gratificentur Musc great reward Now to love God for himselfe and the Law of God for it felf and holiness for holiness sake because it is the image of God and resembles him this is a good sign indeed that the heart is sincere with God But to profess religion for selfe and sinister ends hopeing to make a good Market to themselves by ingratiating themselves with some Professors for advantage sake this is a very bad Sign and comes farr short of a heart right with God * Qui Deum ideo colit ut aliud magis quam ipsum assequatur non Deum colit sed illud colit quod concupiseit August So the Sichemites Embraced circumcision upon a Politick design to compass to themselves all the Estate of the Israelites Gen. 34. 25. * Si vere hoc dicunt tyranâ—ide baud dubie per vim cum illis agere specie foederis statueruÌ„t quod vellent vi eorum bonae accipere Ita cum dolose cum illis agerent juste sunt puâ—itiÌ„ alioqui praeter stuprum illataus Merc. Shall not their Cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours only leâ— us consent unto them and they will dwell with us But that Politick and self-ended proposall did not prosper with the Sichemites for we read immediatly after of their utter destruction No more will any men thrive in the close of all who seek their own ends and design onely self-Interests The People followed Christ for the loaves and many like the Persians worship the rising Sun and seek only their own private ends and some have two faces under one hood and some imitate Water men rowing upon the Thames who look one way and row another The Apostles Censure is verified of multitudes For all seek their Phil. 221. own not the things which are Jesus Christs But such mens hearts are not upright with God Sect. 2 Ad hereunto wherever true holiness is seated in the heart it becomes exceeding fruitfull in the life and appears so by those good fruits visible in a holy conversation Not bare leaves and formal professions will serve the turn but there are required good actions Christ must not only be in the tongue to speak good of his name which is our duty but he must be formed in us and our hearts must be ravished with love to him and Love must constrain us to yeeld ready cheerfull obedience to him Not only a form but the power of godliness must exert and evidence it self in a Sanctified conversation The Apostle cautions us against such who content themselves with a bare outside-form of godlyness 2. Tim. 3. 5. and deny the power thereof Having a form of godliness but deny the power thereof from such turn away There must not be only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a formall profession But there must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transforming Rom 12. 2. We must be transsormed by the renewing of our minds Questionless where the heart is sincere towards God there profession and practice concur in a sweet harmony and where the profession is in sinceâ—â—ty a holy life gives abundant Testimony thereunto For we must adorn the Doctrine of God as the Apostle Tit. 2. 10. speaks and then we adorn the Doctrine of God when we evidence the sincerity of our profession by the holiness of our lives and conversations For wherever holiness is in sincerity and in truth it is very diffusive and discovers it selfe in its vast extent and latitude It consists not only in verbal professions but in real actions nor is confined to one or to two acts nor to a few particulars but it is in the Habit and extends it selfe to all manner of Conversation as the Apostle 1 Per. 1. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Per sequutione premite Summe studio enitimiai exhorts But as he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation We must with all diligence pursue holyness for so the Original imports It is used of Hunters and Hounds who follow the game and take great pains in the pursuit thereof Peace and Holyness are conjoyn'd by the Apostle Follow peace with all men and holyness without which no man shall see the Lord. Holy persons and they only shall be made partakers of the blessed Vision And they are thus distinguished from hypocrites by our Saviour Blessed are Matth. 5. 8. the pure in heart for they shall see God They are said to be pure in opposition to Deum jam videâ—t lumine gloriae quae esâ— summa hominis Beatitudo Spanhem all manner of impurity and profaneness and pure in heart in opposition to all manner of hypocrisie Whoever then hath hope to be made like unto God in happiness in the highest Heaven must be first made like unto God in holiness here on Earth For holyness and happiness differr not substantially but gradually For Holiness is happiness inchoate in this World and happiness is holiness perfected and consummated in the World to come Let us take a narrow View View of the Words of the Apostle Behold now are we the Sons of God and it 1 Joh. 3. 2. doth not yet appear what we shall be But Non sanctitate tantum sed aeternitate beatitudine ac sic multo magis filii ejas quam nunc Grot. we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Now for the right Interpretation of those words we must interpose this Caution by way of Distinction There is sicut similitudinis to be understood non sicut proportionis In variety of places in Holy Scripture we are commanded Lev. 11. 44. Lev. 19. 2. Lev. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 16. to be holy as God is holy yet we must know and acknowledge that it 's altogether impossible for us poor finite Creatures to attain to that equality of holiness which is in God However it is our obliged duty to endeavour according to our utmost ability after a similitude and conformity to God Similitudes are in the Predicament of Quality and according to Quality we are said to be like or unlike But similitudes are not in the Predicament of Quantity for it 's altogether impossible for any Creature to be equal and hold any proportions of holiness with the Infinite and Everlasting Creator But what 's the Grand Duty incumbent on all those who hope to be partakers of the blessed Vision The Apostle makes mention 1 Ioh. 3. 3. And every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Both outward and inward purity holiness of Heart as well as Holiness of life are essentially requisite to a good Christian Both Hands and Hearts as St. James commands must be cleansed and I am 4. 8. purifyed * Vâ—clean persons can have no commerce with God If you would have
may behold the Sun of Righteousness and be approved of by Almighty God Another word to be opened in that Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui inoffenso cursu pergit Qui non possit offendi qui nusquam offendat inoffensive in the Original it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. We should so look to our steps as that we may not stumble and we should walk so prudently as we may neither give nor take offence This inoffensive walking the Apostle injoyns in the extent and latitude of it 1 Cor. 10. 32. Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God The same Apostle gives in special charge to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 1. We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain And how must they evidence their not receiving the grace of God in vain He adds verse 3. Giving no offence in any thing that the Gospel be not blamed All Ministers in an equal manner ought to keep up the honour of their Ministry by a faithful and diligent discharge of their duty and by the holiness of their lives and conversations Many foul-mouth'd rash Censurers are so ignorant as not to distinguish between the Ministers and Ministry and therefore blame the whole Ministry for the default of some particular Ministers Wherefore Ministers and People especially such as are Professors of Religion must labour to walk so unblamably as they may what in them lies preserve the Reputation and Honour of the Gospel-Ministry Inoffensive and circumspect walking is the wisest walking See saith the Apostle Ephes 5. 15. how circumspectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you walk Not only the matter but the manner is required and this precise walking is the wisest walking Not as fools but as wise They who walk in dissolute courses and live without God in the World they are the fools and so will be found to be another day And an especial effect of circumspect wise walking consists in redeeming of time Redeeming the time because the daies are evil Ephes 5. 10. He then whose heart is without guile evidenceth it so to be in the integrity of his life and conversation as a good tree is known by the good fruits which it bears And this upright walking is the only sure and safe walking but the contrary thereof is alwaies accompanied with variety of dangers and mischiefs As Solomon saith Prov. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly walketh surely but he that perverteth his waies shall be known CHAP. XI Of Mortification of the Deeds of the Body THe eleventh Character of a sincere Charact. 11. Mortifiation of the Deeds of the Body Sect. 1. Heart is Mortification of the Deeds of the Body i. e. all manner of Lusts and the evil fruits of corrupt nature Carnal lusts and all the works of the flesh must be mortified And that we may the better know what they are the Apostle gives us a large Catalogue of the works of the flesh Gal. 5. 19 20 21. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkenness and such like Our duty is to confer the strength of our best endeavours to set upon the practice of mortification of all those fore-mentioned and not of those only but of all other sins For not only one particular member not only one particular act not only one particular affection or faculty must be mortified but the habit nature and constitution even the whole body of sin must be mortified Every sin must have a mortifying blow and not only be left half dead but dead altogether I have heard an observation made of two eminently Learned and Dr. Job Reynolds and Dr. Guil. is bitaker Valiant Champions of the Truth that one of them fought so long with his Adversary that he conquer'd and slew him in his Disputations the other did not only slay his Adversary but buried him Thus must we deal with every sin our endeavour must be to destroy all our sins utterly to kill and bury them that so they may never rise against us in this World to our shame nor in the World to come to our condemnation Where-ever we find the cursed fruits of sin we must utterly destroy them neither must sin only be destroyed in the fruits but in the roots also both root and branch must be pluckt up When the plague of Leprosie was spread in any house God gave a special command That the Priest should break down the house and the Levit. 14. 45. stones of it and the timber thereof and all the morter of the house Sin is a spiritual infectious Leprosie and wherever it is it ought to be rooted out The morter of a Leprous house may not be made use of for daubing of any house no more may any sin be mingled in the worship of God We read of the barbarous cruelty of Pilate Luke 13. 1. who mingled the bloud of the Galileans with their sacrifices But it 's most just for God to reject all our services and destroy us when we mingle our sins vain fancies and sinful inventions with the purity of his worship Nadab and Abihu are standing examples and warning-pieces against offering strange fire unto the Lord. And that is strange fire which is after our will-worship and devised by our own brains and not according to divine Institution We have the History upon record Lev. 10. 1. And Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron took either of them his censer and put fire therein and put incense thereon and offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord. We may not offer to God the lame and the blind And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil and if ye offer the lame and sick is it not evil offer it now unto thy Governor will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person Mal. 1. 8. saith the Lord of hosts As for all those who put such a high affront and indignity upon God as to offer the refuse and worst of their services as if they thought any good enough for him they incur that dreadful curse Mal. 1. 14. But cursed be the deceiver who hath in his flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts and my Name is dreadful amongst the Heathen If then we would offer any acceptable sacrifice unto God we must mortifie our sins and corruptions and offer unto God the best of our services the male in the flock and the best male Sect. 2 Although the Lord commanded the sacrifice of Bullocks and Rams c. yet he rejected the sacrifices of the Jews and had no respect to their
strength in our weakness and raise up our spirits and make us couragious that we shall not be afraid of Death the King of terrors which though it be terrible in it self and as the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of all terrible things yet through the mediation of Jesus Christ Death is a conquer'd Enemy Christ hath conquer'd Death and took away its sting That which makes Death so terrible is the sting of sin but when the sting is took away Death can no more hurt us than a Snake that hath lost its sting or an Adder that hath its teeth knockt out The Apostle cries out 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ What is Death to a Child of God reconciled to him by the 〈…〉 hrist It 's no more as a dâ—ing Saint exprest then a Child of God can embrace with both his arms And he closing his arms together died immediately To a Child of God Death is the greatest preferment by Death he is translated from a vale of tears and misery to everlasting happiness It 's like 〈◊〉 Gaol-delivery which delivers the Soul from the Bodies imprisonment and sets it at liberty to enjoy the happiness amongst Saints in glory VVhat 's then the grand duty incumbent on us all It is thus If we would desire to die happily we must live holily if we would die the death of thâ—â—ghteous we must labour to live the life of the righteous we should so live every day as we desire to be sound at the last day And if we desire comfort in our death we must make daily preparation by approving our hearts to God in a holy and circumspect life and conversation It is a very great mercy and condescension in God to accept Evangelical instead of Legal perfection and to accept of a willing mind instead of real performances For we read Heb. 11. 17. that by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac And likewise the Apostle saith If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not When then we come to die to consider that our hearts are sincere with God and that our peace is made with him by the redemption and intercession of Christ and that all our sins are washt away and we are made white in the Bloud of the Lamb these Meditations will comfort us in Life and in Death Sect. 3 Let 's add hereunto for incouragement and comfort to the living the dying Speeches of many eminent Saints who upon their Death-beds breath'd forth snch savoury Speeches which ought to be had in everlasting remembrance I shall gather sparingly from so great a heap and only select some choice Instances which deserve a special remark to be set upon them Old Simeon's Song was sweet before his Funeral saying Luke 2. 29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Stephen the Protomartyr breath'd forth this dying Prayer Acts 7. 59. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Ignatius who liv'd in the sirst Century 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Ignat. epist ad Rom. who was as the Ecclesiastical Writers say twelve years of age when Christ was crucified and afterward St. John's Auditor used frequently to say My Love is crucified And when he was brought to Martyrdom and the wild Beasts were let loose to tear him in pieces he couragiously said I am the Wheat or Grain to be ground with the teeth of Beasts that I may be pure Bread for my Masters tooth Let fire rack pullies yea and all the torments of Hell come on me so I may win Christ Polycarpus when the Proconsul urged him to deny Christ answered I have served Christ Eighty six years and he hath not done me hurt and shall I now deny him When they would have tied him to the Stake to be burned he desired to stand untied saying Let me alone I pray you for he that gave me strength to come to this fire will also give me patience to abide in the same without your tying Cyprian that eminent Martyr for the truth after his condemnation said Blessed be God for this Gaol-delivery Ambrose on his Death bed said to his Friends about him I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live any longer nor fear I death because I have a good Lord. Some young men seeing the excellent death of St. Ambrose and hearing what rare speeches he uttered one of those young men turned to his fellow and said Oh! that I might live with you and die with him John Lambert a Martyr in Queen Mary's daies said amidst the flame None but Christ none but Christ Mr. Bradford at the Stake in Smithfield embraced the Reeds and Fagots which were suddenly to be set on fire to burn him and said Strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it And he encouraged his fellow-Martyr saying Be of good comfort Brother for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord this night If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back or in fiery Chariots this is it Martin Luther that great scourge of the Pope and Champion sor the Protestant Religion on his Death-bed said Thee O Christ have I taught thee have I trusted thee have I loved into thy hands I commend my spirit Bucer an eminent Reformer said neâ—â— his death No man by talk shall with draw my mind from Christ crucified from Heaven and my speedy Depaâ—ture on which my Soul is fixed Wheâ— one advised him to arm himself againâ— Saâ—ans temptations he answered Satan hath nothing to do with me Goâ— forbid but that now my Soul shoulâ— be sure of sweet consolation John Ardley a Martyr in Queen Mary'â— daiâ—s said If every hair of my heaâ— were a man it should suffer death iâ— the faith I now stand in To the samâ— purpose William Sparrow spake and Agâ—nes Stanley Alice Driver when the Chain was about her Neck Here is saith she â— goodly Neckerchief blessed be Goâ— for it John Noyes a Martyr kissing the Stake sain Blessed be God that ever I waâ— born for this day And he added farther to his fellow Martyrs a word of singular consolation saying We shal not lose our lives in this fire buâ— change them for a better and foâ— Coals have Pâ—arls c. What need I produce any more Instances with what joy have many sincere hearted Christians lookt death in the face so that they had rather die than live Melancthon rejoyced when he was to die saying That he should be with Christ and enjoy fellowship with him and the Church triumphant and then be freed from all those hot disputes and contentions