Godliness in his Family and if this should fail it will not Justify him at the great day when the Impartial God enquires how comes it to pass that thy Wife thy Child thy Servants were so grosly Ignorant of God And by reason of this are now like to be as Extreamly Miserable to say then alass Lord the Minister did not teach them as he ought If it be so as thou sayest will his Neglect of his duty Excuse thy sin while thou Neglectest thine or rather will it not agravate it that when thou plainly seest the danger to be so Extreme great with those Poor Souls that Perish they must in all likelyhood unless thou took due care and paines about them to save them seing none else Would heed them thou seest them take the directest Course unto utter destruction and yet for all the Love thou so much pretendedst to them never hadst the pity to their perishing Souls as once to aske them that serious Question what mean you know you whether you are going The School-Master should preserve saving Knowledge among his Scholars Has he not such Advantages by the awe that he has them in to mould their tender years almost what way he pleases which few else have Has he not them then under his instruction and discipline when they are not onely docible but pliable also And can he satisfy his Conscience and Answer it to God if he Improve this opportunity no further then to instruct them well in the grounds of Languages arts and sciences If he bring them under the precepts of morality and civility so that they can Command their passions and appetites and evidence their good breeding by their seemly and sober behaviour in every thing when in the mean while he do's no more to the saving of the Soul by bringing it to the true Knowledge of God in Christ then as if his Scholars carried no such things about them or they were onely concerned in the advantages of his life If one of these Poor wretches should meet his Master at the great day and say O Master I am undone and I may partly thank you for it while I was with you in my tender age before Custome in Sin had hardened my heart I had then some tenderness of Conscience and if you had but then at spare times minded me of my sinfull miserable Dangerous state you might then have put me in such a way as would have saved me from this Endless Torment I am now Entering into what will he be able to returne to this Nor 2ly Do I say it is the Ministers duty to preserve Knowledge Meerly by his Lips No his very life should be a continuall Sermon and in that he should let People see Knowledge digested into practise and good instructions exemplified before their eyes For how can he Expect that the People should believe him who Evidences by his Contrary practise that he do's not believe himself or whether is it more Likely they will follow him the way he points or the way he walks He tells us indeed that it is our duty to do so and so and frights us with dreadfull dangers if we do otherwise but certainly he do's not think as he Speaks for then he Would never do contrary Sure he loves himself as well as he do's us and he knowes what is good for himself and what is good for him can never be hurtfull for us But this I say one of the great dutys of the Minister is to preserve knowledg and right apprehensions in People agreeable to the very Nature of the things and firm Perswasions of the rectitude of these Apprehensions so as to be duly affected with those and to be Powerfully Actuated by them If ye aske what Knowledge The resolution is easy out of the very text that Knowledge which would Effectually restrain People from those practises which did greatly provoke the Righteous God against them And I pray you what do's skill in variety of Languages avail to this will it reform Lives and save Souls and Maintain Peace and order and Charity to puzzle an Ignorant auditory with Sentences of Latin or Greek either out of Heathen poets or Philosophers or out of Fathers Schoolmen or Councells that they do not the least understand Or if they did they know not how far they are to be heeded Will God be better served and superiours more obeyed and Corruptions more mortified and graces more exercised and Afflictions better Improved and our brethren more loved and helped in the way to Heaven by the Ministers making a business of it to Perswade his auditours that he has a little Learning 2ly Out of the very nature of the thing Is not that Knowledge to be Preserved by the Minister which is the most proper for a Divine who is to speak as the Oracles of God to Commend himself to the very Consciences of his people not to their fancies and humours To discourse of the Nature and properties and simpathies and Antipathies of things the magintude Motion influence of the Stars the situations distances and Temperature of places c. This may be proper for a Philosopher to discourse of the Intregues of Government for a statesman but what is this to a Divine whose Business is to save the Souls of poor people if it be possible however to bring them to as great an outward Reformation as may be And to keep up the honour of God in the World and to secure the peace of societies by principles of Conscience and to help Gods afflicted ones to bear up under their heavy Crosses by those Comforts which the World is unacquainted with and to teach those who are upright hearted to make a wise Improvement of all Advantages of providences c. If ye aske what Knowledge serves these ends there is 1st The Knowledge of God Letting people know what an Holy God he is that he cannot endure that they should allow themselves in the Least impurity of flesh or Spirit a Righteous God who will render to every one Impartially according to their wayes without any respect of persons a Mercifull God who will pity humbled penitents in their miseries be they never so sinfull A good God who well deserves to be Loved with the whole heart and Soul A dreadfull God who will be greatly feared by all those who are not stark mad so as with their eyes broad open desperately to run upon their ruine A wise Powerfull Alsufficient true faithfull God who never yet did faile his people in any case where they solely relied upon him but has helped them and do's help even then when the World concludes there is no help for them in God and they themselves do much question whether there be or no. In a Word that he is a God who Made Heaven and Earth and do's oversee continually all Persons and Affaires in them be they never so Secret and he rules and disposes of them all every way as he pleases without
amongst men or his outward comfort In matters of Religion men even such as have some thing of Good in them ordinarily over shoot themselves 1st When they cry up their own way as the onely truth and way of Christ decrying all other ways either on the one hand as peices of Heresies and schism's On the other hand as Rags of Rome and Babylon Before they have throughly and impartially considered and compared all And before they have attained the Wisdom which is from above Whereby they might be enabled to discern the nature and designe of reall Religion And to understand in what place every thing stands how it tends to promote the true Spirit of Religion or to thwart stifle and suppress it 2ly When they are so far from allowing others calmly to debate and examine the reallity and righteousness of their principles and practices That they do not forbear a bitter censuring of all such as lay not so great a stress upon their fancys as themselves do Contend not for them with that heat and Eagerness do not presently Damn all that say not as they say And do not as they do these must be Gallia's luke-warm formall temperizers Studying to please Men more then God 3ly When they Love to receive and spread reports which tend to the disgrace and reproach of such as differ in Judgments and practice from themselves Thinking to gaine more credit to their own way by throwing Dirt upon Professors of others Which is most usuall amongst those who come nearest one another Are competitors and justle for preheminence in the Peoples affections 4thly When they endeavour to Force people unto the embracing of them by outward terrour whom they cannot win and perswade to them by clear arguments 5ly When they do allow themselves in any hoistrous and tumuleuons Courses If so be these do but tend to set up their Diana 6ly when they press more upon Peopl's Consciences such Observances as they themselves cannot but acknowledge have been omitted by such as truly feared God and improved themselves in reall grace Nevertheless while they call not at all to the great things of the Gospell such as dying to ones self falling of from the World i. e. The Pomps and Vanities of it getting into that Meek Lowly Obedient Self-denying Loving Spirit which is the Destinguishing Character and Ornament of a Christian 7ly While they decline the Company of such in whom appears much of the true Spirit of Religion and are really acquainted with the ways and Workings of God upon the Hearts of his choycest ones merely because they differ a little and that Conscienciously from them in some few small Punctilioes 8ly When they do not quietly Submit to what is required by Superiours in every thing where there is no apparent harme In these particular Instances of want of Moderation I have dealt very Impartially Not forbearing one Party more then another and purposely Declined meddling with Superiours Whom we have nothing to doe with as well upon Principles of Conscience as Prudence Now this want of Moderation proceeds 1st From Ignorance of the true Nature of Religion Notwithstanding the high pretences made to Knowledge of Scripture or Antiquity Religion does not consist in most things contended about And it may be its designe might as well be carried on without as with them 2ly From an high conceit of their own knowledge For notwithstanding this their Ignorance herein they think that they understand themselves bettet then others 3ly From an over-doating upon their own Opinion as the Birth of a better Informed Judgment then ordinary And their own two 4ly From an Ambitious desire to have their Vnderstanding approved and Applauded by others When they really declare they prefer their own Judgments before all others whilst they conforme to it Stear themselves by it Whereas those who say or do otherwise do Tacitly condemn them either as weak or inconsiderative Persons 5ly From an unaquaintance with the Life of Religion and a gross neglect of the main Duty 's of it to make a mends for what they over do in the outward Cerimonial part of it 6ly From a mistake in the true nature of Zeale Taking their own Passions and Headiness in a blind way for that regular fervour of Love which is directed by a clear understanding and sober Wisdom in an Illuminated Mind Hearing Zeal commended they rush into a turbulent motion while they think to decline that Luke-warmness and indifferency which the Wisemen of the World practise to save themselves 7ly From want of due consideration of the Blindness and Weakness of Mens minds Together with the Obscurity and Intrecacy of the matters of Religion which would make one make due allowance for their Brothers frailty And bear more with one anothers mistakes 8ly From an Inexperience in the way God ordinarily takes to bring Conscientious Persons into the knowledge of the Truth which he does not all at once but by degrees so that one may be Ignorant of their Duty and erre in many things 9ly From forgetfullness that they themselves have Erred and stood in need of that Toleration which they refuse to grant to others 10ly From a false perswasion that any one may Believe as he has a mind himself which were it true it would prove a fine easy way for avoiding of Suffering whatever should be imposed Especially if the Opinion be true at every one fancyes his own to be 11ly From want of observing and considering the unquestionable good which is in others But a modest holding out ones own Apprehensions affording them the best light and evidence one has Without Reproaching or Censuring the Person or Opinions of those of a Contrary perswasion is ordinarily for I shall not Determine what God in an extraordinary way may call unto the Duty of a Christian For 1st It 's most sutable to a Christians Temper and Spirit wherein there is all Meekness Lowliness Love and Tenderness which when any Swarve from whatever it be they do be it never so good in its self they do it othere wise then they ought to do Now a meek Person does Naturally forbear what meerely tends to provoke others an humble Soul is ready to suspect his own Judgment And to believe another may vnderstand himself as well if not better in that business than himself a Loving Heart is very loth to displease when there is no need 2d It is an advantagious Representation of Religion to Standersby that are Strangers to it Men ordinarily measure not the worth of Religion by the high commendations that are given it but they observe what Good it does how it betters them makes them of a more truly Noble and generous Spirit then others Now for those that profess highly Christianity and that in the Loftiest Strain of it to manage their differences one with another with less calmness than Phylosophers could do What a Reproach is this to Religion Is this the way to make it look Lovely Will this Convert a Jew or
to Love and chuse and keep this way And Faith is the Instrument whereby we Receive Christ as a principle of inward life and strength Quest 3. How do's this way lead to this life Answer This obedience and selfdenyal has a tendency to advance us unto this life 1st Not as matter of merit whereby we deserve at Gods hands that he should advance us unto this life The begger who comes to the door for alms by coming do's not deserve it though without coming he were never like to get it That a Creature should merit from God from whom it has and to whom it owes all that it has and is is both a proud opinion and a senseless one also Especially if we consider in what a pittiful depraved condition man is in whom this merit is supposed and boasted For 1st Were we born with as great moral perfections as Adam himself was created with and did we improue these with the utmost care diligence and Faithfulness unto the greatest advantage so as at no time to omit any duty or to commit any Sin yet we should by thus doing do no more then we were bound to for we owe our whole beings and Lives whatever we are have and are able to do unto that God from whom we received them and by whom we are preserved in them And is there any so Foolish as to fancy that there can be any great merit in paying of debts 2ly As we are darkned in our minds and depraued in our hearts we neither do nor can do half of that which we ought to do we either fail in the matter doing somthing which is unfitting to be done or not doing somthing which is fitting to be done or we fail in the manner doing what we do when we do the best with undue hearts and for undue ends So that we are alwayes affronting and provoking God either by our Sinful omissions or Commissions either in the thing practised or Neglected or in the manner of our Practising or Neglecting it And would it not be an unparalleld impudence in any to claime as due the least reward for such unworthy Carriages how much lâ—ss so great a reward as eternal Life is 3ly As we do not do all the good we might and the good we do we do not with that exactness which we ought even when we do it in the greatest Sincerity so the good we do it is not we who do it but the grace of God which is in us as St. Paul Modestly acknowledges 1. Cor. 15. 10. Not I but the grace of God which was with me So that were there never so great merit in the action we have little reason to lay Claime to it who are at the best but the instruments God being the principall authour for this is certain all the Evil of our Actions is from our selves and all the good of them from God 4ly The good which we do we do rather for ourselves then for God it is certainly so in the issue and ordinarily it is so in our intentions Whether we do well or ill it neither increases nor lessens Gods happiness Job 35. 6. 7. So that what we do we doing for our selves unto whom the advantage of what we do do's solely redound we have no reason to claime any reward from God till we can shew what we have done for him But 2ly As a means whereby we are fitted for this life such a course is both prescribed by God and has in it self a natural tendency to bring us unto the life which we need and are concerned to seek after Psa 50. 23. To him that ordereth his Conversation aright c. By setting our selves about this obedience and selfdenyall 1st We come to understand really and experimentally how much we are without this life For Obedience Would not be so diffcult a Task had we that life unto which this is Naturall we should Love and delight in Obedience were this agreeable unto the frame of our Spirit and were our wills as Conformable to Gods will as they should be and would be if we were not degenerate There would be no more room for selfdenyal in us then there is for it in Heaven among Angels and Saints who find nothing in them to thwart Gods holy Righteous and good will The first step unto true life is to be brought to a sense that we are without it 2ly We come to understand the worth of this life For we cannot but know that to obey God in his holy and Righteous prescriptions is very much our duty we owe this both to God and to our selves and to our Brethren and we can never have quiet in our selves while our Consciences testify against us that we walk contrary to our duty yet this we shall unavoidably do so long as we want that life which alone can make duty gratefull to us while we force our selves to duty as a thing that we are tasked to and which we may in no wise Neglect unless we will run the hazard of beating for our sloth or while duty goes down with us against the stomack we meddle with it as People do with Phisick which they abhor yet take to prevent a greater mischief while we have no Love to duty we are in Danger of a double trouble from it Trouble in Discharging it contrary to our Inclinations trouble in a total Neglecting of it or a superficial slubbering it over when our conscience takes occasion hence to upbraid us with a want of fear of God and care of our own Souls Now those who know how greivous it is ever to lie under one of these Troubles cannot but count that life precious which will totally free us from both and perfectly reconcile our Consciences Inclinations and duties together that there shall be no jarring among them And when once we come to know the worth of this life we are made to Prize Love Desire and seek it 3ly We Subdue that which in its being and workings is most Contrary to this life That which ties us fast in Death is our owne lusts these are the cords whereby Satan and the World do keep us at a distance from God the Fountain of life these like mud in the head of a spring cause such Obstructions that a source of Living water though it be Just at hand cannot gush out Now obedience gives a check to these lusts it hinders them from working while it finds the Soul a far different Imployment it hinders them from thriving by diverting the sap of the Soul some other wayes While men Neglect Obedience and give the reins unto their lusts they bring themselves more under the power of their Lusts and they have the less Command over themselves to refuse doing what their lusts promp them to neither can they so easily exert themselves into their former liberty But if we deny our lusts and discharge duty in spite of them we famish them and thereby weaken them that they cannot have that Rule
to know the ready and certain way of the Place where he may get all his Necessities supplied 〈◊〉 whâ—n he knows the Way he never offers to take it but rests where he is till he Perish through Hunger Thirst and â—â—â—â—â—ness 2ly In that they please themselves in that which will certainly prâ—jâ—dâ—ce them For men had much better not know Gods will than when they do know it not to do it Their sin becomes more hâ—inous S. John 9. 41. Jesus said unto 〈…〉 ye were Blind ye should have no Sin but now ye say we see therefore your Sin Remaineth Christ here aggravates the Sin of the Pharisees in that they sinned with their Eyes open If ye were Blind ye should have no Sin i. e. None in Comparison of what now ye have The more Will there is in any Sin the more Wickedness also and the more Knowledge there is the more Will. And their Judgment becomes of more Grievous like that of the Servant which know his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will and therefore was adjudged to be Beaten with many Stripes S. Luke 12. 47. God is more highly provoked by those who presume to do what they know is contrary to his Will and therefore he will more severely Punish them And it adds to the Wright of their Judgement when our Conscience has greater Reason than Ordinary to upbraid us for bringing our selves Voluntarly under it in that we were told the way to Escape it and intreated yea Commanded to take this way and yet we would not If any shall say that if Ignorance somewhat Extenuate the Sin and alleviate the Judgement it will be the wisest course to live in Ignorance and to shun Knowledge Let such know that although Unavoidable Ignorance extenuates Sin yet affected Ignorance aggravates it When men are desirous to know what they should do and omit and are Willing to do their Duty according to their Knowledge and Neglect no means which God Vouchsafes them whereby their Knowledge may be increased In this case if they do what ought not to be done or Neglect what ought not to be Neglected God imputes it to their Ignorance and not to themselves and he accounts this Ignorance their Unhappiness rather than their Sin He deals with them as he did with S. Paul in the like case they obtain Mercy because they do it ignorantly 1 Tim. 1. 13. But if men being desirous to Sin without any Check of Conscience do therefore shun to know their Duty when they have means of Knowledge that they may go on in their Sinfull Omissions and Commissions without regret or Reluctancy their Ignorance of their Duty doth but make their Sin the more heinous The Reason why they do what they ought not and do not what they ought is not because they know not what ought or ought not to be done For if they did know this Never so well they would do as they do still therefore their Ignorance cannot Excuse that Sin which it has no Influence upon Besides if their being Ignorant of their Duty were the Cause of their Transgressing it yet they being the Cause of their own Ignorance in that they do purposely decline those means which might remove it lest they should by them come to know their Duty they can in no wise be Excused by their Ignorance Their Ignorance in this case is not a bare Circumstance of another Sin but a distinct Sin in it self in that it is a Voluntary thing in them and their own Choice Yea 't is an heinous Sin too in that the End it is designed for is that we may commit All Wickedness with more Greediness He that is naturally Blind if through his Blindness he run into some Mischief he is pitied and excused but he that can see well enough and yet shuts his Eyes on purpose that he may pretend this as an Excuse for his doing a Mischief he is the more Severely censured and the more Grievously Punished for it Use 2. This shews the great Untowardness which is in Mens hearts that they are so bad as to bring forth no Fruit when they have such advantage by Hearing to make them Fruitfull Hereby they are instructed what to do they learn what God does Counsell and command them to do Hereby they are convinced how much it is their Concernment to do what they are Counselled and Commanded It is as much as their Souls are worth to Neglect this It is the certain Loss of Heaven the certain Incurring all the Torments of Hell Hereby they are directed how to discharge their duty so as will make must for Gods Glory and their own Advantages they are directed how to get those Helps which may incline and Enable them for their Duty the Quickning and strengthening Vertue of the Spirit Hereby they are 〈◊〉 to set about their Duty notwithstanding the Difficulties of it and the Disadvantagâ—â— by it Now when men have such Instructions such Convictions such Directions such Encouragements to set about Doing it is a sign of great Naughtiness in their Hearts when nothing will make them do their Duty neither Respect to God nor to Themselves and their own good Use 3. This shows the great Necessâ—â—y of getting the Heart throughly 〈◊〉 getting the Law writ in the Heart getting the Spirit of Life which is in Christ and Improving those Promises whereby God 〈◊〉 Encourage us to expect these great things from him For then shall we both Know Gods will and be Willing and ready to do it but not till then We may without this Hear with our outward Ears what ever 〈◊〉 can tell us of our Duty and Gods will and yet never Understand it we may Understand and never Believe it We may Believe for so do the Devils in some sense all Gods Word and never Obey it But when the Lord has put his Spirit within 〈◊〉 to cause us to walk in his statutes Ezek. 36. 27. We shall walk in them When God has Created us in Christ Jesus unto good works we shall Walk in them Ephes. 2. 10. If God Sanctifie us throughout in Spirit Soul and Body we shall be preserved 〈◊〉 unto the Sâ—cond coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Thes 5. 23. Use 4. This shows how Unreasonable it is to blame Ministers always 〈◊〉 the Unfruitfulness of their Auditors and to Reproch them with the Sins of their Heavens It is Possible be their Preaching never so Powerfull their Lives never so 〈◊〉 they may little prevail with their Authors to bring them unto good If men may hear Christs sayings from his own mouâ—â— and yet 〈…〉 them when they have 〈…〉 there was so much Tuâ—â—h in his 〈…〉 so much 〈◊〉 and Prudence in 〈…〉 of Handling it as never can be Expected from any meer man how much more may they hear what is delivered by others without Profiting by it Take the most Eminent Preacher that ever Taught and let him be the most Unblameable Liver that ever
SERMONS UPON Several Texts OF SCRIPTURE BY GEORGE BARKER B. D. Sometime Fellow of Catherine-Hall in Cambridge and late Rector of Danby upon Wisk in York-shire YORK Printed by John White for Francis Hildyard Richard Manklin and Thomas Baxter Book-sellers in York 1697. The Preface THE Author of these Sermons was a Person of great Learning and Piety both which he did abundantly manifest whilest he was for severall years Fellow of Catherine Hall in the University of Cambridge where he was reputed to be one of the most un-wearied Diligence profound Learning and Exemplary Piety and Charity of his Time No less esteem had he amongst the Clergy and all that knew him after he was presented by the University to the Rectory of Danby-Wisk nigh North-Allerton in York-shire in the Year 1659. Where he continued in such a retired station as his Humility and Contentedness of Mind most affected for almost twenty five Years till his last Sickness which happened in the beginning of the Year 1684. During his continuance in this place he always made it his business and the Employment of his whole time to promote the Eternall happiness of all under his care and charge by a constant and diligent performance of all those Duties that a Minister owes to his Parishioners And not Regarding either the smallness of his Parish or his own ease he Preached continually twice every Lords day and besides that he took all other opportunities of Fasts and Holy-days to recommend to the People their Duties upon those Occasions There he Preached all the following Sermons Except only the Fourth which he Composed upon an Extraordinary occasion as the Title of it shews In these and all his Sermons he affected such a plainness of Style Familiarity of Expression as was most suitable to the Capacities of his Parishioners And it is to be hoped that this plainness of his will not be accounted a fault by the Candid Reader who shall consider that the main end and design of all the Authors Labours was not to please the Ears of his Auditors with fine Phrases and exact Expressions but fully to Instruct them in the Knowledge and Affectionately to excite them to the Practice of the great Duties of the Christian Religion For both which he was Excellently qualified by his great Learning and Skill in all parts of Divinity and by that hearty desire and ardent Zeal for the welfare and salvation of all Mankind which was the first Principle of all his actions And as it was the only business of this Authors whole Life to do good by his Doctrine and Example so it is the same sincere Principle that has influenced the Publishers of this work and induced them to expose these discourses to the World that so the benefits of them might be more Generall and no longer be confined to those few Relations that understood his way of Writing And it will be a sufficient Satisfaction to them if those great Ends which the AUTHOR aimed at in his Preaching be in any measure attained by the Publishing of these his Posthumous Sermons If the amendment of Mens Lives and Manners be the happy effect of their Reading what is here heartily designed and humbly recommended for that Purpose The CONTENTS SERMON I. II. S. Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect pag. 1. 21. SERM. III. Phil. 4. 5. Let your Moderation be known unto all men 37. SERM. IV. Malachi 2. 7. For the Priests lips should keep Knowledge 77. SERM. V. Prov. 3. 5. 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy Paths 107. SERM. VI. Mat. 7. 14. Because strait is the Gate narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life few there be that find it 123. SERM. VII S. Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven 149. SERM. VIII IX S. Mat. 7. 25. And the Rain descended and the Floods came and the Winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a Rock 171. 193. SERM. X. XI S. Mat. 7. 26. 27. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a Foolish man which built his House upon the Sand And the Rain descended and the Floods came and the Winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the Fall of it 219. 239. SERM. XII Isaiah 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call ye upon him while he is near 250. St. Matthew 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect IN these words you have two things considerable their dependance and their importance As for their dependance and coherance its evident from the particle Therefore that they are a conclusion drawn from somewhat premised what ever that be q. d. seeing all that I have lately declared unto you is true ye ought to look upon it both as your duty and concernment to be perfect The only doubt is whether the premises upon which this inference is grounded be not the whole discourse from the 17. Verse to the end or it be the latter part of the discourse Verse 45 for indeed there is just ground for such an inference from either it s very rational to discourse either way as thus Seeing that the Law which Christ the eternal Son of God came to establish is no imperfect Law for it does not only regulate the outward but the inward man also and consequently its obliging authority and directing efficacy reaches the whole man as to all his Thoughts Affections Words Carriages Wayes and Doings it becomes those who profess subjection to this Law not to content themselves with such an imperfect observation of it as the Scribes and Pharises took up with it becomes those who have such an exact rule to direct them as the perfect Law such an excellent example to excite them as the perfect God to endeavour being perfect as their Heavenly Father is perfect Or thus seeing that God whose Children you profess your selves to be has not only a love for Friends but Enemies as doth sufficiently appear in that he expresses it to both doing Good to the evill and Good c. And seeing that to have and express this love is his perfection we are every way obliged and Concerned too as we would please God and resemble our best Father in that which really is and by him is reputed his Chief perfection to be as he is and do as he do's viz. Not only to love Friends but Enemies too This is the way to be what every one does naturaly with great vehemency desire both for the honour and the happiness which it brings along with it Perfect in that with the
communion in affliction there was not that union in affection which might be expected He finds use of all his Rhetorick to perswade them to agree together and Love one another Cap. 2. Ver. 3. Notwithstanding that God by his severer providences did as it were knock of their fingers from laying hold on earthly things and called them to higher Enjoyments there were such as would be minding the World still Chap 3. Ver. 19. This he cannot mention without tears Now St. Pavl being very Sensible how dangerous both these distempers were how distructive to the peace of the Church without which there can be little mutuall edification he does what in him lyes to cure them To this purpose knowing some differences between Euodias and Syntijche two leading Women and considering that clashing of Parties arises from and is fomented by the disagreements of Heads he sets himself most to compose these 1st He declares how much he Loves them and how much they are his Joy and Glory and thereby teaches them how much they should tender one another 2ly He conjures them in all Love to stand fast in the Lord and so discreetly intimates to them that the ground of their Jarring is want of keeping close to God walking in the Spirit 3dly He earnestly intreats them First One then the other that they would agree together in matters of Religion And hereby gives them to understand that one whose Judgment in such matters they have no reason to dispise does discern more harme in their contests then possibly they themselves are aware of it being a great peice of folly to spend ones Zeal time Care and diligence in composing such differences which might continue without any prejudice there never wanting some business of concernment in the Church to employ them about He expresses agreat deal of humble condescention in that he lovingly Beseeches those to agree whom he might have Strictly Comanded And thereby gives a Gentle yet home Check to that pride which usuably is the spring that gives motion to all dissention 4ly He endeavours to engage others to Sett them on improveing the Jnterest they had in these dissenting persons And their prudence to bring them to an accord He intreats A friend of his that as he had formerly found him a faithfull Companion in his Labours He would not now fail him but assist him in this He tells him it is their weakeness that they cannot agree of themselves desires him to help them he minds him setting aside this miscarriage that they were discerning persons Had laboured with him in the Gospell 5thly He calls them to such a Christian duty which if rightly practised would swallow up those foolish base stingy principles which are the root of all discord Pride peevishness self Love As for the other distemper which hangs much upon such as have a reall work of grace begun upon their hearts that they may not give way to it he minds them that it is a troublesome thing it fills with cares tells them 't is a needless thing they might have what they want and need at an easyer rate if they would it is but letting God know what they have use for and what they desire The words are intended as a comon Antidote against both distempers and therefore set in the middle between the more particuler remedyes of each Where you have 1st An intimation of mans Naturall disposition he is prone to be eager and Vehement about matters of Less concernment while in the mean time he can allow himselfe to be careless And negligent enough about matters of higher worth greater weight larger and Lastinger use 2ly A tacit Check to this mans Bent with a plain Declaration of a Christian temper they should not be thus violent they should be more moderate So moderate that all who have any thing to do with them may take notice of this moderation 3dly A serious Exhortation to the practice of this Duty backed and set home with an Argument to perswade the reasonableness of it The exhortation is to Labour after a Spirit of Moderation And then so far as they attain it to express it towards all Men tho of different Judgements ways enemys such as give the greatest provocations to you to make you forget what becomes Christans The motive is short but full capable of different senses so as best to suit the Latitude of the Duty The Lord is at hand You are apt to overprize your own opinions and wayes to Cry them up to impose them upon others to quarrell with those that will not bow to you here you are very Zealous in this you justifye your selves this you make your glory but I wish you did understand and consider that the business of Religion is of an higher Nature then Notions and Observances It is the getting into Christ Living in him and to him And this is attainable sooner then you are aware of Even now while you are wrangling about these Low things for the Lord is at hand sure whilst you thus holy contest about your own fancyes and forget the main and most uncontroverted Principle of Religion I mean the forgiving and forbearing one another you little think Who stands by and Who looks on Know ye that the meek lowly holy God the God of peace stands by is at hand Whilest you are thus eager in Carking and toiling for the outward supply of your life you little consider that he who careth for you is at hand while you are thus hot in pursueing your own vengeance returning Evill for Evill You little consider you take no notice that He is nigh who says Vedgance is mine leave it to me I will repay it Doct. Though it be naturall for men to be violent in what they set about Yet it is the Duty of Christians to behave themselves with such moderation That not onely God and their own hearts but even the Consciences of all men may bear witness to it Here are severall things to be spoke to 1st What moderation is 2ly About what things it is conversant 3ly How men are to blame in the neglect of it about These things 4ly Whence this want of Moderation proceeds 5ly How it comes to be a Christian Duty to press after It and practise it 1. As to the First Moderation as here taken is somewhat within Which does temper allay cool and calm the heat vehemency violence boistrousness of man's thoughts desires intentions resolutions actions whereby they Love choose care for endeavour after any thing person or opinion Besides and be low Christ If not in and for Christ More then they should Not with that indifferency and resignation they should This ought to have place 1st in matters of Religion whether opinions or outward observances which have not such A necessary convexion with the Spirit of the Gospell righteousness and true Holiness faith and Love but without them these may be attained 2ly In matters of the World such things as tend to promote either a Mans credit
in more need he should make to thee Art thou sure he is in the wrong thou in the right how knowest thou this thou thinkest thy self in the right so do's he Thou art confident it may be so is he Thou producest Reason and Scripture so dos he thou alledgest the consent of such and such learned and good Men whom thou greatly accounts of he do's no less Hast thou studyed and prayed for the finding out of the truth he has done so too Hast thou suffered in Testimony to what thou Judgest truth If he have not done so thou knowest not but he may be ready to do the like when God calls him to it Obi. Why but it is a dangerous Arrour Answer How knowest thou it is Canst thou shew wherein the danger of it lyes 2ly Grant it be so thou hast more need to pitty him then to quarrel with him thou hast more need to deal with him so as thou mayest best hope to bring him out of his Errour Thou oughtest to take care least by thy passionate and untoward management of the Cause of Truth thou give people occasion so to loth it that they Chuse rather to fall in with the others errours Que. But would you not have us to be Zealous Answer Yes as Zealous as you will but I would first have you to understand what for I would not have you to run without your Errand as Zealous as you will but I would have you remember that venting of Pride and peevishness in Religion Loving and admiring and violently propagating your Opinions and ways is not Zeal As Zealous as you will but first let Zeal begin at Home let it burne up your Pride and Earthliness and frowardness and then when this Smoke is gone the light of it will serve you to guide the heat of it by Alass Men talk much of Zeal but there is less true Zeal in the World then there is true Love there is as much want of Zeal as Vse of it and it must First be got before exercised and put forth the same spirit enclines to Moderation that Enclines to Zeal Vse 2. Labour for a Spirit of Moderation A meek lowly and tender Spirit It s hard practising a Duty when it thwarts Nature this is a lovely God like Spirit were it not for this in what a sad case were we who hourly try Gods patience by greater provocations then mistakes amount to Vse 3. Condemn not any for putting that Duty in practise which you allow your selves in the neglect of If you will not be moderate your selves be not angry with those who in Conscience to God desire to be so smut them not with odious Names Vse 4. Whatever ill usage thou meetest with from the World be not discouraged in the due practise of Moderation Consider it is thy Duty and though Men may reproach and Curse thee for it the blessing of a peace maker shall be upon thee from the God of Heaven I know such is the madness of the World they are ready to quarrell with every one that will not engage with them in their Contentions one against another and he that goes about to part Two opposite Partyes provokes both against himself and seldom goes away without blows from either But count it no new and strange thing to be used as the Men of God have been used before thee Continue thou in Gods work still and he will answer the damage that accrues thereby to thee Vse 5. Judge those the best Christians who being Consciencious in all other dutys do not neglect this It shews a Christian Spirit it is an Argument of the Wisdome from above Which is pure Peaceable 6ly See thou hast more Cause of humbling thy selfe then Glorying If thou hast neglected Moderation thou hast omitted a Duty deceive not thy selfe nor vainly hope to delude God by putting a good Name upon a bad practise and Calling that Zeal which God Counts Hellish Fury 7ly Conclude not there is most of Religion in such as seem the eagerest all violent heats speaks not so much strength of Nature as the oppressition of some Distemper Let not any by Sin gain the reputation of being more then ordinarily Pious 8ly Learn the Wisdome and Justice of true Religion which requires such practises from its professors as tend most to promote and secure what all generally desire and that is peace to obviate the Slanders cast upon it by the worldly wise that it disturbs societys But 2ly A Christian ought to be moderate about the Concernements of this Life the Comforts and conveniencys Health Wealth and Credit Lovers and Friends c. In these people are then immoderate when they let out their Affections too much upon any of these giving them a greater share in their hearts then of right belongs to them That we love these at all is no fault they being the good Creatures of God But that we love them otherwise then we should more then we should here is the Immoderation As 1st When we love them more then God himselfe the Gift more then the Giver whatever it be in any Creature comfort whatsoever that we find any favour and relish in any chearing and warmth by It is but a drop a spark a ray of that goodness which is in God and is used by God as a bate to allure us to himselfe In whom alone the Fountain is to be found who alone is able not onely to content but satisfye us Now then we love these more then God when 1st We take more care and paines to procure these to our selves then to win the favour of God 2ly To secure these more then we do the Love of God 3ly When we can be quiet without God while we have these let God hide his face forbeare his visits withdraw his directions and Consolations no matter for all this provided Health lasts Mony comes in the World gives us its good word and Friends their smiles 4ly When God himself cannot please us without these let him reason the case with us as Elkana with Hannah am not I better to thee then ten earthly comforts Our hearts are so hardned in sorrow for being deprived of these we mind him not but go on grieving and fretting still 5ly When we will not give God leave to deny us these to Strip us of these as he shall Judge it meet but we will either have our own will in these or we repine at him quarrel with him take no care to please or serve him But 2ly We are then immoderate when we love these more then Grace which being the Life Health Strength Beauty of the Soul a Divine participation and resemblance a reall Substantiall Solid Lasting Good Is of greater worth much more desirable As 1st When we Grieve more deeply for our want or losse of these then we do for our weakness or decay of Grace It 's a trouble to us that we have not some outward comfort we formerly had or at least hoped for and still
my self will send it A word of Commemoration to drive all home did I say I would Curse you ye may well trust me for I have already begun and that upon your neglect herein If Judgments threatned cannot awake you pray let Judgments inflicted do it though you may put by your Feares sure you cannot put off your feeling too But least all this should be too little to work them up to a real Reformation he goes two steps further 1st The threatening which he seemed to suspend the execution of untill he had made some tryall whether they would heare or no here he denounces absolutely without any Reserues least they should at least delay Setting in good earnest to return to their duty out of hopes that Judgment would however be deferred if it could not be reversed 2ly That they might be more fully possest with distinct apprehensions of their danger he represents it at large in two particulars which touch nature where it has the quickest sense 1st Of pain which unavoidably follows upon the Cutting of all hopes of not only the Comforts but the Necessary supports of nature while he threatens to Corrupt the very first principle the seed of these 2ly Of shame when that which should be the highest Honour Proves the Greatest disgrace and dung is as it were taken from their Sacrifices and thrown in their very faces Now least God in this way of Proceeding should be taxed of too much severity he for the Vindication of himself declares 1st That there is Love in all this and great Love too The design of all his threatnings and Chastizings being only to reduce them to their primitive purity and to interest them in those priviledges which the Tribe of Levi did at first enjoy 2ly However there is Justice in it for if the Priests by their unfaithfulness in their place suffer the People to run into sin and when they have done so never lay it to heart nor endeavour to reclaim them it is but Just they should smart for it Well therefore may I proceed thus rigorously against the Priests For they ought to keep knowledge where in the whole Verse you have 1st The Priests dignity declared for the sence is Retrograde to the Words as despicable as he Looks in the eyes of the proud profane Worldlings he is no mean one in the Judgment of the wisest best and greatest God himself pitches upon him as one of such Qualifications and hopes as render him fit to be trusted in an Imployment of highest Consequence a message from the King of Heaven unto the greatest on Earth and such a Message also as concerns them more then all their Comforts in this Life as much as their Souls their very Souls and their unspeakeable unconceivable happiness or misery to all Eternity is worth Men count it an Honour to be made use of as an Ambassador or Envoy to a forrain State by one who setting aside his clothes and titles is but Flesh and Blood like themselves one whose approbation of a Mans abilities and Faithfulness is no certain Testimony of them his Judgment being liable to a double miscarriage The one by mistake while he presumes the Man to be endowed with those vertues and accomplishments which he is really without only hath the shadow of them The other by mis-valuing while he over values his indifferent parts and makes small of his notorious Vices but here is one approved by the God of greatest understanding and Wisdom imployed by one who is LORD not in title but in reality One who has the command not of one small Army but of all the forces on Earth yea in Heaven and Hell too The Generalissimo of all who has them absolutely at his book 2ly You have upon this a double duty founded 1st Of the Priest therefore it is expected from him to preserve Knowledge Even in the most corrupt and degenerate age let him Remember whose business he is about whose dependent he is and let him not be Afraid of Speaking seasonable and vsefull truths tho' they may thwart the Interests of the very Greatest and Provoke their Indignation against him and so Expose himself unto Hazards the Lord of Hosts whose Messenger he is Is able to protect him in the Work he sets him about let the whole World and Hell too do its worst and he will do it in spite of them 2ly Of the people it is Justly expected from them that they should not onely give the Minister an hearing when he comes to seek them but they should also seek him that they May hear at his mouth what is the Message he brings from Heaven and what the Lord requires at their hands If they dare venture to put an affront upon the Lord of hosts and an high one too and Engage him against them they may Suffer him to send on purpose to them about their greatest concerns and declare to the World that they neither Value him nor his Messenger nor his Message any more then if it came from a vain weak Foolish mortall Inconsiderable man like themselves nay not so much they 'l not stir to the door to hear it And all this is suggested to Justify God in the severity he seemes to make Vse of while he punishes and threatens the Preists so very sharply Well may God make them smart with a witness while they suffer the People to dishonour him and undo themselves which possibly might have been prevented if they Would be mindfull of their duty in Letting the People know theirs and the great danger they run upon in neglecting it Which they were much obliged to do being so greatly confided in by the high God to be Employed by him about such a message and concerned to do least they incur the displeasure of the great God the Lord of Hosts And pray what danger had they run upon if they had been ingenuous and Faithfull Need they have feared to be the least harmed by feeble man having the Lord of Hosts in whose Message they were employed standing at their back to defend them So that 3ly Ye have the Improvement made of both by Application to the present occasion Doct. It is one of the main Dutyes of the Ministers to preserve Knowledge by their Lips If by their Unfaithfulness in the discharge of this duty they Suffer people to dishonour the great God and ruine their Poor Souls they have no reason to Quarrel with God if he make their lives Miserable and their Persons despicable Ver. 3. 1st I do not say that it is the duty onely of the Minister No every Particular person has a Soul a precious Soul to look after which without knowledge and real powerfull Knowledge is like to be miserable unto all Eternity and if it be so he 'l find that he himself is the most to blame He therefore should get knowledge and preserve it in himself whatever it cost him Every Master of a family should preserve the Knowledge which is according to
ordinance of man for the Lords sake and those who know the things Injoyned to be indifferent and do not submit they are the more guilty Those who question the Indifferency of them if indeed they were indifferent and be Commanded Sin still while they do not submit because they do that which ought not to be done in Refusing though indeed they are excusable and to be pitied and born with in all meekness And to be prayed for because what they do they doe not willfully but Ignorantly and so their neglect of duty is rather their weakness then their sin Only they are to be desired and admonished not to hug their own mistakes but to be ready to receive Satisfaction and seek out for it in the vse of all means and not sit down peremtorily Concluding it is not to be had because they do not meet with it as soon as is to be wished They do no small Service unto God and the Nation yea unto poor mistaken Souls also who so far as is Possible endeavour to deliver tender Consciences from these groundless scruples Wherwith they Needlesly Trouble themselves and others and hinder themselves from the vigorous minding the grand vsefull Necessary things of Religion which are almost generally Resolved upon without dispute by all parties And who make People to Understand that they may be as well Superstitious on the one hand while they make that unlawfull to be done yea even when it is Commanded by Authority which God has left wholly to the discretion of his People as on the other hand while they will needs have that Necessary in it self which God Never made so 9ly Knowledge of Sins not sparing to let all know wherein they do amiss and how far they do amisse and what dangers they incur Without fear to loss their Favour though never so valuable to provoke their Indignation though never so Dreadfull to prejudice themselves as to their owne Temporall interests that People being made Sensible which way they do Amisâ—e may know how to prevent Judgment and betake themselves to serious Humiliation and Reformation and this is the greatest Love and Faithfulnesse to Souls and what will in the Isluegain us the greatest Favour and Respect not onely from God but men also when we will not sit still and look on while we see them making hast to undo themselves But throw away all Considerations of our selves and run to save them from Ruine though for our pains at the First we get nothing but ill will and worse words at the best 10ly Knowledge of Providences Nationall domesticall and personall letting them plainly see how God do's appear in his Judgments against Sin and Encourage uprightness with his mercies that so they may lay bold on the Present advantage of Providence while it is fresh in their minds and has the Powerfullest Influence upon the heart to work their Souls up unto a Greater Decestation of iniquity and a more ardent Love of Righteousness Knowledge of these things 1st Ought to be preserued because else the great God will be provoked by mans Sins and so a floudgate let open to all Judgments Precious Souls will be lost Souls better worth then the whole World Souls which Christ counted not too dearly purchased with the price of his own Blood Souls capable of and made for the Enjoyments of God to Eternity will be quite Lost The Nation will be Miserably Distracted by sad devisions which are as well the naturall result of want of Knowledge as the Just Judgment of God upon it 2ly By the Ministers for 1st Who have better Abilities their parts which though they Commend not to God yet none can deny but they make more fit for the Service of God where they are rightly vsed Ordinarily more nimble and solid then others these more enlarged and heightened by education and Converse with the most Understanding Persons Living and the serious most digested thoughts of such as are dead and Further Improved by their own Observation and Experience of their owne hearts and Lives besides that of others whereby they Understand the weakness and Corruption of Nature in its present state the Temptations and Snares which Ordinarily do Occurr the helps which are most vsefull c. 2ly Who have fairer Opportunities they being by the Good Providence of God and the Wisdome and piety of former Ages so competently Provided for that they need not lay out their thoughts time and strength about Providing for themselves and Familys the Necessaries of this Life So that they have more leisure to give themselves up to the studying of and Pursuing after the great things of Eternity and holding out these clearly and distinctly to others engaging them to make sure of them 3ly Whose calling is it but theirs thus to do Others indeed as Christians are obliged to promote Knowledge as far and to preserve it as much as they can without neglect of other Necessary duties which are incumbent on them and which are in the First place to be Considered But who but the Ministers are they whose main work it is whom God the great Master in his Large Family of the World has as it were Comitted the Keyes of Knowledge to take in and lay out as there shall be occasion To whom God as it were has said This is your task Look ye to it my other business I have comitted to the Charge of my other Servants I do not Expect you should trouble your selves with it 3ly This by their Lips for 1st Doctrine is the seed and so more proper to begin a Reformation in the hearts and Lives of People which is most generally wanting 2ly It s more pure Example being Doctrine ripened into some maturity and groweth is not free from it's stubble Chaffe and Tares and few are able to say be ye Followers of me without that Limitation so far as I am of Christ 3ly It s more vniversall Example Reaching unto those few onely with whom we Particularly converse vnless it be by Report which ordinarily makes wrong Representation of every thing 2ly Doctrine rather then writing which do's more Affect dull People more instruct Ignorant People they by reason of their manifold distractions generally being not able to Compose their minds unto a Calm perusall of any Sober Dicourse Vse 1st See the great honour conferred by God himself upon the Minister in that he trusts him with that which is of highest Esteem even with men of the World for who are they allmost that count it not a greater reproach to be called Fool then Knaue yea and that Knowledge too which is of greatest vse of grandest Concernment which is the main Security of Gods Honour and Souls welfare And where are those proud ones then who dare despise such as the King of Heaven is pleased thus to Honour Let others boast of their being keepers of the Liberty of their Country of the Peace of their Country let it be Enough for thee that thou art one of Gods Preservers
of Knowledge in matters of the greatest value O take heed of being Treacherous in a matter of highest trust neither be thou so Disingenuous as to disapoint him who has so much Honoured thee above others by failing his Expectations in the discharge of thy trust 2ly See what is a Necessary Qualification in a Minister the want of which cannot be dispensed with in any wise he is to preserve Knowledge and this is his Office at least the main part of it Now how can he do this if he have it not O that this were more seriously Considered both by the Candidates of the Ministry and also by those in whom the power of presenting and Instituting is invested by the Laws Do any appoint a Blind Man to be a Watchman or a Shepherd or pitch upon a Cripple to make a Foot Post of Indeed were the primary intention of benefices meerly for the sustentation of those in them it were another matter but when this is only taken in as it lies in the way to an higher end and as it is Necessary to fit the more for the better service of the Community in that which is most Considerable What an horrible abuse is it of the Charity of Predecessors and the gracious providence of God to serve private interests with such a palpable wrong unto so many Souls who by this means are Extremely indangered if not certainly ruined And let me tell you untill an expedient be found out to give a Check unto the many Misâ—arriages this way and an effectuall course taken to prosecute it to the utmost it is in vain to hope that Honovr will be ever Reâ—â—orâ—d to the Ministry which it has already lost or those reduced into the bosome of the Church as it now stands who through manifold I wish I could say altogether groundless Prejudices have had their minds alienated from it and upon that have Separated 3ly See how to Judge of the Goodness or Sadness of Sermons Ask how they serve their Ends What poor Commendation is it of a Sermon when People say of it that it was Witty or Rationall or Learned and it may be those people too who are very incompetent Judges what is genuine wit clear reason and solid Learning when there is not one dram of Knowledge in it all and there is never a sleepy Sinner is able to attest it is good Physick I found it gripe at my Conscience awakening it never a hungry Soul can say it is good food I found it warm at my heart Refreshing and strengthening it 4ly Be not afraid to speak true Knowledge let it offend who it will If any be so bold as to quarrell with thee about it bid them let thee alone thou art about thy business let them go and mind theirs Tell them thou wouldest not willingly provoke them if thou Couldest help it but thou darest not Neglect thy duty and ask them whether it be more Reasonable to humour them to their prejudice or to be faithfull unto God who has set thee this task and unto them too by endeavouring to do them good if it be Possible though thou hast no thanks for thy pains from them If thou canst satisfy those who are contentious it will be well however thou needst not fear their Loud threats Let them do their worst thou art about thy duty and he that set thee thy Employment is able to defers thee in it 5ly Be not discouraged in thy faithfull endeavours though the success Answer not thy desire and Expectations Though thou hast held forth Knowledge a long while inculcated it again and again and those whom thou speakest to are still as Ignorant Generally of those things which should better their hearts and Reform their Lives and save their Souls as ever thou hast done this in Season and out of Season they are still where they were It is sad indeed that People should be so resolved on their sinfull courses that when all is said they should hold on still whatever it cost them but here is thy Comfort thou hast discharged thy duty and thou shalt not in any wise lose thy reward Go on still into Gods name 6ly Let the Judgments of God which are out against the Ministry lead us into a serious inquiry whether all these may not be inpured unto our neglect of this duty we should preserve Knowledge which will humble the proud Sinner and feed the hungry Soul but instead of wholesome food we put off our People with airy Notions we trouble them with hard disputes and subtleties And can we wonder then that the Name which has been a high title of honour should now be an Ordinary term of reproach that the Calling which formerly was so much loved and reverenced by the soberest and wisest People cannot now secure the Persons in it from Contempt and hatred that what is due to us by all Laws of 〈◊〉 and by all rules of Equity and Religion also should be not onely grudged us but obstinately refused by some and that upon pretences of Conscience too It is to be feared that the threatning Verse 3. has taken hold of us O let us labour to be â—â—â—sible of our great guilt and Exceedingly humbled for it and let us Justify God in his Righteous Judgements against us and be so wise as to take the onely way for the removall of them which is setting our selves seriously about a reall reformation herein 7ly Let the due Consideration of this being our duty stir us all up to endeavour the faithfull discharge of it let it be enough that we have hitherto wholly Neglected it or much â—lubbered it 1st Care we not though we provoke the great God to lay us aside also as he has done others Can we expect that he should continue us in that Office which we do not at all discharge Dare we trie whether God will be as good as his word and do to us as he has formerly said he Would do to others Because thou hast rejected Knowledge I will also reject thee that thou be no Preist to me Hos 4. 6. 2ly Care we not though so many precious Souls whom God has Committed to our Charge be ruined to all Eternity and while they roar under their unspeakable Torments Curse us who might have prevented it if we had been Faithfull Have we no pitty to them Must we not one day Answer for them What shall we say when God shall ask us did not I appoint you to preserve Knowledge How comes it to pass that my People are Destroyed for want of Knowledge 3ly It is nothing to us that the Nation lies a Bleeding Abroad the Sword bereaveth at home there is as Death Lam. 1. 20. Much sad complaining of Poor people many grounds of further fear and what will be the end of all the Lord onely knows and all this because The Lord has a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land there being so little Knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4. 1. 4ly
discharge the main dutys which are incumbent on us yet we may do as I have here mentioned and that 1st Through the grace Received which will be more or less operative as we more or less Exite it and comply with it and as it is our duty to stir up the gift and Grace of God in us 2. Tim. 1. 6. So it is in our power as we see its an easy thing for any to make of a little spark a great flame by adding fewell to it and blowing it 2ly Through grace offered for God is ready to give more grace unto those who make a good use of the grace which they have already Received according to that promiss to him that hath shall be given c. Mat. 26. 29. To conclude men generally must needs be making great hast to Distruction Considering with what eagarness they go on in the way they are in and that way cannot be the way of Life for they never passed through the strait Gate nay they are so far from having done this that they have not so much as found it O that men were brought to this to say few find the way of Life and to fear that there is danger they may not be of those few when as yet they are little Troubled with their Condition Mat. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven CHrist having shewed the difficulty of Salvation telling us that it is not attained unto but by entering in at the Strait Gate Walking in the narrow Way And minded us of the danger of being deluded by false Prophets so far as by them to be perswaded that Salvation may be had upon far easier Termes He here proceeds to informe us plainly what is absolutely necessary to be done by us as ever we desire or hope to be saved There is no less then a Kingdome to be enter'd into yea such a Kingdome as for Peace and plenty Security and Righteousness Joy Glory and stability is not to be parallel'd on Earth it s A Kingdome of Heaven Now if any think to Enter into this Kingdome by a Complementall profession be this profession never so specious they will find themselves grosly mistaken for no less then an Vniversall complyance with Gods will is required and Expected to fit for this In the Words we have 1st A suppossition of a blessed state which is not only to be veiwed at a distance but Enter'd into The height of Earthly happiness is a Kingdome in which their are delights to gratify the most Voluptuous Riches to satiate the most Covetous honours to content the most ambitions but here is a Better Higher surer Kingdome then any is to be found in this vain vncertaine miserable World a Kingdome of Heaven 2ly An opposition of a dangerous mistake which do's too commonly prevail men oft fancy that this Kingdome may be well Enough enter'd into by a formall professing themselves to be the Servants of God wheras in very deed though men profess this never so much again and again both before God and man if there be nothing else done by them they shall in no wise Enter into this Kingdome 3ly A position of those termes which are Necessarily required from those who shall be admitted to Enter those who do the will of their Heavenly Father may enter into this Kingdome but none else can Doct. There is a Kingdome of Heaven to be Enterd into There is a double Kingdome of Heaven 1st A Kingdome of Heaven on Earth which is a state of Righteousness with inward peace and Joy Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and peace and Joy c. 2ly A Kingdome of Heaven in Heaven which is a state of happiness where the Righteousness Peace and Joy are consumated Luke 13. 29. Men from all Quarters shall sit down in this Kingdome of God Both these Kingdomes may be Enter'd into that of Grace may 2. Pet. 1. 11. By giving diligence to make the calling sure an enterance is Administerd abundantly into this That of Glory may Christ will say at the Last day unto those who are fitted for it Enter into the Kingdome prepared for you Mat. 25. 34. It matters not whether of these Kingdomes we here understand for these two so far as the Soul is concern'd in them differ only in degrees there are the same Ingredients in both the same Righteousness the same Peace the same Joy only here they are in Obscurity there they are in Glory Here they are little not fully grown There they are great arrived to their Compleat stature Here they are mix'd Righteousness with Corruption Peace with trouble Joy with Heaviness There they are altogether pure And he who has enter'd into the one is sure to Enter into the other Que. But why is this state of Righteousness with the Peace and Joy attending it Called a Kingdome Ans The reason is not so much taken from the resemblance it has to a worldly Kingdome as if it were the designe of the Holy Ghost to allure unto a love of this such as are hugely taken with the Riches and Glory of Kingdomes here below For indeed those who are admiring and prizing those Vanities which make up the Deceitfull happiness of Earthly Kingdomes can never understand much less prize and Love that Blessed state whose Chief Happiness Consists in Holiness and the consequence of it call it by what name you please As from its having in it self the Reallity of a Kingdome for 1st God is here in his Kingdome all the Faculties of a mans Soul and all the Members of his Body being brought into subjection unto God and all the Rebell lusts being subdu'd and Destroy'd So that now God's will is done in and by the man as it is in and by the Holy and Blessed Angels 2ly Man is here in his Kingdome he has got now from under the lash of Conscience which 〈◊〉 no more Condemn him from under the power of lusts which no more Tyrannize over 〈…〉 above the Temptations of the World which 〈…〉 Râ—ach him not above the Suggestions of 〈…〉 which now no more instigate him 〈…〉 is this called the Kingdome of Heaven 〈…〉 God dos here in a very gracious and 〈◊〉 manner manifest himself and as the Court is there where the King is be it where it will so Heaven is where ever God is But are you sure that Heaven may be Enter'd into Yes for otherwise 1st All the promises of God would be deceitfull yea God by them would deceive those whom he is most obliged to deal faithfully with because they do Confidently Relie on his Truth and goodness what God do's in plain termes speak out St. Luke 12. 32. It is your Fathers pleasure to give you the Kingdome that he in most of his promises hints at when he uses other Termes The Gospel is made up of
those frightfull Shrinks which are to be discerned in some dying Persons it is very probable are not so much the result of Vehement Pains of Body as of extream Anguish on their Spirit when they are made indeed to see whither they are going Sometimes their Peace and Hope continues untill the very last breath and their Amazement must needs be very Horrible when they feel themselves in Hell before ever they thought of it It is certain all these Advantages must come to nothing at Death For 1. Some of them are of that nature that they are of no use in another world as Credit and Worldly advantages Those in Heaven are so filled with Joy and Glory that these are below them Those in Hell are so filled with anguish and horrour that if they could have these still they could not heed them they would find no Ease by them Even during this Life a man in the Gout Stone or Cholick may have such Vehement pains upon him that it will be but poor Comfort to hear that he has lived in good Credit has scraped together much Wealth or purchased many Friends 2. Some of them are of that Nature that they Continue not after this Life Common Grace is but the working of Gods Spirit upon a man to bring him to Saving Grace in the 〈◊〉 or else to keep him from doing that mischief in the World which otherwise he would do Now there is no use of this after Death Gifts are but the Spirits working on a man to Raise his Parts that he may be more usefull to the Church Now the Spirit makes to further use of a man after he is called out of this Life 3ly Some of them are of that Nature that they cannot continue when the Truth is discovered and when Experience shews the Vanity of them as peace and hope God suffers them sometimes to fall here that those who rest in them may take warning not to Content themselves with that which may fall lest their Condition should be as sad as theirs is who fall away The Fall is Great in it self It is Totall whatever men have Raised to themselves by their Religion all comes down together It is Finall the Ruines of this usually are never raised again If it fall not till Death it is impossible to raise it if it fall before it is difficult Those who have got into a Form and rest there who have had great helps to get further and have been much a wanting to God and their own Souls they have Sinned much against Light and Grace or else they had got further Vsually their Fall is then when God leaves them wholly to themselves as despairing to do any good upon them Now there is no hope of that Soul which has Triffled away its Season of grace and is now left by God unto its self The fall is great as to its Consequences There is great Amazement by reason of the suddenness and unexpectedness of it There is great Horrour when all the false Peace and Hope is gone there is then nothing but a fearfull Looking for of Judgement and fiery Indignation Heb. 10. 27. Use 1. We should be greatly afraid lest what we Build should fall also and thereby we be put to great Shame to Build so Foolishly when we should be Building for Eternity Thereby we come to great loss we lose our Souls we undergo unspeakable unconceivable Mischeif which we can neither bear up under nor run away from The way to avoid this falling is to make use of Common grace in order to the getting of Saving grace to press through the Form of Religion to the power of it to nourish in our selves Apprehensions of the Danger of resting in such Attainments as we may utterly and everlastingly fall away from to be frequently enquiring what we have attained to in Religion which these Temporary Christians came short of to be earnest with God in Prayer that he would not suffer us to rest in such common Attainments as we may wholly lose during this Life or such as we shall never be Advantaged by when we come to die Use 2. The greater the Fall is let us be the more afraid of it and bend our Endeavours and Prayers so that we may escape it The nearer we come to Heaven the deeper shall we be plunged into Hell if we come short of Heaven Isaiah 55. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be Found Call ye upon him while he is Near. THese words under a different Aspect may admit of a different Construction View them on one side and they seem to lay before us an Exhortation to a great Duty with a Direction how this may be most advantageously Discharged The Duty Exhorted to is the Doing the utmost that in us lieth for the Finding of God The Rules directing how to manage this Duty aright prescribe that this be set about 1st Diligently Men ordinarily when they find and feel great need of the Guidance and Assistance of some Person of eminent Prudence and Power whom they have high hopes of do not content themselves with Idle Wishes neither do they lazily sit down vainly Expecting that he should designedly come to them or that they should Accidentally meet with him in good time No but they consider with themselves where is the Place of his usual Residence or Resort and thither they forthwith betake themselves to seek him out and if haply they do not find him where they Expected they go about calling and enquiring after him till at last they find him With such Care and Diligence must those seek who desire and hope to find God 2ly Speedily Men if they know that one whole help they greatly need cannot be found at all times let never so much Care and Diligence be used in seeking him will not dare to put oft one moment their seeking and calling upon him considering with themselves that for any thing they know that may be the only Moment wherein the Person needed may be found which Opportunity if they let slip they may be at abundance of Cost and Tâ—il in seeking him and all to no purpose Now these that would find God must set about this great work of seâ—kâ—ng him with as little Procrastination View the Words on the other side and they seem to set forth to us an Exhortation to this Duty with an 〈◊〉 Inducement and Encouragement faithfully to set about it Let a Business be of never so great Importance men will but slackly apply themselves to 〈…〉 they either doubt of the 〈…〉 tho' it should be effected or the Feasableness of it that it ever will be effected Therefore to excite men to do their utmost for finding of God he lets them know 1st The Advantage which will certainly accruâ— â—â— God bâ— but once Found he being THE LORD he having not only a Right of Dominion over all Persons and affairs but a Right of Propriety in them Now what may not men expect from this LORD who