us by the decree of God and it is unalterably certain that every believer must do good works or his believing will signifie little nay more than so every man must be careful to do good works and more yet he must carefully maintain them that is not do them by fits and interrupted returns but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be incumbent upon them to dwell upon them to maintain good works that is to persevere in them But I am yet but in the general be pleased to go along with me in these particular considerations 1. No mans sins are pardoned but in the same measure in which they are mortified destroyed and taken away so that if faith does not cure our sinful Natures it never can justifie it never can procure our pardon And therefore it is that as soon as ever faith in the Lord Jesus was preached at the same time also they preached repentance from dead works in so much that S. Paul reckons it among the fundamentals and first Principles of Christianity nay the Baptist preached repentance and amendment of life as a preparation to the faith of Christ. And I pray consider can there be any forgivness of sins without repentance But if an Apostle should preach forgiveneâ—s to all that believe and this belief did not also mean that they should repent and forsake their sin the Sermons of the Apostle would make Christianity nothing else but the Sanctuary of Romulus a device to get togethâ—r all the wicked people of the world and to make them happy without any change of manners Christ came to other purposes he came to sanctifie us and to cleanse us by his Word the word of faith was not for it self but was a design of holiness and the very grace of God did appear for this end that teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live holily justly and soberly in this present World he came to gather a People together not like Davids army when Saul pursued him but the armies of the Lord a faithful people a chosen generation and what is that The Spirit of God adds a People zealous of good works Now as Christ prov'd his power to forgive sins by curing the poor mans palsie because a man is never pardoned but when the punishment is removed so the great act of justification of a sinner the pardoning of his sins is then only effected when the spiritual evil is taken away that 's the best indication of a real and an eternal pardon when God takes away the hardness of the heart the love of sin the accursed habit the evil inclination the sin that doth so easily beset us and when that is gone what remains within us that God can hate Nothing stayes behind but Gods creation the work of his own hands the issues of his holy Spirit The faith of a Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it destroyes the whole body of sin and to suppose that Christ pardons a sinner whom he doth not also purge and râ—scue from the dominion of sin is to affirm that he justifies the wicked that he calls good evil and evil good that he delights in a wicked person that he makes a wicked man all one with himself that he makes the members of a harlot at the same time also the members of Christ. But all this is impossible and therefore ought not to be pretended to by any Christian. Severe are those words of our Blessed Saviour Every plant in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Faith ingrafts us into Christ by faith we are inserted into the vine but the plant that is ingrafted must also be parturient and fruitful or else it shall be quite cut off from the root and thrown into the everlasting burning And this is the full and plain meaning of those words so often used in Scripture for the magnification of faith The just shall live by Faith No man shall live by faith but the just man he indeed is justified by faith but no man else the unjust and the unrighteous man hath no portion in this matter That 's the first great consideration in this affair no man is justified in the least sense of justification that is when it means nothing but the pardon of sins but when his sin is mortified and destroyed 2. No man is actually justified but he that is in some measure sanctified For the understanding and clearing of which Proposition we must know that justification when it is attributed to any cause does not alwayes signifie justification actual Thus when it is said in Scripture We are justified by the death of Christ it is but the same thing as to say Christ dyed for us and he rose again for us too that we might indeed be justified in due time and by just measures and dispositions he dyed for our sins and rosâ— again for our justification that is by his death and Resurrection he hath obtained this power and effected this mercy that if we believe him and obey we shall be justified and made capable of all the blessings of the Kingdom But that this is no more but a capacity of pardon of grace and of salvation appears not only by Gods requiring Obedience as a condition on our parts but by his expresly attributing this mercy to us at such times and in such circumstances in which it is certain and evident that we could not actually be justified For so saith the Scripture We when we were enemies were reconciled to God by the death of his Son and while we were yet sinners Christ died for us that is then was our Justification wrought on Gods part that is then he intended this mercy to us then he resolved to shew us favour to give us Promises and Laws and Conditions and hopes and an infallible Oeconomy of Salvation and when faith layes hold on this Grace and this Justification then we are to do the other part of it that is as God made it potential by the death and resurrection of Christ so we laying hold on these things by Faith and working the Righteousness of Faith that is performing what is required on our parts we I say make it actual and for this very reason it is that the Apostle puts more Emphasis upon the Resurrection of Christ than upon his Death Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again And Christ was both delivered for our sins and is risen again for our justification implying to us that as it is in the principal so it is in the correspondent our sins indeed are potentially pardoned when they are mark'd out for death and crucifixion when by resolving and fighting against sin we dy to sin daily and are so made conformable to his death but we must partake of Christs Resurrection before this Justification can be actual when we are dead to sin and are risen again unto righteousness then as we are partakers of
being in Gods favâ—ur upon the only account of being of such an opinion and that when we are once in we can never be out We are taught to believe that the events of things do not depend upon our crucifying our evil and corrupt affections but upon eternal and unalterable Counsels that the promises are not the rewards of obedience but graces pertaining only to a few praedestinates and yet men are Saints for all that and that the Laws of God are of the race of the Giants not to be observed by any grace or by any industry this is the Catechism of the ignorant and the prophane but without all peradventure the contrary propositions are the way to make the world better but certainly they that believe these things do not believe it necessary that we should eschew all evil and no wonder then if when men upon these accounts slacken their industry and their care they find sin still prevailing still dwelling within them and still unconquerable by so slight and disheartned labours For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every fool and every ignorant person is a child still and it is no wonder that he who talks foolishly should do childishly and weakly 3. To our weak and corrupted nature and our foolish discourses men do dayly superinduce evil habits and customs of sinning Consuetudo mala tanquam hamus infixus animae said the Father an evil custom is a hook in the soul and draws it whither the Devil pleases When it comes to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peter's word is a heart exercised with covetous practices then it is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is weak and unable to do the good it fain would or to avoid the evil which in a good fit it pretends to hate This is so known I shall not insist upon it but adde this only that wherever a habit is contracted it is all one what the instance be it is as easie as delicious as unalterable in vertue as in vice for what helps nature brings to a vitious habit the same and much more the Spirit of God by his power and by his comforts can do in a vertuous and then we are well again You see by this who are and why they are in this evil condition The evil natures and the evil principles and the evil manners of the world these are the causes of our imperfect willings and weaker actings in the things of God and as long as men stay here sin will be unavoidable For even meat it self is loathsom to a sick stomack and it is impossible for him that is heart-sick to eat the most wholsom diet and yet he that shall say eating is impossible will be best confuted by seeing all the healthful men in the world eat heartily every day 2. But what then Cannot sin be avoided Cannot a Christian mortifie the deeds of the body Cannot Christ redeem us and cleanse us from all our sins Cannot the works of the Devil be destroyed That 's the next particular to be inquired of Whether or no it be not necessary and therefore very possible for a servant of God to pass from this evil state of things and not only hate evil but avoid it also He that saith he hath not sinned is a lyar but what then Because a Man hath sinned it does not follow he must do so always Hast thou sinned do so no more said the wise Bensirach and so said Christ to the poor Paralytick Go and sin no more They were excellent words spoken by a holy Prophet Let not the sinner say he hath not sinned For God shall burn coals of fire upon his head that saith before the Lord God and his glory I have not sinned Well! that case is confessed All men have sinned and come short of the glory of God But is there no remedy for this Must it always be so and sin for ever must have the upper hand and for ever baffle our resolutions and all our fierce and earnest promises of amendment God forbid there was a time then to come and blessed be God it hath been long come Yet a little while saith that Prophet and iniquity shall be taken out of the earth and righteousness shall reign among you For that 's in the day of Christs kingdom the manifestation of the Gospel when Christ reigns in our hearts by his Spirit Dagon and the Ark cannot stand together we cannot serve Christ and Belial And as in the state of nature no good thing dwells within us so when Christ rules in us no evil thing can abide For every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up and cast away into the fires of consumption or purification But how shall this come to pass since we all find our selves so infinitely weak and foolish I shall tell you It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven said Christ. It is impossible to nature it is impossible to them that are given to vanity it is impossible for them that delight in the evil snare But Christ adds With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible What we cannot do for our selves God can do for us and with us What Nature cannot do the Grace of God can So that the thing may be done not indeed by our selves but gratia Dei mecum saith S. Paul God and man together can do it But if it can be done any way that God hath put into our powers the consequent is this No mans good will shall be taken in exchange for the real and actual mortification of his sins He that sins and would fain not sin but sin is present with him whether he will or no let him take heed for the same is the Law of sin and the Law of death saith the Apostle and that mans heart is not right with God For it is impossible men should pray for deliverance and not be heard that they should labour and not be prosperous unless they pray amiss and labour falsely Let no man therefore please himself with talking of great things with perpetual conversation in pious discourses or with ineffective desires of serving God He that does not practise as well as he talks and do what he desires and what he ought to do confesses himself to sin greatly against his conscience and it is a prodigious folly to think that he is a good man because though he does sin yet it was against his mind to do so A mans conscience can never condemn him if that be his excuse to say that his conscience checkt him and that will be but a sad apology at the day of Judgement Some men talk like Angels and pray with great fervor and meditate with deep recesses and speak to God with loving affections and words of union and adhere to him in silent devotion and when they go abroad are as passionate as ever peevish as a
regarded the Prohibition so nakedly and divested of all Antecedents Consequents Similitudes and Proportions that if they stood clear of that hated name which was set down in Moses Tables they gave themselves liberty in many instances of the same kindred alliance If they abstained from murder they thought it very well though they made no scruple of murdering their Brothers fame they would not cut his throat but they would call him Fool or invent lyes in secret and publish his disgrace openly they would not dash out his brains but they would be extremely and unreasonably angry with him they would not steal their brothers money but they would oppress him in crafty and cruel bargains The Commandment forbade them to commit Adultery but because Fornication was not named they made no scruple of that and being commanded to Honour their Father and their Mother they would give them good words and fair observances but because it was not named that they should maintain them in their need they thought they did well enough to pretend Corban and let their Father starve 3. The Scribes and Pharisees placed their Righteousness in Negatives they would not commit what was forbidden but they cared but little for the included positive and the omissions of good Actions did not much trouble them they would not hurt their Brother in a forbidden instance but neither would they do him good according to the intention of the Commandment It was a great Innocence if they did not rob the Poor then they were righteous men but thought themselves not much concerned to acquire that god-like excellency a Philanthropy and love to all mankind Whosoever blasphem'd God was to be put to death but he that did not glorifie God as he ought they were unconcerned for him and let him alone he that spake against Moses was to dy without mercy but against the ambitious and the covetous against the proud man and the unmerciful they made no provisions Virtus est vitium fugere sapientia prima Stultitiâ caruisse They accounted themselves good not for doing good but for doing no evil that was the sum of their Theology 4. They had one thing more as bad as all this They broke Moses Tables into pieces and gathering up the fragments took to themselves what part of Duty they pleased and let the rest alone For it was a Proverb amongst the Jews Qui operam dat praecepto liber est à praecepto that is If he chuses one positive Commandment for his business he may be less careful in any of the rest Indeed they said also Qui multiplicat legem multiplicat vitam he that multiplies the Law increases Life that is if he did attend to more good things it was so much the better but the other was well enough but as for Universal Obedience that was not the measure of their Righteousness for they taught that God would put our good works and bad into the balance and according to the heavier scale give a portion in the world to come so that some evil they would allow to themselves and their Disciples alwayes provided it was less than the good they did They would devour Widows houses and make it up by long Prayers they would love their Nation and hate their Prince offer Sacrifice and curse Caesar in their heart advance Judaism and destroy Humanity Lastly St. Austin summ'd up the difference between the Pharisaical and Evangelical righteousness in two words Brevis differentia inter Legem Evangelium timor amor They serv'd the God of their Fathers in the spirit of Fear and we worship the Father of our Lord Jesus in the spirit of Love and by the spirit of Adoption and as this Slavish principle of theirs was the cause of all their former Imperfections so it finally and chiefly express'd it self in these two particulars 1. They would do all that they thought they lawfully could do 2. They would do nothing but what was expresly commanded This was the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees and their Disciples the Jews which because our B. Saviour reproves not only as imperfect then but as criminal now calling us on to a new Righteousness the Righteousness of God to the Law of the Spirit of Life to the Kingdom of God and the proper Righteousness thereof it concerns us in the next place to look after the measures of this ever remembring that it is infinitely necessary that we should do so and men do not generally know or not consider what it is to be a Christian they understand not what the Christian Law forbiddeth or commandeth But as for this in my Text it is indeed our great measure but it is not a question of good and better but of Good and Evil Life and Death Salvation and Damnation for unless our Righteousness be weighed by new weights we shall be found too light when God comes to weigh the actions of all the world and unless we be more righteous than they we shall in no wise that is upon no other terms in the world enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Now concerning this we shall do very much amiss if we take our measures by the manners and practises of the many who call themselves Christians for there are as Nazianzen expresses it the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old and the new Pharisees I wish it were no worse amongst us and that all Christians were indeed Righteous as they were est aliquid prodire tenus it would not be just nothing But I am sure that to bid defiance to the Laws of Christ to laugh at Religion to make a merriment at the debauchery and damnation of our Brother is a state of evil worse than that of the Scribes and Pharisees and yet even among such men how impatient would they be and how unreasonable would they think you to be if you should tell them that there is no present hopes or possibility that in this state they are in they can be saved Omnes videmur nobis esse belluli Et festivi Saperdae cum simus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the world is too full of Christians whose Righteousness is very little and their Iniquities very great and now adays a Christian is a man that comes to Church on Sundays and on the week following will do shameful things Passim corvos sequitur testâque lutoque Securus quo pes ferat at que ex tempore vivit being according to the Jewish proverbial reproof as so many Mephibosheths discipuli sapientum qui incessu pudefaciunt praeceptorem suum their Master teaches them to go uprightly but they still show their lame leg and shame their Master as if a man might be a Christian and yet be the vilest person in the world doing such things for which the Laws of men have provided smart and shame and the Laws of God have threatned the intolerable pains of an unsufferable and never ending damnation Example here cannot be our rule
these are two things worth inquiry 1. Concerning Authority All disagreeing persons to cover their foul shame of Rebellion or Disobedience pretend Conscience for their Judge and the Scripture for their Law Now if these men think that by this means they proceed safely upon the same ground the Superior may doe what he thinks to be his duty and be at least as safe as they If the Rebellious Subject can think that by God's Law he ought not to obey the Prince may at the same time think that by God's Law he ought to punish him and it is as certain that he is justly punished as he thinks it certain he reasonably disobeys Or is the Conscience of the Superior bound to relaxe his lawes if the inferior tells him so Can the Prince give Laws to the peoples will and can the people give measures to the Princes understanding If any one of the people can prescribe or make it necessary to change the Law then every one can and by this time every new Opinion will introduce a new Law and that Law shall be obey'd by him only that hath a mind to it and that will be a strange Law that binds a man only to doe his own pleasure But because the King's Conscience is to him as sure a Rule as the Conscience of any disobedient Subject can be to himself the Prince is as much bound to doe his duty in Government as the other can be to follow his Conscience in disagreeing and the consequent will be that whether the Subject be right or wrong in the disputation it is certain he hath the just reward of Disobedience in the conclusion If one mans Conscience can be the measure of another mans action why shall not the Princes Conscience be the Subject's measure but if it cannot then the Prince is not to depart from his own Conscience but proceed according to the Laws which he judges just and reasonable 2. The Superior is tied by the laws of Christian Charity so far to bend in the ministration of his Laws as to pity the invincible Ignorance and Weakness of his abused people qui devoratur à malis Pastoribus as S. Hierom's expression is that are devour'd by their evill Shepheards but this is to last no longer then till the Ignorance can be cured and the man be taught his duty for whatsoever comes after this looks so like Obstinacy that no Laws in the world judge it to be any thing else And then secondly this also is to be understood to be the duty of Superiors only in matters of mere Opinion not relating to Practice For no mans Opinion must be suffer'd to doe mischief to disturb the Peace to dishonour the Government not only because every disagreeing person can to serve his end pretend his Conscience and so claim impunity for his Villany but also because those things which concern the good of mankind and the Peace of Kingdomes are so plainly taught that no man who thinks himself so wise as to be fit to oppose Authority can be so foolish as in these things not to know his Duty In other things if the Opinion does neither bite nor scratch if it dwells at home in the house of understanding and wanders not into the out-houses of Passion and popular orations the Superior imposes no laws and exacts no obedience and destroies no liberty and gives no restraint This is the part of Authority 2. The next enquiry is What must the disagreeing Subject doe when he supposes the Superiors command is against the Law of God I answer that if he thinks so and thinks true he must not obey his Superior in that but because most men that think so think amiss there are many particulars fit by such persons to be consider'd 1. Let such men think charitably of others and that all are not fools or mad-men who are not of the same Opinion with themselves or their own little party 2. Let him think himself as fallible and subject to mistake as other men are 3. But let him by no means think that every Opinion of his is an Inspiration from God for that is the pride and madness of a pretended Religion such a man is to be cured by Physick for he could not enter into that perswasion by Reason or Experience and therefore it must enter into him by folly or the anger of God 4. From hence it will naturally follow that he ought to think his Opinion to be uncertain and that he ought not to behave himself like the man that is too confident but because his Obedience is Duty and his Duty certain he will find it more wise and safe and holy to leave that which is disputable and pursue that which is demonstrable to change his uncertain Opinion for his certain Duty For it is twenty to one but he is deceived in his Opinion but if he be it is certain that whatsoever his Conscience be yet in his separation from Authority he is a sinner 2. Every man who by his Opinion is ingaged against Authority should doe well to study his doubtful Opinion less and Humility and Obedience more But you say that this concerns not me for my disagreeing is not in a doubtful matter but I am sure I am in the right there is no ifs and ands in my case Well it may be so but were it not better that you did doubt A wise man feareth saith Solomon and departeth from evil but a fool rageth and is confident and the difference between a Learned man and a Novice is this that the yong fellow crieth out I am sure it is so the better learned answers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possibly it may and peradventure it is so but I pray enquire and he is the best Diviner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the best Judge that conjectures best not he that is most confident for as Xenophanes said wisely Man does but conjecture but God only knows and it is no disparagement to a wise man to learn and by suspecting the fallibility of things and his own aptness to mistake to walk prudently and safely with an eye to God and an eare open to his Superior Some men are drunk with fancy and mad with Opinion Who believe more strongly then boyes and women who are so hard to be perswaded as fools and who so readily suspect their teachers as they who are govern'd by chance and know not the intrinsick measures of good and evil Qui pauca considerat de facili pronunciat it is a little learning and not enough that makes men conclude hastily and clap fast hold on the Conclusion before they have well weighed the Premisses but Experience and Humility would teach us Modesty and Fear 3. In all disputes he that obeys his Superior can never be a Heretick in the estimate of Law and he can never be a Schismatick in the point of Conscience so that he certainly avoids one great death and very probably the other Res judicata pro
the sinner Let the business of your Sermons be to preach holy Life Obedience Peace Love among neighbours hearty love to live as the old Christians did and the new should to do hurt to no man to do good to every man For in these things the honour of God consists and the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Press those Grâ—ces most that do most good and make the least noise such as giving privately and forgiving publickly and prescribe the grace of Charity by all the measures of it which are given by the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. For this grace is not finished by good words nor yet by good works but it is a great building and many materials go to the structure of it It is worth your study for it is the fulfilling of the Commandements Because it is impossible that Charity should live unless the lust of the tongue be mortified let every Minister in his charge be frequent and severe against slanderers detractors and backbiters for the Crime of backbiting is the poyson of Charity and yet so common that it is pass'd into a Proverb After a good dinner let us sit down and backbite our neighbours Let every Minister be careful to observe and vehement in reproving those faults of his Parishioners of which the Lawes cannot or do not take cognizance such as are many degrees of intemperate drinkings gluttony riotous living expences above their ability pride bragging lying in ordinary conversation covetousness peevishness and hasty anger and such like For the Word of God searches deeper then the Laws of men and many things will be hard to prove by the measures of Courts which are easie enough to be observed by the watchful and diligent eye and ear of the Guide of Souls In your Sermons to the people often speak of the four last things of Death and Judgement Heaven and Hell of the Life and Death of Jesus Christ of Gods Mercy to repenting sinners and his Severity against the impenitent of the formable Examples of Gods anger pour'd forth upon Rebels Sacrilegious oppressors of Widows and Orphanes and all persons guilty of crying Sins These are useful safe and profitable but never run into Extravagancies and Curiosities nor trouble your selves or them with mysterious Secrets for there is more laid before you than you can understand and the whole duty of man is To fear God and keep his commandements Speak but very little of the secret and high things of God but as much as you can of the lowness and humility of Christ. Be not hasty in pronouncing damnation against any man or party in a matter of disputation It is enough that you reprove an Errour but what shall be the sentence against it at the day of Judgement thou knowest not and therefore pray for the erring person and reprove him but leave the sentence to his Judge Let your Sermons teach the duty of all states of men to whom you speak and particularly take care of Servants and Hirelings Merchants and Tradesmen that they be not unskilful nor unadmonished in their respective duties and in all things speak usefully and affectionately for by this means you will provide for all mens needs both for them that sin by reason of their little understanding and them that sin because they have evil dull or depraved affections In your Sermons and Discourses of Religion use primitive known and accustomed words and affect not new Phantastical or Schismatical terms Let the Sunday Festival be called the Lords day and pretend no fears from the common use of words amongst Christians For they that make a business of the worâ—s of common use and reform Religion by introducing a new word intend to make a change but no amendment they spend themselves in trifles like the barren turf that sends forth no medicinable herbs but store of Mushromes and they give a demonstration that they are either impertinent people or else of a querulous nature and that they are ready to disturb the Church if they could find occasion Let every Minister in his charge as much as he can endeavour to destroy all popular errors and evil principles taken up by his people or others with whom they converse especially those that directly oppose the indispensable necessity of a holy life let him endeavour to understand in what true and useful sense Christs active obedience is imputed to us let him make his people fear the deferring of their Repentance and putting it off to their death-bed let him explicate the nature of Faith so that it be an active and quickning principle of Charity let him as much as he may take from them all confidencies that slacken their obedience and diligence let him teach them to impute all their sins to their own follies and evil choice and so build them up in a most holy faith to a holy life ever remembring that in all ages it hath been the greatest artifice of Satan to hinder the increase of Christs Kingdome by destroying those things in which it does consist viz. Peace and Righteousness Holiness and Mortification Every Minister ought to be careful that he never expound Scriptures in publick contrary to the known sense of the Catholick Church and particularly of the Churches of England and Ireland nor introduce any Doctrine against any of the four first General Councils for these as they are measures of truth so also of necessity that is as they are safe so they are sufficient and besides what is taught by these no matter of belief is necessary to salvation Let no Preacher bring before the people in his Sermons or Discourses the Arguments of great and dangerous Heresies though with a purpose to confute them for they will much easier retain the Objection than understand the Answer Let not the Preacher make an Article of Faith to be a matter of dispute but teach it with plainness and simplicity and confirm it with easie arguments and plain words of Scripture but without objection let them be taught to believe but not to argue lest if the arguments meet with a scrupulous person it rather shake the foundation by curious inquiry than establish it by arguments too hard Let the Preacher be careful that in his Sermons he use no light immodest or ridiculous expressions but what is wise grave usefull and for edification that when the Preacher brings truth and gravity the people may attend with fear and reverence Let no Preacher envy any man that hath a greater audience or more fame in Preaching than himself let him not detract from him or lessen his reputation directly or indirectly for he that cannot be even with his brother but by pulling him down is but a dwarf still and no man is the better for making his brother worse In all things desire that Christ's Kingdom may be advanc'd and rejoice that he is served whoever be the Minister that if you cannot have the fame of a great Preacher yet you may have the reward of being a good man but it