Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	evil_a	good_a	motive_n	1,128	5	11.3729	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51840	A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture in two parts : part the first containing LXXIV sermons : part the second containing LXXVI sermons : with an alphabetical table to the whole / by ... Thomas Manton ...	Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.	1693 (1693)	Wing M524; ESTC R13953	1,954,391	1,278

730 Conscience is God's Vicegerent or Deputy 731 Three Acts of Conscience to be an Accuser Witness and Iudg 736 Conscience to be your Guide 730 Why God hath given Man a Conscience ibid. The Properties of a good Conscience 725 Conscience void of Offence what it signifies ibid. Conscience easily offended but not easily appeased 732 Conscience the best Friend or worst Enemy ib. Conscience the Beginning of Heaven or Hell 733 When there is a Flaw in Conscience all our Trading for Heaven is at a stand ibid. When Conscience speaks not it writes ibid. The Stings of Conscience soon awakned 734 If Conscience do not speak to you you must speak to it ibid. No sound Conscience without sincere Obedience ibid. A man may do Good or Evil without Conscience or according to Conscience or against Conscience 734 Consolation Comfort Peace Ioy and Consolation opened 211 Comfort allowed to the Saints 217 God's People have not alike Comfort 214 Who they are the Lord gives most Comfort to 215 How Christians disparage their Comfort 219 False Comfort of wicked Men whence it ariseth 217 Strong Consolation why so called 212 How it ariseth from Assurance 213 How it is dispensed 214 Motives to look after it 220 The Advantages of it 221 Directions to keep it 226 Convincing Power of the Word whence it ariseth 1034 Correction Why God corrects his People for their Sins in this World 272 Covenant Why God makes a Covenant with his People 826 No Covenant can be made with God without the Interposition of a Sacrifice 828 What we should do to enter into Covenant with God 831 Covenant of God called the Foundation of God and why 1025 The Sureness of God's Covenant 1026 The Seal of the Covenant on God's part 1027 on Man's part 1029 Covenant of Grace why called an everlasting Covenant 691 Covenant of Works what it is 306 All Men by Nature are under this Covenant ibid. Natural Conscience sticketh to this Covenant 307 This Covenant rightly understood prepares Mens for Christ ibid. Vid. Preparatory Works How you may avoid the Curse of this Covenant 310 How the two Covenants agree and are subservient one to another 309 Covet What the Sin is that is forbidden in the tenth Commandment Thou shalt not covet 305 Covetousness how incident we are to it 59 How it discovers it self ibid. The Evil of this Sin 364 Arguments against it 60 Counsel How God gives Counsel to his People 1112 Creation the Power of God seen in it 412 Cross. Why God foretels his People of a Cross 354 Taking up the Cross what it is 350 351 What it is to take up the Cross daily 352 Why those that follow Christ should take up the Cross ibid. Motives to take up the Cross 355 Necessity of being prepared for the Cross ibid. Who are prepared for the Cross and who not 356 Cup. A threefold Cup in Scripture 1131 D DAY of Grace to be prized and improved 14 Darkness What it is to walk in Darkness and see no Light 809 Why the People of God may walk in Darkness and see no Light 810 Comfort to support the Children of God in a dark State 812 In dark times we should trust in God Vid. Trust. Dead Arguments against one coming from the Dead 675 Death of Christ. The Love of Christ in his Dying 1154 Reasons why Christ died willingly ibid. Sacraments relate to Christ's Death 1009 How we are to remember Christ's Death 1011 Vid. Shewing forth Death of Christ to be remembred not as a Tragical Story but as a Mystery of Godliness 1010 Death of Christ a powerful Argument to press Repentance and make us hate Sin 681 714 Delay in answering Prayer Vid. Prayer Delay of Repentance reproved 101 Motives against these Delays 102 532 Destroy What God hath and will destroy 794 Why we should not build what God will destroy 798 Devil How many ways he may vex and trouble God's People 706 Our Trials are the more sore because the Devil hath a Hand in them 707 Why God permits the Devil to vex and trouble his People 708 God doth restrain and bridle the Devil's Fury 709 How far the Devil's Power is destroyed 790 Vid. Power of the Devil Difficulty of Salvation great 397 Wherein the Difficulty lies ibid. Vid. Impotency This Difficulty must be understood and thought of how and why 401 Motives to fortify you against the Difficulty of Salvation 40● Difficulty of rich Mens Salvation why the Apostles wondred at it 394 Vid. Rich Men. Difficulties How we are or are not to consider them 485 The Inconvenience of sinful considering Difficulties ibid. Disciple of Christ. What it is to enter our selves a Disciple of Christ 341 The Necessity of this beyond Alms and all other amiable Qualifications 343 They that profess themselves Disciples of Christ must imitate his Example 344 Vid. Example Discourse good and bad Vid. Tongue Due What is a Man's Due 82 Dwelling in God what it is and in what manner to be done 906 Motives to press it 904 E END Man was made for an End 637 How our End is to be accomplished 638 Man's chief End is to glorify and enjoy God 637 Why other things should not be our chief End 639 How we should urge our Souls concerning our chief End 639 How we should honour God as our last End 39 Enemy The Devil is an Enemy 788 The Nature of this Enmity 789 The Victory of this Enmity and how attained 789 How far the Enemy is overcome 790 That the overcoming this Enmity is Matter of Praise 792 There is an Enmity between Christ and Satan 536 There is an Enmity between God's People and wicked Men 537 Envy at the Prosperity of the Wicked what it is 1045 The Evil of this Sin 1050 No Reason why God's People should envy the Wicked 1046 Remedies against this Envy 1051 Error God's own People may err in some Points of Religion 1066 Yet when convinced they confess their Error ibid. Esteem of Christ what it is 452 How this Esteem of Christ will shew it self 454 Esteem of Christ a Property of Faith 451 Faith only gives Christ this Esteem 453 Christ deserves this Esteem ibid. Esteem of Ordinances Vid. Ordinances Eternity An eternal State proved 980 Good or Evil are valuable by their Respect to Eternity 975 Evil. Grace teacheth us to depart from Evil and do Good 27 We must first begin with renouncing Evil ib. Example Why Christ would propound himself for our Example 345 They that profess themselves Disciples of Christ should imitate his Example 344 The Power of Christ's Example 864 The Advantage we have by the Example of Christ 345 Vid. Following Christ. What Christ's Example in his Humiliation teacheth us 865 Excel Duties of those would excel 430 Expectation what it is not 105 What it is and wherein it sheweth it self 106 How it is wrought 112 How much we expect in Heaven 124 F FAinting We must not faint in Afflictions 765 Faith Several Notions of Faith 754 What it

Anger of God God may be angry with his own People 273 Anointing what it signifies 712 Christ was anointed by God 716 Why Christ was anointed 717 Who were anointed first Christ then Believers his Fellows ibid. Apparel Sobriety to be used in it 75 How to judg of Excess in Apparel 76 Helps and Motives to Sobriety in Apparel ib. We must not envy the Apparel of others 75 Appearing of Christ. Vid. Coming Assurance to be laboured after 114 What Application there must be when Assurance is wanting 115 B BAckslider in Heart what he is 1109 The Backslider in Heart shall be filled with his own Ways Vid. Filled Balaam's Plot to destroy Israel 802 Observations from hence 804 Believing what is necessary to it 723 Believing in God and Christ how they differ 235 Why believing in Christ is specially required besides believing in God 245 Believing in Hope against Hope opened with the Reasons of it 484 Better We are not only to be good but to grow better 429 Blessedness True Blessedness not to be sought on this side Heaven 129 Blessedness eternal wherein it consists Vid. Heaven 116 Duties of those that have an Interest in this Blessedness 130 Blessings spiritual we are to be much affected with them 426 We are to be in a capacity to praise God for spiritual Blessings 425 In Thanksgiving spiritual Blessings to be owned 424 Body The Qualities of a glorified Body 119 Brazen Serpent the History of it 747 The Typical Vse of the brazen Serpent 748 The Resemblance between Christ and the brazen Serpent 749 The Excellency of Christ above the brazen Serpent 751 Breasts Naked Breasts condemned 78 Brethren Christ having taken our Nature is not ashamed to call us Brethren 1083 Comforts from being Christ's Brethren 1088 Whether Believers may call Christ Brother ibid. Bruised Christ bruised by the Serpent and bow 538 Burden What a Burden Sin is 1125 None can take off the Burden of Sin but Christ 1126 C CAlamities In all Calamities we must look to God 1132 Vid. Afflictions Calling of Christ twofold outward and inward 784 Canaan The Woman of Canaan that she was a Believer 467 The Greatness of her Faith ibid. Her Temptations and Trials 468 Her Victory over them 470 Captives To whom we were Captives 164 The way of redeeming Captives 165 Care of the World What that Care is that is to be moderated 79 How sinful Care may be discovered ib. Whence it ariseth 80 Arguments against distrustful Care 1099 The Cure of sinful Care 80 Carnal Things Men are addicted to them more than to spiritual things 1111 Cause When we do not honour God as the first Cause 33 Centurion's Faith opened 460 The Greatness of his Faith 459 How it discovered it self 462 How this Faith was bred or begotten in him 461 Certainty conditional and actual what 1104 Charitable We must be charitable to others according to our Power 87 Reasons why we must be charitable 336 Charity or Love to the Brethren the Properties of it 995 Children are a Blessing 833 834 Much of the Providence of God exercised in and about Children 834 How far Parents may procure a Blessing or a Curse to their Children 836 How far godly Parents are blessed in their Posterity 837 Motives to Parents to take care of their Childrens Education 839 Christ. That Christ was God proved 152 Why Christ was called the Great God 150 Why Christ must be God ibid. Christ to be honoured and praised by Saints 1175 1183 Christ's Growth stated and proved 855 856 How Christ grew in Wisdom and Knowledg 855 Coming second of Christ the Preparations of it 139 Second Coming of Christ will be glorious 138 Why Christ's second Coming will be glorious 144 Inferences from Christ's glorious Coming 146 The Personal Glory of Christ at his second Coming 140 His Attendants then 141 His Work then 142 The Consequents of Christ's second Coming 143 Bel●evers to look for Christ's second Coming 131 Objections answered 135 Reasons of it 132 The Advantage of looking for Christ's second Coming 135 How we are to prepare for Christ's second Coming 138 The Privilege of the Saints at Christ's second Coming 133 Coming to God How we are said to come to God by Christ 965 Who they are that come to God by Christ 964 Common Work not to be rested in 291 Comparison fourfold between this Life and the next 1211 Conceit Why Men are apt to conceit well of themselves 316 Arguments to press you against this Self-conceit 320 Conditions of the Gospel Man cannot perform them of himself 405 Confession with the Mouth what it is 953 The Matter to be confessed 954 The Way by which it is to be made ibid. The Necessity of it to Salvation 957 The Respect that Believing with the Heart and Confession with the Mouth have to one another 955 Conflict with Sin in the Regenerate and Vnregenerate the difference between them 365 Conflict spiritual we are to arm our selves for it 1101 The use of Faith Hope and Love in the spiritual Conflict 1105 Conscience the Nature of it 730 Conscience is God's Vicegerent or Deputy 731 Three Acts of Conscience to be an Accuser Witness and Iudg 736 Conscience to be your Guide 730 Why God hath given Man a Conscience ibid. The Properties of a good Conscience 725 Conscience void of Offence what it signifies ibid. Conscience easily offended but not easily appeased 732 Conscience the best Friend or worst Enemy ib. Conscience the Beginning of Heaven or Hell 733 When there is a Flaw in Conscience all our Trading for Heaven is at a stand ibid. When Conscience speaks not it writes ibid. The Stings of Conscience soon awakned 734 If Conscience do not speak to you you must speak to it ibid. No sound Conscience without sincere Obedience ibid. A man may do Good or Evil without Conscience or according to Conscience or against Conscience 734 Consolation Comfort Peace Ioy and Consolation opened 211 Comfort allowed to the Saints 217 God's People have not alike Comfort 214 Who they are the Lord gives most Comfort to 215 How Christians disparage their Comfort 219 False Comfort of wicked Men whence it ariseth 217 Strong Consolation why so called 212 How it ariseth from Assurance 213 How it is dispensed 214 Motives to look after it 220 The Advantages of it 221 Directions to keep it 226 Convincing Power of the Word whence it ariseth 1034 Correction Why God corrects his People for their Sins in this World 272 Covenant Why God makes a Covenant with his People 826 No Covenant can be made with God without the Interposition of a Sacrifice 828 What we should do to enter into Covenant with God 831 Covenant of God called the Foundation of God and why 1025 The Sureness of God's Covenant 1026 The Seal of the Covenant on God's part 1027 on Man's part 1029 Covenant of Grace why called an everlasting Covenant 691 Covenant of Works what it is 306 All Men by Nature are under this Covenant ibid. Natural Conscience

in this World 3 dly The kind of the Punishment It was not exclusion out of Heaven but out of Canaan they might not go into the Promised Land This Chastisement was grievous to Moses he looked upon it as a notable Inconvenience and besought the Lord that he might go over Deut. 3.23 25. I besought the Lord at that time saying I pray thee let me go over and see that good Land that is beyond Jordan that goodly Mountain and Lebanon But ver 26. The Lord was wroth with me for your sakes and would not hear me and said unto me Let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this Matter Nay Deut. 4.21 The Lord was angry with me for your sakes and sware that I should not go over Jordan and that I should not go in unto that good Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an Inheritance Thus you see with all his Prayer and Intreaty Moses could not get the Sentence reversed all the Favour he could obtain was to get it mitigated He was permitted to get to the top of Pisgah and see it with his Eyes Deut. 3.27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah and lift up thine Eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward and behold it with thine Eyes but thou shalt not go over this Jordan This was not vouchsafed to Aaron for he died at Mount Hor. But Moses brought the People to the very Borders and thence had a prospect of the Land of Canaan on every side Thus God may wear away an unthankful Generation by sundry Calamities and some good Men that live among them may be also taken off before God produce and bring forth his beautiful Work which is the sum of all their Hopes and the fruit of their Pain and Sorrow Only they have the Privilege of Believers to see the Promises afar off and to be perswaded of them and embrace them Heb. 11.13 which was some comfort to Moses II. The general Reasons The Sins of the professing or really Godly are most provoking 1. They sin against a nearer Relation which is more than if a Stranger did these things As David heightens the Injuries done to him Psal. 55.12 13. It was not an Enemy that reproached me then I could have born it neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me then I could have hid my self from him But it was thou a Man mine Equal my Guide and mine Acquaintance So 2 Sam. 12.11 I will raise up Evil against thee out of thine own House By proportion we may judg in this Case for our Relation is urged to quicken our Duty 1 Pet. 1.14 As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former Lusts in your Ignorance And if we do otherwise to increase our Punishment Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for all your Iniquities They were his peculiar and chosen People and though he would not altogether spare others yet he will certainly and more severely chastise them So Deut. 32.19 And when the Lord saw it he abhorred them because of the provoking of his Sons and of his Daughters that is those that were his Children by a gracious Calling 2. They sin against greater Helps and Advantages than others do Such as have more knowledg of their Duty Iames 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is Sin Experience of the Evil of Sin they have tasted of the bitter Waters and felt more of the Sting of Sin in the conviction of their Consciences and are scarce yet whole of the old Wounds Josh. 22.17 Is the Iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed to this day though there was a Plague in the Congregation of the Lord Once more they sin against a Principle of Life within and so offer Violence not only to the Law of God but their own new Nature 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God 3. They sin against greater Obligations Partly from the Mercies of God and so there is more Unkindness and Ingratitude in their Sins Iohn 6.67 Will ye go away also If the rotten Multitude do desert him yet will his Disciples be prejudiced and weaken the Confidence of others The more Proofs of God's Love we have received he taketh it the worse at our Hands So also there is an Obligation partly from their own profession of a strict Obedience Ephes. 5.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord walk as Children of Light God hath distinguished them from others and therefore they should distinguish themselves by Eminence of Holiness and Obedience Nehem. 5.9 Ought ye not to walk in the Fear of our God because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies Partly there is a special Obligation from their Covenant-Vow Now a People in Covenant with God are faster bound to him than others therefore their Transgressions are the more hainous As Adultery is a greater Crime than single Fornication because of the Marriage-Covenant and Sacrilege than Theft because it is a devouring what is Holy or alienating what is dedicated to God Now God will avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant Levit. 26.25 I will bring a Sword upon you that shall avenge the Quarel of my Covenant 4. Because of the Effects of their Sins 1. Partly as they dishonour God more than others 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this Deed thou hast given great Occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Child also that is born unto thee shall surely die though God had pardoned his Sin The scandalous Sins of Professors give great Advantage to the Enemies of the Truth who will be sure to make a wicked and evil use thereof Therefore we should walk the more circumspectly and holily lest through our Sides our Profession it self be wounded as well as our Souls and the Lord 's Holy Name be blasphemed The Honour of God is not so much concerned in the Actions of the Ungodly as it is in the Example of great Men or of those that are eminently godly 2. As they harden and justify the Wicked Ezek. 16.51 Neither hath Samariah committed half of thy Sins but thou hast multiplied thine Abominations more than they and hast justified thy Sisters in all thine Abominations which thou hast done They do with the more pretence live in their Sins when they see the Lapses and Falls of the Godly themselves 5. There are special Reasons why God should correct them for their Sins here in the World 1. To keep up the Honour of his Government lest he should by forbearance seem to approve their Sin who are so near to him and dignified with so many Privileges God is the impartial Judg of the World therefore he will do right the Disorders of his People are not passed

63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their Enemy and he fought against them S●vit infelix Amor. Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is Flesh. The Heathens did acknowledg that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gods of Cities and Nations did for the Provocation of the Inhabitants forsake their Altars and Temples The more Calls and Convictions we resist in this kind the more difficult and improbable is the reducing a Sinner to God every day he groweth more wicked and profane To resist the Clamours of Conscience is sad but to weary and grieve the Spirit is dreadful Ezek. 24.13 In thy Wickedness is Lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy Filthiness any more till I have caused my Fury to rest upon thee God sets them over the Fire till their Hearts begin to be warmed and then lets the Sun remain on them 3. Gross Hypocrisy This is a constant Lie a Contempt of God an habitual and customary stifling and smothering of Checks of Conscience For their Form and Profession sheweth what they should be and if they were what they seem to be all would be well Men have Light enough to take on the Form of Religion and Sin enough to resist the Power of it And therefore their Judgment is the greater for their whole Life being a constant rebelling against the Light they are left to perish by their own Deceivings 2 Thess. 2.10 11. Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lie The carnal Christian being not brought to true Faith and sincere Repentance God giveth them up that they may be deceived by every vain Pretence 4. Apostacy from Grace received Men are not only warmed but begin to have a Taste They that take up with some Profession of the Things of God but afterwards fall away again to Looseness and Vanity and Worldliness they are more left by God than others Heb. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for them who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again to Repentance For they dishonour him more and bring an evil Report upon God The Devil hath more Power over them as a Prisoner that hath made his Escape if he be taken afterwards hath more Chains put upon him 2 Pet. 2.21 22. For it had been better for them not to have known the Way of Righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them For it is happened unto them according to the true Proverb The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire They themselves are made more uncapable of ever owning the Ways of God again it is impossible they should renew themselves it groweth up into a wilful Malice Heb. 10.26 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins Grace will not pardon them the Mediator will not intercede for them Apostatae sunt maximi osores sui ordinis Apostates hate the Ways they have professed Hosea 5.2 The Revolters are profound to make Slaughter None so cross and malicious and perverse in their Cause 5. Sottish Despair there is a raging Despair and a sottish Despair the one is when Conscience is terrified the other when it is stupified when to Custom in sinning there is added a passionate Will Jer. 2.25 Thou saist There is no hope no for I have loved Strangers and after them will I go Jer. 18.11 And they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own Devices and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men do not use to consult about things that are impossible It is said of the Israelites Exod. 6.9 They hearkned not unto Moses for Anguish of Spirit and for cruel Bondage Lust is so deeply rooted that they cannot help it the Case is desperate they are at a point as we use to say Past Cure past Care they grow out of Heart and so lie down under the Power of their Lusts they resolve to persist in their Sins to live as they lift and it is to no purpose to speak to them Thirdly Of ●●d's hardning as a Father in a way of the highest fatherly Anger and Displeasure This may be 〈◊〉 Isa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy Ways ●nd hardned our Heart from thy Fear This is a partial Hardness There may be Desertion in point of Grace tho some Tenderness left in the Understanding that discerneth Good and Evil in the Conscience that is dissatisfied in its 〈◊〉 State in the Will that owneth the Ways of God so that there is a general Purpose to please him in all things Yet the Heart groweth dead and stupid there is an unaptness for holy Things they are less sensible of the Evil of Sin they have not such Delight in the Word nor Rejoicing in Hope nor Freedom for Prayer nor Patience under Afflictions nor Complacency in Communion with God And it is sad when it is so when to Sense there is little difference between them and the Wicked there is Hardness in a Stone and Hardness in a piece of Wax I will shew the Causes of this and the Means to cure it 1 st The Causes of this are 1. Sinning against Conscience There are Sins of daily Incursion and sudden Surreption and there are Sins of Presumption into which God's Children may in some rare Cases fall but then they make great Waste and Havock in their Souls as David's great Sin by which he lost that free Spirit and was forced to beg a new Creation as if all were to begin again Psal. 51.10 11 12. Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation and uphold me by thy free Spirit Many are the Mischiefs which come by such Sins Partly God's Love is obstructed that he is not so ready to do them good Isa. 59. Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your Sins have hid his Face from you that he will not hear That is the good Will and Favour of God is as it were bound up and hindred from shewing it self in all those gracious Effects which otherwise it would put forth for our Comfort and Peace he doth not actually pardon their Sins nor make them Partakers of spiritual Benefits in so ample and full a Measure as otherwise he would but

This dependeth upon the sense of my qualification and interest and is confirmed by experience of God's Love to my Soul for Grace hath the force of an Evidence and Pledge 2. Observe That he pitcheth upon the Resurrection as the great thing hoped for Because then is our full and final Happiness We do not believe in Christ unless we believe in him for Eternal Life 1 Tim. 1.16 That in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Iohn 20.31 But these things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name This is the great thing which we hope wait and labour for No body would trouble themselves about Religion which abridgeth us of present Delights and exposeth us to great Troubles and Sufferings but for these things Who would deny himself and devote himself intirely to God but for these things 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but at the Resurrection all shall be recompensed to us all the Effects of Sin cease 3. Observe That he proposeth the double Resurrection of good and bad all that ever lived shall be judged and rewarded whether good or evil though with an hope to be found among the good and among the Sheep not the Goats This is the true way of Christian Reflection upon the great day however we are assured of our own Interest that whilest we strengthen Faith and Hope we weaken the security of the Flesh. Some may miscarry though I have hopes to be accepted 1 Cor. 9.26 27. I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the air but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away We have a Covenant wherein to trust as long as we continue faithful with God and deny the Flesh its satisfactions III. See what account he giveth of his Manners and Conversation verse 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence b●th towards God and towards men Observe here Three things 1. The Incouragement 2. The Integrity of his Obedience 3. The laborious diligence wherewith he carried it on First His Incouragement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interpreters diversly expound this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Interea temporis in the mean time till Faith be turned into Vision Hope into Fruition There is a time between believing and possessing hoping and having and during that time there is much exercise for our Faith and Patience Heb. 6.12 That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises Again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vertue of this Faith and Hope upon this Hope and Incouragement Faith and a good Conscience are often coupled 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned We cannot keep the one without the other not a good Conscience without Faith nor Faith without a good Conscience Not the first for no Man will make conscience of his Duty unless he believeth in God and hopeth for Salvation for unless we believe in God and hope for his promises we shall not be so careful to keep a good Conscience by eschewing evil and doing good Sometimes Faith is said to work by Love and sometimes by Hope By Love Gal. 5.6 For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love The Soul is never fit for Duty till it be possessed with the love of God and Man Sometimes by Hope 1 Iohn 3.3 He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as God is pure And the second is evident for it is said 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack Any great Lust cherished will destroy our Faith and Hopes as a Man cannot long subsist in a leaky Vessel So 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of Faith in a pure conscience precious liquors are best kept in a clean Vessel Secondly The Integrity of his Obedience set forth in all the necessary requisites 1. There is sincerity asserted For his Conscience was in it and a good Conscience Now Conscience is that faculty which is apt to take Gods part and is the judgment a Man maketh upon his Actions morally considered in order to praise and dispraise reward and punishment and the goodness of Conscience consisteth in its ability to do its Office in its clearness purity tenderness quietness or peaceableness For its clearness A blind Conscience is an evil Conscience for without knowledge the heart is not good Prov. 9.2 as a judge that understandeth not the Lawes of the Countrey is unfit to give judgment in any matter that cometh before him or as a dim Eye cannot do the Office of an eye so a blind Conscience is no competent Judge of our Duty to God So for the purity of Conscience 1 Pet. 3.21 Not the putting away of the filthiness of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly A good Conscience is an heart set to please God in all things an heart hating Sin and loving Holiness Again Tenderness is another property of a good Conscience when it is wakeful and smiteth for Sin upon all occasions offered This property may be understood by what the Apostle saith of Heathens for gross Sins Rom. 2.15 Which shew the work of the law written on their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean time accusing or else excusing one another In David 1 Sam. 24.5 Davids heart smo●e him because he had cut off Sauls skirt And by what Iob saith chap. 27.6 My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live The opposite is a ●eared Conscience that hath no feeling 1 Tim. 4.2 Having their consciences seared with a hot iron This we contract by frequent hainous sinning or by a customary practice of that which is evil by which the heart groweth as hard as the High-way which is trod upon Quietness of Conscience is another property whereby the goodness of it is discerned only this quietness must arise from the former properties else it is a dead sleepy seared Conscience For in this we must consider not who hath most quiet but who hath most cause As in Buildings not the fairness of the Structure but the foundation of it is to be regarded There is a quiet evil Conscience Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace When Wind and Tyde go together there is a Calm but the quiet good Conscience is

from Faith in Christ Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God from a sense of our sincere dealing with God 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world A serenity resulting from our peace with God and close walking with him 2. The strictness and exactness of the Apostles course He would keep this good Conscience void of offence It may be understood passively or actively Passively that Conscience be not offended and suffer wrong Actively that we offend not or offer wrong to others 1. That Conscience be not offended or receive wrong by any miscarriage of ours For it is a tender thing the least dust in the eye hindreth its use so doth Sin offend and trouble the Conscience Take those four Notions before-mentioned Clearness Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A dusty Glass hindreth the sight of the Image so Lust cloudeth the mind In regard of Purity so far as we give way to Sin Conscience is defiled the Apostle speaketh of some Whose minds and consciences were defiled Titus 1.15 It is defiled by Sin In regard of tenderness nothing bringeth a brawne upon Conscience so much as frequent and allowed sinning in small things first it is wounded and then hardned and so groweth dead and sleepy though it may write it refuseth to speak it is a Register when it is not a Witness So it is offended in regard of quietness an offended Conscience will offend us and a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18.14 You may as well expect to touch the Flesh with a burning Coal without pain as to sin without trouble of Conscience Sin will bring shame and horrour ever since Adams experience who was afraid and ashamed Gen. 3.7 2. The second Sense that we offend not nor offer wrong to others will fall in with the next Head 3. The Impartiality of his Obedience both towards God and towards men There are two Tables and we are to take care we do not give offence to God or Men by neglecting our Duty to either 1. Our chief care should be that we do not make a breach upon our Love to God Conscience standeth alwayes in dread of God's Eye and Presence to whom it is most accountable Acts 23 1. I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day Oh grieve not the spirit Eph. 4.30 Offend not the pure Eyes of his Glory 2. That we do not offend Men Rom. 12.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Provide things honest in the sight of all men We must be careful of our Conscience before God and frame with Men that we neither seduce them by our Example nor grieve them by any unjust or uncharitable Carriage of ours but be blameless to Men. 4. The Constancy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes in all cases by all means at all times A Conscience brought forth at times and for certain turns is not a good Conscience Iob 13.18 Behold now I have ordered my cause I know that I shall be justified A Man is tryed by his course not by a step or two 1 Pet. 1.15 As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every creek and corner of your lives not in an Humour and in good Moods A Christian is every where like himself and never dareth to do any thing knowingly against Conscience Thirdly The laborious diligences wherewith he carryed it on I exercise my self We must make it our constant labour and endeavour by a diligent search into the mind of God Rom. 12.2 That we may prove what is the good and acceptable will of God Eph. 5.17 Be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5.10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord that we may not offend him in Worship or Daily Conversation By a serious enquiry into the state of our own hearts and wayes Psalm 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not commune with your hearts upon your bed and be still If we would have Conscience speak to us we must often speak to Conscience Ier. 8.6 I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Ask questions of your hearts And also by a constant watchfulness and taking heed to our feet Psalm 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue Many live as if they had no Conscience and by a broken-hearted making use of Christs Death Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself to God without spot purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God By a serious resistance and mortification of Sin cutting off the right Hand and pulling out the right eye Matth. 5.29 30. and Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And by the use of all Holy Means which God hath appointed II. The Reasons Why this is true Christianity 1. The necessity of it it is a great question how far Obedience belongeth to Faith whether as a part or as an end fruit and consequent I answer both wayes consent of subjection is a part of Faith Actual Obedience a fruit of it In the Covenant there is a consent first before practice Faith believeth the Precepts as well as the Promises Psalm 119.66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge for I have believed thy commandments Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water It believeth the Promises to sweeten Obedience to us it hath a perswasive Oratory as it worketh by Love or Hope it worketh us to an observance of the Precepts by the hopes of the Resurrection least we be inticed from them either by things grateful or troublesome to present sense 1 Cor. 15.58 Be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes ab●i●ding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your work is not in vain in the Lord. If you believe things written in the Law and the Prophets you will see your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 2. The Comfort of Obedience to us we cannot make out our Evidence and Plea but by a uniform constant and impartial Obedience Principles are latent till they discover themselves by their Fruit our Faith and Hope is but a fancy unless it prevail over sensitive inclinations to present things that we may live in the patient and delightful service of God and an intire

thing Conscience is another Science is a Mans knowledge of other things Conscience is a Mans knowledge of himself his State and wayes to know what he is to do and to know who he hath done that is Conscience It is the Judgment of a Man concerning himself and his Actions with respect to Reward and Punishment God that is our Lord is also our proper Judge but it pleaseth God to put a faculty into Man this Spirit within him that he should have something in his own Bosom to be a Rule and Judge but yet a Subordinate Rule and a Deputy-Judge accountable to God but a Judge it is However it much conduceth to the Glory of God and to the Safety of Man 1. To the Glory of God 1. As it is an Evidence of his Being whose Law is the ground of Conscience and before whom Conscience doth accuse and whose Sentence it doth dread and stand in fear of Why doth Conscience scruple this or that if there be not a God by whose Will Good and Evil are distinguished To whom doth it accuse us but to God Why is Conscience sometimes afraid sometimes comforted if there were no God to mind things here below We find Conscience appaleth the stoutest Sinners after the commitment of some Offence though it be secret and beyond the Cognizance and Vengeance of Man Psalm 53.5 There were they in great fear where no fear was that is no outward cause of fear where none sought to hurt them accusing themselves when none else could accuse them as Iosephs Brethren Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our brothers blood or where none had power to reach them as Princes and Worldly Potentates feel the stings of Conscience as well as others Foelix trembled who was the Judge at Pauls Words who was the Prisoner Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Foelix trembled What is the Reason of this but that they know there is a Supream Judge and Avenger 2. It is for the Glory of his Judicial Proceedings Self-Accusers and Self-Condemners have no reason to quarrel with God and impeach his Justice Man hath Principles and Sentiments graven upon his Heart which justifie all Gods dealings with him Luke 19.22 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee thou wicked servant And Psalm 51.4 That thou mayest be justified when thon speakest and be clear when thou judgest Hereby he is left without excuse Rom. 1.20 So that they are without excuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the frequent Appeals to Conscience Isa. 5.3 4. Iudge I pray you betwixt me and my vineyard What could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it I have produced these Scriptures to show that by Conscience Man is better induced to give a Testimony to God concerning all his dealings with him 2. To the safety and benefit of Man that he may have an Oracle in his own bosom to direct him to his Duty and to warn him of his danger if he doth amiss Conscience is spoken of in Scripture both wayes as instructing us in our Duty Psalm 16.7 My reins also instruct me in the night season that is Conscience shewed him his Duty and how he was concerned in the Law of God or the Rule which God had given to his Creatures And as it sheweth us what to do so it reflecteth upon what we have done If evil it smiteth us for it 2 Sam. 24.10 And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbred the people If good it cheareth us with it 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world It smiteth as it exciteth fear of punishment it cheareth as it stirreth up hope of Reward and we do very much understand hereby how God standeth affected towards us 1 Iohn 3.19 20 21 And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all thing Beloved If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 2. Conscience is Gods Vicegerent and Deputy You may know much of his Mind by the Voice and Report of Conscience therefore next to the Judgment and Sentence of God a Man should regard the Judgment and Sentence of Conscience 1 Iohn 3.20 21. If our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things Beloved If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God Observe what Conscience speaketh doth it condemn thee or acquit thee And upon what terms doth it either The voice of Conscience is often the voice of God and Men would sooner come to know themselves and might make a right Judgment upon their Estates if they would look inward and regard the voice of Conscience doth it condemn or acquit Indeed there lyeth an Appeal from Court to Court and from Judge to Judge 1. From Court to Court In what Court doth Conscience condemne you In the Law Court You ought to own the desert of Sin clearing God if he should inflict it upon you 1 Cor. 11.31 For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged But yet you may take Sanctuary at his Grace and humbly claim the benefit of the New Covenant Psalm 130.3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If it condemn you in the Gospel Court for no sound Believer the Case must not be lightly passed over but examined whether there be a sincere bent of Heart towards God Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly 2. There is an appeal to an higher Judge Doth Conscience write bitter things against thee Yet if God justifieth Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth Gods Act is Authoritative and Powerful Isa. 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips Peace Peace to him that is afar of and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him Psalm 85.8 I will hear what God the ●ord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his saints But sometimes he speaketh in the Sentence of his Word when not in the Conscience his Authority may comfort when we feel not his Power so for acquitting Conscience is not the highest Judge 1 Cor. 4.4 For if I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Prov. 16.2 All the wayes of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits He must consult his Word and thereby clear our Case so

do well and Sin it self forbid Sin that it may not disgrace them in the World and bring some hurt and inconvenience on them Conscience doth not guide them herein but Hypocrisie or Sin sets them a work 2. Evil as Lots incest with his Daughters Gen. 19.33 34. He perceived not when they lay down or when they arose Conscience was laid asleep it did not stir and chasten or rebuke him So when the people of Ephesus came together Acts 19.32 The most part knew not wherefore they were come together they were in a hurry tumult and sudden passion These consult not with Conscience in their Actions and the evil they do is not against Conscience yet evil it is and doth not exempt from Punishment for a Man is bound not to act rashly but according to the dictate of Conscience 2. A Man may act out of Conscience or according to Conscience and so he may act either good or evil 1. Good either lawful because it is permitted or necessary because it is commanded in the one Conscience is sensible that he may in the other that he ought to do so This he doth not out of Terrour but the sweet force of Love and willing Obedience unto God for Fear and Conscience are opposed Rom. 13.5 Wherefore ye must be faithful not only for wrath but also for conscience sake but he doth it in Obedience to God Psalm 27.8 When thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek I acknowledge thy power over me 2. Evil. So Paul out of Conscience persecuted Christ for his erring Conscience told him that the Precepts and Ceremonies of the Law of Moses were all of Eternal Obligation and necessary to a Mans Justification towards God and therefore that Christ abolishing the Ceremonies was an Enemy to Moses Acts 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth Error of Conscience dictated it to him But did Paul do well or ill herein As to the manner of the Action it was well for he did it with a good Mind and according to his Conscience thus far Paul sinned not But as to the matter of the Action he did wickedly that he followed the dictates of a misguided Conscience and did not subject his Conscience to that higher Revelation of God which is in Scripture but to the Tradition of the Elders So many Persecutors do evil and do not think they do evil but do God good Service Iohn 16.2 They shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service and this through Ignorance and blind Zeal This erring-Erring-Conscience is their bane it may urge them to do evil but it cannot oblige them to do evil for they are bound to know better and according to the means of their Conviction so is the greatness of their Sin 3. A Man may act against Conscience 1. So he may do good As a Papist communicating with the Reformed Churches in the Word and Prayer and Sacraments he doth that which is good but he doth it against his Conscience because he thinks it is not lawful to have Communion with Hereticks To this Head belongeth those things that we do with scruple of Conscience fearing the things which we do are not right So many times we do things which are lawful yet fearing they are unlawful we do them not without some scruple and terror of Conscience as for instance a self-condemning Sinner coming to the Lords Supper yet because he hath not a clear sense of the love of God his Conscience troubleth him and he is afraid he eateth and drinketh unworthily The Apostle saith Rom. 14.22 23. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth And he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin that is to the Party that doth it though it be good in it self Therefore we must endeavour that whatever we do we may be assured out of the Word of God that it is lawful Rom. 14.5 Let every one be fully perswaded in his own mind 2. So he may do evil When a Man doth good against his Conscience it is evil but when he doth evil against his Conscience it is a double evil because he doth not only transgress the Rule that should guide him but affronts the Judge which God hath set over him in his own bosom and kicketh against the pricks the urgings of his own Conscience Iames 4.17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin But especially it is a greater Sin when not only by Light Natural but by the checks and motions of the Spirit he understandeth the evil which he doth or the necessary good which he omitteth for this is to resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resist the holy Ghost Especially when he wilfully and blasphemously rejects that sufficient Evidence that is given him of the wayes of God and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 For that is the sin unto death 1 Iohn 5.19 In short we should be careful we sin not against Conscience for it is our best Friend or our worst Enemy It is Gods Deputy and to resist the Officer is to resist the Prince or Magistrate Therefore do nothing without Conscience do nothing against Conscience but do all things with Conscience rightly informed by the Word of God Secondly Exercise your selves in this that Conscience may perform its Office and be a good Guide unto you There are two Offices of Conscience to direct and to censure to judge rightly de jure what you ought to do and to judge rightly de facto what you have done or what you are that you may neither have a blind and erring nor a sleepy Conscience 1. That you may not have an erring Conscience or a blind one you must consult with your Rule Rom. 12.2 That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Ephes. 5.17 Wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is with a mind fully resolved to do his will Iohn 7.17 If any man do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self This Rule is the Word of God Psalm 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Beg the light of the Spirit verse 133. Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me And be not rebellious against this Light for our Sins and Lusts blind the Mind and a naughty Heart defileth the Conscience so that it groweth loose and indulgent and from a Judge it becometh an Advocate excusing the partialities of our Obedience to God and our injuries to Men. Therefore

is just and equal knowing that ye have a Master in Heaven So also to Equals not invading each others rights not detaining from them any thing that is their's Rom. 13 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law That is a debt still owing and still to be paid Mat. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets The Rule of Justice of doing to others as you would they should do to you standeth on these Suppositions The actual equality of a●l Men by Nature did not he that made you make them And the possible equality by Providential disposure you may stand in need of them as they do of you and be under them as they are under you 4. Whatsoever things are pure Therefore nothing that is obscene or unchast should be seen in or heard from a Christian. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Chast and Clean as well as Pure Eph. 4 29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but that which is good to the use of Edifying that it may Minister Grace to the Hearers Rotten Communication argueth a naughty Heart as a stinking breath doth rotten and putrid Lungs So also for Actions nothing filthy or unclean should be done by us Eph. 5.12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret A Christian is ashamed to speak what others are not ashamed to do but God seeth in secret and his Law that is our Rule and his Eye should be enough 5. Whatsoever things are Lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are certain things which are not only commanded by God but are grateful and acceptable to Men. Such are a loving affable carriage peaceable behaviour meekness lowliness of Mind Charity Usefulness Rom. 5.7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die The Apostle telleth us of some things which are acceptable to God and approved of Men Rom. 14.18 Now these things a Christian must make Conscience of Rom. 12.17 Recompense to no man evil for evil provide things honest in the ●ight of all men What are those To live Charitably and Peaceably 1 Thes. 5.15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men As in the Body there is something that is lovely and appeareth so to all men so in the Soul Now these are things which we should look after When the Disciples lived Christianly and in Peace and Charity they had favour with all the People Acts 2.46 47. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking Bread from House to House did eat their Meat with Gladness and Singleness of Heart praising God and having favour with all the People Therefore by this lovely Carriage we should commend our Profession to the World 6. Whatsoever things are of good Report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is another boundary for there are some things which have no express evil in them but they are not of good fame as generally Condemned by the wise and sober Now a Christian is first to look to his Conscience but because the Honour of God and the credit of his Profession is concerned he must avoid those things which have an appearance of evil 1 Thes. 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of Evil. And the rather because they are not over tender of their Conscience who are lavish of their Name Indeed a Christian is not to hunt after the applause of men yet he is to do his Duty so that the holy Profession be not blamed nor evil spoken off for his sake It is a good and short decision of Aquinas Gloria humana bene contemnitur nihil malè agendo propter ipsam bene appetitur nihil malè agendo contra ipsam Then we rightly contemn the applause of men when we do nothing ill to gain it and then we rightly desire it when we do nothing ill to forfeit it It is to be contemned if we must do evil to gain it 2 Cor. 6.8 By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true Be contented with the Glory that cometh of God only else we do not believe in Christ Iohn 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only You cannot be the Servants of Christ if you honour men As for our own Credit we must be content to be evil spoken of for the Gospels sake and our Duties sake And it is well deserv'd by doing nothing on our part to hazard it So 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gent●les that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they s●all behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation We are to stop the Mouth of Iniquity and to put to silence the Ignorance of foolish men not justly to cause our Names to stink and be unsavory but live down the reproaches of the World as much as in us lieth and bring the Holy ways of God into request 7. The last Limitation is If there be any vertue or any praise I join both these things together because they are linked to one another That is if they found any thing praised and esteemed in the World provided it be a vertue Many things gain applause in the World which yet are not vertuous and praise-worthy as the revenging of an injury zeal for a mans Faction Gal. 1.10 For do I now persuade men or God or do I seek to please men For if I yet pleased men I should not be the Servant of Christ. So for peaceable compliance with Sin and good Fellow-ship Luk. 16.15 And he said unto them Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your Hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God Now Christians should abhor such things though never so much cryed up in the World there is a praise of such things but they are not Vertues Or else you may understand this Limitation thus If there be any vertue that is something lower than Grace any good thing among the Heathens with whom they conversed they should take it up and adorn Religion with it So if there be any praise among good things some are more emin●nt others as they are not disproved so they are not praised Now any such praise-worthy or commendable action they should imitate and adorn their Profession with it The Gifts of the Holy Ghost are called Graces but these commendable actions are called vertues Well then these are the general Heads of Christian Duties which they should seriously think upon and propose them to themselves for the Regulation of their

Iacob God can procure unthought of favour by his Spirit either bridle their rage or dispose them to shew you favour Sometimes he casts a Terrour into the Hearts of Enemies and sometimes inclineth them to shew favour as Iacob when he met with Esau Gen. 33.4 Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his Neck and kissed him So Ioseph found favour with Potiphar Gen. 39. 'T is God that maketh Friends for us when we seem to be destitute and lost in our selves 'T is not our Merits much less our compliances that procures it 4. 'T is the Glory of God and the Honour of the Gospel and the safety of Religion which should be our chiefest aim and scope in all these things Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And 1 Pet. 2.12 That they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God And because 't is not our main aim if it come we should not be over-affected with it If it come not we should not be over-troubled but in good and bad report we should approve our selves to be the faithful Servants of the Lord 2 Cor. 6.6 Mans Judgment is not to be stood upon God will not ask their Vote and Suffrage for our Admission into Eternal Glory As we must not forfeit it by any fault of our own so we must not desire it as our great happiness In this as well as in other temporal things we must refer all to God III. Quest. But what Wisdom is requisite that we may increase in favour with God and Man Answ. 1. In the general an Innocent Holy Conversation is that which procureth a good Name and respect with God and Man It will certainly be accepted with God and as to men you cut off occasion from them that do desire occasion 1 Pet. 3.16 Having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good Conversation in Christ. Live down reproaches by a clear Innocency 2. More particularly By making Conscience of Morals rather than Rituals Rom. 14.18 He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men The weighty matters Piety Justice Charity these carry their own evidence with them and bespeak their Reverences in the Consciences of men Will the World value a man for his Zeal for or against Ceremonies when other things do not answer Suppose he be in the right yet who will regard a man purely for his rightness in Opinion 'T is Hypocrisie condemned of God and not very well liked of man to Tithe Mint and Cummin and not very well regard the weightier things of the Law Mat. 23.23 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye pay Tithe of Mint A●ise and Cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Iudgment Mercy and Faith These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone 3. Yet more particularly though men care not for Piety yet they care for Righteousness and Duties of the second Table We have more light in things that are inferioris Hemisphaerii of the lower Orb and Rank and though we are not to neglect the other yet these must have a chief part in our practice Rom. 12.17 Providing things honest in the sight of men There Justice Truth Equity are regarded as conducible to the good of humane Society and men are wise in their own matters 4. Once more Love Kindness Gentleness are very taking in the World and our Religion excludeth them not but recommendeth them to us Rom. 5.7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet for a good man some would even dare to die For a man of a rigid Innocency scarce any would die but for a good and bountiful man some would even dare to die the contrary is observed of the Iews who had a bitter Zeal 2 Thes. 2.15 They please not God and are contrary to all men Therefore we should study to excel in those things that are good To be good should be our Constitution and to do good the business of our Lives Vse is To press us to get and increase in this heavenly Wisdom whereby we may get the favour of God and Men. 1. We must seek to get the favour of God above all things which is the Life of our Lives and the Joy of our Hearts Psal. 30.5 In his favour is Life And Psal. 4 6 7. Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance Thou hast put gladness into my Heart more than in the time when their Corn and wine increased That should be our chief Care Direction preservation Blessing do all depend upon it The Favour of God is either Mercy or Grace Oh seek this in the first place that you may have the Love of God and the comfortable effects of it Rom. 2.29 Whose Praise is not of Men but God 2. Seek also the favour of Men Let us be careful not to offend them but seek their favour and that both of the Good and Bad The Good that they may help you in the way to Heaven and you may be edified by them the Bad Col. 4.5 Walk in Wisdom towards them that are without redeeming the Time There is great Wisdom required in a Christians carriage towards the Carnal and Prophane lest we scare them from Christ or give them occasion to speak evil of Religion 1 Tim. 5.14 Give no occasion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully And 2 Cor. 6.3 Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed A Sermon on Philip. II. 7 But made himself of no Reputation THe Apostle to cure their Pride which was the cause of their Divisions urgeth Christs Example His Lowliness and Humility is set forth by two things terminus à quo and ad quem or the heighth of Elevation wherein he stood the depth of Humi●iation to which he condescended The former ver 6. the latter in the 7. and 8 verses 1. The heighth wherein he stood Verse 6. Who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God That Phrase is to be regarded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being in the form of God By the form of God is meant the Divine Es●ence as cloathed with Glory and Majesty As the form of a Servant is really a Servant so his being in the form of God sheweth that he was from all Eternity true God adorned with Divine Splendor Glory and Majesty The other Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thought it no robbery to be equal with God signified that this doth justly and naturally belong to him and was not usurped by him The Devils were thrown out of Heaven for usurping Divine Honour 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into Chains of Darkness to be reserved unto Iudgment And Iude 6. And the Angels

2. Consider the impartiality of your Judge you will not find favour for being a Christian in Profession only 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 3. You lose your Evidence if you do not live as one known of God External Profession is disclaimed Matth. 7.21 22 23. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name And in thy name have cast out devils And in thy name done many wonderful works And then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity 4. As you are concerned in God's Foundation you obliged your selves to a strict holy Life 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God And Heb. 10.21 22. Having a High-priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water A Sermon on Acts xxiv 25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled And answered Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee IN this Chapter you have 1. The Story of Paul's Accusation by Tertullus 2. Paul's Defence 3. The Event Felix his Humanity to Paul where three things are observable 1. He deferred the business Vers. 22. When Felix heard those things having more perfect knowledge of that way he deferred them and said when Lysias the chief Captain shall come down I will know the uttermost of your matter That is understanding the Affairs of Christians better than they were represented to him by Tertullus having governed the Province jointly with Camanus for a while and afterwards being sole Governor himself He well understood the difference between the Jews and Christians as to the external State of the Controversie that is the meaning of Having more perfect knowledge of that way not that he knew or accurately understood the Tenour of Christian Doctrine but that he well knew how hardly and unjustly the Christians were handled by the Jews He knew that Christ and Christians were not guilty of Sedition against the Roman Commonwealth but that Christ was delivered to Pilate out of mere Envy That the Christian Religion was confirmed by notable Miracles That those that professed Christianity were Eminent above all other Sects of the Jews for great Modesty and Piety nor so prone to raise Mutinies and Troubles as the rest of the Jews This he knew and this moved him to shew some favour to Paul by putting off the Jews under a pretence to speak further with the Chief Captain Lysias Which teacheth us that the Religion and Innocency of the Primitive Christians was such that in some measure it got them favour in the sight of Heathens Christians are holy chiefly for this end that they may please God and save their Souls but yet this is one Motive by which they are quickened to holy Conversation and Godliness that they may give no occasion to the Enemies to blaspheme but rather may have a good report among them which are without and so invite them to a love of the Truth and Ways of God 1 Pet. 2.12 Having your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good Works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Colos. 4.5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time 1 Thes. 4.11 12. That ye study to be quiet and to do your own business and to work with your hands as you are commanded That you may walk honestly towards them that are without and that you may have lack of nothing Those that by Scandals do hinder other Men's Salvation can hardly be certain of their own 2. He gave Paul more liberty Vers. 23. And he commanded a Centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come to him Though he kept him yet in Bonds yet he was not a close Prisoner but had liberty of conversing with his Friends Where learn First When Afflictions are not wholly taken away yet 't is a Mercy to have a mitigation Paul from his closer Restraint had his Condition enlarged and God gave him some more Liberty though not a full Deliverance Christ himself though he could not obtain that the Cup should pass away yet was comforted and supported by an Angel Luke 22.42 43. So Paul in another case had Grace sufficient for him tho' the Messenger of Satan that buffeted him was not taken away 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Thus God often sweetneth our Afflictions when he doth not remove them and remembreth Mercy in the midst of Judgment Secondly Observe he should forbid none of his Acquaintance to minister or come to him which sheweth the kindness of Christians one to another in affording mutual Help and Comfort in their Necessities and Afflictions He should forbid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of his own i. e. of his own Company to come to him as Acts 4.23 They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto their own Company 3. The third Office of Humanity and Kindness from Felix to Paul was that he was desirous to hear him Preach Vers. 24. After certain days when Felix came with his wife Drusilla which was a Iewess he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ That is of the Christian Religion This Drusilla was the Sister of Herod Agrippa who killed Iames and imprisoned Peter Acts 12. In Histories she is said to have deserted her Husband the King of the Emisens and to have lived uncleanly with Felix Now being a Jewess by Religion she had not only sinned against the Law by marrying an Uncircumcised Person or a Worshipper of a strange God Mal. 2.11 Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange God But also by deserting her Husband after she had married him and living in Adultery rather than a true and proper Marriage with Felix So that here are two evil Pesons and yet they are willing to hear Paul Preaching concerning the Faith in Christ. Wicked People may desire to hear the Word out of Curiosity so Herod heard Iohn Mark 6.20 but they come not with an intent to believe and do the Things given them in Charge In the Text you have the issue and effect of this Sermon And as he

damned when they are delivered over to the Worm that dyeth not and the Fire that shall never be quenched In the Parable of the Rich Man Luke 16.23 24 you have some Account of it In Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom and he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am Tormented in this Flame It is not Wine that he calleth for then but a drop of cold Water not in a Vessel or in the Hollow of his Hand but on the Tip of his Finger only not to quench his Thirst but cool his Tongue and that he could not get No the gulf was fixed though that drop would soon have dryed up These Passages are Parabolical but thus our Lord saw fit to represent their endless easeless Estate 2. Why This is not the fulness they sought after or promised to themselves They dreamed of nothing but Impunity and Happiness and to be feasted with Carnal satisfactions I Answer God doth not consider what they desired but what they deserved They brought this upon themselves by their own way Hosea 4.9 I will punish them for their ways and reward their doings and Justly for 1. as they regarded not his will in chusing their way so God will not ask their consent in returning a meet Recompense or Reward of their doings 2. It is equal that he who had so soon his fill of goodness and was weary of well doing should at length have his fill of Wickedness 3. They thought they could never have enough of Sin in the Practise therefore now they shall have enough in the Punishment 4. For a great while they enjoyed themselves with Comfort and Success to the dishonor of God and the scandal of the Godly now they have their deserved Punishment Though they escaped long they shall not escape always This merry World will not always last The longer God's Patience is abused the greater Wrath is then prepared and treasured up for them Secondly For the good Man he shall find at length that which will satisfie him Now I shall shew you 1. What is his Satisfaction 2. When he shall have it 1. What is his Satisfaction He shall be satisfied from himself It beareth two Senses 1. That it is his own works which God will abundantly and graciously reward of which in the next Point 2. Or else it is meant of the Comforts which he feeleth within himself It is not by way of exclusion of God but of the Carnal Happiness which the Backslider fancyeth His Happiness is most within himself independant from the World but not from God He valueth his Good and Evil not by things External but Internal As for instance The Conscience of his Integrity 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. we have had our conversation in the World The sense of God's love Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us The Hopes of Glory Heb. 10.34 Knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and more enduring substance Yea the Glory that he expecteth will be revealed in him Rom. 8.18 He hath a Spring of Comfort within his Breast for God is there and Christ is thereby the Spirit and will be more there hereafter Now these Inward things satisfie him in the destitution and want of Outward He hath a sufficiency within himself in whatever necessities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a Maxim among the wisest Heathens that Virtue is sufficient to it self and the Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 6.6 Godliness with Contentment is great gain Cerrtainly a good Man whatever he wants he wants not Contentment in God 2. When he shall have it 1. Here the Godly have the beginnings of their Satisfaction 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2. Hereafter the completion and full fruition of it Blessed be God who giveth us our hard Things in this short life and keepeth our portion till eternal Life where there shall be nothing but Peace and endless Joy We have much now the first fruits of the Spirit We have not Canaan in the Wilderness but we have the Clusters of Canaan much in present possession more in expectation and reversion Psal. 16 11. In thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore In Heaven we shall desire no more than we have Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy liken●ss Therefore when God will graciously recompense our goodness it is enough we shall have a full sufficiency in the reward V. That rightly understood every one is filled from himself The Backslider is filled with his own ways and the Godly person hath his own choice therefore he is satisfied from himself Not that his choice or course merited it but God accepteth it Certainly the Wicked hath none to blame but himself and therefore he is said to reward evil to himself Isa. 3.9 That is by their Sins they hurt not God but wrong themselves or bring evil unto themselves As to the Godly he must look to his qualifications God that made him without himself will not save him without himself therefore he must look to his choice and course you have your choice whether you will take your own ways or God's Counsel You do not purchase or merit your Reward but you must qualifie your selves to receive it It is left upon your choice It is not always true in Carnals chuse and have but sometimes it is You may have the Tri●les of the World in your own ways but you cannot have God and Heaven without accepting God's Counsel without a resolved choice and serious prosecution There it is chuse and have You must part with your Sin and Fleshly pleasure and resolve upon an Holy and Godly course of Life The World flattereth you to your Destruction but God calleth you to Salvation As you chuse so shall you have If you refuse Christ and follow your own ways you will have enough of it in Time If you obey God and resolve to seek after him you shall be satisfied Therefore your Eternal woe or weale lyeth much in your own Hands If you forsake your own mercies for lying Vanities whom have you to blame but your selves Ionah 2.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy But though God incline you to chuse and that work must be ascribed to him yet it is you must chuse and pursue after the True Happiness and God will graciously accept you God gives you the Wit and the Will to make a right choice but you must

some Stricture and Shadow of the Perfection of God's Wisdom And therefore though for a time while both Good and Bad are upon their Trial the Good are not regarded nor the Bad punished yet the Wisdom of God will not permit it to be always so that the Godly should be in an afflicted and distressed Condition and the Wicked prosperous 2. Come we to the Holiness of God which inclineth him to hate Evil and love that which is good Surely God is not indifferent to Good and Evil or more partial to the Evil than to the Good That were a Blasphemy and such a Diminution of God's Holiness as should be abhorred by every good Christian. No He hateth all the Workers of Iniquity Psal. 5.5 And again Psal. 11.7 The righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his Countenance doth behold the Vpright Well then wherein is this Love and Hatred demonstrated God doth not openly declare it in his present Dealings with the Rebellious and the Righteous therefore it shall be seen in his final Dealing with the wicked Oppressors of his People and those that walk uprightly Therefore there is a Life to come for in this Life this Love and Hatred is not sufficiently expressed Not his Hatred against the Wicked even in the Judgment of them who have no great Knowledg of the Nature of Sin and the Punishment which is competent thereunto nor his Love to the Godly who are often exposed to bitter Sufferings and seem to be less favoured in the Course of his external Providence than their Enemies Therefore there is a time to come when he will shew his Love to the Good in making them everlastingly happy and his Detestation of the Wicked in eternal Torments 3. Come we now to the Justice of God It is agreeable to the Justice of his Government that it should be well with them that do well and ill with them that do evil and that he should make a difference by Rewards and Punishments between the Disobedient and the Righteous Conscience hath a Sense of this and therefore checketh and cheareth as we have done Good or Evil. Heathens had accusing or excusing Thoughts which the Apostle urgeth as an Evidence to the Gentiles of Judgment to come Rom. 2.15 16. Which shew the Works of the Law written upon their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another In the Day when God shall judg the Secrets of Men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel If every Man's Thoughts do accuse or excuse him respectively according to the Nature of his Actions then there is in Nature a Sense of this different Retribution Notions of Good and Evil are as naturally implanted in our Hearts as Notions of Truth and Falshood and a Man is as sensible of a difference between comely and base as between the right Hand and the left only the Notions of Good and Evil are sooner corrupted than the Notions of Truth and Falshood However the Workings of Conscience cannot utterly be choaked and deaded in any though most Men seek to stifle it and the Voice of it be often-times unheard The very Profane have hidden Fears frequently revived in them because of these Retributions of God's Justice The Apostle telleth us Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the Iudgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death They were none of the tenderest Men that are here spoken of but such as were extreamly debauched and corrupted and did delight in the Company of those who were as corrupt as themselves Well then Conscience is sensible of a Reward and Punishment but this is not fully nor universally dispensed in this World yea rather the Worst are permitted to injoy most here when the Good are kept in a low and bare Condition And that is not the whole Case the Worst do not only differ from the Best but are permitted to triumph over them Now no righteous Governour will suffer his disobedient Subjects to persecute those who most carefully obey him if he hath Power to remedy it And therefore though he may permit it for a time yet he will call them to an Account and then amends and Satisfaction shall be made to them that have suffered wrongfully Therefore the Wicked are reserved to future Punishment and the Godly to future Reward 4. Come we now to the Goodness of God The Lord is inclined to do Good to his Creatures and if there were no Sin to stop the Course of his Bounty there would be nothing but Happiness in the World But certainly if any recover out of a State of Sin and are willing to devote themselves to God and to contemn all their natural Interests for his sake certainly the Lord will be good and kind to them A certain Truth it is That no Man serveth God for nought And 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the first Maxims of Religion That God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Next to his Being we believe his Bounty that God's Service first or last will turn to a good Account And it is the rather to be believed by us because carnal and corrupted Nature begrudgeth every thing and in the Eye of Sense all is lost that is laid out upon God We say with Iudas What needeth this Waste The same Opinion that Seneca had of the Jewish Sabbath the same Thoughts have carnal Men of the Service of God He said the Jews were a foolish People quia septimam aetatis partem perdunt vacando because a full seventh part of their Lives was lost in Idleness and Rest. While Men are under the Influence of such Thoughts they will never do any thing for God that is great and worthy And therefore to confute this false Conceit during the time of his Patience the superficial Service he getteth from us hath its Reward He giveth many temporal Blessings to those that worship him in the slightest Fashion as he suspended his Judgments upon Ahab's Mock-Humiliation 1 Kings 21.29 And his present Providence plainly declareth that none shall be a Loser by God nor do any thing for nought He pleaded by the Prophet against this People for their sorry Services and contemptuous Usage of him Mal. 1.10 Who is there even among you that would shut the Doors for nought Neither do ye kindle Fire on mine Altar for nought I have no Pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an Offering at your Hand That is the Porters of the Temple did not open and shut the Doors for nought nor the Levites that kindled the Fire nor the Priests attend upon the Burnt offering for nought they were all well rewarded with Tithes Portions and Oblations and this by the Lord 's own Appointment and Allowance And again if any thing be done sincerely though never so mean and inconsiderable it hath its Reward Mat. 10.42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of

When they engross your Time which is the most precious Commodity that can be for it cannot be bought with Gold and Silver and when once lost can never be repaired God hath appointed Pleasures after Labour and when we are grown dull with Exercise but then they should be moderate that as little Time be wasted as may be But now when Men make a Calling of their Recreation and their Life is nothing else but a Diversion from one Pleasure to another and they spend more time than will serve to quicken them to their Work certainly this is a Sin for then they alter the nature of them and make it a Work and not a Sport They that spend their whole Time in Eating Drinking and Sporting live like Beasts rather than Men for it is the Beasts Happiness to take pleasure without remorse nay they live rather like Plants which are a less noble sort of Beings than Beasts Beasts have their Labour but Plants have only Life and Time given them that they may grow bulky for it is the perfection of Plants to grow bulky and increase in Stature And yet this is the Life of many Gallants and idle Gentlemen who live as if they were not born for Business but Recreation Nay tho you do not make a Trade of it yet too much Time is not to be spent for the measure only so much Time as will serve to quicken you again to the Labours of your general and particular Calling An eminent Divine gives this Rule concerning Recreations It is not lawful for a Man in an ordinary course to spend more Time in the Day upon any Pastime than in Religious Exercises He means private Religious Exercises he limits him only thus not constantly Now if we be tried by this Rule how many of us would be taken tardy and guilty of Sin As one said when he read Matth. 5. Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not Scripture or we not Christians So let us look upon this Rule Either it is not true or we do not act aright Therefore let us debate it a little and see whether is defective Either we come short of Strictness and Circumspection or the Rule comes short of Truth and Weight Think of it certainly it is most equal that the most needful Duties should have most time bestowed upon them To get Assurance and enjoy Communion with God this should be first in your Care Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you It is true we cannot spend so much time in private Communion with God as in Business because of the urgency of bodily Necessities yet this is but equal that we should spend as much time in Duties of Religion as we do in Recreation Consider the Soul hath its Delights and Repasts and Recreations as well as the Body and needs it as much and therefore if our first Care should be for the Soul it is but equal that at lea●t as much Recreation as we bestow upon the Body so much also should we allow to the Soul Especially when we consider this that it is some Refreshment to the Body to go aside from manual Labour and converse with God Once more that you may think charitably upon this Rule there is a sad Character in Scripture given of that sort of Men 2 Tim. 3.4 that are lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God Now consider will not this too much describe the Temper of our Hearts Will not this Text stare in the face of Conscience when we are loth to give an equal time to God and to Religion as to our carnal Sports and Delights If your Expences of Time were written in your Debt-Books you would blush to look over the Accounts so much for Pleasure so much for Sports so much for Business and so little for Duty and private Converse with God The Rule is too true let Conscience be Judg. Certainly if we did prize Heavenly Comforts as much as Carnal we should not complain of the Rule as too strict What shall we think of them who grudg no Time spent in Pleasure and yet grudg all Time spent in God's Service 3. When they unfit the Heart for any serious Work by putting the Affections out of Joint then they become a Snare and it is high time to think of setting a restraint All Things are to be measured by their End Now the end of Pleasure is only this to quicken the Mind and revive the Body and fit it for Work and Service The end of Pleasure is not for Pleasure but Work and Service Well then a thing is no longer good than it conduceth to its End Now when the Heart is set back and unfitted more for Duty and less able to pray and meditate and labour in our Callings by reason of our Sports and Recreations it is a sign we have too much let loose the Reins to Pleasure For Pleasure was appointed to make us better not worse more chearful in the Duties of our Callings but now it proveth a Clog and a Snare 4. Then is Sobriety to interpose when our Pleasure doth cheat us of opportunity of Retirement and religious Privacy with God and our selves Certainly it is a Duty to maintain a constant Converse with God Iob 22.21 Acquaint thy self with him and be at Peace He delights to speak with his Creatures and be familiar with them This is that which is called Communion with God a constant Correspondency that is kept up between God and the Soul Now will a Man rob God this is strange and monstrous Well then when Ease and Pleasure will not give way for Communion with God and stops the Voice of Conscience when it pleads for God then it is naught And so for privacy with our selves it is a duty to commune with our own Hearts Psal. 4.4 Commune with your own Heart upon your Bed and be still We and our Hearts should be often together Now carnal Men give themselves up to Pleasure because they cannot endure Solitariness and Self-conversing they are loth to look into themselves like a Mill when it wants Corn it will grind upon it self they shall be forced to speak to themselves which they cannot endure Now Pleasures are unlawful when they use them against holy Soliloquies and as a Remedy against Conscience as Saul would drive away his evil Spirit by David's Musick This is a great Sin Amos 6.3 They put far from them the evil Day And ver 6. They drink Wine in Bowls but remember not the Afflictions of Joseph Men beguile their Consciences by turning from Pleasure to Pleasure and so put off suing out a Pardon the sense of their Sins and humbling themselves before God and making their Peace with God This is the Work of your Lives Therefore when Business Entertainments Sports and Pleasures take up your Time and will not allow you to be solitary

scandalize others and not right himself In taking Wrong we suffer Evil in returning Wrong we do Evil the one is our Affliction the other is our Sin It will be no Excuse for you to say you were wronged first See how the Spirit of God takes off these Pleas Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the Man according to his Work This is but a continuance and reciprocation of Justice So Prov. 20.29 Say not thou I will recompense Evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee I remember Lactantius hath a pretty saying in this Case Qui par pari referre nititur ipsum à quo laesus est imitatur Revenge and Injury differ only in Order he that begins the Injury goeth before in Mischief and he that requites it comes as fast after as he can he doth but delight to follow that which he saw go before him If you judg it evil in others why do you fall into the like your selves What care hath he of Justice and Goodness that imitateth that which he acknowledgeth to be evil It is no Excuse to say he began his doing Wrong to thee doth not dissolve the Obligation of God's Law or the binding Power it hath upon thy Conscience Nay the return of Injuries argues you to be the more malicious because it is a more willing a more knowing Act. 5 th Rule We must be so far from wronging any Man that in many cases we must not demand our own extream Right Phil. 4.5 Let your Moderation be known unto all Men the Lord is at hand your Moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies the mitigating of the extremity of Justice James 3.17 The Wisdom that is from above is peaceable and gentle Extream right is but an Injury when you do not all you may do by the Letter of the Law out of Lenity and Christian Forbearance Power stretched to the utmost is but Tyranny and when the words of the Law are urged contrary to the end the Law is made a Pattern of Sin and unjust dealing In short this Equity and Moderation lieth in not interpreting things doubtful to the worst sense Eccles. 7.16 Be not righteous overmuch When we do not interpret things rigorously that are receptive and capable of more plausible Interpretations when we depart from our own Right for just and convenient Reasons Psal. 69.4 I restored that which I took not way For Peace sake much may be done that we may not dishonour God nor vex others for every Trifle the good of others is to be considered that we may not undo them tho it be our Right Thus Paul departed from his own Right to cut off occasion from them that desire occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 He would labour with his Hands rather than lose an opportunity of spreading the Gospel 2 Thess. 3.8 Neither did we eat any Man's Bread for nought but wrought with Labour and Travel night and day that we might not be chargeable to any of you Paul took no Maintenance the spiritual things we sow are above your best carnal things considering our Labour and Pains the Bread we eat is bought at the dearest rate We have a Right but for God's Glory and not to lay a stumbling-Block in the way of young Converts we recede from it You are not to exact all your Labours Isa. 58.3 When you hold poor Men to a Bargain that is burdensome it is Injustice And thus our Lord Christ himself paid Tribute to avoid Scandal 6 th Rule Do as you would be done unto Mat. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets this is the scope of Scriptures This saying the Roman Emperor Severus much admired and wrote it upon many places of his Palace for it is a Rule serves in all cases If we would do as we would be done unto what Lives might we lead We are very tender of our own Interest give a favourable Sentence in our own case and are very sensible of the Wrong done to us we would not be circumvented by a fraudulent Bargain we would not be detracted in our own Names we would have our Infirmities hidden and not divulged we would be succoured in such Distresses now do so to them If in all cases we would do aright and judg aright let us change the Persons and suppose our selves in another's case would I have others thus do with me But how is this Law to be understood Some lay violent hands upon themselves others desire things sinful as to be drunk and to commit Adultery I answer it is meant of what we wish to our selves by a regular Self-love and a free and unperverted Will. Again it holdeth not in Duties of Relations it is not just that the Father should do that to the Children which he would have the Children do to him as to give Honour and Reverence and the like So in all Relations between Inferiors and Superiors it is to be understood if we were in their place and in the like condition as if I were a Son or if I were a Servant still take the Person of him with whom thou dealest upon thy self that Right which you would have others do to you as you would be kindly dealt with in buying and selling in pardoning Injuries forgiving unadvised Wrongs do you the same to others This will help us to keep a good Conscience in all our dealings 7 th Rule Publick Good is to be sought as well as private and in many cases to be preferred before it No Man is born for himself and therefore it is Injustice when Men mind only their own things and are wholly taken up with fulfilling their own Wills and Desires God hath commanded us to love one another he hath devolved upon one Man the Respects of all the World in effect for all Men are bound to love thee and seek thy Good What 's the reason of this but to engage and oblige us the more to seek the good one of another Rom. 12.5 We are all Members one of another the Members seek the good of the Body The Stomach receives Meat not for it self but to disperse it for the use of the whole Body When Men are of a narrow private Spirit and do not seek the Welfare of others they sin against Nature and Grace Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature if he could live by himself then he might live to himself Human Society is founded upon Communion and Commerce and therefore we are bound to seek the good one of another There is a great Body to which all the Members must have respect As in a Clock all the Wheels move one another and each part receiveth help one from another so every one should mind the common Good and be sensible of the common Evil 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no Man seek his own but every Man

Works were evil and his Brother 's righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares are full of Envy Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith unless we be first holy A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God nay but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren 3. With respect to the World A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency They are a People distinct from the World they are set apart for God Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself They are a chosen Generation Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength Policy and worldly Pomp but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badg Psal. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground 1. Because of Likeness to God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who is like thee glorious in Holiness It is God's Glory and therefore the Churches God is rich in Mercy but glorious in Holiness his Treasure is his Goodness but his Honour is his Holiness and immaculate Purity as among Men their Wealth is distinguished from their Honour 2. Because all the Ordinances hold it forth especially the Ordinance of Initiation So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People and not to be holy because they wear the Badges of Holiness they all come in by the washing of Water Men forget their Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians and Sin is still new and fresh as an old thing they forget the Effect of their Baptism That a washed Man should be so foul and noisom still sure they forget or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ. Secondly The Manner how he purifieth them There is on Christ's part the Spirit and Ordinances and his Merit reacheth to both and on our part Faith 1. On Christ's part 1. The Spirit is necessary Titus 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth and Christ hath purchased We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ that was the Merit and Price There was a Grant on God the Father's part Rev. 19.8 To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white An Authentick Act passeth in the Court of Heaven that we shall have fine Linen as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe But this is founded on Christ's Merits the Stream in which we are washed flowed out of Christ's Heart 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But then the Holy Ghost as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament worketh and applieth all The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit and the Father's Grant the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood As in the cleansing of the Leper the Bird was to be killed over running Water Levit. 14.5 So in the cleansing of the Sinner there is the Merit of Christ and the Work of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God If we come to the Father the Father sends us to the Son otherwise he could not look upon us the Son sends us to the Spirit the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets 2. The Ordinances Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated and to which Christ's Merit reacheth he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit but a Blessing on the Means that we may use them with Confidence The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer and Baptism concurreth sacramentally by way of signing and sealing and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted Iohn 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth When you come to hear you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase 2. On our part there is required Faith which also purifieth Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Christ's Blood cleanseth the Gospel cleanseth Baptism cleanseth the Spirit cleanseth Faith cleanseth all these are not contrary but subordinate neither Christ nor the Word nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts As under the Law the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper who herein represented God but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself Lev. 14.8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his Clothes and shave off all his Hair and wash himself in Water that he may be clean to shew that some Work is required on our part The Work of Faith is to apply to wait to work by Reflection and to stir up Love 1. To apply the Promises of God the Offers of Grace in the Word and the Blood of Christ and all these to purge out Corruption It applieth the Blood of Christ urgeth the Soul with it he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest The Water and Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Landress must apply it and rub the Clothes that are washed This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water We should thus argue with our selves Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners his Death cannot be in vain Grace is bought at a dear rate in the offers of the Word God maketh a tender why should I not accept of it Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it But we do not say What shall we say to these things By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore 2. In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing Isa. 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment Micah 7.19 He will turn again he will have Compassion on us he will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all their Sins

Spirit worketh it for he is the Comforter Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of Heaven is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Nay it is not only God's Allowance but his great Aim the solemn Assurance that is given by his Covenant is that you may grow up in believing to a strong Consolation and be able to laugh at Fears and Sorrows 1. You may pray for it when you want it Psal. 90.14 O satisfy us early with thy Mercy that we may rejoice and be glad all our Days 2. Nay when you have lost it by your Default it is not Boldness to ask Grace and Comfort again when you have wasted Conscience and weakned your Hopes as David Psal. 5.12 Restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation When your Candle is put out you may get it lighted again 3. You may wait for Comfort and still continue your Attendance upon God Psal. 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak Peace to his People and to his Saints 4. You may entertain it when it comes Comfort is a Fruit of the Spirit as well as Grace he which is the God of Grace is also the God of Consolation and the same Spirit which works Grace witnesseth for our Comfort and it is as great a Crime to smother his Witness as to resist his Work Whatever we think God would have us not only to be holy but to be chearful Would you make the Heart of Christ glad See Iohn 15.11 These things have I spoken unto you that my Ioy may remain in you and that your Ioy may be full Christ rejoiceth most in his Heritage when they live up to the Provision and Preparation he hath made for them in the Gospel The Devil envieth our Comfort he knows how useful it is in the Christian Life to make us thankful for Mercies chearful in his Service to wean us from carnal Delights and make us willing to do and suffer for God he seeks to weaken our Confidence as knowing the Joy of the Lord is our Strength he would either keep us from Grace or from a Sense of it and make us either wicked or sad and keep us from a comfortable Feeling and Apprehension of Grace 2. If strong Consolation be a Fruit of Certainty upon God's Oath then it informs us that it is a false Comfort and Peace which is not the Fruit of Certainty and Confidence in Christ which ariseth either from a Neglect of Duty or carnal Pleasure and all that wicked Men have comes from one of these Grounds It is good to look to the Fountain and Spring of our Joy and Comfort that we may be able to say with the Psalmist Thy Comforts delight my Soul Psal. 94.19 We should look to the Ground and Reason of our Peace and Security Why am I thus quiet Is it because God is reconciled to me in Christ because of Assurance from him under his Oath upon my taking Sanctuary in Christ The Devil ●ulls Men asleep by other means Carnal Men their Comfort ariseth from Carelesness and Negligence in the spiritual Life they do not trouble the Devil nor he them When a strong Man armed keeps his Palace his Goods are in Peace Luke 11.21 The Devil lets us alone when we let him alone when we do not exasperate Lusts nor trouble his Kingdom in our Heart Look as the Sea is very calm when Wind and Tide go together so when our Corruptions and Satan's Temptations run the same way all is calm and quiet As a Man feels not the Sickness that grows upon him till the Humours are stirred by Exercise So when there is a Spirit of Slumber and Security and Men are neglectful and careless in the spiritual Life and let Satan alone to possess the Heart they sleep but their Damnation slumbers not Then for carnal Pleasure this will not give them leave to think of their Condition Their whole Life is nothing but a knitting of Pleasure to Pleasure and a Diversion from one Contentment to another so they put far off from themselves the Thoughts of their own eternal Condition The outward Man is gratified and the inward Man hath no time they fill the Soul with Work that it may not fall upon it self as a Mill grinds not it self as long as it hath something to work upon as the Prophet observes of those that drink Wine in Bowls and put far away the evil Day Amos 6.3 They melt away their Days in Pleasure and charm and lull their Souls into a deep Sleep with the Potion of outward Delights lest Conscience should awake and talk with them Therefore look to the Ground of your Comfort and Security whence it cometh Psal. 94.19 Thy Comforts delight my Soul Ever now and then we should be making Experiments and try the Strength of it Can you venture your everlasting Estate upon the present Confidence Would I be thus found of God 1 Iohn 2.28 Little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his Coming In Afflictions and Sickness Men are wont to be serious Is your Faith found to praise and honour 3. It informs us that the State of a Believer is far better than the State of those that flow in worldly Delights A Man of a great Estate and that abounds in all the Comforts of this Life may seem to live a merry Life O but a Believer hath strong Consolation such as when it is put to the Trial will bear him out in Life and Death Wicked Men may rejoice as a Bird sings in the Fowler 's Snare they may take Comfort in their Portion for a while but in their latter End they will be Fools Alas your Comforts cannot ease you of the Colick or Head-ach nor give you a good Night's Sleep Small Comfort that can neither satisfy the Heart in any Distress nor ease the Conscience Solomon saith Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in a Day of Wrath. Take it for Man's or God's Wrath. In Man's Wrath Riches many times prove our Burden and none lie so obnoxious to publick Displeasure as rich Men the Comfort is soon lost it lieth without us An Estate cannot be carried about you though it be in Jewels it is liable to hazard The rich Jews were carried captive when the Poor were left to till the Land So in the Day of Man's Wrath it falls most upon worldly great Men they have poor Comforts which will not bear them out but we read of those which took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing in themselves that they have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Heb. 10.34 Though with Ioseph they lose their Coat yet they keep a good Conscience and this makes amends for all their outward Losses But I take the Place rather for God's Wrath there is the Trial in Trouble of Conscience and in the Pangs of Death Christian as sure as the Lord liveth there will a

whether to God or Man the World or our Fellow Saints 2 Pet. 1.7 Add to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity An Infant as soon as Born into the World thô it hath not the Bulk Stature and Strength of a Man yet it hath all the Essentials of a Man and is a perfect Man In the New-Birth the Inward Man is perfect in parts all Grace is given that is necessary for all Conditions Ye are inriched in all things in Christ there is a suitableness to the whole Law of God Rom. 7.22 I delight in the Law of God after the inward man VSE To Reprove those that would keep some Commandments but not all Herod did something at the Motion of Iohn the Baptist but he would not leave his Incestuous Marriage with his Brothers Wife Some Persons may be very forward in some good things but they will not leave this or that Sin their Swearing or Lying or Uncleanness or vain Company or Gaming or idle Fashions they refrain some Sins but not all some Duties you shall have them very forward in but not all they are halving it with God There is such an Union betwixt all the parts of the Law of God that one cannot be violated without a breach of all the rest As one leak in a Ship if let alone may sink it so one Sin indulged and allowed may prove the Bane of the Soul And therefore take heed of obeying God by halves and think not to please him or have any true Comfort in thy Conscience by any such Obedience The Young man so far spake well if he had spoke truly All these have I kept Secondly There is another thing that is good in the Reply the Young man maketh that is his early Beginning I have kept all from my Youth It is certainly a good thing to begin with God Betimes and to frame our Hearts to the Will of God as soon as we come to years of Discretion and that upon a three-fold Reason 1. Because it will be a Help to us all our Lives afterwards before Affections are forestall'd and pre-ingaged to begin with God and to have the Inclinations of Youth set right by a good Education to be restrained from our own Will and be train'd up in a way of Abstinence from Bodily Pleasures A sober Education prevents much Sin Psal. 119.9 Wherewithall shall a Young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word Mark it is not Wherewith shall a Young Man guide or direct but cleanse his way When Men are well principled and seasoned in Youth it sticketh by them nay the Vessel is seasoned already The word cleansed presupposeth some Defilement A Child is not like a Vessel which newly comes out of the Potters shop indifferent for good or bad Infusions No the Vessel is fusty already and hath a smatch of the Old man we come seasoned into the World for we were born in Sin and in Iniquity Psal. 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me Well then to begin betimes what good may we get by it Our Work is to stop the growth of Sin and that we do not settle in an evil Course and that will be a great Advantage to us all our Life after On the the other side the want of a good Education is a great disadvantage to Grace a maim hardly cured it leaves a Scar and makes a Man limp as long as he lives if he doth not begin with God betimes thô afterwards he be Converted for when a Man is not framed betimes to God he suffers the Canker of Self-will to fret so deep that Reason Law and Religion hath much ado to bring them to the Denyal of themselves To give you an Instance in Adonijah 1 Kings 1.5 6. Who exalted himself saying I will be King A rough Self-willed Young man he would have Soveraignty and a Crown and not stay for it till David was Dead or submit to the Appointment of a Successor I will be King and why It is said His Father had not displeased him at any time in saying Why hast thou done so He had too much of his Will when he was a Youth As Plutarch noteth of Coriolanus a Noble Roman that for want of a good and seasonable Education being left young under the Tutelage of his Mother and she left him to his own Will was so impatient and wilfull that no Man could hardly converse with him O Christians when Religion begins late and Men have to do with Corruptions habituated and confirmed by long time and loose Education it cannot shew it self with such Lustre and Advantage Therefore it is good to break the Will of Young Ones to train them up to bear the Yoke from their Youth otherwise thô they should be subdued by Grace and in a great measure broken yet this disadvantage remains with them to their Dying day Those that are seasoned well with sober Education either they are not so bad as others or it worse becomes them to do evil and they cannot Sin without many checks of Conscience which others have not Therefore a good and sober Education is a great Advantage to be train'd up from our Youth thô it be but to Moral Vertue 2. While Parents and Governours are careful to season those tender Vessels the Lord is pleased many times to replenish them with Grace from above and to give in his Blessing upon their Education and many have been Converted that way We read of Obadiah 1 Kings 18.12 But I thy Servant fear the Lord from my Youth Iosiah 2 Chron. 14.3 In the eighth year of his Reign while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his Father So Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned Faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy Grandmother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also His Mother and Grandmother were full of Faith and Sobriety and they were seasoning of him and training him up from his Youth to be acquainted with the Will of God and what a notable Instance of Abstinence and Sobriety did he prove 2 Tim. 3.15 And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation Certainly it is much to have Youth brought up in Knowledge and in the Power of Godliness Families are Societies to be sanctified to God as well as Churches and Governours of Families have a Charge of Souls as well as Pastors of Churches and therefore they should be careful of them and may wait for God's Blessing upon the Education of Youth There be many offer their Children to God in Baptism and they do well in so doing but Educate and Train them up for the World and the Flesh which they renounce in Baptism You will bewail any Natural Defect of your Children and seek to cure it while they are young if they have a Stammering

keep the World in order that think they may do any thing because it is in the Power of their hands Mic. 2.1 Wo unto them that devise Iniquity and work evil upon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because it is in the power of their ha●d Usually the World is governed by Interest rather than Conscience they count 〈◊〉 thing right which they are able to effect and Justice is measured by present Safety not by Principles of Conscience it is in the power of their hands and therefore they will do it The Lord gives Caution against this Psal. 62.10 Trust not in Oppression become not vain in Robbery if Riches encrease set not your heart upon them When a Man thinks he is able to carry it against others and to do his Adversary two Wrongs for one then he makes no Conscience but does all that he can not all that he ought Alas this poor Creature rests upon his vain Support and that which seems to be his present Advantage will in time prove his Loss and Ruine when the Course of Providence is altered How soon can God turn poor Worms into Dust Bring them down from their altitudes and make them become the Scorn and Shame of those Afflicted Poor that wait upon the Lord. Psal. 52.6 7. The Righteous shall see and ●ear and shall laugh at him Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his Riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness This is that brave that Gallant Man in the World that never thought of securing his Greatness by God's Protection nor applyed himself to Piety and Justice nor imagined that such things would be useful to his present Security but resolved by Wealth and wicked Enterprizes to establish and perpetuate his Greatness But how hath God confuted all his vain and false Hopes and brought utter Destruction upon him Thus it hath been and thus it will be again till the World learn to grow wiser by all the Changes that God hath wrought before their Eyes And therefore this is a Sign of trusting in Wealth when Men grow Proud Insolent and Over-bearing and speak roughly Prov. 18.23 The rich answereth roughly and are high-minded 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God 2. An Inordinate Care and Solicitousness to get Wealth Multiplying of worldly Practices cometh from Unbelief in God and Confidence in the Means Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom This toiling and labour to get the World into our hands argues we esteem of it beyond what it deserves Indeed there 's a Lawful Labour Wealth may be sought for the Necessities of Life and Exercise of Good works but when Men make it their main Care they place their Happiness in it Now because it is hard to distinguish honest Labour from worldly Care the best way will be for you to consider the Disproportion of your Endeavours to Earthly and Spiritual and Heavenly things For our Saviour when he describes the Carnal Fool that trusted in the abundance of his Riches he tells us Luke 12.21 So is he that la●eth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God When Men seek the World in good earnest and make slender Provision for Heaven and the Happiness of their precious and Immortal Souls when they never look after the assuring of their Interest in things to come when the Lean Kine devour the fat when that which should be sought first either is sought last or not at all then Men trust in these outward things Surely you fancy a greater Happiness in the Enjoyment of worldly things than you should The Scripture notes as a sign of this inordinate Respects a making hast to be Rich Prov. 20.21 An Inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed And Chapt. 28.20 He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent and ver 22. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him When men are so earnest to Commence into an Estate taking all Opportunities seeking to get it by indirect Means and think thereby to make them and theirs happy this Inordinacy will prove their Bane and Ruine In bestowing it as God directs none so slow in getting it none so earnest certainly he that believeth will not make haste 3. When Men think themselves better provided by a Wealthy Apostacy than by a close Adhering to God Alsufficient Sometimes the keeping of Wealth and Religion come in Competition now when a Man debates with Conscience Here is your Duty and there is your Loss can you trust in Wealth rather than in the Promises of God If the Lord for our Duty should reduce us to never so great straits he is able to make it all up to us again this should suffice us The Lord is able to give thee much more than this 2 Chron. 25.9 But if in the Debates of Conscience Gain bears sway it is a Sign we trust in Wealth rather than in the Promises of God 4. When Men slacken or omit Prayer because they are well at Ease and have worldly Abundance This is a certain Truth That trust in God or Prayer or an acknowledgment of God always go together Psal. 62.8 Trust in him at all times ye people pour out your hearts before him If the Heart be taken off from the Creature it will be much with God But when Men are full and think they need him not and therefore grow cold and careless in their Addresses to him it may be in their Affliction God shall hear from them but at other times the Throne of Grace lyes neglected they have other Trusts and depend on something on this side God or God would be oftner acknowledged 5. When Men think Wealth shall sufficiently secure them against all Changes and that when they have it they shall see nothing but happy Days and therefore give up themselves securely to enjoy the Pleasure of this Life Luke 12.19 Soul thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry Sensuality Security and Pride are the Fruits of Carnal Confidence They trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches Psal. 49.6 As if their Felicity and chiefest Stay lay in them not only against the Chances of this Life but against God's Threats and Vengeance and Judgment thence men fetch their Support and Comfort and Hope for them and theirs Prov. 10.15 The rich mans wealth is his strong City A Penny in their Purse is better than the God of Heaven here is their great Assurance the sure pledge of their Happiness as if God could not bring them down wonderfully 6. When Men are so loth to forgoe Riches when God calls them thereunto it is a sign they trust in them not

what they say nor whereof they affirm only ignorantly and inconsiderately swallow down the Current Opinions without knowing the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed Luke 1.4 And so though they never doubted of the Truth of their Religion it is because they were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary and all the strength of their Faith lyeth in their Inconsideration or Non-attention If they have any ground and bottom it is only Men's saying so and therefore their Belief if they have any should rather be called Humane Credulity than Christian Faith In short they that believe every thing believe nothing which soon appeareth when a Temptation cometh 2 dly It distinguisheth it from Conjecture which is a lighter Inclination of Mind to a thing as possibly or probably true whereby Men get no higher than it may be so and yet there are shrewd suspicions to the contrary A guess is not an Assent much less a firm and strong Assent as Faith is 3 dly It distinguisheth it from Opinion which is a trembling fearful uncertain Assent Opinion is beyond Conjecture but short of Faith Conjecture only supposes it may be so but Opinion asserts that it is so though not without some fear of the contrary but above all this Faith is an undoubted perswasion of the Truth of things revealed by God By Opinion one may be so convinced of the Truth of Divine things as not to be able reasonably to contradict them but by Faith a Man is so convinced of the Truth of the Gospel that he seeth all the reason in the World to embrace and follow it Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And Heb 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 2. The next Qualification of this Assent is that it is a Cordial or Hearty Assent I mean such as doth engage the Will and Affections to pursue the Happiness which God hath revealed in the way and by the means which God hath prescribed We read in Scripture of believing with the heart Rom. 10.9 10. and with all the heart Acts 8.37 The Object of Faith is not only true but Good and therefore produceth a Cordial Adherence to the Truths of which it is perswaded There is not only a Conviction of the Mind but a bent and Inclination of the Will which followeth the perswasion of Faith if it be firm and strong for it considereth not only the evidence of the things propounded but the worth weight and greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation otherwise it will not serve the end and purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to Crucifie our Lusts and Sacrifice our Interests and perform Duties displeasing to Corrupt Nature and all this upon the Hope 's only which it offereth to us and to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions Therefore certainly Believing is an Heart business not a simple naked and speculative Assent This latter Qualification doth exclude two things from true Lively and Saving Faith First That which Divines call Historical 2 dly That which they call Temporary Faith 1. Historical Faith which is a simple and naked Assent to such things as are propounded in the Word of God and maketh Men more knowing but not better not more Holy and Heavenly they are not excited thereby to pursue that Happiness which the Gospel offereth in the way of Holy Living or patient continuance in well-doing So Simon Magus believed the preaching of Philip Acts 8.13 yet his Heart was not right with God but he still remained in the Gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity And so many believed in the Name of Christ to whom Christ committed not himself because he knew all men Joh. 2.23 24. And this Faith even the Devils may have Iam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is a God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble and that not only in Truths evivident by Natural Light such as that is there mentioned that there is a God but in Gospel Truths as that Jesus is the Son of God Mark 1.24 The Devil cryed out saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God Now this kind of Faith is called Historical Faith not from the Object of it as if it did only believe the Histories of Scripture No they that have it may believe the Promises the Doctrines the Precepts as well as the Histories but from the Manner in which it is conversant about its Object namely thus As we read Histories in which we are no way concern'd we nakedly read them for Knowledge sake not to make a party in their Broils and Interests but only to know what was done so they that have only this kind of Faith read the Scriptures as Persons unconcerned and rest in idle Speculation without referring those notable Truths to choice and practice I cannot say that this cannot be called Faith because they that have it do believe those things which are true and do truly believe them but yet lively Saving Faith it is not for he who hath that findeth his Heart engaged to Christ and doth so believe the Promises of the Gospel concerning pardon of Sins and Life Eternal that he seeketh after them as his Happiness and doth so believe the Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ as that all his Hope and Peace and Confidence is drawn from thence and doth so believe the Commandments of God and Christ as that he determineth to frame his Heart and Life to the observance of them and doth so believe the Threatnings whether of Temporal Plagues or Eternal Damnation as that in comparison of them all the frightful things of the World are as nothing Luke 12.24 Be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do Destruction from God is a Terrour to them beyond all the Evil that Man can threaten As he said to the Emperour Thou threatenest a Prison but Christ threateneth Hell 2. It is distinguished from Temporary Faith which is an Assent to Scriptural or Gospel Truth accompanyed with a slight and insufficient touch upon the Heart called a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5 6. By this kind of Faith the Mind is not only enlightened but the Heart affected

my Soul and forget not all his Benefits who pardoneth all thy Iniquities and healeth all thy Diseases Psal. 103.1 2 3. 3. Our own personal Victory over Satan's Temptations In part now We renew that Covenant now wherein we ingaged to fight against Satan 1 Iohn 2.14 I have written unto you young Men because ye are strong and the VVord of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Fully hereafter Rom. 16.20 The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your Feet shortly The God of Peace as pacified in Christ. Now this is matter of Thanksgiving 1 Cor. 15.57 Thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. That Christ will take us along with him in his Triumphant Chariot and help our weak Faith and faint Hope and that we may conquer the Tempter and Accuser IV. Tho Christ's Heel was bruised in the Conflict yet it endeth in Satan's final Overthrow For his Head was crushed which noteth the subversion of his Power and Kingdom To explain this we must consider First What is the Power of Satan Secondly How far Satan was destroyed by Christ. First What is the Power of Satan It lieth in Sin And Christ destroyed him as he made an end of Sin and brought in everlasting Righteousness and made Reconciliation for Iniquities Dan. 9.24 Namely as he reconciled Man to God and restored God's Image and Life eternal In short the Power of Satan may be considered either as to single Persons or his Interest in the corrupt World or the sinful Race of Apostate Adam who in their degenerate Estate make up a Confederacy or Party that may be called the Kingdom of the Devil 1 st As to single and individual Persons All his Power over them is by reason of Sin which was introduced by his Subtilty and Malice There are three things in Sin the Power the Guilt the Being Whilst any of these remain Satan hath some Power and all these Christ came to dissolve but by several Means and at several Times 1. The Devil's Power lieth in the Corruption of our Natures for Men continuing in the Apostacy from God are of Satan's Party Eph. 2.1 2 3. And you hath be quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins wherein in time past ye walked according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Among whom also we all had our Conversation in Times past in the Lusts of our Flesh fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind This was the Power that Satan had over us to rule us and govern us by the Lusts of the Flesh. This was our daily Walk and Trade without any Remorse for it or any desire to change our Condition And we are the more confirmed in it by the general and corrupt Example of those among whom we live Now whilst we follow these sinful Motions and Suggestions Satan is our Prince and God the corrupt Nature maketh us readily to entertain his Motions and we are taken captive by him at his Will and Pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Now how doth Christ take away this Power I answer By converting Grace which is not only a turning from Sin to God but from Satan to God Acts 26.18 To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God Whereby the Reign of Sin is broken for as long as Sin reigneth Satan is in peaceable Possession Luke 11.21 When a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace And the Devil who hath ●ost his Seat in Heaven hath still a Throne in the Hearts of Men and lords it over them as his Slaves Now the Reign of Sin is broken when Christ puts an Enmity into your Hearts against it I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed For Sin dieth as your Love to it dieth and is mortified and subdued as your Enmity increaseth Well then they that are converted to God are possessed with a Spirit of Enmity to Satan and his Ways such as they had not before whilst they remained in the degenerate Estate Therefore 't is said Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I also give to you and a new Spirit will I put within you such as none else have till the Redeemer work upon them 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God The Spirit which possesseth the Generality of Men is the worldly Spirit that inclineth to earthly and sensual Satisfactions but this Spirit maketh them look after the great things promised by Christ and the great things required by Christ In short a Spirit quite opposite to the Satanical Spirit The Satanical Spirit is contrary to God and Man To God Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your Mind by wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled To Man James 4.5 The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to Envy But this Spirit begetteth in us Love to God and Man that we may seek his Glory and the Good of others Now till this Spirit be planted in us we have not changed Parties and Masters The Being of Sin is found in all but the Reign only in the Unconverted Therefore the Reign of Sin must be broken by the dwelling of this Spirit in us Sin will put strongly for the Throne again but you must pray earnestly Psal. 119.133 Order my Steps in thy Word and let not any Iniquity have Dominion over me And watch constantly as ever mindful of your Baptismal Vow and Covenant Rom. 6.11 Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto Sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And then you will find Christ overcoming more and more the Satanical Spirit and inlarging you into the Liberty of God's Children 2. The Guilt of Sin which is an Obligation to Punishment and ariseth from the Sentence of Condemnation pronounced by the Law against Sinners Our Misery ariseth first from the Violation of the Precept of the Law and then from the Sanction and Penalty threatned And so also therein lieth Satan's Power as we are obnoxious to the Wrath of God for therein he is the Minister and Executioner of Death as God maketh use of all his Creatures according to their Inclination And so this wrathful revengeful Creature is the Instrument of his Wrath he hath an advantage against us by the Law of God the Precepts whereof we have broken and so incurred the Penalty and so Satan cometh on as one that hath the Power of Death Those obstinate and careless Souls who refuse the Government of the Lord's Grace and Spirit are put into his Hands as when the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him 1 Sam. 16.14 He doth or may terrify and afright the Consciences of Men with the dreadful Expectations of Death and the Consequences of

Lord hath taught thee better as David when he had chosen the Lord for his Portion Psalm 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel My own Reason would never have taught me so much that is a dimm light there were some obscure instincts to sway me to my happyness in general but I might have groped about for the Door of Grace but not have found it but God gave me Counsel As Austin saith Errare per me potui redire non potui Lord I could go astray of my self but I could not return of my self so we could go astray fast enough out of the Inclination of our own Nature but thou hast brought home a poor lost Sheep on thine own Shoulder if I had been left to the Counsels of my own heart what would have become of me 5. By Soliloquie with your own Souls Expostulate with your selves for your former Errors and Follies Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed The end of those things is death why should I melt away my Spirit and emasculate my Soul by stooping to such low Contentments VVhat have I got by turning away from God but a VVound and Disquiet in my Conscience Then charge your Souls Issue out a practical Decree determine with your selves VVell Now I see it is best to cleave to God I will choose God for my chiefest good and utmost end Oh my Soul I see with David Psalm 73.28 It is good for me to draw nigh to God Therefore farewel my Pleasure that pleased my Childish Age when I was a Child I did as a Child it shall be my care now to enjoy Communion with God to be Ruled by his VVord to live to his Glory those things that have intercepted the Delight and Contentment of my Spirit I will leave them to the Men of the VVorld SERMON VII GENESIS xxiv 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide Secondly I AM now to propose to you another Object of Meditation which is the sinfulness of Sin an Argument very necessary and practical It is necessary in several respects Partly to humble us we have low thoughts of Sin and therefore we are but slight in the Matter of Humiliation Until we understand the Evil of Sin sufficiently we do not think it worthy of Tear a or one hearty sigh but when the Understanding is once opened the Heart is deeply affected Psalm 6.6 I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my tears VVe see such filthiness in Sin as cannot be washed away without a Deluge of Sorrow And it is necessary partly to awaken us to a greater Care and Conscience who would adventure upon a Sin that doth but know and seriously consider what it is Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God That will be the Issue of such a Consideration The Child will thrust his Fingers into the Fire that doth not know the pain of being scalded or play with a snappish Cur that hath not been bitten Men are the more bold in adventuring upon Sin because they do not know the danger And it is necessary partly to urge us to come to Christ none look to the Brazen Serpent but those that are stung so none regard Salvation but those that have been stung with some remorse in their Consciences for the great Evil of Sin when the poor Soul feels the weight and burden of Sin then it will come to Christ. And it is necessary partly that we may more loath our selves when we come into the presence of God Gracious Men are most self-abhorring Elijah covered himself with a Mantle Isaiah said Isa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips Peter had such a Sense of his Sins that he saies ●uke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord Though there was something of Excess and Sin in these Dispositions that is so far as they do exclude the Encouragements of the Gospel but yet there is somewhat worthy of Imitation so far as they had a deep sense of their own unworthyness It is a necessary Argument you see and of much Practical use but very large and will yield great plenty of Thoughts it will be harder to know what we should omit in the Consideration of it than what we should pitch upon I shall pursue it in this Method 1. I shall give you some general Rules and Observations concerning Meditating on the sinfulness of Sin 2. VVhat Arguments you should propound to your Souls to work your Hearts to a sense of it 1. For the general Observations and Rules concerning the sinfulness of Sin 1. None can know the utmost Evil of Sin perfectly but God There is a kind of Infiniteness in Sin because it is committed against an Infinite Object and therefore a finite and limited Understanding cannot conceive of the Evil of it The greatness of Sin is known by the Party offended and the Party satisfying both are Infinite 1 Iohn 3.20 If our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth ull things As if he had said your Heart doth not suggest half the Evil that there is in Sin for the Infinite God knows there is a great deal more Evil in it than you can conceive VVhat is our Light to the Eye of God VVe are the guilty Parties and so are apt to be partial in our own cause but God is the Party offended and therefore he can best judge of the measure of the Offence Again Gods whole Nature setteth him against it we have but a drop of Indignation against Sin God hath an Ocean he is most good and therefore most hateth what is Evil. The truth is there is nothing properly an Object of Divine Hatred but Sin it is wholly and only carryed out against it and therefore he seeth more Evil in it than any Creature possibly can 2. Mans Knowledge of Sin is more clear at sometimes than at others VVhen Conscience is opened there is not a greater Load and Burden David could say Psalm 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me It is a Rule in Philosophy Elementa non gravitant in suis locis Elements are not heavy in their proper place a Fish in the VVater feeleth no weight though it would break the back of a Man if that weight of VVater lay upon him So VVicked Men are in their Element when they are in the heat of their sinful pursuit here they sport and play and feel not the burden of Sin Sometimes when Men come to dye Conscience is touched and then they cry out of the burden of Sin 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin then their Hearts are filled with a sad despair

this Emnity is mutual God hates us and we hate God on Mans part it is driven on with fury he doth so hate God that he seeks the destruction of his Being as he that hates another seeketh the destruction of his Goods Life and Honour so he that hates God seeks to un-God him the Sinner wishes there were no such Being as a God in the World Psal. 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God The Heart is the Seat of desires these are the Fools wishes it is a sweet pleasing thought to him though he cannot get rid of these Impressions of a Godhead yet he wishes he could a Man that would live at liberty could wish there was no Judge to call him to an account he could let loose the Reins of vile Affections if there were no God were it not for this restraint he could live as he list Nay they deny God in their lives Tit. 1.16 They profess that they know God but in works they deny him Sin in effect doth lay God aside and to put the greater affront upon him it sets up something base in his stead it sets up the Belly for God Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their belly the choicest respects of the Soul run out upon the sensual part Or it sets up a little Wealth for God Or if Sin cannot take away the Being of God yet it strikes at his Honour and would make him to be an unjust or an evil God Sin deprives God of the Honour of all his Attributes of his Omnisciency for though we are ashamed to sin before a Man yet though God seeth all things we do not blush if we can carry on a wicked design under the vail of Darkness and dig deep to hide our Counsels from the Lord doth such a Sinner think God is all-seeing and all-knowing Ier. 2.26 A Thief is ashamed when he is found when the Eye of Man hath surprized him but alass we are alwaies found of God It robs him of his Omnipotency and Power as if he were Impotent and Weak as if we could make our Party good with him The Apostle useth a smart Question 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he As if he had said Man Consider what thou dost by sinning thou dost enter into the lists with God and art thou able to deal with him It is a contest with God as if we could arm our Lusts against his Mighty Angels will you contend Gith him that can command Legions of Angels When you go about to sin you do as it were wage War with Heaven and enter into Combate with God That is the Reason the Lord by the Prophet asketh Sinners What do you think Is there such a thought in thee as if thou wast able to deal with me Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Are you able to grapple with my Omnipotent Arm and snatch Judgment out of my Hands and oppose my Mighty Angels Can thy Heart endure when my Almighty Hand shall seize upon thee and Divine Displeasure shall break out against thy Soul The angel when contending with the devil durst not bring a railing accusation Iude 9. He knew the Mighty God would avenge him therefore he durst not be malitious yet we dare enter the Lists with Heaven Thus is Sin an enmity against God it would either have no God or an Impotent Unjust Unwise God Nay there is an enmity in Sin against every Person in the Holy Trinity Against God the Son when Christ came into the World his great work was to dissolve the Works of Satan 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil that he might unravel all those Webs which Satan had been weaving and you strive as much as in you lyes to set it up and make his Death of none effect Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing You make a low thing of it tread it under foot it is an allusion to the sprinkling of the Lintels of the Door but they sprinkled it on the Threshold And it puts an affront upon the Holy Ghost it grieveth and vexeth the Spirit of God it is a setting up lust against lust and a direct thwartting of his motions and impulses Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh You do as it were reproach him and say He shall do no good upon your Hearts this shall not gain upon you Moses when he speaks of a presumptuous Sinner saith Numb 15.30 The soul that doth ought presumptuously the same reproacheth the Lord when you do thus deliberately sin you do as it were reproach the Spirit of God Likewise on Gods part he hateth us too and though he be full of kindness yet he cannot give Sin a good look Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity God loveth all his Creatures and loveth to look upon them but he hateth that which is properly Mans Creature and that is Sin there is no Antipathy greater than between two Natures You may sooner reconcile Fire and Water Light and Darkness Cold and Heat then God and Sin The Enmity of all Creatures is as their Beings are finite and limited but Gods Being is infinite his whole Nature sets him against sin therefore there is no comparison which serves to set out the Indignation the Lord hath against Sin there is no Antipathy like it 3. Sin is a Transgression of the Law Do but consider what a disgrace Sin puts upon the Law that forbiddeth it it doth in effect condemn the Law as if it were not good and useful and righteous as if it were an idle restraint There is a notable Expression Iames 4.11 He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law that is he puts this affront upon the law as if it were injurious as if God were not righteous in making such a Law against Passion and evil speaking Therefore Nathan comes to rowse up Davids Conscience and tells him his Sin 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight In every Sin there are some implicit thoughts by which the Law is disvalued and disapproved we secretly tax it of Envy Folly and Rigour as if God had dealt harshly with his Creature they look upon it as a weak and simple Law Ezek. 18.26 Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equal The Devil when he inspired the first Sin would suggest to our first Parents as if God had envied the perfection of Man by prescribing a Law to him Gen. 3.5 God doth know that in the

answer me speedily We must have a present Answer and shall God stand waiting when there 's danger of his dishonour Therefore now while it is to day turn unto God To Morrow is a very uncertain thing Besides if you were certain of to Morrow it is folly to lye under the Wrath of God any longer If really you are convinced of a Sinful State why do you not repent and return to God now In every Sinful Action thou art laying thy Soul at pawne and one Sin more may fill up the Measure of your Iniquity Besides every day will make you more unfit to turn to God and it is base self-love to think of indulging the Flesh longer provided at length you can be saved 3. The Scripture sheweth the profit of it 1. What a Remedy it is against Sin Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Every Man is a Sinner but every Man shall not dy by Sin There is in Sin reatus culpa poena macula 1. Reatus the Guilt that is blotted out Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Sin is written in two Books one in Gods keeping the other in our own He doth not say that we may blot out our Sins out of Gods Book that is not the Debtors but the Creditors work to cross the Book Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins There is an hand-writing against us but it is blotted out when we repent Our own Book is the Book of Conscience Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience The Worm of Conscience gnaws us till we repent then the Spirit blotteth it out of our hearts 2. Macula the stain the more a Man sinneth the more he is inclined to Sin as a brand that hath been once in the fire is apt to take fire again We lose tenderness by every act of Sin and the smart of Repentance is a means to kill the Sin as breaking up the fallow Ground doth destroy the Weeds Ier. 4.3 Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thorns 3. Culpa the Blame God will not upbraid us with former Sins Mark 16.7 Go tell my disciples and Peter It is judged in one Court already not a word of Peters miscarriage tell him I am risen 4. Poena the Punishment that is done away by Repentance we may look for days of Refreshment 2. The Comfort it will bring God hath Comforts for his Mourners Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Never such sweet revivings as after Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation never to be repented of Many have repented of their Carnal Mirth but never any of their Godly sorrow you will never curse the day of your new birth 4. The Scripture offereth Grace and help of God to work this in us Ezek. 11.19 20. I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirits within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh That they may walk in my statutes and keep mine ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Men will say they cannot repent come and wait upon God and he will give you to repent Acts 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life God doth not only give occasions of Repentance time of Repentance means of Repentance but power to repent yea repentance it self Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins So that if we would turn wrangling into Prayer and bemoan our selves and say Ier. 31.18 Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned If we would follow him close we need not be discouraged 5. The Scripture layeth down powerful Arguments to quicken us to Repentance which have a marvelous tendency and influence that way I shall single out three The Death of Christ The Day of Judgment and the Torments of Hell 1. The Death of Christ. A serious Consideration of the Death of Christ will further Humiliation and Reformation 1. Humiliation 1. Here is the highest instance of the Love of God and the purest Fountain of Tears is Gods Love Mary wept much because much was forgiven her Nothing thaweth the Heart more than the warm beams of Mercy Wrath causeth Sorrow to flow like Water out of a Still by the force of Fire but Love gently melteth the Heart and causeth it to run out at the Eyes in a Flood and Stream of Tears Here is the highest instance of Gods Love Christ is the greatest gift that ever he gave the World when he gave us Life and Breath and all things though he gave them to us yet he gave us nothing from himself But now out of his bosome he gave us Christ that is Love Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son It cannot be told it can only be wondred at Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us So great a Person for such vile Creatures How can an ingenuous heart think of this I have sinned against God that gave his Christ I have grieved his Spirit that loved me and dyed for me Saul had an hard Heart and yet he wept when David told him how he had spared him when it was in his power to kill him 1 Sam. 24.16 Had God done no more for us but spared us that should melt us but he commended his Love that Christ dyed for us 2. Here is the truest spectacle of Sin for all that was done to Christ Sin did it What could Men or Devils do Men could do nothing Iohn 18.6 Assoon as he said unto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground Poor Dust and Ashes swooned at the breath of his Mouth Not Devils he could cast them out with a Word Not Gods Justice that hath no place against Innocency No it was we not Iudas nor Pilate nor the Romans nor the Iews but we that have pierced him Zechar. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced This will give us the truest spectacle of Sin The old World was a sad spectacle but that is no wonder a filthy World to be washed with a Deluge Sodom was another sad spectacle Hell was rained out of Heaven but it is no wonder to see combustible matter burn But Christ was a green Tree the Son of God Holy and Undefiled who was made Sin only by a voluntary susception but when he was made Sin God spared him not Now the hainousness of Sin appeareth 1. In the value of the Sacrifice 2. The Extremity of

Worship and Conversation He did indeed observe the way of the Christian Worship which they called Sectarisme or Heresie and Paul was accused to be a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarens verse 5. But yet this was agreeable enough to the Religion of the Iews for the substance which he proveth by his Faith Hope Carriage and Conversation Here is in effect all Christianity delivered to us in one prospect and view 1. An Account of his Faith at the bottom of all Believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets 2. His Hope as the immediate fruit of it And have hope towards God And the principal Object is The resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust When we shall injoy the full of what we wait for 3. An Account of his Manners where you have a brief Description of a Christian Conversation Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men My business is not to discuss all these branches of Christianity apart and in their full Latitude but to give you the summ and Delineation of all Religion in one view Therefore observe Doct. That true Christianity is such a believing the truths contained in the Scriptures as produceth an hope of Eternal Life and is expressed in an impartial uniform and constant obedience Here is Pauls Apology Faith at the bottom Hope as the immediate Effect and Product of it and an Holy Conversation as the fruit and consequent The same Method is observed in other Scriptures as 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned The Commandment is the Gospel-Institution and this received with a pure Heart and Faith unfeigned produceth a good Conscience which shews it self in love to God and Men by a true and lively Faith in Christ The Holy Ghost purifieth the Heart and Conscience and so produceth Love 2 Pet. 1.5 6. Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness In the Chain of Graces Faith is the Root of all I shall 1. Examine the Expressions here used 2. Give some Reasons why this is true Christianity I. Examine the Expressions here used First Concerning Faith Believing all things that are written in the law and the prophets 1. Here is the Object or things believed Things written in the law and the prophets 2. The Extent All 3. The Act believing First The Object Things written in the law and the prophets Law and Prophets is an expression commonly used for all the Scripture then extant Matth. 11.13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until Iohn And Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them The Books of the Old Testament are thus called We Christians who have received the Canon and Rule of Faith more inlarged are said to be built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles Eph. 2.20 So that now the Object of our Faith is Prophets and Apostles The Object of Faith may be considered Formally or Materially Materially Such things as God hath revealed Formally Because God hath revealed them If God hath revealed what is in the Writings of the Apostles then we are to believe them God's Veracity is the ground and support of our Faith into which it is ultimately resolved His Instruments in revealing are the Prophets and Apostles We know God hath revealed the things written by them partly because these Writings are delivered to us by the Universal Tradition of the Church and the Testimony of Christians thorough all Successions of Ages in whose experience God hath blessed these Writings for Conviction Conversion and Consolation And partly because of the consent between the Prophets and the Apostles the one foretelling whatever the other declared as accomplished Acts 26.22 Having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come Partly because the Doctrines have an impress of God upon them as every thing that hath passed his hand hath How do I know a Flie Gnat or any other Creature to be made by God God hath set his signature upon them Psal. 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work So the Scriptures agree with the Nature and Properties of God As God is Wise Powerful and Good these Doctrines become his Wisdom they have the stamp of his Moral Goodness which is his Holiness and as for his Power they that feel it not fear it Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved There is something that alarmeth the Conscience And partly because it agreeth with the Nature of Man so far as a Man hath any good left in him It agreeth with the necessities of Man his guilty Fears and his Desires of Happyness For his guilty Fears Men that by reason of Sin are afraid of Gods Justice cannot be quieted by any other means but are by this Ier. 6.16 Stand ye in the wayes and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall find rest for your souls Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all you that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest In Life and Death the Conscience is quieted So for desires of Happiness Men rove and grope about for some satisfying good Acts 17.27 That they should seek the Lord if happily they might feel after him and find him And Psalm 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good Life and Immortality are brought to light in the Scriptures and the way to obtain it clearly revealed Psalm 16.11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Partly because God hath witnessed and attested it by his Spirit Acts 5.32 We are witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost Without by Miracles and other wonderful Effects within by inlightning the Heart and Mind inclining and exciting us to believe it upon these Motives and Arguments 2 Cor. 4 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ so as to discern Gods Impress Upon these accounts we receive what is written in the Prophets and Apostles as revealed by God Secondly The Extent All things A Believer receiveth all Truths which are of Divine Revelation whether Precepts Promises Threatnings Doctrines or Histories But then we must distinguish of an implicite or explicite Faith With the latter we can only believe those things which we know what we know not we cannot believe with an explicite

written in the books according to their works These Books are the Book of Conscience and the Book of Gods Remembrance The Remembrance of our Actions shall be forced upon us Conscience is Gods Register and keepeth a Diary and sets down every thing This Book though it be in the Sinners keeping cannot be razed what Conscience writeth is written to Eternity unless it be blotted out by Repentance and a serious application of the Blood of Christ. Well then consider a sleepy Conscience will not alwaies sleep if we suffer it not to awaken here it will awaken in Hell where there is no Remedy for the present it sleepeth in many in regard of motion check or smiting but not in regard of Notice and Observation This secret spy is privy to more than it speaketh of it is laid up as matter for the Worm that never dyeth to feed upon 8. If the stings of an evil Conscience be not alwayes felt yet they are soon awakened by serious Thoughts of Death and Judgment to come and then forced upon us There is a fire smothering in our bosoms and it is soon blown up into a flame Sometimes by the word Acts 22.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled Belshazars edge was taken oft in the midst of his carowsing Dan. 5.6 Then the kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loyns were loosed and his knees smote one against another Sometimes by some great Troubles Isa. 59.12 For our transgressions are multiplyed before thee and our sins testifie against us For our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them Therefore we roar like beasts and mourn like doves ver 11. In a Tempest that which is at the bottom cometh a top Or by Death whatever silence there be in Conscience before yet Death usually reviveth these fears 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin Men are wise and more serious as they are entring on the Confines of Eternity near things affect us the baits of the Flesh have then lost their allurement the Devil that was before a Tempter will then be a Tormentor things overlooked before are then seriously considered then the stings of Sin work most sensibly and in a lively manner and the deluded Sinner begins to see what he would not take notice of before 9. If Conscience do not speak to you you must speak to it and call upon it to do its Office Call your selves to an account for the Expence of your Time and Employment Psalm 4.4 Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still Psalm 77.6 I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search Take a time to parley with your selves and consider how matters stand between you and God When the Clock striketh not it is a sign the Plummets are down and we must wind them up again Every day we must do something as Iob sacrificed for his Sons day by day Iob 1.5 It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts And God himself reviewed every dayes work and saw that it was good Gen. 1.4 10 12 c. So should we review every dayes work and cast up the account at the foot of every page Short reckonings prevent mistakes Pythagoras taught his Scholars that they should never give way to sleep till they had posed themselves with these Questions Quid feci c. What have I done What good have I omitted Wherein have I transgressed Conscience What hast thou to say to me And Seneca telleth of his Friend Sextius that before he would betake himself to rest he would ask his Soul Quod hodie malum tuum sanasti cui vitio obstitisti qua parte meliores What evil hast thou got rid off to day What Sin hast thou resisted Wherein art thou better than thou wert before And he saith of himself Quotidie apud me causam dico to●um diem mecum scrutor dicta facta mea remetior that he scanned all his Actions and Speeches in the day Shall Heathens be more serious and shall Christians who are acquainted with Eternity never take time to set Conscience awork Oh let us be ashamed of our slightness and negligence 10. We can never have a sound Conscience till we be sincere with God in a constant uniform course of Self-denying-Obedience 1 Iohn 3.19 Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him and this is described in the Text by keeping a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men So 2 Kings 20.3 I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And this not in an Act or two but in a Mans whole Course Psalm 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times Not by starts and good moods only but constantly and at all times And our Obedience must be self-denying as well as constant and uniforme that Religion is worth nothing that costs nothing 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing When we value Gods Interest above our own and we can deny our selves upon the hopes of Glory then is our sincerity most evidenced But if we embrace only the safe cheap and easie part of Religion and cannot deny our Ease Profit and Honour we do not set up Christs Religion but a Christianity of our own making Matth. 16.24 Then said Iesus unto his disciples if any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me 11. If we would have Conscience to do its Office there must be great heed and watchfulness for it is corrupt as well as other Faculties and from a Judge it may become an Advocate excusing the partialities of our Obedience To evidence this more fully with respect to Conscience Men may be considered three wayes as acting without Conscience or according to Conscience or against Conscience 1. A Man may act without all Conscience so a Man may do either good or evil 1. Good as those that act rashly inconsiderately or customarily As when Men pray give Almes go to Church Conscience did not send them thither but Custom inducement of Friends perswasions of Parents or the like These do that which is good but they do it not well Luke 8.18 Take heed how you hear Conscience doth not put them upon it To this first sort may be reckoned those that intended to do evil but by accident do that which is good as Iosephs Brethren Gen. 50.20 But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good And those that performe the Duties of Christianity so far as the interest of the flesh will give them leave for the flesh it self will command you to

thee pray to God for us that he take away the fiery serpents In Adversity Men will own the faithful Servants of God against whom they have murmured when all is well Moses forgetteth the injury and prayeth to God for them and God though he doth not take away the Serpents yet he provideth a Remedy unlikely in appearance a Brazen Serpent to cure the bites of Living Serpents but Divine Institution conveyeth a Blessing The word of Command is that they should look upon the brazen serpent and the word of Promise is that they should be healed Numb 21.8 Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one when he is bitten that looketh upon it shall live This is in short the History Secondly The Mistery or Typical use of the Brazen Serpent The chief things represented in it are Sin Christ and Faith the deadliness of Sin the manner of our deliverance by Christ and the Nature of Faith 1. Israelites deadly Sin and Misery occasioned the setting up of the Brazen Serpent so the occasion of Christs sending into the World was Mans Sin and Misery we being all bitten by the old Serpent and so liable to the Curse The Devil is called the old serpent Rev. 12.9 And in the appearance of a Serpent he deceived our first Parents Therefore we read that the serpent beguiled Eve 2 Cor. 11.3 Humane Nature was then stung to Death by Sathan and the Venome dispersed its self throughout the whole Race of Mankind Among the Israelites there were but a few stung here all there their Bodies here the Soul there Temporal Death followed here Eternal In the Sting of these fiery Serpents two things representeth our Misery by Sin 1. It is painful 2. Deadly 1. This Sting is painful The bitings did presently cause pains and an intolerable thirst and burning which was very grievous to them so the sting of Sin is painful not alwaies felt but soon awakened In Spiritual things we are more stupid and are not so sensible of the Maladies of the Soul as they were of the pains of the Body We are subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 Though we do not alwaies feel actual horrour There is a fire smothering in our Bosoms though it be not blown up into a Flame One of our Spiritual Diseases is a Lethargy and it is a great part of our Misery not to know our Misery If Conscience were not lulled asleep we would be more sensible Surely Sathans bites are more painful than those of these Serpents his Darts are called fiery darts Eph. 6.16 His Darts are dipt in the gall of Asps and Vipers Boiling Lusts will in time awaken raging Fears and Despair O what horrour and torment will Sin procure to us if it be not speedily cured Sin is an Evil and a Mischief whether we feel it yea or no but we shall soon feel it an Evil as the stung Israelites felt the biting of the Serpents Sin in the Life will make Hell in the Conscience it seemeth a sweet draught while we are taking it down but there is rank poison at the bottom A wounded Spirit findeth it now Prov. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can bear Horrour and anguish of Conscience is insupportable ask any Man whose Heart is well awakened and he will tell you that the sense of the guilt of Sin is more bitter to the Soul than the gall of Asps no terrour comparable to the terror and sting of an accusing Conscience Gods terrors are compared to a Fire that drinketh up the Blood and Spirits Iob 6.4 The arrows of the almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me No poison more burning than Sin in an awakened Conscience it may lie asleep till you come to dye in Sin stupid and benummed Creatures But then the sting of death is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Death is made terrible by those sad horrors and apprehensions which Sin raiseth in us 2. This Sting is deadly As the biting of the Fiery Serpents could not be cured but was present Death till God found out a Remedy so this sting of Sin is deadly Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye dying thou die Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death Death Temporal Eternal Thou art a dead Man lost for ever if thou art not cured Those who were not solicitous about their Cure are a figure of the impenitent who obstinately continue in their Sins though they bring destruction upon them Not only Death Temporal which consists in the separation of the Soul from the Body but Death Spiritual which consists in an estrangement from God as Author of the Life of Grace yea Death Eternal which consists in a separation both of Body and Soul from the presence of God for evermore and is a perpetual living to deadly pain and torment This Second Death is set forth by two solemn Notions the worm that never dyeth and the fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.44 By which is meant the Sting of Conscience and the Wrath of God Prov. 8.36 All they that hate me love death 2. Christ is set forth by the Brazen Serpent Here I shall shew you 1. The Resemblances 2. The Superexcellency of Christ above this and all the Shadows and Types of him 1. The Resemblance between Christ and the Brazen Serpent 1. The Brazen Serpent was a Remedy of Gods own prescribing out of his great Mercy So is this Remedy for lost Sinners the meer Fruit of Gods Love Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Occasion or outward moving Cause was our Misery the causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inward impulsive Cause was his own love and pity to lapsed Mankind God found out the Remedy we neither plotted it nor asked it he saw the world of Mankind was perishing and involved in Eternal Ruine and because there was no Intercessor therefore his own Arm wrought out Salvation Herein the Antitype differeth from the Type The stung Israelites having Death in their bosoms go to Moses Moses goeth to God for he saw there could be no help elsewhere then God said Make thee a brazen serpent The motion came from them first but here it is quite otherwise God is the offended Party yet he maketh the first motion 1 Iohn 4.19 We love him because he loved us first There God found out the Remedy but here his meer love began the whole business and did set at work all the Causes that did concur to our Salvation we neither minded our Danger nor asked our Remedy 2. The conveniency of this Type to set out the low Estate and Humiliation of Christ. The form of a Serpent was chosen to shew

at his last tryal For God accepteth according to what a man hath and not according to what a man hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not II. The consequence as he increased in Wisdom and Stature so he increased in favour with God and man That is he obtained a Testimony of the favour of God and the General Love and Good-will of men The same is said of Samuel 1 Sam 2.26 And the Child Samuel grew and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men That is he was acceptable to God and m●● Gods favour is that by which he loveth his Image The more conspicuous the Image of God is in any Creature the more is God delighted in in that Creature Now there was more of the Image of God to be seen in Christ an Youth than in Christ a Child Which is no more unworthy of Christ than to be a Child Doct. The more true and saving Wisdom men have the more acceptable they are to God and many times to men also Prov. 3.4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man That is acceptation and good success So it is said of the Primitive Christians whilst Christianity was in its simplicity Act. 2.47 That they praised God and had favour with all the People They Praised God as being acceptable to him and received his blessing And men had reverence and esteem for them Prov. 22.11 He that loveth pureness of heart for the Grace of his Lips the King shall be his Friend That is a man that keepeth exactly to his Duty he hath an Holy boldness and a grace in his speeches Which many times by the blessing of God procureth him favour with great ones But a Question or two must be considered 1. How is it possible to please God and men Since they that please God are hated by the World John 5.19 Because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you And 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live Godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution And they that please the World cannot be the Servants of God Gal. 1.10 I Answer 1. We ought to carry it so that our Life may be pleasing to God and approved of men That 's our Duty whatever the event be Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men 2 Cor. 8.21 Providing for honest things in the sight of the Lord and in the sight of men Just and Holy things must we provide that evil men may have no cause to reproach us and good men may be edified by our example A life then it must be that is pleasing to God and deserveth to be approved of men that if they hate us we may not be in fault 1 Cor. 10.32 Give no offence neither to Iews nor to Gentiles nor to the Church of God Many times men bring trouble upon themselves by their own folly 2. There is a difference between convincing men and having a Testimony in their Consciences and humouring them in their sin 'T is humouring them in their sin which is man-pleasing inconsistent with the pleasing of God But to be made manifest first to God and then in their Consciences is an other thing 2 Cor. 5.11 We must not please them by joyning with them in their sin We buy the approbation of men at too dear a rate if we buy it by the breach or neglect of our Duty to God 3. Though men like not the way of Godliness so as to imbrace it and follow it yet they Admire it Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour And Mark 6.20 Herod feared John knowing that he was a just man and an holy The evidence of their Consciences doth compel them to approve and honour them 2. Question How far is it Lawful to mind the Approbation of men or to make it any Motive to us Since it is said John 5.44 How can ye believe that receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh of God only Ans. 1. We are not to cast off all respects to a good Name because 't is an excellent Blessing Prov. 22.1 A good Name is rather to be chosen than great Riches and loving favour rather than Silver and Gold 'T is of great use for our service and safety The Credit of Religion dependeth much on the Credit of those that profess it Now that we may not be a disgrace to Christ nor act as blemished Instruments we must endeavour to preserve a good Name A Pastor of the Church must be one that hath a good Report of them that are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Slanderer 1 Tim. 3.7 The rather must we Mind this because men first make Shipwrack of a good Name and then a good Conscience and he that is lavish of his Credit is very seldom tender of his Conscience And 't is of great use for our safety Infamy cast upon the People of God is a forerunner of more trouble and showers of slanders are a forerunner of the grievous storms of Mischief and Persecution The Devil is first a Liar and then a Murtherer Iohn 8.41 In the Primitive times they did invest Christians with Bears skins and then bait them as Bears First count them Offendors and then prosecute them as such The Devil is afraid to meddle with unstained innocence Valens the Emperour spared Paulinus out of Reverence to the unspottedness of his Life Therefore since 't is a great part of our Security and Protection against Violence it must not be slighted 2. This must not be our first and chief Motive That is the favour of God 2 Cor. 5.11 But we are made manifest unto God and I trust also are made manifest in your Consciences The Approbation of God must be chiefly sought after we are not sincere without it For sincerity is a streight and sincere purpose to please God in all things The Approbation of men must rather follow than be aimed at Laus Humana non appeti debet sed sequi This is the consequent of well doing not our proper scope Gloria bene appetitur nihil malè agendo contra ipsam bene appetitur nihil malè agendo propter ipsam Credit is well sought when we do nothing ill against it and when we do nothing ill to obtain it 3. The favour of men may be sought when we take it as the Fruit of the favour of God For all good cometh from his favour He giveth it us by his secret influence on the Hearts and Counsels of men Prov. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at Peace with him He made Laban and Esau kind to

interest in him we make our Addresses to him with confidence VVho may be confident if not the children of such a Father 3 This Fatherly goodness and all sufficiency is engaged for our relief by the Mediatour As all things are from the Father so all things are by him that is purchased and bought by his Merit The extent and vertue of his Merit is expressed as largely as the Father's power If we believe in God as an All sufficient Fountain of Grace we believe in Christ as an All-sufficient Mediatour John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 1 John 2.23 He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Besides this The V●●l of Christ's flesh doth break the beams of his terrour to those that behold his Excellencies and rejoice in them By that we are incouraged to come to God for the Mediatour's Blessing which is the pardon of our sins Mat. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins And Acts 3.26 God hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your sins One great Petition which we have to put up to God is for the pardon of sin This is a principal suit which sinful Man hath daily to present to God Now when we are sensible of sin How comfortable is it to come to God in the Name of this Lord and Mediatour who came on purpose to take away sin and hath satisfied God's Justice and Merited God's favour and mercy for us and liveth in Heaven to plead the Merit of his Sacrifice 4. As we are incouraged greatly to expect the graces and favours needful so we are as deeply engaged to the returns of Love Service and Obedience and that not onely as oblig'd in point of gratitude but as inclin'd suited and fitted for as we are for God so we are by him I say we are obliged in gratitude for the many Blessings which are procured and conveyed to us by the Mediatour If we have all things from God and all things by him and we Christians more than ordinary Creatures surely we should in a singular manner fulfil his Will and seek his Glory 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again And not onely are we obliged but inabled and inclined We for him there is our duty in the first clause We by him there is our help Ephes. 2.10 We are his workmanship in Christ Iesus created unto good works Not onely by him so as to perform it acceptably but by him so as to perform it chearfully and with all readiness of Mind It relateth to our assistance as well as our acceptance There is the Spirit to help our infirmities which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.6 So we are by him that is are fitted for the Service of God and put into a capacity to please him IV. Who are the parties interested in these Comforts and most concerned in these Duties The Apostle saith here To us there is but one God and one Lord meaning to us Christians all those that own God and worship God by the Mediatour Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him VVho are they Some will not come to God others not by him They and they onely are the persons that enjoy the benefit of this Mediation who come to God by him and that Two ways 1. They come to God by him who take upon them the profession of being his servants and obedient subjects in Christ. The bare profession bringeth us somewhat nearer to God Thus the People of Israel are said to be a People nigh unto God Psal. 148.14 They were a step nearer to God than the Gentiles So the Profession of Christianity bringeth us near unto God Who were sometime afar off but now are made near by the blood of Christ Ephes. 2.13 Before they were afar off from God from his Church his Covenant and Communion with him in his Ordinances Surely 't is some advantage to come so near to God by Christ as to have Union and Communion with the visible Church of Christ they are in that Society and Community of Men who are under God's special care and government above the rest of the World and where they enjoy the means of Salvation and such ordinarily by which God useth to convey his choicest Blessings These have a benefit above those who are wholly without the Church as having an offer of the Gospel-benefits though not a right to them They are nearer at hand and in Grace's way and may sooner understand that Christ is a Means chosen and used by God to bring home sinners to himself and by the Christian Doctrine currant amongst them which they know and profess to believe have a Dogmatical Faith at least that God is the Supream Fountain of all Happiness and Christ the onely way to him and have the common conditional pardoning Covenant sounding in their ears continually wherein God offereth to be a God and Father to them in Christ and telleth them what he will be and do to and for all those that do come in and submit to this Covenant 2. These come to God by him who really enter into the Evangelick estate and are converted by an unfeigned Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20 21. Repentance respects God as our Supream Lord and chief happiness and Faith our Lord Jesus Christ as the onely one Mediatour When you turn from Sin Self and Satan unto God then you come to him for certainly the farther we depart from Sin the nearer we come to God Now this coming is by Christ. The Sinner that is turned from the Creature to God and from Sin to Holiness is also turned from Self to Christ who is the onely Means of our Recovery by his Merit and efficacy reconciling us to God and changing our hearts by the one restoring us to his Favour by the other to his Image Therefore a turning our selves from our sins with a resolution to forsake them without a reflection upon Christ is but a Natural Religion not Evangelical The Evangelical Religion is a coming to God by Christ or as it is described by the Apostle Heb. 10.22 A drawing nigh with a true heart and in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Those that are justified by the Merit and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and fully resolving intirely and unfeignedly upon the duties of the Gospel depending upon the Promises thereof these indeed have one God for their Father and one Lord Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour Till a Man be renewed and reconciled sanctified

certainly than others who are not of such a light and unsettled Mind It is said Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced Which implieth a steady consideration otherwise we are in danger to go as we came There is not that lively Commemoration of Christ. You come full of other Cares Desires and Delights and therefore return empty of all solid and true Refreshment 2. It must be Applicative Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me This great Love which God hath manifested in Christ is not only sounded in our Ears and represented to our Eyes but is brought home to us and shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit accompanieth Christ's Institutions and the diligent serious hungry Soul is not left destitute Christ and his Benefits are no where so particularly offered applied and sealed to us as in this Duty Christ's Messengers offer him to us in particular with a Charge and Command that we should receive him take and eat for our own Comfort and Use. What is particularly applied to us and made ours as Food that is turned into our Substance should awaken in us greater Thoughts and Care about our own Interest 3. Practical The Effects must more sensibly appear Two ways is that done 1. When we are made Partakers of his Benefits when we are justified and sanctified Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Annunciation inferreth this Then it is Practical when it assureth our Confidence Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And we are incouraged to wait for the accomplishing of these ends and instating us in these Priviledges 2. When we express more likeness to Christ in dying to Sin and to the World or suffering for Righteousness Dying to Sin and the World Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ. Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Or suffering for Righteousness Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death For as Christ came to destroy the Desires of the Carnal Life so to wean us from the Interests of the Animal Life Sacraments bind us to this Matth. 20.22 Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with II. Confirmation or Reasons why the Lord's Supper is a Commemoration of Christ's Death 1. To supply the room of his Bodily Presence 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory And in the Text Ye shew forth the Lord's death till he come Christ is not bodily present in the Church till the last Judgment And we are to continue this holy Festival till the time that we shall have no need of these Memorials because then he cometh in Person 2. It is a lively Objective Means to affect our Hearts Both in regard of what is represented Christ is as it were evidently set forth Crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3.1 And also in regard of what is required to be done on our parts that we should return to our Duty and devote our selves to God's Service Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Use. To press you to the Duty of the Text To shew forth Christ's death 1. It is the strongest support to Faith When we apprehend the Greatness and Heinousness of Sin the Righteousness of God and Purity of his Holiness what shall compensate that infinite Wrong which is done to his Majesty If it seem easie to us we do not know what Sin is and what God is Not what Sin is which is a depreciation of God and a contempt of his Majesty There is no petty Creature above another but he is jealous of his Honour and will vindicate himself from Contempt Nor what God is God is of pure Holiness his Nature ingageth him to loath Sin his Justice to punish it It is a difficult case questionless how to get Sin expiated but this wonderful Condescention will make this Difficulty cease the Person is great and Way wonderful Consider what a Person hath undertaken this and what he hath done he hath died for us which at once sheweth God's willingness to Pardon and an answerable Ransom that such an one should undertake for us so beloved of God so equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men This will settle and calm the Heart that such an one should come about such a Work 2. It is the greatest Incentive to Love That Christ loved us and gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Those innumerable Angels that left their Station and were once in Dignity above us have not such glad Tydings to impart to one another or to shew forth in their Societies not such a word to comfort themselves withal They cannot annunciate the Death of Christ and say Lo there is our Confidence and Hope the Propitiation for our Sins 3. It is a powerful Perswasive to Obedience Shall we deny our selves to him that gave himself to and for us Or seek to frustrate him of his End This was his great End 1 Pet. 2.21 For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps He hath purchased Grace to mortifie Sin and to quicken us to the fruits of Holiness shall we be alive to Sin and dead to Rightousness A Sermon on MAL. iii. 17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him THese Words are part of the Promise which God maketh to them that fear him or to those who are good in evil Times In them take notice of 1. The Blessing promised that God will spare them 2. The manner of this Indulgence amplified and set forth by the Carriage of a Father to his Son wherein a double Reason of this Indulgence is intimated 1. Propriety his own Son 2. Towardliness or Obedience his Son that serveth him Parents are not severe to any of their Children especially the dutiful 1. Propriety his own Son A faulty Child is a Child still and therefore not so easily turned out of the Family as a Servant We often forget the Duty of Children but God doth not forget the Mercy of a

he be our Judge we ought to take the Law from his Mouth and put our selves into his hands to be guided and ordered by him that we may find favour in that day This is evident every one would seek to be approved by his Judge and that Christ is our Judge is evident by his Resurrection and his Doctrine alone with any probability of Reason pretendeth to the reparation of Mankind and to set them in joynt again that they may live to God Let Men have but the sense of a Judgment to come soundly laid up in their Hearts and Consciences and they can have no Rest while they keep off from the Gospel 3. This doth best solve the doubts about present Providence Paul doth not teach Felix that the Christian Religion doth make any difference between the Just and Unjust as to their outward condition in the World or between the Temperate and Intemperate no for the Just may be oppressed and the Unjust thrive or else Felix had never been in power And as for the Temperate their Religion would make them miserable while they deny the desires of the flesh No here there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked and they be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous Eccl. 8.4 But there is a judgment to come wherein every Man shall be judged according to what he hath done in this Life All Men must appear and receive their doom and some go into everlasting life others into everlasting punishment 2. The manner is to be considered The word must be closely and prudently applied for here is both a close and prudent Application 1 Close he discourseth of Virtues opposite to the Vices wherewith this Man was blemished the Word hath force of its self yet managed with dexterity as a Dart that falleth by its own weight it will pierce but especially when feathered and directed and cast by a skilful hand and levelled at the mark This is Iesus whom ye have Crucified And when they heard that they were pricked at the heart Acts 2.36 37. Not when they saw the Miracle not while the Doctrine was delivered In the Doctrine delivered we do but bend the Bow in Application we let fly the Arrow and shoot at the mark A clap of Thunder when distant doth not startle me but when it is my own Zenith 2 Prudent Paul is here an example of Prudence as well as of Faithfulness when he spake to Felix and Drusilla he doth not charge them with Intemperance or Unchastity or Injustice but discourseth of Justice and Temperance that by that which is right they might understand that which is crooked and from the Rule know their own Enormity He lays the Looking-glass before their Eyes and lets them see themselves and behold their natural Face in a Glass III. The Effect or Fruit how it doth or may come to nothing 1. Through the levity of Man whose pangs of Devotion are soon spent the Righteousness of the Hypocrite is compared to the Morning Clouds and the early Dews Hosea 6.4 The righteousness of the upright to the Mor●ing light Prov. 4.18 2. Their addictedness to their Lusts which is greater than their affection to Religion Luk 8.14 And that which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard goe forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection Sentiments of Religion dye away through cares of the World or voluptuous living 3. Their unskilfulness in handling wounds of Conscience Some think they are never wound enough but it is not the deepness of the wound but the soundness of Cure that is to be regarded Some heal their wounds slightly a palliate Cure they skin it over when it Festreth within Others dissemble it till it proveth deadly Others run to a worldly Cure as if Soul-Thirst could be quenched at the next Ditch or an evil Spirit could be cured by Musick Some by a clatter and dinn of business put off that which they do not put away Amos 6.3 Ye put away the evil day Cain in anguish of Conscience fell a building of Cities 4. Want of God's Grace Acts 16.14 And a certain woman named Lidia which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened Which is forfeited by the party who hath common helps and advantages Some put away the Word Acts 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of eternal life lo we turn to the Gentiles Some put away trouble of Conscience Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is flesh Some lose their Tasts and Relishes of Christian Doctrine and relapse into a carnal Savour Heb. 6.3 4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to renew them to Repentance 1. Use Information we learn divers profitable Lessons from hence 1. The power of the Word Here is a notable Instance of it if we consider the person who trembled Felix 1 By Religion a Pagan who did not believe the Gospel The Devils believe and tremble and the Word worketh effectually in them that believe But here an Infidel is fain to stoop to the evidence of it and at the same time it breaketh upon his Heart and Mind so far as to make him afraid 2 By his quality a Judge the Prisoner maketh the Judge tremble Outward distance and disadvantages should not discourage us our Testimony rightly managed may alarm the Consciences of those who are ready to condemn us 3 By his Disposition not a Devout Man but a Man hardned in a course of sinning We should despair of none God can find his way into the Consciences of the most sensual 4 For his outward condition a Man glutted with worldly Happiness yet the thoughts of the other World will soon souer all the prosperitie of the present life 5 For his Temper now he sent for Paul out of Curiosity to satisfy his Jewish Wife or Minion but God can make use of Man's sins to Glorifie himself and his Truth This Power of the Word this convincing Power should be often thought of they that feel it not fear it Iohn 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 2. The profitableness of insisting upon the last Judgment that we may perswade you and you may suffer your selves to be perswaded It is the great awe-bond to beget in us a sense of our Duty and Sin For First 't is an impartial Judgment that must pass upon all high or low rich or poor Revel 20.12 And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books

acceptance with God if both Principle and Performance are right and justifiable fearing God and working righteousness He that is truly Sanctified must first be one that truly feareth God that is maketh God his Witness Approver and Judge His aim is to please and Glorifie God and his work is to sue God Grace must be acted in the whole life and this not by starts and fits but for a constancy Psal. 106. 3. We can make no judgment upon our selves by what is unusual and extraordinary but by the tenour and drift of our Conversation Not by what happeneth rarely but by our ordinary course Acts 10.2 Cornelius gave much alms to the people and prayed unto God alway Daily converse manifesteth the temper of our hearts A Christian is not to be judg'd by single Acts but by his Life These two then we must still look after the Principle and the Performance The Principle is Fear that owneth God's Authority our Hearts and Lives must be ordered and directed according to his Will and moved and acted by his Rewards And the performance must be regarded wherefore did God change our Hearts and infuse Grace into them but that we might have the use of it But that we might act it and live by it Saving Grace is a Talent and the chiefest Talent that we are intrusted with for the Masters use Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruits meet for Repentance And Acts 20.21 Testifying to the Iews and Greeks repentance towards God There must be practices becoming such a change of Heart 2. Use. To press you to fear God and work Righteousness I have many Arguments in the Text. 1. From the Priviledge to be accepted with God That should be our great scope 2 Cor. 5.9 labor that whether present or absent we maybe accepted of him with respect to God See that all is right between you and God It is his Law you have broken his Wrath you fear his Judgment you must undergo his Presence you come into his Favour which is your Life and Happiness So that it is a great priviledge to be accepted of God Then for your comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience Carnal joys do but tickle the Senses this doth affect the Heart yea the Conscience which is the quickest tenderst and most sensible part of the Heart Many things please our Affections which yet cannot appease our Consciences That frowneth upon and sowreth our other Delights if it be not pacified Till God accepteth our persons this still occurreth God may condemn thee to Eternal Torments for all this 2 With respect to Men He that is accepted with God needeth not care for any mans hatred he may be confident of God's Favour and the priviledge of his Servants Iob 16.20 My Friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out tears to God Besides you have a testimony in their Consciences not by being zealous for the Interests of a Faction but careful of God's Laws Rom. 14.17 18. He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men 2. From the condition What is required of you 1. Fear To fear God is not contrary to your Comfort or Blessedness to be always in God's company living as under his Eye is a branch of Blessedness Prov. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth always 2. Righteousness These are things which bespeak their own Respect If the Lord had bidden us do some other things we might have stuck at it but Righteousness is so amiable and lovely that if a Man be well in his wits he will not stick at it but would work Righteousness if it were not requir'd of him We should be so inured to it that we cannot go out of its track We should never consent to break a Law so fit for God to give and us to receive so conducible to the Glorifying of God Governing our selves and Commerce with others 3. The force of the Enunciation In general it is predicatio adjuncti de subjecto But what kind of Adjunct is it 'T is either Signi de Signato or effectus de medio requisito necessario 1. It is a sign or evidence whereby you may really know that you are accepted with God It is a comfortable thing to know how we shall fare in the judgment hereafter or whether we shall be accepted to Life or no. This cannot be known but by somewhat equivalent to what is asserted in the Text. That is a sure Note which gives you comfortable access to God for the present and hopes of fruition of him hereafter 2 Kings 20.3 Remember Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart But 2. There is not only necessitas signi but necessitas medii A Sign is with respect to our own judgment of our Selves but a means is our qualification before God and God considereth these things in his Judgment Luke 1.6 They were righteous before God and walked in all the ways and ordinances of God blameless Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of lif● A Sign giveth us Comfort but a necessary Means appointed by God giveth us right The New Covenant is certainly the strongest ground of solid Comfort to the fallen Creature We can have no other hope of acceptance with God than that alloweth Now in the New Covenant there are three things considerable all which have a great influence on our Comfort and Peace 1. The first is the Merit and Satisfaction of the Lord Jesus This is necessary to allay the Conscience of Sin which is the root of all our trouble Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the ●lood of Carist who through the eternal Spirit offer'd himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure water Heb. 12.24 And to Iesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel 2. The Matter of it or the large priviledges we enjoy by it For these are the Hope set before us Heb. 6.18 Psal. 84.11 He will give grace and glory c. Psal 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever th●y are ●he rejoycing of my heart 3. The Third is a sure claim Now this is not Perfection but Sincerity Gen. 17 7. Walk before me and be thou perfect or upright Psal. 84.11 No good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Here then are the three grounds of Comfort Everlasting Merit Blessed Promises Sure Title This last is to walk before God in all Holy Conversation and Godliness this keepeth Conscience from being offended Acts 24.16 This is accepted with God next to Faith in Christ. So that attain this and Conscience is well setled and hath a full

their Broach was fashioned to the shape of a Cross a transverse piece of Wood thrust through the Shoulders of the Lamb and why should we not believe this Holy Man who was well acquainted with the Jewish affairs being born at Sychem Besides the notable Providence of God that Christ's Legs should not be broken 3. The fruits and benefits of this Sacrifice 1. By the sprinkling the Blood of the Lamb he that destroyeth the first born of the Aegytians could not touch them Heb. 11 28. This secured them against the destroying Angel to teach us that the justice of God doth only spare them whose Consciences are sprinkled with the Blood of Christ. The Blood of the Lamb and the Blood of Christ was shed for this end that it might be sprinkled and being sprinkled might exempt and free us from Death So the Apostle St. Peter speaketh of the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus by which the Elect are sanctified and saved 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. There was not only Blood shed but Blood sprinkled so Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things than the blood of Abel God said of the blood of the Paschal Lamb Exod. 12.23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Aegyptians and when he seeth the blood upon the Lintel and on the two side posts the Lord will pass over the Door and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you So when Wrath maketh inquisition for Sinners God beholding his Sons Blood wherewith the Elect are sprinkled they are exempted from the Curse wherein others have intangled and involved themselves for saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 5.9 Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him So that we need not fear the Sword of the destroying Angel whither he be an Angel of Darkness or an Evil Angel for God hath delivered us from the power of Darkness by the Blood of his Son Col. 1.13 or an Heavenly Angel by the same blood he hath reconciled all things unto himself both in Heaven and in Earth Col. 1.20 Those Angels which were heretofore set as a guard upon the Earthly Paradise with a Flaming Sword to keep us out from thence do carry us into the Heavenly Paradise Luke 16.22 The Begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom and are Ministring Spirits sent forth for the Heirs of Promise not to destroy them but to keep them and preserve them Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation 2. In that very Night in which the Paschal Lamb was slain the Israelites obtained their freedom and deliverance out of Aegypt So hath Christ by his Blood freed us from the slavery of Sin the Devil and the World and called us into the glorious Liberty of the Children of God 1 Cor. 7.23 Ye are bought with a price be not ye the Servants of Men. So Heb. 2.15 That he might deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to Bondage And Iohn 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed We are redeemed unto God as they went into the Wilderness to worship God 3. In that very Night God exercised Judgments on the Gods of the Aegytians So it is said Exod. 12.12 Against all the Gods of the Aegyptians will I exercise Iudgment And it is repeated Numb 33.4 For the Aegyptians buried all their first born which the Lord had smitten among them upon their Gods also the Lord executed Iudgments Some say by slaying the Beasts which the Aegyptians Worshipped as the Oxe Ionathan in his Paraphrase saith that all their Idols of Metal melted and their Idols of Stone and Earth were broken in pieces and their Idols of Wood were burned to Ashes whether this or that we cannot tell because the Scripture is silent but surely these threatnings were not in vain and wanted not there certain effect Certain we are that by the blood of Christ the Devils Kingdom goeth down Iohn 12.31 32. Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out And I if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me As Christ's Kingdom goeth up the Idols are thrown to the Moles and to the Bats Isa. 2.20 And God will famish all the Gods of the Earth Zeph. 2.11 And in the 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain conversations received by tradition from your Fothers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot The blood of Christ fetcheth over men from their inveterate Customs and Superstitions And Rev. 12.11 They overcame by the blood of the Lamb. And 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 4. How shall we be partakers of those good things which come to us from the Lamb of God Two things were required of these Israelites that they should sprinkle the blood of this Lamb upon the Lintel and the two side Posts And then eat his flesh in an Holy and Religious manner and if any of the Israelites had neglected either of these he had refused the grace annexed to this Ordinance and so lost the benefit of it So if we neglect the means by which Christ is to be applyed we lose our benefit by him 1. They were to sprinkle the Lintel and the two side Posts of their doors At another time God gave them direction to write his Law on the door Posts Deut. 11.20 Thou shalt write them upon the door Posts of thy house and upon thy gates Which I mention that we may the better understand what is meant by them By these Door Posts are meant our Hearts for these God sprinkleth with the blood of his Son Heb. 10.22 Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience And upon these hearts of ours doth he write his Laws Ier. 31.32 I will put my law in their Inward parts and write it in their hearts For the Hearts of Men are as open to God as the Doors of our Houses are to our selves Now our hearts are sprinkled with the blood of Christ when we firmly believe that God is propitiated by the blood of Christ and will spare all those who in a broken Hearted manner sue out their pardon in Christ's name unfeignedly devoting themselves to God Oh than Let every one of us get our hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ and apply it to our Consciences and say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 Iesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief And again Gal. 6.14 God for●id that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the World

Passion and Sin because others hurt you by Slanders and Persecutions He that will not forgive hurts himself more than he that doth the Wrong for the Injury offered reacheth but to the Name Body or Goods but the desire of Revenge wounds the Conscience and provokes God to Wrath and shuts the Gate of his Mercy against us The great Motive that excites the Devil to molest and disturb us by his Instruments is not to hurt your Bodies but to tempt your Souls to Impatience and Revenge and to draw you to other Sins and therefore you do not conquer it as a Temptation till you avoid the Sin Iob was robbed and plundered but in all this Iob sinned not to come off with a wounded Conscience this is to be foiled indeed Besides Conscience will take hold of all revengeful Acts David's Heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of Saul's Garment Besides consider the Gain of others Saul wept when he saw David's Tenderness 1 Sam. 24.16 And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul that Saul said Is this thy voice my son David And Saul lift up his Voice and wept Tenderness is expressed by heaping up Coals upon your Enemies head Prov. 25.21.22 If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat and if he be thirsty give him water to drink For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head You may make him pliable to your purpose as Lead or Wax melted by Fire such Charity doth often procure Servants to God and Friends to our selves It is indeed said there And the Lord shall reward thee there are indeed some sour and crabbed Pieces that will never be smoother but if distorted and depraved Natures are not won God will reward thee endeavours of Reconciliation are not lost with God though you get nothing but Scorn and Contempt you may comfort your selves with your Sincerity and God will not be wanting Besides all this consider the Honour of being above an Injury Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression As it is the Glory of God to pardon Sin we think it a Disgrace but the Holy-Ghost tells us it is the Glory of a Man It is the Devil's design to suffer the World to miscall Grace Meekness is Sheepishness and Patience is a kind of Weakness and Servility an Argument Ignavi ingenii of a slow dull temper that hath no sense of things as Astronomers call Glorious Stars Dogs and Bears and Dragons Tails Oh! consider this is an height proper to Christianity Nature could not reach it there is no greater Servility than to be a Slave to ones Passions Ezek. 16.30 How weak is thy heart saith the Lord since thou dost all these things the work of an imperious whorish woman There are no Spirits so feeble as those that are swayed by the ruffle of their own Passions 2. In publick Cases In these times of mutual Provocation we are apt to return Evil for Evil and Word for Word and to Curse and Pray against one another but we should labour to return Good for Evil for Injury doth not justifie Revenge Religious Quarrels are usually carried on with great hatred and animosity for then Religion feedeth the excess of Passion and instead of being a Judge becometh a Party and that which should be a Restraint proveth Fuel The Quarrel between Christ and his Persecutors was a Quarrel of Religion and yet he prays Father forgive them and if Christ did thus why should not Christians Oh! consider it 1. As to open Enemies 2. As to the undue Carriage of Brethren 1. As to open Enemies Christ saith Mat. 5.44 Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you Lest we should excuse our selves by a colour and shew of Religion and so give Indulgence to the Exorbitancy of our Passions Christ names Persecutors that are not only our Enemies but God's Enemies you are to pray for them and wish them conviction of Sin and Reformation And you see how Christ practiseth his own Doctrine and so taught us not only Living but Dying these were carried on by a blind Zeal alas that they have no more Light nor better Principles I doubt in all our Divisions we have not plyed this way of Love if we did they would be soon cured and healed We pray one against another and seek each other's Ruine and Destruction but when have we commended our Enemies to God's Grace and Pity And after all we are apt to baptize our Sufferings which have been the effects of our Pride and Passion with the glorious Name of Persecution and that exasperateth our Spirits and we think it is but a Duty to call for Fire from Heaven we know not what manner of Spirits we are of An angry Zeal hath the less of God in it because it is so hastily kindled and so hardly suppressed 2. As to undue Carriage of Brethren Iames 5.10 Grudge not one against another Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Groan not when they should commend each other to the Grace of God they groan one against another We should willingly bury the remembrance of their Injuries There cannot be Unity Sympathy Brotherly Love amongst the Lord's People unless there be a Heart to pity the Infirmities of one another and a proneness of Spirit to do good contrary to what they deserve at our hands Quest. But is it not lawful to pray for Revenge Zechary when he was stoned between the Temple and the Altar said The Lord look upon it and require it 2 Chron. 24.22 And David in the Psalms prays that God would not pardon his Enemies Answ. We cannot always imitate what the Prophet did who could know by special Revelation who had sinned unto Death and therefore cannot use these Imprecations unless conditionally Their Curses were Praedictions and uttered by the Spirit of Prophecy not by any private Spirit Meek and humble Addresses to God and wrestling for their good suit better with us and the Example of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.9 Not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrary-wise blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should inherit a blessing It is more suitable to Christianity to wish good to them that curse and injure you If you will not imitate Christ you are none of his Disciples nor will he be your Saviour nor must you think to live and reign with him in Heaven You must overcome your self and corrupt Nature that thirsteth after Revenge Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city Overcome and shame the Party that doth the Wrong 1 Sam. 24.17 And he said to David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evil Look upon them as

are not principally intended in this Place yet may be comprized here 3 dly The Inventions here intended are such as by which we start away from God and corrupt our selves This more general Sense of the Words comprizeth two sorts of Inventions 1. Those many crooked Counsels and Devices whereunto Men are carried by their own corrupt Hearts when once they had forsaken God and the streight Rule of his Law We read Ier. 17.9 That the Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it There is a bottomless unsearchable Depth of Wickedness in the Heart of Man which none can discover but God it is wily fraudulent prone to deceive full of Windings and Turnings Wiles and Sleights no Creature in wicked Subtilty and Dissembling can go beyond him The Scripture delighteth in this term Inventions and Imaginations Gen. 6.5 All the Imaginations of the Thoughts of his Heart were only evil continually And Ier. 18.12 We will walk after our own Devices and we will every one do the Imaginations of his evil Heart The Heart of Man is in continual Action framing and moulding things within its self and because there are many cunning Fetches and secret Devices within the Heart by which they seek to put out their own Eyes that they may not apprehend themselves to be so vile and filty as indeed they are and a deceitful Heart smooths Evil and presents it under another Notion therefore they may be called and are in Scripture called Devices and Inventions There is so much Remainder of Light and Conscience since the Fall that there needeth a great deal of Craft to varnish Sin to insinuate it with any Satisfaction to the Conscience a great deal of Diligence to compass it and a great deal of Art to hide it from the World that it may not make us hateful or obnoxious to Disgrace and Disrespect and to hide it from our selves that we may live in it with greater Leave and Allowance from those Remainders of Reason which are yet left within us True Wisdom is plain and simple it needeth no Disguises to palliate it from the Judgment of Conscience or the Notice of the World Wisdom is justified of her Children Matth. 11.19 This is our rejoicing the Testimony of our Conscience that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 But with Sin 't is not so there are many Inventions for the hiding palliating excusing and defending of Sin it is the great Power of the Word to discover them Heb. 4.12 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Ioints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart These are the most secret Acts of the Soul Intentions respect the End Thoughts respect Consultations about the Means There is an artificial dexterous Managery of Sin Ephes. 2.3 Fulfilling the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Imaginations and Lusts. Now of these Inventions I shall say two things 1. The more studiously and dexterously any Sin is carried on it argueth the worse temper of Spirit and the Sin is the more aggravated to be wise to do Evil Jer. 4.22 To devise Iniquity and work Evil upon our Beds Mich. 2.1 The Wicked plotteth against the Iust and gnaweth upon him with his Teeth Psal. 37.12 The subtle Designer of Sin is worse than he that occasionally lapseth into it The Good may be overtaken or over-born but to dig deep to hide our Wickedness and set abrood upon it is the greatest Evil. 2. That sinful Inventions for the hiding and palliating of Sin never succeed well but involve us the more I shall not instance in the worst of Men how they are forced to add Sin to Sin and help out one Wickedness with another which at last bringeth upon them the feared Evil with the greater Violence but even in the best of Men that you may the more loath these sinful Inventions David had many Inventions to cloak his Sin with Bathsheba but how ill did they succeed at last When Sin hath got a Tie upon a Man and a Man hath done some Evil from which he cannot well acquit himself but with some Loss and Shame or other Inconvenience then 't is a mighty Snare unless he cover it or maintain it or some other way help himself by adding some other Sin to it Thus usually in this Case Men have their Inventions shift off a Fault with a Lie and Imagine it in a sort necessary for their Safety to be evil and out of this seeming Necessity heap and pile up Sin upon Sin and Transgression upon Transgression This I say was David's Case in the matter of Bathsheba and Vriah Surely he had never proceeded to such black Thoughts to plot the Murder of a Person so worthy and innocent but to salve his Credit and cover his dishonest Act when other Arts and Shifts failed and took no Effect Admit one Sin and the Devil taketh this Advantage that he will force us for the Defence of that to yield to more Thus Sarah's unbelieving Laughter brought forth a Lie Gen. 18.12 15. Then Sarah denied saying I laughed not for she was afraid Peter when he had denied his Master with a plain single Denial I know not the Man Mat. 26.70 he proceeded after to a Denial with Oaths and Execrations Then began he to curse and to swear saying I know not the Man ver 74. If he had prevented the first Sin with ordinary Courage and Boldness he had not thus intangled himself but one Sin must help out another though still to our Loss and Trouble Eudoxia Wife to Theodosius junior having received of the Emperor her Husband an Apple of incredible Beauty and Bigness gave it to one Paulinus a learned Man whom she prized he not knowing whence the Empress had received it presents it as a rare Gift to the Emperor who thereupon sending for his Wife asked her for the Apple she fearing her Husband's Displeasure if she should say she had given it away answered she had eaten it upon this afterwards the Emperor produceth it and in his Jealousy killeth innocent Paulinus and hateth his Wife If she had not told an Untruth at first she had not faln into the Sin of Lying but giving way a little she is drawn into a greater Sin her innocent Friend lost his Life and she her Husband's Favour ever afterwards All this is spoken that we may beware of evil Inventions which never succeed well nor to the Content of the Party that useth them 2. These Inventions are put for our Pursuits after a false Happiness True Happiness is only to be found in the Favour of God and in the way appointed by God but Man would be at his own Dispose and would invent and find

the World it cannot be imagined that God should use such an Artifice 1. That God governeth the World by the Hopes and Fears of another Life is evident not only by the Tenour of the Christian Religion where the Covenant between God and Men is established by such Threatnings and Promises but by the Consent of all Nations where Government is secured and upheld by such a Perswasion Now if the Soul be not immortal and there be not firm Reasons to induce us to believe that it is so why hath such a Conceit been rooted in the Minds of Men of all Nations and all Religions not only Greeks and Romans but Barbarians and People least civilized They all received this Opinion from Hand to Hand from their Ancestors and the nearer Men trace it to the Original of Mankind the more clear and pressing hath been the Conceit thereof Lapse of time which ordinarily decayeth all things hath not been able to deface it out of the Minds of Men the Sense of an immortal Condition after this Life hath ever been accounted the great Bridle upon the World and being spread throughout the Universe hath with all Forwardness been received among all Nations and hath born up against all Encounters of Sin and hath maintained it self in the midst of those Revolutions of humane Affairs wherein other Truths are lost 2. There is a Necessity of this Government as suting best with the Nature of Man which is much moved by the Hopes and Fears of Good and Evil after Death That Man is governed by Hopes and Fears common Sense teacheth us That the Hopes and Fears of the present Life are not sufficient to bridle carnal Nature and withstand Temptations and keep us in the true Obedience and Love to God to the End Experience also sheweth because for the Satisfaction of our Lusts we can dispense with temporal Evils as the Lecher in the Proverbs chap. 5.11 And thou mourn at the last when thy Flesh and thy Body are consumed Besides if it were so that these Motives of temporal Good and Evil were sufficient Man were more to be feared than God which killeth and stabbeth all Religion at the Heart for Man useth this Engine of temporal Punishments and Inconvenience they do Execution on those that break their Laws Now Christ teacheth us Luke 12.4 5. I say unto you my Friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you Fear him 3. The Necessity of it appeareth to meet with secret Sins such as Fornication privy Atheism Malice Adultery Murder Perjury Hypocrisy Treachery Theft Deceit He that believeth not a Life after this may secretly carry on these Sins without Impunity Man cannot see the Heart or make Laws to govern it therefore no Man can know or punish these secret Sins therefore if Men can but hide their Sins they are safe So for the Sins of Men powerful in the World for who can call them to an Account here for their Filthiness or Cruelty Iob 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King Thou art wicked and to Princes Ye are ungodly There is no Restraint to those who have none above them and all secret Wickedness would be committed without Fear So that to deny the Immortality of the Soul or a Life after this would take away all Honesty and open the Flood-gates to all Villany and evil Practices Who would make Conscience of entire Obedience to God enter in by the streight Gate walk in the narrow Way row against the Stream of Flesh and Blood work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling and consecrate their time to God if there were no other Life after this nor Happiness to be there expected Alas we plainly see the contrary Who are so lewd and hardned in their Sensualities as they that are tainted with this Conceit That not only the Denial but the Forgetfulness of this Estate worketh this Effect They make the best of the present Life 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die Such Atheistical Thoughts are very common Ver. 33. Be not deceived evil Communication corrupts good Manners But a deep Sense of this immortal Estate is the Fountain of all Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness and all that is vertuous and Praise-worthy hath been done in the World upon this Account Therefore who are the better Men those that believe the Immortality of the Soul or those that believe it not And who are likely to be in the right wicked Wretches or holy serious and considering Men. 4. The Duties which God requireth of us shew it Man is obliged to divers Duties which are difficult and displeasing to the Flesh and which we should never perform without a serious Belief of the Soul's Immortality such as these to forsake the sinful Pleasures of the World to mortify and tame the Flesh diligently to exercise our selves to Godliness to suffer the Loss of all outward Comforts yea of Life it self All these are commanded the Mortification and keeping down the Body Col. 3.5 Diligence in the Heavenly Life Phil. 3.13 14. For●itude and Patience under the greatest Trials as Moses is propounded for an Example Heb. 11.24 25 26. Not to faint in the greatest Tribulations 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. Yea to expose Life it self Luke 14.26 Now would God who is so loving to Mankind bind us to displease the Flesh and enjoin us so many Duties which are harsh and troublesome yea some of them hurtful and detrimental to the Body if he had not provided some better thing for us Would he all whose Precepts are for our good and who hath made Self-love so great an help to our Duty be so hard to us but that he knoweth how to recompence this Diligence and Self-denial He saith Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Matth. 6.25 But he saith Keep the Soul with all diligence Deut. 4.9 Would he be so earnest in pressing us to look after the Soul and strengthning and adorning the inward Man if the Soul were to perish with the Body Surely if all depended upon the Body the Body should be more cared for but it is quite otherwise Scripture and Reason shew the Body is only to be cared for in Subordination to the Soul and that our chiefest Work should be to furnish our Souls with Knowledg and Grace And they are the worthiest Men who do most busy themselves about divine and heavenly things whereas they are the basest who care so much for the Body and make a business of those things which they should do only by the by Certainly if there were an end of us when the Body faileth we should abhor nothing so much as Death desire nothing so much as the good of the

And more and more interest our selves in his cleansing 5. Because the Application is a difficult Work Besides the Purchase of the Gift of the Spirit Christ hath instituted the Help of the Word and Sacraments to bring us into Possession of this Benefit Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of VVater by the VVord The Merit of his Death falleth upon these means that we may use them with the more Confidence Iohn 15.3 Now are ye clean through the VVord which I have spoken unto you The Word is the Glass wherein to see Corruption which sets a-work to seek Purging By that our Sense of our natural Impurity is revived the Means and Causes of our cleansing set down that we may with deep Humiliation confess our Sin humbly sue out the Grace offered and wait for it in the conscionable Use of all the means of Grace And for the Sacraments As the Word containeth the Charter and Grant of Christ and all his Benefits to those that will receive him so this is the Seal of the Grant Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith whereby we are more confirmed in waiting for the Spirit and excited to look for this Benefit from Christ. Well then we must still lie at the Pool of the Word and Sacraments And now you have my second Argument Why Jesus Christ should be honoured lauded and praised by all the Saints because he hath done so great an Office of Love and procured so great a Benefit for us as the washing away of our Sins in his Blood that we might be admitted to Communion with God III. The Fruits and Benefits that we have thereby He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and to his Father This doth oblige us the more to ascribe and give Glory and Dominion to him for ever and ever since he hath brought us into Communion with God and set us apart as consecrated Persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily Service to God In this third Thing 1 st Observe the Order We must be washed from our Sins before we can be Kings and Priests or minister before the Lord. Aaron and his Sons though they were formerly designed to be Priests yet they could not officiate and act as Priests before they were consecrated So must we be consecrated and made Priests to God and that by the Blood of Christ. They were seven days in consecrating This whole Life is the time of our Consecration which goeth on by degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul upon the Resurrection when we shall be fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven For this Life though our Consecration be not finished yet here we are stiled an Holy Priesthood to minister before the Throne of Grace though not before the Throne of Glory Now if we be washed from our Sins in the Laver of Regeneration we may draw near to God as the Priests under the Law were washed in the Laver and then came to the Altar It holdeth good both in this Life and in the Life to come that none but the Washed can come so near to God either before the Throne of Grace or Throne of Glory The Throne of Grace Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water So Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the living God In the State of Glory Rev. 7.14 15. These are they which came out of great Tribulation and have washed their Robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serve him Day and Night in his Temple The persecuted Saints who came out of great Tribulation they first washed their Robes in the Blood of the Lamb before they were admitted as Priests to stand before the Throne of God to serve him Day and Night in his Temple Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummate And then we shall have a full Communion with our God a clear Vision of his eternal Beauty and as great a Fruition of his Godhead as we shall be capable of in a State of full Contentment Joy and Blessedness 2 dly The Privileges are exceeding great to be consecrated to so high a Dignity That we should be consecrated or set apart for God to be Objects of his special Grace and Instruments of his Glory and Service Much more that we should be advanced to so great a Dignity as to be Kings and Priests to God We share in Christ's own Dignity He was a King and a Priest so are we He had an Unction so have we He was Christ we are Christians By virtue of our Union with him we are Partakers of his Kingdom and Priesthood The Church of Israel was called a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19.6 And Believers in the New-Testament are called a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.9 Not to disturb Civil Kings or the Order God hath instituted in the Church for it is Kings and Priests to God not to the World Let us consider these Privileges asunder 1. Kings King is a Name of Honour Power and ample Possession 1. Here we reign spiritually as we vanquish the Devil the World and the Flesh in any measure It is a Princely Thing to be above these inferiour Things and to trample them under our Feet in an holy and heavenly Pride An Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that fears nothing and desires nothing He that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World he that hath his Heart in Heaven and is above temporal Accidents the ups and downs of the World the World is beneath his Heart and Affections this Man is of a Kingly Spirit Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Rev. 5.10 Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth viz. in a Spiritual Way It is a beastly thing to serve our Lusts but kingly to have our Conversations in Heaven and vanquish the World 1 Iohn 5.4 5. Whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Who is he that overcometh the World but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God To live up to our Faith and Love with a Noble Royal Spirit 2. Hereafter we shall reign visibly and gloriously when we shall sit upon Thrones with Christ at his last coming to judg the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I

with the Blessing of eternal Life His Priestly Actions after the Order of Aaron were his Consecration to his everlasting blessed Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedeck Without these Sufferings he could neither be a faithful nor a merciful high Priest nor satisfy his Father's Justice nor have a full feeling from Experience of the Creatures Misery Well then as Christ was consecrated at his Death so is a Christian who runneth Parallel with Christ in all his Offices As Christ had an Inauguration into that Priesthood he executed upon Earth at his Baptism So hath a Christian for his spiritual Priesthood as soon as washed in the Laver of Regeneration but for his everlasting Priesthood at Death 2. My next Argument is This suteth with the other Privilege of Kings We are made Kings as well as Priests Now as our Kingly Office is not perfect till we come to Heaven so neither our Priestly and therefore it mainly respecteth our Ministration in the heavenly Temple How is a poor Christian a King here unless in a Riddle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he vanquisheth the Devil the World and the Flesh As it is a Princely thing to be above inferiour things and to trample them under our Feet The Heathen could say Rex est qui metuit nihil Rex est qui cupit nihil He is a King that is above the Hopes and Fears of the World that feareth nothing and desireth nothing This is indeed in a Metaphor a Kingly Spirit to have our Hearts in Heaven and to look upon all sublunary things as beneath our Care and Affections Christ's Kingdom is not of this World neither is a Believer's Here upon Earth we reign only in a spiritual way But the Privilege cometh fully to be verified when we tread Satan under our Feet and triumph over Enemies and reign visibly and gloriously sitting upon Thrones with Christ at his Coming judging the World and Angels themselves Matth. 19.28 Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his Glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Psal. 49.14 The upright shall have Dominion over them in the Morning And 1 Cor. 6.2 Know ye not that we shall judg the World And ver 3. Know ye not that we shall judg Angels Neither will this Kingdom be terminated and ended at the Day of Judgment but they shall be Kings eternal in Heaven Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom 2 Tim 2.12 If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him that is in Heaven With respect to this Title Right and Interest we are said to be made Kings Now proportionably the other Privilege of being made Priests must be expounded also We are spiritual Priests upon Earth we have our Sacrifices of Prayers Praises and Alms and devoting our selves to God But this Office is not compleated till we come to Heaven and do immediately minister before the Lord. Then we have Entrance into the holiest Heb. 10.19 Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Iesus Not in Spirit but in Person For if the chief Part of our Kingly Office be yet behind why not the chief Part of our Priestly Office also 3. Then we are qualified and prepared Sanctification must go before Consecration and the more sanctified the more consecrated And when our Sanctification is finished then our Consecration is consummated and not till then Now in this World our Justification and Sanctification is imperfect we are not got above our legal Fears and Grace is very weak in us You know before we can serve the living God our Consciences must be purged from dead Works Heb. 9.14 As the High Priest was not to approach God without his Washings lest he die And we are bidden to draw nigh to God with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10.22 If we have the Privilege of Priests we must perform the Duties of Priests Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the Conscience nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified till the Vail of the Flesh be removed and we be presented to God without Spot and Wrinkle Somewhat is begun indeed that will tend to and end in perfect Sanctification enough to qualify us for our Ministration at this Distance from God There is enough done on Christ's Part by way of Impetration and Merit Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified or consecrated he hath payed the Price but as to the Application that is by Degrees The Priest under the Law was seven Days in consecrating this figured all the time that interveneth before we enter upon the everlasting Sabbath Our whole Life is the time of Consecration which goeth on by Degrees and will be made compleat both for Body and Soul at the Resurrection for then shall we be made fit to approach the Throne of Glory and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal Temple of Heaven In this Life our Consecration is not yet finished we cannot come so near God we are qualified indeed to come to the Throne of Grace but not qualified to come to the Throne of Glory But the Work is a-doing and in time it will be accomplished 4. We have not the full Privileges of Priests till then which is Intimacy full Communion Nearness of Access to God and Ministration before him This is the Privilege we have as Priests The Apostle telleth us Heb. 9.8 The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing How did the Holy Ghost signify this I answer by the whole Oeconomy and Frame of that Dispensation God kept State and Majesty then and his People must not come too near him The common Israelite must not come too near the Sanctuary they were not to camp or pitch their Tents round about it but only the Levites lest they die Numb 1.52 53. And the Children of Israel shall pitch their Tents every Man by his own Camp and every Man by his own Standard throughout the Host. But the Levites shall pitch round about the Tabernacle of Testimony that there be no Wrath upon the Congregation of the Children of Israel It was a dangerous thing for the common Israelites to be too near the Symbols of God's Presence to teach us the Distance between God and Men and their Unworthiness to come near him and his holy things But though the Levites might encamp near it yet none but the Priests must

We are never prepared till our State be altered Heart altered and Life altered 1. Our State must be altered For naturally we are Children of Wrath condemned by the Sentence of the Law and under the Curse and doth it become condemned Men to rejoyce and go to their execution dancing No you must take hold of another Covenant the hope that is set before you and then you provide matter of joy yea of strong consolation Heb. 6.18 By taking Sanctuary at the Lords Grace the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into Gods Covenant by Baptisme He went on his way rejoycing Acts 8.39 By Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ we enter into the New Covenant and that is a State of Peace Life and Joy In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father Christ your Saviour and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier are you willing to consent to this And then Why should not you rejoyce in the Lord For you have enough in God 2. Our Heart must be altered For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Know his complacency what it is that a Man is pleased with most and you know the Man An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight it self in God 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But those that have a Divine Nature put into them cannot satisfie themselves in the World 2 Pet. 1.4 Ye may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh and leave these husks for Swine to feed on A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights when you have a New Understanding and a New Heart then you will discern and relish Spiritual things 3. The Life must be altered For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy Iohn 15.10 11. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandments and abide in his love These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Acts 9.31 Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost The Godly Life is the only sweet Life 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God and the belief and hope of Life Eternal and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort If you fall into great and wounding Sins no wonder if your rejoycing in God be disturbed Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin but it will cost them broken Bones and broken Hearts 2. Act it continually Partly for that the grounds of rejoycing are Everlasting an Eternal God an Unchangeable Covenant Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever a Kingdom that cannot be shaken an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory Now these things should ever be thought of by us that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually to enliven our Duties to sweeten our Crosses and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow or our Hearts will be apt to be insnared by sensual delights unless we remember that we are continually to rejoyce in God and Heavenly things Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul unless it be continually exercised by constant acting it we keep it and increase it till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul and able to controul our Affection to other things It is said of Iohn Baptists Hearers That they were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season Iohn 5.35 And of the stony ground Luke 8.13 That they received the word with joy and believed for a while but in time of temptation fall away Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly for a while Mark 6.20 Gods offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present but this rejoycing faileth being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it and increase it that it may be firm to the end it must be continually acted and exercised 3. Take heed you do not forfeit it or damp it by any great and wounding Sin As David speaketh Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Sin cloudeth the Face of God wasteth our Comfort and Joy Psalm 32.3 4. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption When the Comforter is offended he sheweth his dislike and withdraweth when we grosly omit any known Duty or commit any soul Sin he will shew himself displeased with it and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence Isa. 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth On such occasions he is wroth and smiteth he is wroth and hideth himself and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit neither grieving him by the omission or intermission of necessary Duties nor by the commission of any hardning Sin by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty or the irascible or eschewing faculty by Sins of the Tongue which most easily bewray corruption or by words which discover the temper of the Heart I observe that grieving the spirit Ephes. 4.30 is put in the middle between a disswasive from corrupt Communication verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying When Men endeavour to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights and is contrary to rejoycing in the Lord Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks and on the other side verse 31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from

you by discontent impetuous Rage passionate Commotions contumelious Speeches Envy Revenge we hinder our joy in the Lord. Now all this must be carefully avoided least we contract deadness and numbness of Conscience 4. If by Sin you have wounded your Conscience and brought smart and mourning upon your selves abide not in that Estate but humble your selves renewing your Repentance and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ sueing out your Pardon and getting your Wounds healed Beg of God to restore the joy of his Salvation that your broken Hearts may be revived and your broken Bones restored and set in joynt again Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and verse 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Never rest till you come again to delight in God with an hearty resolution not to break with God any more Psalm 51.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Psalm 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly God is ready to receive lapsed Penitents that are sensible of their errors and are willing to return to their Duty Psalm 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Isa. 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort to him and to his mourners Your case is sad and grievous but not desperate and hopeless you may have comfort upon Gods termes mourning for Sin that Sin may be made bitter to you and you may not hazard your peace for trifles another time and putting your business into the hands of your Redeemer the Advocate must make your peace for you 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous A SERMON On I. Thessalonians v. 17 Pray without ceasing IN the words we have 1. A Duty Pray 2. The continuance of the Duty alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from both observe Doctrine That constant and frequent Prayer to God is a Duty required of Christians In handling this Doctrine I shall shew 1. What Prayer is 2. How it is to be carried on without ceasing 3. The Reasons of the Doctrine I. What Prayer is And here I shall speak 1. Of the Nature of Prayer 2. Of the several kinds of it 1. First For the Nature of Prayer Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God in the Name of Christ for such things as are agreeable to his will 1. It is an offering up of our Desires Desires are the Soul and Life of Prayer Words are but the Body now as the Body without the Soul is dead so are Prayers unless they are animated with our Desires Psalm 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble God heareth not Words but Desires 2. These Desires are offered unto God or brought before the Lord in this solemne way Zeph. 3.10 My suppliants even the daughters of my dispersed shall bring mine offering That is shall reverendly express their Desires to God An Offering was either a Sacrifice and Prayer is a Spiritual Sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. As a Man did then present himself and his offering before the Lord so do we present our selves and our desires and pour out our Hearts before him Or an Offering might be the Mincah or Meat-Offering which was baked or fryed in a Pan and then presented to the Lord Psalm 45 1. My heart inditeth a good matter not raw indigested Services must be performed to God such as are the eructations of the flesh or Incense was offered to the Lord. Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense Psalm 141.2 And we read of Vials full of odours which are the Prayers of the saints Revel 5.8 Incense was a mixture of sweet spices which being set on fire the fume thereof ascended into Heaven so do our holy and ardent desires ascend unto God 3. They are desires presented in the name of Christ in whom alone we are acceptable to God Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 4. They are desires of things agreeable to the will of God 1 Iohn 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us All our Desires must be regulated by his revealed Will and subordinated to his secret Will so far as God seeth it fit for his Glory and our Good for upon other termes he is not bound to us Secondly The kinds of Prayer so there are sundry distinctions 1. There is Mental Prayer Exod. 14.15 Wherefore criest thou unto me Moses cryed unto the Lord and yet no words are mentioned And Vocal Prayer Psal. 5.3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up When Prayers are put into Language or formalized into some outward expression Again 2. There is suddain and ejaculatory Prayer as Nehem. 2.4 The king said unto me for what dost thou make request so I prayed unto the God of heaven That is some suddain dart of Prayer such as Prosper I pray thy servant lifting up his Heart in a suddain desire to God to direct or give success to his Petition And solemn Prayer and of greater length Rom. 15.30 That ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me which words imply a Prayer full of earnest pleadings 3. There are Publick or Church-Prayers 1 Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in authority Where he giveth directions how the Prayers of their Publick Assemblies should be ordered And Private or Family Prayer Acts 10.2 Cornelius is said to be a devout man and one that feared God with all his house and gave much almes to the people and prayed to God alwayes that is a Man that worshipped God with his Family as good Men use to do And it is said 1 Chron. 16.43 That David after Publick Services returned to bless his house that is to pray for his Family as he had done for the people before And Secret and Closet Prayer concerning which Christ giveth Direction when thou prayest enter into thy closet Matth. 6.6 Again 4. There is Ordinary and Extraordinary Prayer Ordinary Prayer is performed upon Ordinary Causes such as Daily Necessities Psalm 55.17 Evening