excellent Sermons and Discourses of his most admirable Example and Life and of his Death and Sufferings to Root out of the Lives of Men whatsoever is Sinful and Wicked and to Implant in its stead all the Parts of Vertue and Goodness But Secondly It is not enough to make a Man a good Christian II. To Act Virtuously upon Christian Principles that he live a strict and unblamable Life but it is moreover necessary to render him such that he act Virtuously upon Christian Principles Both indeed are necessary to the constituting a Man a true Christian The most regular Life that can be except it be Acted upon Christian Principles is but meer Morality at the best as the most Orthodox Belief that is if it be Barren in good Works is but a dead Faith Thus Temperance may be observ'd because of our Health and plain and punctual Dealing by the Men of Trade because of their Interest Men may Fast and Pray out of Hypocrisy and to appear Good to others and may distribute large Alms to gain the Applause of Men as you may see Mat. 6.2 5. And indeed considering that Godliness is profitable for all things having the promise of the Life that now is as well as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 And since of the Christian Religion it may be said that Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Men may lead very blameless Lives in all respects because of the Advantage and Tranquility of Mind that arises meerly from a regular and orderly Conversation But all this will be accounted by God to fall far short of the Christian Religion and will entitle the Man to no Reward in Heaven that acts upon no better Reasons nor Motives than these Verily I say unto you they have their reward says our Saviour Mat. 2.6 Nay He that lives an orderly good moral Life upon the Belief only that there is a God that his Providence and Care is extended over us that our Souls shall never Dye but are capable of and shall receive Rewards or Punishments in another world can be only said to be so far Religious as the good Moral Heathens were who Believ'd and Acted upon the Principles of Natural Religion only and who having no other Law did by Nature the things contain'd in the Law Rom. 2.14 But to constitute a Man truly Religious and to denominate his Religion the Christian Religion it is farther necessary that he moreover Act upon Christian Principles such as not the Light of Nature only but the Gospel of our Saviour does reveal unto us for in the day when he shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ it will be St. Paul tells us according to his Gospel Rom. 2.16 And so main a part in his Gospel were the Principles of reveal'd Religion that he told the Corinthians he determined not to know any thing amongst them save Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 that is the Means and Methods of our Salvation by a Crucified Saviour which can be known only by Revelation he was resolv'd should be so much the Subject of his Preaching amongst them that they might almost conclude he himself knew nothing else and did not much care whether they did also Thus the Christian Religion you see is out of Christian Principles to lead an holy good Life Nor Thirdly III. Dependance upon the Mediation of Christ that our imperfect Righteousness may be accepted also necessary Is it enough to render the Religion of us Christians compleat that by the force of good Christian Principles we lead good Lives but to together therewith we must depend upon the Mediation of Christ with the Father for us that our imperfect Righteousness may be graciously accepted to our Justification For alas the best of us all must consider this that when we have done all that is commanded us we are but unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 But alas the best of us all do exceedingly fail in doing all that is commanded us for we have all sinned and come short of the glory or Approbation of God Rom. 3.23 And therefore as there is One Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So we are strictly commanded Col. 3.17 that whatsoever we do in word or in deed we should do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus And particularly as to that so considerable part of Religion Prayer it is ordain'd we are told Joh. 15.16 That whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his Name he will give it us And also as to that other great Duty of Christian Worship Thanksgiving we are solemnly enjoin'd Eph. 5.17.20 As we will shew our selves not to be unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is to give thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ And In him we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3.12 The Meaning of which and innumerable other places that might be produc'd to this purpose is this That considering our own Vileness and Unworthiness by reason of our Sins we should ground all our Hopes and Expectations of Favour and Acceptance and Reward solely upon Christ That we should offer all our Deeds to God as Sacrifices and Services unworthy of Acceptance in themselves and as proceeding from us but pleasing and acceptable to God only for his sake Such Deâ—ndance the â—istinguishâ—g Character 〈◊〉 a true â—hristian And now this I take to be the grand distinguishing Character of Christianity which ought therefore never to be omitted when we pretend to give a full Account thereof As to a good Moral Life some Pagans did arrive to great degrees in Virtue such as I wish may not rise in Judgment against us Christians now a-days And as for their Acting this upon good Principles I can hardly imagine that those who had such noble and worthy Thoughts of God and of their own Souls and who plac'd their Happiness in Purity and Uprightness were so much wanting in that Ingredient also of Virtue viz. The Acting it upon good Principles as some do think They seem to me only to have wanted the Knowledge and Belief of some more and better Principles which we do enjoy to render their Virtue compleat in that respect also But that the best of our Performances are so imperfect that it was thought requisite in the Divine Wisdome that the Son of God should become a Sacrifice to expiate their Guilt and a Mediatour with his Father to obtain their Acceptance is what the proud Hearts of natural Men never thought of and no Religion but the Christian ever taught But on the contrary when they had done well they did proudly over-value it and did arrogantly challenge the Reward not as of Grace but of Debt Dependance â—â—on Christ â—ecessary to â—ake down â—n Arrogant â—onceit of â—ur own â—ighteousâ—ess a Temâ—er of Mind â—ost displeaâ—â—ng to God And
the Image of God in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness are the only Persons of which the Invisible Church as it is call'd does consist in this World these perhaps being meant by the Little Flock Luk. 12.32 and of such only will the whole Church in the World to come be made up being of The many that are Called the few that are Chosen Matth. 20.16 But if we consider the Church of Christ in its full Latitude and in that imperfect State wherein it now is on this side Heaven many Hypocrites and bad Men as well as truly sincere and good Christians do belong to it for the Church of Christ here on Earth is compar'd Matth. 13.24 25. to a Field which contains Wheat and Tares growing up together and to a Net ver 47. wherein there are Fish both good and bad Such you see is the Nature and Temper of that Body of Christ his Church concerning which I thought it requisite to give you a more than ordinary full account even in this place before we come to the Article I Believe the Holy Catholick Church because that otherwise it cannot be so well Apprehended â—t it is to 〈◊〉 Member â—hrist's â—rch Secondly What it is to be a Member of Christ's Church which now the way being so far clear'd I shall in few words shew you And from what his been said it does easily now appear that a true Member of the Church of Christ is one who belongs to that Society of Christians which consists of Lawful Governours and Pastors and of the People of God committed to their Charge the one Ministring in Holy Things and the other Partaking thereof at their Hands He is not a Member of that narrow and enclos'd Society of Worshipers the Jewish Synagogue who by their peculiar Rites and Ways of Worship were confin'd to one Nation and Place no more than he is one of the Gentile World at large but he is one who either himself was call'd or is descended of those who were call'd from out of the wicked World 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 wherever 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 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 are 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 〈◊〉 off by â—st Senâ—◠〈◊〉 those â—ave the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 to Reâ—â—n or â—â—ut 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
A Course of Lectures UPON THE CHURCH CATECHISM IN Four VOLUMES VOL. I. Vpon the Preliminary Questions and Answers By a Divine of the Church of England OXFORD Printed by Leonard Litchfield Printer to the University for the AUTHOR 1696. TO THE Right Reverend Father in GOD WILLIAM LORD BISHOP of Coventry and Litchfield Lord Almoner to the KING My Lord HAving your Lordship's Commands for the Publication of these following Discourses I have reason to hope my Readers will prove candid and favourable in their Censures since they cannot but pay the greatest Deference to the Judgment of a Prelate whom all the Learned both at home and abroad do unanimously rank amongst the greatest Divines that this or former Ages can glory in But that I may not too much lessen that Esteem which the judicious part of Mankind at least do justly bear to your Lordship as the nicest Judge in Things of this Nature by proclaiming to the World that Encouragement you have given to a Work which no doubt will be found very defective I am apt to believe and am forward to own it that it might be more your Approbation of the Design than the Goodness of the Performance that has made your Lordship so exceedingly kind to it and its Author And indeed if ever there were a necessity of attempting any thing to promote Catechetical Instruction there is now too sad an Occasion for it Some Years since we thought it sufficiently hard upon us that we were put to the trouble of defending a Church so excellently Constituted as ours is by susteining those slight Skimishes made only upon its Outworks namely against its Rites and Ceremonies Solemnities I would rather call 'em so wisely order'd for the more grave and solemn Administration of Divine Worship and for the better Edification of the Souls of Men. But alas the Enemy has now enter'd through our Breaches into the very heart of our City as St. Austin calls the Church of God And as if there were an Vniversal Conspiracy made at this time against it All the Grand and Fundamental Articles both of Natural and Revealed Religion are now either most furiously storm'd by Atheists Deists and Socinians on the one hand or secretly and dangerously undermined by Enthusiasts and Antinomians on the other And if the next Generation should grow worse in its Principles and Morals than the present what Vengeance from Heaven even to the removing of our Candlestick may we not fear But especially what Indignation from God may not we of the Clergy dread should we suffer the Youth of our Nation to go abroad into the World without having first given 'em those Religious Impressions by good Principles as will guard 'em from the danger thereof and especially without having first prepossess'd the Minds of such with a deep Tincture of Divine Knowledge as are likely to be the Leading Men in their Countries and yet by a fatal mistake in Education are generally brought up in those Vndisciplin'd Societies amongst whom the Oracles of false and pretended Reason are more universally read and more highly applauded than the Lively Oracles of Divine Revelation I know how deeply sensible your Lordship is of the growing Infidelity and Heterodoxy of this Age and how much it is your Opinion that a constant Course of Catechising our Youth in the Fundamental Principles of Christianity is the only means that can effectually obviate and Cure those Great and prevailing Evils And if what I have here offered to the Publick may be at all serviceable to any of my Brethren in affording some useful Materials for their own Composures of this kind and in assisting any of 'em in their Method I have my End and shall therein in sone measure answer I presume your Lordship's Design who out of a pious Zeal to have this Work of Catechising universally set forwards by every Individual Minister in your Diocess would have the way so plain'd that we might all proceed therein without interruption And sure where the Authoritative Injunctions of so great a Father and Governor of our Church are join'd with such an unparalell'd Industry in the discharge of all the most Important and difficult Duties of the Episcopal Care it is impossible for us who are under the Influence of your Power and Example to be Remiss in that which is the very principal part of Ministerial Instruction incumbent upon us For if we no sooner saw your Lordship entring upon that Diocess to which you were Translated so Happily to us though so disadvantageously to your own Fortunes but we saw you apply your self with the utmost Vigour to the Business of it in Visiting not only your Clergy but Cathedral Schools and Hospitals If in your Lordship's primary Visitation we heard such a Learned Scriptural Proof of the JUS DIVINUM of the THREE DISTINCT ORDERS and what Evidence of that Nature is not to be expected from one so Mighty in the Holy Scriptures as cannot but silence all Adversaries and all the Learned of our Nation would be glad to see made publick If we also saw at the same time that Venerable Ordinance of Confirmation even amongst those vast Crowds that came to it and with so great a Fatigue to your self administer'd with a particular Application of the stipulatory part to every Individual Person that was duly attested to be sufficiently Qualified and with that Order Gravity and Solemnity which raised in all who were present that Value for it which is due to it If against every EMBER we see those wise Precautions used with Reference to the Candidates for Holy Orders as would effectually prevent the admission of Persons unworthy upon the account of any Immorality or will wholly lay the Guilt at the Doors of those who are backward to Inform their Church-Governors of the Miscarriages they know in order to their Correction and Remedy and yet are most apt to raise their Outcries against the Scandals of the Clergy And if also in the Probation of those who are permitted to stand Candidates there is constantly such a Treasury of Sacred Learning open'd to 'em in your Explications of Holy Writ as renders those Examinations one of the most learned and useful Theological Exercises that this Age does know and is alone sufficient to render those in a good measure Qualified with Scriptural Knowledge who come not thereto altogether prepar'd before-hand And indeed if agreeably to your Lordship 's so useful Examinations those who have the Happiness to be conversant with you in your Studies do always see you searching the Scriptures and do scarcely ever find you without the Holy Bible before you though one would think the sacred Page need be no more turn'd over by one who seems to have it wholly by heart already both in our own and all the Learned Languages If farther yet we have seen your Lordship by a Method equally worthy to be admired and imitated in so short time to have got such an exact Knowledge of a numerous Clergy
to be well Instructed in and to be consider'd by you None of you shall be able to perform a Bargain except you know what you have bargain'd and agreed to do No One can discharge a Bond except he knows distinctly what he is oblig'd to pay no more can any of you be able to perform the Covenant of Grace except you do well understand the Nature Terms and Conditions of it And indeed Little more of universal Concernment to be known but the Articles of this Covenant there is perhaps but little necessary to be known in Religion besides the Articles of this Covenant We may without Prejudice to our Salvation doubtless be ignorant of many Points that are Canvast with Heat enough in the Controversies of Men of all Perswasions but to know what inestimable Blessings God has Promis'd and Ensur'd to us and what we are to perform to make our selves Inheritours of those Blessings is what every Body who believes a future State and the Immortality of his Soul and that it is worth his while to study the Salvation of his Soul must think it necessary except he can imagine it safe to take his Journey to Heaven blindfold when he cannot think of getting but to his short Home here on Earth without his Eyes open A distinct and clear Understanding of the Nature Terms and Conditions and of all that pertains to the Covenant of Grace is without doubt of all things in the World the most necessary The Catechetical Method most useful to that Purpose And there is no Method of Instruction whereby it can be so distinctly and clearly known as the Catechetical way For not to say that Preaching now upon one Head and immediately after upon another without any dependance and coherence of the several parts of Christianity together is not so likely to give Persons a clear understanding of the whole Nature and Design of Christianity as may be requisite The Catechetical way by treating orderly on all the Parts of our most Holy Religion and by giving thereby a distinct View of their natural Connection with and Dependance one upon another has this Excellency in it no doubt that thereby Persons shall be better able to judge of the beautiful Contexture and admirable Contrivance of the whole and shall easily discern what End it is that Christianity aims at and how admirably every Part of it is fitted to carry on that great End It is without all doubt a most useful Method of Instruction and it would soon appear to be so in its happy Effects would all Persons but lay aside their unhappy Prejudices against it as if it were proper only for Children to be Hearers thereof Whereas indeed it is no ways unbecoming the Eldest and most Knowing Persons to hear the great and fundamental Doctrines of Religion explain'd and handled distinctly and clearly and separated from all unnecessary Mixtures But where all the Means and Methods of Instruction are little enough to give Men a sufficient Understanding in all that is necessary to Salvation instead of comparing 'em one with another we had better to make use of all and to Pray to God to give a Blessing to all his Ordinances that every one may be useful to the Edification and Salvation of every Christian which that they may all prove may God Almighty grant of his infinite Goodness thro' Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen THE Fifth Lecture Wherein I was made a Member of Christ THE Preliminary Questions and Answers of your Catechism do give you a general Account of all the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both of the Priviledges made over to us by God and of the Conditions to be perform'd by us And these Words Wherein I was made a Member of Christ expressing the First of those invaluable Priviledges made over unto us in this Covenant on God's Part I shall therefore endeavour as well as I can to Explain and open to you what they do Import Christ is in Scripture often styl'd The Head of the Church as particularly Col. 1.8 And he is the Head of the Body the Church it is there said and we are also styl'd Members of this Body the Church Thus Eph. 5.30 We are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones so that to be a Member of Christ is to be a Member A Member of Christ is a Member of Christ's Church or Part of that Body of which he is the Head or to be a Member of Christ's Church And to make it appear to you how happy a Thing it is to be a Member of Christ's Church First I will shew you What kind of Body the Church of Christ is Secondly What it is to be a Member of it And then Thirdly What exceeding great and invaluable Priviledges do belong to a Member of Christ's Church And First let us see What kind of Body that is which is call'd the Church of Christ And tho' it does not belong to this Part of your Catechism to give you a full account of all that is Necessary to be known concerning Christ's Church which may more properly be refer'd to that Article of our Creed I believe the Holy Catholick Church However since the High Priviledge and Dignity of any Member as a Member cannot be sufficiently understood nor valued without knowing the Nature and Excellency of that Body of which it is a Member I do therefore think my self obliged in order to let you into a through Understanding of what is meant by A Member of Christ's Church and of the greatness of that Priviledge to speak something largely in this Place concerning the Nature and Constitution of the Church it self and I shall therefore Define it and also Explain and prove each Part of the Definition I shall give of it as follows â—â—nition â—â—ist's â—o The Church of Christ is the universal Society of Christians consisting both of Lawful Governours and Pastors and also of the People of God committed to their Charge and who are call'd forth out of the wicked World by the Preaching of the Gospel to a holy Profession and Calling Namely To Repentance from dead Works to the Knowledge Belief and Service of the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and to the Enjoyment of those inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. Most reasonable and excellent Laws to Conduct 'em to Heaven Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable 'em to Obey those Laws Pardon of Sins upon Repentance for the Violation of 'em and Eternal Life and Happiness upon sincere Obedience to ' em And who to the End of being Incorporated into one Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him at Baptism and do often Renew the same in the Lord's Supper and are Incorporated thereby into one Body subdivided indeed into several particular Bodies
Jesus Acts 19.5 that is into the Belief that Jesus is the Christ or Mediatour between God and Man for this is the great Fundamental Doctrine of Christianity as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 3.11 assuring us that Other Foundation can no Man lay than that Jesus is the Christ And he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ is the great Liar and an Anti-Christ 1 Joh. 2.22 But whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 that is is Adopted into the Christian Church and Family â—II â—njoy the â—ledges 〈◊〉 Gospel Fifthly And as Christians are a Society of Persons call'd out of the World to Repentance Faith and Gospel-Obedience so to the Enjoyment of those Inestimable Priviledges of the Gospel viz. 1. Most Reasonable and Excellent Laws given by a most Great and Gracious Governour to Conduct 'em to Heaven Laws writ in their Minds and in their Hearts Heb. 8.10 that is Laws which are for the most part the very Dictates of natural Reason 2. They are such as are Priviledg'd with having great Measures of Divine Grace and Assistance to enable 'em to Obey those Laws for whereas the Law was given by Moses Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 and is the Priviledge of the Church of Christ under the Gospel 3. They are such who have Assurance of Pardon of Sins upon their Repentance for the Transgression of those Laws for with Respect to those of the Christian Church God is pleas'd to say Heb. 8.12 I will be Merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more And lastly As to the Eternal Life and Happiness Christ does assure us Joh. 17.2 that The Father has given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as are given him or are given him out of the world ver 6. that is that he has a Power of conferring the Rewards in Heaven to as many as come within the Pale of the Church if they do withal live in Obedience to its Laws and Constitutions Thus is the Church of Christ a Society of Men call'd forth of the World as to a most Holy Profession and Calling so to the Enjoyment of most singular Priviledges Church â—h who 〈◊〉 End of â—ncorpoâ—â—nto one 〈◊〉 and of â—g God 〈◊〉 their Sixthly And they are such Who to the End of being Incorporated into One Society and of having God to be their God and they themselves his People have Enter'd into Covenant with him It is the Royal Charter granted by the King to the Members of a Corporation or City whereby they have certain Priviledges granted them from the King and wherein they are Tied to discharge certain Duties to him and to One another that makes 'em of a confus'd Multitude to become a Corporation or regulated Society And those who stand out and will not accept of those Priviledges nor oblige themselves to their several Duties shall not be reputed of that Corporation nor receive any Advantages from it And so it is here with that Society which is call'd the Church of Christ It is the Covenant of Grace granted us by the King of Heaven wherein we have the most inestimable Priviledges those contain'd in the Gospel graciously Ensur'd unto us and most reasonable Duties both to God and Man required of us that do embody and join us into one Spiritual Society the Church and those who will not Enter into such a Covenant with God are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers from the Covenantts of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2.12 But those who have join'd themselves in Covenant with Him are No more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God ver 19. And as by being United in one Covenant Christians are Incorporated into one Society so by the same Means it comes to pass also that they have God to be their God peculiarly and they become his People Thus Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days that is in the time of the Gospel I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People It is the Nature of all Covenants to Unite the Parties Covenanting together and to give to each Party an Interest in the other I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16.8 So that by having Enter'd into Covenant with God we are Entitled to his particular Protection and Care over us and we give to him thereby a new and stronger Claim to our Obedience Seventhly I. In Baptism And Christians are thus Enter'd into Covenant with God and thereby made Members of Christ's Church in their Baptism For as all the Members of a Corporation are not usually made Members of that Society without some certain Solemnities so it pleased God that no One should be Enter'd into Christ's Church and be made a Partaker of the Priviledges of it without that outward Rite of Baptism for so we find that when our Saviour sent his Apostles to Found and Build the Church they receiv'd as a Commission to call forth out of the World a Church by the Preaching of the Gospel So an Appointment to Incorporate all Men therein by Baptism Go and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 And hence 1 Cor. 12.13 it is said That we are all Baptiz'd into one Body or admitted by Baptism into one Church Eighthly And they are Appointed to Renew the same II. To Renew it at the Lord's Supper by Feasting often together at the Lord's Supper This was anciently and is still the usual Method of Uniting more closely together the Members of any Society or Corporation their Feasting often together at one common Table and for this Reason amongst others it is that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is Appointed in the Church of Christ So the 1 Cor. 10.17 it is said That we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread Ninthly And now upon all these foremention'd Accounts The Church one Body the Church of Christ is One Body Thus Eph. 4.4 5 6. There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are all called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all where you see that because all Christians are call'd out of the World into one Hope of their Calling or to the Enjoyment of the same Priviledges to one Faith or to Believe one God Father Son and Holy Ghost exprest here by one Spirit one Lord one God and Father of all and because Incorporated by one Baptism or by the Use of the same Sacraments that therefore they are one Body The Covenant of Grace that great
mystical Head and convey'd by those his Ordinances to Enable us to conform to his Religion and Obey those Laws And the first Great Priviledge I. A most excellent Body of Religion Laws and Ordinances which does peculiarly belong to all the Members of Christ's visible Church as they are the Members of such a Society Is a most reasonable and excellent Body of Religion and Laws together with most profitable and edifying Institutions and Ordinances given and appointed us by him our supreme Head and Governour to Conduct us to Heaven We do enjoy I say thereby The Christian Religion and Laws far exceed the Pagan Mahometan or Jewish The Priviledge of a most reasonable and excellent Body of Religion and Laws far exceeding what any other People have ever enjoy'd to Conduct us to Heaven This is clearly to be seen Heb. 8.8 9 10 11. where God himself finding Fault with the Jewish Covenant and Laws as what could not make the Comers thereunto Perfect saith Behold the days come when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt for this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Minds and write them in their Hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest which remarkable Words spoke first by the Prophet Jeremy as a Prophecy of the most happy State of the Christian Church by reason of the most excellent Covenant and Laws that would be given it beyond what was the State of the Jewish do import that even the Jewish Covenant was not in it self Perfect and such as could not be better'd and improv'd tho' it had God for its Author and sure then those Superstitions which derive themselves from no better Authors than the Devil and wicked Impostors must be very bad but that the Christian Covenant and Laws have such an inward essential Goodness in them that a Man 's own Reason would prompt him to Approve 'em as Best and most Excellent there being none of its Doctrines but what are highly agreeable to the best Reason of Man and all its Precepts being no other than the Law written in every Man 's own Heart And indeed the Christian Religion whether we consider it as compar'd with the Pagan or Mahometan Superstition and Jewish Dispensation or in its own Nature it is a most singular Institution and Body of Laws and such as we ought to Esteem it our very great Happiness and Advantage above other Men that we are under the Government of ' em And First consider the whole Body of the Pagan Superstition The Pagan Superstition â—d to noâ— but to 〈◊〉 humane â—â—re and what else did it tend to but to debase Mankind infinitely below the Dignity of their Nature and to Defile 'em much more than the very Brutes The Gods which the Pagans worship were at best the most Vile and Infamous of Humane Race viz. An Adulterous Jupiter a Revengeful Juno a Drunken Bacchus a Wanton Venus a Thievish Mercury and a Cruel Mars not to mention how they Bowed themselves before and gave Divine Worship to the most poor and contemptible â—he Gods 〈◊〉 Pagans â—iped 〈◊〉 at best â—ost inâ—us Men 〈◊〉 Women senseless Creatures And when they Worship'd Adulterers and Whores and Thieves and Drunkards what can be expected but that the Rites whereby they serv'd 'em should be accompany'd with the vilest Practices such as were answerable to the Nature and Temper of such Deities Which was the occasion of those Words of St. Peter 1 Epist 4.3 telling those who had been lately Converted from Paganism to Christianity that The time past of their lives was sufficient to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles when they walked in Laciviousness Lusts Excess of Wine Revellings Banquetings and abominable Idolatries wherein is more than intimated that the Idolatries of the Heathens were usually accompany'd with such villanous Practices And indeed from the Pagan Authors themselves we know they were so â—y times 〈◊〉 worshipâ—â—he very â—ls themâ—s But it was not only the vilest of Men and Women but the Devils themselves whom the Pagans worship'd and whom they were wont to serve not only with abominable Idolatries accompany'd with most lewd Practices which however hateful to right Reason might be grateful to some sensual Spirits but they were forc'd to commit many times the greatest Violences possible to Humane Nature in their Worship to those barbarous and cruel Devils they Ador'd â—nd that 〈◊〉 lewd â—arous 〈◊〉 cruel 〈◊〉 Thus it was the manner of the Worshipers of Baal to cut themselves with Knives and Lancers till the Blood gushed out upon them 1 King 18.28 Nay They sacrificed their Sons and their Daughters unto Devils and shed innocent Blood even the blood of their Sons and of their Daughters whom they sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan Psal 106.37 38. Which was a Barbarity so horrid to Humane Nature that they were forc'd to make use of loud Instruments at the time of Sacrifice to drown the Noise of the shrieking Infants And at this Day the Idol Vitsiputsi amongst the Indians is said to have many Thousands slain in one of his solemn Processions it being usual for his Worshipers to throw themselves under the Wheels of his Massy Charriot on purpose to be crush'd in Pieces by the Weight thereof going over ' em Such are the lewd and barbarous Rites of the Pagan Religion not to mention any thing of those intolerable slavish Fears which always possess Idolatrous and Superstitious Religionists who are always in dread lest they should ncense the angry and peevish Daemon by eâ—ery lâ—ttle Accident and are ever upon the Rack studying to please him by innumerable little insignificant Observances â—â—e Mahoâ—â—n Reliâ— is a vile â—â—sture Nor Secondly As to the Mahometan Religion is there any thing in it worthy of God whereby we should judge him to be its Author First it is a plain Imposture and Cheat pretending to be Reveal'd by God to his Prophet Mahomet after the Jewish and Christian Religion as a more perfect Institution than either whereas indeed look into the whole Matter and inward Frame thereof and we shall find nothing in it as One observes but a Mass of foolish Opinions odd Stories uncouth Ceremonies compounded chiefly of the Dregs of Christian Heresies together with some Ingredients of Judaism and Paganism confusedly jumbled or unskilfully mixt one with the other But as to that great Principle of it which promises in Paradise a Thousand Years satisfaction arising from sensual Pleasures and the
power or the Right and Priviledge as it is in the Original to become the Sons of God Joh. 1.12 This is a remarkable Text to our Purpose In the Two Verses immediately before viz. The 10 and 11 it is said He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave he Power or the Right and Priviledge to be the Sons of God even to them who Believe in his Name So that by this time I hope it does fully appear to you what is meant by a Child of God especially in that sence wherein it is to be understood here in your Catechism And you see as he is not every Child by Creation which is a sence too wide so neither on the other side is he only One who is so by Regeneration which is a sence as much too narrow but every one is such who has Enter'd into Covenant with God and whom the Heavenly Father has thereupon Adopted into his Family to partake of the Priviledges which belong to his Adopted Sons which Secondly What are the Priviledges which do belong to the Children of God as such Brings me next to Enquire what a Vast Priviledge it is accordingly to be made the Children of God And truly upon Enquiry it will be found to be in general the very same Priviledge in Kind but infinitely greater in Degree as Heavenly Things are always greater than Earthly which the most Tender and Indulgent Father that is withal Wise as well as Good can be suppos'd to allow his own Children In general such as an indulgent but wise Father may be suppos'd to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers beyond what he will do to Strangers and Aliens For is it natural to such a One more easily to Pardon the Offences of his Child than of his Slave more favourably to over-look his Infirmities more readily to hear his Requests and to instate him in a surer Title to his Possessions than he will do others that have no such Relation to him Why such are the Priviledges our Heavenly Father will allow to us who are his Children by Adoption above others who stand in no such Relation to him He will be Just to all but these are properly Fatherly Kindnesses and he will Indulge 'em to none therefore but those who are his Children But more particularly Particularly First It is worthy our Consideration I. Pardon of all Sins upon hearty Repentance that we shall have this inestimable Priviledge by being his Children above the rest of Mankind namely We shall have all our Sins Pardon'd upon our hearty Repentance of 'em upon Condition we forsake 'em and return to God The unbelieving Jews and Gentiles and all Persons remaining in a State of Nature who have not Embrac'd the Gospel who have not been Baptized nor have Enter'd into Covenant with God have no Assurance from him that their Sins should be ever Pardon'd tho' they should forsake 'em because God never gave any Promise of Pardon to any other but his Children who are in Covenant with him And for want of their having any express Engagements and Promises from God of Mercies from him does the Apostle therefore speak of the State of the Gentiles as exceedingly Uncomfortable Eph. 2.11 12. in these very remarkable Words Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh that at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Strangers from the Covenants and Promises having no hopes of Pardon and without a God in the world But we Christians who have Enter'd into Covenant with God and so are his Children have the utmost Assurance possible grounded upon the most gracious and express Promises that upon laying down our Rebellious Arms upon our Renouncing of his and our own most mortal Enemies our Sins and Coming over to him we shall have all our Sins Pardon'd Or rather as the Apostle himself does Express it in the following viz. The 13 14 ver But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the Blood of Christ for he is our Peace And indeed that this Pardon and Peace with the Father does more peculiarly belong to us under the Character of his Children who had formerly stray'd afar off from him by our Sins but are now return'd Home to him by Repentance we have Exemplify'd to us in that famous Parable of the Prodigal Son Luke 15. That Person we there read after a most Lewd and Riotous Life after he had spent and squander'd away all his Substance that his Father gave him yet upon his deep Humiliation for his Vile and Undutiful Behaviour towards his Father and his hearty Desires to return Home and to his Duty and Obedience to him was thereupon admitted to his former Interest in his Father's Affections Yea and receiv'd with more than usual Joy Why the whole Design of that Parable is to shew us how our Heavenly Father will graciously deal with us his Undutiful and Rebellious Children and that after even a very Ill Life upon our laying down of our Sins the forsaking the service of our Lusts and Return to him he will graciously Pardon and Forgive us his Children And Secondly II. being his â—ldren he 〈◊〉 not be so â—re as to â—k what is â—e amiss as Sins of Inâ—ity being his Children he will not be severe to mark what is done amiss tho' after our Return to him through the Infirmity of our Flesh we do not altogether Live up to the Rule by an Unsinning Obedience provided we watch carefully against the common Infirmities of Humane Nature and do not wilfully Indulge our selves in any of ' em The Rigour of the First Covenant would admit of no less than a Perfect Exact Vnsinning Obedience the never Offending in any One Point In the day thou dost Eat thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2.17 But here under the Second our Father deals with us with the Indulgence of a tender Parent who does not throw off his Child and withdraw his Kindness upon the smallest Offences and such as through Ignorance Surprize or the like cannot in this our fall'n and corrupt State be avoided But as a Father pitieth his own Children even so the Lord pitieth them that fear him that is Who do not willingly displease him Psal 103.13 In a word As the Pardon of Sins whether great or small is a Mercy held out to us only in the Covenant of Grace so it is granted us under this very Notion of being Children of God as appears from Mal. 3.17 where the Prophet foretels the Happy State of Christians upon this very Score in these words And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him And more particularly
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 Renounc'd 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 and 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 serve whether the Gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwell and those Gods were no other than Devils but as for me and my house said he we will serve the Lord. And the Result was That the People answered and said God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other Gods God forbid The very Thoughts of such a Thing when they came to Consider it was Odious to them And if we did but Consider the odious Nature of Sin we should not more Abhor the Devil himself than Abandon every Sin For why He that committeth Sin is of the Devil we are told 1 Joh. 3.8 Such a One is of the Devil's Party he is a Sharer in the Devil's Rebellion against God and in his wicked Designs to destroy God's Authority And tho' he be not a Devil himself yet he is near A-kin to him and shall Partake with him as in his Rebellion so in his Punishment And who that Considers this can stick Entirely to Abandon and to Abhor so foul a Thing as Sin is But however whether People will Consider it or no 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 so necessary it is that every Christian should absolutely and entirely Renounce the Devil and all his Works of Sin that this if you do not do you will forfeit all your Right and Title to those infinite Blessings held forth to you in the Covenant of Grace and Purchas'd for you by the Blood of Christ If you do not utterly Renounce the Devil by having nothing to do with him in his foul Rebellion against God you will be accounted no Members of Christ's Church but of the Synagogue of Satan as the Apostatizing Gnosticks those great Enemies of God are call'd Rev. 2.9 and that for their Halting betwixt God and Satan And except you do also utterly Renounce his Works of Sin by abandoning every known Sin as that whereby the Divine Authority is thrown aside and his Power disown'd you will be so far from being the Children of God that you will be styl'd no better than Children of the Devil For whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin it is said 1 Joh. 3.9 that is does keep himself strictly from all deliberate Sin And in this the Children of God are manifested and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God as the same Apostle goes on ver 10. And who else is it think ye but he who Overcometh both the Devil and all his Works of Sin that shall ever Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Why he and none else shall Inherit so inestimable a Blessing we are assur'd Rev. 21.7 8. He that Overcometh shall Inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son But the Fearful and Vnbelieving and the Abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liars shall have their part in the Lake that Burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the Second Death So necessary upon these several Accounts it is that according as has been Explain'd you should Renounce that is Disclaim Abhor and Abandon the Devil and all his Works of Sin Which that you may all of you do God Almighty grant of his infinite Mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE Tenth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works I Have already shew'd you First who the Devil is and Secondly in Part what are his Works All Sin whatsoever I have shew'd you is a Work of the Devil but there are some particular Sins which being more directly level'd against God's Authority and expressing more of the natural Temper and Disposition of Satan and being more his own Practice than others do more particularly deserve the Title and Character of the Works of the Devil and what they are I have shew'd you Secondly And as Sin so his Tempting of us to Sin is another main and principal Work of the Devil And I have reserv'd this Subject of Satan's Temptations to be particularly handled in some set Discourses by themselves that so I might have more room to Expose 'em to you there being no subject in Practical Divinity of greater Consequence and Concernment to our Souls than to be throughly Informed in the Ways and Methods of Satan's Temptations Now to Tempt one in the general Notion of the Word To Tempt is to make a Tryal of a Person does barely signify to make Tryal of a Person either by Words or Signs by Promises or Threats whether or no he will do such a thing And the Tempting of a Person may be Morally Good or Evil according to the End for which such a Tryal is made If the Tryal be of a Person 's Vertue To Tempt a thing morally Good or Evil according to the End thereof only that Occasion may be afforded him to give an Experiment and Proof thereof that so if he do well he may be Rewarded if Ill that his Hypocrisy and the Corruption of his Heart may be discovered and he himself Humbled with the Sight and Sence thereof to his Amendment There is nothing may
Christ's satisfaction as to make us neglect the Working out our own Salvation On the contrary the Socinian at the same time he pretends much for Morality and a Good Life denies the Sacrifice and Satisfaction of Christ and that God the Father gave him to be an Attonement for the Sins of Mankind and in the Vertue of his precious Blood to Intercede in Heaven for our Reconciliation so that he wholly takes off our Faith or Dependance on Christ for Justification Thus may the most dangerous Errors now in the Church of Christ with a little Watchfulness and Care to examine the Tendency of them be discovered by you from whose Suggestions they proceed and that they are Tares of the Enemies that is the Devils sowing whilst the Husbandman was asleep But do you I beseech you carefully beware of such false Doctrines and deceitful Teachers both which are Satan's Temptations to draw you unwittingly to sin against and dishononr God And tho' his Agents seem never so Demure and appear never so Sanctify'd who do teach Men such Doctrines Beware of those Wolves who come to you in Sheeps cloathing you shall know them by their Fruits If they shall endeavour to instill into your Minds any undue Apprehensions of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost contrary to what you are taught out of the Scripture in the Doctrine of our Church or any pernicious Opinions that in their Nature and Tendency shall render an Holy Good Life unnecessary to our Justification assure your selves they are no Ministers of Christ but of Satan And are set on work by him to destroy God's Authority amongst Men and to set up his own Laws in their Hearts the Thing he aims at And so much for this Time THE Tvvelfth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh THE Point that we are now upon is to make as full a Discovery to you as here we can of that Great Work of the Devil his Tempting us to Sin A Work so eminently the Business and Employment of Satan and so Dangerous and Destructive to Mankind and also manag'd in such manifold and cunning Methods that it ought particularly to be consider'd by us The Devil says a Father has nothing else that he does but Tempt us to Sin He neither Eats nor Drinks nor Sleeps nor does he any thing else but Tempt Deceive and Subvert us This is his Meat this is his Honour this is his Joy In this he is Indefatigable and if he could have his Will he would never cease Tempting us but that he is restrain'd by the Power of God And now in order to the Countermining and Defeating this mischievous Work of his First Having shew'd you by what Temptations and Means he Overthrew the whole Race of Mankind and drew it off from Obedience to God to do Service to him And Secondly Having also laid before you such Temptations as he Levels against the Church of Christ the true Servants of God either utterly to destroy 'em or to Corrupt their Religion that by that they might Dishonour their Maker Thirdly I am now to shew you III. Satan's great Industry is to gain over to to his Party or to Tempt to some scandalous Enormity such Persons as are more than ordinarily Eminent for their Rank their Order or their Piety in the Church That next to his Destroying and Perverting of whole Churches his great Industry is to gain over to his Party or to Tempt to some grievous and scandalous Enormity such Persons as are more than ordinarily Eminent for their Rank or Quality their Order or their Piety in the Church of God And * First Such as are most Eminent for their Station or Quality First Such as are most Eminent for their Station or Quality Hence Elymas the Sorcerer that Child of the Devil apply'd himself so diligently to Sergius Paulus a Deputy and Great Man in his Country to turn him from the Faith Acts 13.7 8. And hence as in that long Catalogue of the Kings of Judah and Israel how few were there who were not Idolaters and highly Infamous for some high Abomination or other So since the World became Christian how many Kings of the Earth are there who have Committed Fornication that is Idolatry with the Whore of Babylon and liv'd Deliciously with her and how will both they and the Merchants of the Earth Weep and Mourn over her when her Calamities come upon her Rev. 18.9.11 It is Astonishing to consider how that so many of the Honourable and the Rich who of all Men living are Oblig'd to be Grateful to God for so many extraordinary Favours and Blessings which they Enjoy above other Men should yet carry it so insolently against their Great Benefactor lifting up their Heads above the Heavens as it were Trampling under Foot all Laws both Divine and Humane Such Men's â—ickedness â—ot altogether â—â—om the â—emptingness 〈◊〉 Riches but â—e Industry 〈◊〉 Satan to â—et over such â—â—ading Men â—o his Party Such Men's â—xamples if â—ad of maligâ—ant Influâ—nce because â—â—onspicuous and both in Word and Deed denying and disowning any Powers above ' em Why this is not altogether from the Temptingness of Greatness and Riches which it must be confest are alone a very considerable Temptation but also from Satan's more than ordinary Industry to gain over to his Party and Interest such Men above all others For why These are Generals and Great Officers as it were in the Church Militant and these therefore if they can be but Prevail'd upon to Revolt from God all the Herd of Mankind besides will in a manner follow of course There is indeed Satan does very well know it nothing that has a more malignant Influence upon the Lives and Manners of Men than the lewd and profligate Courses of those who are Eminent in Quality or Power Their Examples are doubtless of vast Importance As in this World they live in a Croud all their Life So they pass not into the Other without a Train of Followers at their Heels If their Examples are extraordinarily Good they bring many to Heaven along with 'em if they have been Vicious and Naughty whole Troops follow to Hell after them for Subjects Children Servants Dependants all take after their Lord and Master except it be very rarely So that those who abound either in Wealth or Honour And will â—ring upon 'em â—he Guilt not â—â—ly of their â—wn but of â—â—her Men's â—ins because 〈◊〉 and do therefore think they have a greater Priviledge to Sin than others because they have greater Temptations to it than other Men are miserably mistaken for as their Lives being publick and conspicuous lye more open to the Observation and Imitation of the World and therefore do cause more to Sin So they shall not have their own only but the Sins of others so far as they have Influenc'd 'em to Sin
therefore I shall bespeak such in the words of St. Peter 2 Epist 3.17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness but grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In a word and to summ up in short what has been spoke on this Point I have at length shew'd you that next to the Destroying and Perverting of whole Churches the Devil 's great Industry is to gain over to his Party or to Tempt to the Commission of some grievous Sin such Persons as are more than ordinarily Eminent for their Rank or Quality their Order or their Piety in the Church of God And this being so since such are the great Mark of Satan it concerns those excellent Persons who are eminently Great or Good that they do especially and above all other Men absolutely and entirely and utterly Renounce and Resist all and every the Temptations of Satan so as not to yield to any of ' em Such are to look upon themselves as the great Commanders in the Church Militant who are to lead and to go before others in the Battles of the Lord against Sin and Satan but if any such should Cowardly Give back in the day of Battle and Temptation they put a stumbling Block and are an occasion to fall in their Brothers way Rom. 14.13 And what says our Saviour in such a Case Matth. 18.6 7. Whoso shall offend One of those little Ones which Believe in him that is discourage and drive from the Christian Practice by his scandalous Life any the meanest of his Disciples It were better for him that a Mill-stone were hanged about his Neck and he were drowned in the Depth of the Sea Woe unto the world because of Offences he adds It must needs be that Offences come but Woe to that Man by whom the Offence cometh So much it concerns Persons Eminent in any Kind that they be Good as well as Great THE Thirteenth Lecture First That I should Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanity of this wicked World and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh HAVING shew'd you Who the Devil is and What are his Works of Sin and how we must Absolutely Renounce both him and them And as to that other great Work of his his Tempting of us to Sin having shewed you First By what Methods he over-threw the whole Race of Mankind at first and Secondly how he does still Endeavour the Ruine of the Church of Christ and especially Thirdly of those who are most considerable for their Rank or Order or Piety therein I am now Lastly Lastly what Temptations Satan levels against all Persons indifferently consider'd in order to a more full Display of that great Work of the Devil his Tempting us to Sin to discover to you some of the more remarkable Temptations at leastwise whereby he applies himself to all Persons indifferently consider'd in the Church of Christ be they High or Low to draw them into sin In the former Attempts upon all Mankind upon the Church of God and upon those considerable and leading Persons therein whose Fall sweeps Multitudes along with 'em into Sin and Ruine Satan shew'd more of his Ambition and Pride as in setting up for a Dominion in direct Opposition to God's So in waging a War with the greatest Bodies of Men and the most considerable Leaders in the Church Militant But in these his latter Attempts upon particular Persons whereby that Spirit appears not content to Foil greater Numbers but moreover pursues his Victory to the picking up here and there every particular Stragler he expresses more of his Inveterate Malice in that he is so wholly bent upon Mischief and Destruction as to stick at no Pains and to leave no Methods untry'd whereby he may destroy every particular Soul amongst the the Sons of Men. And indeed the Devil's Temptations are the more dangerous The Devil's Temptations not easily known to be his nor always distinguishable from those of the World and the Flesh which are â—nag'd and â—ected by 〈◊〉 in that they are not easily known when they are his and cannot always be distinguisht from such as the World and our own Flesh do give us for which Reason at the motion of these two latter we do those things without Fear which if we knew the Devil had a Hand in we should tremble at the Thoughts of Committing And indeed it is but seldom the Devil does immediately by himself actuate any One to do Evil but generally he makes use of the World and our own Flesh as his immediate Instruments to move us to it Whilst he himself stands behind the Curtain managing and directing those our other Enemies to take their Advantages against us However so far as the Scripture does discover to us any Methods of Temptations to be his â—ome of the â—st considerâ—e of his â—thods of â—mpting us â—covered we may safely ascribe 'em unto him And some of the more considerable and dangerous of 'em I will lay before you As First The Devil does miserably delude People into his Power by letting 'em alone to be Obedient to God in some Particulars the better to detain 'em perfect Slaves to himself in others I. â—e permits 〈◊〉 not furâ—r some in â—artial Oâ—ience to â—d in some â—rticulars 〈◊〉 better to â—ain them â—fect Slaves himself in â—ers This is call'd a Dividing between God and Mammon Matth. 6.24 And indeed amongst the manifold Delusions of Satan there is not a more fatal and mischievous One to the Souls of Men than the Hypocrisy of a partial and Ununiform Obedience which the Devil does willingly enough allow us in I say The Devil does willingly enough allow Persons to be partially or in part Obedient for when this Cunning Deceiver cannot prevail on some to be meer Libertines to throw off all the Bonds and Ties of Religion to be as Outragious in Profaneness Impieties Villanies Whoredoms and all sort of Wickednesses as some of his Black Disciples are he is then willing to Compound the matter with such and so that they will be his a little he 'll contentedly allow 'em to be God's very much Knowing very well that if we hold out One disloyal Fort against God retain but One Rebel-Lust and give not up the whole Man unto Christ it will as certainly Condemn us tho' not to so great Degrees of Punishment as if we were wholly Devoted to Satan and gave our selves up to follow all our Brutish Lusts the word of God assuring us that Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and offend in Point is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 And our Saviour declaring to us that he will not be serv'd by Halves nor endure the Devil to share with him in his Kingdom over us Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Luk. 16.13 Thus the Devil knows it is his Interest to allow
to be from Satan Matth. 13.19 When any One heareth the Word and understandeth it not that is lays it not to Heart thinks not of it nor considers it for so the Word Translate Vnderstandeth it not does import then cometh the wicked One and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart Sixthly The Devil observes the outward Wants and Necessities of Persons and accordingly Tempts 'em to the use of unlawful and undue Means to remove those Evils VI. The Devil â—bserving the outward Wants and Necessities of Persons he accordingly Tempts them by the use of â—nlawful Means to remove those Evils Thus he dealt with our Blessed Saviour Matth. 4.2 3. And when he had Fasted Forty Days and Forty Nights and afterwards was an hungred then the Tempter came to him and said If Thou be the Son of God command that these Stones be made Bread that is he would have him out of an Impatience of waiting the ordinary Means of satisfying his Hunger to Tempt God to Feed him Supernaturally and by way of Miracle And if a Man be Sick and want present Help in lawful Means then will the Devil Tempt such a One to seek his Remedy by Charms and Spells as a more short certain and easy way of Curing than by Physical Medicines and no doubt the Devil may sometimes work extraordinary Feats by these Methods the better to keep Mankind in Dependance upon himself But it is a certain sign of want of Grace and of none no not the least Fear of God in them who shall resort in such Cases to Persons suspected to hold Correspondence with the Devil and shall make use of those means of Cure prescrib'd by 'em concerning whose Operation of any such Cure no Reason in Nature can be given nor the Appointment of God pretended that such Words tho' they may be Words of Scripture should work such Effects VII Knowing every particuâ—ar Person 's inward Disâ—ositions he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a Man to commit some grievous Sin Seventhly The Devil knowing every particular Persons inward Temper and Disposition both of Body and Mind better many times than he himself does he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a Man to commit some grievous Sin Thus is a Person of a melancholly Disposition to such a One he either aggravates the Matter of his Discontent or he will present to the Fancy so many frightful Objects and will load his Mind with such a multitude of black and dismal Apprehensions that the melancholly Wretch shall be weary of himself and will fly from that worst of Tormentors he thinks his own Mind even to the Grave and into Destruction it self for Refuge And hence it is that so many miserable Wretches hang stab drown or shoot themselves being thus Tempted thereto by Satan And hence it is that Persons of a melancholly Temper of Mind are so apt above others to be troubled with Blasphemous Thoughts tho' Persons of great Piety and such as have all along Feared God and kept his Commandments Both these and the former Apprehensions are some of those Fiery Darts of the Devil mention'd Eph. 6.16 cast into the Soul at such time when they are least able to Repel 'em and that on purpose to disturb the poor melancholly Wretch to the highest degree so as to do Violence to his own Nature and to Destroy himself or to force from him Expressions most highly Dishonourable to God and Terrible to Christian Ears to hear But Eighthly The great Battery of the Devil VIII Above all by Representing to the Fancies of Men the Conveniency of Riches the Glory of Honours and the Sweetness of Pleasures he does thereby Bribe 'em to Rebel against God and to Sin against their own Souls whereby he does storm the Innocency and shake the Constancy of the greatest part of Mankind Is his Representing to the Fancy of Men the Conveniency of Riches the Glory of Honours and the Sweetness of Pleasures thereby to Bribe 'em to Rebel against God and to Sin against their own Souls This I call his great Battery and usually therefore he does Assault us therewith not till all others have fail'd him In this manner he dealt with our Saviour When all his other Temptations prov'd ineffectual The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of ' em And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if Thou wilt fall down and Worship me Matth. 4.8 9. But altho' the Son of God was no more to be won upon by this than by any of the former to comply in the least with the Designs of the wicked Tempter Yet the Weakness of the Generality of Men is such that they are Brib'd hereby when nothing else can prevail to Apostatize from God to do Injuries to Men and to do the greatest Abuses to their own Reason and Nature and in short to commit every Kind of Sin whereby God is Dishonour'd and they themselves shall be finally Ruin'd And the Manner and Cunning wherewith the Devil manages these Temptations is extreamly well worth your Notice In his Representation of this World's Goods he shews only the fair out-side to allure into Sin industriously concealing all that is hurtful therein and would deter Men from it When he makes any Representation to our Souls of this World's Glory he only shews us the fairest Out-side of those Things to allure us thereby into Sin industriously concealing all that is vain and vexatious and stinging therein which would deter us from it Thus he manag'd the matter with our Saviour and thus he does still with us In that World and the Glory thereof which he shew'd to our Blessed Lord there was a great mixture of Confusion and Disorder and Crosses and Vexations and Troubles but nothing of this did he represent to his View when he offer'd it to him as a Bribe but only gave him to see the Plenty the Grandeur the Beauty thereof separated from the other ungrateful and displeasing Part And so he deals with us He does very lively present to Men the Advantage of Riches how that Money commands all Things and then stirs up their Covetous Desires after it so as to get it they care not how by Thieving and Robbery by Cozennage and Extortion and Sacriledge or by any unlawful Arts and Methods He does dazle their Eyes with the Splendor and Glory of High Places le ts 'em see the Cap and the Knee and low Obeisances and the servile Flatteries made to the Grandees of this World to stir up their Ambition to wade through Seas of Blood and to tread upon the Necks of oppressed Provinces in order to mount those Seats of Honour And lastly he does very lively lay before their Eyes the Luxury and Wantonness and seeming Ease found in sensual Pleasures and so
by wicked Arts or sinful Compliances tho' it is extreamly Valuable when it can be had without Sin and Princes ought to be Applied to and Courted for the Favours Men expect from 'em and must be held in the greatest Veneration as the Vicegerents of God upon Earth by 'em and no Wise nor Good Man will forfeit without necessity the Esteem of 'em Yet no Man must wind himself into their Affections by flattering of their Vices none must Obey their unlawful Commands as the Duty of his Place nor must any for fear of incurring their Displeasure choose rather to displease God There are several Instances in the Scripture of Good and Wise Men which shew you how and in what Case it is necessary for Men so far to deny themselves as to Renounce their Favours amongst which take that of John the Baptist instead of many This Just and Holy man was much in the Esteem and Favour of Herod who Observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly Mar. 6.20 Nevertheless this Holy Man was so far from flattering of him that he did not stick to Reprove him for his Incest and for all the Evils he had done Luk. 3.19 tho' to the Loss of that Prince's Favour and his own Life Mar. 6.27 Secondly Proceed we next to consider Nor Secondly the Effects of their Favours High Places and Titles of Honour what is necessary to be done with respect to the Effect of Prince's Favours those Honourable Posts the Pre-eminence and Authority the Dignities and Promotions to which they do Advance those whom they Favour and those Titles of Honour and Distinction which do usually go along therewith and in the Obtaining of these Posts of Honour and Places of Trust and Power First There must be no Grasping at that which is above a Man's Capacities and Abilities to manage to the Publick Good I. In the obtaining of â—hese no Man must grasp at â—hat which is â—bove his Caâ—acities and Abilities to manage to the Publick Good For any Person out of a vain Opinion he has conceived of his own Parts and Abilities to undertake Business he is not able to Perform and to meddle in things he does not understand is a great Injury both to himself and others to himself in exposing his own Insufficiency which in a lower Station would have lain hid and never been Censur'd nor Reproacht He does injure others thereby in perverting Judgment and Justice through his Unskilfulness in not dispatching Men with quickness and dexterity in their Lawful occasions and Business and by keeping out those who would discharge the Duties of such Offices and Places This Mischievous to â—he State much more to the Benefit and Satisfaction of the Publick But this Ambitious and Pragmatical Humour of Climbing where they are not Call'd is most of all mischievous to the Church This Misâ—heivous to â—he Church when Persons undertake to be Teachers of others who have not Learnt themselves such were those of whom St. Paul speaks Who desired to be Teachers of the Law when they understood neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed 1 Tim. 1.7 And such were some great Pretenders to Illumination and Knowledge in the Apostles Time of whom St. Peter complains thus These are Wells without water Clouds carried by a Tempest viz. From one dangerous Error to another by every Wind of Doctrine as Clouds are from one place to another by a tempestuous Wind 2 Pet. 2.17 But the Psalmist was far from this pragmatical and medling Temper Psal 131.1 Lord my Heart is not haughty nor mine Eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or things too high for me Much less does it become others to be so but all must so far Renounce as great as is the Temptation the most Honourable Posts as to decline and refuse those they are not able to manage to the Satisfaction of their own Consciences and the Publick Weal And it would be happy for the World if all would do so But above all this Modesty in declining those Undertakings they are not fitted for becomes the Laity with respect to their Teaching of others whom it does not become To think more highly of themselves than they ought to think as they do who set up for Teachers who had not an Education for that Purpose but to think soberly according as God has dealt to every Man the measure of Faith Rom. 12.3 Secondly And in the obtaining of these Posts of Honour and Power Persons of the best Capacities and Abilities must not be over-eager and importunate in their Suits and Applications to those who bestow them â—or Secondâ—â— ought Perâ—â—ns of the â—â—st Capaciâ—â—es and â—reatest Abiâ—â—ties be over-â—â—ger and imâ—â—rtunate in â—â—eir Suites â—â—d Applicaâ—â—ons to those â—ho bâ—stow â—â—em but having modestly made their Court to their Superiors must contentedly receive their Denial It is the Ambition of Great Men striving with one another for the highest Places of Trust and Power in the Common-wealth that causes Factions and Civil Wars to the Destruction of their Native Country And it is the Pride of some who over-valuing their own Abilities and Parts and thinking they are Injur'd in not being Prefer'd to the highest Dignities and Promotions in the Church has caused those Schisms and Separations in it such choosing rather to be Ring-leaders of a Party than Subject to and Dependant on any But tho' these publick Posts in Church or State may be modestly sought by those who are able to weild 'em and need not be renounc'd and declin'd by Men of Parts and Abilities when duly call'd thereto Yet none of the greatest Capacities ought violently to thrust themselves into 'em to the Disturbance of Church or State Lest they perish in the Gain-saying of Korah who with his Companions Dathan and Abiram unduly and factiously seeking the Priesthood Numb 16.10 Provok'd God in so fearful a manner that The Earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up and their Houses and all the men that appertained unto Korah and all their Goods ver 32. The Consequences and Effects of Faction and Schism are so very bad that it is not to be wonder'd God should so remarkably Punish it as he did to the Example of Others Wherefore a Person of the best Capacities and Abilities if after some reasonable Expectations and a modest Importunity he cannot yet hope to prevail he must submit to Authority and Order acknowledg God's Providence in it possess his Soul in patience and think that for some secret Corruption in himself or for some other just Cause God is pleas'd that he should not at all or not yet succeed in his Suit So that thus you see how in the Pursuit of Civil Honour as High Places and Posts of Honour and Authority Dignities and Promotions that no Man must grasp at those which he has not Abilities or Skill to manage nor must Persons of greatest Abilities turn Male-contents and Mutineers against
under the Sun all the days of his life which God giveth him for it is his portion Eccl. 5.18 Nay it is very necessary that we should take Pleasure in gratifying the sensible Cravings of our Nature for if our Palates do not relish our Meat or if our Stomachs refuse it we should starve And indeed the Comforts and Enjoyments of this Life which we receive from the bountiful Hand of God is a great subject of our Praises and Thanksgivings to him Thou preparest a Table for me in the presence of mine Enemies thou anointest my Head with Oyl my Cup runneth over said Holy David in a great sence of God's bountiful Goodness towards him in bestowing upon him so many worldly Comforts Thus these Sensitive Pleasures may be lawfully Enjoy'd by us and they are only then and so far to be Renounc'd when they become Thirdly Sensual These Pleasures unlawful only when they become Thirdly Sensual which when they do they are indeed the greatest Temptations the World has to draw us into Sin and many Thousands there are whom when nothing else could Corrupt have been miserably soil'd by the Power of sensual Pleasures Which what they are and how far to be Renounc'd I come now to declare unto you And it is then that these Sensitive Pleasures which otherwise would be for the Preservation and Comfort of our Nature and the Matter of our Praises to God It is then I say that they become Sensual and so are to be Renounced when they gratify only our corrupt and depraved Natures As the sensitive Nature craves such things as are suitable to it and are necessary to its Preservation and Comfort in this Life and sensitive Pleasures are such as arise from such allowable Gratifications So the Sensual and Corrupted Nature of Man craves these sensitive Pleasures beyond Bounds and Moderation It prefers 'em before Rational and Divine Pleasures It appears to relish no Enjoyments like those of Sense it gluts it self with sensitive Pleasures so as to surfeit on these Sweets Nay and lastly the Sensual Man does load and burthen his Nature therewith so as to render it unfit for he Duties of his Calling and Religion These are the inordinate Cravings of the sensual Nature and when we gratify this corrupted Nature of ours to this immoderate Degree with Sensitive Pleasures then those Pleasures which were in themselves allowable become Sensual and such as must be utterly Renounced by every Christian And as we will accordingly Renounce Sensual Pleasures First We must not prefer Sensitive Ones in our Judgments or Desires either before our spiritual Joy in God or the eternal Joys of his Kingdom As First when we prefer 'em in our Judgments or Desires either before our spiritual Joy in God or the eternal Joys of his Kingdom which is what the Carnal Man does do Which is I say what the Carnal Man does do For while the Flesh is the prevailing Ingredient in any Man he only relishes the satisfaction of the Senses He cannot enjoy God he cannot delight in doing his Will no more than a Swine can in clean Pasture whose natural Property inclines him only to wallow in the Mire But when the Soul is clarify'd and purg'd by the great Refiner how sublime and satisfying a Pleasure does it feel in the Love of God and in his Service As in natural Feeding when the Palate is in due Temper our Tast commends our proper Food to the Appetite and the Appetite to the Stomach but a foul Stomach dis-affects the Appetite spoils the Palate and the most savoury and wholesom Meat is loathsom when the Disease is the Taster Thus if the Soul be in its due Temper the Doing the will of God would be our Meat and Drink mixt with a sweeter Pleasure than those natural Operations are but the Soul in the unregenerate Man is so Corrupt and Carnaliz'd that it has no tast of the pure Delights of Blessed Spirits in Communion with God Like the Israelites who despis'd the Bread of Angels and impatiently long'd for the Onions and Garlick and Flesh-pots of Egypt But this must no be our Temper but with the Holy Psalmist we must be able experimentally to say The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desir'd are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb Psal 19.9 10. Secondly And we must Renounce it as a great sign of a sensual Spirit which relishes no Enjoyments like those of Sence II. When a Man relishes no Enjoyments like those of Sence When a Person is observ'd to be wholly in a manner purveying for the Belly Cooking or Ordering his Dishes always commending or rather quarrelling with every thing he eats or drinks No the Discourses of Philosophical wise and vertuous Minds is even at the very Table of other-guess Matters than of the Excellency of that Dish the Poynancy of such a Sauce or the Flavour of such and such Liquors And with these Epicures we may justly Expostulate in the words of our Saviour Are ye yet without understanding Do ye not yet understand that whatever entereth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out into the Draught Matth. 15.17 And it is sure a sign of an Understanding below the Excellency of the Soul of Man to concern it self so much about what in few Hours will go down into the Guts the Sink and the vilest part of the Body Thirdly It must be Renounced as a high and sinful Sensuality to glut our Senses so as to surfeit on these Sweets III. When he gluts himself so as to surfeit on these Sweets There is nothing which does more decay Nature which brings upon us more desperate and incurable Diseases and does more precipitate and hasten a sudden Death than Excess in the Gratifications of Men's Lusts and Appetites But this is grosly to abuse the Creatures of God which were allowed us only for our Use It is to make but an ungrateful Return to him for all his Bounties And is unnaturally to destroy our selves for the sake of a paultry Pleasure which vanisheth in the very Enjoyment of a Pleasure which is mixed with more bitter Ingredients than Gall and Wormwood For even in their Laughter the heart of those sensual Men is sorrowful and the end of their mirth is heaviness Prov. 14.13 Lastly The Deliciousness of those Pleasures must not cause any one to load and burthen his Nature therewith to that Degree as to render him unfit for the Duties of his Calling and Religion And lastly when the Deliciousness of of these Pleasures causes him to load and burthen his Nature therewith so as to render him unfit for the Duties of hâ—â— Calling and Religion in which respect those do Offend who do so immoderately indulge the Appetites in Eating and Drinking that they are drowsy and sleepy even under the Messages sent them from
then usually betake our selves to God for Comfort and Support And thus drawing nigh unto God we become acquainted with him and he then vouchsafes us some Tasts of spiritual Delights and Pleasures And then having Experienc'd the ineffable Satisfactions communicated to Pious and Humble Souls in their Devotions and Religious Exercises we become Heavenly Minded weary of this World And desirous to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Thus I say Afflictions and Adversities are many times next under God's Grace great Helps to Piety and Devotion Nevertheless they are also very often great Temptations to many Sins and Impieties Nevertheless they are often great Temptations to many Sins Impieties and as such Satan does use ' em They are apt to breed in us Impatience and Discontent and Envy at the outward Felicity of the Wicked And Poverty in particular when it meets with Minds ill-dispos'd and not season'd with Principles of Vertue and Honesty Tempts 'em to Fraud and Theft And generally when Persons labour under Necessities and Wants they think they have enough to do to provide Necessaries for Themselves and Families that they may therefore dispense with the Exercises of Religion and that it is enough for the Rich Ones to frequent the publick Worship and Sacraments But in the First Place it behoves such who labour under Poverty or any Kind of Affliction to beware they be not Tempted to Impatience and Discontent I. It behoves those who labour under Poverty or any kind of Affliction to beware of Impatience and Discontent And there is little Reason we should be Tempted thereby into these Sins for in good Truth these Kind of Sufferings in most Men's Cases are Tokens of God's Fatherly Love and Kindness and of his Ordering all things for our Good So the Apostle Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth This is as great a Paradox to Flesh and Blood as it is to a Child to be under the Discipline of the Rod and Ferula to either of which No Chastening for the present seemeth to be Joyous but Grievous Nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness to them which are exercised thereby ver 11. These afflicting Providences tend to mortify our Vanity and to take of our Confidences in worldly Things which the Soul of Man in Affluence and Abundance is extreamly subject to and than which there is scarcely a more sinful Temper of Mind Such Reason had David Thankfully to Acknowledge God's Goodness in ' em I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me Psal 119.75 And ver 67. he professes That before he was afflicted he went astray but now says he I have kept thy word Secondly Those in the worst of Circumstances must not Envy the outward Felicity of the Wicked II. Those in the worst of Circumstances must not envy the outward Felicity of the Wicked The Psalmist declares Ps 73.2 3.5 That his Feet had almost gone and that his Steps had well nigh slipt upon this occasion For I was Envious says he at the Foolish when I saw the Prosperity of the Wicked that they were not in Trouble neither were they Plagued like other Men. But what was the Consequence of this their Prosperity and Freedom from Afflictions Why that Pride compassed them as a Chain and that Violence cover'd them as a Garment they set their Mouth against the Heavens and their Tongue walked through the Earth that is they became horridly Wicked and Profane upon it ver 6.9 And are these Men to be Envy'd then No Go into the Sanctuary as this Psalmist did that is consult Religion and you will understand their End that surely they are set in slippery Places and that God will cast them down into Destruction ver 17 18. Wherefore fret not thy self because of Evil-doers neither be thou Envious against the workers of Iniquity Psal 37.1 Thirdly In case of Poverty in particular You must be infinitely careful least to rescue your self out of it you be Tempted to Fraud and especially to Stealing and Purloyning III. A Person that is Poor must be infinitely careful least to Rescue himself out of it he be tempted to Fraud especially to Stealing and Purloyning Poverty is indeed an Evil in it self and it may be Avoided by us provided it be by lawful Means And it is a Man's Duty indeed by all honest ways to rescue himself out of such an ill Condition as by Labour and Industry in an honest Calling to Relieve One from Want and Cold and Nakedness and to suffer any Hardships rather than to run into Debt and to prevent Imprisonment But however whatever Distresses you shall fall into you must Resolve with Job thus 27.2 3.6 7. As God liveth who hath taken away my Judgment and the Almighty who hath vexed my Soul All the while my Breath is in me and the Spirit of God is in my Nostrils I will not remove my Integrity from me My Righteousness I will hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not Reproach me so long as I live Lastly Nor must any think that because they are Poor they are e're the more disengag'd from the Service of God and their Attendance upon him in all the Parts of Divine Worship Nor lastly must any think that because they are Poor they are e're the more dis-engaged from the Service of God and their Attendance upon him in all the Parts of Divine Worship Prayers Sacraments and the Hearing of the Word But rather because of their Poverty they may be expected in reason to be more Frequent and more Devout in Holy Exercises for the less they have of outward Comforts the more reason they have to provide themselves of Spiritual Consolations that they may not be Miserable in both Worlds And since this World Frowns upon 'em to secure to themselves those infinitely more Valuable Treasures in Heaven to which the meanest Cottager stands as fair a Candidate as the greatest Nobleman And indeed such is the Regard our Saviour has to 'em that he made it a peculiar Mark of his being the Messiah that The Poor had the Gospel Preached unto them Matth. 11.5 And so much for Poverty and Affliction those Evils which are Oppos'd to Riches and Pleasures In what sence and how far we must Renounce Disgrace and the Temptations it gives us The Last of the World's Evils is Disgrace and this is Opposite to the Honours of it Now Disgrace is a thing which Humane Nature is extreamly sensible of And if it be generally a matter of Disgrace to profess true and serious Religion it is wonderful how Men will shrink from it who in their own Minds have strong Convictions of it and good Affections towards it It was the fear of this Disgrace which made Nicodemus come to our Saviour by Night Joh. 7.50 And tho' Many of the chief Rulers
Pen the Holy Scriptures and by many other Arts and Sciences which are Hand-maids to Divinity and can there only be sufficiently attain'd to There ought next to be great Abilities and Gifts both Natural Parts and Divine Graces and a good share of all sorts of Learning acquir'd by much Study and great Industry to make an useful Divine there being no one Profession in the World which requires to its Perfection such an universal Knowledge as Theology does And to all these there must be added strong Inclinations to the Holy Office Inclinations to it not upon the account of the Preferments and Dignities that attend it but for the Works sake Inclinations indeed to be an Instrument of God's Glory and of the Salvation of Men's Souls therein And now if a Person of no good Abilities or Gifts should be determin'd to the Ministry it is a Sacrilegious Profaneness of equal Guilt as it is Impiety in some Parents who think such of the most promising Parts amongst their Children an Offering too good for the Lord. Or if a Person of a suitable Education and of great Abilities that fit him for it should enter into it with an unwilling Mind is often too great a sign of unsanctify'd Affections that would be for greater Liberty and Gaiety than the Gravity and Seriousness of his Profession will allow him and the Fop should be counted unworthy of it Or lastly if there be never so strong Inclinations to be a Teacher without the Preparations of an University Education and learned Abilities as well as Divine Graces it shews the Person to be One of those who Desiring to be Teachers of the Law understood neither what they said nor whereof they affirmed 1 Tim. 1.7 And indeed in any Calling whatsoever there must be a joint concurrence of every one of these fore-mention'd Qualifications for if any one of 'em be wanting that Person will be unsuccessful in his Calling insomuch that if there be never so suitable an Education and good Abilities if there be wanting that one other Requisite of strong Inclinations to such a Course of Life the Business of it will be carried on with Sloth and Negligence which is the Sixth Thing that must be Renounced as to any Calling VI. Idleness in any Calling is to be renounced Idleness has the same Effect in any other Calling as Solomon observ'd it had in the Husband-man's concerning whom he tells us That going by the Field of the Slothful and by the Vineyard of the man void of Vnderstanding lo it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof Prov. 24.30 31. Thereby the Understanding of the Scholar is over-spread with Ignorance the Manners of the Gentleman with Barbarity and Savageness and Poverty and Nakedness do enter through Sloth the Houses of Tradesmen But on the other side how comfortable are the Fruits of Industry either in Man or Woman Particularly as to the Woman's Industry there is such an Account given thereof Prov. 31. from the 10 ver to the End of that Chap. as shews the mighty Happiness to Husband Children and Servants where such a One is the Mistress of the Family and her Character ought to begot by Heart by every Person of her Sex And therefore the Effects of Sloth being so dismal and miserable but the Fruits of Industry so very advantagious and comfortable according as the Wise-man advises Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might Well but it is enough you 'll say for those to be Industrious Idleness not allowable no not in Gentlemen who are to Live by their Calling But as for such who enjoy a sufficiency and plenty of the Necessaries Conveniencies and Superfluities of this World what occasion is there that they should be Industrious For as it is commonly said What is a Gentleman but his Pleasures But give me leave to Answer in the words of an excellent Person that if this be true If a Gentleman be nothing else but this then truly he is a sad Piece the most inconsiderable the most despicable the most pitiful and wretched Creature in the World If it be his Priviledge to do nothing then it is his Priviledge to be Good for nothing to be a meer Weight and Burthen upon the Earth nay the Pest and Plague of Mankind since the Soul of Man is that active Power that if it does not actuate and employ a Man in doing Good it will certainly in doing Mischief So that to say thus of the Gentleman or Man of Fortunes is highly to Reproach him But the Contrary is most certain And no Man be he in never so flourishing a State and Condition must give himself up to Idleness as being One of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin and in it self a Life very displeasing to God It is one of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin Idleness I say is one of the greatest Temptations in the World to Sin So great a Temptation indeed it is that the idle Person Tempts the Devil to come and Tempt him That wicked Spirit Continually walketh about the Earth seeking whom he may devour and spying a Person to be Idle he infallibly lies down before him He musters up all his Forces to beleaguer that Man sends for the like idle and licentious Persons as himself and those with all possible Allurements inveigle him to join with 'em in their wicked Courses And his Mind being taken up with no honest Cares the Devil throws into his Soul a Thousand ill Thoughts and base Designs and lewd Imaginations to corrupt him and make him yield And the greatest of Men and Saints have been Overcome meerly by being found Idle as we have an eminent Instance in David 2 Sam. 11.2 Who walking on the roof of his House his Mind then roving and being untackt from honest Cares that Temptation seiz'd on him whereby he was plung'd into that woful Miscarriage in the Matter of Vriah which did create him so much Sorrow did make such a Spot in his Life as was never washt off no not with his Tears of Repentance So excellent was the Advice of the Father Be always doing something that the Devil may never find thee Idle And is it self a very great Sin Nor is the Idleness of Persons in a plentiful and flourishing Condition in it self less a Sin than it is a Temptation to other Sins These are the Persons who have Talents given 'em and their Idleness is exprest by Hiding their Talents in the Earth Mat. 25.25 which how great a Sin it is is evident from our Saviour's severe Menaces thereupon calling such an idle Person a Wicked and slothful Servant and commanding him to be cast because an unprofitable Servant into outer darkness where should be weeping and gnashing of teeth ver 30. It is remarkable that here the wicked Servant is so severely Doom'd not for mis-employing but for being Idle and not employing his Talent So
that no Man's Condition be it never so Plentiful will excuse him in Idleness The last Thing to be Renounced with reference to a Calling is the Living above it Lastly no Man must live above his Calling This is what the Vanity and Pride of many both Gentlemen Tradesmen and others do Tempt 'em to but the Issue thereof is in a short time to be Needy and Borrowing and consequently Contemptible and to meet with Scorn instead of that Respect they seek by making an outward Appearance and Flourish But the worst of it is when Men are of this Humour to live above their Calling in order to maintain their Port and Pride they are forc'd if Gentlemen to oppress their Tenants if Tradesmen to cheat and over-reach their Customers and to use all the evil Arts of Getting And as to the latter when they so far scorn the Meanness of their Profession as to throw it aside it is not seldom that in the End they take to the High-way as the only Means of maintaining themselves In short therefore to prevent the fatal Effects of both these last Evils Idleness and living beyond a Man's Calling my Advice to young Persons is to be Industrious till such time at least as they have laid up a Stock whereby they may afford to live more at Ease and not to throw off the meanest Calling till they are able to live Creditably without it And so much for the Callings of the World and what is to be Renounced with Relation to them Secondly Let us consider amongst those Things of the World of a middle Nature the different Conditions and States of Men therein II. Amongst those things of the World of a middle Nature the the different Conditions and States of Men therein are to be considered And the greatest Part are in the State either of Masters or of Servants And the whole World are either Single or Married Persons And First as to the State and Condition of a Master there are very great Advantages and Opportunities which the Head of a Family has of doing Good amongst those of his Houshold insomuch that if he keep up an orderly and religious Discipline in his Family it will be no hard matter for him so to form the Principles and Practices of his Servants and Dependants as to be able to undertake with Joshua 24.15 that he and his House shall serve the Lord. But yet this as all other Conditions of Men in this World I. A Master has great advantages of doing Good is liable to be Abused to great degrees of Dishonour to God and Injury to the Souls of Men as namely when those who are Masters do so far exceed in their Commands as to give no leisure to their Servants to provide for the Good of their own Souls But such a Dominion as this must be utterly Renounced and it should be a Thing never heard of amongst Christians that a Servant should be such a Slave as to be treated no better than a Brute But all that Dominion is to be utterly Renounced amongst Christians which treats Servants no better than Slaves and Brutes And as Pasture is the only thing provided for the latter so bodily Necessaries should be the only thing took care of for the former No every one that will expect Abraham's Blessing and Favour with God must have Abraham's pious Care of the religious Education and Government both of his Children and Servants concerning whom it is Recorded that God did Impart unto him a very great secret under the Notion of a singular Favour upon this very Account That He knew he would command his Children and his Houshold after him that they should keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment Gen. 18.19 So that when any of you shall grow up or arrive to that Condition to be the Heads of a Family this must be also your Care and you must utterly Renounce the Treating your Servants at that Distance as if they were not Fellow-servants with you to the same God Secondly The next Condition or State of Life in this World to be consider'd of is that of Servants Now a Servant amongst Christians if he be not Barbarously and Un-christianly us'd is not the most unhappy State The State of Servants not in it self unhappy Tho' he has not his Master's Liberty yet if he has less of his Licentiousness he is the happier Man But yet if it falls out so that the Master and Family he happens into be Disorderly Debauched and Wicked he is in a State of mighty Temptation and in great danger of being Corrupted And therefore First It concerns every Person who is to live by a Service I. It concerns every Person who is to live by a Service to avoid such where there is neither the means of Religion nor restraints upon Sin to Renounce and Refuse those if extream Necessity and want of Better do not compel him to Accept of such where a great deal of Wickedness is practiced without Controul and little of the Fear of God is to be seen amongst Masters or Servants We do daily pray to God Not to lead us into Temptation and those who are sincere in their Prayers will not voluntarily throw themselves into such a dangerous place of Temptation as is a wicked Family where not only the ordinary Means of Grace the reading of the word of God and daily Prayers are wanting But the Examples of both Head and Members do influence to an Imitation in Lewdness Drunkenness Injustice Cursing Swearing and all Impiety and where Profaneness does so far prevail as to instigate 'em to break their Jests upon Religion and Vertue Alas it is a very difficult thing for Youth to be throughly season'd with Principles of Vertue even by all the Instruction and Care of Ministers Parents and Masters How then must it be next to a Miracle if they fly not out into all manner of Licentiousness when the Corruption within is heighten'd with the Examples and Encouragements of all about 'em and those too Persons upon whose Favour they depend Secondly But since Idleness and want of Employment does expose a Person to Temptation even more than such Services and if Necessity shall force you into those where little of spiritual Improvement but all manner of Temptations to Sin is to be expected why then with Joseph in the House of Potiphar Gen. 39.8 you must put on the most stedfast Resolutions to preserve your Innocence II. In the most Irreligious Families a Servant shall happen into he must put on a stedfast resolution to preserve his Innocence and must make a Covenant with your Eyes Ears and all your Senses that they do not Offend And when Divine Providence has dispos'd you there Divine Grace will not be wanting to your own honest Endeavours to preserve you from Evil. Thirdly The next State and that wherein the greatest part of Mankind in this World are found is the State of Celibacy
our Lusts are up it is a strange Encouragement to us to Sin in Company and fulfil ' em This heartens us against our Fears and abates the Dread of Punishment which would follow the Satisfaction of our Lusts Now if we are Punisht for 'em it will not be we alone and it is a Comfort to have Fellows in Miseries and a Man dares both do and suffer many things in Company which he would have been dis-hearten'd to have ventur'd on singly But Secondly We are still more hearten'd to Sin if the Examples thereof are Common and Many II. If common and many For why Besides that there is a great deal of Proneness and Propension in all our Natures to Vice and Wickedness the only Restraint upon our Inclinations that we break not out suddenly into all Exorbitancy of Ungodliness is as inwardly from the Innate Turpitude and Baseness of Sin So outwardly from the burning and shining Lights and glorious Examples of Vertue that are abroad in the World Now our inward sense of the Filthiness of Sin soon ceases when we see it Practic'd by the most and those as shrew'd and as wise Persons as our selves and from without there can be no Upbraiding and ill Report in giving swing to our naughty Desires if Vice has once got its Multitudes of Followers and the Generality of Men of its side Thirdly But farther yet Examples of Sin are very Contagious if they are the Examples of such for whom we have a great Esteem III. If of such for whom we have a great Esteem Persons of all Sects and Parties in Religion fix upon some in their own way as very excellent Persons and exact Patterns fit to be imitated in all they do as if Men were not Men still and the Best were not subject to Mistake and Failing whatever Duty of Christianity these Men whom they particularly Admire seem to have but a small regard to they do not think it at all necessary because such a Good Man would not if it were be wanting in it they think And so as to any sinful Practice on the other side Why should I scruple to do so and so thou wilt say when such a One and I am sure he understands what he does sticks not to do the like He is a wise Man a good Man nay and a Scholar and yet does so and so nor does he fear going to Heaven for all that Fourthly But above all the Examples of Sin are the most prevalent when they are backt with the Authority of those whom we stand in awe of IV. If of those of whom we stand in awe These are the Men who will expect not only to be Obey'd but Honour'd And if we Ape and Imitate 'em in all their ways we may hope thereby to obtain their Favour If we shew a dislike of their Courses we may have reason to fear their Displeasure And what is it that two such active Springs in our Nature as our Hopes and Fears are will not force us to or drive us from So powerful you see are the Examples of Sin when they are backt with all these Advantages And now the Examples of Sin have all these Advantages in 'em to influence you to Conform your selves unto ' em Ever since the unhappy Fall of Man there is in every Child of Adam a great deal of Proneness to Sin rather than to Vertue Alas We carry a Principle about us which is not only buisy and ready to close with the Temptations of others Examples but is forward to betray us to Sin tho' we had few Examples for it Nay evil Inclinations and corrupt Desires are so powerful within us that even the best Instructions and the most pious Examples and all other good Means and Helps are daily found too weak and unable to Overcome ' em And yet as if all this were little enough there are far more Examples abroad in the World of Wickedness than of Goodness insomuch that by the World in Scripture simply taken is often meant no other than wicked Men they make up so great a Part thereof And not only too many Great Men whom you have an Awe of do give most abominable Examples of Profaneness Lewdness Drunkenness c. to their Inferiors but to come nearer Home to you too few of your Parents and Masters I am afraid are Examples to you of Religion and of the Fear of God Nay and perhaps some that you have an Esteem for and you may take for Good Men may be Examples of Schism and Separation and of breaking the Unity of the Church and despisers of the Sacrament or in one Kind or other not so Good as they should be not entirely and uniformly Good And now what must you do in this Case Why by all means you must Renounce and Refuse Conformity to such bad Examples We must by all Means renounce and refuse Conformity to such bad Examples For You must by no means follow the Examples of Sin be they who or what they will Let them be never so many you must not follow a Multitude to do Evil Exod. 23.2 It will not afford the least Ease to the Torments of the Damned that they are the many and that the Saved are the few Nor must the Examples of the Greatest no nor of those you count Good Men be a Rule to you when they vary from the Laws of God There is no Man so Great Wise or Good that he can dispense with God's Laws and absolve you from your Allegiance to the Soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth This Great Man or that Parent or Master to flatter and please whom you do follow their Examples in sinning against God and your own Soul cannot afford you Protection from God's Wrath nor Rescue you from under the Stroak of Divine Vengeance No but he shall be as liable to it himself as the poorest Slave No First a Christian a Souldier of Jesus Christ is call'd out to Combat against the wicked Examples of the World as much as against any one sort of Enemy in his Christian Warfare I. A Christian is call'd out to Combat against the wicked Examples of the World as much as against any one sort of Enemy in his Christian Warfare and be they never so many never so mighty he must not be over-born by 'em so as to Conform himself unto 'em and either Renounce his Faith or commit any Sin by the influence of such numerous and mighty Examples We read the 2d of Kings that in the Days of wicked Ahab the whole People of Israel were so Apostatiz'd from the true Religion that Elisha thought there was but himself left alone who had not through the influence of so many Idolatrous Examples and the Power of that wicked Prince together with the Corruption of their own Hearts so prone to Idolatry he thought there was Not one man left in Israel who had not bowed his knee to Baal But he was never the more stagger'd for
in this State of Imperfection so fully Comprehend proceeds meerly from the Pride of those Men who disdaining to own the Decays of our Reason as well as of other the Powers of the Soul ever since the Fall which every Modest Man's Experience does make him too sensible of in a thousand Instances do over-value their Talent of Wit far beyond what they ought And this therefore being such a proud Luciferian Temper it ought to be Renounc'd as the most Impious of all the Sinful Lusts of the Fleshly Mind And let this suffice to be spoke concerning our Renouncing of the Sinful Lusts of that sort The Corrupt Will what and how to be Renounc'd 2. Let us next consider the WILL and the Innate Corruption which Residing in that Faculty renders it Fleshly and tending in all its Choices towards the Creature and so the proper Matter of the Christians Renuntiation And as to this Faculty we are to consider how that God gave to Man a Righteous Law which was to be the Rule of his Will and while it was conformable to this it was conformable to the Will of God and consequently beautiful and regular but instead thereof there is now a Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.2 And this Law subdues the Law of the Mind and brings the Soul into Captivity to the Law of Sin Rom. 7.23 And the Will being thus Captivated is made Carnal and filled with Enmity against God and that Law which he once planted in us to be the Rule of our Will so that it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be whilst we remain unregenerate Rom. 8.7 But in its corrupt State being always Averse to the Directions of God's Laws and Right Reason it perversly chuses those things which please only the Senses and so becomes in the most proper and immediate Sense of the Word a Sinful and Fleshly Lust But as obstinately bent as the Corrupt Will is found to be against complying with the Laws of God which would guide our Souls upwards we must bring our selves to that Habit of Self-denial so as readily to submit our Wills to God's Laws to be Govern'd by 'em the reason is we are not our own and therefore our own depraved Wills ought not to bear Rule in us but we are God's Creatures and his Subjects and Servants and therefore his All-wise Will and Pleasure should be the Rule and Measure of and preside over all our Actions And this it must do in the most difficult Cases when his Laws seem most to thwart our Reason and his Dispensations seem most hard and severe Thus did Abraham the Father of the Faithful when God commanded him even to slay his only Son Isaac he readily obey'd he did not stand to dispute the case Gen. 22.10 And thus did Job in reference to the Dispensations of God's Providence when he was stript naked of his vast Possessions and even of his dear Children he even then blest God for it kissing as it were the Rod that stroke him The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1.21 III. The Affections in the Carnal Man do sadly degenerate into what may too properly be call'd the sinful Lusts of the Flesh 3. The Affections what and how to be Renounc'd Our Passions and Affections are indeed in themselves of singular use to the perfecting of our Natures They are the Wings of the Soul to carry it forth with eagerness in the pursuit of that which is good and with Aversation and Flight from that which is Evil. They are variously numbred up but the Master Affections are Love and Hatred which when they are rightly govern'd all the rest are so too but when they are misplac'd and out of order so in the same proportion are all the others And accordingly whereas then it is that our Love is rightly fix'd 1. When we place it upon a proper Object And 2. When we steer towards the Thing we Love with Desires proportionable to the Good that is in the Object that is When the best and greatest Things are pursu'd with our Chiefest Passions middle Things with a less and the lowest with the least So it is that so long as a Person remains Unregenerate he either first places his Love upon that which he should Hate which is the wrong Object as upon sinful Profits and Pleasures or secondly he loves Things of an Indifferent Nature such as are Earthly Things with an over Intense Affection beyond their true Worth and Value And so on the contrary as to Hatred the Carnal Mind hates that which he should love Viz. God and Vertue The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God nor is it Subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 Or else he hates some Things as the chiefest of all Evils viz. Sufferings and Afflictions when indeed they are of that Nature that upon due Consideration a Man shall be able to say That it is good for him that he has been Afflicted And accordingly when our Affections of either kind are either misplac'd upon wrong Objects or are disproportionate to the true worth and Evil that is in those Objects towards which it is lawful to be well or evilly Affected in Moderate Degrees In either of these cases I say our Affections shall become Sinful Lusts of the Flesh and are necessary to be Renounced by us 1. As they are Misplac't upon wrong Objects And 1. Those Affections of Love and Hatred must be utterly Renounc'd which we shall find our selves to have misplac't upon wrong Objects that is instead of Loving we must utterly Hate and Abhor all Sin and Sinful Pleasures So the Psalmist Psal 97.10 Ye that Love the Lord hate Evil. Now Sin is the greatest Evil in the World as being most directly contrary to the Holy Nature and Will of God and it is the Cause of all the Evils which befal us and therefore to take pleasure in Sin is so perverse a thing that so long as any Person remains thus wickedly Dispos'd he is an Enemy of God and no better than a Child of the Devil 1 John 3.10 Thus must we not misplace our Love upon that greatest of all Evils which is Sin And so 2. Instead of Hating God and Vertue against whom the Carnal and Vnregenerate are at Enmity we must Entirely and Affectionately Love both which is so plain and palpable a Truth as needs neither proof nor Enlargement And thus we are to Renounce the Affections of Love and Hatred whenever they are misplac'd upon undue Objects 2. As they are Disproportionate to the Love Worth and Evil that is in those Objects towards which it is lawful to be well or evilly Affected in Moderate Degrees 2. And we must so far Renounce 'em as they are Disproportionate to the true Worth and Evil that is in those Objects towards which it is lawful to be well or Evilly Affected in Moderate Degrees That is 1st We must not Love God
into Moses or Initiated into the Religion of Moses The Heathens were initiated into their Mysteries by Purgations or Washings in the Cloud and in the Sea And indeed the very Heathens likewise they were initiated into their Mysteries and Worship by some solemn Rites or other and that frequently by Purgations and Washings And now agreeably to both the Rite or Ceremony whereby our Saviour appointed that we should be Initiated into the Covenant of Grace or the Christian Religion was Baptism or Washing As our Blessed Saviour out of his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness did ordain That agreeably to our Humane Nature which is most sensibly touch'd with Outward Things the Covenant betwixt him and us should be transacted by Outward and Express Solemnities Our Saviour chose the latter as what would be acceptable to both Parties so he was not scrupulous of having it done by such Outward Rites as were more generally known and acceptable both to Jews and Gentiles Circumcision the Rite of Initiation into the Legal Covenant he would not adopt into the Covenant of Grace because it was detestable and had in abomination by the greatest part of the Heathen World but Baptism or Washing none could accept against it either Jews or Gentiles It was used by the Jews as well as Circumcision to initiate their Proselytes into Covenant as was before said and the Gentiles did as often use it in a Sacramental Manner when they were entred into any of the Heathen Mysteries of their Pagan Worship especially when on any extraordinary Occasion they professed their Innocency as appears from Pilate the Roman Governour 's so solemnly Washing his Hands when he would declare himself clear of shedding the Innocent Bloud of the Holy JESUS Especially as more significative of Christian Purity Mat. 17.24 And indeed as on the account of its agreeableness to all Parties so chiefly no doubt he chose it for the Sacrament of the Christian Religion on this last score viz. it s being so significative of the Cleanness from the Pollution of Sin of the Purity and Holiness that all Christians are to practise As Washing purges and cleanses the Body from Dirt and Filthiness so our Saviour chose the Washing of Regeneration as the Apostle calls Baptism Tit. 3.5 to be the Rite or Ceremony whereby all his Disciples should be initiated or entred into his Covenant or Religion to signifie that all his Disciples must be Pure and Holy not polluted with the Sins and Wickednesses of the World And this he has enjoined as indispensibly necessary to our initiation into the Covenant of Grace And so indispensible a Rite of our Initiation or Entrance into the Covenant of Grace did our Saviour make it that he did not only Command his Apostles and all the succeeding Ministers of his Church to the end of the World to Baptize those whom they did proselyte over to his Religion Go says he Matth. 28.19 and teach or disciple by Baptizing 'em all Nations and lo I am with you always to the end of the World But he excludes all others froâ— having any Interest in his Covenant of Grace which he vouchsafed unto us and from having any claim to the Promises of it who are not Entred into it by the Outward Rite and Solemnity or Ceremony of Baptism Thus he tells Nicodemus with a Verily verily that is with a solemn Asseveration which amounts almost to an Oath That Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God The Kingdom of God is here meant the Church of Christ which is a Society of Men in Covenant with God enjoying certain inestimable Privileges under Christ their Supream Head and is often in the New Testament called the Kingdom of God as Matth. 21.31 So that it is plain from hence that there is no admittance to the Privileges of the Gospel or New Covenant which are Grace Pardon and Happiness nor to the Enjoyment of those infinite Rewards in Heaven the chief of all the Mercies of the Covenant without being first entred into the Church by Baptism which is the Oatward Seal and Confirmation of those Mercies to us Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And agreeably to this Doctrine of his Lord and Master did the Great St. Peter hold Baptism so indispensibly necessary that he ordered even those Persons upon whom at his Preaching of the Word the Holy Ghost had fallen which one would have thought might render Baptism unnecessary yet he ordered even those to be Baptized withal as you may see Acts 10.46 47 48. Then answered Peter Can any Man forbid Water that these should not be Baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he commanded them Commanded whom why those on whom the Holy Ghost had fallen vers 44. and who had received the Holy Ghost as well as he vers 47. he commanded even those to be Baptized in the Name of the Lord. Thus is Baptism you see an Outward Rite or Ceremony of our Saviour's own Appointment for the solemn admitting of Persons into the Covenant of Grace Secondly And thus our Saviour appointed us to be entred into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and Assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably as it were Sealed to betwixt God and us Baptism appointed the Rite of Admission into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and Assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably Sealed to betwixt God and us As in this sacred Rite of Baptism there are two Parties concerned God who by his Minister or Ambassador and Agent as he is called 2 Cor. 5.20 does admit the Person Baptized to Covenant and does by him promise and engage to conferr upon him particular Blessings and Favours and the Party Baptized who presents himself or is presented by others and does solemnly engage to Renounce GOD's Enemies the Flesh the World and the Devil to Believe in God and to Obey him As there are Two Parties I say God and Man thus transacting a Covenant together so the Minister God's Agent his Receiving the Party and Baptizing him in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the Sealing to it on God's part who has promised to confirm in Heaven what they in his Name and by his Commission shall bind on Earth Matth. 16.19 And the Party presenting himself or being presented to Baptism and therein expresly vowing to perform the fore-mentioned Conditions and in token of that his being washed or sprinkled with Water is the putting to as it were his Seal to the Counterpart of the Covenant And farther as this mutual Covenanting and Sealing does give unto God besides his Right of Creation a farther Right by our own express Engagements to our Obedience
is our Happiness as we are Members of Christ's Church to be under the Direction of Nor can any thing be better contrived for the Happiness of Men Its Laws aâ—â— 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 so Powerful is our Obedience to all these Laws Enforc'd by those mighty Principles and Motives of Christianity And are Enforc'd by most powerful Principles and Motives viz. The Articles of our Christian Faith I mean so very Perswasive and Forcible are the Motives which Christ does give us to the Practise 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 being Members of Christ's Church In a word so Honourable to God so Perfective of our own Natures and so Beneficial to mankind are the Laws of Christ and so well is our Obedience secur'd to 'em by those Principles he has taught us that this very Thing does speak our exceeding Great Priviledge in being Members of Christ and under his Conduct and Government as our supreme Head and Law-giver But especially this Advantage will appear to be very Great if we consider How that together with those most excellent Laws that he has given us he has also appointed us most Edifying and comfortable Ordinances Another Branch of this first Part of a Christian's Priviledge are most Edifying and Comfortable Institutions and Ordinances to conduct us to Heaven Now by Divine Institutions and Ordinances I do mean those positive Appointments and Observations which he has given his Church and all the Members thereof for their Improvement in the Knowledge and Practice of his Holy Religion and Laws And that which our Great Law-giver has done of this Nature is this He has Ordain'd solemn and set Days viz. The Christian Sabbaths for his own Service He has Order'd that publick Assemblies of all Christians should be held upon those Days He has Authoriz'd and Commanded the Publication and Preaching of his Laws at those publick Assemblies He has appointed that Common Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings for Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable us to perform these Laws then Preacht and for other Mercies should be jointly put up to him by all Christians on those solemn Days and publick Assemblies And lastly he has Enjoin'd therein the use of Sacraments as means of Conveying such Grace and Assistance and also as Oaths and Obligations upon us to be Obedient to those Laws All which are the Priviledges that do belong to the Members of Christ's Visible Church And if we compare 'em with what others want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members thereof and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to And consider'd in themselves they are most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws and in order to a Holy and Good Life I. â—lick Orâ—ances the â—viledge of â—ry Memâ— of Christ's â—rch First I say All these foremention'd Priviledges do belong to the Members of Christ's Church to such as have been Baptized and profess themselves to be Christians To understand which Rights and Priviledges the better you must know that as there are Two sorts of Members in the visible Church so there are Two kinds of Priviledges that belong to each sort as One rightly states this Matter each having those Priviledges which are proper and peculiar to 'em according to the relation they bear to the Head and their Fellow-members First There are Members only by Foederal or Covenant Holiness such are only Born of Water when by Baptism they are United to Christ and the Church and took upon them the Profession and Practice of the Christian Religion Now the Priviledges that do belong to these are of the same make with their Church-Membership Outward and consisting only in outward and publick Communion with the Church in Word and Ordinances Secondly There are Members by Real and Inherent Holiness such as are not only Born of Water but of the Spirit also when by the inward Operation of the Holy Ghost their Souls are Renew'd after the Image of God and made Partakers of a Divine Nature And the Priviledges that do belong to these are not only the foremention'd Ones but together with them others that are suitable to their more spiritual Relations Inward and such as consist in the special and particular Care and Protection of God and in the more plentiful Measures of his Grace and in the more sensible Comforts of his Holy Spirit according to that of our Saviour Mat. 25.29 Vnto every One that hath or Improveth those Talents of Grace he has received shall be given and he shall have abundance So that these latter and more peculiar Priviledges indeed do not belong to every Member of the visible Church but to those only who are sincere in their Profession of Christianity and who by their more than ordinary Piety are become Dear to God But then as to Outward Priviledges it is not only the Duty but it is the Priviledge which of Right belongs to Every Member of Christ's Church to Observe the Lord's Day to be Present in the Publick Assemblies to Join in the Common Prayers and even to Partake when of Age of the Lord's Supper So we find Acts 2.41 42. That the whole Three Thousand Souls who received the Word and were Baptized continued stedfastly in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers True it is such is that more than ordinary Regard that the Church of Christ has for the Lord's Supper that most solemn Ordinance in the Christian Religion that when any Member becomes Scandalous for
any Sin he is to be Suspended from Communion in that till he amends Scandalous Members to be suspended from the Lord's Supper So it is order'd in the Rubrick before the Communion Service that if any be an open and notorious Evil-Liver so that the Congregation be thereby Offended The Curate having Knowledge thereof shall Call him and Advertise him that in any-wise he presume not to come to the Lord's Table until he hath openly declared himself to have truly Repented and Amended his former Naughty Life that the Congregation may thereby be saisfy'd which before were Offended And the same Order shall the Curate use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Hatred to reign not suffering them to be Partakers at the Lord's Table till he Knows them to be Reconciled But otherwise till a Member become Notorious and Scandalous for his Evil Principles or Practices he may claim the Right to be Admitted to the Lord's Supper for even Judas himself before he Betray'd our Saviour did Partake with him at the first Institution of the Supper as you will find Matth. 26.25 26. So that as to the Outward Institutions and Ordinances of Christ they are Priviledges you see that do belong to all the Members of Christ's Church to all such as have been Baptized and Profess themselves to be Christians And now Secondly If we compare but these Outward Priviledges of God's Holy Ordinances with what others do want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members of Christ's Church and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to I. Christian Ordinances are a singular Favour which Aliens and Vnbelievers do not nor have any Right to enjoy For alas The Infidel part of the World whether Jews Turks or Pagans have none of these Divine Ordinances amongst ' em They neither Know the Lord's Day nor Hold any Assemblies thereon for the Instruction in his Laws neither do they Profess Belief in nor Pray to the One True God Father Son and Holy Ghost and they are utter Strangers to our Holy Mysteries And hence it comes to pass that those miserable People continue still in Blindness Ignorance and Barbarity remain perfect Slaves to Satan and their own Brutish Lusts and for the most part of 'em are degenerated into such Inhumanity Cruelty and Brutality that Tygers Wolves and Vipers the most Devouring and Venemous Creatures in the World are not so mischeivous to Mankind as that Part thereof who either know not or contemn God's Holy Ordinances are one to another So true it is what Solomon has Observ'd Prov. 29.18 that Where there is no Vision or no Word and Ordinances of Divine Revelation the People perish Which brings me Lastly To consider What excellent Priviledges they are in themselves II. They are excellent Advantages consider'd in themselves And that they are upon Two accounts First As being most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws Secondly As being exceedingly comfortable to those who Enjoy ' em I. â—onducing â—htowards 〈◊〉 Edificaâ— And First Divine Ordinances are most Excellent Priviledges as being most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws and in order to a Holy and Good Life For why In these Holy Ordinances we have all the Means both Outward and Inward afforded for our Conversion As to the Outward you have the very Scriptures themselves the Body of those Holy Laws publickly Proclaim'd and Read out to you the Scripture it self I say Which was given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. In these Holy Ordinances again you are not left to the Deceits and Whispers of a private Spirit but you have the Doctrine of the Church collected into a Form of sound Words and containing all that is necessary whether as to Faith or that Love which is in Christ Jesus or which is required in the Christian Religion 2 Tim. 1.13 You have this Collected I say partly by the Apostle's themselves and partly by others the wisest and best Divines out of the Holy Scriptures and propos'd to you as a Rule to walk by And moreover you have the Ministers of Christ constantly Applying both to your direction The Ministers of Christ I say who as his Ambassadors do Pray you in Christ's stead to be Reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Again In these Holy Ordinances you do not wrestle with God for his Mercies in the strength only of your own private Prayers but you have your Devotions mingled with the concurrent Prayers of all God's People and so by your joint Forces after an humble but powerful manner do Besiege Heaven for the joint and united Prayers of Christians have above all others the Promise of a Gracious Answer Matth. 18.20 Our Saviour assuring us there that Where Two or Three are gather'd together in his Name there he will be in the midst of them And lastly You receive herein from the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ that Food which is necessary to the Nourishment of the Soul as Meat is to the Strength of the Body the same Blessed Saviour of the World assuring us as you will see John 6.55 and the 63. compar'd together that His Flesh is Meat indeed and that his Blood is Drink indeed And then as to the Inward Means of performing God's Laws viz. The Grace and Assistance of his Holy Spirit this as it is absolutely necessary to enable our Weakness in this our faln State so it is no otherwise to be expected than in the Use and Ministry of Divine Ordinances as shall be presently seen In a word The outward Ordinances and Institutions of the Gospel together with the Holy Spirit accompanying them are the only ordinary Means of Conversion Some may pretend to be above Ordinances but Experience tells us that accordingly as Men do slight and neglect 'em accordingly do they decay in Grace and Vertue and when once they begin wholly to lay them aside they become perfectly Graceless and are given up to a Reprobate Mind as is daily seeni in such as make nothing of Profaning the Lord's Day and do totally lay aside Prayers and Sacraments â—ost comâ—ble to Souls of those who enjoy them Secondly And they are not more Profitable and Edifying than they are Comfortabler to the Spirits of all Pious Souls who Enjoy ' em Holy David was a most eminent Instance of this My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42.2 See what earnest Longings he had for the publick Service And I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord Psal 122.1 And Psal 65.4 he expresses his sense of this Matter thus Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to