explicates and declares the Atheist's State and Temper viz. Vain in their Imaginations Nothing is sincere and true that he thinks He is a Fool and hath wrought himself into Darkness pretending to Policy and Wit to release himself from all Obligations to Reason and Conscience that he may be loose to the World and free to his Lust A Fetch of prophane Wit and no Product of Wisdom but what in the Issue will prove Madness and Folly As there is the fullest Satisfaction in the World in the inward Sence and Feeling of Reconciliation with God and a frame of Mind tinctured with Goodness so there is the greatest Unquietness of Mind where there is an internal Displacency and Offence at the Being of God and a Desire to believe that he is not and to think all things alike for the former thinks he hath all Strength for him and that he that is well able takes all care of him The latter doubts and fears uncertainly suspects there is one that hath made and governs the World and fears that Power to be engaged against him And if all things be not alike subject to Will and Power he knows not what will become of him who hath taken upon him to remove Landmarks to controul the most famous Rights that are fundamental to the Safety of the Universe Irreverence and Disrespect towards that Being on which we depend for what we are and have is an ununiform incongruous unequal disproportion'd Carriage Now follow the dismal and sad Consequents BUT BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS Where there is not honest Entertainment of the great Truths of Religion and Conscience hearty Compliance with and Obedience to them but a failure in the main and principal Points of Life and Practice as where Men knowing there is a God do not glorifie him as God do not like to retain God in their Knowledge which is the Atheist's Temper do things which are filthy and take pleasure in them that do so which is the Atheist's Practice there Mens Pretences and Professions are subject to evaporate turn to a miserable account and come to nothing Become vain in their Imaginations their foolish Heart is darkned professing to be wise c. The ingenuous use of Truth is a great matter To receive it in the Love of it out of Judgment and Satisfaction of its Conveniency and Fitness to bring Humane Nature to Perfection to act out of Love to Righteousness not as the unjust Judge not to lay other Designs not to practice upon it for other Ends not to place it in the place of a Mean but of an End not to make Godliness a Trade Traffick and Device for Gain Hence so much so ridiculous contemptible and unreasonable stuff passes for Religion in so many parts of the World Men looking not after Rational Satisfaction It is very strange that any thing should be admitted for Religion in the World which for its Shallowness Emptiness and Insignificancy falls under just Reproof and Conviction of Reason Religion which makes us less Men Religion unintelligible not able to give Satisfaction to the noble Principles of God's Creation Such have been the cruel and impure Rites of Heathenism dissatisfactory to true Reason * and such are the Superadditions of Popery founded neither in Nature nor Grace How hath the World been scandalized by things pretended to be matters of Faith which are Contradictions to Reason if Reason be able to tell us any thing that is true Were I to take an Estimate of Christianity from hence I should be tempted to say with Averroes Sit anima mea cum Philosophis What rational Man almost is not tempted to say after him rather than so to sin against his Nature as to admit things of such Disproportion to all his Faculties Can we think we shall prevail with Men to put out their Eyes to disbelieve their Senses that they may become Christians The Turkish History relates a King of Persia's Inclination to Christianity * who was diverted by such like Reasons When as how well are Men satisfied in the great Materials of Religion which are entertain'd with Reverence and high Regard * As for instance To live soberly righteously and godly and * where Men fail to repent and ask God Forgiveness in the name of Christ * that is to say for all those that have heard of it These * Matters have general Consent but great Neglect And Mens Zeal is employ'd in Usages Modes and Rites of Parties By these Men are constituted and denominated Christians and rank'd in Order and File It is recorded that the Strifes and Contentions and Complaints of Christians have irritated some of the so Heathenish Persecutions The ill Lives of Christians and their absurd Opinions have kept Nations off from becoming Christian. Whereas in the true Christian Religion there is nothing which may not be represented lovely in the Eyes of all who have Principles of Reason for their Rule The State of Religion speaks the Mind's Freedom from impotent and unsatiable Desires from eager violent and impetuous Lusts from all those infinite Passions foul Fiends unruly Devils in Mens Souls which makes the Minds of evil Men to boyle within them as with the Fire and Pitchy Fumes of Hell There is a Harmony between the Principles of Reason and Christianity the latter acknowledges the former reinforces them advances and highly improves them secures the common Instincts of Good and Just and polishes Humane Nature This may be undertaken and easily perform'd notwithstanding the hard Conceits Men who are not experienc'd have of Religion The Knowledge of God * which Man is made to which fairly lies before him and he may easily attain to is by Men neglected unemploy'd not improved whereupon as in the Text Men run into ways of fond Imagination Folly and Self-conceit misrepresenting God to themselves dishonour him in the Worship they pretend to abuse themselves run into all Excess and unnatural use of themselves grow into malign and naughty Dispositions as is exprest Ver. 29 30 31. All this Loss Ruin Havock and Mischief breaks in upon the Nature of Man through his being wanting to the Principles of God's Creation within himself The free noble and generous Notions of Divine and Heaven-born Truth will not stay and abide with Men where * there is gross Neglect or Abuse There is strange Confusion where Judgment is further enlightned than the Mind refined and amended As where there is not Judgment and Knowledge of Right there can be no Expectation at all so where there is no Conscience in pursuance of Knowledge there what is done may be worse than if nothing were done as the Case of the Text expresses It is not so much the Disability of Mens Natures as their Neglect and Abuse that Men are not good Where Men sink down into Sensuality or become light-headed being intoxicated with vain Perswasions or lay asleep the noble Powers of Humane Nature or contradict them by violent and unnatural Practice there is Darkness Confusion and inward Torture All proves contrary to God's Design Justin in his History reports concerning the ancient Scythians That they had neither Houses nor Enclosure of Ground yet Justice had Honour among them not from Positive Laws but the GOOD NATURE of
Well and Unactive do not consist together No Man is well without Action nothing is more irksome than Idleness A Man must use his Faculties and put himself upon Action Therefore if he be alone and unactive he cannot be well In all honest Labour there is Satisfaction Whereas Sluggishness and Neglect are unaccountable and unsatisfactory The Mind diverted from God wanders in Darkness and Confusion But being directed to him soon finds its way and doth receive from him in a way that is abstracted from the Noise of the World and withdrawn from the Call of the Body having shut the Doors of our Sences to recommend our selves to the Divine Life which readily enters into the Eye of the Mind that is prepar'd to receive it For there is Light enough of God in the World if the Eye of our Minds were but fitted to receive it and let it in It is the Incapacity of the Subject where God is not for nothing in the World is more knowable than God God only is absent to them that are indisposed and disaffected For a Man cannot open his Eye nor lend his Ear but every thing will declare more or less of God It is our Fault that we are estranged from him For God doth not withdraw himself from us unless we first leave him The Distance is occasioned through our unnatural Use of our selves They who live the Life of Sence are apt to be beaten off from all regard to God by those Occurrences that discompose their Minds * But they who are separated from Body who sit loose to Earthly Things * which obstruct the Mind do easily receive the Divine Light Whereas those that are in Prison in gross Bodies need the Fire of Divine Affection to quicken them And this I understand in the Language of the Scripture to be Baptizing with Fire when Divine Affection burns up all contrary Principles in the Soul and brings the Soul into a Likeness and Similitude to God For the Divine Light received into the Mind doth first irradiate and clear the Mind from its gross and thick Darkness whereby it was unexercised and unemploy'd about God And this is the first Work Mental Illumination raising right Notions of God and Things in our Minds scattering * the Mists of Darkness * Yet Light alone works not a Change But there must be Holy Affection Knowledge is the first step to Vertue But Goodness * is not but by Delight and Choice It is a mighty unequal and unaccountable Distribution of Time for a Man to lay out himself for his Body and to neglect his Mind to feed the Beast for so the Body * is in respect of the Mind * It is but the Beast that carries the Soul And this for these Reasons Because the Mind is so much annoyed and disturbed by Body I speak not now of the Body as sinning and distemper'd But in ordinary Cases take the Body in all its Advantages 't is an Incumbrance to the Mind For when the Mind raiseth it self to Contemplation of immaterial Things the Imagination doth suggest the Management of Corporeal which are Things of an inferior Nature Bodily Sence reacheth but a little way whether by the Eye or by the Ear or any other Sence That which is equal just * and fit * that wherein we are most concerned in Point of Goodness Wisdom and Happiness these are all imperceptible Notions to every Thing of Body What is Fit what is Just what is Equal what is Good and Excellent what is Reasonable of these no bodily Sence doth judge And yet these are the Things that we are most concern'd in upon account of our Happiness A Mind subdued and subordinate to God in all its Actions and Motions is as the fublunary Bodies here below which are subject to the heavenly Bodies above as Wax under the Seal or Clay in the Potter's Hand The Motion is a great deal more noble and generous because it is in a higher Order by Illumination and Conviction by Perswasion and mental Satisfaction But it is not less effectual to * its Intent and Purpose Religion puts the Soul in a right Posture towards God For we are thereby renew'd in the Spirit of our Minds The Soul of Man to God is as the Flower of the Sun It opens at its approach and shuts when it withdraws Religion in the Mind is as a Byas upon the Spirit inclines it in all its Motions Tho' sometimes it be jogg'd and interrupted yet it comes to it self It is a Rule within a Law written in Man's Heart It is the Government of his Spirit We say Men shew their Spirit by their Carriage Behaviour and Words And it is true The good Man is an Instrument in Tune Excite a good Man give him an Occasion you shall have from him savoury Speeches out of his Mouth and good Actions in his Life Religion contains and comprehends in it all good Qualities and Dispositions of Mind It doth take in all the Vertues that Humane Nature is capable of which are the Qualifications and Ornaments thereof and which are the Mind's Instruments for good Actions Religion is rational accountable and intelligible The Difference is not more sensible between a Man that is weak and strong a Man that is sick and in health * than between a Man that is truly Religious and one falsly so You may observe it if you put them upon Action So a Man that is truly Religious if you put him in Motion he will acquit and approve himself so If he be false in his Religion you will see it by his Failing and Miscarriage of Life Such is the Christian Religion in respect of the Nature and Quality of it all the Principles of it all the Exercises and Performances that it puts Men upon it is so Sovereign to our Natures so satisfactory to the Reason of our Minds so quieting unto and of such Security against the Molestations of our Consciences so Sanatory so full for our Recovery that none who knows or doth seriously consider would chuse to have his Obligation to Religion either released cancell'd or discharged To conclude How unexcusable how unaccountable are they who have turn'd the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Grace of God into Lasciviousness and to use St. Paul's Phrase have made void the Law through Faith He represents it as the most sad Miscarriage to disoblige a Man in Morals to set a Man at liberty * as to those things that are reasonable and necessary For the Law of God's Creation is no way damnified but restor'd and secured by the Doctrine of the Gospel Yet these excuse themselves from strict Morality and Conscientious Living which the better sort of Heathens thought themselves obliged unto We prejudice our selves miserably by Mistakes Some think that the Hellish State is the Product of Omnipotency and Soveraignty the Effect of God's Power and they think of God that he useth his Greatures as he will giving no account of any of his Matters to Principles
eldest and first Acquaintance So Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this Wickedness We see that the Mind of a good Man takes Offence at Evil is grieved at it not at all fitted to it There arises a Displacency as in all Force and Contra-natural Impression Iniquity and Sin in the Conscience are of * the most mischievous Nature and Quality Should all the World agree and concur to sink a Man into a State of Lowness Beggary and Misery it would not be brought about so effectually by any other Means as by Sin and Guilt Where there is a pure Mind and an upright Conscience Innocency and Integrity there consequently are internal Peace Satisfaction Composure But on the other side if a Man have Sence of Guilt on his Mind where a Man knows himself faulty he fears uncertainly infinitely He fears every thing that appears yea that which doth not appear as the Poet expresses it for Guilt is always Prophetical of what is mischievous A Man may better apply here in this Case the Words of Ahab Kings 22. ver 8. than he did to the Prophet He always prophesies Evil concerning me 3 dly In respect of our selves As we consist of two Parts of Spirit and of Body so we shall fall under a double Obligation as to our selves And if we do our selves right we are under Obligation to our Minds doubly To inform our Understandings and to refine our Spirits by moral Principles The Mind is to be inform'd with Knowledge and refin'd with moral Vertue Ignorance and Improbity are mental Diseases And it is worse for a Man to have an ill affected Mind than an ill dispos'd Body It is so much the worse as the Mind of Man is better than his Body We find that Nature hath given Faculties And Industry and Study acquires Habits A neglected Mind is according to Solomon's Observation A Sluggard's Field grown over with Thistles and Thorns We may say of such a Man that he hath his Mind only for Salt But can any Man that is rational or sober think that God gave him an immortal Spirit but as Salt to keep his Body from Stench and Putrifaction The Mind being Superiour is not to be subjected to the Body nor to the things of the Body neither ought there to be an unequal Distribution of Attendance but according to the Proportion of the Worth and Value We ought to improve our Minds so far as much over and above as our Minds do transcend the Body Whosoever is proud and conceited whosoever is intemperate lascivious or wanton he doth hold the Truth in Unrighteousness For these things have Foundation and are grounded in Man * viz. Sobriety Modesty and an humble Sense the Desires of Nature are moderate and do keep within bounds So that in whatsoever Miscarriages Men do fall in all these they do go against their Light and hold the Truth in Unrighteousness Therefore Vertue in every kind is according to the Sense of Humane Nature the Dictates of Reason and Understanding and the Sense of Man's Mind And Vice in every kind is grievous monstrous and unnatural A Man forces himself when he is vicious and a Man kindly uses himself when he acts according to the Rules of Vertue And this is so true that all those that have abused themselves all but habituated Sinners understand that Vertue is conservative to the Nature of Man and that all Evil Practices destroy it Vertue is conservative to the Reason of Man's Mind by Sobriety and Modesty for these keep Men in their Wits And then it preserves the Health and the Strength of our Bodies by Chastity and by Temperance Thus have I shewn you the three Fundamentals of Religion the three great Materials of Conscience which are immutable unalterable and indispensible that are settled in the very Foundation of God's Creation I have also shew'd you that Vertue is connatural and well-founded and * that Vice is unnatural and destructive to the Nature of Man So that there is no Man hath internal Peace that is either neglective of his Duty to God or that is unrighteous or that is intemperate as to the use of the things of the Body or intoxicated by fond Conceits in the Sense of his Mind For as it is requisite and comely that Sobriety be the Mind's Temper so * it is that there be a moderate and sober use of the things of the Body For Nature is content with a few things That which is violent is unnatural That Excess which is unhealthy for the Body doth also stupifie the Mind So that upon this account also Vice is unnatural * What is contrary to the Order of Reason is contrary to the State of Nature in Intellectuals Those that are ungodly or unrighteous in these three great Instances that bear no Reverence to God that do not act towards their fellow-Creatures according to the Rules of Justice that abuse their Bodies do not govern their Minds * neither improve them in Knowledge nor refine them by Vertue All these do controul their Natural Light and are self-condemn'd Now if the Unrighteous and Ungodly are self-condemn'd can it be imputed to God as Severity to condemn them That Judge will be excused from all Severity who passes Sentence of Execution upon a Malefactor * whom his own Conscience accuses This will be the World's Condemnation that where Men either did know or might know they go against their Light that Men put out the Candle of God in them that they may do Evil without Check or Controul that Men take upon them to controul the settled and immutable Laws of Everlasting Righteousness Goodness and Truth which is the Law of Heaven that Men are bold to confound Order and Government in God's Family for so the World is that Men do Evil knowingly in the use of their Liberty and Freedom whereas God himself in whom there is the Fulness of all Liberty doth declare of himself that all his Ways are Ways of Goodness Righteousness and Truth And can God by Power or Priviledge do that which is not just Is there any Unrighteousness in God God forbid Yet those that have Liberty but by Participation pretending the Use of Liberty do that which is not fit to be done This will be the World's Condemnation In the case of Sin there is internal Guilt a Man doth wrong the Principles of his Mind he breaks his Internal Peace and will rue it to Eternity The Judgment of God at the last day will be easie for there will be none to be condemn'd but what were condemn'd before For Man's Misery arises out of himself and is not by Positive Infliction Men run upon Mistakes the Wicked and Prophane think that if God would they may please themselves and no harm done and that it is the Will of God only that limits and restrains them and they think that they were out of Danger if God would forbear a Positive Infliction This is the Grand Mistake Hell is not a Positive Infliction
but the Fewel of it is the Guiltiness of Mens Consciences and God's withdrawing because the Person is uncapable of his Communication Sin is an Act of Violence in it self The Sinner doth force himself and stirs up Strife within himself and in a Sinner there is that within which doth reluctate and condemn him in the inward Court of his own Conscience For if our Hearts did not condemn us all without might be avoided all else would fail if this Internal Guilt and Self-Condemnation might be removed But this Naughtiness of Disposition and Incapacity of Repentance is that which continues the Subject in Misery Hell * therefore is not a Positive Infliction but doth naturally follow upon Guiltiness and a spightful devilish naughty Disposition unto God and Goodness There is something in every Man upon which we may work to which we may apply to wit the Light of Reason and Conscience to which the Difference of Good and Evil may be made appear If we therefore declare Godliness Righteousness and Truth Men have a Voice to give Testimony and Conscience in Men will yield notwithstanding the power Lust hath over them If Reason may not command it will condemn Lastly Here you may have an account what it is that gives a Check and a Stop to the Motion of the Divine Spirit There is an Error in the first Concoction which is hardly remedied which is want of Advertency and Consideration Men do not awaken their Principles but give themselves leave to do what they cannot justifie themselves in Now there is no place for the further Motion of the Divine Grace where the former Grace is neglected and * render'd ineffectual It is self-neglect and voluntary allowing of our selves in Evil which brings us to Misery For there is no Invincible Ignorance in respect of things good in themselves and necessary No Ignorance excuses Immorality in any Instance whatsoever but invincible Ignorance doth excuse Infidelity in the chiefest Point The Reason is because the high Points of Sobriety Righteousness and Temperance God hath made every Man to know but for the Resolutions of his Will Man must be perswaded of God and if God do not make Application to him where he doth not give he doth not require Take notice then of the Boldness and Presumption of these obstinate rebellious and contumacious Sinners who having this Proclamation from the Majesty of Heaven that the Wrath of God c. yet will dare to continue in Practices of Unrighteousness and assume to themselves power to controul the establish'd Laws of everlasting Goodness Righteousness and Truth and to vary from tâ—e Reason of things to gratifie their own Sence and to please their own Humours and to serve their own Ends and take upon them to over-rule all things that are holy settled and establish'd from Eternity What shall a Man say to such Persons Yet the Atheistical and Prophane are guilty of this Contumacy But as the Apostle says Their Condemnation is just and their Judgment lingers not We seem agriev'd at God's Plagues and Judgments which do so much disturb our Peace and Settlement in the World but we do greater Acts of Violence For we imprison Truth and give God true cause of Offence and take upon us to controul the Establish'd Laws of Heaven and to do other things than the reason of things dictates to us and directs us to do For the Text tells us that those that are obnoxious to God's Wrath are Persons of ungodly Practice so that they are of themselves condemn'd They cannot give an account to the reason of their own Minds nor satisfie their own Consciences but are hurried on and transported by furious and violent Lusts holding the Truth in Unrighteousness they are self-condemn'd before they be condemn'd of God BECAUSE THAT WHICH MAY BE KNOWN OF GOD IS MANIFEST IN THEM FOR GOD HATH SHEWED IT Uâ—TO THEM The Apostle doth here take upon him and thinks fit in this great Affair of Life and Death to shew and prove by Reason From hence we may learn three things 1 st That here is a Check and Controul to the forward and presumptuous Imposers that take upon them to dectate and determine and are angry with all Persons that are not concluded by their Sence These Persons take upon them more than the Apostle did 2 dly That Religion stands upon the Grounds of truest Reason for the Apostle here after he hath asserted proves by Reason 3 dly God's Ways and Dealings with his Creatures are accountable in a way of Reason But some think that God uses Arbitrary Power and that they might escape without Punishment if he would and that it is nothing but his Will and Pleasure In the 17th Verse he hath declared the way of Life and Salvation and in the 18th the way of Misery and Death Therefore the Ways of God are accountable in Reason If this were not the Way of God a Way worthy of Truth we might ask why this Apostle may not refer us to his publick Authority who might if any * one because of his extraordinary Conversion and Commission from Heaven but he declines that and proves by Reason But this great Truth is hereby hinted that the way of Reason is the way most accomodate to Humane Nature Therefore let us lay aside imposing one upon another or to use any canting in Religion Let us talk Sense and Reason for the Apostle doth here shew and prove by Reason And God himself who hath all Priviledge he says he will draw them with the Cords of Men and what is that but Arguments satisfactory to the Mind of Men and in the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah shew your selves to be Men that is awaken your rational and intelectual Faculties and take things into serious and impartial Consideration and I will convince you It is an Apology for any finite fallible Creature when he is mistaken if he had some Reason for his Mistake and if he can but shew why he did so think you have him excused 'T is a high Advantage and Double Security to any Teacher or Instructer to have in readiness to shew that what he saith is not his private Imagination but is in Conjunction with the Reason of Things or the Principles of God's Creation and of Divine Revelation if it be a Matter of Faith This but by way of Observation Because the Apostle doth decline his Commission of Apostleship and doth prove by common Reason That which is the Apostle's Argument is that all those who in the Language of Scripture are Sinners all that are ungodly impious towards God and unrighteous in his Family they sin against their Light go against the Principles of natural Conscience imprison Truth and sin against their Knowledge The Argument is because God made Men to know that he himself IS and his natural Perfections This is here plainly attested in this Verse It is shortly spoken to But because it is a Matter of great Weight it is spoken more fully
Men will be fill'd with the Fruit of their own Ways and they cannot think that things will finally prove otherwise if they at any time of their Lives think with Reason But if Men presume and be regardless and disorderly and do not consider Consequents by their Antecedents they may flatter themselves and go on in a State of Stupidity But if ever a Man be Rational in his Religion if he do use Reason at all worthy his Make he will foresee future Mischief in a wicked and naughty Course of Life In this Case every one hath within himself what will foretel and what will forewarn what doth daily reprove and condemn him He carries Arguments in his Breast contrary to his Suppositions No Husband-man expects a Crop in Harvest but according as he sows his Seed No Man that is in a Spirit opposite to God Goodness Holiness and Truth that lives in a State of Inconsistency to Religion can expect to be Happy in any Enjoyment of God in a future State unless he can believe Impossibilities and Absurdities * And as hereby we may have Foresight of the future State of Men so hence also is the Account how it comes to pass that some Men are of a most tortured distracted confounded Condition at least at Times and Seasons in this Life having Hell kindled in their Consciences Hell-fire flashing in their Faces Hell on this side Hell So it is with Sinners They are compounded of Inconsistencies They have more Knowledge of God than Love and Affection for him They have more Light in their Minds than Goodness in their Souls By Knowledge they are one way by Affection another way And these Men when they are apart out of worldly Distraction they must be in a tortured and in a confounded Condition When they consider they conceive within themselves things that are monstrous violent and unnatural things which are Upstarts Traytors to Humane Nature Lust Humour Will Passion have dethroned REASON Man's Natural Soveraign and have usurped the Government of Man Where These are not subordinate to Reason and Judgment where These have dispossest the natural inbred Soveraign where These have usurp'd the Government and dethroned Reason what a State is it No Society so distemper'd and confounded For none of these Four were made to govern but they were to be regulated Where Men will have their Will and live by their Humour and in Passion and Lust hath Dominion over them they must needs be in a State of great Confusion because there is so much of Disorder within them The Dictates of Reason calmly guide us But Will Humour Lust and Passion are Incendiary Principles We see the very best of many Men by what is outward who put a good Face on it when they come abroad but are very ill welcomed when they come to their inward home Therefore Persons of bad Lives and evil Consciences love not to be alone They had rather be in any Employment than that of Self-reflection and considering themselves Few Men would envy these Mens Conditions notwithstanding they have some worldly good Circumstances notwithstanding they make a good Show in the World if they were acquainted with their inward Aches Tortures Wrackings and Vexations It is observ'd by Tacitus concerning Tiberius the Emperor that being conscious to himself of horrid Wickednesses and unnatural Practices he could have no Quiet of Mind notwithstanding his Divertisements And he writes That if all the Deities should conspire to make him miserable they could not torment him half so much as the Torment of his own Mind Inward Perplexities Confusion of Mind and Thoughts occasion'd by Guilt of Conscience and Naughtiness of Mind these transcend all the Tortures of the Gout or Stone of which Men have such dreadful Apprehensions For the Spirit of a Man can bear his Infirmity But a wounded Spirit who can bear Who hath a Man to direct comfort or uphold him if he hath not the Reason of his own Mind Therefore tho' ignorant Persons represent the Ways of Religion and Conscience as Melancholy because Men are kept within the Compass of Reason and Sobriety it is the greatest Mistake in the World Because in Religion are joyful Apprehensions Men fear not God slavishly They do not think he will do them any harm But if a Man be in a malignant Disposition and have Naughtiness of Mind he is upon all Self-reflection troubled with inward Vexations and Fears The wicked are like the troubled Sea As Violence in the World Natural is attended with Conflagration so in the World Moral it is attended with Exasperation of Mind and with Fury * In the next place then observe That we are to have God excused in respect of the sharpest of all his Judgments There are Sins of Men * that are far higher in the Rank of Sins than any Judgments of God in this State are great in order of Punishment For there are Sins in this World of which we have Reason to think that they must necessarily go before-hand into Judgment upon account of God's Honour and the Necessity of Righteousness Also they who lie under the greatest Violence in this World Men of profligate Lives and debauched Spirits suffer less by the Judgment of God than from within themselves It is intolerable to suffer as a guilty Person and Malefactor It is intolerable for a Man to suffer the Torments of his own Breast because he is guilty of his own Iniquity If I suffer under a Power that cannot be resisted * and for no Fault I suffer either as a Martyr for a good Cause or under an unavoidable Necessity being under no Demerit or Contradiction to the Reason of my Mind And then I have all the Strength of my Reason all the Courage that is in my Nature to support me But if I suffer as a guilty Person I am not then true to my self I shall have the Reason of my own Mind against me For Guilt is the Sting of Punishment Judgments are to awaken sleepy Consciences Those that are guilty are very shye apprehensive and sensible till by Use Practice and Custom seardness be contracted So that the Judgments of God are little if Men be not guilty For Self-condemnation is founded in Man's Guiltiness and Faultiness So true is it thy Destruction is of thy self and that the Judgments of God in this World in the Order of Judgments are not so great as some Sins are in the Rank of Sins Wherefore O Man whosoever thou art that sufferest wouldst thou effectually ease thy Condition put thy self upon Examination and the Motion of Repentance This will alter the Case And all the World cannot give thee Heart's-Ease save in this way Lastly This Text is to be read in the Ears of Atheists wherein are Two Things for them to consider What it affirms as proved by Effects that God made Man to know that he is and his essential Perfections so that his Opinion is against his very Make And how it describes
the People A thing to be admired that Nature should bestow that on the Scythians which the Grecians long instructed by Precepts of Philosophers had not attain'd that formed Manners should be transcended by uneducated Barbarity Hence it appears that the Condition of Humane Nature is not so very rude as some report since so much is found in the uncivilized parts of the World Nature is Sovereign to them that use it well in respect of that Modesty and Averseness to that which is not fair and handsom till Men pervert and abuse Nature's Temper by ill Use Custom and Practice Goodness and Vertue are more suitable to Nature's Sence than Wickedness and Vice Vice is contrary to the Nature of Man because contrary to the Order of Reason which is Man's highest Perfection Vice is grievous to Nature witness Irreverence to Deity Intemperance Fury and Cruelty every one feels it so in himself and judges so in others Man forces himself at first before he can at all satisfie himself in any of these In this Sense I understand Heb. 10. 16. I will put my Laws into their Hearts I will write them in their Minds * This is to be understood in respect of Spiritual Precepts founded in Reason and in the Law of the Creation concerning which we need not that one should teach another as in the carnal Institutions of the Law which being foreign to Nature and so many we have need to ask what next what in such a case Men may work themselves out of Nature's Sence out of Judgment of Truth by ill Use Custom and Practice They will not long continue to think * well after once they are come to affect and to do otherwise These two in Conjunction viz. the Affection of the Mind and Practice will bear up with too great a force against Judgment alone Wherefore unless Persons love Goodness and live well we have no hold of them tho' now they seem to think and speak well See the case of Hasael his present Sence and Words Am I a Dog c. but he did so Single Judgment and Understanding will not long hold out against habitual Inclination and Disposition Men unduly practice upon their own Judgments that they may not be disturbed and disquieted in pursuit of their Lusts but if Judgment be once corrupted there is nothing left to make any resistance Evil comes on a main Men go on with full sail Hence Men are Shipwrackt in their Fortunes within themselves broken and come to naught Wherefore in the state of Religion Two things are indispensibly necessary indivisible inseparable Care that Judgment be informed by Truth * and that Heart and Life be reformed by Tincture of it and by Practice And this is Religion PROFESSING THEMSELVES WISE THEY BECOME FOOLS This is said of Persons out of the way of true Reason and Religion These Words may be considered absolutely or in relation to their Conjunction with words which go before or follow after In the former way they afford this Observation That these that think themselves wise are least so for they know not themselves to fail in many things It is the Direction of Wisdom to acknowledge God in all thy ways and not to lean to thy own Understanding For he who trusteth to his own Heart is a Fool. SELF-CONCEIT intoxicates Men and makes them neglective of the Means of Knowledge They who are conceited are Self-Flatterers and towards others Importune grievous troublesom Whosoever falls into the hands of a Self-conceited Person who always is a Dictator and an Imposer upon others to him the Beauty and Excellency of the Divine Vertues Modesty and Sobriety are abundantly testified and recommended The Conceited have lightly considered the Uncertainty of things Variety of Temptations the Representations which are made to Man and our Disparity and Insufficiency to act or determine wisely in several Occasions of Life These are full of themselves but indeed are empty and shallow He knows not himself who thinks himself able enough for his own defence Wise enough to direct himself or who is Good enough to his own Satisfaction The Words taken in a Conjunction with what follows afford this Observation That it is not the Wisdom of Men but their Headiness Presumption and Folly to do in Religion without Reason or otherwise than as they have Direction from God There is no grosser Folly in the World no greater Wrong to one's self than upon account of Religion to come under Obligation to any thing in point of Judgment and Conscience which is not materially true as verified in Reason or Scripture All such is the Persons Superstition which tho' it be not imputed as a Crime to the Person who means well yet is not a Foundation of reward Builders with Hay Stubble suffer loss so far forth tho' themselves stand on the Foundation Man enslaves himself parts with his Liberty which is a dear and choice thing * when he subjects himself to that which made him not to that which is not soveraign to him as Reason is which is his natural Perfection his Home-informer and Monitor within his Breast neither is restorative to him in his Lapsed State as the Principles of Religion are He lays stress upon that which will bear no weight therefore will deceive him As the Superstitious imagines so things are to him but things attain not Effects according to our Fancies but their own Existencies and what they are in Truth and Vertue This other where is accounted Weakness * and Shallowness Nothing betrays Men more than lying Refuges and false Confidencies Religion is that which attains real Effects worthy what we mean by Religion viz. it makes Men humble not conceited Mild gentle not revengeful Good-natured not all for Self Loving not hard-hearted Kind not harsh or cruel Patient not furious not wrathful Courteous affable and sociable not morose soure or dogged Governable not turbulent ready to forgive not implacable favourable in making best Interpretations fair Constructions of Words and Actions not making Men Offenders for a Word ready to commiserate tender-hearted like the Samaritan not as the Jews who would not converse with them If this be in Men then shall the World be sensible of the Good of Religion and find themselves the better for it Lastly let us not run on in a Mistake We see how the Apostle goes on He begins at the Gospel of Christ See how he pursues it He treats of * the Natural Knowledge of God and Fatal Issue of ineffectual Entertainment of it They do preach Christ tho' they do not name him in every Sentence or Period who contend for all Effects of real Goodness and decry Wickedness For
than a Joint Concurrence of worldly things internal Peace Ease and Satisfaction of Mind Rational Apprehensions calm and quiet Thoughts a serene Heaven within which are the true Ingredients of Self-Enjoyment There is no Man Free unless he be Wise and there is no Man Wise who hath not the Government of himself For this Man is a Slave Solomon hath told us that he who ruleth his Spirit is greater than he that taketh a City And he that doth not this doth not enjoy himself Wherefore let us have clear Perceptions of the Reason of Things and Power within our selves without Distraction to do and resolve accordingly And then I account a Man a good Man a wise Man and well accomplish'd And he that arrives not to this lives at Peradventure and acts like a Fool He doth nothing worthy his own Species or the Rank and Order of a rational and intelligent Being For we are bound by Vertue of our Creation to act out of a Fore-sight of the Reason of Things as inferior Beings act according to their Con-natural Qualities And it is monstrous and horrid if they do not In like manner it is ugly and degenerate for Man that is indued with Reason to act at Hap-hazard and not out of Fore-sight of the Reason of Things This is as monstrous as it is for the Sun not to shine and to fill the Air with Stench and Putrifaction The Irreligious * therefore leave natural Use which till Nature be put out of Course and by Custom habituated to the contrary cannot but be grievous Things easily go on in Nature's way but being interrupted for a while at least strive to return to their natural Course Nothing doth well under Force and Violence The World hath an ill Opinion of Religion But if we will believe our Saviour His Yoke is easie and his Burthen is light His Commandments are not grievous David found high Content in them And Solomon all else to be Vanity It sometimes comes to pass through the Grace of God that some after a wild Course run if Incorrigibleness and invincible Hardness be not contracted by unnatural Practice upon Reflection and After-consideration greatly condemn themselves in what they have done and return to Ways of Sobriety and Religion and hold better to it because of former costly Experience Such an Instance is a great Condemnation to licentious and exorbitant Practices and a Testimony from Persons of double Experience of the better Ways of Vertue SERMON VI. ROMANS I. 29. Being filled with all Unrighteousness Fornication Wickedness Covetousness Maliciousness full of Envy Murder Debate Deceit Malignity Whisperers c. IN these words you have the ultimate Issue of the horrid monstrous degenerate State of Mortals This Catalogue of Vice is enough to startle and awaken any one make him considerate and apprehensive of his Danger * so as to betake himself to Religion and to come within the Confines of it that he may be delivered from such Abominations One would wonder that Humane Nature should so degenerate that these Villanies should ever be reported of any who by their Institution are Intelligent Agents Of this Catalogue I have singled out one and that is COVETOUSNESS which because it is a subtle Evil and very mischievous I shall endeavour to discover it There is nothing in all the Scripture that is put in worse Company than this for it is reckon'd with all the horrid Effects of Degeneracy and Apostacy Yet Covetousness shelters it self under honest Names It is sometimes thought to be Diligence Prudence and Forecast Good-Husbandry Cautiousness Weariness So often do Men ruine themselves by entertaining this Viper under gilded Names Tho' I cannot discover it in all its Practices and Degrees yet I shall do you some Service in discovering that which is in any degree gross destructive to Religion and against Reason and Conscience Covetousness is much branded and spoken very ill of in Scripture It is put in adequate opposition to all Religion It is a Principle of the basest Practice for it hardens it self to any purpose Through Covetousness Men make Merchandize of the Word of God and * it is amongst the things that defile a Man The Covetous God abhors The Apostle saith it is Idolatry Nothing is more threatned in the Bible We are specially warned against it and told it is the root of all Evil. But it is a cunning subtle Sin No Man doth so justifie himself or is so hardly brought to repent as he that hath a touch of Covetousness I am of opinion that our Saviour hath in his Beatitudes ONE that he doth direct expresly against the Sin of Covetousness tho' it hath been alienated from the Sence by the generality of Interpreters viz. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for that which the Interpreters do fasten upon this hath place otherwhere and * therefore if it be here it is supernumerary They understand by it Dejection Humility of Mind and Contempt of our selves so they make it to comply with these Scriptures the Lord is nigh to the broken Heart and contrite Spirit To him will I look who is of a poor and contrite Spirit I heartily close with their Sence but find it in another place for that which they call Poverty of Spirit viz. Humility may be referred to another Beatitude Blessed are the Meek which doth not only import Gentleness Affability and Sweetness of Behaviour towards Men but also every degree of Humility and Subjection to God And for poor in Spirit thus I interpret it He may be poor in Spirit tho' he hath an abundance of Wealth and Honour who is a Man of moderate Desires and is satisfied with those things which God hath given him and may be poorer in this respect than the lowest Beggar * who hath unsatiable Desires of Riches and an Affectation of Power Command and Wealth for he is poor in Spirit tho' he hath an Affluent Estate and can command the World if his Mind stand right and he be loose to it and above it as to any Trust and Confidence in it And he that hath but from Hand to Mouth yet if he hath inordinate Desires tho' he be a Beggar he is covetous By Poverty of Spirit I do understand a kind of want of Affection to the World A Disposition of Mind spiritually steered so as not to decline to the Wealth and Pomp of the World looking upon them as Means and not giving them the Honour nor at all placing them in the room of Ends. So that if a Man hath the World's Goods and yet in his Heart he doth not lean to them and if having them not he doth not thirst after them nor hath inordinate Desires to them he is poor in Spirit He may be rich in outward Wealth and poor in Spirit if he love them not and he may be poor in outward Estate and yet covetous if he desire them Poor he may be and have but little in the World
and in Converse with Things immaterial and intelectual Because else there is no rational Satisfaction And there is no Happiness where there is not rational Satisfaction For otherwise there is Tediousness Weariness and in over-long Use Nauseousness There is no such Reproach as to say that a Man is wise witty sagacious for worldly Things and yet ignorant in Matters of Religion Reason and Conscience 4 thly Who through base Love of Money as if it were conjoyned with his very Being hath not Power of equal Consideration in his Dealings with others but insists to the utmost upon all Points of Advantage upon all Terms of strict Right affording no Allowance nor Abatement for the unexpected Contingencies which befal Men in the several Occasions of Life For notwithstanding any Bargain whatsoever if there be Incidencies and Contingencies which rationally were not imaginable or thought of he that hath another under Obligation if he make not Allowance he is an Oppressor For since the Government of the World is not in our Hands since we are not Masters of all Affairs since there are Contingencies beyond Reason or the Power or Wisdom of any finite Creature it becomes every Man that hath Advantage fairly to consider and to make equal Allowance for unavoidable Casualities and Contingencies For I am sure this Man that doth otherwise doth not at all partake of God nor write after his Copy who hath magnified his Mercy above all other his Names who fails not to commiserate in every compassionable Case To this Man who affords hards Measure without relenting or after consideration all other * Men are but Means and Instruments to his Ends and Purposes And so they be but obtain'd it matters not what becomes of others This Man violates the Golden Rule To do to others as we would have done to us His Sence is if I am a Loser no matter what comes of things He matters not what becomes of the World so he have his End In this Case SELF is predominant And this Man is prodigiously Selfish and Covetous All other Considerations are subservient thereto 5 thly Who doth over-rule Principles of Reason Religion and Conscience and takes all Courses uses all Means to become Rich without Difference or Distinction without Consideration whether Right or Wrong Just or Unjust Lawful or Unlawful it s all one to him This Man is informed led and acted by the Spirit of Covetousness This Man is covetous in the * highest Degree Covetousness in this Man is Regnant and Triumphant He hasteth to be Rich so will not be Innocent But falls into many Snares and hurtful Lusts which drown Men in Perdition By these Five may every Man judge of himself I began with the least Degree and still rose every Step higher He is not covetous that can acquit himself of not being guilty in these And this every Man is highly concern'd to do Hence I exhort that we endeavour to refine ennoble and spiritualize our Tempers Let every particular Person employ himself as he hath Time and Opportunity in Things that tend to God's Honour and Glory in the World and to the Publick Good Let not Men satisfie themselves to do as Snails that live and confine themselves in their Shells and carry their House up and down on their Backs wherever they go It doth not become any Man that is indued with Intelectual Nature to be so particular and selfish Every Man is to think that the Honour of God the Publick Good and the Advance of Humane Nature ought to be predominant ought to counterbalance and over-rule his particular Concernment Let us keep from all Sordidness of Mind by coming under the Power of the World No worldly Thing is to exercise any Sovereignty over us Neither should a Man center himself in himself It is greatly to the Shame of Human Nature that we seem rather to love God for what he is to us than for what he is in himself We love him because he may be good to us rather than because he is the most lovely Object in himself the first and chiefest Goodness Rather as he is necessary to our Happiness than because of his own Loveliness Excellency and Beauty Therefore we consider our selves even there where we mind God Now till our Love of God be most simple and refined we must acknowledge in it an Allay and Mixture of Earthliness and Disingenuity we must acknowledge it an Affection short and unworthy of God who is the first Excellency the proper Object and attractive of Admiration and Veneration We should be wholly taken with God possess'd and transported with him The Contemplation and Thought of his Excellency Goodness and Perfection should so fill our Souls that Foreign Things should be driven away and be as it were nothing in this Order and Competition Our Souls should go out in secret Enquiry after God should ingulph and bottom themselves in him by Love and by Delight We should dwell with him never fall from him or sink below him or take ought else for him or return from him to any Embraces It should be the Language of our Souls in the Ears of our God Whom have I in Heaven but Thee or what is there in Earth that I desire besides Thee Tho' a Man should love God with an equal Degree of Affection to the Things of this World yet because the Objects are so infinitely disproportionable and 't is the Nature of Moral Duties to be measured from those Motives by which we are to be induc'd to them therefore of such a one it may be affirm'd that he doth not love God He that makes him but equal to any worldly Thing may be said infinitely to despise and undervalue him For the further Explication of this I shall suggest to you a Distinction not commouly if at all taken notice of by others betwixt Natural Principles and Moral Duties The mis-understanding of which is the Occasion of many Difficulties and Confusions about this and some other Points By Natural Principles I mean such kind of Impressions as are originally stamp'd upon the Nature of Things whereby they are fitted for those Services to which they are designed in their Creation the Acts of which are necessary and under no kind of Liberty of being suspended All things must work according to their natural Principles nor can they do otherwise as heavy Bodies must tend down-wards The Beauty of the World and the Wisdom of the Creation is generally acknowledged to consist in this that God was pleased to endue the Kinds of Things with such Natures and Principles as might accommodate them for those Works to which they were appointed And he governs all things by such Laws as are suited to those several Natures which he at first implanted in them The most universal Principle belonging to all kind of Things is Self-preservation Which in Man being a rational Agent is somewhat farther advanc'd to strong Propensions and Desires of the Soul after a State of Happiness
Thing For when we our selves consider what we owe to God how much we are beholden to him and how much we depend upon his Grace and when we think upon our selves as Christians as reliev'd by Christ and what we are thereby enjoin'd by our Saviour towards our Brethren we shall find it necessary to abate of that that we call our due It is this that the Apostle chargeth upon us in the Fifth Verse of this Chapter Where the Word that is translated Moderation Let your Moderation be known to all Men is let your Equity your Candour your Ingenuity your fair Dealing your giving Allowance to all Things considerable in a Case let this be known And I am sure if we do not thus use this Fairness and Candour but stand upon strict Right and upon the utmost Terms that possible we may demand we do not only part with the Nobleness and Ingenuity of a Gospel-Spirit But we take a Course that a cancell'd Obligation may return upon us JUST is determined Two Ways Either by the Proportion of Things one to another or by positive Constitution of Persons who have Right and Power First Just or Right is determined by the Proportion of Things one to another Not by particular Fancy or Arbitrary Will But by the Nature and Reason of the Things These Things that are determined by their Relation each to other are what we call the great Rights of the World that govern above and below and are never to be controul'd never to yield or give place For they are a Law with God and according to the Nature of God They are as unchangeable and as unalterable as God himself Secondly Right is determin'd by positive Constitution And that is in Two Cases By the Right of Property and by the Right of Authority By the Right of Property every Man may do with his own as he will He may keep it or dispose of it as himself pleases By the Right of Authority he that hath Power makes Laws as he finds Cause and so he doth determine Right And a Man is wanting to his Duty that doth not observe those Laws For it is to be supposed that the Law of the Place is not the Institution of a particular Will but that it is in Conjunction with Right and agreeable with universal Reason So according to Law in this Case is according to Right Now for EQUAL That is determined to be Equal which gives Allowance where the Case doth require and where Abatement is made upon reasonable Consideration But then there is that that is beyond all this that that we call Mercifulness Graciousness Compassion Benignity when a Person out of his own good Nature or in a Resentment of God's Goodness unto him or in the Consideration of the Fallibility and Frailty of Human Nature will do more than reasonably can be demanded or expected There are such Men in the World tho the World hath been blest but with few of them I am sure God deals thus with Men though Men with Men deal thus but seldom If a Man will observe the Rule of Equity he must take the Case into Consideration and cloath it with all Circumstances that belong to it and give all Allowance to the Person concern'd for sudden Surprizal for invincible Ignorance for contracted Necessity for unavoidable Accident For something which might befal him that he cou'd not foresee And if you will extend your Goodness to the utmost give something to the Frailty of Human Nature where there is no other Consideration Nothing * is deeper imprinted in Human Nature than Righteousness Fairness Benevolence And that Universal Benevolence which God by his own Right-hand did sow in the Nature of Man and did plant when he made Man upon Earth that Universal Benevolence which spirits the Intelectual World doth require of each Man towards another Faith and Truth Now in Resemblance thereof and in Participation of this Universal Benevolence which is in the Superior World the Intelectual World of Soul and Spirit you have the Resemblance of this in the inferior World viz. the Suitableness and Fitness that is in one thing to accommodate another As you see the whole Creation of God is mutually beneficial There is nothing that is in being tho' devoid of the Perfection of Reason and Understanding but hath as it Dowry a Disposition and Fitness to accommodate the Universe to some necessary Use and Purpose And this likewise is agreeable to the Light of Nature There has not been any Noble or Generous amongst the Heathen but they have deeply charged themselves in this Particular To instance Regulus a Famous Roman being in the Wars taken Prisoner he had his Liberty given him upon his Parole to seek an Exchange He goes Home he cannot effect it And tho' it cost him his Life he wou'd return The Justice of Aristides is so eminent that his Name is convertible with Justice He wou'd not consent to an Act of Treachery to save his Life to save his Nation This a good Author says of him When he sate in Council and was in the Exercise of Authority and Government he wou'd do nothing in Consideration of or with Respect to his private Advantage Also the Barbarians as they were call'd in Scythia This was a Religion amongst them They were call'd Barbarians because they had no Culture But they were famous for Moderation and the Love of Justice To conclude Since Equity and Fairness have such a Foundation in Human Nature since so much in Reason since so much may be alledged against the contrary since we our selves meet with such Usage from God particularly and since the Terms of the Gospel are such as they are * Let us take up this Resolution That it shall be the better for every one with whom we shall have to do in the World Whatsoever Things are PURE Holy Sincere Uncorrupt Unmixt Immaculate Clear Sacred I find in Scripture Six several Things comprehended under the Notion of Purity First by Purity and Holiness is only intended the bare simple Lawfulness of Things And it doth only declare in the Thing it self Indifferency Sometimes it is taken for Uprightness Innocency Integrity and Harmlessness Sometimes for Sincerity True Intention Honest Meaning and Simplicity of Heart in Opposition to Hypocrisie Cozenage Dissimulation Sometimes it denotes Separation from Iniquity and Moral Filthiness Sometimes it denotes a distinct Use. When a Thing is set apart from a common and ordinary Use then it is said to be Holy So in the Time of the Mosaical Dispensation there were Persons Places Sacrifices Offerings Holy that is they were separate from common Use and had a Peculiarity God-ward Israel was holy unto the Lord. And Lastly This is particularly and remarkably attributed to that peculiar Vertue of Chastity And this is call'd Purity and the contrary Impurity I shall now give you an Account of the great Distinction of Holiness REAL Holiness and RELATIVE The Subjects of REAL
himself Our Saviour was not the first Moving Cause but rather a promoting Cause Like to this is that which you read GOD hath raised up for us a Prince and a Saviour We read also that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing Trespasses and by him we have access to God with all Freedom So that we may accuse our selves before God and not favour our selves as Malefactors use to do to make the best of a bad Cause but we have such a Merciful Intercessour and so Gracious a Judge that a Sinner may aggravate his Cause before the Judge and fare never the worse So that who-ever he be whose Heart fails him to go to God he doth not read these Gospel-Texts but is rather conversant with what is said of the wicked Angels that God had reserved them in Chains of Darkness c. Now I desire that you would adjoin with the Quality of God's Nature that which God hath declar'd as the Result of his Will and can you have better Assurance The former is a fixt Principle in God The latter is his Choice and Delight and that wherein he hath freely engag'd himself And it is to do God Right to build upon his Promise as good Security to think that God of his own Nature is placable and reconcileable and then to think that he will pardon Sin upon the Terms that he hath proposed because that he hath promised so to do 3 dly Tho' stronger Arguments than these two cannot be brought yet because there is a further Confirmation in a multitude of Witnesses I superadd an Inspection of those Impressions of Goodness and Kindness that God hath stampt throughout the whole CREATION And there we shall find this that every thing maintains its own Off-spring and endeavours to bring it to good according to the several Natures * of every kind and if it be capable it bears its * Off-spring Affection Even the stupid Earth that we tread upon maintains the Grass and all that grows upon it According as things are capable they do express themselves by Communication and careful making Provision for their young ones and by Commiseration in case of Misery The most furious Creatures will expose themselves to Harm for the Security of their Young This we observe that all Originals to Being throughout the whole Creation have a lasting and continued respect to their Off-spring and from their own Goodness they comply with the Necessity of the Case and help and relieve if they can Parents do so to their Children and this is found in all inferiour Nature Now Humane Nature if it be right and be not abus'd is above all other Natures below it most Tender and Compassionate And this is the Security that all of us had for our Lives For we were all born in a weaker Estate and Condition than any other Creatures but coming into the hands of Reason and loving Affection no Creature is better provided for This that I have observ'd to you is so true that * for this you may survey the whole Creation It is a Truth so general and universal that I find but one Instance to the contrary and that is where it is said of the Ostrich that she lays her Eggs in the Sand not considering that the Foot may crush them and that she hardeneth her self against her young ones as if they were not hers Now we are wont to say that where there is one Exception the Observation holds in all other things that are not excepted Yet see what may be said to this very Instance that is excepted She seems to take some care of her Eggs and to make some Provision for her Young ones in that first she lays her Eggs in the Sand * that by means of the Heat thereof they may be hatch'd and then she covers them there so that if they meet with any Disaster it shall be by accident But if any thing yet be wanting see the Account that God himself gives of it 'T is for want of Understanding If she knew better she would do better Now whatever Perfection is found in any Creature it is primarily and originally in GOD other where it is by Derivation and Participation but it is in God as in a Fountain nay that which is limitted and confin'd here below is in God Primarily Originally and Essentially We all commend the merciful and compassionate Disposition above the cruel and malicious And shall we attribute that to God which we condemn in any Creature But then 4 thly 'T is a thing worthy of God We may well think that God takes more pleasure in Pardoning Penitents than in Punishing obstinate Sinners The Prophet Isaiah says Judgment is God's Work but then he says it is his strange Work it is that in which he takes little Pleasure and Delight For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of Men. God's Prerogative to pardon if it be lawful to put these things in comparison is rather more than there is Power and Right to punish and it is more effectual and more to the Purpose of God's Honour and Glory For when he pardons he procures himself Love and gains the Heart and Soul of his Creature but if he punish the Party endures because God is stronger and he cannot make resistance But where God pardons the Creature is overcome the Heart is melted he deprecates and submits and thinks himself for ever engag'd to God This I observe that Natures of any Excellency take far greater Delight in having Opportunities to shew Favours and to do Kindnesses than in having Power to punish There are very few Persons that take pleasure in being Executioners of the Laws that are Penal which makes the Office of an Informer so odious The best of Men take delight to gratifie and to shew Kindness In this case therefore this I will say If God do punish Sin he doth that which is just but nevertheless God is not by any Attribute of his under a necessity to punish Sin if the Sinner repent deprecate his just Offence and Displeasure and return to his Duty God doth that which is just if he punish Sin but then I dare not say that 't is just that God should punish or that he were unjust if he should not do it This for certain we may affirm concerning God that he doth act in a way of the highest Reason and Understanding and fullest Correspondance with the Right of the Case Now a true Penitent is capable of Pardon and if he fall into a merciful hand he may receive Mercy No Man thinks that he who hath right to punish is always bound to punish This we hold universally that to all Supremacy of Power there is inherent a Prerogative of Pardon therefore this is inseparable from the Majesty of Heaven who is Omnipotent But then 5 thly to inflict Evil hath only in it the Notion of a Remedy the place of a MEAN not of
of this will not be sufficient to give us solid Content and Satisfaction at that time nor be a Foundation for our Faith to rest upon Those words that we have read that the Wages of Sin is Death will then run in our Minds and we shall be then ready to say Art thou come to call our Sins to remembrance Tho' Men in a hurry of Business do not now consider yet then assurance of Pardon of Sin will of all things be most satisfactory to our Minds and the want of it will be the most afflicting Consideration imaginable 2 dly Being well-resolv'd and assur'd of the Way that God will pardon Sin let us always have it in our eye and put it in practice Let us be sure that we heartily repent of our Sins turn to God make Application to him and come under the Terms of the Covenant of Grace that so our Faith and Hope may finally rest in God as the Apostle speaks All that is reveal'd to us concerning Christ and the Gospel is for this End and Purpose and there is nothing in the World that is so well secur'd as the Pardon of our Sins and Everlasting Safety in the way of the Faith of the Gospel For upon these Terms it hath Settlement from the Perfection of the Divine Nature who is the first and chiefest Goodness and who cannot fail to commiserate every compassionable Case And I declare to you that the Case of a Creature finite and fallible if he do repent and turn to God is sorry for what he hath done amiss and return to his Duty is compassionable And this we are assur'd of not only from the Nature of God but from the Revelation of his Mind and Will For as is his Nature such are the Resolutions of his Mind and Will That SIN is pardonable is the Foundation of all our Religion and Application to God Fundamental to Faith and to all Affiance Trust and Confidence in God For tho' the Act of a Creature may be aggravated in respect of the Person against whom it is committed yet in themselves they are but Acts of Weakness And I shall shew you that they are so in God's account and esteem and therefore God doth not charge us so deeply for them as he might nor so much aggravate the Affronts against his own Majesty but considers and allows for the Weakness of the Creature So Psalm 103. 14. For he knoweth our Frame and remembereth that we are Dust. Therefore God doth not so highten our Failings and Neglect of him as he might do from the Height and Excellency of his own Majesty but he doth look upon them as the Failings and Miscarriages of weak and frail Creatures So Isa. 57. 16. These places of Scripture show that God doth consider what we are and gives allowance for our Shortness Weakness and Infirmity being the Condition in which we were made He considers that we are but finite and fallible and consist of different Materials a Divine and Heavenly Spirit and a Gross Body He knows that we have a great Government the ruling of sundry Appetites and must subordinate all the Motions of Sense to the Dictates of Reason and Understanding which is the greatest Performance in the World Yet this Humane Nature is put upon and herein we have a greater Province to administer than even the Angels themselves they not having so gross a Body as we have nor expos'd to so much Evil as we are But God he knoweth our FRAME and upon that account is not extream to mark what is done amiss A Creature as a Creature is finite and fallible and yet we are not the most perfect of God's Creation Now for Fallible to fail is no more than for Frail to be broken and for Mortal to die Where there is Finite and Limited Perfection there is not only a Possibility but a Contingency to Fail to Err to be Mistaken not to know and to be deceiv'd And where the Agent is such there is place for Repentance Repentance is that which makes a Finite Being failing capable of Compassion If Repentance did not take effect it would be too hazardous for a Creature to come into Being If upon a Laps an Error or Mistake we should be undone to Eternity without all hope of Recovery Who would willingly enter upon this State These are Matters fit for Consideration and very satisfactory to considerate Minds and to awaken'd Consciences Then 3 dly Let us entertain right Notions and Apprehensions of God and conclude that he is of his own Nature placable and reconcileable It is consequent upon Sin to commit a further Evil to delight in it to love it and to live in it and from hence to fear and hate God who is offended by it For this is certain where Men are affraid they do not love and where they hate for their own Preservation if they could they would dissable such as are Formidable and in a Capacity to do them Harm Now if we look upon God as our Enemy as we shall do if we sin against him and do not repent we shall fear and dread him and so Hate him not Love and Delight in him For this is certain we always suspect that the wrong'd Person will revenge himself and take all advantage to do himself Right unless we make our Peace with him And were God like unto us there were just cause for this Suspicion But we may satisfie our selves from what God hath declar'd that there is no cause to fear in the way of Repentance and Faith for as much as God will perform the Terms of his own Gracious Dispensation which is to pardon all such as sincerely repent and believe the Gospel 4 thly It this be true that we cannot be rid of Sin save only by some Act of God then let us not do that which is so much to our own Prejudice upon such easie Terms as commonly * to offend since it is not in our power to undo it For Sin committed cannot be avoided unless by God's Pardon as well as our Repentance And our Repentance is but our Qualification for Pardon Pardon it self is the Act of God and depends upon the use of his Power God hath Power over his own Right and may abate of it what he pleaseth Now if a Man once sin farewel for ever the Righteousness of Innocency this is that which can never be attain'd for it can never be made that what hath been done was not done or that every sinful Act did not deserve Punishment In this State of Sin we are only made whole recover'd and restor'd and this Relief we have by the Divine Grace So that we cannot in any Reason allow our selves to commit Iniquity for the time to come or to return to Folly for this were to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and to abuse the Divine Benignity and Compassion and to make void the Effect thereof and to do what in us lyes that the
strange Fire before the Lord. One fire to Reason seemed as good as another to offer Sacrifice with But because there was an Institution to the contrary whether they did it wilfully or carelesly they perished by Fire Also let us remember the Bethshemites who being transported with Joy and Affection looked into the Ark a Thing contrary to God's Appointment to the Hazard of their Lives Likewise Uzza in his Zeal when he found the Ark ready to fall as he thought put to his Hand to keep it up and was slain for his Labour it being contrary to God's Institution When we think of these things seriously we shall find cause him abundance thankfully to acknowledge God's Goodness that we are engaged only where the Nature of the thing doth engage and that we are not made liable and obnoxious to god in things that are not Evil in themselves and hurtful for us It is greatly hazardous for a Finite and Fallible Creature to be limited and confined by Will and Pleasure where there is no Reason that the Mind of Man can discern why he should be restrained For we are mightily for Liberty And unless we be satisfied in the Reason of the thing we have a great Desire to look into that which we are prohibited 'T is hard to be subject to Will * as it is Natural to yield to Reason Therefore it is not a thing that we should affect to come into Bondage or be determined more than God hath determined us Let these things be weighed by those Men who love to multiply Positive Institutions and to determine the Liberty of our Minds in Circumstances and Punctilio's in things * where God hath not limited or determined us For my part I will not part with that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free And this is one Part of our Liberty I must confess the greatest of all is to free us from the Guilt and Power of our Sins but the next is this to put us out of Danger and free us from the Obligation of Conscience where Reason and the Matter it self doth not oblige us The Moral Part of Religion is indispensably necessary because every piece of * It doth sanctifie by its Presence As * for instance Humility Modesty Righteousness Temperance Reverence of Deity and the like These Things cannot be in any Man's Mind but they make him Holy Whereas the Instrumental Part of Religion doth not sanctifie by Presence For you may pray and hear the Word and receive the Sacrament and be wicked still But every * thing of the Moral Part of Religion doth sanctifie by Presence just as a Remedy or Cordial or Diet doth do a Man good by receiving it * But to speak now * of the great Benefits * that accrue to us by our Saviour's being in our Nature He doth acquire the Right of Redeeming us and makes Satisfaction in that Nature that had trangressed And he doth repair the ruined Nature of Man by dwelling in it and by working Righteousness in it by which means he hath wrought out all Malignity and naughty Habits by contrary Acts the Acts of Sin and Vice by Acts of Vertue and Goodness the Acts of Intemperance by Acts of Sobriety and Temperance Now let us look for the Explication of * this in our selves in our Nativity from above in Mental Transformation and DEIFICATION Do not stumble at the use of the Word For we have Authority for the use of it in Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 4. Being made Partakers of the Divine Nature which is in effect our Deification Also let it appear in our Reconciliation to God to Goodness Righteousness and Truth in our being created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness It was a signal Evidence of a Divine Power in the Disciples of Christ at the first Publication of the Gospel that it wrought so great an Alteration in all those that did receive it The Envious Debauched and Disobedient It made Temperate Sober and Religious Humble and Good-natured It converted the Embracers of it to a Life more suitable to Reason and Nature and all Moral Vertue * We may observe from this that nothing of the Natural State is base or vile Whatsoever hath Foundation in God's Creation or whatsoever the Providence of God calls any Man unto it is not base For our Saviour himself took Flesh and Blood and that is the meaner Part of Humane Nature Whatsoever is Natural hath nothing of Disparagement in it nothing that exposeth a Man to Contempt and Scorn And this may satisfie those that are in the meanest Offices and Employments that there is nothing base that hath place in God's Creation That which is Vile Base and Filthy is unnatural and depends upon unnatural Use and degenerate Practice Also observe here the great Honour put upon Humane Nature when the Son of God came into it when Divine Goodness did take into Consideration the Rise and Advance of Created Nature and to recover and raise It to all possible Perfection He did take to himself a peculiar relation to Humane Nature Then let us take Consolation in this For it cannot be thought that God did so great a thing and of so deep a Consideration as to unite Humane Nature to his own Existence and to set it at his own Right hand to the Admiration of Angels for he saith let all the Angels of God worship him that he did such a thing as this is to beget a Notion or to raise a Talk and make a Wonder in the World and put the Creation into a Gaze and Astonishment God doth nothing for so light an end and especially not his great things such as these which call for Fear and Reverence on our part This we may say is one of the greatest Works * of God This if possible doth transcend the very Creation of God at first for there was nothing * there to resist him but in the Restoration there was Malignity and Sin God did this therefore for the great and unconceivable Good of that Nature that he hath so highly honoured Therefore what Consolation should we have from it what Declaration should we make of it what Thanksgiving for it Having this Knowledge how should we rejoyce in God and be above the World * how should we depress the immoderate Motions of Sense and savour Spiritual things that so we may the better understand this great Mystery by which we are so highly honoured And this is the proper use of this High and Noble Argument Therefore let this be explicated verified and fulfilled in us For this you must understand that Religion is not satisfied in Notions but doth indeed and in reality come to nothing unless it be in us not only Matter of Knowledge and Speculation but doth establish in us a Frame and Temper of Mind and is productive of a holy and vertuous Life Therefore let these things take effect in us in our Spirituality and Heavenly-mindedness in our Conformity to the Divine
Nature and Nativity from above For whosoever professes that he believes the Truth of these things and wants the Operation of them upon his Spirit and Life he doth in fact make void and frustrate what he doth declare as his Belief and so he doth receive the Grace of God in vain unless this Principle and Belief doth descend into his Heart and establish a good Frame and Temper of Mind and govern in all the Actions of his Life and Conversation RELIGION is not a particular Good only as Meat against Hunger or Drink against Thirst or Cloaths against Cold but it is Universally Good a Good without Limitation or Restraint * For Holiness and Purity of Mind is the self same thing to the Mind that Health and Strength is to the Body It is good * also in point of Satisfaction to the Judgment For no Man that useth Reason can otherwise sit down contented unless he be in Reconciliation with God unless there be fair Terms between God and him It is good * also upon the account of Peace and Settlement of Conscience upon which the greatest Good of Man doth depend for want of which nothing without him can make any Compensation Now to shew it in Particulars RELIGION which is in substance our Imitation of God in his Moral Perfections and Excellency of Goodness Righteousness and Truth * is that wherein our Happiness doth consist And we then relish the truest Pleasure and Satisfaction when we find * our selves reconciled to God by Participation of his Nature They who have not * this Sence of God may have a Religion to talk of and profess * a Religion to give them a Denomination but they are not at all in the true State and Spirit of Religion nor have they any real Benefit by it nor are they any whit enabled by it nor have they the more Peace and Satisfaction from it But when our Minds are transformed by Religion then we feel at least at times strong and vigorous Inclinations towards God And with these Motions * our Minds are best pleas'd and satisfied because these are most suitable to Nature and the highest Use and Employment that Humane Nature is capable of Upon this account it is that there is more Pleasure and Satisfaction in Contemplation than in any of the Pleasures of Sense and that those Men that live a-part from the World and are taken up in Meditation and Contemplation their Pleasures are more intense and solid than those * of the Licentious and * of such as please themselves in all the Gratifications of Sense There is no Heart's-ease like to that which riseth from Sence of Reconciliation to God and walking in Ways of Righteousness For in these Ways Mens Hearts never check them nor occasion them any Disquiet For let the World say what they will to be challenged by the Reason of a Man's Mind goes nearer to a Man's Heart than the Censure of all the World besides To act contrary to the Reason of * one 's own Mind is to do a thing most unnatural and cruel it is to offer Violence to a Man's self and to act against a Man's truest Use and Interest For all manner of Wickedness is a Burthen to the Mind and every Man that doth amiss doth abuse himself For it is not possible for any Man to run away from himself or to forget what he hath done He must stand to the Bargain that he hath made and abide by the Choice that he hath taken And in the whole World there is nothing so grievous for a Man to think of as that when he did amiss and made a mad Choice he went against the Sense of his own Mind For in this Case he is not Heart-whole There is no Man who knows himself but knows what I now speak is true Tho' I know it is common in the World for Men to do against Reason and to live by Chance and not to pursue any true Intention or follow any worthy Design But as it happens and as Company and Occasion leads them so they act be it better or worse Not considering that what Matter of Disease is to the Body which many times is very grievous and so indisposes a Man as to put him quite out of Self-enjoyment * the same Is Malignancy in the Mind Guilt in the Conscience Nay I may say that These are much more troublesome and grievous to be born than any malignant Matter of Disease can be to the Body They make not true Judgment of Religion that take it to be a Limitation and Restraint upon Man's Liberty Yet some are so foolish as to think that if God would we might have lived as we list and have been released from those many Obligations that Religion seems to lay upon us Whereas this is as great a Lye as ever the Father of Lyes could invent For Religion is not a burthensome and troublesome Thing which if God had not commanded might have been forborn and all Things have been as well No There is nothing in real and true Religion that is of that Nature And this I dare defend against the whole World that there is no one thing in all that Religion which is of God's making that any sober Man in the true Use of his Reason would be released from tho' he might have it under the Seal of Heaven For such a Dispensation would be greatly to his Loss and Prejudice As much as if the Physician instead of giving wholsome Physick to his Patient should give Poyson For all Things in real Religion tend either to conserve or * restore the Soundness and Perfection of our Minds and to continue God's Creation in the true State of Liberty and Freedom So that if a Man did understand himself and were put to his Choice he would rather choose to part with the Health and Soundness of his Body than with the Purity and Integrity of his Mind For as much as the one is his far greater Concern And he had much better live with a distempered crazy Body than with a troubled disquiet Mind and guilty Conscience But * on this Subject I have many Things to say and therefore will digest them into Five Heads First Man by his Nature and Constitution as God made him at first being an intelligent Agent hath Sense of Good and Evil upon a Moral account All inferior Beings have Sense of Convenience or Inconvenience in a natural Way And * accordingly all inferior Creatures do chuse or refuse For you cannot get a meer Animal either to eat or drink that which is not good and agreeable to its Nature And whereas we call this Instinct it is most certain that in intelligent Agents this * other is INSTINCT at least And for this Reason Man is faulty when either he is found in a naughty Temper or any bad Practice For he hath Judgment and Power of Discerning He is made to know the Difference * of Things And he acts * as a mad Man that
Compassion 'T is that which was required in all Times in all Cases of all Men Never any Dispensation in this Matter Never any Allowance to the contrary 'T is a Matter of full Resolution and required with a general Non-obstante And this cannot be said of very many Points in Divinity * Now this Disposition is requisite for our own Ease and Safety A Man would live in Love if it were but for his own Peace and Quiet For that Man is at Hearts ease that neither is nor hath an Enemy Whereas he that is an Enemy is never quiet if he carry Displeasure in his Breast so if he have justly made an Enemy he looseth the Liberty of his own Thoughts the Freedom of his own Mind he feareth and is feared So that the Peace Quiet and Security of our selves depend upon the Composure of our own Minds If a Man live in Love he is devoid of Fear for there is no Fear in Love whereas Fear hath Torment But perfect Love casteth out Fear If a Man hath an Enemy he is either meditating Revenge or Defence and a Man had better be asleep in his Bed than thus employed In a due Consideration of one another we shou'd live in hearty Love and Good-will For such is the Condition of Man in this World that we stand in need of one another's Help For we are all of us very weak and exposed to many Evils from within and from without and every Man finds that he hath enough to do to govern his own Spirit and to bear his own Burden Let us not add to it by Offence and mutual Provocation of one another It may be did we but know and were acquainted with the Condition of others we our selves would think it very hard measure to add to their Sorrow and we would rather help to bear their Burdens 'T is but a just Allowance for the Frailty of the present State For no Man's Bodily Constitution is the Matter of his own Choice or within his own Power If it be Choler that exposeth a Man to Rashness and Fury if Melancholly to Sourness and Severity if Flegmatick that exposeth a Man to Dullness Heaviness and Sleep if Blood to Frowardness Petulancy and Wantonness And our Minds are tempted to comply with Bodily-Temper 'T is only by Vertue that a Man doth bear up against Bodily-Temper and Constitution It is very apparent that the Material Part of Vertue and Vice have a Foundation in Bodily-Temper * tho' it * be neither Vertue nor Vice as it is the effect thereof but Vertue and Vice are constituted by the Consent of the Mind Yet this I say that our Souls pay the dearest Rent in the World for their Habitation in these Bodies Therefore to pass this He is little sensible of the Frailty of Humane Nature who doth not make fair Allowance and candid Construction who doth not easily incline to the better part who cannot over-look Mistakes and have Patience with Men a-while till they recover themselves out of Passion And much more unmindful are they and forgetful of the Incidencies belonging to this State who set themselves to exasperate inflame and further to provoke by unkind Returns and Misconstructions beyond and against a Man's Meaning and Intention But I see there is one thing that will rise up with a colourable Pretence against all that I have said if it be not removed and that is in case of different Apprehension in some things about Religion in which case Men say it is Zeal of God for Truth and that they ought to be zealous for the Truth and think they may prosecute their Brother upon that account because he is not of their Judgment he is in an Error they say and therefore they think they ought to bear him down upon this account Therefore this Pretence must be examin'd To which end I shall suggest these several Considerations First It cannot be avoided but that Men must think as they find cause For this is most certain that no Man is Master of his own Apprehensions but he must think and cannot avoid it according as he finds cause Secondly It is no Offence to another that any Man hath the Freedom of his own Thoughts By this he doth his Neighbour no Wrong For Thoughts make no Alteration abroad nor make any Disturbance and a wise Man will enjoy these and not expose them in a disorderly manner For a generous Notion is not to be prostituted Truth is too noble a thing to be * exposed in case of Mens Dullness and Incapacity in case of Indisposition and Prudence Men may be unqualified for hearing Truth as I Cor. 3. 3. where there is Envying Strife and Division He is a conceited Fool that cannot enjoy his own Thoughts and keep them from such as are not capable to receive them This was the Notion of the Philosophers who distinguished between the Truths that were fit to be communicated to those without and to those that were prepared They would not cast their Pearls before Swine But Thirdly Serious and considerate Persons * such as are real and sincere in their Religion do not greatly differ to wit not in those things wherein the Honour of God or the Safety of Mens Souls are concerned for these are the substantial things in Religion neither do they see that that follows which one that doth dissent from them doth infer to the Prejudice of either Yea they are so far from admitting any such Consequence that they will much rather renounce their Opinion than hold any thing that is either prejudicial to God's Honour or the Safety of Mens Souls This I dare undertake is really true of all that are sincere and hearty in their Profession of Religion And therefore to these there is due Patience and Charity I am much of his Mind that did thus apologize for those that did dissent tho' they were in an Error They do not err in their Affection to God Religion and Goodness tho' perhaps they are mistaken in their Choice But then 't is far better for Men to have some Mistakes in their way than to be devoid of Religion 'T is better for Men to be in some Mistakes about Religion than wholly to neglect it These very things argue that the Persons are awake and are in search after Truth even there where they have not attained to it Fourthly Whatever private Apprehensions are in other Matters wise and good Men do observe the Measures of Peace and Order in foro externo For they go by this Rule that Peace and Good-will among Men is of greater consequence than any private Apprehension Therefore wise and good Men do so moderate themselves that they will observe the Rules of Peace and Order Zeal in defence of Truth Conscience in observation thereof are high Titles Things of great Name But greatest Mischief follows when Passion and Interest are so cloath'd The Priests and Pharisees were our Saviour's Accusers The Zealots were the Destruction of the City and Temple as
These Things tend to maintain Love and Good-will among Men than which there is nothing more creditable to the Christian Religion nor any thing more subservient to the great End of mutual Edification So that this Argument doth extend it self to all Persons And a Man may be transcendantly charitable as to the most sublime Acts thereof tho' he have not one Penny if he be a Man of a fair Carriage one that affords equal and candid Construction and takes Things in good part is Affable Courteous in all things Accountable and ready to give Satisfaction and one that does all that lies in him to maintain Love and Good-will in the World This Man is of a most Christian Temper and Charitable in the most excellent Sense You see how many Arguments I have suggested to engage Men to Humanity Courtesie and Universal Charity * so as if it were possible to promote a general Reconciliation in the whole Creation of God * Now by Humanity fair Carriage and Suitableness of Disposition a Man doth gain a general Interest and this is an Argument to a Man's self Also * in acting thus he doth act according to the true Genius of Human Nature For there is in Man a secret Genius to Humanity a Bias that inclines him to a Regard of all of his own Kind For whatsoever some have said Man's Nature is not such an untoward Thing unless it be abused but that there is a secret Sympathy in Human Nature with Vertue and Honesty with Fairness and good Behaviour which gives a Man an Interest even in bad Men * and whereby they are even before they are aware inclined to reverence and honour such a Person And tho' through Passion and Interest and bad Custom they are put off from the Practice of It yet they cannot but approve it and them that practise it Upon which account it is observ'd by the wise Man that they who retain their Innocency and live according to the Principles of Humane Nature they are justified in the Judgment of such Persons from whose Humour and Practice they do altogether depart Wherefore we may detest and reject that Doctrine which saith that God made Man in a State of War Undoubtedly Man if he have not abused himself is the mildest Creature under Heaven Man is a sociable Creature delights in Company and Converse and by Conception of Notions and Power of Utterance is fitted for Conversation It is delightful for one Man to see the face of another for a Man sees another self another of the same * kind all being made by the same Exemplar after the Image of God and a Man wou'd not on any terms be in the World with Creatures below him * which wou'd be Presence * but not Converse It is not more pleasurable to see the Sun after a cold dark Night than it is chearing and reviving in the Darkness and Confusion of our Thoughts to refresh our Mind by Presence and Enjoyment of a Person we love * But nothing spoils the Nature of Man as to Converse more than false ZEAL What can we think of the Uncharitable Envious Malicious Spightful Of those who are Quarelsom Contentious Litigious Of those who are Revengeful Implacable Cruel Burdensome Intollerable Selfish who care for no Body besides themselves Given up to Passion Wrathful Furious Traducers Defamers of others Back-biters Who plot contrive to destroy for Religion's sake are Barbarous Inhumane Bloody to serve Ends of Religion Tantum Religio c. Is this the Religion of Christ Is such a Religion worth having Is not Good-nature which Man is born to a better Thing Is not the Vertue Heathens have applauded and practised far more valuable Yet some who pretend to Religion are such But they must change their Nature or lay side the Profession If this be Religion what is worse Common Good-nature makes Men innocent harmless inoffensive conversable If the Party's Religion doth not this at least it is something else in the place of Religion We say * it of some that they are the worse for their Religion otherwise Good-natur'd Persons How strange is it that any shou'd be so mistaken as in pursuit of their Religion to do such things as Reason is against and Nature startles at Now to draw up all in a Conclusion We are all of us in respect of one another free absolute and independent having our own proper Employment and Concernment both for Time and for Eternity and it may be said of us all in this respect we are our own Masters and must stand or fall by our own Actions But we have not liberty to judge and pass Sentence upon our Fellow-servants neither have we ought to do with each other save only to do for one another all the Good we can and to receive from each other what Good we may We have nothing to do to usurp Authority and tyrannize in God's Family or to beat our Fellow-servants Yea our several Relations each to other lay a new Foundation of mutual good Offices and payment of Respect And we may do Good and receive Good from each other more ways than one That is true which God said to Moses I have made thee a God to Pharaoh Exod. 7. 1. A Man to a Man is in a Sence in the place of God When God made a second it was in his Intention to be a Help to the First We may and ought to be helpful to each other and if we were as we should be we shou'd be the better provided for the more People there were and the more Men we had in the World * As Particularly By Counsel and Advice in case of Ignorance Uncertainty and Inexperience for some have Knowledge in some things and others in other And herein we may be greatly profitable each to other By administring Comfort and Incouragement * to one another in case of Entanglement and Suffering Also in a way of Supplement where we are insufficient either to bear our Burden or discharge our Duty upon which account it is said Woe to him that is alone for if he fall there is none to help him up 'T is well spoken of Seneca in this case A Man is so made for Society and it is so useful for Men to join themselves to each other that there is no Man he says to whom it is not better to be with any Body than always by himself alone But to do one another Harm and to receive Harm from each other in any kind whatsoever I say this It is violent and unnatural in respect of the Purpose and Intention of God's Creation For the Apostle tells us that God made of one Blood all the Nations of the Earth We are as Members of one Family and proceed from one Stock And from hence there is a Foundation laid of mutual good Offices and to do otherwise is violent monstrous and unnatural It is to break through and cast off the superadded Obligation that is laid upon us by the
Spirit than he that taketh a City He that doth subdue the Motion of irregular Passion doth a greater Matter than he who conquers Nations or beats down Walls and Bulwarks Therefore give me the Man of whom I may * say This is the Person who in the true Use of REASON the Perfection of Humane Nature who in the Practice and Exercise of VERTUE its Accomplishment hath brought himself into such a Temper as is con-natural to those Principles and warranted thereby Of all other Men I may say that they have neglected their chief Business and have forgot the great Work that was in their hand and what ought chiefly to be done in the World For the greatest thing that lies upon every one to do is the Regulating of his own Mind and Spirit And he that hath not done this hath been in the World to little purpose For this is the Business of Life to inform our Understandings to refine our Spirits and then to regulate the Actions of our Lives to settle * I say such a Temper of Mind as is agreeable to the Dictates of sober Reason and constituted by the Graces of the Divine Spirit Now that I may give you an account of this * in the Text this MEEK and quiet Spirit I must do it by looking into the State and Operation of it Through MEEKNESS a Man hath always fair Weather within Through MEEKNESS he gives no manner of Offence or Disturbance any where abroad And in particular I may say these * several things of the Meek and quiet Spirit First There is no ungrounded Passion no boisterous Motion no Exorbitancy nothing of Fury No Perplexity of Mind nor Over-thoughtfulness Men that are thus * disquieted know not what to do can give no answer nor can resolve on any thing No Confusion of Thought for that is Darkness within and brings Men into such * Disorder that they know not what is before them No Eagerness of Desire no Impetuousity They do not say with her * in the Scripture Give me Children or else I die No Respect to God or Man will quiet or moderate such Spirits if they have not what they are bent upon No Inordinacy of Appetite but * so as always * to be governed according to the Measures and Rules of Reason and Vertue No Partiality or Self-flattery * One of a meek Spirit does not over-value himself * Those of the contrary Temper are always putting themselves into a Fool 's Paradise conceiting above what there is Sense or Reason for No impotent Self-will He that gives way to Self-will is an Enemy to his own Peace and is the great Disturber of the World He is an Anti-God imposeth upon God himself and is within no Law * And in the last place No fond Self-Love All these are Verities of this MEEK and quiet Spirit And these are great things and tend to Happiness are suitable to our State becoming the Relation we stand in to God and to one another The Meek in Temper are freed from all those internal Dispositions that cause a great deal of Unquietness in the World For as mischievous as the World either is or is thought to be our Sufferings from abroad all the Injuries that we meet with from without are neither so great nor so frequent as the Annoyances that arise from the Discomposure of our own Minds and from inward Malignity I say that they who complain * so much of the Times and of the World * may learn this that the Sufferings from injurious Dealings from any without us are nothing in comparison to those we find from within For this inward Malady doth altogether disable the Fences and Succours of Reason This is a constant Malady and * by this Self-enjoyment is * made very uncertain This is the First thing that through MEEKNESS OF SPIRIT we are always in a Calm have fair Weather within our own Breasts and do arrive to a good State of Health and Settlement Secondly Through this MEEKNESS OF SPIRIT there is good Carriage and Behaviour towards others The Meek are never injurious or censorious but are ready to take in good part and make the best Construction that the Case will bear They will account other Mens Faults rather their Infirmity than their Crime and they look upon the Harm done them by others to be rather Inadvertency than Design rather contingent ill Accidents than bad Meaning The Meek Man is a good Neighbour a good Friend a Credit to Religion one that governs himself according to Reason makes no Injury by any Misconstruction and in case of any Wrong done sits down with easie Satisfaction How much do Men differ upon account of Moderation Meekness and Fairness We find upon our ordinary Application to some Persons that they will admit any reasonable and fair Proposal be ready to hear and take in good part are of easie Access fair conditioned easie to be intreated but others * there are of so bad a Condition that you may come twenty times to them before you find them in a good Mood or fit to be dealt withal They are seldom in so good a Disposition that an indifferent Proposal may be made to them But * for those that are of Meek and quiet Spirits I may say of such Persons either that they are very ready to grant what is desired or else if they do deny it shall be upon such Grounds of Reason as will satisfie But because things are best known by their Contraries I will shew you WHO those Persons are of whom it cannot be said that they are OF MEEK AND QUIET SPIRITS to wit the Proud the Arrogant Insolent Haughty Presumptuous Self-confident and Assuming For these are Boisterous Stormy Tempestuous Clamorous These Persons wil put themselves and others as much as they can into a Flame These are the Disturbers of Mankind and their Neighbours are rid of a Burthen when they are removed What Storms and Tempests are in the World Natural these are in the World Moral Earthquakes Storms and Tempests do not lie more heavy upon the World Natural than these Men do upon the World of Mankind But Meekness doth so qualifie the Soil where it is that all the Moral Vertues will * there thrive and prosper such as Humility Modesty Patience Ingenuity Candour But Malice and Envy are the worst of Vices being the greatest Degeneracy and Participation of the Devilish Nature These have no place in this Meek and quiet Spirit Lastly I add that an ILL-NATURED Person is altogether uncapable of Happiness If therefore it hath been any one's Lot either to have been born or bred to an Ill-nature I say in this case He is more concerned to apply a Remedy than he that hath received a Deadly Wound or is Bodily Sick hath to apply himself to the Chyrurgion or to the Physician least his Wound or Disease should prove Mortal For these inward Maladies will otherwise prove fatal to his Soul and the only Remedy to be applyed is
The WORLD which by the Appointment of God is a Place habitable and fit to live in it turns into a Wilderness of Tygers and Savage Creatures For the Apostle saith Whence come Wars and Fightings Come they not from your Lusts that war in your Numbers If it were not for the Exorbitancy of Mens Spirits and Wickedness of Mens Hearts and Lives it would be the better for every Man by how many the more Men there were in * the World Whereas now many Men are formidable And a Man runs a Hazard to run into Company * Another Consideration is the Unaccountableness of not revoking by Repentance what a Man hath done amiss For this Second Evil is greater than the First For not to repent is to justifie the Evil that hath been done and to stand to it For the first Evil something may be alledged to wit Ignorance Inadvertency Temptation and the like But where Men continue in Evil and do not revoke it by Repentance this tends to settle them in a wicked Mind It is our contracting Guilt and giving God an Offence by our Carelessness and consenting to Iniquity that is the Cause of all that Trouble and Perplexity that befals us There is no Foundation of internal Peace but in a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and Man He that carries Guilt in his Breast hath Tophet burning within him The Conscience not eased by Repentance but under Guilt hath Horrour and Confusion which is a Hell on this side Hell I had almost said the worst of Hell its self For if to this we add the Sense of God's Offence you have the Hell of Hell There is no Pleasure or Satisfaction either in Life or at the Hour of Death but in living according to the Dictates of right Reason For this is the Light of God in Men God's Viceroy or Vicegerent And that which is Fundamental to Conscience So that if we approve our selves therein we shall not give God Offence nor wound our own Spirits And for this I dare refer my self to any Man who hath not contracted Reprobacy of Mind that these Things are so But for such Men they can no more judge of the Reality of a State than Men that are in a Fever can relish Food This in reality may be defended against the whole World that there is nothing Desirable Lasting or Satisfactory but what is HONEST Nothing that is Base or Vile can be Pleasant Good Men who are under the Power of Reason and Religion they are FREE Men and Happy in any Condition whether sick or well at liberty or shut up And Bad Men are SLAVES in the best Condition For they are under the Tyranny of their Lusts which are Tyrants and Usurpers that have no Authority nor any Right to govern The Desires of Nature are moderate But the Cravings of inordinate Appetites are neither to be resisted nor satisfied And hence it comes to pass that VERTUE is antecedent to Happiness and VICE to Misery It is Vice and Wickedness that fills a Man with Uneasiness Disorder Doubtfulness and Irresolution And these put a Man besides himself and out of the true Use of Reason which doth represent God to Man * So that he is * even a mad Man that questions his Being or that dares to give God an Offence by doing any Thing that is Evil For we account that these Two go together To know GOD and the Difference between Good and Evil Right and Wrong And they that have apostatized from Matters of Revelation yet have acknowledged that there is belonging to the Nature of Man an Inclination to and a Perswasion of a Divine Being For most certain it is that the Mind of Man as to God holds the same Sufficiency and Proportion that the EYE of Man holds to Light which if a Man do but open he cannot but see So if a Man do but use Reason he must see and acknowledge God The wise Man tells us That the Spirit of a Man is the Candle of the Lord. A Candle lighted by God and serving to this Purpose to discern and discover God And truly were it not thus wherein would consist the Excellency of Human Nature above the Inferiour Nature What a contemptible Creature were Man if he could not lift up himself above these Worldy Things * Were it not thus Life it self were not greatly valuable Take from Man this Power and Capacity and there is nothing in the World for which a Man would suffer Pain or Cold or break his Sleep For What is there in Worldly Drudgery We often have little more than our Labour for our Travel Now this is my Argument If Nature carry in it Sense of Deity and if to the Nature of Man belong true Notions of the several Perfections that are in God I mean his Moral Perfections As Truth Goodness Purity Holiness and the like and that those who have had no Revelation from God have arrived to a full Satisfaction of the Existence of Deity and have had Sense of Good and Evil Right and Wrong * then they who fall short of these Measures fall under Force and Violence and lay * within themselves the Foundation of Uncertainty and Distraction Because they have a Principle within themselves that doth reprove and challenge countermand and controul For it is a great Matter for a Man to approve himself to himself and to satisfie the Reason of his own Mind How true is that of the Prophet which also is verified by Reason there is no Peace * saith he to the Wicked But they are like the troubled Sea that cannot rest Nothing is more true than * that if a Man be Guilty and vary from the Rule of Right and depart from Reason he wrongs himself goes against his Principle and the Law of his Nature and shakes off his Governour Therefore cannot have Peace or Satisfaction For these Things are in Conjunction and cannot be separated viz. Innocency and Peace And on the contrary these go together Guiltiness and Perplexity of Thoughts And these Things are not as Men will or as they order and chuse but they are conjoyn'd in the Nature of Things themselves And these Things being so RELIGION recommends it self from its Usefulness and is not to be look'd upon as an Imposition or a Burthen laid upon the Nature of Man But ought to be a Matter of our Delight and Choice But then the last Consideration is this That the Perfection and Happiness of Humane Nature consists in the right Use of our Rational Faculties and in the Vigour and Intense Exercise of them about their proper and proportionable Object And what Object can be more proportionable than GOD himself the Original of our Being Him from whom it did flow Who is the Pattern of all Excellency and Goodness If therefore we find not Rest and greater Satisfaction in HIM than in all Worldly Pleasure and Delight it is because we have not exerted our highest and noblest Faculties in that