the Lord What Promises more inviting and encouraging than those he hath given us which are exceeding great and precious Where if any one can let him tell us where we shall see Sin so clearly and fully in its deformity and ugliness in order to a real and thorow aversation from it or Religion Godliness and a Conversation order'd aright more in it's loveliness and enamouring beauty in order to our setting our Hearts upon it than we do or at least may see it in the Gospel When all is said and done that can be it is the Grace of God Tit. 2.14 The Doctrine the Gospel of Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all men Jews and Gentiles men of all sorts and ranks it is that yea it is that which teacheth us and all thâ—t sit under it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Oh therefore that this precious and everlasting Gospel of God our Saviour may be the main object of Ministers study and the Principal Theme upon which they insist in their several Congregations therein imitating the great Apostle of the Gentiles who told the Corinthians He determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified But this is not all Ministers ought not only to preach Christ but likewise to live him What good are those pretended Ministers like to do in whatever Place Countrey or Nation they are to be found who are scandalous and prophane Grant that some of them preach well I would fain know whether that be enough either to save themselves or those that hear them What such men seem to build up by their Doctrine they pull down by their Practice Let any rational man judge whether they are like to convince and perswade others who do lead self-contradicting lives How can they prevail with others to be sober who will sit and quaffe and be drunk themselves With what face can they perswade others to possess their vessels in Sanctification and Honour who are unclean and filthy themselves In short how are they like to lead others in the way everlasting who do themselves turn aside to crooked paths with the workers of Iniquity Oh that therefore care might be taken by all those who are invested with Power and have the oversight of such things as these that those and none but those may be set as spiritual Guides and Leaders over the several Flocks and Congregations in the Land as may without blushing say to their hearers Walk so as ye have us for an Example and be ye Followers of us even as we are of Christ Tenthly and Lastly In order to the effectual Suppression of prophaneness I would and do heartily commend to all those that are in Authority over us diligent yea and utmost care for the strict observation of the first day of the Week which is in Rev. 1.10 Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day and ought to be kept as the Christian Sabbath to the end of time A day sanctified and set apart for the solemn publick and private worship of God both in Churches Families and Retirements and for a sweet close and intimate Communion with him while we are deliver'd and taken off from those secular affairs that upon the other days of the Week do necessarily engage us and cannot but divert us A day not to be spent in any thing no not any the most minute part of it but the duties of Religion and works of Godliness except those works of Necessity and Mercy which God out of his Goodness and Pity to man doth allow for he will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice so that when Acts of Mercy are of absolute Necessity Sacrifice shall give place to it This is a day which God hath seen fit to usher in with a Memento in the fourth Commandment Remember that thou keep Holy the Sabbath day As if the Lord should have said I know your frailty that you have slippery and treacherous memories and possibly may yea certainly will forget some nay many other things in which you are concerned but let this be fastened as a nail in a sure place be sure to think of this to be mindful of this I charge and command you to remember it Remember the Sabbath day before it comes so as to rejoice in the thoughts of it to long for it and to prepare for it that upon the day of Praise you may have on your Garments of Praise Souls in a right frame and remember to sanctifie and keep it Holy when it is come We find the Sabbath was given unto Israel for a sign between God and them So you have it in Ezek. 20.12 I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them By this they were distinguished from all other Nations These were a plain and evident proof that they were the Lords People and that Jehovah was their God This did loudly proclaim Gods choosing and calling them out from the rest of the World and gracious setting them apart for himself as his peculiar Portion and Inheritance And indeed where there is no care of sanctifying the Sabbath by Nations Families or Persons it is a plain case it amounts to a demonstration that they are unsanctified Nations Families and Persons It is an evident sign of a people estranged and alienated from the Life of God of a wicked people that savour not the things of God but only those things that be of men of a People that have not the fear of God before their Eyes that are not carried out in desires of honouring him and lifting up his Name or of enjoying Communion with him in the World To prophane Sabbaths is a very great and notorious piece of prophaneness Sins willfully and out of choice committed upon a Sabbath are Sins in grain Scarlet and Crimson-sins To mind worldly Affairs to sit brooding upon worldly Thoughts to follow the Trades and Callings of the World to open Shops and buy and sell upon a Sabbath-day are God-provoking Sins acts of prophaneness These are lawful upon other days in which God hath given you leave nay more he hath made it your Duty to labour and do all that you have to do of this Nature but they are very sinful upon the Sabbath Let me propound Nehemiah to the Consideration of Magistrates and Inferiour Officers and his care and activity in this point as an example richly worth their Imitation Take the account of him as it is drawn up by himself in Neh. 13.15 c. He saw some treading Wine-presses upon the Sabbath-day and bringing in Sheaves and lading Asses as also Wine Grapes and Figs all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem upon the Sabbath-day the men of Tyre also dwelt there who brought Fish and all manner of wares and sold on the Sabbath to the Children of Judah and in Jerusalem This was exceeding evil
and before God who feedeth them with Christ the Bread of Life especially every Sabbath day Were this or some such course taken from week to week would not this hook into your practice all the great Duties of Religion And so you would give a good account of your hearing but 3. My third Direction is this Do not only satisfie your selves but carry on your enquiry that it may thrô grace satisfie Christ My Text is a question proposed by Christ and to him must we give our answer You may give a plausible account to Ministers but 'pray ' remember you must give an account to Christ You may by leading questions mislead Ministers as persons that go to Law do their Lawyers and they lose their Cause by it but when by studied Hypocrisie you mislead Ministers to gratifie you with a mistaken judgment you lose your Souls by it 'T is Christ that asks the question not to be informed by you for he knows what is in man better than they themselves Christ would have you to be plain-hearted and ingenuous that wherein you see cause to complain he may help you When the trembling Soul after the hearing of such Ministers as would undeceive them is like Jeremy for his peoples being deceived by false Prophets (u) Jer. 23. ◠My heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom wine hath overcome because of the Lord and because of the words of his Holiness q. d. Fear and trembling takes hold of me I am ashamed I am at my Wits end the word of God calls for so much Holiness and I have so little Thou enquirest Lord what I hear for I dare not say that my intentions and ends are so serious as they should be I am afraid to own any thing that is good Christ in a way of compassion is ready to encourage such a Soul Canst thou but sincerely say thou comest to meet Christ and to learn of Christ Jesus Christ welcomes such to him and they may answer him with comfort Under this head consider 1. Christ asks thee here in this World that thou mayst now be able to give such an answer as thou mayst stand by at the last day when there will be neither Hopes nor Time to rectifie it if it be insufficient 'T is in this something like our Pleadings in Courts of Judicature we must put in our Plea and stand to it Thou knowest Lord there is through Grace something of sincerity but for any thing else do thou Lord answe◠for me 'Pray ' mark this when once the Soul can bring the question back again to Christ thus Thou askest me what I come for Lord I come for thee to answer for me I can't satisfie my own Conscience 't is ready to fly in my Face much less can I satisfie my Jealous Master unless tho◠compassionately answer for me Lord thou usest to answer for thine own May we then suppose Christ thus to enquire Who shall lay any thing to the charge of any one who sincerely comes to wait for me in mine Ordinances Can we suppose any one to be so daring as to perk up and say I charge all these to be a company of proud conceited Hypocrites they 'll needs be wiser than their Neighbours they spend their time in running up and down to hear Sermons Christ doth as it were answer Dost thou make this a Crime What he did 't was out of Love to me and Obedience to me He hath chosen that good (w) Luk. 10.42 part which shall not be taken away from him and for you who are so ready to accuse others and excuse your selves for slighting or ill managing all the means offered for your Salvation (x) Mat. 22.13 Bind him hand and foot that he may make no resistance take him away that he may neither make an escape nor have any hopes of Mercy and cast him into outer darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth 2. If you do not give Christ an answer which he will accept of 't is in vain to expect relief from any other If the Father be offended Christ interposeth himself bears the wrath of God and prevents it from us Christ is the days-man between God and us If the Spirit be grieved by our quenching his motions and striving against his striving with us to hear and obey the Lord Jesus provided that rise not to THE Sin against the Holy Ghost which the greatest part of trembling Christians often fear they have committed though by the way let me tell them that their fear they have committed it yields them sufficient assurance they have not committed it for this sin is always attended with such hardness of Heart that they sin without remorse So that while the Spirit overcomes their resistances and prevails with them to comply with Christ through Christ their sins against the Spirit shall be pardoned But (y) Exod. 23.20 21. when the Angel of the Covenant Jesus Christ was promised to be sent before the Israelites in the Wilderness to keep them in the way and to bring them into the place prepared for them they are expresly charged to beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions but severely punish them Not that sins against Christ shall never be pardoned though repented of but to keep us from adventuring upon sin as if it should easily be pardoned whereas the Apostle tells us (z) Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin i. e. Those that reject and renounce Christs Sacrifice for sin there 's no other Sacrifice can atone God for them I grant that this Text chiefly concerns the unpardonable sin But I pray you consider those that do not make it the main business of their Lives to give Christ such an account as he will accept of what improvement they have made of his Word if they live and dye in that neglect they shall as certainly perish as they who commit the sin against the Holy Ghost There are but very few can commit that sin but an incredible number commit this without considering the danger of it Now Christians is your time to make up such an account as you must stand or fall by to Eternity Oh that I had but one Minutes such conception of Eternity as 't is possible to be had in this World I reckon 't would influence my whole Life Christs Sentence at last will be according to 〈◊〉 account we give him here and if his Sentence ben't as you would have it there will be no altering of it Your Repentance then will be no small part of your Torment Object I can't think that Christ will be so sharp and severe This affrights me more than any thing This is the most terrible Consideration that ever I heard I expected relief from Christ at last and that Christ should hear me at my
darkness When our Saviour tells us of some that are made two times more the Children of Hell than others Matth. 23.15 and of some that shall be beaten with few stripes and others with many stripes Luke 12.47 48. it shews there are degrees of punishment in the state of Damnation Some have question'd whether there will be degrees of Glory to the Saints in Heaven but none but believe there will be degrees of Torment in Hell some more some less tolerable But neither this shall I insist upon In the day of Judgment there will be a distribution of Sinners punishments Note 3 according to the exact Rules of Justice Why else shall it be more tolerable for some sinners than others As Grace and Mercy will distribute the Rewards to the Saints so Justice Punishment to the Wicked So that nothing will be added above what is due and nothing abated of what is due not one stripe inflicted nor one diminish't of what Justice shall determine By him actions are weighed saith Hannah in her Song 1 Sam. 2.3 Bad actions as well as good and the sinfulness of them known to a grain and the heavier Sin shall have the heavier Judgment Neither this do I insist upon Christ's saying is sufficient ground for our believing But I say unto Note 4 you It shall be more tolerable c. He adds no more by way of proof his saying it is enough How often do we find in the Gospel these words Verily I say unto you and sometimes Verily verily I say unto you or Amen Amen and is himself call'd the Amen We owe this deference to him as to believe him upon his naked Word If an ipse dixit pass'd for a proof in Pythagoras's School much more should it in Christ's Neither will I insist on this Note 5 In the day of Judgment it will be more tolerable for Sodom than Capernaum And this will lead me to discourse of these two Cities literally and from thence to speak of the Case proposed more at large and generally These two Cities may be considered under a threefold distinction 1. Nominal The one is call'd Sodom in the Hebrew Sedom or Sedomah sometimes we read of the Land of Sodom or the Sodomites and then it comprehends Gomorrah which is often mention'd with it as Isai 1.9 Matth. 10.15 c. And Admah and Zeboim and Bela also may be meant by the Land of Sodom and the Cities of the Plain Gen. 19.25 And the other City is call'd Capernaum which signifies in Hebrew A Field of Consolation or a pleasant Field As Sodom hath its Name from a word that denotes Secrecy or Coetus Consultantium Gen. 49.6 But I shall not Criticize upon Names 2. Local Sodom was on the East of Canaan in the Plain of Jordan which Lot chose at his parting from Abraham and he is said to journey to the East Gen. 13.11 and was a pleasant and fruitful Plain and as the Garden of the Lord till it was destroy'd from Heaven v. 10. But Capernaum was on the North or North-west of the Land of Judah 3. Moral Both were sinful Cities but their sins of a distinct kind The sins of Sodom were sins against the Law more directly and against the Light of Nature and of the highest scandal but Capernaum's sins were more against the New Light of the Gospel breaking forth upon them from Christ's Ministry and the mighty Works whereby his Doctrine was confirmed among them Now Christ considering both these Cities and the sin of both gives the decision in the Text That it will be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom than Capernaum in the day of Judgment And may not this seem strange and amazing Sodom was a City that was wicked to a Prodigy and to a Proverb It 's said Gen. 13.13 That the men of Sodom were sinners and wicked before the Lord exceedingly And impudency in sin is called a declaring their sin like Sodom Isai 3.9 And they are to me like Sodom saith God speaking of the sin of the Jews Jer. 23.14 And wicked Rulers are called Rulers of Sodom Isai 1.10 Whereupon Lot is said to vex his righteous Soul with their unlawful Deeds 2 Pet. 2.8 And there is a sin not fit to be mention'd call'd by the name of Sodomy so denominated from the place Yet notwithstanding all this it will be more tolerable for Sodom than Capernaum in the day of Judgment Capernaum was lifted up to Heaven by many favours and priviledges which were not vouchsafed to Sodom had means of knowing the Saviour of the World and the way of Salvation above what Sodom had had Christ himself the Son of God present preaching and doing many wonderful Works in it which Sodom never had Many things are recorded in the Evangelists about this Capernaum and its Priviledges above most Cities It 's said that Christ dwelt here Matth. 4.13 Here he heal'd the Centurion's servant by a word from his mouth Matth. 8. Here he healed Peter's Wife's Mother and many that were sick and possest of Devils ibid. And here he heal'd the Paralytick man let down through the Tiles of the House Mark 2.1 2 3 c. And here he cast out the unclean Spirit by a rebuke from his mouth Mark 1.24 Here he wrought the Miracle of the Tribute-money taken out of the mouth of a Fish Matth. 17. Here he entred the Synagogue and taught once and again that they were astonish't at his Doctrine And here he preached that divine and mysterious Sermon about the Bread of life which came down from Heaven and eating the Flesh and drinking the Blood of the Son of Man John 6.59 And this City was so famous for Christ's Miracles that when he came to Nazareth they expected him to do the works there which he had done in Capernaum Luke 4.23 Now when after all this Capernaum did not receive him nor his Doctrine but murmur'd at both John 6.41 and turned not to God by true repentance this was the Sin of that City which will make it more tolerable for Sodom in the day of Judgment than for it But that I might bring my discourse home and closer to our selves and to the case proposed we shall consider these two Cities as Types and Examples of two sorts of Sinners for so it may be supposed our Saviour intended them Sodom as a Type of the Heathen and all that wickedness found among them who have not heard of Christ and Salvation by him and Capernaum a Type of those Sinners who live under the Gospel and have had Christ preached to them and present among them by his Word and Ordinances And so I come to the last Note which will fully answer to the Case proposed That the worst of the Heathen who never had Christ preached to them Note 6 and Salvation offer'd by him shall fare better in the day of Judgment than those that continue impenitent under the Gospel A tremendous Doctrine Sodom is here instanc'd in by our Saviour as being
should attempt to re-build it Vse Last From all that hath been said we may lastly conclude That Sinners that are impenitent have little reason to flatter themselves because of their present impunity Let them consider how it will fare with them in the day of Judgment Christ refers to that in the Text. And those who have Eyes to see afar off will look so far as that day So did Paul 2 Cor. 5.11 Wherefore we strive whether present or absent to be accepted for we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ And hereupon he counted it a small thing to be judged of Men or at Man's day looking to the Judgment to come and that great Day of the Lord 1 Cor. 4.5 6. The fal'n Angels are said to be bound in Chains of Darkness reserved to the Judgment of the great Day and so are impenitent Sinners reserved to that day when notwithstanding their present Impunity they shall then fall under Judgment more intolerable than that of Sodom As a Malefactor that is kept in the Gaol under Bolts and Fetters till the Assize hath little reason to rejoyce in his present freedom from the Sentence of the Judge And this is the case of Sinners Because Sentence is not speedily executed their hearts are fully set to do evil Eccles 8.11 And so I make the Conclusion of this Discourse with that which Solomon makes the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments c. For God will bring every work to Judgment and every secret thing whether Good or Evil. Quest How the uncharitable and dangerous Contentions that are among Professors of the true Religion may be allayed SERMON III. GALAT. V. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another MY Business from this Scripture is to enquire into the Cause the Danger and the Cure of uncharitable Contentions in the Church of God The Holy Apostle Paul having some few Years before planted a Church in Galatia a region in the upper parts of the lesser Asia there soon crept in a sort of false Teachers who contended that the Mosaical Ceremonies in particular that Circumcision was still to be observed even by the believing Gentiles and that the Christians were not justified before God by Faith but by the Works of the Law Which two Errors when he had fully confuted in the former part of this Epistle he Applies in this Chapter and in the Next 1. By way of Exhortation to stand fast in this their Christian Liberty ver 1. which he backs with divers Arguments 2. By way of Direction to use the same aright not for an occasion to the Flesh ver 13. the Works whereof he afterwards reckons up at large but rather that they should by Love serve one another and abound in all Holiness and Goodness which he inlargeth upon in the rest of this Chapter and in the Next This Text in hand lies within the Verge of this latter Vse where the Apostle using their own Weapon the Law whereof they crack'd so much against themselves he roundly tells them that the whole Law to wit the second Table which also hath an inviolable connexion with the first is fulfilled in loving their Neighbour as themselves and so though they were free from the Law of Ceremonies yet not from the Law of Love and though the Moral Law had now no power to justifie the Sinner nor to condemn the Believer yet still it hath the force of a Rule to guide them in that grand Duty as much as ever before These Words then come in as a Motive to press the Galathians to exercise that Charity which he had affirm'd before to be the summe and scope of the whole Law and it is drawn from the Danger of the contrary temper Plain Commands of God should be sufficient to sway us to our Duty but generally we have need of the most powerful Motives especially when the violent streams of Rage Lust or Revenge do oppose it as in the Case â—efore us But if ye bite and devour one anothir take heed that ye be not câ—â—â—â—med one of another In which Words you may see 1. The Sin specified whereof they were suppos'd to be guilty But if ye bite that is reproach and defame one another some violently maintaining these Jewish Ceremonies and others passionately opposing them and devour one another that is tear and oppress each other by all the mischievous Hostilities ye can for religious Feuds are always sharpest 2. Here is the Danger forewarn'd in Case they proceeded therein take heed that ye be not consumed one of another that is you will certainly destroy one another The Division of the Members must issue in the Dissolution of the Body The Decay of your Love will weaken your Faith both parties will rue it ye will be in danger of total ruine Body and Soul here and hereafter Now if we consider these words only in Hypothesi or in Relation to these Persons in the Text they teach us 1. That there were Contentions in the Church of Galatia So that Vnity is no infallible Mark of a true Church Unity may be out of the Church of Christ and Dissention may be within it 2. That many People were Violent in them For the Apostle would scarce have express'd himself in such terms of biting and devouring unless there had been some outragious Carriage among them toward one another 3. That these Contentions were very dangerous to them all They threatned no less than the overthrow of both the contending Parties the consumption of them all But considering the words of the Text in Thesi or Absolutely which we may safely do seeing the same Causes do still produce or at least dispose unto the same Effects we may collect this Conclusion That Vncharitable Contentions do prepare for utter Destruction And here I shall 1. Clear and open the Terms 2. Amplifie and confirm the Truth And 3. Apply and bring home the Influence of this Point unto our selves I. To understand the Subject of this Proposition to wit Vncharitable Contentions we must distinguish 1. Of the Matter of Contentions and they are either of a Civil or of a Spiritual Nature 1. Of a Civil Nature which concern Men in their Lives Liberties Names or Estates And these are either Private or Publick 1. Private Contentions which are about Meum and Tuum and these are troublesome to those which are in the right and damnable to those that are in the wrong and oftentimes ruinous unto both and therefore are by all good means to be prevented or else by all fair and just means to be managed and all fit opportunities are to be watched not so much to obtain a full Victory as a quiet Conclusion lest the Remedy prove as it doth frequently worse than the Disease 2. Publick Contentions which are usually about the Succession Power or Prerogative of Princes and the Liberties or Properties of Subjects And here
in vain and he will not hold thee guiltless for thy Prayers will be turned into sin unto thee Psal 109.12 And yet Pray thou must or thou runnest into a greater Iniquity by neglecting to acknowledge thy dependence upon God thou wilt at least border upon Atheism Oh what a miserable Dilemma does thy wickedness betray thee unto If thou hadst a design to dishonour God thou couldst not more effectually execute it than by saying That thou art his Servant or Child and by sin to disparage him thy Father or Lord and Master As he must needs provoke any great and noble Person who in the Livery of his Servant or Garb of his Child acts filthiness and abominations And as for laying hold on Christ and shrouding of thy self amongst his Retinue calling him thy Husband or professing him to be thy Head what a Monster pardon the expression I tremble to mention it wouldst make him As if he were a Dagon whose head was like a Man but his lower parts like stinking Fish The truth is the pretensions of such unto Salvation would make Scripture a Lye and Christ the Minister of unrighteousness Gal. 2.17 ult which God forbid Dost thou think it will serve thy turn well enough if thou canst but with Stephen say at last Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Unless thy Spirit be sanctified and sins washed away in his Blood thou wilt now soon hear him say unto thee Depart thou Cursed into everlasting fire Men Brethren and Fathers hear our Apology If we be taxed because we maintain free Grace and Free Justification that we make a way for free sinning and free living and doing what we please and yet geting thus into Heaven at last and that we may be assured of it in the mean while we justly abomnate such Inferences and think they can least of all be inferr'd from such premises May we all agree to stand up for God and to oppose sin to our outmost which is the last and only Use that remains and the best and suitablest to the Text that can be made It is foretold concerning the times of the Gospel Exhortation To Depart from Iniquity Hos 3.5 That in the latter dayes they should fear the Lord and his goodness Oh that these words might be now fulfilled That men would fear to abuse the Goodness of God which is design'd to lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 The richest and sweetest Wines they say make the sharpest Vinegar I am sure sweetest Promises when neglected or abused issue in the severest Torments Wo to thee Chorazin wo to thee Bethsaida why is so sad a wo denounc'd beyond that on Tyâ—e and Sidon Mat. 11.21.23 And Capernaum too is threatned with a more terrible destruction than that of Sodom and Gomorrah because those miserable ones perished without having had the Means of Salvation declared in the Gospel amongst them these refused to come to be saved though invited by Christ himself The hotter the Sun-beams are the more they harden the Clay that will not be softned by it If you keep your Sins now you do despite unto the Spirit of Grace that in the Gospel Heb. 10.29 invites perswades and offers to enable you to forsake them You trample under foot the precious Blood of the Son of God which should wash you from all your Impurities you count it as a common thing and let it be spilt in vain as water on the ground One brings in Satan upbraiding our Saviour with the fewness of his Followers and true Disciples he Satan did never any good for Man he is Mans Enemy on all accounts and yet upon the offer of any foolish Toy Profit or Pleasure he is obeyed and men yield themselves up to his service tho so hard and tyrannical a Master Our Blessed Lord became Man liv'd meanly dyed miserably that he might gain Obedience to such just Precepts and Commandments that are for our good and yet hath so very few that will serve and obey him Jerem. 2.12 Rom. 14.9 1 Cor. 15.27 Eph. 1.22 Psal 66.7 Be astonished O ye Heavens Therefore Christ dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord of the living and of the dead All things are put under his feet and by his Power he ruleth over all whether they will or no But Christ died and fuffered that he might obtain a willing People Psal 110.3 such as out of choice and love would obey him And do any of you pretend to be bought with a Price even with the precious Blood of the Son of God 1 Cor. 6.20.7.23 then you ought to glorifie him with those Bodies and Spirits which are his 'T is now Sacriledge indeed to rob God and he will bring thee into Judgment and indite thee ay and condemn thee too without serious and timely Repentance for it And Oh how hot is that Hell which is especially prepar'd for Hypocrites and Unbelievers Thy Obligation is as strict and as you heard stricter too under the Gospel than it was to any under the Law and yet the Transgressors of the Law deserv'd then to perish without mercy Heb. 10.28 and how shall we escape One difference there is indeed betwixt the Law and the Gospel The Law required the full tale of Brick but afforded no Straw It required Obedience but the Law as such afforded no means to perform it The Means how thou mayest be enabled to do the Will of God and to depart from Iniquity is manifested in the Gospel here thou art shewn a fulness in Christ Colos 1.19 out of which thou mayest have Grace for Grace Thou art invited to come thou art assured to be welcome bring never so many empty Vessels thou mayest fill them freely 't is in vain to say Thou canst not Isa 55.1 but thou wilt not be holy Did any now in a sense of their weakness and inability beg Strength and Power from him to do his Will and walk in his Commandments there would be Joy in Heaven for such a Petition Luke 15.7 10. so readily would it be heard and granted You have heard that every one that calls himself a Christian does it therefore because he pretends to be married to Jesus Christ but in good earnest to use the words of Rebecka's Friends Wilt thou go with this Man Wilt thou go with Christ and be a Follower of him Say and do it Gen. 24.58 and God speed thee well I cannot wish thee more Joy than thou wilt find And Oh what Advantages would this bring would Christians be what they profess and would seem to be were the Precepts of Christ obeyed and his Life copyed out by them this would mend the World indeed Pagans and Mahometans Papists and Jews would not be able to stand out against the power of Godliness when it once appear in the lives of Men Not only Ministers may Convert 1. Pet. 3.1 but even Women too thus the Husband the Apostle
tells us may be gained to Christ by his Wife thus a Servant that does his Service as to the Lord may convert his Master Oh! up and be doing your labour shall not be in vain No 1 Cor. 15.58 but great shall be your Reward in Heaven When you shall be taken up to shine as the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Matth. 25.11 But if you shall neglect or refuse my Soul shall mourn in secret for you as knowing that the crying Lord Lord will not avail you nor any confident Profession of Christs Name stand you in any stead When the Deluge came how many perishing Wretches ran to the Ark and laid hold on it cryed earnestly for to be admitted into it but in vain Fac quod dicis fides est You know whom the Ark represented even this Christ in whom alone is Salvation Oh get into him by a true and living Faith and that to day whilest it is called to day 2 Pet. 2.1 least swift destruction come upon you 2 Cor. 5.11 May we all so know and consider the terrors of the Lord that we may be perswaded Quest What is that fulness of God every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with SERMON VI. Ephes III. 19. And to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the Fulness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THESE words are a considerable part of that excellent Prayer put up to God by the Apostle for his beloved Ephesians from vers 16. to the end And indeed Prayer was his tryed Engine by which he always could bring down supplies of Grace from the God of all Grace for his own and the Souls of others In this Branch of it you will easily observe he prays for Grace the End and Grace the Mean to reach that End 1. He Prays for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God This being the utmost of the Souls Perfection ought to be the height of its Ambition beyond this we cannot reach and therefore in the attainment of this we must rest 2. He Prays for Grace the Mean to compass that End viz. To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge As we grow up into a greater Measure of the knowledge of the Love of Christ to us we shall enjoy more of the fulness of God in us But here we meet in each of these parts of the Text with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a seeming contradiction in the Terms To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge What is that but to know what is unknowable And to be filled with all the fulness of God What is that but to comprehend what is incomprehensible The narrow vessel of our Heart can no more contain the boundless and bottomless Ocean of the Divine fulness than our weak intellectual Eye can drink in the glorious Light of that knowledge And yet there are many such expressions in the Holy Scripture Thus Moses Hebr. 11.27 saw him that was invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw him by the Eye of Faith in the glass of a Revelation whom he could not see by the Eye of Reason in the glass of Creation And thus we are instructed in the Gospel how to approach that God who is unapproachable 1 Tim. 6.16 To approach that God by Jesus Christ according to the Terms of the New Covenant to whom considered absolutely in himself we could never approach Let us therefore first clear and remove the obscurity of the Phrases that we may more comfortably handle the Divine matter contained in them Always taking along with us this useful caution That we run not away with a swelling metaphor and from thence form in our minds rude undigested Notions of Spiritual things nor fancy we see Miracles when we should content our selves with Marvels 1. The former of these seeming repugnances is To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge If this love of Christ passeth knowledge why do we pray why should we strive to know it If it be our duty to pray that we may know it how is it supposed to pass knowledge Must we endeavour to reach that which is above all heights To fathom that which is an Abyss and has no bottom Or to take the Dimensions of that which is unmeasurable To remove this difficulty there have been many expedients found out 1. I. Some carry the sense thus To know the Love of Christ which passeth or surpasseth the knowledge of all other things There is an excellency an usefulness in the knowledge of Christs Love which is not to be found in the knowledgc of any thing else A man may know to his own pride to the Admiration of others he may have the knowledge of all Tongues and Languages may understand all Arts and Sciences may dive deep into the secrets of Nature may be profound in Worldly Policies may have the Theory of all Religions true and false and yet when he comes to cast up his Accounts shall find himself never the better never the holier indeed never the wiser never the nearer satisfaction till he can reach this blessed knowledge of the Love of Christ Only the excellency of the knowledge of the Love of Christ consists herein 1. It must be a knowledge of Christs Love by way of Appropriation to know with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 That he loved me and gave himself for me 2. By way of efficacious Operation Rev. 1.5 That he loved us and washt us from our sins in his own blood 3. By way of Reflection that his Love has kindled a mutual Love in our Souls to him 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 4. By way of practical Subjection when his Love subdues our Hearts to himself and constrains us to new obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constrains us it restrains us from sinning against him and engages us to obey him To know that we may know and make knowledge the end of it self is nothing but vain curiosity To know that we may be known is nothing but vainglorious arrogancy To know that we may make others know is indeed an edifying charity but to know that we may be transformed into the image and likeness of what we know of the Love of Christ this is the true the excellent the transcendent way of knowledge And this was that knowledge of Christ and of his Love which the Apostle set such a price upon 1 Cor. 2.2 when he determined not to know any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified That he might there see the Love of Christ streaming out of his heart at his wounds in his blood and there see Divine Justice satisfied the Law fulfilled and thence feel his Conscience purified and pacified and his Soul engaged and quicken'd to walk in all new obedience This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The transcendent
say I will give you my word for it We may easily conceive it requisite from that natural light which remain'd in the reasonable creature that God the Creator and Governor is to be worshipped 4 Acts 17.23 Rom. 1.23 25 1 Kings 18.21 and that no worship can be accepted of God but what is instituted of himself and sith there abides in Man naturally a strong desire of truth and immortality of knowing how he may be accepted of God 5 2 Cor. 5.9 Psal 4.6 73.24 and enjoy Communion with him that there should be some assured 6 2 Tim. 3.14 Revelation 7 John 1.18 Deut. 29.29 whereby he doth manifest himself and declare his will as the glass of his Divinity 8 2 Cor. 3.18 4.6 and the rule of his worship 9 Isa 1.10 12. Matth. 7.21 Col. 2.23 24. that we may not be guilty of worshipping we know not what or how being he is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in truth 10 Joh. 4.22 24 3. Tho' God in infinite Wisdom during the time of the long-liv'd Patriarchs till some time after the flood thought it sufficient notwithstanding there was an early defection from his appointments which yet in some measure came under the Reformation of Enoch 11 Gen. 4.26 Noah 12 Gen. 8.20 9.5 and Abraham 13 Gen. 17.1 c. Deut. 8.5 4.7 8. to continue that way of Revelation from one to another during the infancy of his Church however when she grew up it became necessary for the due Conservation Vindication and Propagation of his Word that as all Nations by the light of Nature are directed generally to the use of Laws his own Laws reaching to the very motions of the heart should be written 14 Prov. 22.19 20. Luke 1.3 4. Rom. 15.4 This is found to be the most credible way of Proposal it being most fit we should ascribe that to God which is really consonant to the greatest Wisdom that the certainty of the Word of truth might be known and communicated God himself wrote his Laws 15 Exod. 24.12 Hos 8.12 and commanded Moses 16 Exod. 34.1 27. and the Prophets 17 Hab. 2.2 Jer. 36.2 Scripta tabella manet Dr. Templer to write his will and oracles These coming as the credential Letters of the supream infallible Majesty which are to remain inviolable not be rejected by any who could never see any demonstrative evidence to weaken the Authority thereof So that it would be most injurious to the Divine benignity to suspect that the All-wise and most gracious God would be wanting to his Church in so necessary a matter The great Doctor of the Gentiles would argue ‖ Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his Son but deliver'd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things These things being premis'd 2. I shall proceed to the particular grounds of the Assertion so as I would hope they may not only satisfie real Christians but such as are doubting of the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures if not dispos'd to be Antiscripturists 1. The Assent of Divine Faith whereby a sinner is converted and brought nigh to God is only built upon the Authority of God the Revealer considering his infallible Veracity that he is a God of truth and cannot deceive or be deceived having dominion over his Creatures who are therefore to submit to his Word penn'd upon his command by those who were divinely inspir'd 18 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Sam. 23.2 3. Hos 12.10 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Thes 2.13 as they vouch'd and prov'd themselves to be and we have no solid reason to except against their Proof Tho' the Prophets and Penmen of Scripture were not always accompanied with miracles when they delivered their Messages from God yet they required an attendance and obedience under an eternal penalty to be inflicted upon those who did disobey the voice and Message of God which if they to whom it came did not receive with a Divine Faith they did in Gods account refuse to obey There is no suspending our Assent when God expresly declares his Will by himself or his Messengers coming in his Name as in the last days he did by his Son 19 Heb. 1.1 who spake with Authority and not as the Scribes 20 Matth. 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was a Divinity discern'd in it by the hearers and so there was in some proportion in the Prophets of the Lord somewhat Divine which might be discern'd by those unto whom it came as by Paul distinctly ‖ else it had been hard for God to have charged their eternal and temporal welfare or ruin 6 Acts 22.9 upon their discerning or not discerning a right betwixt his Word in the mouth of his own Prophets and that Word which pretended only so to be in the mouths of the false Prophets We have a notable instance hereof in opposition to those who pretended to Prophecy in the Name of the Lord to gain credit to their lies 21 Jer. 23.22 25 28. The Prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream and he that hath my Word let him speak it faithfully what is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Is not my Word like fire saith the Lord And like an hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces The righteous God would not have required of Men under a dreadful penalty to have assented to his Word in opposition to the impostors dreams had there not been most certain tokens for the differencing of it from that of the false prophets whose words as all others besides his were as Chaff light and useless stuff for Mans food which the Wheat the bread of life might be easily known from by those who had eyes to see and did not because of their evil deeds love darkness rather than light ‖ John 3.19 we know they who by a good light are conversant in receiving and paying of monies do readily discern the genuine from counterfeit coin Whereupon Gerson * Pars prima De distinctione verarum Visionum a falsis affirmed that the true coin of Divine Revelation may be known from the counterfeits of Diabolical Visions as true Gold is from its counterfeit by its weight flexibility and durableness or continuity and incorruptibleness configuration and colour Gods holy Word had light and heat and power proper to it which made it evident tho' prejudice and conceited interest hindred many to whom it came from giving entire credit to it delivered by the Lords true Prophets 21 Isa 53.1 Jer. 43.3 and Christ himself 22 John 9.29 12.37 38. who will certainly manifest himself as in displeasure to those who reject him revealing the Father so in favour to those who receive him 23 John 14.21 Matth. 11.20 T is no way likely that one from the dead should so manifest himself if he came to impart his experiences to his
Faith and work out thy own Salvation see you neglect it no longer no Man can save another Mans Soul by his Faith his own he may Faith busies it self about our own Salvation shews us what we must do to be saved were there more of this Faith among Professors we should every one have work enough upon our hands and not find it so easie a matter to secure our Souls into eternity General Professors carry it as if they had nothing to do were sure of Heaven already at this rate we may count it an easie matter to believe but when we come to die we shall not find it so any Faith may serve some Mens turns to live by but every Faith will not serve our turns to die by when we are dying in good earnest a feigned Faith signifies little to our comfort we see thorow it and sink under it If your Faith do not often call upon you to look to your own Souls it cannot be saving Faith he that seeks not to save himself let him talk what he will of his Faith it is not saving Faith that is intent upon the salvation of a believer and finds enough to do in carrying on that work with fear and trembling lest it should not go thorow with it You who have been at this work in good earnest don't find it so easie as some would make it new doubts new difficulties new temptations do arise every day that put the Faith of the best Christians to it if Faith do's not bestir it self the Devil may be too hard for you and your Faith too if the righteous are scarcely saved surely 't is no easie matter to get to Heaven you must run wrestle strive fight contend earnestly else you may miss of Heaven and come short of all your expectation of eternal glory I speak not this to discourage you but to awaken you to that diligence and care that so weighty a business calls for Saving Faith is to cast my Self and my own Soul upon Christ for salvation what ever your Faith may be 't is not come to saving Faith till you do this you may carry all your knowledge and all your Faith to Hell with you any Faith that is not saving but remains separate from it will prove a damning Faith to you 't will greatly aggravate your condemnation that you who knew such things believed such things assented to such Truths and Gospel Doctrins should never put forth an act of saving Faith for your own Souls in particular according to the import of those Doctrins 't is strange to see how many Professors do leave themselves quite out of their own Faith they will not be at the pains to act it for themselves but in general they believe as the Church believes but let me tell you 't is not the Church nor all the Churches in the World 't is not all the Angels in Heaven nor all the Saints upon Earth can believe for you you must every one believe for your selves and act your own business cast your own Souls upon Christ for Salvation else they will be eternally lost How many knowing historical Believers are there in Hell who have Prophesied in his Name Prayed in his Name have Written Disputed Argued strongly for the Faith have done every thing that belongs to a common Faith but could never be brought to put forth one act of saving Faith upon Christ for the Salvation of their own Souls Come unto me all ye that are weary c. is this done till you personally come to Christ for the pardon of your sins and for the Justification of your persons by name John Thomas Mary whatever your names are he or she I am sent this day to give you a particular call to come to Christ and I do warn every one of you and exhort every one to go to Christ by a personal act of your own Faith for eternal life he has purchased it for all who come unto him if you neglect it and will not go your blood be upon your own heads I have delivered my own Soul Brethren be perswaded to hearken to the invitation that is given you in the Gospel before it be too late O what a do is there to bring a sinner to Christ O that you would bethink your selves this day and set about saving Faith act that Faith that will save you and say Lord after all my Knowledge and long Profession after all my Praying Hearing Reading I now see these are but means in order to something else the end of all is real believing in Christ and I am now at last come to do that to commit my self wholly to Christ to cast my sinful Soul upon him for Righteousness and Life Lord help me to do this bring me to a through reliance upon Christ and keep me in the frequent exercise and lively actings of this Faith every day that I may see my self safe in him who is faithful and will keep that which I so commit unto him The Just shall live by his own Faith which he acts for himself and for his own Soul if you do not thus commit your selves to Christ every day by a renewed act of Faith you may lose the joy of your Salvation ere you are aware If you say this is done I will not ask you when you did it first that may seem too nice a question to some but I will ask you when you did it last I hope you do it every day if you are at any stand in your thoughts about this your wisest course is to act over this saving Faith more distinctly more particularly more frequently for the Salvation of your own Soul then your Faces will shine and your Hearts will rejoyce we shall know you have been with Jesus 'T is impossible to experience the power and efficacy of saving Faith till we act it in our own case for our own Souls then it comes home indeed to our selves then we feel the comfort of it we may own the general Doctrin of Faith and be little affected with it or concerned about it but when the Grace of Faith comes and makes a particular application of that Doctrin to thy Soul and my Soul then we believe for our selves and are filled with joy unspeakable and full of Glory that we should be received unto mercy have all our sins pardoned our persons accepted and our Souls eternally saved all this Faith makes out to us by name from such undeniable grounds and reasons that we cannot gainsay They count it easie to believe who shut all acts of self-denial quite out of their Faith they live as they did before it may be walk on more securely in their evil courses from a presumptuous perswasion of mercy at last pray God deliver us from such a Faith that gives encouragement to sin If your Faith do not strongly incline you to a holy Life you may be sure 't is not right saving Faith 'T is a sad thing to consider how little
If Rulers will not take due that is utmost care to suppress prophaneness in a Nation where their power lyeth they take a direct course to pull down the wrath of God upon that whole Nation as well as upon themselves Solomon hath these passages Prov. 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self but if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it But we cannot say if a Magistrate will not discharge his duty but suffer wickedness to pass without controul he alone shall bear it no no the burden may light and lye heavy upon more shouldiers than his own His remissness and neglect may turn to the smart of the Land and people over whom he is set the not shutting the floud-gates of sin which let in a deluge of wickedness below is no other than the opening of the Windows of Heaven above for the letting down Showers and Storms of wrath that shall drown and swallow up all For want of this as you heard under the last particular God did not only with great severity judge the house of Eli but also threatned to do a thing in Israel or unto Israel as some read it at which both the ears of every one that heard it should tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 If any enquire what that terrible thing was I answer it was no less than the delivering of the Army of Israel into the hands of the accursed Philistines so that three thousand of them fell in battel before those their Enemies and which was yet worse the Ark of God was taken before which they worshipt and which was the special and delightful Symbol of the Divine presence with them When the Sword of Magistracy lieth still and dormant in the midst of crying abominations then God thinks it fit and high time to awake himself to the Judgment which he commanded and man neglected and to draw his own and how doth he then lay about him what blows doth he give what stupendous work doth he make When one Jonah that had been disobedient to his God and being sent by him upon a Message to Nineveh took him to his heels and run another way when he I say was in the Ship and lay in peace and at ease the whole was in danger nor did the storm cease though the Heathen Mariners called every one to his God till the guilty Criminal received his deserved punishment in being cast into the Sea That is a notable saying of Solomon Prov. 29.4 The King by Judgment stablisheth the Land When it shakes and totters he shores it up he settles and confirms it again and makes all sure But he that receiveth gifts overthrows it These do blind the eyes of men in place and bind or tie their hands so that they shall not do the things they should And he that receives them that will take bribes to stop the course of Justice doth overthrow the Land he turns it upside down he destroyeth the very foundations of it and when he hath once done that where is the wise man that can tell me what he will do himself I can expect no other but his own being buried in its ruins yea probably he shall go first and not live long enough to be a mourner at its Funeral Whereas on the other side Seventhly Magistrates by a vigorous suppression of prophaneness may most happily both prevent the coming of those Judgments which are impending over a Nation and remove those which are incumbent and heavy upon it They may stay the hand of revenging justice when it is lifted up as Abrahams was and ready to give the fatal stroke and also they may take off the hand of God when it lies heavy upon a people and presseth them sore or to use Davids expression they may remove the stroke away from it and hold his hand when it is about repeating of the blow I shall speak to both these under this head They may prevent a Judgment and dispel that Cloud which threatens a storm Hence it was that when the people had most grievously offended and provoked God by making a Golden Calf and then worshipping it after the manner of Egypt Moses said unto the Sons of Levi who had gathered themselves together unto him as Persons resolved to be on the Lords side Exod. 32.27 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his Sword by his side and go in and out from Gate to Gate throughout the Camp and slay every man his Brother and every man his Companion and every man his Neighbour And the Children of Levi did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the People that day about three thousand men Observe his temper He was the meekest Man in the Earth of a most sweet and loving Disposition knowing how to bear and forbear but now he was all on a flame the Lamb was turned into a Lion He was nearly and greatly concerned for the Name and Honour of his God and He accordingly set upon the doing of Justice and therefore made many a Sacrifice and when that was done he said unto the People upon the Morrow ver 30. Ye have sinned a great Sin and now I will go up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an Atonement for your Sin Now that I have done the Duty of my place now that I have vindicated the Honour of God now that there hath been this due Execution of Justice Now I will go up unto the Lord and I will go up in hope now I have a peradventure to encourage me to think that I shall make an Atonement for you And let us not pass over in silence that which you have in ver 29. of the same Chapter Moses had said Consecrate your selves to day to the Lord even every Man upon his Son and upon his Brother that he may bestow upon you a Blessing this day The shedding of Blood of the Blood of Man the Blood of an Israelite by the hand of Justice in a cause deserving Death did not defile them but consecrate them Acts of Justice are as acceptable to God as Sacrifice the Blood of Sinners as the fat of Rams and abundantly more and saith Moses upon your doing this the Lord may bestow a Blessing upon you Levi therefore by using a Sword of Injustice and Cruelty against the Shechemites lost the Blessing When their Father Jacob called all his Sons together speaking of Simeon and Levi Gen. 49.5 He speaks of their instruments of Cruelty calls to mind their Sin cursed their Anger and Wrath divided them in Jacob scattered them in Israel but not a word of Blessing That they had lost Now saith Moses do you quit your selves in this great piece of Justice and you may get a Blessing and so they did for God chose the Tribe of Levi for himself above all the Tribes of Israel and appointed and imployed them about his Sanctuary and Service Numb 3.6 c. Bring the Tribe of Levi near and present them before Aaron the Priest that
Sword of Justice into the hands of good and faithful men I do not go about to make parties in the Nation God forbid it is contrary to my principles there hath been too much of it in the Nation and in the world and oh that there may be no more Oh that God would in the greatness of his goodness heal all our breaches and compose all our unbrotherly dâ—fferences and grant that we may all serve him in the beauties of holiness with one shoulder and one consent Oh that I might see it done In the mean time I am verily perswaded that among every one of the different parties in the Land who hold the head and are sound in the vitals of Christianity the main Fundamental points of our Religion there are to be found persons fearing God And if I may have leave humbly to speak my thoughts I count it a great pity that any of them should be laid aside as Vessels in which there is no pleasure as persons altogether useless and unfit to be trusted and imployed meerly because they dissent from others of their Brethren in those things which are acknowledged to be indifferent but cannot be by them complyed with lest they should sin against God and wound their own Consciences so long as they are sound in the faith set for the glory of God and for the honour of the King and for the publick good Why Oh! Why may not such men be owned and incouraged and imployed in those things of which they are capable Are they fit for nothing because there is something that they cannot do I know and all men must yield it that there have been and will be as well as are diversity of Judgments and by consequence of practice No man hath his Judgment Faith and Reason at his Command and it is as possible to make all men of a Stature as of a mind But I must and do humbly submit this to our Superiours withal leaving particular persons to their several Sentiments and to walk accordingly to that light which they have received and begging of God the hastning of that day prophesied of in Zech. 14.9 Wherein the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and wherein there shall be one Lord and his name one Vna fides una Deum colendiratio One Faith and one Worship This I take for certain That ungodliness is very unlikely to be suppressed in a Nation when the ungodly and wicked men of that Nation are the men intrusted with and imployed about the supression thereof It is not probable that a Swearing and Cursing Magistrate will punish another for his Oaths or a Drunken Magistrate will inflict the Legal penalty upon another for the like brutishness Or an unclean Officer make another smart for his Whoredom While he is going about it an hundred to one there will be a bitter Reflection the man will find a sting within himself his own Conscience if it be not fear'd or in a profound sleep cannot forbear flying in his face and asking him in his ear this pinching question How canst thou punish that in this person which thou knowest to be thine own practice Rom. 2.22 23. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Upon this account it was that holy David resolved his eye should be upon the faithful of the Land Psal 101.6 He would express his special favour upon those that were of known integrity that would faithfully mind and perform the duty of their place and be true to their God and to their trust and saith he He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me viz. in governing the Nation and in seeing to it that good orders be kept And I look upon that as a good saying of one Melior est Respublica tutior c. That Common-wealth or Kingdom is safer and in a much better condition in which there is a bad Prince than that which hath in it bad Magistrates Officers and Ministers of State Sixthly In order to the effectual suppression of prophaneness it cannot but be owned as absolutely necessary to watch diligently and deal severely with the Nurseries of it For as our Lord Jesus who is the King of Sion Saints hath his Schools Nurseries for the instructing training up of persons in sound knowledge true holiness Such are the assemblies and congregrations of his people Isa 2.3 Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways So Satan the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience hath his Nurseries which he fills with cursed Temptations and his Instruments with Venomous examples in order to the alluring of men to flagitious courses and rendering them expert ready and compleat Artists in sin And do not all men see how our youths are tainted and corrupted there and how many of those that once were hopeful and thought to be plants of righteousness have been there blasted and turned into the degenerate plants of a strange Vine bringing forth the Grapes of Sodom and the Clusters of Gommorrah All that read these lines may easily understand my meaning what houses they are at which I now point And I would ask Are Stews and Brothel-houses fit to be suffered among us I have not at all wonder'd when I have read and heard how many of them are allowed in Rome that Mother of Harlots who holds in her hand a Cup of fornication we must expect the great Whore will not fall out with the little Ones specially when they are profitable to her Bonus odor lucri ex re qualibet In her Nostrils the money smells well come it from whence it will But it is an arrant shame that any of them should be found in a Land of Light in a Nation of Protestants in a City of righteousness in a place where that Religion is profest and established that condemns all such filthy practices And as for Ale-houses and Victualling houses though some of them possibly are useful yea and necessary yet is there need of such multitudes in which so many sit many hours together fuddling and drinking away their money their wits their health and their Souls while their poor Wives sit at home mourning and their Children crying and perhaps all of them wanting and ready to starve I am sure none ought to have Licenses for the keeping such houses who will suffer them to be places of licentiousness and not be careful to observe good hours and orders Seventhly Let all inferiour Officers be very careful and diligent in their places For their places are not dormitories places to idle and sleep in but to watch and work in Church-wardens Constables and others have
Zimri and Cosbi God himself took notice of it and imputed it to his zeal and was highly pleased with it and mention'd it twice Numb 25.11 He was zealous for my sake among them And again v. 13. He was zealous for his God His heart did burn within him he was all in a flame and could not with any patience endure to see his God so unworthily dealt with and dishonoured While I am writing of this I am informed of that excellent precept against the prophaning of the Lords day sent out by the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Pilkington our present Lord Mayor which being of a more than ordinary strain I look not upon as a matter of custom but an effect of his zeal and let it be for his honour to succeeding generations and an embalming of his name and let God himself remember it for good to him both in time and to eternity One thing more Lastly Frequently seriously call to mind that account which you are at the last and great day to give of your selves and your power and all your actions to a better greater and higher than any of you even to God himself He will for certain he will call you all to a strict account therefore awe and quicken your Souls with the thoughts of it It is but a little very little time that the youngest and strongest of you have to spend in the World Death will certainly come and summon you hence And when it comes it will not stay for you till you have mended faults and supplied defects possibly it will not allow you time enough to say Lord have mercy upon me And then your places will know you no more and your power will know you no more and your comforts and enjoyments will know you no more You that now sit upon thrones and in Parliament-houses and Courts of Judicature must then stand before the divine Tribunal upon an equal level with the meanest of the people everyone of you give an account of himself to God of his trust power how he did carry himself and manage and improve his power And therefore if you have any kindness for your selves make it appear by your care so to live now so to act and rule as that you may give up a good account with boldness and comfort and hear the Judge say Well done good and faithful Servants you have been faithful in your little you have done your duty and fill'd up your places now enter into the joy of your Lord. I shall conclude this Sermon with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 11. We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men so to live in the World so to order their Conversations so to trade with those talents of interest and estates of parts and power for the present that then they may be found faultless and presented with exceeding joy Quest. How may we enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God SERMON XVI ACTS 17.21 For all the Athenians and strangers that were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing IN the Text chosen for me to speak of and for you to hear I do observe and would have you also consider we meet with a Concourse of people who pretended to be the Virtuosi of that Age and for ought I do discern may as well deserve the Character as they do in our Age who spend their time in enquiring into useless Novelties If our Learned Men equal the Learning of these Athenians If Students from Foreign parts flock to us to perfect their course of Studies as to Athens If Merchants in equal Numbers but with unequal Riches attend the Custom-houses and fill the Exchanges with us as with them If there were some Travellers who came onely to see and talk who were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strangers there If each sort had business of greater Importance to mind than to spend their time in hearing what others could tell or telling what others would be pleas'd with hearing which was the Folly and Distemper of those Athenians and Strangers the same is the Epidemical Folly and Disease of our Age and of all sorts of the Beaux-Esprits refineder Spirits with us The Cure of this Disease is the design of this Discourse in this Case How may we Enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God He that Enquires to satisfie his Curiosity or his sinful Prejudices or malicious Wishes and to boast and triumph in the Sorrows of the Church of God and He that Enquires not at all nor concerneth himself with these Works of God do both highly offend The one rejoyce in the Destruction of Sion as 't is Obad. 12. v. The other is at Ease in Sion Amos 6.1 and are not grieved at the Affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 and each do provoke the displeasure of the Lord against themselves Amos pronounceth a Wo against the one Chap. 6.1 and an utter Extirpation is threatned against the other Obad. 18. v. Such careless ones as neither fear the Evil nor hope for the Good of Sion neither pray for its Deliverance nor do praise God for his Salvation to Sion greatly Sin and are likely to be deeply Punished Isa 32.9 10 11 12. That we may Escape both the Case warns us Not to Enquire Athenian-like but to Enquire as becomes Christians and suitably Pray for a Distressed or Praise God for a Delivered Church In stating this unusual Case it will I think be best to draw it out into some previous Propositions which shall make way for the clearer Resolution of it 1. The Casuist doth grant that in some Cases we may Enquire what is the News that is abroad Whosoever asketh Direction how to do an Action is first perswaded of the lawfulness of the thing he would do How shall I come before God implieth that I may yea ought to come before him Mich. 7.6 So here the Casuist is of opinion we may Enquire but is solicitous lest you should with the most enquire amiss and therefore would direct you the best way of doing what is lawful to be done If there were a doubt the Case should be first May it be done not How is it to be done 2. News which spreads abroad in the World is of very different Nature 1. Some Trifling Reports below the gravity and prudence of a Man to receive from a Reporter or to communicate to any Hearer 2. Others of a very particular private personal Concern and among such as are of mean and abject state which as they rise among them so 't is fit they should die
by those who knew the promise to Abraham much about the time that God sent Moses and therefore 't is observed of Moses that when he vindicated the injur'd Hebrew and slew the Egyptian that he supposed they would have known him to be the person God had sent to deliver them Near the time of the return from the Babylonish Captivity many of the Jews expected their Deliverance some that were very Aged could reckon the number of years by their own Age. And Daniel searched into the nearness of it by Books Dan. 9.2 and we may now hope some great perhaps the last and full deliverance from Antichristianism is near at hand the generality of Gods people do expect as well as pray for it Pray ye as they do 3. Compare your great News abroad when Kingdoms and States are shaken with the Threats that are denounced against the Enemies of the Church Consult the Word of God in this thing You may discover much of the Approaches of Mercy in deliverance of the Church by the Executions of Threats against the Enemy When Moses and Aaron began to Execute Judgments upon Egypt Israel might well conclude their deliverance was near at hand when the Rivers were turn'd into blood Israel might hope their God was coming to avenge their blood The Jews had good ground to conclude when the Medes and Persians began the War against Babylon that their Captivity drew on to an end and when they read the Mans name who was the great Commander in that Expedition Cyrus by name foretold the Deliverer of Gods Captives and builder of the Temple if then they did not pray earnestly and praise God heartily they were inexcusably stupid and wanting to their own Release It will much help you in prayer at this day if you will look into the several Menaces pronounced in the Book of the Revelations against Babylon and observe which of them are in part Executed which are now Executing which of the Trumpets we are under and which of the three woes are now Executing c. By this we might conclude the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet near and the Kingdoms of the VVorld e're long are like to be the Kingdoms of Christ 4. Look to Promises made to the Church for her Deliverance when you hear of or Enquire after any great News among the States and Kingdoms of the World among which the Churches of Christ sojourn and among which the Saints of God have and still do suffer It needs not a particular proof that there are many express Promises that the Church shall be delivered that there is a fixed time for the beginning progress and full accomplishment of these Promises that their accomplishments shall be gradual and such as will clear it self and though we cannot say when the full accomplishment to a Day or Month or Year yet by comparing Transactions and Occurrences with Promises we may without doubt discover somewhat of the Promise made good to the Church for which we ought to praise the Lord and all the rest of the Promises shall be fulfilled and for this we should earnestly pray to the Lord. 5. Compare the great News in the present Revolutions with the Times God hath been pleased to make known to us in his Word By this you may discern what Encouragement and awakening Considerations are given to us to pray and praise our God for what is already done and for what is doing and what e're long is to be finished Here is work for learned Men for Ministers for Understanding Saints There are in the Revelations two distinct Numbers mention'd which were they clearly unfolded would enable us as very wise Christians to receive seek and improve the great News that is abroad in the World The first Period is that Rev. 9.15 They i. e. the four Angels bound at Euphrates i. e. the Turkish power were prepar'd for an Hour and a Day and a Month and a Year i. e. for Three Hundred Ninety Six Years and a very little more Now from One Thousand Three Hundred in which Osman or Ottoman was Elected King of the Turks they have been the destruction of the Christians and were to be until Three Hundred Ninety Six Years were expired i. e. till One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six which will in likelihood end their Empire and how great Hope of this now This calls us to pray for their Ruin The second great Period is of the Forty Two Months i. e. One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years the time the Beast was to persecute the Church and then the Beast was to perish i. e. the Papal Kingdom shall be destroy'd Now these One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years in likelihood began about Four Hundred Seventy Five or somewhat sooner and by this Account you may suppose the News you still hear of both Turk and Papacy will encourage you to hope for a speedy deliverance of the Church from both It will be worth your while to read those Excellent peices of Mr. Joseph Mede who wrote his Key of the Revelation above Threescore Years ago in Latin I cannot say whether it be Translated into English having alwayes kept my self to the Latin Copy but 't is a Thousand pitties it should be confin'd to Latin a Book fit to be publisht in all Languages Of Mr. Jurien Accomplishment of Prophesies Translated out of French into English Of a Nameless Author newly written in French and translated into English Printed lately under the Title of A New System of the Apocalypse c. I commend to you who would know the Importance of publick News How to pray and praise God on hearing it How to wait for Deliverances to read diligently those Books in which are greater and better News than any Pacquets then all Gazzetts or Coffee-houses can yet afford to you when you have read these Books then Long for One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six or One Thousand Seven Hundred and hope if you live to that day to hear Mahometanism in the Turkish Empire destroy'd with that Empire Wish for One Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty Five or One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty and remember I do not pretend to Prophesie but I do dismiss with a conjecture that between this time and that you 'l see great Deliverances to the Churches of Christ and as great Distresses and Judgments executed on the Anti-christian Kingdom it may be the total Ruin of that Kingdom which was to last but One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years and I think will have out-lasted that Period before One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Quest Wherein may we more hopefully attempt the Conversion of Younger People than of others SERMON XVII OMnipotence can suffer no Difficulty and that which is Immense can admit no Limits Unto the Divine Power all things are as perfectly Easy as they are certainly Possible And the Heavenly Grace is fruitful equally of all things consistent with its spotless Purity God Creator did strain no harder to make
it must needs be your Duty to Convert presently Sirs muse on it 'T is Sin and the highest to slight the richest offers of Divine Grace You that Convert not do slight such offers as be the kindest God ever made to men And such as he never did offer unto faln Angels Ye do not believe that the Devils and damned ghosts in Hell would slight them so if God should make the same offer unto them I mean provided they were not under irrevocable damnatory Sentence and also final Obduration and implacable Malice the which you are not under You would then think that if the Gospel were preach'd unto them they would not say as you do virtually say every day of the week sc Lord we cannot hearken at present to thy proposals VVe will at some more convenient season Or if thou wilt not wait that leisure of ours then will we go without thy offered Kindness No I suppose you would think that they would rather answer thus which you have not yet done Lord our astonished Minds never heard so ravishing News Our enflamed Hearts cannot contain their Praise or Thanks VVe are not able to utter fast enough our Acceptation of thy Offers or our Consent unto thy Demands VVe would celebrate the Grace of both but who can express things Infinite The Eloquence of Heaven is exceeded by it's Kings Mercy c. Sirs I must have you Convert presently or must have leave to say You are of your Father the Devil and the works of your Father you will do and worse if worse can be But though I thus speak I would by no means have you think any good to be in the Devil Only I would have you know there is much more evil in your selves than you are aware of And that you can never know your Sin too much if you do not know your Saviour too little VVherefore I add R. 10. You Young People do sin beyond the measure of all Old ones that Convert not if you put off your Conversion Therefore it is your Duty and you are singularly obliged to Convert presently This Reason gives me opportunity to slide into the very heart of the case propounded unto me I do consider with whom I have to do and shall thus plainly and even rudely make my way The measure of their sins is far greatest who do then sin when the Lions in the way of their Duty be fewest and their Helps be most and their Encouragements greatest But Young People not Converting unto God have this to be said concerning their sin That it is committed then when fewest Lions be in the way of their Duty when their Helps to it be the most of any Mens and their Encouragements greatest Therefore The Sin of Young People not Converting is far greatest And so far from being to be extenuated and thought less of than Old Peoples that it ought to be held of the two the greater I shall suppose my Work here requisite to be only this viz to shew that Young People have ordinarily fewer Discouragements from going about to Convert than Old ones have And have most Helps than they and greater Encouragements than Old People now have and then they themselves can have when they become Old I say Ordinarily For which Service I advance these Seven Considerations Directing them unto your selves my Young Folk C. 1. Your God is not so angry with you as he is with Older People and will be with you if you Convert not before you are Older He is indeed angry with you for Sin Original and Actual Go rowl you in the Dust before him Yet know for your Comfort he is less angry as I have said For these two Assertions are most true Sc. 1. Every day continued in refusal of Subjection to his Authority and every wilful refusal of Obedience unto his Gospel Precepts do increase the Fire of God's Indignation 2. Every last day of Vnsubjection and every last Act of Disobedience do increase that Fire of God's Indignation more than the former As for the first though it be Self-evident and granted of all Men let me add this A Command supposes Authority in the Commander and Subjection in the Commanded Obedience unto a Command supposes Acknowledgment of Authority in him that gives and Subjection in him that receive it God is Soveraign we are Subjects He first publishes his Authority and requires our Subjection Then enacts Laws and requires our Obedience Our Orderly Duty is to submit us first to his Authority and own him for our God and King and then to perform his Commands for expressing that Submission The Sin of the World that incenses God is denyal of this Submission to him and of this Expression of it Of this Denyal the first rise and beginning kindles his Wrath but the continuance against his means of reducing us unto Subjection and Obedience doth more than continue it Even greatly encrease it Nor is it wonder being that the sinful Denyal continued under such constant means aforesaid dayly encreaseth And accordingly barren Trees have it counted to them how many years they have cumbred the ground But then as to the second particular Therefore doth every last days Unsubmission and Disobedience more exasperate then the former because they are against more Means used and Patience exercised then the former And they are as it were a Justifying and an Approving of all former Sin also A virtual Acting over of all again There can therefore be no doubt but the degree of God's Displeasure is less against you than against those who have many more years Disowned and Disobeyed him And you have less reason to fear the making of your Peace with him if you go seek it then they have And more ground of hope to get it made now then you can have hereafter if you delay For you to say I will not seek my Peace till I am Older is as if a Condemned Man should say I will not go try to get my Pardon till the King is a hundred-fold more angry with me than yet he is Matchless Frenzie C. 2. Your Enemy Satan has not so much Power over you as he hath over Older People and will have over you if you Convert not before you are Older Sirs Satan is an Enemy that you must Conquer or be Destroyed by His Power to Deceive is very great It was so from the beginning and shewn in Paradise to be so when he slew all Mankind in their first Parents Besides it is now much greater In more than Five Thousand Years he has learned much And being now an Old he is a more Subtle Serpent But it is not his Natural and Acquired Power without that which is Judicial that is the matter of our just Fear The Lyon in Chains scareth no Child 'T is the Lyon let loose that frightens the Town and doth the Mischief All Satans Power is no Power as to us if God doth not judiciously let him loose on us God as he is more
which God chargeth us with and truly own that we are chargeable with the faults for which God reproveth us Jer. 3.13 This God enjoyneth Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God They cannot be said to Repent who plead guiltless This Plea God reproveth Israel for yet thou sayest because I am innocent Jer. 2.35 c. Whiles Men plead for sin as no sin or acquit themselves when they are Criminals sins bind on them the wrath of God and stand in the way of a peoples good But there 's hope of a Land Jer. 14. â—0 when it poureth out its Confessions with them We acknowledge O Lord our wickedness and the iniquity of our Fathers for we have sinned against thee 2. Shame fear and deep humblings of Soul under the sence of the wrath of God as provoked by our sins Ahab humbled himself Turn to me with fasting and with mourning Joel 2.13 14. rent your hearts and not your garments for he is gracious c. and repenteth him of the evil who knows if he will return 1 Sam. 7.6 and leave a Blessing behind him God will embitter sin to us or avenge it Provocations shall prevent Mercy when they are easie and pleasing but this remorse must reach to the Heart though it do not savingly change it The Heart must tremble at the threatned Wrath God will have his anger awful to Men and their abominations shall cause a blush at least in a sence of what miseries they expose to Therefore while people make a mock of sin as harmless while they sport with the wrath kindled thereby as a scare-crow God will go on to strip a Kingdom of its Blessings and load it with Judgments They were not at all ashamed Jer. 6.15 neither could they blush therefore at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down But this Humiliation Fear and Shame must be from an affected Soul not bare Bodily appearances in a day of Humiliation or hanging down the Head like a bulrush for a day Isa 58.5 these the Lord despiseth for such things he will not turn away his anger Jer. 3.25 Whereas there is hope when a people lye down in their shame and confusion covers them becâ—use they have sinned against the Lord. It bodes well Ezra 9.4 when men tremble at the words of the God of Israel because of transgression 3. Such a complyance with Gods warnings and rebukes as to put Men on seeking Gods savour and resolving to forsake the National pollutions There must be supplications as well as weeping Jer. 3.21 A voice was heard on the high places weeping and supplications of the Children of Israel for they have perverted their way This is Gods advice to a Land and its the constant way of a Repenting people Jon. 3.8 Thus Niniveh cryed mightily to God Herein the dominion of God is owned and so far Men acknowledge a dependance upon him But this must not be only with the Mouth no it must be with the Heart as to this act and occasion Hos 7.14 Neh. 9.33 A sleighty cry will not prevail It 's a brand on a people that they cryed not unto me with the heart With our Prayers there should be a justification of Gods Threats and Punishments How hopeless then is the condition of a people when that 's true of them we made not our Prayer to God Dan. 9.13 Ez. 18.29 30. and as sad whilst they arraign his ways as unequal But good resolves must attend Prayer a full purpose under present Convictions though it may not alwayes prove effectual through want of a Principle in Sinners and remains of Corruption in Saints We are led to this by that place Take away all iniquity Ashur shall not save us Hos 14.2 3. what have I to do any more with idols Ezra 10.3 Neh. 9.38 and 10.29 Expressive hereof was Ezra's and Nehemiah's entering the people into a Covenant with God against National Sins Now what hopes can there be of a Land if it neglect the Lord as if he had nothing to do with them yea continues resolute in its sins Thus did they who said after our Idols will we go Jer. 44.17 we will worship the Queen of Heaven c. Alas Such a people may lye down in fear and look at the Mercies they want as impossible yea consider the Blessings they yet enjoy as soon to be removed I added that Prayer and Resolves should be in complyance with Gods warnings God will have a regard to his Threatnings and some tribute of Obedience rendered to him by them whom he spares Thus Ahab yielded to Elijahs Message and Niniveh regarded the Threatnings of the Lord by Jonah Therefore it s an awful sign when Nations refuse to hearken Zech. 7.11 12. draw away the shoulder and make their heart as an adamant least they should hear the law and the words of God by the Prophets When this is the frame and carriage of a people towards God what effects follow the following words acquaint you Therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts Whether the warnings are sent by the Word in the mouth of his Servants or by his Wonders or by lesser Afflictions the disregard of them makes the bands of a people strong whereas attentiveness and complyance therewith affords encouragement 4. There must be a Reformation All the former without this are too insufficient to be a prognostick of good the other things tend to this and must terminate therein or Repentance wants its aptitude to the designed end I have sent my Prophets Jer. 35.15 saying return ye now every man from the evil of his way and amend your doings c. and ye shall dwell in the Land a gracious offer but behold the obstacle to their benefit thereby you have not inclined your ear nor hearkened unto me In the same manner God leaves it on this issue Learn to do well Is 1.17 18 19. c. If you be willing and obedient yon shall eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it It 's no Repentance while gross evils are continued in if our sins be sins of Commission Zech. 14.19 It 's no Repentance while an express Duty be not complyed with when the offence is a sin of Omission This shall be the punishment of all Egypt and of all Nations that come not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles Let there be never so much mourning though it rise to the covering the Altar with tears Is 58.6.7 8. it yields but vain hopes when Men continue unreformed But amendment carryeth with it a happy presage it restraineth the bitter effects of past provocations and God in Mercy encourageth it in a people though on the brink of ruine We see an instance in Judg. 10. the people having confessed
amendment and a Testimony from Heaven against our crying Evils and shameful Impenitency By terrible things God will prepare us for Blessings and introduce our Happiness by that which will try our utmost Faith I can hardly account our Foundations sure while men justifie their Sins and persist in them Our very Reformation is impossible whiles men of most influence have no heart to it yea hate and fear it Whenever I see Magistrates engage in reforming us as their great Duty and with their whole might VVhen men of power esteem Repentance to be the truest Interest of the Nation VVhen the Ministry is awakened to cry aloud and doth impartially represent to the Land all its Sins and Dangers not mistaking or palliating our Offences VVhen the Body of the Land at least a considerable part of it do crave and approve of Reformation and concur with the Means God shall prepare for it Then and not till then shall I account our Repentance hopeful and consequently expect the Blessings to be established which God seems earnest to bestow Numb 24.22 But who shall live when God doth this VVhat overturnings will effect it when so many have failed to do us any good It s something very amazing which can alter Minds so averse or remove men unchangeably Obstinate Yet the Providences of God towards England are like to be terrible in proportion to all this I do not herein limit the Holy One but humbly propose my thoughts as to the usual aptitude of Means to their End not wholly neglecting the indications of present Providences as to this matter much less would I overlook Scripture Prophesies VSE of LAMENTATION Let us Lament the Impenitency of the Nation and its forfeiture of Mercies and hazard of Judgments hereby Jer. 8.6 What can be Cause of Mourning equal to our Obstinateness We are guilty of bloody Crimes and most regard it not We seem reconciled to our Abominations as if they were innocent and are as secure as if God had not threatned to punish a people for them The Land is full of Sin after all the means which were sent to cleanse us The Fire hath devoured yet our Dross remains The plague hath in its Rage swept away Thousands yet the provocations of England abate not How oft hath the Lord cried Wilt thou not be clean when shall it once be Jer. 12.27 But we have held fast our several Iniquities It s but lately that Popery and Slavery were coming on us like a Deluge to the amazement of all that could with any Zeal consider it but the Nation now seems sorry that it was at all Convinced and repents that there was the least motion in it towards amendment Oh the ferment that hastily succeeded our Fears least Sobriety or Holiness should obtain God hath followed his rebukes with undeserved yea unexpected Mercies but this Sun-shine hath made Weeds to grow instead of rendring Judgments effectual to make us Holy What Methods have been untried but none succeed Which is the Nation that ever withstood so many and various Calls to Repentance Niniveh is England's Reproach she repented at the first warning Sodom would have condemned us had it been trusted with half our Advantages Can the Earth shew an Instance of perverseness equal to ours As if the Gospel had extinguished Natural Conscience or a Christian Profession did make us more regardless than Pagans Every thing seems to harden us we grow worse by those things that recover others Alass We have few that bemoan our want of Mourning are all our Jeremiah's asleep that none drop a Tear for England's Security Do all think it needless or hopeless to turn unto the Lord that so few seem to set themselves in earnest about it How very few symptoms have we that we are not under a judicial Hardness Many are convinced they ought to Repent yea many resolve it but how Abortive doth all prove Our Iniquities baffle our Resolves and Satan triumphs over the vanity of our Purposes What a hateful prospect doth our Nation afford to God and Angels We are a wonder to our selves when a Drowsie Mind allows us to entertain any serious Considerations Lord what will the End of these things be Wilt thou always bear and seem to observe our Provocations as slightily as we do Alass this would make us more miserable than Gods sorest Rebukes Judgments more awful than any we have yet felt are become even necessary to our Happiness but though they be needful what heart can endure them What Terror must attend those Dispensations which will separate the Precious from the Vile pluck up Constitutions so rooted by Interest Custom Malignity and Ignorance Disable the Irreligious from settling Church or State and imbitter our reigning Sins to careless scornful and resolute Offenders How dreadful is that storm that will drive all good Men together when they are canton'd into so many Parties embittered by mutual Prejudices fond of and valuing themselves by fond Opinions and distances from others especially whiles self-conceit and ignorance so prevail How hot is that Fire which will purge out the Dross among Churches when it s eaten even into our Hearts What 's that which can awaken drowsie Saints make the selfish publick Spirited bring the careless to holy Watchfulness and revive that simplicity savouriness and heavenly-mindedness which is become such a Mystery and so unfashionable Surely we may expert a complication of Woes and each filled with unusual degrees of Gods avenging Skill and Power What may not we awfully expect Disappointment by the likeliest men dissolution of the most conceited Churches a shaking of the Nations Pillars a successive change of Instruments frequent blasts on begun Deliverances revivals by the most improbable Instruments many entire over-turnings and changes opposition among the best Friends very near Approaches of the most dreaded Mischiefs Mens minds struck with tremblings all Carnal Refuge failing us Reason put to a Non-plus Probable and Improbable confounded beyond Conjecture Counsel hid from the Wise Force and Power baffled Authority become weak all Order disturbed Men at a loss what to wish or deprecate uncertain what to Hope or Fear whom to distrust or confide in These and many such things seem obvious in the Constitution of that day of the Lord that is like to be upon us And how many more awful things are in his Treasures to fill up that Dispensation of which he hath so long warned the World as strange and unusual We cannot judge of this great Earthquake which will affect us as well as other Nations by what hath been for it is to exceed all that is past Who knows what new sights strange stroakes upon the Spirits of Men and unheard of Judgments may be reserved for this Season Can we love our Nation and be unmov'd Can we hate our selves so as not to Lament that these awful things should find us impenitent yea carry in them displeasing rebukes for that impenitency Should not we all wish that each of our Eyes were Fountains of Tears to bewail at once the Obstinateness and the impending Dangers of the Land of our Nativity Look away from me I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me Isa 22.4 5. because of the spoilings of the daughter of my people For it is a day of trouble and of treading down and of perplexity by the Lord God of Hosts in the valley of vision breaking down of walls and of crying to the Mountains FINIS
there are many to whom the Interests of Christ were more valuable than to allow their Labors to serve any base Design But this of late was found the way of Church Preferments wherewith too many complied and made the Pulpit a Stage for a poor Oration rather than a place to testifie for God or bring Souls nigher to him Are Believers and serious Christians whom I confine not to any Sect or Party free from contributing to fill up the Measure of our Iniquity Oh that they were then should my Soul rejoyce in Hope but it s otherwise Alass how much have they made the vilest Abominations their own by not Mourning for them and by their Carnal Liberty contributing to them Our Gold is become dross How unedifying are their Discourses Isa 1.22 How unexemplary is their Walking Each one seeks himself and none the things of Christ Circumspectness is laid by as unfashionable The Virgins all slumber and sleep How few dare plead the Cause of God Matth. 25.5 or do express his Image What heartless Duties froward Passions notorious Pride and neglect of Education of Children Fast-days are kept without Humiliation Sacraments and Sermons are become Lifeless God is sensibly withdrawn and none bemoan it Religion is dying and none uphold it What a Chilness on the love of Saints to each others What sordid Divisions and Distances A new Standard of Godliness is erected viz. a Zeal for Parties and selfish Interests under pretence of Christs Interests Whiles what is essentially and undoubtedly his recommends men little How little do good men relish that Life Light and Love which is purely Divine Can I excuse Dissenters as such No To say nothing of some of them immersed in destructive Errors alass the more Orthodox have a share in polluting and exposing the Nation A vain Itch hath seized much of our Ministry we study to please rather than profit We envy one another run into Extreams because others come not up to Divine Institutions We overlook the Mercy of our Ease and Liberty because we abound not as others do Tremble Oh my Soul to think how many even of them persecute by Railing lying Reports Non-communion and censuring the state of Souls for Non-compliance with doubtful Notions Too many set up uninstituted Terms of Communion destroy the Pastoral Office promote little designs with base Tricks and grossest Lying under the covert of Equivocation and Surmizes Were it not that some breath another Spirit and more suitable to the Divine Nature and the Gospel of Christ I should sit down with Horror and give up the Land for lost The shadow hath sensibly eaten up the Substance we have fancied talked and disputed a Gospel Frame and practical Holiness almost out of the Land A dead form is that which most are content with and carnally plead for whiles they profess more purity and power than others Are these Evils in the Land or no Are they Sins Are they not General Arise O God! and Convince us embitter them to us Oh was there ever more need to crave the powrings out of thy Spirit now its recesses are so manifest How discernable will be its powrings out if thou bless us therewith 2. I do in the Name of God Call you to this true Repentance for these National Sins VVe have nothing else left to relieve us our begun Deliverance will be Abortive yea more destructive without Repentance VVhat Nation ever needed Repentance more whom hath God oftener Called and more expresly warned He hath long waited to be Gracious and must he destroy us at last when weary of Repenting The Ruins of all our Neighbours cry to us Repent or you will be more Miserable than we are God seems to be on his way to you with the Dregs of the Cup. Our Sins are of the grossest Nature the longest Continuance and sorest Aggravations Jer. 8.5 How oft has God punished this Land for them and yet we hold them fast What variety of Judgments hath he essayed our Reformation by but in Vain Thou Londons Plague and Flames shall not they Reform thee Will not former streams of Blood extinguish our Lusts and Divisions Shall we force God to repeat them VVe were lately on the brink of Ruin and yet the same Malignant Formal and Irreligious Temper revives God hath by a Train of Miracles respited our wo and begun our Deliverance Ezra 9.14 but what are any sort of men amended Methinks we should have past our own doom with Ezra Should we again break thy commandment c. Wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us so that there should be no remnant nor escaping These Abominations are yet more odious by our Profession and Advantages To be acted by such a Notion wearing a Christian Name these Villanies were tollerable among Pagans in comparison of us but in a place of Light we have thus Transgressed in a Land of Uprightness we have been thus Vile Isa 26.10 Oh the Convictions Struggles and Helps we must have trampled on The many Vows we have broken in all these Transgressions Yet in the midst of our Rebellion God renews his Call repent Oh sinful Nation Let the Cry of Mourners be heard in our Streets Oh let shame cover our Face if you have any pity for your selves or Posterity truly repent at last View the National Mercies you may enjoy by Repenting and that you are sure to loose by hardening your Hearts against it Read them over again where I named them are they not valuable enough to excite your Reformation Oh that all would concur in their places to Reform VVhen will Magistrates restrain Sin disanul all bad Laws and state the terms of our Ministry and Communion so that all may be useful and not spoil their efficacy by guilt contracted at their admission nor perpetuate our divisions the consequences whereof have been so dismal and are like to be more so When will Ministers engage in the Reformation of the Land by faithful Warnings sharp Reproofs good Examples plain and importunate Pleadings Will the grosly scandalous Gentry and People abhor their enormities and put away their great provocations whose cry is gone up to the Heavens Shall Englands Mercy be secured by a revival of Strictness of Life more Love and Power among Professors Will you be your Country and Churches plagues That great good which Primitive Saints rejoyced in the hope of or overwhelming Judgments which Posterity will be astonished at do depend upon the return we shall make to Gods present Call Mercies of the most Glorious Nature are in the Birth and shall your even your impenitence stifle them Oh return and if you will return let it be to the Lord your God Jer. 4.1 All changes that amount not to this will avail us nothing Your Prayers your fast-Fast-days are as water spilt on the ground without Reformation How can I cease till the generality be perswaded to do this Lam. 5.21 Hos 5.4 which is so
necessary to our Common Weale Let us all cry Turn us O Lord and we shall or will be turned Frame your doings as men determined to turn unto the Lord. Set heartily to it with all your might for it 's hard work delay it not a moment Oh God bow our wills that the Land may jointly answer Lo we come unto thee Jer. 3.22 for thou art the Lord our God Can you pretend wherein shall we return Alas Mal. 3.7 wherein have we not departed from him All in a manner is out of frame every thing every person considerably needs amendment Let us all Unite in this and God will bless us with Light and Love for Union in other things This work needs all our hands let us make up that wherein others will be defective all striving to begin and outdo each other Oh that all emulation and strife were reduced to this which of us shall first and most Reform 3. If the generality will not be perswaded to repent of National Sins let not particular persons neglect it I am loath to descend so low yet this is better than none Who knows how many may be convinced by the Repentance of a few At least you may preserve your selves Ez. 9.4 6. and view the publick Calamity with more composure than other Men as having done your utmost to prevent them We know not but God may delay Judgments for the sake of a few remarkable Penitents though we may not commonly expect it Shall there be so great cause and none set themselves to it Hath God none among us that regard his loudest Calls Can there be so little Love to his Name and Honour in England that even a few will not afflict their Souls that he is so provoked that a few will not testifie against this common Apostacy Poor Nation that hast none that love thy wellfare that all will lose showers of Mercy for thee rather than sow in Righteousness Ezek. 22.30 Oh that some would resolve this day Let not God say I fought for a man but I found none Repent of your Personal Sins otherwise how can you repent of National Sins Examine thy self how far thou art infected with the National Provocations What hast thou contributed thereto Charge thy Soul therewith Say the measure is so much the fuller for my sake Bewail thy share mourn over the faults of others thou mayest grieve for what thou canst not reform but be sure to reform thy self to thy utmost reform thy Family yea set thy self to bring all thou art in thy place capable to amendment Do not judge of faults by the common Opinion let not the Example of others be thy Standard but set the Divine Rule before thee and review things thereby Resolve to stem the Tide and to judge and act in the face of it What though the multitude be against thee what though Bigots rail what though many Professors yea Men of thy own Party condemn thee All is nothing whiles God will accept and approve thee A Man must be singular that will reform himself in a degenerate Age he must be resolved that will attempt to reform others 2. Let us enquire whether we may expect National Mercies from our present frame and state I believe God will not forsake us but in time he will do us good But the Enquiry is meant thus Whether Mercy will be immediately enjoyed is the wrath of God turned away and will his progress in a way of Judgments be stopped Can we reasonably conclude though the Sword hath been furbished it shall not destroy Our Warfare is accomplished the Clouds are past the bitterness of Death is over Dare I say rejoyce O Land in the favour of a reconciled God For good only good shall presently be unto thee I shall by way of Objections give you what is matter of Hopes and in the Answer to those Objections give you the ground of my Fears and in the end declare my Thoughts Object 1. Are there not some Testimonies of National Repentance from whence we may hope Mercy is towards us As 1. Penal Laws against the Worship of God are as good as disannulled and Persecution is at a stop Answ 1. I wish the general remains of Malignity argue not a sorrow for that Liberty 2. I find most of them that were guilty of Persecution instead of repenting of it do justifie it as a just Prosecution though it was an Usurpation of the Rights of People as Men and as Christians 3. Are the Sacrament Test and Act of Uniformity removed 2. We had a publick Fast-day kept with outward Solemnity Answ I 'll judge of no Mans Heart yet I cannot but observe 1. The most polluting Sins of the Land were not solemnly owned much less bewailed Where was a publick acknowledgment of the sinful Silencing Two Thousand Ministers because they durst not profane their Office and plainly Lye and Perjure themselves I might name many such other sins alas general Confessions avail little 2. What publick Reformation in Life and Manners appears since that day What fewer Oaths Profaneness is no way abated Men are returned with the Dog to the vomit Now Fastings without amendment are but a mockery with God and profit not a people 3. Men are so far from Repentance that they cannot endure to be reproved for their sins They say you irritate if you mention their offences They like to hear others accused but abhor the least hint against their own faults Tell the imposer on the Church that uninstituted terms of Communion are sinful and rage is awakened Perswade the bitter Spirit to be Peaceable and his Tongue is soon envenomed and you shall be railed on as the great disturber Object 2. But a great part of the Land is innocent of some of the most notorious Crimes the sober Persons are many who share not in the Profaneness of the Land The persecuted and ejected cannot be guilty of the oppressions they were under and many of the Church of England never agreed thereto Answ 1. How little do such truly mourn for those sins of other Men How much more common is it to hear the better sort scoff and laugh at Profaneness than bewail it Persecutors are more railed at than mourned for By this we become guilty 2. Are not there iniquities with the soberer part of the Nation impenitently continued in to this day Do we see backslidings healed how much more Mortified Heavenly Circumspect Charitable or Fruitful are the hopefullest persons in the Land by all our Calls Yea our Complaints though so general little tend to alter us Isa 64.6 7. Our Righteousness is as filthy rags we fade as a leaf Object 3. But if we consider the Sovereign dealings of God with us may not we expect Mercy though we see not Repentance As 1. God hath lately wrought a great Deliverance when we were on the brink of ruin and that by a series of Miracles when we were as unworthy as we are now Answ