performed by the united companies of the people of God on that day of rest 7 The Psalmist urgeth to the practise of those duties from the consideration mainly of Gods work of Creation v. 4 5 6 7. Which is the reason given for the institution of a Sabbath To the commemoration whereof the Lords day fitly serveth as being a seventh day as well as to the celebration of the work of Redemption being the Resurrection day the first day of the week 8 The Apostle presseth the Hebrews to the observation of this rest from two special arguments which may seem clearly to relate to the work of the Sabbath 1. Because it would be a special means to prevent Apostasy Heb. 4.11 Lest any man fall And what duty is likely to be more effectual to that end than a conscientious sanctification of the Lords day 2. From the mighty influence and efficacy of the word of God upon mens hearts v. 12. q. d. Be very diligent and heedful to keep this day of rest and to wait upon God in his ordinances and to give attendance upon his word for it is not in vain so to do His word will cleanse your hearts and consciences from dead works for it is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword I might add 3. From the consideration of the omniscience and heart seurching power of God with whom our business lieth in all religious exercises especially See v. 13. But I must forbear Pardon this larg digression or out-leap which yet will not be unuseful if it may but serve to provoke some others of greater abilâ—ties to make a more diligent search into the Scope and drift of this Scripture I will study brevity in that which doth remain 3. To preserve you from infection by the example of the multitude as to the neglect of the Sabbath Be often meditating upon the manifold advantages that will arise from a conscientious sanctification thereof and the blessings entailed thereupon This is the way to attain the most intimate acquaintance with God and to get tasts of the sweetness of the way of holiness There are many persons who complain of a strict course of religion as a tedious and burdensom way Behold what a weariness it is unto their spirits and they never found that sweetness and that spiritual joy and refreshment which believers are wont to speak of Probably the reason may be for want of diligence and faithfulness in sanctification of the Sabbath for thereunto is the promise of divine consolations annexed Finally it hath assurance of the mercies of this life and of that which is to come Be much in studying that pregnant text Isa 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own wayes nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This is the second thing to be noted as to the time of religion 3. The generality of people will cry unto God and seem tobe much displeased with their sins only in the time of sickness and adversity when the hand of God is upon them and his rod upon their backs But in the dayes of their health and prosperity they forget the Lord and perhaps entertain not so much as a serious thought of him from one end of the day to the other This the Prophet notes as a common evil Isa 26.10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. But let him be reduced into straits and exigencies and bound with fetrers of affliction on the bed of sorrowes then he will at least seemingly lament and mourn and be earnest in seeking unto God For so it followeth v. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them This was the temper of the Israelites of old and the multitude take the like course Psal 78.34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God And they remembred that God was their rock and the high God their Redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and lied unto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant My brethren you must not herein follow the track of the multitude Labour as to improve afflictions so to spiritualize all your comforts and to serve the Lord with the best of your strength and abilities Do not put him off with your sick-bed devotions and some flittering promises of obedience when you are in distress but manifest the sincerity of your hearts by dedicating your most prosperous dayes and enjoyments unto his glory That is the sure way to lay up in store a good foundation of support and comfort against the day of trouble Else what cause will there be to suspect that your affliction-eries are but the howling of hypocrites Hos 7.14 How can you with such confidence address your selves to the Lord for succour in the day of tribulation and adversity if you forget him in the time of your prosperity and peace May not you justly fear least he should laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh least he should refuse to answer any of your requests in mercy least he should put you off to the world which you served and to the lusts which you satisfied to fetch your comfort from thence when you are surrounded with sorrows And they would be sure to prove very miserable comforters Instead of asswaging your grief they would increase your anguish and bring further horrour and perplexity into your spirits So he threatned thaâ— sinful people Jer. 2.27 28. They say unto a stock thou art my father and to a stone thou hast brought me forth for they have turned their back unto me and not the face But in the time of their trouble they will say arise and save us But where are thy Gods which thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble q. d. You would have none of me for your master when the Sun of prosperity shone upon your tabernacles and now you are reduced into straits and extremities I will have nothing to do with you except it be in a way of wrath and judgment My brethren if you be guilty of the like impiety how justly may you fear the same dreadful dismission Often read and study that awakening scripture Deut. 28.45 46 47 48. Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee
maketh over himself unto you That you do not walk as others walk a Cor. 6.17 18. Wherefore come out from amongst them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you And I will be a father to you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty That is the second argument for demonstration of the doctrine 3. A third reason that may be pressed against following a multitude in evil is taken from the duties that are incumbent on us in relation unto them when they sin against the Lord and do that which is displeasing in his sight There are such duties required at our hands as are not only inconsistent with confederating with them and walking after their example but diametrally opposite and contrary thereunto as light is to darkness I might insist upon many but shall content my self to instance in these four only 1. It is our duty to pity them and mourn over them and to take up a lamentation on their account To make it the grief of our spirits to see the name of God dishonoured and his statutes contemned and the bloud of the Lord jesus despised and poor souls running headlong to destruction This hath been the carriage of the Saints of God in times of corruption and wickedness Psal 119.136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law As David was humbled for his own transgressions so it was an heart-breaking to him to see others transgress And see how the prophet Jeremy was affected with the sin and misery of the disobedient Jer. 13.17 But if not will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lords flock is carried away captive Now these compassionate workings and godly sorrow are a frame of spirit at a great distance from complyance with the ungodly And this is one particular that will render us conformable unto our Lord and master As he loved his own unto the end with an insuperable everlasting and unparallell'd love so his bowels were moved with pity and compassion towards his very enemies that set against him because of their folly and the wretched estate into which they had plunged themselves Luk. 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Mark the speech of Christ here how it is made up of a kind of abrupt expressions as proceeding from a spirit full of affection and tenderness and seeking as it were to ease it self in a passionate lamentation If thou hadst known q.d. Alas poor Jerusalem thy desolation is approaching because thou hadst not known the things that belong unto thy peace Well had it been for thee if thou hadst but known them Would to God thou hadst been so wise as to have taken them into thy knowledg and consideration that so thy calamities might have been averted and prevented O what a grief is it to my heart that thou bost not known them So that here is our duty if God hath cast our lot amongst many wicked that commit abominations in his sight we should be so far from joyning in a combination with them that it should stir up an holy mourning in our souls to see them trampling upon the word of God and lightly esteeming the rock of our salvation And these are the persons whom in times of publick judgments the Lord is pleased to set a mark upon namely such as do not only cry out of their own sins but are filled with sorrow for the abominations of the multitude See it in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 9.4 And the Lord said unto him Go thorow the midst of the City thorow the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Set a mark upon them i. e. a mark of special and gracious observation here are the people that are beloved of the Lord unto such as these he will have respect and secondly a mark for sure deliverance and preservation when others fall at their right hand and at their left the evil determined shall not come near unto them as it is v. 6. Come not near any man upon whom is the mark You know the Angel could do nothing as to the overthrowing of Sodom till Lot was secured What was he above other men See 2 Pet. 2.7 8. And he delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked For that righteous man dwelling amongst them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds 2. When others sin it is our duty to reprove them as we have occasion and opportunity and that plainly and faithfully with christian prudence and discretion And this is utterly inconsistent with following their example * Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum For thou art altogether inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest them that do evil and doest the same for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self He that would do good by reproving another must be sure to look warily to himself that he be not involved in the same guilt lest his words recoyle into his own face and be retorted unto his own shame and confusion That is an excellent saying of the vulgar latine and the original text will well bear the translation * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 18.17 Justus primus est accusator sui venit amicus ejus investigabit eum A just man before he meddle in the reproof of others will diligently search his own Soul and see to the cleansing and reforming of his wayes So that the duty of reproving the ungodly doth suppose we ought to keep free from the taint of their ungodliness This is the Apostle Paul's way of argumentation Eph. 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them 3. Our duty in relation unto sinners is what in us lieth to convert them and win them over to the truth To endeavour that of ignorant they may become verst in the wayes of God and of wicked and sinful they may become serious and holy and of enemies of religion they may be sure friends and assertours of it And this is far from imitation of them For if you comply with them in sin that will harden them exceedingly and make them more bold and venturous and obstinate in their evil wayes They will argue after this sort well may we take this course for such professours of religion joyn with us and such as are accounted godly are men of our confederacy It is charged upon the prophets of Jerusalem that they committed adultery and walked in lies and
whence we may conclude that these words of our Saviour are meant not of the Jewish but of the Christian sabbath wherein his own people were concerned Indeed sometimes we meet in the Acts of the Apostles with mention made of the seventh day sabbath The Apostles taking the advantage of that day to preach to the Jews in their Synagogues but we never find it mentioned after that meeting at Troas Act. 20.7 So that long before the time of their flight they wholly withdrew from the Jewes and kept their assemblies separated by themselves on the Lords day 3 It was an ordinary thing with our Saviour before his death and passion to instruct his disciples in many divine truths which they did not rightly understand till after his resurrection or ascension When the Holy Ghost was sent to that end to bring his words to their remembrance and to teach them the right meaning of the same See Jo. 2.20 21 22. Jo. 12.16 Luk. 9.44 45. Luk. 24.44 45 46. Act. 11.15 16. This if well observed will take off the force of their objection who plead that Christs words must needs be meant of the Jewish Sabbath because say they his disciples undoubtedly so understood them This I acknowledg as probable that they took his speech as meant of the Jewish when yet our Saviour intended it of the Christian Sabbath It being usual with him to deliver many things unto them which they did not rightly understand till he was risen from the dead Probably this very business of the alteration of the Sabbath was one of the things which he had to say unto them but they could not then bear them Jo. 16.12 And one of those many things touching the kingdom of God which he taught them between his resurrection and ascension Acts 1.3 See the words of Bishop Andrews concerning this text in his Pattern of Catechistical doctrine upon the fourth commandment All ceremonies were ended in Christ but so was not the Sabbath for Mat. 24.20 Christ bids his disciples pray that their visitation be not on the Sabbath day So that there must needs be a Sabbath after Christs death Mr. Fennor in his treatise called the Spiritual mans Directory bringeth this in as a special argument for a Sabbath now in the dayes of the Gospel because as he expresseth it Christ speaking of those dayes when all the ceremonial law was dead and buried sheweth the Sabbath to stand still quoting for it this text Take the concurrent testimony of A. B. Usher Our Saviour Christ willing his followers that should live about 40. years after his ascension to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day to the end they might not be hindred in the service of God doth thereby sufficiently declare that he held not this commandment in the account of a ceremony And lastly which may abundantly shew that it is not any novel interpretation Mr. Palmer and Mr. Cawdrey give this paraphrase upon the words As if Christ said unto his disciples the Jews have charged me as a breaker of the Sabbath but whatever disputes and reasonings you have heard betwixt me and them concerning that subject I would not have you to think that I am an enemy to the Sabbath or that I mean to put an end to that commandment For I tell you there shall still remain a Sabbath day to be observed to God for his worship In token whereof I admonish you to pray that your flight be not on that day The Second text I would touch upon is that prophecy of the Psalmist concerning the resurrection of Christ Psal 118.22 23 24. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner This is the Lords doing it is marvellous in our eyes This is the day which the Lord hath made We will rejoyce and be glad in it From which words as I remember I have met with this close and formal argument The day wherein the stone which the builders refused became the head stone of the corner that is the day which in the times of the gospel the Lord hath made i. e. which he hath appointed and set apart solemnly to be observed in religious duties one of which special evangelical duties viz. praise and thanksgiving joy and gladness in the Lord is instanced in But the first day of the week or the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is that day wherein the stone which the builders refused became the head stone of the corner Therefore the first day of the week or the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the day which in the times of the Gospel the Lord hath made i. e. which he hath consecrated and set apart for the solemn attendance upon religious duties The major proposition lieth fair and clear in the text And the minor is bottomed upon the Apostle Peters comment upon the text which comment he * Acts 4.10 11. made by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost who speaketh of this Scripture as meant of the day of our Saviours resurrection from the dead I leave therefore the conclusion to be considered Wherein I have learned Dr. Ames his concurrent apprehensions Neque facile rejiciendum est quod ab antiquis quibusdam urgetur pro die Dominicâ ex Psal 118.24 Haec est dies quam fecit Jehova Eo enim loco agitur de resurrectione Christi Christo ipso interprete Mat. 21.41 The last Scripture I will name on this account is that of the Apostle to the Hebrews cap. 4.9 10. There remaineth therefore the keeping of a Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the people of God for he that is entered into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his own As if the Apostle had said will you fall off from attendance upon gospel ordinances and question the celebration of the Christian Sabbath that you may return to Judaism again Why let me tell you the Lords-day-sabbath which now remaineth when the other is abolished is of Gods own appointment and institution David prophecied concerning it for this is the day of rest which he spake of in the 95. Psalm And besides it is bottomed on a very equitable foundation For as when God had ended the work of creation which was peculiarly his work he ordained the seventh day Sabbath in commemoration thereof So hath Christ the mediatour finished the work of redemption and is entred into his rest as God entered into his and therefore hath appointed the Christian Sabbath for celebration of the work of mans redemption I must not dwell upon all the particulars that might be insisted for the clearing and vindication of this sense of the words from the manifold exceptions that are likely to be made against it Only let these few things be seriously weighed 1 That the Hebrews unto whom the Apostle writes this Epistle and with whom he dealeth in this place were declining apace from gospel administrations and ready to embrace again
into the bond of the Covenant of reconciliation with him and that shall everlastingly dwell in his presence Which you cannot do if you follow the multitude for the children of God are a selected company such as are called and pickt out from the multitude that they may drive on other designs and take a way by themselves Although believers are in the world yet they are not of the world but a spiritual body gathered out of the world Joh. 17.16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world Psal 14.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself How are such set apart for the enjoyment of God Why as in the designation and fore-appointment of the Father before time so he doth set them apart in time by the grace of conversion whereby they are plucked out from amongst the generality who are still suffered to walk in their own wayes This is an argument of great strength and efficacy if rightly managed and improved And therefore give me leave to open it more distinctly in three Conclusions 1. It concerns us as we tender our own spiritual comfort and welfare not only to resign and give up our selves to be the Lords but also to make it manifest and evident that we are the Lords not only to become unfeignedly the servants of God but to clear it up to our hearts that we are indeed his servants and that he hath made with us an everlasting Covenant For herein lies the sweetness of Religion and that which will put life and comfort into every condition and providence when we can assure our hearts that through grace we are beloved of the Lord. Then a person may eat his bread with joy and drink his wine with a merry heart he may partake of all his enjoyments wiht delight and pass through every estate without any perplexity or trouble when he knoweth that God hath accepted him Eccl. 9.7 And moreover the joy arising from this knowledge will wonderfully enlarge the heart and minister strength to the spirit in running the steps of Gods commandments The love of God when it is thus shed abroad into our souls will constrain us to love him again and to put forth our utmost vigour and might in keeping his statutes And therefore we are so earnestly called upon To make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And to examine our selves whether we are in the faith 2 Cor. 13.5 2. The sure way to make it evident without danger of being deceived that we are the Lords and that he is our father is by a serious reflecting upon our carriage towards him and diligently observing the tenour of our conversation before him If you would prove that there is a principle of grace in your hearts it must be by the exercise of grace in bringing forth fruits of holiness in your lives 'T is by our conversations Christ will judge us hereafter and therefore according to the tenour thereof we must pass sentence upon our selves here That is they way to prevent self-deception and to put it out of question that the root of the matter is in us Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and then he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another And v. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap 3. To bring the matter home to our purpose you must observe That if your conversation be moulded according to the example of the multitude and if you walk no otherwise than the generality walk it will never conduce to this end nor be effectual to evidence that you are of the number of Gods children Common practises will not be evidential of special grace It is a singularly righteous and holy conversation that must prove you to be partakers of a saving conversion If you will make it appear that you are chosen out of the world you must not be conformed unto the world For the children of God are a chosen generation a royal priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 And therefore take notice by the way that such a conversation as is evidential of saving grace in the heart and consequentially of the persons being translated into the state of grace must have these three poperties It must be 1. A spiritual 2. An uniform 3. A singular Conversation 1. It must be a spiritual conversation or obedience When a man doth the commandments of God from the heart and with the soul and spirit out of an awful regard that is within him to the majesty of God and a conscientious respect unto the law of the Lord. External duties may be performed by an hypocrite and are no certain caracters of a sanctified heart But they are born of God who do ingage their very spirits to approach unto him When a person doth serve the Lord because he loveth him and doth obey his voice because be delighteth in it when he doth act righteously in his life and his heart goeth along with him in his actions Here is the note of an Israelite indeed It was this comforted Hezekiah Issa 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight 2. It must be a setled and uniform conversation when holiness is a clew of thread that runs through the whole of a mans course and doth interest it self in his constant and continued practise It is not a fit of affection or some obedience tendered upon occasion when the sinner is in a good mood that will prove him to be a regenerate person But when he doth wholly dedicate himself and his time unto the service of God and bringeâ—h all other affairs and concernments into a subordination thereunto As it is not every particular act of sin that will denominate the party offending to be an impenitent sinner except he make it his way and course wherein he walketh So it is not every particular act of righteousness that will bespeak the person performing it a righteous person except holiness be the high way where in he walketh and he take it along with him into all conditions and companies into all his concernments and undertakings Psal 106. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times And Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God For he walked with God three hundred years i. e. He was in the fear of the Lord all his life time Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.22 3. It must be a special or singular conversation such as is differenced from that of the generality of people If you walk as they do you will prove your selves to be such as they are How shall it appear that you are a peculiar people unless your demeanour be answerable i.e. a peculiar demeanour It is upon this condition that God doth accept of you as his and
belief may not rest upon the bare opinions of men but upon the mouth of the Lord. That you may be able to say not only I acknowledg these doctrines to be divine and practise this and the other duty because men have perswaded me But because I find them contained in the Law of the Lord and that they are agreeable to his mind and will and that herein by the ministry I have been instructed in that which God himself hath revealed and prescribed who is a God of truth and faithfulness upon whose living word I bottome my trust and confidence Thus did the noble Beraeans and therefore many of them were converted and savingly wrought upon They did not take matters upon trust no not from Paul and Silas but they would see whether they taught them faithfully what they received from above And mark the note of excellency or asterisk that is set by the Holy Ghost upon their heads and the blessed issue of their enquiry Acts 17.11 12. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them believed Do not think it enough to receive information of truth but examine whether they are indeed of heavenly extraction Search the Scriptures Jo. 5.39 They are appointed of God to be the sure doctrinal foundation whereupon our faith is to be bottomed Eph. 2.20 Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone That I may awaken you to heedfulness in this regard let me beseech you to study throughly these three following considerations 1. If your faith be not bottomed upon a divine testimony even upon the word of the Lord it can amount no higher than an humane faith It cannot be a divine faith which receives mattes wholly upon trust from the dictates of men For Sirs the nature of faith is not diversified by the quality of the principles and truths that are believed but by the grounds whereupon and the reasons why they are believed Then is it an humane faith when built upon humane testimony and then is it divine faith when the testimony is divine whereupon credence is given Else a man may receive spiritual and supernatural truths divine doctrines by a meer common faith an humane faith when he taketh them wholly upon trust from the credit of men If you would see the difference betwixt these two that text is full by way of illustration Jo. 4.39 40 41 42. And many of the Samaritans of that City believed on him for the saying of the woman which testified he told me all that ever I did And many moe believed because of his own word And said unto the woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world See also 1 Thes 2.13 2. If you do not search into the word and bottome your belief thereon you can never be stedfast and setled in the wayes of the Lord nor in any of the truths of religion You will be still in a wavering inconstant condition and in danger to be turned aside from the faith And the reason is apparent because the dictates of men are variable and inconstant One man may press upon you this as a point to be believed and another may possibly instruct you in the contrary as a truth Nay the same persons at different seasons may vent doctrines of a different nature To be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity And therefore if you build your faith upon their opinions you must of necessity be left at great uncertainties But the word of the Lord is fixt and permanent alwayes consonant and agreeable unto it self There you may rest as upon a rock that can never be moved For every word of God is pure Prov. 30.5 The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12.6 Men are subject to mistakes and errours but the word of the Lord will never deceive you that cannot be mistaken 3. Unless you try doctrines by the rule of the scriptures and bottom your faith upon the word of the Lord you do not give glory to God in believing Unless you take it upon his word and receive it as proceeding out of his mouth you do not give unto God the honour of believing the truth If you receive the matters of religion only upon the dictates of men you rob God of his glory and give it unto them For this is a special part of our worship of God and one of the peculiar prerogatives which he doth challeng unto himself that we give up our judgments absolutely unto his guidance and yield perfect credence unto his word Jo. 4.20.21 Our father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Jesus saith unto her Woman believe me c. q. d. You are apt to pin your faith upon the sleeves of your fathers whereas this is one of the glorious Royaltie * Magnus Dei cultus fides Magna in Deum blasphemia incredulitas which appertain unto me who am the Christ to have the absolute command of your faith you must try the doctrines and practises of your fathers and all the opinions of men are to be estimated according to their consonancy unto my word As in performance of duty we should be careful to give unto God the glory of his Sovereign authority which is when we do the work of the Lord because it is commanded to be done by him So in our assent to the truths of the Gospel we should give unto God the glory of his truth and faithfulness which is when we believe what is spoken of the Lord because we know the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it It is said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 He staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God Why Sirs this is the way to give glory to God when we set to our seals to the doctrines of godliness because they proceed from the God of heaven believing the things which are written by the Prophets and Apostles those faithful Amanuenses of the Spirit of God who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Take heed of being corrupted by the example of the multitude in respect of the matter and substance of Religion wherein it is placed and whereunto they confine it For commonly people are wont to be too narrow and short upon this account Q. Wherein do the multitude for the most part place their Religion Ans I shall instance only in sive things 1. The generality of people place the whole of their Religion In the reforming and ordering their lives and actions But they seldom or never think of the necessity of sanctifying their
natures They sometimes consider what they have done but never bethink themselves in what spiritual state they are When their consciences are a little awakened and flie in their faces perhaps they consider for that fit what sins they have committed and make resolutions against them But then they proceed no further They consider not at all how to be at peace with God through the bloud of sprinkling nor whether they are in Covenant with God by the Mediator of the Covenant They mind to reform their lives to still the clamours of conscience but few think they must be partakers of regenerating grace Whereas the Law of God is the rule of our natures as well as of our actions It shews us what manner of persons we should be as to habitual principles as well as what we should do in the right ordering our practises You cannot possibly be soved except you be sanctified So that be not like unto the multitude in this respect But examine your selves whether you be in the faith See whether Jesus Christ be formed in you 2 Cor. 13.5 Be earnest with God to create in you a clean heart and to renew within you a right spirit Psal 51.10 First endeavour to get into Christ that you may then bring forth acceptable fruits of righteousness unto God First get your natures sanctified that you may walk in the wayes of new and evangelical obedience Ezek. 18.31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye dye O house of Israel Consider in reference hereunto three things 1. That the acceptation of a mans actual righteousness and obediential performances doth depend upon his spiritual estate and the sanctification of his nature First God hath respect to the person and then to the duties practised by that person Gen. 4.4 If you remain in the state of nature without the work of regeneration wrought within you though you may do many things for the matter which God hath required yet all you do will be an abomination unto the Lord. For they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 If there be corruptions unmortified in the person they will taint and defile the best performances For as our Saviour saith Mat. 12.33 34. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or else make the tree corrupt and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh 2. The main enquiry of Jesus Christ in the day of accounts will be into the nature and quality of mens spiritual state and condition And he will examine their wayes and conversations as an evidence of their estate So that here is the great matter to be sought after whether you are converted or unconverted whether you are implanted into Christ or belong to the kingdom of the devil Mat. 25.32 33. Before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats And he shall set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left 3. Unless your state be changed and your hearts sanctified and renewed by the holy Ghost you have no interest in the bloud of the Covenant nor can you plead any title to the death of Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant whatsoever reformation be wrought in your lives For it is by the Spirit and faith that persons are united unto Christ and ingraffed into him without which there can be no saving interest in him 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his That 's the first instance as to the matter of Religion 2. The generality of people confine their Religion only to spiritual exercises and immediate worship But they mind it not in their secular affairs and civil negotiations and imployments They think that Religion lieth only in hearing the word of God and praying and receiving Sacraments and the like But when they come to their particular callings and places and the businesses of this world there they conclude they may take their liberty as being things of another nature wherein godliness is not concerned Do not you follow their example in so doing But labour to set the Lord alwayes before you Psal 16.8 and to interest the glory of God in all your undertakings Thus in a measure it will be in the day of conversion Zech. 14.20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses Holiness unto the Lord and the pots in the Lords house shall be like the bowls before the altar Yea every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord of Hosts In that day i. e. When the Spirit is poured out upon the servants of God Chap. 12.9 10. When the people are washed from their guilt in the fountain that is set open for sin and uncleanness Chap. 13.1 Then they will carry themselves in this sort so as to interest Religion in all their concernments To this purpose remember these two or three motives 1. That the word of God in its directive power and influence is very extensive and exceeding broad It reacheth to all the particulars of a mans life and carriage It is not only a rule for guidance in matters of worship but takes in all our affairs in this world within the compass of it Psal 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad How broad is it Why It is of as great a latitude on the one hand as the corruption of nature is on the other which you know brings pollution and defilements into all our wayes and affairs It rides a large circuit it is of the same extent with all the workings of a mans heart It is of equal latitude and comprehensiveness as a mans life upon earth When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee 2. Except you interest God in your secular concernments and manage them in obedience to his will and with a due subordination to his glory How can you comfortably expect his gracious presence with you and his blessing upon your affairs Wherever you would have God to go with you by the influence of his grace you must study to walk with God in the exercise of your graces If you would keep under the verge of his merciful promises you must have a conscientious regard to his divine precepts You cannot look that the Lord should succeed and prosper your business in the world to your good unless you manage it in a subserviency to his honour and glory Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths 3. If you are
earthly and sensual and do not walk with God in your particular places and callings and then think to make it up by duties of worship Such worship is detestable in his sight and will not be received favourably at your hands God will reckon all such acts of worship but as the dissimulation of hypocrites who pretend to love him but are indeed his enemies Jor. 7.9 10 11. Will ye steal and murder and commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense unto Baal and walk after other Gods whom ye know not And come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say We are delivered to do all these abominations Is this house which is called by my name become a den of robbers in your eyes Behold I have seen it saith the Lord. Do you think by religious exercises and acts of devotion to expiate the guilt of your unrighteous dealings and other crying enormities Behold I have seen it saith the Lord i. e. not only with an eye of observation and knowledge but with an eye of indignation and fury I will recompence your wayes upon your heads Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God 1 Cor. 7.24 Let pure Religion and the fear of the Lord go with you into your fields and accompany you in your markets and abide with you in your shops and be closely impacted and interwoven with all your civil affairs As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 This is the second instance as to the matter of Religion 3. The multitude are accustomed to place their Religion only in external performances and outward acts of piety But they little study to ingage their hearts and spirits in the service of God They give him their bodies and outward demeanour but surely think they our thoughts are free and they heed not to mortifie vile and inordinate affections provided that they break not forth into any overt acts of ungodliness Prov. 21.2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts q. d. Men commonly neglect the consideration of their hearts they think it enough to mind their outward actions but little regard the workings of their spirits But ye my beloved keep your hearts above all keeping Give unto God your very souls and spirits and see that all that is within you be employed in his service Psal 103.1 2. Let us cleanse our selves from all the filthiness both of the flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 And therefore be much in the study of these three considerations following 1. The greatest number of transgressions whereof sinners are ordinarily guilty are sins of the spirit and the most heinous impieties keep their residence and habitation there As the heart of man is the cursed principle from whence they flow so it is the shop where they are forged These spiritual sins are the most devilish wickednesses as carrying the greatest conformity and resemblance to the deeds of the Prince of darkness And then as I said they are ever the greatest number Prov. 26.25 When he speaketh fair believe him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Seven abominations i. e. a multitude of abominations wickednesses of every kind For one gross act of murder committed there is much hatred and malice which are spiritual murder in the sight of God For one robbery done there is abundance of envy and covetousness For one gross act of fornication or adultery there is much sinful lusting which is adultery in the heart Now where sin hath its principal residence there should a Christian be most vigilant and careful 2. God doth judg and pass sentence upon mens outward actions according as the heart is ingaged in them So much of the spirit as is imployed in duty so much worth and excellency in the duty and so much of the heart as is set upon the commission of a sin so much malignity and sinfulness is therein Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 30.21 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord 3. The God whom we serve and with whom in all concernments we have to do is such a being as we call a spiritual being that is incorporeal and invisible And therefore bare external acts of obedience carry no proportion or suitableness to his nature and excellencies That service which is acceptable unto God must have in some measure an answerableness unto the nature and perfections of the God that is served It must be a walking worthy of the Lord Col. 1.10 Now this can never be absolved by meer outward devotion For God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth Jo. 4.24 We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit Phil. 3.3 That 's the third instance as to the matter of religion 4. Most persons limit their religion to a freedom and abstinence from grosser acts of pollution and heinous enormities But they make nothing to swallow down lesser impieties that make no such noise in the ears of the world Provided they be not drunkards and swearers and guilty of such other acts of debauchery they think some lighter offences are inconsiderable What if they take liberty now and then to talk vainly and frothily and wantonly What if they defraud and go beyond their brethren if it be but in a small matter wherein they receive no great damage or detriment Surely think they we need not be so exact and precise as to these things But my brethren do not you write after their copy stand you in awe of the least of Gods commandments Whatsoever is the object of divine displeasure and indignation let it be the object of your hatred and detestation Take the prayer of David for your pattern Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me These are the persons whom the Lord hath blessed Who are undefiled in the way that walk in the law of the Lord These also do no iniquity they walk in his wayes Psal 119.1 3. Isa 56.1 2. Besides what I have mentioned in this case in the doctrinal part of this subject let me give you farther these three particulars 1. Lesser sins if they are maintained and allowed and harboured in the heart if they are customarily practised in the life they become upon that account exceeding heinous The greatest sums are made up of unites the vastest mountains are made up of small dust and gravel that will crumble between the fingers Smaller iniquities continued in will bring upon the soul a load of guilt of weight enough to sink it into the pit of destruction Is the matter little wherein thou sinnest and so thy transgressions small as thou imaginest Yet the custom
least disturbance or cause of distraction 1 Cor. 14.40 4. All manner of irreverent and unseemly actions must be abstained from in such places as any way reflect dishonour or contempt upon the worship of God which is there performing or hath been performed or that may render the place unmeet for religious services afterwards Not as if the building were more holy than others but because it is sinful by any means to cast disgrace upon holy duties wherein our business consisteth in attendance upon the Great King the Lord of hosts whose name is dreadful throughout the earth * See Mr. Jenkins's Farewell Sermon and who is a jealous God even a consuming fire Deut. 4.24 5. Lastly let it be observed That the opinion of the holiness of one place above another is for the most part but a fond conceit that hath obtained amongst the multitude of the most ignorant people the tincture of which conceit hath not improbably continued from the very daies of popery as their addictedness to some other fopperies hath done But it is an opinion exploded and rejected by the Protestant Churches This is conspicuously evident amongst our selves 1. By the general permission of Schoolmasters and Writing Masters to teach in such places 2. By the usual meetings there about all Parish affairs as rating assessments and giving orders for mending high-wayes and the like 3. By the publike order for private dwellings to be erected in several of such places in the great City whereby they are converted to civil uses For as for the papalizing doctrines and superstitious practises of some whereby the vulgar are hardened in their apprehensions being but the off-spring of their own brain it is equitable they be laid at no door but their own These particulars being premised let me lay down and confirm this plain position further than decency and conveniency in attendance upon the worship of God there is no manner of holinesse now in the dayes of the gospel in one place more than another nor hath one place preheminence above another This seems to be covertly intimated by our Saviour Jo. 4.21 23. Where the question was touching the place of worship whether upon mount Gerizâ—m or in Jerusalem Jesus saith unto her woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerâ—salem worship the father * Futurum tempus gratiae novi Testamenti evacuantis utrumque locum imo omnem locum praedicit Per haec duo exclusa loca neque in hoc monâ—e neque Hierosolymis ntelliguntur exclusa omnia alia loca Cajet But the houre cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth As if our Saviour had said the time is shortly at hand the gospel state of the Church when all difference of places as to the worship of God shall cease and the main things to be lookt after therein will be whether the worship of God be spiritually performed and according to his own prescription and institution This is a lesson and Instruction hardly learnt by some who mind formes and ceremonies more than the life and fulstance of godliness and whose interest leads them to oppose such truths And therefore give me leave to hint unto you these four things 1. Thâ—t the very synagogues or places of publike assemblies amongst the Jews had nothing of holiness in them above other places only they were appointed for convenience in the serving of God They were places where their Courts of judicature met as well as their religious exercises were performed On the week daies their civil courts were convened in them and on the sabbath day their religious assemblies Some think that the Synagogues were publike places of meeting as well for civil as sacred affairs Eng. Annot. in Mat. 10.17 As if there should be a meeting of Christians in Guild-hall or in Westminster-hal where at other times the Judges sit And therefore you read of Beating in their Synagogues Act. 22.19 And punishing oft in every Synagogue Acts 26.11 And Christ tells his disciples that they should be brought unto the synagogues and unto magistrates and powers Luke 12.11 And that they should be delivered up to the synagogues and into prisons being brought before Kings and rulers for his names sake Luke 21.12 I any persons shall say that the Jews had two sorts of Synagogues one for religious and the other for civil assemblies their proof is expected Bare unscriptural assertions weigh little in the balance with understanding Christians 2. Whereas some fetch their arguments from the holiness of the Temple and tabernacle of old and apply to places now the passages that are upon record concerning the sanctuary there needs little pains to be taken to shew the weakness and invalidity of such arguments Who knoweth not that they were places designed and set apart by God himself and appointed as Symbols of his presence 2 Kings 23.27 Heb. 8.5 Who knoweth not that they were tipes and shadows of good things to come and therefore to continue till the time of reformation Christ hath put an end to these legal ceremonies He came and tabernacled †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jo. 1.14 amongst us He suffered death in the Temple * Joh. 2.21 22. of his body Who knoweth not that there were special promises of mercy annexed to worshiping in the temple and towards the Temple 1 Kin. 8.33 38 39. 1 King 9.3 Let any of these be shewn concerning places of worship now in the times of the gospel else the arguments run a baculo in angulum The promise of acceptance is made to the ordinances and institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the persons that wait upon the Lord in those institutions without any respect to the place Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 Superstition and will-worship humane inventions and observances of our own devising are abominations in the sight of the Lord in what place soever they are practised and religious duties of Gods appointment discharged according to his revealed will are pleasing unto the Lord wheresoever they are performed God is graciously present in the place for his ordinance sake and for his peoples sake and not a whit the more amongst them for the places sake 1 Cor. 1.2 3. To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ And mark that eminent prophecy of gospel times Mal. 1.11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering For my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hosts q. d. For
block to the weak Though in no case I must betray my christian liberty yet in many cases I am bound to forbear the use of my liberty rather than make my brother offend 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11.12.13 Keep your selves pure and untainted not only from fouler blots in matters apparently evil but from the stain of any thing that is of evil report hating even the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 23. Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think on these things Phil. 4.8 8. Lastly the multitude are commonly like the corrupt teachers of old time amongst the Jewes they think they must love and deal kindly with their friends and relations but they cannot but hate and malign such as are their enemies They will deal justly and fairly with those who deal justly and regularly with them but if any do them an injury be sure they will be revenged on him They will give railing for railing and rapine for rapine and injury for injury And this they conceive is a matter justifiable when they do but pay men in their own coine and give them no worse than they brought Mat. 5.38 43. But Sirs if you will act as Christians do not follow the multitude 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 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven For he maketh his Sun to rise upon the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye Do not even the publicans the same And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what extraordinary matter is it what excellent thing do ye wherein do you go beyond the multitude do not even the publicans so Mat. 5.44 45 46 47. Say not I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to this work Prov. 24.29 But you will be apt to reply why should I not right my self upon him from whom I have suffered wrong why should I put up an affront at his hands If I do mine adversary a kindness he will not thank me for it Mark therefore what the Lord hath spoken by way of incouragement unto this duty 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 on his head and the Lord shall reward thee q. d. Possibly thy Christian carriage may overcome his rugged disposition thy kindness may melt him into love and cause him of an enemy to become thy sure friend However thou shalt in no wise lose thy reward for the Lord hath undertaken it who is a sure pay-master Thus I have dispatched the first thing I designed under the use of Exhortation by way of exemplification or instance wherein we ought to be cauious not to follow the multitude SECT VIII 2. GIve me leave to add some few things by way of direction what course we must take to prevent seduction by the example of the multitude Dir. 1. If you would not be led into sin by the example of the multitude be diligent in studying the word of God and get a clear insight into the will of God therein revealed This will be of great use not only as a Chart or compass whereby to steer your course when the wind and tide of their practise would carry you aside into evil But will furnish you also with arguments on all occasions to oppose their sollicitations Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Mark it if ye will not be forced down the current of the world you must be well verst and instructed in the mind of God that you may have the scripture in a readiness wherewithall to answer their temptations Dir. 2. To preserve you from compliance with the multitude in sin labour to be strongly fenced against the importunity of sinners You must get a kind of stifness and stoutness of spirit that will not be easiâ—y bent or bowed one way or other by the humours of men As you ought to be pliable and yielding to the commandments of God gentle easy to be intreated to the doing of good so you must be strong to resist all incitations to evil Some are of that ductile and facile disposition that they are easily impressive of any form and quickly turned aside into crooked wayes Such a one was King Joash after his uncles decease First the Princes of Judah fell away to idolatry and they came and made obeisance to the King and he presently yielded his consent 2 Chron. 24.17 18. And it is a matter of easie observation how that many are utterly ruined by this soft * Hic murus aboneus esto Nil conscire sibi nulla pallescere culpâ Hor. and ductile temper which men falsly call a good nature S. Paul was a man of another frame of spirit when he was bound in the spirit for Jerusalem his companions beseeched him and his friends wept over him but he would not be perswaded Act. 21.13 14. Such a kind of holy obstinacy must you get into your souls if you will stand fast in the way of righteousness For be sure your friends will reason with you and your acquaintance will importune you to joyn in their confederacy So that you must be fixt as a rock in the sea that remains unmoveable though all the waves and billowes tosse and dash themselves against it Remember if sinners are importunate to induce you to sin the God of heaven is importunate to keep you in the path of holiness and whose importunacy should mostly prevail upon you judg ye Doth not wisdom cry and understanding lift up her voice She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the places of the paths She crieth at the gates at the entry of the City at the coming in of the doors Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men O ye simple understand wisdom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5. Dir. 3. In order to keep you from infection by the practise of the multitude Be sure to get your natures sanctified Earnestly pray to the Lord for the grace of regeneration Do not content your selves with any common endowments but get the spirit of conversion that other spirit which the world cannot receive For if your qualifications be no other than the world hath your conversations will be alike
e. Then it will appear what an egregious Dolt he was his folly will be declared before men and Angels 3. Whereas the Earthworm pretends that he will trust God with his Soul know that the Lord will have nothing to do in a way of mercy with such but will leave them to fall and perish by their own counsels But will not God preserve those that trust in him Yea but this is not to trust in the Lord but profanely to tempt him And he will repay such as hate him to their face Then do we place our confidence under his shadow when our dependance is acted in the way of righteousnesse When we give up our selves in integrity to be his servants and keep the way of the Lord Psal 4.5 Psal 37.3 7 34. If persons live in sin and mind earthly things and yet say they lean upon the Lord This very presumption will bring upon them a sore and inevitable destruction Mic. 3.11 12. So much to eradicate and pluck up that fifth Principle out of your hearts 6. The sixth hellish principle espoused and embraced by the multitude concerns the evil of those sins in which they live and with the filth whereof they are wont to defile themselves Their Tenent is this that there is no great hurt in their irregularities and transgressions nor are they such mischievous things as many are pressed to believe What harm is there will they say if a man talk idly and frothily If they now and then revel and tipple in a way of merriment and to pass away their time They hope no body is the worse for it they know indeed they are actions condemned in the word but what hurt is there in them if they tend to no mans loss or detriment They pray God they may never do worse and the like They cannot deny but they are forbidden to adde to the word of the Lord To introduce mens inventions into his worship To set their Posts by his Posts and their thresholds by his threshold But what need men keep such a doe against them being innocent harmlesse things especially if they are appointed for decency and edification However they are confident that if they do no good yet there is no great matter of hurt in them This I might instance in many cases For it is the ordinary plea which sinners produce to justifie much of their impiety Ezek. 16.20 Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter q. d. Surely it appears a small matter in your eyes These are sinful apprehensions which are sedulously to be mortified and subdued For unless your minds are possessed with abhorring thoughts of sin your souls can never be throughly humbled for it nor will be at much pains or expence to escape the pollution But I have spoken abundantly to this in one or two places before Only let me beseech you to put these two interrogatories home upon your consciences Q. 1. Is there no hurt in provoking the Lord of glory to indignation Is not he the life of thy life and the strength of thy heart and the Author and giver of all the mercies which thou enjoyest Cannot he strip thee naked and leave thee desolate in a moment Is not he able to fill thy bones with sorrowes and thy Spirit with anguish and to crush thee in pieces with the least effects of his wrath Did ever man or woman harden themselves against God and prospered And is there no hurt in that which stirreth up his fury against thy Soul Do you provoke him to anger and do not you provoke your selves to the confusion of your own faces Jer. 7.19 Why man Gods wrath is incensed by the smallest of thine abominations See what order he gave in case of the profanation of the Sabbath when the man gathered sticks in the wilderness on that day Num. 15.35 The Lord said unto Moses the man shall be surely put to death all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp See how Jealous he was in the case of his instituted worship When Nadab and Abihu Priests whom the Lord had consecrated offered up incense before him They were ingaged in the service of the true God and in the duties for the main of his own appointment Only they took liberty to make use of strange fire which God had not commanded And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord. Lev. 10.2 Observe how severely he dealt in the case of Uzzah who did but touch the ark when the Oxen shook it probably out of a good intention And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah and he smote him because he put his hand to the Ark and there he died before God 1 Chron. 13.10 Lastly mind what dreadful comminations are denounced against the smallest presumptuous sins such as thine are for which thou pleadest as having no hurt in them Num. 15.30 31. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from among his people Because he hath despised the word of the Lord and hath broken his commandment that soul shall utterly be cut off his iniquity shall be upon him Mark it the least presumptuous sin is a reproaching of God and despising his word It reproacheth God as a lyar as if he would not make good his threatnings It reproacheth him as a countenancer of wickedness As unjust and unrighteous in his doings and it exposeth the sinner to be utterly cut off and to die in his sins And is there no hurt in such things Q. 2. What apprehensions are you likely to have of these impieties at the day of accounts Then when conscience is awakened they will appear in their danger and loathsomness Then when punishment is at hand your souls will rue it that ever you medled with them that ever you were so sottish as to follow after lying vanities For the day of Judgment will be a day of conviction as well as of recompence Jude 15. O my beloved lay these things to heart betimes whilst you are yet in the way It is a dreadful thing to be unconvinced of the bitterness of sin till the torments of hell convince you 7. The last principle of the multitude which I shall mention hath an eye upon the electing grace of God Will they say If God hath appointed to save us we shall be saved though we be never so great strangers to the wayes of holiness And if he hath appointed us to wrath we shall perish all our obedience and endeavours will be to no purpose to withstand or alter his counsels Thus the Devil hath taught ungodly men to reason and the Semi-pelagians are his Ushers to instruct them more artificially to manage this wretched principle This is one of the strong holds of Satan whereby he keepes possession of the souls of the unregenerate By thus arguing they remove all hindrances out