is our Happiness as we are Members of Christ's Church to be under the Direction of Nor can any thing be better contrived for the Happiness of Men Its Laws aâ—â— excellently contrived for the good Order and Happiness of Mankind with relation to themselves or others than what the Laws of our Saviour do directly tend to As to our selves they do so powerfully tend to mortify our Lusts and Appetites those Rebels to our own Reason to moderate our Passions and Affections which so violently rack and disturb our own Breasts and they are excellently fitted also to make us so Humble and Self-denying so Temperate and Sober so Chast and Pure as Men on Earth would appear to be Angels come from Heaven were the Laws of Christ universally followed And lastly as to Others such Justice and Uprightness such Charity and Kindness such Quiet and Peaceableness does Christianity incline Men to upon which account the State of the Gospel is represented as that In which nothing should destroy nor hurt in the holy Mountain Isa 11.9 And let me also add such Prudent and Fatherly Care of Children Servants and Dependants do the Laws of Christ prescribe as would make a Heaven here upon Earth were they universally Obey'd I say were they universally Obey'd And yet to add to all this Excellency of Christ's Government and Laws over us already seen so Powerful is our Obedience to all these Laws Enforc'd by those mighty Principles and Motives of Christianity And are Enforc'd by most powerful Principles and Motives viz. The Articles of our Christian Faith I mean so very Perswasive and Forcible are the Motives which Christ does give us to the Practise of these Vertues beyond what was in any Reasons and Motives which the Philosophers or even Moses did give the Gentiles or the Jews to be in any degree Vertuous that this is another addition to our Advantage in having Christ for our Supreme Head and Law-giver and in being Members of Christ's Church In a word so Honourable to God so Perfective of our own Natures and so Beneficial to mankind are the Laws of Christ and so well is our Obedience secur'd to 'em by those Principles he has taught us that this very Thing does speak our exceeding Great Priviledge in being Members of Christ and under his Conduct and Government as our supreme Head and Law-giver But especially this Advantage will appear to be very Great if we consider How that together with those most excellent Laws that he has given us he has also appointed us most Edifying and comfortable Ordinances Another Branch of this first Part of a Christian's Priviledge are most Edifying and Comfortable Institutions and Ordinances to conduct us to Heaven Now by Divine Institutions and Ordinances I do mean those positive Appointments and Observations which he has given his Church and all the Members thereof for their Improvement in the Knowledge and Practice of his Holy Religion and Laws And that which our Great Law-giver has done of this Nature is this He has Ordain'd solemn and set Days viz. The Christian Sabbaths for his own Service He has Order'd that publick Assemblies of all Christians should be held upon those Days He has Authoriz'd and Commanded the Publication and Preaching of his Laws at those publick Assemblies He has appointed that Common Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings for Divine Grace and Assistance to Enable us to perform these Laws then Preacht and for other Mercies should be jointly put up to him by all Christians on those solemn Days and publick Assemblies And lastly he has Enjoin'd therein the use of Sacraments as means of Conveying such Grace and Assistance and also as Oaths and Obligations upon us to be Obedient to those Laws All which are the Priviledges that do belong to the Members of Christ's Visible Church And if we compare 'em with what others want of this Nature they are indeed most singular Favours vouchsafed only to such as are Members thereof and which Aliens and Strangers have no Right nor Admittance to And consider'd in themselves they are most admirable Advantages towards the Observation of God's most Holy Laws and in order to a Holy and Good Life I. â—lick Orâ—ances the â—viledge of â—ry Memâ— of Christ's â—rch First I say All these foremention'd Priviledges do belong to the Members of Christ's Church to such as have been Baptized and profess themselves to be Christians To understand which Rights and Priviledges the better you must know that as there are Two sorts of Members in the visible Church so there are Two kinds of Priviledges that belong to each sort as One rightly states this Matter each having those Priviledges which are proper and peculiar to 'em according to the relation they bear to the Head and their Fellow-members First There are Members only by Foederal or Covenant Holiness such are only Born of Water when by Baptism they are United to Christ and the Church and took upon them the Profession and Practice of the Christian Religion Now the Priviledges that do belong to these are of the same make with their Church-Membership Outward and consisting only in outward and publick Communion with the Church in Word and Ordinances Secondly There are Members by Real and Inherent Holiness such as are not only Born of Water but of the Spirit also when by the inward Operation of the Holy Ghost their Souls are Renew'd after the Image of God and made Partakers of a Divine Nature And the Priviledges that do belong to these are not only the foremention'd Ones but together with them others that are suitable to their more spiritual Relations Inward and such as consist in the special and particular Care and Protection of God and in the more plentiful Measures of his Grace and in the more sensible Comforts of his Holy Spirit according to that of our Saviour Mat. 25.29 Vnto every One that hath or Improveth those Talents of Grace he has received shall be given and he shall have abundance So that these latter and more peculiar Priviledges indeed do not belong to every Member of the visible Church but to those only who are sincere in their Profession of Christianity and who by their more than ordinary Piety are become Dear to God But then as to Outward Priviledges it is not only the Duty but it is the Priviledge which of Right belongs to Every Member of Christ's Church to Observe the Lord's Day to be Present in the Publick Assemblies to Join in the Common Prayers and even to Partake when of Age of the Lord's Supper So we find Acts 2.41 42. That the whole Three Thousand Souls who received the Word and were Baptized continued stedfastly in the Apostle's Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers True it is such is that more than ordinary Regard that the Church of Christ has for the Lord's Supper that most solemn Ordinance in the Christian Religion that when any Member becomes Scandalous for
excellent Sermons and Discourses of his most admirable Example and Life and of his Death and Sufferings to Root out of the Lives of Men whatsoever is Sinful and Wicked and to Implant in its stead all the Parts of Vertue and Goodness But Secondly It is not enough to make a Man a good Christian II. To Act Virtuously upon Christian Principles that he live a strict and unblamable Life but it is moreover necessary to render him such that he act Virtuously upon Christian Principles Both indeed are necessary to the constituting a Man a true Christian The most regular Life that can be except it be Acted upon Christian Principles is but meer Morality at the best as the most Orthodox Belief that is if it be Barren in good Works is but a dead Faith Thus Temperance may be observ'd because of our Health and plain and punctual Dealing by the Men of Trade because of their Interest Men may Fast and Pray out of Hypocrisy and to appear Good to others and may distribute large Alms to gain the Applause of Men as you may see Mat. 6.2 5. And indeed considering that Godliness is profitable for all things having the promise of the Life that now is as well as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 And since of the Christian Religion it may be said that Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Men may lead very blameless Lives in all respects because of the Advantage and Tranquility of Mind that arises meerly from a regular and orderly Conversation But all this will be accounted by God to fall far short of the Christian Religion and will entitle the Man to no Reward in Heaven that acts upon no better Reasons nor Motives than these Verily I say unto you they have their reward says our Saviour Mat. 2.6 Nay He that lives an orderly good moral Life upon the Belief only that there is a God that his Providence and Care is extended over us that our Souls shall never Dye but are capable of and shall receive Rewards or Punishments in another world can be only said to be so far Religious as the good Moral Heathens were who Believ'd and Acted upon the Principles of Natural Religion only and who having no other Law did by Nature the things contain'd in the Law Rom. 2.14 But to constitute a Man truly Religious and to denominate his Religion the Christian Religion it is farther necessary that he moreover Act upon Christian Principles such as not the Light of Nature only but the Gospel of our Saviour does reveal unto us for in the day when he shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ it will be St. Paul tells us according to his Gospel Rom. 2.16 And so main a part in his Gospel were the Principles of reveal'd Religion that he told the Corinthians he determined not to know any thing amongst them save Jesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 that is the Means and Methods of our Salvation by a Crucified Saviour which can be known only by Revelation he was resolv'd should be so much the Subject of his Preaching amongst them that they might almost conclude he himself knew nothing else and did not much care whether they did also Thus the Christian Religion you see is out of Christian Principles to lead an holy good Life Nor Thirdly III. Dependance upon the Mediation of Christ that our imperfect Righteousness may be accepted also necessary Is it enough to render the Religion of us Christians compleat that by the force of good Christian Principles we lead good Lives but to together therewith we must depend upon the Mediation of Christ with the Father for us that our imperfect Righteousness may be graciously accepted to our Justification For alas the best of us all must consider this that when we have done all that is commanded us we are but unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 But alas the best of us all do exceedingly fail in doing all that is commanded us for we have all sinned and come short of the glory or Approbation of God Rom. 3.23 And therefore as there is One Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So we are strictly commanded Col. 3.17 that whatsoever we do in word or in deed we should do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus And particularly as to that so considerable part of Religion Prayer it is ordain'd we are told Joh. 15.16 That whatsoever we shall ask of the Father in his Name he will give it us And also as to that other great Duty of Christian Worship Thanksgiving we are solemnly enjoin'd Eph. 5.17.20 As we will shew our selves not to be unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is to give thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ And In him we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him Eph. 3.12 The Meaning of which and innumerable other places that might be produc'd to this purpose is this That considering our own Vileness and Unworthiness by reason of our Sins we should ground all our Hopes and Expectations of Favour and Acceptance and Reward solely upon Christ That we should offer all our Deeds to God as Sacrifices and Services unworthy of Acceptance in themselves and as proceeding from us but pleasing and acceptable to God only for his sake Such Deâ—ndance the â—istinguishâ—g Character 〈◊〉 a true â—hristian And now this I take to be the grand distinguishing Character of Christianity which ought therefore never to be omitted when we pretend to give a full Account thereof As to a good Moral Life some Pagans did arrive to great degrees in Virtue such as I wish may not rise in Judgment against us Christians now a-days And as for their Acting this upon good Principles I can hardly imagine that those who had such noble and worthy Thoughts of God and of their own Souls and who plac'd their Happiness in Purity and Uprightness were so much wanting in that Ingredient also of Virtue viz. The Acting it upon good Principles as some do think They seem to me only to have wanted the Knowledge and Belief of some more and better Principles which we do enjoy to render their Virtue compleat in that respect also But that the best of our Performances are so imperfect that it was thought requisite in the Divine Wisdome that the Son of God should become a Sacrifice to expiate their Guilt and a Mediatour with his Father to obtain their Acceptance is what the proud Hearts of natural Men never thought of and no Religion but the Christian ever taught But on the contrary when they had done well they did proudly over-value it and did arrogantly challenge the Reward not as of Grace but of Debt Dependance â—â—on Christ â—ecessary to â—ake down â—n Arrogant â—onceit of â—ur own â—ighteousâ—ess a Temâ—er of Mind â—ost displeaâ—â—ng to God And
the Nature of a Catechism It is a general Instruction I have told you in the Fundamental Principles of the Christian Religion Secondly As to the proper Persons to be Catechized I have shewed you that it belongs to all New Beginners in the School of Christ to be so Instructed and indeed that every individual Person of what Age or Quality soever ought to lay the Foundation of his Christian Knowledge in Catechetical Instruction And Lastly The End thereof I have shew'd you is this That you may be duly fitted and prepared for Confirmation both to Renew your Baptismal Vow before the Bishop and may be Qualify'd to receive Benefit by the Bishop's Prayers Benediction and by his Laying on of Hands upon you Well but there are several other good Ends and Purposes to which Catechizing serves and because the Knowing of them may increase your Esteem thereof and cause you the better to attend it I will bestow One other Discourse in shewing you what they are before I proceed to Expound the Catechism it self And Secondly As for Confirmation Catechizing requisite to prepare Persons to be worthy Communicants so it is also requisite to fit and prepare you that you may be Worthy Communicants in the Lord's Supper Just as in Confirmation so in the Lord's Supper we do solemnly tho' not so publickly Ratify and Renew our Covenant with God and for the same reason therefore that Catechizing is requisite to prepare you for Confirmation it must be also necessary to fit you for worthy Communicants that you may Communicate with Knowledge and as Persons that understand what they do And alas To what is it but to their having been never Instructed in their Covenant by Catechizing that so many come so Ignorantly or else not at all to the Lord's Supper I say so Ignorantly for as too many of those The want â—hereof the Occasion of People's Igâ—orance conâ—erning the Sacrament and conseâ—uently that do now and then Communicate have but a slender Knowledge in the Nature and Conditions of their Covenant so too few do understand the Importance of the Blessed Sacrament that It is the New Covenant in Christ's Blood 1 Cor. 11.25 that is That it is the Seal of that Covenant which was Purchas'd by and Ratify'd in his Blood But such as have been throughly Catechized as they have been made to Understand the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace both the inestimable Priviledges made over to them on God's part and those very reasonable Conditions to be perform'd on their own so they have been also taught that One main End of Communicating in the Lord's Supper is to Ratify and Confirm and Seal this Covenant of Grace between God and Us. And then those that have been taught this cannot come Ignorantly to the Lord's Supper nor consequently are in such danger of coming Unworthily I. â—f Receiving â—nworthily for Ignorance of the Nature and Consequence of that Blessed Ordinance is generally as much the cause as any thing that any do approach Unworthily to it Nor if the People of our Nation had been ever throughly Catechized II. â—f not Receiâ—ing at all would so many Abstain as commonly do from ever coming at all for if all Men were throughly instructed in the Nature Terms and Conditions of their Covenant which it is the Business of Catechizing to do as they would then easily discern that it is the highest and most inestimable Priviledge in the World to be took into such a Covenant of Grace wherein they have God Almighty Engaging himself and putting his Seal to it in the Sacrament to make good to them the most inestimable Blessings Pardon and Happiness on the most reasonable Conditions Repentance Faith and Gospel Obedience So if they did rightly understand this they would then account it as it really is the highest Priviledge in the World to be Confederates with God in so advantagious a Covenant and would think they could never often enough Partake at the Lord's Table whereby the oft'ner they come they do more and more secure to themselves those inestimable Benefits made over to us by the Covenant of Grace and Engage as themselves more closely to God so God himself more inviolably as it were to make good those Blessings to them No surely if all Christians had been but Catechized in those Points both what a mighty Priviledge it is to be in Covenant with God and that Receiving of the Sacrament is the Rite of God's own Appointment of Confirming to our selves all the Benefits of this Covenant we should then have our People Daily crouding to the Lord's Table which they do now so profanely turn their Backs upon we should not then need so much to invite and entreat Persons to come but they would of their own accord Embrace all Opportunities of more and more Ensuring to themselves these most invaluable Benefits by often Coming In a word A Man is no more fit to partake of the Lord's Supper that does not well understand the Nature and Terms of that Covenant which he does therein Ratify and Seal with God than he is fit to Seal to Covenants and Leases whose Conditions and Obligations he never had so much as Read over to him nor does he know them But Catechizing is the appointed and most proper Means of gaining a competent Measure of Understanding in the Nature and Terms of the Covenant of Grace Without having been Catechized therefore a Man cannot be well expected to Partake worthily of the Lord's Supper And this is the Second Use to which Catechizing does therefore serve to prepare you that you may be fit and worthy Communicants at the Lord's Table Thirdly III. Catechizing is Requisite to Persons being Edifyed by Preaching Catechizing is very Useful to render you Capable to receive Edification by the Preaching of the Word and to your Profiting by Sermons That is certainly the true and only edifying Preaching which does most plainly lay open before you the Meaning the Reasons and the Importance of any Article of your Faith whereby you may best Know God and the Necessity of Serving him and which does most clearly Explain to you the Nature and true Extent of your Christian Duties whereby you may Know what it is you have to do and may be freed from all causless Doubts and Scruples about the way of your Happiness And lastly which does give you the most convincing Arguments and Reasons to move and stir you up faithfully to Discharge your manifold Obligations to God your Neighbour and your Selves Such as this is truly Edifying Preaching because this will if you do duly attend to it build you up perfect Christians in the Knowledge and Practice of true Religion And now One that has been Catechized so as to have a general Understanding in the Nature of his Covenant when such an One hears a Sermon upon any particular Point of that Covenant whereby he has more fully explain'd to him the Nature and Attributes of
in the way of Duty so great which he may not overcome by the Strength thereof Whereas the best of the Moral Heathens had but uncertain Conjectures to ground their Expectations of future Happiness upon and their Hopes thereof being so Weak they presently yielded to the Assault of every great Temptation But besides whatever certainly an honest Pagan And whatever certainly an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Vncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fallvastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven that liv'd up to the Light of Nature and the Dictates of Right Reason if any of 'em can be suppos'd to have done so might have that the good God would reward his Vertue Yet having only the Equity and Vncovenanted goodness of God to depend upon he could promise himself no greater a Measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which considering the Imperfection of the best Actions of the best of Men whoever liv'd how short must that fall of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven * But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same But the Christian whom God has Covenanted withal and to whom he has condescended to Oblige himself to make sure a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5.4 may without Presumption rely upon God's both Truth and Goodness to make good to him the same notwithstanding when he does all that he can consider'd in himself he is but an Vnprofitable Servant as the best are I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith henceforth says the Apostle and so may every good Christian say the same there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the righteous Judge shall give me at that Day and not to me only but to all them who love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Such is the Christian's Priviledge above a Pagan in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven in that it is his Inheritance he may assure himself of it tho' his imperfect Vertues consider'd in themselves could never Entitle him to such an Eternal and Exceeding weight of Glory In short It is Jesus Christ alone who hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 As Life and Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel so by Embracing it and by coming into Covenant alone Salvation can be expected And as he only has brought it to light that is made a clear Revelation of that Life and Immortal Happiness laid up for Righteous Men in Heaven which was not before so certainly Reveal'd so it is only through him and by Believing and Embracing and Coming into his Covenant the Gospel that Salvation must now be hop'd for by any for so we are also Assur'd Acts 4.12 and that there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men but Jesus only whereby we must be saved so that this Invaluable Priviledge this exceeding great Advantage of being made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven is made over and certainly Ensur'd to such only who are in the Covenant of Grace and is the Third and Last of those Excellent Priviledges and Advantages contain'd and held forth therein But then the Kingdom of Heaven is the certain Inheritance of the sincere Christian who in the Exercise of Mercy Meekness Piety and all other Christian Vertues And to a sincere Chrstian who is faithful in the Covenant the Heavenly Inheritance is certain which he has Covenanted with God to perform does faithfully discharge his Part of the Covenant as is most solemnly declar'd Matth. 25.31 32 33 34.46 with which I shall conclude this Point Says our Blessed Saviour there When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gather'd all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats and he shall set the Sheep on his right hand but the Goats on the left Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand to his Charitable and Pious and Faithful Servants Come ye Blessed of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World And as the Wicked shall go into everlasting Punishment so the Righteous into Life Eternal A summ of â—hose invaluâ—ble Priviâ—edges made â—ver to us â—n God's â—art in the Covenant of Grace And now to summ up those infinitely Gracious and Invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace hereby we are made First Members of Christ that is are made Members of that Body of which Christ is the Head viz. The Church and so have together with a most excellent Body of Religion and Laws all necessary Grace and Assistance Convey'd and Communicated to us Members from Him the Head to Enliven Support and Enable us to go through all our Task of Religious Duties and Christian Performances requir'd at our hands The Second Priviledge is That we are also hereby made Children of God that is having Embrac'd Christianity and being Incorporated into the Church of Christ we are thereby Adopted and Chosen out of the rest of the World by God to enjoy this grand Priviledge of Sons to have Pardon granted us when with the Prodigal Son we return Home to him to our Offended but Gracious Father by Repentance And we shall find him not over-severe in respect of our lesser Failings and the unavoidable Infirmities of our Nature but shall always have him ready to hear our Prayers for Mercy both in respect of our greater and lesser Transgressions And Lastly The Third Priviledge you have been now told is this that to compleat All We are made Inheritours of the Kingdom of Heaven that is have secur'd to us a Right and Title to the unspeakable Joys and Glories of Heaven A Priviledge which consider'd in it self is exceeding Great and as all the rest if compar'd with what Others enjoy is a very singular One These now are the inestimable Priviledges made over to us in the Covenant of Grace Priviledges which as they are of infinite Advantage to us so we shall never fail of obtaining 'em if we will but take care to perform the Conditions requir'd on our Parts and so First Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful lusts of the Flesh on Condition Secondly That we will Believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And Thirdly Obey God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of our Lives Which Conditions and what they
to be from Satan Matth. 13.19 When any One heareth the Word and understandeth it not that is lays it not to Heart thinks not of it nor considers it for so the Word Translate Vnderstandeth it not does import then cometh the wicked One and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart Sixthly The Devil observes the outward Wants and Necessities of Persons and accordingly Tempts 'em to the use of unlawful and undue Means to remove those Evils VI. The Devil â—bserving the outward Wants and Necessities of Persons he accordingly Tempts them by the use of â—nlawful Means to remove those Evils Thus he dealt with our Blessed Saviour Matth. 4.2 3. And when he had Fasted Forty Days and Forty Nights and afterwards was an hungred then the Tempter came to him and said If Thou be the Son of God command that these Stones be made Bread that is he would have him out of an Impatience of waiting the ordinary Means of satisfying his Hunger to Tempt God to Feed him Supernaturally and by way of Miracle And if a Man be Sick and want present Help in lawful Means then will the Devil Tempt such a One to seek his Remedy by Charms and Spells as a more short certain and easy way of Curing than by Physical Medicines and no doubt the Devil may sometimes work extraordinary Feats by these Methods the better to keep Mankind in Dependance upon himself But it is a certain sign of want of Grace and of none no not the least Fear of God in them who shall resort in such Cases to Persons suspected to hold Correspondence with the Devil and shall make use of those means of Cure prescrib'd by 'em concerning whose Operation of any such Cure no Reason in Nature can be given nor the Appointment of God pretended that such Words tho' they may be Words of Scripture should work such Effects VII Knowing every particuâ—ar Person 's inward Disâ—ositions he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a Man to commit some grievous Sin Seventhly The Devil knowing every particular Persons inward Temper and Disposition both of Body and Mind better many times than he himself does he accordingly presents such Objects to the Fancy as shall be likeliest to prevail over such a Man to commit some grievous Sin Thus is a Person of a melancholly Disposition to such a One he either aggravates the Matter of his Discontent or he will present to the Fancy so many frightful Objects and will load his Mind with such a multitude of black and dismal Apprehensions that the melancholly Wretch shall be weary of himself and will fly from that worst of Tormentors he thinks his own Mind even to the Grave and into Destruction it self for Refuge And hence it is that so many miserable Wretches hang stab drown or shoot themselves being thus Tempted thereto by Satan And hence it is that Persons of a melancholly Temper of Mind are so apt above others to be troubled with Blasphemous Thoughts tho' Persons of great Piety and such as have all along Feared God and kept his Commandments Both these and the former Apprehensions are some of those Fiery Darts of the Devil mention'd Eph. 6.16 cast into the Soul at such time when they are least able to Repel 'em and that on purpose to disturb the poor melancholly Wretch to the highest degree so as to do Violence to his own Nature and to Destroy himself or to force from him Expressions most highly Dishonourable to God and Terrible to Christian Ears to hear But Eighthly The great Battery of the Devil VIII Above all by Representing to the Fancies of Men the Conveniency of Riches the Glory of Honours and the Sweetness of Pleasures he does thereby Bribe 'em to Rebel against God and to Sin against their own Souls whereby he does storm the Innocency and shake the Constancy of the greatest part of Mankind Is his Representing to the Fancy of Men the Conveniency of Riches the Glory of Honours and the Sweetness of Pleasures thereby to Bribe 'em to Rebel against God and to Sin against their own Souls This I call his great Battery and usually therefore he does Assault us therewith not till all others have fail'd him In this manner he dealt with our Saviour When all his other Temptations prov'd ineffectual The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of ' em And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if Thou wilt fall down and Worship me Matth. 4.8 9. But altho' the Son of God was no more to be won upon by this than by any of the former to comply in the least with the Designs of the wicked Tempter Yet the Weakness of the Generality of Men is such that they are Brib'd hereby when nothing else can prevail to Apostatize from God to do Injuries to Men and to do the greatest Abuses to their own Reason and Nature and in short to commit every Kind of Sin whereby God is Dishonour'd and they themselves shall be finally Ruin'd And the Manner and Cunning wherewith the Devil manages these Temptations is extreamly well worth your Notice In his Representation of this World's Goods he shews only the fair out-side to allure into Sin industriously concealing all that is hurtful therein and would deter Men from it When he makes any Representation to our Souls of this World's Glory he only shews us the fairest Out-side of those Things to allure us thereby into Sin industriously concealing all that is vain and vexatious and stinging therein which would deter us from it Thus he manag'd the matter with our Saviour and thus he does still with us In that World and the Glory thereof which he shew'd to our Blessed Lord there was a great mixture of Confusion and Disorder and Crosses and Vexations and Troubles but nothing of this did he represent to his View when he offer'd it to him as a Bribe but only gave him to see the Plenty the Grandeur the Beauty thereof separated from the other ungrateful and displeasing Part And so he deals with us He does very lively present to Men the Advantage of Riches how that Money commands all Things and then stirs up their Covetous Desires after it so as to get it they care not how by Thieving and Robbery by Cozennage and Extortion and Sacriledge or by any unlawful Arts and Methods He does dazle their Eyes with the Splendor and Glory of High Places le ts 'em see the Cap and the Knee and low Obeisances and the servile Flatteries made to the Grandees of this World to stir up their Ambition to wade through Seas of Blood and to tread upon the Necks of oppressed Provinces in order to mount those Seats of Honour And lastly he does very lively lay before their Eyes the Luxury and Wantonness and seeming Ease found in sensual Pleasures and so
the very Image of God it is very reasonably requir'd of him That he should chiefly mind Heaven and Heavenly Things his near and chief Relations if I may so say which he is Everlastingly to enjoy and that he should not much concern himself with the Things of this world which he must shortly leave behind him and then all Relation betwixt 'em will cease But all the time of his Pilgrimage here Living and Conversing for the most part with the Things below he becomes sooner acquainted with them and they with him they have an easier Access to him than Heavenly Things and have therefore greater Opportunities to court his Affections and to win upon 'em So that in the End it too often falls out that St. Paul's Rule is liv'd Counter to and Men generally Set their Affections on things below and not on things above 〈◊〉 what manâ— it does â—ptivate us 〈◊〉 draw us â—m God The manner how the world Captivates and Enslaves and Draws the whole Man in Triumph after it is this It presents to the Senses Riches Honours and Pleasures and dazles 'em with their Glory and Beauty Men's outward Senses being so extreamly taken with these do easily bribe the Affections to love 'em above all other and cause 'em to Covet and Lust after ' em The Affections becoming hereby most eagerly desirous of 'em do put a false Biass upon the Judgment so that our Understanding and Reason usually becomes thereby so far Corrupted as to dictate to the Will that these outward and sensible good Things are the Objects which are above all others worthy of its Choice And thereupon the Will does immediately choose the present Objects of Sense the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this World prefering 'em far before spiritual Things And thus the whole Man Body and Soul is made a Slave to the world and neglects Heaven and minds not to perform the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace the way thither 〈◊〉 far thereâ—e as it enâ—ges our Afâ—tions too â—sely to it â—s to make 〈◊〉 Inordiâ—ely and â—egularly 〈◊〉 mind it â—d to neglect 〈◊〉 great Conâ—n the Buâ—ess of Reâ—ion it is to â—â—e Renounâ— and Reâ—â—ed by us So that upon the whole Matter the world is so far only our Enemy and to be Renounced and Overcome by us as it Engages our Affections too closely to it so as to make us Inordinately and Irregularly that is with an Affection to it or any Thing in it beyond its due Desert to mind it and too much to neglect our great Concern the Business of Religion and the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace our way to Heaven and Happiness * So long as we wear these Earthly Bodies about us we are permitted the Vse and Enjoyment of worldly Things provided in Things lawful and in Degrees allowable So long as we live in this World and are Parts of it our selves and carry these Bodies of Earthly Materials about us there is no doubt but it is necessary for us and we are permitted to be concern'd in it and we may without scruple gratify our selves with the Enjoyments of it provided it be in Things lawful and in degrees allowable and that we suffer not our Hearts and Affections to be too much fixt upon it But in regard our Souls the principal Part of us by far are the Natives of Heaven and are only as Pilgrims and Tenants here Below to stay but for a short Time For As the Dust shall return to the Earth as it was so the Spirit shall return to God â—t being our â—uls our â—ncipal â—rt are soon 〈◊〉 remove to â—eaven we â—â—st chiefly 〈◊〉 our â—fections on â—ings above â—d mainly â—â—eavour to â—ain them who gave it Eccl. 12.7 we must therefore Set our Affections chiefly on things above on God the Society Interests and Enjoyments of that Ever-blessed State making it our main Business to Possess to Attain and Enjoy them and not on things below the foolish Interests and Satisfactions of this perishing and transitory State here on Earth Col. 3.2 And so far as the world or any thing in it Inveigles our Hearts and Affections to fix upon it and seduces us to commit any Thing sinful and hinders to mind the Business of Religion and the Performance of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace our way to Happiness and everlasting Satisfaction it is to be Renounced Rejected and Overcome by us It is the Matter of a Christian's Warfare and the subject of his Victory And so far as this Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World 1 Joh. 5.4 and in this sence St. Paul Professes Gal. 6.14 that The world was Crucified unto him and he unto the world And thus you see in General in what sence and how far we are to Renounce the World But Secondly II. Concerning the World consider'd in its Particulars those Temptations result both from the Good and the Evils thereof For the more full and compleat Explication of this Point of Renouncing the world it being a Matter wherein it concerns you to receive the most distinct Directions I will farther consider the Particulars of which this World is made up and will also shew you in what sence and how far you are to Renounce each of ' em And here it is observable that when we come to take a nearer View of the world in its Particulars it does not then appear as it does in the General to have nothing in it but Good but to contain withal a great mixture of Evil and indeed to be in the present State thereof almost wholly made up of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit And both the Good and the Evil Things thereof do give us considerable Temptations to Sin Now the Good Things of this world are summ'd up under these Heads The Riches Honours and the Pleasures it affords The good things of this World Riches Honours Pleasures the Evils Poverty Disgrace and Afflictions And Things of a middle Nature are the different Callings Conditions and Cares of this World And its Evils on the contrary may be reduc'd to Poverty Disgrace and those Afflictions of all sorts which in innumerable ways do assail us And there are also some Things therein of a middle Nature as different Callings Conditions or States of Life and the Cares of this World which are the Appurtenances to it and afford great matter of Temptation and Tryal to us therein And in what Sence and how far you are to Renounce it with reference to each of these I will endeavour to shew you And First As to the Riches of this World These are not in themselves Hurtful but Good and are bestowed by the Divine Providence upon those that have 'em to very excellent Purposes and Uses that they may do Good therewith and that not only in providing for their own Houshold but also by Stewarding them out to the Support and Advancement of Religion and Vertue I.
Sins that have their residence in the Mind only So that the whole Man as he is by Nature and all the Faculties of his Soul as well as Body as they are unregenerate and till they are sanctified by the Spirit and Grace of God come under this one Title of the Flesh But 2. The Flesh is the whole Man not as he was Created by God but as he is now in the State of Corrupted Nature 2. The whole Man not as created by God but as he is now in the State of Corrupted Nature No Humane Nature as it came out of God's Hands was of another Frame and Constitution to what it appears to be now in its Natural State and Condition God made Man upright but he sought out many Inventions Eccl. 7.24 He has found out many ways to crook and bend down towards the Earth that Upright Nature which God once gave him 3. Then the Flesh is the whole Vnregeaerate Nature of Man as it is spoil'd as to its Original Frame and Constitution and as it is inordinately converted in all the Tendences of Soul and Body and of all the Faculties and Powers thereof towards the Creature 3. As spoil'd in his Original Frame and Constitution as despoil'd of the Image of God and as inordinately tending towards the Creature In order to the more perfect Understanding of which Matter we must in the first place enquire what was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man In what the Image of God wherein he was created at first consisted And how that in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body his whole Bent and Inclinations were originally Heavenward for by thus comparing the upright Nature of Man as it was at first Created with what it now is in this State of Corruption we shall be able clearly to apprehend what is meant by the Flesh the important Subject of our present Enquiry And now as to the Original Frame and Constitution of our Nature The Original Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature what wherein God made us it seems to have been this He gave Man a Faculty of Understanding whereby he could Contemplate upon and Know in an Extraordinary Measure the wonderful Nature and Perfections of his Creator his Amazing Works of Creation his Surprizing Works of Providence and thereby was able to discover the Good and Evil in any Objects that were presented to him Next he plac'd in his Bosom another wonderful Faculty called Conscience which is the practical Judgment in every Man whereby his own Mind out of that vast Treasure of useful Knowledge did dictate to him what was Good and to be Chosen what was Evil and to be refus'd by him and upon which Choice of Good and Rejecting of Evil its Office was to give its Testimony of Well-done to the Good and Faithful Servant to his unspeakable Comfort and Satisfaction Next in the Upright Nature of Man as it bore upon it the Image and Likeness of God there was plac'd a Will which of it self is a blind Faculty and chuses and refuses according to the Information of others And in the State of Innocence it was entirely complying with the Dictates of Reason and Conscience And to descend from the Rational to the Inferior and Bodily Powers It was the Divine Goodness did implant in our Natures those which we call the Passions and Affections in a Man which are principally these Admiration Love and Hatred And it was to very Excellent Purposes that these were given us The Use of Admiration was as to Things which should offer themselves to our Approbation if Good that we might put a true value upon them according to their Worth if Bad that we might despise 'em according to the Vanity and Evil we should find in ' em And as to the two other principal Passions of Love and Hatred God's Design in implanting in our hearts the former was to move and stir us up with Vigour and Activity to pursue whatever we should find good and convenient to us And the Passion of Hatred was put into our Natures that we might avoid on the contrary whatever might be found Hurtful and Offensive And it was no other than the Divine Goodness which in the Nature of Man did place certain Appetites and Lusts Every particular Man had even at his first Creation Appetites to Food and Sustenance in order to preserve his own Being in Life and Health And Cupidity or the Inclinations of the Sex to each other was in order to the Multiplication of Mankind This now was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man And in the Perfection Order and Purity of all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body according to this Original Frame and Constitution did the Image of God in which he was at first Created The Image of God wherein Man was at first Created what consist So long as the whole Nature of Man was perfect in all parts the Understanding quick in discerning momentous and weighty Truths the Conscience faithful in Dictating Right ways the Will entirely Obedient to the Directions of Conscience and Reason so long as the Affections were only plac'd upon worthy Objects and the Lusts and Appetites were always under the Power and Government of Right Reason so long as Man remained in this State the Image of God continued unsullied And so long as he continued thus it is plain also that the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul was towards God The Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God what that to him it did point in all its Motions and did fix upon him as the End of all its Actions and did love him with the intensest degrees of Affection And that even the Bodily Part was perfectly compliant with the Soul in serving it entirely and solely to that End So that thus you see what was the Original Frame and Constitution of Man In what the Image of God wherein he was created at first consisted And that in all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body his whole Bent and Inclinations were Heaven-ward But now in the Unregenerate Nature all this Excellent Frame and Constitution is broken This Image of God is defac'd and all the Faculties and Powers of Soul and Body instead of Inclining towards and Centring upon God and Heavenly Things tend downwards towards the Creature 1. In the Unregenerate Nature I say That Excellent Frame and Constitution wherein Man was Originally Created is now broken 1. In the Vnregenerate Nature of the Originall Frame and Constitution of Man wherein he was Created is broken So that instead of that Harmonious Subordination of the Inferior Faculties to the Superior instead of the Wills being subject to the Dictates of the Understanding and the Affections being subject to the Commands and Sovereignty of the Will and the Lusts and Appetites being Obedient to Right Reason and a well-inform'd Conscience instead of this the whole Order and Frame of Humane Nature is now
the Understanding and Reason and do carry the Will into Slavery to ' em I will take the whole Frame of this our depraved Nature in pieces that so viewing that Corruption which residing in every of the Faculties and Powers thereof renders all of 'em so many sinful Lusts of the Flesh we may be better able to Renounce each of those sinful and fleshly Lusts And First let us consider that Corruption which Resides in the Mind and renders it Fleshly and consequently the Motions even of the Intellectual part of our Nature no better than sinful Lusts of the Flesh The sinful Lusts of the Fleshly Mind what And our Understanding alas which should be full of Divine Knowledge such as may be a Lamp unto our Feet and a Light unto our Paths is in the Unregenerate Man full of Vanity Ignorance of and Prejudice against Divine Truths The Unregenerate Man neither understands nor seeks after God Rom. 3.11 He likes not to Retain God in his Knowledge or to consider any thing concerning him but is vain in his Imaginations having his foolish heart darkned Rom. 1.21 28. Nay the best Habits of the Mind in the Unregenerate Man are Corrupt having the Vnderstanding darkn'd being Alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them Eph. 4.18 And hence it comes to pass that whereas the great and proper Appetite of the Mind is after Knowledge an Appetite which God hath put into the Soul of Man and so a thing Beautiful and Good This very desire of Knowledge becomes a sinful Lust of the Fleshly Mind in several Cases particularly in these following viz. when either we misplace our Desires of Knowledge upon wrong Objects or when we do immoderately study to be exquisitely skill'd in Humane tho' Lawful Arts and Sciences to the Neglect and Contempt of Divine Knowledge And Lastly when out of Pride Prejudice and contradiction to all sacred Truths we set up our own Fleshly Imaginations and Reasonings against the Spiritual Notions that are dictated to us And accordingly such our Appetites or Desires even of Knowledge it self must be Renounced as so many sinful Lusts of a Fleshly Mind And first we must Renounce the Desires of Knowing wrong Objects that is we must not Gratifie but Mortifie our Desires of Knowing such Things which are either Hurtful to be known 1 When we are curious to know Things which are either Hurtful to be Known or are not proper for Man to know Now as to this we are to consider that there is a certain Distemper of Mind called Curiosity which as it is of like Nature so it is of full as hurtful and Mischievous Effects to the Mind as that Distemper is to the Body which stirs up Persons to eat Chalk or Coals or Trash or whatever affords either none at all or a very ill Nourishment Such is the Curiosity of Knowing Evil which was the thing that ruin'd our first Parents and afterwards Solomon and since him many other Persons Such are they who have a great Desire to taste those Pleasures which are in Sin and by Tasting of 'em their Minds are defil'd and their Morals Corrupted and it is seldom that they do ever after return to have a right Judgment of Good or Evil. Thus hurtful is the Knowledge of some things so that it is much better to be Ignorant thereof than to know ' em Again there are others whose Curiosity gives 'em a strange Itch to know Hidden Things such as are not proper for Man to know Or not proper for Man to know as the Decrees of Predestination and the Counsels of God's Will which is the Ark that no Mortal Eye ought to look into And many are wonderfully Inquisitive to learn the Future Events of Kingdoms and States and of their own and others private Fortunes And therefore it is that they are so apt to give heed to every pretended Prophecy and thô few are so very wicked as to Consult Evil Spirits themselves by Magical Arts yet Multitudes will make no scruple to Resort to Fortune-tellers and Conjurers and those that do consult 'em or are reputed to do thô it be an Impiety so severely threatned Deut. 18.11 12. But all Curious Enquiries whatever into the Secrets of God's Providence are to be Renounc'd by us Christians as being the Gratifications only of a sinful Curiosity Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are Reveal'd unto us and our Children for ever that we may do all the words of his Law Deut. 29.29 â— When we do â—mmoderately â—tudy to be Exquisitely Skill'd in whatever Humane Arts and Sciences to the Neglect or Contempt of Divine Knowledge 2. We must Renounce that as a sinful Lust of the Fleshly Mind which improportionably to the true worth of things is more desirous to furnish it self with the Knowledge of what concerns only this Mortal Life than with the Knowledge of those Divine Truths which direct us to Life Everlasting Now this is Life Eternal or that Knowledge which leadeth and directs us to Life Eternal That we know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Joh. 17.3 But alas such is the Folly of the Carnally and Worldly wise that most Persons do neglect the Knowledge of God and the Christian Religion as if it were little worth when certainly in the end there is nothing will stand us in that stead as this sort of Knowledge Some there are whose whole search is for the Causes and Cures of Bodily Distempers and yet alas all is but Guess and Conjecture and an ordinary Malady not very seldom baffles the most Learned Physician and he sits down heavy in Disgrace and Disappointment But the Knowledge of God and Religion if duly apply'd never fails to Cure the Soul of all its Infirmities nor will it fail to fill the Mind with the Sweetest Comforts and Satisfactions Others you shall have who desire and care for nothing more than good Skill in the Laws of their Countrey whereby they may raise themselves good Estates in this World but alas such Knowledge can only serve a present Interest but by the Knowledge of our Christianity we may be able to provide our selves Bags that wax not old Eternal in the Heavens Some are wholly bent upon Merchandize and Trade but when the most Skilful Pilot shall split upon the Rocks or be foundred in the Sands he who has Heaven in his Eye may steer his Course without danger through the roughest Billows of Adverse Fortune And others there are who seem to aim at no higher Knowledge than how to Till their Land and feed their Cattle and when after all the Crop fails the most painful Husbandman he who knows the Laws of Christianity need not fear a joyful and a plentiful Harvest so excellent and useful is Divine Knowledge above all other Arts and Sciences Not that I would cast a Disparagement upon them they are the Gift of God and useful
of Christ's Church pag. 60 Scandalous Members to be suspended from the Lord's Supper First Christian Ordinances are a singular Favour which Aliens and Unbelievers do not nor have any Right to enjoy Secondly they are excellent Advantages consider'd in themselves pag. 61 First as conducing much towards our Edification As most comfortable to the Souls of those who enjoy them pag. 62 They are seldom sufficiently valued till most wanted The Second general Priviledge belonging to the Members of Christ's Church is a sufficient measure of Divine Grace and Assistance derived from him the Head and convey'd by his Ordinances to enable us to conform our selves to his Religion and to obey his Laws pag. 63 By the same means that Christ is united to his Members is Grace conveyed down from him as Head to those Members The first Medium of Union betwixt Christ and his Members must be each Member's Union to the Catholick Church Secondly its Union to the Lawful Governours and Teachers of the Church pag. 64 Thirdly the use of Christ's Institutions and Ordinances First Divine Grace a most singular Priviledge if compar'd with what others enjoy of this Nature pag. 65 Secondly an exceeding Advantage consider'd in it self All the Members of Christ have Supplies proportionable to their Station in the Church pag. 66 And also in such Measures as according to different Times and Occasions in the Church are wanting pag. 67 LECT VII â—hat is meant in the Catechism by a Child of God First Not the Son of God by an Eternal Generation Secondly Not every Son by Temporal Creation which is a Sence too wide pag. 68 â—hirdly Nor such only who are Children of God by spiritual Regeneration which is a Sence too narrow pag. 69 â—uch indeed are in a peculiar manner and in the highest sence the Children of God But every Child of God is not actually Regenerate either in the sence of Scripture Or of your Catechism But Fourthly a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every one who is so by vertue of a Covenant Relation This was the Notion of a Child of God before the Law Under the Law pag. 70 Under the Gospel Also a Child of God as meant in the Catechism is every one who is so by vertue of Adoption Adoption what The use of it amongst the Israelites and the Priviledges it gave them The use of it amongst the Gentiles and the Rights it conferr'd upon them pag. 71 How we Christians especially such who are descended from the Gentiles are according as has been spoke the Adopted Children of God To the Israelites did once pertain the Adoption But that Covenant by entering into which they were his Children was only Temporary To last only till the Publication of the Gospel After which they and all Christians were to be Children of God by faith in Christ pag. 72 But the Jews adhering to their Law and refusing Christ and his Gospel in whom God had predestinated all to be his Sons the Apostles turned unto Gentiles preaching Christ and Salvation to them and to as many as received him to them gave he power to be the Sons of God What are the Priviledges which do belong to the Children of God as such In general such as an indulgent but wise Father may be supposed to allow his Children beyond Aliens and Strangers Particularly First Pardon of all Sins upon hearty Repentance pag. 73 Secondly by being his Children he will not be so severe as to mark what is done amiss as to Sins of Infirmity pag. 74 Thirdly to the Children of God is granted an easier access by Prayer to the Throne of Grace for pardon of Sins and other Mercies Lastly a Child of God is more surely instated in the Inheritance of Heaven than others pag. 75 The infinite reason we have to praise God for these Advantages pag. 76 LECT VIII By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant in Scripture either first the Kingdom of Grace in this Life or secondly the Kingdom of Glory in the Life to come The Kingdom of Grace the Gospel State pag. 77 The reason why the Gospel State should be dignifyed with the Title of the Kingdom of Heaven viz. Because it so directly tends to render Men so exactly like the Blessed Saints the Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven pag. 78 This is not the meaning of the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Catechism Secondly the Kingdom of Heaven signifies the Kingdom of Glory This a most noble and glorious State as being dignify'd with so honourable and glorious a Title as the Kingdom of Heaven pag. 79 Hence all those in this World wherein we conceive the highest Glory and Happiness are used as Emblems to set off our future Glory All which things come short of expressing it An Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven What An Heir is one who has a legal Right and Title to a Possession made over to him Such who have enter'd into the Covenant of Grace are in like manner Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven as Children are Heirs pag. 80 It is through Christ alone not owing to the Merit of our Obedience that we are Intitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven The Vastness of a Christian's Priviledge in being made an Inheritour of the Kingdom of Heaven First it is in it self a very great Priviledge to have the invaluable possessions of Heaven so setled and ensur'd as to have a legal Claim and Title thereto made over to one pag. 81 Secondly if compared with what others enjoy it is a singular Priviledge The best amongst the moral Heathens could have but faint Hopes built upon uncertain Conjectures of a future Happiness And their Hopes being faint they could not in the Strength thereof overcome great Temptations But the Christian's Hopes are sure and stedfast being founded upon the express Promises and Covenant of the God of Truth And being such there is no Temptation so alluring nor Suffering so great which he may not overcome pag. 82 And whatever certainly an honest Pagan might have that God would reward his Vertue yet depending only on the Uncovenanted Goodness of God he could promise himself no greater a measure of Happiness than what his good Deeds did of themselves deserve which must fall vastly short of what is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven But a Christian to whom God has Covenanted to make sure a Crown of Glory may without Presumption rely upon him to make good the same As Life and Immortality is brought to light through the Gospel so by Embracing it and by coming into Covenant alone Salvation can be expected And to a sincere Christian who is faithful in the Covenant the Heavenly Inheritance is certain pag. 83 A summ of those invaluable Priviledges made over to us on God's Part in the Covenant of Grace pag. 84 LECT IX Whereof the First is to Renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh pag. 85 The Devil his Names and their Importance He was once one of the highest
possible Care to avoid it pag. 201 But Thirdly when Employment and necessary Occasions draw Men forth into the World they must refuse to Conform themselves to the Manners of ill Company First By discountenancing their Profaneness and Riot Secondly By diverting 'em by useful Discourse from both Thirdly If all Methods fail by openly Reproving them To do this Service to God we are particularly Listed in our Baptism We shall be much discouraged from this by Men. But have infinite Encouragements to such Fidelity from God pag. 202 LECT XVIII Thirdly Flattery a great Temptation to Sin The Ground thereof our own immoderate Self-love pag. 204 This Flattery keeping Men ignorant of the good or ill Qualities in 'em thereupon the Good never come to Perfection And the Ill that is in Men does thereby grow Incorrigible pag. 205 First In order to Renounce Flattery we must Cashier every vain Opinion of our own selves Secondly We must so far Renounce the Flatteries of Men as to take it kindly to be Reproved pag. 206 Especially the Reproofs of God's Ministers are to be kindly received and regarded Fourthly Wicked Men Tempt others to Sin by their false and fallacious Arguings against the Necessity of a Holy Life pag. 207 All which wicked Reasonings we must fortifie our selves against as when they Plead First That it is inconsistent with God's Mercy for the Sins of a short Life to Condemn the Guilty to an Eternity of Woe and Misery pag. 208 Secondly That the Duties of Religion are hard Sayings which no Man can bear Thirdly That they are made of Flesh and Blood and that therefore sure God will not require Men upon the Forfeiture of Salvation if they do not to mortifie the Flesh Lastly That God has set us in a World full of Temptations and abounding with sensual Delights and Pleasures and that he therefore who has placed us in it will not command us upon Pain of Damnation to over-come those strong Temptations and to deny these Pleasures of the World Fifthly Wicked Men will add Kindnesses and Promises to Oblige us to do ill Things and on the contrary will much discourage us nay sometimes Threaten us to forbear our Duty pag. 210 211 First Kindnesses must not corrupt us to Sin Secondly Promises must not bribe us Thirdly Discouragements must not hinder us from discharging our Duty Nor Fourthly must Threatnings or Frowns fright us from it pag. 212 Lastly The evil Customs which have prevailed in the World are a powerful Temptation to Sin Custom takes off the Sence and Fear of Hurt in the most Vnchristian Practices pag. 213 A Christian must courageously and vigorously renounce and withstand the Force of all sinful Customs whatsoever Such only as are Immoral are to be Renounced pag. 214 The greatest Courage required to this Part of a Christian's Warfare Cowardice the Cause of Complying with the Custom of Duelling or any other Custom of Sinning pag. 215 LECT XIX First Thereby were anciently meant those pompous Spectacles Plays and Scenical Representations exhibited in the Roman Theaters pag. 217 Our Modern Plays no less Inferior to 'em in Impiety than in Pompousness And having such a malignant Influence upon Faith and Manners ought never to be frequented by Christians pag. 218 Secondly By Pomps in the sence of the Ancients were meant the solemn Processions of the Heathens in Honour of their Gods The Idolatrous Processions of the Papists in the honour of the Saints answerable to these And must not therefore be joined in Thirdly By Pomps Reduâ—ely may be meant the Revels and Drunken Riots of our Youth at Wakes and Festivals pag. 219 â—o be Abstain'd from Vanity of the World What First When Perrous outgo their Ability 〈◊〉 Building and Furniture pag. 220 â—dly It appears in striving for Precedence Thirdly In affecting Titles above ones Quaâ— and to be esteem'd Vertuous above ones Desert IV. In the vain Affectation of costly Apâ—el and Ornaments As First When Persons exceed what becomes their Rank and Degree 〈◊〉 â—hat they wear Secondly When they are proud of their Ornaments Thirdly When they â—orn themselves to undue Ends and Purposes pag. 221 222 〈◊〉 When they spend too much Time and at unfitting Seasons therein Decency according to â—t is suitable to Age Sex or Quality the Rule in this Case pag. 223 LECT XX. â—ow our selves especially our natural Imperfection a most useful part of Knowledge pag. 225 â—lesh variously exprest What is meant by the Flesh 1. The whole Vnregenerate Nature of Man 〈◊〉 and Body 2. The whole Man not as created by God but as he is now in the State of Corâ—ted Nature 3. As spoiled in his Original Frame and Constitution as despoiled of the Image 〈◊〉 God and as inordinately tending towards the Creature pag. 226 â—riginal Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature what The Image of God wherein Man 〈◊〉 at first created what pag. 227 â—ent and Inclination of the Soul towards God what 1. In the Vnregenerate Nature the Oriâ—al Frame and Constitution of Man wherein he was created is broken pag. 228 â—e Image of God wherein he was first created defaced Lastly the Tendency of all the Faculâ— both of Soul and Body are towards the Creature pag. 229 〈◊〉 renounce the Flesh is to be renewed in the whole Frame and Constitution of our Nature after 〈◊〉 Image of God The Image of God must be restored as far as it can in this Corrupt State 〈◊〉 must be renewed to a perfection of Parts tho not of Degrees pag. 230 〈◊〉 renounce the Flesh is to be converted in the whole Bent and Inclination of the Soul towards God pag. 231 LECT XXI â—inful Lusts of the Flesh what pag. 232 â—inful Lusts of the Fleshly Mind what 1. When we are curious to know Things which are either â—rtful to be known Or not proper for Man to know pag. 253 â—hen we do immoderately study to be exquisitely skilled in whatever Humane Arts and Sciences the neglect or contempt of Divine Knowledge The Knowledge of our Christian Religion as it â—ves to nobler purposes so ought it to be preferred to any other pag. 234 Necessary Points of Christian Knowledge 3. When out of Pride Prejudice and Contradiction 〈◊〉 all sacred Truths we set up our own carnal Imaginations and fleshly Reasonings against those â—iritual Notions and those Mysterious Articles of our Faith which are delivered to us in Scripture pag. 235 〈◊〉 Humour of opposing Reason to Revelation proceeds from mere Pride This corrupt Will what â—d how to be renounced pag. 236 â—he Affections what and how to be renounced pag. 437 As they are misplaced upon wrong Objects 2. As they are disproportionate to the Love Worth â—nd Evil that is in those Objects towards which it is lawful to be well or evilly affected in moderate â—egrees 3. The Lusts and Appetites are such sinful Lusts of the Flesh as are to be renounced pag. 238 As they do desire undue Objects 2. As they desire them in immoderate Measures Lastly the
â—feriour and bodily Powers viz. The Affections Lusts and Appeitites to be renounced as they â—ebel against right Reason pag. 239 Business of Religion vs to reduce Man as near as possible to his primitive State of Innocence â—nd Integrity To this purpose of keeping under our Fleshly Lusts it was that our Reason was â—ven us pag. 240 To renounce ALL the sinful Lusts of the Flesh what There must be no one Fleshly Lust suffered â—o reign in us Our business is particularly to oppose Lusts of Temper and Constitution This beâ—ause it is a hard Doctrine to the Carnal Man is much evaded pag. 241 Objection from Rom. 7. cleared We must renounce the Flesh and all its sinful Lusts so as to have an Aversion an Antipathy in our hearts thereunto This the hard Part. pag. 242 243 The reason of having enlarged so much upon this one Article of renouncing the Devil c. pag. 244 LECT XXII Articles of Christian Faith of what Nature The whole Bible the Object of a Christian's Faith both the Old Testament and the New pag. 259 Some Instances of such Truths What it is to believe those Truths so as to make us capable of Life and Happiness pag. 261 Our Belief thereof must be operative and practical Such was the Faith of Abraham and of all the Saints And such an operative and practical Principle is Faith whenever the Things believed are of great Importance or Concernment to us pag. 262 263 2. To believe savingly we must apply our selves to Jesus Christ to interceed with God the Father for our gracious Acceptance What to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith 1. To believe them All does import that we must assent to all and every one of those great Articles of Christian Doctrine contained in the Apostles Creed pag. 264 Such as tend to destroy a good Life and send us to other Mediators than Christ to interceed with the Father for its Acceptance no Articles of Christian Faith 2. To believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith is to be fully perswaded of all and of every of those single Truths contained in each of those Articles pag. 265 A Heretick may be such by believing only of one of those Truths contained in the Article pag. 266 LECT XXIII 1. What it is to obey God's Holy Will and Commandments The Nature and Measures of Christian Obedience pag. 267 1. Our Obedience must be sincere by being a true and undissembled Service of God opposite to all Hypocrisie or a false and feigned pretence of obeying Him when in truth we serve our own selves does not forbid us all intending our own Advantage in the performance of his Commandments pag. 268 But 1st that Man's Obedience is insincere who together with his Intention of serving God joins another Intention of serving Sin 2dly When he designs some temporal Ends in the practice of Vertue as much or more than he intends God's Service 2. Evangelical Obedience must be entire viz. 1st The Obedience of the whole Man that is In the first place of the Mind and Vnderstanding Secondly of the Will Thirdly of the Affections pag. 269 270 This the distasteful part And therefore endeavoured to be shifted off pag. 271 2dly It must be an Obedience to the whole Law This endeavoured to be evaded by Excuses But in vain 3dly What it is to walk in the same all the Days of our Lives pag. 272 God will not endure a constant Revolution of Sin and Repentance pag. 273 The difference between Evangelical and a Legal Obedience This difference not so great but that our wilful and chosen Sins will put a Barr to our Salvation pag. 274 Some Sins are directly and expresly wilful Some indirectly and interpretatively pag. 275 But the difference is 1st that those who sincerely and entirely obey shall not be called to an account for unchosen and involuntary Sins The first cause of an innocent Involuntariness Ignorance of our Duty Provided it be not wilful 2d Inconsideration Inconsideration excuses 1. When through surprize pag. 276 2. When through natural weariness and the length and strength of a Temptation Lastly When by the violent discomposure of our Thinking Powers our Minds are so disturbed that we cannot think what we do Ignorance and Inconsideration excuse not those Sins 1. Which we have time to understand and observe nor 2. Crying Sins nor 3. Those we do not endeavour against nor lastly Which we are not sorry for pag. 277 The 2d Difference between Legal and Evangelical Obedience That our wilful and more heinous Sins when repented of through the Mediation of Christ according to the Terms he has obtained for us in the Covenant of Grace shall be forgiven us Remission of Sins upon Repentance the great Doctrine of the Gospel Repentance will be accepted to our pardon for our unknown or secret Sins whether wilfully or unwillingly committed but now forgot though generally repented of 2. For our most known and wilful Sins if particularly repented of pag. 278 And in case of Injury to Man if Restitution be made Of high Dishonour to God and Religion if that be repaired by an eminent Repentance The sum of Evangelical Obedience pag. 277 The sum also thereof according to Dr. Hammond pag. 278 LECT XXIV â—t in the Covenant of Grace we are restored to a state of Salvation How we brought our selves â—nto a state of Misery before How by the Covenant of Grace we are put into a state of security â—f we please pag. 280 â—t by the Mediation of Jesus Christ it was that we obtained such a gracious Covenant whereby â—e are restored to a state of Salvation pag. 281 〈◊〉 infinite Care of God the Father to call us into it pag. 283 〈◊〉 Ever-blessed Son of God no less intent upon this blessed Work How mightily he importuned us â—o come into this state of Salvation He has left a succession of Ministers behind him to do the â—ike This matter of Thankfulness whether we consider 1. The extraordinary Advantage of â—aving God in Covenant with us pag. 284 285 〈◊〉 2. Our singular Happiness therein above the fallen Angels or the rest of Mankind pag. 286 LECT XXV â—ptism what 1. An outward Rite of our Saviour's own Appointment for the solemn Admission of Persons into the Covenant of Grace pag. 288 〈◊〉 have some outward Rites and Solemnities in Religion agreeable to the Frame and Constitution of Humane Nature as being most apt to receive Impressions from sensible Things This especially requisite in the admission into Religious Societies and Covenants The Israelites were initiated both by Circumcision and Baptism pag. 289 â—e Heathens were initiated into their Mysteries by Purgations or Washings Our Saviour chose the latter as what would be acceptable to both Parties Especially as more significative of Christian Purity And this he has enjoined as indispensibly necessary to our initiation into the Covenant of Grace pag. 290 â—ptism appointed the Rite of Admission into the Covenant of Grace for the better Confirmation and Assurance of its Terms the Promises on God's part and the Conditions on ours it being thus mutually and interchangeably Sealed to betwixt God and us pag. 291 〈◊〉 gives great Assurance of mutual Performances barely to be in Covenant together pag. 292 LECT XXVI â—he vast Obligations lying upon us both from the Mercies of God and our Baptismal Vow to perform the Covenant of Grace The Obligations thereunto first as Members of Christ's Church pag. 294 â—he Jews chose from amongst the Nations of the Earth to serve God pag. 295 â—hristians chose both from amongst Jews and Gentiles to a more peculiar Holiness pag. 296 〈◊〉 As Children of God Children are bound to the strictest Obedience to their Parents as owing to 'em their Being pag. 297 â—hildren of God as owing both Being and Well-being pag. 298 〈◊〉 As Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of Heaven not to be expected but by those who are faithful in their Covenant pag. 299 〈◊〉 As having promised and vowed in our Baptism accordingly to discharge our Covenant with God The matter of a Vow sometimes not a Duty 'till vowed pag. 300 â—ometimes antecedently incumbent upon us and such is the matter of our Baptismal Vow 'T is a provoking Sin to rob God of what has been once Vowed and Devoted to him tho of the former Nature Gods Anger observable upon such occasions pag. 301 â—Tis much more provoking to violate Vows to perform which we are antecedently obliged by the Law of Nature A Vow is much of the nature of an Oath and therefore to violate it is Perjury pag. 302 FINIS