the throne thou shalt be greater 3. We make Religion our businesse when our thoughts are most busied about Religion while others are thinking how they shall do to get a living our thoughts are how we shall do to be saved David did muse upon God Psal 139.3 While I was musing the fire burned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. Thoughts are as passengers in the soul when we travell every day to the City of God and are contemplating glory and eternity this is to make Religion our businesse Theophilact calls holy contemplation the gate and portall by which we enter into Heaven a Christian by divine soliloquies and ejaculations is in Heaven before his time he is wrapd up into Paradise his thoughts are all packd up and gone 4. We make Religion our businesse when our main end and scope is to serve God he is said to make the world his businesse whose great design is to get the world St Pauls ultimate end was that Christ might be magnified and the Church edified Phil. 1.20 2 Cor. 12 19. our aimes must be good as well as our actions Many make use of Religion for sinister ends like the Eagle while she flies aloft her eye is upon her prey Hypocrites serve God propter aliud they love the Temple for the gold they court the Gospell not for its beauty Mat. 23.17 but for its Jewels these do not make Religion their businesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys but a politick trick and artifice to get money but then we make Religion our businesse when the glory of God is mainly in our eye and the very purport and intent of our life is to live to him who hath died for us 2 Cor. 5.15 God is the center and all the lines of our actions must be drawn to this center 5. We make Religion our businesse when we do trade with God every day Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven The greek word for conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies commerce and traffique our merchandize is in Heaven a man may live in one place and drive his trade in another a Saint though he lives in the world Vt municipes coelorum nos gerimus yet he trades above the Moon he is a merchant for the Pearl of price This is to make Religion our businesse when we keep an holy intercourse with God there 's a trade driven between us and Heaven 1 Joh. 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus God comes down to us upon the wing of his Spirit and we go up to him upon the wing of prayer 6. We make Religion our businesse when we redeem time from secular things for the service of God a good Christian is the greatest monopolizer he doth hoard up all the time he can for Religon Psal 119.62 at midnight will I rise and praise thee Those are the best hours which are spent with God and David having tasted how sweet the Lord was would borrow some time from his sleep that he might take a turn in Heaven It well becomes Christians to take time from worldly occasions sinfull dressings idle visits that they may be the more intent upon the matters of Religion I have read of an holy man who being tempted by his former evil companions to sin he made this answer I am so busie in reading in a little book with three leaves that I have no leisure so much as to mind my other businesse and being asked afterward whether he had read over the book replyed this book with three leaves are of three severall colours red white and black which contain such deep misteries that I have resolved with my self to read therein all the daies of my life in the first leaf which is red I meditate on the pretious bloud of Christ which was shed for my sins in the white leaf I meditate on the pure and â—elitious joyes of Heaven in thâ— black leaf I contemplate the hideous and dreadfull torments of Hell prepared for the wicked to all eternity This is to make Religion our businesse when we are so taken up with it that we have scarce any leisure for other things Christian thou hast a God to serve and a soul to save and if thou hast any thing of Religion in thee thou wilt take heed of the thieves of time and wilt engrosse all opportunities for the best things How far are they from Christianity who justle out holy duties instead of borrowing time from the world for prayer they steal time from prayer that they may follow the world 7. We make Religion our businesse when we serve God with all our might our strength and spirits are drawn forth about Religion we seck sweat strive bestir our selves as in a matter of life and death and put forth not only diligence but violence 2 Sam. 6.14 David danced before the Lord with all his might This is to make Religion our businesse when we shake off sloath and put on zeal as a garment We must not only pray but pray fervently Jam. 5.16 we must not only repent but be zealous and repent Rev. 3.9 we must not only love but be sick of love Cant. 2.5 Horat. multa tulit sudavit alsit This is to be a Christian to purpose when we put forth all our vigour and fervour in Religion Matth. 12.11 and take the Kingdom of God as it were by storm 'T is not a faint velleity will bring us to Heaven there must not only be wishing but working and we must so work as being damned if we come short Vse 1 Vse 1. Information Information Branch 1 1. Branch Hence learn that there are but few good Christians oh how few make Religion their businesse is he an Artificer that never wrought in the trade is he a Christian that never wrought in the trade of godlinesse How few make Religion their businesse 1. Some make Religion a complement but not their businesse they court Religion by a profession and if need be Religion shall have their letters of commendation but they do not make Religion their business Many of Christs Disciples who said Lord evermore give us this bread yet soon after basely deserted Christ Ioh. 6.34 and would follow him no longer Joh. 6.66 From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him 2. Others make the world their business Phil. 3.19 Who mind earthly things The earth puts out the fire So the love of earthly things puts out the fire of heavenly affections It was a judgement upon Korah and Dathan Numb 16.22 the earth swallowed them up Thus it is with many the world swallows up their time thoughts discourse they are swallowed up alive in the earth There is a lawfull use of these things but the sin is in the excess The Bee may suck a little honey from the leaf but put it in a Barrell of honey and it is drown'd How many ingulph themselves in
a nation changed its God q. d. no they are fixed to their Gods and they will not change them So it is in the sin of adultery the heart is stollen from the proper object as it is Hos 4.11 speaking of wine and women it is said they steal away the heart and it is glued to that which it goes a whoring after so that it will not be taken off from it Prov 2.9 When the creature becomes an Idol in the heart then there is idolatry committed and when it is a beloved there is adultery committed the hope and trust and confidence of the soul is gone the love and care the joy and delight of the soul is gone and the soul with every creature that it thus enjoyes powreth out her fornications as the Lord spake of them Ezek 16.5 and as they Isa 23.17 are said to commit fornication with all Kingdoms so a heart which inordinately loveth and doteth on and is glued to creature comforts commits fornication and abomination with them The second Inquiry was How we may judg of our hearts and know when they miscarry and offend in the pursuing use and enjoyment of lawfull things 1. When our desire of and our endeavours after worldly things grow strong and vehement and very eager and impatient as Rachel said Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 When we begin to say I must have such an accommodation whatever it cost me I must have such a comfort or I am undone such a pursuit after worldly comforts argues a heart very carnall and he that miscarries so much in seeking after the things of this world will not mend the matter much when he comes to enjoy them when the heart groweth sick after worldly things in the desire of them usually it surfeteth when it gaineth it as Amnon was sick for his sister 2 Sam. 13.1 2. he had a surfet after and as Ahab 1 King 21.4 he was sick with impatient earnest longing for Naboths vineyard When your heart is very impatient till you doe obtain your desires you are never well with that thing which you do so obtain When the affections grow strong and warm that you can indure no opposition or contradiction in the pursuance of your desires but you can bear any trouble or hardship that you may obtain the things desired as we see in Shechem Gen. 34. who could endure circumcision that he might have Dinah and in Jacob who did indure very much that he might have Rachel Gen. 29.18 then there is a match towards then in such a case when it is gained the heart becomes glued to it and commits fornication with it and cannot indure to be touched or thwarted in the fruition of it as Demotrius and the Silver-smiths when they found their Diana began to be touched by Pauls doctrine Acts 19.24 25 c. they made an uproar they would not endure that When ye look on any thing with a greedy and impatient longing lusting eye that if you do obtain it if God doth not otherwise order it will prove a snare to you as the Psalmist speaks Psal 69.22 an Idol an image of jealousie a curse and a crosse 2. When you have raised expectations and hopes of great contentment and satisfaction from your comforts when you promise to your selves greater matters from the creature than it can yeeld then you miscarry when you look on the creature through the multiplying glasse of your affections and lusts and see them as they are so represented bigger and better than they are and from thence you have high valuation of them and raised expectations also of great things from them when we fancie an excellency in the creature that is not we fancy a fullness in an empty thing a satisfaction in an insufficient unsatisfying comfort we fancie a stability in a vain fleeting vanishing thing when we fancie a fountain excâ—llency in a broken cistern as they did Jer. 2.13 then upon this the heart is raised to great expectations of pleasure profit c. then the heart shamefully miscarries and as it is said Rev. 13.3 4. there is a strange beast that turned the eyes of all the world after it they looked with an eye of great expectation from this beast and then they wondred and adored also so that they looked with an eye of admiration and adoration too 3. When the obedience and willing submission of the soul is brought off to any worldly comfort and the soul stoops to its scepter and the faculties like the Centurions servants doe as they are bid such comforts which are slavishly obeyed are sinnefully enjoyed When we are afraid to displease them the fear is at command when we are carefull to please such a lust then the care is under subjection when we are troubled if crossed then our sorrow is at command if rejoyced when that is gratified then the love and delight of the soul are at command And his servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 When the soul is even as the servant that looks to the hand of the Master with an obediential eye Ps 123.2 expecting a command and ready to yeeld obedience such a comfort is a sin and a curse to you Christ calls to us to deny our selves Matth. 16.24 Profits pleasures carnall advantages say rather deny Christs command Who is obeyed Christ saith mortifie your lusts lust saith gratifie us consider who is obeyed If family duties and personall private duties if praying holy meditation secret close communion with God be neglected because multitude of worldly businesse and full and great Trade in the world commands you another way and requires the love and zeal and strength and care of the heart to another attendance then you are under another Sovereign than Christ The obedience of the heart is carried to another Law other Lords rule over you Now the soul that is under the command of the creature as I have shewed that comfort becomes a sin which usurps the throne of the heart 4. When the soul groweth very tender and compassionate towards such a comfort and begins to spare that above other things then that becomes a lust and lust is very tender and delicate and must be tenderly used right eyes are very tender the least touch fetcheth teares when thou canst not endure that either the Word of God or the Rod of God should come too near or so much as touch upon such a carnall contentment such a comfort such a Husband such a Wife or Child thou canst not indure that the Lord should smite thee in any of these but thou cryest out Oh spare this as David concerning his Absalom 2 Sam. 18.4 5. Oh tender the young man pray deal gently with him and as old Jacob with his Benjamin He could more easily spare his other children than him he looked with a very tender compassionate eye on him What ever thou dost enjoy with such a tender bleeding heart and eye it hath ravished thy heart very far and it is
voluntati objiciuntur sint aut finis aut media haec ob sclum finem appeti media qua media dicunt tantum relationem ad finem non autem fundamentum ipsius tum quia contraria est puritati amoris quo deo inhaerere debemus Ita enim ut passim apud sol diores vitae spiritualis magistros videre est amare debâ—mus deum ut cum illo etiaÌ„ sub illo nihil aliud amemus sed omnia duntaxat in illo quia alià s non amamus illuÌ„ ex toto corde sed aliud quidpiam ab illo occupat cor nostrum Gibieuf de lib. dei creat l. 1. c. 11 p. 66. is our love to other things regular when the alone goodness of God moves us to love them as the alone respect to health makes me use physick the means hath no proper goodness distinct from the goodness of the end those means which were profitable though they remain unchanged in themselves yet they become unprofitable by the alone change of the end e. g. Health being recovered physick is unprofitable which while we were infirme was profitable so we are not to love any means without relation to the end because 't is contrary to the purity of that love which we owe to God for we ought so to love God that with him or under him we love nothing else but all things only in him because otherwise we do not love him with our whole heart e. g. In mens loving their wives and wives their husbands in Parents loving their children children their Parents 't is a rare pitch to love all these in God that is to advance our love to God by them and so far as any of them draw off our love to God to say to them as Christ to Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me Love is extended to good the more good therefore any thing is the more it is to be beloved But thou O Lord my God saith Bradwardine f Tu autem Dâ—mine deus meus es omnis boni bonum super omnia bona bonus bonum infinitissimè infinitum quomodo tantum plus amabo te quam tu amas me quantum tu es melior me debeo amare te finaliter propter te omnia alia propter te tu autem non amas me proptér me nec caetera propter me debeo etiam amare te infinite quodammodo intersive supra quod cumque bonum finitum tu autem non sic amas me Debeo quoque amare te infinite quodammodo extensive volendo scil potiùs quotcumque quantacunque bona alâ—a etiam meipsum non esse quam te vel quam te semel offendere tu vero non sic amas me quia non debeo sic amari c. Bradwardin de causa dei l 2. c. 34. p. 627. seqq art the Good of every good good above all things that are good a good most infinitely infinite how much therefore should I rationally love thee should not my love be proportionably infinite I would I could so love thee but how shall I that am so very little finite love thee infinitely And yet without so loving thee how will there be kept any due proportion in loving thee who dost infinitely exceed all other lovely things I ought to love thee infinitely as to the manner though I cannot as to the act of my love i. e. I ought to love thee finally for thy self or else I may love thee in some sort infinitely as to the Act both intensively and extensively in some sort intensively i. e. more intensely more firmly more strongly then any finite good because I love them but for thee In some sort extensively by comparing all things how many or how great soever with thee and loving thee before above all that I had rather all things in the world and my self too to have no being then once to offend thee But Lord thou lovest thy friends in an unspeakable manner more then they can love thee O therefore thou great Lord thou great Good that fillest heaven and earth why doest thou not fill my very little soul O my soul that art so little so miserable why dost thou not open all thy little doors why dost thou not extend thy utmost capacity that thou mayest be wholly possest wholly satiated wholly ravished with the sweetness of so great love specially seeing thou art so very little yet nothing less will satisfie thee O therefore my most loving God I beseech thee tell me what may most effectually draw out my love to thee considering what prevention of love what privative positive good things I receive from thee infinite in greatness infinite in multitude It is a wonder that any one can think of these things and not be wholly swallowed up of love wholly turned into love But I see Lord 't is easier to speak these things and to write them down than to do them Thou therefore most good most powerful Lord to whom nothing is difficult give I beseech thee that I may more easily do these things in my heart then utter them with my mouth Open I beseech thee thy most bountiful hand and enable me that nothing may be more easie nothing more sweet nothing more delightfull then most effectually and most affectionately to fulfil that which I speak about loving of thee Lord give me leave a little to presume above my hope and to plead with thee about thy magnificent goodness humane friendship will not give the repulse to a poor wanting begging friend O therefore most liberal Lord help me that I may love thee Christians 't is worth while to make it your business to climb up to this love-extasie This you will find to be a compleating rule an effectual means and a singular exercise of exact and conscientious walking I shall briefly name I intended largely to have prest two arguments or motives to perswade the use of these directions 1. You cannot possibly get rid of your Conscience g Nec vi extinguitur nec fraude adeò altè inhaeret animo Tutissimus licet homo sit tamen securus non est ipsas tenebras nequitia imo tuta omnia timet multos fortuna liberat paena metu neminem Exemplo sunt potentissimi Imperatores qui aâ—cani licentiam nacti sine arbitris sine testibus c. Episcop Instit theol P. 1. c. 3. p. 10 11. Ipsa conscientia propriis stimulis agitatur atque compungitur sui ipsa efficitur accusatrix testis Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 11. p. 707. therefore be perswaded to get a good one there 's nothing more common then for wicked men to do what they can to extinguish Conscience they flatter it with carnall reasoning they bâ—ibe it with mock devotions they wound it with hainous provocations they scar it with customary wickedness they trample it under foot by sinning in despight of it
Did ever any read hear or pray so much but he might have read heard and pray'd more Jehoram might have waited on the Lord longer 2 Kings 6. ult 5. Conclus Humane endeavours are not required to co-operate with Gods grace and so make it effectual but his grace makes their endeavours effectual when he pleaseth Physical means make not Gods power effectual but his power makes them effectual and so it s in mens endeavours It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 6. Conclus All that men do before Conversion is not in vain fruitless and to no purpose When Rehoboam and the Princes humbled themselves at the preaching of Shemaiah they were reprieved and delivered from destruction 2 Chro. 12.12 Ahabs humiliation did adjourn the judgement 1 King 21.27.29 The Ninivites found favour with God upon their fasting and repentance Jon. 3.8 9 10. 7. Conclus All the Actings and endeavours of men whatsoever they be are not formaliter dispositions or preparations to conversion so that conversion must necessarily follow upon them For there is no necessary connexion between the actings of Men and divine Grace The Lord hath no where said if you act so far or be so disposed qualified or prepared I will convert you If Gods grace did depend upon mens Actings then those that are most Civil and Moral must be taken and those who are profane and rebellious must be left but Pharisees were excluded when Publicans and Harlots were admitted Great sinners sometimes are brought in who did nothing towards their conversion when those did much are shut out Mary Magdalen a great and infamous sinner is taken when the foolish Virgins were refused they were Virgins free from the spots and pollutions of the world they had lamps professions they did much they went out to meet the Bride-groom they gat oyle into their lamps they went to the door and they cryed Lord Lord open to us Haec sunt opera preparatoria quibus se effert Paulus Jun. in locum and there was no opening to them What preparations had Paul to this work of conversion he was a blasphemer a persecuter and an injurious person these were his dispositions and preparatory works he had towards his conversion 1 Tim. 1.13 8. Conclu Those that live under the means of grace the administrations of Law and Gospel have some operations and gifts of the Spirit which some call common preventing and exciting Grace whereby they are inabled to do many things towards and in order to conversion The Scribe that was teachable and answered Christ discreetly was not farre from the kingdome of God Mark 12.32 34. He was nearer unto it than those had not the means The preaching of the Gospel is to make the converted meet for Glory and the unconverted meet for Grace to prepare and bring them to regeneration I have begotten you through the preaching of the Gospel saith Paul to the Corinthians 1 Epist 4.15 The preaching of it wrought much in them before conversion it selfe was wrought Balaam living under the Law and amongst or nigh the people of God was much inlightned and greatly convinced insomuch that he desired to die the death of the righteous 9. Conclus No actings of men or qualifications in men are causes of conversion do merit it or make them congruous for it They are not antecedent causes or so much as Causae sine quibus non but the Lord doth according to his Prerogative work sometimes where they are not as Ezek. 16. When thou wast in thy bloud I said unto thee live There was no cause condition or qualification in them to beget affection or move the Lord to do ought for them It was the time of his love and he said live 10. Conclus What ever the endeavours and dispositions of men be they are only by way of order before Conversion they are only antecedaneous thereunto on mans part not necessary on Gods part who can and oft doth work where there be no such previous acts or dispositions as in the dry bones in Ezekiel they had no disposition or power in them to rattle and come together neither had the dead womb of Sarah any power or vertue in it to conceive 11. Conclus Acts of men towards Conversion are not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sinne as making the person acceptable to God or as inducements of God towards conversion Qui nobis ipsis nihil a deo meriti sumus quibus deus nullam gratiam nullam mercedē debet se si jure nobiscum agat juxta conditionē servorū Brugensis in loc but we must acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants when we have done all that is commanded us Luke 17.10 12. Conclus Mans quickning believing repenting or turning are not acts of man in part and partly of God but they are wholly of God and from God You hath he quickned Ephes 2.1 they were dead and could not quicken themselves it was He the Lord So no man can come to me except the Father draw him John 6.44 This drawing or causing the soule to believe in Christ is wholly the Fathers work Nisi donum dei esset ipsa ad deum nostra conversio non ei diceretur Deus virtutum converte nos Aug. de gra lib. Arb. Jam. 1.17 August And Ephraim saith Turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 he could not turne himselfe if the Lord had not done it it would never have been done Paul saith It 's not in him that wills c. but in God c. The will and deed are of him not of man Phil. 2.13 It is the Lord who is causa totius entis Every good and perfect gift comes downe from above it 's not a perfect gift if man contribute to it The saying of the Father is sound Velle habemus sed bene velle in parte in toto est a gratia 13. Conclus Man in the first act of conversion is meerly passive Those who believe are borne not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God nothing of mans will comes in Not ultimum dictamen intellectus did set the will on work here but the Lord begat them of his owne will Jam. 1.18 So that mans will is not semiviva semimortua but penitus extincta ad bonum spirituale and so ad hoc to this of Conversion as the vitall faculty is gone in a dead man 14. Conclus Mans will being first converted to God and by God himselfe converts it selfe also unto God acta agit as a childs hand in writing being acted by the Masters hand it writes Hence man may be said to turn himself for the will being healed and made good of unwilling willing it hath an intrinsecal principle of willing good and so dominion over its own acts whereby it turneth it selfe to God Where there is the Fathers drawing first there is presently the
Souls coming These Conclusions being laid down I shall shew you what men can do towards their conversion but first I must inform you that conversion may be taken two wayes 1. Strictly for the infusion of grace into the heart and will of man whereby he is regenerate and his will made good here man and his will being meerly passive for in this act voluntas nec est libera nec voluntaria he can do nothing towards his owne conversion in this sense 2. It may be taken pro tota serie auxiliorum quibus ad eam movemur For all helps and means which further us that way and in this sense it 's affirmed That men may do much towards their conversion they may materially dispose themselves thereunto 1. They may do as much as heathens have done or would have done had they lived under the same means and had such motives as they have The Lord tells Ezek that if he had sent him to a people of a strange language that was to the Gentiles they would have hearkned unto him Ezek. 3.6 they would have received him and obeyed his doctrine It is certified from the mouth of Christ That if the mighty works done in Chorazin and Bethsaida had been done in Tyre and Sydon they would have repented Matth. 11.21 And that the men of Niniveh should rise in judgement with the then present generation and condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonas and behold a greater than Jonas was there Matth. 12.41 If one Sermon of Jonas who was one of the lesser Prophets prevailed so much with Heathens why should not many Sermons of Christ who is the chief of all the Prophets prevail as much if not more with Christians vae torpori nostro what will become of us Rahab shewed kindnesse to the people of God and that was antecedaneous to her conversion Herod heard the Word gladly Mar. 6.20 And Pharaoh desired the prayers of Moses and Aaron Exod. 8.28 2. They may sit under a powerfull Ministry coming with reverence before God not offering the sacrifice of fools but hear the Truth without being contentious against it as they were Rom. 2.8 They may let the Truth have a full stroak at them and their corruptions They may receive the love of the truth 2 Thes 2.10 and not hold it in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 So that they will not suffer it to have influence into their affections and to break out into action 3. They may hearken to the voyce of Gods judgements and rods when they are abroad upon themselves and others No man should despise the chastisement of the Lord but every one should heare the voice of the Rod and who hath appointed it The Prophet Isaiah tells us Chap. 16.9 That the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness when the judgements of the Lord are in the earth Discite justitiā moniti non temnere numen Virg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His judgements are the best Schoolmasters and teach many good lessons Waldus was taught by the hand of God upon one of his sociates to become a new man When Manasses was in affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly 2 Chron. 33.12 Vexatio dat intellectum when the Lord doth box and buffet us with his judgements our understandings are opened and fear falls upon us and though this fear be servile at first yet it may end in filiall the spirit of bondage may become the spirit of Adoption 4. They may observe the difference is made in mens lives after conversion from that which was before Conversion is a strange worke it makes a man another man They in Peter thought it a strange thing that men left their old courses Ego non sum ego 1 Pet. 4.4 In conversion Wolves are made Lambs and persecuters Preachers How was it that when Paul preached all that heard him were amazed and said is not this he which destroyed them who call'd on this name in Jerusalem and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priests True it was he unconverted did so not he converted now he was another a new man now he was a Christian and had other principles and practices than before there was a great change wrought in him and so in Mary Magdalen Observation of such examples have their use and energy Praecepta docent ducunt exempla trahunt For Examples are strong traces to draw men from wicked practices Why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as the Jewes said Paul to Peter Gal. 2.14 Peters example was the compulsion There is a kind of compulsion in examples not violent but alluring and attracting The example of the believing wife may win the unbelieving husband 1 Pet. 3.1 A prudent gracious Wife gains much upon a gracelesse Husband by her modesty and obedience 5. They may see what equity there is that they should serve the Lord being his creatures and servants and not onely serve him but so serve him as they have served their sinfull lusts and something more seeing they depend on him I speake after the manner of men saith Paul Rom. 6.19 It 's rationall just and equall that as you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. so now yield them servants to righteousnesse unto holinesse it 's reason justice and equity that you should do so Should not men take as much pains for heaven as for hell for their soules as for their bodies for the Lord Christ as for creatures should they not be as diligent to weaken their lusts as they have been to strengthen them should they not be at as much cost to maintain the pure worship of God as the inventions and traditions of men It 's a complaint of the Lords Isa 55.2 Wherefore do yee spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not They might have spent their money labour time and strength and as much for true bread which would have fed their souls as they did for that which was as no bread Luke 15.16 but rather huskes for swine 6. They may remove and abate sin in part which is done by the contrary Knowledge removes ignorance as light doth darkness grief abates pleasure and fear boldnesse in sinning Patience keeps under passion and fasting tames unruly lusts When the strength of a Feaver is abated by physicall meanes a man is disposed towards health and when a man hath gotten Moralities which he may do and by them made an abatement of his sins and lusts he is materially disposed to grace as the ground when plowed is for seed though the seed be not yet sown 7. They may do materially what Converts do There is no act considered in its meer nature and kind which a true Christian may perform but one unconverted may perform also and have many like dispositions unto those they have They may love God It 's
be departing and taking its leave of the body or at lest may be in danger so to do whereas the former being a man of an hayle and good constitution of body the soul may act inform enliven it many years 8. Get a respect to all Gods Commandments Psa 119.6 then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The reason why men indulge any one lust is because they pick and cull their duties and so indeed serve not the will of God but their own choice Oh how many are there that answer the Lord with half obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfect respondence of the voyce but of some part thereof Many make such a difference amongst the Tables as if onely one side or one part were of Gods writing Oh Sirs this will not do this will undo the man that like Agrippa doth but almost beleeve almost repent almost conform to the will of God that man shall be saved proportionably almost One sin unrepented of will cause you to miscarry to all eternity one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable untunable and till it be new cast it is good for nothing one wound may kill your bodies and so may one sin your souls Oh Christians what had become of you and I if Jesus Christ had satisfied the justice of God for all but one sin there is a text in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.27 that is usually taken for a place of the greatest mercy in the whole book of God When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive You have to the same purpose ver 21 22. of the same Chapter but pray mark what follows ver 28. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgression that he hath committed no mercy to be expected from this Scripture unless a man turn away from all his transgressions 2 Tim. 2.21 the vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour by this character that it is sanctified and prepared for every good work Luke 1.6 and this is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Halting in Religion is a troublesome deformed dangerous gesture and there is no cure for this like cutting off the right foot 9. Lay hold on Gods strength for the mortifying of thy beloved sin surely this is no easie work see how it is expressed in Scripture sometime it is called the mortification of our members is to mortifie a part of the body an easie work sometimes the circumcising of the foreskin of our hearts Deut. 10.16 did the Sichemites count circumcision an easie work by crucifying of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 was crucifixion an easie death and here in the text it is called a plucking out the right eye and cutting off the right hand the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place tells the Romans if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live He who is the fountain of spiritual life is also the principle of this spiritual death this is a work to be done by us but through the Spirit Hence in Scripture God is said to do this Rom. 8.13 Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed and the Apostle expresses this by circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 intimating that it is not a work of mans hands but Gods Q. If any aske me but how shall we lay hold on Gods strength R. By faith great things are attributed unto this grace because it lays hold on God and sets God at work 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith it overcomes not onely the honours and riches and pleasures of the world but the lusts of the world of which you have mention 1 Job 2.16 saith is a self-emptying grace a poor beggarly hand rich only in receiving from another something like Davids sling and stone against Goliah lusts but in the name of the Lord of Hosts and by his strength even a babe in Christ through faith shall overcome the world I must tell you that Hannibal and Alexander and all the glorious Victors that we read of were but fresh water Souldiers in comparison of one that is born of God I shall only to what I have said add a few Motives to quicken you to your duty and so commend all to Gods blessing Motive 1. Right-eye sins and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the souls closing with Christ When you flea any creature the skin comes off with ease till it comes to the head and there it sticks more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence Now I must tell you the sin that I am disswading you against is not only the eye sin and the hand sin but the head sin and here conversion sticks The sinner forbears many sins and performs many duties but when it comes to this Oh master saith flesh and blood pitty thy selfe beware what thou dost what be thine own Executioner plucke out thy right eye cut off thy right hand A mans sin is himself to deny ungodlinesse is to deny selfe this is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murther No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Is there no getting to heaven unlesse a man leave himself behind this is durus sermo an hard saying As Naaman the Syrian 2 Reg. 5.18 When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So the sinner the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Mark 10.20 21. The young man in the Gospel tels Christ that he had kept all the commandements from his youth but when Christ said to him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven and come and take up thy crosse and follow me here he sticks verse 22. he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions or his great possessions had him Alass this poor young man little thought that notwithstanding his forwardnesse to keep the Commandements he was under the power of worldly lusts Oh sirs there is great strength in a river when it runs smoothly and without noise Motive 2. As these sins are the greatest hindrances of the souls closing with Christ so they prove the greatest trouble to the soul afterwards Your Eye-sin will prove your eye-sore yea and your heart-sore My meaning is your conâ—cience will suffer most upon the account of this sin all your dayes Thus Job cap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth When a mans conscience is
did to the King before he opened his mouth to give the sense of his Ominous Dream Dan. 4 19. The Dream be to them that hate thee and the Interpretation to thine enemies yet shall I not wish so much ill to our worst enemies but the Text be to them that hate God and the Interpretation only to the enemies and despisers or despitors of his grace It is one of the most startling Scriptures in all the Bible and one of the most Terrible flying fiery Roules in all the Book of God utterly consuming the house of the hypocrite Apostate with the timber thereof and the stones thereof and dreadfully affrighting his truly Religious neighbour who trembleth at Gods Word The Novatians or Cathari abused this place of old Gen. 40. to shut the Church-doors and gate of grace upon such as had fallen after their profession of Christianity And many poor souls and troubled consciences have as often quite perverted or misunderstood it to the shutting up the gate of heaven and door of hope against themselves after their bitterly bewail'd falls or slips but both unjustly But as Josephs Interpretation once of the same nights dream when rightly applyed did rid the Butler out of his misapprehended fears and onely left the more secure Baker under that execution which the other apprehended but himself never dreamt of so neither this nor any other Scripture speaks a word of terror to any sin-troubled soul that trembles at Gods threats But all the Prophets Prophesie good with one consent to these and my word shall be like one of theirs It was indeed once a joyfull sight which Jacob beheld at Bethel Gen 28.12 A ladder whose foot stood on the earth and the top reached to heaven and Angels ascending and descending upon it But here we see a Ladder whose top spires toward heaven but the foot resteth in hell where seeming Angels of light ascend or such new strange Gods ascend as the Witch once saw out of the earth but black Apostate Angels descend Intrat Angelus Exit daemon 1 Sam. 28.13 I am to speak of the Case of Relapses and my Text is the fairest glass to discover so foul a sight as I know Here we have the rise and fall the first and the last the better and worse part of an Apostate-hypocrite described 1. The former his Rise his first and Better part set out in five Particulars 1. Enlightening 2. Tasting the heavenly gift as of some common faith or repentance or the like 3. Partaking of the Holy Ghost which is not to be understood of the sanctifying graces of the Holy Ghost but the common or extraordinary gifts as of Tongues c. of the sanctifying Spirit 4. Tasting the good word of God 5. And the powers of the life to come He saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut cum edificium male sartum prorsus corruit Paroe in loc Had they had to these five steps two other more sincerity at the bottom of the Ladder and perseverance at the top they had been safe 2. The later his fall his last and worse part is set out in four Things 1. His fall is a break-neck fatal down-fall They fall away It is not an ordinary slip or stumble but a down-right not fair fall but a foul given them by Satan such a fall as his own was at first 2. The irrecoverableness of that fall they are past grace and grace and mercy hath done with them They cannot be renewed to repentance as is said of Esau there is no place for their repentance though he sought for the blessing with tears Heb. 12.17 3. The certainty of that irrecoverableness in that it is said to be impossible c. he doth not say it is hard or unlikely or seldom seen but is absolutely impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was never seen or ever shall be Impossible not so much ex natura rei as some things are utterly impossible which imply a contradiction as that true should be false good evil light darkness these impossible because inconsistent with the nature of the things themselves But impossible ex instituto Dei because inconsistent with Gods decree and declared will as impossible as we say An elect or true believer should perish or an impenitent person be saved so we mean impossible by reason of Gods irreversible decree concerning such 4. The cause that makes all this dead-sure and seals the stone of this certainty Seeing they crucifie to themselves afresh the Son of God and put him to open shame and make no account of the bloud of Christ and the grace and promise of the Gospel and of the comfort of the Holy Ghost and are therefore said to sin against the Holy Ghost because they directly slight resist and oppose the gracious office and workings of the holy Spirit But I must stay no longer upon the words by reason of that brevity expected in this Exercise Doct. Our Observation is It is the most fearful and dangerous condition in the world to begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh to rise and fall in Religion to decay and Apostatize from grace To have had some work of the Spirit and the Word upon their hearts so as to have light and love and taste and gifts and savour and seriousness and hopes and fears and after all to cool and give over Oh how desperate is such a case To go to hell with so much of heaven Oh what a hell is that Heb. 10.26 27. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin But a certain fearfull looking for of judgâ—ment c. 2 Pet 2.20 21 22. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them c. Such a thing there may be possibly the Text supposeth it that such may fall and fall away totally and finally only pronounceth an impossibility of their rising again Some are said to fall from grace Gal. 5.4 the stony and thâ—rny ground did so in a parable Demas Judas Saul Hymenaeus did so in good earnest A great Apostacy was foretold in the first days to let in Antichrist 2 Thes 2.3 And in the reign of Antichrist more 1 Tim 4.1 all are warned Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Heb. 12.15 Look diligently lest any fail of or fall from the grace of God Some of Johns hearers after a while left him Joh. 5.35 Many of our Saviours hearers quite left him Joh. 6.66 Many of Pauls supposed converts were turned away all they of Asia 2
him have a sympathy with him in them Luk. 24.52 Act. 2.26 Neither is it his joy alone that hee was personally advanced by being raised again from the dead and taken up to glory to sit therein at the right hand of God but theirs also Tell a loyal wife that her husband is honoured and her heart will leap at the tidings that are brought to her 'T is good news to love-sick souls to hear that Christ is now in Glory they savour the advancements of their Lord according to those words of Christ himself to his Apostles If yee loved mee yee would rejoyce because I go to the Father for my Father is greater than I Joh. 14.28 They are glad by Faith to see the Sun of Righteousness after a dark and cloudy morning in his Meridian Altitude They dye Ioh. 20.20 and are crucified with Christ in his death Rom. 6.3 Gal. 2.19 And they feel a reviving of themselves in the Resurrection of their Lord and hence it is said of them that they are quickened together with him Ephes 2.5 Ioh. 20.11 compared with Mat. 28.8 and that they sit together in heavenly places with him Ephes 1.20 Wee read of Mary that shee went weeping to the grave of her Lord but hearing that he was arose shee came away rejoycing And no otherwise was it with his Disciples Christ doth not triumph alone in his Ascension but all such as love him share therein together with him And as they share with Christ in his personal joyes and troubles so do they no less when any of his concernments in the world do either prosper or else are trampled upon and clouded Psa 42.10 69.9 'T is as the arrows of death to see either his Laws Ordinances Officers or Subjects trampled upon The reproaches of the rebellious world reproaching their Lord fall upon them and are as so many darts struck into their own souls This is that which successively feeds their joyes and sorrows that it goes well with the Militant Church here below or that a cloud of displeasure and persecution is spread over it 6. Character Where love to Christ is sincere there Christ is accounted by the soul to be its Treasure and there is a longing desire in every such soul of the neerest communion with him I put both these together though there bee a very clear distinction between them for brevity it is a truly conjugal love which can neither bear with distance nor brook any Rival And this is the meaning of the Spouse in that double expression calling him the chiefest of ten thousands and professing him to bee altogether lovely The soul that loves Christ may love other things Cant. 5.10.16 and esteem them lovely but shee will say of none that they are altogether lovely but only of her Lord. When one asked Alexander to shew him his Treasure the report is that hee pointed to his friend Ephestion the Treasure of a soul that sincerely loves Christ is Christ himself Deus meus est omnia or my God is my all saith the soul that loves God as his Ultimate end Hence is that of David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and who is there on Earth that I desire besides thee Christus meus est omnia or my Christ is my all saith the soul that is upon inquiry how to finde acceptation with God Whence is that of Paul Doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 'T is the proper Motto of a love-sick soul None but Christ The sincerity of a Christians love lies in giving a preheminence to the Redeemer whom it loves above every thing else The soul that loves Christ values nothing in comparison of him no not his own benefits Meretricius amor est plus annulum quam sponsum amare or It is a noâ—e of a Harlot to prefer the portion before the person And that is a no less true than noble speech of the devout A. Kempis Nobilis amator non quiescit in dono sed in Christo super omne donum or The Wo thy and Noble Lover values not Christ so much by what hee brings as by what hee is himself The soul that loves Christ loves Ordinances because they are the banquetting-house of her Lord Cant. 2.4 wherein shee is often refreshed by him shee loves the Priviledges of the Gospel becâ—use they are the Purchase of her Lords blood Cant. 4.1 c. Shee loves her own Graces because they are the rare Ornaments which Christ hath put upon her to render her beautiful and fit her for his own imbraces and yet after all her language to Christ is Not Thine but Thee Shee will not so value them as to forget him that gives them Christ is her Center and therefore shee rests not but will lay by and through all to come to him shee can scarce forbear a fit of Impatience sometimes to think of that distance that is still between them See Cant. 8.14 Make haste my Beloved saith the Spouse to Christ there and bee thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices And such another Ejaculation is that Revel 22.17 20. where the whole Church is brought in crying to Christ Come Lord Jesus come quickly While our hearts dwell below upon the thick Clay and have no daily desires to send forth as Doves from the Ark for communion with Christ There is little sign of sincere love to him 7. Character Wee may know our Sincerity in love by the value wee put upon our selves as well as upon Christ if our interest in Christ bee the rule by which wee value our selves that will argue true love when this makes it day in our souls that Christ smiles upon us and on the other side when this spreads the darkness of the night over us that hee hides his face from us then wee love him David loved God heartily and therefore when God smiled hee rejoyced Psalm 4.6 Psal 30.7 and when God hid his face hee was as much troubled then as before delighted 'T is thus in every relation where there is sincerity of affection as the bond thereof and a dependance between them of the one upon the other 'T is thus between a Prince and a loyal favorite between a Husband and a loving wise 't is thus between the love-sick soul and Christ when shee injoyes him then none so lightsome in Countenance as shee According to the nature of love her affections are hardly concealed they are even too big for her heart to cover and therefore shee can scarce with hold her self from a Holy exultation before every one that meets her Whereas on the other side if Christ but withdraws if shee calls and hee gives no answer if hee seems to avoid her Company and to despise her familiarity what then Oh then her Joy is turned into Gall and her Pleasantness into Wormwood then her Countenance grows dark
irrational to love Christ because his purpose and design is to take our hearts from the pursuit of all but God And until you know God to bee your happiness you will never understand the best reasons that I may not say the only that you have to love him That man loves Christ best that most fully knows God to be his eternal rest and blessedness and loves him as such 4. Direction Get a Gospel-knowledge of Christ both what hee was originally and what hee hath stooped and humbled himself to be for thy sake why hee came into the world how hee lived and dyed and what was the Covenant between the Father and him how hee is exalted and honoured by God and what great things are promised both by Father and Son to all that in Christ sincerely draw nigh to God Oh the sweet gales of affection which by spiritual Meditation upon Christ will begin to blow within us Wee cannot muse upon Christs dyiâ—g and rising again and inviting us to love him but the fire will burn A considering Faith in Christ will naturally bud and blossome into love 5. Direction Beleeve the reality of his love to theâ— I mean that hee did all that ever hee did for thee out of a hearty and real affection to thee and that hee still desires to have the match made up betwixt thy soul and himself This fond prejudice whereby souls put discouragements upon themselves is that which spoils many a match Do not weaken thy soul by making difficulties where there are none if thou hearest Christ inviting stir up thy self oh thou convinced soul as if thou heardest him even calling to thee by Name Beleeve it that Christ is never better pleased than when hee is loved and that hee came no less to procure thy love than to testifie his own The way to love Christ in good earnest is to beleeve that hee is so in his offers of grace to us 6. Direction Understand the world throughly and bee jealous of thy own heart therein Remember that of the Apostle who knew what it was to love Christ as well as any man ever did 1 Joh. 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Wee may well enough add Nor the love of the Son We may offer to our Lord cor fractum or a broken heart but wee must not presume to desire him to accept our cor divisum or divided heart Remember that Christ and the World are two contrary each to other and the single stream of love cannot run two contrary waies at once If our hearts bee not crucified to the world the love of Christ will never live with in us 7. Direction Bee much in attendance on those means or Ordinances wherein Christ is evidently set forth and by his Spitit wooing souls to love him If Faith comes by hearing so no less certainly doth love Christ most commonly honours his own Ordinances and Officers in making up the match between himself and souls so hee did Paul 2 Cor. 11.2 8. Direction Go to God and Christ for love When you have gotten your hearts well warmed with the use of all the fore-mentioned means then go to God and Christ and turn thy Meditations into Petitions Plead hard and heartily all those moving Considerations which were set down to usher in these Directions God delights to honour prayer in this great work of his in drawing souls to Christ No Prayer no Faith And it is as true No Prayer no Love no Marriage to Christ I have done with the Directions of the first kind and have therein almost prevented my self from going any further it being a Rule in the spiritual as well as the natural growth that wee are nourished by the very same that gave us our first beings If wee know by what means wee came by our love at first and have but appetites whetted on to a further growth wee need little more And therefore having first perswaded you carefully to continue to practise over the fore-mentioned Directions I only add 1. Direction Consider much your own Experiences and the great advantages you have made by this grace I need not tell you what they are because yee know them well enough already and the sense of past advantage will best quicken to future diligence which is the second 2. Direction Bee constant in the exercise of that love yee have The best way to strengthen any habit is to bee often repeating its Acts. Wee cannot do any thing better to increase love than to be often acting love 3. Direction Get Faith more rooted and that will make your love to bee more inflamed If you would have fruitful branches you must keep the Root of the Tree fat and if you would have any Grace to thrive you must be sure to strengthen Faith 4. Direction Take heed you bee not willingly guilty of any known wickedness against Christ for this will cause Christ to withdraw it will occasion in thy heart a jealousie and that will bee an abatement of thy love Bee conscientiously diligent in all known duties 5. Direction Get thy heart daily more throughly crucified to the world and better acquainted with Heaven and the love of God The more you love God the more you will and must love Christ 6. Direction Bee much in the Communion of Saints and then especially when together with them thou mayest look on and admire the love of thy crucified Saviour in the Lords Supper They that are most where Christ is to bee enjoyed love him best And these are briefly the heads of Directions in answer to each of these Inquires They might have been more largely insisted on and pressed but this defect must bee supplied by your selves Remember again and with that I will conclude that it is not the knowledge of these Directions that will advantage you but the serious and diligent practice of them And so Grace bee with all them that in the diligent use of these means get and inflame their love to the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Wherein lies that exact Righteousnesse which is required between man and man MATTH 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do unto you do yee even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets THese words being brought in by way of Inference from something said before wee must look back a little to finde out the relation of them to the former verses At the 7th verse Christ commands to ask of God those things which wee want to incourage us to ask hee promises wee shall receive to induce us to beleeve this promise hee puts a temporal case Our earthly Fathers which are evil give us good things when we ask them how much more easily may wee beleeve this of a good God of infinite goodness Now as wee desire God should give us those things wee ask so wee should do to others and not only so but universally in all other things what wee would
space of time some three or four years after that his resolution of setting a tenth apart for such purposes he thrived not he found no increase nor came forward in the world as formerly hee had done yet was hee not thereby discouraged nor did hee forbear to bee bountiful as opportunity was offered and the necessity of poor people required it But hee gave still with chearfulness and comfort out of love to God conceiving that God in wisedome and goodness prospered him not thereby to try his sincerity to him and his Charity to others yea and that hee himself might thereby have experience of his love unto God his Faith Patience and Constancy But then hee adds from that time forward God abundantly advanced his estate so that hee found experimentally all those gracious promises of God true Psa 113.9 of his blessing of him that disperseth and dispenseth to the poor Prov. 19.17 and of the repayment of that with interest that is so lent to the Lord. And from mine own experience I can tell you of another yet living who hath often acknowledged that though hee had great trading yet found hee no increase in his stock but instead of going forward hee went backward in the world Whereupon hee promised unto God to be more careful in sanctifying the Lords Day and dedicated unto him a Tenth of his encrease for charitable uses and then hee so thrived in his estate that hee gave over his Calling and ever since liveth upon his Rents Many other instances could I give you of Gods extraordinary blessing on those who have consecrated a tenth of their estate unto God for charitable uses but these may suffice Having thus done with the means on our part to be performed for attaining unto this Grace of Charity Come wee now to the Motives to quicken us up to a conscionable performance of the works of it I shall touch only upon these four 1. The Excellency of the duty 2. The Piety which it containeth in it 3. The Profit which ariseth from it 4. The Dammage which followeth upon the neglect thereof 1. The first Motive or Inducement to Charity may be taken from the Excellency thereof I suppose that all will grant that the greatest excellency that a creature can attain unto is to be like his Creator That excellency wherein man was at first created is thus set out Gen. 1.26 27. God created man in his own Image that is in his own likeness And that excellency wherewith wee shall be glorified in Heaven is set out by our likeness to Christ for it is said Phil. 1.21 Our bodies shall then bee fashioned like unto his glorious body yea in the whole man when hee shall appear 1 John 3.2 then wee shall bee like him Now while wee live on earth there is nothing wherein wee can shew our selves more like unto God than in shewing mercy and in succouring such as stand in need When God sets himself to proclaim his Name hee most insisteth upon his mercifulness and goodness Exod. 34.6 Christ himself doth press this Motive to enforce this duty thus Luk. 6.36 Bee yee merciful as your Father is merciful The excellency of Charity doth herein further appear that Christ hath set the poor in his own room insomuch as they who relieve the poor do therein relieve Christ himself So much doâ—h Christ acknowledge where hee saith to such as succoured the poor Mat. 25.40 Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren yee have done it unto mee Is it not an excellent thing to relieve Christ They then that relieve the poor do an excellent work As it is a great aggravation of persecuting the true Professors of the Faith because therein they persecute Christ himself as is implied under this divine voice that affrighted Saul while hee was breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Act. 9.1 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee So it is a great commendation of true Charity that Christ himself is relieved thereby II. Another Motive is the Piety which in and by performing this duty of Alms-giving is manifested Piety I say to God For pure Religion and undefiled before God James 1.27 is this to visit the Fatherlesâ— and Widdows in their affliction Here hee puts two particulars for all kinds of Charity And by this phrase Pure Religion before God is this hee intends four things 1. That it is but a meer shew of Religion that is without charity 2. That true Religion w ll make men charitable 3. That Charity will prove men to be truly Religious 4. That works of Charity are as acceptable to God as duties of Religion Phil. 4.18 For God accounts Charity an odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto him The poor and needy are to God as the Altars of burnt-offerings and incense were under the Law Those things which were laid on them and offered up were given to the Lord and as a gift accepted by him Even so are Alms given to the poor the poor are the Altar Alms the Sacrifice Now who would not dispose so of that which hee hath as God may account it given to him and answerably accept it On this very ground doth the Apostle incite the Hebrews to this duty in this manner Heb. 13.16 To do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Thus wee see how works of Charity are not only useful and profitable to man but also acceptable and well-pleasing to God which consideration addeth much life to the duty here pressed Omnes expetimus utilitatem ad eamque ropimur nec facere aliter ullo modo possumus Cicer. Offic. 3. III. A third Motive is the manifold profit wherewith it is rewarded Profit and advantage is the Motives which for the most part spurs men on to labour and take pains to rise early and sit up late to venture goods life and all they have Witness the pains travels watchings and adventures of labourers work-men trades-men Farmers Merchants Mariners c. yet that profit which they aim at is but earthly and temporary and their hope of attaining it uncertain Surely works of Charity give an assured hope of far greater and better profit than earth can afford In general it is promised That if wee cast our bread upon the waters wee shall finde it after many daies that is Faecundus est ager pauperum citò reddit donantibus fructum Aug. Serm. de Divite Mat. 10.42 If wee give Alms to the poor where all wee do may seem to be cast away as if it were thrown into the Sea yet in due time will it return to us with advantage And lest any should be discouraged from doing works of Charity our Saviour assureth us That whosoever giveth but a cup of cold water which is one of the least acts of Charity wee can perform shall
sincere beleeve and love Would God command a man to examine himself whether hee bee in the faith if there were not rules sutable and sufficient to direct us to know the nature of faith and wherein it doth consist 2. God hath given to a man a power to understand consider deliberate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antonin l 11. ss 12. Edit cant 1652. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem L. 11. ss 1. and reflect upon himself and judge of himself and of his waies herein a man is above a bruite a beast likes his pasture but cannot know his propriety Certainly a man that is not a stranger to himself but a diligent observer of the actings of his soul might know what they are yea and discern the moral modifications of those acts For Conscience is privy to the principle and spring of all our actings to the manner and the end If I love a man by reflecting upon my self I know I love him and shall this noble power of the soul bee only useless in the greatest concernments of my soul Can I know what I approve esteem most and delight in most and breath and pant after most in other things and not in this it is true conscience is naturally blinde in spiritual things but yet directed by the word and inlightned by the spirit might pass a judgement upon a man For as the Moon borroweth light from the Sun and so communicateth light unto the world which else it could not do so conscience receiving light from the word and spirit discovereth what else it could not do So it is called the candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Not only taking notice of the outward acts in the life but the inward motions of the heart not only of some but it hath a power to take cognizance of them all Conscience is like the urine which discovereth whether a person bee sound in health or shews what his distemper is By the Eccho caused by the reflexion of the sound a man heareth his word after hee hath spoken it so by the reflecting power of conscience a man views his actions after they are done and hears his words after they bee spoken A man fees his spots or beauty in the glass by the reflexion of the species that do represent them to his view As Josephs brethrens consciences told them that they were true men and not l Gen. 42.31 spies so conscience may truly tell a man that hee is sincere and not an hypocrite Thus conscience is said to bee a witness Rom. 9.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also beâ—ring mee witness in the Holy Ghost to accuse and to excuse Rom 2.15 So it is a judge condemning or acquitting according as a mans state is found to bee So much Heathens have spoken of conscience * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocl Comment in Pytha. Carm. Unfeigned willingness to part with and mortify every sin a sure sign of saving grace Now that the Scripture containeth Characters of sincerity and that a man comparing himself by those Characters might certainly know that hee is sincere will bee evidenced by these Scriptures Psal 19.13 Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins let them not have dominion over mee then mark then shall I bee upright When there is no one known sin but a man is really willing should be mortified and parted with his most beloved sin that is neerest to him which by way of propriety hee may call his own in an especial manner which is the last sin a man parteth with and if there bee any sin which a man is unwilling to part with and will keep a man off from Christ it is his bosome sin his darling and the truth is that if any man keep love any one sin which hee will not let go to close fully with Christ let his profession bee never so great hee is an hypocrite Some men part with Christ for one lust for one sin Luke 18.22 When Jesus heard these things how far he had gone how much he had done hee said unto him yet lackest thou one thing Love to his riches and prizing them more than Christ was his ruine one stab at the heart with a Pen-knife will as certainly kill a man as a thousand wounds with a sword one disease that is mortal will as certainly bring a man to his grave as twenty and one leak in a ship will sink it as more Herod did many things but yet hee would not let go his Herodias Mark 6.17 18 19 20. It is a sure rule that which a man loves most hee will indeavour to keep longest Skin for skin all that a man hath will hee give for his life A man prizeth his right hand much but his head more and therefore to save his head hee will hold up his hand and venture the loss of the one to save the other There may bee many sins a man might love but one especially and hee may bee willing the other should bee pared off to preserve that but when hee is willing to leave all to indulge himself in none no not his darling sin it is a sign of sincerity Consult these Scriptures Psalm 17.1 3 4. Psalm 119.1 2 3 6. Job 1 8. 2.3 31. cap. throughout Now a man may by diligent enquirie finde out his beâ—oved sin A man may know whether hee bee thus willing to part with sin and hee may know and his conscience may bear him witness of his willingness to part with this to have it subdued and that by the grace of God hee doth keep himself from it that it bears not rule nor dominion in his soul Psalm 18.23 I was also upright before him How doth David manifest this by the observation of his heart and waies in this particular for it followeth and I kept my self from mine iniquity There is as much power of God required and strength of grace to make a man part with his beloved sin as all the rest Thus Hezekiah knew his sincerity Isa 38.3 Hee had the testimony of his conscience and was sure of it else how could hee have made his appeal to God Remember now oh Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Likewise a man might certainly know True faith might bee discovered in us that hee hath justifying faith is proved from 2 Cor. 13.5 Examiâ—e your selves whether yee bee in the faith prove your ownselves know yee not your own selves how that Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates Doâ—h God so strictly charge us to know that which cannot bee known that faith here spoken of thâ—t wee must enquire after is a justifying faith appears from the Text. 1. By this Christ dwelleth in us and so not by any other faith 2.
Christ and hope in them absolutely and for themselves and Grace absolutely but for the injoyment of them and consequently for our own happinesse but so must we not these things but only conditionally as God in his All-wise-disposing providence sees meet to dispense to us he having so only promised them and for those ends and so far forth as they are convenient for us according to Agars desire Prov. 30.8 Which conveniency is to be measured by the estate the Providence of God hath set us in and the circumstances wherein we are As so much health strength refreshment comfortablenesse in our lives as God sees good for us and may render us serviceable to him so much food raiment profit pleasure as he pleaseth to bestow and so far forth as convenient for us according to our present condition for our health and other ends now mentioned to which they refer but neither these nor any other good things of this life absolutely or for themselves so as to make them our end and happinesse or to be fuel for our lusts must we either love desire or hope for It is not thus desiring the lawful pleasures profits honours of this life which St. John speaks of 1 Ep. c. 2. v. 16. but the immoderacy of the desiring them which he calls lust and saith is of the World as well he may seeing this is the Trinity that it genenally worshipeth more than the blessed Trinity of Heaven Is it not the cry of many nay most who will shew us any good but of how few Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal 4.6 How do men grasp at these things in their desires which are as boundlesse as the Ocean as craving as the Horse-leach daughters still crying give give as unsaiable as the grave and as unsatisfied as hell and destruction towards which they are travelling What Libanius observed so long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 't is worth the observing holds as true at this day It 's difficult saith he to meet with a man satisfied and not complaining of his condition If he want any bodily good as beauty strength c. or If none of these yet not thankful if he want some of the mind if he be not an Orator Physitian skilful Commander or the like And especially in riches and honours He that hath one field would have and complains if he have not two he that hath two for four he that hath ten for twenty and he that hath twenty twice so many and so on no number satisfying his desire For though it be great before when we enjoy any thing it then seems small to us as a thousand talents of Gold when we have them are small to two and two to ten and so on In honors likewise he that governs a City is not satisfied because he governs not the Nation and if the Nation that not more as Cyrus Darius and Xerxes mighty Princes yet they wanted Greece they thought which caused their Expeditions against it Thus passing by still what we have and reckoning what we have not never think we enjoy enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one herein being injurious to God not injuriously dealt with by him Keep therefore thy heart and moderate it that it break not out in these things with all diligence lest the swarms of these lusts what ever sweetnesse they seem to bring with them sting thee to death 3. Moderate thy pursuit and endeavours after the acquiring and retaining these by the ends for which and subordination wherewith thou mayest and oughtest desire them This speaking only the execution of the former particular must needs be accordingly bounded What we may lawfully desire that we may use lawful means to attain and so far forth as we must desire so far only must we use the means We must seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousnesse absolutely and in the first place then the things convenient for us in this life according to their subserviency thereto and his seeing good to bestow upon us As it is the Statue Law of Heaven that in the sweat of our brows we should eat our bread and should be our daily prayer that our Father which is in Heaven would give us this day our daily bread i. e. all things requisite and convenient So is it that we should not lay up for our selves treasures upon earth not serve these as our Masters nor take thought for our lives what we shall eat or what we shall drink or wherewithall we shall be cloathed which three are the total sum all these externals amount to in their use Matth. 6.19 24 25 c. Our blessed Saviour from the 19th verse of that Chapter forbidding this immoderate pursuit in those negative precepts which he presseth with several cogent arguments and expostulations and not absolutely but so as they be not our treasures that we set our hearts upon our Masters that we serve when as they are but our Servants and so as that we oppose them not to and set them in competition with the treasures in Heaven and God our great Master whom we ought ro serve even in the following our imployments for these as appears vers 19. and 24. nor absolutely our taking thought but our too sollicitousnesse about the choice of and using means and especially their event and so consequently what shall become of us if we be not blest but blasted therein as appears by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and last verse of the Chapter And yet alas after all this how do we seek them as if they were our treasure our happinesse our all as if here was our continuing City wherein we should alwayes live and have these treasures and none other to come that hath better Though these be things after which the Gentiles seek yet they will be excusable who know no better in comparison of thee and me who know the true Pearl of price are invited and called to better dainties and yet make light thereof one preferring his Farm another his Merchandise Matth. 22.5 And yet though the generality of the Gentiles which had not the Gospel as the Jews in our Saviours time were so immoderate yet many of them were such as appears by their works and lives as I fear will rise up in Judgement in this particular against most of us that call our selves Christians They beholding the busie World as one of them speaks of the Souls in the other as the Ant carrying a straw or some little thing of like moment into her hole in the Mole-hill which yet dazels our eyes with their seeming luster and makes our hearts say of these our houses as if they were our homes 't is good for us to be here 4. We must moderate our whole man in the use and enjoyment of these in our loving delighting rejoycing and glorying in them We must not in our using of them exceed the bounds within which they are allowed us nor
whether there be any profit in his service Job 21.14 15. and Job 22.17 when those mercenary hypocrites had lost their worldly profits preferments which they had gained by the profession of Religion when the tide was turned and prophanness only countenanced they cast off all and said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 15. But he that cometh to God must have such apprehensions of him as render him Gracious as well as Glorious Merciful as well as Righteous for we come to God sitting on his Throne of Grace Heb. 4. ult and we have to deal with mercy for supply to all our needs And he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Why did David prefer the lowest place or office in the House or Church of God a Porters plâ—ce before the highest preferments in the Tents of ungodliness Psal 84.10 He gives the reason Ver. 11. For the Lord is a Sun and shield A Sun to confer all good a shield to preserve from all evill He will give Grace and Glory what can a man desire more Yet if there be any good thing beside Grace and Glory he will not withhold it such a bountiful Master is God in his House and such a one his Servants apprehend him Now we cannot have right apprehensions and due conceptions of the Grace Mercy Good will of God to us but from the manifestations of God in Jesus Christ It is God in Christ reconciling the World to himself and beseeching us to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 20. When God gave Moses a sight of his glory in the Clift of the Rock I will saith God make all my goodness pass before thee and he proclaimed the name of the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God Mâ—rciful Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin He presents himself in his richest robes of State and all his Attribuâ—es arrayed in a Livery of Grace Nor can we have right apprehensions of God as a bountiful rewarder of his Servants but through the manifeâ—tations of himself to us in Christ for we cannot expect the reward of Debt but of Grace God in Christ and upon the account of Christ is â—he most bountiful Rewarder So Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be also If any man serve me him shall my Father honour We serve the Father in serving the Son never was service rewarded with such honour For saith Christ The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed that I am sent of God Joh. 16.27 4. Abraham had such apprehensions of God as did beget a comfortable perswasion of faith for his acceptation with God in that his drawing near to him It is the mind of God that such as come to him should have such apprehensions of him as one that will accept them embrace them when he discovers nothing but wrath and displeasure against them that stand in opposition against him Isa 27.4 5. Fury is not in me Let a man take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me That holy man knew that all his happiness consisted in the enjoyment of God therefore he said It is good for me to draw near to God but was he sure God would accept him I have put my trust saith he in the Lord God Psal 73.27 28. Now such apprehensions of God as beget a faith of acceptation with God in our approaches to him can spring only from the manifestations of God to us in Christ that is supposed by judicious Interpreters to be spoken of Jesus Christ Jer. 30.21 who is said to engage his heart to approach unto the Lord and God saith I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me Christ hath boldness and liberty full security of acceptation with God and hereby he hath procured us liberty boldness and acceptation with God Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing we have a great high Priest passed into the Heavens Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 10.19 21 22. Having boldness to enter into the Holiest And having an high Priest over the House of God Let us draw nigh to God with truth of heart and full assurance of faith Ver. 2. For the acceptation of our persons and services Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him From what hath been laid down we may conclude That such apprehensions or Conceptions of God wherewith we are to draw near to God to perform every duty and every part of Divine Worship must flow from the manifestations of God in Jesus Christ The Use Use I shall make of this Point is to inform Christians how much it concerneth us to acquaint our selves more intimately with God as he hath manifested himself in Jesus Christ In whom alone we can have right apprehensions and due Conceptions of God without which we cannot perform aright any kind of Worship to God 1. Without due apprehensions and conceptions of Goâ— we câ—nnot perform any part of that Natural Worship we owe to God we cannot love him feâ—r him trust in him pray unto him praise him c. 2. Without the right apprehensions and due conceptions of God in Jesus Christ we cannot perform aright any part of his Instituted Worship 1. For all the Ordinances of Gods Instituted Worship as the Sacrifices and Sacraments under the Law so the Sacraments and other Ordinances under the Gospel seem to have immediate relation to and near dependance on Christ God manifested in the flesh You may observe they consist of two parts The one Natural the other Spiritual The one Ex ernal the other Internal The one as it were the Body the other the Soul of it The one representing the Humanity the other the Divinity of Jesus Christ So that every Oâ—dinance of Worship is as it were a representation of Christ Incarnâ—te 2. The Divine Essence or Godhead in Jesus Christ seems to be the proper object of all Worship The School-men have concluded to which I find our learned and pious Divines have given their assent That the Essence of the Godhead is the primary and proper Object of Worship Dr. Owens Commun with the H. Ghost Chap. 8. This Divine Essence is wholly in Christ Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily In that Body or Humane Nature of Chrâ—st the fulness of the Godhead dwelt not locally as Locatum in loco or contentum in continente but by personâ—l Union And the Divine Essence as it is in Christ seems to be the pâ—oper Oâ—ject of all Gospel-Worship It was so under the Law in Types and Figures and such was the Tabernacle and Temple Worship in its
as Nothing at All and esteeming God as All in All. 6. These outward enjoyments are indeed sweet but my God the Author of Them is infinitely more sweet They have all even the most defaecate of them a Tang and Smak of the Cask and Chanel through which they come At at Dulcius ex ipso Fonte A Single God is infinitly more sweet than the enjoyment of all created Good things that come from Him Though indeed I can smile when my Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth and bear a part with my Valleys when they stand so thick with Corn that they even laugh and sing Alas this without the enjoyment of a God is but a meer Risus sardonicus The leaping of the Head after the Soul is gone True indeed These are some of Gods Love Tokens but what are These to His Person and Presence These indeed are rich Cabinets But Oh the w Psal 4.6 Light of his Countenance That That 's the Jewel In having these I can say with Esau I have * Gen. 23.9 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Much but give me Him I can exult and Triumphing say with Jacob I have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All. These are some of His Left-hand favours some of His Bottels of Milk and gifts a fit portion for Ishmael and the sons of Keturah But 't is an Isaac's Inheritance waters of the upper fountains my Soul thirsts after those Right-hand Blessings His x Psal 16.11 presence His Soul-ravishing presence in which There is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore These may serve for my comfortable passage but Nothing but Himself can content and satisfie for my Alsufficient * Psal 78.26 Portion According to That Psal 36.8 He alone can fill up all the gaping chinks and chasms of my Soul He is my Sun and shield Psal 84.11 my Root and Branch Isa 11.10 my foundation and Corner-stone Isa 28.16 my Sword and shield Deut. 33.29 He only can answer All my desires all my necessities Deus meus omnia my God and my All. Thus Faith fixes it's Aspect on God 2. On the things of God and so Faith concludes I have y Altiora sapio higher and nobler projects designs of deeper concernment than to sit down ingulph and please my self in these poor earthly drossie * Excelsa piae mentis generositas supra omnem rerum humanarum speciem erecta dirty things here below I have many Corruptions within these are to be mortified Many Temptations without these are to be resisted Many sweet motions and whispers of the Spirit these are to be cherished many weak graces these are to be strengthned Many personal relational duties these are to be performed In a word an effectual Calling and Election to be made sure This above all is to be regarded Faith discovers a World beyond the Moon and trades thither Leaving the men of the earth to load themselves with clay and coles Faith pursues its staple commodity and traffiques for grace and glory Thus z Psa 39 6 7. David when he had branded the Worldling for disquieting himself in vain for heaping up riches and knowing not who shall gather them with an holy disdain turns his back upon the World as not worth his thoughts saying and now Lord what wait I for q.d. It is true I have Riches and Honour a Crown a Kingdom but is this the portion I could be content to sit down with No no My hope is in thee deliver me from all my Transgressions Ver. 8. Let them that love the World enjoy it but Lord pay not my portion in such adulterate coyn but in pardon of sin and peace of conscience This this is that I wait for Thus * Vulde protest fâ—tus sum c. Luther having a rich Present sent him professed with an holy boldness to God That such things should not serve his turn He was not taken with Pebbles his nobler soul slew a Aquila non capit muscas higher and was fixt on Pearls It is Gods favour that the Subjects of the King of Heaven desire rather than his preferment like him that preferr'd Alexanders kiss before a great sum of money given by Alexander to another Thus Faith looks upward on God and the things of God and acts accordingly 2. Faith or trust looks downward on its fullest and sweetest Temporal Enjoyments And so 1. It accurately weighs these enjoyments in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and so makes a just estimate of them as to their worth and value Faith knows that generally men look at the things which are seen and therefore the things that seem best that glitter most are the best delights of most of the children of men the desire of their eyes the joy of their hearts These they over-rate and not only esteem them highly but adore them superstitiously as a God or their chiefest good But now Faith brings these to the touchstone and standard and there interprets them as they are according to their just value finds them to be but the delights of sence fortune ludibria the sports of Nature the Trials of humane folly at the best but helps of humane frailty Particularly faith passes a twofold judgment on them Negative and Positive 1. Negative and so faith concludes 1. These and all such like earthly enjoyments never yet of themselves benefitted any man for heaven True some things are so good in themselves that he that hath them cannot but be good and the better for them Such as are the grace of God to us and the graces of the Spirit in us These find us evil but make us good But no man was ever made good meerly by riches and worldly wealth These indeed have found some really good and made them less good than they were and have found many seemingly good whom they have made stark nought How often hath a fat preferment spoyl'd a good Preacher and caused him with him when the fish is caught to lay aside his Net Usually the more we have of this World the less we mind the World to come Our place in Paris makes us forget our portion in Paradice That earth which we tread under our feet gets up into our hearts and makes them more earthly than the earth we tread on 2. This high mountain on whose top I stand adds not a Cubit to my stature in Gods eyes God values not as men do by the rate or Subsidy-book Not many Wise not many Noble not many Rich but God hath chosen the b Jam. 2.15 poor of this World Rich in faith 3. Therefore my true blessedness doth not cannot consist in the fullest confluence of these worldly enjoyments I may not I dare not with that rich c Luk. 12.19 fool sing a requiem to my soul and bid it take its ease for it hath goods laid up for many years Here is not my rest Faith like the Turtle finds no rest for the sole of its foot even in a deluge
about them if to the Inordinate love of women his fancy will be rolling upon carnal beauty and he will be firing his heart with unclean thoughts 5. Want of love to God and holy things men are loath to come into Gods presence for want of Faith and to keep there for want of love love fixeth the thoughts and dryeth up those swimming toyes and fancies that do distract us we ponder and muse upon that in which we delight were our natural hatred of God and of the means of Grace changed into a perfect love we should adhere to him without distraction we see where men love strongly they are deaf and blind to all other objects they can think and speak of no other thing but because our love to God is weak every vain occasion carrieth away our minds from him you find this by daily experience when your affections flag in an ordinance your thoughts are soon scattered weariness maketh way for wandring our hearts are first gone and then our mnids you complain you have not a setled mind the fault is you have not a setled love for that would cause you to pause upon things without weâ—riness Psal 1.2 His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate day and night Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day David's mind would never run upon the Word so much if his heart were not there thoughts are at the command and beck of love where love biddeth them go they go and where love biddeth them tarry they tarry the Saints first delight and then meditate 6. Slightness and irreverence or want of a sense of Gods presence a careless spirit will surely wander but one deeply affected is fixed and intent Jonah when he prayed in the Whales belly could he have an heart to forget his work Daniel when he prayed among the Lions could he mind any thing else when we are serious and pray in good earnest we will call in all our thoughts and hold them under command This Question was put to Basil how a man should keep the mind free from distraction his Answer was Basil in Regulis brevioribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is that this evil came from slightness of heart and unbelief of Gods presence for if a man did believe that God were before his eyes searching the heart and trying the reines he would be serious all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do God looketh on and so do the Angels he looketh on the heart and will not you be serious Schollars that have a trewantly mind yet the presence of their Masters forceth them to their Books the Great God who telleth man his thought he seeth our desires and thoughts speak lowder in his eares than our words therefore possess the heart with a dread of his glorious presence and with the weight and importance of the work we are about were we to deal with another man in a case of life and death we would weigh our words and not rove like mad men 7. The Curiosity of the Senses these occasion a diversion 't is the Office of the fancy to present as in a glass whatsoever is received by the External Senses or offered by the memory and so the understanding taketh notice of it the wandring eye causeth a wandring heart Solomon saith Prov. 17.24 The fools eyes are to the ends of the earth first his eyes rove and then his heart the Apostle Peter saith of unclean persons that they have eyes full of adultery 2 Pet. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the adulteress as the word signifieth the eye is rolled upon the object and then the dart by the fancy is transmitted to the heart Senses are the windows and doors of the Soul keep the Senses if you would keep the heart Job was at a severe appointment with his eyes Job 31.1 't is good when we go to God to renew these Covenants to agree with the heart that we will not go to God without it with the eyes and ears that we will not see and hear any thing but what concerns our work 't was a strange constancy and fixedness which * Josephus de Bellis Judaeorum Josephus speaketh of when Faustus Cornelius and Furius and Fabius with their Troops had broken into the City of Jerusalem and some fled one way and some another yet the Priests went on with their Sacrifices and the holy rites of the Temple as if they heard nothing though they rushed on them with their swords yet they preferred the duty of their Religion before their own safety and strange is that other Instance of the Spartan Youth in Plutarch that held the Censer to Alexander whilst he was sacrificing and though a coal lighted upon his flesh he suffered it to burn there rather than by any crying out he would disturb the rites af their Heathenish Superstition certainly these instances should shame us Christians that do not hold the Senses under a more severe restraint but upon every light occasion suffer them to trouble and distract us in worship 8. Carking and distrustful cares when we are torn in pieces with the cares of the World we cannot have a composed heart but our minds will waver and our dangers will recurr to our thoughts and hinder the exercise of our Faith God took special care of the Jews when they went up to worship that they might have nothing to trouble them and therefore he saith Exod. 34.24 none of the Nations shall desire the Land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year and * Augustinus quest 161. in Exod. Augustine gives this reason of it lest they should be distracted with thoughts about their own preservation vult Deus intelligi ut securus quisque ascenderet nec de terrâ suâ sollicitus esset deo promittente custodiam and one of the arguments by which Paul commendeth single l fe is freedom from the incumbrances of the World that we may serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Thirdly Remedies I might speak many things by way of meer counsel about guarding the Senses the use and abuse of a forme c. but all these are but like external applications in Physick or topical medicines as the binding of things to the wrists of the hands c. which work no perfect cure of a disease unless the distemper be purged away therefore I shall speak to those things that are most effectual 1. Go to God and wait for the power of his Grace David speaking of it as his work Psal 86.11 Unite my heart to the fear of thy name fix it gather it together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Septuagint make it one the heart is multiplied when 't is distracted by several thoughts God hath our hearts in his own hand and we can keep them up no longer then he holds them up when he
praise to God for all or any of his benefits promised or bestowed and that with our hearts Filliucius out of Aquin We praise God for all his perfections we thank God for his benefits lips and lives Some affirm that much of Religion is seen in piety to parents observance to our betters and thankfulnesse to our benefactors God is indeed all these to us Yet the proper notion of our thankfulnesse refers to God as our benefactor every benefit from God makes the receiver a debtor thankfulnesse is rather the confessing of our debt then the paiment of it and for as much as we are bound alwaies to be thankfull it doth acknowledge we are alwaies beholden to God and allwaies insolvent Now a child of God is bound to be thankfull to God above all men because 1. He is more competent then any other 2. He is more concerned then any other I. More competent by acts of reason and grace too All that the Scripture speaks as to the duty of thankfulnesse may be referred to these Heads 1. To know and acknowledge the Lords mercies 2. To remember them i. e. to record and commemorate them 3. To value and admire them 4. To blaze and proclaim them In all which a gracious soul is much more competent then a meer natural man though indued with quick understanding strong memory and great eloquence For the Spirit of God hath inlightened his soul and taught him this lesson he is principled for it he is a well tuned instrument his heart boyleth with good matter and his tongue is as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 as David speaks on this occasion when he spake of the praises of the King in his Song of Loves This Spirit of God in a thankfull soul is as the breath of the Organ without which the pipes make no sound yea as the breath of the Trumpetter by which the Trumpet gives a certain and melodious sound This is it that makes that noble Evangelical spirit yea that heavenly Angelical spirit in Christians See a place for it Eph. 5.18 19 20. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shewing that what wine doth in Poets and good fellows it makes them sing and roar out Catches by which they make musick to the devil so the Spirit of God in Saints is the principle of all true thankfulnesse and holy joy towards God and indeed there was a very gracious frame of spirit this way in Primitive Christians II. More concerned as hâ—â—ing received more then others to whomsoever much is given of them much is required Luke 12.48 a proportion of duty according to the degree of every portion of mercy whether you consider what is given or what is forgiven you There are two things which every gracious soul will acknowledge No man saith he in the world hath deserved less of God than I and none hath received more of God than I how much then am I concerned to be thankful I have read of a holy man that was seen once standing still with tears in his eyes and looking up to heaven and being asked by one that passed by why he did so said I admire the Lords mercy to me that did not make me a Toade that Vermine being then casually at his feet The least common mercy affects a gracious soul that knows his desert nothing but misery 2 Sam. 9 8. Mephibosheth bowed himself and said What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am When David had told him he should have his Lands and eat bread at his Table When the Lord spares our lives and gives us common mercies we must admire and adore his goodness And this leads me to the second general Question Quere 2 Why and upon what grounds Christians are bound to give thanks in every thing Answ 1 It is the will of God in Christ Jesus The will of God in Christ Jesus is the clearest Rule and the highest Obligation to any soul for the performance of any duty O that men would now adaies study more act by and hold fast to this rule And ask conscience in the performance of every duty is this the will of God in Christ Jesus It was meet that this duty of thankfulness should be prest and practised under the Gospel because it argue a spiritual and noble frame of Soul the highest pitch of grace which is a true Gospel frame David under the Old Testament had a New Testament heart in this particular his Psalms which were all penn'd upon emergent occasions are all Tehillah and Tephillah Prayer and Praise his Heart and Harp were so tuned to the Praises of God to Psalms of Degrees to Hallelujahs that some have thought the Lord is praised with those Psalms in Heaven Zach. 12.8 Greg. Hom. 20. in Ezek. Yet is it promised under the Gospel that he that is feeble shall be as David which some understand as to Praise and Thanksgivings upon the account of Gospel grace More punctually this is the will of God in Christ Jesus i. e. Jesus Christ shews us the duty of thankfulness both by Pattern and by Precept for he was not only usherd into the World with Songs of Thanksgiving by Angels Luk. 1.46 68. Luk. 2.13 14 20 29. by Zachary by Mary by Simeon by the Shepherds c. but the Lord Jesus himself was a great Pattern and President of Thankfulness all his life long and in this also was a true Son of David He thanked God frequently and fervently I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent Matth. 11.25 and hast revealed them unto babes when his Disciples preached and cast out devils Thus also when he raised Lazarus Father Joh. 11.41 I thank thee that thou hast heard me When he was to eat common bread Mark 8.6 Luk. 22.19 he blessed it with giving of thanks Much more consecrated bread Thus was he a Pattern of thankfulness he did in every thing give thanks In like manner we find him reproving the nine Lepers for their unthankfulness which shews that he held out thankfulness as a duty Luk. 17.16 17. personally he gave a Pattern and Precept for it Now though this were enough to shew it the will of God in Christ Jesus yet these words reach further namely to shew that is the strain of the Gospel in the Apostles Doctrine and Practice for they through their Commission and the great measure of Gods Spirit in them declared the will of God in Christ Jesus They worshipped Luke 24. ult and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God Amen What the Apostle Pauls spirit was in this by whom so
robbeth thee of thy Glory Thus also they who attribute their Riches Children Honours Victories Health Safety Knowledge c. to their Wits Labours Merits these are ingrateful robbers of God Thus they burnt Incense to their Drag and Yarn Thus Nebuchadnezzar gloried in the great Babel of his own building Thus the Assyrian also ranted and vaunted himself Isa 10 13 14 15. as if by his own great Wisdom and Valour he had conquered the Nations But mark the end of these men How the Lord took it and how he dealt with them for it He turned Nebuchadnezzar out to grass among the beasts He kindled a fire in the Assyrians Forrest and burnt it He struck Herod that he was eaten up with worms because he gave himself Act. 12.23 and not God the glory 3. Another sort of unthankful ones there is that seem to be very thankful but it is only complementally and with the lip These are like Apes that eat up the Kernel and leave God the shells they care not to go to the cost of a heart or a life-thankfulness they are cursed hypocrites they put him off with the blind and the lame in Sacrifice Mal. 1.14 and never once give him the Male of their Flock God will pay them in their own coyn they are thankful in jest and God will damn them in earnest Lact Instit c. 3. Non constare homini ratio pietatis potest c That man saith Lactantius cannot be a godly man that is unthankeful to his God * Materialiter per connotationem adhaerentiam And Aquinas saith That unthankefulness hath in it the root and matter of all sin For it denies or dissembles the goodness of God by which we live move and have our being yea and all our blessings the thankful acknowledgement whereof is our indispensable homage unto God Unthankfulness was a huge ingredient into Adams sin To sin against his Maker as soon as he was made Yea by whom he was so fearfully and wonderfully made little lower than the Angels Psal 139. Unthankfulness was the sin of Noah and Lot after their deliverances the one from water Gen. 9. Gen. 19. Deut. 32. Ezek. 16. per totum the other from fire The sin of Israel that forgat their Rock their husband that found them in the waste howling wilderness and when they lay in their bloud no eye pitying them cast out to the loathing of their persons The sin of David 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. The sin of Solomon 1 Kin. 11.9 The sin of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 31. Peremptoria res est ingratitudo hostis gratiae inimica salutis Bern. Serm 1. de 7 miser Ingratitudo est venius urens exsiccans fontem gratiae fluenta misericordiae Idem The great sin of the Gospel is unthankfulness by sinning against the light love free grace and rich patience of God in it this is to turn his grace into watonness to prefer darkness before light to neglect so great salvation not to come under Christs wing when he calls to us to despise his goodness and long-suffering leading to repentance not to come to him that we may have life to resist his Spirit and trample on his blood The sin of the greatest sinners in the Book of God is unthankfulness The sin of the Angels that kept not their first station The sin of Cain in his offering The sin of the Sodomites Quousque se diffundit gratia tò patet ingratitudo The sin of the Old World The sin of Saul The sin of Jeroboam the son of Nâ—bat The sin of Nabal The sin of Hanun The sin of Judas The sin of Julian And of Antichrist all is unthankfulness Exhort I shall conclude with a solemn exhortation to all that hear this word and profess the Lord Jesus and to be ruled by the Will of God in Christ Jesus revealed that they study and practice this great this comprehensive duty of thankefulness Consider that no People in the world have such cause of thankfulness as Christians Cresentibus donis crescunt donorum rationes Deut. 32.6 They have received more mercy than any therefore there is the more of them required therefore the Lord takes their unkinâ—ness the more unkindly Sins against mâ—rcy will turn mercy into cruelty and patience into fury To be unthankful to a bountiful God is for a froward child to beat his mothers breasts that gave him suck and to kick his Fathers bowels The Lord that he might upbraid his Peoples ingratitude compares them to a Bullock that was fatted in good pasture and then kicked Deut. 32.15 to Ver. 25. And what this cost you may read there When the Lord would preserve in his People the memorial of his mercies see how he orders them Deut. 26.1 to 10. Every man was to come with a basket of fruits and the Priest was to take it and set it down before the Lord and he that brought it was to make a solemn confession of his own poverty and wretchedness of Gods goodness and faithfulness to him and of his engagements to the Lord for the same Hereby the Lord let them know that they had all from him and held all at mercy and this was their homage that they paid him Oh what shall we then render to the Lord for all his benefits Who were Syrians ready to perish who with our staffe past this Jordan and now are two bands who have not only nether springs but upper also the Lord having opened a fountain and a treasure for us Think of this all you Male-contents and murmurers read over your mercies preserve a Catalogue of them compare them with what otheâ—s enjoy It is not with you as with Heathens you have the Gospel if it totters as if it were in a moving posture from you thank your unthankfulness for it You have had it with peace and plenty and if that hath glutted you and the Lord is now curing your surfet by a sparer diet thank your wantonness for it Yet consider Turks and Tartars are not in your bowels burning your houses ravishing wives and daughters killing old sick and infants carrying away the rest Captives drinking healths in your dead Nobles skulls digged out of their graves yet all this is done among the poor Protestants in Transilvania Sword Famine and Pestilence making havock in that flourishing Country not to speak of other places what is felt or feared is not this ground of thanks Consider yet again what we have had long and still have though the Land is ful of sin from one end to the other What we have deserved and yet do even to be stripped naked of all life and liberty peace and plenty to have our doors shut up our lights put out our Teachers all driven into corners the good Land to spue us our and the abomination that maketh desolate to enter in among us our Land to keep her Sabbaths because we prophaned the Lords Sabbaths the voice of
signifieth a kind of brutish feeding themselves without fear as it is Jude 12. but here in the Text the words runne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. they are expressed by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a copulative Camerarius observes haec ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 petita magis notant arguunt hominum temporis illius securitatem so that the vehemency and eagernesse and intention of their spirits in the things they were imployed in is hereby noted They were very busie their hearts and heads and hands all taken up in eating drinking buying selling c. the actions named and the comforts which they were injoying those naturall and civil imployments in which they were ingaged all good and lawfull in themselves but they were not well imployed in them the use of those things was lawfull but they did sinfully use them for there is in all these actions a narrow way and a broad way Matth 21.13 14. the narrow way which is bounded and limited and under a rule as to the end 1 Cor. 10.31 viz. the glory of God and also to the circumstances this there be but few that find it But the broad way which is without bounds and limits this is the common road which most walk in Thus farre but no further saith God the will of God is the boundary of the narrow way but lust knoweth no bounds and will not be prescribed to The very Heathens looked at their common actions as under bounds they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sustine abstine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gelli Noctes Act. l. 7. c. 19. Anton. Pig l. 4. § 3. but the difficulty lies in observing the just limits in the use of lawfull things and therefore one said well Licitis perimus omnes c. ruin usually ariseth from the use of lawfull things there being most danger where it is least suspected In all our comforts there is a forbidden fruit which seemeth sair and tasteth sweet but which must not be touched The Observations may be these 1. That all our actions naturall in eating c. and civill in buying and selling c. come under a rule This is implyed else the Lord would not have brought those great judgments on them barely for their eating c. had they not in those imployments transgressed a rule 2. Such are usually the miscarriages of men in the use of lawfull things that they are the procuring causes of the most dreadfull judgments For we see that the Lord makes mention of these very things lawfull in themselves as the causes of the floud on the world and fire on Sodom 3 The Lord puts great weight and stresse on those very things which we take but little or no notice of The old world and Sodom little thought they should come to so severe a reckoning for their eating and drinking c. To bring things to an issue as to the case concerning our danger of sin and miscarriage in lawfull things I shall 1. inquire When lawfull things become sin to us 2. How we may judg of our hearts and selves and discern their miscarriage and sin in the pursuing injoyment and use of lawfull things 3. What are the sins that attend the immoderate and inordinate use of lawfull things As to the first I answer When lawfull comforts which are given us for helps become hinderances in our way to Heaven then they become sin to us When we by our abusive cleaving to the creature by our inordinate affection to it by our exorbitant disorderly pursuing of it doe abuse our helps they become hinderances to us and as it was said of Gideons Ephod Judg. 8.27 He made an Ephod which when it became an Idol became a snare When lawfull comforts are immoderately and passionately desired pursued enjoyed then they become an Idol and a beloved or at least they become beloved so far as to carry it from Christ from duty Now when any thing becomes an Idol in the heart so as that the soul begins to bow before it and yeild obedience to it then it becomes an Idol and what is an Idol in the heart is a stumbling block of iniquity in our life Ezek. 14.4 it is a stumbling block an hinderance in our way such Idols in the heart usually prove great offences and both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stumbling blocks and occasions of falling the first signifies a stumbling block to keep one off from duty such an offence Peter was to Christ Matth. 16.23 He would have hindred him in that great work which He had to do The second signifies a galltrapp which will vex and trouble one in duty so that when our comforts become Idols images of jealousie in our hearts then they are stumbling blocks and so obstacles in our way to Heaven Again when our lawfull comforts by our dotage become beloveds or greatly passionately beloved then they become hinderances when your hearts inflame themselves with your comforts as the Lord speaks of them Isa 57.5 They inflamed themselves with their Idols when the heart doth inordinately love creature comforts they are then turned into lusts so that of lawfull comforts they are made unlawfull lusts 1 Ioh 2.15 16. the things of the world or the profits pleasures honours which usually mens hearts and thoughts are taken up withall are good and lawfull things in themselves but being abused they are called the lusts of the flesh the lust of the eye c. The Holy Ghost puts the lust that is within us to expresse the profits pleasures and honours of the world which are without us So that the good things of this life by our inordinate love to them being abused the very nature and property of â—he things are altâ—red for instead of proving good helps to us when lawfully loved and used become lusts that hinder us for they fight against our souls 2 Pet. 2.11 and members of the old man and weapons in his hand to fight against God they become one with old Adam in us and therefore Col. 3.5 we are bid to mortifie our earthly members he doth not say mortifie your lusts but members they being all one and make up together body of sin one old man as it is called Eph. 4.22 Now it is certain that the old man in us the body of sin is an enemy and a hinderance to us in our way to Heaven In this case those foul sins of Idolatry and adultery are committed with the creature in both which sins the heart is stolen away from God drawn away from the proper object The Apostle useth that expression Iam. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawn away by lust or some object in an unlawfull conjunction with the heart then the heart comes to be gâ—ued to it as God speaks Hos 4.17 They are joyned to Idols fixed to them so that as in Idolatry the heart is joyned to and fixed to the Idol so as that it will not easily part with it as it is Ier. 2.10 Has
Heifer or Horse that kicks and winseth The Lord complains Jer. 5.7 8. that when he fed them to the full they committed adultery c. and were like fed Horses bruitish and sensuall such as gratifie their lusts in eating c. are strong Bulls of Bashan Psal 22.12 the Psalmist sayes he was compassed about with them who were like Bulls in a fat pasture well fed and strong and ready to gore and push the great and rich and potent ones are compared to these bruits We are very apt in the midst of comforts to grow sensuall and before we are aware as Noah and Lot who both were overtaken Our Lord Christ Luk. 11.34 exhorts his Disciples against these and bids them to beware the word notes a very diligent and intent study and intention of mind to what he said least their heart should be overcharged it seems strange that he should give the Disciples an exhortation against sensuality and bruitish sins but that he knew their natures and though they were most temperate persons yet he bids them beware of surfeting knowing that if the best did not watch they might be overtaken with sensuality 2. Pride ease and idlenesse usually go together the immoderate or inordinate use of the creature this was it which God warned his peopâ—e of Deut. 8.11.12 14. take heed when thou art full c. lest thy heart be lifted up So Psal 123.4 there 't is said his soul was filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud they are put together When we fall to eating and drinking the next thing is to take our ease Luk. 12.19 So the Lord speaks Hos 13.6 According to their pastures so were they filled and their heart was exalted and they have forgotten me Ease and idlenesse attend sensuality these gratifie a bruitish disposition very much fullnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse were Sodoms sins Ezek. 16.49 And the rich glutton sang a Requiem to his soul usually when men abound in outward comforts they are most apt to grow lethargick and slothfull or at least they will not take much pains it may be they will be doing something but they will not be at much pains especially as to their souls Hos 10.11 Ephraim is a Heifer that loveth to tread out the Corn c. but not to plow he cares not for that they were wont to use Beasts in treading their Corn instead of threshing of it now it was Gods command that the Oxe that trod out the Corn should not be muzled but that he might eat as he did work Then here is Ephraim at a good lazy work that hath meat in the mouth of it wages for work and present pay here is Corn he abounds in outward things and though he treads out the Corn he will not plow that is too hard labour he will not go abroad in the wet and cold and seems to have reference to those of the Tribes that would not go to Jerusalem to worship they would not take so much pains Ephraim considers his ease he loves no hard work Ephraim did abound and grew rich Hos 12.7 8. He drave a great trade in the world and took pains but yet it was in a way that might gratifie his lust and carry on his gain but what saith God to this temper see Hos 10.11 The Lord saith he will pass upon his fair neck I 'le make Ephraim to ride He had a fair and a beautiful neck he led such a life that though he trod out the Corn he lived in plenty ease and idleness no yoke came on his neck he would not abide a yoke to be put on but by his lazy life and good trade he had a beautifull neck he became tender and delicate but I 'le pass over his fair neck as some take it I 'le cause a heavy yoke to come over his neck and will make him work and set him to hard labour I 'le make him a drudge I 'le make him ride some take it for their speedy captivity that shall tame him by his plenty and ease he is grown so lusty like a restive Jade I 'le ride him I 'le set some on his back shall ride him off his legs and Vers 12. Jacob shall break the clods the ten Tribes this is a base druddging work to break the clods but this servile work shall be his We see in Laodicea their plenty and idlenesse Rev. 16.17 went together and they were to be spewed out 3. Then there is security follows this eating c. and usually where there is abundance of these and that men are much taken up with these there is a secure sleepy forgetfull spirit goes with them and doubtlesse this was the sin of the old world that though Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse and his making the Ark was a publike alarum to the world yet they went on in their way eating and drinking c. very securely promising to themselves peace and safety Such as are filled with what they eat and drink are apt to drop asleep and then they are secure they apprehend themselves safe from danger they are compared to a drunken man that doth not know in what condition he is in 2 Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is to return to ones self after drunkennesse that they may awaken for it signifies one that is secure and so goes on in his way when he returns and recovers himself he is as a man that was drunk and awakes and returns to himself whence it is that God did so often caution his people against a secure sleepy forgetfull frame of spirit and when the Lord was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan he still bids them they should not forget him Deut. 6. c. 8. v. 14. but this sin he complains of in them Hos 2.13 When David was in the middest of his comforts he grew secure Psal 30.6 We find some brought in Isa 28.15 speaking in their thoughts that they had made a covenant with death and hell c. they in their secure thoughts apprehended themselves free from danger such thoughts ever carry impenitency and hardnesse of heart with them Zeph. 1.12 Jer. 48.11 when they are setled on their lees they never consider or say what have I done Jer. 8.6 Incogitancy and security go together a secure person never considers his own estate danger nor duty When once a man growes sleepy promising to himself freedome from danger and good dayes then he falls into some sin or other or some evil falls upon him Mat. 24.48 50. The evil servant said his Master delayed his coming and Vers 49. He began to beat his fellow-servant 1. He is secure he promiseth to himself safety his Master delayes c. 2. He falls to beat his fellow-servant Or else they fall into some sin Matth. 25.5 8. while they slept their Lamps went out or some evill befalls them Lam. 1.9 Sudden destruction 1 Thes 5.3 when men grow
to be so compleat a Saviour that as we have none other so we need none other because Christ is all Act. 4. â—2 In the former part of the verse the Apostle shewes the insufficiency of all things on this side Christ to commend us unto God or stand us in stead in the matter of salvation and this he does by removing four mistakes at that time common 1. The mistake of the Jews who prided themselves in a genealogicall kind of sanctity as being the seed of Abraham this they account so great a matter that they cannot be perswaded it could go otherwise than well with them let the Messengers of God tell them their sins warn them of their dangers yet they shelter themselves under this priviledge as that which would be a sufficient bullwark against all kind of threats and comminations and though John the Baptist in his time Mat. 3.9 Joh. 8.39 44. our Saviour is his time and the Apostles in theirs do all concurre in taking them off from leaning upon this broken feed yet will they not be beaten out of these strong holds Time was indeed when salvation was of the Jews but that wall of partition being now taken down and the pale of the Church so far enlarged as to take in both Jew and Gentile Act. 10.34 no Nationall priviledge can now commend us unto God nor can a succession of Abraham according to the flesh avail us unlesse we succeed him in his faith 2. The mistake of the circumcised whether Jews or Proselytes who because they had this badge of Religion upon them concluded themselves in a priority for Heaven before all the world besides But however time was when Circumcision was an Ordinance of that necessity that the Lord threatens to punish the neglect thereof by cutting off that soul from among his people yet was it not the outward but spirituall part God accounted of The Apostle in excluding this excludes all outward religious Observations as Davenant in loc Gen. 17.14 Rom. 2.29 Circumcisio erat in Judaica Religime ritus praecipuus adhibetur itaque ad designandam observationem omnium rituum Legalium 1 Cor. 1.26 27. 3. The mistake of the Grecians who were at that time the Masters of all learning and all other Nations in contradistinction unto them were stiled Barbarians and of all Barbarians the Scythians were esteemed the rudest But whatever worth and excellency may be in humane accomplishments yet all these in the businesse of salvation are but poor matters 'T is neither the having nor wanting of these that can considerably advantage or prejudice us in that high concernment 4. The common mistake of the world who from their rank and quality in the world are ready to promise themselves a more easie acceptance with God Act. 10.34 1 Sam. 16.7 But God is no respecter of persons He looks upon the children of men with another kind of eye than man is used to do Whether our outward condition be high or mean there 's nothing of priviledge or disadvantage from hence in respect of salvation And as in the former clause of the Verse the Apostle shews the insufficiency of all things besides Christ so in this clause he shews the single sufficiency of Christ alone Whatever the Jewes promised themselves from their stock and lineage the Proselytes from their Circumcision the Grecians from their wisdome and learning the great ones of the world from their outward preeminencies all that yea and much more is Christ to Believers Christ is all This single sufficiency of Christ the Apostle proves by a double Argument 1. The compleatnesse and perfection of Christ as a Saviour He is all Take salvation from first to last Heb. 12.2 in all the severall parts of it he is the Alpha and Omega the beginner and perfecter the Author and finisher of all 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occ. in loc In omnibus i. e. fidelibus hunc in modum sanctificatis Christo copulatis Daven in loc Quod lex bona est nostrum non est quod autem male viviâ—us nostrum est nihil utique prodest quod lex est bona si vita conversatio nostra non est bona Lex enim bona muneris est Christi vita autem nâ—n bona criminis nostri imo hoc magis culpabiles sumus si legem bonam colimus mali cultores sumus Qâ—â—n potius non câ—â—tores si mali quia cultor dici non potest malus cultor c. Salvian de Gubern Dei l. 4. The way and means whereby Christ imparts and communicates this salvation it is by being in all Some read the words as an amplification of the fulnesse and compleatnesse of Christ Christ is all and that in all things that concern either our present comfort or eternal happinesse Others refer these words in all to those divers sorts of persons spoke of in the former part of this Verse to whom that Christ may be a Saviour he disdains not to take up his dwelling in their souls though lying under all the disadvantages which were then accounted prejudiciall And thus the Apostlâ— seems to explain himself Gal. 3.28 a parallel Scripture unto this And according to this Exposition as the benefit of Christs sufficiency is extended to all believers by vertue of their union unto him so is it restrained and locked up from all unbelievers The Case to be insisted on from this Scripture is How Christians are compleat in Christ For the resolving hereof take this naturall deduction from the words Doct. That Christ is a Christians all By Christian I mean not them who have nothing more to declare them such than only their Baptismes and outward professions as the Church of Sardis Rev. 3.1 We account them Monsters in nature who have the faces of men but in their other limbs the lineaments and proportions of bruit beasts and how can we account them better than Monsters in Christianity who have the faces of Christians indeed but withall the hearts and lives of Pagans That All which is in Christ is nothing unto such except to encrease their guilt and heighten their condemnation But by the Christian I mean him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Israelite indeed as Christ speaks concerning Nathanael Joh. 1.48 One who labours more to be than seem religious one whose great care is that his heart may keep an even pace with his tongue in all his outward professions now to such Christ is All. In having an interest in him they have enough for the supply of all wants for the prevention of all dangers for the procuring all good And therefore what the Apostle speaks here in one word Christ is all he speaks at large in an enumeration of severall weighty particulars 1 Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption We are foolish creatures Christ is wisdome We are guilty he is righteousnesse We are polluted he is sanctification We
that our Religion may not be a dull languid lethargick principle but may render us fit and prompt for all the actions of a spirituall life And now this life of Religion the case supposeth the person to have who needs advice and then you 'l quickly perceive that there be two things in danger 1. The life of Religion in a religious person 2. The life of a religious person and so the case doth resolve it self into these two Queries 1. What should believing Christians do to support the life and vigour of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary means of publick Ordinances and are indangered by the leavening society of wicked men 2. How should they preserve their lives among persecuting enemies without hazarding the life of their Religion For the clearing of and directing in this case I shall now premise some Propositions fit to be taken notice of Prop. 1. It cannot be expected that any Rule should be given according to Scripture whereby both the one and the other life may be certainly secured for many times Gods providence brings us into such circumstances that if we are resolved that come what will wee 'l keep our Religion we must lose our lives and if we are resolved to keep our lives though with the hazard or shipwrack of our Religion we must then part with our Religion and perhaps our lives too 2. There can be no certain and infallible course propounded whereby the life of the body may be secured with the losse of Religion though Devil and world bid fair and promise we shall live and do well if we will part with our Religion yet they are not able if willing to make good their promise so long as there be so many thousand wayes to death besides Martyrdome and this is the purport of that threatning expression Mat. 16.25 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it not only that eternall life which is the only true life but even this temporall life as many relations tell us 3. The life of Religion in the soul is that which by Gods blessing and our spirituall care and industry may be infallibly secured in any place among any persons in any condition I do not say the outward exercise of Religion but that which is the life and principle of Religion in the soul may be preserved Force and violence may deprive those that are religious of opportunities to meet together and pour forth their Common prayers and supplications to God and publikely sing forth the praises of God and hear the great truths of the Gospell preached unto them nay they may be hindred from speaking with their mouthes either to God or for God as many of the Martyrs have been gagged but all the force and violence in the world cannot take away that which is the principle and life of Religion unlesse we our selves betray and cast it from us nor can they hinder the prime and principall acts and exercises of Religion All the world cannot hinder you or me from having good thoughts of God from sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts from trusting in hoping in rejoycing in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Jesus Christ from making holy melody in our hearts and such musick as shall be heard beyond the sphears though he that stands at our elbow knows not a word we speak so that true Religion both in the principle and prime exercises of it may be infallibly secured insomuch that he who can rend the heart out of the body cannot tear Religion out of the soul 4. His soul cannot be quickned with the life of the Religion of the Gospell who is not in heart perswaded that the securing the life of Religion in his soul is hugely more his concernment than the preserving of the life of the body Yea his Religion is built on a sandy foundation who hath not seriously considered that for ought he knows his Religion may cost him his life and hath not brought his soul to an humble resolution to lay down his life rather than let go his Religion thus much is clearly imported in that passage Luk. 14.27 28 c. Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost c 5. The society of good men and enjoyment of Gospell Ordinances is of speciall use to preserve quicken and enliven the principle of Religion in the soul they are to Religion in the soul what food is to the naturall life of the body and therefore the Ordinances in the Church are compared to breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 The great design of God in appointing Gospell-Ordinances is that by the help and assistance of those gifts and graces which he bestows upon his Ministers the souls of those who are estranged from him should be brought home to the owning and acknowledging of the truth and that those who have returned to the Lord should be more and more affected with a sense of divine goodnesse and their dependance on the Lord for all they have and hope for and indeed if preaching and reading and praying and every other Ordinance both in publike and in private do not aim at and intend this great end the begetting or actuating and stirring up the life of Religion in our souls then are they what some would fain perswade us vain uselesse troublesome things If thy coming to Church to hear a prayer or a Sermon be not by thee designed and do not in the even tend to make thee better to love God more loath sin more and value the world lesse and resolve more heartily to obey the Gospell thou hadst as good have been in thy bed or shop as in the Church and if in preaching and praying we that are Gods mouth to you and your mouth to God have any other design than to stir up in your souls good thoughts of God affectionate workings of heart towards a loving tender-hearted father zealous and hungring desires to do the will of God and expresse our love by obeying his commandments I seriously professe I should think my self much better imployed to be working in a Coblers stall or raking in the kennell or filling a dung cart than preaching or praying in a pulpit and let those who do not intend these great ends know that ere long they will finde they had bettter have been imployed in the most debasing drudgery than in the outward work of God with sinister and unworthy ends These things premised the case resolves it self into these particular questions 1. What should beleeving Christians do to support the life of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary food of publick Gospel-Ordinances 2. What should such do to preserve their outward concernments among persecuting enemies without hazarding their Religion In answer to the first question take these Directions 1. Let such humbly reflect upon their former sleighting despising and abusing the means of grace which now they want it is the usual method of God to
of our souls Aegypt is said to have no rain Terra non indiga Jovis but God makes it fruitfull by the oveflowing of its own River Nilus and truly if God bring any true beleever into a spiritual Aegypt where the rain of publick Ordinances doth not fall he can cause such a flow of holy and heavenly thoughts and meditations as shall make the soul very fruitfull in a good and an holy life and therefore we should oft in such a condition believingly remember that if we do our endeavour by private prayer meditation reading and such like God is able and will in the want of publick Ordinances preserve the life of Religion in our souls by private helps We proceed now to the second Question contained in the general case viz. Qu. What should believing Christians do to preserve their outward concernments among persecuting enemies without hazarding their Religion Now this question will resolve it self into two particular Queries 1. What should such do to secure themselves from suffering 2. What should they do to encourage themselves against and support in sufferings The summe of what may be said to the first Query I suppose to be comprized in that counsel of our Lord Jesus who was Wisdome it self and Innocency it self Matth. 10 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves the Serpents wisdome joyned with the Doves innocency are the true Christians best security to each of which I shall speak something 1. Get spiritual Prudence and Wisdome to secure from suffering where we have not a clear and sufficient call The Heathens hinted wisdome as well as strength to be needfull for a Souldier when they appointed the Warlike Goddess Pallas to be the Patroness of Wisdome a Souldier may and ought to guard himself and by winding and turning his body avoid the enemies blow so long as he doth not turn his back forsake the field or betray his trust in like manner may a good Souldier of Jesus Christ by any lawfull means guard himself from suffering and by any just compliance or stepping aside or giving back avoid a blow or make a fair retreat so long as he keeps the Field and doth not turn his back upon nor give up a good and a just cause for fear of suffering Hence the Apostle adviseth Col. 4.5 Walk in wisdome toward them that are without that is walk as those that have wisely fixt upon a good end and do use the most proper and likely means to attain that end Now this general direction will branch it self forth into these particulars 1. Do not rashly and unnecessarily provoke those that have power to do you a mischief it is not wisdome to stir in a wasps nest nor by bloody colours to provoke a wilde Bull and certainly our life and the comforts and relations in this world are such real and great blessings that they are not to be sacrificed to an humour nor cast away but upon the most serious consideration and real necessity and certainly when our Lord Jesus directed his Disciples if persecuted in one City to flye to another he never intended they should throw themselves into the jaws of roaring Lions nor provoke Bears and Tygers to tear them in pieces nor leave the quiet habitation of Sion to seek persecution and court a Martyrdome among Pagans and Infidels The holy Apostle Paul who was as willing to dye for the Name of Christ as any Act. 21.13 and was therefore by his love and zeal urged to go into the Theater at Ephesus yet he took the prudent counsel and advice of his Friends not to venture himself nor by his presence provoke the enraged multitude Act. 19.31 and afterward he made use of his Kinsmans help to secure his life from those who had bound themselves with an oath to kill him Act. 23.16 and at last appeals to Caesar to avoid the mischief designed against him by the Jews Act. 25.10 This piece of spiritual prudence caused the primitive Christians to abstain from prophaning the Temples of the heathen and reviling their gods and therefore they chose to discover to them the vanity of their Idolatries from the Writings and Records of their own Prophets and with the greatest love and sweetness that could be yea this was so evident in Paul himself that the Town-clark of Ephesus was able to be his and his fellow-Christian Compurgator in this matter Act. 19 37. Ye have brought hither those men which are neither robbers of Churches or as the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrilegious persons nor yet blasphemers of your goddess and therefore that which Josephus accounts one of Moses Laws that none should blaspheme the Religion of another though it be not a general duty as appears by Elijahs mocking and scoffing at the God and religion of Baals Priests 1 King 18.27 yet it holds good here as a rule of prudence to avoid needless provoking of those that are without And in this case I take this to be a sure rule whatever act of ours hath rationally a greater likelihood to provoke harden and enrage the hearts of men rather than to convince and convert is a fruit of indiscretion not of Christian prudence a piece of folly not a part of our duty It was certainly a favour from God when he inclined the heart of Trajane to order his Proconsul Plinius Secundus Plin. Sec. Ep. l. 10. Conquirendi non sunt sideferantur arguantur puniendi sunt desiring to know his pleasure in the case that when any were brought before him and accused to be Christians he should punish them according to Law but should not industriously search them out if now any should have rushed into the Judges presence and taken the Devils work out of his hands who is the accuser of the Brethren it would surely have been a sinfull undervaluing the favour of God in that relaxation of their persecution But now this advice must be bounded with a word of caution for as we should take heed lest our zeal degenerate into ambition and foolish vain-glory in suffering so on the other side lest our prudence and Christian wisdome turn to sinful craft and policy while to avoid the stroak of persecution we take up the Devils buckler of unlawfull practises The Apostle Peter was not bound to go into the high Priests hall and proclaim himself a Disciple of Jesus but he was obliged not to deny and forswear it when challenged with it and so though I am not alway bound to proclaim my faith and Religion yet am I engaged never to disown it and therefore we must take heed of that which Elihu charged Job with Job 36.21 the choosing iniquity rather than affliction and therefore when fear or covetousness would urge us to sin rather than suffer let us remember against our fears that 't is a more fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God than dying men
them account prayers and tears their best arms seeing they call in that God whose power extends as far as his will 8. Arm your selves with a severe patience and a steady resolution to bear lesser affronts and injuries those Christians were in such a condition as we are now speaking of whom the Apostle mindes that they had need of patience Heb. 10 36. Let it be our wisdome therefore to get a stock of that which will be so needfull for us patience is alway a part of our duty but in this case it is also an instance of our prudence for he is a fool that will hazard the beating out of his brains rather than bear a fillip 9. Be much in prayer to that God who alone can secure from suffering sit for suffering strengthen under and infinitely reward after we have suffered 2. Let the Serpents wisdome be seconded with the Doves harmlesness and innocency walk so honestly and inoffensively that wicked men may be put hard to it to finde an occasion to quarrel or wrong you this was remarkable in Daniel as you may see Chap 6.4 this was the Apostles direction 1 Thess 4.12 Walk honestly toward those that are without and it was according to his practice Act. 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Now this Christian innocency or simplicity ought to be like a thred to run through the whole course of our converse with others we should neither injure the person good name estate friend or any thing which an other may call his if the Lamb among Wolves and Foxes begin to butt and contend no wonder if these soon bite and devour we should be so honest and plain-hearted in our Promises Contracts Covenants and dealings with others that they may reverence our Religion as teaching us to do the best things and suffer the worst and not hate our Religion as being onely a design to make us the better able to deceive and injure others 'T would be no small part of our security if our carriage towards others might speak for us that which the Poet makes Achilles speak concerning himself and his Tutor Chiron Jesus Christ is my Teacher and he hath learnt me to use simplicity and honesty in all my manners But now if neither of these two will secure us from suffering but Gods providence doth call us to a publick owning of him and the Religion of the Gospel we must then joyn the Lions courage to the wisdome of the Serpent and the innocency of the Dove that we may be imboldned to look the greatest daâ—ger in the face rather than turn our back upon God and Christ and the Religion of the Gospel And this brings me to the second branch of the latter part of the Case How should believers encourage themselves against sufferings In answer to which take these brief Dâ—rections 1. Be often remembring how infinitely more worth the soul is than the body Luke 16.26 Phil. 3.21 be often weighing in the scales of sober and serious consideration a precious soul against a vile body and then minde thy self that the worst which persecuting enemies can do is to destroy a corruptible body but the worst which God can do is to destroy thine immortal soul Christ arms his Disciples against fear of suffering by this consideration Matth. 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell 2. Think how inconsiderable time is compared with Eternity spend your thoughts upon the difference vast and inconceiveable between those two the Apostle tells us That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 The Apostle compares himself to one that hath been casting up an account where on one side he meets with nothing but cyphers or small petty summes but on the other side findes thousands and millions and then cryes out alas the one is not to be compared with the other Thus the Apostle findes light and momentary afflictions on the one side and a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory on the other side as we finde him expressing himself 2 Cor 4.17 3. Remember that the welfare of the body doth depend upon the welfare of the soul not indeed in this world for here his body may be well and in good plight fat and flourishing well fed and cloathed whose soul is poor and naked sick and wounded in a sad and deplorable condition and on the other side a poor beggarly sick Lazarus may have a soul fed with Royal and heavenly Dainties and cloathed with better Robes than Purple and Ermine but then the eternal welfare of the body depends upon the eternal welfare of the soul 't is bound up in the life and welfare of the soul as Jacobs life is said to be bound up in Benjamins Gen 44 30. and therefore you cannot secure the welfare of the outward man by betraying and casting away that which is the life and welfare of the inward man 4. Remember that you can suffer nothing in this world but Jesus Christ hath suffered the same or worse The Lord Jesus arms his Disciples against sufferings by this consideration Joh. 15.20 and the Apostle Paul having experienced it himself adviseth the believing Hebrews to it Heb. 12.1 2 3. Looking unto Jesus c. Now this consideration will suggest to us 1. That the worst sufferings are no dishonour to us seeing Christ Jesus the King of Kings hath born them 2. That the greatest sufferings do not speak us the greatest sinners Christs sufferings assure us that the purest and whitest innocency may be dyed red in its own blood 3. That the greatest sufferings make us never the less amiable in the eyes of God for then Christ Jesus the onely begotten Son of God in whom he was alway well-pleased would not have suffered 5. We can suffer nothing but what our God our Friend our Father knows we suffer and knows that a suffering condition is the best for us When poor Christians are kept by the bloody Inquisition in dark Holes and Caves from the eyes of all the world they cannot be kept from the eye of God Rev. 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is this was the encouragement which Christ gave his persecuted Church of Pergamos thy condition is known to that God whose heart is as tender as his eye piercing and whose arm can reach as far as his eye and whose wisdome knows how to direct the sufferings of every beleever for his own his Churches and that beleevers real good 6. Be often comparing God and creatures together that great God who suffers in and with his suffering people and those little small things called devils and men that bring sufferings upon them make thy soul to know and
that of the English Proverb be true it is here As good never a whit as never the better Indeed there is so much work on our hands such commands such promises to believe such corruptions to subdue such temptations to resist the careless of carnal failing in any of which will charge us with hypocrisie So many such subtle and powerfull adversaries to coâ—flict withall such a world such a flesh such principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places such deceitfull hearts deceitfull above all things to search and sift and purge from this leaven that it is impossible to be free of it without mighty striving contending and giving much diligence 2. If you would take heed of hypocrisie take heed of security There are no greater flatterers and no greater deceivers of themselves and others than hypocrites they flatter themselves in their own eyes Ps 36.2 all flattery is dangerous but self flattery of all other most dangerous and of all others in the business of salvation most pernicious It is the advice of the Devil and thy own hypocrisie to favour thy self flatter thy self hope well c. The advice of God is Lam. 3.40 Phil. 2.12 Ps 130.23 Search and try your wayes examine your selves 2 Cor. 13.5 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Yea call upon God to search you It is a fear of carefulness and sollicitude a trembling of jealousie and suspicion as to our own hearts not of diffidence or despair as to God that we are directed to Had the foolish Virgins had but this care this fear they had had â—yl in their vessels as well as Lamps Had those glorious professours in Matth. 7.22 had but this jealousie and suspicion they might have escaped that dismal sentence Depart from me you workers of iniquity Perhaps your faith may be but a fancy Iob 8.13 your hopes but presumptuous a spiders web Hos 10.1 Hos 7.14 Zach. 7.5 Psal 72.6 perhaps your fruit may be but that of an empty vine to your self perhaps your prayers may be but howlings for corn and wine perhaps your fasting may not be to God Commune much with your own heart and let your spirit make diligent search keep you heart with all keeping be jealous of every thing your heart hath to do with your affairs friends comforts recreations thoughts sollitudes graces Prov. 28.14 Prov. 23.17 Prov. 1. Eccles 12. Iob 28. Oh blessed or happy is the man that thus feareth always he shall never do amiss this is to be in the fear of God all the day long and this fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome the end of wisdome and wisdome it self for this will make a man wise to escape the wiles of Sathan and the hypocrisie of his own heart and so make him wise to salvation 3. Keep God alwayes in your mindes if we have all from him Rom. 11. ult we should be all to him If we live and move in him our hearts and mindes should be alwayes on him This is the cause of all the wickedness and hypocrisie in the world men will not seek after God God is not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 And this the ground of all the glorious performances of the Saints they saw him that was invisible as Micaiah saw the Lord in his Throne Heb. 11.26 27 and therefore feared not to deal plainly and sincerely with Ahab though on his Throne 1 King 22.19 When the Psalmist had convinced and reproved the wickedness and formal hypocrisie of ungodly presumptuous men he concludes Now consider this you that forget God c. Intimating this to be the reason of all ungodly hypocritical conversation a forgetting God Psal 50.22 The remedy must be contrary to the disease if we would be no hypocrites we must much remember think of and observe and eye God by faith Acquaint thy self with God and so good shall come to thee If men were acquained with God and did not forget him Iob 22.21 acquainted with his Omnisciency Psal 139.1 2. with his All-sufficiency Gen. 17.1 with the power of his anger Ps 90.11 Mic. 7.18 19. the infiniteness of his goodness Isa 55.7 8. they would conclude and live under the awe and power of such conclusions Oh then he is too great to be tempted and provoked too excellent to be sleighted and undervalued too good to be lost too wise to be deceived and this would suppress and supplant the leaven of the Pharisees hypocrisie 4. Be much and daily in the renewing faith and repentance If there be such danger of hypocrisie there is necessity of renewing faith and repentance for fear hypocrisie may be in them Rise and return as soon as thou art convinced of thy sin so did Paul so did Peter as soon as the Lord turned and looked upon him Gal. 1.16 Luke 22.61 If repentance were hastned after sin and thou wouldest take care and pains to break thy heart constantly for sin this would break it from sin A man should finde that it were an evil and a bitter thing to forsake the Lord Jer. 2.19 and that his fear was not in thee and a broken heart God would not despise because it is apparent that is no hypocritical heart And though former faith and repentance may be counterfeit and hypocritical Psal 51. yet ensuing and renewed faith may be sound and sincere and we have much ground to renew those acts whose soundness and validity we have much ground to suspect if all have been false or fained or partial formerly we have the more cause in a new act to give up and binde our souls sincerely to it and this will free you from hypocrisie 5. Put forth your greatest strength and care to mortifie those lusts and corruptions that are the fewel to hypocrisie pride vain-glory worldly-mindedness self-love These are the fewel of hypocrisie they beget it and they nourish it If the love of the world and worldly favour did not prevail much over men there would be no hypocrisie in the world and cherish and strengthen the graces which cannot consist with it but will be alwayes fighting against and opposing it as love to God humility self-denial heavenly-mindedness mortifying the flesh much commnion with God if these be in you and abound you shall not be barren nor unfruitfull but shall make your calling and election sure and so be out of the peril yea and much out of the fear of hypocrisie 6. Press the Lord much and urge him close with the promises of a new heart Eze. 36.25.26 Deut. 30.6 Ier. 32.40 of circumcising your hearts and causing you to love the Lord with all your heart of putting his fear into your heart If he urge and press you in his word with his precepts and your duty do you urge and press him as much in your prayers with his promises spread his own hand-writing and seals before him as Augustine relates his Mother did