the Inquisition and Judicature of Conscience Wealth and Wickedness harden them against the most serious Counsels the most solemn Reproofs and ardent Exhortations they are blind to the Sun and deaf to Thunder but a sharp Affliction clears the Eyes unlocks the Ears opens the Heart and pricks the tender Vein The awaken'd Penitent will make an exact search to find out the Achan the troubler of the Soul and the special Sin is so in the interpretation of the vigilant and afflicted Conscience The bitter remembrance of that Sin is answerable to its Guilt the more it was indulg'd the more the Law of God was despis'd the more it wounds the Spirit when the Pleasure is past nothing remains but the Sting and Poison Joseph's Brethren who so long had been insensible of their treacherous selling him to Bondage and Misery yet in their Fears Conscience remembers it with aggravations of their unnatural Cruelty And they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Lastly Consider the several kinds of Sins to find out your own some are of Omission some of Commission some are Spiritual and Inward some are Carnal and acted with Noise and Notice some distinctly flow from visible Causes some spring from an unsuspected Fountain There are many of a civil compos'd Conversation who are careless of spiritual Duties of holy Communion with God by raised solemn Thoughts and ardent desires of watchfulness over their Hearts to regulate their Aims and Affections by the pure Law and are insensible of their Neglect and Guilt The unrenewed Nature has a strong reluctance against spiritual Duties Many are righteous to Men and unrighteous towards God they do not pay those Duties that are indispensibly required from reasonable Creatures to the blessed Creator the highest Love for his Perfections and Benefits an obedient respect to his Commands in their Actions a resigned submission to his Will and Wisdom an entire trust in his fatherly Providence and zeal for his Glory Many rob him of that Time that is consecrated to his Service the Lord's Day though 't is our Priviledg as well as Duty to keep it Holy when the Publick Worship is at an end as if the remainder were unsanctified they wretchedly waste in complemental Visits in civil Matters in Discourses impertinent to the solemn Work of it Many who are diligent to provide for their Families yet are as bad as Infidels in neglecting to instruct their Children and Servants in the saving Doctrine of the Gospel to command them to be circumspect in their Ways to set before them a living Pattern of Holiness and carelesly suffer their precious Souls to perish for ever How many who are not guilty of open rebellious Sins against the Law yet neglect the great indispensible Duty of the Gospel an humble unfeigned entire closing with Christ as their Prince and Saviour They presume upon their moral Vertues of the safety and goodness of their Condition they never had a feeling sense of their want of the imputed Righteousness of Christ to reconcile them to God nor of the Holy Spirit to make them partakers of the Divine Nature as if only the Prophane Riotous notorious Sinners had need of his most precious Merits and Mediation to abolish their Guilt and save them from Hell and of the Holy Spirit to sanctify them From hence it is that many civil Persons remain in an unrenewed State and are the natural Subjects of Satan and die in their Sins Some are regular in a course of Religious Duties they pray hear the Word receive the Sacrament but without those Holy Affections that are the Life of Religious Duties yet content themselves with the external bodily Service which is neither pleasing to God nor profitable to their Souls Some cherish a secret Pride that they are not so bad as others some a vain presumption of the Divine Favour because they serve God in a purer way of Worship than others when they neglect substantial Religion that recommends us to his gracious Eye Some will severely reflect upon the visible Sins of others whilst there is an unperceiv'd consumption of the spiritual Life in themselves This may seem to proceed from the hatred of Sin when the real inward Motive is to quiet Conscience by an appearance of Zeal against Sin and make it inobservant of their inward voluntary Defects The most excellent Things may be counterfeit Satan may transform himself into an Angel of Light sinful Affections may be varnish'd and gilded so as to be mistaken for Divine Graces Briefly the Heart is an everlasting Deceiver and without a perpetual watchfulness we are in danger of close Corruptions that will blast our Sincerity To find out our Sin 't is requisite to search where we may think there is little reason to expect the finding it 2. I will now consider what the preserving himself from his peculiar Sin implies 1. An abstaining from the practice of that Sin. When David had an opportunity to destroy Saul his unrighteous and implacable Enemy and secure himself when excited to it by Abishai who would have dispatch'd him at a Blow yet he rejected the Temptation with abhorrence The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed thus he preserv'd his Innocence and Integrity Our Saviour tells us He that commits Sin is a Servant of Sin an indulgent course of Sin denominates a Person a Slave of Sin and a Rebel against God and is utterly inconsistent with Sincerity 'T is true an upright Man may fall by suddain surreption by an insinuating Infirmity into a foul Sin from which he has a setled aversation and keeps himself in the general Course of his Life and that single Act of Sin is a blemish of his Integrity but retracted by a speedy Repentance does not denominate him a Hypocrite One may be pale from an accidental surprize by fear or red through a suddain flush of Blood from Anger yet not be so by Complexion for the Complexions Pale and Sanguine are drawn by the Pencil of Nature the lively Characters of the predominant Humours and are usually visible in the Countenance But although an upright Person keeps himself from the gross Acts of Sins that are clearly against natural Conscience and supernatural Grace yet whilst we are cloth'd with Flesh the Body of Sin does not finally expire and Temptations are as importunate as Flys about us from whom the Tempter has his Title that 't is morally impossible to be absolutely undefiled therefore Uprightness requires that we should carefully consider our weak side what Passions we are most inclinable to by our Temper and so diligently fortify our selves against them that they may not have dominion over us and though we cannot arrive yet we may advance towards the compleat conquest of Sin. And in our endeavours against the Sins to
GULIELMUS BATESIUS S. S. Theol Prof. Aetat 62 Nov 1687. Sold by N. Ranew I. Robinson 1688. THE SURE TRIAL OF Uprightness Open'd in several SERMONS Upon PSAL. xviii v. 23. I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine Iniquity By WILLIAM BATES D. D. LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1689. The PREFACE 'T IS the blessed Priviledg obtain'd by our Saviour for his People that sincere though imperfect Sanctification is graciously accepted of God the Judg of all This sincere Holiness is strictly and indispensably requir'd by the Law of Faith in the hand of the Mediator Without it we cannot partake of the Treasures of Mercy and of Glory that are reveal'd in the Gospel 'T is therefore a matter that infinitely concerns us both in respect of our present Peace and future Blessedness to make a true discovery of our Uprightness And usually all the Fears and Inquiries about our Spiritual State issue in this whether we are upright or not The assurance of our Uprightness is a Fountain of Relief in all perplexing Jealousies about the Favour of God for notwithstanding our Defects he will spare us as a Father spares his Son that serves him This great Question of our sincerity may be clear'd by a due observing our Hearts and Ways for Conscience is an inseparable Faculty of the Soul and even in the Heathen accus'd or excus'd as their Actions were exorbitant or regular according to the internal Law and consequently gave testimonies of their wickedness or moral Integrity The Scripture indeed tell us The Heart of Man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it But this primarily respects the discerning it by others as the Apostle saith Who knows the things of a Man save the Spirit of a Man which is in him There may be the affectation of the name of Religion joyn'd with a disaffection to the thing there may be solemn Formality without cordial Godliness an acting of Piety and personating Devotion for vile Ends. But though the impure Artist under a Vail of Hypocrisy may be conceal'd from others yet he is not from the conviction of his own Mind I shall add further that many from ignorance or carelesness may presume they are in a State of Salvation when they are in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity There are many carnal Shifts made use of to palliate the evil condition of Mens Souls but their Security proceeds from the neglect of due examining their Hearts and Lives It will be a vain excuse at the last Day to plead the Serpent beguil'd me for 't is not meerly our deceivableness but willingness to be deceiv'd that exposes us to mistake our spiritual Condition by the insinuations of Satan As the wise Philosopher observes A Man is the first and principal Flatterer of himself and therefore apt to be deceived by other Flatterers But if we take the Candle of the Lord and impartially search our selves though the Heart be such a dark Labyrinth that every secret turning cannot be discovered though all the Deflections and Errors of our Ways cannot be exactly known yet we may understand the habitual frame of our Hearts and the course of our Lives 'T is the End of the following Sermons to direct Men in the discussion of Conscience that they may not from an erring Mind and corrupt Heart deceive themselves in a Matter that so nearly concerns them and incur the double Punishment in proportion to their Guilt as our Saviour foretells When the Blind lead the Blind both fall into the Ditch Many useful Rules are laid down by Divines whereby true Grace may be discern'd from Counterfeit but the plainest Trial and Level to the perception of the lowest Christian is Whether there be a sincere respect to all God's Commands without the reservation of any known Sin how pleasant soever to the carnal Appetites or the exception against any known Duty that is displeasing to them If Men would retire from the Vanities and Business of the World into themselves and search their Spirits with that seriousness that is due to so weighty a Matter if with a resolution to know the State of their Souls if Conscience were inquisitive as under God's Eye that has a full prospect into every Breast they might have an inward Testimony of their Sincerity or Deceitfulness The Apostle refers the decision of our State with respect to God to the Testimony of the enlightned Conscience If our Hearts condemn us not of any habitual indulged Sin then we have peace towards God. If our Hearts condemn us God is greater than our Hearts and knows all things From the neglect of trying themselves many live in a Cloud of Delusion and from inward Darkness pass to outer Darkness for ever The sure Trial of UPRIGHTNESS PSAL. xviii 23. I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine Iniquity THE Title of this Psalm declares the Occasion of it David spake unto the Lord the words of this Song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his Enemies and from the hand of Saul 'T is a clear Evidence of his Heavenly Mind that after his Victories and Triumphs when his Throne was establish'd in Peace he recounts the signal Acts of Divine Providence with holy Extasies of Praise and Thankfulness and leaves an everlasting Memorial of God's excellent Goodness to him Carnal Persons in Extremities may be ardent in Requests for Deliverance but when 't is obtain'd they retain but a cold remembrance of God's preserving Mercy nay they often pervert his Benefits the affluence and ease and security of their Condition occasions the ungrateful forgetfulness of their Benefactor Self-love kindles desires for what we want the Love of God inspires a holy Heat in Praises for what we enjoy In the Psalm the inspir'd Composer displays the Divine Perfections in lofty Figures of Speech suitable to Sacred Poesy and in a relative endearing Way as manifested in his Preservation He attributes such Titles to God as are significant of the Benefits he received Sometimes God discovers the crafty and cruel Designs that are form'd against his People his Eye saves them and he is stil'd their Light Sometimes he breaks the strength of their Enemies his Hand and Power saves them he is stil'd their Defence Here the Psalmist with exuberant Affections multiplies the Divine Titles The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer my Shield and my high Tower and my Refuge and my Salvation A Rock is a Natural a Tower an Artificial Defence both are used to express the safe Protection he found in God. He then sets forth the extremity of his Danger to add a Luster to the Name of his Preserver The Waves of Death compassed me the Floods of ungodly Men made me afraid His ruin was imminent and seem'd to be inevitable But in that distress his servent Prayer his crying to God
Works In two Volumes in Folio Viz. On the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew The 17th of St. John. On the 6th and 8th Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans On the 5th Chapter of the 2d to the Corinthians And on the 11th to the Hebrews With a Treatise of the Life of Faith and Self-Denial With several other Sermons His Treatise on the Lord's Prayer In 8o. Dr. Bates's Works Viz. The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the Contrivance and Accomplishment of our Redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ. Or Discourses wherein is shewed how the Wisdom Mercy Justice Holiness Power and Truth of God are glorified in that Great and Blessed Work. His three Sermons at the Funerals of Dr. Jacomb Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Ashurst Mr. Pearse's Preparation for Death His Best Match Or the Soul's Espousal to Christ. Last Legacy Or Beam of Divine Glory c. 12o. Catechism made Practical The Christian Instructed I. In the Principles of the Christian Religion Positively in the Shorter Catechism II. In what he is to Refuse and what to Hold Fast in the Greatest Points of Controversy and how to Confute Errors and to Defend the Truth III. In the practice of several Duties Viz. 1. The Practical Improvement of the Holy Trinity 2. Baptism 3. Prayer And 4. Preparation for the Lord's Supper 12o. An Explanation of the Assembly's shorter Catechism Price 6d Mr. Case's Treatise of Afflictions The Epitome of the Bible in English Verse useful for Children price 6 d. Bound A Present for Children Being a Brief but faithful Account of many Remarkable and Excellent Things uttered by three young Children to the wonder of all that heard them To which is added A Seasonable Exhortation to Parents for the Education of their Children Published by William Bidbanck M. A. Price 6. d. Bound The Sacred Diary Or Select Meditations for every Part of the Day and the Employments thereof By William Gearing Rector of Christ-Church in Surry The Barren Fig-tree Or The Doom and Downfal of the Fruitless Professor By John Bunyan A new System of the Apocalyps or plain and methodical Illustrations of all the Visions in the Revelation of St. John. Written by a French Minister in the Year 1685 and finished but two days before the Dragoons plundred him of all except this Treatise Murmurers Reproved In a Sermon lately preached by Mr. Hopkins England's Call to Thankfulness for Her great Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Power by the glorious Conduct of the Prince of Orange now King of England in the Year 1688. In a Sermon preach'd in the Parish Church of Almer in Dorsetshire Feb. 14. 1689. By John Olliffe The Easiness and Difficulty of the Christian Religion In a Sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London at their Guild-hall Chappel on Sunday May 26. 1689. By Isaac Bringhurst D. D. Rector of Toddinton in Bedfordshire Plut. de adul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plâ—â— * Quaeris tu rationem ego expavesco altitudinem Tu ratiocinare ego miror Aug. Serm. 7. de verb. Apost * Stultus omnia vitia habet sed non in omnia natura pronus est omnia in omnibus sunt sed non omnia in singulis extant Omnia in omnibus insunt sed in quibusdam singula eminent Senec. de benef L. 4. * Sunt tam civitatum quam singulorum hominum mores gentes aliae iracundae aliae audaces quaedam timidae quaedam in vinum recuerem pro niores Liv. Hist. L. 45. 1. John 2. * Istae voluptates duae gustûs tactûs solae sunt hominibus communes cum bestiis ideo in pecudum numero habetur quisquis est his serinis voluptatibus praevinctus Aul. Gil. †â—aereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper Eccles. 11. Conversis studiis aetas animusque virilis Quaerit opes amicitias inservit honori In frigidis semibus vehementius inardescit Ad ulteriora noscenda Gal. 5. Jam. 1. Habet enim multitudo vim quandam talem utquemadmodum tibicen sine tibiis canere orator sine multitudine audiente eloquens esse non possit Cicer. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. 1 Cor. 9. 11. * Pravitas â—â—â—tuminum ad similitudinem sui vitem configurat Columel L. 4. Aves male existimare de tabula noÌ„ ad volaturas si puer similis esset Plin. lib. 35. 1 Cor. 7. 35. Gen. 13. Prov. 30. 8 9. Serpunt vitia in proximum quemque transiliunt contactu nocent Psalm 1. Definitio brevis vera virtutis ordo est amoris Rom. 13. 1. Ezek. 33. 31. Jer. 23. 11. * Pompeio candida fascia crus alligatum habenti dictum fuit non refert in qua parte corporis sit diadema Aul. Gell. * Vitia nobis sub virtutum nomine obrepunt Temeritas sub titulo fortitudinis latet Moderatio vocatur ignavia pro cauto timidus accipitur In his magno periculo erratur Senec. Fallit enim vitium specie virtutis umbra Juven 14 Sat. * Hoc equae omnium est vitia sua excusare malint quam effugere Senec. Epist. 50 Per omnem saevitiam libidinem Jus regium servili ingenio exercuit Tacit. Lib. 5. Hist. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3. 20. 1 Sam. 26. 11. John 8. Jam. 4. 8. Latro est etiamantequam inquiret manus fecit enim quisquis quantum voluit Senec. Job 33. Amari licet potiri non licet Gen. 22. 12. Psal. 37. 37. Job 31. 4 5 6 7. Victorque Medusae victus in Andromeda Manil. Hosea 41. 1 Kings 8. 38. Putant se â—acere quod praeceptum est dicunt enim rapereres alienas Mamona est iniquitatis erogare inde aliquid maxime egentibus sanctis hoc est facere amicos de Mammona Iniquitatis Intellectus iste corrigendus est imo de tabulis cordisdelendus est Noli talem pingere Deum Aug. Ser. 25. de Verb. Dom. 2 Chron. 15. 17. Psal. 125. 4. Nec bonus quisque nec malus dici debeat nec esse valeat nisi volens John 7. 19. John 19. 39. Act. 19. 19 20. Terribilis contra sugaces haec bestia fugax contra sequentes Plin. In uno Mithridate infinitos hostes periisse rati Flor. 1 Sam. 17. 37. Isa. 51. 9 Prov. 15. 10. Psal. 84. Prov. 16. 32. Magis extra vitia quam cum virtutibus Tacit. Lib. 1. de Claudio 1 Pet. 4. Psal. 97. 11. Isa. 38. 3. Mat. 5. Mark 9. Et hoc ipsum argumentum est in melius translati animi quod vitia suaquam adhuc ignorabat videt Senec. Epist. 6. Ea maxime quisque petitur qua patet Senec. Numb 31. 16. Arma ego femineis animum motura virilem mercibus inservi Ovid. 1 Pet. 5. 8. * Multa sunt observanda pugnantibus si quidem nulla est negligentiae venia ubi de salute certatur Veget. Eripiuâ— omnes animo sine vulnere vires Haec sunt jucumdi causacibusque mali Ovid. Prov. 1. 17. Psal. 119. 106. Omnia vitia penitus insidunt nisi dum surgunt oppressa sint vehementius contra inveterata pugnandum est nam vulnerum sanitas facilior est dum à sanguine recentia sunt ubi corrupta in malum necus sâ— verterunt difficilius curan tur Senec. ad Marc. Pars sanitatis velle sanari fuit Ita est paucos servitus plures Servitutem teneant Senec. Epist. 21. 2 Chron. 20. Psal. 143. 3. Eph. 4. 8. Psal. 68. Acts 5.