of our souls Aegypt is said to have no rain Terra non indiga Jovis but God makes it fruitfull by the oveflowing of its own River Nilus and truly if God bring any true beleever into a spiritual Aegypt where the rain of publick Ordinances doth not fall he can cause such a flow of holy and heavenly thoughts and meditations as shall make the soul very fruitfull in a good and an holy life and therefore we should oft in such a condition believingly remember that if we do our endeavour by private prayer meditation reading and such like God is able and will in the want of publick Ordinances preserve the life of Religion in our souls by private helps We proceed now to the second Question contained in the general case viz. Qu. What should believing Christians do to preserve their outward concernments among persecuting enemies without hazarding their Religion Now this question will resolve it self into two particular Queries 1. What should such do to secure themselves from suffering 2. What should they do to encourage themselves against and support in sufferings The summe of what may be said to the first Query I suppose to be comprized in that counsel of our Lord Jesus who was Wisdome it self and Innocency it self Matth. 10 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves the Serpents wisdome joyned with the Doves innocency are the true Christians best security to each of which I shall speak something 1. Get spiritual Prudence and Wisdome to secure from suffering where we have not a clear and sufficient call The Heathens hinted wisdome as well as strength to be needfull for a Souldier when they appointed the Warlike Goddess Pallas to be the Patroness of Wisdome a Souldier may and ought to guard himself and by winding and turning his body avoid the enemies blow so long as he doth not turn his back forsake the field or betray his trust in like manner may a good Souldier of Jesus Christ by any lawfull means guard himself from suffering and by any just compliance or stepping aside or giving back avoid a blow or make a fair retreat so long as he keeps the Field and doth not turn his back upon nor give up a good and a just cause for fear of suffering Hence the Apostle adviseth Col. 4.5 Walk in wisdome toward them that are without that is walk as those that have wisely fixt upon a good end and do use the most proper and likely means to attain that end Now this general direction will branch it self forth into these particulars 1. Do not rashly and unnecessarily provoke those that have power to do you a mischief it is not wisdome to stir in a wasps nest nor by bloody colours to provoke a wilde Bull and certainly our life and the comforts and relations in this world are such real and great blessings that they are not to be sacrificed to an humour nor cast away but upon the most serious consideration and real necessity and certainly when our Lord Jesus directed his Disciples if persecuted in one City to flye to another he never intended they should throw themselves into the jaws of roaring Lions nor provoke Bears and Tygers to tear them in pieces nor leave the quiet habitation of Sion to seek persecution and court a Martyrdome among Pagans and Infidels The holy Apostle Paul who was as willing to dye for the Name of Christ as any Act. 21.13 and was therefore by his love and zeal urged to go into the Theater at Ephesus yet he took the prudent counsel and advice of his Friends not to venture himself nor by his presence provoke the enraged multitude Act. 19.31 and afterward he made use of his Kinsmans help to secure his life from those who had bound themselves with an oath to kill him Act. 23.16 and at last appeals to Caesar to avoid the mischief designed against him by the Jews Act. 25.10 This piece of spiritual prudence caused the primitive Christians to abstain from prophaning the Temples of the heathen and reviling their gods and therefore they chose to discover to them the vanity of their Idolatries from the Writings and Records of their own Prophets and with the greatest love and sweetness that could be yea this was so evident in Paul himself that the Town-clark of Ephesus was able to be his and his fellow-Christian Compurgator in this matter Act. 19 37. Ye have brought hither those men which are neither robbers of Churches or as the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrilegious persons nor yet blasphemers of your goddess and therefore that which Josephus accounts one of Moses Laws that none should blaspheme the Religion of another though it be not a general duty as appears by Elijahs mocking and scoffing at the God and religion of Baals Priests 1 King 18.27 yet it holds good here as a rule of prudence to avoid needless provoking of those that are without And in this case I take this to be a sure rule whatever act of ours hath rationally a greater likelihood to provoke harden and enrage the hearts of men rather than to convince and convert is a fruit of indiscretion not of Christian prudence a piece of folly not a part of our duty It was certainly a favour from God when he inclined the heart of Trajane to order his Proconsul Plinius Secundus Plin. Sec. Ep. l. 10. Conquirendi non sunt sideferantur arguantur puniendi sunt desiring to know his pleasure in the case that when any were brought before him and accused to be Christians he should punish them according to Law but should not industriously search them out if now any should have rushed into the Judges presence and taken the Devils work out of his hands who is the accuser of the Brethren it would surely have been a sinfull undervaluing the favour of God in that relaxation of their persecution But now this advice must be bounded with a word of caution for as we should take heed lest our zeal degenerate into ambition and foolish vain-glory in suffering so on the other side lest our prudence and Christian wisdome turn to sinful craft and policy while to avoid the stroak of persecution we take up the Devils buckler of unlawfull practises The Apostle Peter was not bound to go into the high Priests hall and proclaim himself a Disciple of Jesus but he was obliged not to deny and forswear it when challenged with it and so though I am not alway bound to proclaim my faith and Religion yet am I engaged never to disown it and therefore we must take heed of that which Elihu charged Job with Job 36.21 the choosing iniquity rather than affliction and therefore when fear or covetousness would urge us to sin rather than suffer let us remember against our fears that 't is a more fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God than dying men
thy right eye offend thee c. If thy right hand offend thee c. Look as it is with good men though they have the seeds of every grace in them yet some one may be said to be theirs in an eminent manner Abraham was eminent for obedience Moses for meeknesse Job for patience Thus it is with wicked men though they have the seed of every sin in them yet some one may be said to be theirs in an especiall manner Wicked men in Scripture are as it were marked out for severall sinnes calculo nigro Cain for his murder Simeon and Levi for their treachery Corah and his company for their conspiracy Nebuchadnezar for his pride Manasses for his cruelty Balaam for his covetousnesse or look as it is in the naturall body though every man hath blood flegme choler melancholy yet some humour or other is predominant from which a man hath its denomination so 't is in the sinful body some sinfull humour or other hath the predominancy most men have some peccatum in deliciis some sweet morsell that they roll under their tongue which they will by no means spit out or part with It would be no hard matter to shew you that severall Nations have their proper and peculiar sins as the Spaniard theirs the French theirs the Dutch theirs Look into the Scripture and you will finde that the Corinthians had their sin which is thought to be wantonnesse and uncleanness and therefore the Apostle in the Epistles that he writes to them uses so many pressing arguments against this sin The Cretians are branded for Lyars the Jews for Idolaters So your Towns have their sins Villages theirs Cities theirs possibly Londons sin may be loathing spiritual Manna neglect and contempt of the Gospel a non-improvement of Ordinances 3. I am to enquire how this comes to passe that particular persons have their proper and particular sins 1. Men have particular temperaments and constitutions of body and therefore they have their particular sins sutable to their temperaments and constitutions You heard before how particular temperaments enclined men severall wayes Creatures in the generall are naturally delighted with those things which are fitted suited and accommodated to the genius and frame of their respective natures As in the same plant the Bee feedeth on the flower the Bird on the seed the Sheep on the blade the Swine on the root the same seeds are not proper for the sand and for the clay Every thing thrives most where it likes best so t is in this case that sin is like to thrive most in the soul that we make most of that we are most delighted in that suits best our complexions and constitutions We must be carefull here lest we strein this too far with some Physitians and Epicureans that hold the soule to be nothing else but the temper of the body but questionlesse this hath a very great influence on the better part Hence some have adjudged it not fit for illegitimate persons to be admitted into Ecclesiastical orders and you know under the Law by the appointment of God himself a bastard was not to enter into the congregation to the tenth generation And I humbly conceive that a toleration of unclean mixtures is not onely against Religion but against principles of polity and government the children of filthy persons for the most part proving degenerate ignoble lascivious and by that means become the blemishes the ulcers the plague-sores of the body politique Kingdom and State whereunto they do belong 2. There are distinct and peculiar periods of times distinct and peculiar ages that encline to peculiar sins for instance childhood enclines to lenity and inconstancy youth to wantonness and prodigality manhood to pride and stateliness old age to frowardnesse you know diseases make men fretfull now ipsa senectus morbus old age it selfe is a disease If we take not heed the sinfull body will grow strong when the naturall body grows weak I have heard of a good woman something enclinable to passion that used to say I must strive against peevishnesse when I am young or else what will become of me when I am old And so Covetousness is a sin that old age is very much addicted to Windelin in his Moral Phylosophy cap. 25. discourses learnedly Cur senes sint magis avari quam juvenes when God is taking people out of the world they cling fast about it and cry loth to depart truly this no good signe You know men that are a sinking and in a desperate case lay hold on any thing 3. Men have distinct and particular callings that encline them to particular sins For instance a Souldiers employment puts him upon rapine and violence And therefore John the Baptist when the Souldiers demanded of him what shall we do tels them Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely Luke 3.14 be content with your wages A Tradesmans employment puts him upon lying deceiving over-reaching his brother Ministers upon the occount of pleasing the best as we many times Catechrestically call them or the greatest of the Parishâ— are tempted to flattery to please men to sow pillowes under their peoples elbows Magistrates and Judges are tempted to bribery and injustice if great care be not taken their very calling and office may prove a snare upon that account 4. Men have distinct and particular wayes of breeding and education and upon that account have their particular sins The child that hears his Father and Mother swear is like to swear too That child that hath frequently wine and strong drink given to it by the Parents when it is young 't is likely may get a smatch of it and love to it and so prove intemperate when it is old Joseph by living in the Court of Pharaoh learned to swear the Court Oath Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature very much given to imitation Examples have a very great influence on men both in reference to vertues and vices especially to the latter we catch sicknesse one of another but we do not catch health For instance the Scripture speaking of the sonne of Jeroboam tels us 2 Reg. 15.9 that he did that which was evill in the sight of the Lord as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat who made Israâ—l to sin He writ after his Fathers copy and therefore the sins of his Father in a particular manner is taken notice of by the Spirit of God in that place So 2 Sam. 6.20 2 Sam. 6 20. you have an account of Michals jeering of David because he danced before the Arke and you will find that she is called there not the Wife of David but the daughter of Saul And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said how glorious was the King of Israel to day who uncovered himselfe to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as one of the vain fellows
Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By this his desire wee are to understand a marvellous strong intention of spirit Hâ—sych and an earnest study and indeavour after accomplishment Hesychius expounds the term by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to will desire wish love and delight in the work Hee wills it not onely as a possible atchievement but as amiable hee endeavours to compass it by all good means because he proposes so desireable an end The sincerity of our desires in obtaining of possible designs is manifested by our diligent endeavours in the use of proper waies to effect them Aristot Rhet. l. 2. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the most part saies the Philosopher no man delights in or hankers after impossibilities No rational man certainly And therefore wee are to conceive that our Apostle doth here under his importunate desires couch and imply all holy means to accomplish his end Upon which account hee presently subjoyns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his prayer to God for that purpose of which afterwards Onely at present observe from the connexion of his prayers to his hearty desires That lively are those prayers which flow from the heart Note Most harmonious in the ears of God are those groans that mount up to Heaven upon the wings of ardent emanations out of the depth of our hearts Suspiria è sulco pectoris ducta When the words of our petitions ascend warm and reeking out of our bowels when every expression is dipt in our heart blood 2. The persons that were the subject of his prayers and desires For Israel And here it is considerable in what relation Israel stood to the blessed Apostle Rom. 9.3 Rom. 11.1 Phil. 3.5 Act. 23.6 They were his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the Flesh For I also saith Paul am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Benjamin In another place hee acquaints us that hee was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews i. e. both by Father and Mother as touching the Law a Pharisee It appears thence 2 Cor. â—1 22 that the Israelites were his kindred his own dear and near relations remaining for the most part in a state of ignorance as to the Messiah and of alienation and estrangement from the Covenant of Grace and the mystery of the Promise through Faith in the blood of a Mediator For these it is that our Apostle groans for these hee is so ardent in prayer for these hee pours out such earnest petitions to the Father 3. The great scope and design of the Apostle for his kindred and relations according to the flesh in all his desires endeavours prayers was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they might bee saved The earnest sollicitude of his Spirit the fervent petitions poured out into the Divine bosome did all combine in this that his natural might become spiritual relations that his kindred of the Tribe of Benjamin might through union to Christ be allied to him in the Tribe of Judah What is natural to animals and plants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thirst after an impression of their own likeness upon another Arist Pol. l. 1. c. 1. Is much more longed for by Saints that others might be holy and happy as well as themselves but especially such as are nearest to them by the bonds of nature Holy Paul doth not press after outward injoyments as health strength riches power or dominion in the world that Israel might have prosperity and plenty in their Streets and Pallaces or that the Kingdome should bee restored to them from the Romans Not the great things of the Earth but the greater of Heaven This his soul travels with that Christ might bee formed in them and dwell in their hearts by Faith that so Israel might bee saved 4. In these words wee may observe likewise the kind compellation wherewith our Apostle doth salute the saints at Rome to whom hee wrote this Epistle by the name of Brethren Now though hee wrote to the Gentiles yet hee lets them know that his bowels did yern over his poor kindred that they also might bee saved The Reason why in this letter to the Romans he doth so pathetically mention these his desires with such strong and vehement asseverations is because there were great numbers of the Jews at Rome and principally of he two Tribes that returned out of the Babylonian captivity who after the wars of Pompey and other Roman Generals and Captain in Judea were very many of them transplanted into Italy Which is not onely attested by Civil and Ecclesiastical Historians but also by Scripture it self declaring that there was a solemn Convocation of the Jews assembled by Paul at his arrival Act. 2â— 17 c. To whom the Apostle did first preach the Gospel and related the story of his coming to that Imperial City by reason of his appeal to Caesar From all these parts laid down together there result this Doctrinal Conclusion Observ That to endeavour the conversion and salvation of our near relations is a most important duty The president and example of our holy Apostle compared with and confirmed by other Scriptures will notably evince the truth of this assertion 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall One great end why God bestows the graces of his Spirit upon us is that wee should spend the savour thereof upon others Our discourse must hee seasoned with the salt of grace Col. 4.6 Ephes 4.29 that it may minister edification to others Our speech should never overflow in abundance but like the waters of Nilus to render the neighbouring Plantations fruitful Grace is sometimes compared to Light by reason of its diffusive nature that our shining conversations night illustrate others in the paths of Truth and Holiness Cant. 1.12 Prov. 27.9 John 12.3 Sometimes Grace is likened to Spikenard to perfumed ointment which must not bee shut up in a box though of purest Alabaster but opened that the whole house may bee filled with the fragrant odour thereof Psal 133.2 To Oil to the costly sacred Oil that ran down not onely upon the beard of Aaron but to the skirts of his garments To Talents which must bee industriously traded with and not laid up in napkins To Dews Showers Waters because of their fructifying virtue 1 Thes 5.11 Rom. 14.19 Heb. 3.13 Col. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 18.30 Heb. 10.24 To a generative Principle because of it's begetting power and influence Wee are therefore commanded exhorted directed to edifie one another to exhort one another to admonish one another to turn one another as that phrase in Ezekiel seems to import converti facite and make others to bee converted as well as our selves to provoke one another to love and to good works When converted wee are injoyned to strengthen our Brethren that wee may save