sublime nervous Epistle whether St. Luke or Barnabas or Clement or Apollos or the Apostle Paul as I most think I here dispute not is evidently walking in the searches of the great Excellency of Christianity as it was brought unto us by and took its denomination from and serves the purposes and speaks the Eminence Unction and Prerogatives and Designs of Christ the Son of God And this discourse he here directeth to the Hebrews by whom we may understand those Christian Jews that were in Syria Judea and principally at Jerusalem for those that were dispersed through the Provinces of the Roman Empire were commonly called Greeks And those indeed who were Converted to the Christian Faith were terribly persecuted by the Jews their Brethren and assaulted by Seducers to work them back again to their deserted Judaism and much ado they had to stand their ground Whereupon this Author mindful of what his Lord had said in Mat. xxiv 9-13 attempts to shew the Eminencies of their State and that Judaism was every way transcended by Christianity The Author of it was a greater and better Person than Moses Aaron or Melchizedeck The Doctrines were more mysterious and sublime The Laws more spiritual and most accurately suited to the compleating and perpetuating of the Divine Life and Nature in them and to the advancing them unto all Conformities to God imitations of him and intimacies with him The Promises were more glorious rich and full and all the Constitutions Furniture Services Ministry and Advantages of the Gospel Polity and Temple carried more glorious signatures of God upon them and were more eminently attested patronized and succeeded by God than ever Judaism was or than it could pretend unto Why therefore should it be deserted or coldly owned or improved negligently or defectively This Author having therefore gained his point and throughly proved the dignity of the Christian state and calling beyond all possibility of grounded Cavils or competition He next proceeds to shew these Hebrews the genuine and just improvement of what he had demonstrated Heb. x. 19-39 xi xii xiii 1-19 The Casuistical consideration of the Text best serves the stated purpose of this hour And that I may be evidently pertinent clear succinct and profitable let me now lay the Case and Text together and consider them in their relative aspects each toward the other 1. Luke-warmness is the remissness or defectiveness of heat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a middle thing betwixt cold and heat When there is not heat enough in subjecto capaci to serve the purposes that such a thing under such circumstances should subserve Now God and Christ expect a fervent Spirit burning and flaming Love and in the Text Love is here represented as needing Provocation Heart-warmth is nothing else but love suiting and accommodating it self to worthy objects according to their apprehended dignity usefulness or concerns Love is the endearing to our selves of apprehended Excellence or Goodness and our letting out our selves or the issuings forth of our pleased wills in correspondent motions towards reposes in obsequiousness to and engagements for what we admire and affect for worth or excellence discerned makes us accommodate our selves unto the pleasure and concerns thereof according to its nature place and posture towards us and our affairs therewith When therefore this Affection Principle or Grace or Passion if Love may properly be called so is grown too weak to fix the will and to influence the life so as to please its God and turns indifferent and unconcerned and variable as the winds and weather change this languor of the Heart and Will and its easiness and proneness to be drawn off from God and things Divine we call Luke-warmness which is nothing else indeed but the sluggishness and dulness of the heart and will to such a degree as that it is not duly affected with nor startled at nor concerned intimately about what is truly excellent and of great consequence and importance to us And hence our Author phrases it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that Love may and ought to be smart and keen heating and urging all the powers of the Soul to excite all their vigours and to perform all their Functions with strength and pleasure Consider well Cant. viii 6 7. ii Cor. v. 14. i Thess ii 8. Heart unaffectedness unconcernedness and inactivity let Souls and their concerns God's interest and the Matters of Christ's Kingdom go and be as they will Phil. ii 20 21. This is the malady to be cured 2. It is not so much a single instance of luke-warmness as a temper that the case speaks of Nor doth the Text intend an intermittent Feaver in the heart 't is not a transient Paroxysm by fits and starts for hearts to burn but 't is a stated frame that must be changed and fixt The Malady is a luke-warm temper a frame and constitution of the inward man too weakly bent and byassed towards God and heavenly things to make them statedly its predominant ambition business and delight Act. xi 23. ii Cor. v. 9. A frame of Soul that sits too loose towards God to do to bear to be to hope to wait much for him in the stormy and dark day 3. It is the effectual cure hereof that the case aims at and in this Paroxysm of Love and of Good Works the cure consists Hence Labour of love Heb. vi 10. i Thess i. 3. Love abounding more and more in knowledge and in all judgment that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the Glory and Praise of God Phil. i. 9. 11. when Love is fervent fixt and genuinely fruitful then is this luke-warm temper cured indeed Hence zealous of good works See Tit. ii 11. 14. 4. How this Cure of such a temper may be effectually wrought is the next thing to be enquired into and the great import of the case before us and a great cluster of apt and pertinent Expedients doth the Text here entertain us with Such as 1. Determining and designing to enterprize the thing here called Provocation to love and to good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · This is the great concern to be espoused and the great scope of our intentions resolutions and endeavours Love and good works are the great Cure of this Distemper to which we must direct our thoughts words deeds provokingly Col iv 5 6 Such a Distemper must not be ordinarily expected to be cured by accident nor are their Labours likely to be prosperous who do not cordially design this Cure 2 The mutual Considerations of Persons Consider one another to a Provocation So the Greek We must take into serious deep and frequent thoughts the quality capacity spirits courses and concerns of one another and see wherein they are defective or exemplary and proficient in these things as
The Vsefulness of the worshipping Assemblies of Saints and Christians to this great and needful provocation must quicken us unto and keep us in these Courts of God Psal .xcii. 13. 15. Exod. xx 24. There God commands the blessing even Life for evermore Psal cxxxiii 3. There you have the openings of the Gospel Teasury there are these golden Candlesticks which bear the burning shining Tapers whose light and heat diffuse themselves through all within their reach who are receptive of them The Gifts and Graces the Affections and Experiences of Gospel Ministers are in their Communicative Exercises there God the Father sets and keeps his Heart and Eye there the Lord Redeemer walks by and amongst his Commissionated Officers and Representatives dispensing warmth and vigour through their Ministry to Hearts presented to him at his Altar There doth the Holy Spirit fill Heads with Knowledge Hearts with Grace and all our Faculties and Christian Principles with Vigour There Mysteries are unfolded Precepts explained and enforced Promises fulfilled in Soul improvements Incense is offered up in golden Censers and foederal concernments are solemnly transacted and confirmed in open Court And there through the Angel of the Covenant his moving upon the Waters of the Sanctuary are Soul distempers and Consumptions healed And there you are informed acquainted with and confirmed in what may instruct you in and encourage you unto this Provocation to Love and to good works And there Prayer gets fuel and gives vent to Love drawing forth all the Energies of Souls and Thoughts towards God And thus fervent Prayers and love quickning returns thereto are like the Angels of God ascending and descending from and upon the Heart while the deserters hereof grow cold thereto and starve their Love and practical Godliness thereby All there is known obtained and exercised There you may fill your Heads with Knowledge your Hearts with Grace your Mouths with Arguments your Lives with Fruitfulness your Consciences with Consolations and your whole selves with those experiences of Divine regards to Soul concerns which may inflame your Hearts with Love to God and Christ to Holiness and Heaven and fit you both to kindle and increase this holy flame both in your selves and in each other And indeed what greater advantages can be derived into our Souls to make our Altars burn than what our Christian Assemblies duly managed will entertain us with What understanding do the Inspirations of the Almighty here afford Such curious Explications of the Name and Counsels of your God Such large and full accounts of all the endearing Grace of Christ Such Critical dissections and anatomizings of the state of Souls Such over-shâ—dowings of the Spirit of God Such clear and full descriptions and accounts of the Divine Life and Nature in all their Strength and Glory How are desires invigorated and twisted to make them more effectual to our selves and others This Sanctuary Love is like the best wine going down sweetly and causing the Lips even of those that are asleep to speak Keep then to these Assemblies that you may duly know whom what how and why to Love and how to suit your selves in spirit speech and practice towards God your selves and towards each other unto this generous and noble Principle Thus will you grow exceedingly both in the knowledge and savour of what is most considerable and most deservingly affecting both as to Things and Persons for Christianity is contrived for Love and Godliness in all its Doctrines Laws and Ordinances and in assemblies you have the Explications and Enforcements of those Truths which will compleat the Man of God as to his Principles Disposition and Behaviour Here you may know your most holy Faith as to it's matter evidences and designs upon you and it 's improvableness by you to it 's determined and declared ends and services That Faith which is to illuminate your Eyes to exercise your thoughts to fix your holy purposes to form and cherish expectations to raise desires to embolden prayer to fire your affections and regulate them as to their Objects Ends and Measures and Expressions And when you there attend you are in the way of Blessings How oft and evidently are Divine Truths there sensibly sharpened and succeeded by the God of Truth Rom. i. 16. Paul and Barnabas so spake as that a Multitude believed of Jews and Gentiles Act. xiv 1. And thither must you and I resort and there attend for Doctrine Exhortation and Instruction in Righteousness The Priests Lips must preserve Knowledge how to speak of God with him and for him there Gospel luminaries are to diffuse their Light and there must we receive it and know what is considerable eligible practicable and encouraging to love and to good Works Why then should we forsake that 3. But let us exhort each other â—or consideration and attendance on Assemblies are for our own and others good for personal and mutual quickenings to Love to good works I know that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used more largely for any pleading of and pressing home a thing pursuant to it's import and design whether by Counsel Comfort or sometimes it imports Consolation or Encouragement This is too well seen and known to need its Scriptural Instances and Quotations That which is here intended I offer in this Paraphrase Draw forth all the Spirit and Strength of what you know and have advisedly considered as to your selves and others of what you have seen and heard in your Assembling of your selves together concerning your obligations to attend them their fitness to advantage you and all the benefit derived or deriveable therefrom Draw forth the vigour of all your received Discoveries Directions Assistances and Inducements to do and be what is required and expected from you professed by you and of eternal Consequence and Concernment to you Plead this throughly with your selves and one another that so your Christian love be not extinguisht or abated but wrought and kept up to its genuine and just pitch of fervour and effectual Operations and Eruptions in Good works Drive home upon your selves by deep and serious thoughts and pertinent applications of them to your selves and warm debates about them with your selves the things which God hath manifested and proposed to you as credible acceptable and practically Improveable He that expects this flame upon his heart must be a thoughtful man severely contemplative and sollicitous about the things of the Kingdom of God and the Name and Interest and Servants of the Lord Redeemer How can that man be warm and active or zealous of Good works whose knowledge is not actuated by self-awakening Meditations and whose furniture Principles and Spirit are commonly neglected by himself What! are divine Truths Laws Promises and Institutions only to be with us or in us as empty Speculations or thin Notions Have Divine Revelations and Endearings no Errand to our Hearts and Consciences and no business there and no practical Vigours to
be exerted thence That thoughtless Idle Souls should be luke-warm is no such wonder or strange thing The contrary would be stranger even to a miracle And being thus awakened and prepared your selves drive all things home upon each other and plead the cause of every Duty Truth and Motive throughly in free and frequent conversation each with other Mal. iii. 16. Luke xxiv 32. i Thes v. 11-15 Rom. xv 13-16 Col. iii. 16. ii Thes iv 18. Christian conference well managed makes and speaks warm hearts and leads and helps to better lives Men that rarely transiently or triflingly think upon or talk about the things of God must needs be cold within and when such pray that God should warm them can they expect returns to prayer when neither hearts nor pains are after them And here How many heart warning Topicks of discourse and edifying conference might I now entertain you with but let the text speak for it self and though it here offer but one yet is that one impregnated with many 1. It is the day 2. 'T is an approaching day and 3. They saw it thus approaching 4. The sight ought because so fit to quicken them to growthful care and diligence in this heart-warning course and work Whence 4. Preserve and practically answer and improve a quick deep constant sence of the approaching day i Thes v. 1-11 ii Pet. iii. 1. 14. and Jude 20 21. Col. iii. 2-5 Luke xxi 34-36 xii 35-40 Perhaps the Reader will not lose his time and labour in perusing and pausing upon these cited Texts Nor find them impertinent nor inexpedient as to the case in hand See also ii Pet. i. 5-13 How copiously and closly might all these passages be insisted on did not the Press stay for me and the stated confines of a short discourse restrain me and the fruits and labours of abler heads and better pens and hearts urge me severely because deservedly to give place thereto Well Sirs Consider the Approaching day and represent it to your thoughtful and concerned selves in all its Grandeurs and Solemnities of Process and Results and try then if it do not warm your hearts and urge you pungently and severely to Good works As to the persons here most Immediately concerned these Christian Hebrews There was a day of reckoning with their malignant Enemies by Providential Controversies and Rebukes which also was a day of great Redemption and Establishment to the persecuted faithful Christians There was to be a day of great Conversion and divine Attestations to the Christian Faith and to its Proselytes and what was more congenial herewith than this endeavoured provocation to love and to good works And they that are provoked hereto are also fittest for a day of tryal But I shall here consider it as the great day of Christs appearance and his Kingdom ii Tim. iv 1.8 i 18. That day of God of Christ of Judgment and Perdition of Vngodly Men. That day of Revelation of God and Christ in their Majestick glory that day of searches sentence and full execution and adjustments in all the accuracies of governing wisdom holiness and grace Who can contemplate this and yet be Cold and Barren Then in the glorious splendours solemnities and proceedings of that day shall it be evident who and whose Son Christ is What cost and care he hath been at to bring men to this warm and active course and temper and what an estimate he and his Father set hereon by what they then dispense and testify by way of recompence of reward thereto Christ in his threefold glory Luke ix 26. God sending him forth and appearing in him by him and for him as his own dear Son the Son of such a King i Tim. vi 3-16 Father and Son making so vast a difference amongst the Sons of men by everlasting punishments and rewards as they are differently found as to Christian love and practice Rom. ii 6-10 ii Cor. v. 9-11 Mat. xxv 34-46 And all that vast Assembly and Convention applauding Gods proceedings and joyfully Congratulating the great endeavours and rewards of our provoked and Successful love Are not these warming thoughts Secondly The Case And of this I have given you this textual resolution You have seen 1. The Seat of this distemper of a Luke-warm Frame or Temper that it is in the heart or will 2. The formal nature of it 'T is a defect or chilness of practical love and zeal to and for God and their concerns with us and ours with them The things which claim and merit the highest place in and that should engage and exercise our best affections and most active zeal are 1. Gods glory in the Church and World 2. The life and growth and the vivid Exercises Profession and Effects of Godliness in our selves Tit. ii 11. 14. Rom. xiv 17 19. Jude 20 21. ii Pet. i. 3. 11. For we must begin at home and set our all in order there 3. The Power Peace and Progress of the Gospel in the World Phil. i. 3. 11. ii 19.21 That it may have its free course and be glorified 4. The Harmony and Prosperity of the Church of Christ wherever this Gospel is accepted and profest 5. The Case and Circumstances of particular professours as they variously are and are evidently considerable as to their Growth Tryals Duties Dangers Decays Wants or Weaknesses c. 6. And the Sons of men as Strangers Enemies Persecutors or any ways Endeavouring to supplant the Gospel interest or to obstruct it or discourage it And these it considered as reducible or incorrigible Now heartlessness Neutrality or Sluggishness of our affectionate concernedness about these things is what we call Luke-warmness 3. The Cure hereof doth formally consist in our Enflamed love Exercised and Exprest unto the life by constant activity congenial with this principle The practical accommodating of all the regency vigours of this principle of love to the concerns of Christian godliness and of those that are concerned therewith pursuant to the growth and prosperousness thereof When we so value these concerns have such Sympathizing with and such genuine adherence to resolutions and activity for and satisfaction in the prosperousness of the things of God and Christ and Souls and Christian Churches as that nothing can stand before us nor be regarded or dreaded by us that rivals or opposes them then are we indeed effectually cured Here our thoughts naturally fix and work here our hearts cleave and flame and hereunto our vigors time interest and treasures are most entirely and cheerfully devoted Where is there then the least remainder of a Luke-warm Temper When we are wrought up to this Frame and pitch 4. The way and means of working this great cure are 1. Persons considered 2. Assemblies attended on 3. What there and thence and otherwise is or may be derived improved by Mutual Exhortation 4. And all this under the powerful influences of and in fit and full proportion to a quick and constant apprehensiveness and
and Provisions to bring and keep our God and us together in order to all the Solaces and Satisfactions of Steady Full Eternal Friendship the eminent importance of his Gospel Interest and Kingdom in and to the world the Church and us the loveliness and vigours of his Interest and Image in us as formed fixt and actuated and possessed by his eternal Spirit to his eternal praise by Jesus Christ the solid pleasures peace and usefulness of regular zeal for God Christ Christianity and all that are near and dear to God with all the comforts and renown which this well fixt and ordered zeal prepares us for All that we are saved from by to through the effectual cure of this disease All the solemnities of Christs approaching day and our great concerns therein All the good that is in that attends upon and that issues from the prosperous Successes of the Gospel the holiness and and peace of the Church and the health the usefulness the possession the Conflicts and Conquests of a well cured Soul and all the Honours Ease and Blessings that attend our glorious Gospel All this and much more deserves deep thoughts and all the fervours and acknowledgments and Services of love And the plain truth is this We are both constituted of and surrounded with enflaming objects of this love And the great object and attractive shines even most gloriously in all Nature in all its Harmonies Stores and Beauties Providence in all its illustrations of its excellencies and exactness suiting it self in all the Articles thereof to every thing and being and concern in Heaven and Earth The sacred Scriptures every way entertaining us with what may exercise and enrich the mind of man heal and compose his Conscience enthroning it as Gods vicegerent to inspect the principles designs and practices and State of men to make and keep them orderly safe and easy and so to affect the heart and life as that we may be lovely in the sight of God the blessings of our Stations in our generations and a most comfortable entertainment to our selves Our very selves are most provoking objects unto love So many faculties in our Souls So many passions and affections to be ordered and exercised aright So many sences for reception So many Organs and Instruments for the commodious promoting and securing of our own Good So many Objects Employments and Acquests to be engaged vigorously about and orderly conversant with all continually And God in all this eminently beaming forth those perfections which are so fit and worthy to take endearingly with us How inexcuseable is cold heartedness whenas it may so easily be cured by serious Contemplations of these objects Light and Colours and beautiful proportions to the eye Words and Melodies to the Ears Food to the tast and all the objects exercises and entertainments of every sense afford our very minds and hearts their delicacies to feed on and urge us to love God and Man And let me add this also the beauties and delightfulness of holiness and practical Religion as exemplified in holy persons those excellent ones in whom is my delight saith David Psal xvi 3. O to observe them in all their curious imitations and resemblances of their God in the Wisdom of their Conduct the fervours of their Spirits the steadiness of their purposes the evenness of their tempers the usefulness and blamelessness of their lives the loftiness of their aims the placed gravity of their Looks the savour and obligingness of their Speeches the generous largeness of their Hearts the openness of their Hands the impartiality of their Thoughts the tenderness of their Bowels and all the sweetnesses of their Deportments towards all Such things are really where Christian Godliness obtains indeed Tho meer pretenders or real Christians in their decays and swoons may represent Religion under its eclipses to it's great disadvantage and reproach When therefore we contemplate all these excellencies and many more not mentioned will not our Hearts take fire and burn with love of Complacency where these things are visible and with the Love of benevolence and beneficence to that degree towards those that are receptive of but want them which shall enrage Desires and Prayers and quicken us to diligent endeavours after what by such may be attained unto were they but closely and warmly followed by us and brought to the diligent pursuits thereof Thus you see deep thoughts about lovely Objects will get up love and cure luke-warmness in us to the purpose Let this then be done 3. Heart-awakening and Love-quickning Truths are to be duly and intimately considered And this is indeed in part to truthifie in Love if I may make an English Word to express the valor of the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. iv 15. The existence and excellence of the great Jehovah the Trine-Vne Holy one the care which he hath taken and the expensive cost he hath been at to cure this Malady by the fore-mentioned means and helps The critical Inspections of his Eye into the Heart of Man and his making this the test and balance of the Sanctuary to try us by counting and judging us more or less fit for Mercies and Judgments Heaven or Hell Service or to be thrown aside as refuse as our Hearts stand affected No exact soundness in our Spirits no safety in our State no real ease and chearfulness in our Souls no evidence of our acceptance with our God no Duty well performed towards God or Man no Sins subdued no Trial bravely managed and resulted no Talents used fully to the Masters Satisfaction and Advantage nothing profest performed endured or obtained without this Love And according to it's Ebbs and Flows it's Inflammations and Abatements so doth it fare and go with all our Christianity and Concerns The Truth is all the concerns of Souls and Persons in Life Death Judgment Heaven and Hell are hereupon depending These Articles of Truth considered well will make us serious fervent resolute and industrious in the things of God 4. Heart-warming Duties are to be performed throughly in Publick Private and in Secret Eccl. ix 10. Rom. xii 11 12. Pray hard read frequently and seriously hear diligently and impartially meditate closely and concernedly upon all you read or hear relating to the great concern Be much in Christian conference in the due Spirit and to the genuine design and purposes thereof be much in Praise Thanks Self-observation Government and Discipline Look up to Heaven for help and improve faithfully what you thence obtain And I do take the Supreme Essentially Infinite Good to be dishonoured and degraded by us in our Thoughts and Walk if any Creature Interests or Excellencies do ultimately terminate our Affections and Intentions For my part I take converses Employments Ingenious Recreations and even sensitive Entertainments to be most delicious and grateful when they occasion or provoke me to those Observations of God in all which carry up my thoughts through and from them to him with
some sins are majoris reatus but minoris scandali so it is here The sins of Sodom had more Scandal but the sins of Capernaum greater Guilt Q. But wherein lyes the sinfulness of Impenitency under the Gospel above other sin Ans 1. Such will be left without Excuse above all others If the Heathen are said to be without excuse not living and worshipping God according to the dictates of natural Light and the notices of God suggested by the works of Creation Rom. 1.20 If the Jews will have their Mouth stopped having the written Law of God and the Knowledge of God's Will therein and yet transgressing this Law as the Apostle speaks Rom. 3.19 much more will those who live impenitently under the Gospel be without excuse and have their mouths stopped in the day of Judgment Had I not come and spoken to them saith Christ they had had no sin but now they have no cloak for their sin John 15.22 The Gospel strips sinners of every Cloak and so exposeth them more naked to the severe Justice of God John 3.19 For this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light And so are without excuse 1. Such cannot plead as the Heathen may that they were ignorant of a Saviour and how to be saved by him from their sin 2. Neither can they plead that Salvation by him was revealed so darkly that they could not have any distinct knowledge of it as the Jew may plead 3. Neither can they plead that this Revelation was never confirmed from Heaven so that they might certainly believe it to be from Heaven and not the invention of Men. The Confirmation of it is now made evident 4. Neither can they plead that they knew not that Unbelief and Impenitency were damnable sins and would expose men to the judgment and wrath of God 5. Neither can they plead Ignorance of God's punitive Justice The Sufferings of Christ for sin to satisfie offended Justice do clearly evidence this to all that know any thing of the Gospel And this more fully than any Judgments God hath inflicted upon sinners in this world even Sodom it self 6. Neither can they plead Ignorance of a future state of the Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Judgment to come and Heaven and Hell Though the Heathen had but dark notions the wisest of them about these things yet now Life and Immortality are brought to light by the Gospel and a future state is more clearly revealed than before either to Jew or Gentile 7. Neither can they plead ignorance of God's pardoning Mercy and his readiness to pardon upon repentance whereby sinners may be hardned in their sin as being without all hope There is forgiveness with thee that thou may'st be feared saith the Psalmist Psal 130.3 And knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 2 Cor. 5.19 And God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them His pardoning Mercy is now clearly revealed which is the great Motive to Repentance Obj. But then to be ignorant will be a Man's advantage and will furnish him with an excuse Ans 1. That Ignorance which is invincible will excuse but not slothful and affected Ignorance If a King hath publish't and proclaimed his Law a Man's Ignorance will not excuse him from the penalty And to shut out the Light is as sinful as to sin against it When the light shineth in darkness it will be no excuse if the darkness comprehend it not 2. Impenitency under the Gospel is a resisting the loudest Calls of God to Repentance The Heathen were call'd to Repentance by the Light of natural Conscience and the Works of Creation and Providence The Jews were call'd by the Law God gave them and the Prophets God sent among them but now under the Gospel the Call is louder than before When the Gospel was entring the World in John Baptist's Ministry it entred thus Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Matth. 3.2 And under Christ's own Ministry the Call was louder The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 And under the Apostle's Ministry the Call went into all the World Acts 17.30 The times of their ignorance God winked at now he calls all men every-where to repent And still the great Work of the Ministry is that which our Saviour speaks of his and the end of his coming Not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And what the Apostle Paul speaks of his Ministry in Asia Teaching Repentance towards God and Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 this is the great Work of the Ministry now And higher Motives are laid before sinners to repent under the Gospel than ever before 3. There is the highest Contempt of God in it He call'd by his Prophets to repentance before but now he hath call'd by his own Son If a King sends his own Son to command Rebels to lay down their Arms and accept of terms of Mercy and they still refuse it is greater Contempt than if he had sent his Servants As the King in the Parable said Surely they will reverence my Son Matth. 21.37 though they misused and killed his Servants There hath been Contempt of God by sinners in every Age as the Psalmist complains Psal 10.13 Wherefore do the wicked contemn God But this Contempt riseth to an higher degree under the Gospel since Christ came into the world 1. An higher Contempt of God's Authority To transgress the Law of God delivered by Angels upon the Mount to Moses and by Moses to the People was a Contempt of God's Authority and received a just recompence of reward Heb. 2.2 How greater Contempt is it to disobey the Gospel which was preached by the Lord himself as the Apostle there argues To refuse him that spake from Heaven is greater Contempt of God's Authority than to refuse him that spake from Earth Heb. 12.25 Rejecting the Gospel Christ calls it a despising both him and his Father Luke 10.16 And the Law was delivered in the hand of Christ to men when he came into the world so that now disobedience to it is an higher Contempt both of the Law and Law-giver than before If I had not come and spoke saith Christ they had no sin John 15.22 The Authority of the Speaker makes the Contempt the greater 2. An higher Contempt of God's Goodness For the Goodness of God is now revealed in the Gospel more fully and clearly than before Every impenitent sinner under the Gospel puts a Contempt upon the highest revelation of God's Goodness And that Goodness that should lead him to Repentance is now rejected and despised And nothing doth aggravate Sin more than when committed against special Love Grace Kindness and Goodness To turn Grace into Wantonness is great abuse but to put it under
Devotions By all which it is evident that as there have been different Opinions and Practices among all sorts of Religions in the World so the Church of God hath been subject to the same Malady And as it was from the beginning so it is now and so will it be 'till the World have an end until the Church of God be presented to Jesus Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing And the Causes hereof are evident 1. Our general Imperfection in this Life As the best men are imperperfect in their Holiness so are they in their Knowledge there will be Defects in our Vnderstanding as well as in our Will Some are Babes in Knowledge others are strong Men some have need of Milk being unskilful in the Word of righteousness others are of fuller Age and have their senses exercis'd to discern both good and evil Heb. 5.12 13 14. Foolish men are ready to burthen the Scriptures in Vulgar Tongues with the Differences that are found in Religion but therein they blaspheme the Holy Ghost for the Word of God is a clear Light the Cause of Mistakes is the weakness and blindness of our Eye-sight whereby we cannot all with equal clearness see into the meaning of it by reason of this our Imperfection So that it is scarce possible to prevent all Diversity of Opinions in Religion unless every pious Man had a Promise of Infallibility annexed to his Piety 2. Mens Education contributes much hereunto It is manifest how strong an Influence this hath upon all Peoples Understandings The Principles which then they imbibe be they right or wrong they generally live and dye with Few will be at the pains to examine them and few have a mind to alter them So that it is much to be doubted that if it had been the fate of many of our professed Christians to have been born and bred under the Turk or Mâ—guâ— they had both quietly and resolutely proceeded in their Religion And proportionably to be bred under Parents Masters or Tutors of a different Opinion or Practice in the true Religion must needs greatly byass such Persons towards the same and every one not having the very same Education there follows a kind of necessity of some difference in Religion 3. Mens Capacities are different Some have a greater sagacity to penetrate into things than others some have a clearer Judgment to weigh and determine of things than others some have more solid Learning by far than others and these doubtless will attain to an higher Form and Class than others can Others have neither such natural Abilities nor Time to read and think of matters so as to improve and advance their minds to the pitch of others And there are not a few who as they are duller in Apprehension so they are commonly hotter in Affection and Resolution And it is scarce possible to reduce these Persons that are so unequal in their Capacity to an Identity of Opinion And then out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth will be apt to speak and so there will follow some Difference in the matters of Religion 4. Mens natural Tempers are different some more airy and Mercurial some more stiff and Melancholy and those Complexions do strongly and insensibly incline People to those Sentiments that are most suitable and proper to such Temperaments which being diverse yea almost contrary must of necessity when they are applied to matters of Religion breed variety of Apprehensions And the same Holy Spirit which inspired the sacred Pen-men of the Scriptures and yet therein adapts himself as is manifest to their Natural Genius cannot be expected in his Ordinary Illuminations to thwart and stifle the natural temper of all Mankind neither are those Notions which do grow upon mens Natural Constitution easily any other way altered And 5. Mens Interests are different the best of Men have something of the Old Adam in them And though the sincere Christian must and will strive against any such Temptation yet according to the strength of unmortified Corruption Men will be prone to be for this Opinion Practice or Party and against that Opinion Practice or Party that falls in or out with their Worldly Interest Not that any good Man doth wittingly calculate his Profession for his baser ends but yet they may secretly byass him especially in more minute and dubious matters belonging to Religion It is a great Question what Way or Party many Men would chuse if their present Profession were quite stript of all carnal and worldly Advantages and Considerations and that they were left to square out their Religion only with the Bible Now from these and many other Causes it sadly follows for the consequence is a matter to be bewailed there will be Differences among the People of God in Points of Religion especially in minuter matters which are but darkly describ'd and more darkly apprehended by the Sons of Men. In short that there is no more hope of perfect Unity on Earth than there is of perfect Holiness 'T is to be endeavoured but not fully attained 'till we arrive in Heaven Then we shall come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God when we are grown perfect men according to the measure of the sâ—â—ture of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4.11 Propos 2. These Differences may and should be managed with Charity Not but that Vnity should by all good men be first endeavoured and to that end they should all impartially seek for Truth on which side soever it lies and this every humble diligent man shall find The Spirit of God which is promised unto his Church and which every true Believer shall have for asking will guide all such into all necessary saving Truth and all other Vnity save in the Truth is but Conspiracy Accursed is that Charity saith Luther which is preserved by the Shipwrack of Faith or Truth to which all things must give place both Charity yea on Apostle yea an Angel from Heaven If the one must be dispensed withal it is Peace and not Truth Better to have Truth without publick Peace than Peace without saving Truth So Dr. Gauden We must not sail for the Commodity of Peace beyond the Line of Truth we must break the Peace in Truths quarrel so another Learned man But this is to be understood of necessary and essential Truths in which Case that Man little consults the Will and Honour of God who will expose the Truth to obtain as saith Nazianzen the repute of an easie mildness Speciosum quidem nomen est pacis pulchra opinio Vnitatis sed quis dubitat eam solam Ecclesiae pacem esse qua Christi est saith Hilary But when as after all such endeavours have been used as are within the reach of a Mans Parts and Calling â—â—ill Differences do remain in smaller matters these ought to be managed with all Charity that is with true Love a Love of Honour and respect to those that
scandalous discords among the Jews exposed Jerusalem at length to that dreadful desolation by Titus Vespatian And for this Island it hath been still accounted like some great Animal that can only be ruin'd by it's own strength The Contentions of the Britans made the Romans Conquerours Et cum singuli pugnant omnes victi Afterwards the Saxons came in upon the Divisions of the Natives and the Contentions of the Saxons prepar'd the way for the Normans And for Religious differences it 's known how Julian the Apostate cherished those between the Catholicks and the Donatists saying That no savage Beasts were so cruel against one another as the Christians so that he expected thereby to ruine them all It is notorious what famous and numerous Churches were once in Africk but by the Contentions of the Manichees then of the Donatists they are now extinguished The Contentions among the Protestants in King Edward the Sixth's Reign ended in the Persecution by Queen Mary and if ever the Romans ruine us again it will be procured by our Contentions among our selves It is but reasonable to leave those Children in the dark who will be still fighting about the Candle and it will be just with God to force them to agree in Red that are still bickering about Black and White The one party may think to extirpate the other but both are like to rue it and they that have been complices in guilt must look to be companions in the punishment By all which you may see whither these uncharitable Contentions do usually tend and where they are like to end And 3. There is too much Reason for it 1. Ex parte Rei These Dissentions have a natural tendency to promote our destruction nothing can more properly bring it to effect For 1. They weaken that Confidence that is necessary for the preservation of a People Jealousie is the great bane of Families Churches and Nations but a mutual confidence establishes them How can those that bite and devour one another confide in one another And if the Parts be thus ill-affected how crazy must the whole Body be When we can see little or nothing amiss in a Person or in an Action and yet do suspect that there is something concealed even this creates a distrust and weakens the welfare of the whole much more when suspicions are boiled up into actual dissention it must needs expose such a Church and Nation to the utmost peril For then men presently put the worst construction upon each other and upon all their words and actions You know every thing hath two handles we should take every thing by the charitable handle and if it be capable of a fair and friendly sence so we should receive it for so we desire in all Cases to be understood we would not be alway interpreted in the worst sence and why then should we deal so with others Charity thinketh no evil It 's true it behoves Men in Office and Trust to be watchfull and to stand much upon their guard for the prevention of publick dangers but with private persons to put ill interpretations upon one anothers words or carriage argues ill Nature and baseness of Spirit and this humour greatly weakens that confidence which is necessary to the happiness of any people 2. They destroy that Love which is the Cement of all Societies As they proceed from a defect of Love so they quite ruine the remainders of it Now this love unites and so strengthens but when mens Hearts are once divided from each other what care I what becomes of them I hate That made that Scythian Scilurus when he was on his Death-bed to cause a bundle of Javelins to be brought and laid before his eighty Sons who being commanded to break the whole bundle could not possibly do it but when they were untied they easily broke them one after another teaching them thereby to cleave to one another and that their Division would be their Destruction Hereupon it is worth our notice that the Apostle when he musters up the works of the Flesh in this Chapter vers 20. Nine kinds of them are contrary to this Love to wit Hatred variance emulations wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murders And when the Fruits of the Spirit are reckon'd vers 22. behold how many of them are a-kin to this Love which I am speaking of The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness As if the carnal man were composed only of Flame and the spiritual man made up of Benignity But such unkind Contentions like rust or canker do consume this love and so each part looking only to it self there is none that take care of the whole and so as by Concord small things increase so by Discord great things wast to nothing 3. They prepare for the most desperate Actions For when there is a dislike settled within and that mens spirits are exasperated by provoking words and actions there wants nothing but opportunity to produce the most violent effects The Text seems to give warning hereof by saying Take heed that ye be not consumed one of another as if he should say Whomsoever you thus bite and provoke may possibly be tempted to revenge it and so you will fall foul upon one another your common Enemies may well think and say Let them alone they 'l tear one another in pieces c. Behold the sparks of Civil War and what else but ruine can follow such premises We undertake hereby to be our own Executioners and spare our Enemies the pains of destroying us From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not from hence even of your lusts that war in your members And hereupon that following advice is given Speak not evil one of another brethren He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law Jam. 4.1.11 And it hath been observed that Religious Fewds the more is the pity are generally the most fierce and violent whether because the best things being corrupted prove the worst or that mistaken Conscience and misguided Zeal do hurry men to the greatest excesses and that people think that they can never be too earnest and vigorous in their actings for God John 16.2 The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service How dangerous must those Bigotts and those Zealots be to one another that believe they serve God best when they hate and mischief one another worst No persecution from without can be so fatal to the Church of God as the strugglings in her Womb As no storms or tempests do rend and tear the Earth so much as the convulsions that are within it And as their Uncharitable Contentions do thus Ex parte Rei procure So 2. They do Ex parte Dei deserve Destruction and therefore they do plainly prepare for it 1. They do provoke the Wrath of God God is Love he is the God of Peace
Custom that when two fell at Contention their Leaders would appoint them a meeting before Sun-set and cause them to embrace one another But we have many to push us on and few to moderate us in our Contentions We tear one another in pieces and if any interpose he is stigmatiz'd for a Neuter or else meets with the Parter's portion to wit blows on both sides he finds Livie's Observation but too true that Media via neque amicos parit nec inimicos tollit Hear Holy Augustine in the like Case to Hierome and Ruffinus who were in Contention Woe is me that I cannot find you nearer together how am I moved how do I grieve what fear am I in I would fall down at your feet I would weep and begg each for himself each for the other yea for others sakes especially the weak that look upon you to their great hazard Combating as it were upon a Theater But where hath this Holy Man left his healing spirit I am sure this would become those in each Function and turn to their honour and comfort both here and hereafter 4. Our Common Enemy is ready to devour us The Holy Ghost observes that when Abraham said unto Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee for we be brethren that the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land Gen. 13.7 8. that if the Relation of Brethren would not sway his Kinsman yet the reproach and the danger that might fall upon them both from the Canaanite and the Perizzite might check any further breach between them We have the Canaanites both within the Land and without that are ready to make one morsel of us and who after we have condemned one another for Superstition and Schism will truss us all up for Heresie without the infinite Mercy of God Now even Antipathies are laid aside in common dangers as it is probable that all the Creatures though of contrary dispositions agreed in the Ark And yet we cannot in this our common peril agree with our own Countrey-men Luther tells of two Goats that meeting upon a narrow Plank over a deep River whereby they could neither turn back nor pass by the one of them lyes down that the other going over him they might both escape the danger If meer Nature can teach these poor Creatures to yield so far to one another to prevent the Ruine of both furely Reason and especialy God's Grace being superadded should teach each different Party in common dangers to strive which should submit to other in what possibly they can to preserve the whole It is evident that we all have a watchful and an unmerciful Enemy who as they have long abetted our Divisions so they build their greatest hopes upon the continuance of them and although they may carry fairer to one side than to another yet even such must only expect to be used by them as Vlysses was by Polyphemus to be devoured last What unaccountable folly then is it for us with Archimedes to be taken up with drawing unnecessary lines and figures while in the mean time the City is taken and the Romans come and take away both our place and Nation Vse 4. Let us all then be intreated conjured and perswaded to forbear biting and devouring one another If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies be ye like minded having the same love be of one accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife and vain-glory Philip. 2.1 2 3. Leave off this bruitish Behaviour towards one another To which end Consider 1. The Greatness and baseness of the Sin 2. The Certainty and sadness of the Danger that attends it 3. The best Method to Cure the Sin and prevent the Danger For the first the Greatness and baseness of the Sin 1. You break the great Command of God's Law which is Love For next to the Love of God is the Love of our Neighbour and they are so conjoyn'd that the one cannot exist without the other For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 Joh. 4.20 When therefore you think you are zealous for God by this kind of managery you are breaking his Laws Yea you break the Royal Law which Commands you to Love your Neighbour as your selves Jam. 2.8 and no other Devotion Preciseness or Charity will answer for this Defect as it follws ver 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point referring to this very fault he is guilty of all 2. You trample upon the great Precept of the Gospel which is Love 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment See here Commandment in the beginning of the Verse and Commandment again in the end of it and then it 's joyn'd and goes hand in hand with Faith in Jesus Christ so that you may as safely be without the one as without the other And again 1 Joh. 4.21 And this Commandment have we from him that he who loveth God love his brother also Now what Love can there be in the Heart when there is nothing but reproach contempt and rage in the Tongue in the Pen and in the Carriage It is certain That out of the abundance of the Heart the Tongue speaks and the Lungs must needs be corrupt within when such purulent matter is expectorated Say not that your Love to the Truth or to the Publick Good must regulate your behaviour to particular Persons For neither the Truth nor the Publick good do need your uncharitable words or behaviour Our Blessed Saviour had great Truths to declare and great Errors to oppose yet He did not strive nor cry neither did any man hear his Voice in the streets Mat. 12.19 And as Lactantius argued with the Heathens Vel Ethnici Christianos sapientes judicant vel stultos tamen non vel sapientes imitantur vel stultis parcunt So either your Opposites are either wise or foolish If wise you should comply with them respect and reverence them if foolish you should forbear and pity them But whatsoever they are you ought intirely to love them 3. These Contentions do bring great dishonour to Jesus Christ. He is the Prince of Peace the true King of Salem the great Promoter of Peace and the great pattern of it When he came into the World Peace was sung when he departed out of the World Peace was bequeathed Now this quarrelsome temper in his Servants doth grievously reflect upon him For he saith John 17.20 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them that shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one That the world may believe that thou hast sent me As if he had said Their dissentions and quarrels will tempt men
to think that I came not from thee who art the Mirrour of Wisdom and Love He imployed all his Sacred Breath to pluck men out of the power of the Devil the World and the Flesh to promote Faith Repentance and Holiness and to guide our feet into the way of peace And accordingly the Apostles tell us That the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Let not us therefore dishonour our Redeemer let us not calculate a new Gospel let us not lay too great a stress on small matters let us not provoke men to think that our great Master came to tithe mint anyse and cummin who came about far other work and taught us far greater matters It is recorded of Alexander Severus an Heathen Emperour that seeing two Christians contending he forbad them to assume the name of Christians upon them for that by their quarrelling they disgraced their Master How many now by this Rule would be interdicted that worthy Name 4. These Uncharitable Contentions do grieve the Holy Spirit of God He descended like a Dove and cannot brook the gall of bitterness When therefore the Apostle had dehorted the Ephesians c. 4.30 from grieving the Holy Spirit of God he adds in the next verse Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted c. This sweet Dove will never lodge in a Vultures nest You heard the fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace c. And whatsoever pretences any may make to the Spirit if they do not verifie them by a meek loving and charitable behaviour to others they abuse the Holy Spirit and deceive others For as nothing is more grateful to this good Spirit than Love and Peace so nothing more distastfull than Wrath and Contention 5. These Contentions do stir up much Corruption both in the Aggressour and the Defendant There is a great deal of folly in the wisest and best of men and this either lurks in the habit or is produc'd into Act more or less as there is greater or lesser temptation Sin dwells in our Natures as the mud in the bottom of a glass of water when it is shaken it appears and stains the whole glass There is a world of pride anger envy and revenge in mens hearts and these Contentions draw them forth strengthen them and make them rampant Prov. 26.21 As Coals to burning Coals and wood to fire so is a contentious man to kindle strife So that the Wise Man concludes That he loveth transgression that loveth strife Prov. 19.19 And hereupon some have made observations upon the deaths of Bishop Ridley and Bishop Hooper that they suffered with more torture than others and that because of their Contentions together before 6. They do greatly hinder the Conversion of the Vngodly and the progress in Holiness of the Godly Whereas the great work of God's Ministers should be to instruct the ignorant to convince and reform the profane to build up God's Children in their Faith and Holiness this should be their study in private this their business in publick Now the ignorant and ungodly are left quiet in their sins the Sober and Pious are little improv'd in their Christian course and mens Talents of Time Parts and Pains are laid out in dry and unprofitable Controversies And then private persons who should imploy their converse together to their mutual edification they are perpetually irritating one another by these fruitless Contentions .. I have heard of a Monster born in Scotland in the Reign of James the Fourth with two Heads and one Body which two heads would be still arguing and knocking each other in eager disputes too fit an Emblem of this disputing Age But we that have but one Blessed Head yet the members are alwayes contending among themselves Instead of exhorting we are censuring instead of reproving we are reproaching instead of provoking to Love and good works we provoke one another to wrath and discontent And then for the devout use of Prayer doubtless these wrathfull Contentions must needs greatly disturb it For if Husband and Wife should maintain a constant amity that their Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3.7 a continual contesting with our Brethren must greatly clog and damp them Whereupon Cyprian citing those words of our Saviour When two agree on Earth to ask c. hath this Observation Plus impetrari potest paucorum concordi prece quam discordi oratione multorum A few in concord shall obtain more than many in discord 7. These Contentions in Religion tempt men to be Atheists When they read and hear such unmercifull rage in Christians one against another and that they who profess agreement in nineteen things are ready to anathemize one another about the twentieth what a stumbling-block must it needs be unto weak and unresolved persons and tempt them to throw aside all Religion So Optatus observed of old in the like Case Vos dicitis Licet nos dicimus Non licet Inter licet vestrum non licet nostrum nâ—t ant animae populorum I say this tempts men but it is only a temptation For who that hath a present Journey to go for his Life will sullenly forbear to set forward because all his Friends in the Town are not agreed what a Clock it is at his setting out Every Man is bound upon peril of everlasting damnation to win Christ and be found in him to work out his own Salvation and to set about it without delay Now what a weak thing is it for any man to refuse or neglect this necessary work because some men are not agreed about a Gesture or a Ceremony Such fools shall dye in their sin but their blood shall be required at their hands who have been a scandal to them 8. These biting and devouring Contentions are Vncivil Inhumane and barbarous It hath been always reckoned for good Breeding not to be confident and peremptory in asserting any thing whereof any in the Company modestly doubts And on the other side if any cannot comply with the Sentiments of another to enter his dissent with all possible respect and without any reflexion or provocation We account it barbarous rudeness in discoursing yea or in discussing any point to signifie in civil company the least provoking gesture much more to fall into a rage or to express revenge And yet if you hear the Harangues and read the printed discourses of some Gentlemen you would conclude that they have but a small pittance either of good humour or of ingenious Education Man is a rational Creature and is not born with Teeth nor form'd with Sting or with Horns neither is he teachable or ductile by such boisterous methods When Love indites the reproof when that accompanies the argument it penetrates and prevails Dilige dic quod vis But there not only were Psal 52.2 but yet there are
his Royal Captives who helped to draw his Charlot looking wistly on the Wheel how the part now lowest was presently uppermost so that he considering the mutability of these sublunary things released him from that bondage And however forget not what the Holy Ghost saith Jam. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment 10. My last Advice is to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem This every one may do and this every one ought to do Psal 122.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces There are few greater Reasons for our solemn Fasting and Prayer than this If some Plague or War or Drought come upon us we reckon it 's high time to Fast and Pray But alas those are in themselves but Miseries but our Contentions are so our Miseries that they are our sins also Those will but destroy some of our People but Uncharitable Contentions will consume us all But whatever Others do herein let it be every sincere Christian's care to lay holy violence to Heaven upon this Account You have done all that is in your Power to restore Love and Peace and it is in vain try thâ—â— what God can do Abi in cellam dic miserere Deus He can make Men to be of one mind in a House City and Nation He can bow the Hearts of a whole Nation even as the Heart of one man and that in a moment of time He can bring the Wolf and the Lyon and the Lamb to feed together so that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain Isa 65 25. And O that the Prayer of our most Blessed Saviour Joh. 17.21 may yet prevail with God to pour down a spirit of Love and Peace into us all In the mean time let all those that are passive that are upright humble and quiet comfort themselves with Salvian's saying Insectantur nos in nobis Deum Christ is a fellow-sufferer with all that suffer as Christians and their design is against God himself that devour his servants And then pergant nostrae patientiae praecones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beatos nos hoc modo facient dum vellent miseros They that speak and write all manner of evil of you so it be falfely while they endeavour to render you miserable do thereby make you happy True Virtue and Piety shines most in the fire and therefore in Patience possess your Souls if you can possess nothing else And for Others if after all Warnings and Endeavours their Hearts be still fill'd with Rancour and bent upon mischief we must leave them to St. Augustine's Sentence Quos Deus vult perdere prius dementat There is a God who tells his Servants wandrings and puts their tears in his bottle and who will execute judgment upon all that have spoken or done hardly toward them and though they may support themselves with their present impunity and prosperity yet the Lord of that servant that began to smite his fellow servants will come in a day he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder Matth. 24.50 And though they may think it a long time to that day they will find there is a longer space after it They that choose the Fire shaâ—â— have their fill of it For to them that are contentious there remains indignation and wrath and Fire that is everlasting But I despair not of so much Remorse in such as have without Prejudice and with Consideration read these Pages but that they will awake and shake off the Inchantment which hath possess'd them and discerning their Sin and our common Danger they will embrace all their faithful Brethren and become sincere lovers of Truth and Peace which effect the God of Love and Peace work in us all by his Holy Spirit for the sake of the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ our Redeemer Amen Amen Quest From what Fear of Death are the Children of God delivered by Christ and by what Means doth He deliver them from it SERMON IV. HEB. II. 15. And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto bondage IN this and in the foregoing Verse you have some Account of the design and end of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Incarnation and Passion There were divers weighty Reasons why he assum'd our Nature and therein subjected himself to Death and two of them are told us in this Context 1. That he might destroy the Devil 2. That he might deliver the Elect People of God 1. That he might destroy the Devil who is describ'd to be one that had the power of Death not the supream but a subordinate Power of Death a Power of Death as God's Executioner to inflict it and affright men with it to make it terrible and formidable to them by heightning their guilty Fears and representing to them its dreadful consequents In these and in divers other respects that might be mentioned the Devil is said to have the Power of Death Him as it follows hath Christ destroyed That is disarm'd and disabled Christ hath not destroy'd him as to his being and substance but as to his Power and Authority over the Children and chosen of God And this Christ did by his own Death Through or by death he destroy'd him that had the power of Death viz. The Devil It was upon the Cross that be spoil'd Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 2. To come to what I intend another End and reason of Christ's Incarnation and Passion was that he might deliver the Elect People of God These he calls the Children in the foregoing Verse not the Children of Men as some expound it but the Children of God Such Children as the Father had given the Son so they are said to be Ver. 13. Behold says Christ I and the Children which thou hast given me such as were predestinated to the adoption of Children as it is phras'd Ephes 1.5 These the Text also describes and tells us in what Condition they were by Nature Through fear of Death they were all their life-time subject to bondage By all their Life time you must understand all that time which they liv'd before they were deliver'd This is the Condition of the Elect of God as they come into the World they are not only subject unto Death but unto the Fear of Death and unto bondage by reason thereof The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is render'd subject signifies they were held fast and manacled as Birds that are taken in a snare or as Malefactors that are going to their Execution The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred bondage signifies a state of servitude or slavery such as men dislike but cannot avoid One calls it a poenal disquietment or perplexity of mind that ariseth from a
continues still to do in order to the freeing and delivering the Children of God from the fear of death and the bondage that ensues thereon 1. He worketh and increaseth those Graces of his Spirit in them which are destructive hereof and opposite hereunto you 'l say which are they 1. There is the Grace of Faith This is the Grace that conquers the World that conquers the Devil and that conquers also the slavish fear of Death This excellent Grace of Faith hath such an excellent hand in the conquering of all these that it is call'd the conquest and victory it's self This is the victory says the Apostle John 1 John 5.4 even your Faith Our Saviour tells Peter Luke 22.31 32. That Satan had desired to have him that he might sift him as Wheat And with what did he sift and shake him Why it was with the fear of Death he was afraid they would deal with him as they did with his Master It was his slavish fear of Death that made him deny Christ and to do it once and again but anon he recovered himself and got above this fear he was reâ—dy by and by boldly to confess Christ and that in the face of Death and danger How came this about Why it was by means of Faith Christ had pray'd for him that his Faith should not fail it may be said of those that are fearful of death that they are of little Faith 2. A second Grace is Love An ardent love of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ will banish all slavish fear of death out of the Soul 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear Of what fear doth he speak The next words tell you he speaks of slavish tormenting fear of that fear which hath torment By perfect love he means a greater measure and degree of love I said but now of fearfull Christians that they have but little Faith I may add also that they have but little Love for perfect or great love expells all tormenting and servile fear 3. A third Grace is Hope The very nature of Hope is quite contrary to fear Where there is a Hope of eternal life there can be no prevailing fear of Death 'T is said of the righteous Prov. 14.32 that they have Hope in their death and those that have Hope in their death they are not afraid to dye Then Hope doth more especially free us from an inordinate fear of Death when it grows up to that which the Scripture calls The full assurance of Faith Heb. 6.11 this is a gracious Gift which the Father bestows upon many of his Children they know that they are in him that they are pass â—â— from death to life 1 John 2.5.3.14 2 Cor. 5.1 that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolv'd they shall have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Ay this is that which steels and fortifies them against the fear and terror of Death This leads me to consider of a second way or means whereby Christ delivers the Children from a slavish fear of death 2. He delivers them from it by convincing and parswading them that they shall not be Losers but Gainers yea great gainers thereby It was this perswasion that made the Apostle Paul to desire death rather than to dread it I desire says he to depart or to be dissolv'd which is far better Philip. 1.23 And again v. 21. he saith For me to dye is gain It were easie here to expatiate and shew the advantage the exceeding great advantage that Believers have by Death It is commonly said to consist in these two things in a freedom from all Evil in the fruition of all Good 1. It consists in a freedom from all Evil which is sub-divided into the evil of Sorrow and the evil of Sin Believers are freed by Death from the evil of Sorrow 'T is one blessed Notion of the life to come that God will wipe off all tears from his peoples eyes and remove all sorrow and causes of Sorrow from their Hearts Believers also are freed by Death from the evil of sin which is indeed the greatest evil the evil of evils all the evils of sorrow are but the effects and fruits of the evil of sin By Death they are deliver'd from all actual sins not only from Fleshly but Spiritual filthiness Now they are deliver'd ordinarily from inordinate actions but then also from inordinate affections they shall never any more be troubled with Pride Passion Discontent Unbelief or the like By Death also they are discharg'd from Original sin and all remainders thereof when the Body dies Believers are rid of that body of death which dwelleth in them and is always present with them they no more complain of themselves as wretched creatures upon the account thereof 2. It consists in the fruition of all Good Believers when they dye they enjoy God Himself who is the chiefest Good He is bonum in quae omnia bona all other things that are good and desireable are comprized in him as the Sun-beams are in the Sun the Saints enjoyment of God in this life is a Heaven upon Earth but our enjoyment of God after death will be the Heaven of Heavens David says in one Place Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There are Saints and Angels and Arch-Angels in Heaven says Musculus with whom David and such as he will have to do but what are these to God Believers won't barely enjoy God after death but they will enjoy him fully In this life they enjoy a little of God and oh how sweet and refreshing it is But in the life to come they shall have as much enjoyment of God as their hearts can wish or hold Now they enjoy God in the use of means in Prayer in hearing the Word and in receiving the Lords Supper but hereafter they shall have not only a full but an immediate fruition of God Now they see the Face of God in the Glass of his Word and Ordinances and 〈◊〉 what a lovely sight is it But then they shall see God face to face and what tongue can mention or heart imagine the loveliness of that sight If it were not too great a digression I could readily demonstrate the gain and advantage of Death from other Topicks Believers in the other life shall possess and inherit the Kingdom of Heaven which doth more transcend the Kingdoms of this World and all the glory of them than the light of the Sun doth excell the light of a Candle they shall be most gloriously perfected both in their Souls and in their Bodies their vile bodies at the Resurrection shall be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.21 Their gain and happiness will be greatly augmented in the other life by the work and employment that they shall do and by the Society and Company that they shall
worthy than that which I have now mention'd of the depth of the Riches of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God which may be allowed to be on the top of this foundation-stone and round about the Stone that which follows Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity Which words I shall at present be confined to they may be understood as a seasonable Caution least any that heard of the Continuance and Assurance of Gods Care and Love should be puffed up for as the Apostle would not have the defection of others to cause any to despond so he would by no means have others security upon any pretensions whatsoever to cause them to presume but as a wise Physician having prescribed so great a Cordial against their fainting at the sight of others falling ◠Cor 3.9 by telling them that they who were of God's Building should stand he gives them direction how to use this Cordial least if unwarily taken it might strengthen their distemper in which Direction we may take notice 1. Upon whom this Injunction is laid viz. Every one that nameth the Name of Christ 2. The Injunction it's self viz. To depart from Iniquity which last words to depart from Iniquity I shall suppose to be so far understood as that I need not to stay in the Explication of them All Sin is an unequal and unjust thing against our Duty which we owe to God or Man 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the manner of the Apostles expression is equivalent to a Negative Form which is most comprehensive and therefore Eight of the Ten Commandments at least are Negative but they do all include the contrary positive As the forbidding us to have any other God commands us to take Jehovah for our God and to Love and Obey him accordingly And thus the departing from Iniquity includes not only the leaving of all Sin but the following after and practising of Holiness in all Duties that are required in every Relation and Condition So that there is no Duty to God or Man but he that names the Name of Christ is required to practise it nor no Sin against God or Man against the first or second Table but he is enjoyn'd to forsake it which will farther appear when we have considered 1. What is meant by naming the Name of Christ or who is understood by the Apostle to name this Name of Christ 2. That such an one as thus names the Name of Christ is especially concern'd and obliged to depart from Iniquity As to the first What is meant by naming the Name of Christ What is meant by naming the name of Christ it is evident that it cannot be understood of a bare speaking of the word Christ sounding the letters of which it is made which Pagans and Mahometans may do and the wicked Jews often did but by naming the Name of Christ is understood a making some special use of it or of him that is signified by it We must therefore consider That wheresoever there is any thing of Divine Revelation there mans Fall and Misery is manifested for tho by natural Light it could be perceiv'd that all was not well with Man hence the many complaints that Nature dealt very hardly with Man the noblest visible Creature that had rule and command over the rest of the Creation yet that he was so short-lived so full of misery and trouble Job 5.7 which seem'd as natural to him as for sparks to flie upward This was for a lamentation amongst the very Heathen But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence all this mischief came they knew not In Scripture only we find the Cause of our disease and the Remedy against it and here Vbi invenitur venenum juxta latus ejus nascitur Antidotus Where we may discover the Malady we may seek for and discover the Remedy In the Word of God we have Means prescribed Institutions appointed which being used and observed will help and recover us In the former Oeconomy and Dispensation they were vail'd under Shadows and Types The wages of Sin being Death Gen. 2.17 Rom. 6.23 every Transgressor of the Law forfeits his Life and his sin cannot be expiated but by Blood it might justly have been his own blood and no others But the Law-giver being graciously pleas'd to accept of Animam vicariam anothers blood or life such as he should appoint he did for a while accept of the sacrificing of Beasts in the stead of the Sinners till the fulness of time was come in which he sent his Son this Christ whom the Text mentions to make full satisfaction to his offended Justice and by his Death to expiate for all the sins of them that by Faith apply themselves unto him Hence it is said he was made sin for us and that he was bruised for our Iniquities 2 Cor. 5.21 Isa 53.5 and that the chastisement of our peace was upon him But as under the Law the Transgressor was to lay his hand upon the Beast to be sacrific'd thereby acknowledging that he was the Creature that had deserv'd to dye and desiring that the death of the Beast to be sacrificed might be accepted in his stead Lev. 3.2.4.4 so under the Gospel we must apply to Christ with a due sense of our sins and our deserving of death for them and be accordingly affected with them Yet more when all the outward Ceremonies were perform'd the sacrific'd Beast accepted and slain thô the Law according to the letter was satisfied and a legal Expiation did ensue and a legal Atonement was made yet if the Person that brought the Sacrifice did not mortifie his sin as well as the Priest kill the Sacrifice his Conscience inwardly remained defiled and God still provoked and incensed Nay if the Sinner had done one without the other killed his Beast and spared his sin alive God look'd upon it as a double Iniquity for so indeed it was to acknowledge he had offended God and to pretend that he desired to be reconciled unto him and yet to go on in provoking of him Hence God did forbid and reject their Sacrifices tho of his own appointment Psal 50.9 I will take no Bullock out of thy house nor he-goats out of thy fold Nay he declares that in such a case he that killeth an Oxe Isa 66.3 is as if he slew a Man he that sacrificeth a Lamb as if he cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered swines blood he that burneth incense as if he blessed an Idol and elsewhere Bring no more vain oblations Isa 1.3 incense is an abomination unto me Now that all Sacrifices were Types of Christ thrô whom only they had their virtue and efficacy is confessed by all Christians Thus Christ was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.8 And the Christian when affected with his sin and desirous to be reconciled to God whom by his sin he
Christ is most gratefull and most forcible 1. It must be most Acceptable unto God being it speaks the Soul truly affected with and sensible of God's Free Grace and Mercy It does not come to God with any Purpose to deserve at God's hands Psal 103.1 2. but with a What shall I render With many blessings of God for his pardoning of his Iniquity and healing his diseases 2. Thankfulness as low as sin hath sunk Man is yet left as visibly engraven on the Nature of Man Hence the Heathen could account Unthankfulness as the summ of all vices Isa 1.3 and Scripture makes the unkthankfull Man worse than a Beast Now if Thankfulness remain and be cogent what can oblige more than the Mercies of God in Christ If we serve them that give us Food and Rayment what Service is too much for Him that gives us all things Nay that gives us Christ and with him all things Oh! there is a vast difference in having Christ the Peace and Love of God through Him in having Christ his Spirit to enable us to improve what we have from God and not having Christ with our present Enjoyments Methinks when we see our Children or Servants run or go where we would have them do any thing to please or gratifie us we cannot but blush to think how little we do and how awkward it is what we do for God Who is it that considers the Love of God in Jesus Christ and can forbear crying out with the Psalmist Truly Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant Psal 116.16 Away with all formal Pops It is ingeminated because of our Obligation to God's service from our Redemption as well as from our Creation And if thou dost say so as thou doest in effect in every Prayer let not God find thee with a Lye in thy mouth God's and Christ's Love constrains us 3. Love unto God for all his glorious Excellencies especially for his Mercy in Christ Jesus is the best Principle of Holiness and our departing from Iniquity Prov. 23.26 God requires his Children to give him their Heart And indeed in all the Acts of Religion and Devotion what the Heart does not doe is look'd upon by God as not done at all Nay it were well for the Hypocrite that all his outside Services and formal Professions had never been 2 Thes 3.5 This made St. Paul to pray for the Thessalonians That the Lord would direct their Hearts into the Love of God Cant. 8.7 Now Love is as a Fire which many waters cannot quench Difficulties will be overcome and Obedience will be permanent where true Love to God is And this Love in the Soul to God is begun by and flowes from God's Love first unto the Soul 1 John 4.19 as Fire kindles Fire he loved us first and had it not been a very great Flame it could never have thawed and warm'd our frozen Hearts We do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love when we are beloved but when we are made sensible of Christs Love the freeness efficacy and usefulness of it I know not what to say first or last concerning it 2 Cor. 5.14 it passeth Knowledge then we are constrained that is as effectually thô inwardly forced as any strong man can by his strength force us to do any outward act He that acts according to any of Gods Commandments out of hope to merit by them may act out of Love indeed but it must be then self-love to obtain as he vainly thinks by his Obedience Eternal Happiness Our Love of God should exceed Self-love as far as God himself exceeds us which is infinitely Our Love of God is a Vertue and the Foundation of all the rest Our Love of our selves thus taken is a sin and a Mother-sin the Cause of all the rest of our sins To hear a penitent and believing Sinner exulting in his Praises unto God professing his deep sense of his Mercies considering what Returns he shall make unto God Psal 51.12 for the Spirit of God is a free and ingenuous Spirit it were the pleasantest and desirablest Musick on this side of the heavenly Quire Thou mayst set about it thy self and make this Melody in thy own Heart Eph. 5.19 Ruminate on what God hath done for thee and what he daily does What thou owest for the Mercies of every Day and Night and Moment and what suitable sense thou oughtest to have of them and to thy poor power thy little all what Returns thou oughtest to make for them But when thou settest thy self as in the sight of God to consider what thou shouldest return to thy God for his Mercy in Christ Jesus thou wilt find that thy self thy Service thy All is too little but you must cry out with Mr. Herbert Alas my God I know not what APPLICATION I cannot wholly omit Application Applicat though I have in a great measure prevented my self Take what remains in these few Uses 1. This Justifies God For no Doctrine Instruct This justifies God no Dispensation of his did ever countenance Sin Nay nothing does shew so plainly Gods hatred of Sin as the Gospel does If we take a walk in the Garden where our Saviour sweat those drops of Blood Luke 22.44 Matth. 27.46 or be within hearing of that lamentable Cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me If we ask Why does the Son of God thus cry out what makes him thus sweat The Gospel informs us that it was our Sin that press'd this Blood out of him and forced this bitter Cry from him Luke 23.31 And if this be done in the green tree what shall be done to the dry It discovers vain Pretensions 2. This discovers the groundless Pretensions and vain Confidence of most men who live in Sin and yet hope or would seem to hope to live with God Oh! Know ye not your own selves Read the whole Testament over either that is not the Gospel or you cannot receive comfort from it Not one good word is there in it to any in whom sin reigns unless those Threatnings of Hell and Destruction may be call'd good Oh that they might prove so to awaken you to a due sense of your Condition and be as a Schoolmaster to lead or drive you to Christ to take him for your Lord as well as for your Saviour if he be not both 2 Pet. 1.11 Ch. 2.20 he is neither unto you You cannot be saved by your Book could you read it and understand it never so well unless you practise it also Christ must be in you Coloss 1.27 2 Thess 2.16 his Spirit entertained in your Heart or there is no Hope of Glory for you All good Hope is through Grace Thou flatterest thy self that God is thy Father and so thou callest him in thy Prayers but if thou beest not like him 2 Pet. 2.4 if thou partakest not of His divine Nature thou takest his Name
tells us may be gained to Christ by his Wife thus a Servant that does his Service as to the Lord may convert his Master Oh! up and be doing your labour shall not be in vain No 1 Cor. 15.58 but great shall be your Reward in Heaven When you shall be taken up to shine as the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Matth. 25.11 But if you shall neglect or refuse my Soul shall mourn in secret for you as knowing that the crying Lord Lord will not avail you nor any confident Profession of Christs Name stand you in any stead When the Deluge came how many perishing Wretches ran to the Ark and laid hold on it cryed earnestly for to be admitted into it but in vain Fac quod dicis fides est You know whom the Ark represented even this Christ in whom alone is Salvation Oh get into him by a true and living Faith and that to day whilest it is called to day 2 Pet. 2.1 least swift destruction come upon you 2 Cor. 5.11 May we all so know and consider the terrors of the Lord that we may be perswaded Quest What is that fulness of God every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with SERMON VI. Ephes III. 19. And to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the Fulness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THESE words are a considerable part of that excellent Prayer put up to God by the Apostle for his beloved Ephesians from vers 16. to the end And indeed Prayer was his tryed Engine by which he always could bring down supplies of Grace from the God of all Grace for his own and the Souls of others In this Branch of it you will easily observe he prays for Grace the End and Grace the Mean to reach that End 1. He Prays for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God This being the utmost of the Souls Perfection ought to be the height of its Ambition beyond this we cannot reach and therefore in the attainment of this we must rest 2. He Prays for Grace the Mean to compass that End viz. To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge As we grow up into a greater Measure of the knowledge of the Love of Christ to us we shall enjoy more of the fulness of God in us But here we meet in each of these parts of the Text with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a seeming contradiction in the Terms To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge What is that but to know what is unknowable And to be filled with all the fulness of God What is that but to comprehend what is incomprehensible The narrow vessel of our Heart can no more contain the boundless and bottomless Ocean of the Divine fulness than our weak intellectual Eye can drink in the glorious Light of that knowledge And yet there are many such expressions in the Holy Scripture Thus Moses Hebr. 11.27 saw him that was invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw him by the Eye of Faith in the glass of a Revelation whom he could not see by the Eye of Reason in the glass of Creation And thus we are instructed in the Gospel how to approach that God who is unapproachable 1 Tim. 6.16 To approach that God by Jesus Christ according to the Terms of the New Covenant to whom considered absolutely in himself we could never approach Let us therefore first clear and remove the obscurity of the Phrases that we may more comfortably handle the Divine matter contained in them Always taking along with us this useful caution That we run not away with a swelling metaphor and from thence form in our minds rude undigested Notions of Spiritual things nor fancy we see Miracles when we should content our selves with Marvels 1. The former of these seeming repugnances is To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge If this love of Christ passeth knowledge why do we pray why should we strive to know it If it be our duty to pray that we may know it how is it supposed to pass knowledge Must we endeavour to reach that which is above all heights To fathom that which is an Abyss and has no bottom Or to take the Dimensions of that which is unmeasurable To remove this difficulty there have been many expedients found out 1. I. Some carry the sense thus To know the Love of Christ which passeth or surpasseth the knowledge of all other things There is an excellency an usefulness in the knowledge of Christs Love which is not to be found in the knowledgc of any thing else A man may know to his own pride to the Admiration of others he may have the knowledge of all Tongues and Languages may understand all Arts and Sciences may dive deep into the secrets of Nature may be profound in Worldly Policies may have the Theory of all Religions true and false and yet when he comes to cast up his Accounts shall find himself never the better never the holier indeed never the wiser never the nearer satisfaction till he can reach this blessed knowledge of the Love of Christ Only the excellency of the knowledge of the Love of Christ consists herein 1. It must be a knowledge of Christs Love by way of Appropriation to know with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 That he loved me and gave himself for me 2. By way of efficacious Operation Rev. 1.5 That he loved us and washt us from our sins in his own blood 3. By way of Reflection that his Love has kindled a mutual Love in our Souls to him 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 4. By way of practical Subjection when his Love subdues our Hearts to himself and constrains us to new obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constrains us it restrains us from sinning against him and engages us to obey him To know that we may know and make knowledge the end of it self is nothing but vain curiosity To know that we may be known is nothing but vainglorious arrogancy To know that we may make others know is indeed an edifying charity but to know that we may be transformed into the image and likeness of what we know of the Love of Christ this is the true the excellent the transcendent way of knowledge And this was that knowledge of Christ and of his Love which the Apostle set such a price upon 1 Cor. 2.2 when he determined not to know any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified That he might there see the Love of Christ streaming out of his heart at his wounds in his blood and there see Divine Justice satisfied the Law fulfilled and thence feel his Conscience purified and pacified and his Soul engaged and quicken'd to walk in all new obedience This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The transcendent
and duration and so could not give us a just measure of the demerits of sin 3. If we consider the sufferings of Christ they will prove that the evil of sin is unmeasurable they were such as could not be expressed and therefore the Ancient Christians used in their Prayers to beg of Christ that he would deliver them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by thy unknown torments Lord deliver us And hence we may infer that the Love of Christ must needs be unmeasurable because he delivered us from unmeasurable wrath by unconceivable torments 2. The Love of Christ to sinners is unmeasurable for these Reasons 1. Reas We have no scale in nature in which we can weigh no line in created things by which we can measure it § 1. If we examine the love of Relations we find them all limited and bounded and they ought to be so The love of a Father to a child is an intense love the love of a Father to an undutiful child a rebellious child may stretch the line somewhat farther yet this will fall vastly short of the Love of Christ to sinners The highest instance of this love that I remember was that of David to his rebellious Son Absalom expressed 2 Sam. 18.33 O Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee O Absalom my Son my Son Here is Paternal love strained up to the highest pitch imaginable That a King should desire to die for a Rebellious Subject that a Father should be willing to die for the most disingenuous and rebellious of Sons This was great but yet we find this love extended but to a natural death he would have been unwilling to have died a Cursed death to have been made a Curse for him to have been made sin for him And yet the torrent of this impetuous love soon dryed up it was founded in passion rather than judgment and perhaps in cool blood he would have been unwilling to have died that such a wretch might live I question much whether David durst deliberately advisedly and premeditately have laid down his life to save that of a vitious debauched Son yet such was the Love of Christ who laid down his life for sinners the greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 And laid it down voluntarily when none could take it away John 10.18 and not only died against the persuasions of his friends to save his life Mark 8.32 but against that bitter malice of his Enemies which always sparkled and at last flamed out in the most cruel bloody implacable fury that ever was in the World nay against the just displeasure of God as a Judge all which he had a clear prospect into and yet gave this great pregnant proof of his unconquerable Love that he not only poured out his Soul in tears Luke 19.41 his Soul in prayers Luke 23.34 Father forgive them but his Soul in sacrifice too unto the death Isa 53.12 But if the love of a Father to his Son will not measure this Love of Christ perhaps the love of a Mother to her Son may And this is indeed naturally the more soft and passionate Sex and of this love the case is put Isa 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb The case is put exceeding strong A Child a sucking Child that hangs upon the breast and is always crying for pity in its natural dialect the Son of the Womb that 's more than the Child of the breast she can hardly forget that at any rate which she brought forth at such a dear rate yet the circumstances may be such that this tender Mother may forsake and forget nay kill and destroy too this innocent Child such exigences they have been in that Nature has prov'd unnatural or Nature in one instance has overcome Nature in another A Mothers hunger has caus'd her to forget her pity to the Child of her Womb Lam. 4.10 The hands of the pitiful Women have sodden their own children to forsake to forget to kill to cook and at last to eat is certainly the greatest stemming of the current and stream of natural affection that we can conceive of but Christ's Love will not suffer him to forget to forsake he has oftens forgotten himself to remember them he has forgotten his own food that he might provide for their Souls John 4.34 he has forgotten his own approaching death that he might provide for their life 1 Cor. 11.23 The same night in which he was betrayed he took bread c. And yet perhaps the love of the Husband to his Wife may come up to this example of Love Ephes 5.25 Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it Here 's an argument indeed to enforce that conjugal Love and here 's a president for conjugal Love to look upon but that As is not a note of equality but of some general similitude for the Husband gives himself to his Wife but will not is not bound to die for his Wife he cannot be persuaded to have her sins charg'd upon his Soul How short are all the Loves the Affections of Relations to give us a pattern and example of the Love of Christ But possibly we may find a love in Nature more strong than any of these And that if any where must be amongst some of those great instances of Love which have been amongst friends It is indeed said 1 Sam. 18.1 3. That Jonathan loved David as his own Soul and in Deut. 13.6 The friend is said to be as a Mans own Soul But yet when we come to examine these expressions they fade away and signifie nothing but the life where is the friend that will make his Soul an offering for sin Isa 53.10 However this is the highest flight that ever humane love took to lay down life for a friend but Christ has put this quite out of countenance John 15.13 Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friend but a far greater Love than this had Christ that he laid down his life for enemies Christ laid down a better life for them that were worse And this is proposed to our consideration as that which has out-done all the love in the World Rom. 5.7 8. Scarcely for a righteous Man will one die No I think it s out of question that none will for who would be so friendly to him that walks by the rules of strict justice that will do no wrong yet shews no mercy but peradventure for a good Man some would even dare to die If there be an instance found in the World of any that has laid down his life for another it must be for a good Man one that is a publick blessing to the age wherein he lives some one may throw away his private life which is not very useful for so generous a Person that is a Common good to his Country but if such an instance be found which
is but a peradventure we have that which will shut it out of all consideration and eclipse that which otherwise might have had some lustre vers 8. God commends his love to us that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us § 2. If the love of relations will not afford us a just Measure for the Love of Christ let 's see if there be any thing else in the whole scale of Nature that may furnish us with a line commensurate to it And we can no sooner think of making the Inquiry but we propose to our selves the height of Heaven the breadth of the Earth Prov. 25.3 The Heaven for height and the Earth for breadth but we must despair of finding any thing that may measure or circumscribe this love since the Apostle has assured us Ephes 3.8 that the riches of Christ are unsearchable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as we must expect no footsteps of in the whole Creation The Apostle might Preach it but could not fully reach it The treasures of Gold and Silver which wise providence has hid so deep in the bowels of the Earth yet the vein may be pursued so far till it s worn out but this treasure of Love in the Heart of Christ is so deep and is so rich that we can neither find out nor exhaust the fulness of it when God would give us some shadow of his Love he represents it by the height of the Heavens not that his Love reaches no higher but because there 's nothing in created Nature higher to represent it by Psal 103.11 As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is his Mercy towards them that fear him The Love of God is only to be measur'd by it self that is by himself for God is Love 1 John 4.8 No Creature no Saint no Angel can fadom the Love of Gods heart Jer. 29.11 I know the thoughts that I think towards you And we must say the same of Christ's Love there 's one Dimension more in the Love of Christ than in the Creation Ephes 3.18 That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are taught to distinguish between the measure of a Man and the measure of God All bodies have but three dimensions Rev. 21.17 He measured the City with a Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length the breadth the height were equal according to the measure of a Man but in the measuring Spiritual Heavenly things such as are the Love of God and of Christ there 's one dimension more So we have it in that sublime discourse of Zophar Job 11.7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is as high as Heaven what canst thou do Deeper then Hell what canst thou know The measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea And thus we are taught modesty and not to limit God and his purposes of Love by our narrow conceptions Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts for as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my thoughts then your thoughts saith the Lord. And 1. for the Breadth of the Love of Christ It reaches Jews and Gentiles it extends to all ranks of Men high and low rich and poor it reaches all the cases of Men's Souls the Tempted Deserted the Backslider and Persecutor it reaches the bruised Reed the smoaking Flax it extends to the pardon of all sins truly repented of so that we may say that his promises which are the vehicles of Truth and Love are exceeding broad as well as his Precepts which are the indications of his Authority and Power The Love of Christ is wider than Mans will Rom. 10.21 All the day long I have stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people It s wider than Mans power for John 6.44 No Man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him And yet vers 37. All that the Father has given me shall come unto me It is wider than all our wants and necessities there 's more bread in his house than there are hungry Souls to eat more mansions in Heaven than there are Souls to fill it s wider than our capacities and we may sooner enter into our Masters joy Matth. 25. than that joy can enter into us 1 Cor. 2.9 It cannot enter into the heart of Man what things God has prepared for them that love him 2. The length of the Love of Christ An extent of Grace and Love that reaches Souls at the greatest distance It reacht Paul when he was in the heat and height of his desperate fury mad and desperately mad with an inveterate enmity against Christ It reacht Mary Magdalen when she was possest with seven Devils it reacht the Gentiles when they were far off from God estranged from the light and life of God by their Abominable Idolatries Ephes 2.13 Ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ It reacht the Prodigal when he was far off Luke 15.20 And as it finds and reaches Souls at the greatest distance of sin and enmity so it reaches a length which we cannot with consistence of thought conceive of Hebr. 7.25 Able to save to the utmost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the uttermost length of Gods Promise and the believers Faith and Hope to the uttermost extent of Gods Purposes and our Prayers to the uttermost duration of this Life and the next through all time beyond all time to eternity 3. The depth of the Love of Christ And here unless we could sound the depth of our Misery we can never fadom the depth of Christs Love unless we could know the power of Gods Anger Psal 90.11 we can never reach the power of Christs Love The Torments of Hell are unknown Torments and those Torments which Christ endured in his Soul to deliver us from thence were unknown Torments The Love of Christ does not only reach the depth of our Misery by reason of Sin but those depths of Sorrow into which sometimes even holy Souls are plunged by Desertion The Psalmist cryed unto God out of the Depth Divine Love heard him and reacht him there Psal 130.1 Jonah cryed unto God out of the belly of Hell Divine Love heard him there and deliver'd him thence Jonah 2.2 Heman was plunged in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps yet Love reacht him in that sad and dismal condition Psal 88.6 4. The height of the Love of Christ All the measure of the height of Christs Love we can take is to say its unmeasurable It is high we cannot attain unto it Psal 139.6 his Love reaches the Soul on Earth and never leaves it till it has conducted it to Heaven he Loves Grace into the Soul and Loves the Soul into Glory what that Glory is Go and see The taste of it is to be had
here the feast is reserved for hereafter wrath to come and life to come are unconceivable and therefore unexpressible we can neither order our Speech by reason of our inward darkness nor of that ineffable Light thoughts fail us words fail us we are lost in the thoughts of future blessedness as well as in those of our former misery What therefore we cannot perfectly understand let us silently and reverently Admire and Adore What a prodigious height did Man fall from when he fell from his God What a desperate Abyss of misery did he fall into when he fell into sin And therefore what a stupendious height is that which Love shall raise him to in Glory All we can do is to put no bounds to our Love to Christ The true measure of our Love to Christ should be to Love him without measure and the true degree of our Love to a Redeemer is to Love him in the highest Degree But alas Where is our Love to Christ How weakly do we express our Love to him who has given us the fullest clearest demonstrations of his to us beyond all expressions His was stronger then death ours ready to die the water-floods coulds not quench his a few drops extinguish ours he shed blood for us with more freedom than we a few tears over him and his bleeding almost dying interest in the World he loved sinners better than we can love Saints he died for us with more flame of zeal than we can live to and for him Let us be ashamed that we can find a love so vehement for our perishing comforts nay for our killing corruptions and yet have so indifferent affections for a Saviour How shall we be able to Love our enemies for his sake when we can neither Love him with an intense Love for his sake nor our own Let us mourn therefore bitterly that the Love of Christ should be unconceivable and invisible and that our Love to him should be so too upon such different accounts his for the greatness of it ours for its smallness II. Prop. There is a sufficiency of the Love of Christ to us that may be known The Love of Christ to sinners may be considered either in the cause or as in the effects in the Spring and Fountain or in the streams that flow from thence into Souls Love as it was in the heart of Christ is unmeasurable the Spring the original cause and reason of it was his own unaccountable Love and can only be measured by the Love of the Father to his Son which is equally unmeasurable John 15.9 As the Father has loved me so I have loved you But Christs Love in the effects that it has been pleas'd to produce in and upon our Souls may be understood and in some good measure apprehended If we cannot fix our eyes immediately upon the body of the Sun in its meridian glory yet we may comfortably refresh our selves with its beams and feel the healing warmth of the Sun of righteousness arising and shining upon our Souls If we cannot measure Christs Love when it dealt with God in making his Soul an offering for sin nor what that Love was wherewith he loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2.20 yet we may know that Love wherewith he loved us and washt us from our sins Rev. 1.5 The Love of Satisfaction passes knowledge the Love of Sanctification may be known As that poor Man John 9.15 tho' he could not give a Philosophical account to the Scribes and Pharisees how Clay and Spittle should contribute to the opening his Eyes yet could say This one thing I know that whereas I was born blind I now see So may a renewed Soul say Tho' I know not from what unmeasurable Fountain this Grace and Mercy did proceed tho' I am ignorant of the manner of its working yet this one thing I can say Whereas I was a lover of sin I now hate it and whereas I have been a despiser of Christ I now prize and love him as the chiefest of Ten thousand I can say That that vanity that corruption which sometime had a mighty power over me is now subdued and conquered More particularly 1. Altho' we cannot perfectly know the Love of Christ yet may we know so much of it as may raise our desires to know more As he that meets with a Vein of precious Metal tho' it be small yet it gives him hopes of meeting with more and those hopes encourage his labours to dig deeper and search further so that little we can attain of the knowledge of Christs Love in our wayfaring state makes the Soul labour and strive and hope and pray that it may come to fuller knowledge of that love in its own Country As that sight which Moses had of God encouraged him to pray Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory So that view we have of Christ in a glass darkly serves to engage our endeavours and sharpen our desires to see him face to face in glory As we gain upon the knowledge of Christ so we grow and as it were encroach upon him still if God will condescend and come down to visit the Soul the Soul will make an argument from thence that he would take it up to himself A taste of Christs Love whets the Spiritual appetite after a feast 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born babes desire ye the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious 2. However our knowledge of Christs Love is imperfect yet we may know so much as may shame us that we have loved him no better we know the Love of Christ carried him out to suffer most dreadful things upon our account and may hence reflect upon our selves with great shame that our love has been so weak as not to carry us out to suffer for his Name he endured the cross we are terrified at the sight of it The argument is very strong 1 John 3.16 Thus if Christ laid down his life for us we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren But how weakly does it work upon us How little a matter can this love constrain us to lay down for their sakes And it s a most concluding argument Col. 3.13 that we should forbear and forgive one another if any man have a quarrel against any as Christ forgave us but alas how little does this instance of the Love of Christ prevail upon us That Love which prevail'd with him to forgive us Talents will not does not prevail with us to forgive our brethren a few Pence Matth. 18.27 28. The Love of Christ was a conquering a triumphant Love it bore down what-ever stood in its way It grapled with the displeasure of God with the malice of Devils the fury of unreasonable Men and with the unkindness of his Friends it broke through all Discouragements and trampled upon all Oppositions the waters could not quench it the floods could not drown
it Cant. 8.7 So much we know and may blush that our Love to Christ is so easily quenched discouraged and disheartned 3. Although our knowledge of Christ be imperfect yet so much we may know as may serve to guide and encourage our obedience to him All our knowledge of Christ is vain all our love to him is a pretense if we know him not that we may love him and love him not that we may keep his Commandments 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him for as that is not reputed with God to be any obedience which is not performed by a principle of love so neither is that accepted as any love that is not productive of obedience The Authority of Christ over us is the reason of our obedience but the Love of Christ in us is the true principle of that obedience John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Christ will not acknowledge any Man to love him that does not serve him And as the Love of Christ was an universal Love it extended to all our Spiritual necessities so must our Love to Christ be as universal and have a sincere respect to all his Commandments And upon lower terms than these Christ will not own our love to be any thing John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you 4. Although we cannot perfectly understand the Love of Christ in this our present state yet may we know so much of his Love as shall be of more true use and worth than all we know besides we may know something of God and know it to our terror and confusion There may be such rays of Divine knowledge let into a guilty Soul as may make it wish it could shut them out again And hence it is that sinners say Job 21.14 Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways The most ungrateful unwelcom thing to an impenitent sinner in the World is to see God and to be convinced that God sees him That Gods omniscience looks into his rotten heart and the sinner must needs sit very uneasie under this knowledge of God till he can see God reconciled to him in Christ and have the light of that knowledge comfortably shinning into his heart in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 There is no knowledge to be compared with the knowledge of God no knowledge of God comparable to the knowledge of God as reconciled in Christ no knowledge of Christ to be compared with the knowledge of his Love nor any knowledge of his Love to be compared with that knowledge of it which subdues our hearts to his obedience transforms our Souls into his likeness and raises up the Soul to aspire after his enjoyment Thus it is that we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5.11 All other knowledge may swell the head sooner than better the heart or reform the life A Man may go silently down to Hell by hypocrisie he may go triumphantly thither by open prophaneness and he may go Learnedly down to Hell with great pomp and ostentation what-ever he knows if he knows not the Love of Christ ruling in him and giving Laws to him and conforming him both to the Death and Resurrection of his Saviour And let this suffice to have spoken of the second Proposition That tho' the Love of Christ in its highest elevation passes all perfect knowledge in our present dark imperfect state yet there 's enough of the Love of Christ that may be known to engage our desires and endeavours to know more to shame us that we know so little of what may be known to engage our hearts to him and make us confess that whatever else we know without this is not worth the knowing Come we now to the second part of the Text viz. the Apostles Prayer for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God wherein we meet with a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or something that implies a contradiction in appearance The Apostle prays that the Ephesians might and certainly we ought to add our Prayers to his that we may and to second our Prayers with endeavours that God would fill us with all his fulness And yet we are here aground again To be filled with Gods fulness With all his fulness seems rather the object of our Despair than of our Prayer 't is that which startles Faith discourages Hope which supersedes Prayer and Endeavour for how can our finite grasp his Infinite Our narrow vessel comprehend the Sea of his Divine perfections We can no more comprehend the incomprehensible of God than we can apprehend the unapprehensible Love of Christ Our hearts must needs be narrow because our minds are so we can see but little we can love no more than we can see what the Eye cannot behold the Hand cannot hold For the solution of this I shall only observe at the present That as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God Rom. 1.19 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be known of God in which respect we are like the Athenians and erect our Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Acts 17.23 so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be comprehended of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be comprehended in which respects we are all scepticks and must confess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot comprehend it For the clearing therefore of this difficulty perhaps we may have some relief from the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may render thus That ye may be fill'd unto all that fulness of God There is a measure of Grace unto which the Divine Wisdom has appointed Believers unto that measure that degree of fulness we ought to aspire and to pray that God would fill us with it which seems to be the purport of that other Prayer of this Apostle for the Thessalonians 2 Thes 1.11 We pray always for you that God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the Fountain his Saints are Vessels These Vessels are of several capacities God according to his good pleasure has gaged these Vessels now it is our duty to pray and strive to strive and pray that God from the inexhaustible Fountain of his goodness would fill these Vessels with Grace up to the brim and that according to that capacity which God has graciously bestowed he would graciously fill up that capacity For if you should pour the whole Ocean upon a Vessel yet it receives only according to its own Dimensions And this is the Interpretation of Theophylact who when he had recited and rejected some other interpretations fixes on this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive says he this
of that fulness of God which is attainable even in this life Many might have had more grace if they had not been under the delusion that they had grace enough already The dream of Perfection attained has prejudiced the perfection which is attainable As Tully observes Multi ad sapientiam pervenissent nisi eo jam se pervenisse putassent Many Men had arrived at a high degree of Wisdom had they not fondly conceited that they had already reacht the top of it The Apostle's frame was most excellent and imitable Phil. 3.12 13. Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after it that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus He considered more what was before than what he had left behind that is he more lookt forward to what he had not yet attained than backward to what he had 2. Let us pray that we may know more of the Love of Christ to us as the proper mean to be filled more with the fulness of God in us This is the expedient of the Text and what greater encouragement can there be to love serve obey and glorifie our God than that he has so freely wonderfully loved us in Christ 3. Let us strive to keep our vessels pure and clean tho' they be small and narrow that however they are of a narrow capacity yet being pure and clean God may delight to fill us and to enlarge our hearts that we may receive more of his fulness Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The sight of God which a pure and holy heart qualifies us for is the enjoyment of God i. e. Gods communicating his love in its sanctifying and saving effects and so we shall find if we compare John 3.3 Except a Man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God with vers 5. Except a Man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God 4. Labour to experience poverty of Spirit The way to be rich in Grace is to be poor in Spirit which poverty of Spirit does not consist in having little Grace but in a sense that whatever we have little or much it s not of or from our selves but from the fulness of God The more we empty our selves in that sense the more God will fill us Luke 3.5 Every valley shall be filled The humble valleys are often fruitful when the high hills are commonly barren self-sufficiency discharges and disobliges the all-sufficiency of God Luke 1.53 The rich he sends empty away Now as by the Rich we are here to understand such as are rich in their own conceit tho' they be really poor so by the poor in Spirit we are to understand them that are convinced of their own original indigency though by the Grace of God they are enriched and their spiritual wants supplyed Phil. 4.20 This poverty of Spirit tho' it pretend not to merit yet has a meetness for the fulness of God Jer. 31.25 I have satiated the weary Soul and I have replenished every sorrowful Soul 5. From this Spiritual poverty arises a Spiritul hunger and thirst after more of the grace of God which temper of Soul lies directly in the way of that promise Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled for 't is upon him that is thirsty that God promises to pour out water and 't is the dry ground that God promises to satisfie with the floods Isa 44.3 6. Attend in Conscience and Faith with constancy and perseverance upon all the Ordinances of the New Testament you read Zech. 4.12 of two olive branches that through the two golden pipes empty the golden oyl out of themselves Let the two Olive branches be the Person of Christ in two Natures the golden oyl will then be his precious Grace and the golden pipes the Ordinances of Christ by which he empties out of himself that precious Grace into holy and clean tho' earthen vessels Amongst many other terms which the Ancients gave to the Lords Supper they called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The perfect or the perfection so Zonoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To come to the Perfection is to come to the holy Eucharist And indeed where do believers find their choicest derivations from God their sweetest Communion with God but in that Sacred Ordinance worthily received 7. And lastly To all these we must add and with all these we must joyn fervent and believing Prayer which as it glorifies God God will glorifie it and make it the means of conveying down to our Souls such a measure of fulness as may serve us in the time of our need we can never be poor whilst we can pray He that is the Spirit of Supplication in us will be th◠Spirit of Grace to us Let us therefore pray with the Apostle Rom. 15.13 That the God of hope would fill us with joy and peace in believing Let us pray that the God of all Grace would make us perfect stablish strengthen settle us 1 Pet. 5.10 That the God of Peace would sanctifie us wholly 1 Thes 5.23 And let us pray that the same God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would give us to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that we may be filled with all the fulness of God Quest How are the ordinary means of Grace more certainly successful for Conversion than if persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there SERMON VII Luke XVI 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead WHether the Narrative of our Saviour beginning at the 19th verse of this Chapter concerning the Rich-man and Lazarus be an History relating really matter of fact or a simple Parable representing the matter by way of similitude Or an useful discourse by way of Delineation partaking of both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Martyr viz. a Parabolical History or Historical Parable Hath been variously determined both by the Ancients and Moderns * Voss Thes Dispt 5. One †Lomierus indeed would go further and have it to be a Prophetical Parable representing by Dives Judaism and by Lazarus Gentilism This latter as he thinks from the name Lazarus imports one before Christ came that had no help forsaken of all kept out of doors amongst the Dogs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who conceive it to be an History argue it from the proper Name of Lazarus others who judge it to be a Parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Lightfoot c. alledge that the Talmudists do frequently use Lahazar contractly for Eleazar yet here not as a proper Name but common denoting a destitute beggar indefinitely or him who of himself is bereft of help or one to whom help should be shew'd As Rachel is used Appellatively
who is weak in the Faith who though he hath embraced the Doctrin of our Saviour yet is not of a mature concocted judgment clear enough about the abolition of Ceremonial observations things he judgeth ought to be forborn or done Now let things be never so indifferent in the general definition or Thesis yet when they come to be used and exercised in their individual circumstances they will be determinately good or determinately evil in all moral agents and actions And that which in general seemeth indifferent to one is not so to another these Gentiles could freely eat things strangled but the Jews could not Therefore it is a very strong weakness or wilfulness in some who love to turn Straws into Trees and Feathers into Birds and not to leave things as Christ hath left them and as they are in their own nature but will transpeciate as others transubstantiate by their own breath in their own Opinions and more fiercely contend for their own Laws than the commands of God as Saul was more severe on Jonathan for tasting hony than on himself for rebelling against Gods express command These heats indicate an Hectick Fever to be in the body preternatuâ—â—â—â—y eating up and preying on the vital heat Love to God and our Neighbour the zeal for Mens own Chimnies eateth up the House of God II. Here is the injunction of Charity towards weak ones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take them to you receive them into your Houses use Hospitality towards them supply their necessities Rom. 12.13 not magnificent receptions such as Levi gave our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 5.29 But when they fly for their Religion and Lives supply their wants though they be not just of your size or Opinion do not force him to practise what he cannot freely do to buy your Charity this is a dear purchase and a cruel sale Generous hospitality is a duty of another fashion receive them into your Arms into your bosoms into your Love and Converse that you may instruct them and win upon them receive them into your Society into your Communion treat this weak Brother with all humility condescention love and kindness yea with all the warm graces Christianity hath indued you with Let not these least differences cause the greatest distances as often they do if he hath so much candor as he will be received and be not sullen and angry receive him and by strength of Love bear with him and forbear him till by Love you soften and overcome him by heaping coals of fire upon his Head For if he be weak yet seriously and sincerely a lover of Christ and beloved of him the Lord hath received him vers 3. therefore do you also receive him 3. The limitation of this exception not to doubtful Disputations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some would render it discerning of thoughts and 1 Cor. 12.10 there was such an extraordinary guift as the discerning of Spirits So there may be an ordinary prying into Mens thoughts and what is Mark 9.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Luke 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus seeing their thoughts and thoughts are but Mens dialoguing and discoursing with themselves and so the sense it thus Receive him but not to the discerning or judging of his Opinion or Thoughts or that he should be hardened to judge others Thoughts to be altered because they receive him But receiving is receiving him into their Society therefore not receiving him must be not to something which was apt to be in their Society and among them which was not the discretion of the strong but their disputes which were not fit for these weak ones And the word most commonly signifies disputing with others Acts 19.9 Paul disputed dayly in the School of Tyrannus And Mark 9.34 The Disciples disputed who among them should be greatest But in Jude 9. both words are met together Michael contending with the Devil disputed about the body of Moses Doct. Christians are to receive such as are weak in the Faith into their Hearts by Love and not to trouble or heat their Heads with cramping disputes For practical Piety will sooner rectifie the judgment of the weak than fierce argumentations Lay aside this heat about Ceremonies on all Hands and attend to Reading and Hearing the Word and Exhortation Pray and Praise God together and Converse in holy Ordinances in Love to each others Souls let but this fire live upon the Altar of your Hearts and then all other strange fire and heats will die away 1. I will shew you that weak Christians cannot well judge of arguments 2. That the practice of known duties is the way to get more light 3. That Christian Love will sooner win others from error than rigid Arguments 4. The Inferences from all for Instruction and Direction First then Disputations and Arguments are not easily judged of by such as are weak in Faith and Knowledge of Christian liberty Now this is evident from the first Dispute that ever was in the World For Satan was a Disputer from the beginning and is still the Father and Author of all insnaring and contentious Disputations The first thing he disputed was Gods command The Prohibition and Threatning was absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moth tamuth Gen. 2.17 but the Woman who was first in the Transgression faltreth in the recital of it with a perhaps we shall die Gen. 3.3 But by this first dispute with the Serpent our first Parents when in uprightness and strength of the image of God newly stamped on them in knowledge and holiness yet this Father or fomenter of Disputes foiled them and so all mankind being naturally and federally in them was drawn into their guilt and filth So that reason is ever since debased and deposed and no Man is able to rule himself much less another his rule and measures being broken he hath only some fragments and splinters of the Tree of Knowledge which he darts against God and himself The holy Lamp and Flame is so extinguished that now he only compasseth himself about with his own sparks till he lie down in sorrow Isa 50.11 Creatures as Creatures are fallible and failable witness Men and Angels especially by the impulse of false Arguments It is God's only Prerogative to be intrinsecally Infallible and Immutable And it is a perfection incommunicable to Men or Angels But now sinful Man is in a much more dark and doleful state For 1. He cannot form an Idea of any thing nor frame a true notion of any thing as it is in it self but he conceives by the Air of Metaphors Smilitudes and Phantasms he cannot see into things themselves nor their Essences He is hardly put to it to tell what dull Matter or Body is much more what nimble forms motion or Spirits are or what his own Soul is though so nigh to him and part of himself He is so in the dark he cannot define what light it self is If any be so confident as to think he knoweth
to observe and require an account of all their Actions The radical cause of this Hatred is from the Opposition of the sinful polluted Wills of Men to the Holiness of God for that attribute excites his Justice and Power and Wrath to punish Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith They are enemies to God in their minds through wicked works The naked representing of this Impiety that a reasonable Creature should hate the blessed Creator for his most Divine Perfections cannot but strike with Horror O the Sinfulness of Sin 4. Sin is the Contempt and Abuse of his excellent Goodness This Argument is as vast as God's innumerable Mercies whereby he allures and obliges us to Obedience I shall restrain my Discourse of it to three things wherein the Divine Goodness is very Conspicuous and most ungratefully despised by Sinners 1. His Creating Goodness 'T is clear without the lea st shadow of Doubt that nothing can give the first being to it self for this were to be before it was which is a direct Contradiction and 't is evident that God is the sole Author of our Beings Our Parents afforded the gross matter of our compounded Nature but the Variety and Union the Beauty and Usefulness of the several Parts which is so Wonderful that the Body is composed of as many Miracles as Members was the Design of his Wisdom and the Work of his Hands The lively Idea and perfect Exemplar of that regular Fabrick was modell'd in the Divine Mind This affected the Psalmist with Admiration I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 15 16. marvellous are thy works and that my soul knows right well Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them And Job observes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me round about Job 10.8 The Soul our principal Part is of a celestial Original inspired from the father of Spirits The faculties of Understanding and Election are the indelible Characters of our Dignity above the Brutes and make us capable to please and glorifie and enjoy him This first and fundamental Benefit upon which all other Favours and Benefits are the Superstructure was the Effect from an eternal Cause his most free Decree that ordained our Birth in the spaces of time The Fountain was his pure Goodness there was no necessity determining his Will he did not want external declarative Glory being infinitely happy in himself and there could be no superior Power to constrain him And that which renders our Maker's Goodness more free and obliging is the consideration he might have created Millions of Men and left us in our Native Nothing and as I may so speak lost and buried in perpetual Darkness Now what was Gods end in Making us Certainly it was becoming his infinite Understanding that is to communicate of his own Divine Fullness and to be actively glorified by intelligent Creatures Accordingly 't is the solemn Acknowledgement of the Representative Church Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were created Who is so void of rational Sentiments Rev. 4.11 as not to acknowledge 't is our indispensable Duty Our reasonable service to offer up our selves an intire living Sacrifice to his glory What is more natural according to the Laws of uncorrupt Natures I might say and of corrupt Nature for the Heathens practised it than that Love should correspond with Love as the one descends in Benefits the other should ascend in Thankfulness As a polish'd Looking-glass of Steel strongly reverberates the Beams of the Sun shining upon it without losing a spark of light thus the understanding Soul should reflect the Affection of Love upon our blessed Maker in Reverence and Praise and Thankfulness Now Sin breaks all those Sacred Bands of Grace and Gratitude that engage us to love and obey God He is the just Lord of all our Faculties Intellectual and Sensitive and the Sinner employs them as Weapons of Unrighteousness against him He preserves us by his powerful gracious Providence which is a renewed Creation every Moment and the Goodness he uses to us the Sinner abuses against him This is the most unworthy shameful and monstrous Ingratitude This makes forgetful and unthankful Men more brutish than the dull Ox and the stupid Ass who serve those that feed them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up Childen and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2. 'T was the unvaluable goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good report whatsoever are vertuous and praise-worthy In obedience to it the innocence and perfection of the reasonable creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Mans creation by an illustrious revelation to shew him his duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the circle of its precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious design was to keep Man in his love that from the obedience of the reasonable creature the divine goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeined and excellent goodness the sinner outragiously despises for what greater contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it underfoot And this constructively the sinner does to the Law of God which contempt extends to the gracious giver of it Rom. 7.10 Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extreme vilifying of Gods goodness in preferring carnal pleasures to his favour and Communion with him wherein the life the felicity the heaven of the reasonable creature consists God is infinite in all possible perfections all-sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any competitour and requires to be supreme in our esteem and affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an observation of St. Austin * Omnes Deos colendos esse sapienti Cur ergo a numero caeterorum ille rejectus est nihil restat ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra recipere noluerint nisi quia solum se coli voluerit Aug. de Consens Evang. c. 17. That
and terrifie the imagination that may work upon the Principles of Reason and Sense by which Men are naturally and strongly moved 1. Sinners shall be excluded from Communion with the blessed God in Heaven in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore In the clear and transforming vision of his glory and the intimate and indissolvable union with him by love consists the perfection and satisfaction of the immortal Soul The felicity resulting from it is so entire and eternal as God is great and true who has so often promis'd it to his Saints Now sin separates lost Souls forever from the reviving presence of God Who can declare the extent and degrees of that evil For an evil rises in proportion to the good of which it deprives us it must therefore follow that Celestial blessedness being transcendent the exclusion from it is proportionably evil and as the felicity of the Saints results both from the direct possession of Heaven and from comparison with the contrary state so the misery of the damned arises both from the thoughts of lost happiness and from the lasting pain that torments them But it may be replied if this be the utmost evil that is consequent to sin the threatning of it is not likely to deter but few from pleasing their corrupt appetites for carnal Men have such gross apprehensions and vitated affections that they are careless of Spiritual glory and joy They cannot taste and see how good the Lord is nay the Divine Presence would be a torment to them for as light is the most pleasant quality in the World to the sound Eye so 't is very afflicting and painful to the Eye when corrupted by a suffusion of humors To this a clear answer may be given in the next state where the wicked shall for ever be without those sensual objects which here deceive and delight them their apprehensions will be changed they shall understand what a happiness the fruition of the blessed God is and what a misery to be uncapable of enjoying him and expell'd from the Celestial Paradise Luke 15.28 Our Saviour tells the infidel Jews There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and you your selves shut out How will they pine with envy at the sight of that triumphant felicity of which they shall never be partakers Depart from me will be as terrible a part of the judgment as eternal Fire 2. Gods justice is not satisfied in depriving them of Heaven but inflicts the most heavy punishment upon Sense and Conscience in the damned for as the Soul and Body in their state of union in this life were both guilty the one as the guide the other as the instrument of sin so 't is equal when reunited they should feel the penal effects of it The Scripture represents both to our capacity by the worm that never dies and the fire that never shall be quenched and by the destroying of Body and Soul in Hell fire Sinners shall then be tormented wherein they were most delighted they shall be invested with those objects that will cause the most dolorous perceptions in their sensitive faculties The lake of Fire and Brimstone the blackness of darkness are words of a terrible signification and intended to awaken sinners to fly from the wrath to come But no words can fully reveal the terrible ingredients of their misery the punishment will be in proportion to the glory of Gods Majesty that is dishonour'd and provok'd by sin and the extent of his power And as the Soul was the principal and the Body but an accessary in the works of sin so its capacious faculties will be far more tormented than the more limited faculties of the outward senses The fiery Attributes of God shall be transmitted through the glass of Conscience and concenter'd upon damned Spirits the fire without them is not so tormenting as this fire within them How will the tormenting passions be inflam'd What rancour reluctance and rage against the power above that sentenc'd them to Hell What impatience and indignation against themselves for their wilful sins the just cause of it How will they curse their Creation and wish their utter extinction as the final remedy of their misery But all their ardent wishes are in vain for the guilt of sin will never be expiated nor God so far reconcil'd as to annihilate them As long as there is justice in Heaven and fire in Hell as long as God and Eternity shall continue they must suffer these torments which the strength and patience of an Angel cannot bear one hour From hence we may infer what an inconceivable evil there is in sin and how hateful it is to the most High when God who is love who is stiled the Father of mercies has prepared and does inflict such Plagues for ever for the transgression of his holy Laws and such is the equity of his judgment that he never puniâ—â—es offenders above their desert I shall now apply this Doctrin by reflecting the light of it upon our minds and hearts 1. This discovers how perverse and depraved the minds and wills of Men are to chuse sin rather than affliction and break the Divine Law for the obtaining temporal things If one with an attentive Eye regards the generality of mankind what dominion present and sensible things have over them how securely and habitually they sin in prosecution of their carnal aims as if the Soul should not survive the Body as if there were no Tribunal above to examine no Judge to sentence and punish sinners if he has not marble bowels it will excite his compassion or indignation What comparison is there between the good things of this World and of the next in degrees or duration Aiery honour Sensual pleasures and Worldly riches are but the thin appearances of happiness shadows in masquerade that cannot afford solid content to an immortal Spirit the blessedness of Heaven replenishes with everlasting satisfaction What proportion is there between the light and momentary afflictions here and a vast eternity fill'd with indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish and desperate sorrow What stupid Beast what monster of a Man would prefer a superficial transient delight the pleasure of a short dream before ever-satisfying joys Or to avoid a slight evil venture upon destruction Yet this is the true case of sinners if they can obtain the World with the loss of Heaven they count it a valuable purchase if they can compound so as to escape temporal troubles tho involved under guilt that brings extream and eternal misery they think it a saving bargain Amazing solly Either they believe or do not the recompenses in the future state if they do not how unaccountable is their impiety If they do 't is more prodigious they do not feel the powers of the World to come so as to regulate their lives and
Favour of God he is eminently precious Who can break the Constraints of such Love If there be a spark of reason or a grain of unfeigned Faith in us We must judge that if one died for all then all were dead and those that live should live to his Glory who died for their Salvation Add to this that in the Sufferings of Christ there is the clearest Demonstration of the Evil of 〈◊〉 and how hateful it is to God if we consider the Dignity of his Person the Greatness of his Sufferings and the innocent recoilings of his humane Nature from such fearful Sufferings He was the eternal Son of God the Heir of his Fathers Love and Glory the Lord of Angels he suffered in his Body the most ignominious and painful Death being nail'd to the Cross in the sight of the World The Sufferings of his Soul were incomparably more afflicting For though heavenly Meek he indured the Derision and cruel Violence of his Enemies with a silent Patience yet in the dark Eclipse of his Fathers Countenance in the desolate state of his Soul the Lamb of God opened his Mouth in that mournful Complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me His innocent Nature did so recoil from those fearful Sufferings that with repeated ardency of Affection he deprecated that bitter Cup Abba Father all things are possible to thee let this cup pass from me He address'd to the Divine Power and Love the Attributes that relieve the Miserable yet he drank off the dregs of the Cup of Gods Wrath. Now we may from hence conclude how great an Evil Sin is that could not be expiated by a meaner Sacrifice then the offering up the Soul of Christ to atone incensed Justice and no lower a Price than the Blood of the Son of God the most unvaluable Treasure could Ransom Men who were devoted to Destruction 4. The consideration of the evil of sin in it self and to us should excite us with a holy circumspection to keep our selves from being defiled with it 'T is our indispensable duty our transcendent interest to obey the Divine Law entirely and constantly The tempter cannot present any motives that to a rectified mind are sufficient to induce a consent to sin and offend God Let the scales be even and put into one all the delights of the senses all the pleasures and honours of the World which are the Elements of carnal felicity how light are they against the enjoyment of the blessed God in glory Will the gain of this perishing World compensate the loss of the Soul and Salvation for ever If there were any possible comparison between empty deluding vanities and celestial happiness the choice would be more difficult and the mistake less culpable but they vanish into nothing in the comparison so that to commit the least sin that makes us liable to the forfeiture of Heaven for the pleasures of sin that are but for a season is madness in that degree that no words can express Suppose the tempter inspires his Rage into his Slaves and tries to constrain us to Sin by Persecution how unreasonable is it to be dismayed at the Threatnings of Men who must dye and who can only touch the Body and to despise the terrors of the Lord who lives for ever and can punish for ever Methinks we should look upon the perverted raging World as a swarm of angry Flies that may disquiet but cannot hurt us Socrates when unrighteously prosecuted to Death said of his Enemies with a Courage becoming the Breast of a Christian They may Kill me but cannot Hurt me How should these Considerations raise in us an invincible Resolution and Reluctancy against the Tempter in all his Approaches and Addresses to us And that we may so resist him as to cause his flight from us let us imitate the excellent Saint whose Example is set before us 1. By possessing the Soul with a lively and solemn Sense of Gods Presence who is the Inspector and Judge of all our Actions Joseph repell'd the Temptation with this powerful Thought How shall I sin against God The fear of the Lord is clean 't is a watchful Sentinel that resists Temptations without and suppresses Corruptions within 'T is like the Cherubim plac'd with a flaming Sword in Paradise to prevent the Re-entry of Adam when guilty and polluted For this end we must by frequent and serious Considerations represent the Divine Being and Glory in our Minds that there may be a gracious Constitution of Soul this will be our Preservative from Sin for although the habitual thoughts of God are not always in act yet upon a Temptation they are presently excited and appear in the view of Conscience and are effectual to make us reject the Tempter with Defiance and Indignation This holy Fear is not a meer judicial Impression that restrains from Sin for the dreadful Punishment that follows for that servile affection though it may stop a Temptation and hinder the Eruption of a Lust into the gross act yet it does not renew the Nature and make us Holy and Heavenly There may be a respective dislike of Sin with a direct affection to it Besides a meer servile Fear is repugnant to Nature and will be expell'd if possible Therefore that we may be in the fear of the Lord all the day long we must regard him in his endearing Attributes his Love his Goodness and Compassion his rewarding Mercy and this will produce a filial Fear of Reverence and Caution lest we should offend so gracious a God As the natural Life is preserved by grateful Food not by Aloes and Wormwood which are useful Medicines so the Spiritual Life is maintained by the comfortable Apprehensions of God as the Rewarder of our Fidelity in all our Trials 2. Strip Sin of its Disguises wash off its flattering Colours that you may see its native Ugliness Joseph's reply to the Tempter How shall I do this great wickedness Illusion and Concupiscence are the Inducements to Sin When a Lust represents the Temptation as very alluring and hinders the Reflection of the mind upon the intrinsick and consequential Evil of Sin 't is like the putting Poison into the Glass but when it has so far corrupted the mind that Sin is esteemed a small Evil Poison is thrown into the Fountain If we consider the Majesty of the Law-giver there is no Law small nor Sin small that is the Transgression of it Yet the most are secure in an evil course by conceits that their Sins are small 'T is true there is a vast difference between Sins in their nature and Circumstances there are insensible Omissions and accusing Acts but the least is Damnable Besides the allowance and number of Sins reputed small will involve under intolerable Guilt What is lighter than a grain of Sand you may blow away a hundred with a Breath and what is heavier than a heap of Sand condenst together 'T is our Wisdom and Duty to consider the Evil of Sin
cause that will pass for just and sufficient at the great day before they resolve upon a total separation from their Brethren 8. Christ is to be followed in his great humility and meekness Mat. 11.29 Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls Pride overcame the first man he affected Divinity and would needs be as God but behold the Lord Jesus who is the Eternal God and he humbled himself and became Man Humility was the constant attire and ornament of the Man Christ Jesus Though this great Redeemer be the chief of all the ways of God though more of God is visible in Him than in the whole Creation besides Though he glorifies his Father more than all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth put together and though he is exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion no◠only in this World but in that which is to come Yet our Lord never was in the least High-minded Humility is one most remarkable feature in the image of Christ therefore resemble him in being humble Be not proud of Habit Hair and Ornaments 1 Pet. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymologists derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies nodus a knot Be cloathed or be knotted with Humility I wish that other knots were less and this which is incomparably most becoming were more in fashion Let not your Estates puff you up Riches are not always to men of understanding and there may be a great deal of Gold in the Purse where there is no true Wisdom in the Head no Grace at all in the Heart Let not your natural parts your acquired endowments your spiritual Gifts though never so excellent make you to look upon others with contempt upon your selves with admiration you owe all Glory to that God from whom you have received all Let Humility look out at your Eyes a proud look is one of the seven things which the Lord hates Prov. 6.16 17. Let Humility express it self at your Lips let it attend you in all your addresses to God and beautifie your whole behaviour and converses with Men. The more humble you are the more of every other Grace will be imparted to you the more Rest and Peace you will have within your selves and since you will be ready to give him all the Praise the Lord is ready to put the more honour upon you in making you useful unto others 9. Christ is to be followed in his love to God great care to please him and fervent zeal for his Name and Glory Joh. 14.31 The World may know says Christ that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do He obeyed that first and great Commandment and loved the Lord his God with all his Heart and Soul and Mind and Strength Christs love made him do whatever his Father pleased Joh. 8.29 He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I always do those things that please him Christs love was stronger than Death no Waters no Flouds could drown it neither could the Baptism of blood quench it Christ was consumed with Divine and Holy zeal and he matters not what befal him so he might but glorifie his Father and finish the work which was given him to do Oh let us bring our cold and careless Hearts hither to the Consideration of this Great Example that the frost may melt care may be awakened and there may be something in us that may deserve the name of Warm zeal for God Let us be importunate in Prayer and restless till we feel the constraints of the Love of God forceable till we find really the greatest delight and pleasure in doing that which pleases him and aiming at his Glory we think not much of labour difficulty and hazzard that this our end may be attained 10. Christ is to be followed in his Sufferings and Death and unto this my Text has a more particular reference Christs Faith was strong though he was under a dismal Desertion The Sun of Righteousness did set in a dark cloud He submitted to his Fathers will and being confident of a joyful Resurrection he endured the Cross and despised the shame When Christians come to die their Faith should be most lively as being near finishing it should by no means fail when there is most need of it Though he slay me says Job yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Christians should submit when the Lord of time will grant no more time to them and they should gladly enter upon a holy and blessed Eternity When the body is about to be sown in corruption by Faith they should see that its lying there will be to advantage for it will be raised in Incorruption and Glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Let Death be more natural or violent it is yours in the Covenant if you are true Believers 1 Cor. 3.22 Fear not to follow our Lord Jesus through that dark passage into the House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And all the while you remain on Earth study a Conformity to your Lords death by crucifying the Flesh and dying to the World The more dead you are with Christ in this sense you will live to the better purpose and die in the greater Peace In the third place I am to produce some Arguments to perswade to the imitation of our Lord Jesus 1. Consider the greatness of the Person that gives you the Example Christ has this Name written on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 A Roman Historian commends a Prince who is maximus imperio Velleius Paterculus l. 2. exemplo major greatest in authority and yet greater by his example Every thing in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth does bow and is subject to the Lord Jesus and yet whose obedience ever was so exact as his was He gives us precepts and he himself is the great Pattern of performance Claudian the Poet has a notable passage concerning the examples of Monarchs and what a mighty influence they have Tunc observantior aequi Fit populus nec ferre vetat cum viderit ipsum Autorein parere sibi componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita Regentis Kings have many observers who very much Eye them and their high estate both awes and allures their Subjects to the imitation of them If they keep within the bounds of their own Laws their Subjects will be the more unwilling to transgress them Christ is the universal Soveraign who commands both Heaven and Earth and has the whole Creation at his beck He has kept the Laws he gives his Church 't is duty 't is interest 't is reasonable 't is honourable to resemble him in obedience 2. Remember the Relation wherein you that are Saints do stand unto the Lord
also how to qualify our selves and how to manage our spirits speeches and behaviour to the procurement of this end and how to provoke our selves to Love and to Good Works by what we see in others and hear from them or concerning them Phil. iv 8 9. Rom. xv 14. i Thess v. 14 15. for we are all of us obnoxious unto very great decays in Christian Affections and Behaviour and who is free throughout from guilt herein and equally concerned in this healthful exercise and temper 3. Actual Endeavours upon consideration to fix the temper and behaviour right for thoughts and purposes are vain things till they be put in execution Such as Mutual Exhortation attending on assembling of our selves together and our growthful progress in these things under the reinforcements and frequent representations of the approaching day Hence then consider we 1. The Text. 2. The Case First The Text. And here we have 1. The Objects to be considered one another 2. The Duty here required as conversant about these Objects Consider 3. The End Provocation to love and to good works 4. The means and manner of performing it to purpose and with good Success not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another 5. The great inducement hereunto so much the more as ye see the day approaching Improving the thoughts belief and expectations of this approaching solemn day and consequently our concerns therein as the most awful motive and quickning encouragement of our Preparatory State and Work And here I must premise that the case here proposed to our present thoughts may and must be resolved into two 1. How a luke-warm temper may be cured by us in our selves 2. How to be cured in each other Now seeing we are all related to the same God and under the same circumstances as to our capacity of pleasing or displeasing God of deserting or adhering to our Christian State and work and all of us as Christians under the same powerful and manifold obligations to be found Right and Faithful in this day And as all of us are determined to solemn Judgment and an Eternal State according to the temper of our Spirits and tenor of our Lives as found to be when that day comes What can we say to one another to provoke each other to love and to good works that will not equally concern our selves Whatever then we consider in each other is as considerable in our selves Whatever we design hereby to provoke others regularly to is to be equally designed and enterprized and promoted upon our selves Whatever we speak to others or plead with others hath the same Errand to and ought deservedly to be as cogent and prevailing with our selves We are all concerned in the helpfulness of present Assemblies and in the process and results of the last general Assembly and what we propose or press by way of Counsel Request Encouragement c. must be as spoken to our selves Taking it then for granted and concluded and needless to be proved and demonstrated 1. That luke-warmness is an heart-distemper 2. And that the formal Nature of it lies in the remissness of due Affections unto their proper worthy objects and so in too mean resentments and distastings of whatever is contrary thereunto 3. That the Cure of this Distemper formally consists in the due fervour of provoked Love invigorating and producing its congenial Operations and Effects here called Good Works which are but answerableness of Practice and Behaviour to this Principle or Grace 4. And that all these means and courses which genuinely and statedly relate hereto as divinely instituted by him whose Blessing is entailed hereon to make them prosperous and successful hereunto are the most likely means to work this Cure 5. And that the purport of my Text amounts to this and is it self of Divine Inspiration and so of God's appointment for this End Taking I say these things for granted for brevities sake I shall dispatch the Text and Case together in the close Consideration of these three General Heads or Topicks of Discourse 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good Works for herein the Cure consists 2. The things that are most likely and prepared to provoke hereto and so the Remedy or Means will be directed to 3. The Course and Method of improving these most regularly and so the skilful faithful management thereof will be considered 1. The things to be provoked to Love and Good works Fervour and Vigour in the heart to and for its proper Objects productive of their right Effects are the Soul's Health indeed the very esse formale of this Cure in hand for Knowledge ministers to Faith in its Production and Proficiency and in all its Exercises and Designs Hence establish'd in the Faith as ye have been taught Col. ii 7. and 1 Joh. v. 9. 14. for we must know whom to believe in what and why The credibility of a Witness the trustiness of a Promiser and Undertaker the valuableness and certainty of things Promised and the way of acquisition and attaining what is promised if Promises be attended with and ordered to depend upon any thing commanded by the Promiser to be done by us these must be duly known ere Faith can fasten on them Faith is no blind no inconsiderate no rash no groundless act I know whom I have believed ii Tim. i. 12. And 't is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. xi 1. And Faith works by love or it is inwrought and becoâ—â—â—â—ergetical by Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. v. 6. Building your s◠〈…〉 your most holy Faith keep your selves in the love of God Jude â—â— 21 Faiths proper work and great design upon the Heart or Will 〈◊〉 tâ— kindle feed and keep this holy flame of Love within and to direct and keep it to its due Expressions and Employments Thus Truths and Hearts are brought together and fixt in their reciprocal Endearments ii Tim. i. 13. And then God and the Image Interest Saints and things of God are like the King upon his Throne with all his lovely train about him And then this Faith makes Christ upon the Heart and dwelling there like Manoahs Angel working wonderously in these flames of love for now no faculty sence or member can be idle languid or indifferent amidst such glorious and lovely Objects when urged and provoked by such powerful and busie Principles as Faith and Love to be imployed for God Truths Duty Souls and Glory Let us then consider it in its 1. Objects 2. Actings And 3. Effects I. The Objects of this Love towards which it is to move for which it is to act wherewith it must converse and wherein at last it is to rest and to repose it self for ever and these are the Name the Things the Children of God the good of Men or rather God as in himself the essential source and abyss of perfection bliss and glory Of through and to whom all things are who
address your selves in your Devotions to him serve him and walk before him trust him and depend upon him all that you are and have design and do let it be suited to and worthy of that Glorious and fearful Name the Lord Your God whose eminent and perfect Name you love so well Hebr. xii 28. i Thess ii 10-12 Rom. xii 1 2. Mat. v. 16. Joh. xv 8. i Pet. iv 11. away with such mean Things and Actions such flat Devotions and such tantum non offensive Conversations and such lean and stingy Offerings to God or actings for him as must put Charity upon the Rack to observers of you for to conclude or think you love him Mal. i. 13 14. ii Pet. iii. 11. i Cor. xv 58. nothing below that cluster in Phil. iv 8. and that in Tit. ii 10-14 can escape its Mene Tekel in this balance of the Sanctuary rich in Good Works i Tim. vi 18. and rich towards God Luk. xii 21. and fruitful in every good work Col. i. 10. actings continually towards God and for him facing the Eyes and Consciences of all Observers with such illustrious and large Characters and Signatures of this Divine Principle of Love as to convince even the most critical Observers of you and to extort Confessions from them that none could act and live as you do did they not love God dearly and most entirely and constantly live to him and upon him as their all i Pet. ii 12. and iv 16 Hebr. xi 13-16 for I take not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to import what may be barely Good but something generous and fit to strike the Beholders Eye and Conscience with some astonishing Convictions that what you do for God looks too majestically great to come from any ordinary Principle yea from any thing below your God enthroned in your best affections Love is the very Soul of Godliness the very Heart of the new Man a Principle so impetuous and charming as that it scorns where it is Regent to be confined to or signalized by any thing mean or base Such objects and concerns in its most intimate and close embraces and in its stated prospect and yet act sparingly sordidly or sneakingly for God! Love burns and blushes at the thought And Heaven it self ere long will irritate exert and shew the Purity and generous Vigours of this Grace in such a stated and inviolable series of great and generous actions so full of God and every way so fully for him and so worthy of him as that the life of God in glory shall evidence the force and excellence of that spring and principle whence it proceeds and yet even here even in this its Infant and Imperfect State it groans and labours to have God's Will done on Earth as it is in Heaven Well in a word such must your Actions and your Conversations be as that whatever you are conversant about or with the temper of your Spirits and the fervours and vigours of your love to God his Image Interest Son Spirit Gospel and all that do profess and own respects hereto every step you take and every thing you do ought to be great and exemplary and impregnated with what may speak the greatness largeness chearfulness and energies of your enflamed exalted and invigorated Souls through love to God Christ Souls and Christianity O to be exemplary in all Conversation to live each other into awakened Considerations of Spiritual concerns to dart forth all those glorious rays of Christian Wisdom of which we are told in Jam. iii. 17 18. to make men feel as well as see the force and flames of Christian Love to charm Exasperated Passions down by all the sweetnesses of true Wisdom Patience Meekness Gentleness and every way endearing Conversation with them to have the Law of Kindness always in your Mouths the notices of true Friendliness in your Looks the gifts and proofs of generous Charity in your Hands in constant readiness to minister to the Necessities of the Saints as God shall prosper your Endeavours in your lawful and regularly managed Occupations and Employments to have your Dealings and Commerces each with other accurately and severely just and yet sufficiently securing the credit and concerns of Christianity And in a word to be blameless and harmless as the Sons of God without rebuke shining as lights and holding forth the Word of Life to Universal Satisfaction and Advantage wherever groundless prejudice and partiality do not prevail and govern and to fill up every relation step and station with the fruits of Goodness Righteousness and truth these are the good and generous Works of Love whereto we are to be provoked For thus we do not love in word and tongue but indeed and truth i Joh. iii. 28. 4. The Intenseness of the principle and vigor of the practice called here as the designed effect of the prescribed means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Provocation the warmth and vigour wherewith Love and Good Works are as it were to be inspired Zealously affected in a good thing Gal. iv 18. zealous of good works Tit. ii 14. the Motive so effectually Cogent as to fix and fortifie the Principle and the Principle so powerful as to go thorow with its great enterprize and concern Principles are the Springs of Action and Love importeth intimacy it is a Principle rooted in the heart and it lays its beloved objects deep therein warmth it is essential to it and where it is perfect or considerably grown it is serious and fervent It is a commanding thing and affects Regency over all the Actions Faculties and Passions it is peremptory in its Precepts fixt in the Purposes and Concerns which it espouses it is powerful in its Influences pressing in its Claims diffusive of it self through all that is performed by us Impatient of Resistances Denials or Delays and moved to Jealousies Indignation and vigorous Contentions when any Injury Affront or Rape is threatned attempted or pursued that any way is prejudicial to its object and its concerns therewith it claims and pleads it urges and provokes to diligence and to all eager prosecutions of what it aims at and endears unto it self and it entirely reconciles the whole Man to all the cost and difficulties of its Divine pursuits 'T is never well but in its motions towards its actings for its conversation with and its reposes in its Pearl of Price and hence its actions are invigorated it gives no faint blows in its holy War it runs not in its Race it deals not triflingly in its Merchandize for God and Heaven it is all mettle fortitude patience action desire and delight in every thing relating to its grand Affair and Scope and it makes all its actions and performances to bear their Testimony to its own fortitude and fervours and this is the Paroxysm of Love and Good Works 2. The things provoking hereto And here behold a Troop as it was said of Gad Gen. xxx 11. How do inducements and incentments spring
up in manifold and mighty clusters What can we mention or fix our thoughts upon that may not kindle and increase this flame of Love and its Eruptions in Good Works The things which we might pertinently and copiously insist upon might be reduced to these Heads 1. The Objects of this Central Grace or Principle 1. Things in Heaven as God Christ the Spirit Angels the Spirits of Just Men there made perfect the glorious Furniture Laws and Orders the Visions Services Ministrations and Fruitions of that State all the Perfections Prerogatives and Employments of that blessed World above with all the accomplishments and accommodations which relate immediately thereto and all the Satisfactions and Advantages that result therefrom 2. Things from Heaven God manifest in the flesh i Tim. iii. 16. the Spirit Works and Word of God the great Provisions and Engagements of Divine Providence for us all that we are or have or meet with express of God's merciful regards to us and his compassionate concernedness for our universal welfare 3. Things for Heaven The Spirit of Grace the Word of Grace all the Ministers and means of Grace with all the Discipline and Encouragements which Providence sensibly affords us the Good and Evil things of time as ordered by God to fit us for and help us to the Glory which we look for The very Sons of men themselves considered in the relations which they bear to God and their expressiveness of his indearing Name and all those marks and notices which they bear and give us in the frame capacity and management of humane Nature of God's incomprehensible Wisdom Power Goodness c. O who can think hereon and yet be unprovoked to Love and to Good Works when as God is so eminently and endearingly discernible in all for God by all this courts our love And should I speak of the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory that Divine Workmanship which is in them and upon them the Impressions Reflections and Refractions of the Divine Nature and Life their capacity of growing up to all the fulness of God and to be eternally the beautiful and delightsome Temple of the Holy Ghost all their relations to the Holy Trinity with all their obligations to him their interest in him their business with him and for him and all their imitations and resemblances of him in their actual and possible motions and advances towards him and their Great Expectations from him Should I insist upon their membership with all the duties and advantages and pleasures which arise there from and pertinently illustrate and apply as I could easily and quickly do what doth so copiously occur in Eph. iv 4. 6. as the Central articles and holding bonds of Union and Endearments would you and I consider all these things and all the loveliness that would then be communicable or observable could our love want its provocation 2. The formal nature of this love 't is fit to be a provocation to itself i Joh. iv 16-21 7-12 This is the beauty health strength pleasure safety and renown of humane nature love is the aim and scope Knowledge the end of faith the Spirit of hope the life of practice and devotion and the bond of perfectness and the true transformation of the Soul into the image of its God No pleasing thoughts of God Christ Heaven or heavenly things no chearful motions towards eternity no foretasts of the highest bliss no warrantable claims thereto nor confident expectations of unseen realities No true and lasting bonds of friendliness in service and affections without this Spirit and state of love this only faces God in his own beautiful and delightful image this only turns the notions of divinity into substantial realities and so exalts the man above the pageantries of meer formal outside service and devotions and the truth is all that we say and do for God or with him and all our expectations from him are but the tricks and forgeries of deceitful and deceived fools and the most provoking Prophanation of the tremendous holy name of God and an abuse of holy things 3. The services which love must do and the fruits it must produce to God to Christ unto the Spirit unto our selves and others God himself must be reverenced addrest unto served and entertained like himself and walked with in all required and fit imitations of himself And all these cannot be without just valuings of and complacency in his eminent perfections near relations and the admirable constitutions and administrations of his Kingdom Christ must be duly thought on heartily entertained gratefully acknowledged and cheerfully obeyed submitted and improved unto the great and gracious purposes of his appearances performances and Kingdom and minded most delightfully in all the Grandeurs of his Grace and Throne the Holy Spirit must possess his Temple to his full Satisfaction and have the pure incense of his graces in their fragrant liberal and continual ascents Praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. And be feasted with the growthful and constant productions of his graces both in their blossoms and full fruits and we must be continually sowing to him if we hope to reap eternal life of him in Gal. vi 8. We must possess our selves in God and for him in our full devotedness and resignations of our entire selves to him pleasing our selves in this that we are not by far so much and so delightfully our own as his and that we cannot love our selves so well as when we find God infinitely dearer to us than we are to our selves And as for others much must we chearfully do and bear and be to bring poor Renegadoes back again to God to testify our great respects unto and pleasure in the grace of God in our fellow Christians to accommodate our selves to their edification concerns and to make our best advantage of every thing discernible in them Helping our selves and them in spirit speech and practice And can these things be brought to pass or our selves reconciled suited to all our Christian duties and interests without provoked love And for the solemnities transactions and results of the approaching day what is that day to those who have no love or very great declensions of it For all that come with Christ from Heaven come in the flames of love to God to godliness and Godly Ones and a Cold Heart will no way be endured there And as to fellow Christians the Duties and Counsels of the Text consideration adhering to the Assembling of our selves together mutual exhortations in the encouraging and quickning Prospect of this day can these things be without love III. The management of these provoking things And here let us follow the method of the Text it self Where we have these Topicks to insist upon 1. Persons must be considered each other and our selves 2. We are not to desert the Assemblings of our selves together as the manner of some is 3. We must exhort each other And so what one proposes the other must Consider
Entertain Accommodate and Improve to the great ends and benefit of the exhortation given 4. And the actuated knowledge of the approaching day must quicken us to and in the more serious and intense performance of these duties Exhorting by so much the more by how much the more as ye see the day approaching Let me but touch a little upon these things 1. Let us consider one another for this provoking work or in order to this Provocation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word here in the Text imports strict observation of and great sollicitousness of thoughts about each other as to great matters for their Good So that we have 1. The Objects each other 2. The Act or Duty towards them Let us Consider 3. The end and scope To a provocation unto love and to Good works 1. The Objects One another 1. As to the great and Stated ends of our Creation and Redemption Such as the Divine nature and Life and Joy Gods image in us service from us and the delightful blissful and that eternal presence with us in the glorious discoveries and Communications of himself to us in heaven And as we are recovered redeemed by Jesus Christ So our loyalty gratitude and fruitfulness to him in all acknowledgements and improvements of his kind Conduct Government Providence and Grace unto the Fathers Glory through him As we are related to the Holy Ghost it is our correspondent Temper and Practice with Improvement of and our fit returns unto the Offered Accepted and Profest relations of the Spirit and his Communications to us his Operations in us and his Effects upon our Spirits that he might thereby suit us to the Concerns Priviledges of our Christian state and that we might be built up furnisht and possest as the Eternal Temple of the living God Linked and laid together and so related and obliged to each other dependant each on other and consequently useful and delightful in being heartily and practically faithful each to other unto the Edification of the whole in love that so God three in One may be eternally and evidently All to Universal Satisfaction For we were made and bought and are committed to the care of Christ and of the Spirit and we are accordingly entrusted with Gospel helps and means that we might hereby be the Mirrours of Divine Communicable excellencies and perfections the Monuments of prosperous and rich Grace and Instruments of special Service For these ends God Created and Redeemed us and in respect hereto are we to be considered each by other 2. As to our capacity of serving and reaching such Great Ends and Purposes The powers of our Souls the members of our Bodies and all our natural accommodations for these Ends. For we are men and so have faculties and powers naturally capable of and formed to a propenseness and appetite to the Supream Good and thereupon receptive of all the attractive influences of the first cause and were it not for our moral depravations and Corruptions and alienations of heart herefrom which we have sinfully contracted espoused and indulged considering Divine Discoveries Assistances and Encouragements procured for us and dispensed to us by Jesus Christ what hinders our return to God and unto those reciprocations of Endearments betwixt him and us to which by our rational Frame and Constitution we are so admirably suited Are we not capable of discerning what may excite enflame preserve and regulate our love and of the fixing and managing it accordingly We are capable of judgment choice and motion and reposes right objects being set before us in their apt illustrations and addresses So that we cannot speak to bruits and stones as we may do to men For nothing but sinful ignorance prejudice negligence and malignity or sad delusions and mistakes through inconsiderateness and unreasonable avocations and diversions can prevent the return of our first love and all these things may be redrest by our judicious well advised and warm discourses about these things duly attended to impartially considered and prudently and pertinently applied unto our selves Thus mistakes may be Rectified known Truths and Notions actuated Hearts affected Lives reformed and Love restored to its regular Fervours and Productions of Good works He that is capable of knowing what he is to do and why and of doing and being what most concerns and best becomes him deserves to be accordingly considered by us 3. As to our obligations and advantages as we are Creatures Subjects Favourites As we are redeemed to God by Christ so our obligations to the returns of Gratitude should be considered by us ii Cor. v. 14 15. We are Christs and Gods by him and so he must be glorified in the whole man i Cor. vi 20. And all the vast advantages of our Gospel day as they are talents and encouraging advantages put into our hands must be considered by us too and our selves and one another as Steward 's entrusted and accountable ii Pet. i. 3 4. i 4.11 So that we must regard each other as under ties and bonds to God and Christ and as greatly helped and furnished to be provoked thus if well considered and managed accordingly 4. As to our Spirits and behaviour according to our Christian Claims and Helps Relations Obligations and Professions Whether we foot it right or not Gal. ii 14. Whether professours value their Souls to their just worth or not in keeping them intent upon their great concern whether their furniture discipline temper and behaviour bear evidently their fit and full proportion hereunto How Gospel transforming and reforming work goes on with them Whether the Christian name and interest the Gospel and its Patron be credited and promoted or disgraced and hindred by us and whether our proficiency and improvements be answerable indeed to our advantages obligations and professions 5. Wherein our helps and hopefulness or our dangers mainly lye their Gifts and Graces and Encouragements and Advantages on the one hand Their Constitutions Customs Callings Company Temptations and secular Concerns and Hindrances on the other hand are all to be considered 2. The Act or Duty towards these Objects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us Consider 1. Bend your minds to observation of one another that ye may understand how matters are with one another concern your selves about the right knowledge of the principles tempers actions circumstances and concerns of persons so far as your duty towards them calls you to it For this injunction doth not countenance what we find elsewhere forbidden ii Thes iii. 11 12. i Tim. v. 13. i Pet. iv 15. So far as you may do or get Good prevent redress or allay evil under such circumstances relations and advantages as may notify that God then calls you to it and so encourages your expectations and endeavours of doing Good or preventing the sin and mischief which God would have prevented by you So far may others be inspected enquired after and observed by you But when it is and evidently appears to be to
Object my mistake and misapplication of this Text in that men our fellow Christians are the object of this Love and Service here to be provoked unto And I deny it not but it is Gods Image Interest and Service in and by them in reference to the pleasing of his will so good so acceptable and so perfect Rom. xii 1 2. that is the great inducement to this love And as these things are discernable in them communicable to them and followed or neglected by them so are they related to and all of us concerned in this Love and good Works either as Agents or Objects or both and of this Love and Service is God the Original Dirigent and Vltimate End Quest What is the duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest for the suppressing of prophaneness SERMON XV. Rom. 13.3 For Rulers are not a terrour to good works but to the evil REligion if right doth excel all other things in the world upon the account of its universal usefulness and the powerful influences it hath upon them that are true to it for the promoting of their present future and everlasting happiness Of all other the Christian Religion which we own and profess is the best and most worthy of our engaging in and immoveable cleaving to being pure and undefiled before God and the Father as the Apostle James speaks Chap. 1.27 v. Unspeakably profitable it is and advantageous to the Kingdoms that receive it and to the Persons who are sincere in it and studious of conforming themselves to its holy Precepts and Rules The sacred Scriptures drawn up and left by men divinely inspired and infallibly assisted from which alone we fetch it not from Fathers or Councils whatever esteem and Veneration we have for them do commend themselves unto the judgments and consciences of men who have not shaken hands with reason and fetch so great a compass as to contain and reveal either in particular or general directions all that which is necessary for us to believe or do in order to our full satisfaction and endless felicity in the next world and our present safety peace and comfort in this foolish and troublesome one David tells us Psal 119.96 The Commandment is exceeding broad It is long for its duration being aeternae veritatis of everlasting truth not any thing shall be diminished or cut off from it not any thing shall be chang'd or alter'd in it and it is broad for its usefulness extending to and spreading it self over all the occasions of men for it hath comforts Sovereign and proper in all distresses though never so pinching together with directions adapted to and fitted for all conditions and affairs though never so difficult and abstruse The blessed Word of God will teach you how to order and demean your selves in your personal capacities and in your relative too how to walk alone and how to draw in the Yoke It presents us with the best Ethicks Oeconomicks and Politicks in the World Aristotles and Machiavels are fooleries if compared with it This precious word being well attended to and obeyed will make comfortable Families flourishing Kingdoms and States Oh that all those unto whom the Lord hath in his goodness vouchsafed these Oracles would be so wise as to make them their delight and Counsellors Sure I am we should then be blessed with better Husbands and Wives better Parents and Children better Masters and Servants better Friends and Neighbours better Ministers and people better Magistrates and Subjects The beauty of the Lord our God would be upon us and that would make our faces shine Of the last mention'd Relation viz. That between Magistrates and Subjects the holy Apostle Paul treats at the beginning of this Chapter and so on to the 8th verse In the first verse he issueth out his precept from which it appears that Christ is no enemy to Caesar and the principles of Christian Religion not inconsistent with those of Loyalty The best Christians will be found at long run to be sure the best Subjects None so true to their Prince as those that are most faithful to their God for what saith our Apostle Let every Soul be Subject to the higher powers Every one Man Woman and Child that is capable of understanding what subjection means and of expressing it Be he of what rank and in what station he will high or low noble or base rich or poor of the Clergy by the Popes leave or of the Laity as some love to speak let him be Subject not overtop not exalt himself over that which is called God but be subject to the higher powers Who are they the Civil Magistrates Antichrist hath put in his claim here but he is justly non-suited by Protestants It is the Civil Magistrate whose interest and right our Apostle here asserts and pleads Kings as he speaks in another Epistle and all that are in Authority These we are to pray for to these we ought to be Subject to these we must pay tribute these we must honour support and assist these we are bound to obey not only for wrath but also for conscience sake and that in all things in which obedience to them doth not carry in the bowels of it disobedience unto God whom the greatest and highest of them are infinitely below This precept he backs and binds upon Christians with sundry arguments drawn 1. From the Institution Of Magistracy of what kind soever the Government be whether Monarchical or Aristocratical c. Still Government is of divine Institution It is Gods Ordinance and Appointment There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God It is not of the Devil who is an enemy to order and delights in confusion nor is it only by the will of man whatsoever they may and do contribute toward it nor is it ony of those who possess the Throne and sway the Scepter but it is of God who in his infinite wisdom and goodness to mankind hath determined and ordered it should be so who according to the pleasure of his will without giving account of his matters putteth down one and setteth up another and who hath infused such an instinct and principle into men living together in a Community as powerfully and effectually leads to the electing of one or more and setting him or them over them arming and intrusting them with power and authority for the administration of justice and publick affairs that by them common safety and good may be both secured and promoted and from them as from the head vital and comfortable influences may be conveyed to the whole politick body yea to the meanest and lowest of its members who grind at the Mill and handle the Diffaff 2. From the sin of those who refuse this required Subjection and oppose and resist the Magistrate v. 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God He doth herein run counter and Cross to the all-wise God and his declared will He doth as
of Christ in himself and in the world Such an one as valued carnal things above spiritual earthly above heavenly and a small fleshly enjoyment above so great and advantageous a priviledge as the Primogeniture Secondly Prophaneness is attributed to things Thus in 1 Tim. 4.7 Refuse prophane and old Wives Fables by which we are according to learned men to understand either the absurd Jewish stories or some superstitious persons forbidding to marry and the use of sundry sorts of meats or those idle and foolish Doctrines which place the worship of God in such low and pittiful things as external sapless Rites and Ceremonies Forms Modes and Gestures But further those things are plainly and notoriously prophane which are sinful and wicked Debauchery is prophaneness in Grain a wicked life is a prophane life To Lye and Swear and Curse and Whore are acts of prophaneness for people to drive on their worldly Trades to buy and sell in Houses Shops or Streets upon the Sabbath-day are acts of prophaneness This is a prophaning of that day which God hath separated from the rest of the days and sanctified and set apart for holy use his own worship and service and the good of Souls In short all that which is contrary to the Divine Law those excellent and blessed Rules which God hath been pleased in his Word to give out unto us for the right management of our selves and ordering of our Lives and Conversations in the World all that I say is prophaneness whether it be Impiety or Immorality Our second work is to enquire what we are to understand by the suppressing of prophaneness To this I answer in general the suppressing of it doth signify the keeping of it under If prophaneness be not carefully look'd to but let alone it will quickly grow to an head and soon over-spread and over-top all It must therefore be kept down and if through the negligence of some and the impudence of others it be got to an height it must be knockt down Such tough humours in the body Politick need and call for strong Purges and Civil Magistrates who are the State-Physicians cannot be better imployed than about such works as that More particularly I shall mention two things which the suppression of prophaneness doth carry in it A prevention of 1. The acts of prophaneness 2. The growth of it First There must be a prevention of the Acts of prophaneness Prophane principles in the heart of a man lying still and as it were dormant not breaking forth are out of the reach of others Neither the Magistrates Sword be it never so long nor the Ministers Word if alone and unaccompanied with the Divine Spirit can reach it or prevail against it That is the mighty and glorious work of the great Jehovah who alone knoweth the Heart and searcheth it and can change alter and mend it None but he that made the heart at first can mould it anew None but he can cast Salt into that Spring none but he can graft such holy principles as to make a corrupt tree good But wicked and prophane practices in the lives of men as are the wretched products fruits and issues of base and cursed principles may be curb'd restrain'd and prevented So that though the wickedness of the wicked will not depart from him yet it shall not be committed with that frequency and boldness and openness as it hath been and to this very day is With shame and sorrow be it spoken In the Heb 12.15 Look diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you You may understand it both of unsound doctrine abominable practices but I am now only to deal with the latter Sin lust corruption in the heart is a root of bitterness yielding that which is bitter to God his Soul hates and abhors it And it is bitter to man in the sad direful consequences and effects of it which when the foolish self-humouring sinner comes to tast he will certainly find worse than Gall. Sin is his dainties he rolls it as a delicious morsel under his tongue but it will prove the poison of Aspes within him Now it nearly concerns every one to endeavour the pulling up of this root in his own heart let him set both his hands to the work let him lay the axe to it and call God in to his assistance It is ten thousand thousand times more desireable to have in you that root of the matter which holy Job spake of than to have this root of bitterness in you But then it ought to be the care of all specially Governours both in Families Churches Kingdoms and Nations they should look diligently to it that this root do not pullulare spring up if at any time it begins to peep and shew its head oppose it with might and main trample upon it with the foot of just indignation never suffer it to shoot up bud and bring forth Though men will not be so good as they should do not give them leave to be as bad as they would It is not in your power to dry up the fountain but it is a part of your duty to dam up the streams and though you cannot eradicate mens vitious habits yet you must restrain their outward acts 1 Timothy 1.20 Of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme A strange way of cure to prevent sin by giving men up to the Devil yet such as God prescrib'd and prosper'd After the same manner let flagitious Persons be delivered up to punishment that so though they will not virtutis amore for the love of virtue yet formidine poenae for fear of punishment they may learn to bridle themselves and not to do any more so wickedly as they have done One great end of punishment being the reclaiming and amending the offender if he be not past hope Secondly There must be a suppression of the growth and spreading of prophaneness I shall hereafter shew you a little more fully how that sin is like some unhappy weeds that if once they get into a ground and be not timely dealt with will in a little while run far and near and overspread the whole they do not need any encouragement it is enough for them to be let alone Of all Weeds this wickedness is the worst and most diffusive of itself a prophane wretch is like one that hath the plague he is indeed a pest or common plague in the place where he is his very breath and touch his discourses and actions are infectious he goeth up and down tainting those with whom he doth converse who are not of healthful constitutions of Souls and well antidoted with the fear and awe of God And this was one reason that the Apostle Paul gives in the forementioned Heb. 12. why he would have such special care taken to prevent the springing up of any root of bitterness lest thereby many
of them do eternally miscarry they will die in their Sins but their blood will be required at your hands Whereas your holy care as to them will be very pleasing acceptable unto God as is clear from his former dealings in this very case He took this so kindly at the hand of Abraham that upon the account thereof he would reveal unto him his purpose Gen. 18.17 The Lord said Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do Shall I not communicate my Secrets to Abraham shall I do such a Work as I am now resolved upon and not let Abraham know it But why did the Lord ask such a question why might he not hide that or any thing else from him or another if he pleased being Agens liberrimum a most free Agent and giving no account of his Matters But what was the reason of this his so great condescention Or what was Abraham that God's Cabinet-Council should be as to any one particular unlocked and open'd unto him God himself gives two reasons of it one in the 18th Verse Seeing Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty Nation and all the Nations in the Earth shall be blessed in him I have promised him great Mercies and Blessings such as I have not promised to any man besides in the whole world and shall I after that conceal this from him which is a great deal less but the other reason to which I now refer you followeth in the 19th Verse for I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. I know him I am sure he is my Friend He loves me dearly His heart is set for my honour and interest He will commend me and my way to all that are under his charge and He will lay his Command upon them to love fear and serve me and keep my way God will manifest himself unto and set a special mark of favour upon those that are studious of promoting and posteritizing Religion and the Worship of God in their Families These are Men and Women according to his Heart Will you then study heartily apply to your Duty to this purpose will you teach your Children and Servants the good knowledge and fear of the Lord Labour to instil betimes into them right Principles and be dropping as they are capable of receiving Will you be provoking and spurring them on to their Duty by your warm Counsels and Exhortations will you lay your strict Commands upon them to do it as they would have your love and avoid your displeasure Allure them by your own example that is a strong silken Cord which draws sweetly The way to have them write well is for you to set them good Copies Oh let them not see Irreligion in you and Prophaness in you for an hundred to one but if they do that will do them more mischief than all your Precepts and Counsels will do them good Are you in good earnest when you tell them you would have them good then take care that you be good your selves Be sure to set up and keep up in your Families the Worship of God There were indeed Saints in Nero's House and an Ahijah in Jeroboam's in whom there was some good thing toward the Lord God of Hosts who can make Flowers grow in Dunghils and Wildernesses as well as Springs of Water in Deserts but these are Rarities there is no great reason to expect them such soils do not usually afford them Therefore do you worship God and Pray with your Families Morning and Evening a Duty I fear too much neglected by some who know better follow you the pattern of good Joshua in that excellent resolution that He and his house would serve the Lord not He alone nor they alone but all in a Conjunction Company is comfortable and desirable in that which is good Keep a watchful eye upon them do not trust them with themselves for the Scripture tells you that Childhood and Youth are Vanity and that Folly is bound up in the hearts of young ones there is an whole pack of folly in them and if you do not look to them they will both add to the pack and open it They bring into the world with them a great deal of corruption and that is just like Tinder and Touchwood that will quickly catch and be fired by those sparks of Temptation which fly up and down thick in the World Give unto them all the encouragement that is fit for them Children should have ingenuous and liberal Education and Servants not be used like slaves not dispirited and discouraged chid and beaten into Mopes Command mingled with kindness and love will be found to do best and go furthest but never let loose the Reins of Government hold them strait for where too much liberty is given a great deal more will be taken by which means if there be not care taken to prevent it that liberty will soon degenerate into licentiousness for it borders upon it already I beseech you therefore Fathers and Masters Mothers and Mistresses study you to be good in your places And since you are to govern other be sure rightly to govern your selves National Reformation will easily follow when Family-Reformation leads the way Secondly I shall direct my Exhortation to particular persons every one of you to whom I now speak and every one of those to whom this discourse shall come from the highest to the lowest of what rank and quality soever they are and in what place and station soever the hand of Divine Providence hath set them It is not so much matter what you are for greatness as what you are for goodness not so much in what Orb you are fixed if we may speak of such a thing as a fixation in a tumbling and rolling world as with what beams you shine I beseech you all one and other to look to your selves and be very circumspect and careful of your selves what you are what you do and how you carry in the world Every man is charged with himself though not only with himself yet with himself every man is to give an account of himself to God None of you are so high as to be unaccountable It is your unquestionable Duty to keep your hearts with all diligence and to ponder the Path of your feet You ought to be considerate men and curious and exact and to weigh things propounded to you before you close with them and actions before you do them Will you be perswaded to apply to this Duty will you do it will you walk circumspectly accurately not as Fools but as Wise not as Beasts but as Men not as Heathen-men but as Christians as those that have been under Gospel Divine teachings will you endeavour to lead such a conversation as becomes those who do really believe there is a God another Life and State after this a Resurrection from the Dead a Judgment an Heaven and an
there are many to whom the Interests of Christ were more valuable than to allow their Labors to serve any base Design But this of late was found the way of Church Preferments wherewith too many complied and made the Pulpit a Stage for a poor Oration rather than a place to testifie for God or bring Souls nigher to him Are Believers and serious Christians whom I confine not to any Sect or Party free from contributing to fill up the Measure of our Iniquity Oh that they were then should my Soul rejoyce in Hope but it s otherwise Alass how much have they made the vilest Abominations their own by not Mourning for them and by their Carnal Liberty contributing to them Our Gold is become dross How unedifying are their Discourses Isa 1.22 How unexemplary is their Walking Each one seeks himself and none the things of Christ Circumspectness is laid by as unfashionable The Virgins all slumber and sleep How few dare plead the Cause of God Matth. 25.5 or do express his Image What heartless Duties froward Passions notorious Pride and neglect of Education of Children Fast-days are kept without Humiliation Sacraments and Sermons are become Lifeless God is sensibly withdrawn and none bemoan it Religion is dying and none uphold it What a Chilness on the love of Saints to each others What sordid Divisions and Distances A new Standard of Godliness is erected viz. a Zeal for Parties and selfish Interests under pretence of Christs Interests Whiles what is essentially and undoubtedly his recommends men little How little do good men relish that Life Light and Love which is purely Divine Can I excuse Dissenters as such No To say nothing of some of them immersed in destructive Errors alass the more Orthodox have a share in polluting and exposing the Nation A vain Itch hath seized much of our Ministry we study to please rather than profit We envy one another run into Extreams because others come not up to Divine Institutions We overlook the Mercy of our Ease and Liberty because we abound not as others do Tremble Oh my Soul to think how many even of them persecute by Railing lying Reports Non-communion and censuring the state of Souls for Non-compliance with doubtful Notions Too many set up uninstituted Terms of Communion destroy the Pastoral Office promote little designs with base Tricks and grossest Lying under the covert of Equivocation and Surmizes Were it not that some breath another Spirit and more suitable to the Divine Nature and the Gospel of Christ I should sit down with Horror and give up the Land for lost The shadow hath sensibly eaten up the Substance we have fancied talked and disputed a Gospel Frame and practical Holiness almost out of the Land A dead form is that which most are content with and carnally plead for whiles they profess more purity and power than others Are these Evils in the Land or no Are they Sins Are they not General Arise O God! and Convince us embitter them to us Oh was there ever more need to crave the powrings out of thy Spirit now its recesses are so manifest How discernable will be its powrings out if thou bless us therewith 2. I do in the Name of God Call you to this true Repentance for these National Sins VVe have nothing else left to relieve us our begun Deliverance will be Abortive yea more destructive without Repentance VVhat Nation ever needed Repentance more whom hath God oftener Called and more expresly warned He hath long waited to be Gracious and must he destroy us at last when weary of Repenting The Ruins of all our Neighbours cry to us Repent or you will be more Miserable than we are God seems to be on his way to you with the Dregs of the Cup. Our Sins are of the grossest Nature the longest Continuance and sorest Aggravations Jer. 8.5 How oft has God punished this Land for them and yet we hold them fast What variety of Judgments hath he essayed our Reformation by but in Vain Thou Londons Plague and Flames shall not they Reform thee Will not former streams of Blood extinguish our Lusts and Divisions Shall we force God to repeat them VVe were lately on the brink of Ruin and yet the same Malignant Formal and Irreligious Temper revives God hath by a Train of Miracles respited our wo and begun our Deliverance Ezra 9.14 but what are any sort of men amended Methinks we should have past our own doom with Ezra Should we again break thy commandment c. Wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us so that there should be no remnant nor escaping These Abominations are yet more odious by our Profession and Advantages To be acted by such a Notion wearing a Christian Name these Villanies were tollerable among Pagans in comparison of us but in a place of Light we have thus Transgressed in a Land of Uprightness we have been thus Vile Isa 26.10 Oh the Convictions Struggles and Helps we must have trampled on The many Vows we have broken in all these Transgressions Yet in the midst of our Rebellion God renews his Call repent Oh sinful Nation Let the Cry of Mourners be heard in our Streets Oh let shame cover our Face if you have any pity for your selves or Posterity truly repent at last View the National Mercies you may enjoy by Repenting and that you are sure to loose by hardening your Hearts against it Read them over again where I named them are they not valuable enough to excite your Reformation Oh that all would concur in their places to Reform VVhen will Magistrates restrain Sin disanul all bad Laws and state the terms of our Ministry and Communion so that all may be useful and not spoil their efficacy by guilt contracted at their admission nor perpetuate our divisions the consequences whereof have been so dismal and are like to be more so When will Ministers engage in the Reformation of the Land by faithful Warnings sharp Reproofs good Examples plain and importunate Pleadings Will the grosly scandalous Gentry and People abhor their enormities and put away their great provocations whose cry is gone up to the Heavens Shall Englands Mercy be secured by a revival of Strictness of Life more Love and Power among Professors Will you be your Country and Churches plagues That great good which Primitive Saints rejoyced in the hope of or overwhelming Judgments which Posterity will be astonished at do depend upon the return we shall make to Gods present Call Mercies of the most Glorious Nature are in the Birth and shall your even your impenitence stifle them Oh return and if you will return let it be to the Lord your God Jer. 4.1 All changes that amount not to this will avail us nothing Your Prayers your Fast-days are as water spilt on the ground without Reformation How can I cease till the generality be perswaded to do this Lam. 5.21 Hos 5.4 which is so
no purpose to ill purposes or to needless purpose you must not do it 2. And then seriously pause upon and duly weigh what you discern by your enquiry or your more immediate observation and do not partially passionately rashly and censoriously form and fix your measures Give what you hear or see concerning one another your second serious and Impartial thoughts that so matters of fact being duly and truly stated measures of prudence may be advisedly and safely taken up and fixt upon So that when persons matters of fact your Christian rules and work and way of managing this great concern are duly laid in the balance of the Sanctuary and all this fixed in its just reference to this weighty end you may proceed accordingly in the Sincerity Tenderness and Wisdom of the right Christian Spirit And then 3. Be well advised about the most taking way of managing what you thus instruct your selves about the humour of the person your ways seasons of addressing your discourses to him the preserving or managing of your interest in him or at least your own abilities to prove what you accuse him of to demonstrate what arguments you advance and use and to enforce the motives that you would press him with And study your selves into a just measure of your own abilities a thorow Mastery and Command of your own Passions and good and clear discerning of and insight into the fittest seasons and occasions And well observe as far as may be mens Tempers Interests Ends and Intimates that you may hereby charm them win and govern them And if you would know men throughly mind them strictly in their Trusts their Passions Interests Companions Surprizes and Necessities and let each other have serious thoughts herein 4. And overlook no good in others to lessen it despise it disgrace it or neglect it but think distinctly upon all you see 3. The End and Scope of all must be this provocation to love and to Good works Eph. iv 29 15 16. i Thes v. 11. the tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright Prov. xv 2. Therefore the mind and heart must be intent upon right ends Rom. xiv 19. Not to let others know the reaches of our thoughts the furniture of our minds the nimbleness of our Tongues the neatness of our words or the briskness of our parts or fancies nor to spy faults or weaknesses for our discursive entertainments As the manner of some is Much less to make them proselytes to our opinions parties or perswasions in lower matters or votaries to our particular interests or humours Phil. i. 27. ii 19-21 I wish Professours Ministers and others would read these Texts and well consider them We must inspect observe and well consider one another that where we observe warm hearts and fruitful lives we might by our Commendations provoke them unto perseverance and proficiency therein that where we discern a mixture of things Commendable and blame-worthy what is divine may not be overlooked because of what is culpable nor what is faulty imitated and Commended because of what is there praise-worthy And that where we find our brethren overtaken with their infirmities and defects they may be dealt with in the Spirit of meekness and so recovered from their declensions and defects And so return to their first love And that we our selves may be provoked to and by their excellencies and grow more effectually careful to avoid all that did asswage their holy Warmth and Vigor He that considers others to glory over their defections and neglects to aggravate their slips and falls more to expose their persons to rage and scorn doth what the Devil would advise him to were he consulted with The truths of God and Soul concerns are fixed things and fervent hearts and fruitful lives are the Souls grand affair And he that minds his brother in the neglect hereof hath a corrupted and cold heart to purpose To make each other all light about the things of God and Christ all fervour in our love thereto and all regular and chearful vigour in the pursuit thereof is what we must design and direct our personal considerations to II. Let us not forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Here note 1. The thing not here to be deserted is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our assembling 2. The thing relating hereunto forbidden is our forsaking it 3. The tempting instance hereof proposed by way of warning to us is that the manner of some is thus to do 1. The thing not to be forsaken imports either 1. Our own Conventions for publick Worship in the general our open meeting together as an Organized Congregation Or Assembly wherein Pastours and their Flocks assemble statedly to speak to God and to hear from him and Sacramentally to eat and drink before him and so to recognize and represent our Christian state with all solemnity in open view together Or 2. Doing this without dividing distances and separations each from other under the notion of Jew and Gentile or of persons differing each from other about difficult or trifling things 3. Or our gathering others unto the Church of Christ by our orderly and alluring Carriage in this and other points of Christianity and so the additions which hereafter God will make hereto Or 4. The great Assembly of the compleated and Triumphant Church of Christ in the great day of his Appearance and Kingdom ii Thes ii 1. The only place that I remember in the New Testament besides my Text that this Noun occurs And in that place the Word as here it is being a decompound it fitly may be rendred an after Synagogue or gathering and how far thus rendring it in the Text is countenanced by the last clause that day I here determine not But I will here consider it in the first sence wave or lightly touch upon the other two and transfer the last to the Consideration of the last clause of the Text where it will be freer from Exceptions than here perhaps it would be 2. The thing here given in charge concerning it is That we forsake it not 1. In Thought as judging it to be no Help or Duty 2. In Heart as not attempered and reconciled to the solemnity seriousness and great concerns thereof 3. In Presence as abandoning or neglecting our personal presence and attendance there 3. The Snare that we are warned of here is Our being influenced into a deserting such Assemblies by the practical declensions and neglects of others Others do so they use to do it it is evidently their Custom and Practice 't is possible for you to do the same and to be drawn thereto by their Example But their Example cannot justifie this practice and therefore should not influence you hereinto and this Caution may prevent it and therefore should accordingly be considered and improved by you as being of such manifest and mighty consequence to your Love and Practice both as to the warmth and strength thereof 4.