in the Soul and so chases away those fears that vex us only in the dark as affrightful fancies do This is indeed to sanctifie God and give him his own Glory to rest on him and it is a fruitful homage done to him returning us so much Peace and Victory over Fears and Troubles perswades us that nothing can separate from his Love and that only we fear'd and so the things that cannot reach that can be easily despised Seek to have the Lord in your Hearts and sanctifie him there he shall make them strong and carry them through all dangers though I walk says David through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no ill for thou art with me Psal. 23. so Psal. 27. 1. What is it makes the Church so firm and stout though the Sea roar and the Mountains be cast into the midst of the Sea yet we will not fear that 's it God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved No wonder he immoveable and therefore doth establish all where he resides If the World in the middle of the Heart it will be often shaken for all there is continual motion and change but God in it keeps it stable Labour to get God into your Hearts residing in the midst of them and then in the midst of all Conditions they shall not move In your hearts Our condition universally exposed to search and troubles and no man so stupid but studies and projects for some Fence against them some Bulwark to break the incursion of Evils and so put his mind to some ease ridding it of the fear of them thus the most vulgar Spirits in their way for even the Brutes from whom such do not much differ in their actings and course of Life too are instructed by Nature to provide themselves and their young Ones of Shelters and the Birds their Nests and the Beasts their Holes and Dens Thus men gape and pant after gain with a confus'd ill-examin'd fancy of quiet and safety in it once to reach such a day as
Spirit of Châ—â—st against the Spirit of the World and these are by far the more excellent and strongâ—r faith looking to him and drawing vertue from him makes the Soul surmount all discouragments and oppositions so Heb. 12. 2. Looking to Iesus and not only as an example worthy to oppose to all the World's examples the Saints were so chap. 11. and chap. 12. but he more than they all But further he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith and so we eye him as having endured the cross and despised the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Not only that in doing so we may follow him in that way unto that end as our pattern but as head from whom we borrow our strength to follow so the Author and Finisher of our Faith And so 1 Joh. 5. This is our victory whereby we overcome the World even our Faith The Spirit of God shews the Believer clearly both the baseness of the ways of sin and the wretched measure of their end That Divine Light discovers the fading and false blush of the pleasures of sin that there is nothing under them but true deformity and rottenness which the deluded gross World does not see but takes the first appearance of it for true and solid beauty and is so enamoured with a painted strumpet And as he sees the vileness of that love of sin he sees the final unhappiness of it that her ways lead down to the Chambers of Death Methinks a Believer is as one standing upon a high Tower that sees the way wherein the World runs in a Valley in an unavoidable Precipice a steep edge hanging over the bottomless pit where all that are not reclaimed fall over before they be aware this they in their low way perceive not and therefore walk and run on in the smooth pleasures and ease of it towards their perdition but he that sees the end will not run with them And as he hath by that light of the Spirit this clear reason of thinking on and taking another course so by that Spirit he hath a very natural bent to a contrary motion that he cannot be one with them that Spirit moves him upwards whence it came and makes that in so far as he is renewed his natural motion though he hath a clog of flesh that cleaves to him and so breeds him some difficulty yet in the strength of that new Nature he overcomes it and goes on till he attain his end where all the difficulty in the way presently is over rewarded and forgotten that makes amends for every weary step that every one of these that walk in that way does appear in Zion before God The Christian and the carnal Men are each most wonderful to another The one wonders to see the other walk so strictly and deny himself to these carnal Liberties that the most take and take for so necessary that they think they could not live without them And the Christian thinks it strange that men should be so bewitcht and still remain Children in the vanity of their turmoil wearying and humouring themsâ—lves from morning to night running aâ—ter stories and fâ—nciâ—s ever busie doing nothing wonders that the delights of earth and sin can so long entertain and please men and perswade them to give Jesus Christ so many refuses to turn from their life and happiness chuse to be miserable yea take much pains to make themsâ—lves miserable He knows the depravedness and bliâ—dness of Nature in this knows it by himself that once he was so and therefore wonders not so much at them as they do at him yet the unreasonableness and frenzy of that course now appears to him he cannot but wonder at these woeful mistakes But the ungodly wonder far more at him not knowing the inward cause of his different choice and way the Believer as we said is upon the Hill he is going up looks â—ack on them in the Valley and sees their way tending to and ending in death and calls to them to retire from it as loud as he can tells them the danger but either they hear not nor understand not this Language or will not believe him finding present ease and delight in their way will not consider and suspect the end of it but they judge him the fool that will not share with them and take that way where such multitudes go and with such ease and some of them with their Train and Horses and Coaches and all their Pomp and he and a few straggling poor Creatures like him climbing up a craggy steep Hill and will by no means come off from that way and partake of theirs not knowing or not believing that at the top of that Hill he climbs is that happy glorious City the new Ierusalem whereof he is a Citizen and whither he is tending that he knows their end both of their way and his own and therefore would reclaim them if he could but will by no means return unto them as the Lord commanded the Prophet The World thinks strange that a Christian can spend so much time in secret Prayer not knowing nor being able to esteem the sweetness of communion with God which he attains that way yea while 〈◊〉 feels it not how sweet it is beyond the World's enjoyments to be but seeking after it and waiting for it Oh! the delight that is in the bitterest exercise of repentance the very tears much more the succeeding Harvest of Joy It s strange unto a carnal Man to see the Child of God disdain the pleasures of sin not knowing the higher and purer delights and plâ—asures that he is called to and hath it mâ—y be some part in present but however the fullness of them in assured hope The strangeness of the World's way to the Christian and his to it though that is somewhat unnatural yet affects them very differently He looks on thâ— deluded sinners with pity they on him with hate Their part which is here exprest of wondering breaks out in reviling they speak evil of you and what 's their Voice what mean these precise â—ools will they readily say what course is this they take contrary to all the World will they make a new Religion and condemn all their honest civil Neighbours that are not like them Ay forsooâ—h all go to Hell think you except you and those that follow your guise no more than good-fellowship and liberty and as for so much reading and praying these are but brain sick melancholy conceits and Man may go to Heaven Neighbour-like without all this ado Thus they let fly at their pleasure But this troubles not the composed Christians mind at all while Curs snarl and bark about him the sober Traveller goes on his way and regards them not he that is acquainted with the way of Holiness can endure more than the counter-blasts and airs of scoffs and revilings he accounts them his Glory and his Riches So Moses esteemed the reproach of
the heart But sure this one thing would make the Soul more calm and sober in the pursuit of present things if their term were truly computed and considered How soon shall youth and health and carnal delights be at an end how soon shall State craft and King-craft and all the great Projects of the highest Wits and Spirits be laid in the dust This casts a damp upon all those fine things but to a Soul acquainted with God and in affection removed hence already no thought so sweet as this helps much to carry it chearfully through wrestlings and difficulties through better and worse they see Land near and shall quickly be at home that 's the way The end of all things is at hand an end of a few poor delights and the many vexations of this wretched life an end of tentations and sins the worst of all evils yea an end of the imperfect fashion of our best things here an end of prayer it self to which succeeds that new Song of endless praises Verse 8. And above all things have fervent charity among your selves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins THE Graces of the Spirit are an entire frame making up the new Creature and none of them can be wanting therefore the Doctrine and Exhortation of the Apostles speak of them usually not only as inseparable but as one But there is amongst them all none more cemprehensive than this of Love insomuch that St. Paul calls it the fullfilling of the Law love to God the sum of all relative to him and so likewise is it towards our Brethren Love to God is that which makes us live to him and be wholly his that which most powerfully weans us from this World and causeth us delight in communion with him in holy Meditation and Prayer Now the Apostle adding here of the duty of Christians to one another gives this the prime yea the sum of all Above all have fervent love Concerning this Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Eminent Degree of it 3 The Excellent Fruit of it 1. It is an union therefore called a bond or chain that links things together 2. 'T is not a meer external union that holds in customs or words or outward carriage but an union of hearts 3. 'T is here not a natural but a spiritual supernatural union it is that mutual love of Christians as Brethren There is a common benevolence and good-will due to all but a more particular uniting affection interchangeably one amongst Christians The Devil being an Apostate Spirit revolted and separated from God doth naturally project and work division This was his first exploit and still his grand design and business in the World he first divided Man from God put them at an enmity by the first Sin of our first Parents and the next we read of in their first Child was enmity against his Brother so Satan is called by our Saviour justly a liar and a murderer from the beginning murdered man by lying and made him a murderer And as the Devil's work is Division Christ's work is Union he came to dissolve the works of Satan by a contrary work he came to make all Friends to recollect and reunite all Men to God and Man to Man and both those unions hold in him by vertue of that marvellous union of Natures in his Person and that Mysterious Union of the Persons of Believers with him as their Head so the word Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To unite all in one head Thus his great project in all this he died and suffered for and this he prayed for Iohn 17. and this is strong above all ties natural or civil union in Christ this they have that are indeed Christians this they pretend to have if they understood it that profess themselves Christians If natural friendship be capable of that expression one spirit in two bodies Christian union hath it much more really and properly for there is indeed one Spirit more extensive in all the Faithful yea so one Spirit that it makes them up into one body more intensive they are not so much as divers bodies only divers members of one body Now this love of our Brethren is not another from the love of God 't is but the streaming forth of it or the reflex of it Jesus Christ sending in his Spirit into the heart unites it to God in himself by love which is all indeed that loving of God supreamly and entirely with all the mind and soul all the combined strength of the heart and then that same love first wholly carried to him is not divided or impared by the love of our Brethren 't is but dilated and derived from the other he allows yea commands yea causes that it stream forth and act it self toward them remaining still in him as in its source and center beginning at him and returning to him as the Beams that diffuse themselves from the Sun and the Light and Heat yet are not divided or cut off from it but remain in it and by emanation issue from it Loving our Brethren in God and for him not only because he commands us to love them and so the Law of Love to him ties us to it as his Will but because that love of God doth naturally extend it self thus and acts thus in loving our Brethren after a Spiritual Christian manner we do even in that love our God Loving of God makes us one with God and so gives us an impression of his divine bounty in his Spirit and his love the proper work of his Spirit dwelling in the Heart enlarges and dilates it as self-love contracts and streightens it so that as self-love is the perfect opposite to the love of God it is likewise so to brotherly-love shuts out and undoes both and where the love of God is rekindled and enters the Heart it destroys and burns up self love and so carries the affection up to himself and in him forth to our Brethren This is that bitter root of all enmity in man against God and amongst Men against one another Self Man's Heart turned from God towards himself and the very work of renewing Grace is to annual and destroy Self to replace God in his Right that the Heart and all its Affections and Motions be at his dispose so that instead of self-will and self-love that rul'd before now the Will of God and the Love of God commands all And where it is thus there this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this love of our Brethren will be sincere Whence is it that Wars and Contests and mutual Disgracings and Despisings abound so but that men love themselves and nothing but themselves or in relation to themselves as it pleases or is advantageous to them that 's the Standard and Rule all is carried by interest so thence are striâ—es and defamings and bitterness against one another but the Spirit of Christ coming in undâ—es all selfishness And now according to God what he
himself Now to work the heart to a humble posture 1. Look into thy self in earnest and truly whosoever thou be that hast the highest conceit and the highest causes of it that will do it a real sight of thy self it will lay thy crest Men look on any good or fancy of it in themselves with both eyes and skip over as unpleasant their real defects and deformities every man is naturally his own flatterer otherwise flatteries and false cryings up from others would take little impression but that they meet with the same conceit within But will any man see his ignorance and lay what he knows not over against what he knows the disorders in his heart and affections over against any right motion in them his secret follies and sins against his outwardly blameless carriage and this man shall not readily love and embrace himself yea it shall be impossible for him not to abase and abhors himself 2. Look on the good in others and the evil in thy self make that the parallel and then thou wilt walk humbly Most men do 〈◊〉 the contrary and that foolish and unjust comparison pusses them up 3. Thou art not required to be ignorant of that good which really is indeed but beware of imagining what is not yea rather let something that is pass thy view and see it within rather than beyond its true size and then whatsoever it is see it not as thine own but Gods his free gift and so the more thou hast looking on it in that view thou wilt certainly be the more humble as having the more engagement the weight of them will press thee down and low still the lower as you see it in Abraham the clear Visions and Promises he had made him fall down flat to the Ground 4. Pray much for the Spirit of Humility the Spirit of Christ for that is it otherwise all thy vileness will not humble thee when men hear of this or other Graces and how reasonable they are they think presently to have it and do not consider the natural enmity and rebellion of their own hearts and the necessity of receiving those from Heaven and therefore in the use of all other means to be most dependant on that influence and most in that means which opens the heart most to that influence and draws it down upon thâ— heartâ— and that is Prayer Of all the evils of our corrupt nature there is none more connatural and universal than Pride the grand wickedness self-exalting in our own and others opinion Though I will not contest what was the first step in that complicated first sin yet certainly this of pride was one a main ingredient in it that which the unbelief conceived going before and the disobedience following after were both servants to and ever since it sticks still deep in our nature And St. Augustine says truly That that first overcame man is the last he overcomes Some sins comparatively may die before us but this hath life in it sensibly as long as we is as the heart of all the first living and the last dying and hath this advantage that whereas other sins are fomented by one another this feeds even on Vertues and Graces as a Moth that breeds in them and consumes them even in the finest of them if it be not carefully lookt to This Hydra as one head of it is cut off another rises up It will secretly cleave to the best actions and prey upon them and therefore so much need that we continually watch and fight and pray against it and be restless in the pursuit daily seeking to gain further in real and deep humiliation to be nothing and desire to be nothing not only bear but to love our own abasement and the things that procure and help it to take pleasure in them so far as may be without sâ—n yea even of our sinful failings when they are discovered to love the bringing low of our selves by them while we hate and grieve for the sin of them And above all to watch our selves in our best things that self get not in or if it break in or steal in at any time that it be presently found out and cast out again to have that establisht within us to do all for God to intend him and his glory in all and to be willing to advance his glory were it by our own disgrace not to make raising or pleasing thy self the rule of exercising thy parts and graces when to use and bring them forth but the good of thy Brethren and in that the glory of thy Lord Now this is indeed to be severed from self and united to him to have self-love turned into the love of God and this is his own work it is above all other hands therefore the main combat against pride and conquest of it and gaining of humility is certainly by prayer God bestows himself most to them that are most abundant in prayer and to whom he shews himself most they are certainly the most humble Now to stir us up to diligence for this grace take briefly a consideration or two 1. Look on that above pointed at The high example of lowliness set before us Jesus Christ requiring our particular care to take this lesson from him and is it not most reasonable he the most fair the most excellent and compleat of all men and yet the most humble he more than a man and yet willingly became in some sort less than a man as it is exprest a Worm and no Man and when Majesty it self emptied it self and descended so low shall a Worm swell and be high conceited Then consider it was for us all his humbling to expiate our pride and therefore the more just that we follow a pattern which is both so great in it self and so nearly concerning us O humility the vertue of Christ that which he so peculiarly espoused how dost thou confound the vanity of our pride 2. Consider the safety of Grace under this cloathing it is that which keeps it unexposed to a thousand hazards Humility doth Grace no prejudice in covering it but indeed shelters it from violence and wrong Therefore they do justly call it conservatrix virtutum the preserver of Grace and one says well That he that carries other graces without humility carries a precious powder in the wind without a cover 3. Consider The increase of Grace by it and that is here exprest the perfect enmity against pride and bounty toward humility he reâ—isteth the proud and giveth Grace to the humble He resisteth Singles it out for his grand enemy and sets himself in battel against it so the word is it breaks the ranks of men in which he hath set them when they are not subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word is before yea it not only breaks rank but rises up in Rebellion against him and doth what it can to dethrone him and usurp his place therefore he orders his forces against it and to be