his mercies and promises and pardoning grace True repentance among other companions is alway attended with these three what carefulness what indignation what fear hath it wrought in you 8. Consider sin reiterated riseth high addes another figure to increase thy account Is the sin of Peor too little for you old sins in ignorance but that you must this day again turn away a new The Lord keeps an account how often and how often thou hast-committed such and such a sin Josh 22.27 28 Am. 1. and 2. chap. Num. 14 22. at length saith for three transgressions and for four I will not turn away their punishment when Israel had seen Gods works forty years and tempted him ten times he sware they should not enter into his rest In the Law if an Oxe did gore a man and the Master knew not of it the Oxe should dye not the owner but if the Oxe was wont to push with his horn and the Master was told of it Oxe and Master were both to dye Exo. 21.28 29 Lastly though I will not say to thee who art a frequent Relapsarian it is impossible as to the malicious relapser yet I say Remember that every time the bone is broken the more danger and though thou mayst possibly after a second breaking have it well set yet thou mayst at times against weather specially when in years feel it to thy dying day thy sins will lye down with thee in thy grave Job 13.26 and in sickness and trouble thou wilt possess the sins of thy youth I conclude all as St. Jude concludes his Epistle Now to him that is able to keep you from all falling and relapses and to present you faultless before his presence with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and for ever Amen How may we be so Spiritual as to check Sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5 16. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh THe Case of Conscience to be discussed this Morning from these words is How a Christian may be able to check sin in the first risings of it And without controversie great is this Myste of godliness and if any other of inestimable use and moment in the practise of Christianity As the title which Solomon inscribes on the Frontise-piece of that divine Poem of his the Canticles is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and as Aristotle calls the Hand the Instrument of Instruments and the Mind the Form of Forms so may we with as just a reason style this holy skill of arresting and intercepting sin in its earliest motions and overtures the Art of Arts. Could the Chymists ever compass their grand Elixir it were but a poor and cheap trifle in comparison of this grand Secret of the School of Christ So that the Case of Conscience before us like Diana of the Ephesians is great and illustrious amidst it's fellows My Text presents us with it resolved in this excellent Rule of sanctification Walk in the Spirit c. Wherein we have 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts 2. The opposite principle and root of life and righteousness the Divine Spirit 3. The terms and bounds of a Christians conquest how far he may hope for victory Ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 4. the method and way of conquering Walk in the Spirit of each a word 1. The principle and root of sin and evil the flesh with its lusts The Apostle meaneth pardon the phrase a spiritual flesh not that of the body but the minde The immortal souls of men through their Apostasie from God the blessed source and original of all goodness are become carnal Rom. 4.7 There is a principle of evil radicated in the very nature interwoven in the very frame and births and constitution of all men a byass that turns us off in large and wide aberrations from the paths of life and happiness but with notorious partiality seduceth us into the ways of sin and death This the Scripture calls the a Eph. 4. 7 22. old man b Rom. 7.23 24. the law of sin in our members and the body of death c. The wiser Heathen felt by the very dictate of Reason that humane nature was not either as it should be or as they could have wisht it what meâ—neth else that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that hanging flagging of the souls wings that drooping of her noblest faculties that fatal unwieldiness and untractableness of the will to vertue which the Platonists so much complain of and what meaneth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that reluctancy to the divine life and that impetuous hurry and propension wherewith they felt themselves driven head-long towards folly and sensuality This flesh in man this corrupt and depraved nature is perpetually fly-blown with evil lustings This body of death like a rotten carcase is constantly breeding vermine as a filthy quag-mire a noisom Mephitus or Camarina sends out stench and unsavouriness This Region of the lesser World like Africa in the greater swarms with monsters it is the valley of the shadow of death a habitation for dragons and a Court for Owls where dwells the Cormorant and the Bittern the Raven the Scrich-owl and the Satyre if I may allude to that of the Prophet Isa 34.11 12 13 14. The Apostle sets down elegantly the whole pedigree and lineage of evil Jam. 1.15 Then when lust hath conceived it brings forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Lust is the root of bitterness fruitful in all the unfruitful works darkness and these like the Apples of Sodom and Clusters of Gomorrah if you gather them crumble into the dust and ashes of death they are fruits nigh unto a curse and whose end is to be burnt That is the first The old Adam Heb. 6.8 the flesh with it's lusts 2. We have here the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 There is in good and holy souls an immortal seed a principle of life and righteousness an antidote to the former poyson for the law of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that noble tract in the Apocrypha Wisd 7.6 called the Wisdom of Solomon stiles it The unspotted Mirrour of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Every one that is in Christ is a 2 Cor. 5.17 a new creature b Joh. 3.3 4 5 6. born again c 2 Pet. 1.4 anâ— made partaker of the divine nature for it is the royalty of that King of Saints d Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new The divine Spirit that great and heavenly
opinions or principles that are contrary to sound doctrine to be broach'd or loose wayes and customes that are contrary to the power of godlinesse to be observed and shall not use his authority to prevent and suppresse them he contracts to himself the guilt and drawes upon himself the mischief of all those Sins and Enormities Just as he that licences a Book to the Prâ—ss if there be any faults of ignorance or errour or poysonous opinions they may be justly charged upon him and laid at his doore though he is not the author yet because he is the licencer though he is not the Parent yet because he is the midwife So if there be any heresie and blasphemy tolerated in a place if there be any profanenesse and ungodliness suffered among a people because it has the Magistrates Imprimatur and he suffâ—â—s it to passe the Countrey without whipping therefore he 's highly guilty Sabbath-breaking abounds let it passe sayes the Major of a Towne drunkennesse abounds let it alone sayes the Justice of peace profanenesse abounds let it go sayes the Minister Sirs if it should be thus this were to bear the Sins of a whole Parish and a whole County and a whole Nation upon a mans back at once See that Rev. 2. to this purpose Where you finde the sins of the people charged upon the Governours for their permission and toleration both sins of Doctrine Practise Of Doctrine Rev. 2.12 14 15. Unto the Angel of the Church of Pergamus write I have a few things agaâ—nst thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicola tans which thing I hate This is charged upon the Angel the Overseer and Governour of the Church he should have hindered it and he did tolerate and permit it and it was his Sin and so of Practice Rev. 2.18 20 Vnto the Angel of the Church in Thyatira write I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce c. To suffer Jezabel to teach in a Nation is to suffer painting and wantonness and uncleannesse these were the Sins of Jezabel and to permit them is to partake of them Object But some may object and say Why does God then permit Sin to be in the world he might hinder it and he might prevent it if he would there could be no wickednesse acted under the Sun but by Gods permission the Devil could not tempt Job nor Satan could not fift Peter without leave and commission from God neither could any wicked man act his villany and spit out his venome without Gods sufferance If permission of Sin be a partaking of Sin how shall we vindicate God from the imputation of unrighteousnesse Answ 1. This was Marcion's wicked and malicious cavil at Gods providence about the first Transgression Why would not God who foresaw the issue hinder Eve and the Devil from conference and communion together that so Sin might have been prevented and the World bin everlastingly happy unlesse saith he God was either envious and would not or weak and could not hinder it To which â—ertâ—llian replies Because God was arbitrary and free in his gâ—fts Austin answers Because it was his will Prosper and Hilary reply The cause may be unknown it cannot be unjust All which is enough Os obturare to muzzle that Heaven-daring mouth of Blasphemy But afterward Austin answers That though sin be the worst thing in the world yet the existence of sin is not ill as poyson would do no hurt if men would not meddle with it but that satisfies not our case Therefore 2. Though God hath authority and is of ability to prevent and hinder the Commission of sin yet hee is not bound in duty so to do God's under no tye and obligation but his own purpose and pleasure Deus non tenetur Legibus God is a Law to himself Herein lies the guilt and evil of mans permitting of sin hee is bound in duty as well as furnished with ability and authority to prevent it and therefore his permitting of sin is a partaking of sin Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live man is bound to hinder prophaneness and wickedness if hee can but so is not God though hee is of infinite power and ability to restrain it or to remove it yet hee is not bound in duty and so it is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin Sin is the transgression of the Law but where here is no Law there is no transgression 3. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin when hee may hinder it because hee can by his infinite Wisdome order it to his own glory hee suffered Pharaoh to harden his heart that hee might bee glorified on Pharaoh Rom. 9.17 Pharaoh's sin turned to Gods glory as hee makes all penal evils work together for our good so hee makes all sinful evils concur to his own glory 4. It is no unrighteousness in God to suffer sin because hee can turn every mans sin to a greater benefit and advantage Gen. 50.20 You thought evil against mee saith Joseph to his Brethren but God meant it unto good hee can bring good out of evil and light out of darkness God suffers Toads and Serpents to live because they are useful they suck the noxious and hurtful gusts from herbs and flowers and so make them wholesome for mans use So God permits sin in the world because hee knows how to make it useful hee can make an Antidote of the Vipers flesh Hee did by an excellent and rare Chymistry extract the greatest Mercy from the greatest Mischief the grea-grea-Good from the greatest Evil the Salvation of Mankinde from the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ 5. By influence of bad Example by setting loose and bad Examples for others to imitate So men are guilty of others sins as namely when Children sin by the Examples of their Parents those very Parents are guilty of their Childrens sin So wee have some Families that inherit the lusts as well as the lands of their Ancestours Parents swear and curse and so do Children Parents are Drunkards and so are Children Parents are unclean and so are Children as they make them rich by their Livings so they make them wretched and debaucht by their lives this is to make themselves partakers of all their sins So when people sin by the looseness and licentiousness of their Minister that Minister is guilty of those very sins that the people so commit which made Austin though a very holy man so exceeding jealous of himself in this case that that was his constant Prayer Libera me Domine a pecca is meis alienis Lord saith hee deliver mee from mine other mens sins those sins that others have committed through my carelesness and incogitancy And indeed Examples are more cogent and influential a great deal than Precepts The Adulteries of Jupiter and other Pagan
it Rom. 9.1 Now wouldst thou know thy beloved sin hearken to the voyce of Conscience doth that condemn thee for pride for passion for worldliness for persecuting the ways of God Oh remember it is Gods Viceroy honour it so far as to weigh and consider throughly what it saith t is likely this may be thy particular sin that which dishonours God most if Conscience be any thing tender will trouble thee most many a man deals with his Conscience as Felix did with Paul hearken to it a while whilst it tels them of their lesser faults or that they are sinners in the general but when it rebukes them for their darling lust though they cannot say go thy way as Felix to Paul yet hold thy peace and when I have a convenient season I will give thee the hearing 5. It may be known by being impatient of reproof Herod hears John Baptist gladly till he preached against his Herodias this is a noli me tangere touch me not The Plant-animal or the sensible Plant so called when it is touched shrinks up and contracts its self the sinner shrinks when he is touched in the sore place The eye is a tender part and apt to be offended if you meddle with it This is the reason why people are enraged against a powerful soul-searching soul-saving Ministry most men are for Mountebanks and Quacksalvers that make use altogether of Lenitives and healing Plaisters but as for your faithful Chirurgions that according to Art will probe and search and cleanse the Wound they cannot away with them I hate him saith Ahab of Michaiah He never prophecies good concerning me but evill only I shall add this that man especially that Minister that reproves another for his sins had need to be blameless as much as may be himself Rom 21.2 21 22. thus the Apostle intimates Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self that man that is a teacher of others should teach himself so much the more we teach others when we deliver unto them Rules and Precepts unto which they are to conform we teach our selves when we obey those Rules Thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery c. that man that hath a beam in his own eye is not likely to pull out the mote that is in his brothers 6. It may be known by this it makes a man notoriously partial in his own case David could allow himself another mans wife and could condemn one to death for taking away another mans Lamb. 7. It may be known by the covers and cloaks and fair pretences that the sinner hath for this sin Uncleanness and intemperance are but tricks of youth and sowing his wild Oats Luxury is magnificence covetousness is good husbandry pride is a piece of nobleness and grandure of spirit yea which is more t is humility you have some that disparage themselves in company and they call this humility when in truth it is the height of their spirits like the Archer that draws back the arrow that it may fly so much the higher and so much the further T is strange blindness or deceit or both to call not yellow or some middle colour but black white yet thus it is with many they shape their darling lust like those vertues unto which they are extreamly contrary Every wicked man is sins advocate and will plead its cause gratis Oh saith Judas to what purpose is this waste Mat. 26.8.9 Joh. 12.6 This oyntment might have been sold for much and given to the poor this he said saith another Evangelist Not that he cared for the poore but because he was a thief had the bag and bare what was put therein Beware of speaking any thing towards the justification of your selves in any way of wickedness you know the malefactor is condemned before he is put to death so it is in the case of sin cum peccator justificatur peccatuâ— condemnatur when a sinner is justified his sin is condemned and after condemnation followeth execution Job 31 3â— v. 40. Job vindicates himself in this particular If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding mine iniquities in my bosom c. then let thistles grow instead of wheat as if he had said I did not hide mine iniquity as Adam did I did not cover my transgression I was open and ingenuous the Psalmist saith Blâ—ssed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered but then it must be by Gods hand not ours 8. If there be any one sin more then other that the soul doth readily close with that is its beloved sin its right eye sin or its right hand sin Sampson when all the world could not take away his strength Prov. 7.21 is easily perswaded by Dalilah See how Solomon expresses the Harlots dealing with the young man with much fair speech she caused him to yeild with the flattering of her lips she forced him the most she could do was to flattâ—r him and yet notwithstanding it is said she forced hiâ— sin works altogether by enticement Every man is tempted Jam. 1.14 when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed yet it is so powerful that it amounts to a force as the request of a King amounts unto a command 9. That sin which a man wishes were no sin is like to be his bâ—loâ—ed sin the case of the young man in the Gospel is considerable to this purpose saith our Saviour If thou wilt be perfect go sell that thou hast and give to the poor Mat. 19.21 22 and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me Ver. 22. When the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowful that is â—he was very much troubled that there was such a truth as this Psal 14.1 that the world for Christs sake was to be parted with So Psal 14.1 The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Oh saith the fool That there was no God that there was no heaven that there was no hell Atheism was the beloved sin in that case first men wish there were no Deity and then they judge so and say so Carnal affections after some time settle in opinion and judgement t is possible for men by ways of unrighteousness by a constant course of cheating and cozening so far to shut up and imprison their natural light and so to muffle their reason and understanding that at length they may cheat and baffle their own souls and think it a piece of justice and righteousness so to do 10. That sin which we think of first in the morning and last in the evening is like to be our beloved sin God is the chiefest good the prime object of our love and therefore as he is Alpha and Omega in himself so is he also unto his people the beginning and the end the first and the last they begin the day
Archeus is busie in holy souls that mighty principle of life is counter-working the flesh and its lusts So that now the weapons of a Christians warfare are mighty thr ugh God for the pulling dâ—wn of strong holds and the captivating every imagination yea bringing every thought into the obedience of Chr st 2 Cor. 10 4 5 17. 3 Here are the terms and bounds of the Spirits conquests in this present life at which a Christians hopes and endeavours must take aim not the extirpating but subduing not the not having but the not fullfilling the lusts of the flesh the flesh will be lusting that accursed womb will be conceiving in the regenerate themselves But here is the Christians priviledge that while he walks in the Spirit those conceptions shall prove abortive 4. The words entirely and in sum present us with the method and way of conquering with the art of circumventing sin in the first avenues and approaches of it Walk in the Spirit c. this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and Achillaean Stratagem against the powers of darkness the true and only course we are to take if we would strangle the brats of night and hell in their very birth and crush the Cockatrice's egge whilst it is hatching and before it excludes the Serpent So that in fine the Observation which resulteth is this The best expedient in the world not to fulfill the lusts of the flâ—sh Doctr. is to walk in the Spirit which what it imports I come now to shew 1. Walk in the Spirit i. e. in obedience to Gods Commandments which are the Oracles of the Spirit that this is excellently preventive of fulfilling the motions to sin appeareth Psa 119 1 2 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord Blessed are they that keep his testimonies they also do no iniquity again a little lower ver 9. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Aristotle that great Dictator in Philosophy despaired of atchieving so great an enterprise as the rendering a young man capable of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his grave and severe lectures of morality for that age is light and foolish yet b Cereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper Hor. ar Poct head-strong and untractable Now take a young man all in the heat and boyling of his blood in the highest fermentation of his youthful lusts and at all these disadvantages let him enter that great School of the holy Spâ—râ—t the divine Scripture and permit himself to the conduct of those blessed Oracles and he shall effectually be convinced by his own experience of the incredible vertue the vast and mighty power of Gods word in the success it hath upon him and in his daily progressions advances in heavenly wisdom Let me invite you then this day in the Prophets words Isa 2 5. O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord and what that is David tels us Psa 119.105 Thy words are a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths and Hos 6.5 His judgements are as a light that goeth forth Order thy steps by his word and thou shalt not tread awry let the Law of thy God be in thine heart and sin which is the transgression of the Law shall not come nigh thee walk in this broad day-light of the Sun of Righteousness shining in the Scriptures and thou shalt have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness This was the practise and experience too of the man after Gods own heart I have hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 It is good writing after the copy of so great a Master Go thou and do likewise 2. Walk in the Spirit i. e. as becometh those in whom Gods Spirit dwells as if the Apostle had said the part which ye are now to act O ye Christian Galatians it is that of new creatures see that ye keep the Decorum Demean your selves like the children of God who are led of the Spirit of God Rom. 8.14 Be true to your part fill it up adorn it and then sure enough ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for that were to act the part just contrary to what you sustain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he that is to represent upon the stage some generous and heroique person cannot do the least base and sordid thing but he breaks his part and digresseth into the garb and posture of a vile and abject person whilst he is true to his part he cannot possibly do any thing that is absurd and mis-beseeming Some of the Nethinim stood continually Porters at the door of the Temple to keep out whatsoever was unclean and hereunto the Apostle palpably alludeth 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you now if any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are So then that which the Rule amounts to by this interpretation is Walke in th sp rit * That a good mans soule is a Temple which God inhabits the Phâ—losophers acknowledge and that the honour and worship rendred to him in a purâ— and holy mind is incompaâ—ably more worthy and acceptable then all the cosiliest sâ—crifices offerings in Temples made with ha ds how magnificent soever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hicrocl in â—ythag aur carn p. 28. i. e. Walke as becomes the Temples of the holy Ghost and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 8. Walke in the Spirit i. e. Fulfill the counsels and advices of the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Every renewed soul is the Scean and Stage wherein the two mightiest Contraries in the world the Spirit and the Flesh i. e. light and darknesse life and death heaven and hell good and evill Michael and his Angels and the Dragon with his are perpetually combating hand to hand And well is it for a Christian that the holy Spirit is lusting in him against the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God takes thy part Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arrian in Epictet l. 2. c. 17. the spirit of the Lord of Hosts is with thee if thou dost not sinne and grieve him away Follow but thy Leader be prompt and ready to start at the Divine signall when the holy Ghost displays his Ensâ—gns then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 March presently forth under those mighty and victorious banners and thou shalt become Invincibâ—e * When a Christian goeth out thus to warfare following the Almighty conduct of his God he must needs proceed conquering and to conquer My soul followeth hard after thee saith David thy right hand upholds me Psal 63.8 The Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul cleaves after thee As
meet together oh how sweet is their discourse of the joyes of Heaven and of the comforts of the Spirit and the delights of the life of a Christian These advantages amongst many others that I might have named hath the beleever that is assured of his spiritual-safe-condition that a beleever that yet knoweth it not doth not so fully enjoy I shall conclude all with that exhortation of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Wherefoâ—e the rather Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for so an entrance shall bee ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ What difference is there between the Conflict in Natural AND Spiritual Persons Rom. 7.23 But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members THe Apostle having shewed in the former Chapter that Justified Persons are not under the Law prosecutes and amplifies that choice Priviledge in this seventh Chapter which hath four parts 1. An Allegory Parts of the Chapter which shews there is no matching with Christ till we be divorced from the Law vers 1. 6. Moses may be a good friend but to fallen man he is ever an ill Husband a bloody Huband as he was to Zipporah Exod. 4.25 2. A complaint partly of the Law as an occasion of sins malignity vers 8 9.10 and partly of his own estate 1. Before Conversion as either secure or desperate vers 9 10 11. Secondly after Conversion as troublesome and vexatious vers 14. 24 3. An Apology 1. For the Law as spiritual holy just and good v. 12 14 16. Secondly For himself as under a force c. v. 15 17 20 22 25. The best Gospel apology against sin is under Christ a fore or after discent 2 Cor. 7.11 This grace will allow for a good clearing of our selves 4. A Gratulation v. 25. No man especially no Goldly man can under the Gospel want matter of thanks be his condition never so sad since the former is not altogether hopelesse and the later hath at present a part and Interest in Christ Coherence My Text falls under the second head The Apostles condition was bad before Conversion sad after Conversion truly militant and no release from this warfare Eccles 8.8 Christ indured the contradiction of sinners Heb. 12.3 Christians the contradiction both of sin and sinners and that continually May they not well complain as Psal 120.5 6 7. and Gen. 25.22 In the words note 1. An Act of Observation Godly men are great observers Division of the Text. especially of themselves vers 18. I know v. 21. I find and in the Text I see 2. The matter observed a Combate or Conflict In which note 1. The Combatants or Champions the Law of the mind and the Law of the members The form of a Being Naturalists call a Law Bac. de forma Calidi Aphor. 7. because forms like Laws and Laws like forms do ordinate and constitute Natural and Politick Bodies in their Being distinctions and operations Vatablus calls it aliam vim Laws as forms being principles of action Grotius distinguisheth of a fourfold Law 1. Lex Dei recorded in Scripture 2. Lex Mentis the Judgment between things honest and dishonest 3. Lex Membrorum the carnal or sensual Appetite 4. Lex Peccati the Custome of sinning to compleat which heads we must with the leave of that Learned Author add two other distinctions namely 1. The Law of Original Sin propagated by Generation which is strengthned by custome in evil and together with our sensual appetite depraved makes up the Law of sin Secondly The Law of sanctifying Grace infused in Regeneration which compleats the Law of the mind 2. The equality of this fight in a reciprocal opposition sin indwelling fighting against Grace indwelling and contra Arab. Castrametantem there being a pitch't Battel between Grace and Corruption in which some Graces and Corruptions bear the office of Commanders others of Common-Souldiers this is noted in the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compare Hebr. 12.4 3. The disparity of the fight managed by way of rebellion on the part of Sin by way of Loyalty and Authority on the part of Grace whence Beza and Piscator render it rebellantem 4. The dubiousness of the fight both parties often fighting as it were aequo Marte sometimes one sometimes the other seeming to get the better as in the battel between Israel and Amaleck Exod. 17.11 5. The sad event too often on the better side which is led Captive in which term yet there is a mixture of comfort Sin when in Tryumph acting as a Tyrant not as a Lawful Soveraign The Law of the mind may be overborn by but never indents with the Law of the members as a person inslaved by force but not by contract or as Schoolboyes in a misrule may shut their Master for a while out of doors but at last he gets in and they pay dearly for that affront Withal note in the Text a mixture of civil and military terms to illustrate the spiritual conflict there being a Law-suit as well as a pitch't Battel between Grace and Corruption The Text is limited by the Apostle to the Regenerate The scope of the Text. yet may in a good and true sense be extended to the unregenerate also in whom there is a Law of the mind namely the Law of Reason though not of Regeneration Yea Porphyrius lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uses the Apostles phrase calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taking therefore the Law of the mind and the Law of the members in a large sense may not every one take up this complaint of the Apostle Thence note In every man especially in the Regenerate Doctr. there is a Conflict between the Law of the Mind and the Law of the Members That it is so appears by a threefold Evidence The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. By the testimony of Nature speaking in Heathen Thus Medea Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor So Simplicius ad Epictetum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The irrational appetite displaces reason c. and leads it Captive 2. By testimony of Scripture and that 1. As to the Godly Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the Spirit c. 2. As to the unregenerate Instance in Herod who was troubled by this conflict between Lust and Conscience Mark 6.26 Yea in the very Heathen Rom 2.14 15. who by not hearkning to Conscience opposing sin in them felt Conscience accusing them for sin 3. By every mans experience Who finds not every day within himself a contest of contrary motions and inclinations Are we not all in this poynt Rebeccah's big though not with Twins yet with an Esau and a Jacob two contrary Nations strugling each with other Gen. 25. v. 22 23. Oh that we had all her wisdom and success The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it s
THE Morning-Exercise 〈◊〉 CRIâ—â—â—â—â—ATE Several Cases of Conscience Practically Resolved by sundry Ministers September 1661. Commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 Vnicuique est liber sua conscientia ad hunc librum discutiendum emendandum omnes alii inventi sunt Bernard de Inter. Dom. p. 1072. c. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polyb. Frag. p. 1029. LONDON Printed for Joshua Kirton and Nathaniel Webb and are to be sold at the Kings Arms and at the Royal Oak in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. To my most unfeignedly Beloved Parishioners of Saint GILES Cripplegate My Dear Friends THese Sermons both preach'd and printed are the meer product of love to your Souls I never yet that I remember went thorow the Parish without some though not sutably compassionate heart-akeing yearnings towards my charge to think and oh that I could think of it according to the worth of Souls how many thousands here are posting to Eternity that within a few years will be in Heaven or Hell and I know not how so much as to aske them whither they are going While God continues me your Watchman I shall affectionately desire and sollicitously endeavour to keep my self pure from the blood of all men Acts 20.26 and that not onely for the saving of my own Soul by delivering my Message but that you also may be saved by entertaining it I am willing therefore to commend unto you some legible provocations to serious Piety and therefore have procured a contribution of help that in the multitude of Spirituall Counsellors your souls may have safety In short Prov. 11.14 my Brethren give me leave to say that if I had but the Apostles Graces to help me in the manner I can without boasting at present use the matter of his Spiritually-passionate expressions That I greatly long after you all Phil. 1.8 9 10 11. in the bowells of Jesus Christ And this I pray that your love to truth and holiness may abound yet more and more in saving knowledge and in all sound judgement That you may practically approve things that are excellent and that you may be sincerely gracious and universally without offence till the day of Christ That you may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God These my Beloved are and shall be through Grace the constant desires and restless endeavours of Novemb. 14. 1661. Your most affectionate Soul-Servant Samuel Annesley The CASES Resolved SErmon 1. How may we be universally and exactly conscientious Acts 24.16 page 1. Sermon 2. What must and can Persons do towards their own Conversion Ezek. 18.32 p. 25 Serm. 3. How may beloved lusts be discovered and mortified Matth. 5.29 30. p. 39 Serm. 4. What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace Heb. 6.4 5 6. p. 64 Serm. 5. How may we be so spiritual as to check sin in the first risings of it Gal. 5.16 p. 83 Serm. 6. How Ministers or Christian friends may and ought to apply themselves to sick persons for theâ—r good and the discharge of their own Conscience Job 33.23 24. p. 109 Serm. 7. How must we reprove that we may not paâ—take of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5.22 p. 161 Serm. 8. What means may be used towards the conversion of our carnal relations Rom. 10.1 p. 187 Serm. 9. What are the characters of a Souls sincere love to Christ and how may that love to him be kindled and inflamed Ephes 6.24 p. 218 Serm. 10. Wherein lies that exact Righteousnesse which is required between man and man Matth. 7.12 p. 248 Serm. 11. After what manner must we give Almes that they may be acceptable and pleasing unto God 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. p. 270 Serm. 12. If we must aime at Assurance what should they do that are not able to discern their own spiritual condition 1 Joh. 5.13 p. 305 Serm. 13. What difference is there between the conflict in Natural and Spiritual Persons Rom. 7.23 p. 323 Serm. 14. What faith is that which except we have in prayer we must not think to obtain any thing of God Jam. 1.6 p. 334 Serm. 15. Of the cause of Inward Trouble and how a Christian should behave himself when inward and outward Troubles meet Gen. 42.21 22. p. 351 Serm. 16. In what things must we use moderation and in what not Phil. 4.5 p. 381 Serm. 17. How may we have sutable conceptions of God in duty Genes 18.27 p. 415 Serm. 18. How are we to live by faith on Divine Providence Psalm 62.8 p. 426. Serm. 19. How may we cure distractions in holy duties Mat. 15.7 8. p. 461 Serm. 20. How must we in all things give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 p. 478 Serm. 21. How we may get rid of Spiritual Sloth and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God Psal 119.37 vlt. p. 499 Serm. 22. Wherein are we endangered by things lawful Luk. 17.27 28. p. 561 Serm. 23. How must we make Religion our business Luke 2.49 p. 572 Serm. 24. Whether well-composed Religious Vows do not exceedingly promote Religion Psal 116.12 14. p. 586 Serm. 25. How are we compleat in Christ Colos 3.11 vlt. p. 611 Serm. 26. How shall those Merchants keep up the life of Religion who while at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances and when abroad are not onely destitute of them but exposed to persecution Psal 120.5 p. 661 Serm. 27. How is Hypocrisie discoverable and cureable Luke 12.1 p. 655 Serm. 28. What must Christians do that the influence of the Ordinances may abide upon them 1 Chron. 29.18 p. 677 The READER may be pleased to amend these Errours of the Presse PAge 35. l. 27. read deserved not death p. 54. l. 32. is a very 65. l. 25. that I know 71. l. 4. there is l 14. course of sin 89. l. 31. add in the margin Rule 2. 98. l 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105.4 pustulous 182.2 to Christ 201.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 211.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 219.6 amore 228.14 hypostaticam 236.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 257.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 366.16 tight 45 43. tight 378. vlt. is alwayes 404.8 Matth. 18.429.30 Prov. 18.10 Some other mistakes there are in letters as president for precedent wrap't for rap't and sometimes Greek words are false accented as p. 32. marg read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one letter put for another as p. 506 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but such like faults being easily pardoned and amended we make no further observation of them How may we be universally and exactly Conscientious ACTS 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have allwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men THis Sermon is but preliminary to some select cases of Conscience And in this Text you have a notable Anatomy of Conscience wherein are these six things singularly considerable 1. Here 's
perplexa omnis quod viri gravissimi jam olim conquesti sunt de animae intellectivae potentiis facultatibus disquisitioâ— quae capere se putant quidem suo modo capiunt illiteratâ—ssimi quique homunciones haec ipsa non capiunt acutissimi philosophi quâ in re nequeo satis admirari Dei Opt. Max. infinitam Sapientiam retundentis hoc pacto humanam superbiam repraesentantis mortalibus velut in speculo inanem illam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qua sibi videntur aliquid esse cum nihil sint miserè decipiâ—ntes cor suum p. 35. 36. that doth not further the design I drive at viz. an universall and exact conscientiousness For Conscience the Hebrews ordinarily make use of two words viz. Heart and Spirit Heart in Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor tuum i. e. keep thy Conscience with all diligence and so in the New Testament 1 John 3 20. If our Heart k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e if our Conscience condemn us Spirit in Pro. 18.14 A wounded Spirit l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. a wounded Conscience who can bear and so in the New Testament 1 Cor. 2.11 What knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man i. e. the Conscience of Man that is in him But in English as also in the Greek n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Latine o Con-scientia whence we borrow it 't is called Conscience knowledge with another which excellently sets forth the Scripturall nature of it as Job 16.19 My witnesse is in heaven and Rom. 9 1. I say the truth my Conscience also bearing me witnesse in the Holy Ghost In both places q.d. God witnesseth with my Conscience p Sanderson ibidem postea sâ—arsim Conscience is placed in the middle under God and above man q Perkins Vol 2 l. 1. p. 11. I will close this with Brochmand's description of Conscience r Brochmand T. 1. Art 1 c. 3. q 2. p. 7. to be a kind of silent reasoning of the Mind whose definitive sentence is received by some affection of the Heart whereby those things which are judged to be good and right are approved of with dâ—light but those things which are evill and naught are disapproved with grief and sorrow God hath placed this in all men partly to be a judgement and testimony of that integrity to which man was at first created and of that corruption that followed sin partly that God may have a Tribunal erected in the breasts of me to accuse delinquents and to excuse those that do what is good and right 2. The Object of conscience is very various conscience hath great employment Å¿ Mr. Bernard of cons p. 56. seqq and much businesse with the whole man and with all his actions 't is like those living creatures in the Revelation all over eyes it looks to the understanding t 2 Cor. 1.12 whether our wisdome be carnal or gracious to the will u Roman 7.18 whether it goe beyond or fall short in ability of good performances to the affections x Rom. 9.1.2 whether the entertainment or refusal of the Gospel be the matter of greatest joy or sorrow It pryes into all our actions both towards God and man Towards God whether in general our estate be good y Heb. 9.14 in speciall whether our service be inward z 2 Tim. 1.3 Spiritual or onely outward a Heb. 9 9. formal More particularly it surveighs all our duties whether we pray in faith b Heb. 10.22 whether we heare with profit c 1 Tim. 3.9 whether through our Baptisme we can goe unto God as unto an Oracle d 1 Pet. 3.21 Interp. 72. vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utuntur quando in V.T. Israelitae dicuntur interrogare os domini baptismus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 responsio bonae conscientiae etiaÌ„ interrogatio apud Deum quia audet cum fiducia DeuÌ„ accedere interrogare hoc est cum eo collâ—qui cumque rogare pro seâ—t aliis Geâ—hard l. c. T 4. de Sacram p. 180. § 88. whether in the Lords Supper we have singular Communion with Christ e Cor. 10.15.16 in short whether we doe and will stick close to Religion f 1 Pet. 3.15.16 as knowing that if Conscience doe not steer right Religion will be Shipwrakt g 1 Tim. 1.19 Thus duties towards God are the great object of Conscience but duties towards man are the Secundary and like unto it Towards man in our whole conversation h Acts 23.1 Particularly that we be obedient to rulers i Rom. 13.5 and that which is in one place charged upon us for Conscience sake is in another place commanded for the Lords sake k 1 Pet. 2.13 in short that we be just in all our dealings l Heb. 13 18. avoyding all justly offensive things m 1 Cor. 10.29 words n 1 Kings 2.44 thoughts o Psa 73.15.16 that we express singular charity p 1 Tim. 1 51 especialy to soules q Rom 9.1.2 and this in prayer r 2 Tim. 1.3.4 when we can doe nothing else and Conscience doth not onely do all this at present urging to duty or shooting or tingling under the commision of sin but it foresees things future provoking to good and cautioning against evill and also looks back upon things past with joy or torment so that it is easier to reckon what is not the object of conscience then what is in a word Every thing of duty and sin is the object of Conscience 3. The Offices of Conscience are likewise various In general the proper Office of Conscience is discursively to apply that light which is in the mind unto particular actions or cases The light which is in the mind is either the light of Nature or the light of Divine Revelation By the light of Nature I understand those common notions which are written in the hearts of men which as a brand pluckt out of the common burning are the reliques of the Image of God after the fall Not onely Scripture but experience evidenceth that those which are practical Atheists that say unto god depart from us Å¿ Job 21.14.15 we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes yet cannot get rid of his Deputy their Conscience they carry a Spy a Register a Monitor in their bosome that doth accuse and trouble them they cannot sin in quiet t Quod egi in corpore hoc post modum importuna cogitatione verso in mente muâ—toties gravius torqueor in recordatione quam prius captus fuerem operis perpetratione Bern. de inteâ— dom c. 30 p. 1074. Those that are without or Reject the Sun-shine of Scripture yet they canot blow out Gods Candle u Prov. 20 17. of Conscience By Divine revelation I meane
that it may be a sin to go against it but it can never so bind as it may be a virtue to follow it To follow an erring d Robins Obs c. 47. p. 246. Conscience is for the blind sinner to follow his blind Conscience till both fall into the ditch The violation of Conscience is alwayes evil and the following of an erring Conscience is evil but there 's a middle way that 's safe and good viz. the informing of Conscience better by Gods Word and following of it accordingly The Causes Causes of an erring Conscience besides Originall sin the effect whereof is blindness in the Understanding And the just judgement of God upon persons for not entertaining obeying and loving the truth as it is in Jesus besides these the causes are reducible to these Three Heads e Bresser l. 5. c. 23. p 556. Spaâ—sim 1. Negligence of learning the will of God f Discendi negligent a orta ex pigiritia Iâ—idem §. 2. 7. through slothfulness and love of ease and low esteem of the wayes of God I need name but one Scripture for both proof and illustration of this particular Eccles 4.5 6 The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh Better is a handfull with quietness then both the hands full with travell and vexation of Spirit q d. He is a fool that puts himself into a posture of idleness g English An. that compoleth himself to do nothing that thinks it better to be without good things than be at some trouble in getting them h Pemble in loc 2. Pride whereby a man is ashamed to consult others and to be taught by them i Pudeat ignorantem alios consuleâ—e ab iis doceri Bâ—es ibid. Those that are sincerely consciencious are not free from a kind of proud modesty in being shie of making inquiry into practical cases there 's something of pride in their bashfulnesse to discover their ignorance in asking of questions for Conscience sake But those that are ungodly arrogate so much to their own judgment that to speak their own boasting they know as much as any man can teach them But as wise as they are a wiser then they calls them k Prov. 28.26 Qui suo fidit animo stultus est Merc. in loc fooles and their folly misleads them 3. Passion or inordinate affection l Bref ibid. c. about that whereof we are ignorant This warpeth our consideration for he that seeks truâ—h with a byas will run counter when he comes near it and not find it though he come within kenning of it m Arch Bishop Lawd Ep. Ded. before the relation of the conference You may gather the remedies from the opposites to these three causes of errour 1. Be industriously diligent to know your duty 2. Cure Be humbly willing to receive instruction And 3. Let not your affections out run your judgment But ther 's one rule I shall commend which if you will conscientiously improve you shall never be much hurt by an erring Conscience and I dare appeal to your own Consciences that 't is your indispensable duty you must use it and 't is so plain and easie you may use it Do what you know and God will teach you what to do Do what you know to be your present duty and God will acquaint you with your future duty as it comes to be present Make it your business to avoid know omissions and God will keep you from feared commissions This Rule is of great moment and therefore I will charge it upon you by express Scripture Psalm 25. v. 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord i. e. those wayes wherein I cannot erre n Mandata tua ostende quae me non permittant errare c. Remigius in loc Teach me thy paths i. e. that narrow path which is too commonly unknown o Semita dicta quasi semi via quia angusto calle ditigitur nec vulgo nota est sed occulto itinere ambula tuâ— Bruno in loc B P. T. 11. p. 96. those commands that are most strict and difficult V. 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me i. e. teach me evidently that I may not be deceived so teach me that I may not only know thy will but do it p Remig. ubi sup Here 's his prayer but what grounds hath he to expect audience For thou art the God of my salvation q. d. thou Lord wilt save me and therefore do not refuse to teach me On thee do I wait all the day i. e. the whole day and every day q Arnobius in loc other arguments are couched in the following verses but what answer v. 9. The meek will he guide in judgement the meek will he teach his way i. e. those that submit their neck to his yoke those that are not conceited that they can guide themselves better then he can guide them he will teach them his ways r Non eos qui pracurrere volunt quasi seipsos melius regere possint sed eos qui non eri gunt cervicem neque reculeitrant Aug. in loc in necessary great and weighty matters they shall not err Å¿ Ejusmodi error nunquâ—m accidit vel certe non permanet de rebus necessariis magnis gravibus Bergius prax Cathol p. 247. Again Prov. 2. v. 3. If thou seekest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding v 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for â—id treasures v. 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God v. 6. For the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding v. 7. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly v. 8. He keepeth the paths of Judgment and preserveth the way of his Saints v. 9. Then shalt thou understand Righteousness and Judgment and Equity and every good path q d. Be but as diligent to get knowlege as a covetous man is to get money t Cartw. in loc and God will certainly give you such knowledge of his wayes as shall preserve you from errour u Dominus clypeus erit iis qui perfectâ—m omnibus suis numeris constantem contemplationis rationem in hisce reconditis divinisque rebus amplecti sint quo ab erroribus tuti serventur c. Levi Ghersom in loc and will teach you how to behave your selves both towards God and Man w Eng. Annor One Scripture more that in the evidence of three vitnesses this rule may be established Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self q.d. Hinder not your selves from learning truth through fear of erour y Quà m perperam stultè hedÃe permulti dum errandi periculum metuunt hac trepidatione sese impediant ab omni
which kill the body and are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell VIII That conscience is a good peaceable conscience that excuseth q 1 Cor. 4.4 The good quiet Conscience absolveth r Heb. 10.2 and comforteth Å¿ 2 Cor. 1.12 as it ought that conscience that 's pacified t Heb. 9.14 by the blood of Christ that doth as Moulin u Moulin the comfort of a CommunicaÌ„t p. 37. relates of a dying man to whom some say the Devil appeared and shewed him a parchment that was very long wherein was written on every side the sins of the poor sick man which were many in number and that there were also written the idle words he had spoken which made up three quarters of the words that he had spoken in his life and his actions digested according to the Commandements Whereupon Satan said Seest thou behold thy vertues see here what thine examination shall be whereunto the poor sinner answered It is true Satan but thou hast not set down all for thou shouldest have added and set down here below the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and this also should not have been forgotten That whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life But how shall we get such consciences Christians be but perswaded to practice these or such directions and your Consciences will certainly be right and seasonably be comfortable 1. Take heed of every sinne w 2 Cor. 8.21 count no sin small x Matth. 5.21 22.27 28. Scrue up your obedience to every y Matth. 22.37 38. command to the highest Ferret out every sin to the most secret z Rom. 7.7 corruption When you have set your watch against the first risings of sin beware of the borders of sin shun the very a 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Venture not upon occasions b Prov. 4.15 27. Facile agitur quod libenter auditur Bern. de inter dom pa. 1082. or temptations to sin those that dare venture upon occasions as children upon the ice c Prov. 7.8 Numb 25.2 shall find there 's alwayes danger never any good Morality it self will teach d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 4â—7 you this lesson to keep clear of evil if ever you would either be good or enjoy it but seeing as on the one hand there cannot be truth of grace and truce with sin so on the other hand while grace is imperfect sin will have and make us feel it hath a Being There 's not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not e Eccles 7.20 therefore II. Forthwith set upon the healing duty of repentance and upon every slip into sin renew it f Peccator omnium notarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi paenitentiae natus Tertul de poenit p. 121. c. 12. speedily renew it O that I could snatch you out of your state of impenitency and perswade you to daily actual repentance To those that are resolved to delay their repentance I have sometimes given counsel suitable to such resolutions viz. the next sickness that seizeth upon you chide it away tell your disease you can't awhile to be sick say to it as Paul to Foelix g Acts â—4 25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee If death summon thee tell it you will not obey its summons you have other business to do than to dye you have estates unsetled and children unprovided for and you would repent too before you die but you can't yet awhile If this will not serve but die you must charge your souls before they go out of your bodies not to come near the prison of impenitent persons charge your friends to lock up your bodies so safe or bury them so deep that all the Angels in Heaven may not be able to dragg them to judgement But alass my Brethren do you not think this wild counsell and well you may Yet unless you could do something aequivalent to what this counsel amounts to you are mad to defer your repentance What! cannot I keep pain from my body nor the use of reason in my Soul one minute and shall I continue in my impenitency that will damn me the very moment of my death I beseech you therefore for your own Souls sake that you may not be guilty of the worst self-murder i. e. soul-murder speedily set vpon repentance And those of you that have repented let your repentance daily supplant sin by taking it by the heel certainly to lame it though you can not take it by the head utterly to kill it Though we can't be innocent h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazienz T. 1. orat 15. p. 225. 236. let 's be poenitent and be very careful never to return i Confessio peccati professio est desinendi c. Hilar. in Psal 137 p. 595. to sins repented of That you may be serious in both these III. Compose thy self to live as under Gods eye live as in the more then sensible presence of the Jealous God Remember all things are naked and bare before him you cannot deceive him for he is infinite wisdom you cannot fly from him for he is every where you cannot bribe him for he is righteousness it self Keep therefore fresh apprehensions of God in your thoughts speak as knowing God hears you walk as knowing k Talem te prepa a ut tecum adsit Deus sit in ore sit in corde semper tecum eat tecuÌ„ redeat nec recedat a te Nuâ—quam â—lle te d mittet nisi p ior illum dimiseris ubicunque fueris nunquam solus esse poteris si Deus tecum erit Bern. de in t dom p. 1065. c. 5. 1091. c 66. God is nearer to you then you are to your selves The l 2 Chron. 15 1 Lord is with you while you are with him i. e. you shall enjoy his favourable presence while you live in his awfull presence There 's one Psalm which 't were well if Christians would do by it as Pythagoras m Refert Galenus reâ—itasse se sub initium et finem cujusqueâ—â—ei Elâ—chmaâ—â—us Epil Edit p. 15 by his golden precepts every morning and evening repeat it 't is Davids n Molleâ— in loc appeal of a good Conscience unto God against the malicious suspitions and calumnies of men Do you but thus praesentiate God unto your selves and God will attest your integrity Psalm 139. v. 1. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me q. d. O Lord thou art the heart-searching God who perfectly knows all the thoughts counsells studies endeavours and actions of all men and therefore mine vers 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off q d. thou knowest my rest and motion
is not thine inevitable l 2 Cor. 12.10 weaknesse nor thy sensible dulness m Mar. 14.38.40 nor thy lamented roavings n Psal 86.11 nor thy opposed distractions o Gen. 15.11 nor thy mistaken unbelief p 1 John 5.13 it is not any nor all these can shut out thy prayer If thou doest not regard q Psal 66. â—8 iniquity in thy heart therefore be encouraged ' â—is the voyce of your beloved that saith r John 16.23 24. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you Hitherto have ye asked nothing to what you might ask in my name Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full But this and the two next rules will be spoken to in the following Cases I shall therefore but little more then name them VI. Let every action have reference unto your whole life and not unto a part onely Å¿ Episcop Inst theol l. 1. c. 1. p. 3. propose some end to your selves in every thing t Si aliquem excuntem domo interrogaveris quo tu quid cogitas respondebit tibi non mehercule scio sed aliquos videbo aliquid agam cursus est qualis formicis per arbusta repentibus quae in summum cacumen deinde in imum inanes aguntur domum cum super vacua redeuntes lassitudine iurant nescisse se psos quaâ—e exierint Seneca de Tranquil c. 12. p. 685. and let all your lesser and subordinate ends be plainly reducible unto the great end of your living The emphasis of the Apostles Exhortation is very great u 1 Tim. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est propriè exerceri in gymnade Grot. in loc Exercise thy selfe unto godlinesse q. d. Be as diligent in Religion as thou wouldst have thy children that go to School to be in learning Or thus let thy whole life be a preparation for heaven like the wrestlers or combatants preparation for victory Or thus strip thy self of all incumbrances that thou mayest attend unto piety Pleasures may tickle thee for a while but they have an heart-aking farewell Thou mayest call thy riches goods but within a few dayes what good will they do thee Men may flatter thee for thy Greatnesse but with God thy account will be the greater Therefore always mind that which will always be advantage VII Live more upon Christ then upon inherent grace Do not venture upon sin because Christ hath purchased a pardon that s a most horrible and impious abuse of Christ For this very reason there was no sacrifice under the Law for any wilfull wickedness lest people might think they knew the price of sinne as those do that truck with Popish indulgences and pardons But that none may be overwhelmed with the over-sense of their unworthinesse be it known to you We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous w 1 John 2.1 and our salvation is better safer more for Gods glory and our comfort in his hand then in ours VIII Be every way nothing in your own eyes x Descendendo coelum ascenditur Drexel de praed 't is the humble soul that thrives exceedingly and alas what have we to be proud y Vnde superbit homo cujus coÌ„ceptio culpa nasci poena labor vita necesse mori quando vel quomodo vel ubi nescire Bernard de inter dom c. 53. Mallem non esse quam talis esse Ibid. c. 33. Accuso me non excuso nec idcirco justus sum quoniamsi alter ita mea accusaret sicut ego meipsum accuso patienter sustinere non possem Ibid c. 34 c. p. 1078. of Look we either at our constitution or conversation our conception sinfull our birth poenal our life toylsome and our death we know not what but all this is nothing to the state of our soul A Stoick could give this rule that if any one z Epictetus c. 48. p. 276. Simp. com tell you of anothers speaking evill of thee do not excuse thy self but say he did not know me or else he would have spoken worse A Convert when he once comes to be sensible of sin sees more cause to be weary of his life then proud of his graces To rise and fall confesse sin and commit it to see others out-run us that set out after us to recover that time for communion with God which we trifle away in unobserved impertinencies Surely for such persons to be low and vile in their own eyes deserves not to be call'd humility though the contrary be worse then devillish pride Be perswaded therefore to believe your selves of your selves in the use of Agurs some suppose Solomons words of himself Pro. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish then any man c. q. d. I do not make use of my reason vers 3. I have not the knowledge of the holy q. d. my knowledge of holy mysteries is very little in comparison of my ignorance nothing Be as willing that others should speak ill of you as you are to speak ill of your selves and be as unwilling that others should commend a Multos vidisse qui potuèrint perferre multa incommoda in corpore fortunis qui autem potuerit contemnere laudes suas neminem Luther T. 4. p. 149. com in Gal. ex al. you as you are to commend your selves IX Entertain good thoughts of God b Psal 73.1 what ever he doth with you what ever he requires of you what ever he layes upon you c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epict. c. 38. Simpl. p. 212. We never arrive to any considerable holiness or peace till we lose d Hoc est totaelem dei voluntate conformitatem consonantiam habere nimirum nos totos ei offerendo ut quodcunque quandocunque quomodocumque ipse voluerit de nobis faciat ac statuat idque fine ulla exceptione contradictione nihil prorsus nobis reservando Rodericius exerc perfec pt 1. tr 8. c. 14. p. 355. our selves in Deity till our understandings be fil'd with admiration till our wils be in a sober sense divine till our affections be in a spiritual sense transported When we can at once unriddle Gods methods of Grace make good constructions of Gods methods of Providence making a spiritual improvement of both then we are not far from being universally and exactly conscientious there 's yet one thing wanting and that 's implyed in this but it must be eminently exprest X. Do all you do out of love to God Spiritual lâ—ve-sickness is the souls healthfullest constitution When love to God is both Cause Means Motive and End of all our activity in the business of Religion then the soul is upon the wing towards its rest Then e Ita sola bonitas dei movet ad amorem charitatis erga proximum sola ratio sanitatis movet ad utendum porione medica omnia quae
great Truths and come to that which the words seem to import viz. A power in man to turn himself It is a good rule which Glassius in his Philologie gives us In Philol. l 3. p. 290. That active Verbs are given to those things which do not properly by immediate influxe do that which they signifie Sed certa tantum ratione concurrunt God said to Moses Lift up thy rod stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Moses had not power to divide the sea but because there was a certain concurrence of Moses using the rod according to divine direction therefore it is attributed unto Moses whereas it was the work of God alone for vers 21. it s said The Lord caused the sea to go back So in the work of Conversion because man doth something about it therefore he is said to turn himself although the action be peculiar to the Lord Jer. 31.18 Ephraim saith Turn thou me and I shall be turned The Query here is What can or ought persons to do towards their own Conversion Something first is to be spoken of mans power or can and then something of what man ought to do For the 1. of these There is a threefold power considerable an Active a Passive and an Obediential power 1. An active power as in fire there is such a power to warm in a good Tree there is such a power to bring forth good fruit This kind of power is denyed to be in man Mat. 12.34 How can you that are evil speak good things if they cannot speak good things much less can they do good things 2. A passive power as in Wax to receive the impression of the Seal and in wood to receive the engravings of the Carver This power is not found in man 1 Cor. 2.14 Paul saith expresly The natural man or souly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives not the things of the Spirit of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither can he A stiffe dead hand receives nothing neither can it 3. An obediential power which consists in a capability to receive what form or impression soever the mighty God by his power shall put upon a creature such a power is in a stony heart to become flesh its capable to be made fleshly when God puts forth his power This is the power granted by Divines to be in men and it is a very low power The sacred Writ is plentiful in setting out the impotency of man it tels us that He is not subject to the Law of God neither can be Rom. 8.7 That he cannot please God Rom. 8.8 That he cannot come to Christ Joh. 6.44 That he can do nothing without Christ Joh. 15.5 That he cannot believe Joh. 12.39 chap. 5.44 That he cannot love God 1 Joh. 4.20 That he cannot do good yeild good fruit Jerem. 13.23 Matth. 7 17. That he cannot think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Mans liberty or power is referrible to Natural Moral or Spiritual things To the first he hath great strength To the second some To the third none A man freely doth natural and moral things he can live soberly and chastly quoad externos actus as to outward acts he may abstain from gross sins Theft Murder Drunkenness c. he may come to the Congregations freely hear the word and not stop his ears as the deaf Adder doth but as to spiritual acts qua tales he is impotent For the better understanding of the Querie What persons can do towards their own Conversion I shall lay down several Theses or Conclusions which I shall make good by Scripture as I proceed 1. Conclus 1. All dispositions and inclinations to spiritual good which man had at first in his Creation are lost and ruin'd by the Fall Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God it s so far from having inclination to God or the things of God that it s not only an enemy but enmity against God and Jer. 2.21 the Lord saith I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me they had lost their original sap and were degenerated into a wild Vine and could not bring forth good Clusters 2. Conclus 2 Man being altogether averse from good the servant of sin and death sold under sin Satans captive and dead in sin is not able by his own strength and power to convert or prepare himself thereunto Rom. 3.10 12. Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.14 2 Tim. 2.26 Colos 2.13 Rom. 5.6 Joh. 6.44 65. there must be the Fathers giving and drawing his gift and power otherwise there is no coming to Christ Men are without Christ in their natural conditions Eph. 2.12 they are dead to his life and righteousness 3. Conclus The Lord calls for humane endeavours and would have men do more then they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word signifies negotiari in aliqua re ad Lucrum Budaeus Luk. 19.13 to those had the Talents he saith Occupy till I come be pragmatical bestir your selves and improve your talents so that at my return I may find you gainers and he hid his Talent in a Napkin is branded for a wicked servant ver 22. and for a wicked and sloathful servant Mat. 25.26 4. Conclus Men may do more then they do Isa 64.7 There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee they did not shake off luke-warmness and lasiness and rouze up themselves to take hold of God by faith and prayer It s the complaint of Christ that he was hungry and they gave him no meat thirsty c. they might have done those things and bestowed their estates upon Christs members as well as others It s evident men may do more then they do for that they do not that in their healths which they do in time of their affliction then they will early seek God Hos 5.15 Weak ones do more then stronger many of weak parts act beyond those of larger abilities Many complain in their sickness that they have lost time and not done what they might where is the man that dares plead it before the Lord that he hath done all he could Because men do not what they might the Lord may not only deny grace unto them doing something yea doing much but justly condemn them because they did not what was in their power It is a common saying among Papists Jesuites Arminians and others Nos negamus ullos unquam suisse bene citentes bono naturae propter deum itaque non dubimus esse aliquod meritum congrui Chamier panstr Cath. T. 3. l. 14. c. 4. facienti quod in se est gratiam non denegat deus This is no sound foundation for it supposeth some men do act to the uttermost of their power But Whoever yet did all that was in his power whoever went so far as that he might not have gone one step farther
thy right eye offend thee c. If thy right hand offend thee c. Look as it is with good men though they have the seeds of every grace in them yet some one may be said to be theirs in an eminent manner Abraham was eminent for obedience Moses for meeknesse Job for patience Thus it is with wicked men though they have the seed of every sin in them yet some one may be said to be theirs in an especiall manner Wicked men in Scripture are as it were marked out for severall sinnes calculo nigro Cain for his murder Simeon and Levi for their treachery Corah and his company for their conspiracy Nebuchadnezar for his pride Manasses for his cruelty Balaam for his covetousnesse or look as it is in the naturall body though every man hath blood flegme choler melancholy yet some humour or other is predominant from which a man hath its denomination so 't is in the sinful body some sinfull humour or other hath the predominancy most men have some peccatum in deliciis some sweet morsell that they roll under their tongue which they will by no means spit out or part with It would be no hard matter to shew you that severall Nations have their proper and peculiar sins as the Spaniard theirs the French theirs the Dutch theirs Look into the Scripture and you will finde that the Corinthians had their sin which is thought to be wantonnesse and uncleanness and therefore the Apostle in the Epistles that he writes to them uses so many pressing arguments against this sin The Cretians are branded for Lyars the Jews for Idolaters So your Towns have their sins Villages theirs Cities theirs possibly Londons sin may be loathing spiritual Manna neglect and contempt of the Gospel a non-improvement of Ordinances 3. I am to enquire how this comes to passe that particular persons have their proper and particular sins 1. Men have particular temperaments and constitutions of body and therefore they have their particular sins sutable to their temperaments and constitutions You heard before how particular temperaments enclined men severall wayes Creatures in the generall are naturally delighted with those things which are fitted suited and accommodated to the genius and frame of their respective natures As in the same plant the Bee feedeth on the flower the Bird on the seed the Sheep on the blade the Swine on the root the same seeds are not proper for the sand and for the clay Every thing thrives most where it likes best so t is in this case that sin is like to thrive most in the soul that we make most of that we are most delighted in that suits best our complexions and constitutions We must be carefull here lest we strein this too far with some Physitians and Epicureans that hold the soule to be nothing else but the temper of the body but questionlesse this hath a very great influence on the better part Hence some have adjudged it not fit for illegitimate persons to be admitted into Ecclesiastical orders and you know under the Law by the appointment of God himself a bastard was not to enter into the congregation to the tenth generation And I humbly conceive that a toleration of unclean mixtures is not onely against Religion but against principles of polity and government the children of filthy persons for the most part proving degenerate ignoble lascivious and by that means become the blemishes the ulcers the plague-sores of the body politique Kingdom and State whereunto they do belong 2. There are distinct and peculiar periods of times distinct and peculiar ages that encline to peculiar sins for instance childhood enclines to lenity and inconstancy youth to wantonness and prodigality manhood to pride and stateliness old age to frowardnesse you know diseases make men fretfull now ipsa senectus morbus old age it selfe is a disease If we take not heed the sinfull body will grow strong when the naturall body grows weak I have heard of a good woman something enclinable to passion that used to say I must strive against peevishnesse when I am young or else what will become of me when I am old And so Covetousness is a sin that old age is very much addicted to Windelin in his Moral Phylosophy cap. 25. discourses learnedly Cur senes sint magis avari quam juvenes when God is taking people out of the world they cling fast about it and cry loth to depart truly this no good signe You know men that are a sinking and in a desperate case lay hold on any thing 3. Men have distinct and particular callings that encline them to particular sins For instance a Souldiers employment puts him upon rapine and violence And therefore John the Baptist when the Souldiers demanded of him what shall we do tels them Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsely Luke 3.14 be content with your wages A Tradesmans employment puts him upon lying deceiving over-reaching his brother Ministers upon the occount of pleasing the best as we many times Catechrestically call them or the greatest of the Parishâ— are tempted to flattery to please men to sow pillowes under their peoples elbows Magistrates and Judges are tempted to bribery and injustice if great care be not taken their very calling and office may prove a snare upon that account 4. Men have distinct and particular wayes of breeding and education and upon that account have their particular sins The child that hears his Father and Mother swear is like to swear too That child that hath frequently wine and strong drink given to it by the Parents when it is young 't is likely may get a smatch of it and love to it and so prove intemperate when it is old Joseph by living in the Court of Pharaoh learned to swear the Court Oath Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a creature very much given to imitation Examples have a very great influence on men both in reference to vertues and vices especially to the latter we catch sicknesse one of another but we do not catch health For instance the Scripture speaking of the sonne of Jeroboam tels us 2 Reg. 15.9 that he did that which was evill in the sight of the Lord as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the sonne of Nebat who made Israâ—l to sin He writ after his Fathers copy and therefore the sins of his Father in a particular manner is taken notice of by the Spirit of God in that place So 2 Sam. 6.20 2 Sam. 6 20. you have an account of Michals jeering of David because he danced before the Arke and you will find that she is called there not the Wife of David but the daughter of Saul And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said how glorious was the King of Israel to day who uncovered himselfe to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as one of the vain fellows
be departing and taking its leave of the body or at lest may be in danger so to do whereas the former being a man of an hayle and good constitution of body the soul may act inform enliven it many years 8. Get a respect to all Gods Commandments Psa 119.6 then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The reason why men indulge any one lust is because they pick and cull their duties and so indeed serve not the will of God but their own choice Oh how many are there that answer the Lord with half obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfect respondence of the voyce but of some part thereof Many make such a difference amongst the Tables as if onely one side or one part were of Gods writing Oh Sirs this will not do this will undo the man that like Agrippa doth but almost beleeve almost repent almost conform to the will of God that man shall be saved proportionably almost One sin unrepented of will cause you to miscarry to all eternity one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable untunable and till it be new cast it is good for nothing one wound may kill your bodies and so may one sin your souls Oh Christians what had become of you and I if Jesus Christ had satisfied the justice of God for all but one sin there is a text in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.27 that is usually taken for a place of the greatest mercy in the whole book of God When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive You have to the same purpose ver 21 22. of the same Chapter but pray mark what follows ver 28. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgression that he hath committed no mercy to be expected from this Scripture unless a man turn away from all his transgressions 2 Tim. 2.21 the vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour by this character that it is sanctified and prepared for every good work Luke 1.6 and this is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Halting in Religion is a troublesome deformed dangerous gesture and there is no cure for this like cutting off the right foot 9. Lay hold on Gods strength for the mortifying of thy beloved sin surely this is no easie work see how it is expressed in Scripture sometime it is called the mortification of our members is to mortifie a part of the body an easie work sometimes the circumcising of the foreskin of our hearts Deut. 10.16 did the Sichemites count circumcision an easie work by crucifying of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 was crucifixion an easie death and here in the text it is called a plucking out the right eye and cutting off the right hand the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place tells the Romans if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live He who is the fountain of spiritual life is also the principle of this spiritual death this is a work to be done by us but through the Spirit Hence in Scripture God is said to do this Rom. 8.13 Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed and the Apostle expresses this by circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 intimating that it is not a work of mans hands but Gods Q. If any aske me but how shall we lay hold on Gods strength R. By faith great things are attributed unto this grace because it lays hold on God and sets God at work 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith it overcomes not onely the honours and riches and pleasures of the world but the lusts of the world of which you have mention 1 Job 2.16 saith is a self-emptying grace a poor beggarly hand rich only in receiving from another something like Davids sling and stone against Goliah lusts but in the name of the Lord of Hosts and by his strength even a babe in Christ through faith shall overcome the world I must tell you that Hannibal and Alexander and all the glorious Victors that we read of were but fresh water Souldiers in comparison of one that is born of God I shall only to what I have said add a few Motives to quicken you to your duty and so commend all to Gods blessing Motive 1. Right-eye sins and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the souls closing with Christ When you flea any creature the skin comes off with ease till it comes to the head and there it sticks more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence Now I must tell you the sin that I am disswading you against is not only the eye sin and the hand sin but the head sin and here conversion sticks The sinner forbears many sins and performs many duties but when it comes to this Oh master saith flesh and blood pitty thy selfe beware what thou dost what be thine own Executioner plucke out thy right eye cut off thy right hand A mans sin is himself to deny ungodlinesse is to deny selfe this is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murther No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Is there no getting to heaven unlesse a man leave himself behind this is durus sermo an hard saying As Naaman the Syrian 2 Reg. 5.18 When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So the sinner the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Mark 10.20 21. The young man in the Gospel tels Christ that he had kept all the commandements from his youth but when Christ said to him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven and come and take up thy crosse and follow me here he sticks verse 22. he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions or his great possessions had him Alass this poor young man little thought that notwithstanding his forwardnesse to keep the Commandements he was under the power of worldly lusts Oh sirs there is great strength in a river when it runs smoothly and without noise Motive 2. As these sins are the greatest hindrances of the souls closing with Christ so they prove the greatest trouble to the soul afterwards Your Eye-sin will prove your eye-sore yea and your heart-sore My meaning is your conâ—cience will suffer most upon the account of this sin all your dayes Thus Job cap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth When a mans conscience is
disquieted and tormented for the sins of his youth then he may be said to possesse them yea it may occasion not only griefe but guilt Of all sins this is many times most unmortified even after Mortification Souldiers that have received wounds and bruises when young have smartâ—d by them when they have been old There are many good souls that after cure have gone to heaven halting on the old maim Motive 3. The mortifying of our darling lust our right-eye sin and our right-hand sin is a choise evidence of regeneration truth of grace hath as much as any way been declared thus Acts 19.19 Paul after conversion becomes a Preacher of that name which he before blasphemed Those of Ephesus that were given to witchcraft and sorcery after their conversion brought their books together and burned them before all men and many other instances of the like nature are urged by Divines to this purpose Cranmer that had subscribed the Popish Articles with his right hand afterwards as a piece of revenge put that hand first into the flames A true Convert of all sins will be revenged most upon that by which he hath most dishonoured God His right eye and his right hand shall smart for it the one must be plucked out and the other must be cut off as we say of hunger he will kill that which otherwise would have killed him I speak much of mortification and death to you this morning Christians be not afraid to dye thus doth not argue imperfection there is corruptio perfectiva a corruption that tends to perfection I was alive saith Paul Rom. 7.9 without the Law once but when the Commandement came sinne revived and I dyed This is expiring unto life just as an Embrio expires after it becomes a child Here I would add two Cautions under this head 1. The forbearing of any outward act of sin whatsoever is no evidence of Mortification or Conversion Sin may be restrained when it is not mortified a chained Lyon is a Lyon still a Swine washed is a Swine still In some sense you may be said to be a new man and yet you may not be a new creature This may come to passe partly from the sense of temporall inconveniences partly from the clamours of naturall conscience or from fear of wrath Such principles as these are not strong enough to kill sin or to heal the Soul but are like those odours which we use to raise men out of a fit of the Falling sickness but doth not at all cure them of the disease 2 The mortifying of our darling sin is joyned with an universal hatred of all sin A true Convert hates every false way as the Psalmist phrases it sin is often expressed in Script by abomination it is so to God it should be so to man anger is only with reference to particulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the kind a godly man hates sin as sin and therefore he hates every sin the Devil hates goodnesse as goodnesse and therefore he hates all goodnesse a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia a man may be angry with sin and not kill sin but as he that hates his brother is a murderer so he that hates sin is a mortifier When the right eye is plucked out and the right hand is cut off the whole body of sin hath its deaths wound The man that keeps himself from his iniquity will keep himself from every iniquity the heart with one hole-reserved for sin is not sound Motive 4. Mortification is a duty becoming the best of Saints whilest they are in this world I told you in the beginning of this discourse that the Text was part of Christs Sermon upon the Mount and if you consult the first and second verses of this Chapter you shall find that it was preached to Christs own Disciples Vir bonus pius Gal. 5.24 non est qui carnem non habet sed qui carnem suam mortificat a good man is not one that hath no flesh but he that hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 It is with our sinfull body as with our natural body If you cut a Wenn or any Excrescence of that nature it will grow again and again and it will be an hard matter to be rid of it all your dayes So though every day we be paring away our lusts yet they grow again To close all Go on and persevere in the subduing and killing of thy beloved Lust Mortification is a worke once done and yet in this life it is always a doing There are some things that consist of an iteration of multiplyed acts as in Wedlock persons are actually married at once the Husband surrenders himself unto the Wife and the Wife surrenders her self unto her Husband and yet if they live together sutably to that neer relation marriage is as it were renewed every day there is a continuall surrender of themselves each to other So 't is here when the soul is first converted the beloved sin is mortified and yet there is a continuall mortification of it this is a duty that consists not in any one act though never so good never so vigorous but 't is a continued act of the whole life 'T is not killing sin at one blow the strength of sin decays by degrees it begins in the weakning of sin and ends in the destroying of sin Sin dies a lingring death therefore let us go on in this great and necessary work You know Sampson deny'd and deny'd Dalilah for some time and would not discover where his strength lay but not holding out he lost his strength and his life to boot beware of Apostacy Crabs that go backward are reckoned amongst unclean creatures Lev. 11.10 Factum non dicitur quod non perseverat is a maxime a Will not finished is no Will a Deed unlesse it be signed sealed and delivered is no Deed. The Sacrifice that was offered up unto God was not to want so much as the tayle Lev. 3.6 True Christians hate sin so perfectly that they cannot be quiet till it be utterly abolished First they go to God for Justification ne damnet then for sanctification ne regnet then for glorification ne sit Let us be faithfull as to this spiritual death that we may receive a crown of life Amen What Relapses are inconsistent with Grace HEB. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come If they shall fall away to renew them again to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame I Could say Beloved of the Interpretation and Application of this Scripture before I begin to open it containing the Doom and sad Sentence pronounced against Apostates and Relapsarians as once Daniel
the recovery upon the Prophets prayer Did he return again 1 King 13.33 and made of the lowest of the people Priests of his high places c. Neither warning nor judgements nor mercies could work any amendment in him 1 John 3.9 5. It is as certain that he who is born of God doth not commit sin so as to make a trade of it returning to his Vomit But he that is born of God keepeth himselfe 1 John 5.19 and the wicked one toucheth him not He hath paid too dear for such a miscarriage it was not so light a matter to lye under Gods wrath lose his former peace nor was his comfort so soon restored and Gods favour regained that he should hazard all anew and buy Repentance at so dear a rate Deut. 29.18 19 20. 6. Very dreadfull is that threat of God If there be among you man or woman or a root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this Curse that he blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart adding drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but the Anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven And the Lord shall separate and single him out unto evill c. 7 Obs Relapses into sin are like Relapses into a Disease after hopes and beginning of recovery if by taking cold or want of heed taking or other disorder the disease return and the man down again this is worse than the first ill fit and long ere such recover But if as soon as he get a little strength he fall into a new Relapse we reckon his case very doubtful if not desperate 8. Yet it is not to be denyed but there are some sins of humane infirmity which though repented of a godly person may be again overtaken with and foyled yet not his last end worse then his beginning Thus was Jonah overtaken with his passion a second time Abraham with his excusatory lye Mat. 20.25 with Luk. 22.25 the Disciples after a former rebuke a second time contending for superiority The first fall in this kind I should liken to a sad and dangerous fall by which one hath broken a bone in his leg or arm which though it put him to much pain is well set again and he becomes as strong as before but more wary while he lives David speaks of his fall into sin that it was as a breaking of his bones But a second fall Psal 51. is like the breaking of the bone the second time which is more hardly set and put to more pain and it may be the man feels it at times to his dying day But a third or more frequent relapse is like the putting of an arm out of joynt again and again not being well bound and looked to in time becomes habitually loose and never keeps the place so it is here Crebrous and frequent acts of sin beget an habit and custom in sin and then as soon may the Ethiopian change his skin and the Leopard his spots Jer. 13.23 as one accustomed to do evil ever learn to do well Bernard describes the steps of sin how it comes to its height First time it is importable next time heavy Prima importabile processu temporis grave paulo post leve postea placet suave est ad extremum quod erat impâ—rtabile ad faciendum est impossibile ad continendum Bern. de Cons Ex voluntate perversa facta est consuetudo dum consuetudini non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. cons l. 8. Ad illum modicum quotidiana modica addendo in eam consuetudinem lapsa erat ut prope eam plenos mero caliculos inhianter hauriret Conf. l. 9. no more importable then easie then light then sweet at last necessary and what was at first importable to be committed is now impossible to be omitted And St. Austin confirms this by a story of his own Mother who by sipping of the Cup at first when she filled the Wine learnt at last to take almost whole Cups Qui modica non spernit paulatim decidit is his good note upon it he that makes a small matter of small sins is in the ready way to fall into the greatest Every new relapse into a former sin is like the adding of a new figure to the first cypher which raiseth the sinners account ten or an hundred times more Therefore if thou hast been overtaken once stop and be humbled and say once I have spoken or done amiss but I will not answer to plead for my self ware the second time the second fall as the second blow makes the fray but if a second time say you twice but I will proceed no further Job 40.4 5. Esay 5.18 Eccl. 4.12 Esay 24.27 28 but be sure thou take heed of drawing sin with a threefold cord or cart-rope this threefold cord is not easily broken take heed of a third act fear and the pit and the snare are before thee Oh bold and presumptuous sinner if thou escape the fear of the first act thou mayst perish in the pit for the second but if thou escape the pit thou wilt be taken in the snare the third time upon the ungodly God raineth snares Psa 11.6 God gives once to a reprobate mind and they are gone Think not after a third or fourth act of presumptuous sin to go and shake thy self by prayer and repentance as Sampson once Judg. 16. â—0 and that thy strength may return to thee to be delivered from these Philistines which lye in wait for thee he did so but wist not till he found it by woful experience that the Lord was departed from him so may it be with thee therefore be warned Vse 1 This 1. informs us that possible it is for men yea too ordinary to fall from grace the Text supposeth it and in another place Heb. 12.15 the Apostle Items us to look diligently lest any fall from the grace of God the Angels did so at first and Adam soon after and that which was Morbus Angelicus then is Morbus Anglicus now The Lord may complain of us as justly as ever he did of Israel My people are bent to backesliding from me Hos 11.7 and Esay 1.5 Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more and Jer. 8.5 Why is this people slidden back by perpetual backeslidings they hold fast deceit they refuse to return This is and of late hath been the case and Epidemical Disease of England It is no new thing to see the sons of fallen man to fall and fall away Saul Joash Amaziah Judas Demas Alexander fell away of old Of all Israel that came out of Egypt with Moses and Aaron only
two Caleb and Joshua followed God fully Numb 14.24 Of the four grounds in the Parable only one held out Many of John Baptists hearers left him and fell away Joh. 5.35 Many of Christs hearers and disciples Joh. 6.65 Many of Peters 2 Pet. 2.20 Many of Pauls 2 Tim. 1.15 and 1 Tim. 5.15 Many of John the Evangelists hearers 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us because they they were not of us for had they been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us But none of these were ever sincere Christians and sound at the heart We wonder not to see an house built on the sand to fall or seed not having root wither or trees in the parched Wilderness decay Jer 17.6 or Meteors vanish or Blazing-stars fall or Clouds without rain blown about or Wells without springs dryed up So for Hypocrites to prove Apostates no strange thing and utterly to fall away There are four wills some have observed 1. The Divine will never alters or turns 2. The Angels will hath turned never returns 3. The will of man faln turned and in conversion returns 4. The will of Apostates after that grace received and abused turns away and never returns but becomes like the fallen Angels 2. Even Godly and gracious persons are subject to fall and therefore must not be secure they must work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2 12. they are bidden to fear least they should fall short Heb. 4.1 Stand fast 1 Cor. 16.13 Take heed least they fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Look diligently least any fail of or fall from so is the other reading the grace of God Heb. 12.15 Take the whole armour of God that they may be able to stand Eph. 6.12 Even the very Elect have this root of bitterness and seeds of Apostacy within them Even Peter had sunk if Christ had not put forth his hand to save him from the water Mat. 14.31 and had been winnowed as chaff Luk 21.31 32 if Christ had not pray'd for him that his faith should not fail Let not him therefore that puts on his harness boast as he that puts it off 1 King 20.11 3. Yet a truly regenerate soul a plant of Gods planting by the water side a plant or graffe grafted into Christ and rooted in Christ can never fall away totally or finally Peter could not when Christ pray'd for him The Elect cannot Mat. 24.24 In the general Apostacy of the Christian world and the greatest persecutions under Rome-pagan and Rome-pseudo-christian Antichristian both times when all the world wandered after the Dragon and the Beast they who had their names written in the Lambs book held out and warped not Rev. 13.8 and 17.8 The elect are as Mount Sion that cannot be moved and are as fixed stars that fall not The house on the Rock stands firm in all weathers The Tree by the waters side Jer. 17.8 Seed in good ground Mat. 13. They who have a seed of God in them cannot so sin 1 Joh. 3 9 And they that are born of God 1 Joh. 5.18 They who are in the hand of Christ none can pluck them out Joh. 10.28 Yet as to the fallings of the Elect not presuming to tell you the minimum or summum quod sic we shall make those concessions or observations 1. We grant that the godly as well as others are subject to this Posit 1 falling-sickness having seeds of Apostacy in them and would certainly fall irrecoverably if left to themselves In te stas non stas Aug. By strength his own no man shall prevail or stand 1 Sam. 29. 2. Grace received truly sanctifying is not for his measure so great Posit 2 or for its nature so immutable and invincible but might be overhorn and would if not divinely supported and continually supplyed as the Widows oyl kept from decay fed by a spring of Auxiliary grace as Josephs bow abode in strength by the arm of God and his bough green and fruitful Gen. 49.22 23 24. Gratia gratiam postulat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.10 sed by a well of living water so that it is not the grace in us but the grace with us grace supervening and additional which keeps us from falling Even the good ground were it not for the influence of the Sun and Rain would prove as the stony and Thorny Ground Posit 3 3. There is no such state of consistency in the effectually called But there is a daily combate and of times a great inequality in his Pulse sometimes Amalek sometimes Israel prevails and this war lasts not as that between the house of Saul and David for certain years but as that between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days 2 Sam. 3.1 1 King 14.30 Paul sometimes as in the third heaven cries out We are more then Conquerors who shall separate us from the love of God c. sometimes as under foot cries out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Posit 4 4. Even godly persons may fall for once very fouly as Peter yea lye long as David it is hard to say how low they may fall and how long they may lye yet sin not unto death as the Sun is for many months absent from some Climates yet returns again so that they may then say with the Church Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise Micah 7.8 when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Posit 5 5. There may also possibly be a relapse or falling a new into the same act of sin through humane infirmity as Abraham twice denying his wife the Disciples twice contending for supremacy And as I will not say how oft thy brother trespassing and repenting is to be forgiven not to seven but to seventy times seven so I cannot say how oft through infirmity a sinner trespassing and returning with repentance may be forgiven Gods mercies and thoughts being so far above mans Posit 6 6. The Christian may as to his own sense be reduced to a very sad and low state 1. He is poor in spirit he mourns he hungers thirsts pants doubts dislikes all 2. He judgeth of himself as under present prevailency of corruption Carnal sold under sin a forced slave to it Rom. 7.14 3. As if nothing had been done yet and all was to do he begs O God create a new heart in me Psal 51. 4. He may be apt to conclude against himself I never did yet truly believe or repent and which is worse with Thomas I never shall believe 5. In this case he lies bound as Peter Joh. 20.25 Act. 12.6 7. and can't help himself till the Angel comes and strikes off the bands and opens the iron-gate 6. And as to comfort he may be at an utter loss walk in darkness Esay 50.10 judge himself cut off Ezek.
debauched watchmen who having drunk sufficiently one day say they will do as much to morrow and more too and so had their drinking matches and rantings from day to day The third Use is of Discrimination 3. Vse to discover who is clean and who unclean in respect of falls and relapses and to put a difference between the holy and prophane which is the proper work of a faithful Prophet to some we are to open the door of hope to some to shut it Ezek. 22. â—6 1 Joh 5 17. every sin is not a sin to death every disease not the Plague every Ulcer not a Leprosie 1. There are some who have fallen into foule sins and they think their case desperate because of the greatness of their sins but their sin is not the sin against the Holy Ghost because not committed after light taste partaking of the Holy Ghost c. but in the days of their ignorance as Paul once some fall fouly after conversion as Peter but not deliberately maliciously and both these may be the spots of children they see the plague in their heart feel the smart these have foul scabs 1 Kingâ— but they go to Jordan and wash go to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness and then though their sins be as scarlet Esay 1. they shall be as white as snow though red like crimson they shall be as white as wooll 2. There be some Relapses through humane infirmity which are truly bewailed this is not the sin against the Holy Ghost neither Come into the Camp I pronounce such clean For 1. there is no raw flesh of pride and presumption in them 2. All is turned whi e by true repentance it is a scab Lev. 13.4 5 6 14. and but a scab 3. It is but skin-deep the heart was not tainted 4. It standeth at a stay These four signs shew it to be no Plague of Leprosie such are not to be shut up or put out of the Camp And God as he pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin so he promiseth to heal and pardon their backeslidings Hos 14.4 Jer. 3.22 3. But there are others that make a trade of sin drink up iniquity like water Deut. 24.19 20 that add Drunkenness to thrist and fall and rise and rise and fall they lapse and relapse and slide away as water shall I say such shall have peace No what peace to such so long as their sins remain the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and he shall blot out his name from under heaven Call not this a Scab this is the Plague of Leprosie this is more then skin-deep Lev. 13.10 11 14 15. Psal 68.21 this doth not stand at a stay here is proud raw flesh this is an old sore thou must out of the Camp thou art unclean God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of him that goeth on still in his trespasses I shall to conclude give a few short Directions to prevent Falls and Relapses but cannot now enlarge upon them 1. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation This is the old and great receit Mat. â—6 41 and daily experimented with every ordinary Saint probatum est watch in prayer watch after watch when alone watch when in company especially against ill Company and all occasions of sin 2. Keep conscience tender and shun the first motions and occasions of sin if thou find thy self given to appetite put a knife to thy throat is the wise mans counsel if to wine look not on the glass if to wantonness come not neer her corner the consecrated Nazarite must not only forbear the wine but the grape and not only the juyce but the husk and kernel of it Num. 6.4 3. Take heed of having slight thoughts of sin as to say as long as it is no worse it is the first time it is but now and then a great chance when I meet with such company and many have such foolish pleas and so play at the mouth of the Cockatrice Den till they are stung to death Deut. 29.19 4. Of having light thoughts of Gods mercy I shall have peace I shall have mercy when I do but ask At what time soever will save me we can't out sin the mercy of God when sin abounds grace superabounds c. The Lord faith he will not spare such nor be merciful to them 5. Take heed of reasoning from Gods temporal forbearance to eternal forgiveness Eccles 8.11 12. Because sentence is not speedily exâ—cuted against an evil doer his heart is fully set in him to do evil but though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his days be prolonged c. yet it shall not be well with the wicked at last 6. Take heed of presuming of thy own strength I can and I mean to repent I can when I will and I will when time serves Qui promittâ—t poenitenti veniam non promittit peccâ—nti poenitentiam I trust I am not so bad that God hath not given me over many have gone further then I why may I not repent at last hour 7. Take heed of a mock-repentance saying I cry God mercy God forgive me I sin daily and repent daily when I have sworn or been drunk I am heartily sorry Is not this repentance I answer no Repentance is quite another thing the burnt child we say dreads the fire Thou hast smarted for suretiship and hast repented of it thy friend comes again and desires thee to be bound with him once again thou replyst I have paid dear for surtiship already I have repented of my folly I have resolved to come into bonds again no more no not for the best friend I have thou art importuned by many arguments but peremptorily refusest urge me no more I have vowed and resolved against and have made an oath I would never be taken in that fault again Now I believe thee that thou hast truly repented of suretiship why dost thou not thus when thou art enticed unto sin again why dost thou not say I have smarted confessed bewailed been heartily sorry for my former folly now speak no more of it Psa 119.106 Psa 119.115 I have sworn and will perform it to keep Gods commandments Away from me ye wicked I must keep the Commandments of my God This would be somewhat like true repentance But take heed of a mock-repentance lest as true repentance meets with a true pardon thy mock-repentance should be answered with a mock-pardon as Tertullian excellently saith There be some that say saith he their heart is good De Paenitent they fear God grieve for sin though yet they fall into sin they can salva side metu peccare c. sic ipsi salva venia in gehennam detrudentur dum salvo metu peccant They can live in sin nevertheless notwithstanding their faith and repentance and God can damn them nevertheless notwithstanding
and this like Pathologie or understanding the disease and the constitution of the patient will hugely minister and condence to the exact method of Physick either for prevention or for cure Rule 4 Get and keep a tender Conscience Be sensible of the least sin As the apple of the eye the fittest Emblem in the world of a tender conscience is not only offended with it blow or wound but if so much as a little dust or smoak get in it weeps them out Some mens consciences are like the stomack of the Estrich which digesteth iron they can swallow and concoct the most notorious sins swearing drunkenness c. without regret their consciences are seared as with an hot iron as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 4.2 they have so inured their souls to the grossest wickedness as the Psylli a people of Africa whom Plutarch mentions had their bodies to the eating poyson that it becomes as it were natural But a good conscience hath a delicate sense it is the most tender thing in the whole world it feels the least touch of known sin and grieves at the grieving of Gods good Spirit not only for quenching or resisting or rebelling against the Holy Ghost but even for grieving the holy Spirit of promise whereby it is sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4.80 The most tender hearted Christian he is the stoutest and most valiant Christian Happy is the man that feareth always but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischief Prov. 28.14 it is the truest magnanimity and heroique courage in our spiritual warfar to tremble at the least iniquity A Christian is never fitter to endure hardness as a faithful souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 then when his conscience is most tender To be such a coward as not to dare to break any one of Gods Commandments is to be the valiantest person in the world for such a one will chuse the greatest evil of suffering before the least of sinning and however the jeering Ishmaels of the world be ready to reproach and laugh one to scorn for this niceness and precise scrupulosity as they term it yet the choice if God be but wiser then vain man is a very wise one Keep an exact guard upon thy heart Prov. 4.23 let the eyes of thy Rule 5 soul be open and awake upon all the stirrings of thy thoughts affections Bid them stand at their first appearance As soon as ever thou discriest any of them in motion summon them before thy souls tribunal let them not pass till thou knowest perfectly whence they come whither they go Ask their errand State viri quae caussa viae quive estis in armis Virg. Is it grief or is it joy or hope or fear or love c. that is now upon the march demand the Word of it ask whether it have a Pass from God and conscience Catechize it examine it search it speak to it in the Centinel's and Watchman's phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew me your Ticket Tell me my desire my love my fear my anger by whose authority art thou now up and in motion if they are able to produce a good warrant from Gods Commandments or from the dictate of reason and conscience let them go on in Gods name they are about their business But if they cannot arrest them as idle vagrants nay as enemies to thy souls peace and charge them upon their allegiance to their superiors that they stir no further Rule 6 Be daily training and exercising all thy graces Have them always in battel-â—ray be in a military posture both defensive and offensive Stand constantly to thine arms for thou hast to do with two enemies that will never give thee any truce or respite the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Jews call them the flesh within thee Jer. 17 9. and the Tempter that destroying Angel of the bottomless pit without thee 1 Pet. 5.8 the Christian warfare is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a war never to be altered it admits of no peace no cessation The Souldier of Christ must never lay down his arms but expect to be upon continual duty and travel till the great Lord of Hosts under whose banner he now fighâ—â—th is pleased to remove his Quarters from that Army Militant here on Earth to that blessed and triumphant in the Heavens Rule 7 Be well skilled in the Elenchs of Temptation I mean in unmasking the Sophistry and Mystery of iniquity in defeating the Wiles and Stratagems of the Tempter and in detecting and frustrating the cheats and finesses of the flesh with its deceitful lusts Eph. 4.23 2 Cor. 2.11 No small part of spiritual wisdom lies in the blessed art of discovering and refuting sins fallacies and impostures If ever thou wouldst prove famous and victorious and worthy honour and reverence in thy spiritual warfare be well seen in the skill of fencing know all thy wards for every attaque Provide thy self with answers and retorts beforehand against the subtle insinuations and delusions of thine enemy Ex. gr If Satan tels thee as he often will that the sin is pleasant ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musae ask whether the gripings of conscience be so too whether it be such a pleasant thing to be in hell to be under the wrath of an Almighty Judge If he tels thee no body sees thou mayst commit it safely ask whether he can put out Gods all-seeing eye whether he can find a place empty of the divine presence for thee to sin in or whether he can blot out the Items out of the Book of Gods Remembrance If he tels thee it is a little one ask whether the Majesty of the great Jehovah be a little one whether there be a little hell or no. If he talks of profits and earthly advantages that will acrew ask what account it will turn to at the last day and what profit there is Mat. 16.26 if one should gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what one should give in exchange for his soul When sin like Jael invites thee into her Tent Judg 4.11 21. 5.25 â—6 with the lure and decoy of a lordly treatment think of the nail and hammâ—r which fastened Sisera dead to the ground Be not caught with chaff lay by thee such memoires such answers and reparties as these wherewith thou mayst reply upon the Tempter that the God of truth hath other manner of pleasures profits honours to court thy love and reward thy service with then the father of lies viz. true and real solid and eternal ones what are the pleasures that are sin for a season to be compared with the rivers of Gods pleasure that are for evermore at his right hand and what is a little wealth that thieves can steal a despicable heap of riches which like a flock of birds a lighting a little while in thy yard will take wing presently and fly away to be named
the only begotten Son of the eternall God had flesh lusting in them unto sin Which is as convincing an Argument that humane nature is blemished and infected that it hath received a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stain and venome as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of a pestential disease whose breakings out display the contagion within If the Carbuncle and the Tokens proclaim the Plague or the spots discover a pestilential feaver or the Variolae those postulous efflorescencies which we commonly name the Small Pox argue the praecipitation of the blood by some latent malignity Certainly the lustings of the flesh in all men demostrate that the very nature of man on Earth is now blasted and corrupted Methinks the Divine perfection and our owne imperfection are the two greatest Sensibles in the world both of them equally that is immensely clear and discernable For the former is no lesse illustriously undenyable then is the being light and beauty of the Sun in the Firmament at noon day And the later is no lesse evident and conspicuous than the obscurity and horrour of Midnight-darknesse Not to see the one is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without God in the world and not to feel the other for it is like the Aegyptian darknesse Exod. 10.21 that may be felt by all that are not past feeling is to be without or besides ones self Now since all the reason in the world consents to the truth of that Aphorisme of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the best and most excellent mind is the parent of the Universe Hierecles most divinely concludes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Carm. Isa 57.20 and an Almighty everliving goodnesse is the Source and root of all things since heaven and earth say Amen and again Amen Hallelujah to that Oracle of the Psalmist The worke of God is honourable and glorious Psal 111.3 And all that God made was very good Gen. 1.31 No wonder if it puzzled all philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence humane nature came to be thus vitiated and debauched What are the fountains of this great Deep of sinne within us which like the troubled Sea is perpetually thus casting out mire and dirt Sure enough so universall an effect as this calamity of mankind must have a cause as universal The Sâ—cinians here and others will have us believe that we all are born as innocent as Adam in Paradise that is say they in an aequilibrium and perfect indifferency to good and evill assigning no other cause of the generall corruption of mens lives and manners but the infection of example and evill custome which is methinks as wise a guesse as to affirm the Wolf and Vulture to be bred and hatch't with as sweet and harmlesse a nature as the innocent Lamb or loving Turtle but only the naughty behaviour and ill example of their auncestors and companions have debauched them into ravennousnesse and ill manners The Manichees as St. Austin tels who was himselfe for severall years before his conversion of that heresie thought that all the evill in the world sprang from an Almighty and an eternall principle of evill counter-working and over-bearing God whom they held the opposite eternal principle of goodness But since the very formall notion of God involveth infinite perfection and that of sin meer imperfection it is a perfect contradiction that evill should be infinite if good be so It were to make imperfection perfect and meer impotency Omnipotent Therefore there can be but one God who is Almighty goodnesse And as possible it is that the Sun should darken the world by shining as Almighty goodness should do any hurt in the world or make any evill God is the Author of all the good in the world but sin and misery are of our making Hos 13.9 Much wiser than either of the two former was the conjecture of the Pythagoreans and Platonists though Heathens who having nothing else to consult as wantâ—ng the divine Revelation of holy Scripture but their own faculties embraced the conceit that all humane souls were created in the beginning upright and placed by God in happier mansions in purer and higher regions of the Universe untill at length they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hierocles phraseth it i. e. till they fell from the divine life and became inhabitants of earthly Tabernacles bringing their fallen and degenerate natures along with them This opinion had of old the generall consent of the Jewes as appeareth Jo. 9.2 and yet hath as Men. Ben Israel in his Book De Resurrectione mortuorum witnesseth Among the Christians Origen is in the number of it's Sectaries in his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some few of the Ancients But as much as is necessary for us to know about this great enquiry God hath blessed be his goodnesse sufficiently revealed in the three first Chapters of Genesis compared with Psal 51.5 Eccles 7.29 Rom. 12 5 c. And he is as wise as he need be in so great a point that knows how to understand these Scriptures according to the Analogie of Faith and consistently with the Divine perfections and that so believeth them as to put that and no other sense and interpretation upon them which is worthy of the glorious attribute and excellent Majesty of the living God Although some difficulties will remain perhaps insuperable to us in this our present estate on earth Use 2 Exhortat I have already in some measure discovered the Mysteries and secrets of this blessed art of checking sin in the beginnings of it Let me now perswade the practise of these holy Rules let us resolve in the strength of Christ to resist these lustings of the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Take the exhortation of the Apostle watch ye stand fast in the faith quit your selves like men 1 Cor. 16.13 Let me press this with a few considerations 1. The more thou yeeldest the more thou mayest Sin is unsatiable it will never say it is enough Give it an inch it will take an ell See the sad example of Peter denying his Lord Matth 26. 1. He was only timerous he follows afar off vers 58. 2. At the next step he denies his Lord openly before them all vers 70. 3. He adds an oath to it vers 72. And lastly vers 74. he falls a cursing and swearing as if he meant to out-sin the vilest there It is no wisdome to try conclusions between fire and Gun-powder in the heap Who but a fool would unlock the door of his house when it is beset with Thieves and excuse it he did but turn the key that was all Why he need do no more to undo himself they will easily do all the rest 2. It is the quarrel of the Lord of Hosts in which thou fightest Caesarem vehis fortunam caesaris let thy courage rise in proportion to the goodnesse of thy cause and the honour of that great Prince Captain under whose
of all their sins Oh man whoever thou art that makest thy neighbour drunk by putting the bottle to his mouth that callest to thy brother saying â—ast in thy lot amâ—ngst us and let us have one purse that inticest the soule of the simple with a Come let us take our fill of loves and solace our selves untill the morning I tell thee thou art guilty of all their sins and mayest justly be punished with all their plagues for this Christians is a most Devilish practice to tempt and provoke others to wickednesse All sins indeed are devilish sins Per modum servitutis but some sins are devilish sins Per modum imaginis in all sins men bear the Devils yoak 1 John 3.8 but in some sins men bear the Devils image Five Sins especially the Scripture brands as devilish Sins and this is the chief 1. False accusation 2 Tim. 3.3 men shall be false accusers Devils sayes the Greek 2. Lyâ—ng John 8.44 you are of your father the Devil for he is a liar and the father of it 3. Pride 1 Tim 3.6 not a novice lest puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil 4. Persecution Revel 2.10 the Devil shall cast some of you into prison i. e. devilish men-persecutors 5. Temptation as this is Get thee behinde me Satan sayes Christ to Peter when he tempted him Maâ—th 16.23 He that shall either hinder another of doing that good which is commanded or shall further another to the doing of that evil which is prohibited is justly chargeable with both their Sins 2. By compliance by consenting and complying with Sin and Sinners so a man makes himself partaker though he has no hand in 't yet if he has a heart in 't though he does not act it yet if he likes it and loves it and approves it though he does not persecute Gods Saints and Ministers yet if he saith Aha! aha so would we have it 't is enough to make him guilty before God Saul he had no hand in Saint Stephens death he did not cast one stone at him but because he looked on with approbation and stood by with consent Acts 8.1 Saul was consenting unto his death therefore was he esteemed guilty of his blood and murder and so himself confesses when God had awakened him and humbled him to repentance Acts 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I was consenting to his death and so charges himself as guilty of it God looks not upon the outward man so much as upon the heart according to the frame and inclination of the heart according as the pulse of the heart beats so is every man in the account esteem of God if Sin has once storm'd the Fort-Royall of the heart though it never appears in the out-works the Garrison is lost That which is upon the stage of the heart after consent is as truly acted in the sight of God as that which appeares in the outward man by commission Matth 15.19 Out of the heart proceeds murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies Why beloved from the hand proceeds Murders and Thefts Eph 4.28 from the eye proceedes Adulteries and Fornications 2 Pet. 2.14 and from the tongue proceeds f lâ—e witnesses and blasphemies Psal 120.3 Oh but the heart is the forge of all You may murder a man with a thought as they say the Rasilisk will with a look such a poysonous thing a wicked heart is and let me tell you 't is the heart-murder and the heart-adultery and the heart-blasphemy and the heart-iniquity that God especially judges according to that famous place Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his wayes i. e. according to what I see acted and done upon the stage of the heart sayes God he does not onely judge the actions but he judges the very intentâ—ons 3. By connivance by a sinfull dissembling flatâ—ering and winking at others in their wickednesse and sins so men become guilty of others sins Isa 9.16 The leaders of this people cause them tâ— erre 't is in the Hebrew the blessers of this people cause them to erre Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beat fican es populum the blessers of men in wickednesse are the leaders of men in wickednesse he that shall wink at and flaâ—ter men in Sins when he knowes in his conscience that they doe wickedly he makes himself Captain and Master of mis-rule among them And thus we are too prone to be partakers of Magistraâ—es sins and Governours sins and great mens sins Patrons sins and Landlords sins If the Grandees of the world profane the Sabbath dishonour God rant and swear and scoff at Religion out of a base cowardly spirit or out of a carnall covetous heart we flatter them and let them alone it may be applaud them as he said Tu fa hunc Dominum te facit ille Deum doe but make him a Lord and hee straight-way makes thee a God as if we were not to distâ—nguish between the persons of men and the vices of men or as if so be we more feared a mortall man whose breath is in his nostrils than we do the immortall God who can frown us into hell in a moment Oh thâ—s is to be deeply guilty of other mens Sins See how sharply God by his Proâ—het taxes and reproves this dawbing in those wicked upholsters that sow pillows to every elbow Ezek. 13.17 and so forward Read it at leisure I fear this has been the Sin of former Times and Governments God grant it may not be the Sin of present and future Ages for men to connive at any that promote their own interests Alas my brethren methinks the interest of Piety and the interest of Conscience and the interest of the eternall God judge of quick and dead should swallow up all the interests of the world If Nebuchadnezzar himself should set up a golden Image and would have it worshipp'd I tell you 't is not treason for Sidrach Meshech and Abednego to say Wee are not carefull oh King to answer thee in this matter Dan. 3.16 Besides let not men deceive themselves for such persons as can so easily betray the interest of God will never be afraid if opportunity serve to oppose the soveraignty of man whose authority he bears and are not indeed Hushai's but Ziba's not Davids friends but Davids flatterers 4. By sufferance by permitting the sins of others so we become guilty by suffering others to sin whom we are bound in duty and may be able by authority to hinder and thus as in the former particular we are guilty of Magistrates sins in this particular Magistrates oft-times become guilty of our sins Kings and Rulers and subordinate Magistrates become oft-times deeply guilty of their peoples sins namely by sufferance by tolerating Errours and Heresies and Blasphemies on the one hand or by suffering wickednesse and profanenesse on the other That Ruler or Magistrate that shall suffer either loose
discourse by some sweet and heavenly diversions 2. Mannage your Reproofs with great prudence and discretion Thou shalt not hate thy â—rother in thy heart Rev. 19.17 thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him I might here divert unto a case almost co-incident and that is Quest When is it our duty to reprove such as wee see and hear committing of sin as wee pass by in the streets Answ This being the business of another subject I shall onely say thus much that if thou perceivest them by their haughty and scornful carriage to be such as will kick at rebuke Prov. 9.8 thou hast a Rule from Solomon Reprove not a scorner lest hee hate thee When by the wisest conjecture that thou canst make he is like to shew the properties of a brutish Mat. 7.6 swinish nature Cast not thy Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you But if he be a person likely to receive impressions and particularly if it be a trespass against thy self go tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee Mat. 18.17 thou hast gained thy Brother Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself Prov. 25.9 I have known admirable success in this case But in all such cases observe these three directions Prov. 25.11 Diog. Laert. in Arcesilao 1. Time your Reproofs seasonably words spoken in season are like Apples of gold in pictures of silver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This very point saies an antient is proper to a Philosopher to understand the season of all things I may say 't is much more the excellency of a Christian to feel the pulse of the soul and hit the disease in the very joynt as 't is reported of Galen that when Antoninus laboured under a distemper others not being able to declare where it lay this Physician by his expertness in the evidence of symptomes pronounced that his stomach was vexed with crudities and indigestion Castellan de vit medic p. 117. the Emperour cried out three times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's it that very thing is it which thou hast spoken As to our purposes it is adviseable sometimes not presently and immediately to fall bluntly upon the work lest thou thy self shouldest be in a passion Yet stay not too long lest thy holy zeal be cooled and both thou and hee forget or dissemble the Circumstances whereby Reproof might be the better fixed A seasonable time to intermeddle in these cases may be when a friend is under the holy hand of God in any affliction particularly in a sick-bed That time which is fit for bodily may be much more fit for soul-physick When thoughts of mortality and the leaving of all outward enjoyments do prepare and meliorate the way for spiritual impressions 2. Mix thy Reproofs with meek and gentle expressions Every Reproof should be like the Syrupus Acetosus of Physicians the Syrup of Vineger that carries with it a grateful sharpness Take heed thou go not to this work vested in thine own anger for though there may be in thee some holy zeal yet take heed of mingling too much of kitchen-fire Meek Reproofs are like Tents dipt in the balm of Gilead that both search and cure the wound together Let the Righteous smite mee Psal 141.5 saies David and it shall be a kindness and let hâ—m reprove mee it shall bee an excellent oyl which shall not break my head Such are the Disciples of the good Samaritan who poured in Wine as an abstersive Luke 10.34 and Oil as a suppling incarnative into the wound Such are the children of that prudent Matron who opened her mouth in wisdome Prov. 31.26 and in whose tongue was the Law of kindness And yet friends if wee be over-gentle the core of the wound will remain The Chyrurgian who hath taught his fingers too much tenderness and not willing to put his patient to pain may through cruel kindness occasion distorted limbs and lameness all a mans life Corrosives are as necessary as glutinous plaisters to eat down the proud flesh of our sinful sores Ely's sinful mildness procured the sharp sword of the Philistines to cut off his Sons and occasioned such dismal events that broke his own heart and his neck too In many Chymical operations Salt is a most necessary ingredient and causes things to ferment without the salt of Reproof in its due proportion bare words of advice will seldome work The temper of the person must be wisely considered In some too milde expressions lull them asleep in sin No great matter may they think which extorts but such gentle reflections In others that are quick and apprehensive Soft words do pacifie wrath Prov 15.1 Such as are of cholerick tempers whose gall doth much overflow their intestines Physicians are more careful of their Cholagôga of such ingredients in their purges that may exonerate and not augment their choler In all thy spiritual Physick labour to clear it up that thou givest no potion but what may tend to the health of his soul 3. Be sure thou be unblameable as to that which thou reprovest in another If thou doest the same things Rom. 2.1 for which thou rebukest thy Brother thou art inexcusable for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self Hee may well retort the Proverb upon thee Physician heal thy self Cast out first the beam in thine own eye Luke 6.42 and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy Brothers eye This is the first and principal work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade thy self Arrian in Epictet l. 4. c. 6. Dost thou attempt to perswade others to that whereunto thou art not arrived thy self O vain man who will beleeve that thou art in good earnest that thou doest indeed abhor Idols Rom. 2. when as thou committest Sacriledge Obj. But some may object Shall wee never reprove others in any case till wee are clear our selves then who can perform this duty Answ I answer as to scandalous sins and such as grosly foul the conversation James 1.27 a man through grace may keep himself unspotted from the world But in matters of infirmity who can say that his heart or his life is free and clean In the former when thou hast washed thy hands in innocency then mayest thou deal with thy Brother In the latter James 3.2 since in many things wee offend all involve thy self in the same Reproof and it may be digested the more kindly I come now to the third and last branch of the Question and that is Quest 3. How wee shall deal with Superiours in case such are in the state of nature by what means wee may most effectually promote their conversion 1. Here I might inlarge by way of preface to shew that it is lawful in some cases for Inferiors to deal with Superiors though it be the
of thy childe and the blood of thy servant at thy hands one day Dost thou love thy childe a Heathen will teach thee thy duty To love saith hee Arist Ethic. l. 2. c. 4. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire good things for such and according to the utmost ability to endeavour to accomplish them There i◠but one good thing that is absolutely necessary for thy childe and that is a happy union to God What hast thou yet done to the effecting of that Many are eagerly bent upon those designs how their children Sueton. in Calig c. 42. like Caligula in the Historian may tumble in a room full of gold but take little pains for the gold of Ophir Prov. 3.14 15. and that wisdome which is far above Rubies Know that all the sins of Relations under your charge that are not reproved and corrected for will become yours Every drunken fit of thy servant will be counted thine to answer for Every turn of pleasure that thy children and servants take in the fields upon Gods holy day with thy approving connivance Isa 58.13 2 Ep. Ioh. 11. will turn to thy account at the great Tribunal If thou wouldest finde favour with God labour to divert them from the waies that lead to the chambers of death He that neglects his duty herein does what in him lyes to damn his childe and himself too As if he were in league with death in covenant with Satan Isa 28.15 and with Hell were at an agreement as if it were a laughing matter for himself and all his Relations to fall into the bottomless pit of fire and brimstone Oh how many families are the filthy cages of unclean birds like so many hog-styes and sinks of all manner of abominations Wee can scarce walk the streets but we shall hear swearing and cursing and polluting Gods holy Name and many obscene and filthy speeches and see great wickedness committed even by young striplings and this is because they are not instructed and taught the fear of the Lord at home by their Parents and Rulers There be many ruffling Gallants in our times that look upon holiness as a crime and count it their bravery to go towards Hell with open mouth with a full swinge that swim down the Rivers of Riot and Luxury into the dead Sea 1 Pet. 2.13 That are so far from reproving others for sin that they commend and incourage them rather that have much ado to bear with servants that perform excellent service 1 Pet. 4.4 Sueton. in Nerone c. 5. if they will not drink healths and be debaucht as well as themselves more like Nero than Christians If their children serve Satan never so much they matter it not so they do not ruine their Patrimony No wonder that their children be profligate and vile that have such sad examples The Spirit of God takes notice that Ahaziah was a wicked man 2 Chron. 22.3 and gives this for the reason His Mother was his counsellour to do wickedly Such as will be angry rather if their Relations do not walk in the waies of sin Aelian de animal l. 5. c. 16. Rom. 3.13 like the Wasps in the Naturalist that dip their stings in the poison of Vipers Their angry tongues are tinctured in the venome of sin Oh how much good might a Theophilus do when greatness and holiness run in a blood how would the generations to come rise up and bless them how much honour might they bring to God how would Religion flourish how would our fields bring forth peace and our streets run down with rivers of Righteousness 3. Hence we learn the horrible sin of such that cause others to do wickedly that egge on others to the commission of sin that encourage children to prophane the Sabbath to lye and swear and seem to approve of delight and rejoyce in it Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same Rom. 1.32 but have pleasure in them that do them 4. Hence we may infer what great wisdome is requisite in managing those means that are proper and useful in order to the salvation of our Relations what integrity of heart what sincerity what holy contempt of the scorns of this wicked world Dost thou take upon thee the study of wisdome Epictet c. 29. saies the Stoick prepare thy self speedily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be laught to scorn and expect that many should mock at thee how much greater is the depravation of mens hearts since the fall in opposition to true holiness Many a bitter taunt and scoff must thou go under but in wisdome pass it by regard it not you work for souls One soul begotten to God is better than the gaining of whole Kingdomes and Empires 5. To such as live under holy Rulers and Governours of families that you would highly esteem them for their labour of love that you would count it a singular mercy that God hath given any of you a holy Father or a holy Mother such as have spent many an hour in secret for thy good that have sought it earnestly at the Throne of Grace that thy life might be hid with God in Christ Look upon their instructions as so many Pearls Prov. 1.9 their Reproofs as so many Rubies to wear about thy neck Not to be reproved in the way of sin is a great judgement Hos 2.6 To have these Thorns and Briars cast in the way to our sinful lovers is a great mercy Oh how many blessings do children injoy by means of praying-parents count it a great and an admirable favour from God 6. To such as are employed and exercised in this excellent duty and study to perform it conscientiously Who seriously endeavour that their yoak-fellows may be the Spouses of Christ their posterity the children of our heavenly Father their servants the freemen of Christ their kindred of the Blood-Royal of Heaven Let mee say as our blessed Lord to Zacheus This day is Salvation come to this house This day hast thou fellowship with the Father and with the Son The God of Heaven goes along with thee Though thou dost not see the desired fruit of thy labour at present do not despond the work is Gods It is like to some of those seeds which sown in the earth will not come up till the second Spring Iames 5.7 The husband-man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it until hee receive the early and latter rain It is often seen that there is a mighty Power of God going along with such constant endeavours at length the diligent hand may make thee rich The Grace that dwelt in the Grandmother Lois in the Mother Eunice dwelt afterward in their little Son Timothy Though God is not tied by any bond of nature 2 Tim. 1.5 yet fervent prayer is of a high esteem in the sight of God The use
together with his person hee offers Heaven and Earth for a Dowry Rom. 8.17 All things are his by purchase and thou shalt bee a Copartner or Coheir with him when thou art espoused to him 4ly 1 Cor. 3.22 23. He will manifest the highest Indulgence and Tenderness towards thee Not all thy cross walkings if through temptations it shall so fall out shall put him upon any more then a moment any departure from thee Isa 54.7 8. for hee hath resolved that his faithfulness towards thee shall never fail Isa 89.33 and therefore when thou seemest almost lost and ready to despond hee will return to thee again and the more time he hath lost by absence the more full will his heart bee of ravishing love and affections to thee 5ly Hee will Turn all to thy good neither thy sins Cant. 6.3 though many and great nor thy miseries though overwhelming and discouraging no nor lastly shall death it self Rom. 8.28 38. bee ever able to make a divorce between thee and him but serve as a passage to thee when thy work is done into the Bridechamber of thy Lord and now tell mee Phil. 1.21 hast not thou Reason to love him 4. Consider but thy case while this Virgin affection to thy Saviour is wanting 1. Thou multipliest thy whoredomes and thy abominations continually for what are thy Intensive willings of other things but so many acts of spiritual adultery and base prostitutions of thy soul to thy dishonour and disadvantage while other things usurp the room of Christ 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver forasmuch as thou pretendest to the eye of the world to bee Christs and yet art nothing less than his 3. You lay a barr in against your selves and the acceptance of all your duties when faith works by love then is obedience illustrious and meet for a gracious acceptaotin that obedience which owes no part of it self to love is worth little and brings in no more Gal. 5.6 then it is worth 4. You make bonds for your selves in death Iob 27.6 and lay up terrible reprâ—oches in the Consciences against the day of Judgement 5. You make your damnation necessary there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes much less to the offices of Christ that that man should ever bee saved who never had any sincere affection to him These are some of the Considerations which may bee of use to them that have no spark of love yet kindled in their hearts There are a few of the other kinde which may provoke to get this love Inflamed where it is such are these Consider 1. The love of Christ to thee was a growing Increasing love I do not mean in respect of the habit but in the outward demonstration thereof The neerer hee was to his death the more exuberant in love and when hee rose again his heart did overflow with tender indulgence as appears by the meltings of his bowels towards Mary and over Peter and much more may wee beleeve him now to be full of them now that hee is at the Right hand of God 2. There is more lovelyness in Christ than ever thou canst finde out or fathome when wee have let out our affections to the utmost there will still bee more than wee can finde affection for our love to eternity will have something of admiration mixed with it 3. It 's all you can return to him it 's all hee looks for at our hands that which lies in love and which flowes from it is the whole that is required to compleat Christianity 4. The more you love him the more lovely you are unto him Then hath Christ the highest complacency in us when our hearts are under the greatest Raptures of love to him Beatus est qui intelligit quid sit amare Jesum contemnere scipsum propter Jesum A Kempis de imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 7. 5. It is the honour of a man to love Christ superlatively It is the sweetest part of our lives and that which Christ values us more by than by any thing else It 's Heaven on Earth 6. According to the measure of your love so will all the rest of your services and graces be i. e. either more or less better or worse Love is like the Master wheel in an Engine making the whole soul to move faster or slower These are the considerations of the last kind will some say oh but what shall wee do to get this blessed affection into our souls which was the third thing proposed And in order thereto I offer these Directions 1. Direction Bee well acquainted with the nature of this great duty The great mistake of the world lies in this That is thought to be love which is not and thence men and women grow bold and confident and value themselves more than they ought I have given in my best assistance so far as the nature of the first case would permit to prevent mistakes in this matter before and therefore I will not do it over again Only remember if you would not miscarry that it is not a Naked Christ but a Christ advanced by incomparable Personal Excellencies and cloathed with his offices of King and Priest and Prophet that is the Christ to bee loved and you cannot well miscarry This is that damning mistake of the world they love Christ but not as dignified by God with any of his offices 2. Direction Bee much in the study of your selves what you were originally and what you are since become through your own miscarriage wilfulness and folly Take your souls to the glass of the Law and go from one precept to another and when you have done there go to the Gospel And be sure you do not deal sleightly but understand throughly how much you have offended And when you have well studied the number and quality of your sins then consider the justice and holiness of the Eternal God which you shall understand by the same Law and Gospel where they speak the Divine Terrour against offending-sinners but more specially shall yee know is by going to the Cross of Christ and wisely and seriously considering the horrour of that punishment which Christ there indured for wee never know as wee ought the evil of sin and our misery thereby until wee know what hee indured to make an Expiation for it Do this and do it faithfully They that never knew themselves they are most certainly without love to Christ And it is enough to prove it because unless this foundation be first laid they can see no sufficient reason for it 3. Direction Get a true Conviction concerning thy own ultimate end and happiness Where it lies viz. not in the objects of sense but in the Beatifical vision of God possesse thy soul by Scripture light Mat. 16.26 of the grand importance of securing thy Interest therein while you think your happiness lyes any where else than in God it will be
upon acknowledgement of my fault I would be forgiven and received to favour Now if we would be thus dealt with we must bear with others the best men need some grains of allowance Nullum unquam ingenium placuit sine veniâ no man was ever so perfect so accomplisht so unexceptionable but there was some thing or other in his carriage that needed pardon every man hath a particular humour we must give some allowance for that every man is subject to mistake we must allow for that too and if a man have committed a fault we must accept of an ingenuous acknowledgement and be ready to grant him peace There is a shame and disdain in humane nature of too vile a submission therefore we must not bring a man too low when we have him at advantage 5. In matter of report and representation of other men and their actions We must not take up a rash prejudice or entertain a sinister apprehension of any upon sleight grounds do not represent any man his words or actions at a disadvantage make the best of every thing A mans good Name is like a Looking-glasse nothing is sooner crackt and every breath can sully it Handle every mans reputation with the same tenderness thou wouldest have every man use towards thine Do not slander or defame any man or rejoyce to hear other mens miscarriages ript open do not account it an entertainment to censure and backbite all the World 6. In matters of trust and fidelity Where I place a confidence and repose a trust I would not bee deceived I must not deceive another nor let any man fall that leans upon mee If a man trust mee with the management of his businesse or lodge a secret with mee or put his life into my power or commit the care of his estate or children to mee after his death These are all ingenuous trusts and must be discharged with the same faithfulness we expect from others 7. In matter of duty and obedience Wee must give that honour to our Parents which wee would expect from our Children and pay that reverence to Masters which wee would exact from our Servants Wee must rise up before the gray head and give respect to old Age For let not us think but that the change of Relation and of Age will have the same effect upon us which it hath upon the rest of the World It is a folly to talk that when wee are Old wee shall be pleased with the insolencies of Youth when wee are Masters wee shall not be at all offended with the contemptuous carriage of our Servants that it will not touch our hearts to have our Children undutiful and void of respect to see the fruit of our body unnatural and unkâ—nde to us 8. In matters of freedome and liberty Which are not determined by any natural or positive Law wee must permit as much to others as wee assume to our selves and this is a sign of an equal and temperate person and one that justly values his own understanding and power But there is nothing wherein men usually deal more unequally with one another than in indifferent opinions and practices of Religion I account that an indifferent opinion which good men differ about not that such an opinion is indifferent as to truth or errour but as to salvation or damnation it is not of necessary beleef By an indifferent practice in Religion I mean that which is in its own nature neither a duty nor a sin to do or omit Where I am left free I would not have any mâ—n to rob mee of my liberty or intrench upon my freedome and because hee is satisfied such a thing is lawful and fit to be done expect I should do it who think it otherwise or because hee is confident such an opinion is true be angry with mee because I cannot beleeve as fast as hee Now if another do ill in doing thus to mee I cannot do well in doing so to another And do not say that thou art sure thou art in the right and he that differs from thee in the wrong and therefore thou mayest impose upon him though hee may not upon thee hath not every man this confidence of his own opinion and practice and usually the weakest cause bears up with the greatest confidence now if thou wouldest not have another that is confident hee is in the right to impose upon thee do not thou impose upon another for all thy confidence Wee should rather bee modest and say every one to our selves How came I to be so much wiser then other men which way came the spirit of the Lord from so many Wise and Pious men to speak unto mee Is it a peculiar priviledge granted to mee that I cannot bee mistaken or are not they most of all mistaken who think they cannot mistake If then I bee but like other men why should I take so much upon mee as if my understanding were to bee a rule and my apprehensions a standard to the whole World As if when another man differs from mee I did not differ as much from him why may not another man understand the thing better than I do or what crime is it if hee understand it not so well Were all mens understandings cast in the same Mould Is it presumption for any man to know more then I do or a sin to know less Job doth well reprove this self-conceit Job 12.2 3. His friends would needs bear him down and were very angry with him that hee was not of their minde and would not acknowledge all to bee true of himself which they said against him hee takes them up sharply No doubt yee are the people and wisdome shall dye with you but I have understanding as well as you and I am not inferiour to you who knoweth not such things as these Let not any man think that hee hath engrossed all the knowledge of the world to himself but others know the same things which hee doth and many things better than hee 9. In matters of Commerce and Contracts which arise from thence Now a contract is a mutual transferring of right when I buy any thing of another hee makes over the right of such a Commodity to mee for so much mony or other valuable thing the right whereof I make over to him Now in this kinde of entercourse wee are to bee governed by this great Rule In making of Contracts wee must agere bonâ fide deal honestly and truely in performing of contracts wee must liberare fidem satisfie the ingagement wee have made for thus wee our selves would bee dealt withall Now if any shall desire to bee more particularly satisfied What that exact righteousness is which in matter of Contracts ought to bee observed betwixt Man and Man I must confess this is a difficult question and to bee handled very modestly by such as acknowledge themselves unacquainted with the affairs of the World and the necessities of things and the particular and hidden
reasons of some kinde of dealings For hee that is ignorant of these may easily give rules which will not comply with the affaires of the world hee may complain of that which cannot bee otherwise and blame some kinde of dealings which are justifiable from particular reasons not obvious to any man who is unseen in the way of Trade Besides there are many Cases fall under this question which are very nice but of great consequence and the greater caution and tenderness ought to bee used in the resolution of them because they are matters of constant practise and the greatest part of mankinde are concerned in them now it is a dangerous thing to mistake in those things in which many persons are interested especially if they bee things of such a vast difference as Good and Evil Right and Wrong are For if that bee determin'd to bee lawful which is unlawful men are led into sin if that bee determin'd to bee unlawful which is lawful men are led into a snare for if this determination bee to the prejudice of men in their callings it is an hundred to one but common example and private interest will make many continue in that practise and then the mischief is this though men do that which is lawful and right yet they are staggered by the authority and confidence of him who hath determin'd it unlawful and so have some reluctancy in their consciences in the doing of it and this by accident becomes a great sin to them and when upon a sick bed or any other occasion they come to bee touched with the sense of sin this will bee matter of greater horrour and affrightment to them than a real sin which they commited ignorantly and were afterwards convinced of Upon all these considerations I ought to proceed with great wariness in the answering of this question therefore I shall content my self with speaking those things which are clear and evident though they bee but general rather then venture out of my depth by descending into particulars and such things as are out of my notice I shall therefore 1. Lay down the general Rule 2. Some propositions which may tend to the explication of it 3. Some special Rules for the directing of our Commerce and intercourse 1. The general Rule is this That which it is not unreasonable for mee to desire to gain by another when I am to sell that I should allow another to gain by mee when I am to buy and that which it is not unreasonable another should gain by mee when I am to buy that and no more I may gain by another when I am to sell 2. The propositions which I shall lay down for the further explication of this Rule are these 1. In buying and selling such a proportion of gain may bee taken and ought to bee allowed as is mutually and universally best And this every man is presumed to desire because this will be certainly good for every one whereas if it be not universally good it may be bad for any one if it bee not mutually so it will bee bad for mee by turns 2. That proportion of gain which allows a reasonable compensation for our time and pains and hazard is universally and mutually best If the compensation bee unreasonably great it will be bad for the buyer if unreasonably little it will be bad for the seller if equal and reasonable it will be good for all 3. That proportion of gain which in common intercourse and use of bargaining among those who understand what they buy and sell is generally allowed ought to be esteemed a reasonable compensation This is evident because the common reason of mankind doth best determine what is reasonable Therefore those who speak of commutative justice and place it in the equality of things contracted for need explaining for value is not a thing absolute and certain but relative and mutable Now to fix the value of things as much as may be this Rule is commonly given Tanti unumquodque valet quanti vendi potest Every thing is worth so much as it may bee sold for which must not be understood too particularly as if the present and particular appetite of the Contractor were to be the Rule for every thing is not worth so much as any body will give for it but so much as in common intercourse among knowing persons it will give For this I take for a truth that in the ordinary plenty of commodities there is an ordinary and usual price of them known to the understanding persons of every Profession If I be out in this the matter of gain will be more uncertain than I thought on 4. A reasonable compensation doth not consist in an indivisible point but hath a certain latitude which likewise is to bee determined by the common intercourse and practice of mankind Suppose ten in the hundred be the usual gain made of such a commodity eleven the highest nine the lowest the latitude is betwixt nine and eleven 5. Every man engaged in a way of commerce is presumed to understand unless the contrary bee evident So that keeping within the latitude of a lawful gain I may use my skill against another man in driving a bargain But if his want of skill be evident that is sufficiently known to mee I must use him as I would do a childe or other unskilful person that is fairly 6. Where the price of things alters as it often doth almost in all things no other Rule can bee given but the common and market-price There are some things which are fixedly certain as coyn there I have no latitude at all I may not put off a peece of mony for more than its value though a person out of ignorance would take it for more There are some commodities which in ordinary plenty being of an ordinary goodness have an usual price here I have but little latitude viz. that of the market In the rising and falling of commodities I have a greater latitude but usually in these cases the Market sets some kinde of price unless I be the sole Master of a commodity and here the latitude is the greatest and my own reason and moderation must limit mee And if any ask why I make the Market the Rule seeing this seems to be as if I should say let every man get as much as hee can for so men in the Market do I answer The Market is usually more reasonable than the particular appetites of men and though every man be apt to get as much as hee can yet men generally have an appetite to sell as well as to sell dear and that checks this and men are brought to moderation because they are unwilling to lose custome so that hee that governs himself by the Market-prizes not catching at particular advantages seems to mee to follow the safest Rule 7. There are some things allowed in common intercourse which are so rigorous that they are hardly just which are rather tollerable than commendable
unto mee c. 5. They whom wee discern to stand in need of present succour though they be meer strangers whom wee never saw or knew before Hereof wee have a worthy pattern set before us in the good Samaritan Luk. 10.33 c 6. They who are in prison or sick or any otherwaies restrained from making their wants known unto others Matth. 25.36 7. They of whose piety poverty and necessity credible testimony is brought unto us though wee see them not our selves Thus many of the Christian Gentiles Act. 24.17 Rom. 15.25 26 sent relief to the Churches at Jerusalem upon the Apostles making known their wants In these and other like cases we ought to extend our charity according to the necessity of those whom wee relieve and our own ability And not think it enough to give a few scraps of bread and meat or some half-pennies or pence to common beggars at our doors or in the streets This kinde of Alms savoureth more of vain outward oftentation than of true inward compassion And it more beseems proud Pharisees than humble Christians A charitable Christian ordinarily giveth more to one whose distressed case hee knows or is credibly made known unto him than these Pharisees do to many beggars at many times Quest But you 'l say do yee then utterly condemn all giving to common beggars as unlawful Ans For answer to this Question wee must distinguish of common beggars some are strong and lusty able to work and yet are so lazie that they will not work but would live by the sweat of other mens brows Others again are weak and impotent unable to work through age sickness lameness blindness or the like These latter are fit objects of charity and therefore ought to be relieved But the former sort of Beggars namely the strong and lusty who are able to work but will not through laziness are no fit objects of charity and therefore it is no work of charity to relieve such For 1. Their trade of life is no warrantable calling It is a disorderly walking which is expresly taxed by the Apostle for saith hee When wee were with you this wee commanded you that if any would not work neither should hee eat 2 Thes 3.10 11. For wee hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all It cannot be said of those As the Lord hath called every one so let him walk or let every man abide in the same calling wherein hee was called 1 Cor. 7.17 20. God hath called none to such a trade 2. They are as drones in an hive of Bees they live of the labours of others but bring in nothing to the stock as all the other Bees do They are as barren Trees which receive sap from the earth but yeeld no fruit Telluâ—is inutile pondus unprofitable burthens of the earth whose sad doom yee may read Luke 13.7 3. Many of them are of no particular Church nor of any civil society but out of all Government in Church and State In this and the former respect they may justly bee stiled Children of Belial Deut. 13.13 without yoak 4. They with-hold and in a manner rob the state wherein they dwell of their labour and pains The State or Kingdome is as a body all that dwell therein are as so many members now nature teacheth every member to do somewhat for the benefit of the whole These doing nothing thereto sin against the light of nature Qui laâ—giuntur indignis ea quae dignis conferri debebant tria committunt absurda 1. Nam ipsi jacturam faciunt 2. Et in bonos contumeliosi sunt 3. Et malos roborant mat ria vitiorum sâ—pâ—â—ditata 5. They who are truly poor shall by this means be neglected and scanted whilest these lazy drones devour that which of right belongeth unto them 6. They are a great scandal and shame to the Government of the Nation wherein they are For their course of life implieth that no good provision is made for the poor nor order taken to set such as are able to work and to relieve such as are impotent Now it is a great sin to be a shame to ones own Country 7. Their kinde of life is sensual and brutish for as brutes they spend all their daies in seeking food for their bodies From hence it followeth that they who relieve such make themselves accessary to the fore-mentioned sins There are some allega ions made for relieving such but they are undue allegations and may easily be answered The chiefest of them is this Luk. 6.30 1. Christ commandeth to give to every man that asketh thee Ans To this I answer that that Precept is to be taken in reference to a false Position of the Pharisees which was this that their Country-men and friends only were their neighbours whom by the Law they were bound to love That this was their opinion is evident by this their gloss on the Law Thou shalt love thy neighbour Mat. 5.43 and hate thine enemy And by the Parable which Christ produceth to demonstrate to the Lawyer who was his neighbour In opposition to that false doctrine Christ commands to give not to friends only but to every man Luk. 10.29 30 c. So as the scope of that precept is to take away respect of persons in Alms-giving that wee should not restrain this duty of Charity to Country men kindred and friends but extend it also to strangers enemies and to every one that being in need crave it of us 2. A second Allegation is That many beggars may perish if they be not relieved Ans In case of necessity they may and must be relieved either at doors in streets or other like places where their necessity is manifested Necessity as wee speak hath no Law It dispences with ordinary Rules Instance that which Christ produced concerning David Hee entred into the house of God and did eat the shew-bread Matth. 12.4 which was not lawful I have done with the Question allotted to mee give mee leave to add a few words for the more profitable pressing this most necessary but much neglected duty of Charity I shall dispatch my intendment herein 1. By shewing you by what means you may obtain this Grace 2. Giving you some Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable performance of the works of it The means are these 1. Meditation seriously meditate 1. Of the Necessity of it which ariseth from the Lords express charge and command unto which wee are bound to yeeld obedience It is often commanded both in the Old and New Testament That I may not be tedious I shall give you but two or three proofs Deu. 15.11 A place I often mentioned for the excellency and exceeding pertinency of it to this purpose Saith the Lord to his people there The poor shall never cease out of the Land Therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving that you may abound in hope So much for the possibility of this assurance Now I come to the second part of the Question to speak to those that know not that they have eternal life and discern not their spiritual condition and those may bee of two sorts 1. Some that for want of diligence in the use of means are uncertain what their condition is 2. Such as have made inquiry and long earnestly to bee resolved in this great Question whether they bee converted changed and shall bee saved or no and yet cannot finde it out I would speak a few things to the first of these because the greatest part know not their condition through their own carelesness and negligence that through the slothfulness of their own hearts on the difficulty of the work or multiplicity of worldly care and business are yet in the dark That examine their shop book oftener more diligently than they do the book of their own hearts that make oftner enquiry whether they grow rich than whether they wax good If I may judge of other mens hearts by mine own in this point and not bee thought to have too hard and uncharitable thoughts of them I would conclude we are all guilty of negligence in this case and therefore walk in the dark and remain in uncertainties about the salvation of our immortal Souls which should bee the first thing wee should make sure of because it is of the greatest and everlasting concernment Ah Christian chide thy own slothful lazy negligent heart shame thy self out of this carelesness what canst thou eat and drink and sleep and trade as quietly as if thou wert past all danger And yet thou dost not know whether thou shalt be damned or saved Awake oh my soul rouse up thy self and look after thine eternal state it is no matter whether thou art rich or poor honourable or contemptible the great question that with the greatest seriousness is to bee resolved is whether thou hast grace or no whether Christ bee thine or no certainly careless persons should bee stirred up to looke after their eternal state and those that are diligent need some considerations to make them more diligent and therefore the Apostle Peter writeth to those that had obtained like precious faith with himself calling upon them urging and exhorting them to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 For this end let mee propound these following Questions to thee that art negligent in this great concernment and as thou readest give thy self a sober serious answer 8. Questions propounded to slothful christians 1. Is it nothing to thee to live in the dayly neglect of a commanded duty is it not the injunction of thy Lord whose servant thou dost profess thy self to bee that thou shouldest give all diligence in this matter and wilt thou not give any at all or not at all proportionable to the waightiness of thy concernment herein might not this raise doubts and jealousies in thy soul that thy condition is not good because thou art not diligent to know and to prove it to bee good especially when thou dost consider that thy Lord commands thy diligence herein Mightest not thou question the sincerity of thy obedience to any of Gods commands for want of the universality of it extending it self to all Gods commands tell mee Christian why hath God given us this charge read 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure is it not the same God that commands thee to Pray that commands thee to make sure of Heaven didst thou never read these words or hast thou read them and thrown them by and thought this counsel is not fit to bee followed nor this command to bee obeyed what canst thou say for thy neglect look a little into the Text what is it that you are commanded to make sure of house or land if it had been so it is like thou wouldest have obeyed but it is something better infinitely better whether thou are effectually called eternally elected and is this to bee done slothfully carelesly or doth not God require thy diligence thy utmost diligence nay all thy diligence nay thy speedy diligence without delay thy painful diligence without indulging thy self in thy sloth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy continual diligence without weariness or till thou hadst got a certainty of thy state and shouldest thou not do this rather than any temporal concernment shouldest not thou make sure of grace rather than of riches of heaven rather than the earth of an interest in God rather than of earthly possessions 2. Is it not a shame that wicked men should daily use more care to make sure of fading vanities Operose nihil oguit than thou dost use to make sure of better more lasting riches what is not the soul better than the body or are things temporal better worth than things eternal how do they cark and care what must we eat what must we drink how shall we be sure of something to keep us when wee are old dost thou do thus for thy soul how shall I get my sins pardoned my nature sanctified and my soul saved how shall I bee sure of an eternal heavenly house above when this mouldring cottage of my body is tumbled down doth it not shame thee to see the diligence of worldly men that if they buy house or land they looke narrowly to the writing and ask advice and counsel whether the title will bee good that hee may bee sure and not defrauded The Old userer will not let forth his monies but hee will have good sufficient security both for principal and interest because hee saith and knows it is good to bee sure nay yet further doth it not shame thee that many men should take more pains for hell than thou dost for heaven and to bee sure of damnation than thou dost to be certain of thy salvation how do they daily drudge in the waies of wickedness committing sin with greediness with both hands heartily with their whole soul as though they should not come to hell sure enough or soon enough while thou art dull flat listless in thy duties to God and not praying heartily as for thy soul do not wicked men take more pains in breaking the sabbath than thou dost in keeping of it and do not they scorn duties more than thou dost prize and practise them But further 3. Dost thou not too much forget thine own Mortality dost thou indeed consider that thou art hasting into an eternal state and must within these few years months yea weeks enter into an unchangeable condition dost thou indeed beleeve Heaven or Hell is before thee that eternal death or eternal life are at the end of this fading short momentany life or dost thou judge it to bee indifferent whether bee the place of thine everlasting abode what is the
well as open 3. The first risings as well as the grosse acts 4. Sins which promise worldly safety credit profit contentment as well as those sins that threaten the contrary 5. In a word all moral evil hatred and Antipathy being of the whole kind Psalm 119.128 especially of those evils which most indanger the New-man Psalm 18.23 and such as are beloved sins Matth 18. vers 8 9. III. They differ in the subject of the conflict In natural men the fight is in several faculties reason fighting against sense and passion or the dictate of conscience against the corrupt inclination of the will whence the fight is more at a distance by missile Arms and velitation But in the regenerate man the fight is more close in the same faculty the wisdom of flesh and spirit counteracting in the same understanding the lustings of the flesh and spirit in the same will whence the fight is as it were inter Triarios Grace and Corruption immediatly which at first haply was managed by the Hastati and Scutati Reason and Interest The former is like the fight of the Souldiers of Fortune more lazy and by way of Siege the latter more keen and vigorous by way of Assault an Onslait like that of Scanderbeg who fought with his Enemies breast to breast in a Box or Grate IV. They differ in the Instruments or weapons wherewith they combate The natural mans weapons are like himself carnal to wit natural or moral reason worldly fears or hopes and sometimes spiritual fears or hopes but carnalized namely slavish fear and mercenary hopes But the Regenerate mans weapons are Spiritual 2 Cor. 10.4 to wit gracious Interest and all the Spiritual Armour Ephes 6. vers 11. 18. especially the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit V. They differ in the manner of the fight The natural mans combate is more mercenary admits of more Parley 's cessations correspondencies as 1. Sam. 15.9 Sauls fight with Amaleck But the Spiritual man as such fights it out to the last and will give no Quarter The former is like the strife between Wind and Tide which often come about and are both of one side the latter is like the Dam and the Tide that strive till one be born down or like Stream and Tide meeting and conflicting till one hath overborn the other VI. They differ in the extent of the conflict in relation to its subject and duration The extent of the Subject is double 1. As to the faculties 2. As to the Acts. As to the faculties The seat of Warr in the Regenerate is every faculty flesh and spirit being ever mixed as light and darknesse in every poynt of Ayr in the twilight 1 Thes 5.23 Grace and Corruption Leaven the whole-man So that in the Regenerate there is at the same time both a Civil and a Forein Warr that in the same faculty this in one faculty against another Contrariwise in the Unregenerate there is usually nothing but a forein War between several faculties there being nothing of spiritual good in their wills and affections to set the same faculty against it self 2. It extends also to every act of piety and charity especially if more spiritual Rom. 7.21 For which the natural man hath no conflict but against them unlesse it be to stop the mouth of conscience inlightned c. Nor indeed doth he know experimentally what spiritual acts of Piety are But the regenerate find it by constant experience Faith and Unbelief Humility and Pride ever opposing and counter-working each other whence he is forced to cut his way through his Enemies and to dispute it step by step Others may seek but he strives Luke 13.24 and takes the Kingdom of Heaven by an holy violence Matth. 11.12 in spight of spiritual Enemies that way-lay him within and without 2. As to the extent of Duration of the Warr which being in the Regenerate irreconcileable must needs be interminable like the Warr between the Romans and Carthaginians that was intayl'd to Posterity or as fire and water will fight for ever if together for ever In the natural man contrariwise the quarrel is soon took up as between the Romans and other Nations there being not that Antipathy between Reason and Corruption as there is between Grace and Corruption VII They differ in the concomitants and consequents of the fight And 1. The fight in natural men may stand with the constant practice of and living in sin against the light of Conscience Godly men sin more with knowledge but wicked men more against knowledge He that is born of God doth not commit sin that is make a trade of living and lying in known sin 1 John 3.9 2. The fight in the Unregenerate hinders not the perfection and consummation of sin in the antecedent deliberation and purpose in the present delight and complacency and the following pertinacy and impenitency Instance in Saul Herod Judas and others But the Spirit by its conflict breaks the power of sin in all these in the Regenerate that they can neither do good as they would nor sin as they otherwise would Gal. 5.17 3. The fight in natural men seeks only the repression not the suppression of sin to lop the superfluous branches not stub up the root to charm the Serpent not to break its head But the spiritual fight seeks the full mortification and abolition of sin Rom. 6.6 hatred seeks the destruction of its Enemie 1 Sam. 24.19 and 1 John 3.15 and the compleat perfection of Grace though not attainable in this life Phil. 3. vers 10. 14. This for the first branch of Wisdom which teaches to discern between the natural and the spiritual Conflict The second Branch of Heavenly Wisdom Aplic lyes in improving these Spiritual Contrarieties by siding with the spirit against the flesh 1. This is done 1. By watching all the forces designs and motions of the Enemy We have in us Legions of these Devils the meanest of them too strong and too subtil for us Heb. 3.13 true Gibeonites that can easily cheat us with their mouldy bread and clouted Garments Sons of Anak all of one confederacy and sworn Enemies of our Salvation had we not need have our eyes in our heads and set watchfulnesse upon the forelorn hope 1 Cor. 16.13 2. By making head early against the Enemy Principiis obsta c. nip sin in the bud crush this Cockatrice in the shell strangle this hellish-Brat in the birth take heed of the first appearances of evill take it's first All-armes slight not the smallest sin or occasion of sinning How much mischife is done by a little wound a little Thief a smal Spark James 3.5 and 2 Sam. 11.2 3. Oppose especially thy Master-Lust Fight in comparison neither against small nor great but against the King of these Hellish Regiments 1 Kings 22.31 Be sure to pull out that right eye This is the Skirt Satan layes hold of in wrastling with thee to thy hazzard and his no small advantage
Faith cannot be meant here because it is said that they who have not this Faith must not think to receive any thing not the least if so then the highest degrees of Faith should be required for the obtaining the lowest degrees of Mercy but Scripture promises are made to the Truth and not to the degrees of Grace To Faith that is but as a graine of Mustard-seed to remove Mountains and to Love that is but a spark to be victorious Matth. 12.20 but I shall rather endeavour to shew you how Faith is taken here then how 't is taken in other places therefore To ask in Faith may he here spoken in reference to the Person that prayes viz. he that prayes must be in the Faith a faithful or Righteous Person The Scripture is full to this purpose as Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in mine heart though my tongue do not plead for it nay though it speaks against it though I refrain from it in my Life for one may love the sin we commit not and if I do so regard it in mine heart God will not hear my Prayers if I give it so much as a good look for so the Hebrew if I see iniquity in my heart if I take any pleasure in sin for David calls it painful iniquity for so in the Hebrew No Saint can live without committing sin but all Saints live without regarding it in their hearts So also James 5.15 The Prayer of a Righteous man avayleth much how much is not set down because it cannot be set down how much it avayles as much as they please they may have what they will but for a wicked man though his Prayers were effectual they avail not much since their desires are for temporals The other places are full to this point viz. that the Prayers of none but Righteous persons are accepted with God as John 9.31 Ch. 1.15 Prov. 28.9 1 John 3.15 I. To this may be objected that many unregenerate and profligate wretches have obtained by Prayer as scoffing Ismael Gen. 21.17 nay Ahab a man that sold himself to work wickednesse prevayled with God for an adjournment of the Judgment denounced I answer 1. This was done by way of Common providence or Gods Prerogative not by way of promise so that they could not reasonably expect that their Prayer should be heard 2. God did this to honour the Ordinance of Prayer As when our children come and tell us of some poor body though we may not think it sit to relieve him in respect of his wants yet we give him for fear we should hinder our children from acts of Charity for they not knowing our reasons of denying him relief will expound it to be our neglect of the poor So many times God may give to bad men lest good men should be discouraged from Prayer 3. God gives to wicked men when they pray oft-times for the strengthning of his peoples Faith for they may be sure if God hears the Croakings of Ravens he will heare the Mournings of Doves II. You may farther say are wicked men bound to pray since their Prayes are anabomination and they cannot ask in Faith I answer 1. Inability to pay a debt doth not acquit one from it nor Cancel the Obligation If one blows out the Candle one cannot excuse ones self for not working by saying that they could not work in the dark nor can a boy excuse himself from saying the Lesson he hath torn out of his Book 2. Because wicked men break others of Gods Commandments it cannot justifie them in the breaking of this sin doth super-induce a new Obligation viz. to punishment but doth not cancel their former viz. to Duty 3. Wicked men sin not in praying but in praying so 4. Doubtlesse the wickedest man in the World is bound to desire Grace III. But doth not this make God a respecter of persons since he will hear none but his own Children and them that love him if a Judge should favour his relations in Judicature be should be unjust I Answer No God is no respecter of persons by doing thus 1. Because the Prayers of Saints are better as well as their persons nearer for the Prayers of the wicked are lazy irreverent bruâ—sh wanton Prayers Hos 7.14 if God's People should pray so God would not hear them neither 2. If Unbelievers could pray better than Saints yet God might acquit the Saint and condemn the Unbeliever as a Judge may passe Sentence against one who hath paid ninty and nine pounds of an hundred and acquit another who hath not paid a farthing if his surety hath paid it 3. Though in matter of Justice we are not to respect persons Levit. 19.15 yet in matters of favour we may Gal. 6.10 This may be the first meaning of the words but not the only nor as I conceive the chief Therefore II. To ask in Faith is to believe that all we say in Prayer is true when we confesse our selves to be grievous sinners we are to think our selves to be as great sinners as we say we are when we call God Almighty our Father we are to believe him to be so Then the poor Soul will say Alas I cannot pray in Faith for I cannot say our Father since I do not believe that I am his child how then can I call him Father I Answer 1. Thou mayst call him Father for he is thy Father if thou shouldest see diverse children playing some untowardnesse in the street and should see a man that passed by go and single out one of them and correct him and yet the child should follow him would you not say he was the father of that child for a strange child would flye from him or flye at him if he should strike him Dost thou not follow God when he corrects thee be of good comfort God is thy Father and thou art his child When that pretious man Mr. Murcot was in great anguish fearing tht God was not his Father these words were impressed on his mind If I am not thy Father why dost thou follow after me Nay not only God is thy Father but thou thinkest so also When Naamans servants called him father what did they mean but to shew that tâ—ey acknowledged that he carryed himself rather as a Father than a Maâ—â—er When the Prodigal returned though he acknowledged that he was not worthy to be called his son yet he called him Father since he had fayled of nothing that might be expected from a loving tender Father Mayst thou not call God thy Father upoâ— this account hath he not dealt with thee in abundance of tender Compassion nay more than the tenderest Parent in the World Give God the glory due to his goodnesse call him Father for thou mayst truly say he hath dealt so with thee The same Mr. Murcot being troubled upon the same account viz. the fear that God was not his Father had these words come into his mind with power viz. If I am not thy
Conscience is pacified with the blood of sprinkling as to what the Word declares concerning thee though not as to what thou feelest and where the Judge acquits there Conscience which is the Serjeant cannot condemn but that 't is not alwaies set right according to the Word Motive 2 2. But O! the terrour of having sin upon the file against us and doest thou remain in sin unrepented The terrour of being yet and going on in sin Doest thou go on to adde sin to sin not caring how many sins thou loadest thy Conscience withall as if there were no time of reckoning Numb 32.23 Be ye sure your sins will finde you out Sic mihi semper contingat tractare beare amicos non dulcibus verbis sed sanis terroribus Bern. Do not say Hast thou found me O my enemy or as the wicked one Art thou come to torment us before our time But as thou lovest thy soul take all I say in good part for God knows I speak out of tender respect to your eternal good Consider then 1. The innumerable number of sins thou standest guilty of Ps 19.12 Who knows the errors of his life Methinks there is no sad sight in the world but the sinner in his sins Suppose you had seen Herod covered over with worms alas what is this to one worm of Conscience Suppose you had seen every member in the Senate run upon Caesar to give him a stab would not you have given him over for dead a thousand times Brethren every sin you commit is an envenomed knife to stab you at your very heart Suppose again you should see a malefactour at the Bar for a Capital crime the evidence clear O! you will say 't will go hard with him but when you see another and another and many other Indictments sworn home against him and every one touching his life will you not say there is no hope he is a dead man and all the world cannot save him Remember this is thy case and it will be certainly called over If one poyson be enough to dispatch a man without an antidote what doth that man mean that drinks off a thousand poysons and refuses the antidote of the blood of Christ If one sin â—e as a thousand milstones to sink all the world into the bottom of hell what doest thou mean to tye so many thousand milstones about thy own neck 2. Old debts vex most the delay of payment increases them by Use upon Use and the return of them being unexpected a person is least provided for them We count old sores breaking forth incurable Augustus wondered at a person 's sleeping quietly that was very much in debt and sent for his pillow saying Surely there is some strange vertue in it that makes him rest so secure My brethren if one debt unto Gods Law be more then the whole Creation can satisfie what do any of us mean to rest secure with so vast a burden upon our Consciences and account O! take heed thou beest not surprized and arrested with old Debts O! thou remembrest former iniquities against us Psal 79.8 3. God will call over and charge thy sins upon thee when all the sweet is gone Thou makest a shift to swallow the hook with pleasure when 't is covered with the sweet bait O! but when that 's digested or disgorged and the naked hook piercing and raking thy heart what wilt thou do then O! how bitter is the Pill when all the sugar is melted off Now this will be thy case Job found but a taste of it and O! how he cries out Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me i. e. bitternesses 4. With old sins must come old wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the judgement of God What and despisest the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance not knowing that the goodnesse of God doth not only give thee a space of but leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest tunnest up against thy self wrath against the day of wrath c. There be three sorts and degrees of wrath will come with old sins 1. Wrath for old sins 2. Wrath for the forbearance of that Wrath. 3. Wrath for the abuse of that forbearance O! what wilt thou do in the day of thy visitation 5. The former admonitions c. nips of Conscience will come again and they with the present will be unsufferable beyond all that can be expressed This is their terrour here say they he besought us and we would not hear and saith Reuben Said I not to you did I not tell you warn you what it would come to and ye would not hear O! he which hardens his neck to reproof shall surely be destroyed O! timely and fair checks and warnings obstinately rejected are the wracks of Conscience the sharp sting and teeth of the worm thereof 6. And what will now become of thee as the Lord lives thou wilt come to thy distracting misgiving thoughts Yea but and verily we are guilty c. Methinks saith Luther every cloud is loynd with thunder against me Thou wilt take every visitation from God as a messenger of death nay that God himself sets in against thy life Suppose you saw two desperate enemies grapling closing in upon each other O! account for every particular God comes to the sinner as to Adam in the cooll of the day in his cold sweat Gen. 3.8 when his Sun is setting and he is going to make his bed in the dark his life and Soul sits on his pale trembling lips ready to take her flight inâ—o Eternity and whereas thou wert before as the deaf Adder or the wild Asse snuffing up the wind or the Dromodary traversing his way without all regard of any check now taken in thy month Oh! my contempt of the means of Grace Oh! my prophaning Sabboths Sacraments Oh! my breaking bonds of Oaths Covenants Promises and casting away cords of discipline and government Oh! my malice against God's People Oh! my hardening my heart against the Word and the Rod c. as the rankling thorn in the flesh pains most when thou goest to bed 5. Before this in a time of outward Calamity and distresse and this is the second Doctrine from the special Circumstance when they were troubled And now Direct 2 2. This Inward horrour and trouble of mind falls in even to Gods People with outward Trouble This is the Case here the Patriarchs the children of the Promise are in distresse and danger by their Brother Josephs seeming severity toward them And they said one to another we are verily guilty c. with the pressure on the outward man comes a snare upon the Conscience If any find it oâ—herwise as there are some with whom when there is a storm without there is a calm within and when a storm within there is a calm without let them blesse God but in the experience of Gods People it is often found that
or others are of such a party and to impale the Church and impropriate Christ and salvation every one of us to our own side And this many times the most by the Vulgar so true is that of Seneca Qui pauca respiciunt facilè pronunciant Those that discern the least being apt to judge most 2. We must take heed of despising and contemning others for these Rom. 14.3 As the former of not judging so this of not despising is a necessary duty internally as to our selves and in our carriage and speeches especially as they respect our external duty towards others our sinning in both arising from uncharitableness in that to others liberty in this to that we judge their weakness Our hearts and tongues are too apt to follow our judgments and break out into these exorbitancies but my Brethren these things ought not so to be judge not censure not according to outward appearance or inward prejudice but righteous and charitable judgment rather that we mutually bear with one another in these And when we have occasion to discourse or debate concerning what things are such or their practice not measuring all mens judgments by the model of our own apprehensions or like Dictators thinking our selves infallible obtrude those things for necessary which it may be others of as piercing sight account but indifferent or those things for indifferent which they reckon amongst the number of unlawfuls but modestly declaring our judgments herein For as I told you in the entrance I take not upon me to determine what are such nor the Magistrates duty concerning which I think he said well and wisely That it were good they require as little as they can what 's necessary for the safeguard of Religion as contained in the Scriptures and subjects practise as much as they can but only for the direction of every one how to order their conversation in the diversity of Judgements that are amongst us 4. We must moderate our practising of these according to the circumstances we are in and as they are convenient and expedient for us Sometimes the practise of these must be wholly waved for the Laws concerning them being conditional as to their doing or not doing though not as to the manner thereof and not absolute as of necessary duties their practise becomes suspended on such conditions which besides that I formerly mentioned viz. when they come in competition with greater matters are especially three In regard of our selves dissatisfaction of Conscience In regard of others known scandal and disturbance of publick setled peace When any of these cases occur wherein the condition on which the command is suspended is awanting the command there as all other conditionals become negative For we are obliged absolutely in moral duties to do them and for the manner rightly they being no wayes suspended as to practise but in these only absolutely for the manner that if we do them we do them rightly and conditionally if we be satisfied in our judgements and offend not others thereby or disturb the publick peace the first being knowledge in our selves the other two charity to others if we do them And therefore where there is no place left for charity to others as in case of equal scandal on both hands thy doing or forbearing there thou art at liberty In which case in smaller matters that which is least observable is best in greater matters according to thy concernments and charity to thy self and for general good if the publick be interested in thee For when we cannot know on which side our doing or not doing most evil to others lies charity to our selves preponderates supposals of the issue But time permits me not to launch out into discourses of these cases my Subject also confining me to the exercise of Moderation which when the action is to be wholly omitted is not required it 's office being only as I have often said in the regulating of actions As we must therefore use modesty in our speeches for or against these so also in our practising them according to conveniency and expediency not too violently running our selves out of breath or a-tilt at others in our practising them but with that equalnesse of spirit and candor towards others as becomes us Rom. 14.19 and 23. 1 Cor. 11.16 Thus I have done with the Case wherein I have been too large I confesse in the whole though perhaps too short in several particulars and I hope not very tedious in any A liâ—tle more time for that which remains will give a release to my pains and your patience The Persons For the third General the Persons 1. Who must exercise this Moderation and that 's in a word all 2. To whom and that 's also all with whom we have to do of all ranks degrees and qualities Superiors and Inferiors as well as â—quals of all tempers and carriages not only to the gentle but also to the froward not only to friends and those equal and fair to us for then what singular thing do we but to those that are or we repute our Enemies that despitefully hate us and injuriously persecute us as our Saviour teacheth Matth. 5.44 3. Before whom and that 's exprest in the Text all men our conversation in all the good and the evil things of this life and towards all must to all that see and observe or hear thereof be known to be moderate Reasons The fourth General or the equity of this command which I shall shew for that towards persons waving that towards things both in this and application as I told you being by many sufficiently handled in three particulars 1. This is no other than what God himself exercises towards us In all his dealings with mankind from the fall to the consummation and end of the World this doth eminently and alwayes will appear so that good reason we should do it That we may be the children of our heavenly Father Matth. 5.45 who spareth us continually when we offend and sin against him If God was not more moderate than man the World would quickly crack about our ears for if man had power to his will it would scarcely be habitable but he that hath power if he should but exercise it even justly and not use moderation it would no longer be inhabited Thou wicked servant I forgave thee all shouldest not thou have had compassion on thy fellow servant Matth. 18.32.33 2. Christ did use Moderation eminently towards us and hath left us his example to follow in our exercising it towards one another Though he was equal with God yet made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and humbled himself and became obedient unto death even to the death of the crosse Philip. 2.7 whose example how pathetically doth the Apostle urge v. 1 2. that nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than our selves not looking every man on his own things
which God knows is but for a moment All these enjoyments can neither make me better nor wiser not render my life more safe and comfortable not sanctifie our souls nor satisfie our desires Therefore saith faith I will trust in God only whom I can never trust too much not in the creature which I can never trust too little II. In times of sadness afflictions wants sufferings miseries when the hand of the Lord is gone out against us and he greatly multiplies our sorrows When he breaks us with breach upon breach and runs upon us like a Giant when his Arrows stick fast in us and his hand presseth us sore when he sows Sackcloath on our skin and defiles our horn in the dust When we are fain to eat ashes like bread and to mingle our drink with weeping Now now is a time for a Saints trust to bestir it self to purpose In this storm and tempest wherein the waves mount up to heaven and go down again to the depths Faith sits at Helm and preserves the soul from shipwrack Faith takes this Serpent by the tail handles it and turns it into an harmless wand yea into an Aarons rod budding with glory and immortality Faith encounters this seeming Goliah of Affliction grapples with it not as a match but as a vanquisht Underling Let misery dress her self like the cruellest Fury come forth guarded with all her dismal attendants sighs groans tears wants woes Faith sets its foot on the neck of this Queen of fears insults and triumphs over her When the heart and flesh are apt to fail when soul and spirit are apt to sink and swoon away Faith draws forth its Bottle and administers a reviving Cordial In a word in a Sea an Ocean a Deluge of trouble amidst all storms winds tempests yea an Herricane of sorrows and miseries Faith knows where and how to cast Anchor According to that of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ne perturbetur commoveatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not your Heart be Troubled so Troubled as a ship tost in a Tempest ye Believe in God Believe also in me Faith is that great Antidote Cordial Panacea Catholicon Heal-All of all Diseases This is That that makes a Believer Live in the midst of Death But more particularly in This Tempestuous Condition Faith doth these three Things 1. It warily avoids some dangerous Rocks and Quicksands 2. It heedfully looks to it's Bottom in which it sails 3. It accurately observes it's Compass by which it steers I. There are some Rocks Shelves Quicksands like Scylla and Charybdis against which in such a dark Condition the Soul is apt to split it self These Faith avoids with utmost Care and They are Six 1. Distracting distrustful carking corroding heart-dividing heart-stabbing Cares Faith according to the Apostles o Phil. 4.6 command 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is carkingly Careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and supplication makes it's requests known to God True indeed a Believer is not may not dares not be slothfully negligently careless of his Body Estate Relations Affairs particular calling Rom. 12.17 Faith knows that He that endeavours not by honest prudent diligent care and foresight To p 1 Tim. 5.8 provide for his own is worse than an Infidel And yet Faith is far from All carking Cares such as distract the Head and q Matth. 6.25 c. divide the Heart from other and Better Things Faith takes no thought for its life what it shall eat neither for the Body wherewith it shall be cloathed Faith leaves that to God who feeds the Sparrows and clothes the Lillies 'T is for Gentiles and unbelievers to cry out solicitously what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be cloathed My Heavenly Father knows that I have need of all these Things It belongs to him to provide 'T is his work I leave it with him All that r 1 Pet. 5.7 Care I cast upon him He doth and will care for me I may not must not saith Faith speak against God as did the ſ Psal 78.19 20. Israelites saying Can God furnish a table in the Wilderness As he hath given waters can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people 2. Carnal Counsel using unlawful and Carnal Confidence Trusting in Lawful means Say not when God pursues t Hos 14.3 Ashur shall save you and you will ride on horses In sickness Faith will not run first to the Physician That was Good u 2 Cro. 6.12 Asa's great sin 'T was Holy David's great failing to say though but in his Heart Nothing better for me then to escape into the Land of the w 1 Sam. 27.1 Philistins Alas poor David to what a shift art Thou now driven what to the uncircumcised Philistins Is it because there is not a God in Israel Oh thou wilt quickly find this starting Hole to be only a going out of Gods Blessing into a warm Sun To think by Sinning to avoid suffering is by saving the finger to make way for a stab at the heart To pursue and obtain Deliverance by unlawful wayes is to fish with and lose an hook of Gold and only to catch a Gudgeon To preserve the Body but to destroy the Soul 3. Stinting and limiting the Holy one of Israel to this or That particular means way time and manner of Deliverance so as to say if God help not this way Nothing will do If not now never Faith remembers This was the Israelites God provoking Sin They x Psal 78.41 limited the Holy One of Israel Thus Naaman 2 Kings 5.11 Behold saith he I Thought He will surely come out and stand and call and strike and No other way will serve Him He thought Thus and Thus But the man was no less blind than Leprous He was at once both proud and vain in his Imaginations and He shall know that the Almighty will not sail by his Narrow Compass nor dance as I may so say after his Pipe God hath more wayes to the wood than One and alwayes more than many out of it though we at present see them not God hath Extraordinary means to bear up when Ordinary ones fail God can turn poysons into Antidotes Hindrances into Furtherances destructions themselves into Deliverances Has Elijah no meat rather than fail The devouring y 1 King 14.6 Ravens shall be his Caterers Is Jonah in danger of Drowning rather than sink a z Jon. 2.10 Whale shall have commission to be both His ship and Pilot too to set him safe on shore Faith knows that an Almighty God can work with yea and without above contrary to means and doth on purpose many times stain the pride and glory of some means that seem most probable that we may observe and adore his wise Providence in finding out and blessing the use of others more unlikely that we may prefer his Jordan before our Abanah 4. Impatient fretting murmuring
39. The Lord shall judge his People when he sees their power is gone and see now That I even I am He and there is no God with me Thus Psal 106.8 Nevertheless he saved them for His name sake but what Name even That Glorious one of His Power that he might make His Power known II. In respect of Believers The life of every Saint is a Tragae-comedy and the Last Act of it crowns the whole play Mark the upright man and Behold the just for the t Psal 37.37 End of that man is peace Out of the Eater shall come meat This affliction and That affliction yea the whole series of them shall work together for my Good Rom. 8.28 Saints good is Gods Aime As Love is the principle He constantly Acts from so the Saints good is the End He propounds and aimes at in All His dispensations From this He never swerves The fire of Love never goes out of His Heart nor the Saints good out of His Eye When He frowns chides strikes yet then his heart-burns with Love and His thoughts Are To do them good Jer. 24.5 and 29.11 Deu. 8.2.16 But what good Much every way chiefly with respect to their Corruptions graces services glory 1. Saints Corruptions To purge and subdue them This is All the fruit the Taking away of their sin Isa 27.9 Afflictions are Gods brine and pickle to preserve the Saints from putrifying Pauls thorn in the flesh was given Him to prevent and mortifie Pride 2 Cor. 12.7 All the Harm which the fiery Furnace did the young men in Dan. 3.23 24. was but to burn off their cords Our Lusts are cords cords of vanity fiery tryals sent on purpose to burn and consume them Adversity like Winter-weather of great use to kill weeds and Vermin which the Summer of Prosperity is wont to breed God is fain to rub hard many times to fetch out the dirt that is ingrain'd in our Nature This Thunder serves to clear the Air from infectious Vapours This Bitter potion purges out Ill Humours Be the Teeth of thy Troubles never so many never so sharp 'T is but to file off thy Rust This Tempestious Tossing in the Sea will more purge the Wine from It 's Lees. It clarifies the Soul According to that Zech 13.9 I will bring a third part through the fire To refine them as Silver 2. Saints Graces And that 1. For their Trial and experience That the trial of your Faith c. 1 Pet. 1.6 The fire tryes the Gold as well as the Touch-stone Diseases not only need but Try the Art of the Physician and Tempests the skill of the Pilot. The Saints Sufferings are but as so many Touchstones Now now shall the Saint clearly Know whether the Conscience be sound or foundred if it will pace well in Rough wayes Here here is the Faith i. e. the Tryal of the Saints Faith and patience Rev. 13.10 2. For their Increase and Growth The snuffing of the Candle makes it burn the brighter Hence it is that the Saints glory in Tribulation Rom. 5.5 because their sufferings add strength to their graces Never are Gods spiritual Nightingales apt to sing more sweetly then when the Thorn is at their Breast Saints are indeed made of pretious metal and yet they are too too apt to lose their Edg. Hence it is That God by afflictions whets and sharpens them He beats and bruises His links to make them burn the brighter loads his choisest Ships with sufficient Ballast To make them sail the steadier bruises His Spices to make them send out an Aromatick Savour Jer. 22.21 Isa 26.16 Heb. 12.10 Object But I find not this precious benefit Sol. Afflictions do not presently work at least thou maist not presently feel their operation As Christ to Peter what I do thou knowest not now John 13.7 but thou shalt hereafter So afterwards it brings forth the fruit of Righteousness Heb. 12.11 3. With respect to Saints future services Great sufferings are many times sent to prepare Saints for extraordinary Services See it in u Gen. 41.40 41. Joseph and Paul Joseph thrown into a pit sold a slave into Egypt there cast into a prison by All fitted for a Palace and to be a Nursing Father to the Church God bestows more Chopping and Hewing on Corner-stones because He intends they shall not only support but adorn the Building God means to build high upon them therefore laies his foundations very low Intends to sell these Diamonds at an high rate and thence it is He spends so much Time and Art in cutting them 4. With respect to the furtherance of their future Glory Christ went from a Cross To Paradice so do Christians The Master was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 So are Saints his Servants Though the Saints Cross cannot merit yet it makes way for a Crown of Life Jam. 1.12 Their Light afflictions which are but for a moment occasionally work for them a far more excellent and eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 VI. Be it really Ill never so ill yet It might well be worse Be the suffering what it will yet whilst here whilst Above ground 'T is far less then I have * Ezr. 9.13 deserved Blessed be God cryed out that w Mr. Whitaker Man of God when in the Paroxism of His Gout This though sharp is not Hell The worst that we can feel here in not the 100000 part of what we have deserved hereafter Every step on this side Hell is mercy saith a sensible Believer God is gracious in His greatest severity remembers mercy in the midst of Judgment As 't is said of Ashur His shoos were Iron and Brass yet he dipt His foot in Oyl Deut. 33.24 25. So God Tempers his greatest severities with the Oyl of Mercy Corrects but in measure Is 17.6 nay in Mercy in infinite Mercy I that have deserved the blow of an Executioners Axe am sent away with the Lash only of a Fathers Rod. God only lops off some luxuriant branches when in Justice He might cut up the Vine both Root and Branch and cast both into Everlasting flames VII And Lastly Be it now never so Ill it will certainly be x Nemo desperet meliora Lapsus Sen. Tâ—ag Better Thus the Psalmist All thy waves are gone over me yet the Lord will command His loving kindness Psal 42.7 8. Thus the Church Mic. 7.7 8 9. More particularly Faith concludes 1. My Afflictions though Lasting will not be Everlasting Though the night be dark and long yet there will come a day-break and comfortable Dawn my God will not alwayes chide neither will he contend for ever Is 57.16 Rev. 2.10 2. My greatest Extremity of Distress is Gods fairest opportunity for Deliverance When the Cassians are most infested with Locusts then and not till then do the Seleucidian Birds come in to their Assistance Caus Hier. l. 6. c. 31. Now now will I arise saith the Lord Deut. 32.36 Cum duplicantur lateres venit
much of the will of God in Christ Jesus is revealed and penned I need not rehearse for all his Epistles breath out the praises of Gods grace Thanks and Praise is the homage we owe to God for all we have and are Therefore in every thing to be rendred Reas 2 We live precariously and at mercy Act. 17.28 1 Cor. 15.10 by the grace of God we are what we are God in his soveraignty might have left us in the womb of nothing and never made us and have crusht us into nothing as soon as he made us for hath not the Potter power over his Clay Rom. 9. Every moment we depend on him and hold all from him his power over us is arbitrary and infinite to this soveraign God we owe all and therefore our thanks Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again Rom. 11.35 36. Dan. 5.25 for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen For not considering this Belshazzar smarted The God in whose hands thy breath is and whose are all thy waies hast thou not glorified The birds that lift up their bills at every drop they take may mind us of this duty Common and constant mercies deserve special thanks because constant 3. Christians must give thanks in every thing because they have spiritual mercies innumerable and invaluable superadded to common mercies special and spirituâ—l mercies in Christ Jesus Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Ephes 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 c. Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible c. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation c. Papists distinguish grace into grace freely given and grace that makes men grateful to God the giver of grace Gratia gratis data gratia gratum faciens Bellarm. Valentia c. this distinction is idle and untrue for all grace as freely given obligeth us to be grateful but yet special grace binds us to a more special gratitude namely sanctifying and saving grace The decreeing and sending of Jesus Christ to and for poor sinners the opening a fountain of grace in and by him the making and ratifying a Covenant of grace whereof the Lord Jesus is the Angel and Mediator The pretious promises both absolute and conditional thereupon with all other choice Gospel Priviledges of grace and glory as far as Gods alsufficiency and the infinite merit satisfaction and righteousness of the Son of God can teach this deserves a sutable proportion of thanks and blessing from us both here and in heaven Psal 63.3 Meiosis Because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee i. e. I will render special and continual praise for this above all other things Quere 3 How and in what manner Christians are to give thanks in every thing Answ The difficulty lies here as to the Act and the Object both 1. That is how a man can alwaies have his heart and tongue exercised unto this duty 2. If he could be supposed to do this yet it seems that every thing is not a fit subject-matter of Thanksgiving For a great part of our life being sin and misery which is rather the ground of mourning than of thanksgiving our thankfulness seems to be restrained to a narrower sphear than what the Text holds out First Can a Child of God in any sense give thanks for sin Answ No not properly Because Ezek. 5.11 1. That which is the ground of detestation cannot be the ground of thanksgiving but sin is a detestable thing Gal. 3.10 2. That which produceth a Curse cannot properly cause blessing but sin is a cursed thing Rom. 6.5 3. As we may not sin that grace may abound nor do evil that good may come of it so sin cannot be the ground of thanksgiving being contrary to the Honour Image and Will of God 4. Sin is none of Gods Creatures Deus non est author sed ultor peccati therefore a plague and not a benefit therefore the subject of sorrow and shame not of thanks Nevertheless improperly by accident occasionally and consequentially as men speak sin is a ground of thanksgiving How That the Lord by his unlimited power can so master sin and by his infinitely wise providence can so permit dispose of and bound sin and by his free grace pardon sin Yea make grace superabound where sin did abound fetching light out of darkness and make great sinners become great Saints and from all lay a foundation and raise a revenue of infinite glory to himself this is praise-worthy in God Now as Pilate and Herod Judas and Jews are not to be praised for their treachery and cruelty against Christ although they did by all they did fulfil and execute Gods Decrees in that behalf Act. 4.27 28. so no man must thank sin or God for sin albeit God hath extracted Treacle out of this Viper Wherefore when we read of a holy man that said He was more beholding to his corruptions than to his gifts and graces because the former made him humble the latter made him proud Or when we hear another cry out O felix culpa c. Oh happy sin of our first Parents happy Tree of Knowledge that bore such fruit that brought forth such a Promise such a Saviour c. I say when we heâ—r such Rhetorical strains as these from the Devour Ancients or Moderns we must understand them warily Yet when the Lord doth demonstrate the glory of his Attributes in over-ruling and pardoning sin to the salvation of poor sinners there is reason we should magnifie him to the height 1. Because all the dishonour which God hath in the World is upon the account of sin 2. Because we our selves having dishonoured him much that way it is meet we adore and admire him the more in the power of his grace that can fetch a Pearl out of this dunghil and by such a foile set off his glory Let us then as many as profess to be made partakers of this grace speak good of the Lord for it and give others occasion so to do as the Romans did to Paul God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin Rom. 6.17 but ye have obeyed from the heart the Form of Doctrine which was delivered you i. e. That ye were once sinners and are now Saints 2. Come we then from Moral evil to Penal evil that is if we may not give thanks properly for sin without sin whether may we give thanks for crosses and calamities Answ Here say some we may not properly give thanks for penal evils because
as such they are the stroaks of Gods vindictive Justice the fruit of sin and destructive to the creature in which sense they have not rationem beneficii sed supplicii they are not benefits but punishments But whereas the Lord hath so ordered that all things shall work together for good to them that are good and crosses are some of those things they are hereby sanctified and become the matter of thanksgiving to a child of God And this was that noble primitive frame of spirit among Christians under what providence soever dark or light sweet or sour they were thankful in all alwaies thankful St. Augustine upon the 132 Psalm commendeth that ancient custome among Christians Aug. Epist 77. Quid melius animo geramus ore promamus calamo exprimamus quam deo gratias hoc nec dici brevius nec audiri latius nec intelligi grandius nec agi fructuosius potest Deo gratias in whose mouths you should alwayes hear these words Deo gratias thanks be to God when they met and saluted one another Deo gratias God be thanked when they heard any tidings of persecution or protection favour or frown gain or loss cross or comsort still Deo gratias the Lord be thanked at which custome the Circumcellians pick quarrels but St. Austine defends it as laudable and religious what saith he shall brethren in Christ not give God thanks when they see one another What better thing can we speak or think or write than this God be thanked nothing can be more compendiously spoken nor more gladly heard nor more solemnly understood nor more profitably acted then this God be thanked Thus he Such a frame of heart had holy Job the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. Psal 34.1 On Psal 115. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hieron And such a one wâ—s in the sweet singer of Israel I will bless the Lord at all times Notable is that of Chrysostome there is nothing saith he nothing we can study more pleasing to God than to be thankful not only in good dayes but when things likewise fall out cross this is the best Sacrifice and oblation we offer God of a like spirit was famous Mr. Bradford Martyr speaking of Queen Mary at whose cruel mercy he then lay If said he she will release me I will thank her if she will imprison me I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her c. So saith a believing Soul let God do with me what he will I will be thankful This made one of the Ancients to say it is peculiar to Christians to give thanks in adversity To praise God for benefits this Jew and Gentile can do but to give God thanks in dangers according to the Apostles sense and in miseries and alwayes to say blessed be God this is the highest pitch of Virtue for a true Christians language is this I cannot tell how I should suffer less these things are but little to my sins I deserve much more at the Lords hands here is your Christian such a one takes up his cross and follows his Saviour no loss or cross can dishearten him but as the Poet saith if the World break and fall about his ears he would not be afraid Thus St. Hieron By whom it should seem that to give God thanks for crosses and afflictions is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be numbred among those singular things which Christians are bound to excel in beyond Heathens and Publicans as to love enemies to blesse them that curse c. to which our Saviour exhorts and commands Matth. 5. Papists indeed tell us they are Counsels and not Commands and therefore required only of perfect ones in order to merit and supererrogation which is a blasphemous fancy those duties and so this of thankfulnesse in every thing is required of every Christian virtute precepti this is the will of God concerning you saith my Text. Why and how do we give thanks in and for afflictions Quere 4 I. We must give thanks for good afflictions are not evil but good Psal 119.67 68 71. Biel others David tells you so and wherein which every child of God also finds To this agrees that of the Schooles that crosses are not evil but good 1. Because inflicted by the Lord who is the chief good 2. Because suffered by the Lord Jesus who is the chief good 3. They conform us to the Lord who is the chief good 4. They prepare us for communion with the Lord in Heaven which is our chief good therefore be thankful for crosses II. We must thank God for every token of his Fatherly love Heb. 12.6 but now crosses and troubles are such Fatherly love tokens Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth therefore give thanks for them as well for the rod as for bread This is thank-worthy this is acceptable to God 1 Pet. 2.19 20. God will thank us for suffering patiently therefore we must thank him for inflicting it as a tender Father on beloved sons Would you be counted bastards Alexander cashiered one of his name that would not fight Et cum blandiris pater es cum caedis pater es Aug. in Psal 98. the Eagle is said to cast off those young ones that cannot bear the sight of the Sun and some Germans counted such children spurious brats that could not swim So our Heavenly Father will never own them for his children that will not submit to his rod and kisse it too Lord when thou stroakest and when thou strikest thou art alike a Father saith St. Austin III. The Lord by afflicting his People doth prevent sin and purge it Therefore give thanks for it for thâ—s is good because it frees us from the greatest evil 2 Cor. 12.7 1. He prevents sin by it lest saith Paul I should be exalted above measure there was given to me a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet me 2. He purgeth sin by it by this saith the Prophet shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged Isa 27. Chrysost Now do we not thank and pay the Chirurgeon that lets out our bad blood that launceth our festred sores that cuts out our proud and rotten flesh yes surely we do thank him do we not also thank the Physician that keeps us to a strickt diet confines us to our chamber gives us bitter pils and potions and crosses our appetites yes we do thank him for hereby he cures a disease defends and preserves both our health and life Now what else I beseech you doth the Lord do more or lesse by all that we suffer at his hands and doth not he deserve our thanks as well as the Physician and Chirurgeon When we are vexed and pinched then ought we more especially to give the Lord thanks who as a most indulgent Father will not suffer our corruptions to spread further
Heifer or Horse that kicks and winseth The Lord complains Jer. 5.7 8. that when he fed them to the full they committed adultery c. and were like fed Horses bruitish and sensuall such as gratifie their lusts in eating c. are strong Bulls of Bashan Psal 22.12 the Psalmist sayes he was compassed about with them who were like Bulls in a fat pasture well fed and strong and ready to gore and push the great and rich and potent ones are compared to these bruits We are very apt in the midst of comforts to grow sensuall and before we are aware as Noah and Lot who both were overtaken Our Lord Christ Luk. 11.34 exhorts his Disciples against these and bids them to beware the word notes a very diligent and intent study and intention of mind to what he said least their heart should be overcharged it seems strange that he should give the Disciples an exhortation against sensuality and bruitish sins but that he knew their natures and though they were most temperate persons yet he bids them beware of surfeting knowing that if the best did not watch they might be overtaken with sensuality 2. Pride ease and idlenesse usually go together the immoderate or inordinate use of the creature this was it which God warned his peopâ—e of Deut. 8.11.12 14. take heed when thou art full c. lest thy heart be lifted up So Psal 123.4 there 't is said his soul was filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud they are put together When we fall to eating and drinking the next thing is to take our ease Luk. 12.19 So the Lord speaks Hos 13.6 According to their pastures so were they filled and their heart was exalted and they have forgotten me Ease and idlenesse attend sensuality these gratifie a bruitish disposition very much fullnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse were Sodoms sins Ezek. 16.49 And the rich glutton sang a Requiem to his soul usually when men abound in outward comforts they are most apt to grow lethargick and slothfull or at least they will not take much pains it may be they will be doing something but they will not be at much pains especially as to their souls Hos 10.11 Ephraim is a Heifer that loveth to tread out the Corn c. but not to plow he cares not for that they were wont to use Beasts in treading their Corn instead of threshing of it now it was Gods command that the Oxe that trod out the Corn should not be muzled but that he might eat as he did work Then here is Ephraim at a good lazy work that hath meat in the mouth of it wages for work and present pay here is Corn he abounds in outward things and though he treads out the Corn he will not plow that is too hard labour he will not go abroad in the wet and cold and seems to have reference to those of the Tribes that would not go to Jerusalem to worship they would not take so much pains Ephraim considers his ease he loves no hard work Ephraim did abound and grew rich Hos 12.7 8. He drave a great trade in the world and took pains but yet it was in a way that might gratifie his lust and carry on his gain but what saith God to this temper see Hos 10.11 The Lord saith he will pass upon his fair neck I 'le make Ephraim to ride He had a fair and a beautiful neck he led such a life that though he trod out the Corn he lived in plenty ease and idleness no yoke came on his neck he would not abide a yoke to be put on but by his lazy life and good trade he had a beautifull neck he became tender and delicate but I 'le pass over his fair neck as some take it I 'le cause a heavy yoke to come over his neck and will make him work and set him to hard labour I 'le make him a drudge I 'le make him ride some take it for their speedy captivity that shall tame him by his plenty and ease he is grown so lusty like a restive Jade I 'le ride him I 'le set some on his back shall ride him off his legs and Vers 12. Jacob shall break the clods the ten Tribes this is a base druddging work to break the clods but this servile work shall be his We see in Laodicea their plenty and idlenesse Rev. 16.17 went together and they were to be spewed out 3. Then there is security follows this eating c. and usually where there is abundance of these and that men are much taken up with these there is a secure sleepy forgetfull spirit goes with them and doubtlesse this was the sin of the old world that though Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse and his making the Ark was a publike alarum to the world yet they went on in their way eating and drinking c. very securely promising to themselves peace and safety Such as are filled with what they eat and drink are apt to drop asleep and then they are secure they apprehend themselves safe from danger they are compared to a drunken man that doth not know in what condition he is in 2 Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is to return to ones self after drunkennesse that they may awaken for it signifies one that is secure and so goes on in his way when he returns and recovers himself he is as a man that was drunk and awakes and returns to himself whence it is that God did so often caution his people against a secure sleepy forgetfull frame of spirit and when the Lord was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan he still bids them they should not forget him Deut. 6. c. 8. v. 14. but this sin he complains of in them Hos 2.13 When David was in the middest of his comforts he grew secure Psal 30.6 We find some brought in Isa 28.15 speaking in their thoughts that they had made a covenant with death and hell c. they in their secure thoughts apprehended themselves free from danger such thoughts ever carry impenitency and hardnesse of heart with them Zeph. 1.12 Jer. 48.11 when they are setled on their lees they never consider or say what have I done Jer. 8.6 Incogitancy and security go together a secure person never considers his own estate danger nor duty When once a man growes sleepy promising to himself freedome from danger and good dayes then he falls into some sin or other or some evil falls upon him Mat. 24.48 50. The evil servant said his Master delayed his coming and Vers 49. He began to beat his fellow-servant 1. He is secure he promiseth to himself safety his Master delayes c. 2. He falls to beat his fellow-servant Or else they fall into some sin Matth. 25.5 8. while they slept their Lamps went out or some evill befalls them Lam. 1.9 Sudden destruction 1 Thes 5.3 when men grow
secure as to their state and of a supine sleepy carelesse spirit such are ever in a most unsafe sinfull condition nigh to cursing and on the very brink of ruine and utter destruction How must we make Religion our businesse LUKE 2.49 Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse THese are the words of our Lord Jesus whose lips dropped as an honycomb the occasion was this Christ having the spirit of wisdom and sanctity powred on him without measure being but twelve years old goes to the Temple and fell a disputing with the Doctors ver 46. where should Learning blossom but upon that Tree which did bear severall sorts of fruit Col. 2.9 Who could better interpret secrets than he who lay in his Fathers bosom all that heard him were astonished at his understanding ver 47. in the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were out of themselves with admiration Vsque ad stuporem perculsi Budaeus well might they admire that he who never had been at the University should be able to silence the great Rabbies Joh. 7.15 How knoweth this man letters having never learned while they were wondring his Mother who was now come to seek him Minime objurgans sed rem fidentèr modestè quaerens Brugensis propounds this Question Son why hast thou thus dealt with us ver 48. that is why hast thou put us to all this labour in seeking thee in the words of the Text Christ makes a rationall and religious reply Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse in the greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the things of my Father As if Christ had said I must be doing the work which my Father in Heaven hath set me about for this received I my mission and unction Joh. 9.4 that I might doe the will of him that sent me what am I in the world for but to promote his glory propagate his truth and be as a load-Star to draw souls to Heaven Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers businesse From this example of our blessed Saviour in making his Fathers work his businesse we learn this great Truth That it is the duty of every Christian to make Religion his businesse Doctr. Religion is not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thing by the bye proper only for spare hours but it must be the grand businesse of our lives Saint Paul made it so his great care was to know Christ and to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 10. how abundantly did he lay out himself for God 1 Cor. 15.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I laboured more abundantly than they all c. Saint Paul moved heavenward not slowly as the Sun on the Diall but as the Sun in its haemisphere with a winged swiftnes he made Religion his businesse For the illustrating and unfolding of this there are three Questions to be resolved 1. What is meant by Religion 2. Why we must make Religion our businesse 3. What it is to make Religion our businesse 1. What is meant by Religion I answer the Latin word Quest 1 religio quasi religatio it signifies a knitting together Lactantius l. 4. div instit sin hath loosned us from God but when Religion comes into the heart it doth religare fasten the heart to God again as the members are knit to the head by severall nerves and ligaments Religion is the spirituall sinew and ligament that knits us to God The Greek word for Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a right worshipping This is Religion when we not only worship the true God but in that manner which he hath prescribed by a right rule from a right principle to a right end 2. The second Question is Why we must make Religion our Quest 2 businesse I answer Because Religion is a matter of the highest nature while we are serving God we are doing Angels work the businesse of Religion doth infinitely out-ballance all things besides pleasure profit honour the Trinity which the world adores are all of an inferior alloy and must give way to Religion The fear of God is said to be the whole duty of man Eceles 12.13 or as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole of man other things may delight Religion doth satiate other things may make us wise to admiration Religion makes us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 3. The third Question is What it is to make Religion our businesse Quest 3 I answer It consists principally in these seaven things 1. We make Religion our businesse when we wholly devote our selves to Religion Psal 119.38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear as a Schollar who devotes himself to his studies makes Learning his businesse a godly man may sometimes run himself through praecipitancy and incogitancy upon that which is evil therâ—s no man so bad but he may doe some good actions and there 's no man so good but he may doe some bad actions but the course and tenour of a godly mans life is religious when he doth deviate to sinne yet he doth devote himself to God 'T is with a Christian as it is with a company of mariners at sea they are bound for such a coast now while they are sailing they may meet with such a crosse wind as may turn them back and drive them a quite contrary way but as soon as the storm is over and the sea calm they recover themselves again and get into the right way where they sayled before Isa 5.20 so it is with a Christian Heaven is the haven he is bound for the Scripture is the compasse he sayls by yet a contrary wind of tentation blowing he may be driven back into a sinfull action but he recovers himself again by repentance and sayls on constantly to the heavenly Port. This is to make Religion our busines when notwithstanding some excursions through humane frailty we are devoted to Gods fear and dedicate our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God 2. We make Religion our businesse when we intend the business of Religion chiefly it doth principatum obtinere Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God Si Christus pro te de coelesti sede descendit tu propter ipsum suge terrena Aug. First in time before all things and first in affection above all things We must give Religion the praecedency making all other things either subservient or subordinate to it We are to provide for our families but chiefly for our souls this is to make Religion our businesse Jacob put the cattell before and made his wives and children lag after Gen. 32.16 'T is unworthy to make Religion come behind in the rear it must lead the van and all other things must stoop and vail to it he never had Religion in his heart who saith to any worldly thing in
so you speak all good of the man and of his Religion Indeed David doth often comprise all Religion in this Be thankefull unto him So Religion shineth forth in the lustre and brightnesse of a good name when they who professe it dare neither be rash in making nor remisse or false in keeping their Vowes Next Vowes well composed and faithfully performed do much promote Religion and that frequently Spreading Religion 2. By setting forward the growth of Religion in the midst of those who professe it for I will onely speak of this now albeit I might speak of the spreading of Religion amongst such who before were strangers to it by the faithfullnesse of some zealous prudent and industrious votaries When Christians of great exigencies are brought on their knees to pray and plead and confesse and promise if they may be heard and when they come to praise acknowledg and pay their Vowes to God in the presence of those are called his people it is very powerfull to By confirming 1. Confirme them in the profession and to establish them For who would not hold fast where he can observe such goodnesse tendernesse and power in God he worshipeth Psal 107. Men religious men some at least will praise the Lord for such wonderfull works to the children of men Psal 36.7 when they see such excellent loving kindnesse shewed to the distrssed the children of men will put their trust in God None will leave the shadow of that wing which so saveth Reforming 2. It is very like to make them enquire into the wayes and doings which have been theirs but have not been good and to look forward to the wayes which must be theirs and must be amended when a stander by shall observe the distresse a good man is in and how he resents neglect of duty prevalency of corruption necessity of reforming and binds himself to more diligent discharge of duty to more vigorous oppsition of sinne to constant care of reforming He is ready to reflect on himself and if he be what he professeth will judge himself one who is as deep in the faults as much needing to reform and as near to the like or greater distresse He may ere long be put to it and therefore it will be best to be on the amending hand 3. Vowes promote Religion in the Votaries heart and life But however thirdly Vowes well made and kept well very much improve and promote Religion in the heart and life of him who so Voweth and keepeth his Vow If none of those who are acquainted with thy religious making and keeping thy Vowes should either honour it more or set to the exercise of it more yet certainly it will produce such effects in thy life as will very much conduce to the encrease of godlinesse and righteousnesse which will appear by some few particulars which are undeniably the effects of a well composed Vow and do as undeniably promote and set forward Religion As 1. Vowes encrease circumspection First A well composed Vow will make thee more circumspect and wary in the generall course of thy life Such an influence it hath as doth more directly work on one particular part yet is not terminated to that particular onely It is here as with a Debtor who doubles his bond and security for his debt upon some extraordinary favour which his Creditor shewed him This double bond directly looks to that particular debt but it works on the debtor's ingenuity and gratitude to be more carefull in the discharge of all his debts so thy Vow looks on a particular but engageth thee to better discharge of all thy debts to God Thus it was with David Psal 56.12 13. Thy Vowes are upon me O God Now these Vowes were made when he was in danger of his life as it seemeth from the 13th Verse For when God heard him he delivered his soul from death for this he Vowed Praises in particular and he will render them but withall he takes himself to be hereby engaged to a more exact and circumspect walk before God in all duties so he expresseth himself Vers 13. latter part Vowes are too broad and generall which are not fixed more especially to some one thing And They are too narrow which are so fixed to one that they exclude all other things which might conveniently be taken in Jacob mentions Tithes as the particular object of his Vow but Jacob withall intended a more exact and circumspect care over himself and Family in matters of Religion as appeareth by those passages Gen. 35.2.3 Jacob said unto his houshold and to all that were with him put away the strange Gods that are among you Here is the reforming of his houshold And observe this was in consideration of Gods answering his prayers when he Vowed unto God who answered him in his distresse and was with him in the way which he went So then like a stream it riseth from one spring-head and runs in one main current but it disperseth it self through many other smaller branches and waters every part But Secondly 2. Vowes discover former defects Well composed Vowes do very much promote Grace and Holinesse in the heart of the vower in that it doth bring the man to a serious view and survey of his former defects and neglects when he comes to look over his streits what likely brought them on him and so put him on this extraordinary way of seeking God and suing for mercy when he reads over the bond he hath voluntarily entred into and observes what put him thus in debt to God when he views these and such like particulars he comes to knowledge of his former aberrations and defects Now as a good and carefull tradesman accounts he is in a good forwardnesse to a thriving way when he hath found out what did hinder and endammage his trade for removall of which he hath set himself in a hopefull and likely way so when a Christian comes to cast up accounts to make even he finds an unconstant and starting heart hath in this or that particular endammaged him and if there be any way of dealing with it to keep it constant and stable it is by doubling its bonds and this must be done by vow this course is like to repair former defects and reparation I am sure is good and effectuall means to keep up the house Some Interpreters tell us that when Jacob came to reform his house it was occasioned by his defective observance of his Vow and that God in Gen. 35.1 puts him in mind of it in such words Go up to Beth-el and dwell there and there build an Altar if their conjecture fail not it is a pertinent instance to our case Jacob had made a good Vow and well ordered and doubtlesse had performed much of it yet thirty years after he is minded of it by God and then he comes to consider and performe what was yet wanting to make up his defects Thus when care
make a man consider what he promiseth to a man How much more care should he use in promising unto God where the promise is more than ordinary where the tye is so indissoluble where the demand is so punctually and peremptorily made where the danger so great in making default Let me commend unto thy more than ordinary care these two things if thou wilt make a Vow so well framed as to set up Religion First Be carefull that thy Vow of obedience for and in consideration of a mercy hoped or received hold weight with that mercy keep a steddy hand and get an even ballance and weigh the mercy which commands thy obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Talentum Hebraeorum contineâ— pondere 3000 siclos Bâ—erewood de ponderibus Heb. and weigh thy Vow which promiseth it It will be thy reproach and Religions reproach to have thy Vow sound a shekel when thy mercy weighs a talent when God gives a full harvest thou must not Vow a handfull or one sheaf This were to expose thy God to contempt and it would be a practicall denyall of his bounty to thee Jacob observed this proportion Gen. 28. v. 20 21 22. God shall be his God and then the tenth of all he hath shall be his Davids For all his benefits is as much as according to all his benefits and that speaks proportion and commensuratenesse Take care to this for others will observe and enquire into it They will weigh these two thy mercy and thy gratitude do thou do it first lest thou be shamed lest God be provoked and thou be punished for as good a man and as great as thou who ere thou art who readest this met with all these with shame with the anger of his God and with a punishment too on him for want of this See Hezekiah's fault and punishment 2 Chron. 32.25 Don't fall short of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sordidum tenuem sumtum hoc adagio significabant Erasm Adagior chil 2. cent 7. Ad. 3â— Heathens who knew this and observed it as their rule and have branded such who deviate from it be carefull thou put not off a mercy that lives many years with thee with a dayes entertainment or weeks or moneths lodging with thee Secondly Be carefull that thou make thy Vow so that they may be thy witnesses whom God makes be carefull thou make them witnesses of thy performing whom God made witnesses of thy streits and thou madest witnesses of thy Vowes A man that would have his credit in his truth to his word kept up would choose them witnesses of his performing who were witnesses of his promise I think David took this heed in his rendring and paying his Vowes I will do it saith he now in the presence of his people Vers 14. The people were witnesses to his streights Prayers and Vowes and he will honour Religion by performing in their sight what he sealed signed and delivered what he Vowed to the Lord. Seek not more than providence makes conscious to thy Vowes lest this be interpreted ostentation and vain self-glorying take so many lest the good example be lost or thou suspected of falsifying thy Vow Briefly and plainly dost thou on a sick bed make thy Vow before thy Family before the Neighbourhood be carefull to perform it before them let them see thou art what thou Vowedst to be This care in thy Vow will be a means to make it most to the advantage of Religion whilst all that heard or knew thy Vow bear thee testimony that thou art thankfull and more thou seekest not lest thou be suspected to be proud thus Religions gratitude and humility are set forth thus thou givest others occasion to glorifie thy Father who is in Heaven Vse 2 Do well advised and composed Vowes so much promote Religion when well and faithfully kept are they also such sacred and inviolable bonds Then look what Vowes you are under look how you have performed them It is time to view what you fairly promised for advancing of Religion and what you have faithfully performed for its real advantage Christian consider with thy self wa st thou ever in more than ordinary distresse didest thou not then Vow largely tell me what were thy Vowes how hast thou paid them wa st thou ever in poor needy condition didst thou not then Vow to honour God with thy increase to inrich the poore to relieve thine indigent brethren and Gods poore Children Now what hast thou done who are cloathed out of thy flock who are fed at thy table who are lodged at thy charge where 's thy paying thy Vow was it ever thy lot to be tossed at Sea to be mounted up to the Heavens to be cast down again into the depths to be at thy wits end didst thou not then Vow if ever God should command and make it a calme and bring thee to thy desireâ— Haven thou would'st be more circumspect in all manner of conversation more vigilant to thy particular duty more severe against thy particular sinne Didest thou not Vow that an Anniversary Sermon with an allowance to the Poore or a constant Lecture or an Almes-house or some such great standing Monument should commemorate Gods goodnesse to thee and perswade others to trust and seek unto that goodnesse or at least if thy Estate would not do so much hast thou not Vowed to do according to thy power where now is thy paying these Vowes But I was never poore never at Sea may be so yet art thou not under some Vowes for some other mercies wa st thou never in danger of losing thy Estate thy Relations thy life Didest thou never lye dangerously and men thought desperately sick hast thou no sick-bed Vowes upon thee stay here who ever thou art that readest these lines and read not a word more untill thou hast duely considered whether ever thou hast been dangerously sick and what thou then Vowedst and how thou hast performed The proud contemner of Religion learns by his dangerous sicknesse to promise to be religious wast thou ever such didest thou ever so Vow and art thou now what thou didest then promise The prophane swearer and blasphemer is brought by a sicknesse to fear his Oath and to Vow to learn to fear and absteine Oh then if God will not destroy and damn but give life he will that he will repent and amend he will blesse but not blaspheme his Name he will never more prophanely swear and curse wast thou ever such a one so sinnefull so engaged what performance now The Drunkard Vowes sobriety when he is sick the Adulterer Vows chastity the worldling Vowes to mind Heaven the Tradesman who hath so often sold his conscience at every price to gain six pence by an untruth and lye then if this plunge be out lived will keep a good conscience In a word A sick bed makes a sinner sick of his sinne and seldome fails to make him Vow against it Now Reader what thinkest thou Vowes or no
Vowes art thou under any or no I am perswaded now thou canst not deny it methinks I could believe I heard thee say such a Feaver such an Ague the small Pox a Surfet the Pestilence or some such disease made me Vow to be another man to destroy sinne to exercise grace to love God to hate lust to be holy and heavenly Now thou seest thy bond where is thy payment of thy debt Oh how few do well keep any how much fewer do well keep their sick-bed Vowes as if these Vowes were as sickly as their makers and doomed to as short a life as the sick Votary thought he had been doomed to Reader thy conscience tels thee what thou canst answer or what thou must confesse in this matter and upon thy consciences answer I have advice for thee if thou art conscious 1. Of totall neglect go speedily on thy knees blesse infinite patience humble thy self before infinite grace get out thy pardon and whilst God saith by me by these lines defer not to pay be thou honest to thy word thankfull to thy God advantageous to Religion and an example of reformation lest next sicknesse be thy death and thy Vowes be thy sinne which shut out thy hopes of praying and speeding God delights not to answer such fools thou maist find Motives enough to hasten thee to this duty from Eccl. 5.2 4 5 6. which I commend to thy thoughts with these Quaeries 1. Is not God in Heaven and thou on earth 2. And Is not thy Vow made to this great God 3. And Is not this Vow thy voluntary debt And 4. Doth God require present payment Or indeed 5. Wilt thou worse thy condition by Vowing Or 6. Wilt thou provoke Gods anger and displeasure 7. Dar'st thou venture on threatned destruction These are Solomon's Motives to a punctuall and present payment of Vowes I offer them to awake thee from neglect of thy Vowes Or Secondly Hast thou Vowed and performed in part but not fully hast thou done somewhat but not all of that thou hast promised and Vowed I advise 1. See what hindred wast thou rash in promising more than thou couldst do is this the reason thou didest not all because some of it was out of thy power thou must be humbled for thy rash Vow and if ever it come within thy power do it 2. See whether thy sloth and negligence did not hinder when thou mightest have performed but now it is out of thy power and thou canst not this is a high breach of thy Vowes and I know no way for thee but due and seasonable repentance and confessing that God may pardon thee and be thou better in what thou canst since thou canst not be so good in this thou shouldest 3. See whether it continue yet in thy power to do though as yet thou hast not done it and if so be affected with the sight of thy unthankfullnesse but remove this sinne by performing thy Vowes for God will not release the promise nor cancell the Bond untill the debt be paid by him who hath power in his hand and may do it But What if it were in my power when I Vowed Dub. but since that time providence hath put it out of my power I was rich when I Vowed to relieve the poore but when I was recovered God suffered me to be spoiled as Job was what shall I do then 1. Thy Vow well composed engaged thee so far as it was in thy power Sol. 1 Remember a well-advised Vow hath this expresse condition or this implyed so far and so long as it is in my power to do untill I have done all The tenth of all I have of all that God shall give me saith Jacob I will give to God now if the Lord exercise his bounty to Jacob Jacob is ingaged then he hath power and can do it if God make Jacob poore the limitation his Vow implyed in it doth quit him Secondly So far as God puts it out of thy power so far he releaseth Sol. 2 thee from the debt When God by his providence overruling all doth disable thee to the payment then he dischargeth thee from the bond this is Gods reall discharge and cancelling of the Obligation Are well composed Vowes such promoters of Religion and are Vse 3 they to be made so warily and do they bind so strictly Then be sure to wait untill God give you just and fit seasons for Vowing be not over-hasty to Vow it is an inconsiderace and foolish haste of Christians to make more occasions of Vowing than God doth make for them Make your Vowes and spare not so often as God bids you but do not do it oftner you would wonder I should disswade from Vowing often when you have such constant mercies and wonder well you might if God did expect your extraordinary bond and security for every ordinary mercy but he requires it not he is content with ordinary security of gratitude for ordinary mercies when he cals for extraordinary security and acknowledgment by giving extraordinary mercies then give it and do it 1. Chearfully enter such bonds willingly 2. Pay the bond punctually at its time 3. Pay it fully in the whole of it so do it that you may say I will chearfully and of choise so do it that you may call it a paying punctually and fully And this will be accounted a rendring to the Lord and a reall promoting of Religion by setting forth our debt and the Lords goodnesse to which we are endebted Fear not to give thy God double security when he requires it Fail not to pay readily and fully when pay day comes for the Lord doth expect and command thee so to do and if thou do willfully make default he will lay folly to thy charge and take the forfeiture of thy bond and make thee know it too some way or other to thy grief and trouble keep out so long or get out of such debts so soon as thou canst Pay the Lord thy Vowes How are we compleat in Christ COL 3. last clause of ver 11. But Christ is all and in all THe great concernment of lost creatures is above all things to mind salvation this is the one thing needfull Luk. 10.42 Act. 16.30 this should be the great enquiry and in the neglect of this all our other endeavours are no better than laborious trifles The great danger which even they are in who seriously mind salvation is least they build upon some sandy foundation seeking Heaven in those wayes which lead not thither The great design of Satan is either to detain poor undone creatures in a totall neglect of salvation or to deceive them in the way and means thereof 't is therefore the great care of the Apostle as in other Scriptures so in this not only to undeceive the world as to those mistakes which prevailed then but to point out the right the proper the onely sure way of salvation viz. through Christ whom he here declares
Christs satisfaction that he hath not onely freed such as are united unto him from condemnation Rom. 8.1 but purchased for them the Adoption of children Rom. 8.14 15 16. And thus Christ is All in removing this bar and opening this door to salvation which had it not been for his mediation would for ever have remained shut against all the children of men The pollution and prevalency of corruption how great an impediment this is to salvation and happiness was typified by the Lepers and unclean persons of old who were not admitted within the Camp Lev. 13.46 Heaven is no common receptacle for all persons as Noahs Ark was for all sorts of creatures Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not if you know any thing in Religion you cannot but know thus much In the Church of God on earth there is a mixture of Corn with Chaffe of Wheat with Tares of good Fish with bad of Sheep with Goats but there shall be a separation of the precious from the vile and God will come with his Fan in his hand and throughly purge his floor Luke 3 17. Do but consider and pause a while upon that mischief which sin hath done poor creatures by its pollution How hath it stained their glory cast them down from their excellency turned Angels into Devils and debased man who was once almost the top of the whole Creation in whom all the scattered Excellencies in the Book of Nature were bound up together in one Volume and met together in a blessed union How unlike hath sin made us to what God at first made us Those souls of ours which were once as so many pure beams of Light how is the beauty of them now blotted and darkned But Christ is that Fountain opened for sin uncleanness Zech. 13.1 in his blood is vertue enough to fetch out scarlet spots and crimson stains Isa 1.18 and if any of the children of men perish in their pollutions 't is not because he wants sufficiency but because they want faith Christ is All in the business of cleansing and purifying But alas Ioh. 3.16 besides the pollution of sin there is the prevalency of it This was to St. Paul so great an affliction that he who could bear the greatest of outward afflictions patiently 2 Cor. 11.23 24 25 c. cannot but express something of an holy impatience under this burden Rom. 7.24 he that could triumph over Principalities Powers Life Death c. Rom. 8 38 39. is yet more than a little discouraged when he reflects upon the corruptions he found lodging in his own heart Corruption is the great Tyrant that hath usurped over the whole world the bounds of its Dominion are almost as large as all mankinde there is not a man in all the world except the first man Adam made after Gods Image and the second Adam who was God as well as man but he is born a slave a vassal to this Usurper The four great successive Monarchies Chaldean Persian Graecian Roman though the extent of them were great and the circumference vast yet were all these limited and bounded some parts of the world there were which knew nothing of their yoke But alas the Empire of Corruption reaches every corner of the earth every person born into the world We may therefore not unfitly compare it to Nebuchadnezzars Tree Dan. 4 11. the top whereof reaches Heaven from thence it threw the Angels and the boughs thereof spreading themselves to the ends of the earth yea this vassallage unto Corruption as it is the largest and universalest so also the miserablest and most dreadfull All other slaveries compared with this are but like Rehoboams Government compared to his Father Solomons the least finger of whose Dominion he threatens should be heavier than his Fathers loyns 1 King 12.10 We read in Scripture of an Egyptian slavery in History of the Spartan slavery and of the Turkish all these sad and lamentable but yet all these reached but the body and that for a time onely whereas the slavery of Corruption reaches the soul and that for ever unless Christ become our Jesus in saving us from our sins Matth 1.21 He hath purchased our freedome and that with a great summe as the Centurion speaks of his Roman freedome Act 22 26 27 28. There are none can say with St. Paul they are born free except they who are born again and they are free indeed Joh. 8.36 Christ is All in removing this impediment also in setting our poor captive souls at liberty from the bonds and fetters of our corruption Rom. 6.6 7 8 c. Rom 7.25 'T is he alone can conquer these great Goliahs these untamed affections but yet even this deliverance is also incompleat in this world he delivers his people from corruption as to the reign and dominion of it though not as to the presence and disturbance of it ut non regnet sed nondum ut non sit 3. The oppositions of Satan his wiles and subtilties these are another impediment and that no small one neither for if our first parents in whom there was nothing of ignorance but a sufficiency of knowledge there was indeed a nescience of many things so is there also in the Angels Matth 24 36. but yet their knowledge was both full and clear in things necessary and pertinent Col. 3.10 This was no small advantage against the methods of Satan because his usual way of mischieving poor creatures hath not been so much by force as fraud not as a Lion but as a Serpent not so much by conquering as cheating acting all his enmity under a pretence of friendship and tempting us to no evil but under the pretence of some good The advantage of our first Parents was in this respect great in respect of their knowledge Besides in them was nothing of weakness but a sufficiency of strength in them was nothing of corruption but an universal rectitude and uprightness The wayes by which Satan ordinarily prevails is either by our ignorance or by our weakness or else by making a party within us against our selves The advantages of our first Parents were in all these respects far greater than any have against Satan now yet Satan prevailed against them What cause therefore have we to fear 2 Cor. 11.3 But Christ is all to free us from these dangers to carry us through these oppositions who hath led captivity captive Ephes 4.8 who hath spoiled Principalities and powers and triumphed over them Col. 2.15 but yet even this deliverance is at present incompleat for though Christ hath delivered believers from Satan as a destroyer yet not from Satan as a tempter he may disquiet such but he cannot ruin them 4. The disturbances and interruptions of a prophane world its allurements discouragements promises threats smiles frowns our difficulties and dangers from hence cannot be little since the people of God in all ages have found them so
hath blessed you with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Vse 3. How great is their folly and misery who keep at a distance from Christ Ioh. 5.40 Our Saviour mentions it as the highest folly in the Jews You will not come unto me that you might have life There is in Christ the life of justification to free us from that eternal death to which the Law sentences us The life of sanctification to free us from that spiritual death under which our apostacy hath brought us There is in him an Alsufficient fulnesse for the repairing of all our losses And are these mercies not worthy the coming for The Apostle puts the very Emphasis of the Heathens misery in this Ephes 2.12 that they are without Christ and therefore without hope And what is their misery Shall any of us make our choice Vse 1. Of Exhortation Let it be your care that Christ may be All to you 't is no small nor is it any common priviledge Many there are who live without Christ Ephes 2.12 Others to whom All that is in Christ is so far from being to their salvation that it only aggravates their destruction He that is to some the chief corner stone 1 Pet. 2.6 8. is to others no better than a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence This was prophesied of Christ This childe shall be for the fall and rising again of many in Israel There 's no mercy so eminently good Luk. 2.34 but through our corruptions it may become an occasion of evil Christ himself the greatest of mercies that ever God vouchsafed to creatures is yet so far from saving some from their sins that he only encreases their sin Ioh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoke unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Those who enjoyed the Ministry of Christ in his own person and were not wrought upon thereby all their sins would comparatively have been a kind of innocence had they not discovered such an height of obstinacy 't is therefore no common priviledge But what should we do that it may be ours Take these few Directions 1. Labour to get your judgements setled in the belief of this great truth That all things in the world are a very nothing without Christ That you are poor in the midst of worldly riches and miserable in the midst of all earthly happinesse while you remain in your estrangements from Christ And that of all kind of poverty and misery this is the worst because it is in those spirituall blessings wherein consists both our present and future happinesse 'T is but little those persons understand of their great concernments that can with that Gospel-fool think themselves sufficiently provided for in the things of this world and say to their souls as he to his Soul Luk. 12.19 thou hast goods laid up for many years eat drinke and be merry Dost thou know thou livest in this world upon the very brink of eternity And dost thou know whether there be more than one step between thee and another world 1 Sam. 20.2 And canst thou take up with any thing on this side Christ it is an argument you know but little of your own concernments Some of the grosser Platonists thought the world to be a great Animal and the soul which acted it was God now if the soul be departed from the body what is it but a meer carkasse without life Christ is the very life and soul of all our comforts and without him all our creature-enjoyments are but as so many cyphers without a figure which have no significancy in them but are as so many nothings Nothing in respect of true comfort here nothing in respect of your preparations for another world Labour therefore through the glasse both of Scripture and experience to behold all the excellencies of this world as so many bladders filled with wind and at best to be like Hagars Bottle which was soon empty Gen. 21.15 or as broken Cisterns Cisterns and therefore cannot hold much broken Cisterns and therefore cannot hold what they have long Ier. 2.13 And withall let it be your wisdome to look upon Christ as that everlasting Fountain of all good which can never be drawn dry as that never failing Spring of all those blessings which will not onely sweeten every condition here but go with us beyond death and the grave Such fixed apprehensions of these things will be singularly usefull to engage our souls in an earnest pursuit after Christ Psal 63.8 or in the Psalmists words to follow hard after him and 't is his promise that they that come to him he will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 2. Be speedy in casting out those inmates which because they are unmeet companions for Christ 1 Sam. 5.4 Amos 3.3 may hinder his taking possession of your souls The Ark and Dagon could not stand together in the same room but if the Ark stands Dagon falls Can two walk together except they be agreed Christ and our corruptions are at no agreement these two cannot dwell together under the same roof If you would have Christ to take up his abode in your hearts you must prepare a place for him Psal 132.4 5. It was said of David he would neither give sleep to his eyes nor slumber to his eye-lids till he had found out an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. The souls of most men are so crowded with other guests that the best entertainment they can afford Christ is but such as he found in his first entrance into the world an out-room a stable a manger But let it be your care to renounce communion with all things that might hinder your communion with him Psal 45.10 11. to forget thy own people and thy Fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty so not otherwayes he will have no rivals no competitors not a part of our heart but all 3. Be willing to accept of Christ upon his own termes there can be no termes hard on which we may gain an interest in him Matth. 16.24 The great and main condition is Self-denial together with a full resignation of our selves to him and self-denial if duely considered is the greatest self-advantage 1. Because he calls us not to deny our selves in any thing that is truly for our spiritual good or at least so far as 't is for our good 2. Though he calls us to deny our selves in many outward good things yet 't is not so much to part with them as to exchange them for what is better 3. The main objects of self-denial are those things which 't is our priviledge to be freed from no reason therefore to be offended at such termes as these to resign up our mistaken judgements to the guidance of infinite Wisdome our corrupt wills to his most holy and gracious will 1 Joh. 5.3 Psal 119.151 172.
to be in all things at the command of him whose commands are in nothing grievous but in all things truth and righteousness Be therefore as willing to be his as you are desirous he should be yours the consent must be mutual or else the match can never be made up 'twixt Christ and your souls 4. Measure all things by their reference unto Christ of all good things account them the best which may promote your endeavours after that good which is the highest as Ordinances Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 2. Isa 59.2 the means of Grace which at how high a rate they are valued by David may appear from his pathetical and most affectionate desires of waiting upon God in them of all evill things account them the worst which estrange you from Christ the truest good and therefore let your only impatience be of sin as that which onely separates between you and your God The observation of this rule will very much secure you from all diversions and quicken you in your endeavours after an interest in Christ 2. Vse Be serious in resolving this great Question whether Christ who is All to sincere Christians be All to you 't is a question of that importance that all your comfort depends upon the resolution of it yea all your hopes Take these two Characters 1. Are you conformable unto Christ Is the same minde in you that was in him Are you holy and humble and self-denying and in all things followers of that pattern which he hath set before you in his own example He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Old things are passed away behold all things are bicome new Philip. 2.5 Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 5.17 Causes are best known by their effects Trees by their fruits Fountains by their streams So is our interest in Christ by this effect thereof our conformity unto Christ 2. Are you All to him 'T is but a just retaliation in Christians to be so and 't is withall an evidence that Christ is All to them 1. Are you all to him in your affections in prizing him above all can you with the Spouse esteem the love of Christ better than wine with David better than life can you in the middest of all your creature comforts account all as nothing in comparison of him and say with Asaph Whom have I in heaven but God and there is none on earth I desire in comparison of him So high were Moses affections Cant. 1.2 Psal 63.3 Psal 73.25 Heb. 11.26 that he esteems the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt And indeed if Christ be but an underling in our affections 't is an argument we have no part in him He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Matth. 10.37 he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me The affections are the truest pulse of the soul the most genuine and natural symptomes of its frame and temper 'T is these that speak the proper idiom and language of the heart Make use of this rule therefore is Christ uppermost in thy heart thy affection to him is an evidence of his to thee 2. Are you all to him in your acknowledgements in ascribing all to him Thus St. Paul 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am That my condition is not better it is from my self that 't is so good 't is from him so Eph. 5 20. 3. Are you all to him in your contentment and satisfaction accounting you have all in him though you have nothing besides him Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither fruits be in the Vine the labour of the Olive shall fail Hab. 3.17 18. c. yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation 4. Are you all to him in your dependances and expectations in seeking all from him the highest condition of grace needs further grace but in Christ are all supplies 't is an argument of our interest in him when in all distresses we make him our refuge in all weaknesses our strength 5. Are you all to him in your designs and aims in seeking his glory beyond your private advantages this was St. Pauls design in life and death that Christ might be magnified Philip. 1.20 and if you be thus all to Christ 't is an evidence Christ is All to you And how well are they provided for who have him who is All for their Portion How shall those Merchants keep up the life of Religion who while at home enjoyed all Gospell Ordinances and when abroad are not only destitute of them but exposed to persecution PSALM 120.5 Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar THis Psalm is the first of those fifteen which are called Songs of Degrees concerning which the conjectures of Interpreters are various and uncertain either because they were sung by the Jews at their severall stages in their return from the Babylonish captivity or by the Levites on the fifteen steps or stairs whereby they went up to the house of the Lord or because they raised up their voices to an high strain in singing them or because they are Psalms of greatest use and excellency The Psalm is generally thought to be composed upon occasion of Davids flying from Saul and Doegs false accusation of him 1 Sam. 22.23 and it consists of three generall parts 1. Davids carriage towards God in the time of his distresse ver 1 2. In my distresse I cried unto the Lord and he heard me Deliver my soul c. 2. Davids denouncing of judgment against his slanderous false-tongued enemy ver 3 4. What shall be given intimating that he expected some great reward for his malice against David but saith the Psalmist he shall have sharp arrows of the Almighty with coals of juniper q. d. whatever reward he have from men this shall be his reward from God 3. Davids bewailing his present condition ver 5 6 7. The words of the Text are a branch of the third generall part of the Psalm wherein we have David sadly breathing forth the sorrow of his heart for his absence from the Tabernacle and the company of good men and his dwelling among and converse with evill and wicked men Woe is me c. By sojourning I suppose is implied his absence from some desired habitation viz. Jerusalem and the Tabernacle for no man is said to sojourn at home Psal 39.12.105.23 Heb. 11.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est trahere Isa 13.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies ejus non trahentur i. e. non prorogabuntur Bocharti Geog. Sacr. par 1. l. 3. c. 12. p. 209. and when he is where he would be The word Mesech is taken by Expositors either 1. For a place as our translation carries it from the Chaldee paraphase which is the first of the ancient versions that so
and jewels into the Sea another eagerly drinking down that which you knew to be the juice of Toads and Spiders or hugging a Viper and Scorpion in his bosome anothe stabbing himself in the breast another laughing at and licking his own plague sores and all of them reviling cursing striking spitting in the face and stabbing at the heart of those that any wayes endeavour to hinder them from destroying themselves or that will not do as they do and be as mad as themselves should we not pity them and with grief of heart say Wo is me that I live among such Why Sirs He that hath had any serious thoughts of Eternity that hath soberly considered the worth of an immortal soul that believes the Holiness Justice and Power of God that understands the evill of sin what a plague what a venome what a dagger at the sinners own heart sin is he cannot but see and know that every ungodly prophane sinner is much more an object of highest compassion than any I have now mentioned and therefore cannot but cry out Wo is me c. 3. It is a trouble to good men to sojourn c. with reference to themselves and their own concernments because they are sensible that such a condition layes them open to a great deal of danger and that 1. In regard of their graces for the want of the society of good men and the Ordinances of the Gospel is like the want of dew and rain to the grass or food to the body and therefore those who have tasted of the sweetness and fatness Psal 36.8.65.4 and know what a blessedness 't is to be satisfied with the goodness of Gods house cannot but mourn over the want of Gospel-Ordinances as the presence of the Sun beams make the flowers to be fresh and beautifull and yield a fragrant smell whereas the want thereof makes them look pale and wan and hang the head even so the enjoyment of good society and Gospel-Ordinances makes the graces of a beleever amiable and lovely and give forth their pleasant smell the want of which makes them very much to droop and languish And then on the other side the society of wicked men the venome and poyson of an evill example the alluring flatteries of the world on one hand and its frowns and threatnings on the other hand are of great force to nip and blast to dead and dull the graces of good men And therefore he who knows the worth and value of true grace that accounts it his riches his treasure his jewel his life Luke 12.21 and is sensible how much depends upon the life and vigour of Grace and Religion in his soul and understands how destructive the want of Gospe-Ordinances and the company of evil men are to his graces may well cry out Wo is me that I sojourn c. 2. In regard of their persons and the concernments of this life the enmity that is in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman doth not onely put forth it self in endeavours to ruine or weaken their graces but also to destroy their persons wicked mens malice against that spiritual life of grace in good men which themselves do not partake of doth soon improve into malice also against that natural humane life which themselves are also partakers of their desires to suck the blood as I may so say of good mens souls graces makes them delight to suck the blood of their bodies witness Cain 1 Joh. 3.12 the first that learnt this bloody trade by killing his brother for no other cause but because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous witness also Ahab and Jezabel Manasseh c. but the foul-mouthed witness to this black and sad rruth is the scarlet bloody Whore of Babylon Rev. 17.6 who is drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus and therefore in Gods due time she shall have blood to drink those therefore who understand what an hellish fire of rage is in the hearts of wicked men how great their malice is against goodness and good men and what combustible matter our life and the comforts of this life be so far as they value these mercies have reason with David to cry out Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech c. And now the wofull condition of those that are deprived of Gospel Ordinances and sojourn where heavenly Mâ—nna doth not fall and who dwell among and converse with wicked and ungodly men as it calls upon us to bless God when it is not so with us and to pity and pray for those who have reason to take up such a complaint as David here doth so also to bethink our selves what we ought to do if the case were ours for you know the life of a Christian is very oft and very fitly in Scripture compared to a warfare and surely he is but a mean souldier and never like to come off with victory and triumph who doth not prepare himself for all kinde of assaults and doth not labour to fortifie every passage whereat he may be stormed and therefore 't is good for us to make the condition of others our own so that this question or practical case of conscience will offer it self to our consideration Quest How shall those Merchants and others keep up the life of Religion who while they were at home enjoyed all Gospel-Ordinances but being abroad are not onely deprived of them but liable to the Inquisition and other wayes of persecution for their Religion Before I answer the Case I shall a little open it and lay down some preparatory propositions for the right understanding of it and then direct our practise By Religion we do not understand any outward way or form any pomp and gayeties in worshipping God but such a due sense of our dependance upon a good and gracious almighty holy God for our being and well-being both in time and to eternity as doth powerfully engage the soul heartily to love God and sincerely to serve him in obeying his good and holy commands made known to us By the life of Religion we may understand either 1. The truth and reality of it in the soul in opposition to a soul dead in sin or 2. The vigour activity and livelinesse of Religion in opposition to a dead dull languid principle and both may be well included in the Question for as we are all concerned to endeavour by all fit and lawfull means not only to have our bodies kept from rotting and putrifying by the salt of a living soul but to have them active and vigorous sit for the employments of a naturall life Salillum animae Plaut and not stupified with lethargies and benumming palsies even so we ought to endeavour not only that our souls may be quickned with a true principle of Religion but that we may have such a lively vigorous and influencing sence of divine goodnesse upon them
man live according to the principles of that Religion and as it is with the principle of naturall life it is not made more lively active and vigorous by arguing and disputing wherein it doth consist and what are the proper acts of it but by putting it forth in the due acts and exercises of that life even so the principle of spirituall life in the soul gets no strength by zealous and hot disputing what and which is the true Religion and which be true and proper acts of Religion but by humble practice of what we know to be Religion not but that it is both lawfull and commendable to be able to understand and defend the grounds and principles of our Religion and all the holy exercises of it but I only caution against letting that sap run out in unfruitfull suckers which should nourish the fruit-bearing branches 6. Be the more carefull to observe and close with the inward stirrings of Gods Spirit in your hearts moving you to prayer meditation c. When you are in a valley of vision you will have many calls and motions from without to hear the Word and pray and receive the Sacrament but when you are abroad in a land of darknesse God must not only be your best but your only friend by his Spirit to jog and stir you up to holy duties and therefore it doth more than ordinarily concern us at a such time not to send away Gods Spirit grieved with our backwardnesse to that which is our own concernment 7. Observe and keep a register or diary of Gods mercies and your own sins that you may be often minded what God hath been to you and what you have been to him with how many thousand kindnesses he hath obliged you and with how many thousand sins you have disobliged him When we enjoy publick Ordinances we may there be often minded both of Gods goodnesse to us and our sinfulnesse against him and so may have our hearts stirred up to have very good thoughts of God and very low thoughts of our selves but when we want publick Ordinances we should labour to supply that want by a more strict observation and recording both the one and the other that by reviewing our register we may be enabled to affect our souls sutably either to praise the Lord or abase our selves 8. Lay a charge upon your selves to sleep and awake with the thoughts of God and eternity upon your souls and indeed though this is exceeding usefull for all men yet most of all for those who are deprived of Ordinances 'T is sure that the same truths which at first work upon the soul to the begetting grace are of force afterwards to quicken grace and make it lively and vigorous in the soul and certainly the belief of what God is in himself and to us and the thoughts of eternity have a great force to perswade carelesse sinners to sober and serious consideration the necessary instrument by which grace and a spirit of true and reall Religion is begot in the soul and therefore when we want those publick Ordinances which might be often presenting these great truths to our souls it will be of great use to charge our selves more severely with the daily serious thoughts of them 9. Take heed as for your life of indulging any secret sin for that will keep down the life of Religion in the midst of all Ordinances and therefore much more in the want of them a secret disease in the body which spends upon the stock of the radicall moysture will keep a man from being lively and vigorous though he have plenty of very good nourishing food much more will it endanger one in a famine even so a secret sin lodged within and indulged will weaken and enervate the principle of Religion in the soul amidst the fullest provision of Gospel-Ordinances much more when there is a famine or scarcity of the bread of life A Tradesman that hath some secret vent where his estate runs wast may prove a beggar in the midst of daily incomes by a good Trade much more if he spends upon a dead stock and so a man who spends the strength of his soul in some close and secret sin may prove a spirituall beggar in the fullest Trade of Gospel-Ordinances and though he have daily incomes of convictions informations reproofs counsels sollicitations c. from publick Ordinances much more in the want of them and therefore they who value the life of Religion or the life of their souls must take heed of indulging secret sins 10. Be the more carefull often to feel the pulse of thine own soul we use to say every man at a competent age is either a fool or a Physician and though he be a fool indeed who when he needs and may have wiser Physicians will trust to himself yet when we cannot have others a man should the more study himself and the oftener try his own pulse and truly he is but a babe in spirituall things that is not something of a Physician to himself and though we should not trust our own skill or experience where we need and may have the help of others yet when we are deprived of them we should the more diligently converse with our own souls and be the oftener trying how our pulse beats towards God and Heaven and the things of another life 11. Be so much the more in private secret prayer reading and meditation when we want the showrs of publick Ordinances we should the more diligently use the watring pot and water our souls with our foot as the phrase is concerning Egypt Deut. 11.10 If our lot should be cast where there be no publick Markets where Corn might be bought every one would plow and sow reap and thrash in his own grounds Even so if we should live where there be no publick Gospel-Ordinances where the Truths of the Gospel are not publickly to be had where we cannot partake of the labours of the Gospel-Ministry than it would concern us to be the more diligent in plowing and sowing in reaping and thrashing by our own private endeavours and I think it would be fit for us in such a condition to spend that time at least in private duties which others spend in superstitious or Idolatrous services let not us think much to give God and our souls that time which others give to their own superstitious fancies 12. In the use of all private helps act faith in God as being able to supply the want of outward means by the gracious influence of his good and holy Spirit When there was no rain from heaven God could cause a mist to arise and water the earth Gen. 2.6 even so if the Lord should bring us whore there be no showres of publick Ordinances he can stir up in our souls those holy and heavenly meditations which shall again drop down like an heavenly dew upon the face of our souls and keep up an holy verdure and freshness upon the face
Isa 51.12 and against our earthly desires let us remember that if we gain the whole world and lose our own souls we shall be incomparable losers by the bargain Matth. 16.26 On the other side when ambition vain-glory or humour would urge us to unnecessary sufferings let us remember that God who is Wisdome it self hath no pleasure in fools Eccl. 5 4. nor delights in those sacrifices which are not presented to him by prudent consideration and sober resolution but by the folly of a precipitate zeal and however where the heart is right and full of love God may accept of the love and pardon the weakness yet he no way delights in the sufferings which men bring upon themselves unnecessarily by rash imprudent carriage whereby they betray their lives and liberties to the lusts and rage of men and draw on their enemies to blood and cruelty and upbraid the wisdome of those who are not so rash as being less real to God and Christ and make others have hard thoughts of that Religion which cannot consist with prudence and wisdome 2. Be much in the exercise of those acts of true Religion which are beautiful in the eyes of all even the worst of men the Apostle Peter intimates the security of an evidently good and holy life 1 Pet. 3.13 And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good the chief pieces of Christian Religion are such as Papists Turks and Infidels must needs acknowledge to be good To visite the fatherless and widows in their affliction To wrong no man To do to others whatever we would that others should do to us Now when we cannot without danger exercise some other perhaps more questionable parts of Christian Religion then 't is good to be so much the more in the practice of these undoubted pieces of a Christian life and zeal in these things will force those without to approve whereas zeal in arguing for or in practising other things may cause them to hate and persecute us zeal in arguing and disputing brings on evil words and evil actions but zeal in the practice of unquestionable duties produceth good deeds in our selves and forceth good thoughts and good words if not good deeds from others In a word hot disputing and cold living or zeal in smaller and luke-warmness in greater matters is the ruine of grace in our selves the confirming of sin in others and the needless hazarding our outward concernments and betraying them rashly to the violence of wicked and ungodly men 3. In your converse with those who are without chuse mostly to insist upon common and acknowledged principles rather than controverted points if I were to live among and converse with Papists I would chuse much rather to urge them to abstain from lying drunkenness malice c. and to have good thoughts of God to have a continual sense of their dependance upon him and therefore continually to recommend themselves unto him by holy prayer to be meek and patient and charitable rather than to dispute how many Sacraments there be or how the bread and the wine is the body and blood of Christ for good counsel and sober exhortations speak love to mens souls whereas disputes and arguings are usually thought to proceed onely from love to our own notions and a desire to oppose others and indeed if men did not place too much of their Religion in opposing others they might much more safely and much more profitably converse with those of different opinions yea of different Religions 4. When you do touch upon controverted points rather enquire and propound than positively assert and violently oppose though I judge the Masse of Rome as by them used to be a piece of as grosse Idolatry as the world can shew yet were I to converse among Papists I would not fall foul upon them as the grossest Idolaters but as more desiring truth should be honoured than they reproached I would calmly and meekly propound my reasons as grounds of doubting rather than clear demonstrations for sure it is that a sudden and violent assault will cause an adversary to gather up his strength as violently to oppose whereas a calm propounding of reasons or doubts may work him to a serious consideration which is the first step to the discovery of error and acknowledging of truth for the one kindles a desire of knowing the other a desire of opposing yea of persecuting 5. When you think your selves bound to reprove the sins of others let it be done with a due consideration of the circumstances of time place and persons and indeed there 's scarce any part of a Christians converse with others that more requires prudence and wisdome than that of reproving others and great care is to be had that a reproof may at the least be well taken if not hearkned to and that it may do the reproover no hurt if it do the reprooved no good 6. On all occasions expresse a willingnesse to do for the best to believe as others believe and to do as others do if you could see sufficient ground and reason for it and indeed this may be a great help and security for obstinacy is usually made one essential part of an Heretick and then he that is heartily willing to close with every revealed truth may be in an errour but cannot be an Heretick and therefore every expression of a mind not obstinately bent upon its taken up notions nor doting upon its own conceptions but inricht with an ingenuous freedome to acknowledge its mistakes and own truth when once clearly discovered though formerly disowned is like so much water upon the fire of rage kindled in the hearts of persecuting enemies to quench or abate it for to the reason of any that will but consider it cannot but appear most unreasonable to urge a person to believe what he cannot see any ground for or to do what he would be willing to do if it were not sin that is a provoking God and hazarding his own eternal welfare 7. Be sure to use no means to secure from persecution or procure the enjoyment of publick Ordinances but such as are well-pleasing to a good and a holy God 't is not long since it was the peculiar honour of the Popish Faction to depose or murder Kings blow up Parliaments subvert States and Kingdomes to procure their liberty or secure themselves from suffering and if any others have ventured upon such practices I hope God hath taught them by his providence what they would not learn from his word that affliction is rather to be chosâ—n than sin and that 't is better to wait upon him in the way of his Judgements that is in a way of duty than to out-run God and think to secure our selves by sinfull and unjustifiable courses Let those therefore who prosess to believe that their God is a God hearing prayer and that bottles up the tears of his people and is able to do what he pleaseth let
bereaved of the Gospel and the means of gâ—â— and liâ—e 〈…〉 â—ll care and pains that the influences of the Ordinances do not slide from you that they be not as water spilt upon the ground Be faithfull and diligent in the use of the forementioned directions and all other means which may be effectual to fix them And if hereby your hearts are wrought up to such a resolution The Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts FINIS Places of Scripture Occasionally Explained or Illustrated  ch ver page Job 22. 21. 416 Psalm 19. 13. 308 25. 4 5. 14 63. 8. 87 66. 18. 335 73. 25. 621 112. 9. 302 139. 1 2 3 c. 20 Prov. 3. 27. 281 11. 17. 303 18. 20. 429 19. 17. 302  24. 510 Eccle. 1. 2. 445 5. 6. 588  2 3 4 c. 608 Isa 44. 2. 436 Jerem. 11. 9. 310 Hosea 10. 11. 570 Matth. 5. 22. 402 6. 3. 278  33. 574 7. 12. 295  14 9 18. 22 404 Luke 6. 30 292  35 285 286 11. 41 275 12. 33 289  50 514 18. 22 290 19. 13 28 Act. 2. 37 38 34 Rom. 1. 28 10 6. 19 33 8. 35 c. 312 9. 20 489 12. 11 12 502 15. 19 506 1 Cor. 3. 16 17 86 2 Cor. 8. 14 295 13. 5 309 Gal. 6. 10 280 Ephes 1. 13 14 313 4. 26 402 5. 20 494 Phil. 4. 18 300 1 Thes 5. 22 57 1 Tim. 4. 2 10 Heb. 6. 9 310 11. 1 307 12. 1 690 13. 2 287 288  3 279  5 435 James 1. 14 564  27 300 5. 16 689 1 Pet. 4. 14 491 2 Pet. 1. 4 507  10 314. An Alphabetical Table of the cheif heads Contained in these Sermons A ACcount with God daily 374. 581 Activity in Duty what it is 501. 502 Admonition 207. Admiration of Christ 227. Adversity a season to exercise trust in God 450. Affection to the world to bee mortified 375. Afflictions Their benefit 458. Their necessity and design 376. Wee must thank God for them 486. Why they are good and thank-worthy 487. c. Angels how readily they serve God 512. Anger How to bee moderated 402. To bee avoided in reproving 200. 209 And in correction 204. Alms. To bee given with Justice 275. Who may not give them 276. To bee given Chearfully 277. With simplicity 278. With compassion 279. Seasonably 280. Speedily 281. Liberally 283. Prudently 290. Motives to Alms-doing 299 c. Apostacy It is possible 67. 74. Danger of the least Degree 78. Means to prevent it 80. The miserable end of Apostates 510. Assurance It may bee attained 308 c. It may bee lost 306 Seven Directions for attaining it 316 Further direction 373 Not to bee expected by revelation 305 B Beggars which to bee relieved 291. Buying and Selling. Rules for the management of them 260 c. Part of Relâ—gious business to observe those Rules 579. Beleever Whether hee can fall totally and finally 311 c. C Calling Diligence to bee used in it 296. Sinns of our callings 48. Carelesness in Prayer the way to Atheism 463 c. Catechizing necessary 196. Caution necessary in the best 75. Certainty threefold 307. Charity Several acts of it propounded 284. The necessity of this Grace 293. The profit of it 301 c. Something to bee set apart for it 297. Christ How are we compleat in him 615. c. Hee is all to beleevers 613. How hee is all 623. How wee may know hee is so to us 629. His Condiscention 228. To bee loved in his offices 230. To bee eyed in Prayer 342. Our happiness in knowing him 624. All strength from him 622. All acceptation 21. Civility in Conversation 256. 40â— Company The Concernment of it 171. 199. 589 If good it quickens much 508. Comfort The falseness of that which manâ— give themselves 357. Christ fils every Condition with it 621. It arises much from performing our duty 348. Compassion Towards the Poor 279. In reproving 185. Community of Goods not necessary 289. Compliance with sin 164 Connivance at it 165. Conquest of it how great a benefit 108. Correction of faulty Persons how to bee managed 204. Conflict To bee maintained with sin 325. Difference between natural and spiritual in seven Particulars 327. Conscience What it is 3. The Object of it 4. Offices and acts of it 4. 356. The sleepy Conscience its Causes and Cure 78. 9. The seared Conscience c. 9. 10. The erring c. 11. The doubting c. 15. The scrupulus c. 17. 18. The trembling c. 18. How to bee acted 48. The good to bee got and kept 19 c. Motives to get it 22. Peaceable Conscience 19. How to get it 19 c. 358 371. Conscience will one day be awakened 353. When that will bee 365. Benefits of tender Conscience 92. 578. It will discover beloved sins 51. When Commonly terrours of it fall upon men 365 c. Confess especially beloved sins 56. Christian Confidence 430. Contentment 454. Conviction of sin and misery 225. Contracts and Comerce What Justice required in them 259. c. Contests How to bee moderate in them 399. Conversion Four Conclusions Concerning the nature of it 26 c. What a man Can do towards it 31 c. This Question more particularly resolved 34 c. Beloved sins the greatest enemies of it 61. Covetousness Deadens the Heart 505. D Debts Must sometimes bee forgiven 286. Desire When immoderate 390. 564. Delaies They are most dangerous 97. 501. Distraction In Prayer threefold 468. Causes of it 469 c Remedies against it 473. It Discovereth beloved sins 50. Diligence Must bee great in a Christian 21. 502. 684 c. 689. Dominion of sin 51. Doubts Counsels to Doubting Christians 319. Afflictions must not breed Doubts 453. Duty It must not bee forsaken for want of Comfort 320. To bee regarded not events 23. E Ease It accompanies sensuality 571. Education of Children 193 c. Ill Education dangerous 49. Elocation of them 207. Equity Wherein it doth consist 249. Rules of dealing with men as wee would bee dealt withall 252. Equal In many things wee are all Equal 253. Examination Of our selves how necessary 20. Example It hath great power 32. 168. 169. Doth much quicken us 508. Therefore give that which is good 213 Exercise of grace 93. Experience It should deterr us from the least sin 100. It should incourage us in good 437. Eye What meant by right Eye 40. 41. The Excellency of the Eye 43. F Faith Necessity of it 103. Power of it 60 Degrees of it 307. It 's Maxims 455 c. Wee may know that wee have it 308. Faithfulness of God 436. Fear Of it's inordinacy 394. Falls Four degrees of Gods peoples Falls 67 c. How Far they may Fall 75 76. Whether totally and Finally 311. 312. c. Falls of the wicked 70. Mixt Falls 71. Difference between the
Falls of Godly and Wicked 79. Family sins 177. Family Instructions 195. Family Duties 202. Faults How to bear with others Faults 401. How to correct them 204. Fight Against sin how to bee managed 331. Flesh What meant by Flesh and Spirit 84. G God Alwaies justified by Good men 455. Why hee doth not hinder sin 167. How hee is manifested to us 417. 418 Wee must not limit him 452. Hee can do no wrong 455. His Goodness 21. 340. 421. 435. His justice in punishing 174. His power 434. Good Moral Good and evil eternally distinguished 89. Grace all from Christ 679. Growth in it 318. Truth of it not dâ—â—rees to bee examined p. 319. Gentleness To be observed in Reproofs 208. H. Hand What meant by right Hand 40 41. Excellency of it 43. Heart Must be narrowly watched 58 93. 165. And much laboured withall 684. Health the proper time for working out Salvation 119. Holiness is communicative 214. Christ the pattern of it 24. Hope Nature of that Christian Grace 430. From Creatures vain 565. Hospitality 287. Humility the souls ballast 454. Makes us thrive 21. Makes good men have the worst thoughts of themselves 663. Hypocrisie what it is 657. Why compared to leaven ibid. Danger of it 659. Six signs of it 666 c. How to cure it 671 672 c. Motives to use those means 675. I. Impatience 452. Inconstancy in all things 255. Indeavours not vain before Conversion 28 29. Inequality between men inconsiderable 254. Intercession of Christ its power 311. Justice An exact and easie Rule of it 249. Rules for it in Trade 260 c Advantage must not be taken of mens ignorance 263. It must be mixt with Charity 275. Gods Justice in punishing 174. Injury How it must be prosecuted 4â—4 L. Law It is six fold 324. When Lawful things undo us 562. How wee may know that wee abuse them 564 c. Do not all that is Lawful 264. Liberty What Liberty Gods Spirit gives 518 c. How to deal with others in matters of Liberty 258. Love It will put Life into us 506. The best preservative against the least sin 88. In the Will and in the Appetite 221. To God and Christ how distinguished 222. What is it to Love Christ 222. Twelve Characters of it 224. Do all out of Love to God 22. False Love 237. Want of Love to him the greatest sin 238 c. Brings the greatest punishment 240. Motives to Love him 241 c. How to inflame our Love to him 244 c. How to increase the flame 247. M. Marriage 579. Misery Of a sinner 360 c. Of those that love not Christ 240 368 Ministry Difficulty of that Imployment 118. Meditation Two benefits of it 477 Makes the Efficacy of Ordinances continue 682. Morning Morning thoughts to be observed 54. Mortification A continued Act. 63. Mourn For the sins of others 179. Moderation What it is 382. The Rule of it 384. In what things to be used 388. How towards good things of this life 389. How towards the evil 394. Towards persons 397. In Civil matters Actively 397. Passively 401. In Religious Negatively 405 Positively 408. Reasons to inforce this duty 412 c. N. Neighbour Duties toward him much to bee regarded 266. O. Obedience It must be compleat 59 62 63. Occasions Of sin to be avoided 56 95. Omniscience Of God to be beleeved in prayer 338 c. His Omnipotence also 340 434. Opinions Moderately to be contended for 408 409. Original sin 84. 104. Ordinances To be frequented 203 686. Their vertue from Christ 621. What wee must do to make their Efficacy abide 679. What we must avoid for that end 688. P. Parents Must instruct their children 195. They must command them to obey it 197. Persons Must not be respected 184. Pleasure Pleasant things dangerous 57. Power of God 434. No Power to convert our selves 27. Threefold Power 26. Men can do more than they do 28. Poor A stock to be made for them 298. Prayer Necessity of it 102. For our Relations 213 214 For Charity 296. Why God hears wicked men sometimes 336. Wicked men are bound to pray 336. Why God will not give without prayer 341. To pray in Faith what 335 337 c. How for temporal things 345 c. How for spiritual 346 c. To be made with an eye to Christ 435 343. Distraction in Prayer 468. Danger of careless thoughts in Prayer 463 c. Answer of Prayer makes a mercy sweeter 493. Do nothing but what you can pray God to bless 24. Praise Incourages to do well 205. Prosperity A time for Trust in God 439. How it must be done 440 c. Propriety In Goods and Lands lawful 289. Promises To be beleeved in Prayer 342. A ground of our trust 435. They quicken the soul 507. Providence of God 339 437. Prudence in avoiding sufferings 640. Q. Quickening What it is to Quicken 500. Means of spiritual Quickning 504. Ten Quickning Considerations 509 c. R. Rashness In making vows to be avoided 591. Reason It must alwaies govern 98. Rational Arguments to be used 212. Recreation to be moderate 579. Regenerate Not without conflicts 325. Relation Study to save our Relations 190. Gods Relation to us a ground of trust 435. Religion A Christians business 573. Wherein it doth consist ib. seq When it is our business 577. How to make it so 583 c. Sweetness of it 584. When promoted by vows 592 c. And how 596. To be secured above all things 638 How to preserve it among enemies to it 640. It bindes the duties of the second Table upon us 267. How to converse with men of a different Religion 646 647 c. Repentance when it is true 81. Madness to defer it 19. Reproof Sin to be Reproved 179. Discovers beloved sins 52. How to manage it 2â—0 201 208. 398. Qualifications of a Reprover 180. Of a Reproof 182 183 c. 649. What must be Reproved 181. Win the affections of those you Reprove 212. Season of Reproof is to be marked 182 c. 280. Resolution against beloved sins 55. Revenge not to be taken 265. Rewards great incouragements 206. Riches not to be confided in 272. S. Scruples not to be cherished 17. Self-Knowledge How excellent 91 244. To be got in Solitude 54. And in Sufferings 55. Self-denial of great advantage 628. Salvation Of our friends should be laboured 190. Strife al ouâ— it 37 38 504 505. Sensual ty 569. Security 571. Sick Instruction to Sick persons of great advantage 112. How to be dealt withall 113. The same method improper for all 115 Errours which they are subject to 116 117. Sin to be killed 42. Never to live again ibid. It is from ouâ— selves 44. Ugliness of it 91. Why expressed by the parts of our body 45. Of Belâ—v d Sins 46. Whence they proceed 47. 12 Marks to discover them 50 c. Nine Helps to subdue them 55. Smallest Sins to be avoided 73 328. 331. Means against its first rising 88 c Take heed of beginning of Sin 107. In our children as well as selves 198. Eight waies of becomming guilty of other mens Sins 163. Five devilish sins 164. Sin how to be cured by Revulsion 101 Sloth three-fold 500. Ten Remedies against Spiritual Sloth 504 c. Eight Questions to Slothful Christians 314. Spirit the witness of it 318 521. We may know that we have Gods Spirit 313. What to walk in it 85. When activity is from Gods Spirit 416 c. Superiours must uphold their authority 193. How to be reproved 210. Superfluities to be cut off 297. Sufferings how prudently to be avoided 646 c. Or couragiously to be indured 631. c. T. Temper of body may incline to sin 46 47. Temptations how to be resisted 94 96. Thanksgiving due to God continually 480. Specially from his children 481 c. The grounds of it 482 c. For every thing 484 c. For afflictions 486. The reasons of that 487 c. How to obtain this frame of Spirit 491 492 c. Thoughts a conscience to be made of them 463. Time care to be had of it 575. Trouble inward and outward meet sometimes together 364. Whence it arises 365 c. To live among the ungodly a great Trouble 633 c. Truth not all equal 408. Trust what it is to Trust in God 428 Effects of it 431. Obâ—ect of Trust 432. Grounds of Trust in God 439 450. V. Verbs Active Verbs how sometimes used 26. Unthankfulness several sorts of Unthankful men 495 496. The evil of this sin 497. Vows the nature of them 588. Whether lawful to make them 589. When they are useful in Religion 592 c. How they promote it 596 c. Danger of breaking them 604. They must bear some proportion to mercies 605. W. Way A four-fold Way 503. Weakness very great in us unto good 27. Word of God the best weapon 85 99. Worldly-mindedness hinders its operation 689. Moderation in our words 397. Watchfulness necessary in doing our duty 504. Against our enemies 33 580. Worship how to conceive of God in it 416 c. He is tender of it 462. We must worship him in Christ. 423. Zeal Consistant with Moderation 407. FINIS
Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. By this his desire wee are to understand a marvellous strong intention of spirit Hâ—sych and an earnest study and indeavour after accomplishment Hesychius expounds the term by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to will desire wish love and delight in the work Hee wills it not onely as a possible atchievement but as amiable hee endeavours to compass it by all good means because he proposes so desireable an end The sincerity of our desires in obtaining of possible designs is manifested by our diligent endeavours in the use of proper waies to effect them Aristot Rhet. l. 2. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the most part saies the Philosopher no man delights in or hankers after impossibilities No rational man certainly And therefore wee are to conceive that our Apostle doth here under his importunate desires couch and imply all holy means to accomplish his end Upon which account hee presently subjoyns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his prayer to God for that purpose of which afterwards Onely at present observe from the connexion of his prayers to his hearty desires That lively are those prayers which flow from the heart Note Most harmonious in the ears of God are those groans that mount up to Heaven upon the wings of ardent emanations out of the depth of our hearts Suspiria è sulco pectoris ducta When the words of our petitions ascend warm and reeking out of our bowels when every expression is dipt in our heart blood 2. The persons that were the subject of his prayers and desires For Israel And here it is considerable in what relation Israel stood to the blessed Apostle Rom. 9.3 Rom. 11.1 Phil. 3.5 Act. 23.6 They were his Brethren his Kinsmen according to the Flesh For I also saith Paul am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the Tribe of Benjamin In another place hee acquaints us that hee was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews i. e. both by Father and Mother as touching the Law a Pharisee It appears thence 2 Cor. â—1 22 that the Israelites were his kindred his own dear and near relations remaining for the most part in a state of ignorance as to the Messiah and of alienation and estrangement from the Covenant of Grace and the mystery of the Promise through Faith in the blood of a Mediator For these it is that our Apostle groans for these hee is so ardent in prayer for these hee pours out such earnest petitions to the Father 3. The great scope and design of the Apostle for his kindred and relations according to the flesh in all his desires endeavours prayers was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they might bee saved The earnest sollicitude of his Spirit the fervent petitions poured out into the Divine bosome did all combine in this that his natural might become spiritual relations that his kindred of the Tribe of Benjamin might through union to Christ be allied to him in the Tribe of Judah What is natural to animals and plants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to thirst after an impression of their own likeness upon another Arist Pol. l. 1. c. 1. Is much more longed for by Saints that others might be holy and happy as well as themselves but especially such as are nearest to them by the bonds of nature Holy Paul doth not press after outward injoyments as health strength riches power or dominion in the world that Israel might have prosperity and plenty in their Streets and Pallaces or that the Kingdome should bee restored to them from the Romans Not the great things of the Earth but the greater of Heaven This his soul travels with that Christ might bee formed in them and dwell in their hearts by Faith that so Israel might bee saved 4. In these words wee may observe likewise the kind compellation wherewith our Apostle doth salute the saints at Rome to whom hee wrote this Epistle by the name of Brethren Now though hee wrote to the Gentiles yet hee lets them know that his bowels did yern over his poor kindred that they also might bee saved The Reason why in this letter to the Romans he doth so pathetically mention these his desires with such strong and vehement asseverations is because there were great numbers of the Jews at Rome and principally of he two Tribes that returned out of the Babylonian captivity who after the wars of Pompey and other Roman Generals and Captain in Judea were very many of them transplanted into Italy Which is not onely attested by Civil and Ecclesiastical Historians but also by Scripture it self declaring that there was a solemn Convocation of the Jews assembled by Paul at his arrival Act. 2â— 17 c. To whom the Apostle did first preach the Gospel and related the story of his coming to that Imperial City by reason of his appeal to Caesar From all these parts laid down together there result this Doctrinal Conclusion Observ That to endeavour the conversion and salvation of our near relations is a most important duty The president and example of our holy Apostle compared with and confirmed by other Scriptures will notably evince the truth of this assertion 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall One great end why God bestows the graces of his Spirit upon us is that wee should spend the savour thereof upon others Our discourse must hee seasoned with the salt of grace Col. 4.6 Ephes 4.29 that it may minister edification to others Our speech should never overflow in abundance but like the waters of Nilus to render the neighbouring Plantations fruitful Grace is sometimes compared to Light by reason of its diffusive nature that our shining conversations night illustrate others in the paths of Truth and Holiness Cant. 1.12 Prov. 27.9 John 12.3 Sometimes Grace is likened to Spikenard to perfumed ointment which must not bee shut up in a box though of purest Alabaster but opened that the whole house may bee filled with the fragrant odour thereof Psal 133.2 To Oil to the costly sacred Oil that ran down not onely upon the beard of Aaron but to the skirts of his garments To Talents which must bee industriously traded with and not laid up in napkins To Dews Showers Waters because of their fructifying virtue 1 Thes 5.11 Rom. 14.19 Heb. 3.13 Col. 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 18.30 Heb. 10.24 To a generative Principle because of it's begetting power and influence Wee are therefore commanded exhorted directed to edifie one another to exhort one another to admonish one another to turn one another as that phrase in Ezekiel seems to import converti facite and make others to bee converted as well as our selves to provoke one another to love and to good works When converted wee are injoyned to strengthen our Brethren that wee may save
their souls from death James 5.20 and hide a multitude of sins Now the principal Objects of this excellent duty are such with whom wee converse such to whom wee are obliged and connexed by the bonds and links of nature office or vicinity of habitation Hence was it that our blessed Lord while hee walked in the valley of his Incarnation exercised his Ministry most part among his kindred relations and neighbours at Nazareth Capernaum Bethsaida neer the Sea of Tiberias at Cana and other Regions of Galilee in which parts hee had receive his Education Andrew when hee understood the call of Christ the gret Saviour of the world John 1.41 hee presently seeks out his Brother Simon to bring him to the Messiah Philip after the like manifestation looks out for Nathaniel and in a great extasie of spirit John 1.45 cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write There are many instances of this nature both in the Old and New Testament Abraham and Joshua were famous in their Generation for this work they counted it their principal business they made it their great care to instruct their families in the fear and service of the great God Psal 101.2 David also ingages to walk in his house with a perfect heart that by his exemplary pattern hee might gain over his family to the Lord. Luke 5.29 Matthew the Publican wee read did invite all the Tribute-gatherers that were of his own Fraternity and Profession to a great Feast that they might sit down with Christ and feed upon his heavenly Doctrine John 4.53 The great man in the City of Capernaum brings in his whole family to the beleef of the Truth Act. 10.24 Cornelius the Roman Centurion who was quartered at Caesarea calls his Relations together to hear the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance The woman in the Gospel having found the lost groat after great pains and diligence calls in her friends and neighbours to rejoyce with her Luke 15.9 Crispus and the Jaylor and Lydia and Stephanas are eminent Examples of this duty by whose conscientious care and procurement it may bee supposed that their whole housholds came under the roof of Christ because presently after that wee have heard of their own personal Baptism wee finde their families also washed in that sacred Layer I shall not insist upon Arguments to prove the incumbent necessity of this duty or Motives to allure you to the practice of it I might deduce it as an inference consequent from the Law of Nature to use our greatest indeavours that our Relations might obtain an union to the best and highest good I might draw it from the. Divine Injunction I might excite your diligence from the consideration of the dreadful danger following its neglect Psal 78.5 from the comfort that will flow into thy bosome upon the exercise of it since it is a notable evidence of the sincerity of Grace in thine own heart None but such as have seen and tasted can cry out to others with an holy affectionate vehemency O come taste and see that the Lord is good P1sal 34.8 The Wine of the Kingdome having once warmed the hearts of Saints sends up vivacious spirits and fills their mouths with a holy loquacity I might further provoke thee to this excellent work by the rich benefit in gaining such to love thee whose affections will exceed all natural love whatever and by the great reward that shall ensue in the life to come For they that turn many to righteousness Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the stars for ever and ever O Brethren if families were holy then Cities then Nations would quickly prove Mountains of Holiness and Seats for the Throne of God Wee are apt to cry out of bad times Alas those unclean Nests of ungodly Families have been the causes of all the wickedness in all Ages and Generations to this day Therefore whoever thou art on whom the Grace of God hath shined study that holy art of Divine Reflection and Re-percussion of that light on others hearts which bring 's mee to an useful and practical question Quest You I say What course shall wee take what means shall wee use what method will you prescribe that wee may bee able to manage this important and weighty duty that wee may bee helpful towards the conversion and salvation of our neer Relations that are in the state of nature I confess this Question is of grand importance and being properly solved may prove of great influence in all places where wee are cast by Divine Providence There is scarce a family scarce a person living who may not bee comprehended within the verge and limits of this discourse Ans In answer therefore to it I shall spend the principal part of my time and that I may handle it the more distinctly I shall rank such as may desire satisfaction and direction in this weighty and excellent case under three forms or orders Such as are either Superiours Equals or Inferiors But before I enter into the main body of the Answer I shall crave leave to premise three things 1. That this Question is not to bee understood of persons in publick capacity and concernment as Magistrates or Ministers but of Family-Relations Kindred Co-habitants Neighbours Friends and Acquaintance of such as have frequent converse together in Civil Societies and often commerce in dealings but principally of Oeconomical Relatives or such as are nigh to each other by blood or affinity 2. That Saving-Conversion is in the power of God alone to effect as being the primary and principal efficient cause of all those gracious works that accompany salvation There is none able to kindle Grace in the heart but hee who hath his fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem Yet not withstanding all of us in our several stations as subordinate instruments may and must use all wholesome means that are of Divine Appointment conducing to such a blessed end 3. That there are different states conditions capacities and qualifications among such Relations whose conversion wee should endeavour Some being perhaps enormously and outragiously wicked others morally civil and yet further others possibly may bee conformable to the institutions of the external worship of God Of these I may speak Sparsim opere interâ—exto as the particulars will hear together with such other appendant cases that may hold some consanguinity with the General Question To begin then with the first branch Quest 1. What means Superiors principally in Family-Relations should use to draw on their Inferiors to rellish and savour the things of God True it is what Jerom saies fiunt Hieronym ad Laetam Tom. 1. p. 55. edit Lugd. 1530. non nascuntur Christian No man is born a Christian but an heir of wrath and divine justice For the obtaining of the New Birth thin in such as are committed to our charge I shall draw up directions under