made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven The Vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven And if we do but consider it it will soon appear to be both in it self very great and in Comparison of what the rest of the World enjoys a very singular Priviledge this of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say In it self very Great Indeed what can be greater than to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven I. It is in it self a very Great Priviledge to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to One. so setled and ensur'd to us as to have a Legal Claim and Title thereto made over to us in Christ We see as to those Earthly Possessions how an Heir does value his Condition above the rest of the Children not only on the account of a greater share commonly in the Estate than the rest but because of the greater security he has of Enjoying those Earthly Possessions An Inheritance being an Estate for which he does not so precariously depend as has been shew'd upon the meer arbitrary and uncertain Will and Pleasure of another but a Right which without Breach of Justice cannot be detain'd from him It is the Priviledge of an Heir that he has all the Security that the Engagements of an Honest Person and the Solemnities of a Covenant can give him to make him a Title but when the Kingdom of Heaven is the Possession and when he who cannot deceive has solemnly setled this Inheritance upon us this is a Priviledge so much beyond what Words can express that it is far easier to be Admir'd than Utter'd II. If compared with what others enjoy it is a singular Priviledge And as it is in it self exceeding Great so it is if compar'd with what Others enjoy a very singular Priviledge This of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven To be made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven I say is a very singular Priviledge which those who are without Christ and who are Strangers to the Covenants and Promise do not enjoy True it is a few of the more Contemplative and Thinking amongst the Gentile Philosophers did raise to themselves some faint Hopes The best amongst the Moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes built upon uncertain Conjectures of a future Happiness and doubtful Expectations of a future Happiness after this Life They consider'd the noble Nature of the Soul of Man to be such that nothing in this Life is of that Excellency as to give it a full Satisfaction and as to the Body they look'd upon it more as the Prison of the Soul than any Advantage to it and therefore they did hope to be deliver'd one Day from its Incumberance that the Soul might be at liberty to act freely without such a Clog of Flesh trashing it in all its noble Flights and Operations But then all this was in them but Conjecture what possibly might be not what certainly would be their Happiness And being but a faint Hope And their Hopes being faint they could not in the Strength thereof overcome great Temptations But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being sounded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth and uncertain Expectation built upon doubtful Reasonings of their own and more their Wishes and Desires than what they could certainly promise themselves they were not able to support their drooping Spirits under any great Difficulties and to overcome in the Strength of such an Expectation the greater Temptations and Tryals of their Vertue But did generally shrink from their Vertuous Professions when to act honestly was become dangerous But the Christian's Expectation of an Inheritance in Heaven being founded upon the Express Promises of the God of Truth and those Promises given in Covenant and so Confirm'd by an Oath as it were For God willing more abundantly to shew to the Heirs of Promise the Immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation These things being so the Christian has a hope which as an Anchor of the Soul is both sure and stedfast Heb. 6.17 18 19. And his Hope being thus built not upon uncertain Conjectures but upon the express Promises of God who cannot lie And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great that such a Hope will not be able overcome But he that hath this Hope purifieth himself even as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 And may with St. Paul be perswaded That neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate him from the Love of God which is in Christ Rom. 8.38 39. Thus certain are the Christian's Hopes of Heaven it being instated upon him as an Inheritance And having his Hopes so well grounded there is no difficulty in the way of Duty so great which he may not overcome by the Strength thereof Whereas the best of the Moral Heathens had but uncertain Conjectures to ground their Expectations of future Happiness upon and their Hopes thereof being so Weak they presently yielded to the Assault of every great Temptation But besides whatever Certainty an honest Pagan And whatever Certainty an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Vncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven that liv'd up to the Light of Nature and the Dictates of Right Reason if any of 'em can be suppos'd to have done so might have that the good God would reward his Vertue Yet having only the Equity and Vncovenanted goodness of God to depend upon he could promise himself no greater a Measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which considering the Imperfection of the best Actions of the best of Men whoever liv'd how short must that fall of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven * But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same But the Christian whom God has Covenanted withal and to whom he has condescended to oblige himself to make sure a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 may without Presumption rely upon God's both Truth and Goodness to make good to him the same notwithstanding when he does all that he can consider'd in himself he is but an Vnprofitable Servant as the best are I have
that we should Renounce c. And as I have already Explain'd to you the Importance of those vast Favours on God's Part so I will proceed now to do the same as to those Conditions on ours shewing you First What it is to Renounce the Devil and all his Works Whereof the First is to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh Here is as much Matter as can possibly be crowded into so few Words A great Part of the Christian Life is discharged in what these Words do mean For our Christian Race is represented in Scripture to be for the most part a Warfare against several very powerful Enemies both without and within us And these Words do Instruct you both what those Enemies are and how we must War against them Wherefore if in the Explication of Words so very full of Meaning and of such vast Concernment to be understood by you I shall be forc'd to run out into some considerable Length you must have Patience and you must give good heed to what I shall Discourse upon them answerable to the Benefit may accrue to you from the through understanding thereof That which I shall do towards the Explication of them shall be this First I will shew you who the Devil is and what are his Works what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works and how absolutely necessary it is we should do so Secondly I will also shew you what is meant by the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and how far you must Renounce the wicked World with its Pomps and Vanity Lastly I will in like manner open unto you what is to be understood by the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and how far we must Renounce them And First I am to shew you who the Devil is what are his Works what is meant by Renouncing the Devil and all his Works and how absolutely necessary it is we should do so The Devil his Names and their importance Whereof First Let us enquire who the Devil is And in Scripture he is call'd by different Names whereof some do import his Rank and Place as Baalzebub signifying him to be a Prince of Devils and some his Wickedness and Enmity as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Calumniator or a false Accuser Satan an Adversary from his Fury and Murderous Temper he is call'd a Roaring Lion and from his Craft and Lying Policies an Old and subtle Serpent and from both perhaps he is call'd the Dragon There are many Legions of 'em in Number but One supreme in Power and He it is who is Chief of all the Enemies both of God and Man that presents himself at the Head of all the rest He was once one of the highest Angels and is now that Arch-Rebel against God being that Arch-Rebel and Traitor against God He was once as may be gather'd from his Superiority to Michael the Arch-Angel who upon that account Durst not bring a railing Accusation against him Jude 8.9 The highest Angel the most glorious Spirit and the First be-like of all the Angelical Orders But not content with that vast Power and Glory that God had bestow'd on him but envying that God that gave it and affecting He with many Legions of inferior Angels whom he drew into the same Conspiracy is Banisht Heaven perhaps no less than a Sovereignty himself He with many Legions of the lower Order of Angels whom he drew into the same horrid and ungrateful Conspiracy Revolted from God and set himself to Oppose his Government But no sooner did this wicked Apostate frame so horrid a Design but the All-knowing and infinitely Powerful God of Heaven and Earth perceiving his Intentions immediately hurl'd him down and all his wicked Crew of ungrateful Conspirators from the Battlements of Heaven into those dark Mansions of Sorrow which we call Hell there to be Reserved in everlasting Chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Jude 6. as the due Punishment of his so black and ungrateful a Treason against his Sovereign and Bountiful Creator But so far was this hardned Rebel against God from Repenting of his Villany even under the sad Experience of the woful Issue of it That he is eversince acted with the highest Spirit of Revenge against his God Being acted with a Spirit of Revenge against God he afterwards with-drew Mankind to join with him in his Rebellion and because he finds it in vain to attempt any thing immediately against God himself he studies and endeavours all he can ever since to wound him in his Authority and Honour For no sooner did the Almighty Create the lower World and place Man in the midst of it as of a Temple to set forth his Praises and to glorify his Creator's infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness in this so stupendious a Work of the Creation but this grand Enemy Attacks him with all the Subtilty and Policy of a Traytor tempting him to dis-believe his Maker's Goodness and kind Intentions towards him to cast off his Authority and dis-obey his Laws and rather to follow his pernicious Counsels The Arch-Rebel prevails and the whole Representative World of Men Adam and Eve Revolted from their God and took part with the Devil And tho' God condescending himself to propose Terms of Accommodation in a Saviour and Redeemer which was for to come recover'd a part of Mankind both before and after the Flood and afterwards selected the whole Nation of the Jews to be a peculiar People unto him set apart to serve him yet through the Instigation of Satan the greater part of Mankind were absolutely the Devil's Vassals And prevailed so far till God's Authority was almost utterly banisht from amongst men serving him in abominable Idolatries Sorceries Witchcrafts and giving themselves up to all manner of Villanies Vices and Sins whatsoever whereby the Laws of God could be transgress'd or his Authority utterly Banish'd as far as lay in their power from amongst the Sons of Men. And thus the Devil usurpt an Authority over almost the whole World for many Thousand Years till such time as our Saviour came amongst us to Preach Repentance Which occasion'd the Son of God's coming into the World to recover Mankind and to recover us to the Knowledge and the Service of the One True God which was the great Design of his Coming So that you see the Devil is that Arch-Rebel who with his whole Legion of Infernal Spirits are continually mustering up all their Forces against the Authority of God and drawing wretched sinful Men into the Conspiracy and whose Quarrel is for no less than Dominion and Empire who shall be King God or Satan And thus you plainly see who the Devil is Secondly Let us enquire what are the Works of the Devil The works of the Devil in general are and from what hath been said his Works in general do
of Jews and Gentiles to a Holy Profession and Calling viz. To the Belief of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost as also to Repentance from dead Works to serve him the only Living and True God And he is call'd as to Faith and Repentance so to enjoy the Priviledges of the Gospel and the Rewards of such Faith and Repentance namely Most Reasonable and Excellent Laws and Ordinances to conduct him to Heaven with a plentiful measure of Divine Grace and Assistance also convey'd by those Ordinances to enable him to Obey those Laws and he is One who to the End of being of that Society of Men the Christian Church and of having God a Friend to him and he himself a Servant of God's has solemnly Enter'd into Covenant with God in his Baptism and continues often to Renew the same in the Lord's Supper because the Divine Goodness does in both Vouchsafe to make over and ensure to him those exceeding Great and Invaluable Priviledges and most singular Benefits as well as he on the other side does solemnly Engage to yield himself up to the Service and Obedience of God Farther yet a Member of Christ's Church is one who is not only United to the Catholick Church in and by one Covenant that is in the Profession of the same Faith and Repentance and in the Enjoyment of the same Priviledges and in the use of the same Sacraments But also he maintains this Union therewith by Communicating with that particular Part of the Catholick Church where he lives and whereof he is a Member in particular by communicating I say therewith in Hearing together with the rest of the Body the same Doctrine in Joyning in the same Common-Prayers and receiving the same Holy Sacraments and Lastly in Receiving from and Administring mutual Assistances to the Members of that Body where-ever dispers'd or however distress'd over the Face of the whole World as there shall be occasion And Lastly a Member of Christ's Church is One who belongs to that universal Society of Men call'd out of the World to such Duties and Priviledges as has been spoke and is united into one Body by the same means as has been declar'd under Jesus Christ its supreme Head And if you consider him as a Member of the Kingdom of Christ he is one who is Delivered by God from the power of Darkness and is translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 that is he is one of those who is deliver'd by the Gospel from under the Tyranny of Satan under which the whole World was held Captive and is made a Subject to the Gracious Government of the Son of God From what has been said it does plainly appear I think that such and such a One only is a true Member of Christ's Church And in the Sence of your Catechism which teaches all to Answer That in their Baptism they are made Members of Christ every Person who has been admitted into the Church by Baptism is a Member of Christ and shall continue such till he is cut off by the just Sentence of those Governours in the Church who have the Power of the Keys to Receive in or Shut out or till he cuts off himself from that mystical Body by a causless Schism and Separation from any of its sound Parts Every Baptized Person I say is a Member of the Visible Church Every Baptized Person is a Member of the Visible Church So the Apostle expresly speaks Gal. 3.27 assuring us that As many as have been Baptized into Christ that is the Christian Church have put on Christ or have put on that Relation to Christ that Members have to the Body True it is amongst those that are Incorporated by Baptism into the Church many do prove but very unsound and unfruitful Members such as tho' they are admitted into that Holy Society in order to their Edification and through Conversion by the means of those Holy Ordinances which Christ has appointed in his Church do yet continue to be very bad Men both in their Principles and Practices Hence it is said Matth. 22.10 that of those who were called into the Wedding that is the Church by the Servants or Officers of the Bridegroom that is Christ there are as well Bad as Good Yet as appears from that and many the like Parables of our Saviour concerning the Materials and Constitution of his Church even such bad Men when once Baptized into it are Members of it And shall continue to be Members of it And shall continue such till cut of by the just Sentence of those who have the Power of the Keys to Receive in or Shut out till such time as they are cut off by the just Sentence of those who have the Power of the Keys to Receive in or Shut out For this you are to know that Christ has given his Apostles and their Successors in the Government of the Church a Church Authority consisting in Receiving in or Shutting out of the Church To Receive into the Church is to Admit such as make a Profession of Christianity to Admit 'em I say by the Sacrament of Baptism to all the outward Acts of Communion To shut or cast out of the Church is by Excommunication to Exclude unworthy Persons from that Priviledge of Church-Communion to deny 'em the Liberty to Pray or Receive the Sacrament or perform any Religious Office in the Publick Assemblies of the Church And now accordingly has Christ appointed the Bishops and Governours of his Church to be as Shepherds to Oversee the Flock as you will find Act. 20.28 and has given 'em The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 16.19 that is Authority as to Admit into the Church by Baptism all who make a Profession of Christianity so to Expel out of it by Excommunication all those scabbed Members thereof who contrary to such their Holy Profession either by their pestilent Heresies or by their scandalous Ill Lives are Unworthy of it and in danger to Infect it If they Preach or any-wise propagate any pestilent Heresy contrary to the Fundamental Truths of Christianity let their Persons be never so acceptable upon the account of some shining Vertues of Charity or their Doctrines never so Plausible as pretending to Reason they ought not to be spared Tho' we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be Accursed that is Excommunicated and cut off from Church-Communion Gal. 1.8 So far was this Blessed Apostle so Zealous for the Glory of his Saviour from sparing others that he would not have himself be suffer'd to continue in the Communion of the Church were it possible he should be guilty of propagating Heresy And so likewise is any Person guilty of a notorious and scandalous Ill Life Why then also are the Governours of Christ's Church commanded To put away from 'em that wicked person 1 Cor. 5.13 And all the Members of the mystical
Good Matth. 5.45 was as it were a New Commandment to them Joh. 13.34 And yet such an unbounded Charity and Kindness as this is the great and necessary Duty of Christianity So that Judaism at the best and before that it was Corrupted by the false Interpretations put upon the Law by the Scribes and Pharisees was but an imperfect Draught of Religion begun by Moses but left to be finished by the more perfect Stroaks of our Saviour's Pencil afterwards who is therefore said to have Come not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fill 'em up Matth. 5.17 Thus Imperfect at best was the Jewish Law But now consider Fourthly The whole Body of that Religion Christianity a most excellent Religion which Christ our supreme Head and Governour has given us and under whose Guidance we have the Happiness to be as we are the Members of Christ's Church and nothing can represent God in more Noble Characters and Glorious Perfections nothing can give a more Honourable and Rational Account of his Proceedings with Man both in his Creation and Redemption of him than it does And as his Laws are infinitely beyond what the Wisdom of any Humane Law-givers did ever yet contrive for the good Order of Man in this World and his real Happiness both in this and the World to come so no Motives nor Reasons can possibly be more Powerful than those which Christianity does give us to Obey those Laws It gives a most excellent Representation of God As to the Nature of God Christianity does plainly represent him as a Being that has no manner of Imperfection in his Nature but as One that is adorn'd with all the most glorious Attributes and highest Perfections possible It represents him to us so infinitely Wise Just and Holy and yet so wonderfully beyond all Comparison Good and Merciful and to add to all this so intimately Present to all we say or do so Omniscient in discerning the very Thoughts and Intents of our Hearts and withal so absolutely Powerful in doing whatsoever he pleases in Heaven and in Earth that Shall not this his Excellency make us afraid Job 13.11 It gives an Honourable account of his Proceedings with Mankind with reference both to his Creation and Redemption of us And then as to his Proceedings with Man both in his Creation and Redemption of him Christianity gives us the most plain and rational account thereof in the World It gives us to know how that God made man Upright and being so we were at perfect Agreement with him but that afterwards we fell by Transgression from him and must have suffered the Doom of Rebels for so doing It lets us then know That God taking Pity of us in this miserable Case sent his own Son to Preach Repentance and to offer Terms of Reconciliation to us And moreover because it was not consistent with God's Holiness nor with his Wisdom and Justice as Governour of the World to let Sin go unpunish't or to accept of a Sacrifice and Satisfaction less infinite in Value than he was in Majesty who was Offended that he therefore gave this his only Begotten Son also to Dye for us and accepted of his infinitely meritorious Sufferings here instead of our suffering Eternally hereafter and as a sufficient Satisfaction to his injur'd Justice which we in our own Persons could not pay without perishing Everlastingly Christianity does withal Reveal to us that this our High-Priest after having Offer'd himself for us here on Earth a Sacrifice for our Sins he is now gone into Heaven to Intercede with the Father in the merit thereof that it may be accepted to the Pardon of ' em And it also informs us that being ascended to his Father which is in Heaven in order fully to reconcile him to Man he has substituted his Holy Spirit here on Earth to perfect the Reconciliation and Conformity of our Natures to God by moving and moulding our Hearts to true Repentance and Faith in him This is in short that account which Christianity gives us both of our Creation and of our Redemption And so every way Rational it is in it self and so exceedingly agreeable to the wisest Methods of Government in the World that tho' it was beyond the reach of our Reasons before this whole Mystery of Redemption was reveal'd to us in the Gospel to think of such an extraordinary way for our Recovery out of a lost and undone Condition and of Reconciliation to God yet now since it is revealed all the reason of Mankind whose Vnderstandings the God of this world hath not blinded must own that there is no method of Proceeding in such a Case could be more worthy of the Holiness Justice Mercy and Wisdom of God nor so likely to work Repentance in Man not consequently more agreeable to the wise Governour of the World to take than this So agreeable to the best improved Reason of Mankind are the Doctrinal and even the most mysterious Parts of the Christian Religion that Religion which it is our Happiness as we are Members of Christ's Church to be under the direction of Nor can any thing be better contriv'd for the Happiness of Men Its Laws are excellently contrived for the good Order and Happiness of mankind with relation to themselves or others than what the Laws of our Saviour do directly tend to As to our selves they do so powerfully tend to mortify our Lusts and Appetites those Rebels to our own Reason to moderate our Passions and Affections which so violently rack and disturb our own Breasts and they are excellently fitted also to make us so Humble and Self-denying so Temperate and Sober so Chast and Pure as Men on Earth would appear to be Angels come from Heaven were the Laws of Christ universally followed And lastly as to Others such Justice and Uprightness such Charity and Kindness such Quiet and Peaceableness does Christianity incline men to upon which account the State of the Gospel is represented as that In which nothing should destroy nor hurt in the holy Mountain Isa 11.9 And let me also add such Prudent and Fatherly Care of Children Servants and Dependants do the Laws of Christ prescribe as would make a Heaven here upon Earth were they universally Obey'd I say were they universally Obey'd And yet to add to all this Excellency of Christ's Government and Laws over us already seen And are enforc'd by most powerful Principles Motives so powerfully is our Obedience to all these Laws Enforc'd by those mighty Principles and Motives of Christianity viz. The Articles of our Christian Faith I mean so very Perswasive and Forcible are the Motives which Christ does give us to the Practice of these Vertues beyond what was in any Reasons and Motives which the Philosophers or even Moses did give the Gentiles or the Jews to be in any degree Vertuous that this is another addition to our Advantage in having Christ for our Supreme Head and Law-giver and in
of Living under a Government wholly made up of manifold Graces and Favours having a most Gracious God governing us by most Gracious and Reasonable Laws The Kingdom of Grace the Gospel State affording us a plentiful Measure of Divine Grace and Assistance to perform these Laws and proposing to us most Encouraging Rewards in Heaven to stir us up to a diligent Observance of ' em It is this happy State of Things under the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven whose near Approach John the Baptist foretold in the Wilderness saying Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that is the Kingdom of the Messiah or the State of the Gospel whose Great Fundamental and Gracious Law is this that all Sinners must Repent 'em of all their former Sins and upon their Repentance they shall have most Eminent Mercies bestowed upon ' em And it was this State also concerning the undue Entertainment of which by the Scribes and Pharisees our Saviour complain'd Matth. 11.12 saying that From the days of John the Baptist even till then the Kingdom of Heaven suffered Violence so that the Violent took it by force that is the Publicans and Sinners and Gentiles who were look'd upon by the Jews as those who had no Right to the Messiah and so as violent Persons as Invaders and Intruders did croud into the Church at the Preaching of the Gospel whilst the Scribes and Pharisees ungratefully and proudly stood off So again Matth. 13.24 The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good Seed in his Field that is the State of the Gospel or the Success of our Saviour's Preaching in the World is so resembled And so likewise in several other Parables of the like Nature by the Kingdom of Heaven is to be understood the State of the Gospel here on Earth which sure does shew the exceeding great Dignity Worth and Excellency of the Gospel State far beyond any other Dispensation either Patriarchal or Mosaical which the World had ever receiv'd from Heaven before The reason why the Gospel State should be dignified with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven And indeed upon a near View of the Nature and Design of the Gospel Dispensation we shall see sufficient reason why that State above any other should be so Honourably Entitled the Kingdom of Heaven And the reason is not only because the same God governs us and that by the same Laws of Eternal Unalterable Righteousness and Goodness as in Heaven but also because this Blessed Government of God over us by the Laws of the Gospel does directly tend to render us so exactly like the Blessed Saints those Inhabitants of Heaven viz. Because it so directly tends to render Men so exactly like the Blessed Saints the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven for where the Gospel of Christ does so far prevail upon Men as through the Grace of God to make them diligent and careful to Obey him according as they have Covenanted with him it does bring in such an excellent State of Things as makes a kind of Heaven here upon Earth for where the Gospel does so far prevail as to be sincerely Obey'd it causes that The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and Fatling together and a young Child shall lead them and it causes that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea as was long time since Prophecy'd Isa 11.6 7 8 9. concerning the State of the Gospel that is it files off the roughness and sweetens the cruel and savage Humours of Men so that instead of tearing and tormenting one another like Beasts and Devils it makes Men Gentle and Kind and good Natur'd like Angels like Gods to one another A State certainly which may very well deserve the glorious Title of the Kingdom of Heaven being so contrary to the Kingdom of Darkness and the State of Hell where there is nothing but Malice Rancour and Rage do reign among those unhappy Beings that do inhabit that Place And thus you see that in Scripture by the Kingdom of Heaven is sometimes meant the State of the Gospel the same God governing us therein and by the same everlasting Laws of Goodness as in Heaven and so as to render us of like Tempers and Dispositions with the Saints in Heaven A State so nearly resembling that of Heaven that the Condition of the meanest Christian now under the Gospel is for that reason prefer'd before that of the greatest of Prophets under the Law Verily I say unto you among them who are born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven that is the Gospel State is greater than he Matth. 11.11 But tho' this be very frequently the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven in the New Testament and for that reason This is not the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Catechism I have took such particular Notice of it that so you may know how to understand that Metaphorical Expression in those many Scriptures where you will meet with it in that sence yet it is not the proper and immediate Meaning of the Word in Scripture nor is it so to be understood here in your Catechism But Secondly the Kingdom of Heaven does if not most frequently II. The Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Kingdom of Glory at least most properly signify in the Scripture the Kingdom of Glory and accordingly here in your Catechism it is solely to be understood of the glorious and happy State of Angels and Saints with God in Heaven For Instance In this sence it is to be understood Mat. 5.3 where the Kingdom of Heaven is promis'd as the Reward of the Poor in Spirit And so ver 20. where it is said that Except our Righteousness shall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that is into the State of Glory And in this sence only it can be understood Mat. 7.21 where our Saviour declares that Not every one that saith unto him Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of the Father which is in Heaven that is not those who barely profess Christianity but those who sincerely Practice according to such a Belief and Profession shall be received into Glory The Profession alone will gain Admittance into the Visible Church here on Earth but nothing less than a Living up to it will give an Entrance into the Kingdom and State of Glory with God and his Holy Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens And a most Noble and Glorious State we may be sure this is This a most noble and glorious State as being dignify'd with so honourable and
it were by their horrid Oaths and Imprecations to Damn 'em that is to send 'em to the Devil and all those who resort to Charmers and Conjurers and Fortune-tellers as many Thousands do in this Nation All these I say are the open and profest Subjects of Satan's Kingdom And how many Lewd and Riotous Livers are there amongst us who do little else but the Works of the Devil and Obey no other Laws but those of Sin So that as you will Renounce the Devil and all his Works in that Sence wherein the Church does at present understand the Words you are with all possible care to avoid being of the Number of such Men. And I know no more that need be said at present This Renunciation for the most Part the same with Repentance to explain the Importance of the words Renounce the Devil and all his Works except it be this That if we consider such a Renunciation as the Act of One who has been heretofore a Slave to Satan and a Servant to Sin then it signifies to Forsake and Abandon the Service of Sin and the Devil formerly Liv'd in and so being a Ceasing to do Evil and a Learning to do well is the same with Repentance But if it be the Act of one of those who may be said to need no Repentance of which sort are Infants who have never committed Actual Sin then to Renounce the Devil and all his Works does mean a firm Resolution never to side with him in his Rebellion against God and as carefully as he can to avoid the committing of any Sin as being that whereby God's Rightful Authority is cast off and the Devil 's Vsurpt Dominion submitted to And so much for the Meaning of Renouncing the Devil and all his Works The Devil and all his works of Sin must be absolutely and entirely Renounced because And now Lastly it remains that I should shew you how that it is necessary we should Absolutely and Entirely Renounce the Devil and all his Works As to those other Enemies to our Souls the World and our own Flesh there is some Temper to be us'd being neither of 'em are Absolutely and in themselves Evil but only by accident when the World is too intensely Belov'd and our Flesh too much Indulg'd to the Prejudice and Hurt of the Soul and therefore there are some Degrees of Affection and Regard allow'd to both them But the Devil is the Evil One and he is by way of Eminence and Singularity styl'd the wicked One in the Holy Scripture as Matth. 13.19 and 1 Joh. 2.13.19 There is nothing but Evil proceeds from Satan So that there 's not the least Good and nothing but Evil proceeds from him and therefore no manner of Agreement is to be made with him What Concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 Nor are we to imagine we can divide our Service betwixt God and him We cannot serve God and Mammon Matth. 6.24 So that the Devil is Absolutely and Entirely to be Renounced by us And Sin whether we consider it in its Original Cause Nature or in its sad Effects and Consequents is the utmost Evil. And so likewise must his Works of Sin Sin as Sin is entirely Evil Consider it in its Original Cause and Nature and consider it in its Effects and Consequents and there is not a worse Evil in the World than Sin View it in its Original and first Cause and it is a Brat of the Devil 's the First-born of Hell And view it again in its Nature and it is a Choosing of quite other Ends than what the Wise and Good God has appointed us and ordain'd us for and is a Going quite cross to those Laws and Rules which he has given us And then consider it next in its sad Effects and Consequents and there is no Evil in the World to be compar'd to it It is a Sin says One which turn'd glorious Angels into hideous Devils and tumbl'd them down from Heaven to Hell It is Sin that fill'd the World with Woes and Plagues brought Death and Diseases and a vast and endless Summ of Miseries into it It is Sin that torments and terrifies the Conscience that kindles Hell Flames Exposes the Soul to the eternal and direful Revenges of the Great God And in a word Sin is so perfectly and only Evil that the worst of things here were they free from the Contagion and Evil of Sin would be Excellent and Amiable So that Sin also is Absolutely and Entirely to be Renounced by us and there is no one Sin nothing in the least of Sin that may willingly be comply'd with Therefore no one Sin nor any thing the least of Sin must willingly be comply'd with I say No One Sin nor any the least of Sin for so Poisonous a thing it is in spoiling of every thing that is Good in Man that if we shall allow our selves but in One single Sin it will utterly spoil all our other Righteousness If a man keep the whole Law and yet offend in one Point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 And one such single Allowance will stop God's Ears against all our Prayers If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Psal 66.18 Nay so absolutely an Evil is Sin and so Absolutely and Entirely it is to be Renounced by us that the least sinful Action is not to be committed in order to attain the greatest Good So little a Sin as an Officious Lie must not be told no not to save a Man's Life Nor a Pious Fraud nor a Holy Cheat committed to promote the Good of the Church and to secure and propagate what we take to be the True Religion For if the Truth of God hath more Abounded through my Lie unto his Glory why yet am I judged as a Sinner Whereas he who telleth such a Kind and Serviceable Lie will certainly be Judg'd as such and as it follows Whosoever shall say Let us do Evil that Good may come of it his Damnation is just Rom. 3.7 8. So that every Christian must Absolutely and Entirely Renounce the Devil and all his Works of Sin And indeed it is but to consider And indeed if the Nature of Satan and of Sin the horrid Consequence of yielding to either be well consider'd it is hardly possible not absolutely and entirely to renounce both as well as know the Nature of Satan and of Sin and the horrid Consequence of yielding to either of them and it is impossible any should not absolutely and entirely Renounce that is utterly detest and avoid and beware of them As for the Devil why Even the Perversest of People the Israelites when it was solemnly put to their Reason and Consideration who to serve God or the Devil could not without the utmost Detestation think of the latter If it seems Evil unto you says Joshua to them Josh 24.15 16. to serve the Lord choose you this day whom you will
should be dignify'd with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven viz. Because it so directly tends to render Men so exactly like the Blessed Saints the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven 78 This is not the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Catechism Secondly the Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Kingdom of Glory This a most noble and glorious State as being dignify'd with so honourable and glorious a Title as the Kingdom of Heaven 79 Hence all those things in this World wherein we conceive the highest Glory and Happiness are used as Emblems to set off our future Glory All which things come short of expressing it An Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven what An Heir is one who has a legal Right and Title to a Possession made over to him Such who have entred into the Covenant of Grace are in like manner Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven as Children are Heirs 80 It is through Christ alone not owing to the Merit of our Obedience that we are Intitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven The vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven First it is in it self a very great Priviledge to have the invaluable Possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to one 81 Secondly if compar'd with what others enjoy it is a singular Priviledge The best amongst the moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes built upon uncertain Conjectures of a future Happiness And their Hopes being faint they could not in the strength thereof overcome great Temptations But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being founded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome 82 And whatever Certainty an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Uncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same As Life and Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel so by Embracing it and by coming into Covenant alone Salvation can be expected And to a sincere Christian who is faithful in the Covenant the Heavenly Inheritance is certain 83 Asumm of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace 84 LECT IX Whereof the First is to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh 85 The Devil his Names and their Importance He was once one of the highest Angels and is now that Arch-Rebel againsts God He with many Legions of Inferiour Angels whom he drew into the same Conspiracy is Banisht Heaven 86 Being acted with a Spirit of Revenge against God he afterwards withdrew Mankind to join with him in his Rebellion And prevailed so far till God's Authority was almost utterly Banished from amongst Men. Which occasion'd the Son of God's coming into the World to recover Mankind The Works of the Devil in general are First Sin By Sin God's Authority is thrown off which is the Devil 's constant work 87 Whoever therefore does wilfully sin does strike at God's Authority For which Reason no Sin ought to be the Subject of any Man's Mirth Some Sins more particularly the works of the Devil First Such as are directly level'd against God's Authority viz. Idolatry Sorcery Charming Witch-craft and Conjuring as also Resorting to such as use those unlawful Arts. 88 Secondly Such as express more of the Devil's Temper than others viz. Pride Envy 89 Malice Thirdly Such as are more the Practice of Satan himself than other Sins viz. Murder Apostacy Lying and especially Calumniating and Evil-speaking 90 To Renounce a Word of various Importance according to the Renounced 91 To Renounce the Devil in the sence of the Ancient Church was to disclaim his Usurp'd Dominion and Authority over Mankind To Renounce his Works of Sin was in their sence to abandon and forsake every Sin as being the proper Service of the Devil 92 The Words are to be understood in much the same Sence at this day Satan having his Kingdom still in the World and even amongst Christians and the Laws of Sin which are the Laws of his Kingdom being still obey'd by the greatest Part of Mankind This Renunciation for the most part the same with Repentance 93 The Devil and all his Works of Sin must be absolutely and entirely Renounced because There is nothing but Evil proceeds from Satan And Sin whether we consider it in its original Cause and Nature or in its sad Effects and Consequents is the utmost Evil. Therefore no one Sin nor any thing the least of Sin must willingly be comply'd with 94 And indeed if the Nature of Satan and of Sin and the horrid Consequence of yielding to either be well consider'd it is hardly possible not absolutely and entirely to Renounce both However this if we do not do we shall forfeit all Right and Title to those infinite Blessings held forth in the Covenant of Grace 95 LECT X. To Tempt is to make a tryal of a Person To Tempt a thing morally Good or Evil according to the End thereof To Tempt a Person in order to prove his Vertue or discover his Corruption consistent with the Justice Wisdom and Goodness of a Governour and thus God does Tempt Men. 97 First Thus he tempted Abraham to try his Faith and to reward him for it Secondly Hezekiah to discover his Hypocrisy and to humble him in the sight thereof These Temptations of God are therefore in no sence to be Renounced but to be Rejoyced in because for our Good 98 A Temptation to ensnare a Person into some Sin that so God's Anger may be kindled against him And the Person punished for this Transgression is wicked and malicious and so the Devil together with the World and the Flesh do tempt us The vast Concernment it is to us to know his Temptations The several Heads of Satan's Temptations 99 By what Methods he first tempted our first Parents and still does continue to tempt us First By insinuating into the Minds of Adam and Eve false Notions of God and an ill Opinion of their Maker and Governour particularly with respect to his Justice and Mercy 100 And by Entertaining false Notions of God's Justice and Mercy do Men generally Encourage themselves in Sin at this Day But all such Conceits of God are to be utterly renounced and cast out of our Thoughts as Diabolical Suggestions most destructive to our Souls Secondly By Corrupting the Understanding and Reason of Man by putting him upon curious Enquiries after useless Matters and upon making a sinful Experiment of the differences
deal concerning him and his Attributes even from the Consideration of those Perfections which we behold imprinted upon the Creatures for St. Paul testifies Rom. 1.20 That the invisible things of God from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things which are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead so that those who know him not are without excuse But much more can we Christians be able to know a great deal of him when our Reasonings from a Created Perfection are so much assisted by Divine Revelation declaring and deciphering God so clearly as it does both in his Nature and all his Attributes Now the Perfections which belong to the Creature may be reduc'd as a Learned Man observes to such as pertain to it as a Substance or as having Life as having Perception or Sense or as having Reason And to proceed therefore from our general Conceptions of God as a Being Infinite in all Perfection and Incomprehensible by us to the Contemplation of the Divine Nature and Perfections so far as we shall be able to gather what they are from what is legible in the Creature and especially in the Holy Scriptures 1. A Spirit I. If we consider God as a Substance since the more Fine and Spiritual any Substance is it is always accounted the more Perfect as the Animal Spirits in the Body are far exalted above the grosser Matter God therefore must not be conceiv'd to be of a Bodily Form and Composition the lower Form of Substances but to be of the highest of all viz. purely a SPIRIT And being also the Cause of the Spirits both of the Souls of Men and of the Angels of Heaven he must then be transcendently exalted in the Spiritual Nature above those most Glorious Beings the Holy Angels It is not easie nor is it necessary for us whose Faculties being Cloathed with Flesh can discern nothing but through the door of the Senses to form a True and Adequate Notion of a Spirit It is sufficient to conceive of God that he is absolutely Incorporeal without Figure or Parts which are the Accidents of Matter and therefore he is invisible to Mortal Eyes and accordingly is said by the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.15 16. To dwell in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see It is necessary also to believe him infinitely more Spiritual in his Nature than the Souls of Men or than the Angels themselves are and therefore is he call'd the God of the Spirits of all Flesh Numb 16.22 The Father of Spirits or he who maketh his Angels Spirits Psal 104.4 For if he is the Cause of that Spiritual Nature which the Souls of Men and the Angels in Heaven do possess he as the Cause must have much more of that Perfection in him than he imparts unto others In a word the utmost that we can conceive of God as to this kind of Perfection is that he is a pure and Divine Mind as even the wisest amongst the Philosophers were wont to call him II. He is IMMENSE or OMNIPRESENT II. Immense or Omnipresent This is another of those Attributes or Divine Perfections which belong to God under the Notion of a Substance And a transcendent Attribute this is whereby he Infinitely excels all Created Beings As for bodily Substances they are Circumscribed and Limited by other Bodies touching and bounding 'em on all sides so that no two Bodies can be in the same place nor can the same Body be possibly in two places at the same time And as to those Spiritual and Immortal Substances the Souls of Men and the Angels of Heaven they are also Defin'd to certain Places so that when they are in one place they cannot be in another at one and the same Instant But as to the Divine Nature it is in one and the same Instant present in all places It is neither Included nor Circumscribed in any place nor Excluded from any but he is every where present in an Ineffable and an Inscrutable manner so that there can be nothing conceiv'd where God is not Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off Do not I fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.23 24. To which purpose also that place Psal 139.7 8. does admirably set forth the Omnipresence of God whither shall I flee from thy Spirit or whither shall I go from thy Presence If I climb up into Heaven thou art there if I go down to Hell thou art there also III. God is a Being OMNIPOTENT III. Omnipotent This is another Attribute which belongs to God and it pertains to him as he is a Living Substance For tho' many things Inanimate have their Virtues yet Power and Activity are the Properties and Result of Life And if the Angels which have received their Being from him do so excel in Strength that one of 'em slew an hundred fourscore and five thousand of the Camp of the Assyrians in one Night 2 Kings 19.35 how eminently great must that Power be which created those potent Spirits It is an Attribute which does fall in very properly to be considered after God's Immensity for where-ever God is present as he is every where he can do whatever he pleases and nothing can resist his Power concerning which the Scripture gives us the plainest Testimonies and the most astonishing Instances Thus Matth. 19.26 it is said that with God all things are possible And the Instances thereof are no less than that whole Frame of Nature which we behold even the Sun Moon and Stars and all the Host of Heaven concerning whom it is testify'd Gen. 1.2 and Ps 148.5 that God did but speak the Word and they were made that he Commanded and they were Created And sure then all things possible can be effected by the Power of God if he pleases I say all things possible Being able to effect all things possible or which have no repugnancy in themselves nor to the Nature of God for some things there are which it is a a Contradiction to the nature of the things themselves they should be done as that a Body whose Nature it is to be Circumcised and bounded in the place wherein it it is should be in different places at the same time And other things are repugnant to the perfect Nature of God to do as to Die to Deceive to do Injustice to damn an Innocent Person to all Eternity in respect of which it is said that it is impossible for God to Lie Heb. 6.18 And that he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.13 And he does whatsoever he pleases And whatsoever he pleases for this is the difference between God who is a voluntary Agent and other necessary Agents that whatever does Act necessarily does operate to the utmost of its Power as for Instance the Stone in descending falls as low as it can but a free Agent as God is Acts so far only as he Wills for he might
make a Thousand more Worlds than he has if he pleases and his Will is directed by his Wisdom in the Framing and Ordering of the World in which sence it is said Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that did he in Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and in all deep places And he worketh all things after the Counsel of his own Will Eph. 1.11 Thus is God Omnipotent so as to Act What and How he pleases IV. Eternal IV. God is ETERNAL This is also another Perfection of Life And it imports that the Living God had his Being from Infinite Ages backwards and will possess it to infinite and endless Ages to come that he neither had beginning of Days nor will have any end of Years so that as his Spiritual Nature is diffus'd thro' all Spaces and his Power can be Bounded or Restrain'd by no Force nor Impediment so this Immense and All-powerful Being has preceded all Time and will it self endure when Time that is the Revolution of Sun and Moon which do measure Time shall be no more And how is it to be imagin'd that a Being Immense and Allpowerful should not be eternal For what is it that could give to such a one his Existence since whatever is the Cause and Creator of another must be more powerful than that thing which he makes but what can be more powerful than that which is Omnipotent So that God must necessarily have Existed from all Eternity And supposing the forementioned Attributes he must as necessarily endure to infinite and eternal Ages to come For if he should cease to Be it must be by the Power of something out of his Reach or Mightier than himself which that it is impossible that any thing should be has been already shew'd No sure The Throne of God is established for ever he is from Everlasting Psal 93.2 This speaks his Eternity a parte ante his never having had any Beginning Thou art the same and thy Years shall have no End Psal 102.27 This speaks his Eternity also à parte post his continuance to be what he was before even to endless Ages to come Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hast formed the Earth and the World even from Everlasting to Everlasting thou art God Psal 90.2 which words do most magnificently bespeak both V. God is a Being INDEPENDENT and ALSVFFICIENT V. Independent and Alsufficient which is an Attribute of the sensible Nature that is He is a Being that depends on no other Cause either as to his Essence Subsistence or Operations but he Is Subsists and Acts of himself alone and enjoys in himself without any Accession from things without an Infinite and Immeasurable Felicity He is a Being that depends on no other Cause either as to his Essence Subsistence or Operations but he Is Subsists and Acts of himself alone That he Is and Subsists of himself alone is evident from what has been just now cited from Psal 90.2 before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hast formed the Earth and the World even from Everlasting to Everlasting thou art God for if he had his Being before the World and he gave that Being to it which it has he must himself Be and Subsist without it or any thing contained in it And he also Acts independently without the help or assistance of any other Cause in the Production of it having made the World out of Nothing and not out of any precedent Matter which was Coeternal with him For through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not Made of things which do Appear Heb. 11.3 And he enjoys in himself without any Accession from things without an Infinite and Immeasurable Felicity For why he possesses all Good himself and in himself and is himself the chiefest Good And being therefore infinitely happy in himself from all Eternity he could gain no Accession of Happiness by making us Happy O my God my Goodness extendeth not unto thee said the Psalmist Ps 16.2 No this cannot be For VI. God is IMMVTABLE VI. Immutable which is another Attribute of the sensible Nature that is God is not subject to any Change in his Nature and Attributes from what he was from all Eternity nor is be Fickle and Inconstant in his Decrees and Covenants He is not subject to any Change or Alteration in his Nature and Attributes In his Nature and Attributes He is not more or less Omnipotent Allsufficient Wise Good Just Holy and Happy Nor in any other of his Perfections does he suffer any Increase or Diminution There are different degrees of Perfection amongst the Creatures of God some are but of a days continuance some endure for many Years and the Souls of the Blessed after Judgment and the Angels of Heaven will remain unchang'd in their Natures to all Eternity But whereas the most perfect of God's Creatures are more or less sometime or other liable to undergo some Changes God in whom the Perfections of all the Creatures do center without the least mixture of that Imperfection adhering to any of 'em is and ever will be still the same so the Psalmist Thou Lord in the Beginning hast laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure they all shall wax Old as doth a Garment and as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy Years shall not fail Psal 102.25 26 27. He is the same Yesterday and to Day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Nor is he subject to any Change or Alteration in his Decrees or Covenants with Mankind In his Decrees and Covenants This is indeed what the wisest Governours of this World are subject to for being Men they cannot foresee all those Difficulties which may alter their Measures But God as he did from all Eternity foresee what was fittest to be Decreed and Enacted with respect to all Ages so he did establish such Laws as were agreeable thereunto and Enacted a Covenant with Mankind the Covenant of Grace I mean whose Articles shall be the unalterable and everlasting Terms and Conditions of Life and Happiness and is therefore call'd his Everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Nor does it at all argue Fickleness or Inconstancy in the Decrees and Purposes of God that he is sometimes said to Repent as Gen. 6.6 1 Sam. 15.11 Repentance indeed as it is found in Men argues unsteadiness for it arises from the consideration of having done amiss with a design to amend and it proceous either from Ignorance or Imprudence when a Person finds that Matters have not happen'd out as he imagin'd or from Impotence when he has begun a thing which he cannot finish or out of Inconstancy when a Man disapproves what he did formerly like well of And such is properly Repentance and therefore in this sence of