a general Duty that binds all Relations and particular Relative to their several states There is Superiority in a Husband Sovereignty in Parents Authority in Masters but it must be temper'd with Discretion Indulgence and Humanity in the exercise of it The mutual Duty of Husband and Wife is Love wherein the Society Sweetness and Felicity of Marriage consists In this is included the bearing with the Infirmities of one another that allays the fierce Passions that are the cause of Strife and makes the patient party better The exercise of this Affection is distinguish'd the Love of the Husband is counselling and comforting providing and protecting the Love of the Wife obsequious and assisting His Superiority and her Subjection must be sweeten'd with Love The Husband must not be bitter nor the Wife sowre The Husband must govern the Wife as the Soul does the Body with wisdom and tenderness There is a servile Subjection from fear of Punishment or hope of Gain and a liberal Subjection full of freedom from Love and this is of Wives to Husbands and of Children to Parents The Wife tho' inferiour is a fellow-ruler with him over Children and Servants She is subject as his Vicegerent always preserving Love and Reverence in Affection and expressing Meekness and Obedience in Actions She as his Deputy is to dispose things for his Credit and Profit Prudence is requisite in both that they may deposite their Cares in each others Bosoms and trust their secret Thoughts as securely as in their own Hearts The principal Duty of Husbands and Wives is a tender Care for the Good of each others Souls The Husband should lead her in the way to Eternal Life by his Counsel and Example and the Wife by her humble and holy Conversation recommend Religion to his Mind and Affections The Soveraignty of Parents over Children must be mix'd with tender Affections not with Rigour We are commanded Parents provoke not your Children to wrath lest they be discouraged The Duty of Children is to reverence and obey their Parents in all things that are pleasing to God There can be no dutiful Love without Fear nor Paternal Authority without Love The religious and secular Government of the Family is in the Husband and Wife who are like the two great Luminaries in the Heavens the one rules in the absence of the other But 't is principally in the Husband This testimony is given of Abraham that so endear'd him to the Favour and Friendship of God as to reveal his secret Counsels to him I know Abraham that he will command his Children and Servants and Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. The Master must not be imperious austere and fierce but manage his Power with that Condescension and Lenity with that exact performance of what is due to his Servants as becomes one that is accountable to the universal Master before whom he must stand in an equal Line and with whom there is no acceptance of Persons Servants must be humble incorrupt diligent and faithful Our Saviour inquires Who is that wise and faithful Servant And the Master calling his Servants to an account says Well done good and faithful Servant The Wisdom and Goodness of a Servant consists in his Fidelity In short The neglect of Prayer holy Instruction and setting a Pattern of Holiness to the Family the not watching for the Souls of Children and Servants to restrain them from Evil and excite them to Good will be a terrible Accusation against many Parents and Masters at the Day of Judgment The Provision for the Family is an indispensable Duty upon the Master of it There is a Divine Alliance between the Precepts of the Law they are all to be obeyed in their season The Duties of the first Table do not supersede our obedience to the Duties of the second If an Eagle should only gaze on the brightness of the Sun and suffer its young ones to starve in the Nest it were prodigiously unnatural He that by a pretence of serving God in Acts of immediate Worship neglects to provide for his Family is worse than an Infidel But how will those who by wasting their Estates or Idleness Ruin their Families appear before the Judgment-Seat of God The Superiours in the Family must preserve Order and Tranquility in it The Fire of Discord turns a House into a Little Hell full of the tormenting Passions Sorrow and Anguish Disdain and Despight Malice and Envy that blast the most flourishing Families But when Religion that is pure and peaceable Governs the House it turns it into a Paradise where the God of Peace dwells and delights and dispenses the most precious Fruits of his Favour Wisdom and Watchfulness are requisite to maintain an Harmonious Agreement in Families wherein are Persons of different and contrary Tempers Some are of such unnatural Dispositions that they love Jars and Dissentions as some Plants thrive on the top of the Alps where they are continually expos'd to Storms There is such and Irregularity in the Dispositions of some that between those Persons there is fierce Hatred where intire Love is due the Discord between Brothers is deeply wounding and hardly curable The reason of it is evident for where by the Law of Nature the dearest Love is requir'd and expected the not obtaining it is so injurious and provoking that the Hatred in one is equal to the Love to which the other does not Correspond The Spartan Magistrates Celebrated for their Wisdom and Justice being inform'd of frequent Quarrels between two Brothers likely to end in bloody Contentions they sent for their Father and punish'd him as more Culpable and Guilty in not timely Correcting them Ruling Wisdom in the Father of the Family so as to conciliate Love with Respect Soverity mix'd with Sweetness which rarely meet are necessary to prevent or compose Dissentions in those little Common-wealths In order to this the prime Care must be to quench the first sparks that appear that are seeds pregnant with Fire if they are blown up and fed with Materials they break forth into a sudden Flame And in the second place to observe and imploy every one in the Family in what is proper for them As the Stones in an Arch must be so cut and form'd that they may point one against another and support one another thus there are variety of Tempers and Talents in a Family and 't is the Wisdom of Superiours to observe and employ the several Persons for the good of the whole In short Authority is accepted with more easie submission in the Title of a Father than of a Master Therefore as Seneca observes the Romans that they might prevent Envy towards Masters and Contempt of the Servants call'd the Master The Father of the Family 2. There is a Sacred Relation between Pastor and People I shall but glance on the Duties belonging to them Evangelical Pastors are compar'd to the Luminaries of Heaven that by their Light Heat and
Man sowed Tares He did not by Force enter into the Field 'T is not so much from Impotence as Carelesness that Temptations are let into the Heart and Corruptions break out 'T is not so much the stock of Habitual Grace that secures us but Grace in its vigorous Exercise Surely David in his Youth had seen as exquisite Beauties as Bathsheba and was preserv'd by Watchfulness but the neglect of his Duty was fatal to his Purity and Peace Therefore the Duty is so often inculcated upon us We must be watchful to fly from Temptations He that prays Lead me not into Temptation and leads himself into it mocks God despises the danger plays upon the hole of the Asp and walks upon the brink of a Precipice He provokes God justly to desert him If a General commands a Soldier to fight a single Combat with an Enemy he will furnish him with Armour of proof and secure him from Treachery but if one be Fool-hardy and engages himself he may dearly pay for his rashness If by the order of Providence one be brought into tempting Circumstances he may Pray in Faith for Divine Assistance that the Lord will be at his right hand and he shall not be moved but if one ventures into Temptation he will hardly escape We are directed to be sober and vigilant against our spiritual Enemies Vigilance discovers the Temptations and Temperance substracts the Materials of them Adam by Intemperance stain'd his Innocence and forfeited his Felicity We must be clad with the armour of Light to oppose the powers of darkness Strange Armour that is transparent and may be seen through The Graces of the Spirit are Armour and Ornament the Strength and Beauty of the Soul They are call'd The Armour of God for he furnishes us with them and teaches us to use them and makes us Victorious We must not only Watch but Pray against Temptations We are preserved by the Intercession of Christ in Heaven and the Spirits Illumination and Protection in our Spiritual Warfare There are some things that directly strengthen our Enemies all tempting Objects that excite and influence Fleshly Lusts that war against the Soul Some things indirectly strengthen them whatever diverts us from Prayer and other Holy Ordinances disarms us whatever distracts the Mind and dissolves the firmness of the Will exposes us more easily to be overcome To be careless and secure as if we were in a safe Sea when there are so many visible Shipwrecks is unaccountable Folly 'T is our Duty and Wisdom to keep a Jealous Watch over our Hearts to suppress the fix'd Inclinations to Sin Thoughts and Desires are the Seeds of Action and to guard our Senses that we may not be suddenly corrupted Lot's Wife by a lingering Look after Sodom was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt to make us fearful by her Example of the occasions of Sin Especially we must direct our Care to prevent our being surpriz'd against the Sins that so easily encompass us and whereby we have been often foil'd If a besieged City has one part of the Walls weaker and more liable to be taken Care will be taken to strengthen it and to double the Guards there Let us be watchful against small Sins if we desire to be preserv'd from greater for we are train'd on by sins of weaker evidence to sins of greater Guilt Some are so Confirm'd in Holiness that the Devil does not tempt them to transgress the Law in a notorious manner but lays Snares for them in things of lesser moment Besides there are Sinners of different degrees yet they all finally perish Some with a full Career throw themselves head-long into Hell Others go slowly step by step but certainly drop into it To Conclude if we desire to be preserv'd from Sin let us avoid engaging Company many Persons would resist the force of Natural Inclination but when that is excited by the Examples of others they are easily vanquish'd A pure Stream passing through a Sink will run thick and muddy On the contrary Society with the Saints is a happy Advantage to make us like them As Waters that pass through Medicinal Minerals derive a Healing Tincture from them In short the present World is a continual Temptation and we should always be employed in those things either in our General or Particular Callings that either directly or virtually may preserve us from its Contagion We are in a state of Warfare though not always in Fight yet always in the Field expos'd to our Spiritual Enemies that War against our Souls and our Vigilance and Care should be accordingly 2. The Duty of Watchfulness respects the doing good in its season and with the Circumstances proper to it To him that orders his Conversation aright I will shew the Salvation of God Order in an Army contributes to Victory more than Numbers The acceptable Performance of a Duty must depend upon its season The Beauty of it is impair'd when done out of its proper time I will instance in one Duty very influential unto a Holy Life We are commanded to Watch unto Prayer that is to preserve a Holy Frame of Spirit suitable to this Duty and to redeem time from the Vanity and Business of the World for Prayer This Duty is as necessary for the Spiritual Life as breathing for the Natural and 't is a part of Wisdom so to order our Affairs that we may have chosen Hours for Communion with God And we are to watch in Prayer against distraction and indevotion We are commanded to draw near to God with reverence and godly fear for our God is a Consuming Fire to those who disparage his Majesty by Coldness and Carelesness in his Service There must be a strict Guard to prevent the excursion of our Thoughts in Divine Worship The Soul should ascend to God on wings of Fire with all possible Ardency of Affections The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man avails much Watchfulness respects both the time and degrees of our Duties We are commanded as we have opportunity to do good unto all Men especially to the houshold of Faith and to shew Mercy with chearfulness We should not lose the golden opportunity of relieving the Objects of Charity and be diligent in our Business and to cut off superfluous Expences that we may be liberal We should be careful to keep every Grace in its vigorous exercise In short the Soul is a principle of Life to the Body from its first Being to its last Breath guides its motions prevents the dangers to which 't is liable provides for its welfare How much more reasonable is it that it should be a Soul to it self vigilant and active to improve every Advantage for its Happiness and Perfection 6. A due regard to the Duties of our several Relations is very necessary in order to our perfecting of Holiness Relations may be consider'd under three general Heads Domestical Sacred Civil Domestical between Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants There is
the vital Members From hence we are inform'd how to judge of our Hopes whether they are saving and will attend us to the Gates of Heaven If they purifie us they will certainly be accomplish'd in Heavenly Blessedness If we be like our Saviour in Grace we shall be like him in Glory But carnal and loose Hopes will issue in disappointment Our Saviour tells us that every visible Christian in a spiritual sense is a builder and raises a fabrick of Hope that may appear fair to the Eye but there is a time of tryal a coming that will discover how firm it is 'T is our Wisdom to descend to the foundation of our Hope that we may understand whether it be a Rock that cannot be shaken or the quick Sand that cannot bear the weight of it Those who hear the Words of Christ and do them build upon a Foundation more stable than the Centre the perfect Veracity of God is engaged in his Promises But those who hear without doing build upon the sinking Sand. Carnal Men will pretend they hope for Salvation only for the infinite Mercies of God and Merits of Christ 'T is true these are Eternal Foundations but to secure a Building the Superstructure must be strongly fasten'd to the Foundation or it cannot resist a Storm If we are not united to Christ by the sanctifying Spirit and a purifying Faith our Hopes will deceive us When Sin has dominion which is certainly discovered by the habitual course of Mens Lives when there is a remanent affection to it in Mens Hearts which is known by their reflections upon past Sins with pleasure and the prospect of future Sins with desire their Hope is like a Spider's web that can bear no stress Hope is subordinate to Faith and Faith is regulated by the Promise Some believe without Hope they are convinc'd of the reality of the Future State of the Eternal Judgment and the consequents of it but are careless and desperate in their wickedness Others hope to be well hereafter without belief of the Gospel Indeed there is none can bear up under despairing Thoughts when they are raging in the Breast He that is absolutely and with consideration hopeless falls upon his own Sword The Tempter deals with Sinners according to their conditions If they are swimming in Prosperity he stupifies Conscience and induces them to be secure if they are sinking in deep Distress he is so skilful in all the arts of aggravation that he plunges them into Despair And both Temptations are fatal but the most perish by fallacious hopes 'T is strange that the greatest number of Professors are more unwilling to suspect the goodness and safety of their condition than to mistake and be deceived for ever But they are so strongly allur'd by worldly Objects that though in their Lives there are the visible marks exclusive of Salvation they are unconcerned They are satisfi'd with carnal vain hopes which are the seed of all Evils committed and the spring of all Evils suffered Hope that should incourage Holiness emboldens Wickedness and that should lead Men to Heaven precipitates them into Hell How great will their fall be from a conceited Heaven into a real Hell Hope of all the Passions is the most calm and quiet but when utterly disappointed in a matter of high concernment 't is most turbulent for the consequent Passions Despair Impatience Sorrow Rage are the cruel tormentors of the Minds of Men. Now what will become of the hope of the Hypocrite when God shall take away his Soul He may feed and cherish it while he lives but in the fatal moment when he dyes his blazing presumption will expire not to be reviv'd for ever But the Righteous has hope in his death The sanctified Spirit inspires and preserves Life in it till 't is consummate in that Blessedness that exceeds all our Desires and excludes all our Fears for ever 2. The Hope of Glory should be a constant and commanding motive to purifie our selves Hope is the great spring of actions in this World it enters into all our designs and mixes with all our endeavours The Husbandman ploughs in all the Frosts and Snows to which he is exposed in hope of a fruitful Harvest The Mariner sails through dangerous Seas often inrag'd with Storms and Tempests and among Rocks and Sands for a hopeful Venture How much more should the Hope of Heaven make us active and ardent in seeking for it considering we have infinitely greater security of obtaining it the Word of God and the Object is above all comparison with the things of this World Here the wisest and most diligent are uncertain to obtain their Ends the trifles which they earnestly expect and are certain after a while to lose them But if we in the first place seek the Kingdom of God we shall certainly obtain it and 't is unforfeitable for ever I will conclude with the efficacy of this Argument declar'd by the Apostle The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation has appeared unto all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live godly righteously and soberly in this present World looking for that blessed hope the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. This will keep us stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord. 4. The Fear of God is a Grace of excellent efficacy to perfect Holiness in us 'T is the Apostle's direction perfecting Holiness in the fear of God The Divine Wisdom has annex'd Rewards and Punishments to strengthen the authority of the Law to work upon Hope and Fear which are the secret springs of Humane Actions and for the Honour of his Goodness and Justice that are principally exercised in his Moral Government That Hope may be a powerful motive to do our Duty and Fear a strong bridle to restrain from Sin the reward must exceed all the temptations of Profit or Pleasure or Honour that can accrue by transgressing the Law and the penalty of all the Evils that may be inflicted for obedience to it From hence it is that divine Hope and godly Fear have such a commanding conquering power in the Hearts of true Believers and are so operative in their Lives that they will not neglect their Duty to avoid the greatest Evil nor commit a Sin to obtain the greatest Good The Grace of Fear I have discours'd of in another place and shall be the shorter in the account of its nature and cleansing Vertue here Fear introduces serious Religion preserves and improves it 'T is the Principle of Conversion to God and knocks at the door of the Soul that Divine Love may have admission into it It arises from the conviction of Guilt and the apprehension of Judgment that follows When Paul discoursed of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled The Prisoner with the assistance of Conscience made the Judge tremble This Fear has more torment than reverence According to the greatness and
from his habitation Thus the Carnal part incens'd by the Tempter is often clamorous to obtain as a Benefit that which would be hurtful to the Soul and God is merciful in the denyal We know not what to ask but our Heavenly Father knows what to give Sometimes God bestows equivalent or better Blessings than what his Children pray for If God gives Contentment with Poverty 't is equivalent to Riches if Patience with Sickness 't is better than Health if eternal Life in Heaven 't is infinitely better than a long Life on Earth He did not preserve the Martyrs from the Flames nor forsake them in the Flames but in those fiery Chariots convey'd them to Heaven Briefly God never denies or delays to grant the Petitions of his Children but for a greater Good to them He always hears their main Desires that is bestows such Blessings as are most conducive for his Glory and their Good This is the principal Petition of the Saints in conformity to Christ in his exigency he prayed to be saved from the approaching hour of his terrible sufferings but subordinately to a higher request Father glorify thy name Lastly The Relation of Children to God is not an Empty Title but includes an Interest in the Eternal Inheritance The Apostle infers If sons then heirs heirs of God co-heirs with Christ. The Sons of Earthly Parents cannot all inherit the Eldest is the Heir to maintain the Splendour and State of the Family and the Younger have often but thin Provision If a Kingdom be the Inheritance 't is appropriated to one the Throne is incommunicable When Pharaoh made Joseph Viceroy of Egypt he reserv'd the Throne to himself In the throne I will be greater than thou But all the Saints are Kings Our Saviour comforts his Disciples fear not little flock 't is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom and his Power is equal to his Pleasure They are the Children of the King and Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom with a Note of Excellency in Comparison of it all the Kingdoms of this World in their blazing Glory are but a faint Figure and a Foil Transcendent Priviledge Infinite Bounty All the Conceptions we can form of Happiness are eminently in God He is the Glory the Joy the Perfection the Satisfaction of Intelligent Creatures He alone can fill the Capacity of Comprehensive Immortal Spirits He is their Eternal and Entire Inheritance possess'd equally by all without diminution to any As the Light of the World is enjoyed by all without prejudice to any according to the Apostles Expression The Inheritance of the Saints in Light The Eternal Enjoyment of God excludes all Fears of losing it there is a perpetual security from all change and separation and excludes all possible desires of a better State Without Divine Revelation we could never have had any discovery of this Super-natural Blessedness The Apostle prays for the Ephesians that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of their understanding being inlightned that they may know what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints God is infinitely Rich in his Perfections in Mercy in Wisdom and Power and as the Father said to his Son in the Gospel Son all that I have is thine so all his Attributes are exercis'd for the happiness of his Children The difference is observable between an Earthly Inheritance and the Heavenly For Estates and Honours conveyed by Descent are not possess'd till the death of the Fathers but we partake of the heavenly Inheritance because our Father lives and we must dye that we may enjoy it for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven What manner of love is it that we should be the Sons of God When Pharaoh's Daughter compassionately preserved Moses an expos'd Infant and adopted him to be her Son 't was rare and wonderful Goodness The Priviledge was so high that the Self-denial of Moses is Recorded with this Illustrious proof of it that he refus'd to be call'd the son of Pharaohs daughter But she had no Son of her own Adoption is a Legal Supply for the want of Natural Progeny But God had an Eternal Son the Heir of his Love and Glory the adequate Object of his Complacency yet he raised us to so near an Alliance Men adopt Sons for their Support and Comfort and usually those in whom some praise-worthy qualities appear God did not want a Son but we wanted a Father in thee the fatherless find mercy There was nothing in us but Sin and Misery an occasion of his Mercy 'T is added by the Apostle we are coheirs with Christ. This may seem to be a Usurpation upon his Prerogative who is invested with the Supremacy of Heaven But this is easily clear'd by considering that Christ has a double Title to the Inheritance 1. A Natural Title as the Son of God in a transcendent and peculiar manner From Eternity there was a mutual Possession of the Father and the Son wherein their Blessedness consists This Title is singular and incommunicable 2. An acquir'd Title by his Meritorious Obedience and Sufferings Therefore God has exalted him above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is nam'd not only in this world but in that to come And such is his astonishing Love he associates us with him in this Title he communicates a right to us in his Kingdom by the Merits of his Death and introduces us into Possession by his Mediation His Glory is consistent with ours and inseparable from ours for when the Head is Crown'd the Members Reign The Saints sit down with him in his throne as he is set down on his Fathers Throne 2. Let us now consider how influential this Priviledge is to make us intirely Holy 1. 'T is most worthy of observation that God who might by meer Empire and Authority command us to do our Duty is pleased by gracious inducements to endear our Duty to us He might by Dominion and Power Constrain us but he is pleased by the sweetest Affections to allure us A wise Prince according to the Rules of true Policy will rather govern by Love than Fear for his Safety and Tranquility is more preserv'd by it Fear may secure him from open Rebellions and Assaults but Love from secret Underminings from Treachery and Poison 'T is true there is no such Motive inclines God to allure our Love but his design is to gain our hearts to Obey him that he may Crown our Obedience Fear restrains us from provoking him but Love makes us Active and Chearful to please him Now what can be a more powerful Obligation to Love him than the receiving us into the high and dear Relation of his Children If we look up to God and down upon our selves we shall be struck with
Appetites and pretend they cannot resist the attractiveness and unbind the charms that fasten them to the Objects of their impure Desires let it be considered that a little contempt or coldness of the Person by whom they are charmed a favourable aspect upon a competitor will turn their Love into Disdain and break all society between them And shall one Carnal Passion vanquish another and the Terrors of the Lord the Torments of an Everlasting Hell be ineffectual to restrain them The remembrance of this will cover them with Eternal Confusion in the next World The Traveller complain'd of the roughness of the way when a Thorn in his Foot made it uneasie Carnal Men complain 't is a sad task to obey the Gospel but their Lusts make it so 3. 'T is alledged that the striving after perfect Holiness is unnecessary by the Covenant of Grace a Man may be saved without it Before I discover the falseness of this pretence I shall observe that Carnal Men that they may live easily endeavour to make their Principles correspondent with their Practices they bend the Rule to their depraved Appetites and will not order their Life by the holy Rule The cursed and crafty Serpent will assist them in drawing false Conclusions from true Premisses and in opposing the Grace of the Gospel to its Precepts When the Carnal Affections corrupt the Judgment the Mind will give license to the Affections the case of such is dangerous if not desperate Thus the loose Opinion That Men may be saved without absolute Perfection therefore striving after it is unnecessary makes Men remiss in Religion and produces vain delusive hopes that end in fearful disappointments To undeceive Men the following Considerations may be effectual 1. 'T is true we must distinguish between the Preceptive Moral part of the Covenant of Works and of Grace and the Foederal They agree in the former and differ in the latter The Gospel injoyns perfect Obedience as well as the Law but the first makes it the Condition of the Covenant whereas the second makes provision for our Imperfections According to the tenor of the first the transgressing of one Command was a violation of the Covenant and Death was the unavoidable consequence of Sin for entire Obedience was the Condition of it Adam sin'd once and must dye for ever But to sin against the command of the Gospel and the Covenant is not the same The Mediator interposes between the Righteous Judge and the Sinner and Faith in him notwithstanding the killing Law and the accusing Conscience secures us from revenging Justice Only final Impenitence and Unbelief cut off from the benefit of the Gospel 2. Tho' the Gospel allays the severity and rigor of the Law and pardons our defects yet it as strictly requires our sincere earnest endeavours after Perfection as the Law requir'd exact Obedience We are commanded to grow in Grace 't is direct matter of Duty we are obliged to be holy as God is holy in all manner of Conversation the Rule is inflexible and none can by dispensation or priviledge be exempted from serious and constant endeavours to be intirely like God Those who are pleas'd with the pretence that perfect Holiness is unattainable here and indulge their imperfections are in the state of unrenewed Nature They are sure they shall be bad always and therefore will not labour to be better But the Consideration that we cannot attain to the highest pitch of Holiness is a spur and incitation to the Saints to greater diligence as appears by the example of St. Paul before cited 'T is true there are different ages of the Children of God some are as new born Babes in a state of Infancy and Infirmity others in their Minority others are arrived to more maturity and as the crying of an Infant discovers life as well as active mirth so mourning for our Imperfections discovers the truth of Grace And Saints of different Degrees are receiv'd into Glory but none are who did not aim and endeavour to â—leanse themselves from all pollutions of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness For without sincerity we are not capable of the present favour of God nor future blessedness and sincerity is inconsistent with the wilful neglect of our Duty Grace is a plant of Heaven productive of Fruits suitable to its quality and 't is proper to its nature to be tending to Perfection A Tree that ceases to grow before 't is come to its perfection and brings not forth Fruit in its season withers and dyes A Christian that is unfruitful has no Life but is expos'd to the just threatning of Excision and the Fire He that limits himself in Religion is in a state of Death I have insâ—sted the longer upon this matter that by clearness and Conviction Men may be dis-enchanted from that pernicious perswasion that without using sincerâ— endeavors to be perfectly Holy they may safely go to Heaven 3. I shall add to what has been discours'd of before some other Arguments and Motives to excite us to be intentive to this great work I shall first consider the perfection of the Rule laid down in the Gospel 1. The Moral Law in its purity and perfection that forbids Sin in every kind and degree Thou shalt not Covet and Commands Holiness in the most Spiritual Sublimeness Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy mind heart soul and strength is the Rule of our Duty prescrib'd in the Gospel 'T is true that Personal perfect Obedience as the Condition of Life is abolish'd as was before observed if that lives we must dye for ever But the command binds without relaxation There is no permission of the least Sin by the Gospel The looking to the Brazen Serpent did not alter the deadly quality of the poison of the Fiery Serpent but stopt its deadly operation Faith in Christ does not change the nature of Sin to make it Lawful but hinders its deadly malignity in Working Our Saviour tells us He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And that heaven and earth should pass away before one tittle of it shall fail that is lose its binding Authority 'T is as unalterable as the Law-giver whose purity it represents Not only the Mysterious and Supernatural Doctrines the Objects of Faith but Moral Duties the matters of Practice are fully reveal'd only in the Gospel The Humane Understanding was Darkness to Supernatural Truths and dim with respect to the Rules of Life Our Saviour has clear'd the Law from the false Glosses of the Pharisees who by favourable Explications and Correctives of its strictness instead of curbing their Lusts did cherish and foment them But the Oracle speaks without ambiguity the Interpretation of our Saviour is clear and decisive that the purifying the Heart as well as the cleansing the Hand is an Indispensable Duty Holiness must be so pure that we must not only abstain from polluting acts but quench all polluting thoughts and desires we must not only
is mended and renewed it discovers the Sins that were undiscern'd 3. There must be a fixed resolution to reform our Lives wherein we have been culpable The Soul can never recover its lapse from above but by returning thither that is by a real performance of the Duties of the Law that fully represent the Law-giver's Will and Soveraignty Now the reflecting upon our Hearts and Lives to improve the Good and correct the Evil in them is very useful for that end 4. It must be frequent lest we become ignorant and forgetful of our selves Some of the wiser Heathens made a scrutiny of their Actions every day 'T is related of Sextius a Philosopher that in the end of the day he throughly examin'd the Actions of it What Evil have I cur'd What Vice have I resisted In what am I become better Seneca tells us it was his daily practice to give an account of his Actions before the Judicatory of Conscience The Author of the Golden Verses gives Counsel in order to proficiency in Vertue to revise in our thoughts at night Wherein have I transgress'd what have I done what have I omitted In doing this we shall preserve Conscience more tender and sensible for continuance in Sin hardens it This will be a preventive Medicine for if the sting of Remorse follows our omissions of Good and commissions of Evil and a divine Joy is felt in remembrance of our progress in Holiness this will be a constant motive to restrain us from disorderly Actions and to form us to Perfection Besides there is a great difference between the habits of the Body and of the Mind the first wear and decay by continual use the habits of the Mind by frequent practice whether vicious or vertuous increase and are confirm'd And since in the most excellent Saints there remain Sins of unavoidable weakness the renewing our Repentance every day is necessary to obtain the pardon of our Sins which is promised to all that mourn and strive against Sin We are commanded not to let the Sun go down on our wrath much less on God's In short let us every Morning consider the Duty of the day which is a valuable part of our Lives and the proper seasons of doing it and charge our Souls with a diligent regard to it 'T is prudent Advice how to make slothful Servants industrious in the Morning to prescribe their Work in the Evening to require an account what is done or left undone and to commend or censure to reward or punish according to their diligence or neglect There are rarely found Servants of so depraved a temper so rebellious to Authority and Reason so untractable but they will mend by this managing If this Duty be constantly practised in a due manner it will be of infinite profit to us We read in the process of the Creation that God revis'd the Works of every day and saw they were Good and in the end saw they were very good and ordain'd a Sabbath a sign of his complacence in his Works Thus if in the review of our Actions we find our Conversation has been in godly sincerity that we have been faithful to God and our Souls in striving after Perfection this reflection will produce Rest and Joy unspeakable Joy that centres in the Heart and is united to the substance of the Soul Joy that will flourish in Adversity when Carnal Joy withers a Joy that will not leave us at Death but pass with us into the eternal World This Oyl of Gladness will make us more active and chearful in our universal Duty But if we have been slack and careless in Religion if Sins have been easily entertain'd and easily excus'd the remembrance will imbitter Sin and make us more vigilant for the future To make this Duty more profitable we should compare our selves with our selves and with others 1. With our selves that we may understand whether we are advancing towards Perfection Sometimes there is a gradual declension in the Saints themselves not observed When Sampson had lost his mysterious Hair upon the preserving of which his Strength depended and the Philistines had seized him he awoke out of his sleep and said I will go out as at other times before and shake my self and he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Thus many decline in their valuations and affections to things spiritual and are less circumspect in their Conversations less fervent in their desires of Grace and faithful in the improvement of it than formerly and this deserves Heart-breaking Sorrow 2. Besides the comparing our selves with others who have excell'd us in Holiness and have been more watchful to abstain from Sin and more zealous in doing Good is very useful This will wash off the colour of the common Excuse That without the Holiness of an Angel 't is impossible to be preserved undefiled in the midst of sensual Temptations But as the Philosopher demonstrated the possibility of Motion by walking before a captious Caviller that denyed it so when many Saints that have the same frail Natures and are surrounded with the same Temptations keep themselves pure in their Dispositions and Actions when they are regular in Duties of civil Conversation with Men and in holy Communion with God and we that have the same Spirit of Grace and Word of Grace to instruct and assist us fall so short of their attainments how will the comparison upbraid us and cover us with confusion I shall add that the deceitfulness of the Heart is discovered in this Men are very apt to please themselves in the comparison with those who are notoriously worse but averse from considering those who are eminently better But this will be of no avail in the day of Judgment for the Law of God is the Rule to which we must conform not the Examples of others Besides how can any expect that the Wickedness of others should excuse them in Judgment and not fear that the Holiness of others shall accuse and condemn them CHAP. XIII Continual watchfulness requisite for our advancing to Perfection This respects the preventing Evil and doing Good The Malice the Craft the Diligence and Numbers of our Spiritual Enemies We are very receptive of Temptations Watchfulness respects our doing Good in its season and with its proper Circumstances A due regard to the Duties of our several Relations is necessary in order to the perfecting of Holiness Domestick sacred and civil Relations considered The last Counsel Let our progress towards Heaven be with the same Zeal as at our first entrance into it and the same Seriousness as when we come to the end of it 7. COntinual Watchfulness is requisite that we may be rising towards Perfection in Holiness The state of Sin in Scripture is represented by a deep Sleep that is the true Image of Death Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee Light The spiritual Sleep is understood by comparison with the natural In