three more is comprized the Body of our whole Duty If we adde two or three more I say for besides the several Laws already mentioned there are three particular Duties yet remaining of a more positive and arbitrary nature which Christ has bound all Christians to observe and they are the Law of Baptism of the Lords Supper and of Repentance Baptism is our incorporation into the Church of Christ or our entrance into the Gospel Covenant or into all the duties and priviledges of Christians by means of the outward Ceremony of washing or sprinkling in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost The Eucharist or Lords Supper is our Federal Vow or repetition of that engagement which we made at Baptism of performing faith repentance and obedience unto God in expectation of remission of sins eternal happiness and those other promises which by Christ's death are procured for us upon these terms which engagement we solemnly make to God at our eating Bread and drinking Wine in remembrance and commemoration of Christs dying for us Repentance is a forsaking of sin or an amendment of any evil way upon a sorrowful sense and just apprehension of its making us offend God and subjecting us to the danger of death and damnation And if to all the forementioned instances of those three grand Vertues which by the Apostle Tit. 2.12 13 are made the summ of our Christian Duty we join these three positive and additional Laws we have all that whereby God will judge us at the last Day even all those particular Laws whereto our obedience is required as necessary to salvation And thus we have seen what those particulars Laws are which the Gospel indispensably requires us to obey They are no other than those very instances which I have been all this while recounting and describing But because the Catalogue of them hitherto has been broken and interrupted and therefore cannot be run over so easily as might be desired in a matter of that importance I will here repeat them all again for the greater ease of all such pious souls as desire to try themselves by them and place them all in one view and all together The commanding Laws then whereby at the last Day we must all be judged are these that follow The Law of sobriety towards our selves with all its Train which are the Law of humility of heavenly-mindedness of temperance of sobriety of chastity of continence of contempt of the world and contentment of courage and taking up the Cross of diligence and watchfulness of patience of mortification and self-denial The Law of piety towards God with all its Branches which are the Law of honour of worship of faith and knowledge of love of zeal of trust and dependance of prayer of thankfulness of fear of submission and resignedness of obedience The Law of Justice towards men in all its parts which will be seen by the contrary prohibitions of injustice The Law of Charity in all its instances which are the Law of goodness or kindness of honour for our Brethrens Vertues of pity and succour of restraining our Christian Liberty for our weak Brothers edification of friendly reproof of brotherly kindness of congratulation of compassion of almes and distribution of covering and concealing their defects of vindicating their reputation of affability or graciousness of courtesy and officiousness of condescension of hospitality of gentleness of candor of unity of thankfulness of meekness or lenity of placableness of forgiving injuries of doing good to enemies and when nothing more is in our power praying for them and blessing or speaking what is good of them when we take occasion to mention them of long-suffering of mercifulness The Law of Peace and Concord with all its Train as are the Law of peaceableness of condescension and compliance of doing our own business of satisfying for injuries of peace-making The Law of love to Kings and Princes in all its Particulars which are the Law of honour of reverence of paying Tribute and Customes of fidelity of praying for them of obedience of subjection The Law of love to our Bishops and Ministers with all its expressions which are the Law of honour or having them highly in esteem for their works sake of reverence of maintenance of praying for them of obedience The Law of Love in the particular relation of Husband and Wife with all its Branches which are on both sides the Law of mutual concern and communicating in each others bliss or misery of bearing each others infirmities of prayer of fidelity On the Husbands towards his Wife the Law of providing for her of protecting her of flexible and winning Government of compliance and condescension On the Wives towards her Husband the Law of honour of reverence of observance and obedience of subjection The Law of Love in the particular relation of Parents and Children with its several effects which are from the Parents towards their Children the Law of natural affection of maintenance and provision of honest education of loving Government of bringing them up in the institution and fear of God of prayer for them From the Children towards their Parents besides the Duty of natural affection common to both the Law of honour of reverence of obedience of subjection of requiting upon occasion their care and kindness of prayer for them The Law of Love in the particular relation of Brethren and Sisters with all its instances which are the Law of natural affection of providing for our Brethren of praying for them The Law of Love in the particular relation of Master and Servant with its several expressions which are on the Masters side the Law of maintenance of religious instruction of a just and equal Government of them of kindness and equity in commanding of forbearance and moderation in threatning of punctual payment of the wages of the Hireling of praying for them On the Servants the Law of honour of reverence of observance of concealing and excusing their Masters defects of vindicating their injured reputation of fidelity of obedience of diligence of willing and hearty service of patient submission and subjection of praying for them To all which we may add the two arbitrary institutions and positive Laws of the Gospel Baptism and the Eucharist or Lords Supper and when we transgress in any of the instances forementioned that great and only remedy of Christs Religion the Law of repentance This so far as I can call to mind at present is a just enumeration of those particular Injunctions and Commands of God whereto our obedience is indispensably required and whereby at the last Day we must all be judged either to live or dye eternally But supposing that some particular instances of Love and Duty are omitted in this Catalogue yet need this be prejudicial to no mans happiness since that defect will be otherwise supplied For as for such omitted instances where there is an occasion for them and an opportunity offered to exercise
pene omnes jâ—giter faâ—iuâ—t quae fecisse se plangunt qui intrant Ecclesiasticam Domum ut mala anti â—ua dâ—fleant exeunt ut moliantur Et sic oratio eorum RIXA est magis Criminum quam exoratrix Salvian de Gub. l. 3. p. 89. Ed. Oxon. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Such were the old Jewish forms of Prayer for PARDON whether with Sacrifice or without it with Sacrifice Obsecro Domine 〈◊〉 deliqui 〈◊〉 hoc aut illud seci nunc autâ—m POENITENTIAM ago sitque 〈◊〉 haâ—◠〈◊〉 mâ—a Without Sacrifice Obsecro Domine peccavi deliqui rebellavi hoc aut illud feci nunc mei me facti POENITET PVDETQVE neque unquam ITERVM ad id REVERTAR as they are cited out of Maimonides by the famous Dr. Outram in his Book de Sacrificiis l. 1. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Clem. Rom. 1. Ep. ad Cor. c. 9. d Jam. 5.16 Ps. 115.11 13· a S t Clemens Retells us of these hights of Charity which were practised in his Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ep. ad Cor. c. 55. And the Parabolani or men who hazarded their own lives to redeem the lives of others were very numerous among the Christians in the first times Which Office St. Paul tells us Priscilla and Aquila and Eâ—aphroditas had done for him Rom. 16.3 4. Phil. 2.30 This practice is a most excellent Comment upon this Text. b So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek name for sobriety is fetched by the Greek Lexicons from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from its preserving and evidencing a sound Mind or Reason c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that whereby a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andron Rh. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Char. Ethic. c. 25. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are reckoned by Arist. as the extremities of veracity and species of a he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he says is one who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ethic. ad Nicom l. 2. c. 7. l. 4. c. 7. Theopâ—â—aâ—â—â—s defines it to be a â—aising a greater opinion of us than we really deserve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Char. Ethic. 24. And Hesych explains 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Theophrasâ—us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Char. Eth. c. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maximus Tyrius Dissirt 4. Agreeably whereto Plutarch says in Alexandro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b The Idolatrous Images mentioned Isa. 44. are called a Lye v. 20. and Hos. 7.1 Jer. 13.25 In which sense 't is true of the Romans that in changing the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to a corruptible man they turned the truth of God into a Lye Rom. 1.23 25. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Andronicus Rhodius is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Vertue that makes us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Andron Rhod. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meo judicio est vitium animi quo hamo inclinatur ad nocendum aliis etiam sine causa sed ex quadam in maium proclivitate qualis est malitia Daemonis quem ea de causa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellamus Tolet. in Cap. 1. Ep. ad Rom. v. 29. d Maledictio si petulantius jactatur convitium est Cic. Orat pro M. Caelio d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Nâ—â—t l. 2. c. 13. c Non monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti Quaesitum ad fontem solos deducere verpos Juv. Sat. 14. Apud ipsos sides obstinata misericordia in promptu sed adversus omnes alios hostile odium Tacit. Hist. l. 5. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humility Heavenly-mindedness Temperance Patience Continence a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chastity c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contempt of the world Contentment Self-denial Taking up the Cross. Mortification e Rom. 13.14 Sobriety Watchfulness Diligence Piety Honour Worship Faith Knowledge Love Hope Trust. Dependence Prayer Fear Thankfulness Zeal Obedience f Gal. 5.6 6.13 Sâ—bjection or Resignedness Righteousness Justice Charity Goodness or Kindness Brotherly kindness Honour of our Brethren for their Vertues Vindicating their injured reputation Alms-giving Hospitality Speaking well of enemies Congratulatioâ— Compassion Vnity Assability Condescension g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h Phil. 2.3 i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m Gal. 6.2 1 Pet. 3.8 11 12. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doing good to enemies o Rom. 1.5 15.15 Ephes. 3.8 p Heb. 10.28 Gentleness Placableness Mercifulness q James 2.13 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Courtesie Meekness Long-suffering Forgiving injuries s Mat. 6.14 15. t 1 Pet. 3.8.12 Affability u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercifulness y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covering mens defects Candor Patience a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speaking good of enemies Doing good 〈◊〉 them Praying for 〈◊〉 them Friendly reproof b Their practice in this Case is thus described Qui arguit socium suum debet primùm hoc sacere placide inter se ipsum solum verbis mollibus ita ut non pudesaciat eum Si resipiscit bâ—xe est sin debet eum acriter arguere pudesacere inter se ipsum Si non resipiscit debet adhibere Socios ipsúmque coram illis pudore afficere si nec modo quiâ—â—uam proficit debet eum pudâ—sacere coram multis ejúsque delictum publicare Nam certe detegendi sunt Hypocritâ—e Lib. Musar as it is ciâ—ed by Druâ—â—â—â— Not. ad loc c Verse 21. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Restraining our Christian Liberty for our weak Brothers edification Rom. 14.22 Peace Peace e 1 Pet. 3.8 Phil. 2.1 2. Concord Condescension Peaceableness f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forbearance or Long-suffering h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quietness Doing our own business Satisfying for injuries i Luke 19.8 Peace-making Laws in the relation of Subjects to our Kings Subjection Paying Tribute and Custom Reverence and Honour i 1 Pet. 2.17 Obedience k 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. Prayer for Kings Laws in the relation of people to their Pastors Honour and Reverence for their works sake l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n 1 Tim. 5.17 18. 1 Cor. 9.4 7
be expected You have not saith S t James because you ask not James 4.2 Gods mercy is on all that fear him Luke 1.50 I will warn you saith our Saviour whom you shall fear fear God who after he hath killed hath yet further power to cast you into Hell if you are fearless and contemptuous I say unto you Fear him Luke 12.5 In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you 1 Thess. 5.18 It is one part of our walking as Children of the light to give thanks always and in all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 5.8 20. And the Apostle's exhortation is Offer to God the Sacrifice of Praise continually giving thanks to his Name and that because we have no abiding City but seek one to come Heb. 13.14 15. The Church of Laodicea to the end that she may be rich and cloathed is advised to be zealous and to repent Rev. 3.18 19. And one effect of a godly sorrow and a saving repentance S t Paul saith is zeal for God and goodness 2 Cor. 7.11 In Christ Jesus or the Christian Religion neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but keeping of the Commandments of God 1 Cor. 7.19 For it is this only that gives right to life and happiness Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life Rev. 22.14 Our Fathers after the flesh corrected us and we gave them reverence and shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Heb. 12.9 And thus are all the Particulars of this second Class of Duties Piety bound upon us with the same sanction as the former and our obedience to them all made necessary to our being pardoned at the last Day and eternally rewarded by them And the same is further true of the Duties of the third Class righteousness towards our Neighbour For as for the necessity of Justice S t Paul is clear Owe no man any thing but to love one another Rom. 13.8 For if you wrong and defraud one another saith the same Apostle know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.8 9. And as for all the particular Laws of Charity their necessity will appear from what follows Be kindly affectioned one to another as if you were of the same blood and near Kindred with brotherly love in honour preferring one another for your Vertues before your selves and much more vindicating each other from the unjust aspersions of others Distributing or communicating to the necessity of Saints given to or earnestly pursuing hospitality Bless or speak well of them which persecute you Bless and curse not Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce in congratulation and weep with them that weep in compassion Be of the same mind one towards another mind not state and high things but be affable and condescend by going even out of your way to bear them company to men of low estate Recompence to no man evil for evil but if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink Rom. 12.10 13 14 15 16 17 20. All which Precepts with several others delivered in that Chapter he gave in Command as he tells them through the Grace or Authority of Apostleship which is here and elsewhere called Grace given unto him ver 3 and that is a plain proof of their indispensable necessity For he that despiseth you Apostles says our Saviour despiseth me Luke 10.16 And if the transgression and disobedience of the Law of Moses spoken to him only by Angels in the Mount received a just recompence of reward such Offenders dying without mercy how shall we escape the same death or greater if we neglect and much more if we despise so great a means of salvation as Christs Gospel and his Laws are which was at first spoken to us by the Lord Jesus himself who is far above all Angels and was afterwards confirmed to us by his Apostles or them that heard him Heb. 2.2 3. The wisdom from above and which must bring us thither is gentle easie to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits James 3.17 And S t Paul bids the Colossians to put on as the elect of God holy and beloved these Vertues viz. bowels of mercies kindness or courtesy meekness long-suffering or forbearing one another and forgiving one another If any man hath a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so do ye Col. 3.12 13 15. The fruits of the Spirit saith the same Apostle are love long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness against such there is no condemning force of any Law Gal. 5.22 23. The description which S t Paul gives of Charity is this Charity suffers long in great meekness before it be provoked and is kind or courteous towards all men is not puffed up with supercilious and haughty behaviour for men do not assume state over those persons whom they love but is lowly and affable doth not behave it self unseemly or contumeliously but with much respect and civility seeks not her own Praise and Glory at other mens cost or discredit is not easily provoked or not provoked to the height but mixes mercifulness with anger opposite to rigour rejoyces or congratulates the truth or sincerity and integrity of men and as for their infirmities it bears or covers and conceals all things that are defective believes all things to their advantage in putting the most candid and favourable sence upon any thing which they do or say and where there is no excuse for the present it hopeth all things good for the future and for injuries offered to it self it is not hasty and vindictive but patiently endureth all things 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. And for the necessity of that Charity which includes all these S t Paul is express in the same Chapter when he tells us that although he have all faith and all knowledg and bestow all his goods to feed the poor yea and give his Body to be burned in Martyrdom if still he have not Charity in all these other effects and in that latitude wherein it is here described it profiteth him nothing ver 2 3. I say unto you Love your enemies bless or speak all the good you can of them that curse or reproach you do good to them that hate you and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you that by this means you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven Matth. 5.44 45. Which Laws are of the number of those which are contained in Christ's Sermon on the Mount at the beginning whereof he declared that whosoever should break the least of his Commandments which he was then about to deliver and should teach men to
All those speeches metonymical where Obedience is not express'd and yet pardon is promised p. 8 CHAP. II. Of pardon promised to Faith Knowledge and being in Christ. The Contents Of pardon and happiness promised to Faith and Knowledg Of the nature of Faith in general Of natural Jewish and Christian Faith Of this last as â—ustifying and saving Of the fitness of Christian Faith and Knowledg to produce Obedience Pardon promised to them no further than they are productive of it Of pardon promised to being in Christ. Christ sometimes signifies the Christian Religion sometimes the Christian Church Being in Christ is being of Christ's Religion or a Member of Christ's Church The fitness of these to effect Obedience Pardon promised to them no further than they do 20 CHAP. III. Of pardon promised to Repentance The Contents Of pardon promised to Repentance Regeneration a New Nature a New Creature The nature of Repentance it includes amendment and obedience The nature of Regeneration and a New Creature It s fitness to produce Obedience Some mens repentance ineffectual The folly of it Pardon promised to Repentance and Regeneration no further than they effect Obedience In the case of dying Penitents a change of mind accepted without a change of practice That only where God sees a change of practice woulâ— ensue upon it This would seldome happen upon death bed resolutions and Repentance The general ineffectiveness of this shown by experienâ—s Two reasons of it 1. Because it proceeds ordinarily upon an inconstant temporary Principle viz. nearness of Death and present fears of it Though it always begins there yet sometimes it grows up upon a Principle that is more lasting viz. a conviction of the absolute necessity of Heaven and a Holy Life 2. Because it is ordinarily in a weak and incompetent degree All TRVE resolution is not able to reform men Sick bed resolutions generally unable Such ineffective resolutions unavailing to mens pardon 34 CHAP. IV. Of pardon promised to Confession of Sins and to Conversion The Contents Of pardon promised to confession of sins The nature and qualifications of a saving Confession It s fitness to make us forsake sin The ineffectiveness of most mens confessions The folly and impiety of it Pardon promised to confession no further than it produces Obedience Of pardon promised to conversion The nature of conversion It includes Obedience and is but another name for it 55 CHAP. V. Of pardon promised to Prayer The Contents Of pardon promised to Prayer Of the influence which our Prayers have upon our Obedience Of the presumption or idleness of most mens prayers Of the impudence hypocrisie and uselessness of such Petitions Then our prayers are heard when they are according to Gods will when we pray for pardon in Repentance and for strength and assistance in the use of our own endeavours Pardon promised to Prayer no further than it effects this Obedience and penitential endeavour 64 CHAP. VI. Of pardon promised to our fear of God and trust in him The Contents Of pardon promised to our fear of God and trust in him Of the influence which mens fears have upon their endeavours and how they carry on ignorant minds into superstition but well-informed judgments to obedience Of the influence of mens trust in God upon their obedience The ineffectiveness of most mens trust Of the presumption and infidelity of such confidence That pardon is promised to fear and trust so far only as we obey with them 76 CHAP. VII Of pardon promised to the love of God and of our Neighbour The Contents Of pardon promised to the love of God and of our Neighbour Of the fitness of an universal love to produce an universal obedience That pardon is promised to it for this reason The Conclusion 85 BOOK II. Of the Laws of the Gospel which are the Rule of this Obedience in particular CHAP. I. Of the particular Laws comprehended under the Duty of Sobriety The Contents A Division of our Duty into three general Vertues Piety Sobriety Righteousness Of the nature of Sobriety The particular Laws commanding and prohibiting under this first Member A larger explication of the nature of Mortification 94 CHAP. II. Of LOVE the Epitome of Duty towards God and men and of the particular Laws comprehended under Piety towards God The Contents Of the Duties of Piety and Righteousness both comprehended in one general Duty LOVE It the Epitome of our Duty The great happiness of a good nature The kind temper of the Christian Religion Of the effects of LOVE The great Duty to God is Honour The outward expression whereof is Worship The great offence is dishonour Of the several Duties and transgressions contained under both 106 CHAP. III. Of the particular Duties contained under Justice and Charity The Contents Of the particular Duties contained under Justice and Charity Both are only expressions of Love which is the fulfilling of the Law Of the particular sins against both Of scandal Of the combination of Justice and Charity in a state that results from both viz. peace Of the several Duties comprehended under it Of the particular sins reducible to unpeaceableness Of the latitude of the word Neighbour to whom all these dutiful expressions are due It s narrowness in the Jewish sense It s universality in the Christian. 114 CHAP. IV. Of our Duties to men in particular Relations The Contents Of our Duties to other men in particular Relations The Duties enjoined and the sins prohibited towards Kings and Princes Bishops and other Ministers The particular Duties and sins in the relation of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Brethren and Sisters Masters and Servants Of the two Sacraments and Repentance A recital of all particular Duties enjoined and sins prohibited to Christians Of the harmlesness of a defective enumeration the Duties of the Gospel being suggested not only outwardly in Books but inwardly by mens own passions and consciences 134 CHAP. V. Of the Sanction of the foregoing Laws The Contents Of the Sanction of all the forementioned particular Laws That they are bound upon us by our hopes of Heaven and our fears of Hell Of the Sanction of all the particular affirmative or commanding Laws 168 CHAP. VI. Of the Sanction of all the forbidding Laws The Contents Of the Sanction of all the negative or forbidding Laws particularly The perfection of the Christian Law How our Duty exceeds that of the Heathens under the revelations of Nature And that of the Jews under the additional light of Moses's Law 190 BOOK III. What degrees and manner of Obedience is required to all the Laws forementioned CHAP. I. Of Sincerity The Contents THE first qualification of an acceptable obedience that it be sincere Two things implied in sincerity truth or undissembledness and purity or unmixedness of our service Of the first Notion of sincerity as opposite to hyyocrisie or doing what God commands out of a real intention and design to serve him Of a two-fold intention actual and express or habitual and
as a good plea at that Bar when they are separate from Obedience but then only when they effect and work it But when he says that Faith Repentance Love or any other thing shall save us he means not all or any but only a working Faith an obedient Repentance an active Love a Faith Love and Repentance which do not overlook Obedience but accompany and produce it So that first or last Obedience is still that wherein all the rest must concenter and agree that alone condition which our judge will accept and which we may safely trust to And this will fully appear by running over the particulars CHAP. II. Of Pardon promised to Faith Knowledge and being in Christ. The CONTENTS Of Pardon and happiness promised to Faith and Knowledge Of the nature of Faith in general Of natural Jewish and Christian Faith Of this last as justifying and saving Of the fitness of Christian Faith and Knowledge to produce Obedience Pardon promised to them no further than they are productive of it Of Pardon promised to being in Christ. Christ sometimes signifies the Christian Religion sometimes the Christian Church Being in Christ is being of Christs Religion or a member of Christs Church The fitness of these to effect Obedience Pardon promised to them no further than they do FIRST this condition of our acceptance which is to mete out to us our last doom of Bliss and Mercy and whereto Life and Pardon are promised at the last day is sometimes called knowledge or what is only a more particular way of knowing a knowing upon witness or testimony Faith By or upon the account of his knowledge or the knowledge of him shall my Righteous Servant when he sits to judge them justifie many says God of our Judge and Saviour Christ by the Prophet Isaiah Isa. 53.11 And this is Life Eternal says our Lord himself to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 And then as for Faith which is the particular way of knowledge among us Christians who owe all that we know in order to Heaven and happiness to the witness and testimony of Jesus Christ the places which promise Life and Pardon unto it are to be met with in abundance Whosoever believes on me says our Saviour shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3.15 16. And again This is the will of him that sent me that whosoever believes on me may have Everlasting Life Joh. 6.40 And when he sends out his Apostles after his Resurrection to proclaim the terms of Mercy and Salvation to all the world he bids them say Whosoever believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mar. 16.16 Faith or belief in the general is a thinking something to be true upon the testimony of those persons who declare it And herein it differs from other sorts of knowledge because in them we believe upon the evidence and apparent reason of the things themselves but in this upon the witness and authority of those persons who reveal them For then we are said to know when we assent upon the Authority of things but then to believe when we assent upon the Authority of persons when not the evidence of the things revealed but the word and testimony of the revealer make us give credit to his Revelation This is the nature of Faith in general it is a giving credit to a thing or taking it to be true upon the testimony or authority of such persons as declare it And according to the difference of this testimony our Faith upon it is differenced and distinguished also For if we believe any thing upon the bare word of a man it is an Humane if upon the bare word and testimony of God it is a Divine Faith Divine Faith then is nothing else but a belief of Divine Revelations a taking any thing to be true because God has told us it is so And therefore we may be said to have Divine Faith of as many things as God has any way attested or revealed to us And for Gods Revelations they have been derived to us in several ways and by several instruments For some things God has revealed to us by the light of Nature That light came from him and is his Revelation For the spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord which as S t John saith in another case of our Saviour enlightens every man that cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 And in this general sence of Faith for a natural Faith or a belief of all natural Revelations all matters of knowledge are likewise matters of Faith because at last all natural light and evidence of things rests upon Gods Revelation that very evidence being no otherwise a proof to us that things are true than we are assured that God is the Author of it and that it is his Testimony and declaration to them that they are so And by this way of Revelation this natural light God has declared to us two great foundations of all Religion his own existence and his Providence that there is a God and that he will love and reward all such as serve and worship him The belief of which Articles so testified S t Paul affirms to be a part of Faith yea a part so fundamental as is absolutely necessary to our pleasing of God and to all Religion without Faith saith he it is impossible to please God for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS and that he is A REWARDER of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Other things God has revealed not by the light of nature seeing they are such things as that alone could never have discovered to us but either by his own immediate voice or inspiration or by the mediation and message of inspired men By the former he revealed to Noah the Drowning of the old world Gen. 6.13 the belief whereof is called Noah's Faith Heb. 11.7 To Abraham his having a numerous Issue by his Wife Sarah when as yet they had no Child and in all appearance were too old ever to expect one Gen. 15.5 6 and Chap. 17.17 19. the belief whereof is likewise call'd Abraham's Faith Heb. 11.17 18 19. To Moses his passing over all the houses of the Israelites where he should see the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled for a Token when he would slay all the First-born throughout all the Land of Egypt Exod. 12.12 13. the belief of which Revelation is also call'd the Faith of Moses Heb. 11.28 By the latter he reveal'd his will more largely to the whole people of Israel by the mouth and mediation of his Servant Moses and because both God and Man concurr'd in this Testimony their belief of his message was their Faith not in God only but together with him in his Servant Moses too For because the Law and Religion which they received though it came originally from God was yet derived down to them immediately by his Ministry and they knew no otherwise what
God had spoken to them than by his Testimony and upon his Authority therefore are they said in believing and embracing that Divine Law which was delivered to them by Moses to believe not the Lord alone but also his Servant Moses Exod. 14.31 Joh. 5.46 to be Baptized into Moses 1 Cor. 10.2 to be Moses's Disciples Joh. 9.28 to trust or place their hope in Moses Joh. 5.45 to obey or hearken unto Moses Luk. 16.31 But the most clear and full Revelation that God ever made of his will to men was by the message and mediation of his own Son Jesus Christ. For God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past to the Jews by Moses and to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1.1 And the belief of his Gospel or taking for certain Truths upon his Authority all those things which he has declared to us in Gods Name is call'd the Christian as the other was the Mosaick Faith For he being the great Author and deriver of this last and greatest Revelation of God down to us and our belief of it being upon his immediate Authority he being as S t Paul says the Authour and finisher of our Faith Heb. 12.2 Our belief of it is called not only Faith towards God Heb. 6.1 but also Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 And because the knowledge of our whole Religion got into our minds this way upon our submission to Christs Authority and our Faith or belief of his Testimony therefore is our Religion it self most commonly in the Scriptures called our Faith The Preaching of it is called Preaching the Faith Gal. 1.23 the hearing of it hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 the profession of it a profession of Faith Heb. 10.23 the contending for it a striving for the Faith Phil. 1.27 the erring in it an erring from the Faith 1 Tim. 6.10 the falling from it a making shipwrack of the Faith 1 Tim. 1.19 obedience to it the obedience of Faith Rom. 1.5 and the Righteousness required in it and effected by it the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11.13 So that in like manner as the Mosaick Faith was a belief of the Divinity of the Mosaick Law and Religion upon the Authority of Moses the Christian Faith is a belief of the Divine institution of our Christian Religion upon the Authority of Christ. It is a taking upon his word all those things for truths of God which he has declared to us in Gods Name A belief begot in us by vertue of his Testimony that all his Doctrines are Gods Truths that all his Laws are Gods Precepts that all his promises are Gods Promises and that all his threats are Gods threatnings in sum that that whole Religion and Gospel which Christ has delivered to us in Gods Name is the very Religion and Word of God The belief of all this upon the Authority of Christ makes our Faith Christian and the good effects of it upon our hearts and lives make it justifying and saving For when by vertue of this Faith we truly Repent and sincerely obey which is the great condition as we have seen whereupon at the last day we must all be pardoned and justified Eternally it is a justifying as when by vertue of it we are saved and delivered from the dominion and service of our Sins which as the Angel hath assured us are those principal evils that Christ came to save us from it is a saving Faith This is the nature of our Christian knowledge and our Christian Faith And as for it now it is the very fundamental cause and natural spring of all our Christian service and obedience For it is because we believe Jesus to be the Lord because we know those Laws which he has given us and give credit to him when he tells us of the insupportable punishments which he will one day inflict for sin and of the glorious rewards which he will confer upon obedience It is by means of our knowledge and belief of all these in our minds I say that we serve and obey him in our outward actions It is our knowledge and belief that lets us see the reasonableness of his Precepts the power of his Assistances the glory of his Rewards and the terror of his Punishments and in all respects convinces us of the beauty and profit of Obedience And this sight and conviction in our minds cannot well miss of gaining our hearts and resolutions For the belief of his endless judgments will raise our fears the belief of his infinite rewards will quicken our hopes the belief of his inexpressible kindness will kindle our love and by all these our souls will be led Captive into eager desires and firm resolutions and be fully purposed to keep Gods Laws that so they may avoid that terrible Death which he threatens and attain those matchless joys which he promises to our Obedience And when once by means of this faith and knowledge Gods Laws have gain'd both our wills and passions which are the inward springs and causes of them they cannot fail of being obeyed in our works and actions which are produced by them But we shall quickly go on to perform what we resolve and to do what we desire and so in very deed fulfill and obey them Upon which account of our Christian Faith having so mighty an influence upon our Christian and obedient practice our obedience it self as being the effect of it and produced by it is call'd the obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 The Righteousness which it exacts of us and cooperates to work in us the Righteousness of Faith Gal 5.5 Our Christian warfar or striving against Sin is called the good sight of Faith 1 Tim 6.12 And because in this contest our great succors which protect us and keep us from fainting and at last make us victorious are some points or promises of our Religious belief therefore it is stiled a shield and a breast-plate of Faith 1 Thess. 5.8 and S t John affirms plainly that this is the victory over the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 And for this reason it is because our Faith and knowledge are so powerful a cause and principle of our Obedience that God speaks so great things of them and has made such valuable promises to them He never intends to reward the Faith and knowledge of our minds further than they effect the obedience of our actions It is only when they are carryed on to this effect when they become an obedient knowledge and a working Faith that they confer a right to the promised reward and are available to our Salvation For when in the places mentioned or in any other God promises that he who knows Christ or believes in Christ shall live he speaks metonymically and means Faith and knowledge with this effect of a working service and obedience As for knowledge 't is plain that God accepts it no otherwise
than as it effects obedience nor can we any otherwise confide in it Hereby alone says S t John we know that we know him in that sence of knowledge whereto God has promised life and pardon if we keep his Commandments But he that saith I know him and for all that keepeth not his Commandments he is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.3 4. And then as for Faith no man is interpreted to have that Faith which is made the condition of our pardon and acceptance but he who is acted by it and in his works is obedient to it The Faith says S t Paul which in Christ Jesus or the Christian Religion availeth any thing to that Righteousness which all Christians hope for is that only which worketh by Love Gal. 5.5 6. It begins the change within by purifying of our hearts and desires Acts 15.9 and thence goes on to perfect it in our outward works and actions And unless it proceed to this it will never be able to bear us out and to justifie us at Gods Bar for there as S t James tells us by our works we must all be justifyed and not by a Faith only which works nothing Jam. 2.24 Such alas will be wholly useless and of no consideration in that Court it will not any way profit and then certainly it cannot save us For what doth it profit my Brethren though a man be able to say either here or hereafter he hath Faith and hath not works will that be allow'd a sufficient plea in Gods Judgment shall that Faith save him no surely it never will Jam. 2.14 This unworking Faith is not that effectual Faith which the Gospel encourages but its worthless shell and liveless carkass For wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead Even as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also vers 20 26. It is Faith only in an imperfect degree and a weak unprofitable measure for it is not arrived to a perfect pitch to that compleat state whereto the Gospel doth at present promise Life and Christ will at the last Day award it till it shows it self in action and our lives express the power of it Our Father Abraham says S t James was justified by works produced by Faith when in an unstagger'd belief that God would make good his promise of a numerous issue by his Son Isaac though it were by raising him up again from the dead he would obey his command which seemed quite to overthrow it and offered up his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how his Faith in Gods Power and Promise wrought prevalently over all opposition to the production of that his strange work and by this justifying work upon it was his Faith made perfect vers 21 22. So that when all is done we see that there is no Life or Pardon promised to any Faith or knowledge which are separate from Obedience but to such only as cooperate to them and imply them There is no belief wherewith our Judge at the last day will be satisfyed or wherein we are safe which either he will accept or we may trust to if our dutiful works are wanting So that this is and ever will be as S t Paul says a faithful saying and such as every good Christian man ought constantly to receive or affirm that they who have Faith or have believed in God be careful to maintain obedience and good works because it is they which at the last day must do all men good are good and profitable unto men Tit. 3.8 Secondly This condition of our acceptance whereto the Gospel promises a happy sentence of Life and Pardon in the last judgment is sometimes called Being in Christ. There is no condemnation says S t Paul to them who are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 The word Christ we must know many times in Scripture signifies the Religion of Christ. Thus the Law is said to be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ i. e. the imperfect rule of the Mosaick Religion was fitted for the minority of the world and intended to train men up as Children are by School Discipline for the more perfect and manly institution of the Christian Gal. 3.24 And thus we read of Preaching Christ that is the Christian Religion Phil. 1.15 And S t Paul tells the Ephesians of their learning Christ and hearing him i. e. his Gospel and Doctrine Ye have not so learned Christ if so be ye have heard him and been taught by him or in him Eph. 4.20 21. Heard him and been taught by him i. e. not by his person for he never went beyond Judea being sent as he said to none but the lost sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 15.24 and therefore never travelled so far as Ephesus but by and in his Doctrine or Religion And this is a most usual form of speech to call any institution or profession by the name of its first Author The Doctrine and Religion which was delivered to the Jews by Moses is called by his Name For S t Paul speaks of Moses being read i. e. the Law of Moses 2 Cor. 3.15 and of the Israelites being baptized into Moses i. e. the Mosaick Religion 1 Cor. 10.2 And our Lord himself tells the Jews in the Parable of the Rich Man that they have Moses and the Prophets and bids them hear them Luk. 6.29 where he cannot mean their persons in regard they were dead long before and got without the reach of their hearing but their Writings and Religion And as Christ many times signifies the Christian Religion so is being in Christ the very same with being of his Religion or being a Christian. Thus S t Paul tells us of Andronicus and Junia who embraced the Christian Doctrine whilst he persecuted and opposed it that they were in Christ i. e. in Christs Religion before him Rom. 16.7 They who dyed in the profession of the Christian Faith are said to be fallen asleep in Christ 1 Cor. 15.18 The veil of Moses is done away in Christ 2 Cor. 3.14 The veil of Moses i. e. the types and obscure shadows of the Mosaical Religion are done away in Christ i. e. by the plain clearness of the Christian. Thus I knew a man in Christ is no more than I knew a Christian man 2 Cor. 12.2 and the Churches of Judea in Christ are the very same as the Christian Churches among the Jews Gal. 1.22 So when we read that in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature Gal. 6.15 the meaning is only this that what price soever the Religion of Moses put upon this outward Rite of Circumsion and those other Jewish observances whereof it was the federal undertaking yet the Religion of Christ doth not regard them at all but that all which can avail us in it is only a new Creature And to the same sence S t Peter speaks
of the elect of God holy and beloved humbleness of mind Col. 3.12 It is this poverty and lowliness of Spirit which must prepare us for eternal happiness Blessed are the poor in Spirit Matth. 5.3 For as our Saviour says 't is by learning of him who is meek and lowly that we shall find both here and hereafter rest to our souls Matth. 11.29 And for all the rest their Sanction is expressed in these ensuing places Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life John 6.27 This is a necessary evidence of our being risen with Christ now at present If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2 and a necessary condition to our being blessed with him for ever hereafter the blessedness which our Saviour pronounces being to those which hunger and thirst after righteousness Matth. 5.6 Add to temperance patience for he that lacketh these is blind and shall not be looked on as a new man seeing he has forgot that he was purged from his old sins 2 Pet. 1.6 9. The fruit of the Spirit saith S t Paul is temperance or continence and it is against this among others that there is no Law to condemn it Gal. 5.23 And to the Hebrews he says that they have need of patience to inherit the promises of life and happiness Heb. 10.36 and therefore they must not cast away but hold fast their confidence or couragious and open owning even of a suffering Religion which hath great recompence of reward ver 35. It bring to them only who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and immortality that God will give eternal life Rom. 2.7 Dearly Beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul to vanquish and destroy it 1 Pet. 2.11 This abstinence is one chief thing which we were called to at our Call to Christianity God hath not called us to uncleanness saith S t Paul but unto holiness or purity and cleanness For this is the will of God which you are first to perform before you expect his reward your purity or sanctification and particularly in one instance wherein you are so generally defective that you abstain from fornication and every one of you possess his Vessel or Body in purity or sanctification and honour And this Commandment you know we gave you by the Lord Jesus's order so that whosoever among you despiseth it despiseth not man but God 1 Thess. 4.2 3 4 7 8. For the wisdom which cometh from above and which must carry us thither is in the first place pure or chast James 3.17 Love not the world nor the things of the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2.15 For the esteem and friendship of the world is in very deed downright enmity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God James 4.4 Godliness if it be joined with contentment is great gain saith S t Paul 1 Tim. 6.6 And our being content with such things as we have is reckoned a part of that Grace whereby we must serve God acceptably and be secured from his wrath who where he is angred is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 to the fifth Verse of the thirteenth Chapter Christ said unto them all If any man will come after me and be accounted one of my Disciples let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Luke 9.23 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body saith S t Paul you shall live Rom. 8.13 Yea its affections and desires as well as its sinful actions are to be deaded and brought under For they that are Christ's whom he will own for his at the last Day and reward accordingly have crucified the Flesh with the affections and lusts or desires thereof Gal. 5.24 They who would not be accounted in Gods judgment as Children of the night and of darkness S t Paul says plainly must watch and be sober 1 Thess. 5.5 6. For watching is necessary unto bliss Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Luke 12.37 And give diligence to make your calling and election sure saith S t Peter for this is one of those things which if you do you shall never fall either from your duty or your reward 2 Pet. 1.10 Thus are all the particular Laws recited in the first Class sobriety expresly bound upon us by all our hopes of Heaven and our obedience to them plainly necessary to our life and pardon when we come to be judged according to them And the Sanction is the same for all the Particulars of the second Class our piety towards God as will appear by the following Scriptures Them that honour me saith God I will honour or make honourable but they who despise me shall on the other hand be as lightly set by 1 Sam. 2.30 And if any man be a worshipper of God him said the man who had received his sight most truly he heareth John 9.31 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 For this is the will of him that sent me saith our Saviour that whosoever believeth on me may have everlasting life John 6.40 And what we hear of Faith is also said of Knowledge For this is life eternal saith Christ to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 The good things which neither eye hath seen nor ear hath heard i. e. the joys of Heaven are laid up for those who love God 1 Cor. 2.9 And if any man love God the same is known or accepted by him 1 Cor. 8.3 It is he who believes Christs promises or hopes on him that shall never be ashamed Rom. 10.11 And we trust in God saith S t Paul who is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe or trust in him 1 Tim. 4.10 And a cheerful dependence upon Gods Providence for our food and maintenance c. and not being sollicitous about them is one of the Particulars of Christ's Law Matth. 6.25 the sanction whereof is expressed in the fifth Chapter in these words He who breaks the least oâ— these Commandments shall be least in the Kingdom oâ— Heaven i. e. according to the Hebrew manner of speaking he shall be none at all ver 19. Pray without ceasing 1 Thess. 5.17 It is this that must bring all blessings down upon us For the promise is Ask and you shall have Matth. 7.7 But no Petition being put up no Grant can in reason
either we soften our sin by excuses or justifie it by arguments or overlook it by ignorance heedless inconsideration and forgetfulness Either we will act it rashly through the power of a strong lust and not consider it at all or else think of it only to lessen or defend it And when by the opposition of our Lusts to the perfecting and performing of our Duty our spiritual strengths are thus weakned and our lusts advanced when our passions rise and our minds plead against it then is the strife and there 's the toil and difficulty of obedience And because in this obedience of our works and actions there is so much difficulty therefore are most people so desirous to shift it off and so forward to take up with any thing which will save them the labour of it They perswade themselves that God will admit of easier terms and build their hopes upon cheaper services in particular upon these Four First A true belief or orthodox opinions Secondly An obedience of idle desires and ineffective wishes And if for all these they continue still to do what God forbids and to work disobedience then their hope is to be saved notwithstanding it because Thirdly Their falling is through the power of a great and overpowering temptation which they see and resist but cannot prevail over So that Fourthly Their transgression is with reluctance and unwillingness their service of Sin is an unwilling and a slavish service 1. The first false ground whereby men elude all the necessity of serving God with their strength or executive powers in outward works and operations is their confidence of being saved for a true belief or a right knowledge in religious matters and orthodox opinions They turn all Religion into a matter of study and speculation as if it required only a good head and a discerning judgment They make it a matter of skill but not of practice an exercise of wit and parts but not a rule of action For the faith which they expect should save them with some men goes no further than the mind and consists barely in right notions and apprehensions They take it to be nothing more but an understanding what Christ has said a being able to reason upon it and to argue for it and in their own minds approving and consenting to it And that not to all that Christ has revealed neither For the Precepts or Commands it overlooks and doth not meddle with the threatnings it either considers not at all or if it do it takes them not to be due to that whereunto God has fixed them viz. disobedience of practice but only to ignorance and unbelief But all that which their faith eyes and which their minds solely or at least principally approve of is the historical passages of Christs life and death the doctrinal points which he has told us concerning God or himself and the comfortable promises of the Gospel They believe what Christ is what he has done and suffered for us and what he has promised to us they think right in all the Religious Controversies that are on foot in the world joyning themselves with the Orthodox men and siding as they presume with the true Opinion they profess Christs Religion and are Members of his Church and adhere to the right party of Christians and to the purest Congregation and that they conclude is enough to bring them to Heaven But if any think as God be praised many do that God requires more than the bare service of our minds and right apprehensions yet even a great part of them fancy that all which he requires besides is only the obedience of their tongues and discourses If they believe with the mind and confess with the mouth although they are rebellious and reprobate in their practice they are satisfied of their Godly estate and presume that God is so too Their Religion is made up of lip-service for they think to content God by heavenly talk and pious conference by larding all their discourses with the Name of God and shreds of Scripture all their conversation is holy phrase and sanctified form of speaking and this they hope will attone for all the lewdness and disobedience of their lives and actions And if they proceed yet further to a Faith that reacheth beyond the mind and the tongue and think it necessary that it sink down from the head into the heart yet there they will allow God to expect no great matters They hope he will be well pleased although it summon not up all our Affections for his service if it produce in us these two easie passions which are raised without much adoe and may well be spared viz. a strong confidence and a warm zeal If to make it saving it must imply a joynt concurrence of our Affections it shall be only of these two It shall add hope to knowledge and be a belief that God will save sinners with a special hope and fancifull confidence that he will in particular save them It shall add Zeal to Orthodoxy a warm heart to a sound head and be no more but a maintaining of and stickling for right opinions and against erroneous and false ones with heat and fierceness Thus do men delude themselves into great confidences and vain expectations from a faith that is without fruit from an orthodox but empty knowledge which is void of all obedient practice But a knowledge and belief which is not more comprehensive in its nature nor has other effects than these they will find to their cost in the event of things is miserably delusive and vain It will serve to no other end but the heightning of their crimes and the encreasing of their condemnation For do but consider If we will believe and understand Christs Doctrines and his Promises but overlook or deny his Laws and Precepts what is this but instead of honour and service to affront and renounce him By picking and choosing at this rate we cast off his power of molding for us a Religion and fixing the terms of his own mercy and make to our selves a condition of our own salvation We follow him so far only as we please our selves but no further The compass of our belief it self is not bounded by his authority or measured according to his mind but our own For we understand and assent not to every thing that he has said but only to what we our selves like We refuse to take every thing upon his word and credit him in what he speaks no longer than it agrees with us If we believe him it is only where we matter not whether what he sayes be true or no but we either give no heed to him or flatly disbelieve him where we have any temptation His veracity and truth it self has no power over our very minds beyond what our own lusts and beloved sins will suffer it but the Devil and the World must be served in the first place by our Opinions and God must be forced to
take up with their leavings Nay what is yet more by such a partial and squeamish belief as this we do not only give or take at our own liking from that attribute of his which in believing we would be thought to honour viz. his Truth but even where we seem to submit to it we wrong and pervert it For we wrest his sense and spoil his meaning and undermine all that he intends So that even that which we do believe is not his mind but our own For the true meaning of his Promises which run all upon condition of our Obedience we pervert the force of all his threatnings which denounce woes to every sin and transgression we cancel We do as much as in us lies to corrupt his Word and to belie his very Gospel We make his whole Religion signifie another thing than what he intended For we make it allow what he forbids and encourage such as he threatens and save those whom at the day of Judgment he will condemn And since this perverse faith and knowledge which believes what it likes and is infidel to all the rest which sets up one part of his Word against another by making his Promises to undermine his Precepts and the Truth of his Doctrines to render all his threatnings false and useless I say since such an untowardly partial and gainsaying knowledge and belief as this is in very deed so plain a Libel to his Person so hateful a violence to his Truth and such a contradicting piece of Infidelity to his Gospel it can never be thought to be that Obedience which he commands and encourages but such a piece of contumelious flattery and fawning disobedience as he will most severely punish and condemn But if we believe his whole Gospel and besides the faith of his Doctrines and Promises take moreover all his Precepts to be such as he injoyns and all his threatnings in their true meaning to be such as he will execute and yet for all that in our works and practice despise and sin against them then is such our faith and knowledge so far from rendring our condition safe and comfortable that in very deed it makes it quite desperate and utterly bereft of all colour and excuse For it takes from us all plea for disobedience and leaves us not so much as the common refuge of all misdoing the pretence that we did offend but did not know it It makes every sin which we commit to be acted with a high hand and all our offences to become contempt our disobedience rebellion and our transgressions presumptuous For we sin then with open eyes we know Gods Commands but refuse to practise them we discern our duty but despise it It makes us not only to renounce his Authority but also to defie his Power For we know his Almighty Strength but we will not fear it we see his dreadfull threatnings but yet dare to commit the things which he has threatned in despite of them We see and believe that our Death is entailed upon our disobedience but for all that we choose and run upon it We contemn all his Commands and set light by all his Promises and despise all his Threatnings We see and believe them all but prefer the pleasure of our sins before them and transgress in open affront to them And such a state as this every man must needs see is so far from gaining his favour and ascertaining his acceptance that in reality it is a continued heightning of every provocation an habitual hostility and state of crying sin But if ever our Orthodox Faith and Professions avail us unto Life and Pardon they must end in our Obedient Works and Actions We must do that which we know God requires and practise that Pure Religion which we profess If ye know these things sayes our Saviour happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 It is not every verbal Professor every one that saith unto me or calls me Lord Lord that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he only that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 7.21 We are condemn'd out of our own mouths if we commend Christs Religion whilst we contemn and disobey it Every word which we speak in its behalf is a charge against our own selves and every Plea which we make for it is to us an accusation For if it be a Religion so pure so good so worthy of God and so beneficial to men as we profess it is the more unpardonable wretches we that transgress and act against it All the praises which we heap upon our Duty are a most bitter invective upon our own practice and the more we commend Christs Religion and Laws the more we condemn our own transgressions so that now God in exacting the punishment be it as severe as it well can only executes our own sentence We are made the worse for our knowledge if our Actions are not ruled by it for it shews plainly that our Lusts are most obstinate and our wills most wicked when for all we are clearly shewed the Laws the Promises and the threats of God we can yet despise them all and for the short pleasure of a silly sin transgress and act against them And since it doth thus enhanse our Sin we may be sure that it will proportionably encrease our punishment For he that knows his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12.47 And thus we see that this thinking to be saved by the labour of our minds without any works of our lives and practice and coming to Heaven barely by a True Belief and Orthodox Opinions and Right Professions without ever obeying in our works and actions is one of those false and delusive grounds whereupon men shift off the necessity of this service with all their strength the service of their Actions And another false ground of shifting off the same service is 2. The delusive confidence which wicked men have of being saved at the last Day for an obedience of idle desires and ineffective wishes It is a strange conceit which some people have been taught viz. that the desire of Grace is Grace and that God will at the last Day judge men to have obeyed although they have not wrought but only desired it There is a complaisant sort of Casuistry and a much easier than ever God made that has been brought into the World which bids men to hope well though they do nothing so long as they find in themselves a desire that they could do it They wish they were what God expects and that they performed what he commands but they do no more but wish it They sit still and work no more now they have wished it than they did before Theirs is a weakly infant-desire it just lives but that is all it can effect nothing For the smallest lust is too strong for it and the least temptation over-bears it the desire of the Vertue is hush'd when
all Piety towards God by complying readily with all his Laws depending upon his Providence and resigning our selves up to his pleasure in all purity and soberness being free from all lust and intemperance all sinfull pleasures and covetous practices in all justice and charitableness doing right and keeping peace and shewing mercy towards all men This sayes S t James will pass for pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father at the last day if in such instances as these we have expressed not our Opinions but our Obedience by visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction and by keeping our selves unspotted from all filthiness and disobedience of the world But if any man pretends to be religious who is destitute of this obedience that mans religion is vain Jam. 1.26 27. Secondly Another great part and object of Religion is the Doctrines of the Gospel And agreeably another act or instance of Religious Service is Faith or Orthodox Belief And this is intended by God himself as a means to produce the former Faith being the great instrument in working out our obedience For this is that victory sayes S t John which makes us conquerors and overcometh the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 An obedient practice is all that a righteous faith aims at it is its end and perfection that which consummates and compleats it It being as S t James assures us by works which faith co-operates and concurs to that faith is made perfect Jam. 2.22 And this all the points of our Christian Faith are most admirably fitted to effect in us For in that epitome and compendious account of them whereinto they were contracted by the Apostles and which is usually called the Apostles Creed there is not any one purely speculative Article or point of idle notion and meer belief But every one is influential upon our practice and helps on our obedience as any man of competent skill and abilities may discern by running over the particulars These two then viz. Knowledge and Practice or Faith and Obedience take in the compass and integrate the nature of our Religion Obedience is the chief thing and first in Gods design and Faith or Knowledge is the great means which God has prescribed us whereby to compass and effect it So that Religion in that sense wherein the Scriptures use and God at the last day will reward it is the same as obedience to the Gospel proceeding from a belief of it or in Saint Paul's phrase an Obedient Faith or a Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 And now let any man who considers this bethink himself and tell me whether the transgression of Gods Laws can ever be called Religion in the Scripture-sense or whether it be possible for men to evidence themselves to be Religious by their disobedience For the making us obedient to Gods Laws is the great design and ruling part of all true and acceptable Religion and the belief and profession of Gods Truth is an exercise and instance of it that avails us only so far as it concurs to and effects this Religion of Obedience So that Religion is not preserved but lost by breach of Duty it is never strengthned by disobedient and sinfull means but is alwayes wasted and destroyed by them Let no man therefore ever dare to make Religion a cover for unlawfull Lusts or dream of protecting it from sufferings and persecutions this way For God will by no means endure such gross mockery and hypocritical pretensions as for men to feign piety in the breach of Duty but if they wickedly transgress his Laws and continue impenitently to disobey him let their Forms and Professions of Religion be what they will he will take severe and endless vengeance on them for their impious and irreligious disobedience If they are scandalized at the Cross that is if they fall off from religious and obedient walking into irreligious transgressions to prevent those crosses that in persecuting times are annexed to a religious practice and profession they are scandalized or offended in him The Cross is to them a stumbling-block and a rock of offence it makes them trip and turn out of their duty because they will disown their Lord and break all his Laws rather than undergo it And this is a most provoking sin and subjects men to a most dreadful punishment For as God will abundantly recompence any losses which befall us through the exercise of an obedient Religion and a pious conscience so will he also inflict such torments as infinitely surpass all those light and present advantages which we may at any time promise our selves from our politick disobedience For whosoever by sinfull means will seek in perillous and persecuting times such as those were to save his life in this world he shall certainly lose it for ever in the next world but whosoever shall lay down his life for Christs sake in taking up that cross which is laid upon a Christian profession and a Christian practice that same man shall save and encrease it eternally Luk. 9.23 24. So that no dangers in obedience can ever render it secure for any man to disobey But that which God indispensably exacts of us in perillous cases is this Fear not them which kill the body but after that is done have nothing more to fright you with being utterly unable to kill or so much as touch the soul but fear him who exacts obedience of you even at such times as your bodies are like to perish for it for he after he hath killed the body which is all that they can do is able eternally to destroy both body and soul in hell Mat. 10.28 No dangers then can make obedience cease to be our Duty nor any sufferings make it cease to be our Interest So that neither Religion nor Prudence will ever allow of sinfull means but every Religious yea every wise man must take up the Cross and patiently bear any sufferings that come upon him for Religion rather than use any breach of duty or unlawfull wayes either to prevent or remove it And this the Saints of God and Religious men alwayes did For no dangers or hazards no pains or sufferings in obedience could ever draw them to seek for shelter by disobeying David was tryed with hazards and persecutions of all sorts but neither sense of present nor fears of future evils could ever chase him from his duty or make him seek relief from iniquity and sin He could not be forced upon it by the most apparent dangers even of the most affecting loss the loss of life it self The wicked saith he have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts My soul is continually in my hand ready to be snatched out of it yet do I not forget thy Law Psal. 119.109 110. He was not grieved or frighted into it either by the pressure of his pains or by the number of his persecutors They had almost consumed me upon earth but
For they who will live wickedly will quickly bring their minds to think wickedly Their lusts and vices will soon insinuate themselves into their judgments and apprehensions they will dispose their souls for such perswasions as are most serviceable to them and win them with ease into a belief of evil things by making them willing first and eagerly desirous to believe them For our belief of any opinion is produced in us by our diligent search and consideration of all such Arguments as can get credit to it by overlooking or clearing such difficulties or industriously considering and improving all the answers to such exceptions as are made against it As on the contrary our disbelief of any opinion is effected by overlooking or weakening all those reasons which are brought to prove it by darkening it with difficulties perplexing it with doubts and raising such exceptions as may shake or overthrow it But now as for the employing of our wit and industry in either of these it is plainly in our own choice and we deal indifferently and impartially between both or espouse either part as we stand affected If then we are earnestly desirous and strongly enclined for one way we can overlook or answer all that makes against it and throw by difficulties clear up doubts invent reasons to justifie and prove it So that the will and pleasure of our hearts will quickly draw after it the judgment of our understandings and if once we are resolved upon a way we shall soon find reasons to avow it When therefore our lusts and vices have got our hearts and give Laws to our wills and appetites they will quickly bear Rule in our understandings also We shall quickly believe that any of their gratifications are lawful when once we are greatly desirous to have them so Nothing being a more probable and ordinary effect in the nature of things as well as in the just judgment of God of a disobedient and rebellious heart than a reprobate mind or a mind void of Judgment Rom. 1.18 21 28. So long then as men have wicked hearts it cannot be expected but that they will have debauched consciences for whilst they retain unmortified lusts and vices they will justifie them in their own thoughts by damnably sinful and disobedient opinions They will take up prejudices and a wrong belief not to direct and guide but to defend their wicked practice The factious and unpeaceable man will easily perswade himself into that belief which disturbs Peace and opposes Government The covetous soul will favour any Tenet which promotes gain and advances interest The licentious Libertine will snatch at any opinion that gratifies the flesh and pleads the Cause of sensuality and softness Mens pride and ambition their fierceness and cruelty their malice and revenge their contentiousness and faction their sensuality and covetousness will make them overlook the humble and lowly the meek and gentle the patient and merciful the quiet and peaceable the generous and self-denying Laws of Christ and greedily imbibe such wicked prejudices and erroneous conceits as evacuate and overthrow them To illustrate this business let us consider it in some instances That execrable Sect of men the Gnosticks who were so famous for their impure and lawless consciences were not more notorious for their vile opinions than for their evil lives I will consider both that it may from thence more clearly appear how influential their lusts were upon their minds in begetting suitable perswasions As for their lives they were infamous for covetousness cowardice and softness in heaping up wealth and avoiding all loss of Goods and bodily pains though by means never so wicked and dishonourable and for the greatest luxury and unnaturalness in their lusts and unclean pleasures They were notoriously infamous for their covetousness and abominably soft and irreligious compliances For they are described as men that have their hearts exercised with covetous practices 2 Pet. 2.14 that do any thing because of advantage Jude 16 that forsake the right way of Worship and Religion and go astray from it into the by-paths of idolatry and prophaneness when they are like to suffer by it being thus far fitly compared to Balaam the Son of Bozor that they professing true Christianity join in idol-worship with the idolatrous Gentiles as he being a true Prophet did in the idolatrous worship of the King of Moab Numb 22.40 41 and also in that they sort and combine with the Jewish and Gentile Persecutors of the Christians as he did in cursing first and afterwards in fighting against the Israelites in the Army of Midian Numb 31.8 upon which accounts his way or errour they are said to follow 2 Pet. 2.15 Jud. 11. Their Character is to desert the publick Assemblies by reason of the heat of persecution against all that dare frequent them Heb. 10.25 to deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ when they are in danger to suffer for the owning of them Jud. 4. They were also equally notorious for abominable luxury and unnaturalness in their lusts and unclean pleasures For they are set out to us as men that are sensual Jud. 19 that account it a pleasure to riot in the day time 2 Pet. 2.13 that defile the flesh Jud. 8 that walk after the flesh in lusts of uncleanness 2 Pet. 2.10 in pernicious or as it is rendred from other Copies in the Margin of our Bibles lascivious ways vers 2 that have eyes full of adultery ver 14 and that are not content to riot in these abominable filthinesses themselves but use them as baits to decoy and draw in others alluring through the lusts of the flesh and through much wantonness those who really or for a little while had escaped from such an abominable life of errour ver 18. Thus was their life and temper over-run with covetousness basely cowardous and sinful compliances and with most filthy lusts and unnatural uncleannesses Both which S t Peter setting himself against requires all men who would be thought to have that true and saving knowledge which is opposite to that false and spurious one which they pretended to to give all diligence in adding to it these two Duties which are directly contrary to their vile lusts viz. vertue or courage and constancy which is opposite to their base arts of tergiversation and sinful compliances and continence or chastity which is contrary to their unclean practices Give all diligence to adde to virtue or valorous courage knowledge and to knowledge temperance or continence 2 Pet. 1.5 6. Now these men having such a Scene of debauchery in their lives they quickly became as lewd and debauched in their consciences When once for all their professions of knowing God they began as S t Paul says in works to deny him they quickly made their Consciences to be as filthy and polluted as were their practices To these defiled Wretches saith he is nothing pure their very mind and conscience is
our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another to the open owning and frequenting of them and this we ought to do so much the more forasmuch as ye see the day of Gods righteous Judgment approaching For if we sin wilfully in this backsliding from the publick Assemblies and from the profession of the Christian Faith after that we have once received the knowledge or professed belief and acknowledgment of the truth of it there remains no more benefit to us from Christs sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of that judgment I say which shall devour the adversaries And this all you Hebrews have reason to expect from Christ from what you very well know of the manner of proceeding in such cases under Moses For he that despised or rejected the whole yea or even any one particular instance of Moses's Law whereto death was threatned dyed without mercy if the thing was proved against him under the testimony of two or three witnesses And then of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall this wilful sinner be thought worthy who hath by such wilful rejecting of all Christs Laws and Religion trodden under foot the Son of God as if he were not raised up again from the dead but were yet in his grave and hath accounted that blood of his which confirmed the New Covenant and wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing making it to have been justly shed as the blood of a Malefactor and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace and all its evidence by rejecting it as insufficient I have set down the place at large that the very Text it self may afford us an accumulated proof of the ensuing Explication But now as for this sin which being wilfully committed after the belief and acknowledgment of Christs Gospel is here said to have no help from Christs Sacrifice nor any benefit of his Propitiation it is not the sinful transgression of every Law of Christ no nor of any one but a total Apostasie and abrenunciation of them all The sin I say which being wilfully committed after the belief of Christs Gospel is here said to exclude us from all benefit of Christs Sacrifice is not the transgression of any of Christs Laws whatsoever nay nor of any one For the Corinthians were guilty of the wilful transgression of several Laws and that too after they had embraced the Faith of Christ. They were guilty of an indulged Lasciviousness Vncleanness and Fornication 2 Cor. 12.21 Nay one of them was guilty of it in such an instance as was not so much as named and much less practised among the Gentiles themselves viz. in a most incestuous marrying of his Step-mother or his Fathers wife 1 Cor. 5.1 And St. Peter a great Apostle after three years converse with his Lord and Master denies him three times and that not suddenly e're he could bethink himself but after a due space of time between one denial and another Luk. 22.57 58 59. All which he did in the most aggravated manner by accumulating perjuries and prophaneness upon the sin of disowning his Master for when his bare word would not be believed he began to curse and to swear that he knew him not Mar. 14.71 All these were sins wilful in their commission and some of them most highly criminal in their nature but yet none of them was excluded from the benefit of Christs Sacrifice for they all enjoyed it So that it is not any one transgression of a particular Law after men have embraced the Faith of Christ which is the un-atoned sin here mentioned But it is an utter rejecting of all the Laws of Christ and a total Apostasie from his whole Religion It is the renouncing of Christs Authority the disowning of his Gospel and falling quite off from him to Judaism or Paganism or something directly Antichristian which is the sin here intended And whosoever doth this wilfully after he has once acknowledged it and been convinced by it as most men if not every man must do who is guilty of it at all for him there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour him and all other Antichristian adversaries That the word which is here translated sin signifies sometimes not all sin in general but particularly this superlative height and aggregation of all sin an utter revolt from Gods service and Apostasie from his whole Religion appears plainly from 2 Pet. 2 where the Apostate Angels are called the Angels that sinned v. 4. And that this particular way of sinning by an universal Apostasie and falling quite off from the profession of the Christian Faith is that very sin which is here intended will appear from all those things which are spoken of it in this place 'T is plain from the Apostles exhortation against it Let us hold fast says he the profession of our faith and not revolt from it v. 23. From his further disswasion from it in the verse next but one not forsaking the Christian Assemblies which is a great step towards the disowning of Christ himself as the manner of some is v. 25. From his Character of it in the verses that follow it being a sin that includes in it all these instances of aggravation By it we become utterly Antichristian and Adversaries to Christ and his Religion the fiery indignation that is kindled by this sin shall devour all them who by reason of it are become Adversaries ver 27. By it we deny Christ to be risen and look upon the Son of God as yet in the Grave and under our feet we count his blood which was spilt for the confirmation of the New Covenant to have been the impure and unholy blood of a Malefactor justly executed we despise all the clear proof and convictive evidence of the Spirit of Grace which we once thought a sufficient Argument for his Religion and whereby we were moved to the acknowledgment of that truth of his which now we contumeliously reject Whosoever hath committed this sin saith the Apostle I will show him what he hath done he hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an holy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace ver 29. As for the sin then which is here spoken of it is plainly this viz. a sin that is contrary to the holding fast of our Christian profession that implies a forsaking of the Christian Assemblies that makes us open enemies and adversaries to Christ and his cause seeing thereby we deny Christ to be risen and affirm him to have been an Impostor and his blood to have been like that of the Thieves which were crucified with him unholy and impure as the blood of a Malefactor and set at nought all the miraculous proofs and despise all the convictive evidence of the Holy Ghost that Spirit of Grace which