clear 2 Tim. 3.4 they loved God who loved pleasures more than God They may have Faith Simon Magus believed they may hate sin in others Acts 8.13 2 Sam. 13.22 if not in themselves Absalom hated Amnons uncleannesse they may delight in God and in his wayes Isa 58 2. They may have a zeale for God and such a a zeale as may prevail more with them than temporall things The Jewes were so zealous of the Law Rom. 10.2 and for the traditions of the Elders that they would have ventured their lives for them so Paul before his conversion how zealous was he Acts 22.3 4. Gal. 1.14 To come more particularly and closely to the question Though Conversion be wrought in an instant yet men have some praevious dispositions thereunto who live under the sound of the Gospel and obtain such knowledge as worketh in them several things which I shall shew unto you from Acts 2.37 38. v. And when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said men c. Many preparative dâ—spositions or qualifications they had unto repentance or conversion but they had not yet repented for Peter saith notwithstanding these repent 1. Men may be convinced of sin as these were they found they had transgressed the law of God and were guilty before him for they were pricked in their hearts Men may have strong convictions of sin and not converted from sin 2. They may mourn for sin and grieve that they have done such and such things These men had crucified the Lord Christ put an innocent person to death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acutum animi dolorem significat Piscat saw themselves in an ill condition and thereupon mourned and grieved sorely as the word pricked intimates they had such grief as pained and afflicted their hearts There 's a How set upon Ahabs humiliation by the Lord himself Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself 1 King 21.29 3. They may be fil'd with fear and dread the threatnings and punishments of God due to sin This was the case here they had provoked the Lord against their soules felt their consciences condemning of them apprehended the judgements of God near unto them and so were possest with much fear lest the Lord should destroy them and therefore say Men and brethren what shall we do We know not whither to go where to hide our selves or what to do that we may escape the things we have deserved and fear 4. They may confesse their sin renounce it and reform much these Auditors of Peter being pricked in their hearts said What shall we do We have sinned and that greatly we confesse and acknowledge it before God and you it was a cursed act of ours we abhor it we will never do so hereafter They were sick of sin and vomited it up as they in Peter 2 Pet. 2.22 and would change their minds and manners walke in any way the Apostles should direct them The Merchant Mat. 13.46 sold all that he had for the pearle before he bought it This selling all is made by som Interpreters to be his restraint from all inward sin and his conformity to all outward duties This was much and yet not more than unconverted persons may attain unto Herod reformed many things the foolish Virgins went far as was said before they were Virgins free from spot and pollution they had Lamps visible professions they went forth to meet the Bridegroom they had some faith in him and affection to him else they would not have gone forth 5. They may justifie the Law and the Lord should he condemn them deal severely with them what shall we do say these persons we are guilty we have broken the Law which is holy righteous and good and so is God likewise who is the Author thereof if therefore we be condemned and must bear the curse and punishment of the law we must both justifie the Lord and it Men may accept the punishment of their iniquity and justifie the inflictors thereof man hath no cause to complain of the punishment of his sins It 's brought in by way of objurgation Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain for the punishment of his sins He may complain of his sins not of his punishment Many Malefactors after sentence passed on them do justifie both Judge and Law 6. Men may seriously consider the nature of their sin what circumstances it is cloathed with what aggravations it admits what crimson and skarlet is in it what light love mercies means ingagements it is against What shall we do say these troubled souls We have sinned against the light of nature the Law of Moses our own consciences the love of God and Christ towards sinners in that we have crucified Christ a man approved of God whom we knew had done many miracles wonders and signes Acts 2.22 and deserve not death oh what shall we do our sins are so dreadful It 's in mens power to lay to heart what wrong an infinite blessed holy God hath by their sins what mercies they keep from them how greatly they defile them what miseries and mischiefs they bring upon them what a weight of wrath hangs over their heads for them They may consider what checks of conscience they have stifled what motions of the Spirit they have withstood what precious seasons of grace they have neglected and slighted what paines they have taken to satisfie a lust how dear it hath cost them how carelesse they have been of their soules what a separation their sins have made between God and them They may mind and meditate on it that mans life is short the pleasures of sin but for a season that there is absolute necessity of turning to God Except you repent you shall all perish That turning is acceptable to God else he would not call for it nor make such gracious promises to it as are in holy Writ 7. They may come to it to see no help in themselves or in any creature whatsoever What shall we do say these wounded men we cannot help our selves we have no playsters that will stick no medicines which will heal we are wounded in our Consciences and as our hands so theirs are too short to help us it s not in humane power to bind up our breaches What shall we do men may see themselves helpless that they are without strength shut up under sin guilt and unbelief children of wrath and in a lost condition the Law cursing them and sentencing them to suffer 8. They may arrive to a resolution of doing or suffering any thing to be saved What shall we do we are resolved if we may find mercy and live to do whatever shall be commanded to suffer whatever shall be imposed The pride of their spirits was broken their hearts become teachable and tractable and their resolutions high for any thing to be done or suffered so was it with the Jaylor Act. 16.30 when men are in storms at sea or
you would walk evenly in Gods path you must cut off your right foot 3. Observ That sin is properly and to all intents and purposes our own If thy right eye offend c. if thy right hand offend c. the Apostle writing to the Colossians Col. 3.5 speaks thus Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection c. these sins were their members the whole body of sin is ours and the members of that body are ours there is a great difference between our natural body and our sinful body our natural body is ours quoad usum with reference to our use but it is Gods quoad creationem with reference to its creation The body of man was originally and fundamentally created now there is a twofold Creation 1. When a being is made of nothing this is called by the learned creatio immediata an immediate creation 2. When a being is made of something but that something is materia inhabilis matter altogether indisposed for the producing of that effect and so is little if any thing more then nothing with reference unto that which is made materia est aliquid in se nihil tamen respectu opificii thus when God made the woman of a Rib when Christ turned water into wine when God made man of the dust of the earth it was a creation and this is called by the Learned creatio mediata a mediate creation and our natural body still in a way of generation is Gods creature but our sinful body is our creature hence the Apostle mortifie your members which are on the earth and our Saviour in the Text If thy right eye offend thee c. so that sin is properly and to all intents and purposes our own 4. Observ That although all sins are our own yet there are some sins that in a more especial manner may be called ours namely our right eye sins and our right hand sins or if you will Every man hath his proper particular iniquity his beloved sin If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee If thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee and the handling of this Doctrine will suit the Case that is my task this morning viz. How may beloved lusts be discoverâ—d and mortified In the prosecution of this Observation I shall follow by Gods assistance this method 1. I shall enquire why sin is expressed sometimes in Scripture by the parts and members of our body as in this place by the right eye and the right hand 2. I shall shew you that our right eye sins and our right hand sins our beloved lusts may in a more especial manner be called ours or that every man hath his proper his particular iniquity 3. I shall enquire how this comes to pass that particular persons have their proper and particular sins 4. The Use and Application 1. I am to enquire why sin in Scripture is expressed by the parts and members of our body and particularly here by the right eye and the right hand 1. You must note that the whole mass of corruption in Scripture is called by the name of the old man and the body of sin Knowing this that our old man is crucifi'd with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6.6 It is called the old man in every young man there is an old man and it is called the body of sin now if sin in the lump and bulk be a body then particular sins may fitly be termed the parts and members of this body 2. Sin may be thus expressed because as the natural body makes use of its several parts for the managing and carrying on of those works that are natural so corruption makes use of several lusts for the effecting and promoting of those works that are sinful 3. According to their notion that hold the soul by creation as I conceive sinne is conveyed into the soule at first by means of the body Certainly the soule of man is pure and undefiled as it comes out of the hand of God I do humbly propose to men of learning whither that rule corporeum non agit in incorporeuÌ„ or that a body cannot defile a spirit is not further to be taken into consideration We find by experience that as the soule communicates its affections unto the body the body hath life and sense and motion from the soule that of it self is a liveless lump of clay So the body again hath a very great influence on the soul and can and doth communicate its distempers unto it For instance those that have sanguine bodies are enclined to lust those that are cholerick unto rashnesse and passion those that are melancholy unto suspition tenaciousness those that are phlegmatick unto dulness and cowardize So that sin may be in the body dispositivè before it be enlivened by the soule though not formaliter my meaning is the body may have a disposition to defile the soul before it is united unto the soul and if so no wonder if sin be expressed by the parts and members of our body 4 Corruption looks at and shews it selfe by the sinfull actions of the bodie and therefore may have its denomination by the parts of it Hence it is that the Apostle when he had concluded that the Jew and the Gentile were both under sin to make this manifest he tells the Romans how sin discovered it selfe in the outward man Rom. 3.13 c. 2 Cor. 7.1 Their throat is an open sepulchre with their tongues have they used deceit the poyson of aspes is under their lips c. We read in Scripture of the sins of the flesh as well as of the spirit Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit the sinnes of the spirit like so many plague-sores break out into the flesh Wicked men are all over bespotted and beleopar'd with sinne Lying is a spot in the tongue pride is a spot in the eye wrath a spot on the brow bribery a spot in the hand Idolatry a spot on the knee yea they are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 not spotted but spots sin it selfe is a spot and like fire it turns the subject it hath to deale with into its own nature One part of the body in Scripture is called a world of iniquity The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity How much iniquity is there in the world Jam. 3.6 when in this little member there is a world of iniquity Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken to the first thing propounded viz. why sin is expressed sometimes in Scripture by the parts and members of our body My second worke is to shew you that our right-eye sins and our right hand sins our beloved lusts may in a more especiall manner be called ours or that every man hath his proper his particular iniquity If
with him Psal 139.18 Psa 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee they end the day with him thus the Spouse Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth you have mention of both these Esay 26.9 Esay 26.9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Now this sin that I am treating of like that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lawless person that we read of 2 Thes 2.8 2 Thes 2.8 that man of sin ver 3. opposeth and exalteth its self in the soul above all that is called God and sitteth in the seat of God A beloved lust is usually the sinners first and last Psa 36.4 he gives it entertainment first in the morning and takes his leave of it last in the evening yea this darling sin must be entertained and made much on in the Bed-chamber the Psalmist speaking of a wicked man Psal 36.4 tels us he deviseth mischief on his bed for the most part that as a very friend that we admit to our bed-sides 11. That sin which most infests us and troubles us in our solitudes and retirements that is our beloved sin my meaning is when a man is alone in his Closet or in the Fields and his thoughts run a drift that sin which of themselves they move towards and close with that may be his beloved sin the current of the soul is that way Oh Christian mark the workings of thy heart in private and thou mayst possibly make some discoveries When a man retires himself into some solitary place it is usually absurd to trouble him t is a friend indeed that falls in with him and offers his company in that case that sin is more then ordinary beloved by us that interposes in our privacies 12. And lastly that sin that we are willing to endure greatest hardships and sufferings for that is our beloved sin for instance suppose Covetousness be the darling sin what base absurd unreasonable offices will it put a man upon how scraping and niggardly and dunghill-like will that man live in his Town or in his Parish and expose himself to scorn and contempt from every one that knows him Suppose Ambition be the beloved sin how will a man in that case swear and forswear and temporize and like the Boat-men look one way and row another almost any thing for preferment If Vncleanness be the mans particular sin how will he destroy his body disgrace his name overthrow his estate for the gratifying of his lust I dare aver that the worst and basest drudgery imaginable to scoure Kettles and Dishes to tug at the Oar to dig at the Mine are honourable imployments in comparison of this Vse 3. Is for Exhortation and Direction Col 3.5 to press you to the mortification of your beloved sin and shew you how it may be mortified let me take up that Scripture again mortifie your members which are upon the earth that is let every sin be mortified for you must know as death is to the members of the natural body so is mortification to the members of the sinful body Now in death the soul is separated not only from one member as it is in a paralysis or numb Palsey but from all even from the principal parts of the body as well as others so t is in spiritual death there is a separation of the soul not only from this or that sinful member but from the whole body of sin from the principal parts and members of this body as well as others the right eye is dead the right hand is dead it must needs be so the one is pluckt out and the other is cut off A Christian must deal by his darling lust as the Israelites dealt by Adonibezek they cut of his thumbs and his great toes so must thou deal with this sin hack it maim it that it may not be able to go nor stand nor act nor stir if it were possible and for that purpose take these directions 1. Labour to have your heart steeled with an holy courage and resolution against this sin it is upon the account of baseness and cowardliness of spirit that people fall by the right hand of their spiritual enemy shall I give you some instances for this doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness is that thy right eye sin or thy right hand sin take up St Pauls resolution 1 Cor. 6.15 Gen. 39.9 Psal 39.1 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God forbid Josephs resolution How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God doth the Devil tempt the to blasphemy or to perjury or to lying or to any other sin of that nature take up the Psalmists resolution I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a birdle while the wicked are before me Art thou tempted to Idolatry to deny the truths of Christ to make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience take up the three childrens resolution Be it known unto thee oh King Dan. 3.18 that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up Every man should be a Prince over his lusts and like Joshuas Captains should put his feet upon the necks of them here courage resolution severity is very successful and in special exercise your revenge on your beloved lust fight not against small or great comparatively but against this kingly this master sin 2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity it is not enough to confess your sins in the lump in the general but in prayer you must take particular notice of your right eye sin your right hand sin thus David was particular in his repentance Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 this evil of murder and this evil of adultery pointing as it were with the finger to particular sins Lâ—k 19.8 Zacheus makes a particular confession of that wrong and injustice that he had been guilty of Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold this particle if in that place may not be a note of doubting but supposition if I have taken that is seeing I have taken from men by false accusation si Deus est animus seeing God is a Spirit 3. Beware of those things that may occasion the commission of this sin for instance if thou art prone to the sin of lying keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness when thou goest to a feast put a knife to thy throat We use to say proverbially occasion makes a thief this is true also in other cases occasion makes a lyar occasion makes a drunkard
to perform Vowes well made discovers things ill carried to the prejudice of Religion it makes way for future furtherance of Religion Dub. But it is like you will enquire May a Christian vow the repairing of such defects are they not more than can be discerned more than can be prevented should he vow this would he not ensnare himself and break his vowes Sol. To this I answer briefly That no man in the world may engage himself by vow to live for future without any defects such perfection is onely in Heaven here it is not attainable But a Christian may engage by vow to be carefull and to do his best diligence to prevent as many as he can He may vow that so farre as Grace shall enable him he will endeavour to live with fewer faults But a vow of full perfection can never be a well composed vow nor ever be performed 3. Vowes engage against a particular sin Thirdly Well composed vowes do promote Religion in the heart and life of a Christian in that it strongly and unalterably engageth the Christian against some one or other particular sinne which would more easily prevail if the reverence or care of so sacred an engagement did not set the Christian against that sinne Sometime we should sin by taking too little notice of great providences or by setting them at too low rate or by soon forgetting them or by waxing proud and insolent under them Now such sins provoke God weaken Religions interesse in the heart and diminish its fruit in the life Now when vowes prevent such sinnes they do as much promote Religion as preventing Physick promotes the health of the body of such a nature was Job's covenant with his eyes which shut the windowes of his soul and kept out sinne by preventing its entrance at the out doors I have made a covenant with my eyes Job 31.1 Away then with all alluring beauties I cannot gaze on them for I cannot be false to my vow and covenant Every Vow is for more strict and exact approbation of our selves in either universall or particular either in a perpetuall or temporarary observance and serving the Lord Now that promotes Religion which thus exactly and strictly binds the soul to approve it self to God Sinne and Religion have two concernmenâ—s as contrary to each other as the Rebell and the Law of his Soveraigne and as he promotes the interesse of his Soveraigne who doth strictly bind himself to oppose any Rebell so he promotes Religion who by vow binds himself strictly to oppose any one sinne whatever If Noah vowed after his miscarrigge against drinking any considerable quantity of w ne that he might prevent that sinne this vow strengthened the interesse of his hoâ—y sobriety and the inâ—erâ—sse of Religion too so farre as sobriety promotes our fitnesse and greater aptnesse to Religious works But I shall be here asked Dub. May a man vow against any one particular sinne and bind himself by so great a bond against the committing of it The ground of the doubt is because none so stands but he may fall and it is not in our power to keep our selves from any sinne To this then I answer Sol. That it would be rash and inconsiderate to vow absolutely and peremptorily that thou wilt never act such or such a sinne But thus thou mayest justifiably vow 1. That than wilt endeavour and with thy best diligence labour to prevent this or that sinne thou mayest vow to set a guard upon thy soul but thou mayest not vow the successe of this guard the endeavour is thy duty and that thou mayest vow the successe is Gods gift and that thou must pray for And let weak Christians take notice oâ— this lest they ensnare themselvâ—s by vowing what is not in their power 2. If thou wilt vow so thou must do it still with dependence on the Lord for power to performe through grace thou wilt not sinne thus or thus may be thy vow 3. If thou wilt so vow then take my advice with thee 1. Let it be onely against great sins and such as are committed with deliberation these are seen before committed and so are more easily resisted 2. Let it reach no farther then sincere endeavour agâ—inst them And 3. Be sure to do your utmost and then though the sinne may be too strong for you yet are you not false to your vow But next 4. Vowes encrease our care of particular duty Fourthly Well composed vowes do much promote Religion in the heart and life of a Christian insomuch as they engage the Christian to a more intent care of some particular duty and Grace to be more than ordinarily attended and exercised A vow binds the votary to a more than ordinary care of duty and to a more than ordinary diligence in the exercise of grace now where such a vow is so well composed that the duty may be more than ordinarily well performed and the grace may be more than usually hath been exercised there such a vow doth as much promote Religion as its care doth exceed our ordinary care Who bestows most on a duty or on the constant exercise of a grace doth do most to the promoting of Religion and I am sure who so doth advisedly and duely vow and doth punctually and duely perform his vow is the man whose care is greatest in that duty and grace which his vow and the particular occasion of it did commend to his thoughts Dub. But may we vow to perform a duty or exercise a grace Can we say 't is in our power Sol. To this in one word Vow so farre as it is and shall be in your power and you may warrantably and acceptably do it before God the performance of duty and exercise of grace are debts we owe to God and we may bind our selves doubly to pay them so farre as our stock will reach and without this limitation every vow is rash and ill composed 5. Vowes c. by observing and improving providences Fifthly Well composed Vowes do much promote Religion in that they engage us to a more diligent observing of Providences and to a due improving them to the best advantage of grace When thou hast vowed thou hast sâ—aled on thy part if God doe answer thy hope by his providence he performs the condition on his part and now it must be thy care to observe Gods providence and to improve it so Jacob vowed then observeth how God will perform with him and afterwards makes the improvement Now providence answering the expectation of one who voweth hath in it 1. Remarkable power and faithfullnesse to be the ground of faith this was seen in that Providence which gave Jephthah that victory which was his hope and expectation when he vowed 2. Eminent goodnesse and tendernesse to be the loadstone and attractive of love so in that Providence which brought David to the possession of his hopes and David thought so when he
great the great advantage which all these outward things have against us is their suitablenesse to our senses for though believers are said to live by faith Heb. 10.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet the best of men have had something to witnesse they were but men of like passions as 't was said of Elias James 5.17 but Christ is all to free us from these dangers Joh. 16.33 Be of good cheer I have overcome the world He hath overcome it for us and in some measure in us 2. Christ is All to fill the souls of believers with all that good which may capacitate and qualifie them for happinesse it is the decree of Heaven that none be admitted into glory but those oâ— whom God hath wrought the truth of grace Heaven must first be brought down into our souls before our souls are capable of ascending up thither we must first be made meet before we can partake of that inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 with Ephes 5.5 we are by nature unmeet because we are carnall and earthly and should God dispence with his own decree and open so wide a door unto Heaven and happinesse as to let in carnall and sensuall persons Heaven would be no Heaven unto such carnall hearts can never rellish the sweetnesse of spirituall enjoyments Rom. 8.6 7. Philosophers observe that all delight arises from a suitablenesse betwixt the person and the object What is the reason of that diversity of delights which is among the children of men that which is one mans joy is another mans grief and that which is one mans pleasure is another mans pain the onely reason is because of the diversity of tempers and dispositions Some there be of such a bruitish and swinish temper that nothing is so pleasing unto them as wallowing in the mire of their sensualities others again of so refined a temper that they esteem these sensuall pleasures very low and much beneath them but still every mans delight is according to his temper and disposition and therefore Heaven would be so farre from being a Heaven unto such that it would be a kind of hell to them for as delight arises from an harmony betwixt the person and the object so all kind of torment from an unsuitablenesse and contrariety hence is it that although God vouchsafes us something of Heaven here on earth viz. in his Ordinances yet to unheavenly hearts every thing of this nature is a taedium a burden When will the new Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat c. Amos 8.5 Aelian reports of one Nicostratus who being a skilfull Artificer and finding a curious piece of Art was so much taken therewith that a spectator beholding him so intent in viewing the workmanship asked him what pleasure he could take in gazing so long upon such an object he answers hadst thou my eyes thou wouldst be as much ravished as I am So may we say of carnall persons had they the hearts and dispositions of believers they would be as much delighted with all means of communion with God as they are and account that their priviledge which now they esteem their vexation the Greeks tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good is derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from calling because all good is of an attractive and magnetick nature to draw forth and call our affections after it but yet 't is not the intrinsecall excellency of any object that renders it taking with us but our affections are accordingly exercised upon all kind of objects as representations are of those objects from the understanding for 't is the understanding which sits at the stern of the soul that is the primum mobile the master-wheel that puts the affections as so many lesser wheeles upon motion therefore unlesse our judgements be both enlightned and sanctified we can never approve the things that are excellent Naturalists observe that though the Loadstone hath an attractive virtue to draw Iron to it yet it cannot exercise that virtue upon Iron that 's rusty Ignorance is the rust of the soul that blunts the edge of our affections to whatsoever is spiritually good there must be therefore some kind of suitablenesse and harmony betwixt our souls and heavenly mercies before we are capable of tasting the sweetnesse of them Now Christ is all to believers in this respect also 't is from his fullnesse they receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 That we have any thing of grace it is from him and that we have such a degree or measure of grace it is from him I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Joh. 10.10 the essence and the aboundance are both from him All those miracles which Christ wrought in the dayes of his flesh upon the bodies of poor creatures Ephes 5.8 Ephes 2.5 1â— in restoring sight to the blind speech to the dumb life to the dead all these does Christ work over again upon the souls of them whom he prepares for Heaven 3. Christ is All to fill all Ordinances with power and efficacy these are the means of salvation and through his concurrence effectuall means as they are his institutions we are under an obligation of using them and as they have the promise of his presence Matth. 28 20. Matth. 18.20 we are warranted in our expectations of benefit from them but yet Ordinances are but empty pipes but dry breasts unless Christ be pleased to fill them who filleth all in all Ephes 1.23 That there should be such a might and efficacy in things so weak such miraculous and strange effects by means so inconsiderable that the foolishnesse of preaching should be powerfull to salvation 't is because it is not man but God that speaks Joh. 5.25 The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live Look upon Ordinances in themselves and so they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are not but as they are accompanied with the power of Christ so so they bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.28 'T is he who in Baptisme baptises with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3.11 'T is he in preaching the Word speaks not onely to the ear but to the heart Luk. 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the Scriptures In a word Christ is all in every Ordinance in respect of efficacy while the Disciples fished alone they caught nothing but when Christ is with them the draught of fishes is so great they are scarce able to draw it Joh. 21.3 6. 4. Christ is All to sill every condition with comfort the best of conditions is not good without him nor is the worst bad with him Vbi bene sine te aut ubi maâ—e cum te Bern. Alexander accounted himself
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.
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
that our Religion may not be a dull languid lethargick principle but may render us fit and prompt for all the actions of a spirituall life And now this life of Religion the case supposeth the person to have who needs advice and then you 'l quickly perceive that there be two things in danger 1. The life of Religion in a religious person 2. The life of a religious person and so the case doth resolve it self into these two Queries 1. What should believing Christians do to support the life and vigour of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary means of publick Ordinances and are indangered by the leavening society of wicked men 2. How should they preserve their lives among persecuting enemies without hazarding the life of their Religion For the clearing of and directing in this case I shall now premise some Propositions fit to be taken notice of Prop. 1. It cannot be expected that any Rule should be given according to Scripture whereby both the one and the other life may be certainly secured for many times Gods providence brings us into such circumstances that if we are resolved that come what will wee 'l keep our Religion we must lose our lives and if we are resolved to keep our lives though with the hazard or shipwrack of our Religion we must then part with our Religion and perhaps our lives too 2. There can be no certain and infallible course propounded whereby the life of the body may be secured with the losse of Religion though Devil and world bid fair and promise we shall live and do well if we will part with our Religion yet they are not able if willing to make good their promise so long as there be so many thousand wayes to death besides Martyrdome and this is the purport of that threatning expression Mat. 16.25 Whosoever will save his life shall lose it not only that eternall life which is the only true life but even this temporall life as many relations tell us 3. The life of Religion in the soul is that which by Gods blessing and our spirituall care and industry may be infallibly secured in any place among any persons in any condition I do not say the outward exercise of Religion but that which is the life and principle of Religion in the soul may be preserved Force and violence may deprive those that are religious of opportunities to meet together and pour forth their Common prayers and supplications to God and publikely sing forth the praises of God and hear the great truths of the Gospell preached unto them nay they may be hindred from speaking with their mouthes either to God or for God as many of the Martyrs have been gagged but all the force and violence in the world cannot take away that which is the principle and life of Religion unlesse we our selves betray and cast it from us nor can they hinder the prime and principall acts and exercises of Religion All the world cannot hinder you or me from having good thoughts of God from sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts from trusting in hoping in rejoycing in the goodnesse and mercy of God through Jesus Christ from making holy melody in our hearts and such musick as shall be heard beyond the sphears though he that stands at our elbow knows not a word we speak so that true Religion both in the principle and prime exercises of it may be infallibly secured insomuch that he who can rend the heart out of the body cannot tear Religion out of the soul 4. His soul cannot be quickned with the life of the Religion of the Gospell who is not in heart perswaded that the securing the life of Religion in his soul is hugely more his concernment than the preserving of the life of the body Yea his Religion is built on a sandy foundation who hath not seriously considered that for ought he knows his Religion may cost him his life and hath not brought his soul to an humble resolution to lay down his life rather than let go his Religion thus much is clearly imported in that passage Luk. 14.27 28 c. Which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost c 5. The society of good men and enjoyment of Gospell Ordinances is of speciall use to preserve quicken and enliven the principle of Religion in the soul they are to Religion in the soul what food is to the naturall life of the body and therefore the Ordinances in the Church are compared to breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 The great design of God in appointing Gospell-Ordinances is that by the help and assistance of those gifts and graces which he bestows upon his Ministers the souls of those who are estranged from him should be brought home to the owning and acknowledging of the truth and that those who have returned to the Lord should be more and more affected with a sense of divine goodnesse and their dependance on the Lord for all they have and hope for and indeed if preaching and reading and praying and every other Ordinance both in publike and in private do not aim at and intend this great end the begetting or actuating and stirring up the life of Religion in our souls then are they what some would fain perswade us vain uselesse troublesome things If thy coming to Church to hear a prayer or a Sermon be not by thee designed and do not in the even tend to make thee better to love God more loath sin more and value the world lesse and resolve more heartily to obey the Gospell thou hadst as good have been in thy bed or shop as in the Church and if in preaching and praying we that are Gods mouth to you and your mouth to God have any other design than to stir up in your souls good thoughts of God affectionate workings of heart towards a loving tender-hearted father zealous and hungring desires to do the will of God and expresse our love by obeying his commandments I seriously professe I should think my self much better imployed to be working in a Coblers stall or raking in the kennell or filling a dung cart than preaching or praying in a pulpit and let those who do not intend these great ends know that ere long they will finde they had bettter have been imployed in the most debasing drudgery than in the outward work of God with sinister and unworthy ends These things premised the case resolves it self into these particular questions 1. What should beleeving Christians do to support the life of Religion in their souls when they want the ordinary food of publick Gospel-Ordinances 2. What should such do to preserve their outward concernments among persecuting enemies without hazarding their Religion In answer to the first question take these Directions 1. Let such humbly reflect upon their former sleighting despising and abusing the means of grace which now they want it is the usual method of God to
them account prayers and tears their best arms seeing they call in that God whose power extends as far as his will 8. Arm your selves with a severe patience and a steady resolution to bear lesser affronts and injuries those Christians were in such a condition as we are now speaking of whom the Apostle mindes that they had need of patience Heb. 10 36. Let it be our wisdome therefore to get a stock of that which will be so needfull for us patience is alway a part of our duty but in this case it is also an instance of our prudence for he is a fool that will hazard the beating out of his brains rather than bear a fillip 9. Be much in prayer to that God who alone can secure from suffering sit for suffering strengthen under and infinitely reward after we have suffered 2. Let the Serpents wisdome be seconded with the Doves harmlesness and innocency walk so honestly and inoffensively that wicked men may be put hard to it to finde an occasion to quarrel or wrong you this was remarkable in Daniel as you may see Chap 6.4 this was the Apostles direction 1 Thess 4.12 Walk honestly toward those that are without and it was according to his practice Act. 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Now this Christian innocency or simplicity ought to be like a thred to run through the whole course of our converse with others we should neither injure the person good name estate friend or any thing which an other may call his if the Lamb among Wolves and Foxes begin to butt and contend no wonder if these soon bite and devour we should be so honest and plain-hearted in our Promises Contracts Covenants and dealings with others that they may reverence our Religion as teaching us to do the best things and suffer the worst and not hate our Religion as being onely a design to make us the better able to deceive and injure others 'T would be no small part of our security if our carriage towards others might speak for us that which the Poet makes Achilles speak concerning himself and his Tutor Chiron Jesus Christ is my Teacher and he hath learnt me to use simplicity and honesty in all my manners But now if neither of these two will secure us from suffering but Gods providence doth call us to a publick owning of him and the Religion of the Gospel we must then joyn the Lions courage to the wisdome of the Serpent and the innocency of the Dove that we may be imboldned to look the greatest daâ—ger in the face rather than turn our back upon God and Christ and the Religion of the Gospel And this brings me to the second branch of the latter part of the Case How should believers encourage themselves against sufferings In answer to which take these brief Dâ—rections 1. Be often remembring how infinitely more worth the soul is than the body Luke 16.26 Phil. 3.21 be often weighing in the scales of sober and serious consideration a precious soul against a vile body and then minde thy self that the worst which persecuting enemies can do is to destroy a corruptible body but the worst which God can do is to destroy thine immortal soul Christ arms his Disciples against fear of suffering by this consideration Matth. 10.28 Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell 2. Think how inconsiderable time is compared with Eternity spend your thoughts upon the difference vast and inconceiveable between those two the Apostle tells us That the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 The Apostle compares himself to one that hath been casting up an account where on one side he meets with nothing but cyphers or small petty summes but on the other side findes thousands and millions and then cryes out alas the one is not to be compared with the other Thus the Apostle findes light and momentary afflictions on the one side and a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory on the other side as we finde him expressing himself 2 Cor 4.17 3. Remember that the welfare of the body doth depend upon the welfare of the soul not indeed in this world for here his body may be well and in good plight fat and flourishing well fed and cloathed whose soul is poor and naked sick and wounded in a sad and deplorable condition and on the other side a poor beggarly sick Lazarus may have a soul fed with Royal and heavenly Dainties and cloathed with better Robes than Purple and Ermine but then the eternal welfare of the body depends upon the eternal welfare of the soul 't is bound up in the life and welfare of the soul as Jacobs life is said to be bound up in Benjamins Gen 44 30. and therefore you cannot secure the welfare of the outward man by betraying and casting away that which is the life and welfare of the inward man 4. Remember that you can suffer nothing in this world but Jesus Christ hath suffered the same or worse The Lord Jesus arms his Disciples against sufferings by this consideration Joh. 15.20 and the Apostle Paul having experienced it himself adviseth the believing Hebrews to it Heb. 12.1 2 3. Looking unto Jesus c. Now this consideration will suggest to us 1. That the worst sufferings are no dishonour to us seeing Christ Jesus the King of Kings hath born them 2. That the greatest sufferings do not speak us the greatest sinners Christs sufferings assure us that the purest and whitest innocency may be dyed red in its own blood 3. That the greatest sufferings make us never the less amiable in the eyes of God for then Christ Jesus the onely begotten Son of God in whom he was alway well-pleased would not have suffered 5. We can suffer nothing but what our God our Friend our Father knows we suffer and knows that a suffering condition is the best for us When poor Christians are kept by the bloody Inquisition in dark Holes and Caves from the eyes of all the world they cannot be kept from the eye of God Rev. 2.13 I know thy works and where thou dwellest even where Satans seat is this was the encouragement which Christ gave his persecuted Church of Pergamos thy condition is known to that God whose heart is as tender as his eye piercing and whose arm can reach as far as his eye and whose wisdome knows how to direct the sufferings of every beleever for his own his Churches and that beleevers real good 6. Be often comparing God and creatures together that great God who suffers in and with his suffering people and those little small things called devils and men that bring sufferings upon them make thy soul to know and
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
they run away from it and will not endure to hear it by diversions and yet they can sooner turn their souls out of their bodies then Conscience out of their Souls yea amongst all these indignities it 's as fresh and active as if it were not thus abused it doth but watch it's opportunity when it will be heard when 't will make that which was done perhaps 40 years ago as if it had been but yesterday What ayles the great Emperours of the world h Insigne visum est earum Caesaris literaruÌ„ initium nam his verbis exorsus est Quid scribam vobis P. C. aut quomodo scribam aut quid omnino non scribaÌ„ hoc tempore Dii me deaeque pejus perdant quà m perire quotidie sentio si sâ—io Adeò facinora atque flagitia sua ipsi quoque in supplicium verterant Tiberium non fortuna non solitudines protegebant Tacitus Annal. l. 6. c. 6. page 146. that cause their terrour in the land of the living what ayls them to tremble with inward contrition is it a vain fear why then do they not shake it off is it the fear of men No they are above humane punishments Is it the fear of shame no the sin perhaps was secret at least man knows not the inward consternation of their spirits What 's the matter O they are haunted by the fury of their own Consciences Would wicked men but blab the gripes they sometimes feel even then when they out-face a Ministeriall or friendly reproof there would need no more to be said to evidence that a Conscience you will have which will first or last do its office 2. Your own Conscience will be your best friend or your greatest enemy of any creature unto eternity There 's i Vide Bern. de inter dom c. 22. p. 1070. no greater riches no greater pleasure no greater safety then a good Conscience Let the pressures of the body the hurry of the world the affrightments of Satan be never so great they can't reach the Conscience A good Conscience singularly chears the dying body joyfully accompanies unto God the departed Soulâ— triumphingly presents both Soul and Body unto the desired Tribunal There 's no more profitable means nor surer testimony nor eminent Conveyor of eternal happiness then a good Conscience And on the contrary there is no greater torment then of an evill Conscience though its gentler checks may be disregarded it s louder clamours will make you tremble O Sirs what will you do when Conscience shall upbraid you with your abuse of mercies incorrigiblenesse under judgements contempt of Christ and hatred of holiness you can't now endure to hear what Conscience hath to say how will you endure it unto eternity if one that killed his own Father k Parricidium vindicaturi Pelusii pro flagitij dignitate nulluÌ„ hactenus torturae ingenium per duxerunt non culeum non vivicomburium saevius quid cogitarunt piae scilicet matris naturae ferulaÌ„ conscientiam ad summae attrocitatis exemplum docti novam saevitiam didicerunt parricidam sancientes triduo cogi spectare occisi cadaver ut sic puniretur enormissimo omnium supplicio admonitione facinoris Jo Eâ—s Nieâ—â—â—berg de art vol. l. 2. pag. 156. could not in some Egytians account be more cruelly punished then by being compell'd to behold the murthered body for three dayes what a torment will it be to be forc't to behold every sin with every aggravation unto eternity here in bodily sickness there 's some intervalls to revive the Spirits but hereafter there will not be a moments intermission of unexpressible horrour unto eternity The Conscience shall roar under infinite wrath and the sinner shall be kept from annihilation under it by infinite power 1 Cor. 15.34 Thus I have in a weak manner performed my promise in speaking to severall kindes of Consciences with remedies and rules which laid together will I think amount to sufficient instructions How we may be universally and exactly conscientious viz. 1. Get your Consciences awakened from their natural Lethargy 1. 2. Preserve them tender from acquired searednesse m Heb. 3.13 3. Rectifie their errours as you would get cure of blindness n Eph. 4.18 4. Resolve their doubts as you would a claime to your lands o Rom. 14.5 5. Break from your scruples as from theeves on the road p Isa 35.3 4. 6. Lay your head in Christs bosom to cure your trembling q Isa 40.11 And then for the 7. integrity and 8. quiet of your Consciences Observe the rules proposed as punctually as you would Physitians bills in a tedious sickness 1. Avoid sinning as you would a train of gun-powder r Job 18.15 2. Be as quick in your repentance as in the cure of a Pleurisie s Zeph. 2.2 3. Live under the apprehended presence of the jealous God t Ezek. 11.5 4. Examine you hearts as Princes sift out treason u Lam. 3.40 5. Pray for sutable grace as starving persons cry for food w Psa 143.7 8 6. Let euery action be as an arrow shot at a mark x 1 Cor. 10.31 7. Think of God as of a wise Physitian y Job 40.2 8. Be as vile in your own esteem as you are in the eyes of a captious enemy z Eph. 3.8 9. Live upon Christ as the Child in the womb lives upon the Mother a Gal. 2.20 10. Love God as near as possibly you can as God loves you b Psalm 18.1 2 But if these rules though thus contracted be too many and too long to be allwayes remembred that you may not be overcharged with that which should never be forgotten I shall commend to you some Spiritually chymicall extractions and if I might so express it Spirits of directions that may be to your Souls in your pilgrimage towards Heaven as your Ship-provisions in a Sea-voyage generally sufficient when others cannot be had Plainly practise these memorialls of direction in all your conscientious walking I. Consult duty not events There 's nothing in the world for us to do but to mind our duty Curious speculations c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem Alexandr Strom. lib. 6. p. 664. that tend not to holiness may be reckoned among your superfluities but mis-giving predictions of what may or will befall you in the discharge of your duty may be reckoned among your grosser iniquities and to venture upon sin to avoid danger is to sinke the Ship for fear of Pirats and must be reckoned amongst your greatest follies your worst of sins Is not their reason questionless their Conscience is dangerously distempered that practically argue this way of duty may probably procure mans displeasure and therefore to prevent that I 'le take the course which will certainly procure Gods displeasure Besides by-wayes will not lead you to the place you aime at d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 471. 466. but on the contrary keep your
shamelesly uncovereth himself Now why is she called there the daughter of Saul because she had learned this wickednesse from her father We have woful experience of this in our dayes Formerly people could say Ps 44.1 We have heard with our ears O God our fathers have told us Psal 44.1 what works thou didst in their days in the times of old Truly the people of this generation may say we heard our fathers swear and curse and scoffe and mock at the ways of God in reason we may expect mens manners to sute their education Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken to the third particular propounded to be discussed that is to say how it comes to passe that particular persons have their proper and particular sins and thus much also for the doctrinall part 4. The fourth and last thing is the Vse and Application of this to our selves Vse 1. For Lamentation and Humiliation in the presence of God this day we trouble our selves about other mens sins Magistrates sins Ministers sins as the Pharisee◠Lord I thank thee I am not as other men are an Extortioner an Adulterer c. or as this Publican And in the mean time where is the man that considers his own iniquity his right eye sin or his right-hand sin there are great outcries amongst us what have others done but who smites upon his thigh and says what have I done We search every where save where our Rachel sits upon her Idol Possibly some poor soul may say did I know this particular sin this right eye sin or this right-hand sin the Lord knows I would quickly pluck out the one and cut off the other and that brings me to Vse 2. Of Examination how this sin may be discovered now to this purpose take these marks or rules 1. It may be known by the loves and tender respects the sinner bears unto this sinne strong love for the most part hath but one single object affections are like the Sun beams in a burning glasse the more united they are in one point the more fervent A wicked man hath a particular affection for his particular lust As Abraham cryed Oh that Ishmael may live in thy sight So a wicked man oh that this sin may be spared This is his Benjamin the soul is ready to say here is one sin must be plucked out and here is another sin must be cut off and must this beloved Lust dye also all these things are against me The sinner seems to repent of sin and to condemn sinne and himself for sin but when the time of Execution comes the man is very tender-hearted here 's a reprieve for this sinne and there is a pardon for another sin oh it goes against him to cut the throat of his darling lust 'T is a wofull case when a man will undertake to pardon his owne sinne this is crudelitas parcens sparing cruelty and if it fall out that his beloved sinne dye a natural death that is if the Adulterer for instance cannot actually engage in bodily uncleanness as formerly upon the account of old age he follows it to the grave as we do our dear friends and heartily mourns that he and his dear lust must part 2 It may be known thus that sin that distracts us most in holy duties is our beloved sin you may know that cold is natural to the water and that it likes that quality best because let it be made never so hot it will be still working it selfe to its owne proper temper Soules possibly may sometimes be warmed at an Ordinance but they quickly cool again and are still working towards their proper lust the sin they like best You may take notice in Scripture that God to speak after the manner of men in an especiall manner remembers the sins of wicked men in the performance of holy duties Hos 8.13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offering and eat it but the Lord accepteth them not Now will he remember their iniquity and visit their sins as if a Felon or Murderer convict should escape out of prison and afterwards presume to come into the presence of the Judge this brings his Felony or Murder into remembrance and herein their punishment is visible sin They remember their sins in their duties and so will God The people of God themselves are tainted with this Pride was the Disciples master sin and whilst they were healing Diseases and casting Devils out of other mens bodies the proud Devil was stirring in their own souls and our Saviour gives them a rebuke for that Luk. 10.20 In this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Luk. 10.20 3. It may be known by its domination its commanding power over all other sins look as there is a kind of government in Hell such an one as it is Beelzebub is called the Prince of Devils so in a wicked mans soul one sin or other is still uppermost and keeps the throne all other sins do as it were bow the knee to this sin hold up the train of this sin are obedient servants to this sin it says to one go and it goes and to another come and it comes for instance if covetousness be the beloved sin lying and deceiving and injurious dealing will serve that If Ambition temporising and sinful compliance will serve that If Adultery sinful wasting of time and estate and body will serve that If Vainglory be the Pharisees great sin devouring widows houses under pretence of long prayers will serve that As it is with a mans body when it is hurt or maimed all the ill humours will flow to the part that is ill affected Hence it is when a man is first wounded he feels but a little pain because he suffers only upon the single account of the division of the part but after wards the paine is encreased for then he suffers doubly upon the account of the division of the part as also by the conflux of ill humours When the soule hath received some gash some hurt more then ordinary by its particular sin all the sinful humours will make haste to feed that iniquity so that this is the sin that carries it and bears the sway in the soul In a word the sinner hath the curse of Cham as it were pronounced upon him a servant of servants is he his other sins are servants to his beloved sin and he himself is a slave to them all 4. That sin that Conscience in a particular manner doth chide a man for that t is likely may be his particular sin the Greek word for Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a joynt knowledge or knowledge with another It takes notice of things together with God Conscience is Gods deputy Gods spye Gods intelligencer pardon the word in our bosoms an exact notary of whatever we think or do a co-witness with God as St Paul is bold to call
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
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
his dwelling-house just beginning to catch fire would stand still say let it alone a little I would see what will come of it wo or three minutes indulgence to the flame will embolden it without expecting his leave or permission any longer to devour and rage and consume and carry all before it in despite of his mightiest resistances when a little at first might have saved that vast damage which his folly and loytering hath occasioned How contemptible were those fires at first that in few hours have triumpht over stately Palaces and turn'd sometimes vast Cities into heaps of dust and ashes how small an infirmity and distemper neglected hath ushered in the most fatal sickness and how often hath a trifling bruise or strain bin preface to a Gangrene and the pick of a pin or thorne not lookt after time enough enforced the cutting off a leg or arm nay proved mortal and uncurable advantages to good like Arithmetical progressions rise slowly in fair and even intervals but advantagâ—s to ill like Geometrical grow up presently from little to vast excesses Facilis descensus Averni Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras Hic labor c. Virg. Aen. 6. Motion to ill is downwards Galilaeâ— and after him Gassendus and others have demonstrated that heavy bodies in their descent do in equal times transmit unequal spaces continually increasing according to the progression of odd numbers Ex. gr If in one pulse a Bullet fall perpendicularly one inch in the next it will three inches in the 3d 5. in the 4th 7 c. till the swiftness grow immense and unâ—â—utterable and like the descent of heavy bodies collects a new impetus and moveth every step with a swiftness perpetually increasing and if not stopt early soon irresistible Mischief springs apace grows tall and large and adult suddenly as Jonah's gourd did in a night Our passage in sin is with wind and tide increasing but in holiness with both against us To seek the things above is a supernatural motion and therefore difficult but the contrary is natural and therefore easie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher well determines evil is now a kin to us since our degeneracy and hath vast advantages on its side if once it gets an allowed harbour and entertainment in our breast The Enquiry then before us is by what Methods a Christian ought to address himself to battel in this spiritual warfare how he may so bid defiance to his enemies as to daunt and vanquish them Let these Rules therefore be observed for resisting and quelling thy lusts and inordinate affections in their first Salleys and in the commencement of the insurrection Rule 1 Awe them with the authority of thy Reason and understanding it is infinitely unbeseeming a man that his lower appetites should grow mutinous and untractable that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inferior and bruitish faculties of our souls should rebell against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that soveraign faculty of Reason the Scythians are reported when their slaves took arms to have dasht the sneaking rebels presently out of countenance by shewing their whips that well known weapon How soon doth the presence of a grave Magistate allay a popular tumult if he comes in soon enough in the beginning of the Riot Ille regit dictis animos pectora mulcet Virg. Aen. 1. God hath made Reason the Magistrate of the little world he hath given it a commission to keep the peace in our souls And so far as our minds are illustrated and governed by right reason so far do they partake of the image of God of whose glorious mind one of the best and clearest conceptions we can have is that it is infinite and eternal Reason Do thy passions begin to rise in arms do they grow disordered and unruly let thy reason come out to them and ask whether they know their Master And let thy soul blush with infinite scorn that ever these base slaves should usurpe the throne of their rightful Lord and unman thee by deposing Reason which is all thou hast to shew that thou art not a beast What an extreme silly thing is a man in passion nothing can be more ridiculous and contemptible Out of love and pity to thy self O man do not affront and disgrace thine immortal soul any more by suffering any malapert and sawcy passion to outrage and assasinate thy Reason that was a generous Rule of Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pyth. in Carm. let a man use great reverence and manners to himself Be ashamed friend to do any vile or dishonest action before thy self though no body be conscious yet thy soul is and thou canst not run away from that what good will it do thee to contradict the dictates of thine own mind is it possible for thee to be at peace when thou fallest out with thy self thou justifiest all the injuries in the world that others do thee for thou dost thy self daily injuries ten millions of times greater then the greatest others can do to thee Whoever thou art that despisest thy own Reason and permittest every silly lust to abuse thee by scorning that thou art a false Traytor to thy own soul There are but a very few men that are in their wits the far greatest part of mankind in the greatest matters in the highest concernments of a man are besides themselves for a mans own self must be a reasonable creature and therefore not to govern ones own mind and affections by Reason is to be mad and distracted if he that looks not to his family is worse then an infidel what then is he that looks not to his mind what confused Chaos are most mens minds rudis indigestaque moles Ovid. a man makes a fool of himself as oft as he prefers his passion before his reason the Philosopher gives us the sum of this Rule excellently Caâ—m Pythag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accustom thy self to act every where like a reasonable creature If thy distempered affections and lusts slight the authority of thy Rule 2 Reason as thou art a man bid thy conscience do it's office as thou art a Christian Try to awe them with Gods written word thus our Saviour thrice repulst the Tempter Mat. 4.4 6.10 by producing Scripture to confront him It is written c. Ask thy heart if it knows that hand whether it dares rebel against the express commands statutes and ordinances of the living God Bring out of the Register of conscience the Laws of him that made thee oppose some clear text of holy writ that comes into thy mind against that very lust that is now rising Ex. gr if it be carnall fear Isa 51.12 If love of the world 1 John 2.15 If revenge Rom. 12.19 If impatience under affliction James 1.12 If diffidence in Gods promises Numb 23.19 If immoderate anger Ephes 4.26 If pride and arrogance and self-assuming Matth 5.3 11.29 c. Happy is
upon a sick bed and it is God that must do it even in health and to speak truly and strictly although the means of repentance be more probable and the truth of repentance more discernable in health then in sickness yet the practise of repentance is as hard a work in health as in sickness seeing in both cases it is the great work of the omnipotent God who hath ever challenged it as his royal prerogative to give repentance whatever those hostes gratiae Christi as Austin cals them say to the contrary so that in short with men repentance is always impossible can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Jer. 13.23 but with God it is always possible And yet to prevent the abuse of this by a presumptuous putting off repentance to the time of sickness and death upon this pretence I must add that such as put off repentance on such a pretext do seldom meet with it God doth seldom give repentance to such persons and it is a general observation of all serious Divines that late repentance is seldom true though true repentance is never late it being the just judgement of God that they that intend to mock God by putting off repentance should deceive themselves and die without repentance 2. That it is a work of great difficulty might easily be demonstrated but that will appear in the further prosecution of it all along only there are two Arguments which the Text suggests 1. That it is a work which God hath put into the hands of his chief Officers his Ministers who ought to be the most accomplished persons of all others c. this is one of those works for which God hath vouchsafed such singular gifts unto his Messengers 2. That it is not every Minister neither who is fit for this work and therefore here it is required that he be one of a thousand But this I shall pass over and come to that which is allotted to me the resolution of this great and important case of Conscience How Ministers or Christian friends may and ought to apply themselves to sick persons for their good and the discharge of their own consciences I take it to be one of the hardest parts of the Ministerial works to make seasonable applications to such persons I shall therefore endeavour to answer it though not so fully as the point deserves yet so far as the brevity of this Exercise will permit in these eight Propositions or Directions 1. Endeavour must be used to understand the state of the sick person As Physicians do by sick persons they enquire into the manner of their life diet c. it is a great step to the cure to know the Patients temper because as bodily so spiritual Physick must be suted to the temper and disposition and condition of the Patient And as Physicians take pains in this by conference with friends and by examining the Patient so should Ministers by discourse with religious acquaintance and by searching conference with the sick person endeavour to find out the truth for why should not men be as accurate in healing mens souls as their bodies since the very Heathen could say That all our care should be translated from the things of the body to the soul so Epictetus in his 6 Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and as for the body men prize those Physicians most that best know their temper c. so should sick persons prefer caeterîs paribus that faithful Minister that hath most knowledge of them c. 2. The great business is to bring the sick man to a true sight of his state and condition indeed this is an happy thing whatever his condition be if his conditio be sound and good then it is an happiness to know it that he may have the comfort of it if it be bad yet it is an happiness to know it that a man may be capable of counsel and put into the way to amend it it is true evil men like persons much in debt care not to look into their books and understand their debts but they must be brought to it And the worse thy condition is the more art thou concerned to discover it for to be ignorant of thy condition if it be good only hinders thee from comfort but if it be bad it hinders thee from salvation you and they must both consider that as the heart is always deceitful so then especially for three reasons amongst others 1. Then men are impotent and unable to examine themselves their natural parts are weakned the eyes of their mind clouded their mind is diverted by bodily paines that it cannot attend and so may sooner be cheated 2. Then men are sloathful and listless as to all spiritual exercises if even good men are sloathful in their most healthful times how much more evil men in times of sickness the listlesness of the body generally makes an answerable impression upon the faculties of the soul that being a received truth amongst Physicians and Philosophers ratified by daily experience that mores animi sequuntur temperames 〈◊〉 tum corporis 3. In times of sickness men are greedy of comfort and so will catch even at a shadow c. upon all these grounds there needs the more caution to set before his eyes the folly and misery of self-deceit especially in everlasting matters 3. Ministers and others must take great heed lest while they avoid one extream they run upon another which is a common errour in practise some for the prevention of despair have made such unseasonable applications of comfort as have begotten presumptuous hopes Others again to prevent presumption have so indiscreetly aggravated things as to render them hopeless and so careless c. there must therefore be a prudent contemperation of things together as the wise Physician mixeth several ingredients he puts in indeed things of a sharpe and corroding nature which may eat out or remove the noxious humours but addeth to them things of a more gentle temperature which by their leuity may correct the acrimony of the former God himself sets us a copy by the mouth of Samuel 1 Sam. 12.20 You have done all this wickedness there is the corrosions he faithfully discovers that and doth not dawbe with them yet lest the disease should rather be exasperated then removed he addes this healing counsel yet turn not a side from following the Lord this Cordial v 22. The Loâ—d will not forsake his people and Ezra follows it Ezra 10.2 We have trespassed against God and have taken strange wives yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this now therefore let us make a covenant with God 4. The same methods are not to be used to all sick persons you might as well give the same pill to all diseased persons whereas that which would cure one will kill another you may as well make one suit for all bodies
hidden way of wickednesse I believe hath sent many to Hell they would never make their disease known through fear of shame c. As some persons have died of those diseases which they have smother'd It is true a man is not bound to make confession of all his sins to a Minister as we rightly assert against Papists but yet all Divines grant that in many cases it is both expedient and necessary to acknowledge thy wickedness to men and to say nothing of those cases wherein it is sometimes necessary nor of many reasons which make it frequently expedient I shall only instance in one which is sufficient of it self many times that the Physitian knowing more exactly thy malady may more effectually proportion his remedy Possess them with this in such cases How infinitely better it is to have some shame before a friend who will cover your shame and hate to reproach you with it then before all the world Cconvince them what folly it is to be unfaithful to themselves c. 8. Take heed of healing the souls of sick persons slightly this we are very apt to 1. From the sick mans greedy desire of comfort 2. From the expectation and desire of carnall friends 3. From our own carelesse hearts that love not to put our selves to any trouble or reproach which we shall meet with if we be faithfull in this case however take heed of it Ier. 8.11 They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace This is the case A soul whether in sicknesse or in health must first be wounded then healed There must be sorrow and travel ere the Man child be brought forth There must be true repentance and godly sorrow deep sorrow They dawb that tell you otherwise and make God a lyarâ—â— Great heavinesse of heart c. Repentance is neither a short nor a superficiall work Perswade them to wait Gods leasure and in Gods way for the cure not to precipitate your work Perswade them not to be afraid of sorrows troubles c. but rather to fear the want of it for here is a common and a fatall mistake most men are afraid of sorrow and labour to drive away sorrow Wheâ—eas indeed sorrow is the midwife of all true joy Tears of penitential sorrow are the streams that lead us to the Rivers of pleasure which are at Gods right hand It is none other then the gate of heaven the fountain of comfort And on the contrary to be a stranger to godly sorrow is one of the dreadfullest signes of a lost soul The laughter of such a person is a Risus sardonicus a deadly joy Labour more to work a solid than a sudden cure There are other directions I thought to have given but these may suffice and I will conclude all with two or three Uses first to Ministers then to people 1 To Ministers Hence we may learn the great difficulty of the Ministeriall work we see one reason why Paul said Who is sufficient for thâ—se things O what a sinne and shame is it to see what persons venture upon this work that such undertake to be shepherds of Christs Flock that are hardly sit to be set with the dogs of the flock Father forgive them they know not what they do Many act as if they thought this were all the worke of a Minister to make a few Sermons read some Prayers c. No no a Minister must be throughly furnished to every good worke He must be apt and able for every worke This among others O what Angelical abilities doth it require Acutenesse to discern the sick mans temper knowledge to understand the nature of all Spirituall Diseases the Symptomes the Prognosticks as also the Antidotes and Remedies Wisdome to make suitable speedy Applications O how hard a case is it Many sick men can neither endure morbum nor remedium neither the disease of their soules nor their remedy c. A Minister had need know all things understand all persons discern the subtilties of mens hearts and not be ignorant of the wiles of the Devill How many knots must he be able speedily to untye How many cases must hee be able to give speedy resolution too And hee must be supposed to have layd up with great industry because he must bring forth out of his Treasure things both new and old O the difficulty It is a sad thing to consider that many souls do perish not onely vi morbi by the force of their Disease but also errore medici by the errour of their Physitian by the mistakes of their Ministers And as Galen speaks of physick for the body it is also true of the physick of the Soul In medicina nihil exiguum In physick nothing is little a small errour there may occasion fearfull mischiefs So a small mistake in souls concernments may occasion a souls everlasting ruine 2. To people Is it of such difficulty O labour you to do your work in health while time and strength last before the evill dayes come c. It is a serious Admonition of Gregories in his Book Decura pastorali salus corporis quando ad bene operandum accepta despicitur quanti sit muneris amissa sentitur He that neglects the time of health for the doing of his great work he shall feel the worth of it by the want of it I beseech you let me reason with you Why will you run an hazard when you may go a safe way Consider what woful straits you will bring your selves too if you do not ponder your ways and fix your thoughts and afflict your hearts You kill your souls if you do perhaps your bodies c. what a dreadfull Dilemma is this c. The Physitian chargeth you not to trouble your selves with sad thoughts lest you overthrow your bodies and the Minister If he will be faithful must charge you to trouble your selves lest you lose your souls O consider now now you may consider you have the use of reason then reason maybe lost c. Now God will accept of you then it may be he will reject you as Prov. 1. Now yau are at leasure to consider then sufficient unto the day will be the evil thereof And therefore be perswaded to improve the time of health It is the general custom of sick persons to send for Ministers to prepare them for the future life when they despair of the enjoyment of this present life A learned man wittily observed that as they say ubi desinit Philosophus incipit Medicus So it may be said Vbi desinit Medicus incipit Theologus where the Physitian ends the Divine begins Thus they begin to live at the end of their life But you if you be wise take this counsell and ô that my words might prevail with you desire to speak with able godly Ministers in the time of your health That that is the acceptable time Then may they give counsell freely and
to reprove a man for every cause no the Disciples were quite out in reproving the children for coming to Christ in this chapter when it was not their sin but their duty vers 13 14. Quakers make a stir about Cuffs and Bands and Ribbons and Laces and such like minute trifles of Pharisaical Humility if they can prove these sins let them reprove them in Gods Name but if they are indifferent things it is censoriousness uncharitableness and pragmaticalness to rail at them and not Christian Reproof 3. Hee must manage his Reproof to sincere ends must take heed that his aims and intentions bee upright and honest in reproving Take heed of mingling any wilde-fire of pride and vain-glory and ambitious humour of contradicting and controuling others with thy zeal of Reproving This heat must bee holy heat a fire of the Sanctuary as free from the smoak of by-ends and self-interest as may bee purely for Gods glory and out of hatred unto sin and out of love to the salvation of thy Brothers soul Diogenes it is storied reproved Plato's pride by trampling upon his Velvet Chair and Cushion but saies the Author Majori fastu superbum Platonem Diogenes saperbior 4. Hee must manage his Reproof in fit season There is a time to speak and a time to bee silent Reproof is a duty grounded upon an Affirmative Precept Now 't is well observed by Divines that Affirmative Precepts binde semper but not ad semper wee must alwaies reprove but wee must not reprove alwaies it is a constant duty but it must bee done in a seasonable opportunity There are certain mollia Tempora fandi words upon the wheels as Solomon calls them that are like Apples of Gold and let mee tell you Christians one word spoken in season is worth a thousand other words Now it is impossible to define and determine all the nicks of time wherein a man should strike in with a Reproof for this must bee left to the wisdome and experience of every Christian that makes it his business to bee his Brothers keeper and let him assure himself hee must expect to lose many an admonition shoot many an Arrow of Reproof as Jonathan did his under and over on this side and tother side before hee hit the mark Rules 1. Hee must take a season wherein the offender is capable of Reproof If a man bee drunk wee must stay till hee bee sober as Abigail 1 Sam. 25.36 37. So if a man bee aâ—l in a heat of passion we must stay and come to him as God did no Adam in the cool of the day when the fit was over 2. Wee must take a season wherein wee have occasion to commend a man for his virtues and then rub him up for his faults Sir you are thus and thus oh but if you would but mend this and that how excellent it would bee So St. Paul 1 Cor. 11.2 17. 3. Wee must do it as soon as ever wee can and the sooner the better a green wound is easier healed than an old sore Levit. 19.17 4. If wee have long waited for fit seasons and yet cannot finde them you had better make a breach upon ones prudence than ones conscience discretion then must give place to necessity out with it and leave the success to God 5. Hee must manage his Reproof with due conditions and qualification And beloved there are seven properties of that Reproof that will in all likelihood both benefit and better our Brother and also secure our selves from participation of his sins 1. Wee must reprove seriously and in good earnest so as to knock the nail up to the head in the conscience of the sinner Psal 50.21 So should wee in our Reproofs of our Brother charge him home these things hast thou done there is no denying thou art the man saies Nathan to David before hee was in his parable but now hee speaks plain English as wee say This Jesus whom yee have crucified saies Peter to the â—ews and thus wee should set things in order before him Sir is not this and that highly to dishonour God and to crack your credit and to shame your profession and to impair your body and to waste your estate and to wound your conscience and to dâ—mn your precious and immortal soul and therefore for the Lords sake think on it and amend it A loose and squibbing kinde of Reproof is like an ignis Lambens as soon off as on and does the man more hurt than good As Elies careless and loose reproving of his lewd Sons did rather harden them in their villany than any way reform them As it is with weak Physick administâ—ed to a sick man if it doth onely stir the humours but not purge them away it leaves the body in a greater and worse distemper than it was before So 't is here therefore saies the Apostle Titus 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly A finger that is but just prickt and no more it is apt to wranckle and fester and bee worse but let it bleed and there is no danger it will then soon bee healed 2. Wee must Reprove impartially and without respect of Persons Good men if they miscarry must bee reproved as well as bad men If Peter temporize Paul will not spare him nor Barnabas neither they shall hear on 't Gal. 2. Again great men bee they never so great they should bee admonished as well as others so long as they are under the great God and subject to great failings and miscarriages Kings and Nobles and Magistrates as well as meaner and inferiour persons Nathan reproved David though a King and so did Elijah Ahab and Nehemiah reproved the Nobles and Rulers for Usury and Sabbath-prophanation Certainly if any bee fit to teach great men they are as fit to reprove them for both must go together 2 Tim. 4.2 That 's but a drone-like Preaching that hath lost the sting of Reproving It is the great unhappiness of Princes and Nobles that they have so many flatterers about them and so few Reprovers Carneades in Plutarch was wont to say that great mens Sons learned nothing well but to ride horses for men would be sure to flatter them If they run they would lag behinde that they might out-run them if they wrestled tâ—ey would fall on purpose that they might seem to cast them c. But a Horse not knowing a Prince from a Peasant would down with him if hee could not rule him Just so 't is now let great men do what they will both against Scripture and Reason and Law and Conscience they will not want their Parasites both to encourage them and applaud them If there bee not a Law for Cambyses to marry his Sister tush what of that there is a Law for Cambyses to do what hee pleases and thus men out of cowardize and fear of frowns and wrath dare not reprove guilty Greatness Oh but if a man be a faithful Monitour hee must bee impartial in his reproofs Agag
the quantity and proportion of mens charity the scripture being silent herein leaving this to the discretion ingenuity of the prudent Christian 2 Cor. 9.7 As the Apostle speaketh every man according as hee purposeth in his heart so let him gâ—ve c. A certain quantity is not set him that 's left to the free purpose of his own heart But yet though the Scripture giveth us no direct precept in this particular it holdeth forth many presidents for our imitation as that of Jacob who in testimony of his thankfulness unto God for what hee should bestow upon him Vowed the tenth part thereof unto God for Pious and Charitable uses And Jacob vowed a vow unto God saying Gen. 28.20 22 of all that thou shalt give mee I will surely give the tenth unto thee Act. 10.20 2 Cor. 8.3 Of Cornelius it is recorded that hee gave much Alms. And the Macedonians are highly commended for their great bounty and large contributions Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 These examples are left upon record for our imitation For as the Apostle speaketh whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning and for our admonition So that hough the quantity of our Alms how much wee should give is not expresly set down yet this wee finde both commanded and commended by precepts and presidents in the scripture that wee give liberally and bountifully in some fit proportion to our estates that if wee bee rich in this worlds goods wee should then be rich in good works sowing liberally 2 Cor. 9.6 that so wee may reap liberally Now that our Alms may be liberal it must be fitted to two things viz. 1. The Necessity of the Receiver 2. The Ability of the Giver That in our giving wee should have respect to the need and necessity of our Brother The Law is clear which saith If there bee among you a poor man of one of thy Brethren Deut. 15.7 8. thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him and shalt give him sufficient for his need in that which hee wanteth That wee should likewise have respect to our own Ability the Apostle Peter is as clear 1 Pet. 4.11 where hee saith If any man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth that is let every one give with respect to his own estate and ability Notwithstanding in cases of urgent necessity and great extremity wee are to strain our selves even above our ability Here it may not be impertinent to answer another question for I resolve to contrive all I have to deliver upon this subject into this plain and easie method and that is this Quest How many waies may rich men exercise their Charity Ans 1. By laying out a portion of their estate in such a way as directly tends to the worship of God the advancement of Religion the salvation of mens souls which I may not unfitly term A Spiritual Charity And this may also be done several waies As 1. By contributing towards the planting and propagating the Gospel where it hath not been A work set on foot by divers in New England but chiefly carried on by the charity of well-disposed people here in Old England 2. By setting up and maintaining of Lectures the preaching of the Word Rom. 1.16 being the ordinary means appointed by God for the bringing of sinners to the knowledge of Jesus Christ whom to know is life eternal 3. By adding to the maintenance of such settled Preachers whose pains are great and means small through the covetousness of Impropriators who ingross to themselves what doth more properly belong to the Minister 4. By maintaining of poor Schollars at the University in reference to the work of the Ministery that so there may be a continual supply of learned godly and Orthodox Ministers for the edifying of the body of Christ 5. By bestowing of Bibles on poor Children whereby through the care of their Parents 2 Tim. 3.15 they may be acquainted with the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which are able to make them wise unto salvation Memorable is the pious gift of Sir John Fenner who by his last will gave six pounds per annum to several out-Parishes in London for the buying of Bibles to be distributed amongst poor children From my own experience I can say that this gift hath occasioned many poor people to teach their children to read that so they might be capable of those Bibles which are to be given only to such as can in some measure read 6. By erecting of Country-Schools and endowing them with some competent maintenance for teaching of poor mens children who have not wherewithall to pay for their schooling which will be a special means not only to further their civil but likewise their spiritual education For thereby they will bee made more capable of Divine Instruction Experience teacheth us how ineffectual the most powerful Ministry is upon an ignorant and unlearned Congregation Docere simpliciter est melius quam pascere Aquin. 2. 2. Quaest. 32. Questionless therefore the erecting of Country-schools is a work of charity more noble in it self more acceptable to God and more beneficial to the Kingdome than the building of Alms-houses who are too often filled with swarms of idle drones But though this Spiritual Charity is questionless the more excellent as tending to a more excellent object namely the souls of our neighbours yet the bodies of our neighbours must be cared for as well as their souls Our Charity therefore must also extend to them and in this kinde it may be practised and expressed II. By a free and liberal giving to the relief of those who are in want of which I have already largely spoken III. By a ready lending to such as being in a Calling want stock or other means to help themselves in their Trades This duty of lending wee finde expresly commanded both in the Law and in the Gospel in the Law as in the place before quoted Deut. 15.7 8. Thou shalt open thine hand wide to thy poor Brother and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which hee wanteth c. In the Gospel Luke 6.35 Lend saith our Saviour Looking for nothing again that is lend not only to such from whom you may hope by reason of their ability to receive your own again but also to such as by reason of their poverty may perhaps never be able to repay you Psal 37.26 The Psalmist maketh this a note of a righteous and a good man that hee is ever merciful and lendeth Psal 112.5 that hee sheweth favour and lendeth Where we see it is set down as the property of such a man that hee is ready to lend to the poor to such as stand in need of his help and that freely without hope of gain This duty belongeth especially to rich men because the occasions of him that would borrow usually require more than meaner persons can well spare
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
matter Good Lord what sloth stupidity negligence hath possessed our hearts surely if thou didst beleeve that thou mightest bee in thy grave to morrow wouldest thou not make sure of heaven to day if the lease of thy house be almost expired and the Land-lord hath given thee warning to provide thee another Habitation for hee will not suffer thee to renew it any more dost thou not presently enquire of thy friends and of thy neighbours Sirs can you tell mee where I may have a convenient dwelling I have but a little time in the house where I am and I have had warning to go out by such a day art thou not careful to have an house ready to go to upon the very same day thou leavest the former Alas man dost thou not know the lease of thy life is almost out nay dost thou not know that thou art only a tenant at will and God may turn thee out at an hours at a moments warning and yet dost thou not make sure of an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens hath not God given thee warning did thy head never ake was thy heart never sick surely if thou didst not forget thy own mortality thou wouldest be more careful painful diligent in thy business I see frequently men upon their sick-beds when they think they must dye begin to inquire after Heaven and how they may know their sins are pardoned and whether their souls shall be saved because the apprehension of the neerness of the grave doth rouze them and for all thou knowest thou though now in health mayest be as soon in thy grave as hee that lieth sick God can stop thy breath when hee pleaseth Art thou mortal look then after thy soul 4. Is not this too great a sleighting of the comforts of the Spirit of God of Christ and Happiness is there not so much excellency in all these and sweetness in discerning thy propriety to them as to provoke thee to diligence in making sure of them 5. Dost not thou know that others have looked long after it and dost thou think thou shalt come so easily to it others have prayed much and searched themselves often and yet have not been able to satisfie all their own doubts whether they have gone farther than ever any hypocrite went and dost thou think it will be so easily discerned whether thy heart be sincere with God many finde it a hard thing to distinguish betwixt the highest degrees of common grace in hypocrites and the lowest degrees of saving grace in a true beleever 6. Dost thou think that conscience will never be awakened to disquiet thee when thou canst not satisfie it about thy salvation will it alwaies be in this spiritual slumber dost thou think that sickness will never come and that death will never come and that trouble will never seize upon thee when thy conscience shall be so alarmed that thou wouldest give all thou art worth to know what shall become of thy soul oh then for an infallible evidence of Gods Love oh then that thou mightest know whether God will pardon thy sin and save thy soul oh dreadful case when thou comest to dye and conscience shall accuse thee for thy sloth when thou feelest thy spirit begin to fail and apprehendest thy self neer the grave and conscience rageth and is not at peace because thou dost not know whether thou shalt go to Heaven or Hell It is dreadful doleful sad to hear these complaints from a dying man oh woe is mee that I must take my farewell of all my friends and death is impatient of delay and yet I cannot say my sins are pardoned oh woe is mee though I lye a dying I cannot say my sins are pardoned within a little while my body must be carried from my bed to my grave but oh it breaks my heart that I cannot tell whether my soul my precious and yet too much neglected Soul shall be carried to Heaven by holy Angels or dragged down to Hell by cursed devils oh that God would grant mee a month or two a little longer that I may work out my salvation but thy conscience shall tell thee thou hadst time but thou didst mis-spend it thou hadst it but thou didst not improve it in getting this grand Question resolved Whether thou hadst made thy peace with God Consider now how dreadful it will be when conscience is awakened and thou in this case unresolved 7. If thou be a true Christian yet herein dost thou not act too much like the careless ungodly world they take no care to make sure of Heaven and wilt thou justifie their practice and harden them in it There are some carnal ones in the family a carnal husband or a carnal wife or ungodly children or graceless servants that minds not God nor care for their souls that look not after Heaven and wilt thou be guilty of incouraging them in their carelesness and hardening them in their forgetfulness of God by thine own remisseness but if thou wast serious in the use of means pressing following hard after God thy strictness might shame them out of their wickedness and might reflect upon themselves if such a one that lives so circumspectly and taketh such pains in duties and yet doubteth and fears and would fain be resolved what a careless wretch am I never to regard my own soul they are ignorant of God and his excellency of Christ and his beauty of Grace and its necessity and therefore desire them not nor care to make sure of them but God hath opened thine eyes to see all these Stir up thy self then to get a certainty of thine interest in them 8. Art thou not too much guilty of hypocrisie when thou goest to the table of the Lord and yet dost not give diligence to make thy calling and election sure nor to have the certain knowledge of the pardon of thy sin and of thy peace with God is not the Lords supper an ordinance for the helping the right receivers to assurance of the pardon of their sin in the blood of Christ is it not for that end a seal of the covenant of grace if thou sayest thou usest it for this end why then dost thou look after it no more when thou returnest from that Ordinance Having premised these things to awaken you and rouse you out of your sloth supposing that now you are resolved to take any course that can bee prescribed from the word of God That thou art one who weepest mournest complainest because thou dost not discern thy spiritual condition I shall lay down my advice to thee in these following directions 1. Direction 1. Get some Characteristical distinguishing signs of true saving grace by thy serious searching the word of God Directions to get assurance God hath told thee in his word who shall bee damned and who shall bee saved though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described In the Bible there are the statute laws of
so will appear in the Explication and resolution of the special Case of Conscience assigned which therefore here I passe Premisals Before I propound the Case let me premise some particulars preparatory as a Key of Explication 1. As the great so the little World man is made up of Contraries The outward-man of contrary Elements humors health and sicknesse the inward-man of contrary Principles reason and passion Grace and Corruption Conscience and Sense 2. Man is both an Actor in and a Theatre of the greatest action and noblest conflict in the World though usually invisible and therefore not so much observed Prov. 16.32 He that conquers himself is a nobler Heroe than Alexander who conquered a great part of the World 3. In the state of Innocency there was no conflict in the state of Glory there will be no conflict there being no corruption to combate with Grace In a state of Minority as in Infants and Fools there is no conflict till reason begin to dawn and with it Conscience to actuate common Principles against the motions of innate corruption In a state of corruption there is no spiritual conflict because there is no renewing Grace to combate with Corruption that strong man that keeps all in peace till a stronger than he comes Luke 11.21 22. 4. The natural conflict is in every godly man the spiritual conflict is in no wicked or natural man This I note to allay the fears of drooping Saints who finding a conflict between Conscience and Corruption conclude they are in the state of Nature and search not for the conflict between Grace and Corruption This is as if a man should conclude he is a Beast because he hath sense like a Beast not considering that he hath reason superadded which a Beast is not capable of 5. There is a vast difference between the natural and the spiritual conflict This will appear in the resolution of the case 6. The mistake about these two conflicts 1. Undoes natural men who feeling a Combate in themselves fondly apprehend it to be the fight between the flesh and the spirit and thereupon rest secure in a natural estate 2. It troubles regenerate persons and that in reference both to duty and comfort making them drive heavily because they doubt whither they be Israelites or Aegiptians 7. As the great Wisdom of God lyes in Governing the Great-world made up of contraries so the great wisdom of a Godly-man lies in Governing the Little-world made up of like contraries 8. This Government lyes principally in discerning these conflicting contraries and improving their contrariety for the Advantage of the Outward and Inward-man He is the wisest Physician who can Govern the Body made up of contraries and he is the wisest Christian who can rule his Soul in the midst of contraries In this Government Christ is Principal Psalm 110.2 A Saint Instrumental Hos 11.12 9. This singular wisdom is attainable in the use of ordinary means and that by the meanest who have Grace to follow Christs conduct yet not by the power of free-will or humane industry but by the bounty of free and Special Grace 2 Tim. 3.15 Jam. 1.5 Rom. 9.16 10. It cannot be expected that any Unregenerate person should understand to purpose the difference between these two conflicts because he hath no experience of this double State and double Principle No wonder then if such say of me as the Jews did of the Prophet Ezek. 20.49 Doth he not speak Parables How ever for the sake of the Unregenerate to convince them and for the sake of the Regenerate to comfort them I shall indeavour plowing with Christs Heifer to find out this great Riddle And so I come to the Case and a case of the highest concernment Wherein doth the Natural and Spiritual conflict differ or Quest what difference is there between the conflict in the Natural and Spiritual man They differ principally in seven particulars Answ and I. In the ground or cause of the fight which in the Unregenerate is 1. Natural Principles or the reliques of Gods Image in the Understanding The notion of a Deity and of loving my Neighbour as my self c. are Principles cannot be rased out of any mans heart be he never so profest an Atheist nor can these principles lye alwayes idle but will more or lesse be in action against corrupt inclinations 2. Acquired Principles from common Illumination moral and religious education and custome This light discovers more of sins obliquity and danger thereby laying on a stronger Bridle of restraint through fear shame c. and adding spurs to the exercise of many parts of piety 3. The natural Temper of the Body which indisposes to some special sins as well as to some special Graces As all Souls so Original corruption in them may be equal yet not act equally because of the indisposednesse of bodily Organs Thus some naturally are more chast sober and meek then others and hence their temper advances the combate against the lusts that oppose the forementioned virtues 4. The contraiety of one lust to another Grace is uniforme and each virtue linked together in a perfect subordination but sin is divided and opposite to it self as well as to Grace Thus Ambition sayes Spend Covetousnesse sayes Spare Revenge incites to murder Self-love restrains for fear of an halter Here now is a combate but only between flesh and flesh between flesh more refined and flesh more corrupted The best of these may be called a counter-motion as in dust and clouds agitated by contrary winds but not properly a conflict or fight because they proceed not from a true vital principle there being in a natural man no principle of Spiritual Life On the other hand In the Regenerate the combat ariseth from the Antipathy of two contrary Natures perfectly hating each other Gal. 5.17 Of all affections as one notes well Love and hatred are first and most uncompoundable A Godly man hates sin as God hates it not so much for its danger as for its Loathsomnesse as some creatures hate filth so that they will rather dye then defile themselves One Wolf may snarl at another but the quarrel is not layd in their Natures as it is in the Wolf and Lamb which therefore cannot be reconciled God in Paradise first sounded the Trumpet to this All-arme Gen. 3.15 proclaiming an eternal Warr between this seed of the Woman and of the Serpent As in persons so much more in principles there is a mutual abomination Compare Psalm 139.22 Prov. 29.29 Psal 97.10 and 119.128 and Rom. 8.7 Enemies may but Enmity can never be reconciled II. They differ in the Object or matter of conflict which in a natural man is 1. Grosser evils that startle the Conscience 2. Infamous evils that are attended with worldly fear or shame or 3. Some particular evils that crosse temper education or custome c. But in spiritual persons the matter of conflict is 1. Little sins as well as great 2. Secret sins as
governing these and so hath the same object with them as is said before it all comes to one And formally includes 1. What it is that we must Moderate or the faculty or principle of what kind soever internal and external from which the action flows 2. In what actions And 3. How or the measure and proportion to be observed in such our actions Which three are allwayes distinct in themselves though not alwayes easily distinguishable to us and therefore often seem coincident I shall therefore joyn them together in the prosecution of the Case For the general Object of Moderation or about what it must be exercised and appear Negatively 1. Not such things as are materially good About such things or in such actions as are materially good Moderation hath no place because all the good we can possibly do is too little so that there can be no excesse in these and therefore no Moderation for the Office of Moderation being to restrain excesse where there can be none of this that can have no imployment e. g. we cannot believe in hope love God and Christ too much nor hate sin and Sathan as the Schoolmen affirm in regard of his wholly loosing the Image of God too much In all our internal religious duties and actings of Grace as such no Moderation therefore can or ought to have place 2. Not about such things as are materially evil For herein we cannot be defective Where the object is absolutely forbidden us and no circumstances can make the action good there we are wholly to abstain or suppresse the action if in it there being inordinacy in the principle or faculty for though Moderation is to govern even the principle yet not in the choice of it's object but in it's exercise about a due object chosen that it exceed not And though we call any great acting upon an undue object or great omission towards due immoderate because of their excesse yet this is not properly immoderacy for so every sin would be it formally whereas those only which respect the moral quantity of our actions are properly immoderacies Both these sufficiently appear by what 's said before Positively But about such things as are in themselves of an indifferent nature and neither absolutely commanded as things materially good or absolutely forbidden as those materially evil but only conditionally according to the circumstances we are in Which though of an indifferent nature yet become morally good or evil to us as we are actually conversant about them In these properly may be excesse in regard of which Moderation is to take place to restrain and keep all within due bounds being formally the modification to use the School term for once of such actions Wherein we must carefully distinguish of the several formalities of the object Grace and Nature being conversant about the same object but not in the same respect For it's exercise therefore or what wherein and how we must practice it Which I shall speak of 1. Absolutely in reference to our selves for preserving peace within as it is to be exercised towards the good and evils of this life 2. Relatively or in relation to others for external peace wherein we must exercise it in civil and in Religious matters The former I shall call Moderation towards things the latter towards persons 1. Moderation towards things 1. First then for Moderation towards things as it is absolutely taken in reference to our selves this being so clearly injoyned in the Text as appears not only by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle not saying use Moderation towards all men but let it appear to all men which even that which is internal doth in our external conversation But though there be abundance of excellent fruit on this branch of Moderation yet in regard I conceive that towards persons principally intended I will not stand to shake it down but only point you out briefly the boughs on which it especially grows that you may gather it your selves and proceed to the second Moderation towards others which I shall only prosecute afterwards in all the following discourse Now the good things of this life being either internal of the mind as parts learning c. of the body as health strength beauty and the like or external as the riches honours relations and lawful pleasures of the World and what comprehended under them And the evils of this life such as are contrary to these as shallownesse of parts natural or acquired sicknesse weaknesse death deformity poverty losses of friends or estate infamy reproaches troubles warrs hunger thirst nakednesse imprisonment captivity banishment and such like we are towards these to exercise Moderation 1. Towards the good things of this life 1. We must moderate our Judgements in the valuation of them As forbidden fruit must not be looked upon so lawful must not be judged by us more desirable then it is As we may not undervalue these good things and with the Stoick despise and cast them away so we must not over-value them beyond their intrinsick worth and the ends for which God allows them the end and use being the measure of every things estimation For though every creature be good in it self and some better in themselves and to us than others yet those that are the best and best for us that the World affords are still but creatures who are most of them serviceable only to our bodyes that they may be serviceable to our Souls in the service of our Heavenly Father which when we too much estimate we quickly fall to admire and so bow down to them and commit idolatry with them For an overvaluation of the Judgement begets in us admiration and so an over-valuation of them also in our affections These sensitive objects make such impressions upon our imagination when absent and our passions when present that if Grace and Reason moderate not our Judgement of them our whole man becomes inflamed therewith and violently carryed out towards them by an excessive admiration of their seeming excellency love to them for the same and desire after them for their apprehended sutablenesse hope to obtain them seeming possible using means for obtaining them and delighting and glorying in them Therefore our Saviour prescribes wisely that our hearts may not be in them the light of our minds being single Matth. 6.22 23. When Achan Josh 7.21 judged the Babylonish garment goodly and the silver and gold then he quickly coveted and took them Let thy Moderation therefore begin here and consider the character Solomon upon good experience gives them that they are all to us in this degenerate state vanity of vanities yea vexation of Spirit 2. Moderate thy will and affections in their love desires hopes after the getting or keeping these things according to the ends for which God allows them thee in particular and with subordination to his pleasure and providence in the event We must value love desire God and
whether there be any profit in his service Job 21.14 15. and Job 22.17 when those mercenary hypocrites had lost their worldly profits preferments which they had gained by the profession of Religion when the tide was turned and prophanness only countenanced they cast off all and said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 15. But he that cometh to God must have such apprehensions of him as render him Gracious as well as Glorious Merciful as well as Righteous for we come to God sitting on his Throne of Grace Heb. 4. ult and we have to deal with mercy for supply to all our needs And he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Why did David prefer the lowest place or office in the House or Church of God a Porters plâ—ce before the highest preferments in the Tents of ungodliness Psal 84.10 He gives the reason Ver. 11. For the Lord is a Sun and shield A Sun to confer all good a shield to preserve from all evill He will give Grace and Glory what can a man desire more Yet if there be any good thing beside Grace and Glory he will not withhold it such a bountiful Master is God in his House and such a one his Servants apprehend him Now we cannot have right apprehensions and due conceptions of the Grace Mercy Good will of God to us but from the manifestations of God in Jesus Christ It is God in Christ reconciling the World to himself and beseeching us to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.19 20. When God gave Moses a sight of his glory in the Clift of the Rock I will saith God make all my goodness pass before thee and he proclaimed the name of the Lord Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord God Mâ—rciful Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sin He presents himself in his richest robes of State and all his Attribuâ—es arrayed in a Livery of Grace Nor can we have right apprehensions of God as a bountiful rewarder of his Servants but through the manifeâ—tations of himself to us in Christ for we cannot expect the reward of Debt but of Grace God in Christ and upon the account of Christ is â—he most bountiful Rewarder So Christ tells his Disciples Joh. 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be also If any man serve me him shall my Father honour We serve the Father in serving the Son never was service rewarded with such honour For saith Christ The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and believed that I am sent of God Joh. 16.27 4. Abraham had such apprehensions of God as did beget a comfortable perswasion of faith for his acceptation with God in that his drawing near to him It is the mind of God that such as come to him should have such apprehensions of him as one that will accept them embrace them when he discovers nothing but wrath and displeasure against them that stand in opposition against him Isa 27.4 5. Fury is not in me Let a man take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me That holy man knew that all his happiness consisted in the enjoyment of God therefore he said It is good for me to draw near to God but was he sure God would accept him I have put my trust saith he in the Lord God Psal 73.27 28. Now such apprehensions of God as beget a faith of acceptation with God in our approaches to him can spring only from the manifestations of God to us in Christ that is supposed by judicious Interpreters to be spoken of Jesus Christ Jer. 30.21 who is said to engage his heart to approach unto the Lord and God saith I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me Christ hath boldness and liberty full security of acceptation with God and hereby he hath procured us liberty boldness and acceptation with God Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing we have a great high Priest passed into the Heavens Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 10.19 21 22. Having boldness to enter into the Holiest And having an high Priest over the House of God Let us draw nigh to God with truth of heart and full assurance of faith Ver. 2. For the acceptation of our persons and services Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him From what hath been laid down we may conclude That such apprehensions or Conceptions of God wherewith we are to draw near to God to perform every duty and every part of Divine Worship must flow from the manifestations of God in Jesus Christ The Use Use I shall make of this Point is to inform Christians how much it concerneth us to acquaint our selves more intimately with God as he hath manifested himself in Jesus Christ In whom alone we can have right apprehensions and due Conceptions of God without which we cannot perform aright any kind of Worship to God 1. Without due apprehensions and conceptions of Goâ— we câ—nnot perform any part of that Natural Worship we owe to God we cannot love him feâ—r him trust in him pray unto him praise him c. 2. Without the right apprehensions and due conceptions of God in Jesus Christ we cannot perform aright any part of his Instituted Worship 1. For all the Ordinances of Gods Instituted Worship as the Sacrifices and Sacraments under the Law so the Sacraments and other Ordinances under the Gospel seem to have immediate relation to and near dependance on Christ God manifested in the flesh You may observe they consist of two parts The one Natural the other Spiritual The one Ex ernal the other Internal The one as it were the Body the other the Soul of it The one representing the Humanity the other the Divinity of Jesus Christ So that every Oâ—dinance of Worship is as it were a representation of Christ Incarnâ—te 2. The Divine Essence or Godhead in Jesus Christ seems to be the proper object of all Worship The School-men have concluded to which I find our learned and pious Divines have given their assent That the Essence of the Godhead is the primary and proper Object of Worship Dr. Owens Commun with the H. Ghost Chap. 8. This Divine Essence is wholly in Christ Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily In that Body or Humane Nature of Chrâ—st the fulness of the Godhead dwelt not locally as Locatum in loco or contentum in continente but by personâ—l Union And the Divine Essence as it is in Christ seems to be the pâ—oper Oâ—ject of all Gospel-Worship It was so under the Law in Types and Figures and such was the Tabernacle and Temple Worship in its
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
of chief regard and the acts of the outward only required as a help to our serving God in the Spirit Phil. 3.3 3. Carelesness in Duties is the high way to Atheism For every formall and sleight Prayer doth harden the heart and make way for contempt of God Men that have made bold with God in duty and it succeeds well with them their awe of God is lessened and the lively sense of his Glory and Majesty abated till it be quite lost by degrees they out-grow all feelings and tenderness of conscience every time you come to God sleightly you lose ground by coming till at length you look upon Worship as a meer Custome or something done for fashions sake Secondly Particularly 1. It is an affront to God and a kind of mockery we wrong his Omnisciency as if he saw not the heart and could not tell man his thought It is Gods Essential glory in Worship to be acknowledged an all-seeing Spirit and accordingly to be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 Thoughts are as audible with him as words therefore when you prattle words do not make conscience of thoughts you do not worship him as a spirit We wrong his Majesty when we speak to him in Prayer and do not give heed to what we say surely we are not to prattle like Jayes or Parrots words without affection and feeling or to chatter like Cranes or be like Ephraim whom the Prophet calls a silly Dove without an heart A mean man taketh it ill when you have business to talk with him about and your minds are elsewhere you would all judge it to be an affront to the Majesty of God if a man should send his cloaths stuffed with straw or a Puppet dressed up instead of himself into the Assemblies of Gods people and think this should supply his personal presence yet our cloaths stuffed with straw or an Image dressed up instead of us such as * 1 Sam. 19.12 13. Michol put into Davids bed would be less offensive to God than our bodies without our souls the absence of the spirit is the absence of the more noble part We pretend to speak to God and do not hear our selves nor can give any account of what we pray for or rather let me give you Chrysostom's Comparison A man would have been thought to have prophaned the mysteries of the Levitical Worship if instead of * Chrys Hom. 74. in Mat. sweet incense he should put into the Censer Sulpher or Brimstone or mingle the one with the other Surely our Prayers should be set forth as Incense Psal 141.2 And do not we affront God to his face that mingle so many vain sinfull proud filthy blasphemous thoughts What is this but to mingle Sulpher with our incense Again when God speaketh to us and knocks at the heart and there is none within to hear him is it not an affront to his Majesty Put it in a Temporal Case if a great person should talk to us and we should neglect him and entertain our selves with his servants he would take it as a despight and contempt done to him The Great God of heaven and earth doth often call you together to speak to you Now if you think so slightly of his speeches as not to attend but set your minds adrift to be carried hither and thither with every wave where is that reverence you owe to him It is a wrong to his goodness and the comforts of his holy presence for in effect you say that you do not find that sweetness in God which you expect and therefore are weary of hâ—s company before your business be over with him it is said of the Israelites when they were going for Canaan that in their hearts they turned back again into Aegypt Acts 7.39 They had mo e mind to be in Aegypt than under Moses Government and their thoughts ever ran upon the flesh-pots and belly chear they enjoyed there we are offended with their impatience and murmurings and the affronts they put upon their Guides and do not we even the same and worse in our careless manner of worshipping When God hath brought us into his presence we do in effect say give us the world again this is better entertainment for our thoughts than God and holy things if Christians would but interpret their actions they would be ashamed of them is any thing more worthy to be thought of than God The Israelites hearts were upon Aegypt in the Wilderness and our hearts are upon the World nay every toy even when we are at the Throne of grace and conversing with him who is the Center of our rest and the fountain of our blessedness 2. It grieveth the Spirit of God he is grieved with our vain thoughts as well as our scandalous actions other sins may shame us more but these are a grief to the Spirit because they are conceived in the heart which is his Presence Chamber and place of special residence and he is most grieved with these vain thoughts which haunt us in the time of our special addresses to God because his peculiar operations are hindered and the heart is set open to Gods adversary in Gods presence and the World and Satan are suffered to interpose in the very time of the reign of grace then when it should be in solio in its royalty commanding all our faculties to serve it this is to steal away the soul from under Christs own arm as a Captain of a Garrison is troubled when the enemies come to prey under the very walls in the face of all his forces and strength So certainly it is a grief to the spirit when our lusts have power to disturb us in holy duties and the heart is taken up with unclean glances and worldly thoughts then when we present our selves before the Lord God looks upon his peoples sins as aggravated because committed in his own house Jer. 23.11 In my house I have found their wickedness What is this but to dare God to his very face Solomon saith * Pro. 20.8 A King sitting upon his throne scattereth away evil with his eyes They are bold men that dare break the Laws when a Magistrate in upon the Throne and actually exercising judgment against Offenders so it argueth much impudence that when we come to deal with God as sitting upon the Throne and observing and looking upon us that we can yet lend our hearts to our lusts and suffer every vain thought to divert us There is more of modesty though little of sincerity in them that say to their lusts as Abraham to his Servants * Gen. 12.5 Tarry here while I go yonder and Worship or as they say the Serpent layeth aside her poyson when she goeth to drink When a man goeth to God he should leave his lusts behind him not for a while and with an intent to entertain them again but for ever However this argueth some reverence of God and sense of the weight of
disapprove and that is drawn from the topick of your own experience and this is argumentum lugubre like a Funeral Anthem very sad and sorrowful Do you not feel and find to the grief of your own souls that whereas you should weep as if you wept not rejoyce as if you rejoyced not and buy as if you possessed not Inverso ordine you weep for losses as if ye would weep out your eyes you rejoyce in temporal comforts as if you were in heaven and you buy as if it were for ever and a day Psal 49.11 But e contrario You pray as if you prayed not hear as if you heard not work for God as if you worked not Now we know experto credas a man that sticks fast in a ditch needs no reasons to prove he is in but remedies to pull him out Your best course will be to propose the case how you may get rid of this unwelcome guest spiritual sloth Eheu quot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habet sanctus David vel potius spiritus sanctus ad suam Cytharam Par. it is a case we are all concerned in Asini aures quis non habet Every man and mortal hath some of the Asses dulness and sloth in him and therefore I have brought a whip of ten strings to scourge this sloth and dulness out of us 1. Keep a strict watch over your eyes at all times especially when you are in duty the eyes are the Portholes that Sin and Sathan creep in at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is accounted a great piece of charity to a mans body to close his eyes when he is dead I am sure it is more charity to our souls to close our own eyes whilst we are living Apperuit nobis in Paradiso oculos satan nunc omnis labor in eo nobis est ut eos iterum Clandamus obturemus Luther See what a strict guard Job keeps upon his eyes that would not permit them at any time to view vain or wanton Objects Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I look upon a maid And the Prophet seems here to imply that unless God would turn away his eyes from beholding vanity he should never be quickned in his way It is removere prohibens beholding vanity forbids the banes between the soul and quickning If you will keep your houses warm you must keep your doors shut If you will keep your hearts hot in a duty you must keep your eyes shut If those doors stand wide open for all comers and goers either your soul Dinah-like will be gadding out or Sathan will be getting in by which the poor soul will be defiled and deflowred 2. Send sin packing bag and baggage these two mutually generate one the other Mater me gennit eadem mox gignitur ex me Sin begets sloth and sloth begets sin Sloth in David made him sinful and sin in David made him slothful Aegris corporibus simillima est aegritudo animi Cic. de fin 7. 13. Sin is the souls sickness now sickness makes men lazy lither loath to stir There is a disease incident to mans body called the Lethargy which makes him drowsie sleepy negligent and forgetful it springs from a cold Cathar of a pitchy and glutinous nature which cools and benums the brain Sloth is the Souls Lethargy which makes it sluggish negligent forgetful this arises from the Cathar of sin benumming and stupifying the heart and of all sins turn Covetousness out of doors There is a diseâ—se in the body Aurugo ab aureo colore ut Med. called the yellow Jaundice which makes the persons look yellow all over this springs from the over-flowing of the gall which over-spreading the whole man makes it liveless listless Covetousness is the yellow Jaundice of the soul which arises from the over-flowing of the heart with love to yellow gold by which a Christian is dull'd and deadned Thrust a Knife into the earth and it takes away the edge throw earth upon the fire and it deadens the heat let but earthly-mindedness creep into the heart it takes off the edge and deadens the heat of it to or in any exercise of Religion Solomon calls it an evill disease Eccles 6.2 Indeed the worst of diseases a complicated disease this disease does not only dead but destroy the soul 1 Tim. 6.9 Drowns men in perdition Ver. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil Foenus pecuniae funus animae Leo. The birth of money is the burial of the mind therefore our Saviour Luk. 12.15 bids us take heed and beware of Covetousness A double Caution that we might have a double care Above all keepings keep Covetousness out of thy heart Pro. 4.23 for that will not only hinder thee from being active in duty but help thee to be active against duty The Pharisees who were covetous derided him Luk. 16.14 They that drink of the water of the River Hipanis at first are delighted with it Solinus c. 14. but afterward are so hurt by it that non injuria execrantur It is most true of Chrysorroas the yellow River at first draught it pleases but afterward it makes them so dead drunk that they become dormice for ever after 3. Frequent a quickning Ministry Ver. 50. Thy Word hath quickned me The Word of God is quick and powerful Heb. 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and operative not only formaliter and in it self but also virtualiter in the vertue and efficacy of it it makes men lively in their operation Acts 7.38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oracles making lively Jer. 5.14 Ignis animantibus vim dat mirisicam Vario I will make my words in thy mouth fire Fire as it is the most noble so it is the most active Element and makes other things active Creatures almost dead for cold brought to the fire are made active and nimble Witness Aesops Snake which the Country man brought in his hand but when it had received heat from the fire it disturbed the whole house Dr. Ames relates that there was once such cold Preaching in Paris that the Protestants were constrained to go into the Country to a godly Minister to be warmed A godly Minister will warm a cold heart and put quickness into a drowsie spirit 4. Make out to the Lord Jesus Christ whose Promise and Office it is to make us active and vivacious Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly Christ came not only to make us alive but also to make us lively Persons who are slothful by reason of cold stiffning their joynts make out to the Mineral and Metalline baths which heal and help them The bloud of Christ is the most precious mineral hot bath in the world it will doubtless cure and quicken all cold and dull souls that come into it Zech. 13.1 It is the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness Sloth it is
sluggishnesse and enables yea ennobles us with gratious copious filial affections even groans and sighs that are unutterable expressions not to be expressed Cant. 1.4 Draw me and I will follow thee there is her Praier and her promise and there is no doubt of her performance she will as certainly follow as the Iron the Load-stone or the Card the North-pole Cant. 4.16 Awake O North-wind and come O South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Awake and come there is the Praier O North and South wind there is the Spirit the soul that is the Garden gratious affections they are the Spices that flow out But some pretious Soul whispers in mine ears I blesse God I am not troubled with this lethargy my sails are so filled Quest that my mill goes and grinds nimbly only I am afraid the wind blows not from the right quarter pray therefore satisfie my conscience in this case Whether my activity in duty proceed from the Spirit of God We may easily be deceived by our enlargments Answ because there are many winds and gales blowing from several quarters which may set the soul in active going and doing as popular applause high opinions of the Preacher taking expressions in praier flourishing novelties and notions in a Sermon satanical infusions common and ordinary inspirations of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to reprobates Heb. 6.4 5 6. All which or any of which way so draw and delight the heart that as Orpheus pipe they or it may make the heart dance in a duty and yet for all this it may be possible yea probable the heart may dance after the Devils pipe Ezek. 33.32 the resolution of this case would have been fitter for some antient experienced Master of Assemblies whose Bible is more in his heart than head than for so weak and worthlesse a person as I am who may truly say with Agur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man Yet seeing Providence hath laid the lot at my door to use Peters words a little altered Acts 3.5 Though silver and golden experiences and expressions I have none yet such as I have I shall willingly impart and communicate to you If you will lend me your patience I will give you my pains in resolving this weighty and worthy case of Conscience how a Christian may know whether his activity in duty be from the Spirit of God I shall commend to you these eight Characteristical Notes as so many Touch-stones 1. When we have beforehand earnestly praied and prepared our souls for such activity when you say and do to your soul as Jehu did to the worshippers of Baal 2. Kings 10.19 I have a great Sacrifice to offer O my soul warn and summon in all the powers and parts of soul and body be sure that not one be wanting and so by reading meditating and Prayer get our souls into a holy frame and gratious posture and humbly yea heartily also beg and beseech of God to carry us on Eagles wings through the duty we are drawing near to if we mount and soar aloft as Aquilae in nubibus Eagles to Heaven in that duty we may safely and surely conclude that activity is from the Spirit When Mariners buy a wind of the Witches as they do in Lapland and other places and they have it at every place and point according to the purchase of the one and the promise of the other they may undoubtedly conclude that wind came from the spirit of the Devil When we beg a wind from God and we enjoy it at the time according to our desire we may upon good ground say that wind came from the Spirit of God this will appear very clear if you please to lay together these four things 1. It is Gods Prerogative to hear Prayer Psal 65.2 Oh thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come 2. It is Gods Promise to hear Praier Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it spread thy sails by Prayer and I will fill them by my Spirit Luke 11.13 He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it 3. It is Gods usual course to perform his Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that very kind Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to hear I said not to the seed of Jacob seek ye me in vain Isa 45.19 4. It hath been the constant practise of Gods people to look after their Praiers to see what successe they have had Prayers come not out of the Ark of their souls as the Raven did never to return but as Noahs Dove to come back again with an Olive branch into the soul Psal 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Saints do not shoot the arrows of their Prayers as children do shoot them away and never mind them but as Archers that shoot their arrows up into the air and stand expecting their returns down again if our activity come from the return of Prayers it must be from the Spirit When Elias prayes so fervently that fire might come down from Heaven and consume the sacrifice and it did so the people might justly cry out the Lord he is God the Lord he is God 1 Kings 18.37 39. So when we pray for fire and fervour to come down from Heaven on our service and it comes we may cry the Spirit of God the Spirit of God 2. When our activity carries us supra sphaeram activitatis above the reach of any creature when dust is carried up on high the wind does it when dust and ashes are carried up on high in a duty the wind of the Spirit does it If a Chymist dissolves a stone into drops of water we may be sure some help higher than a creature hath helped him If a heart of stone shall be dissolved into drops of water in a duty it must be some help higher than a creatures must do it if Ganymedes be carried up to heaven it must be by the help of Jupiter if the soul be carried up to Heaven so in a duty that an extasie rather than an activity it is by the help of the Spirit if our spirit cries in a duty with sighs and groans that are unutterable it was enabled by the Spirit of God Rom. 8.26 when we are carried through difficulties doubts duties dangers that seem impossible impassible by reason of the Lyons in the way and the Lyons in the streets that stand open-mouthed to devour us Pro. 26.13 Then to venture through all fire fury faggot this is of the Spirit of God When Daniel shall continue active in Prayer three times a day with his windows open that all might see him when there were Lyons in the way indeed Dan. 6.10 When Luther in outward streights shall have such
inward enlargements that he comes off from his knees with a vicimus vicimus When he shall go to Worms to own the truth of Christ though all the tiles upon the houses were devils Of these Prayers and Practices and such like we may say as Protogenes of a curious Line none but Apelles could draw this none but the Spirit of God could enlarge and enable to do this 3. When we feel and find our hearts after duty silled and fraighted with spiritual joyes and heavenly comforts when our soul is like a Merchants ship returned from the Indies loaden as deep as it can swim with all variety of Spices and precious Commodities When we have such inward ravishings that our heart is a little Heaven fill'd up to the brim with joy as our Saviour prayed for us Joh. 15.11 Enjoying that joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 Heaven antidated or Heaven before-hand when we have that joy which is the earnest of Gods love 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared in this life for them that love him but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit This joy is not only the fulfilling of Christs Prayer but also the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 When the King had brought his Spouse into his Bride-chamber after her prayer he ravishes her heart with joy Cant. 1.4 When David had been at Prayer Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me Then comes that rapture Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine and Oyl encreased Psal 4.6 7. When we have greater joy after duty than Worldlings have after Harvest which is their greatest joy gaudium messis is messis gaudiu The joy of their harvest is all the harvest of their joy which this Worlds Earth-worms are likely to enjoy Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things saies Abraham to Dives 4. When our activity in duty is constant like the motion of the fire in its Orb which Philosophers tell us is perpetual My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times Psal 119.20 The Spirit dwels in us as his Temple 1 Cor. 6.19 The body is the Temple the Soul the Late the Affections the Strings the Holy Ghost the Musician who in all our duties makes melody in our hearts Eph. 5.19 Where the Ship is alway sayling the Wind is alway blowing and we are sure that sayling comes from the Wind if the Wind lies still the Ship lies still is becalmed 1 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedom and liberty are opposed to three things 1. Necessity 2. Co-action 3. Restraint Now the Spirit of God sets our heels ut aiunt our hearts at liberty not only from necessity co-action but also restraint Setting at liberty is freeing us from imprisonment and giving freedom to go whither we will The Spirit admits us to that liberty which is 1. The purchase of Christ Gal. 5.1 2. The Priviledge of our filiation Rom. 8.21 Per nomen libertatis non tantum intelligo a peccati carnis servitute manumissionem Sed etiam fiduciam quam concipimus ex adoptionis nostrae testimonio convenit cum Rom. 8.15 Calv. in 2 Cor. 3.7 The glorious liberty of the Sons of God The Spirit makes us act as it self Nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia Ambr. 2 Cor. 3.6 The Spirit quickneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes lively Rom. 8.2 As the Spirit of life frees us from the law of sin and death so from the Law of sloth and deadness Object But some poor soul cries out Woe is me I am undone I find none of this Spirit in me I am none of those fixed Stars about the Aequinoctial that move many Millions in an hour but a slow-paced Planet that finishes not his course in many years whose motion is so dull that not discernable Sure I am cast out of the firmament of Gods favour and shall be a wandring Star to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude v. 13. Answ It is the misery of Ministers that they cannot speak of the experimental sublimities of some but others are presently desponding and despairing I would not for a world quench the smoaking flax or break the bruised reed Mat. 12.20 Yea I would with all my soul put the lambs in my bosome which cannot go or but slowly and gently lead them that are with young Isa 40.11 I speak this to them that are upon the staves of Jacobs Ladder in their ascending to heaven to be a loadstone to draw them up not a milstone to drag them down But to answer more appositely 1. I intend it in opposition to them who live in a course of sin yet now and then in a duty do feel a flâ—sh of joy and thereupon presume of their good estate and not to those who with Zachary and Elizabeth walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God blameless Luk. 1.7 and yet do not obtain this constant favour 2. I lay it down a positâ—ve sign and inclusivè that those and all those that have constant activities though differing for the altitudes and degrees may be certain of the Spirit as those that have Trade winds from Port to Port may be sure they sail by the wind or as those thâ—t have the Organ medium and object rightly disposed may be sure they see Bellarmine tells a story of an old man that alwaies arose from duty with these words Claudimini oculi mei claudiminiâ— nihil enim pulchrius jamâ— videbitis Be you shut O my eyes be shut for I shall never behold any fairer Object than Gods face which I have now beheld But not a negative sign exclusivè as if those that repent of sin meditate on the Promises poure out Prayers walk with God wait on Ordinâ—nces who have it not were cast-awaies I am confident many that lye wind-bound in the harbour shall in due time get to the Haven 3. There are four things belong to a Christian 1. A habit 2. An Act. 3. Degrees of that Act. 4. Sense of all these He may have the three first and yet want the sense of them A ship may sail and yet the Mariner not sensible of it 4. There is no Rule but hath some Exception no Experience in one Believers heart but a contrary Experience may be found in anothers Various are the workings of Gods Spirit in the heart he blows when where how he pleases Joh. 3.8 He is called seven spirits Rev. 1.4 because of his various influences He doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow in a duty if the ship be ready but to shew he is agens liberrimum he will sometime suspend his Act and leave the common Road. To conclude this take this counsel Stay
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
blessings before they can be refreshing Ioh 10.28 Ioh. 14.3 Col. 2.7 Ioh. 15.1 5. Eph. 1.22 23. and this alone from Christ I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am ye may be there also And what is cleerly asserted in these Scriptures is strongly intimated in those emblems by which Christ is described What the root is to the Tree the Vine to the branches the head to the body all this is Christ to believers viz. not only a treasury of all good but a fountain continually streaming down all kind of spirituall blessings into their souls and though faith be both the eye that discerns and the hand that receives all from Christs fullnesse yet 't is he that by his Spirit works this grace in us Faith is our act Gal. 5.22 Ephes 2 8. Phil. 1.29 but it is his gift 't is we that beleeve but 't is Christ enables us to beleeve so that both in purchasing and applying salvation Christ is All. 3. What advantage is it to beleevers to have their All in Christ 1. Because our salvation could have been in no hand so safe so sure as in the hand of Christ had it been in our hand by any inhaerent righteousnesse Psal 89.19 Isa 63.1 Heb. 4.15 Heb. 7.25 our sad experience we have had of our own unfaithfullnesse in sinning away that happinesse wherein we were created may cause us for ever to be jealous of our selves but to have it in the hand of him who is mighty to save even to the utmost who is so faithfull that in all our distresses he is touched with our infirmities we cannot be so sensible of our own miseries but Christ is much more Acts 4.12 and hence it is that as we have no other Saviour besides him so is it impossible we should have any like unto him 2. Because our salvation could have been in no way so comfortable because as God hath the glory of every attribute so have Christians the comfort of every attribute in this way of salvation for as God hath the glory of his Justice from them in their Head and surety to whom in this way he shews mercy mercy and truth are met together Psalm 85.10 righteousnesse and peace have kissed each other Justice it self that dreadfull attribute to guilty creatures is in this way of salvation so far from being their enemy that it becomes their friend and speaks nothing but what is to their encouragement And hence it is that sincere believers have from the very justice of God answered all manner of discouragements arising from their sins Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 i. e. since God hath already received satisfaction from Christ he cannot in justice require it from the members of Christ Rom. 3.26 Prov. 28.13 With 1 Ioh. 1.9 but is just in the justifying him that believeth in Jesus and if we confesse and forsâ—ke our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse Thus hath the justice of God been their great support in the time of their outward dangers also Psal 89.14 Justice and judgement are the habitation of his Throne In a word this way of salvation which was the contrivance of infinite wisdome and is in it self so mysterious that the Angels delight to look into it does so fully correspond with the condition of poor weak sinfull mutable creatures that it layes a double obligation of praise upon us that salvation is possible and that the way of salvation is so compleat and full The Doctrinall part of this Observation being thus cleared one word by way of Application Vse 1. If Christ be All then is there no ground of despondency either from your own defectivenesse or the defectivenesse of all creature helps Your duties are defective Phil. 3.9 your endeavours defective your very righteousnesse unsafe to confide in But though you have nothing in your selves yet if you have an interest in Christ you need nothing more because in Christ you have All. 1. You have the summe of All. Though you have not estates friends worldly comforts yet in Christ you have what does more than make up the want of all these We may be as impatiently desirous of this and that earthly comfort as Rachel was of children Gen. 30.1 1 Sam. 1.8 whom we find quarrelling with Jacob Give me children or else I die But what Elkanah said to Hannah in the like condition Am I not better unto thee than teâ— sons the same may we say much more to persons interested in Christ Is not Christ better to you than all The absence of the Cistern may well be dispensed with by him who lives at the fountain and the light of a Candle by him who enjoyes the Sun All those seeming contradictions which so frequently occurre in Scripture can no other wayes be reconciled but by the acknowledgement of this E. gr A father of the fatherlâ—sse Psal 68.5 Iam. 2.5 2 Cor. 6.10 How can they be fatherlesse who have a father Thus we read of them who were rich in the midst of poverty who having nothing possâ—ssed All things joyfull in the midâ—t of sorrows i. e. though they had not these comforts yet they had an interest in him who is infinitely more and better than all those comforts Nay as to inhaerent righteousnesse though you cannot attain a perfection yet in Christ is perfection He is All. 2. You have in him the pledge of All according to the Apostles argumentation Rom. 8.32 How shall be not with him also freely give us All things The Inference is strong Had there been any one mercy that God had thought too great too much for worthlesse creatures it would certainly have been this but since God hath not stuck at giving his Son This instance of Gods bounty is so high that it removes all grounds of questioning his bounty in any thing else The Apostle from this mercy might very well infer a certain subsequence of all other mercies that might be profitable or beneficiall no ground of despondency therefore unto such as are interested in Christ Vse 2. What cause have we to be thankfull for Christ We have cause to be thankfull for the meanest of mercies Gen. 32.10 inasmuch as we are lesse than the least of all much more for this which is the highest of mercies The mercies of our Creation preservation c. though never so many and great are little in comparison of this 'T is mentioned as an astonishing act of love that God should so love the world as to give his only son c. Joh. 3.16 so beyond all comparison so beyond all expression If God hath given you his Son 't is more than if he had given you a whole world Ephes 1.3 because it is in him that God
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